Category Archives: PBC on ESPN

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN OFFICIAL WEIGHTS & WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

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Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

Click HERE For Photos From Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

Frank De Alba ready for biggest fight of his career TOMORROW NIGHT against Omar Douglas at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

Fight to be streamed LIVE on ESPN3.com 

Brooklyn, NY (July 31, 2015)–TOMORROW NIGHT!! at Barclays Center, The 2nd installment of Premiere Boxing Champions on ESPN will take place with Danny Garcia meeting Paulie Malignaggi in the main event.  In the co-feature, Daniel Jacobs will defend his Middleweight title against Sergio Mora.
In a bout that will take place before the live broadcast begins, an intriguing Jr. Lightweight battle between Frank De Alba and Omar Douglas will be streamed live on ESPN3.com at 8 PM ET.
De Alba of Reading, PA sees this fight as a chance to make a big name for himself fighting on a big card in front of the major boxing media.
The 28 year-old De Alba has a record of 16-1-2 with 6 knockouts and has won 14 in a row and is unbeaten in his last 18 fights.  De Alba knows that this could be a fight against the undefeated Douglas, who will come in with a record of 14-0 with 11 knockouts, that will springboard him into the top-10 in the Jr. Lightweight division..
“Everything is going great.  This has been the best training camp of my career,” Said De Alba.
“I have worked very hard to get to this point.  I have sacrificed a lot and I am grateful for this opportunity and I am not going to let this slip away from me.”
When asked about Douglas, he sees that there are some things that he can exploit in this pivotal fight.
“I see only one style.  He comes forward and throws a lot of punches and he comes to fight very hard.”
De Alba has fought the majority of his career in the Lehigh Valley area and he now relishing the opportunity to be noticed in New York.
“I am excited for that.  This is my first time on the big stage and I am going to take advantage and do my best.  This is what boxing is all about, the best fighting the best.  And because of this great opportunity, I will find out where I stand in the Jr. Lightweight division.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in
association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at(800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS – GARCIA VS. MALIGNAGGI FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

 

Click HERE For Photos From Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

 

NEW YORK (July 30, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN and undercard fighters held a final press conference Thursday at B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill in Times Square as they near their Saturday, August 1 showdowns at Barclays Center.

 

The event is headlined by undefeated star Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs) as he makes his 147-pound debut against two-time world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs). Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. as middleweight world champion Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) defends in his hometown against former world champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (28-3-2, 9 KOs).

 

Here is what the participants had to say Thursday:

 

DANNY GARCIA

 

“We had a tremendous camp, I’ve never felt so strong in my life. For the first time in my career I can actually train to get better.

 

“We’re just focused on training. We did everything in camp – we even chased chickens.

 

“I accomplished a lot at 140-pounds and I’m going to do a lot at 147. On Saturday at Barclays Center you’re going to see a spectacular Danny Garcia.

 

“I want to be known as a great Philadelphia fighter and a great Puerto Rican fighter. I’m the first Puerto Rican from Philly to ever be a world champion. I have the Philly skills and toughness with the Puerto Rican blood, it’s the perfect mixture.

 

“I’ve watched Paulie fight my whole career. He’s a tough veteran and I’m sure he’s got some tricks up his sleeve. I just have to go in there and stick to business on Saturdaynight.

 

“Barclays Center is my home away from home. We have a nice routine when we’re in Brooklyn. We keep it simple.

 

“I pay attention to the positive things in my career and that’s getting in the gym and working hard and getting better. That’s my main focus.

 

“Everything is better at 147. I feel stronger. My form feels good. The footwork is great. I can eat regularly now. Still disciplined but it’s a lot easier.”

 

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI

 

“For Danny’s team, it’s only about him and for me it’s all about myself. My best versus his best. This is a big opportunity from me, professionally and personally. My career started 14 years ago in Brooklyn and people think it’s going to end Saturday in Brooklyn, but I’m not letting that happen.

 

“It’s been an emotional camp. I find myself thrust back into the limelight of a major fight when it was least expected. The question marks and doubts come up in my mind and that’s made it emotional. I work hard every day. I’ve quietly had one of my best training camps

 

“There are no excuses here. Saturday night is the best of Paulie Malignaggi. I look forward to testing myself against the best Danny Garcia. I’ve always loved and relish the big names and the big opportunities.

 

“Sometimes I lay in bed at night thinking about matchups between fighters. Now I’m thinking of myself in that conversation and we’ll fin out on Saturday how I stack up.

 

“Quietly but surely, I’m very confident about Saturday night. I’m bringing my best.”

 

DANIEL JACOBS

 

“This is another great opportunity to showcase my skills. I’m on a good knockout streak and I feel confident about this fight.

 

“Sergio Mora is a Rubik’s cube, you have to figure him out. He’s crafty and I have the utmost respect for him. I’m 100 percent confident in my ability to go out there and put on a good show

 

“I hear Sergio is coming here to knock me out and if that’s the case this is going to be a real exciting fight. I look forward to it because I’m coming forward and if two guys are doing that it’s going to be a great fight.

 

“I’m excited to give these Brooklyn fans a great fight. I love being at home and seeing all of the familiar faces I’ve seen since the amateur days.”

 

SERGIO MORA

 

I’m excited to fight at Barclays Center. Brooklyn is beautiful and has great fans. Lou DiBella is about to have another fighter named Sergio as a middleweight champion afterSaturday night.

 

“I think this is going to be a really successful fight because of all the stars up here. It’s a great event for boxing fans.

 

“I’m a grown man now and I’m looking to become a two-time world champion. This is my third time at a middleweight title shot but the first time an opponent showed up. I’m excited and ready to go. I’m thankful for everyone who has opened the door for me. This is it.

 

“Daniel is strong in the ring. He’s a powerful, confident champion. He’s not used to losing and he’s used to hitting his targets, but I’m the total opposite of that. It’s going to be tough for him.

 

“Until he gets in there with me and realizes how tough I am, then he’s going to realize he has a challenge coming to him. I want to take him out of his element.

 

“It’s a big burden to be a hometown fighter and he’s going to realize that. It’s detrimental to be fighting in your hometown and I think he’s too young to realize that. It’s going to be to my advantage on fight night.”

 

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny’s Father & Trainer

 

“Danny had a great camp. It was an awesome camp and he’s going to make a lot of noise. We’re not taking Malignaggi lightly, but we’ve come to win. We don’t come to lose.

 

“It’s not about Malignaggi, it’s about Danny. People can say whatever they want to say but we’re coming to make noise at 147. We’re not running from anybody.

 

“I promise you Danny will be the world champion at 147. I’ve seen visions of it. This is going to be a great fight and then after that anybody can get it.”

 

LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

 

“I’ve known Paulie Malignaggi since he was a teenager and won the nationals in a big surprise to people. He turned pro on one of my shows and one thing I know about him, it’s that he’s not going to back down from a challenge and he’s going to give it 110 percent on Saturday.

 

“Danny Garcia has been a dominant force in the 140-pound division. He’s won fights by stunning knockout and he’s won by decisions. He always finds a way to win. That’s what he’s planning to do on Saturday night.

 

“Sergio Mora is here to challenge for another world championship. He comes in on a good streak of impressive wins. He’s always been known as a boxer and he’s been in the ring with the best fighters in the world.

 

“Daniel Jacobs is one of the best guys in boxing. His story of perseverance is one that has been told many times. He’s a young, strong champion looking to show that he’s got what it takes in the ring as well as outside of it.

 

“This is a fantastic card featuring four great fighters from Brooklyn on the undercard. We’re going to open the doors and immediately start with these great fights.

 

“This will be Heather Hardy’s fourth fight at Barclays Center and she will be joined on the undercard by Polish heavyweight from Brooklyn Adam Kownacki, who is looking to make some noise in the division.

 

“Rafael Vasquez has a truly inspirational story. He uses boxing to draw attention to the cause of autism and his wife who is battling courageously against cancer, and winning. I really want to see him get a world title shot, because his life has been a battle that he takes on with courage every day.

 

“We also have a terrific prospect in Prichard Colon from Puerto Rico. He’s undefeated and really an exciting guy to watch in the ring.”

 

BRETT YORMARK, CEO of Barclays Center

 

“It’s our 14th big night of boxing in Brooklyn and we’re really excited about it. It’s a business we’re committed to and one we want to grow. Our goal is to go monthly with big events at Barclays Center.

 

“With Paulie and Danny, it’s a big night to have them back at Barclays Center. It is the fourth time for both and they both represent Brooklyn so well.

 

“I want to welcome Sergio Mora for the first time and we’re excited to have you in Brooklyn.

 

“As we’ve told Danny Garcia before, this is his second home and we’re happy to have you and your father back.

 

“We’re excited to be on ESPN, because they provide an incredible platform for these fighters and the sport as a whole.

 

“We expect a great crowd on Saturday night and we look forward to an exciting night at Barclays Center.”

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.comand www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi, www.facebook.com/barclayscenterand www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN and #BrooklynBoxing.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN FIGHTER WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

 

BROOKLYN (July 29, 2015) – Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN featured fighters were joined by local Brooklyn favorites featured on this Saturday’s undercard for a media workout at Gleason’s Gym in advance of their respective showdowns at Barclays Center.

 

Saturday’s headlining event features undefeated star Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs) as he takes on two-time world champion from Brooklyn Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs) in a 12-round welterweight tilt. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT as Brooklyn’s Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) defends his middleweight world title against former world champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (28-3-2, 9 KOs).

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available atwww.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

 

Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:

 

DANNY GARCIA

 

“[On going up to 147 pounds] You’re going to see a lot more energy in the ring. You’ll see a smarter fighter. I’ll have more agility and we’re going to go in there to get the job done.

 

“We’re just working hard. At the end of the day it’s about being 100 percent prepared. I did everything right this camp and I’m ready.

 

“The game plan is to go in there and be Danny Garcia and be spectacular. I don’t know which Paulie to expect but I’m prepared for any version of him we see. I’m sparring a lot of guys who move and guys who come forward so I’m ready for anything.

 

“If we’re both at 100 percent then I’ll take my 100 percent over his without a doubt. My style is made to beat any fighter in the game. I’m sure he trained hard but we’re going to get this victory.

 

“I’m only focused on being a fighter. I don’t think anybody can beat a 110 percent Danny Garcia. At the end of the day, I know I beat a lot of good fighters and I’m going to show my heart in the ring.

 

“There’s no pressure but I’m looking forward to an excellent performance. I’m ready to fight today if the fight was today. I feel faster at 147. I won’t be flat-footed in there. You’re going to see it all on Saturday.

 

“I feel like I’m one of the most versatile fighters in the sport. I’m going to feel strong for 12 rounds on Saturday. I’ve felt strong all camp.”

 

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI

 

“I feel great at 147 pounds. I’ve always felt very strong at this weight and it’s where I should be. I still had to make sacrifices in training but I’ve never made weight so easily. I’m coming off back-to-back camps and I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been.

 

“To be a two-time world champion you need to be able to do more than just jab and move. My IQ and my overall boxing ability and skillset make me the fighter that I am today.

 

“I don’t think Danny is overlooking me but I feel that the fans and the media are. I love challenges and I love things that motivate me. I wake up in the morning saying this is hard, but I know I can do it.

 

“The bigger the challenge the more excited I am. It brings the best out of me. I have fought some of the greatest fighters of our time. There’s no reason I would stop now.
“Fighting at home at Barclays Center against Danny Garcia, one of the biggest fights in boxing, I couldn’t ask for more.”

 

DANIEL JACOBS

 

“Sergio Mora is a slick fighter. He can slip punches well and he’s defensively minded. He’s a cagey fighter but he lacks power. He has a lot of defensive flaws and I just have to be patient and take advantage of them.

 

“We have a game plan in store, but in a pro fight anything can happen. You have to be able to adjust on the fly.

 

“I have a great team that helps me take care of things so that I can focus on training. I avoid all distractions that would take me away from being at my best.

 

“Fighting on the PBC cards has been outstanding. I love the intro and coming out on that stage. I felt like a superstar.

 

“This training camp has been a pleasure, hard work but a pleasure. It was difficult because Sergio is so hard to prepare for. You can’t prepare for it with sparring or just one thing. I’m looking forward to showing my true skills and showing what a true champion is.”

 

SERGIO MORA

 

“I’m thrilled about this opportunity. I’ve had two huge letdowns before with world title shots falling through. Now that this is here, there is no way I’m going to let it pass me by.

 

“I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to be at Barclays and happy to be on PBC. I love being the underdog and I’m going to shock the world on Saturday night.

 

“I’m in the second phase of my career now, DiBella and PBC have saved my career and my life.

 

“PBC is great, it’s free TV and we’re putting out heart, blood, sweat and tears into this and the fans get to see it on free TV. This is great for the fans, for the fighters and for the entire sport as a whole; it’s what boxing needed.”

 

RAFAEL VASQUEZ

 

“This is a great opportunity and a blessing to be on this card. There’s so many great fighters from Brooklyn. Barclays Center is great and it gives us fighters from Brooklyn the opportunity to fight at a first class venue right here at home.

 

[On his Autistic eight-year-old daughter Kaylene]…”I want to show other people that are dealing with this, that they are not alone. I see this as a blessing to be able to raise awareness and speak out and show other families that are struggling with Autism that we are in this together.

 

“When people see me step into the ring I want them to know that I’m not only fighting for myself but I’m fighting for them. I want to be the face of Autism in boxing.”

 

HEATHER HARDY

 

“It’s really important to me that I stay relevant and that I’m a part of the conversation so when I saw this fight coming up in August I made sure that I was on this card.

 

“There really is extra motivation going up against Renata Domsodi again. I felt like when the two of us faced off last time and the bout was ruled a no contest that we owed it to every other female boxer to show that we belong there and I thought she quit.

 

“Renata was coming in with her face down swinging her arms and I charged her while she was coming in and that caused the cut. We’ve been working on stepping to the side when she does that and being a little bit more patient.

 

“If all goes well Saturday I’ll be ready to get back in the ring in September. I’m in shape and I live in the gym. This is what I do. You have to stay a part of the conversation. I want to see a higher level of competition every time I step into the ring.

 

“This is probably the hardest I’ve ever worked, out of all of my camps. Not for any other reason than just putting in extra work. Honestly I’m in the best shape of my life.”

 

TRAVIS PETERKIN

 

“I’ve trained so hard, I put blood, sweat and tears into this. I put my soul into this. I put my life into this. We’re ready.

 

“It’s no secret that I’m from Brooklyn, born and raised, I didn’t move here from anywhere. Guys like Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe and Shannon Briggs I just want to follow in their footsteps. I want to be great and learn from those that came before me.

 

“I’m a boxer-puncher. I’ll adapt to the fighter. If he runs, I’ll go get him. But I also know how to be smart and use my technical abilities.

 

“I’m facing a tough guy in Lenin Castillo. He’s got a good record and was a 2008 Olympian. Everything looks good on paper, but when the time comes, I’m going to take him out.

 

“I train right here at Gleason’s. When we’re a couple months from a fight everybody is smiling and joking but when we’re this close to the fight, everybody is serious. It’s all about hard work.”

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.comand www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi, www.facebook.com/barclayscenterand www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN and #BrooklynBoxing.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN FIGHTER QUOTES

 

Undefeated Star Danny Garcia Faces

Two-Time World Champion Paulie Malignaggi

 

Middleweight World Champion Daniel Jacobs Defends Against

Former World Champion Sergio Mora

 

Live From Barclays Center

9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

 

BROOKLYN (July 28, 2015) – With just days to go until Premier Boxing Championson ESPN fighters enter the ring for their Saturday, August 1 showdowns at Barclays Center, catch up on what the fighters have been saying in the weeks leading up to fight week.

 

Saturday’s headlining event is the 147-pound debut of Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs) as he takes on two-time world champion out of Brooklyn, Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs). Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with Brooklyn’s middleweight world champion Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) as he defends his title against former world champion Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (28-3-2, 9 KOs).

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

 

Here is what the fight participants have had to say from their media conference call and Garcia’s media workout:

 

DANNY GARCIA

 

“I’m not really concerned about Paulie, at this point in my career if I’m 110% percent ready, I feel like I can adapt to anything and find a way to win.

 

“It feels great to be at 147. For the first time in a long time, I could worry about training to get better and not training to lose weight. I’ve been fighting at 140 my whole career.

 

“I’ve been the underdog before, I’ve been the underdog before and I won. I can’t listen to none of that stuff after just going through each fight like I was, mentally prepared, physically prepared going in and get the job done.

 

“We added things to our workout now. We added a lot of explosive workouts, a lot of agility, a lot of footwork, a lot of things to making you more explosive, things I couldn’t do at 140 because I didn’t have the energy for it. But now the extra weight is really helping me.

 

“I’m very confident. I faced a lot of good fighters. I faced a lot of great fighters in my career. I have a lot of experience. I was a big 140-pound fighter. I’ve never faced a 140-pound fighter who was taller than me or who looked better than me.

 

“But I feel like at 147, you’re going to see a more athletic Danny Garcia and be able to use my legs more, using my jab more and see punches clearer. When you drain yourself as hard to see punches, then you get hit with a lot of dumb punches because your vision is not clear.

 

“I feel like my vision is going to be a lot clearer and be able to move my head, see the punches better, use my feet. And I think I’m going to be a champion at 147, too. I know so.”

 

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI

 

“I think styles make fight. From a style point of view there are things that I feel like I’ll be able to do against Danny. But I also expect Danny had made some adjustments since those fights.

 

“You get to the point when you’re not in the ring for a while. It’s going through my mind that maybe I don’t want to fight. But as time went by and I started working out again, I started realizing that it was something I missed. It was something I was still craving. I wanted to be back in there.

 

“If we’re going to talk about the layoff, people are going to talk about the fact that, I haven’t fought for a long time. But in reality, I actually haven’t trained this consistently in a decade, literally a decade.

 

“I do feel the sharpness in a gym. I do feel the timing is really good. Obviously my weight has come down. So, that’s a good feeling knowing that I have to drop a lot of weight during the training camp just working on the sharpness and keep getting better.

 

“I’m not looking at it as having any advantages. It’s just a matter of matching of my skills to his skills.

“I can’t really tell you exactly how I’m going to play it out until I’m in the ring myself. I plan on being the best me possible. I plan on being the sharpest me possible. And right now, in training, I feel really good. The plan is to flow this training camp into a sharp night onAugust 1st.”

 

DANIEL JACOBS

 

“It’ll be against the most experienced guy I’ve faced thus far. I’m looking forward to testing my challenge against this slick, crafty veteran in Sergio Mora.

 

“So there’s not a lot of fear as far as power is concerned but where he lacks that he makes up in his craftiness and his slickness and awkwardness and sometimes he does engage in the action as well.

 

“The test with Sergio Mora is – whether that he can be stopped or whether or not I can go the distance with him, he’s never been stopped before, so it will be icing on the cake to be able to not only to defeat him but to stop him in the match.

 

“I feel like I have a lot more advantages than he does in the fight. But whatever my advantages are and whatever gets me going, will be the deciding factor for me I would stick to. So if it’s my speed, then I’ll stick to using my speed. If it’s my power, backing him down, showing him what a real middleweight feels like, then that’s what I would do.”

 

SERGIO MORA

 

“I think I’m going to be an underdog for this fight again, fighting the younger, stronger champion in his hometown. So defeating him is going to be tough with all the cards stacked against me and that’s something that I grown used to and accustomed to.

 

“This is going to be a really exciting card because he’s in his hometown and defending the world title. I’m hungry for that world title and I know that I’m going to have to be extra sharp and do a lot more than just have a close victory in his hometown. So I’m going to have to press action and go out of my comfort zone and I think he’s going to have to go out of his comfort zone, which is going to make an interesting fight for everybody.

 

“I just continue educating people about the sweet science and letting them know that power is not the number one aspect you need to be successful it’s your agility, techniques, your defense, body shots, the strategy, it’s following that strategy it’s hard.

 

“Like I said, I think he possess everything that I don’t. But I have the experience. I think I take a better shot from experience with Danny and I think I follow my game plan more than Danny. A lot of boxers especially a lot of young athletic fighters they go out of their game plan and once they see that it’s not working. As a veteran, I know that it’s not working initially.”

 

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.comand www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi, www.facebook.com/barclayscenterand www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN and #BrooklynBoxing.

MATCHUP OF UNDEFEATED PROSPECTS TRAVIS PETERKIN AND LENIN CASTILLO HEADLINES STACKED UNDERCARD COMING TO BARCLAYS CENTER ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 1ST AS PART OF PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN

 

BROOKLYN’S RAFAEL VAZQUEZ, ADAM KOWNACKI, AND

HEATHER “THE HEAT” HARDY ALSO IN ACTION

 

Tickets Are On Sale Now!

BROOKLYN (July 17, 2015) – A light heavyweight contest between Brooklyn’s own “Notorious” Travis Peterkin (15-0,7 KOs) and fellow undefeated prospect Lenin Castillo (12-0, 7 KOs) highlights a full night of undercard action at Barclays Center onSaturday, August 1.

 

The headlining event of the evening is a Premier Boxing Champions on ESPNdoubleheader featuring undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (30-0, 17 KOs) taking on Brooklyn’s own Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6,7 KOs), with middleweight champion Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (29-1, 26 KOs) squaring off against Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora (28-3-2, 9KOs) in the co-feature.

 

Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Fans in attendance will also be treated to a riveting undercard featuring an abundance of local talent on the rise.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $250, $150, $120, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available atwww.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 855-GROUP-BK.

 

The showdown between hometown favorite Peterkin and the Dominican Castillo is scheduled for eight rounds. Following an amateur career that ended with a 95-7 record, the highly touted Peterkin turned pro in 2011 and has developed on DiBella Entertainment’s “Broadway Boxing” series. Castillo is a former amateur standout and 2008 Dominican Olympian. Both Peterkin and Castillo will be making their Barclays Center debuts.

 

Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (15-1, 12 KOs) has kept a busy schedule in 2015 and will return for his fourth fight this year in an eight-round featherweight contest. The 37-year-old Vazquez is not your typical boxer. While he is ranked high in the world rankings at number seven and is seeking a world title opportunity, fame and glory are not his top priorities. With an autistic daughter and a wife diagnosed with cervical cancer, Vazquez fights for his family. Getting a late start to boxing, Vazquez, who lost both of his parents at an early age and endured a stint in prison as a wayward youth, turned pro in September 2010. He has since donated portions of his purses to autism research, while also holding fundraisers to help raise awareness. After suffering a shocking split decision loss to Jhovany Collado in 2012, Vazquez, who has absolutely devastating power in both hands, has stopped six of his last seven opponents, including the 30-2 Leon Moore.

 

Polish heavyweight knockout artist Adam Kownacki (10-0, 9 KOs) will return to Barclays Center following a dominant eight-round unanimous decision over the tough Ytalo Perea onMay 29. Kownacki was born in Lomza, Poland, before migrating to the US with his family at the age of seven and settling in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, known as a large Polish community. A pro since 2009, Kownacki has gained immeasurable experience sparring with heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on multiple occasions. Prior to his bout in May, Kownacki had scored all of his knockouts in five rounds or less. He’ll be facing fellow heavy-hitter Maurenzo Smith (12-9-3, 9 KOs) in an eight-round contest in Brooklyn.

 

Brooklyn’s popular Heather “The Heat” Hardy (13-0, 2 KOs), who competed in Barclays Center’s first-ever professional female boxing match last year, has become a staple at the famed venue since then. On August 1, Hardy will be making her third consecutive appearance at Barclays Center. A little over two years after her pro debut, Hardy won an international title belt in the super bantamweight division in October 2014. In her last bout on May 29, Hardy impressively outpointed Noemi Bosques over eight frames. She’ll look to keep that momentum going on August 1, in an eight-round featherweight contest when she takes on Hungarian Renata Domsodi (12-6, 5 KOs).

 

Eager to make a name for himself as the next promising up-and-comer out of Puerto Rico, junior middleweight Prichard Colon (14-0, 11 KOs), will return to Barclays Center for the third time. As an amateur, Colon was a five-time Puerto Rican national champion prior to turning pro in 2013. Trained by his father, Colon has been stylistically compared to fellow countryman Felix Trinidad, with all but one of his knockouts coming in five rounds or less. In the opposite corner at Barclays Center will be Las Vegas-resident Michael Finney (12-3-1, 10 KOs) who is known for giving prospects a real test, having gone the distance with Jermall Charlo and Erickson Lubin, while battling to a draw against the 11-0-2 Wilkins Santiago.

 

Unbeaten 24-year-old junior lightweight Omar “Super O” Douglas (14-0, 11 KOs) of Wilmington, DE, is ready to transition from prospect to contender. While an adept technical boxer, the powerful Douglas always seeks to end bouts early, with five of his 11 knockouts coming in the very first round. On August 1, he’ll be squaring off against Puerto Rican southpaw Frank Santos de Alba (16-1-2, 6 KOs) who has not lost since dropping a decision in his 2011 pro debut.

 

Junior lightweights Titus Williams, from Elmont, Long Island, and Philadelphia’s Thomas Velasquez will be making their pro debuts in separate four-round bouts following decorated amateur careers.

 

Select undercard bouts will be carried live on ESPN3. ESPN Deportes will also televise the fights live, as part of its Noche de Combates series and ESPN International will present live coverage across its networks in Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean and Pacific Rim. Live coverage will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider.

 

For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.barclayscenter.comand www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @PaulMalignaggi, @LouDiBella, @ESPNBoxing, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/fanpagedannyswiftgarcia, www.facebook.com/PaulMalignaggi, www.facebook.com/barclayscenterand www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN and #BrooklynBoxing.

UNDEFEATED WORLD CHAMPION LEO SANTA CRUZ AND FORMER THREE-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION ABNER MARES FORMALLY ANNOUNCE THEIR UPCOMING PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN  FIGHT FROM PRESS CONFERENCE AND FAN RALLY AT PLAZA MEXICO IN LOS ANGELES

 

Fighters to Square Off August 29 Live From STAPLES Center

On ESPN At 10 P.M. ET/7 P.M.

 

Click HERE For Photos From Craig Bennett

 

LOS ANGELES (July 14, 2015) – Mexican boxing stars Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) and Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) met today at Plaza Mexico to officially announced their Saturday, August 29 Premier Boxing Champions on ESPNshowdown taking place at STAPLES Center.

 

The fighters hosted an open-to-the-public press conference and fan rally to discuss their upcoming bout with media members and met with fans to sign autographs and take pictures.

 

Hundreds of fans attended the event at Plaza Mexico in Linwood and the fighters stayed to sign autographs for over two hours afterwards.

 

Here’s what the two fighters and their trainers had to say:

 

LEO SANTA CRUZ

 

“I want to thank all of the fans who are here and I appreciate the support. We always train 100 percent like we’re fighting for a championship.

 

“I think the fans are the ones who are going to win on August 29th. They are going to get a great fight out there. It’s going to be a war.

 

“I don’t care what he said about my competition. I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time, this going to be a great fight.

 

“He likes to talk about different things. I’m not going to talk as much. I’m going to be prepared on August 29th and I’m going to be victorious.

 

“No one wants to lose and may the best man win.”

 

ABNER MARES

 

“I want to thank everybody who made this fight possible.

 

“Leo Santa Cruz is a fighter who has fought nothing but C-level fighters. Now he’s fighting an A-level fighter. I’m going to show him what an A-level fighter does and that’s win.

 

“I pushed for this fight, he never really wanted to face me. I’ve wanted to fight him for a while. We fought on the same card at Stapes Center and I wanted to fight him since then.

 

“We sparred a while back, about 30 rounds, but I don’t put much into the sparring. We’re both different fighters now.

 

“This is a great fight for the fans and I look forward to the whole world being able to watch.

 

“I’m going to beat Leo Santa Cruz come May 29th, don’t miss the fight.”

 

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’s Father & Trainer

 

“Team Santa Cruz doesn’t speak much. Mares and his team can talk and say all that they want but we’re going to demonstrate our talent on Saturday, August 29th at the Staples Center.”

 

CLEMENTE MEDINA, Mares Trainer

 

“I’m so glad everyone could be out here to support these fighters. This is a fight that has been discussed for two years and we are ready.

 

“I appreciate Leo Santa Cruz taking this fight. We’re going to be prepared, we’re focused. On Saturday, August 29th, team Mares is going out for the victory.”

 

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“Leo and Abner are two of boxing’s toughest warriors. Both Southern California based and having watched both of them since they turned pro it is an honor to promote this Southern California matchup.”

 

The 12-round featherweight bout will take place Saturday, August 29 live in primetime on ESPN from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Televised coverage for the highly-anticipate event begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $25, $50, $75, $150 and $200, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-929-7849 or at the STAPLES Center.

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.comand www.TGBPromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeoSantaCruz2 @AbnerMares, @ESPNBoxing, @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter andwww.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN.

LEO SANTA CRUZ & ABNER MARES TO HOST LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE AND FAN RALLY AT PLAZA MEXICO TO ANNOUNCE THEIR SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN SHOWDOWN AT STAPLES CENTER

 

PLAZA MEXICO

TUESDAY, JULY 14 AT 3:30 P.M. PT

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

 

WHO:              LEO SANTA CRUZ, Undefeated Two-Division World Champion

ABNER MARES, Former Three-Division World Champion

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’s Father & Trainer

CLEMENTE MEDINA, Mares’ Trainer

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

 

WHAT:         Undefeated Two-Division World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17

KOs) and former three-division world champion Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) will host a Los Angeles press conference and open-to-the-public fan rally to officially announce their 12-round featherweight Premier Boxing Champions on ESPNshowdown taking place Saturday, August 29 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

 

WHEN:              Tuesday, July 14

 

3:30 p.m. PT – Media Roundtable

4:30 p.m. PT – Press Conference Begins

5:00 p.m. PT – Autograph Signing and Photos

 

WHERE:           Press Conference – Plaza Mexico

3100 E. Imperial Highway

Lynwood, California 90262

 

Media Roundtable – La Huasteca Restaurant (In Plaza Mexico)

3150 E. Imperial Hwy #100

Lynwood, CA 90262

 

*The press conference will be held in Plaza Mexico’s Main Courtyard

 

TICKETS:       Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $25, $50,

$75, $150 and $200, not including applicable fees and service charges, go on saletomorrow Friday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m. (PST) at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at the STAPLES Center starting Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 am (PST).

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON ESPN – THURMAN VS. COLLAZO OFFICIAL WEIGHTS & WEIGH-IN PHOTOS

BLUE CORNER   RED

 

BANTAMWEIGHTS — 6 Rounds
Gary Antonio Russell

 Washington, DC
2-0 (2 KOs)

117.8 lbs.

vs. Jaxel Marrero
San Juan, PR
1-5-1
119 lbs.
     
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS — 6 Rounds
Manny Woods

St Petersburg, FL
13-3-1 (5 KOs)
154.8 lbs.

vs. Carlos Garcia
Aguada, PR
7-14-1 (7 KOs)
153.8 lbs.
     
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS — 10 Rounds
Anthony Peterson

Washington, DC
34-1 (22 KOs)
138 lbs.

vs. Ramesis Gil
San Juan, PR
8-11-5 (5 KOs)
137.4 lbs.
     
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS — 4 Rounds
Antonio Tarver Jr.

Orlando, FL
2-0 (2 KOs)

155.2 lbs.

vs. Julian Valerio

Brooklyn, NY

2-3 (1 KO)
155 lbs.

 

   
SUPER LIGHTWEIGHTS — 10 Rounds
Walter Castillo

Managua, NIC
25-3 (18 KOs)
143.6 lbs.

vs. Amet Diaz

Panama City, PAN
32-11 (23 KOs)
143.8 lbs.

     
LIGHTWEIGHTS — 10 Rounds
Edner Cherry

Wauchula, FL
33-6-2 (18 KOs)
132 lbs.

vs. Luis Cruz
Las Piedras, PR
21-3 (16 KOs)
132.8 lbs.
     
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS — 4 Rounds
Bruno Bredicean
Cape Coral, FL
Pro Debut
148.2 lbs.
vs.

Randy Hedderick

Gulfport, MS

0-3

149.8 lbs.

     
SUPER WELTERWEIGHTS — 8 Rounds
Patryk Szymanski

Konin, POL
13-0  (8 KOs)
155.6 lbs.

vs. Maurice Louishomme

Colorado Springs, CO
8-2- (4 KOs)
154.6 lbs.

     
MIDDLEWEIGHTS — 10 Rounds
Tony Harrison

Detroit, MI
21-0 (18 KOs)
153.8 lbs.

vs. Willie Nelson
Cleveland, OH
23-2-1  (13 KOs)
154.6
     
WBA WELTERWEIGHTS — 12 Rounds
Keith Thurman

Clearwater, FL
25-0  (21 KOs)
146.2 lbs.

vs. Luis Collazo

Queens, NY
36-6 (19 KOs)
147 lbs.

 

 

Click HERE For PDF Version

 


Click HERE For Photos From Lucas Noonan/Premier Boxing Champions

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS SERIES HEATS UP SUMMER

 

 

 

Multi-Network Lineup of Elite Fighter Matchups Provides #FreeBoxing4All

 

 

Las Vegas, July 10, 2015Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series has released the summer schedule, showcasing the world’s best boxing matchups, as elite fighters collide on the sport’s newest stage. In the coming months, the PBC Series will air on ESPN (July 11th, Aug 1st and 29th), NBC (Sep 12th and Sep 26th), CBS (July 18th and Sep 6th), NBCSN  (July 25th and August 15th), Spike (Aug 14th and Sep 11th) and Bounce TV (August 2nd).

 

The PBC series, launched on March 7, 2015, has:

  • Brought quality fights to more than 22 million viewers on free TV, including the PBC debut matchup between Robert Guerrero and Keith Thurman (which boxing pundits have called one of the best fights of 2015)
  • Teamed up with NBC, CBS, ESPN, SPIKE, Bounce TV, and more to come…. Taking boxing back to the fans!
  • Rallied fan support for PBC’s mission through the promotion of #FreeBoxing4All in social media channels – reaching more than four million fans and mobilizing hundreds of thousands of boxing enthusiasts to share messages about the importance of accessible, quality fights

Please visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and follow Premier Boxing Champions onFacebook and Twitter.  Follow #FreeBoxing4All to monitor fan conversation.

 

For additional information, please contact Mike Donahue:  Michael@haymonboxing.com

#FreeBoxing4All