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Категория Архив: Showtime Boxing
HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS ANTHONY JOSHUA & JOSEPH PARKER U.S. MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS IN ADVANCE OF TITLE UNIFICATION SATURDAY, МАРТ 31 На живо по SHOWTIME®
КАКВО: Heavyweight World Champions Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker discussed their Март 31 heavyweight world title unification in separate media conference calls hosted by SHOWTIME Sports® в сряда.
IBF and WBA Champion Joshua will square off with WBO Champion Parker Събота, Март 31 живеят на SHOWTIME (5 p.m. И/2 p.m. PT) from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Уелс. The undefeated champions, who boast a combined record of 44-0 с 38 нокаута, will meet on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® in just the second heavyweight championship unification in history between undefeated world titleholders.
Joining Joshua and Parker were Stephen Espinoza, Президент, Спортен & Събитие Програмиране, Showtime Networks Inc., Еди Хърн, Managing Director, Matchroom Boxing, and Kevin Barry, Parker’s trainer.
Ето какво участниците трябваше да се каже, on Wednesday’s calls:
JOSHUA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS:
Въпрос: How have your preparations gone and what are your thoughts in anticipation for the big fight?
Anthony Joshua: “Preparations have gone really well. We’re still in preparation now but so far, so good. I do believe a happy fighter makes a good fighter. For the experience over my last few fights в 11 месеца have gone 11 кръга, 10 кръга, have been a blessing. I’ve learned about training camp and I’ve learned about myself. It’s the first time I’ve kind of voiced up to my coach man-to-man. I’ve said, ‘Look, this is what I’ve thought was working and this is what I feel isn’t working. Can I have your input and can we make some changes?’ Not in a sense of how he’s training me. Just in terms of schedule and it’s been really good. I’ve had some cruiserweights come in sparring for speed, some big heavy hitters who throw big right hands and left hooks and wait for me to make a mistake. We’ve been sparring 15 кръга. And honestly, I’ve been doing this for 10 years now if I rack up my amateur career and my pro career. And you know the 10,000-hour rule. I’m starting to get confident. I’ve had the ability but I think I’m matched up with my mindset now and I’m feeling really good and confident ahead of Март 31.
Q: People in the U.S. are excited about your fight with Parker but there are so many American fans excited about the prospect of a fight between yourself and Wilder. What are your thoughts on that and are you able to tune that out ahead of your fight with Parker on the 31во?
Joshua: “You’ve got to remember that a lot of that talk about me and Wilder started in 2017 after he beat Bermane Stiverne but I haven’t spoken much about it. I’ve got great people in my corner that handle the business while I focus on the handling of my boxing technique. We reached out to Deontay Wilder’s team before the fight with Joseph Parker was made. And once that fight didn’t happen, I put Wilder aside and focused solely on Parker. I’m not the one overlooking Joseph Parker and I’m not the one hooting and hollering about what’s happening next. I’m really focused on Parker because as you know, if I don’t get past Parker, it slows down the train and derails everything we’re trying to achieve in terms of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”
Q: Do you allow yourself to think about the prospect of that fight in the event that you win the fight on the 31во?
Joshua: “One-hundred 10 на сто. There’s no doubt in my mind that fight will happen. And there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll beat Wilder as well. This is where we’re heading. Fight after fight, my view on it is this…When Wladimir Klitschko was active and his brother relinquished the WBC belt, Wilder won it. If he was so interested in becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, why didn’t he offer to fight Klitschko and say ‘Listen, I’ve got that belt that your brother has had for the last 10 години. Let’s me and you fight now.’ There’s a lot of pressure from fans in America, media and the papers for Wilder to step up and fight. And now we’re here and I’m that champion and I’m definitely looking forward to it. That’s why back-to-back, I’ve been racking up these belts one by one and taking fights. SHOWTIME has been riding with me for six fights, a quarter of my career. And we’re headed towards the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.”
Q: There was a report in the Telegraph (Великобритания) that there’s possibly going to be a meeting between yourself and the people at UFC who are now going to be getting involved in boxing. Can you give me your perspective on you joining their organization and about what they wrote today?
Joshua: “I’m riding with Eddie. He’s backed me from the get-go. And the second thing, Аз съм боксьор. I’m not into the UFC so I don’t know what their plans are. But every time I’ve been asked about UFC and if I would make that crossover like McGregor did with Mayweather, I’ve said yes.
Q: It wasn’t about Anthony Joshua becoming a mixed martial artist, their intentions are to promote boxing events. Dana White and the UFC view you as someone that any promotional company could build around given your star power.
Joshua: “Oh yeah, a hundred percent. I’m interested because we can all work together. Mine and Eddie’s relationship is a really good working relationship. I’m sure Eddie has an interest in working with Dana White. If it’s good business, it makes sense. I’m not into business. I’m sure Eddie’s not going to say, ‘Dana White, we’re not interested in working with you’ when we don’t know what’s on the table. We’ll listen and a hundred percent, if it makes sense, we’re all in. I’m happy that Dana White is coming into the game and hopefully he can add some excitement, progress forward, make some good money and make some good fights.”
Q: Eddie, do you have any thoughts about the story in the paper today?
Еди Хърн: "Не, I saw it and Gareth [Davies] spoke to me about it today. If Dana White wants to speak to us, obviously Anthony’s with us. We’re willing to talk to anybody and we do great business with everyone. We work with anyone, if the business is right. In the meantime, I’ll sign Conor McGregor and it’ll be fair.”
Q: You weighed 254 pounds for your last fight and there’s been some talk in the media that you’re looking to slim down for this fight. Can you tell us what weight you’re looking to check in at for this fight?
Joshua: “Let’s say 17.5, 17.4 (камък). You’ve got to remember with this weight nonsense, no fighter should go into training camp focusing on their weight. This isn’t Weight Watchers and nobody should focus on their weight as such. But I do feel that your weight has to adapt to the style of fighter you’re facing. With Carlos Takam, he was a shorter fighter. He came in on the inside and ended up head-butting me so I knew I had to kind of be able to lean on Takam and tire him out. I knew he was going to move a lot. This wasn’t going to be a Kubrat Pulev type of fight where I’m going to be jabbing or counter punching. I was going to be sitting on top of Takam and working into the body so the weight played a good role. Но сега, I’m fighting someone like Parker who’s a lot quicker and moves a lot more. I have to make sure I’m lighter on my feet so I’ve adjusted to the style of fighter I’m fighting. I haven’t adjusted my weight for any other reason than the type of fighter I’m going to be facing.”
Q: Is there any truth to the idea of you being lighter and not carrying around as much muscle could help you in the long run?
Joshua: "Аз съм 20-0, I’m unified champ, muscle or not, I’m still handling business. I feel like people try to find anything to steer your mind from what’s working. I’m winning, racking up wins and it’s been going well. I wouldn’t focus on anything else than what’s working.”
Q: Do you look at Joseph Parker as the most dangerous challenge in your career thus far?"
Joshua: "Не. Wladimir Klitschko.”
Q: How different of a matchup is this to Wladimir?
Joshua: “Wladimir was a phenomenal champion. I just feel people didn’t give him the credit. He doesn’t have a name that a lot of the Western fans can resonate with. It’s not like an Adam Clark. His first language wasn’t English. People didn’t really buy into it. He was dominating. He was a great champion. Ten years on top. Phenomenal. 69 битки и 64 победи. That’s phenomenal. I’m fighting someone that’s 24-0. Everything I learned from that fight was a blessing and it’s led me to being confident ahead of the fight with Joseph Parker. So I’m dealing with a different beast. Parker still poses a threat but doesn’t’ have half the experience that Wladimir had.”
Q: Do you think Parker is the most technical fighter you’ve faced up to this point and if so, why do you think that?
Joshua: “I think it’s because he’s had an extensive amateur career. I do believe the Lomachenkos, Rigondeauxs, Andre Wards have all had great amateur careers which led them on to be phenomenal professionals and Joseph Parker’s had that. I have to give credit where credit is due. But then, so have I and I was always told to leave the amateur’s in the background because the pros are a different game. And now we’re facing each other as professionals. I just think he has that amateur background behind him and he knows how to fight. He’s traveled the world so coming to England is nothing new to him. He’s got that in his locker, which has gotten him this far.”
Q: Looking at your 21во борба, what do you feel at this stage in the game that you need to improve on?
Joshua: "When I look at boxing now, everybody talks about what I need to do to be a great champion and it seems to me that it’s a right hand and a good chin. We might as well go to the night clubs around England and America and just find the biggest and ugliest looking guy and he’ll become heavyweight champion. What I need to do to become a great champion is just work on my all-around game. The fundamentals. We’re talking about balance, footwork and understanding the distance between being in range and out of range. Perfecting your jab. Use your jab 50 times before you throw your right hand. Let’s make sure your right hand is in the right position to defend a left hook in case you get countered. Everything. That’s why I say when I fought Wladimir Klitschko, he had enough time to make mistakes and come back and reign supreme as a champion. So over time, in these types of fights I’ve had early on in my career, I’ve learned what will play massive roles later on when I become one of the dominant fighters in the heavyweight division.”
Q: How do you stay dialed in and not worry about all of the outside noise regarding your career?
Joshua: “Because I know about the history of the sport. I know how easy it is to be forgotten about. I just realize that this is my time and I have to capitalize and maximize and do what’s right for me. This isn’t about being the fan favorite. I’m not here to be pat on the back. I’m here to handle my business in the best way possible and when it’s all said and done be content with the decisions I’ve made.”
Q: How would you assess your performance against Carlos Takam?
Joshua: “I won every round. I got head-butted. I couldn’t breathe through my nose. I realize that Takam was a late step in so I was preparing for someone completely different. Така, what I decided to do with Carlos is just go through the motions because I realize 2018 was a massive year in terms of unifying with Joseph Parker and then potentially facing Deontay Wilder providing I win to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Така, my game plan with Takam was don’t be too explosive and don’t take too many risks. Make sure I dominate Takam and I win every round and that’s kind of how things panned out.”
Q: How do you think Joseph looked in his last fight against Hughie Fury?
Joshua: “You’ve got to look at Parker when he boxes on the front and the back foot. There’s two significant changes. When he boxes on the front foot, I think he finds it difficult to land combinations because I just think he struggled a bit against Fury when he was dancing on the edge of the ring. But when he fights people like Takam on his back foot, he’s better. I just think he really struggled with Fury when he was coming forward. I do think he won. I do think Joseph Parker won. We’re both in a position to show how great we are and why we’re real contenders in the division. That’s all it’s about now. Март 31."
Q: Do you feel you’ve gotten the credit that you deserve for fighting Klitschko because of his age?
Joshua: Is Mayweather too old to still fight you think?
Q: They’re the same age, надясно?
Joshua: Точно Така. People still say Mayweather is still young and that he can still compete. The difference is, lighter weights struggle to maintain their finesse because they have to stay on a diet. They starve their body of nutrition. Heavyweights mature later. When Klitschko lost, everyone who knows boxing knew he wasn’t in the right mind frame. When he came to fight me, I just knew. He didn’t say he’s in great shape. He didn’t say he was feeling strong, but he said he’s obsessed. When your mind is right, the body will follow. That win against Klitschko was tough, I didn’t take him to points. I didn’t go there to steal the belt. I took it with both hands and it was a great fight for the history books. I’m not looking for credit, I know what that fight was and what it meant to me.”
Q: [To Hearn] What are your thoughts about Anthony’s focus on Parker with all the talk of Wilder?
Хърн: “We never have to worry about Anthony’s focus. He’s probably the most focused and driven individual you can meet. He knows the challenges and risks in front of him against Joseph Parker. One thing about Anthony is that he’s not real big on hype. We’re not really into storming the ring after fighting. When we got Klitschko in the ring after the fight, we signed a contract a few hours before that was in existence if Anthony won against [Eric] Molina that night. Until that fight is signed, Anthony won’t really get excited about that fight. He’s not really interested in talking about it or hyping it. It’s the biggest fight in world boxing. It’s a fight that’s completely irrelevant if he’s not victorious следващата събота. I don’t think that it’s Deontay Wilder, it’s the other stone that needs to be turned to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This is Anthony’s 21во fight and effectively his second unification fight. Deontay has had 40 битки. We’re well ahead of schedule. All of these fights will happen and the reality is the one that put pens to paper and that are actually happening.”
Q: How important is it to you to maintain your one-hundred percent KO ratio?
Joshua: “It’s great for the record and promotion. It’s not as important to fulfilling your game plan. Some fighters will be tough and some fighters may not be there to be knocked out. I have to have it in my locker also to be able to go the distance. In terms of promotion and saying I have a hundred percent KO ratio is great. I don’t think there’s any heavyweight in the history of his career that’s been able to have purely knockouts on his record so I don’t expect to be the first one.”
Q: When you saw Wilder fight Ortiz, did you see anything that you didn’t know about him already? Did he impress you or let you down?
Joshua: След 10 years as a professional and 40 fights in, Wilder’s done what he’s supposed to do. He’s supposed to win. He’s supposed to beat someone like Luiz Ortiz. След 10 years of any craft. Let’s say you’re working in sales and you can’t sell a person that Mercedes-Benz or whatever car it is, you’ve got big issues. Wilder’s had that experience to be able to dominate that division. He just did what routinely is supposed to happen and get the win. He struggled a bit, but he got there in the end. That’s all that matters. That’s what shows up in the history books, и W. Така, I’m happy for him.”
Q: Can you elaborate on what makes you think Parker is a weird character?
Joshua: “I can’t put my finger on it.”
Хърн: “I think the weird thing was alluding to the fact that he was boding Anthony with criticism and then when we had the press conference he was nice as pie. We expected him to bring that fire to the press conference and maybe he’ll bring it next week. He was kind of one person prior to the fight and then another when we came face-to-face. But we’ll see what happens next week.”
Q: [To Hearn] Is there a rematch clause for this fight and what are the circumstances with that?
Хърн: “The details of the contract are always confidential. When there’s a great fight and the appetite to see it again, generally you’ll get it.”
Хърн (Opening Comments): “It’s a huge event. This is our sixth fight with Anthony Joshua and SHOWTIME. It’s incredible, really that we’ve had that amount of fights. It seems like the Charles Martin fight was just like yesterday. It’s incredible that в 11 месеца, Anthony Joshua has had three stadium fights. Разбира се, Владимир Кличко, Carlos Takam and now Joseph Parker. Имало 240,000 fans and over 2.5 million UK pay-per-view buys. It’s been an incredible run and an incredible 11 месеца. And a great March of course for SHOWTIME with a brilliant fight between Wilder and Ortiz and I think this fight has all of the ingredients to be even better than that. Това е голяма борба. Two undefeated young heavyweights. Fearless, бърз, big punching, great footwork, 24-0 срещу 20-0. I think it’s the kind of fight that we need in the world of boxing and it’s the first-ever unification fight in Britain between two reigning heavyweight world champions. And the first time in the history of the sport that two heavyweights have fought a unification fight with perfect records. It’s going to be a huge week. We have a huge press conference at SKY следващия вторник, we have a public workout в сряда, the weigh-in is a national holiday on a Петък, it’s going to be huge. Seventy-eight thousand people crammed in to Millennium Stadium for this huge unification fight. This is just the beginning for Anthony Joshua. Just another stepping stone to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and we can’t wait. It’s a great fight and we thank SHOWTIME for all their support as ever.”
PARKER CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS:
СТИВЪН Еспиноза (Opening Comments):
“Through the first six months of this year we will be delivering 11 marquee events, which includes matchups of five top-ranked fighters, of which this is one, and two unifications, of course which this is one. In this month of March all four heavyweight world title belts are at stake on SHOWTIME.
“This fight, Джошуа срещу. Parker, ще бъде 12тата heavyweight fight on SHOWTIME within the last three years. We’re proud to be doing our part to help propel the reinvigoration of the heavyweight division. During those last three years the U.S. audience has gotten to know a little bit about Anthony Joshua and we are very happy to be able to further introduce them to Joseph Parker, the consensus top three heavyweight in the world and WBO Champion making his third defense and his first appearance on SHOWTIME.
“We are thrilled to have this fight; it’s right in our wheelhouse, a highly competitive, highly anticipated matchup of top fighters.”
Джоузеф Паркър: “Preparations “It’s been a great training camp that we’ve had in Las Vegas and now we’re here in London. We have about a week and a half before the fight and like Kevin mentioned, we hit the ground running. We got some good sessions in. I’m looking forward to fighting an undefeated fighter like Anthony Joshua, who I respect. I’m looking forward to this opportunity to unify the division and unify the belts and the opportunity to put on a great display and make my mark on SHOWTIME. I can’t wait for it. Our team is excited to be here and it’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”
Q: When you watch the struggles Joshua had against Klitschko, what do you take away from that fight?
Parker: “I think being active has worked well for us. I watched that fight. He did really well in terms of coming back and showed a lot of heart to get back up off the canvas and finish off the fight and getting the win. Coming into this fight, we’re young, we’re hungry and I think if we did get him in trouble there’s no waiting for us. We know how to finish off a fight. We know how to put on the pressure and get him out of there. He has strengths and weaknesses like every other fighter has and we’ll come up with a good game plan which I believe in and if I execute, I think we’ll get the victory.”
Kevin Barry: “As we know, there’s no secret about it, this is the biggest test that Joe’s had in front of him. But I also believe that this is the biggest test that Anthony Joshua’s had in front of him. We are expecting a much better Anthony Joshua than the one that fought Klitschko. I think there’s a lot of improvement in him just as there’s a lot of improvement in Joe. We’re anticipating that the styles of both these guys are going to make for a real fan-friendly fight and a very exciting fight.”
Q: There’s so much attention paid to an Anthony Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight, as if it’s an assumption that he’s going to beat you. Does that bother you?
Parker: “It doesn’t really bother me. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and the fight they want to see. I think what’s important for us is that we focus on what’s in front of us and that’s Anthony Joshua. Our focus is on Anthony Joshua and being in great shape and being healthy. It gives us motivation in training and we know what our focus is. Our focus is Anthony Joshua and putting on the best performance of our lives Март 31."
Q: As a fan of boxing, how good is a match like this for the sport?
Parker: “A match like this is a very big deal. As a fan of boxing and as a fighter, we love to watch the big fights and be involved in the big fights. So we’re pretty happy to be involved in the fight. I think it’s the best time for us to be involved in a big fight like this. Back a few years ago, Kevin said he’s always wanted to fight Anthony Joshua and he said to me, when we do fight this guy, it has to mean something. And it does really mean something this time. We’re both undefeated, we both have titles, we’re both world champions and we both want to unify the division so it’s going to mean a lot and it’s a big occasion.”
Q: A lot of fans don’t know you in the United States, explain to them what you will bring to the table on Март 31.
Parker: “The fans haven’t really seen the best Joseph Parker there is. Going into this fight, we’ve worked on a lot of things. Както казах, I trust in my whole team. I trust in my coach and the game plan. I’m going to bring a lot of movement, speed and power and a lot of angles. I promise that this is a fight that I’m going to make very exciting.”
Q: What was the reason behind losing weight heading into this fight?
Barry: “Joe’s still a very young heavyweight. We’ve been together for five years and we’re still a long way away from a finished product. Миналата година, we bumped Joe up quite a bit. We put a bunch of muscle on him. We put an extra 10 pounds of weight on him and it actually doesn’t really work out for us. So we sat down, Joe and I, and we said that we felt he was a busier fighter, a more mobile fighter, his feet and hands were faster, when he was lighter. So for a fight like this against a big, силен, powerful guy like Joshua it was important that we went back to a mobile, lighter fighter.”
Q: Do you think Joshua and Eddie Hearn saw something the rest of the world didn’t see in your fight against Hughie Fury, which wasn’t your best performance?
Parker: “Last year wasn’t our best year and I wasn’t close to what we can actually do in the ring. They probably saw a lot of things that they could work on to get to us but we’re a totally different fighter now from where we were last year. We’ve improved on a lot of things and we’re going to show everyone what we’ve been working so hard on in Vegas.”
Q: What would it mean to you to become the unified heavyweight champion?
Parker: “It would mean a lot. It would mean the world, not only for myself but for our team. There’s a lot of people that’s involved in getting me to this stage and there’s a lot of people that want me to go out there and put on my best performance. It’s going to mean a lot for myself, моят екип, my coach and my countries of New Zealand and Samoa.”
Q: Are you concerned that if the fight goes to the scorecards you won’t get a fair shake because of Joshua’s popularity in Great Britain?
Parker: “I’m not concerned and the reason I say that is because we have good officials. My team has done a great job to get neutral officials and my focus is on the fight. I want to go out there and do my best. Каквото и да става, happens. But I trust that the officials will do the right thing and give the right decision.”
Barry: ”It was very important for us when we were formulating this contract that we had independent, neutral officials. We have three judges – one from the United States, one from the UK and one from New Zealand. And we have an Italian referee so we’re very happy with the names that have been put forward that there will be no disputing the decision. We believe that we have fair, very experienced officials who will do a good job come Saturday the 31st."
Q: Do you think Joshua is underestimating you based on what they saw in that fight against Fury?
Parker: “I think on that performance, they are underestimating us and I think a lot of people are already writing us off because of that performance. Но, както казах, we’ve worked on a lot of things and we had a great camp and it’s going to be a different fight as you guys will see Март 31. If they’re judging us off that fight, then they’ve got it totally wrong. That could definitely work in our favor.”
Barry: “I think the same will go for both camps. If they’re looking at the Fury fight, we know that Joseph is a much better fighter than that. Fury was a very awkward opponent, an opponent that we wouldn’t have even been in the ring with if it wasn’t for a mandatory. Looking at Joshua’s last fight with Carlos Takam, he really didn’t light the world on fire in that fight and he left a lot of question marks about his performance. We’re expecting a much better Joshua than the one that fought Carlos Takam. So the same can be said both ways.”
Q: What did you think of Joshua’s performance against Takam?
Parker: “It wasn’t his best effort but he did what he had to do to get the victory. Maybe training with someone who was a lot taller and then fighting somebody shorter changed the way that he approached the fight but I think the main thing is that he got the victory and he kept the belts and that’s why we can make this big fight happen.”
Q: What do you think your advantages are over Joshua?
Parker: “I’ve been 12 rounds five times so I’m durable. With this training camp that we’ve had, we’ve worked a lot on different angles and speed. What we’ve been seeing in the gym and in sparring, we’re going to put on display come fight night. I think I have advantages in speed and power. If we execute it well on fight night then he won’t be able to catch us and he won’t be able to land that big shot that he throws.”
Barry: “Speed is the key. We’ve always believed that Joe’s the fastest heavyweight in the world. I also believe that out of all the heavyweight champions, I think Joe has the better skill. I think he does things better than Joshua does. I think he’s more complete than Joshua. Is he as big as Joshua? Do Not. Is his reach as long as Joshua’s? Do Not. Joshua’s got a 100 percent knockout record but I believe Joseph Parker is a better skilled fighter than Antony Joshua and I think when we put the movement, the hand speed and the skill together, it’s going to be a very good combination and a successful combination on Март 31."
Q: Do you want to make a prediction for the fight?
Parker: “I’m going to be victorious. Това ще бъде голяма борба. We’re both hungry, we’re both undefeated and we’ve both been training hard but I believe in myself. I believe in my team and what we’ve been working on. I believe I’m going to be victorious Март 31."
Q: Do you think that Joshua’s chin is a big weakness for him?
Barry: “I think he has a pretty good chin. I know that we used the glass door as part of our marketing strategy in putting this fight together, but we believe as a team that Joshua has a good chin. He’s fought some big guys. He’s been hit on the chin before. Ами Може, he got dropped against Klitschko and there were stories of him getting dropped multiple times in the amateurs and that he was dropped in the gym in sparring, but all in all he’s a big, силен, powerful guy and I think his chin is not too bad.”
Barry (Opening Comments): “We’ve been in the gym running each morning at 6:30, 7:00 and in the boxing gym at 2:30. We’ve been doing between 16 и 18 rounds of boxing each day. Today we sparred and Joe is looking very sharp, very confident and the little bit of jet lag that we had is getting less and less by the day and we anticipate by this weekend we’ll have both feet firmly planted on the ground ready for a big week next week.”
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SHOWTIME SPORTS® RELEASES SECOND INSTALLMENT OF DIGITAL TALK SHOW BELOW THE BELT
Host Brendan Schaub Talks With Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder & UFC Star Brian Ortega Following Their Recent Triumphs
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КАКВО: SHOWTIME Sports released the second installment of the first-of-its-kind sports talk show ПОД КОЛАНА, hosted by Brendan Schaub, available now on theBelow the Belt YouTube Channel и Below the Belt Facebook Page. Following the show’s debut on February 28, the second installment of the twice-monthly digital-first program features an interview with America’s only heavyweight world champion, Дионтей Уайлдър, who reflects on his instant-classic victory over Luis Ortiz March 3 на SHOWTIME. Schaub also sits down with the UFC’s Брайън Ортега following his first-round knockout win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 222.
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MIKEY GARCIA BECOMES A FOUR-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION OVER SERGEY LIPINETS SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME® FROM FREEMAN COLISEUM IN SAN ANTONIO
Kiryl Relikh Dominates Rances Barthelemy To Capture WBA Super Lightweight World Championship In SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Co-Feature
Catch The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Replay Понеделник, Март 12 При
10 p.m. И/PT на SHOWTIME EXTREME
Кликнете ТУК За снимки; Credit Аманда Уесткот / SHOWTIME
Сан Антонио (Март 11, 2018) - Mikey Garcia captured a world title in his fourth weight division, outpointing previously undefeated Сергей Lipinets to win the IBF Junior Welterweight World Championship Събота on SHOWTIME from Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio.
С победата, Garcia (38-0, 30 Нокаута) joined Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez as the only fighters in history to win titles at 126, 130, 135 и 140 паунда.
“It’s a great feeling. Winning this fourth title in a fourth division is an honor,", Каза Гарсия. “To get to be mentioned with Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez is a huge honor for me. It just leaves a little chapter in boxing with my name, my brother, my dad. I think people will remember the Garcia family for ages to come.”
Garcia, who was fighting for just the second time at 140 паунда, relied on a steady diet of combos to back up Lipinets, who was making the first defense of the IBF title he won last November on SHOWTIME. Garcia floored Lipinets for the first time in his career, connecting on a counter left hook midway through the seventh in a rousing moment that sent the pro-Garcia crowd at Freeman Coliseum to their feet.
Garcia, who won by scores of 116-111 и 117-110 два пъти, свързан с 46 percent of his power shots compared to 36 percent for the defending champion.
“He came in exactly as I expected – a very tough, very hungry and strong fighter,", Каза Гарсия. “We worked with angles behind the jab. He’s very dangerous, but we had a great game plan and we were able to prevail.
“I know I carry the power, but I was fighting a bigger man and he could take a punch. I didn’t want to get caught and I had to be patient.”
След борбата, Garcia, who still holds the WBC title at lightweight, reiterated his mantra that he’s seeking the biggest fights available, regardless of weight division.
“What I love is I have all the options,", Каза Гарсия. “I could go down to 135 to unify titles, which is what I really want to do. And in a couple of fights you’re going to see me at 147.
Despite being the defending champion, Lipinets (13-1, 10 Нокаута) was fighting in just his 14тата professional fight. The Russian, who was born in Kazakhstan, delivered a valiant effort against one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
“It was probably experience that took over at some point,” Lipinets said. “Mikey is a great fighter, he can obviously crack. It was just experience that I was lacking.
“I want to go back in the gym and work on the problems I showed in the ring. There are a couple of holes I need to close. I’ll be back. It’s a learning experience.”
In a rematch of one of 2017’s best and most controversial fights, Кирил Relikh handed former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy the first loss of his career with a wide unanimous decision victory to capture the vacant WBA Super Lightweight World Championship.
Relikh (22-2, 19 Нокаута) was the more active fighter and controlled the co-main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast from the opening bell, хвърляне 1,237 общо удари в сравнение с просто 494 for Barthelemy. Relikh, who many thought won their first matchup, consistently worked off his jab, свързване на 103 punches per round while Barthelemy landed an average of just 41.
While Barthelemy (26-1, 13 Нокаута) won a disputed and wide decision in their first bout there was no controversy in the judges’ scorecards in the rematch, който беше отбелязан 117-110 и 118-109 два пъти.
Relikh became just the third fighter from Belarus to win a world title while Barthelemy came up short in his bid to become the first Cuban to win a world title in three weight divisions.
“Last time I was not ready,” Relikh said. “I didn’t have proper preparation in the first fight but this time, with my new trainers, Бях готов. Много съм щастлив. I’ve waited for this dream for 20 години. I’ve worked hard for this dream and now it’s mine.
“Coming in we were looking to box all the way. My jab has developed so much since the last fight. They probably thought that I would run out of gas like last time, but I trained like a champion this time. Everything was geared toward becoming champion and that’s what we did тази вечер."
Barthelemy, who picked up the pace a bit in the final three rounds, didn’t dispute the decision.
“My heart is broken because I came in to this fight trying to get that third world title,” Barthelemy said. “I have to admit defeat and say that Relikh deserved to win that fight, but I will be back.
“At this point I have to look forward and put it behind me.”
The featured attraction of the SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME telecast saw San Antonio’s own Mario Бариос (21-0, 13 Нокаута) deliver a sensational second round knockout of Eudy Бернардо (23-3, 17 Нокаута) in front of his hometown fans.
“I definitely made a statement тази вечер,", Каза Бариос. “I showed the 140-pound division that I’m here and ready for any of them.”
Barrios was dominant from the start and struck early in the second with a vicious straight right that put Bernardo down. Although Bernardo got to his feet and beat the count, referee Jon Schorle had seen enough and waved off the bout 45 seconds into the second round of the super lightweight affair.
“I wasn’t going in there looking for the knockout, but I caught him early,", Каза Бариос. “I’ve been on a good run and I’m ready to continue that streak. We’re moving up the ranks fight by fight. I’m looking to get a title eliminator by the end of the year and hopefully a title shot early next year.”
При откриването схватката на телевизията SHO EXTREME, Ричард Коми (26-2, 23 Нокаута) scored a sixth-round TKO of Alejandro Luna (22-1, 15 Нокаута) in their IBF Lightweight World Title Eliminator.
“Despite the win, my performance wasn’t up to the level that I hoped it would be,” said Commey. “He was exactly what I expected and if I had connected on more of my punches in the beginning I think the fight would have been over earlier. I was really trying to work on what we had been focusing on in camp but I just wasn’t performing well at the start of the fight.”
The fight was defined by exciting exchanges throughout, with Commey, fighting on his 31во рожден ден, getting the better early and connecting with power punches that caused Luna’s jaw to swell. Commey’s power broke through in round six when a powerful combination punctuated by a left uppercut sent Luna to the canvas for the first time in his career.
“Аз съм много разочарован,” said Luna. “All the credit to Commey, but I expect more of myself and I’m going to get back in the gym and come back much stronger and better.”
Luna rose to his feet but was quickly pounced on by Commey, който кацна 62 percent of his power punches in the round, and was sent to the mat again. This forced referee David Fields to call a halt to the bout at 1:54 на шест кръгли. Commey now becomes the mandatory challenger for IBF Lightweight World Champion Robert Easter, who Commey lost a split decision to in September 2016.
“It is the greatest feeling to get the win on my 31st birthday,” said Commey. “I am looking forward to fighting for the 135-pound world title and becoming champion.”
The SHO EXTREME swing bout featured unbeaten prospect Brandon Фигероа (15-0, 10 Нокаута) scoring a seventh round knockout of Mexico’s Giovanni Delgado (16-6, 9 Нокаута) in their super bantamweight clash.
Фигероа, the brother of former champion Omar, continued to show the aggressive style that has defined his early career as he threw an astonishing 178 punches in the third round. That number was good for the second most ever thrown in a single round by a fighter in a super bantamweight bout, съгласно CompuBox.
The 21-year-old Figueroa continued to put the pressure on, battering Delgado until referee Gregorio Alvarez halted the fight at 1:55на седмия кръг.
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РЕДЖИС ПРОГРАИС ДОМИНИРА В НОКАУТА ВЪВ ВТОРИЯ РУНД НАД ЮЛИУС ИНДОНГО, ЗА ДА СПЕЧЕЛИ ВРЕМЕННА ТИТЛА НА WBC В СУПЕРЛЕКА КАТЕГОРИЯ ПЕТЪК В SHOWTIME®
Ветеранът от SHOWTIME Иван Баранчик доминира над Петров в елиминатор на полусредна категория за юноши на IBF
Проспект Джуниър Фа в тежка категория остава непобеден с победа с решение на мнозинството
Гледайте повторението в събота, Март 10, При 5:30 p.m. ET / PT На SHOWTIME EXTREME®
Кликнете ТУК За да изтегляте снимки; Credit Стефани Trapp / SHOWTIME
МЪРТВО ДЪРВО, S.D. (Март 9, 2018) – Непобеден съперник от 140 паунда Regis Prograis отбеляза сензационен нокаут във втория рунд над бившия обединен световен шампион Юлий Индонго за да спечели временната титла на WBC в супер лека категория Петък вечер в SHOWTIME BOXING: СПЕЦИАЛНО ИЗДАНИЕ от Deadwood Mountain Grand в Deadwood, S.D.
С тази победа, ПРОГРАМИ (21-0, 18 Нокаута) сега вероятно ще се изправи срещу победителя от следващата седмица Амир Имам (Не е класиран. 1 WBC) и Хосе Рамирес (Не е класиран. 3 WBC) мач за вакантния в момента пояс за световната титла на WBC. ПРОГРАМИ, на Хюстън по пътя на Ню Орлиънс, беше доминиращ от началната камбана и сега отбеляза нокаути 14 на неговата последна 15 битки.
„Трябваше да направя шоу за SHOWTIME, за Дедууд, и за всички мои фенове в Хюстън и Ню Орлиънс и просто за цялата дивизия,"Каза Prograis. „Трябваше да направя шоу за всички. Сега съм мъжът на 140.“
В последните секунди на откриващия рунд, Prograis нанесе яростен удар, който нокаутира Indongo (22-2, 11 Нокаута) към платното. Във втория кръг, Prograis продължи да атакува много по-високия Indongo, и го удари за втори път с огромна лява ръка. С колеблив индонго, който се връща на крака, Prograis продължи атаката и веднага атакува легналия си опонент и го повали за трети път в битката. Реферът Ian John-Lewis даде още една възможност на Indongo да остане в битката, но Prograis го сложи край веднъж завинаги с трети нокдаун в рунда чрез ляво кроше и четвърти в битката при 2:54 от кръг номер две.
Следва нокаут, Анализаторът на SHOWTIME Стив Фархуд говори с изгряващата звезда в широко отворената и конкурентна категория 140 паунда. Farhood беше особено впечатлен от Prograis, който се появяваше за пети път в SHOWTIME.
„Беше страхотно представяне,”, каза членът на Международната боксова зала на славата и известният историк на бокса Фархуд. „Бях изненадан, че завърши Indongo толкова бързо, колкото го направи, и толкова категорично, колкото го направи.
„Мисля, че сега феновете на бокса знаят, че този човек заслужава да бъде класиран сред първите трима или четирима в категорията до 140 паунда. Защото това беше толкова категорична победа, всички останали битки при 140, дали е утрешния двубой между Майки Гарсия и Липинец, трябва да почувстваш, че трябва да отговарят на Реджис. Той го заслужава."
WBC No. 2 класирана боец в 140 паунд веднага насочи вниманието си към възможен мач с победителя от мача Имам-Рамирез следващата седмица.
„Искам истинската титла сега, и не мисля, че тези двама пичове ще се бият с мен след тази вечер,"Каза Prograis. „Индонго имаше само една загуба от Терънс Крауфорд, паунд за паунд най-добре, и аз го спрях един кръг преди Крофорд. Не виждам някой да се опитва да се бие с мен в момента.”
В елиминатор на IBF Junior Welterweight, Иван Baranchyk (17-0, 11 Нокаута) развълнува феновете на The Deadwood Mountain Grand със своя изцяло екшън стил, спиране Petr Петров (38-6-2, 18 Нокаута) при 1:12 от кръг номер осем.
Baranchyk, прави шестата си поява в SHOWTIME, беше много по-силен, по-агресивен боец от неговата игра, но в крайна сметка преодоля противника, който показа похвална твърдост и издръжливост, за да остане в битката. Баранчик прати Петров в нокдаун с първия удар в двубоя, и отбеляза втори нокдаун във втория рунд с поредица от мощни удари.
С натъртен и очукан Петров, заклещен на въжетата в осмия рунд, реферът Марк Нелсън спря битката. С тази победа, Баранчик се доближава още една крачка до това да стане задължителен претендент за победителя в главното събитие на SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING в събота вечер между 140-паундовия световен шампион на IBF Сергей Липинец и носителя на титлата в лека категория Майки Гарсия.
Baranchyk, който изпревари Петров 159-118 в общия удари и 94-76 в силови удари, беше доволен от подобренията, които демонстрира тази вечер.
„Мислех, че се бих по-контролирано, отколкото в миналото и нещо, с което новият ми треньор ми помага,каза Баранчик, който в момента е класиран под номер. 4 в категория 140 паунда на IBF. „Знаех, че трябва да продължа да удрям в тялото, удари по тялото. И тази вечер го направих добре.
„Бях изненадан, че спряха битката, когато го направиха. Имах чувството, че печеля всеки рунд и контролирах битката. Знаех, че спечелих битката. Беше добра битка за мен.”
При откриването схватката на телевизията, тежка категория перспектива Джуниър Фа (14-0, 8 Нокаута), от Окланд, Нова Зеландия, запази непобедения си рекорд непокътнат с победа с мнозинство съдийско решение над Детройт Крейг Луис (14-2-1, 8 Нокаута). Съдиите оцениха битката от осем рунда 76-76, 78-74, 79-73.
фа, който два пъти победи сънародника си от Нова Зеландия и настоящ шампион на WBO в тежка категория Джоузеф Паркър при аматьорите, беше по-активният борец срещу 33-годишния бивш колежански баскетболист Люис, който взе битката само с две седмици предизвестие. Фа бързо започна битката, хвърляне на битка високо 53 удари в първи рунд и а 24-13 води в общото свързване в първите два рунда. Докато битката продължаваше, Темпото на Фа се забави и Луис успя да прерасне в битката, извън кацане Fa 50-45 в пети до осми кръг, за запълване на общата празнина 82-81 в полза на Фа.
фа, който направи своя дебют в SHOWTIME през ноември с нокаут в първия рунд на Freddy Latham, беше недоволен от представянето си въпреки победата.
„Щастлив съм, че успях да взема решението, но изобщо не бях доволен от представянето си,каза Фа. „Ако трябва да си дам оценка, ще бъде F. Бих се с твърде много емоции през първите няколко рунда и това малко ме отблъсна.
„Бях доста изненадан от единствения съдия, който го видя. Видях го, че се изморява, но тази вечер просто бях в състояние. Мога да науча много от тази битка и къде сгреших и какво да не правя в следващата си битка.”
Луис почувства, че приемането на двубоя в кратък срок играе роля в резултата.
“Имах нужда от малко повече време, за да тренирам, тъй като кондиционирането ми падна малко към края,“, каза бившият златен медалист от National Golden Gloves Люис. „Но като цяло, Бях доволен от представянето си, Мислех, че вероятно е равенство.“
В не-телевизионно undercard действие, непобедена перспектива в тежка категория Трей Лип Морисън (14-0, 14 Нокаута), син на бившия световен шампион в тежка категория Томи Морисън, спря Освалдо Ортега (3-8, 1 KO) с трети кръг (1:18) технически нокаут в първата си битка в 15 месеца след нараняване на ръката.
Непобеждаван 2016 Съединени щати олимпиец Чарлз Конуел (7-0, 5 Нокаута) спечели победа с единодушно съдийско решение над Мексико Хуан Хесус Ривера (28-20, 18 Нокаута). Шест-рундовият двубой за юноши в средна категория беше отбелязан 60-53 в картите с резултати и на тримата съдии.
Петък tripleheader ще се повтори в събота, Март 10, при 5:30 p.m. ET/PT на SHOWTIME EXTREME и ще бъде достъпен на SHOWTIME при поискване® и SHOWTIME ВСЯКО ВРЕМЕ®.
Бари Томпкинс нарече екшъна от ринга с Фархуд и бившия световен шампион Раул Маркес в ролята на експертни анализатори. Изпълнителен продуцент беше Гордън Хол с продуцент Ричард Гоган и режисьор Рик Филипс.
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ERISLANDY LARA AND JARRETT HURD TO CLASH IN 154-POUND TITLE UNIFICATION LIVE ON SHOWTIME ONSATURDAY, Април 7 FROM THE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO в Лас Вегас
Caleb Truax and James DeGale To Battle in a 168-Pound World Title Rematch in the Co-Main Event of the
Premier Boxing Champions Event
Билети в продажба Петък, Март 16
LAS VEGAS (Март 9, 2018) – Erislandy Lara, the longest reigning world champion at 154-pounds, will clash with IBF champion “Swift” Джарет Хърд in a highly-anticipated super welterweight title unification live on SHOWTIME (10 ч ET/7 ч PT) as part of an exciting card presented by Premier Boxing Champions Saturday, Април 7 from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
В съвместно основното събитие, Супер световен шампион в средна Калеб Truax will make the first defense of his IBF title against James DeGale in a rematch of one of the biggest upsets of 2017 that saw Truax wrestle the belt from DeGale on his home turf in London last December.
Билети за шоуто, което се популяризира от TGB Promotions и Mayweather Promotions, ще влезе в продажба Петък, Март 16 and be available by visiting AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Казино, Las Vegas Box Office.
“This is an action-packed card from top to bottom. The televised card features boxers who all have something significant to gain with a victory,” каза Том Браун, Председател на TGB Промоции. “The winner of Lara-Hurd will be one step closer to becoming the undisputed 154-pound world champion. In a rematch, Truax gets to re-affirm his position as champion and DeGale has a chance to regain his world championship status. This is the kind of show that keeps fans on the edge of their seats.”
“We take pride in promoting quality events that our audiences always want to see,” заяви Леонард Ellerbe, Главен изпълнителен директор на Мейуедър Промоции. “This card is going to be another line-up that the fans won’t want to miss. With Lara and Hurd looking to unify their titles and guys going head-to-head in rematches on the undercard, this is sure to be a night of non-stop action.
Lara срещу. Hurd is a classic contrast in styles that could force each fighter to raise their game to another level. Lara is a crafty southpaw who relies on his superior boxing skills to confound opponents, while Hurd is a pure pressure boxer-puncher that stalks his opponents and isn’t easily frustrated.
Lara, a Cuban whose nickname is “Американската мечта”, is coming off a unanimous decision victory on SHOWTIME over Terrell Gausha in October. Hurd was on the same card and defeated former champion Austin Trout when Trout’s corner stopped the fight in the 10тата кръг. That paved the way for this unification showdown.
The 34-year-old Lara (25-2-2, 14 Нокаута), who lives and trains in Houston, Texas, won his world title with a TKO victory over Alfredo Angulo in 2013 and has successfully defended it seven times, which includes wins over Trout, Ише Смит и Ванес Мартиросян.
“I’m very excited and motivated for this fight and to once again be headlining on the best network in boxing on SHOWTIME, is truly a pleasure,” Саид Lara. “I look forward to adding another belt to my collection on April 7 and to proving that I’m the best 154-pound fighter out there. Everyone tune-in because you don’t want to miss this unification. It’s going to be a legendary night and one for the history books.”
The undefeated Hurd (21-0, 15 Нокаута) is coming off a career-defining TKO victory over the former champion Trout in his last fight on Октомври. 14. It was the first defense of the title for the 27-year Hurd of Accokeek, Maryland, who won the championship with a TKO victory over Tony Harrison on Feb. 25, 2017.
“I plan on being the aggressor for the entire fight, so I’ve been doing some exercises and working on techniques to improve my foot work so that I can stay on top of Erislandy Lara,” Саид Хърд. “We are not trying to go to the scorecards, so hopefully, I can be the first man to stop him, which I hope to do in the later rounds.
“I called him out, и сега, it has come to pass that I get to become a unified champion against the man everyone considers to be the best and most feared in the division, and that’s Erislandy Lara.”
They call 34-year-old Truax “Златист”, and he punched his ticket to world title gold while on a trip to London in December, when he defeated DeGale by majority decision. Truax (29-3-2, 18 Нокаута) of Osseo, Minnesota was on a two-fight win streak heading into the match against DeGale. Before that his only losses came against former champions Anthony Dirrell, Daniel Jacobs and Jermain Taylor.
“They made the right call on the decision in England, and I expect to be even more dominant this time around,” Truax said. “I am planning to really just beat up James Gale and get the job done in more efficient fashion this time.’
“Fighting in Las Vegas for the first time will be a very cool experience and I expect it to be friendlier than it was in London. There is a lot of pride on the line for me, being that I’m the first boxing world champion from Minnesota in a long time. So there is a lot on the line for me and I plan to keep that going, especially as a means for supporting my family.”
The 32-year-old DeGale (23-2-1, 14 Нокаута) was the first British boxer to win a Gold Medal in the Olympics (2008 Олимпийските игри в Пекин) and a world championship as a professional. He won his world title with a unanimous decision over Andre Dirrell in 2015 and made two successful defenses before fighting to a draw against Badou Jack on Jan. 14, 2017. It was a brutal standoff between two world champions, but neither man had his hand raised in victory. DeGale, who was coming off of an injury, had his home town crowd behind him but couldn’t deliver a win as Truax scored a stunning upset with the majority decision victory.
‘I’m happy to have the opportunity to rematch Truax and regain my IBF title,” said DeGale. “I am not going to make excuses for my poor performance, actions speak louder than words. I am excited to be boxing in Vegas and on SHOWTIME again. The real JD will be back on fight night!”
Майки срещу GARCIA. SERGEY LIPINETS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & СНИМКИ
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ПЕТР ПЕТРОВ ГОТОВ ЗА ЕЛИМИНАЦИОННА БОЯ С ИВАН БАРАНЧИК ПЕТЪК ВЕЧЕР ПО SHOWTIME®
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MIKEY GARCIA VS. SERGEY LIPINETS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & СНИМКИ
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