Unbeaten Shohjahon Ergashev became a legit prospect in 2018. With explosive power and an impressive skill-set, Ergashev is hoping to contend for a world title later this year.

Ergashev will face Mykal Fox in a clash of unbeaten junior welterweights on Feb. 15, it was announced Thursday morning.

The 10-round bout will take place at the Kansas Star Arena in Mulvane, Kansas. The fight, along with the 10-round bout between unbeaten junior featherweights Jessie Hernandez and Thomas Patrick Ward, will air live on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

Ergashev (15-0, 14 knockouts), who is originally from Uzbekistan and now resides in Detroit, Michigan, has already appeared on a ‘ShoBox’ telecast. The 27-year-old Ergashev stopped unbeaten prospect Sonny Fredrickson in round three on Jan. 12 of last year.

In a stay-busy fight on Dec. 14 in Krasnodar, Russia, Ergashev knocked out Argentina’s Nazareno Gaston Ruiz in the opening round.

Ergashev’s recent success has earned him a No. 7 ranking by the WBA. A win over Fox could open more lucrative fights later this year, something Ergashev believes he is ready for.

“Everyone says Mykal Fox is my toughest opponent to date, but that doesn’t concern me,” said Ergashev, who won over 200 amateur fights before turning pro in December of 2015. “It actually excites me because when I knock him out, just like I knocked out Sonny Frederickson, all of the champions in my weight class will know I am coming for them soon. It’s going to be Shoh-time in 2019.”

Promoter Dmitriy Salita, a former fighter himself, agrees.

“Shohjahon Ergashev is one of the hardest punchers in all of boxing,” said Salita. “He will be facing a challenge in the undefeated, skilled, determined fighter in Mykal Fox. It’s a great fight. The winner will cement himself as one of the best in the junior welterweight division.”

Fox (19-0, 5 KOs) will be Ergashev’s toughest test to date. In his last bout on Dec. 8, Fox stopped previously-unbeaten Gonzalo Dallera in the second round. His biggest win to date was a unanimous decision over former world titleholder DeMarcus Corley on Aug. 18.

“My opponent is a good fighter,” said Fox, who resides in Washington, DC. “He has good feet, good speed, and great power. This is going to be a fight that can potentially steal the show. I look forward to seeing how our styles matched up.”

In the co-feature of the ‘ShoBox’ telecast, Jessie Hernandez (12-1 1 NC, 7 KOs) will attempt to win his fifth in a row. Hernandez has appeared on two ‘ShoBox’ telecasts, notching a split-decision victory over Ernesto Garza in January of 2018 and a knockout of Vladimir Tikhonov in August of 2017. 

Ward (25-0, 4 KOs) will be fighting for the first time outside England. The 24-year-old Ward has showed more aggression in recent fights, stopping two of his last three opponents.

Ward is ranked No. 4 by the WBO at 122 pounds and No. 11 by the WBC.

Francisco A. Salazar has written for RingTV.com since October of 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper, Boxingscene.com, and FightNights.com. He can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @FSalazarBoxing.