Category Archives: Showtime Boxing

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Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor Grand Arrivals Quotes & Photos

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Fight Week Begins for Blockbuster SHOWTIME PPV Event ThisSaturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
 
Click HERE for Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
 
Click HERE for Photos from Chris Farina/Mayweather Promotions
 
LAS VEGAS (August 22, 2017) – Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor official kicked off fight week events Tuesday with grand arrivals at the Toshiba Plaza ahead of the SHOWTIME PPV event this Saturday, Aug. 26 taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Also making an official grand arrival in Las Vegas was unbeaten Francisco Fonseca, who challenges 130-pound champion Gervonta Davis, plus light heavyweight titleholder Nathan Cleverly and former 168-pound champion Badou Jack, who meet in a 12-round title fight on the PPV undercard. The SHOWTIME PPV telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with unbeaten Andrew Tabiti and former world championSteve Cunningham meeting in a 10-round battle after making their grand arrivals Tuesday.
Fighters were greeted by fans at the Toshiba Plaza before making brief remarks onstage. Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
“When there’s a fight of this magnitude, it’s all about keeping composure and that’s what I do. I go out there and do my job and let the rest take care of itself. This is huge, the numbers that we’ve been hearing about, they’ve been crazy.
“McGregor is a tough competitor. He’s undefeated standing up. He’s never lost when striking. I know that I’m in for a tough fight. But there is one thing I do know, this fight is not going the distance. No matter what anyone says, it’s not going the distance.
“This is work. This is my job. My job is to fight and compete against the best guys. You know when your body has had enough and this is it for me. I gave my word already about this being my last fight. Once I gave my word to my children, and once I gave my word to Al, I knew this was it. This is a great event. What better way to go out than with a bang?
“I just go out there and fight. I don’t worry about my record. I’ve been blessed with hands and fast feet and a tremendous mind. It’ll all be on display Saturday night.
“A lot of fighters now only want the money. They don’t want to put in the hard work early in their careers. I took the long route and I’ve been here for a while. I just love the sport and competing against the best guys.
“It’s all about the future and building stars. Mayweather Promotions is the future of sports and entertainment. It’ll be a great display this week.
“I’m doing this for myself and my family but I want to give everyone a great show. Everyone deserves a good show. The Pacquiao fight wasn’t exciting enough. That was on Pacquiao, but I have to give the fans a great show this time.”
CONOR MCGREGOR
“Floyd can talk about whatever he wants to talk about. He can talk any kind of trash he wants, because he’s talking to the new God of boxing.
“I like the move from five to three minute rounds. I feel like I’ve built a solid engine that is going to last me through the rest of my career and help me in the fight.  We’ve put in the work. I’ve fought many 12-rounders.
“The Irish are rolling in and whenever we roll in, we take over. It was amazing to see all the Irish fans out today. It’s going to be a great spectacle.
“If people are overlooking my size, power and youth, they shouldn’t be. I’m very confident in those attributes. I believe I’ll knock him out early.
“If you look at the way I fight, I am a fast starter. I come out and bang people right away. With eight ounce gloves, I don’t see him lasting more than one or two rounds.
“I am my own man and I feel I am superior to Floyd. When it comes to Saturday night, he will not be prepared for me.
“I cannot wait to get in the on Saturday night and perform in front of my fans and take my place at the top of this sport.”
FRANCISCO FONSECA
“We are ready for anything Gervonta Davis will bring. We had a great training camp and I’m in optimal condition to go win that title.
“I am ready and excited to be here in Las Vegas for this great challenge. It’s amazing to have a chance to fight for a world title.
“It’s always been my dream to fight here in Las Vegas. I’m going to start out strong from the first round. If a knockout comes, it comes, but what I do know is, is that I’m going to leave the ring with that world title on Saturday night.”
NATHAN CLEVERLY
“I just love this place. This is my favorite city on the planet. To fight here in Las Vegas and defend my world title is great. Badou is a top fighter and it’s going to be a tough fight. He’s fighting an established light heavyweight like myself. I’m a two-time champion of the world and he’s going to find out what I’m about.
“I just told him welcome to the division. He’s going to find out the hard way. I’m going to give him a rude introduction to the division and show him how a world champion does it.
“This is an interesting fight with two world class fighters. I’m going to leave here with the victory on Saturday night.
“It’s already a big fight with Badou Jack, but to be part of this event, it’s truly historic. It’s a special feeling.”
BADOU JACK
“Right now I’m just excited to be here in front of the fans. I can’t wait to put on a showSaturday night. I’m going to knock Nathan Cleverly out.
“This is the best camp I’ve had of my career. I have an amazing team and we’ve worked well together. I’m ready to get in the ring.
“This is the biggest stage you can be on. All my my teammates have been training hard and the whole Mayweather Promotions stable is ready to fight.”
ANDREW TABITI
“I’m very excited and I’m thankful to everyone that came out here today. This is a great chance for me to shine.
“It’s wonderful to share this card with my Mayweather Promotions stable. We work hard and we’re really up and training hard for this opportunity.
“Steve Cunningham has done a great job in his career, but it’s time for a new face of the American cruiserweights. I’m getting the victory, that’s all there is.”
STEVE CUNNINGHAM
“I feel a lot younger than my age. I feel great and I’m ready to rock. I do my talking in the ring and I can’t wait to get in there.
“It’s great to be on this stage. It’s my first time on a pay-per-view and it’s amazing. This is a huge fight and it’s a blessing to be there.
“I don’t make predictions but I come to fight and I come to win. You have a young fighter coming to take me down but I’m going to show him what I know.”
#          #          #
MAYWEATHER vs. McGREGOR
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor is a 12-round super welterweight matchup that pits the legendary boxer Mayweather against the all-time MMA great McGregor in the main event of an unprecedented four-fight pay-per-view boxing event.  Mayweather vs. McGregor will take place Saturday, Aug. 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The event is produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV, promoted by Mayweather Promotions and sponsored by Corona.
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SEAN COMBS AND MARK WAHLBERG DOUBLE DOWN ON MAYWEATHER VS McGREGOR SHOWTIME PPV® EVENT

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Grammy® Nominated and Multi-Platinum Global Artist Demi Lovato To Sing The National Anthem

 

 

WATCH OR EMBED THE BET 2: http://s.sho.com/2vhklVa

 

Click Here For Behind-The-Scenes Photos

 

 

 NEW YORK – August 21, 2017 – Sean Combs and Mark Wahlberg are doubling down on the upcoming SHOWTIME PPV matchup between pound-for-pound boxing king Floyd “Money” Mayweather and UFC champion “The Notorious” Conor McGregor. SHOWTIME Sports® has released a new video where superstars Combs and Wahlberg are following up on their previous Mayweather vs. Pacquiao wager. This time they are going double-or-nothing, with Combs betting again on Mayweather and Wahlberg putting his money down on McGregor. To watch and shareThe Bet 2 with Sean Combs and Mark Wahlberg, go to: http://s.sho.com/2vhklVa. To download link for broadcast: https://we.tl/ZY8QNHt41n.

 

Today, SHOWTIME® also announced that singer-songwriter Demi Lovato has signed on to sing the National Anthem during the main event. Lovato is a Grammy nominated artist with over six billion global single streams and nine platinum and multi-platinum singles to her name. She recently released Sorry Not Sorry, which has quickly become one of 2017’s biggest hits.

 

Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor is a 12-round, super welterweight matchup that pits the legendary boxer Mayweather against the all-time MMA great McGregor in the main event of an unprecedented four-fight pay-per-view boxing card. Mayweather vs. McGregor takes place onSaturday, August 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The event is produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and promoted by Mayweather Promotions. The telecast also will be available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

 

Broadcast and online clip restrictions: News outlets are cleared to use the Sean Combs and Mark Wahlberg clip on broadcast and digital platforms. Broadcast outlets must reference MAYWEATHER vs. MCGREGOR and SHOWTIME PPV verbally. Digital outlets must reference MAYWEATHER vs. MCGREGOR and SHOWTIME PPV in the accompanying copy or graphically over the footage.

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @diddy, @mark_wahlberg @FloydMayweather, @TheNotoriousMMA, @MayweatherPromo, @UFC, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebok.com/SHOSports,  www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, andwww.Facebook.com/UFC. You can also follow the storyline @puffdaddy on Snapchat.

 

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Mayweather vs. McGregor Conference Call Recordings

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FLOYD MAYWEATHER, JR. CONFERENCE CALL

CONOR MCGREGOR CONFERENCE CALL

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Unbeaten Rising Contender David Benavidez & Hard Hitting Ronald Gavril Battle for Vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Title in Main Event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® Friday, Sept. 8 Live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT

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Presented by Premier Boxing Champions, from The Joint at
 Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas
 
Plus! Two 168-Pound Showdowns as J’Leon Love Meets Abraham Han While Unbeaten Caleb Plant Faces Alan Campa
 
Tickets on Sale Tuesday, Aug. 22!
 
LAS VEGAS (August 17, 2017) – Unbeaten rising star David Benavidez and powerful contender Ronald Gavril will battle for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship on Friday, Sept. 8 live on SHOWTIME in the headlining attraction of a Premier Boxing Champions event from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.
The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/PT and will feature two additional showdowns in the super middleweight division. Once-beaten J’Leon Love (23-1, 13 KOs) will battle Texas-native Abraham Han (26-3, 16 KOs) in a 10-round bout while unbeaten prospect Caleb Plant (15-0, 10 KOs) takes on Mexico’s Alan Campa (16-3, 11 KOs) in 10 rounds of action.
Benavidez (18-0, 17 KOs) has a chance to make history – at just 20-years-old he is aiming to become the youngest super middleweight champion in history and the youngest reigning world champion in the sport today. Gavril (18-1, 14 KOs) will seek to keep the WBC 168-pound title in the Mayweather Promotions family after it was vacated by his stablemate, Badou Jack.
“This opportunity means the world to me,” said Benavidez. “I’ve been working for his since I was a little kid. It’s all come down to this moment when I’m ready to take this belt and take over the 168-pound division. The time is almost here, and I can hardly wait for September 8. Winning the championship would be enough on its own. But the opportunity to be the youngest in the sport is a major accomplishment and the biggest of my life, so far. I have a tough competitor in front of me, and I know he’s treating it as seriously as I am. I’ve been working for two and a half months for this fight and I’m not overlooking him.”
“It’s been a great journey for me getting to this point of fighting for a world title,” said Gavril. “I have a great team behind me who pushes me every single day to perform my best, learn from my mistakes and perfect my technique. Those values have gotten me here and I am thankful for such an amazing opportunity. I will go out there and give it everything I have, I can’t leave the ring without the championship belt.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Sampson Boxing, are priced at $100, $50 and $25, and are on sale Tuesday, Aug. 22. To purchase tickets visit AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Box Office.
“In November 2015, I said that I had new blood for our industry David Benavidez, who would be the best and youngest super middleweight champion in the history of our sport,” said Sampson Lewkowicz, Benavidez’ promoter. “We didn’t cherry pick this opponent. He was the next available contender when Anthony Dirrell pulled out. We expect fireworks. We expect to birth a new superstar. The most important thing is to determine in which round Gavril will be knocked out, because I believe that we’re talking about matching a jet plane against a helicopter. So I expect a spectacular performance from Benavidez, who will begin his run as the new blood in boxing and will keep it going until he retires.”
“To be in a position to announce another great card coming just weeks after the biggest event in sports history shows that Mayweather Promotions shows no signs of slowing down,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “We are thrilled to present this fight card on September 9, filled with tremendous talent featuring top contenders in the Mayweather Promotions stable. Gavril has proven to be a tough competitor, he’s on a long win streak with his last four coming by way of TKO, Love making his return to the stage is sure to excite fans, and the always exciting Caleb Plant will definitely put on show. This is what boxing is about, bringing together some of the most exciting talents on one stage.”
After delivering a highlight reel knockout of Rogelio Medina in May, Benavidez has now racked up a perfect 18 wins in 18 starts at just 20-years-old. The younger brother of undefeated Jose Benavidez, David picked up four victories via stoppage in 2015 and continued with four more in 2016 including blasting out previously unbeaten Francy Ntetu in June and tough contender Denis Douglin in August. Most recently, Benavidez began his 2017 campaign with a second-round destruction of Sherali Mamajonov in January. The Phoenix-native will look to make history in the 168-pound division onSeptember 8.
Born in Romania, Gavril won a 165 amateur fights and trained with the National Team before turning pro in 2011 and eventually moving to Las Vegas to train at the Mayweather Boxing Club. The 31-year-old won his first 11 pro fights before dropping a narrow contest to veteran Elvin Ayala. Gavril bounced back emphatically with seven straight victories including then unbeaten Oscar Riojas and once-beaten Christopher Brooker. He scored a third-round stoppage of Decarlo Perez in April ahead of his first world title opportunity.
A once-beaten contender at 168-pounds, the 29-year-old Love bounced back from his lone defeat with three victories 2015 before stopping Michael Gbenga and Dashon Johnson in 2016. The Inkster, Mich., native earned wins over Marco Antonio Periban, Derrick Findley and Lajuan Simon on his way to contender status and will look for another victory to put him in world title contention.
Han is a former champion kickboxer and third degree black Blackbelt who hails from El Paso, Texas and enters this fight the winner of his last three contests, including a first round stoppage in March of this year. A winner of his first 19 pro bouts, the 32-year-old owns a victory over Marcos Reyes in addition to narrow losses to former champion Sergio Mora and former title challenger Fernando Guerrero.
A 2011 National Golden Gloves champion, Plant has begun to make his name in the professional ranks since turning pro in 2014. After picking up six victories in 2015, Plant continued his success with stoppages of Adasat Rodriguez and Carlos Galvan before going 10 rounds for the first time in a unanimous decision victory over Juan De Angel in August 2016. The 25-year-old from Nashville began training in Las Vegas this year and picked up a victory over Thomas Awimbono in February.
Fighting out of Sonora, Mexico, the 25-year-old Campa enters this contest the winner of three of his last four contests, including a victory over then once-beaten Paul Valenzuela Jr. last April. Campa has fought professionally since 2010 and won his first nine fights while also battling top contenders Sergey Derevyanchenko and Jesse Hart.
# # #
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports  and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions
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Former World Champion Shawn Porter Withdraws from Bout With Thomas Durlorme Scheduled for Mayweather vs. McGregor Preliminary Bouts on FOX & FOX Deportes

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Welterweight Contender Yordenis Ugas Replaces Porter & Will Face Former Title Challenger Dulorme
 
Saturday, Aug. 26 From T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
FOX & FOX Deportes Begins Live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
Four-Fight SHOWTIME PPV Telecast Begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT
                                              
LAS VEGAS (August 17, 2017) – Former world champion and top welterweight contender “Showtime” Shawn Porter has pulled out of the welterweight battle against former title challenger Thomas Dulorme that headlines the Mayweather vs. McGregor preliminary bouts presented by Mayweather Promotions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Porter withdrew from the match due to personal reasons, which included a death in his family.
Top welterweight challenger and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Yordenis Ugas (19-3, 9 KOs) will replace Porter and now take on Dulorme (24-2, 18 KOs) in the main preliminary bout on FOX and FOX Deportes.
“On behalf of Mayweather Promotions we send our prayers and deepest condolences to the Porter family,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “In boxing we have to deal with curveballs that constantly come at us. Thomas Dulorme has been training hard and is ready to face Yordenis Ugas. Ugas is a tough competitor that shouldn’t be overlooked, and Dulorme is ready. The fight fans are definitely in for an outstanding show between Dulorme and Ugas come Aug. 26.”
“I have been training for this fight for a several weeks now, I knew at the-time Porter was going to be a tough challenger so I took training camp extremely serious,” said Dulorme. “Fighting on a card this big, you cannot doubt anyone in front of you. My new opponent doesn’t change much. All I can do is continue to stay focused and listen to my team and bring the best fight I can.”
“It’s an honor to be fighting on one of the biggest boxing cards in history and fighting in the same ring as one of the most famous boxers in the world – Floyd Mayweather,” Ugas said. “This is the type of fight that I’ve been looking forward to having since I came back last year after being off for almost three years. This will be my fifth fight in a year. And this is the second fight that I’ve taken on short notice this year. But it doesn’t bother me because I’m always training. Dulorme is a tremendous fighter. He’s very aggressive and very technical. He’s going to get my very best as I know I will get the very best from him. It’s really an honor to fight a quality opponent on a card like this.”
Saturday’s coverage begins on FOX and FOX Deportes with a one-hour Prefight Show at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and leads directly into the Mayweather vs. McGregor event that will be produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The action on FOX and FOX Deportes will include a 10-round battle between unbeaten prospects Juan Heraldez (12-0, 8 KOs) and Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0, 12 KOs).
Representing Puerto Rico, by way of French Guiana, Dulorme last fought in January when he stopped Brian Jones in the sixth-round to pick up his second straight win after the 27-year-old had previously challenged Terrence Crawford for a vacant world title in 2015. Prior to his title opportunity, Dulorme picked up impressive victories over Hank Lundy, Karim Mayfield and DeMarcus Corley. He will look to make a statement on his way to another world title opportunity with a win against Ugas.
Ugas will enter the ring for the third time in six months when he faces Dulorme on Aug. 26. The 31-year-old Ugas, a bronze medal winner for the Cuban team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has been on an impressive four-fight roll that started last year when he scored a decision victory over then unbeaten Jamal James and followed it up by stopping then unbeaten Bryant Perrella in the fourth round. Ugas continued to take down contenders in 2017 as he defeated Levan Ghvamichava by decision on Feb. 2 before stepping in at the last minute two months later to stop Nelson Lara.
For more information: visit http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com and www.t-mobilearena.com. Follow on Twitter @MayweatherPromo, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportesand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.
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Floyd Mayweather Las Vegas Media Workout Quotes & Photos

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Mayweather vs. McGregor SHOWTIME PPV Event Saturday, Aug. 26 From T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
 
Plus! Gervonta Davis, Badou Jack & Andrew Tabiti Quotes & Photos Ahead of Showdowns on PPV Undercard
 
Click HERE for Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
 
Click HERE for Photos from Idris Erba/Mayweather Promotions
(Photos to be added shortly)
LAS VEGAS (August 10, 2017) – Floyd “Money” Mayweather opened up the Mayweather Boxing Club on Thursday for a media workout ahead of his highly anticipated matchup against UFC champion Conor McGregor on Saturday, Aug. 26 in the headlining attraction of a SHOWTIME PPV event from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Joining Mayweather at the media workout were a trio of fighters competing under the Mayweather Promotions banner who enter the ring in undercard attractions on SHOWTIME PPV.
America’s youngest world champion, Gervonta “Tank” Davis will make the second defense of his world title against unbeaten challenger Francisco Fonseca while former world champion Badou Jack “The Ripper” is set to challenge 175-pound titleholderNathan Cleverly in his debut at light heavyweight.
The PPV event begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with undefeated rising cruiserweight contender Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti taking ontwo-time world champion Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham in a 10-round bout.
Here is what the participants had to say Thursday:
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
“I’ve been here before and I know what it takes. It’s my same old routine but I’m older now so I have to let the body rest a lot more. With age comes wisdom. When I was a lot younger I would just train and train and never let myself recuperate. When I come back from resting I come back rejuvenated and with a lot more spark.
“This isn’t just a fight; this is an event. We both owe the fans and everyone tuning in a lot of excitement. That’s what we’re there to give them.
“I know I’m going to face a warrior. It’s not for me to worry about what he does on a day-to-day basis. I have to worry about what I have to go out there and do. I have to execute the game plan. I’m not going to overlook him. That’s why I’m in here working extremely hard.
“When it’s all said and done it comes down to the two competitors. My dad can give me a brilliant game plan but he can’t get in there and fight for me. Same for Conor and his team. It doesn’t matter who the crowd’s rooting for, it’s two men in there.
“This training camp has been a lot different. I’ve spent some time in Miami and in Los Angeles training. I’ve been pushed really hard by the young guys in camp. I don’t need to post every workout video because I’ve been around this sport a long time and everyone knows what I can do.
“On paper we know he’s taller and has a long reach. He has youth on his side. People say that he has power on his side. I know that ring IQ and experience are in my favor. I have the fight knowledge on my side. We both have advantages.
“I know he’s going to come out and try to switch stances. He’ll come out southpaw then go the other way. But all that does is burn energy. Then I’m going to give him a look and give him some knowledge, and we’ll see what happens.
“Conor feels it’s not going to go past four rounds and I don’t think it’s going the distance. We’re both confident in our skills and we’ll see who gets it done.
“My opponent is always confident, but it’s different being in there with Floyd Mayweather. They realize that this is real. But for me, it’s just another day. That’s the mentality that has allowed me to stay undefeated.
“It’s been great to be in a position as a promoter to give knowledge to young fighters. It’s one of my ultimate goals to take a young fighter and make them a household name. I want to take fighters to the next level.”
GERVONTA DAVIS
“I’m feeling great. Being in the same ring and on the undercard of Floyd’s fight is amazing. I’ve worked hard to get to this point and I’m ready to put on a great show on August 26.
“Training has been sharp. I’ve been stopping a lot of guys in training. I can’t wait to get in the ring and give the fans a big knockout.
“Being on this card has been a big motivation in training. It feels great and I’m truly blessed to be in this position. I think the excitement that this card brings will be great for the sport of boxing. I’m ready to shine.
“I know I have a tough undefeated opponent who’s going to come in and try to take my belt and I have to take care of business. He has some decent power so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.
“I’ve accomplished a lot at a young age. It’s all because of the hard work that I’ve put in for my entire life. I don’t complain, I just keep working every day.
“I’m ready to take full advantage of this chance I have. It’s just one step on a long road I see to the top of this sport.”
BADOU JACK
“Everything is great in training camp. I’ve been in training for about seven weeks getting ready for this matchup. I’m excited and happy to be a part of such a big event.
“I think this weight is going to be better for me. I’m going to have more power. I’ll be more athletic and style-wise I prefer to fight bigger guys. I can use my speed, but I also like to go inside and break my opponent down. It’s harder if I have to chase them, but the big guys are going to be right there.
“Cleverly has a high work rate and he’s very tough. He’s going to come to fight. That’s what we want. It’s a good first fight for me at this weight.
“I’m excited to work hard these next two weeks and get to fight night. He’s been in some good fights but I’m different than anyone he’s faced. I’ll show how my skills translate to light heavyweight.
“It’s really a blessing to be in this position. I’m happy because a lot of other fighters don’t get to be on this stage. I’m so thankful to my whole team. I won’t let the fans down and onAugust 26, I’m coming to steal the show.
“I’ve done everything right to get to this point. It’s an honor to be in this position. I just have to take care of business.”
ANDREW TABITI
“This is a huge deal to me. Floyd Mayweather is the biggest star in boxing and to be a part of everything that’s going on is a dream come true.
“I was really happy when I found out that I’d be fighting on this card. There aren’t really words for how blessed I am to be in this position.
“This fight means a lot to me. This is a chance for me to become the American face of cruiserweights just like Steve Cunningham was. I’m taking this very seriously and I have great respect for Steve Cunningham, but this is my time to take it.
“I’m ready to be a fresh face in the cruiserweight division. I’m going to give it everything I have. I’m humbled by this experience and I’m going to take advantage of it.
“I can’t wait to open the show. There’s a little added pressure being at the beginning of the PPV but I’m going to embrace it and put on a great performance.”
LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions
“Floyd is a lot wiser now. He’s gotten smarter with age. He’s a young man who has an incredible vision and I have a great deal of respect for everything he’s done.
“The older you get, the harder it is to get things going in training. It’s taken Floyd a while to get in a groove, but he’s in a groove now.
“All of these records being broken are because of Floyd Mayweather. He’s been innovative and he always thinks outside the box. That’s why he’s had such tremendous success.
“We’ve been able to generate a great deal of interest in new avenues and bring Floyd to even more casual fans because of the boxing and MMA worlds colliding. This is going to be one of the biggest nights in sports entertainment history.
“Both guys are looking to knock each other out. I believe Conor McGregor when he says that he’s looking to knock Floyd out in the first four rounds. He hasn’t shown me anything to make me think differently. Floyd usually just goes and does his thing, but with some things that have happened recently, I think Floyd really wants to get him out of there.”
#          #          #
MAYWEATHER vs. McGREGOR
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor is a 12-round super welterweight matchup that pits the legendary boxer Mayweather against the all-time MMA great McGregor in the main event of an unprecedented four-fight pay-per-view boxing event.  Mayweather vs. McGregor takes place on Saturday, August 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The event is produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and promoted by Mayweather Promotions.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports and www.t-mobilearena.com, follow on Twitter @FloydMayweather, @TheNotoriousMMA, @MayweatherPromo, @UFC, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions,www.Facebook.com/SHOSports andwww.Facebook.com/UFC
boxing, Fox, Las Vegas, Mayweather Promotions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, UFC

Exciting Former World Champion Shawn Porter Meets  Former Title Challenger Thomas Dulorme in Welterweight Battle That Headlines Mayweather vs. McGregor Preliminary Bouts on FOX & FOX Deportes

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Plus! A Battle Between Unbeaten Prospects Juan Heraldez &
Jose Miguel Borrego in the Co-Feature
 
Saturday, August 26 From T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
FOX & FOX Deportes Begins Live at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
Four-Fight SHOWTIME PPV Telecast Begins at 9 p.m. ET/PT
 
LAS VEGAS (August, 10, 2017) – Former world champion and top welterweight contender “Showtime” Shawn Porter (27-2-1, 17 KOs) will take on former title challenger Thomas Dulorme (24-2, 18 KOs) in a 10-round showdown that headlines Mayweather vs. McGregor preliminary bouts presented by Mayweather Promotions live on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“As always I’m just excited to get in the ring and perform,” said Porter. “I think fighting on network television again will be awesome and a huge opportunity for me. And to do it before one of the most anticipated sporting events ever is even more exciting. I feel like I’ve earned this spot and I’m ready to give the people the appetizer they deserve! ‘Showtime’ Shawn Porter never disappoints and I will prove that again on August 26.”
“I’m thankful for this opportunity on August 26,” said Dulorme. “I have been blessed with great fans and my last fight helped me to gain a little more recognition, but I am just getting started. I had a great performance back in January with a TKO victory, and this fight I plan to bring that same mindset into the ring. I am ready to win and to fight on Floyd Mayweather’s card is a blessing. I have a great team behind me and I am confident. I know my opponent is tough, but he’s just the opponent I need to really show everyone that I am even tougher.”
Saturday’s coverage begins on FOX and FOX Deportes with a one-hour Prefight Show at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. Prelims on FOX and FOX Deportes begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and leads directly into the Mayweather vs. McGregor event that willbe produced and distributed by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Action on FOX and FOX Deportes will include a 10-round super lightweight bout between unbeaten prospects Juan Heraldez (12-0, 8 KOs) and Jose Miguel Borrego (13-0, 12 KOs).
“After my last fight, I gained a lot of inspiration to show more to my fans,” said Heraldez. “I’m bringing the best Juan Heraldez to this fight. My last few performances have been great, and I’ve shown that I can have the power to knock my opponents out. I’m familiar with my opponent, but truthfully he’s not a factor and on fight night my 0 will not go.”
“This is a great chance for me to continue to show that I have the skills to be a future world champion,” said Borrego. “I’m going to leave everything in the ring and put on a great show for the fans like I always do. I respect my opponent and I think this will be a great fight, but I will end the night victorious.”
“The fans are in for a show,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Not only do we have an amazing lineup of fights on our PPV telecast, we have a stacked undercard and plan to give the fans more. More fights, more access. We plan to get the fans excitement brewing with matchups like Dulorme vs. Porter and Heraldez vs. Borrego all on network TV. These are some even matchups and we are happy to have FOX and FOX Deportes on board to showcase this talent ahead of the grand finale that is, Mayweather vs. McGregor.”
A physically gifted fighter who had a strong amateur career, Porter became the WBC’s number one contender with a stoppage of Andre Berto in April after a close loss to unified champion Keith Thurman in June 2016 that garnered unanimous Fight of the Year consideration. The 29-year-old won a welterweight world title when he defeated Devon Alexander in 2013 in Brooklyn before defending the title with a dominant stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi. The Akron, Ohio-native now lives and trains in Las Vegas and he bounced back from a previous defeat to Kell Brook to knockout Erick Bone and earn a unanimous over four-division world champion Adrien Broner in 2015.
Representing Puerto Rico, by way of French Guiana, Dulorme last fought in January when he stopped Brian Jones in the sixth-round to pick up his second straight win after the 27-year-old had previously challenged Terrence Crawford for a vacant world title in 2015. Prior to his title opportunity, Dulorme picked up impressive victories over Hank Lundy, Karim Mayfield and DeMarcus Corley. He will look to make a big statement on his way to another world title opportunity with a win against Porter.
Unbeaten and fighting out of Las Vegas under the Mayweather Promotions banner, Heraldez is unbeaten since turning pro in 2009, including a successful 2017 debut that saw him go eight rounds for the first time as he dropped Alfonso Olvera on his way to a unanimous decision. The 27-year-old earned five victories from 2015 through 2016 and will have an opportunity to make a statement against his toughest opponent to date onAugust 26.
At just 19-years-old, Borrego has burst onto the scene displaying big knockout power as he made his U.S. debut in February with a first round stoppage and followed it by stopping John Delperdang in the seventh-round of a televised contest this April. Fighting out of Aguascalientes, Mexico, Borrego most recently scored a fourth-round stoppage of once-beaten Kevin Watts in June and enters this contest on an 11-fight knockout streak.
The undercard bouts in the arena will kick-off with 2016 Great Britain Olympian Savannah Marshall making her pro debut in a four-round super middleweight attraction. The 26-year-old from Hartlepool, England was an Amateur World Champion, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the only boxer to have ever defeated two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields.
For more information: visit http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com and www.t-mobilearena.com. Follow on Twitter @MayweatherPromo, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foxsports,www.facebook.com/foxdeportesand www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.
boxing, Las Vegas, Mayweather Promotions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, UFC

TWO WORLD TITLE FIGHTS INCLUDING AMERICA’S YOUNGEST WORLD CHAMPION GERVONTA DAVIS FACING FRANCISCO FONSECA ANNOUNCED FOR MAYWEATHER vs. McGREGOR SHOWTIME PPV®UNDERCARD

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Badou Jack Challenges 175-Pound Champ Nathan Cleverly & Undefeated Andrew Tabiti Takes on Two-Time World Champion Steve Cunningham In Trio Of High-Stakes Matchups Preceding
Mayweather vs. McGregor Main Event
 
Saturday, Aug. 26 Live on SHOWTIME PPV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
From T-Mobile Arena In Las Vegas
 
LAS VEGAS (August 10, 2017) – Two world championship fights including a title defense by America’s youngest world champion are part of the trio of high stakes matchups on the Mayweather vs. McGregor SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, Aug. 26 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and presented by Mayweather Promotions.
The four-fight SHOWTIME PPV event, beginning live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, is headlined by the unprecedented super welterweight matchup between boxing’s undefeated all-time great Floyd Mayweather and UFC superstar Conor McGregor.  In the co-featured bout, undefeated rising star Gervonta “Tank” Davis will make the second defense of his IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship against undefeated challenger Francisco Fonseca as the 22-year-old looks to continue his reign as the youngest current champion from the U.S.
WBA Light Heavyweight Titlist Nathan Cleverly will defend his title against former 168-pound world champion Badou Jack “The Ripper”, who is stepping up in weight and into this world title tilt.
The pay-per-view telecast will open with undefeated rising cruiserweight contenderAndrew “The Beast” Tabiti taking ontwo-time world champion Steve “U.S.S.” Cunningham in a 10-round bout for the USBA cruiserweight title.
“What a night this will be for fight fans,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Not only will they witness a first of its kind main event, but they will also see two incredible world title fights, as Mayweather Promotions’ very own current and former world champions go head-to-head in separate bouts. Gervonta Davis is nothing short of pure boxing talent with dynamite power.  Former super middleweight world champion Badou Jack is making his light heavyweight debut, and looking to take the title away from a tough and experienced Nathan Cleverly.  But first, Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti will open the pay-per-view telecast with what I expect to be a magnificent performance.  This diverse card is an epic, international affair stacked with talent.  Make sure you don’t miss the biggest event the sport has ever seen.”
“This undercard includes three meaningful matches featuring fighters we’ve seen develop over the years on SHOWTIME,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “Gervonta Davis has fast-tracked himself to stardom on this network, we’ve seen Badou Jack develop from prospect to champion, and we’re now witnessing similar growth with Andrew Tabiti.  We’re excited to watch them compete in tough, competitive matchups on this global stage.”
Gervonta Davis vs. Francisco Fonseca – IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship
One of the fastest-rising young stars in the sport, Davis (18-0, 17 KOs) became the youngest reigning champion from the U.S. when he knocked out Jose Pedraza in January to capture the IBF 130-pound crown. The 22-year-old made his first title defense in style when he went to London and stopped Liam Walsh in May. Both bouts aired live on SHOWTIME.  Representing Baltimore, Davis won the 2012 National Golden Gloves championship and scored knockouts in his first eight fights after turning pro in 2013. He enters this matchup on a streak of nine-straight fights that have ended with a knockout victory.
“I’m really excited to fight as the co-main event on the biggest card in combat sports history,” said Davis. “I plan to put on a great show for everyone in attendance in Las Vegas and for those who purchase the PPV. I want to thank my team for this incredible opportunity. I’m ready for Floyd Mayweather to pass his torch to me. To my fans, I appreciate all of you. Support me and I’ll fight for you!”
Fighting out of San Ramon, Costa Rica, Fonseca (19-0-1, 13 KOs) has won 19 straight fights after turning pro with a majority draw in 2013. Fonseca quickly established himself as one of the top fighters from his country with victory after victory, including a fourth-round knockout of Luis Gonzlaez to capture a regional 130-pound belt last August. The 23-year-old will make his U.S. debut when he faces Davis and he enters this contest having won his last five bouts inside of the distance. Fonseca began his 2017 with a third round knockout of Eliecer Lanzas in March and is trained by two-time world champion Ivan Calderon.
“I am super grateful for this great opportunity,” said Fonseca. “The dream of every young boxer is to fight for the world title and this opportunity comes at the best moment of my career and in the biggest in the history of this sport. I will beat Gervonta Davis and I will shock the world that night.”
Nathan Cleverly vs. Badou Jack – WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship
A two-time world champion at light heavyweight, Cleverly (30-3, 16 KOs) bounced back from a defeat to Andrzej Fonfara in a 2015 Fight of the Year contender to defeat hometown champ Juergen Braehmer last October to pick up his WBA title. Cleverly’s previous title reign saw him take down the likes of Tony Bellew, Nadjib Mohammedi, Shawn Hawk and Tommy Karpency before dropping a contest to Sergey Kovalev. The Wales resident will make his fourth start in the U.S., having won two of his first three contests stateside.
“This is a fight I have wanted ever since Badou Jack moved to light heavyweight and I’m delighted to fight in Vegas on an event like this,” said Cleverly. “I’ve trained long and hard for this fight and I’m ready to be let off the leash. This is the biggest fight of my career so far and I’m going to do a number on Badou Jack on August 26.”
Now fighting in the 175-pound division, Jack’s final fight at 168 pounds came in a title unification on SHOWTIME in January against James DeGale.  Jack (21-1-2, 12 KOs) shook off an early knockdown to floor DeGale in the final round in a close majority draw in which both fighters retained their belts. The 2008 Olympian from Gambia won his world title in 2015 by defeating then unbeaten Anthony Dirrell and defended the belt against current champion George Groves and former champion Lucian Bute. The 33-year-old is unbeaten in his last six bouts as he seeks a world title in a second weight class.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity and I’m excited about getting another shot at a world title,” said Jack. “To be a part of this event and fighting on this card is historic. Nothing beats it. I’m excited to get back in the ring. I’m getting ready to take that belt, and win a title in my second weight class. The biggest difference between past training camps and preparing for this fight is the fact that I was training to get the weight down, now I’m training to build muscle and perfect my boxing strategy. This will be a tough fight, but I don’t see any issues getting through it. I feel confident and fans can expect a win by knockout or decision. He’s not leaving with that belt. It’s staying right here in Las Vegas.”
Andrew Tabiti vs. Steve Cunningham – 10 Round Cruiserweight Bout
Originally from Chicago but fighting out of Las Vegas, Tabiti (14-0, 12 KOs) recorded victories against previously unbeaten fighters Keith Tapia and Quantis Graves in his last two outings – both on ShoBox: The New Generation – as he works to solidify himself as a contender in the red hot cruiserweight division. The 27-year-old turned pro in 2013 after amassing a solid 32-6 amateur record and scored knockout victories in his first 10 fights. He’ll battle his most experienced opponent to date when he faces the multiple-time champion Cunningham.
“I’ve always been dedicated when it comes to training and this camp has been no different,” said Tabiti. “I know I am fighting a veteran who has a lot of experience, so I can’t slack on my conditioning and training. He’s tough and he’s only been stopped once and that was when he moved up in weight to heavyweight, so it would be a big statement for me to stop him. This fight is a test for me. Anytime you get in the ring you never really know how things will pan out, but I have a great team. To the fans, expect a victory and a great fight on August 26th because I am going to make sure I come out on top.”
Representing the great fight city of Philadelphia, Cunningham (29-8-1, 13 KOs) returned to action in March with a victory over Felipe Romero after an exciting challenge of cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Glowacki in April 2016. Twice a world champion as a cruiserweight, he defeated Krzysztof Wlodarczyk in 2006 to capture his belt before successfully defending his title against Marco Huck via a twelfth-round TKO. He became a world champion again in 2010 when he stopped Troy Ross in the fifth round. The experienced veteran also owns victories over previously unbeaten fighters Amir Mansour and Natu Visinia and scored a knockdown of Tyson Fury in a losing effort during their 2013 bout.
“This is one of the biggest cards of the decade and its mind blowing to be a part of it,” said Cunningham. “I have to top it off with a victory. Taking on a good, undefeated young prospect is a challenge in itself, but a victory will prove age is just a number. Hard work is a part of my everyday life.”
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MAYWEATHER vs. McGREGOR
Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor is a 12-round super welterweight matchup that pits the legendary boxer Mayweather against the all-time MMA great McGregor in the main event of an unprecedented four-fight pay-per-view boxing event.  Mayweather vs. McGregor takes place on Saturday, August 26 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The event is produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and promoted by Mayweather Promotions.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports and www.t-mobilearena.com, follow on Twitter @FloydMayweather, @TheNotoriousMMA, @MayweatherPromo, @UFC, @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions,www.Facebook.com/SHOSports andwww.Facebook.com/UFC
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, women's boxing

TEAM SHIELDS CONGRATULATES BOXING’S NEWEST SUPERSTAR, CLARESSA SHIELDS, FOR WINNING UNIFIED WORLD TITLES IN FOURTH PRO FIGHT

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DETROIT (August 8, 2017) – Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa “T-Rex” Shields became the unified WBC and IBF World Super Middleweight Champion last Friday night with a dominant fifth-round TKO of now former champion Nikki Adler.
 
Fighting in front of her home state fans at MGM Grand Detroit and in the main event of a nationally televised ShoBox: The New Generation, Shields put on a display of skills and power seldom seen by a first-time world-title challenger. Without any answers to the level of talent in front of her, Adler was forced to cover up and withstand the blazing speed of Shields’ fists for five one-sided rounds.
 
A driven competitor, Shields is on a mission to become the GWOAT (Greatest Woman of All Time) and the performance against Adler has the entire world watching. Four fights into her professional career and Shields is already the face of women’s boxing.
 
“It was a dream come true to win two world title belts in one night!” said Shields. “I was very proud of my performance, and I can’t wait to defend my belts and then give Christina Hammer her first defeat.”
 
For Team Shields, the victory was more than could ever be asked for from their young fighter.
 
“Congratulations to a unified world champion Claressa Shields!” said promoter Dmitriy Salita. “In less than a year as a pro, she has already achieved what no other woman has done in the sport. America’s first two-time Olympic Gold Medalist has become a professional unified world champion in just her fourth professional fight! Congratulations also to the great team behind her: long-time trainer Jason Crutchfield, Berston Field House, and to her managers who work diligently behind the scenes Mark Taffet and Jamie Fritz.  I and everyone at SP is proud and excited to be part of this exciting journey of a lady who is on a quest to be GWOAT!”
 
Shields co-manager, Mark Taffet, a long-time TV exec in boxing, says he’s never seen a performance like the one Shields turned in against Adler. “Claressa Shields’ win over Nikki Adler was the most dominant performance I have ever seen in a championship fight, male or female. She is staking her claim to be GWOAT in spectacular fashion. Claressa is carrying women’s boxing forward on her broad shoulders.”
 
Having fought three times this year already, winning two regional and two world title belts along the way, Shields says she will take some time to enjoy her historic accomplishments before plotting the next move with her team.