FORMER OLYMPIANS TAYLOR - MARQUEZ COLLIDE ON JUNE 19 "HBO AFTER DARK"

Jermain Taylor and Raul Marquez have both represented the United States in the Olympic games, and they’ve both experienced great success in the pro game. But Marquez has achieved something only a select few have – winning a world championship. And if Taylor wants to get to the middleweight title, he has to go through ‘El Diamante.’

On Saturday, June 19th, in a twelve round middleweight bout to be held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, highly regarded middleweight contender Jermain Taylor will put his unbeaten record on the line against Raul Marquez in a battle of Olympic Medalists that will either further Taylor’s career or severely derail his progress.

Jermain Taylor vs. Raul Marquez,will be aired live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 PM (ET/PT)

Fresh off his biggest win to date, an impressive, HBO televised seventh round stoppage of Alex Bunema on March 27th, Jermain Taylor (20-0, 15 KOs) has risen through the ranks at a pace that has impressed even the most hardened critics. Blessed with speed, power, and a Spartan work ethic, “Bad Intentions” - who won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games - is seen by most observers to be the franchise player in the middleweight division for years to come. Taylor is currently ranked third in the world by the WBC, IBF, WBA and fifth by the WBO and Ring Magazine.

Raul Marquez has something to say about that.

A native of Reynosa, Mexico now making his home in Houston, Texas, Marquez (35-2, 24 KOs), has established a reputation as one of the sport’s most exciting warriors. An Olympic Silver Medalist, the 32-year-old southpaw is also the former IBF Junior Middleweight Champion, a title he defended twice. Marquez has been on a tear as of late, winning five of his last six bouts, the only blemish being a controversial no contest with three-division world champion Shane Mosley. In his last bout, on October 23, 2003, Marquez scored a one-punch knockout of Humberto Aranda.

Taylor-Marquez is part of an outstanding night of boxing presented by Golden Boy Promotions, in association with DiBella Entertainment and Top Rank and headlined by the featherweight battle between Marco Antonio Barrera and Paulie Ayala.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25 not including applicable service charges, are on sale now at the Home Depot Box Office. Tickets may also be purchased by phone by calling Ticketmaster at (213) 480-3232.