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REGIS PROGRAIS SCORES CONVINCING KNOCKOUT OF JOEL DIAZ JR. IN MATCHUP OF PREVIOUSLY UNBEATEN 140-POUNDERS ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®
Steve Rolls Edges Demond Nicholson & Jon Fernandez KOs Juan Reyes At Turning Stone Resort Casino In Verona, N.Y.
An Encore Presentation Of Friday’s Tripleheader Will Air Monday At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®
Click HERE For Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
VERONA, N.Y. (June 10, 2017) – Undefeated super lightweight Regis Prograis made an emphatic statement Friday onShoBox: The New Generation, knocking down previously undefeated Joel Diaz Jr. four times in the second round as he stamped his arrival as a legitimate contender in the 140-pound division.
The southpaw Prograis (20-0, 17 KOs), who was making his fourth start on the prospect developmental series, called out the top names at 140 after the second round demolition (TKO 2:55) at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
The special Hall of Fame edition of ShoBox: The New Generation featured four members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame: ShoBox mainstays Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood and special guests Al Bernstein and Jimmy Lennon Jr. Tompkins and Farhood will be inducted just down the road in Canastota on Sunday in a 2017 class headlined by boxing greats Evander Holyfield, Marco Antonio Barrera and Johnny Tapia.
The super lightweights, Prograis and Diaz, entered the main event with a combined record of 42-0, but it was clear they were in a different class after the first round. Prograis knocked down Diaz in the opening 30 seconds of the second in an exchange that appeared to be the result of a clash of feet. Regardless, Prograis smelled blood and pounced on Diaz, flooring him again with a straight left midway through the round.
The Houston resident, who relocated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, knocked down Diaz again just 15 seconds later with a straight left. The fourth and final knockdown, courtesy of a left hook, sent Diaz (23-1, 19 KOs) tumbling back and was enough for referee Mark Nelson to halt the bout with just seconds left on the clock.
It was a convincing statement for Prograis, who landed 62 percent of his power shots in the toughest test of his career.
“Tonight I proved I graduated from ShoBox,” Prograis said. “I’m ready for the bigger stage. I’m ready for the big show. I want to fight best the best in the division. I want (Terrance) Crawford, (Victor) Postol, (Adrien) Broner. I want them all. None of these guys have fought anybody like me. The boogeyman is coming. They better get ready.
“He was tough, he was strong and hit hard, but I went through it. That’s another opponent I ran through. I run through everybody. I’m ready for my shot. I’m coming for everybody at 140.”
Diaz, who became the 164th fighter to suffer his first defeat on the series, was clearly disappointed with his game plan.
“I went out there too hyper, trying to kill him,” Diaz said. “I went out too aggressive. I should have toned it down a bit. I had 10 rounds but I just went out there trying to take him out. I should’ve calmed down.
“I should have used my jab a bit more to knock him down but I came out swinging.”
Super middleweight prospect Steve Rolls managed to maintain his undefeated record with a closely contested eight-round slip decision victory over Demond Nicholson scored 77-75 Nicholson, 77-74 Rolls, 77-74 Rolls.
Rolls got off to a quick start, flooring Nicholson with a left hook in the closing seconds of the first to pocket a 10-8 round. He came out attacking to sweep the second, but the fight appeared to change course in the third when Nicholson hurt Rolls in the final minute with his first meaningful punch of the fight.
Nicholson (17-2-1, 16 KOs) carried the momentum to sweep the fourth, but the remaining four rounds featured back-and-forth action and were difficult to score. Rolls (16-0, 9 KOs) was the slightly busier fighter, connecting on 412 total punches compared to 390 over eight rounds, but Nicholson edged his opponent 134-117 in total connects.
ShoBox announcers Tompkins, Farhood and Raul Marquez all had Nicholson winning the final six rounds and edging Rolls 77-74 on their unofficial scorecards.
“What made the difference for me tonight was my jab, my patience, my overall boxing ability,” Rolls said. “I came in to this fight having no doubts. Nicholson was talking beforehand about my last fight, he was talking about my footwork, and I knew he was going to be in for a big surprise. I adapt for each fight.
“I knew I had him from the first round. My corner calmed me down and told me to take my time.”
Nicholson, who has mostly competed at 160 pounds, disagreed with the judges’ decision.
“I’m not going to make any excuses. He won the fight,” Nicholson said. “That’s what the judges saw, but I don’t agree. He hurt me in the first round. He hit me viciously in the head. I was dizzy but I recovered and I went on. I think I did a very good job but clearly not enough.
“I can’t fight at 160 – I’m a 168-pounder. Fighting at that weight drained me. I wasn’t at my best.”
In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated lightweight prospect Jon Fernandez scored a brutal knockout of Juan Reyes at2:36 of the second round.
Fernandez stepped on the gas from the opening bell, utilizing superior activity and accuracy to pick apart the game yet outmatched Reyes. The pair combined to throw 240 punches in the opening stanza but Fernandez landed his right at will and was clearly the more effective fighter.
The Sergio Martinez protégé had a bloodied Reyes hurt in the opening minute of the second and closed the show in the final minute with a sharp right to the ear that sent Reyes (14-4-3, 2 KOs) falling back toward the canvas. The perfectly placed punch had Reyes seemingly out before he hit the floor.
The Spaniard Fernandez (13-0, 11 KOs) landed a staggering 55 percent of his power shots and 40 percent of his total punches.
“The one-two, one-two was the key to opening the door,” Fernandez said. “The straight right hand is one of my best punches and I caught Reyes in the perfect spot. I hope he is OK. I feel that I am ready for the next level. I’ll fight wherever there is an opportunity, but I believe the big fights are here in the U.S.”
Reyes was responsive but taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
Friday’s tripleheader will replay on Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and SHOWTIME ANYTIME®.
The event was co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and AASHA Record Breakers.
# # #
Barry Tompkins called the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer was Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports
REGIS PROGRAIS vs. JOEL DIAZ JR. FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS FOR SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION HALL OF FAME WEEKEND TRIPLEHEADER LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
Friday, June 9 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
Click HERE For Weigh-In Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Click HERE For Hall of Fame Opening Bell Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
VERONA, N.Y. (June 8, 2017) – Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and Joel Diaz Jr. made weight on Thursday just hours after the “Opening Bell” to kick off festivities for the 2017 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend.
The undefeated Prograis (19-0, 16 KOs) and fellow unbeaten Diaz (23-0, 19 KOs) will square off in the 10-round super lightweight main event of a Hall of Fame edition of ShoBox: The New Generation Friday, June 9, live on SHOWTIME (10:30 p.m. ET/PT) from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
The ShoBox tripleheader will celebrate longtime analysts Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood just two days before their induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Farhood and Tompkins were joined at the Opening Bell on Thursday by a handful of their fellow 2017 inductees: boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera, Australian trainer Johnny Lewis, and the wife of the late Johnny Tapia, Teresa Tapia.
In the ShoBox co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Steve Rolls (15-0, 9 KOs) will take on the hard-hitting Demond Nicholson (17-1-1, 16 KOs) in an eight-round bout. In the opening bout of the telecast, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez’s protégé, Jon Fernandez, (12-0, 10 KOs) faces Juan Reyes (14-3-3, 2 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight matchup.
Tickets for the event, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and AASHA Record Breakers, are priced at $65 for ringside, $50, $40 and $30 (may be subject to additional fees) and are available at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877-833-SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m., with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event:
Regis Prograis – 139 ½ pounds
Joel Diaz Jr. – 137 ¼ pounds
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Don Ackerman, Tom Schreck, John McKaie
Eight-Round Super Middleweight Co-Feature:
Steve Rolls – 161 pounds
Demond Nicholson – 162 ½ pounds
Referee: Benjy Esteves; Judges: Glenn Feldman, Don Trella, Wynn Kintz
Eight-Round Lightweight Telecast Opener:
Jon Fernandez – 132 ½ pounds
Juan Ramon Reyes – 131 ½ pounds
Referee: Charlie Fitch; Judges: Don Ackerman, Glenn Feldman, John McKaie
FINAL QUOTES:
Regis Prograis
“The person that wins this fight goes up, hopefully, to a title fight. I’m 19-0, he’s 23-0. I feel like this is a real big fight.
“I take all my opponents seriously, but I’m taking this one even more seriously than others in the past. He’s 23-0, and there’s a reason he’s undefeated. He’s good, and he has the best record I’ve ever faced.
“I’m at a stage in my career where every fight can lead to the next big thing and I think this fight may be it for me. I’m patient, but I’m ready for more. I want a shot at a title.
“He’s a brawler fighter, but I have the better punching power, and the speed.
“If I feel like he [Diaz] can’t hurt me from the first round, I’ll probably just walk him down the whole night and punish him.
“Seeing what [Errol] Spence did motivates me, especially the way he did it in his opponent’s hometown. It got me thinking: that can be me one day. We went at it in the amateurs, so I know how good he is, but I’m good too. Just seeing him go over there and take the title away, I know my time is coming next.
“I grew up watching Macho Camacho, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, but I watched more Duran than anything. I really liked his style. I learned a lot watching the boxing greats on tape.
“Terence Crawford, Adrien Broner, Victor Postol. Those are the type of guys I want to fight.
“I started boxing in New Orleans, and if it wasn’t for Katrina, I probably wouldn’t be where I am right now. When I moved to Houston, I got into the boxing scene and started taking it seriously. It was a horrible situation [in New Orleans], but it changed my life.
“My family went back [to New Orleans], but not me. I stayed in Houston to box. I feel it’s not time for me to go back home just yet. I’ll come back when I become a superstar, like I’m supposed to be.”
Joel Diaz Jr.
“This is my chance, this is my opportunity. I’ve been told, ‘you only get one chance’, and this is it for me. I know Regis is good, but we’re going to put it on him. I’m going to be on him like flies on shit. This is one of the opportunities I can’t let pass.
“We’re going to break him down mentally, find our way in, and drop the bomb.
“He throws combos, and that’s what I have to take away from him. I have to be on him and be the first to attack. My power will take care of his speed.
“This means a lot to me, getting to show the world who the ‘secret’ is. People haven’t really seen what I have, but there will be no more secrets after tomorrow.
“I’m going to show the world who the real Joel Diaz is. I’m now at the right weight for me and I’m 110 percent. I didn’t waste four weeks of training camp trying to lose weight. I feel strong.
“A world championship after this fight, that’s what I want. This is my opportunity to actually show who I am and I can’t let it go. If I let this go, I might as well go back to school. This is going to open all the doors for me.
“We’ve been ready for this step for a while. I’d like to fight the winner of [Adrien] Broner- [Mikey] Garcia, but we’ll see. I know Broner doesn’t want to fight me. I tried to fight him and he turned it down. He knows I’ll give him trouble.
“I changed trainers. I used to be with Abel Ramos, now I’m with Chris Byrd. With Coach Chris, it’s more defense than offense. Working with Chris is amazing. He was a fighter, so he knows what it takes to step in that ring. He’s been there, so he understands me from a fighter’s perspective and that’s very important for me. The bond we have inside and outside the ring is special.
“You’re going to see a more active Joel Diaz and a more defensive Joel Diaz. I’m going to show the world who Joel Diaz is at 140 and trust me, they will ask for more after they see it.”
Steve Rolls
“My last fight on ShoBox [against Steed Woodall in December 2015] was a learning experience. I was knocked down in the third, but I rebounded. You never know how you are going to react in the face of adversity until you are put in that position. I’m glad that happened early on in my career. It taught me a lot.
“I’m know I’m 33, but I feel better than when I was younger. I take care of myself. I have a clean lifestyle. Age is not a thing for me.
“Nicholson has a good jab. I’ve seen him fight before. I’m not sure if he’s made adjustments or if he’s coming with a different game plan. I’m ready for whatever he brings.
“From what I’ve seen, he can fight. He knows what he’s doing in there and it looks like he has some experience.”
Demond Nicholson
“This guy [Rolls] is not as experienced as me. I’m a big step-up for him.
“My last fight [against Immanuwel Aleem] was a big step up, and I fought to a majority draw. It was a slow start, but I’m a fighter, and I soldiered through. That fight really opened my eyes up to better my career, my future.
“Look at what Aleem has done since we fought. He knocked out an undefeated guy [Ievgen Khytrov] that no one wanted to face.
“My experience is going to get us over the hump against this guy. He has a dangerous right hand, but I’m going to take that away from him.
“I’m a natural boxer, but people were calling me a brawler after my performance with Aleem and that’s not who I am. But I get it – I didn’t box at all in that fight. That’s why I had to go back to the drawing board.
“I learned a lot training at Head Bangers in Washington, D.C. with Barry Hunter, Lamont Peterson and all those guys. I’ve learned from Lamont, from Adrien Broner, from Austin Trout. They spar with top fighters and that’s why they perform at the highest level – because they’ve sparred with the best. So I’m doing the same.”
“I have one loss, and that taught me a lot. I had to lose 15 pounds in three days for that fight and that took a toll on me. There are no issues making weight for this fight.”
Jon Fernandez
“This is my second fight with my new trainer Tinin Rodriguez. I always try to get better and changing trainers seemed to be the best path for me. He’s helping me round up the fundamentals of boxing.
“I know I’m tall for my weight class, but I feel OK. I think 130 is my ideal weight, but I might go up in weight in the future. We’ll see. I’m still young and I have a long career ahead of me.
“I used to watch tape of Maravilla when I was growing up. He inspired me to be serious about boxing. He was so good. It’s such of honor to be working with him. I respect him a lot.”
Juan Reyes
“I haven’t fought anybody that tall, but I have a good game plan. I know he’s a volume puncher, but that’s just going to get me excited. It’ll get my adrenaline pumping.
“I’m excited that I’m fighting on TV and in such special weekend, it’s the Boxing Hall of Fame. This is a dream come true. If I beat this guy it could change my life.”
Sergio Martinez – Jon Fernandez Co-Promoter
“Jon is a thinker. He knows when to attack and when to defend himself. He’s truly gifted.
“Some may draw comparisons of him with Paul Williams, but I fought Williams twice and let me tell you they are not alike. Paul was the type of fighter that would get in the ring and go from first, to second, to third gear without thinking. JonFer will read you, will go to whatever gear he needs to be to defeat his opponent. He has a very high boxing IQ.”
Chris Byrd – Diaz’s Trainer
“Joel is an aggressive machine, so my main focus has been on developing his defense. He’s a talented boxer, but his aggressiveness sometimes opens holes in his defense. In this training camp, we worked on that. We have a good strategy going.
“He already knew how to fight, but you just have to push him a little bit on defense. He’s still aggressive as ever, but he needed to think about what’s coming back at him.
“My main thing is life after boxing. I have two brothers that are messed up from boxing. That’s why I focus on defense so much. He has an aggressive style, but he also has talent, good feet and eye coordination. He’ll go on to do great things.
“You’re going to see something special. Regis is good, I give him props, but you’re going to see something special from Joel. And a great fight.”
# # #
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, @loudibella and @DiBellaEnt or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
Alexander Shlemenko vs. Brandon Halsey 3? Only if it’s a light heavyweight fight
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Fight Network to Live Broadcast GLORY 42 & Superfight Series Paris, UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Lewis vs. Hunt Prelims & Fight Night Medicine Hat 3
TORONTO – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 multi-platform channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents an action-packed day of live combat sports action this Saturday, June 10, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET with GLORY 42 Superfight Series followed by the GLORY 42 Paris main card at 3 p.m. ET, both airing live on Fight Network across Canada and Turkey.
Later, Fight Network will deliver extensive coverage of UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Lewis vs. Hunt across Canada, starting at 7 p.m. ET with the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Lewis vs. Hunt PRE-FIGHT SHOW leading into LIVE PRELIMS at 8 p.m. ET on Fight Network. The main card airs live on TSN5. The UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Lewis vs. Hunt PRE-FIGHT SHOW will feature former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate and retired contender Kenny Florian serving as desk analysts with host Karyn Bryant and reporter Heidi Androl conducting on-site fighter interviews in New Zealand.
The two-hour LIVE PRELIMS on Fight Network will feature lightweights Damien Brown (17-9) and Vinc Pichel (9-1) in a featured clash, plus Luke Jumeau (11-3) takes on Dominique Steele (14-8) at 170 pounds, while No. 11 John Moraga (16-6) fights Ashkan Mokhtarian (13-1) in a flyweight tilt. Kiichi Kunimoto (18-6-2, 1NC) and Zak Ottow (14-4) open the telecast in a welterweight bout.
At the conclusion of Saturday’s main card, the live UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: Lewis vs. Hunt POST-FIGHT SHOW at approximately 1 a.m. ET on Fight Network features highlights, analysis and post-fight interviews.
Kicking off at 12:30 p.m. ET, the GLORY 42 Superfight Series is headlined by recent championship challenger Yoann Kongolo (64-9, 46 KO) in a knockdown, drag-out affair against French veteran Yohan Lidon (92-35-1, 55 KO). In the co-headline bout, heavyweight French native Nicolas Wamba (47-7, 21 KO) goes head-to-head with Brazilian brawler Jhonata Diniz (15-5, 10 KO).
The complete six-fight card for GLORY 42 Superfight Series can be found below:
- Welterweight Headline Bout: Yoann Kongolo vs. Yohan Lidon
- Heavyweight Co-Headline Bout: Nicolas Wamba vs. Jhonata Diniz
- Light Heavyweight Bout: Zinedine Hameur-Lain vs. Freddy Kemayo
- Lightweight Bout: Marat Grigorian vs. Antonio Gomez
- Featherweight Bout: Dylan Salvador vs. Serhiy Adamchuk
- Welterweight Bout: Remy Vectol vs. Francois Ambang
At 3 p.m. ET, the GLORY 42 Paris main card is headlined by GLORY welterweight world champion Cédric Doumbé (66-4-1, 39 KO) defending his title on home soil against rival Nieky Holzken (90-12, 46 KO).Meanwhile, Armenian-Belgian striker Harut Grigorian (44-10, 32 KO) fights No. 4 ranked welterweight Murthel Groenhart (65-22-3) with the winner next in line for a welterweight title opportunity, plus a one-night, four-man lightweight contender tournament.
The complete five-fight card for GLORY 42 Paris can be found below:
- Welterweight World Title Headline Bout: Cédric Doumbé vs. Nieky Holzken
- Lightweight Tournament Final Bout: Winner of Bout A vs. Winner of Bout B
- Welterweight Co-Headline Bout: Murthel Groenhart vs. Harut Grigorian
- Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Bout B: Niclas Larsen vs. Massaro Glunder
- Lightweight Tournament Semifinal Bout A: Anatoly Moiseev vs. Christian Baya
At 10 p.m. ET, Z Promotions presents Fight Night Medicine Hat 3 from Alberta, Canada’s Canalta Centre, airing live on Fight Network in Canada, the U.S. and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In the main event, battle-tested warriors Dennis Hallman (53-20-2) and Joe Riggs (42-17) will collide for the promotion’s vacant middleweight championship. In other featured bouts, Matt MacGrath(18-9) battles Peter Grajcar (4-0) for the welterweight crown, while Steve Roy (2-2) throws down with Josh Heinz (3-1) for the heavyweight title.
For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit www.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.
Psychic Tom Predicts Win For Mark Hunt; Rabble Rousin’ Rich Opens the Show with Demetrious Johnson vs. Dana White Rant; Tony the Tornado rips Stevenson/Fonfara on this week’s FNU Combat Sports Show
Rich Bergeron opens this week’s FNU Combat Sports show by giving his unique take on the Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson feud with the UFC brass, namely Dana White. Upon refusing to take a fight with T.J. Dillashaw without getting certain assurances and conditions met, many fans on social media insisted DJ was running scared. Even Dillashaw took the opportunity to blast the move by the flyweight champ as “chickenshit.” Dana White even reportedly threatened to shut down the entire flyweight division if Johnson refused to fight TJ. “Mighty Mouse” didn’t blink and didn’t cave to the organization’s demands, and Rich explains in his opening dialogue why DJ should be respected and given the benefit of the doubt for his decision rather than being criticized and dragged through the mud for standing up for himself.
During the rest of the broadcast, Tony “The Tornado” Penecale details his night out at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia for a fight card headlined by Hank Lundy. He also recaps Fonfara vs. Stevenson II and calls the fight “a disgrace.”
“Psychic” Tom Padgett chips in with some post-fight analysis of Aldo vs. Holloway. He also predicts Mark Hunt will benefit from home cage advantage in his battle with Derrick Lewis this weekend at UFC Fight Night 110 in New Zealand.
There’s also an update on Hunt’s lawsuit against the UFC and Brock Lesnar and lots of other fight previews and recaps. Listen to the whole broadcast to catch up on what’s new in combat sports this week.
OFFICIAL CES BOXING WEIGHTS FOR TOMORROW NIGHT’S LIVE STREAM ON FITE TV
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REGIS PROGRAIS vs. JOEL DIAZ JR. FINAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES & PHOTOS FOR SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION HALL OF FAME WEEKEND TRIPLEHEADER LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
Tomorrow/Friday, June 9 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
Click HERE For Weigh-In Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Click HERE For Hall of Fame Opening Bell Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
VERONA, N.Y. (June 8, 2017) – Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and Joel Diaz Jr. made weight on Thursday just hours after the “Opening Bell” to kick off festivities for the 2017 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend.
The undefeated Prograis (19-0, 16 KOs) and fellow unbeaten Diaz (23-0, 19 KOs) will square off in the 10-round super lightweight main event of a Hall of Fame edition of ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, June 9, live on SHOWTIME (10:30 p.m. ET/PT) from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
The ShoBox tripleheader will celebrate longtime analysts Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood just two days before their induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Farhood and Tompkins were joined at the Opening Bell on Thursday by a handful of their fellow 2017 inductees: boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera, Australian trainer Johnny Lewis, and the wife of the late Johnny Tapia, Teresa Tapia.
In the ShoBox co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Steve Rolls (15-0, 9 KOs) will take on the hard-hitting Demond Nicholson (17-1-1, 16 KOs) in an eight-round bout. In the opening bout of the telecast, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez’s protégé, Jon Fernandez, (12-0, 10 KOs) faces Juan Reyes (14-3-3, 2 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight matchup.
Tickets for the event, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and AASHA Record Breakers, are priced at $65 for ringside, $50, $40 and $30 (may be subject to additional fees) and are available at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877-833-SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m., with the first bout scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event:
Regis Prograis – 139 ½ pounds
Joel Diaz Jr. – 137 ¼ pounds
Referee: Mark Nelson; Judges: Don Ackerman, Tom Schreck, John McKaie
Eight-Round Super Middleweight Co-Feature:
Steve Rolls – 161 pounds
Demond Nicholson – 162 ½ pounds
Referee: Benjy Esteves; Judges: Glenn Feldman, Don Trella, Wynn Kintz
Eight-Round Lightweight Telecast Opener:
Jon Fernandez – 132 ½ pounds
Juan Ramon Reyes – 131 ½ pounds
Referee: Charlie Fitch; Judges: Don Ackerman, Glenn Feldman, John McKaie
FINAL QUOTES:
Regis Prograis
“The person that wins this fight goes up, hopefully, to a title fight. I’m 19-0, he’s 23-0. I feel like this is a real big fight.
“I take all my opponents seriously, but I’m taking this one even more seriously than others in the past. He’s 23-0, and there’s a reason he’s undefeated. He’s good, and he has the best record I’ve ever faced.
“I’m at a stage in my career where every fight can lead to the next big thing and I think this fight may be it for me. I’m patient, but I’m ready for more. I want a shot at a title.
“He’s a brawler fighter, but I have the better punching power, and the speed.
“If I feel like he [Diaz] can’t hurt me from the first round, I’ll probably just walk him down the whole night and punish him.
“Seeing what [Errol] Spence did motivates me, especially the way he did it in his opponent’s hometown. It got me thinking: that can be me one day. We went at it in the amateurs, so I know how good he is, but I’m good too. Just seeing him go over there and take the title away, I know my time is coming next.
“I grew up watching Macho Camacho, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, but I watched more Duran than anything. I really liked his style. I learned a lot watching the boxing greats on tape.
“Terence Crawford, Adrien Broner, Victor Postol. Those are the type of guys I want to fight.
“I started boxing in New Orleans, and if it wasn’t for Katrina, I probably wouldn’t be where I am right now. When I moved to Houston, I got into the boxing scene and started taking it seriously. It was a horrible situation [in New Orleans], but it changed my life.
“My family went back [to New Orleans], but not me. I stayed in Houston to box. I feel it’s not time for me to go back home just yet. I’ll come back when I become a superstar, like I’m supposed to be.”
Joel Diaz Jr.
“This is my chance, this is my opportunity. I’ve been told, ‘you only get one chance’, and this is it for me. I know Regis is good, but we’re going to put it on him. I’m going to be on him like flies on shit. This is one of the opportunities I can’t let pass.
“We’re going to break him down mentally, find our way in, and drop the bomb.
“He throws combos, and that’s what I have to take away from him. I have to be on him and be the first to attack. My power will take care of his speed.
“This means a lot to me, getting to show the world who the ‘secret’ is. People haven’t really seen what I have, but there will be no more secrets after tomorrow.
“I’m going to show the world who the real Joel Diaz is. I’m now at the right weight for me and I’m 110 percent. I didn’t waste four weeks of training camp trying to lose weight. I feel strong.
“A world championship after this fight, that’s what I want. This is my opportunity to actually show who I am and I can’t let it go. If I let this go, I might as well go back to school. This is going to open all the doors for me.
“We’ve been ready for this step for a while. I’d like to fight the winner of [Adrien] Broner- [Mikey] Garcia, but we’ll see. I know Broner doesn’t want to fight me. I tried to fight him and he turned it down. He knows I’ll give him trouble.
“I changed trainers. I used to be with Abel Ramos, now I’m with Chris Byrd. With Coach Chris, it’s more defense than offense. Working with Chris is amazing. He was a fighter, so he knows what it takes to step in that ring. He’s been there, so he understands me from a fighter’s perspective and that’s very important for me. The bond we have inside and outside the ring is special.
“You’re going to see a more active Joel Diaz and a more defensive Joel Diaz. I’m going to show the world who Joel Diaz is at 140 and trust me, they will ask for more after they see it.”
Steve Rolls
“My last fight on ShoBox [against Steed Woodall in December 2015] was a learning experience. I was knocked down in the third, but I rebounded. You never know how you are going to react in the face of adversity until you are put in that position. I’m glad that happened early on in my career. It taught me a lot.
“I’m know I’m 33, but I feel better than when I was younger. I take care of myself. I have a clean lifestyle. Age is not a thing for me.
“Nicholson has a good jab. I’ve seen him fight before. I’m not sure if he’s made adjustments or if he’s coming with a different game plan. I’m ready for whatever he brings.
“From what I’ve seen, he can fight. He knows what he’s doing in there and it looks like he has some experience.”
Demond Nicholson
“This guy [Rolls] is not as experienced as me. I’m a big step-up for him.
“My last fight [against Immanuwel Aleem] was a big step up, and I fought to a majority draw. It was a slow start, but I’m a fighter, and I soldiered through. That fight really opened my eyes up to better my career, my future.
“Look at what Aleem has done since we fought. He knocked out an undefeated guy [Ievgen Khytrov] that no one wanted to face.
“My experience is going to get us over the hump against this guy. He has a dangerous right hand, but I’m going to take that away from him.
“I’m a natural boxer, but people were calling me a brawler after my performance with Aleem and that’s not who I am. But I get it – I didn’t box at all in that fight. That’s why I had to go back to the drawing board.
“I learned a lot training at Head Bangers in Washington, D.C. with Barry Hunter, Lamont Peterson and all those guys. I’ve learned from Lamont, from Adrien Broner, from Austin Trout. They spar with top fighters and that’s why they perform at the highest level – because they’ve sparred with the best. So I’m doing the same.”
“I have one loss, and that taught me a lot. I had to lose 15 pounds in three days for that fight and that took a toll on me. There are no issues making weight for this fight.”
Jon Fernandez
“This is my second fight with my new trainer Tinin Rodriguez. I always try to get better and changing trainers seemed to be the best path for me. He’s helping me round up the fundamentals of boxing.
“I know I’m tall for my weight class, but I feel OK. I think 130 is my ideal weight, but I might go up in weight in the future. We’ll see. I’m still young and I have a long career ahead of me.
“I used to watch tape of Maravilla when I was growing up. He inspired me to be serious about boxing. He was so good. It’s such of honor to be working with him. I respect him a lot.”
Juan Reyes
“I haven’t fought anybody that tall, but I have a good game plan. I know he’s a volume puncher, but that’s just going to get me excited. It’ll get my adrenaline pumping.
“I’m excited that I’m fighting on TV and in such special weekend, it’s the Boxing Hall of Fame. This is a dream come true. If I beat this guy it could change my life.”
Sergio Martinez – Jon Fernandez Co-Promoter
“Jon is a thinker. He knows when to attack and when to defend himself. He’s truly gifted.
“Some may draw comparisons of him with Paul Williams, but I fought Williams twice and let me tell you they are not alike. Paul was the type of fighter that would get in the ring and go from first, to second, to third gear without thinking. JonFer will read you, will go to whatever gear he needs to be to defeat his opponent. He has a very high boxing IQ.”
Chris Byrd – Diaz’s Trainer
“Joel is an aggressive machine, so my main focus has been on developing his defense. He’s a talented boxer, but his aggressiveness sometimes opens holes in his defense. In this training camp, we worked on that. We have a good strategy going.
“He already knew how to fight, but you just have to push him a little bit on defense. He’s still aggressive as ever, but he needed to think about what’s coming back at him.
“My main thing is life after boxing. I have two brothers that are messed up from boxing. That’s why I focus on defense so much. He has an aggressive style, but he also has talent, good feet and eye coordination. He’ll go on to do great things.
“You’re going to see something special. Regis is good, I give him props, but you’re going to see something special from Joel. And a great fight.”
# # #
Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
For more information visit www.sho.com/sports
About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 69 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Errol Spence Jr. and more.
TEAM ANDRE WARD MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL RECAP
WARD-KOVALEV 2: “THE REMATCH”
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 2017
AT MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER, LAS VEGAS
PRESENTED LIVE BY HBO PAY-PER-VIEW®
LAS VEGAS, NV (June 8, 2017) – Yesterday, Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (31-0, 15 KOs) participated in an international media conference call ahead of his highly-anticipated rematch against former titleholder Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-1-1, 26 KOs). Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The championship event, presented by Corona Extra, will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Here are some of the highlighted comments from Team Ward:
Andre “S.O.G.” Ward – Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion
“It’s a blessing, what the Bay Area fans have always done for me and for what they do for their athletes, whether they’re homegrown or transplants from other cities. They just appreciate the people that go out there and represent them well. And they always return the favor.
“I enjoyed my victory just like I would any other victory. People have to understand that anytime there’s a close decision, you’re going to have opinions either way. I’ve never refuted the fact that it was a close decision but all those out there that say that it’s some home cooking, they’ve got to remember that I’m not, you know, from Las Vegas, Nevada. You can’t just highlight that side of it. You got to highlight the people that also felt that I deserved the victory and (that it) was a tremendous comeback. It doesn’t take a close decision to get criticism. I’ve shut guys out for 12 rounds and got criticism. So you become immune to it after a certain period of time.
“Like I said before, [Kovalev’s] a good fighter. It’s not what it’s cracked up to be and but I give him his respect. He’s a champion and once you become a champion and have defended your belt, you’re a champion for life.
“I thought I won the fight by at least two rounds. But at the end of the day, there’s close rounds that you can call a swing round. I don’t know how this individual is judging the round or how they feel about it but if you look at the scorecards, I think the judges did a tremendous job because they were on one accord.
“I’m honored to represent my country which I’ve done since I’ve been fortunate enough to do [as] a little boy at the Junior Olympic level all the way up to the Olympics. I’ve had a lot of international competition as a professional and it’s an honor and a privilege to live here in the United States and to represent my country. And I’ve always tried to do that, no matter who I’m fighting.
“I think the first fight was a great fight. I think there was a lot of drama in the first fight, more drama than I wanted. I think it was a tremendous fight and I believe, round two is going to be a tremendous fight.
“I’ve faced a lot of adversity inside the ring. You know, some of it the public has seen. A lot of it, maybe, the public hasn’t seen in the many gyms or the many sparring sessions and everything you’ve got to do to get to a certain level in the sport. I knew what I had in me. I’ve been on the canvas before. I’ve been hurt in fights. I’ve been cut. Things have happened and, you know, my response has always been the same where if I’m physically able, I want to come get that back. I also have a tremendous coach who is my godfather. You saw him shift and go into a different gear to tell me what I needed to hear. He didn’t panic but he had a sense of urgency and he told me what I needed to hear. He just reminded me of all of the greats that had their moment. And he just reminded me that this is [my] moment. And sometimes in fights, especially in moments like this, it’s not so much technical… it’s a feeling.
“On the physical side, it was Virgil having the foresight early on when I was a young boy. He saw that I had a lot of ability and skills. He always told me that I don’t look at the things [I] do well, I look at where you can be beat. He said when I was 11, 12 (or) 13 years old, ‘The only style that can give you trouble right now is a buzz saw.’
“The jab is a lost art today. Skilled inside fighting is really a lost art and a lot of guys don’t want to be there. They want you at range. They want you in a certain place and if they can’t have you there then you see a totally different fighter.
“So outside of my family, I didn’t really have a lot of ex-fighters that I could pick up the phone and call. So I just try to be available, have my phone available, and make the time where I need to make the time (for some of the younger fighters). They’ll let you know what they need to talk about and what they want to talk about. If I have the answer, I’m going to definitely give them everything that I can give them. If I don’t, I’ll try to help them find it because at the end of the day, whether it’s Claressa [Shields] or Shakur [Stevenson], I’m for the fighter. I’m pro fighter. We talk about [training] stuff but it’s also more about life—being stable and making the right decisions now so that down the road, you’re happy that you did what you had to do. It’s an honor and a privilege to be someone that any of those fighters would want to pick up the phone and call. I don’t look at it like a burden. It’s an honor and a privilege.”
Virgil Hunter – Trainer of Andre Ward
“We’ve had a good camp. We’ve had a very smooth camp, the way you would like them to be. Sometimes it can’t always turn out that way but we are fortunate enough this time to have everything clicking. It’s good to see Andre in the gym after four fights and see him getting back and closer and closer to who he truly is—not just as a warrior and a battler and an individual who has a lot of dog in him but also that very skilled pugilist. I’m looking forward toJune 17 and let Andre do the talking that night with his left and his right hand.
“[Andre is] a professional and he’s been through this for the 24 years of his life. You have to understand when he went to the Olympics he wasn’t with me at all for three months. So he’s a professional. He knows what to do. He’s my least worry of leaving town for a week. It’s part of the sport. It’s part of the game. And when you have a professional like Andre, you know, you don’t worry about those things.
“Well the opponent definitely won’t see the same fighter in this fight for a number of reasons. No need to disclose but we always go in with several plans or any plan that needs to be implemented at any given time. Of course, I’m not going to ask him to do anything that I know he can’t do or hasn’t worked on or hasn’t practiced but we’re fortunate enough to be able to adjust and also adapt. I believe that what we worked on for Plan A is going to be more than enough.
“An amateur is when you’re at the top level and you fight at a top level. You go into national tournaments and tend to see some opponents more than once and more than twice. So in a sense, [Andre] has had rematches. As far as this rematch is concern all I can say is ‘oh boy.’ That’s all I can say.
“There wasn’t any fear or trepidation going into the first match. You can’t have that. Of course, you’re aware of what the opponent brings. We’re aware that you have a bigger opponent or a stronger opponent, an opponent that can punch. We’re aware of all that but we’ve been through that before. I mean when he fought in the Olympics at light heavyweight people don’t know or they never acknowledge the fact that he was only 170 pounds. So, he was giving up weight, height and size there. So, he’s used to it. He’s accustomed to it. And because of his physical strength and his stamina and his IQ he’s able to overcome all of these so-called advantages that the other fighter might have. So, once again we respect our opponent and we respect Kovalev on what he has done and what he’s capable of doing. And it’s a healthy respect but it’s not a respect that’s going to stop him from getting smashed June 17.
“My job is to be in that realistic moment. I know [Andre] would embrace and understand what I was saying because it’s been between he and I, things we’ve talked about over the years many, many times. Sometimes you just have to put the strategy out the window and appeal to who you know that fighter is. And I know who he is.”
Josh Dubin – Advisor and Attorney of Andre Ward
“On behalf of James Prince and myself, I just want to thank everybody for participating in the call. We are extremely grateful for the support of HBO, all of our sponsors that have stepped up and of course, Roc Nation. At the risk of making Virgil a little bit more uncomfortable, I do feel like from top to bottom we just have the best team out there and certainly, the best trainer in the world. I feel blessed to be part of such a historic event. I know that on June 17 you’re going to see magic in that ring and one of the best, if not the best ever, step into the ring to do his thing yet again.”
Michael R. Yormark – Roc Nation President & Chief of Branding and Strategy
“Obviously, Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” has the potential to be the fight of the year. As you have heard and as you’ve written these fighters don’t like each other. These fighters don’t have respect for one another and this obviously creates a lot of buzz, a lot of curiosity and a lot of anticipation for next week’s fight.
“As you’ve heard Andre state time and time again after this fight there will be no excuses. And without a doubt the winner of this fight will absolutely be the pound-for-pound king in the sport of boxing.”
Ward vs. Kovalev 2: “The Rematch,” a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA Light Heavyweight World Championships, is presented by Roc Nation Sports, Main Events, Andre Ward Promotions, Krusher Promotions and Corona Extra, sponsored by Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Jetlux, Life10 Electrolyte, Zappos, D’USSÉ Cognac, ProSupps and Powered by Monster. The championship event takes place Saturday, June 17 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for Ward-Kovalev 2: “The Rematch” are available on axs.com and at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.
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Las Vegas’ Pound-4-Pound Boxing Program Sends 18 Participants to 6th Annual Southern California State Championships
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