Category Archives: Showtime Boxing

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SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO OFFER MULTI-CAMERA COVERAGE OF UNDERCARD FIGHTS ON FACEBOOK LIVE PRECEDING SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® THIS SATURDAY, DEC. 10

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Hosted By Scott Hanson and Mark Kriegel, SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live Features Sergey Lipinets vs. Lenny Zappavinga in a Jr. Welterweight Title Eliminator; And Unbeaten Prospect Erickson Lubin vs. Juan Ubaldo Cabrera
NEW YORK (Dec. 8, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports will offer multi-camera, fully-produced boxing coverage on Facebook Live on Saturday, Dec. 10 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), providing fight fans with high-quality access to live undercard bouts preceding that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader.  The unique two-fight offering is the first timethe network has offered live boxing coverage exclusively on Facebook Live.
SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live, from Galen Center on the campus at University of Southern California,  features the 12-round IBF Junior Welterweight Title Eliminator between undefeated contender Sergey Lipinets (10-0, 8 KOs) and Lenny Zappavigna (35-2, 25 KOs).  Also featured is a 10-round middleweight matchup between undefeated Erickson Lubin (16-0, 11 KOs) and once-beaten Juan Ubaldo Cabrera (23-1, 15 KOs).
Scott Hanson, known for his work as host of NFL RedZone and PBC on SPIKE, will call the action alongside best-selling author and Sports Emmy Award winning reporter Mark Kriegel.
SHOWTIME Sports also will live stream the final press conference on Thursday and the official weigh-in on Friday via Facebook Live.  Saturday’s live streaming fights will be available to the U.S. audience only.
The December 10 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is headlined by a featherweight world championship showdown between two of the best 126-pound fighters in the world, WBA titleholder Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares. The live SHOWTIME telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with a matchup of undefeated rising stars, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo taking on top-rated contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams. In addition, earlier in the evening, SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL will bring you the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.
SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live is an extension of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME, the industry standard for live undercard boxing coverage.  Both offerings provide bonus bouts to viewers at home, delivering an experience that was previously available only to fans in arena.  Via Facebook Live, viewers are afforded the unique opportunity to interact with the boxing community during the event in real time.
The live stream is a prime example of Showtime Networks’ cutting-edge sports coverage.  SHOWTIME Sports was the first to distribute a heavyweight world champion fight via multiple online portals including YouTube and Facebook (WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka, Jan. 2016) and Facebook.  SHOWTIME Sports was the first to release a full fight in 360-degree Virtual Reality (Daniel Jacobs vs. Peter Quillin, Dec. 2015; VIDEO:http://s.sho.com/1ZxBh1Z).
Over the past two years, SHOWTIME Sports has grown its digital presentations and franchises, providing innovative content across seven social platforms unique to audience interests.  Among new reoccurring digital series are THE REVEAL with Mark Kriegel, featuring exclusive and in-depth interviews with boxing’s emerging stars, FIGHT NIGHT, a short-form- 60 or 90-second capsules-capturing intimate, all-access moments surrounding a fight.
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Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares & Jermall Charlo vs.  Julian Williams Trainer Media Roundtables  Quotes & Photos

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Top Trainers Freddie Roach, Robert Garcia, Ronnie Shields & Stephen Edwards Discussing SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Doubleheader Saturday, December 10 from 
Galen Center 

at USC in Los Angeles
 
Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
LOS ANGELES (December 7, 2016) – Four of the top trainers in the sport, Freddie Roach, Robert Garcia, Ronnie Shields and Stephen Edwards met with media in Los Angeles to discuss their fighters’ respective showdowns this Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC and live on SHOWTIME®.
Saturday’s event is headlined by featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellardefending againstformer three-division world champion Abner Mares in a long-awaited showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a world championship battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go towww.galentix.com.
Roach (Cuellar), Garcia (Mares), Shields (Charlo) and Edwards (Williams) spoke to media at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown about their fighters and the highly anticipated matchups taking place this weekend in Los Angeles.
Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:
FREDDIE ROACH, Cuellar’s Trainer
How has your relationship with Cuellar developed?
“I’ve gotten to know Cuellar quite well and have spent a lot of time with him. I think he’s learned a lot and I think he’ll carry that into the fight with him. He’s prepared and he won’t go out there just trying to look for a knockout. He’s a good puncher and everybody thinks he’s looking for the KO, but I told him to just let it happen. If you force it, it will never happen.
“He’s going in there with a good opponent, an experienced fighter with a lot of good fights under his belt. He’s caught punches before and knows how to handle it. And if [Mares] moves, we’ll cut the ring off to make it smaller and set traps for him. If he tries to come forward, I want my guy to show his power either way and show him who the boss is.”
On Garcia having the upper hand by having trained Cuellar:
“I don’t really know how their relationship is and I don’t really know how long they’ve been together. I heard that during his training camps that he had gone to Florida for another trainer so I don’t know how great they’re really getting along but again, I don’t really worry about the other side so much. I know my guy is ready for a hard 12-round fight.
“He does know my fighter well and I’ve tried to improve my fighter a lot and he said he never learned anything over there, but every day he learns in my gym. I just don’t think he’s the same guy that Robert is used to seeing and I think he’s improved a lot in a lot of different areas and I think he’ll show it in the fight.”
What are you predicting for Cuellar?
“I’m predicting better angles, not so wide with the punches, not so big with them. He goes out there looking for knockouts so many times and I’ve told him to just let it happen. He needs to get behind his jab a little bit. He has a good jab but he just doesn’t throw it that much because he’s always looking for the home run. So, we’ve worked a lot on not only looking for the home run right away and going out there and breaking this guy down.”
What’s the game plan if Abner comes to box?
“I think he’s going to try to box us, yes, so we have to put pressure on him and we have to keep him close to the ropes. We have to set traps on the ropes and into the corners and we’re well prepared for that. We did prepare for [Mares] coming at us also, trying to maybe catch him early and I want Cuellar to show his power right away because I think if we can get him to box and move, he can’t win the fight by moving away.”
ROBERT GARCIA, Mares’ Trainer
“Cuellar is very strong and hits really hard. He has tremendous power. He’s very strong physically and mentally. He has that warrior mentality that just goes out there looking for the knockout.
“I don’t have the secret recipe. It’s just that I know Abner is in great shape and we’ve had a year to prepare for this fight. And I know Cuellar very well. I know how he thinks and that could be a plus. I think facing a guy I used to train can be an advantage for us.
“I know Jesus and how he is in locker room. And I can use that against him. Even though he’s with a great trainer in Freddie Roach, he has never walked out to the arena with him. I did it for five fights and for two years. But I don’t think I need those advantages.
“If Abner does everything that he needs to do, there’s no doubt he will walk out of there a world champion. But this is my first fight with him so I don’t know if during the fight he will forget all I told him, and do what he is used to doing. He’s picked up a lot of good things from me, so I think he’ll stick to the game plan.”
What has impressed you most about Abner this camp?
“For a full year training and having dates and then the dates being cancelled, postponed, changed. It’s been four dates. They were scheduled to fight in March, then June. Then we were supposed to fight in October and now December. He never showed any signs of frustration or being upset. He always thought like I think: Things happen for a reason and this just gives us more time to work together and to learn from each other. So, I think it was the best thing that happened.”
Did you always have aspirations of becoming a trainer?
“Never did. It’s funny how it happened. When I had my last fight at 26, my plans were to forget about boxing. I hated boxing. The last couple of fights I had I didn’t want to be in the ring. I didn’t want to have anything to do with it. But then I started to come around my Dad’s gym in Oxnard (Calif.). The thing that I loved the most was the travel — because I traveled around the world during the amateurs and the pros. My first three fights were in Japan. But we didn’t enjoy it. I was always trying to make weight. And I never got to enjoy it. But I never thought I’d be in this position to train nine world champions.
“I will have my 10th world champion, and I’m hoping it’s this Saturday. I’m very confident about it. One day I’ll have 15 or maybe 20, but that’s one thing I hate to do is predict it. But I do feel really good we can pull this one off.”
Who is your pick for Trainer of the Year?
“Manny Robles had two world champions and has two really good fighters. And Freddie Roach had a great year with Pacquiao. So, I think they would be good picks. I believe Manny Robles deserves it.”
Have you gotten the credit you are due?
“It’s mostly politics and who you know. Will I get it again? I really don’t care. My fighters are happy and my family is happy. I get the love from you reporters and the fans. And that’s all that’s important to me and my team.”
RONNIE SHIELDS, Charlo’s Trainer
“All I hear is Charlo is scared. Jermall isn’t scared to fight anyone. Why would a guy who is champion of the world be scared of fighting [Williams]?
“Jermall and Julian ran into each other a few times as amateurs, but not as professionals. I think they both realized they would meet in the ring and that it would happen.
“I’m not really surprised this fight happened this early in their careers, because both guys are great fighters. And they are both deserving to be at the top.”
On Charlo calling Williams an “undefeated nobody”:
“That’s just Jermall [laughing]. All fighters are confident in their ability, and he just feels like he’s the better guy. And I’m glad he feels that way, because I don’t have to do anything extra to motivate him. He’s highly motivated, and ready to go.”
How do you think this fight will end?
“I don’t look at the ends, I only look at the beginnings. If you go in looking to knock the guy out in the early rounds and don’t get it, what’s going to happen in the later rounds? I think I’ve got Jermall to the point where he can go 12 rounds with anyone. He doesn’t care who it is.”
What does Julian Williams do well?
“I think Julian does a lot of things well. You have to have the simple fundamentals in boxing, which I think carries a lot of fighters a long way. You have to have a good jab, combination of punches. And Jermall has the same thing. I think it will come down to who has the biggest will to win this fight. My guy has a huge will to win this fight.”
What is underrated about Jermall that fight fans might now know?
“I think that a lot of people don’t know how smart an individual he is. Outside of the ring, and inside of the ring. He’s so different than he appears in public. He’s a really quiet guy and does not really boast a lot.
“These days you see a lot of fighters using different guys, and not just the same guys [in terms of trainers]. I think a lot of fighters are trusting different people, and not just the same guy.
“I’ve known Jermall since he was eight-years-old and I know what type of guy he is, and what his will is. I just don’t see anybody beating him. He just has such a strong will to win, and he does everything right. And that’s hard to say about the other guy.”
“This could be Jermall’s last fight at 154 pounds. But he will make weight on Friday. If there was a chance he wasn’t going to make weight, I wouldn’t let him [fight at 154 pounds] because I realize it’s too dangerous, and I’m not going to take that chance with my guys.”
STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams’ Trainer
“We were ready for this fight, maybe a year and a half ago but unfortunately it took a bit longer than we thought to come into fruition. But he’s had a great camp. I know Jermall is a formidable fighter, he has a great coach and I’m expecting a great fight. I think it’s really, really difficult to beat an undefeated fighter that does not know how to lose.
“We have a big task in front of us but he’ll be the third undefeated guy that Julian has fought. So, he’s used to being up under that kind of stress.”
On knowing Julian’s past life on the streets:
“I knew him but I wasn’t training him at the time. Ironically, I knew Julian in 2007 and I used to work at the shelter that he was at. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances I didn’t meet him until I was having a fight party for the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton fight and we became pretty good friends and then later I started training him in 2010. When he came to the party I knew who he was from attending some of his amateur fights and when he was ready to turn pro, he asked me for some help. We have a relationship outside of boxing and then I started working with him and here we are.”
Did he open up to you about his story shortly after you knew him?
“I kind of already knew it so it wasn’t a revelation. It kind of happened organically, you know, as you get to know somebody and you’re around them, I kind of started to learn different things about him and we started talking more about it. Actually, a lot of things came up through boxing because I would ask him ‘How do you not win Nationals as good as you are?’ I thought he was the best amateur in the city. I would say: ‘How long do you run?’ and ‘What kind of diet do you do?’ and he would say ‘I just lose weight by taking laxatives.’ I thought he was killing himself and that’s when I wanted to take him on in training. I said man, if he was 77-10 as an amateur taking laxatives to lose weight, he is ruining the lining of his stomach and decreasing his energy level too. So, I said to myself ‘this kid has a big upside.’
“If I could just get him to buy into a diet, buy into doing things the right way, he could be a world champion. I think that I believed that he was going to be a world champion before he did. That’s how the stories started to unravel about his homelessness, that he didn’t have anything to eat, that he would work at McDonalds and other places and that would be his diet.
“This is a national level fighter, ranked No. 3 in the country on a McDonald’s diet. So I always just kept in the back of my mind that he had an unbelievable upside and regardless of what was going on or what people were saying, I trust my eyes more than I trust anybody else’s and that’s what I believe.”
How much do you think his past goes into the way he fights?
“I definitely think that he has a hint of anger. He’s a little introverted and I’m very similar in certain things that we don’t talk about. Getting him ready for the Hugo Centenofight when his mom passed away, we never talked about it. It’s the weirdest thing in the world. I hugged him, I told him I would help him with the funeral arrangements because he’s a young guy and he didn’t know how to handle those things.”
What can you say about Jermall?
“He’s not better than Julian at anything. I’m not trying to concede anything. He doesn’t punch harder, he’s not faster and you all can quote me when I say he’s not better than him at nothing. And determination. If it comes down to a point of who’s really willing to lose his life in the ring, I already know who’s willing to lose his life in the ring. But he’s not better at him at anything. Nothing. Not just determination, Julian is just the more skilled fighter and he has more on the inside and he’s going to show everyone on Saturday night.”
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports andwww.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports andwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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ANTHONY JOSHUA & ERIC MOLINA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS FOR IBF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THIS SATURDAY LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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“I want to shatter his dreams and keep that title.” – Anthony Joshua

 

“I’m not here to take it on points, I am here to put him on the floor and take his belt.” – Eric Molina

 

SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® Airs at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT
Live On SHOWTIME; Encore Presentation During Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Telecast

 

Click HERE To Download Workout Photos (Credit Matchroom Boxing)

 

IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina worked out for the British press on Tuesday in Manchester, England, as they prepare to square off this Saturday at Manchester Arena live on SHOWTIME® (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT).

 

The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation originates from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, site of that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.  WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi as part of the SHOWTIME announce team for Joshua vs. Molina.

 

Undefeated sensation and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) will make the second defense of his title against Molina (25-3 19 KOs), a Texas native getting his second shot at a belt in his quest to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight world champion.

 

An encore presentation of Joshua vs. Molina will air as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast later that evening, following the main event showdown between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar and three-division former champ Abner Mares.  In the co-feature, Jermall Charlo will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Julian Williams.

 

Here is what Joshua and Molina had to say during fight week:

 

ANTHONY JOSHUA

 

“Eric is coming here to win and he’s got a goal in his sights and dreams to fulfill.  I want to shatter his dreams and keep that title.  He gave Wilder a real test, rocked him, and boxed through the fight with an injury. So he’s got ability, power and heart.

“Eric has only lost to the best.  He’s looked at as an underdog because a lot of it is about hype.  This is his chance to announce himself.   He might say he can beat me, but we won’t know until the night if he can pull it off.

 

“This fight isn’t about Deontay Wilder.  Deontay is supposed to be this KO artist with one-punch power and he’s been a pro for eight years now so he’s got vast experience in the game.  Eric put up a great fight against him and watching it I thought ‘that’s the type of guy that I want to be in.’ Someone that fights with their heart on their sleeve, that’s why we’re here now.  It’ll be a comparison in the back of my mind but that doesn’t make me a better fighter than him or vice versa if I do better or worse than Deontay.

 

“A man that gets up after being knocked down has my full respect and he has shown he has massive heart. His mentality is that he’s got nothing to lose, and that makes him dangerous. There’s been upsets in the past but that’s not happening at this stage of my career.

 

“Molina is Wladimir Klitschko, he is David Haye, he is Wilder.  He is a hurdle I have to overcome. It’s not about them, it’s about me.  I won’t disrespect Eric, but I don’t play games, I come to dominate.   I don’t care how long the fight with Molina goes; one or 12 rounds, I just need to dismantle my opponent.

 

“I’m not fighting Klitschko.  He’s going to be there on Saturday, as is Haye, but they’re not in front of me.  My career, my discipline and my consistency, that’s the package that we’ve been sending out to the rivals and that speaks louder than any performance on Saturday.  I want to win, I want to look good and I want to entertain — but the most important thing for me is going in there and doing the job.

 

“I’m not learning in the shadows, I’m under the bright lights on Box Office in the UK and on SHOWTIME in the U.S. I have to perform every time that I box. There’s so many wolves in the pack that want to come and destroy what I’ve built.

 

“We’re close to getting some huge fights. If I get through Saturday then I fight Klitschko; it doesn’t get much bigger, so the division is moving forward.  People have just got to be patient and enjoy the ride.

 

“The U.S. is a big market for me and I am sure it won’t be long until I make my U.S. debut.  Whether that’s against Wilder, we’ll see.  He’s got the injury to recover from.  I have a lot of people asking me when we’re taking the show to the States, but I don’t think they mean Alabama!  They are hoping for Las Vegas, I think — that’s a trip we’d all love to make.”

 

ERIC MOLINA

 

“Knockout is the only way I am going to win.  I’m not here to take it on points, I am here to put him on the floor and take his belt.  Any heavyweight can KO any other heavyweight, and I can KO Joshua.  I’m a hard-punching heavyweight so I am extremely confident.

 

“I’m unpredictable – and any man in this division can be KO’d on any night.  To become champion, that’s the ultimate goal, and I think I have what it takes to knock him out.

 

“Joshua has great balance, he’s athletic, tall, uses his reach – but there are things about him we don’t know yet and he knows it, too.  We know he can punch and has the attributes to become a legend, but that missing piece of the puzzle is the chin.  Can he take a punch?  He hasn’t taken anything up to this date.  A good boxing puncher can KO you with a shot at any given moment.

 

“I don’t question his stamina, but I do want to see him take a good shot.  It’s the big question – and I’ve hurt everybody that I’ve been in the ring with.  Does he have grit and determination? We’ll find out.

 

“I’ve been an underdog all my life so it doesn’t faze me. Joshua is young, he’s strong, he’s got all the attributes of a great champion.  But there are a lot of things that he’s yet to experience in the ring, and that’s what I have to capitalize on.  Eventually he has to go through those things and get taken to those places that he hasn’t been yet.  I have to take him there to win.

 

“Who else in the last 18 months is going to fight Joshua and Wilder?  Who is willing to do that to win? No one wants to get in with this guy.  This is my route to get the world title. It’s not about Klitschko, it’s about me.  Any man can be destroyed on any given night.  Joshua knows that’s true.  He’s got to beat me to get the fight, but I have a great chance to KO this guy.

 

“I don’t pay too much notice to what people think. When I fought Wilder the whole world gave me one round — that’s it.  He’s going down in one round, he’s going to get blasted away.  I’ve heard it all before, all the negative feedback.  Let people think what they want, I feed off it. I have nothing to lose in a fight like this and everything to gain.  It’s a very dangerous fight and the type of fight that I really perform in.

 

“Dillian Whyte has given Joshua his toughest test so far, then probably (Dominic) Breazeale.  He hasn’t been pushed.  He hasn’t been taken to a place where he’s had to dig deep.  There are some holes in his game that we feel we can execute and hurt him.

 

“Lots of people didn’t want the fight; it’s a business and I wanted it. I’ve shared the ring with Wilder and now I’m going in with Joshua.  These aren’t just words; I’m putting it into action, there’s a difference.

 

“Wilder is the most dangerous heavyweight in the world, Tyson Fury is the most skilled, the combination of both would beat Johsua.  The most feared is Luis Ortiz.  You have the heavyweights that no one wants to get in with.  Everyone is calling everyone out, but when it comes down to it, it means nothing if you don’t get in there.  You just have a certain bunch of guys that don’t want to fight another bunch of guys.

 

“Against Wilder I learned that I can get up.  I can fight back and still win rounds. I learned I can fight through an injury; that I can bite down on the gumshield and give more than I ever thought I could give.  It was a big stage against Wilder in his backyard so I’ve been on the big stage before. It doesn’t concern me at all – been there, done that.  I’ve lost on the big stage but I’ve also won on the big stage.”

 

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Sergey Lipinets Training Camp Quotes & Photos

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(Photo Credit: Alex Vaysfeld/Team Lipinets)
 
Undefeated Contender Faces Australia’s Lenny Zappavigna
In Junior Welterweight World Title Eliminator Saturday, December 10 From Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles
 
Click HERE for Photos from Alex Vaysfeld/Team Lipinets/
Premier Boxing Champions
 
LOS ANGELES (December 6, 2016) – Unbeaten junior lightweight contender Sergey Lipinets is wrapping up training camp as he prepares for his world title eliminator against Australia’s Lenny Zappavigna this Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles.
Saturday’s event is headlined by featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar defending againstformer three-division world champion Abner Mares in a long-awaited showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a world championship battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go towww.galentix.com.
Lipinets and Zappavigna will fight in an eliminator for the 140-pound world title won this past weekend by Julius Indongo via a first round knockout of reigning champion Eduard Troyanovsky. Here is what Lipinets had to say about training camp with Buddy McGirt, his matchup on Saturday and more:
 
On his upcoming title elimination bout against Lenny Zappavigna…
“Zappavigna is a very well-rounded fighter with a lot of experience and I know he’s coming to rip my head off.  There is no doubt about it, this fight is going to be tough.  We both have a lot at stake because this is a title elimination bout. This will be war and everyone should be tuning in.”
 
On his recent training camp…
“It’s been a really productive training camp. My coach, Buddy McGirt has studied a lot of tape on Zappavigna and we have a great game plan intact.  We are finalizing our last days of camp and we will be ready to go.  I’m well prepared for this fight.”
 
On his rapid rise toward the top of the junior welterweight division…
“I’ve worked really hard and fought a lot of tough opponents to get in this position.  In my first fight as a professional boxer, I fought a guy with over 30 fights, so nothing has come easy for me.  I’ve earned my right to be here.”
 
On the possible opportunities that will come with a victory…
“A victory against Zappavigna will put me in position to fight for a world title.  The opportunities are endless from then on.  Unification bouts, fighting all the champions, those are the type of fights I’m looking forward too.  My desire to be the best is all I think about.”
 
On fighting December 10th in Los Angeles in front of hometown fans…
“Since I’ve moved to America I’ve made a lot of friends in Los Angeles, especially in the Russian community.  Anytime your hometown fans can see you fight on a mass scale is a beautiful thing.  I have a lot of friends and fans that will be in attendance.  I believe my fighting style is pleasing to the eyes of all fans.  I’m always looking to knock out my opponent.  I know one thing…the Mexican fans will love watching me go to battle.  It’s time to take my career to the next level and it starts on Saturday, December 10 in Los Angeles.”
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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JERMALL CHARLO & JULIAN WILLIAMS SOUND OFF AS THEY PREPARE FOR MATCHUP OF UNDEFEATED 154-POUND RISING STARS THIS SATURDAY LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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* * * SHOWTIME BOXING VIDEO ALERT * * *

 

 

“I’m taking a chance to fight this undefeated nobody, and I’m going to take his head off.” – Jermall Charlo

 

“When I win this fight I don’t want any excuses.” – Julian Williams

 

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IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo and undefeated No. 1 contender Julian Williams have been on a collision course for years as two of the rising stars of the stacked 154-pound division.  The speculation about “this fight that had to happen” ends this Saturday, when the 26-year-olds settle their business in the ring live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. 

 

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event, hard-hitting WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar will defend his belt against former three-time world champion Abner Mares from USC’s Galen Center in Los Angeles. Both confident, elite 126-pounders will enter the ring with new trainers; Cuellar is now coached by Freddie Roach and Mares by Robert Garcia.

 

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Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

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BARRY TOMPKINS AND STEVE FARHOOD ELECTED TO INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME

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Longtime SHOWTIME Sports® Announcers Join 2017 Class Headlined
By Evander Holyfield, Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia

 

 

NEW YORK (Dec. 6, 2016) – Longtime SHOWTIME Sports announcers Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood were elected into the 2017 class of the International Boxing Hall of Fame as first-time nominees, it was announced on Tuesday.

 

Tompkins and Farhood earned induction in the Observer category, which recognizes outstanding achievements of print and media journalists, publishers, writers, historians, photographers and artists.  They join a 2017 class headlined by boxing greats Evander Holyfield, Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia.  In the non-participant category is world-renowned ring announcer, the late Jimmy Lennon, Sr., who will posthumously join his son, the all-time SHOWTIME Sports ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr., in the Hall.  The induction ceremony will take place during International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend in Canastota, NY, June 8-11, when Farhood and Tompkins will join fellow SHOWTIME Sports Hall of Famers Al Bernstein (2012) and Lennon, Jr. (2013) in Canastota.

 

Tompkins and Farhood are the one-two punch behind the prospect-orientated SHOWTIME Sports series ShoBox: The NewGeneration, for which Tompkins calls the blow-by-blow action and Farhood serves as expert analyst alongside former world champion Raul Marquez.  Tompkins and Farhood, who have both been in the boxing business for decades, are also the voice of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME.

 

“Steve and Barry are pillars of the SHOWTIME boxing announce team,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “Both men are as dedicated and committed to the sport and to their craft as anyone in television.  Moreover, they are supportive colleagues and dear friends to many of us in boxing.  On behalf of all of us at SHOWTIME, congratulations on this great and well-deserved honor.”

 

The recognition by the International Boxing Hall of Fame is the result of a career’s worth of hard work and accomplishments for Tompkins and Farhood.

 

Before joining SHOWTIME in 2012, Tompkins was the No. 1 voice of boxing at NBC (1974-1979), HBO (1979-88), ESPN (1988-1996) and FOX Sports (1996-2011).  He has called hundreds of boxing matches, including more than 200 world title fights; among them legendary battles Aaron Pryor-Alexis Arguello I — his personal favorite — Sugar Ray Leonard-Marvin Hagler, Mike Tyson-Trevor Berbick and countless others.

 

Tompkins, who has deservedly earned a reputation as one of boxing’s ‘good guys’, is in the midst of a career spanning 40 years.  In addition to boxing, his countless credits include play-by-play commentary of the Super Bowl, the NCAA Final Four, eight Olympic Games, tennis majors and more.

 

Farhood has been involved in boxing for 38 years, during which he’s become universally respected for his integrity, honesty and expertise.  In his distinguished career, he has served as announcer, writer, researcher and author.  A former editor-in-chief of The Ring and KO magazines, Farhood has been the voice of ShoBox since its inception in 2001.  Farhood is the “ironman” of the acclaimed series, having served all but one of 228 ShoBox telecasts.

 

A regular contributor to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® and Premier Boxing Champions telecasts, Farhood is a four-category winner of awards by the Boxing Writers Association of America (Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, Fleischer Award for Excellence in Print Journalism, Good Guy Award and Walker Award for Long and Meritorious Service).

 

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

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Get to Know Main Event Fighters Jesus Cuellar & Abner Mares

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(Photo Credit: Gene Blevins/TGB Promotions/Premier Boxing Champions)
Featherweight World Championship Showdown Headlines
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®
Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC 
in Los Angeles
 
Watch a Sneak Peek of Cuellar vs. Mares
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Feature
on YouTube HERE or Download HERE
 
Click HERE for Training Photos from 
Premier Boxing Champions
 
LOS ANGELES (December 6, 2016) – Featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellarand former three-division world champion Abner Mares will meet in a long-awaited world championship showdown this Saturday, December 10 at Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles and live on SHOWTIME.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.
The hard-hitting Cuellar of Argentina and the decorated Mares of Southern California shared some fun facts and spoke about their interests outside of boxing before they lace up the gloves and meet in the center of the ring on December 10.
Read below to learn more about the two fighters before their main event showdown:
JESUS CUELLAR
 

1.     If you could have one super power, what would it be?

It would be super strength. My nephew already calls me The Incredible                 Hulk.
 

2.     What is something that people would be surprised to know about you?

 
I’m a very good cook. I can cook lots of things for myself. I love cooking for my family.
 

3.     What is your favorite snack?  

 
A torta dulce, a sweet sandwich served in Latin American countries throughout the world.
 

4.     Least favorite food?

 
I hate pickles.
 

5.     What do you do for extra motivation?

 
I watch the movie “300” during training and before fights.
 

6.     What is your favorite book?

 
My favorite book is “Martin Fierro,” a 2316-line poem written by Argentina’s Jose Hernandez.
 

7.     If you weren’t a boxer, what would you be doing?

 
I would want to be a horse jockey. Their job is very interesting. My body would look a lot different, but I think I could be good at it.
 

8.     What is one of your most impressive physical feats?

 
I’ve done as many as 1,200 sit-ups in a day.
 

9.     Do you have any fight night superstitions?

 
It’s not really a superstition, but I wear red and white in the ring during                 every fight.
 

10.   If you could have dinner with one historical figure who would it?

 
It would be former unified middleweight world champion and Argentine legend Carlos Monzon.
 
ABNER MARES

1.     What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?

 
I’m a ‘dance dad.’ My oldest daughter Emily is on a dance team that went to the national championship in Connecticut when I fought Leo Santa Cruz. We stopped the workout at the track and the entire team huddled around my iPhone to watch her. It made me really proud – she did really well! She has her winter recital on the night of the fight, but I’m hoping to watch part of it on Facetime while I’m in the locker room.
 

2.     What is a guilty pleasure you have?

It’s definitely my collection of sports cars. I call it my ‘auto wardrobe.’ My favorites are the different Mercedes I have.
 

3.     What’s the most extravagant thing you own?

 
I wrapped one of my Mercedes in pure gold. That would have to be it.
 

4.     Do you have any business endeavors outside of boxing?

 
My wife and I just opened up “Nathalie’s Essence of Beauty.” It’s a full service makeup salon in Downey that I’m excited to see grow.
 

5.     What is a food you hate?

 
Olives. I’ve never liked them and I never will.
 

6.     Who’s your favorite musician?

 
My favorite music is from Ariel Camacho. He was a regional Mexican singer who died in a car accident in 2015 in Sinaloa, Mexico. He walked me out for my fight against Oquendo and then the band walked me out for my fight against Santa Cruz after Ariel had passed. The band is called Los Plebes de Rancho and “El Karma” is a must-have CD.
 

7.     What is your ideal birthday present?

 
The one thing my friends always get me that I love is cologne. I have cologne from all different brands from all over the world. I like smelling good.
 

8.     What is your favorite snack?

 
Definitely a Snickers bar. They’re another guilty pleasure, but not during training camp.
 

9.     If you could have dinner with one historical figure, who would it be?

 
I would say Pablo Escobar. He’s a guy I couldn’t pass up meeting.
 

10.   If you weren’t a boxer, what would you be doing?

 
I would want to be an architect. I love the art, structure and function of buildings – homes and offices. From the design, to the way it’s used, it’s something I’m very interested in.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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ONE-YEAR IN: ABNER MARES & ROBERT GARCIA ON THE ROAD TO DECEMBER 10 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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(Photo Credit: Eder Mercado)
 
Athlete and Coach Discuss Highly Anticipated Featherweight Match-Up vs. Jesus Cuellar from Galen Center at USC 
in Los Angeles
 
Click HERE for Photos from Premier Boxing Champions
 
LOS ANGELES (December 5, 2016) -December 10 marks a pivotal year for Abner Mares, the highly respected former three-division world champion. It marks over one year since fans saw him enter the ring on television and one year since the newly formed partnership of Mares and revered trainer Robert Garcia. It is a transformed Mares that will enter the ring on Saturday, December 10 when he takes on current WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar in a Premier Boxing Champions live event on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles.
Tickets are on sale now at www.galentix.com . The live event is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions and presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions.
This fight is a road marker in a long and successful career for Mares as well as Garcia, who has trained numerous world champions at his two Robert Garcia Boxing Academy gyms in Oxnard, Calif., and Riverside, Calif. With Mares named one of the top five fighters in California by the Los Angeles Times, both are looking to earn and take home another coveted world championship in the featherweight division.
Q&A with Abner Mares:
You haven’t fought in over a year, but you’ve been in the gym consistently during that time. What has this last year been like for you?
“It’s been really tough not being able to fight this whole year. We’ve been training and staying active the whole year even after my two fights got cancelled. I did full training camps for each fight. Things happen for a reason. I’m with a new coach in Robert Garcia and this year has only helped us get even more ready for this fight and helped us get to know each other as trainer and fighter. Yes, it has been frustrating, but you have to look at the bright side.”
You’ve won three world titles in your career and now you’re fighting for a fourth with Jesus Cuellar. How driven are you to keep winning titles at this point in your career?
“I’m still hungry for more. Once you lose that hunger, you don’t accomplish anything. I’ve been hungry for quite some time now — hungry to prove to people and myself that there’s a lot left in Abner Mares.”
After a year with Robert Garcia, what differences in your approach and style might fans notice in the ring on Dec. 10?
“The word I’m using for this camp to sum up what I’ve done with Robert is ‘wise.’ I’m being wiser in there; he’s having me think more in there. That’s pretty much what I’ve learned with Robert. The patience he’s had, that’s what I’ve respected with him. We’ve been together a year and haven’t fought, and any other coach might start to get desperate. But he’s been patient.”
How do you see yourself fitting in right now in the big picture of a currently loaded featherweight division?
“I try not to get ahead of myself, obviously. Just the simple fact that there are big names in this division gets me excited. Just knowing that my name is still there as one of the respected featherweights says a lot, too, and makes me happy. But it’s one thing for other people to say it, and it’s another thing to prove it. That’s what I’m going to do December 10 — prove that I’m still elite and can make a big bang.”
Q&A with Robert Garcia
 
What has this last year been like for you working with Abner? It’s rare to see a trainer and fighter pair together more than a year before getting a chance to step into the ring for a fight.
 
“I’m a strong believer in things happening for a reason. With the fight date continuing to get pushed back that means this is pretty much our fourth training camp together, but I think it’s actually benefitted us. It gave us more time to get to know each other. It’s always better to know your trainer, know how he works. That way, you’re comfortable, and I think that’s a big benefit. Fighting a big, championship fight against a solid champion, it’s given us more time to learn from each other and better prepare ourselves for this fight.”
What’s stood out to you the most about now working with Abner after seeing him from a distance over the years?
“I remember Abner from the Olympics in 2000 and from the first part of his professional career, fighting locally. Following his style, it was a style that I admired. I liked his in-and-outs, he showed he was very skillful. When he became champion and started fighting big names, he became a crowd-pleaser, which fans love, when a fighter comes and gives the crowd what they want to see. But I think Abner still has those skills to still be a crowd-pleaser, but also be able to show that style he showed early in his career. He’s always been a smart fighter with good speed, good power and his footwork is also very good.”
What makes this fight – Cuellar vs. Mares – a special fight?
 
“It’s a special fight because it’s not an easy fight. We’re fighting probably the strongest of the division. He’s very strong physically and he’s a world champion. That makes the fight, for us, a little more interesting. We’re not fighting for any vacant title – we’re fighting a solid champion. I know him because I’ve trained him. It’s challenging for myself, knowing I made him a world champion and now I have a chance to take the title from him. It’s already a challenge, and now he’s training with Freddie Roach, so that makes it even more challenging.”
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing,@JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Undefeated Prospect Mario Barrios Training Camp Quotes & Photos

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Rising Contender Talks Training with Virgil Hunter, Moving Up in Weight & More Before Competing in Undercard Action
Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles
Click HERE for Photos from Brett Ostrowski/Team Barrios
OAKLAND (December 2, 2016) – Undefeated prospect Mario Barrios (16-0, 8 KOs) is set to make his lightweight debut when he fights Argentina’s Claudio Rosendo Tapia (28-17-4, 13 KOs) in undercard action on Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles.
The December 10 event is headlined by featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar defending against former three-division world champion Abner Mares in a long-awaited showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a world championship battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go towww.galentix.com.
Barrios shared thoughts on his first training camp with Virgil Hunter, moving up and weight in more. Here is what the San Antonio-native had to say from Oakland:
On moving up to lightweight…
“At 6’1, it was getting difficult making 130 pounds. I feel a lot stronger now that I’m fighting at lightweight. It’s also safer not to be drained going into fights. In my last fight, I killed myself trying to make weight.  I believe this is the right move for me.”
On working with new coach, 2011 BWAA “Trainer of the Year” Virgil Hunter…
“I have a lot of respect for Virgil Hunter. He’s great explaining the fundamentals of boxing. He’s a great motivator and I’m looking forward to a bright future with Virgil. Everyone knows he’s one of the best trainers in the world so I’m excited to have him in my corner leading the way.”
On fighting in Los Angeles on December 10…
“This will be a great card to fight on.  Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares is going to be an all-out war. This will be the second time fighting at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. I’m looking to put on a great performance for all the Mexican fans that will be in attendance. Everyone will see a stronger fighter when I step in the ring on December 10.”
On his recent training camp in California…
“Training in California has been very productive. I’ve got a lot of good sparring and my strength and conditioning has gone to a new level. I feel powerful and I know I’ll be at my best when I step in the ring. All in all, it’s been a great learning experience working out here on the west coast.”
On fighting Argentinean veteran Claudio Rosendo Tapia…
“I know he just went the distance with two undefeated fighters, so I know he’s durable. Fighters from Argentina always bring it. I know this fight will get rough at some point so I’ll be well prepared for anything he brings. I’m very confident in my ability to come out victorious.”
On his goals for 2017…
“2017 will be a year where I’ll get comfortable fighting at a higher weight class. My main goal is to stay busy and get as many fights in as possible.  I can see myself possibly fighting at super lightweight if I keep growing. I’m just going to take it day by day.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing,@JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina

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HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER TO BE GUEST ANALYST FOR ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. ERIC MOLINA HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT ON SATURDAY, DEC. 10 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® Airs at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT Live On SHOWTIME; Encore Presentation During Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®Telecast

 

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NEW YORK (Dec. 2, 2016) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join the SHOWTIME announce team as a guest analyst for the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT).

 

Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi for the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, site of that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.

 

The “Bronze Bomber” just completed rehab for a fractured right hand and torn right bicep (see video above) as he (Wilder) sets his sights to unify the division in 2017.  Wilder is acutely familiar with Molina, having defeated the fellow-American in the first defense of his title in June, 2015 on SHOWTIME.

 

“I know firsthand just how tough Eric Molina is,” Wilder said.  “He’s coming to win because it’s a chance for him to win a world title, and he’ll definitely push Joshua.  Whoever wins will have to see me eventually because it’s my goal to collect all the belts and become the undisputed heavyweight champion.”

 

Joshua is making the second defense of his title against Molina, who is getting his second shot at a belt in his quest to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight world champion.

 

An encore presentation of Joshua vs. Molina will air as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast later that evening, following the main event showdown between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar and three-division former champ Abner Mares.  In the opening bout, Jermall Carlo will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Julian Williams.