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HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONS ANTHONY JOSHUA & JOSEPH PARKER U.S. MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS IN ADVANCE OF TITLE UNIFICATION SATURDAY, MARCH 31 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

 

WHAT: Heavyweight World Champions Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker discussed their March 31 heavyweight world title unification in separate media conference calls hosted by SHOWTIME Sports® on Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IBF and WBA Champion Joshua will square off with WBO Champion Parker Saturday, March 31 live on SHOWTIME (5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT) from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.  The undefeated champions, who boast a combined record of 44-0 with 38 knockouts, will meet on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® in just the second heavyweight championship unification in history between undefeated world titleholders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joining Joshua and Parker were Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc., Eddie Hearn, Managing Director, Matchroom Boxing, and Kevin Barry, Parker’s trainer. 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is what the participants had to say on Wednesday’s calls:

 

JOSHUA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS:

 

 

 

 

 

Question: How have your preparations gone and what are your thoughts in anticipation for the big fight?

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony Joshua: “Preparations have gone really well. We’re still in preparation now but so far, so good. I do believe a happy fighter makes a good fighter. For the experience over my last few fights in 11 months have gone 11 rounds, 10 rounds, have been a blessing. I’ve learned about training camp and I’ve learned about myself. It’s the first time I’ve kind of voiced up to my coach man-to-man. I’ve said, ‘Look, this is what I’ve thought was working and this is what I feel isn’t working. Can I have your input and can we make some changes?’ Not in a sense of how he’s training me. Just in terms of schedule and it’s been really good. I’ve had some cruiserweights come in sparring for speed, some big heavy hitters who throw big right hands and left hooks and wait for me to make a mistake. We’ve been sparring 15 rounds. And honestly, I’ve been doing this for 10 years now if I rack up my amateur career and my pro career. And you know the 10,000-hour rule. I’m starting to get confident. I’ve had the ability but I think I’m matched up with my mindset now and I’m feeling really good and confident ahead of March 31.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: People in the U.S. are excited about your fight with Parker but there are so many American fans excited about the prospect of a fight between yourself and Wilder. What are your thoughts on that and are you able to tune that out ahead of your fight with Parker on the 31st?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “You’ve got to remember that a lot of that talk about me and Wilder started in 2017 after he beat Bermane Stiverne but I haven’t spoken much about it. I’ve got great people in my corner that handle the business while I focus on the handling of my boxing technique. We reached out to Deontay Wilder’s team before the fight with Joseph Parker was made. And once that fight didn’t happen, I put Wilder aside and focused solely on Parker. I’m not the one overlooking Joseph Parker and I’m not the one hooting and hollering about what’s happening next. I’m really focused on Parker because as you know, if I don’t get past Parker, it slows down the train and derails everything we’re trying to achieve in terms of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you allow yourself to think about the prospect of that fight in the event that you win the fight on the 31st?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “One-hundred 10 percent. There’s no doubt in my mind that fight will happen. And there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll beat Wilder as well. This is where we’re heading. Fight after fight, my view on it is this…When Wladimir Klitschko was active and his brother relinquished the WBC belt, Wilder won it. If he was so interested in becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, why didn’t he offer to fight Klitschko and say ‘Listen, I’ve got that belt that your brother has had for the last 10 years. Let’s me and you fight now.’ There’s a lot of pressure from fans in America, media and the papers for Wilder to step up and fight. And now we’re here and I’m that champion and I’m definitely looking forward to it. That’s why back-to-back, I’ve been racking up these belts one by one and taking fights. SHOWTIME has been riding with me for six fights, a quarter of my career. And we’re headed towards the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: There was a report in the Telegraph (UK) that there’s possibly going to be a meeting between yourself and the people at UFC who are now going to be getting involved in boxing. Can you give me your perspective on you joining their organization and about what they wrote today?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “I’m riding with Eddie. He’s backed me from the get-go. And the second thing, I’m a boxer. I’m not into the UFC so I don’t know what their plans are. But every time I’ve been asked about UFC and if I would make that crossover like McGregor did with Mayweather, I’ve said yes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: It wasn’t about Anthony Joshua becoming a mixed martial artist, their intentions are to promote boxing events. Dana White and the UFC view you as someone that any promotional company could build around given your star power.

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “Oh yeah, a hundred percent. I’m interested because we can all work together. Mine and Eddie’s relationship is a really good working relationship. I’m sure Eddie has an interest in working with Dana White. If it’s good business, it makes sense. I’m not into business. I’m sure Eddie’s not going to say, ‘Dana White, we’re not interested in working with you’ when we don’t know what’s on the table. We’ll listen and a hundred percent, if it makes sense, we’re all in. I’m happy that Dana White is coming into the game and hopefully he can add some excitement, progress forward, make some good money and make some good fights.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Eddie, do you have any thoughts about the story in the paper today?

 

 

 

 

 

Eddie Hearn: “No, I saw it and Gareth [Davies] spoke to me about it today. If Dana White wants to speak to us, obviously Anthony’s with us. We’re willing to talk to anybody and we do great business with everyone. We work with anyone, if the business is right. In the meantime, I’ll sign Conor McGregor and it’ll be fair.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: You weighed 254 pounds for your last fight and there’s been some talk in the media that you’re looking to slim down for this fight. Can you tell us what weight you’re looking to check in at for this fight?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “Let’s say 17.5, 17.4 (stone). You’ve got to remember with this weight nonsense, no fighter should go into training camp focusing on their weight. This isn’t Weight Watchers and nobody should focus on their weight as such. But I do feel that your weight has to adapt to the style of fighter you’re facing. With Carlos Takam, he was a shorter fighter. He came in on the inside and ended up head-butting me so I knew I had to kind of be able to lean on Takam and tire him out. I knew he was going to move a lot. This wasn’t going to be a Kubrat Pulev type of fight where I’m going to be jabbing or counter punching. I was going to be sitting on top of Takam and working into the body so the weight played a good role. But now, I’m fighting someone like Parker who’s a lot quicker and moves a lot more. I have to make sure I’m lighter on my feet so I’ve adjusted to the style of fighter I’m fighting. I haven’t adjusted my weight for any other reason than the type of fighter I’m going to be facing.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Is there any truth to the idea of you being lighter and not carrying around as much muscle could help you in the long run?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “I’m 20-0, I’m unified champ, muscle or not, I’m still handling business. I feel like people try to find anything to steer your mind from what’s working. I’m winning, racking up wins and it’s been going well. I wouldn’t focus on anything else than what’s working.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you look at Joseph Parker as the most dangerous challenge in your career thus far?”

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “No. Wladimir Klitschko.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How different of a matchup is this to Wladimir?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “Wladimir was a phenomenal champion. I just feel people didn’t give him the credit. He doesn’t have a name that a lot of the Western fans can resonate with. It’s not like an Adam Clark. His first language wasn’t English. People didn’t really buy into it. He was dominating. He was a great champion. Ten years on top. Phenomenal. 69 fights and 64 wins. That’s phenomenal. I’m fighting someone that’s 24-0. Everything I learned from that fight was a blessing and it’s led me to being confident ahead of the fight with Joseph Parker. So I’m dealing with a different beast. Parker still poses a threat but doesn’t’ have half the experience that Wladimir had.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you think Parker is the most technical fighter you’ve faced up to this point and if so, why do you think that?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “I think it’s because he’s had an extensive amateur career. I do believe the Lomachenkos, Rigondeauxs, Andre Wards have all had great amateur careers which led them on to be phenomenal professionals and Joseph Parker’s had that. I have to give credit where credit is due. But then, so have I and I was always told to leave the amateur’s in the background because the pros are a different game. And now we’re facing each other as professionals. I just think he has that amateur background behind him and he knows how to fight. He’s traveled the world so coming to England is nothing new to him. He’s got that in his locker, which has gotten him this far.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Looking at your 21st fight, what do you feel at this stage in the game that you need to improve on?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “When I look at boxing now, everybody talks about what I need to do to be a great champion and it seems to me that it’s a right hand and a good chin. We might as well go to the night clubs around England and America and just find the biggest and ugliest looking guy and he’ll become heavyweight champion. What I need to do to become a great champion is just work on my all-around game. The fundamentals. We’re talking about balance, footwork and understanding the distance between being in range and out of range. Perfecting your jab. Use your jab 50 times before you throw your right hand. Let’s make sure your right hand is in the right position to defend a left hook in case you get countered. Everything. That’s why I say when I fought Wladimir Klitschko, he had enough time to make mistakes and come back and reign supreme as a champion. So over time, in these types of fights I’ve had early on in my career, I’ve learned what will play massive roles later on when I become one of the dominant fighters in the heavyweight division.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How do you stay dialed in and not worry about all of the outside noise regarding your career?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “Because I know about the history of the sport. I know how easy it is to be forgotten about. I just realize that this is my time and I have to capitalize and maximize and do what’s right for me. This isn’t about being the fan favorite. I’m not here to be pat on the back. I’m here to handle my business in the best way possible and when it’s all said and done be content with the decisions I’ve made.”

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How would you assess your performance against Carlos Takam?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “I won every round. I got head-butted. I couldn’t breathe through my nose. I realize that Takam was a late step in so I was preparing for someone completely different. So, what I decided to do with Carlos is just go through the motions because I realize 2018 was a massive year in terms of unifying with Joseph Parker and then potentially facing Deontay Wilder providing I win to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. So, my game plan with Takam was don’t be too explosive and don’t take too many risks. Make sure I dominate Takam and I win every round and that’s kind of how things panned out.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How do you think Joseph looked in his last fight against Hughie Fury?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “You’ve got to look at Parker when he boxes on the front and the back foot. There’s two significant changes. When he boxes on the front foot, I think he finds it difficult to land combinations because I just think he struggled a bit against Fury when he was dancing on the edge of the ring. But when he fights people like Takam on his back foot, he’s better. I just think he really struggled with Fury when he was coming forward. I do think he won. I do think Joseph Parker won. We’re both in a position to show how great we are and why we’re real contenders in the division. That’s all it’s about now. March 31.”

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you feel you’ve gotten the credit that you deserve for fighting Klitschko because of his age?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: Is Mayweather too old to still fight you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: They’re the same age, right?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: Exactly. People still say Mayweather is still young and that he can still compete. The difference is, lighter weights struggle to maintain their finesse because they have to stay on a diet. They starve their body of nutrition. Heavyweights mature later. When Klitschko lost, everyone who knows boxing knew he wasn’t in the right mind frame. When he came to fight me, I just knew. He didn’t say he’s in great shape. He didn’t say he was feeling strong, but he said he’s obsessed. When your mind is right, the body will follow. That win against Klitschko was tough, I didn’t take him to points. I didn’t go there to steal the belt. I took it with both hands and it was a great fight for the history books. I’m not looking for credit, I know what that fight was and what it meant to me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: [To Hearn] What are your thoughts about Anthony’s focus on Parker with all the talk of Wilder?

 

 

 

 

 

Hearn: “We never have to worry about Anthony’s focus. He’s probably the most focused and driven individual you can meet. He knows the challenges and risks in front of him against Joseph Parker. One thing about Anthony is that he’s not real big on hype. We’re not really into storming the ring after fighting. When we got Klitschko in the ring after the fight, we signed a contract a few hours before that was in existence if Anthony won against [Eric] Molina that night. Until that fight is signed, Anthony won’t really get excited about that fight. He’s not really interested in talking about it or hyping it. It’s the biggest fight in world boxing. It’s a fight that’s completely irrelevant if he’s not victorious next Saturday. I don’t think that it’s Deontay Wilder, it’s the other stone that needs to be turned to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This is Anthony’s 21st fight and effectively his second unification fight. Deontay has had 40 fights. We’re well ahead of schedule. All of these fights will happen and the reality is the one that put pens to paper and that are actually happening.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: How important is it to you to maintain your one-hundred percent KO ratio?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “It’s great for the record and promotion. It’s not as important to fulfilling your game plan. Some fighters will be tough and some fighters may not be there to be knocked out. I have to have it in my locker also to be able to go the distance. In terms of promotion and saying I have a hundred percent KO ratio is great. I don’t think there’s any heavyweight in the history of his career that’s been able to have purely knockouts on his record so I don’t expect to be the first one.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: When you saw Wilder fight Ortiz, did you see anything that you didn’t know about him already? Did he impress you or let you down?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: After 10 years as a professional and 40 fights in, Wilder’s done what he’s supposed to do. He’s supposed to win. He’s supposed to beat someone like Luiz Ortiz. After 10 years of any craft. Let’s say you’re working in sales and you can’t sell a person that Mercedes-Benz or whatever car it is, you’ve got big issues. Wilder’s had that experience to be able to dominate that division. He just did what routinely is supposed to happen and get the win. He struggled a bit, but he got there in the end. That’s all that matters.  That’s what shows up in the history books, a W. So, I’m happy for him.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Can you elaborate on what makes you think Parker is a weird character?

 

 

 

 

 

Joshua: “I can’t put my finger on it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hearn: “I think the weird thing was alluding to the fact that he was boding Anthony with criticism and then when we had the press conference he was nice as pie. We expected him to bring that fire to the press conference and maybe he’ll bring it next week. He was kind of one person prior to the fight and then another when we came face-to-face. But we’ll see what happens next week.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: [To Hearn] Is there a rematch clause for this fight and what are the circumstances with that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hearn: “The details of the contract are always confidential. When there’s a great fight and the appetite to see it again, generally you’ll get it.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hearn (Opening Comments): “It’s a huge event. This is our sixth fight with Anthony Joshua and SHOWTIME. It’s incredible, really that we’ve had that amount of fights. It seems like the Charles Martin fight was just like yesterday. It’s incredible that in 11 months, Anthony Joshua has had three stadium fights. Of course, Wladimir Klitschko, Carlos Takam and now Joseph Parker. There have been 240,000 fans and over 2.5 million UK pay-per-view buys. It’s been an incredible run and an incredible 11 months. And a great March of course for SHOWTIME with a brilliant fight between Wilder and Ortiz and I think this fight has all of the ingredients to be even better than that. It’s a great fight. Two undefeated young heavyweights. Fearless, fast, big punching, great footwork, 24-0 against 20-0. I think it’s the kind of fight that we need in the world of boxing and it’s the first-ever unification fight in Britain between two reigning heavyweight world champions. And the first time in the history of the sport that two heavyweights have fought a unification fight with perfect records. It’s going to be a huge week. We have a huge press conference at SKY next Tuesday, we have a public workout on Wednesday, the weigh-in is a national holiday on a Friday, it’s going to be huge. Seventy-eight thousand people crammed in to Millennium Stadium for this huge unification fight. This is just the beginning for Anthony Joshua. Just another stepping stone to becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and we can’t wait. It’s a great fight and we thank SHOWTIME for all their support as ever.”

 

PARKER CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS:

 

STEPHEN ESPINOZA (Opening Comments):

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Through the first six months of this year we will be delivering 11 marquee events, which includes matchups of five top-ranked fighters, of which this is one, and two unifications, of course which this is one. In this month of March all four heavyweight world title belts are at stake on SHOWTIME.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“This fight, Joshua vs. Parker, will be the 12th heavyweight fight on SHOWTIME within the last three years. We’re proud to be doing our part to help propel the reinvigoration of the heavyweight division. During those last three years the U.S. audience has gotten to know a little bit about Anthony Joshua and we are very happy to be able to further introduce them to Joseph Parker, the consensus top three heavyweight in the world and WBO Champion making his third defense and his first appearance on SHOWTIME.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We are thrilled to have this fight; it’s right in our wheelhouse, a highly competitive, highly anticipated matchup of top fighters.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Parker: “Preparations “It’s been a great training camp that we’ve had in Las Vegas and now we’re here in London. We have about a week and a half before the fight and like Kevin mentioned, we hit the ground running. We got some good sessions in. I’m looking forward to fighting an undefeated fighter like Anthony Joshua, who I respect. I’m looking forward to this opportunity to unify the division and unify the belts and the opportunity to put on a great display and make my mark on SHOWTIME. I can’t wait for it. Our team is excited to be here and it’s going to be a great opportunity for us.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: When you watch the struggles Joshua had against Klitschko, what do you take away from that fight?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “I think being active has worked well for us. I watched that fight. He did really well in terms of coming back and showed a lot of heart to get back up off the canvas and finish off the fight and getting the win. Coming into this fight, we’re young, we’re hungry and I think if we did get him in trouble there’s no waiting for us. We know how to finish off a fight. We know how to put on the pressure and get him out of there. He has strengths and weaknesses like every other fighter has and we’ll come up with a good game plan which I believe in and if I execute, I think we’ll get the victory.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Barry: “As we know, there’s no secret about it, this is the biggest test that Joe’s had in front of him. But I also believe that this is the biggest test that Anthony Joshua’s had in front of him. We are expecting a much better Anthony Joshua than the one that fought Klitschko. I think there’s a lot of improvement in him just as there’s a lot of improvement in Joe. We’re anticipating that the styles of both these guys are going to make for a real fan-friendly fight and a very exciting fight.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: There’s so much attention paid to an Anthony Joshua-Deontay Wilder fight, as if it’s an assumption that he’s going to beat you. Does that bother you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “It doesn’t really bother me. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion and the fight they want to see. I think what’s important for us is that we focus on what’s in front of us and that’s Anthony Joshua. Our focus is on Anthony Joshua and being in great shape and being healthy. It gives us motivation in training and we know what our focus is. Our focus is Anthony Joshua and putting on the best performance of our lives March 31.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: As a fan of boxing, how good is a match like this for the sport?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “A match like this is a very big deal. As a fan of boxing and as a fighter, we love to watch the big fights and be involved in the big fights. So we’re pretty happy to be involved in the fight. I think it’s the best time for us to be involved in a big fight like this. Back a few years ago, Kevin said he’s always wanted to fight Anthony Joshua and he said to me, when we do fight this guy, it has to mean something. And it does really mean something this time. We’re both undefeated, we both have titles, we’re both world champions and we both want to unify the division so it’s going to mean a lot and it’s a big occasion.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: A lot of fans don’t know you in the United States, explain to them what you will bring to the table on March 31.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “The fans haven’t really seen the best Joseph Parker there is. Going into this fight, we’ve worked on a lot of things. Like I said, I trust in my whole team. I trust in my coach and the game plan. I’m going to bring a lot of movement, speed and power and a lot of angles. I promise that this is a fight that I’m going to make very exciting.”

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What was the reason behind losing weight heading into this fight?

 

 

 

 

 

Barry: “Joe’s still a very young heavyweight. We’ve been together for five years and we’re still a long way away from a finished product. Last year, we bumped Joe up quite a bit. We put a bunch of muscle on him. We put an extra 10 pounds of weight on him and it actually doesn’t really work out for us. So we sat down, Joe and I, and we said that we felt he was a busier fighter, a more mobile fighter, his feet and hands were faster, when he was lighter. So for a fight like this against a big, strong, powerful guy like Joshua it was important that we went back to a mobile, lighter fighter.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you think Joshua and Eddie Hearn saw something the rest of the world didn’t see in your fight against Hughie Fury, which wasn’t your best performance?

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “Last year wasn’t our best year and I wasn’t close to what we can actually do in the ring. They probably saw a lot of things that they could work on to get to us but we’re a totally different fighter now from where we were last year. We’ve improved on a lot of things and we’re going to show everyone what we’ve been working so hard on in Vegas.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What would it mean to you to become the unified heavyweight champion?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “It would mean a lot. It would mean the world, not only for myself but for our team. There’s a lot of people that’s involved in getting me to this stage and there’s a lot of people that want me to go out there and put on my best performance. It’s going to mean a lot for myself, my team, my coach and my countries of New Zealand and Samoa.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Are you concerned that if the fight goes to the scorecards you won’t get a fair shake because of Joshua’s popularity in Great Britain? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “I’m not concerned and the reason I say that is because we have good officials. My team has done a great job to get neutral officials and my focus is on the fight. I want to go out there and do my best. Whatever happens, happens. But I trust that the officials will do the right thing and give the right decision.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry: ”It was very important for us when we were formulating this contract that we had independent, neutral officials. We have three judges – one from the United States, one from the UK and one from New Zealand. And we have an Italian referee so we’re very happy with the names that have been put forward that there will be no disputing the decision. We believe that we have fair, very experienced officials who will do a good job come Saturday the 31st.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you think Joshua is underestimating you based on what they saw in that fight against Fury?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “I think on that performance, they are underestimating us and I think a lot of people are already writing us off because of that performance. But, like I said, we’ve worked on a lot of things and we had a great camp and it’s going to be a different fight as you guys will see March 31. If they’re judging us off that fight, then they’ve got it totally wrong. That could definitely work in our favor.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry: “I think the same will go for both camps. If they’re looking at the Fury fight, we know that Joseph is a much better fighter than that. Fury was a very awkward opponent, an opponent that we wouldn’t have even been in the ring with if it wasn’t for a mandatory. Looking at Joshua’s last fight with Carlos Takam, he really didn’t light the world on fire in that fight and he left a lot of question marks about his performance. We’re expecting a much better Joshua than the one that fought Carlos Takam. So the same can be said both ways.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What did you think of Joshua’s performance against Takam?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “It wasn’t his best effort but he did what he had to do to get the victory. Maybe training with someone who was a lot taller and then fighting somebody shorter changed the way that he approached the fight but I think the main thing is that he got the victory and he kept the belts and that’s why we can make this big fight happen.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What do you think your advantages are over Joshua?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “I’ve been 12 rounds five times so I’m durable. With this training camp that we’ve had, we’ve worked a lot on different angles and speed. What we’ve been seeing in the gym and in sparring, we’re going to put on display come fight night. I think I have advantages in speed and power. If we execute it well on fight night then he won’t be able to catch us and he won’t be able to land that big shot that he throws.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry: “Speed is the key. We’ve always believed that Joe’s the fastest heavyweight in the world. I also believe that out of all the heavyweight champions, I think Joe has the better skill. I think he does things better than Joshua does. I think he’s more complete than Joshua. Is he as big as Joshua? No. Is his reach as long as Joshua’s? No. Joshua’s got a 100 percent knockout record but I believe Joseph Parker is a better skilled fighter than Antony Joshua and I think when we put the movement, the hand speed and the skill together, it’s going to be a very good combination and a successful combination on March 31.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you want to make a prediction for the fight?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parker: “I’m going to be victorious. It’s going to be a great fight. We’re both hungry, we’re both undefeated and we’ve both been training hard but I believe in myself. I believe in my team and what we’ve been working on. I believe I’m going to be victorious March 31.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Do you think that Joshua’s chin is a big weakness for him?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry: “I think he has a pretty good chin. I know that we used the glass door as part of our marketing strategy in putting this fight together, but we believe as a team that Joshua has a good chin. He’s fought some big guys. He’s been hit on the chin before. Sure, he got dropped against Klitschko and there were stories of him getting dropped multiple times in the amateurs and that he was dropped in the gym in sparring, but all in all he’s a big, strong, powerful guy and I think his chin is not too bad.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry (Opening Comments): “We’ve been in the gym running each morning at 6:307:00 and in the boxing gym at 2:30. We’ve been doing between 16 and 18 rounds of boxing each day. Today we sparred and Joe is looking very sharp, very confident and the little bit of jet lag that we had is getting less and less by the day and we anticipate by this weekend we’ll have both feet firmly planted on the ground ready for a big week next week.”

Undefeated ‘Korican Kid’ Logan Yoon to Face Former Two-Time World Champion Juan Carlos Salgado at ‘Rumble at the Rock’ This Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida

Fast-rising Hawaiian welterweight prospect Logan “Korican Kid” Yoon (10-0, 10 KOs) says he’s expecting a big 2018.
 
The 19-year-old phenom from Honolulu will face Mexican former two-time world champion Juan Carlos Salgado (27-7-1, 16 KOs) in a 10-round battle for the IBF Youth Welterweight World Championship in one of the supporting bouts of this Friday’s “Rumble at the Rock” event at Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
 
In the night’s 12-round main event, St. Louis’ Stephon “Showstopper” Young (17-0-3, 7 KOs) will face Reymart “GenSan Assassin” Gaballo (18-0, 16 KOs) from General Santos City, Philippines for the WBA Interim World Bantamweight Championship. In the 10-round co-main event, former WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Juan Carlos Payano (19-1, 9 KOs) will fight against undefeated Philippine “Magic” Mike Plania (14-0, 7 KOs).
 
“Rumble at the Rock” is presented by Kris Lawrence and The Heavyweight Factory. Tickets are priced at $255, $130, $80 and $55. All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.myhrl.comwww.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Additional fees may apply.
 
The young knockout artist Yoon, trained by his father George, was an
eight-time Hawaii State champion, an Adidas national and Ringside national champion and a junior Olympic bronze medalist.
 
“Training went awesome,” he said. “We had no problems. Right now, we’re putting on finishing touches – last pound or two.”
 
Yoon got his unique nickname from a family member as a child.
 
“Korican Kid is a nickname my aunt gave me. There’s a Korean part of me and a Puerto Rican part. My dad is 100-percent Korean and my mom is Portuguese and Puerto Rican.”
 
While he doesn’t know much about upcoming foe Salgado, Yoon says he’s confident he’ll be notching his eleventh pro victory.
 
“I know he is a former champ and has some experience against top guys. He’s right-handed. He’s a pretty busy fighter, but I’ll be able to keep up with him. I just don’t see how he can do anything to me with my age and physicality advantages. I won’t look for my 11th straight KO, but if it comes, I’ll take it.”
 
Yoon says he realized his natural power early on in his boxing life. “After my second amateur fight, I realized that when I hit people, they react and start backing up. I can see it in them: the fear.”
 
The father and son duo still live in Hawaii, but travel to train at their promoter’s Heavyweight Factory Gym in Miami.
 
“It’s awesome. It’s almost like a dream,” he said. “I have Riddick Bowe in the gym every day mentoring me and, once in a while, we have Evander Holyfield when he’s not busy on trips. My manager and promoters are the best and treat me like someone. I love them. I love the atmosphere.”
 
A young KO artist making a name for himself quickly with a strong promotional team behind him. Yoon, a deeply religious man, says he’s looking forward to a big year.
 
“I’m ready to make some big moves. I know my manager, Henry Rivalta, is going to put me into fights with better opponents. I just have to make sure we train hard and put in the work, and I will come out on top.”
 

ATLANTIC CITY BOXING HALL OF FAME TEAMS UP WITH EVANDER HOLYFIELD, REAL DEAL SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT AND BOARDWALK HALL FOR LIVE PRO BOXING DURING 2018 INDUCTION WEEKEND

  

Atlantic City, N.J. – March 21, 2018 – The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame (ACBHOF) teams up with 4-time Heavyweight World Champion and 2018 ACBHOF Honoree, Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield and his company Real Deal Sports & Entertainment, in association with Mis Downing Promotions, for a Fight Night affair at the historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Adrian Phillips Theater for a Live Pro Boxing event that will take place on Saturday, June 2nd, from 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM.

According to Ray McCline, President of ACBHOF “This newly formed relationship with 4-time World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield and his promotion company “Real Deal Sports & Entertainment” will have groundbreaking influence in effecting elevated exposure to the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame 2nd Annual Induction Weekend.” 
“Spectra Venue Management is excited to see this Boxing event here at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. We appreciate the efforts of the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame who got us together with the folks from Real Deal Sports and Entertainment. Everyone expressed a desire to try to grow something that could start inside Adrian Phillips Theater and grow into an Arena sized event down the road. Our partners at the CRDA are supportive and encourage our efforts to work with new promoters and cultivate opportunities for bringing new events and people to Atlantic City. There is a rich history of Boxing here which is celebrated by the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame, and this is a great opportunity to rebuild on some of that history during their induction weekend.” – Jim Wynkoop General Manager Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall and Spectra Venue Management

During the 2nd Annual Induction Weekend, the multi-tiered event is slated to be unparalleled and reflective of the rich boxing history in Atlantic City. The ACBHOF is looking to celebrate the magnificent careers of legends in boxing throughout the induction weekend. Rodrick L. Green Vice President of Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame said, “The partnership is a “win-win” for the City of Atlantic City, Boardwalk Hall, Real Deal Sports & Entertainment and Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame and for tourism in the southern New Jersey region.”
The three-day event will kick-off with an Opening Bell VIP Meet & Greet Reception, then segue into the highly coveted Fight Fan Experience and conclude with the 2nd Annual Induction Ceremony. More details on Induction Weekend and the schedule of events can be found by visiting www.acbhof.com
“An exciting boxing event will be an intricate part of this year’s Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame Induction ceremony. Aside from being one of this year’s inductees, the great champion Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield, will be promoting his first boxing event in the State of New Jersey with his company Real Deal Sports & Entertainment on June 2nd, at the Boardwalk Hall. It is our hope that this event will be just one of many that this outstanding champion will present in our state as we continue our quest to revive the sport of boxing in our great state and specifically in Atlantic City,” Commissioner Larry Hazzard, NJ Athletic Control Board said in a statement.
Hotel packages can be purchased by visiting www.claridge.com. Promo code “ACBHOF” can be used for a room discount.
“I’m honored to be promoting my first card in Atlantic City on Saturday, June 2nd. My second professional fight was in Atlantic City and it was the location where I made the first defense of my world heavyweight title against ‘Big” George Foreman in 1991,” said Evander Holyfield. “Having great memories throughout my career of Atlantic City, I’m very inspired for The Real Deal Boxing to promote a true fan-friendly event on June 2, 2018 as well as working with the Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame featuring many of the top prospects in boxing fighting in competitive and entertaining bouts.”

About
Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame: (http://www.acbhof.com)
The Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame mission, vision and purpose are to offer fans and visitors alike, a highly interactive Sports & Entertainment Boxing Curation Experience. We are committed to preserving the rich boxing history of Atlantic City, through live historical curation, exhibits, legendary boxing stars, and personal appearances. We will also conduct our annual year-round events, well paired with multicultural entertainment.

Real Deal Promotions: (http://therealdealboxing.com)
In 2017, four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield partnered with long-time boxing promoter Sal Musumeci to form Real Deal Sports & Entertainment. Real Deal Sports & Entertainment is the parent company to a promotional entity (The Real Deal Boxing), a broadcast series (Real Deal Championship Boxing), and much more soon. The company will promote world-class and entertaining boxing events and will strive to be a company that does what is best for the sport and the fighters.

Boardwalk Hall: (http://www.boardwalkhall.com)
Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City Convention Center are owned and funded by the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Spectra by Comcast Spectacor provides both Venue Management and Food Services & Hospitality to Boardwalk Hall and the AC Convention Center.Historic Boardwalk Hall has played host to a sparkling list of dazzling entertainers and knockout sporting events throughout its 87-year history. A premier entertainment spot for visitors and residents alike, this unique seaside arena has helped to uphold the city’s new slogan “Do AC” by bringing exciting events into Atlantic City in addition to their already stellar variety of offerings.

About the CRDA: ( www.njcrda.com)
The only agency of its kind nationwide, the CRDA has used Atlantic City casino reinvestments as a catalyst for meaningful, positive improvement in the lives of New Jersey residents since 1984. Under the 2011 Tourism District Act, the Authority’s mission evolved from statewide projects to becoming the state’s key economic development agency for Atlantic City. CRDA’s expanded responsibilities now include land use regulation, tourism marketing and clean and safe initiatives. The CRDA also oversees Historic Boardwalk Hall (the leading entertainment venue of its size in the country) and the Atlantic City Convention Center. In total, CRDA has invested nearly $2 billion in more than 400 projects statewide, of which $1.8 billion has been invested in Atlantic City, spurring business investments and expansions, and creating permanent jobs in the process. For more information about CRDA and our projects, visit www.njcrda.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/njcrda.

For destination photos and videos media may visit www.doatlanticcity.com/mediaonline where dozens of assets are available for download. For complete Atlantic City tourism information, visit www.doatlanticcity.com. Also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DoAtlanticCity and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VisitAC hashtag #DOAC.

Mis Downing Promotions:
Mis Downing Promotions LLC, a New Jersey-based company was established in 2017 by Mis Downing, one of few African-American women to head a boxing company in the Tri-State Region. Mis Downing affectionately referred to as the “Princess of Boxing” has shown a drive, focus, and dedication unmatched by many in the business of boxing. Mis Downing’s mission is to promote quality events where amateur and professional boxers are given a platform and opportunity to display their skills and talents in a High Energy Environments that fuse Music & Entertainment, Fashion, and Fun with the great sport of boxing.

 BOXING PHOTOGRAPHERS TO EXHIBIT THEIR WORK AT BRISCOE AWARDS

THIS SUNDAY!!!
PHILADELPHIA – Nine area photographers will each exhibit one photo highlighting local boxing action from 2017 at the 11th Annual Briscoe Awards on March 25, 2018, at the VBA Clubhouse in Philadelphia. The photos will also be judged by those attending the event to determine the “2017 Photo of the Year”. All attendees of the event will be given a ballot and asked to vote for their favorite photo from the nine selections. The photo chosen as the best of the year will win its photographer a Briscoe Award.
“This is the second year we’ve shined a spotlight on the many ring photographers who cover our local fight scene,” said John DiSanto, founder of the Briscoe Awards. “I really appreciate what the photographers do and the contribution they make to our boxing scene. Their photos capture the highs and lows of the sport we love, and it is important to acknowledge that.”
The Briscoe Awards commemorate the biggest and best accomplishments of the Philly-area boxing scene. In addition to the photography award, ten other prizes will be given out in a variety of categories, including “Philly Fighter of the Year”, “Philly Fight of the Year”, “Knockout of the Year”, “Amateur of the Year”, “Rookie of the Year”, “Prospect of the Year”, and others.
Advance tickets for the March 25, 2018 Briscoe Awards cost $20 and are currently available for sale at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413. Tickets will not be sold at the door. The $20 admission includes food, draft beer, wine, soft drinks, and a souvenir program and ticket. The Briscoe Awards will be held at the VBA Clubhouse, 2733 Clearfield Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19134.
The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.

Top Contenders Julian Williams & Nathaniel Gallimore Clash in 154-Pound Title Eliminator Saturday, April 7 Live on SHOWTIME® from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas

 
Erislandy Lara vs. Jarrett Hurd 154-Pound Title Unification Headlines Event Presented by Premier Boxing Champions
 
Caleb Truax & James DeGale Square-Off in 168-Pound World Title Rematch in Co-Main Event Of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Tripleheader
 
 
LAS VEGAS (March 20, 2018) – Julian “J-Rock” Williams and Nathaniel Gallimore, two young, skilled contenders in the stacked 154-pound division, will clash in a 12-round world title eliminator on Saturday, April 7 live on SHOWTIME from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event will see Erislandy Lara, the longest reigning world champion at 154-pounds, clash with undefeated champion Jarrett Hurd in a highly anticipated 154-pound world title unification bout. The three-fight telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features Caleb Truax making the first defense of his 168-pound title against James DeGale in a rematch of their exciting first bout in December.
Williams and Gallimore will look to put themselves into the mandatory position for the IBF Junior Middleweight World Title currently held by Hurd.
Tickets for the show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and available by visiting AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas Box Office.
The epitome of a Philadelphia fighter, Williams (24-1-1, 15 KOs) has won his last two fights after suffering the first loss of his career to Jermall Charlo in his first world title fight in 2016 on SHOWTIME. The 27-year-old Williams rebounded by stopping Joshua Conley last June before picking up a victory over former champion Ishe Smith in his most recent fight in November.
“This is going to be a really good fight on April 7,” said Williams “Gallimore has been talking a big game, but I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder, and I’ve been training like it. I think he’s going to bring out something different in me. He’s going to find out that there are different levels to this game. He’s a bit of a stalker in the ring and he’s been knocking people out. He thinks he’s a puncher, but he hasn’t really fought the level of competition that I have. I don’t care if he’s training with Buddy McGirt now, because no one can save him when he’s in that ring.”
The 29-year-old Gallimore (20-1-1, 17 KOs) has stayed active while rising up the ranks at 154-pounds and picking up four knockout victories in 2017. The Jamaican fighter, who now trains in California with Buddy McGirt, impressively stopped previously unbeaten Jeison Rosario and then once-beaten Justin DeLoach in two performances that announced his arrival as 154-pound contender.
“This is going to be my coming out year,” said Gallimore. “This is a huge opportunity to present my skills and my abilities to the world. There’s no mistaking why I’m here, and I’ll make a statement starting with ‘J-Pebbles’ Williams. I call him ‘J-Pebbles’ because he’s not a ‘J-Rock.’ He’s an average fighter. There’s nothing special about him. The best way he can prepare is to do chin pushups, because I’m going to test his chin and that’s the only thing that can protect him. I’m going to dismantle him piece-by-piece, round-by-round, and when that time comes to seek and destroy, I’m going to take him out. I’m the one they should be worried about.”
 
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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.comfollow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

The Debut premieres to rave reviews at First Glance Film Festival

Beverly Hills, Calif. (March. 20, 2018) – Independent movie The Debut Premiered last week to rave reviews at the renowned First Glance Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The film which chronicles 21 year-old Shane Shapiro, a cancer survivor, desire to become a boxing manager.  The movie document’s Shapiro and the unique relationship with his first fighter, middleweight Cem Kilic, one week before their professional debut.
Cem Kilic and Shane Shapiro
The film performed in front of a sold out crowd of more than 300 people, which forced the festival to move the showing of the film to a larger theater which which was The Laemmle Theater in North Hollywood.
The film finished in the top four films out of 16 entered in the festival.
 “This experience of having our film shown on a big screen is beyond words. This moment is much bigger than me, this is for every one who has been touched by Cancer in some way, with a dream a desire there is No Limit to one’s success. I want to thank my family who have always been by my side and my biggest inspiration in life, my grandfather David Wiener, a holocaust survivor who inspires me everyday.” – Shane Shapiro.
The Los Angeles premiere at Shapiro’s alma mater, Beverly Hills High School will be announced shortly.
Shapiro is the Executive Producer.  Matt Conrad is the director.
For more information on the movie, access www.thedebut.life
Below is the official trailer for the film.
About the First Glance Film Festival
 
First Glance Film Festival 2018: http://firstglancefilms.com/
Since our inception in 1996, First Glance Film Festival’s have become one of the fastest growing truly independent film fests in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Named five times as one of the “Best Film Festival Investments” and “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee” by Movie Maker Magazine and “One of the Festivals for the Rest of Us” by Time Magazine, First Glance has become a leader in mid-sized film festivals.

Former World Champ Payano to Face Undefeated Plania in Co-Main at ‘Rumble at the Rock’ This Friday at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida

Former WBA World Super Bantamweight Champion Juan Carlos Payano’s 10-round fight against undefeated Philippine “Magic” Mike Plania has been elevated to the co-main event at this Friday’s “Rumble at the Rock” event at Hard Rock Event Center at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Payano (19-1, 9 KOs) vs. Plania (14-0, 7 KOs) will serve as the chief supporting bout to the 12-round WBA Interim World Bantamweight Championship main event between St. Louis’ Stephon “Showstopper” Young (17-0-3, 7 KOs) and Reymart “GenSan Assassin” Gaballo (18-0, 16 KOs) from General Santos City, Philippines.
“Rumble at the Rock” is presented by Kris Lawrence and The Heavyweight Factory. Tickets are priced at $255, $130, $80 and $55. All seats are reserved and available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.myhrl.comwww.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000. Additional fees may apply.
Thirty-three-year-old southpaw Payano, a native of the Dominican Republic, who now lives in Miami, is in the third fight of his mission to regain his world championship. He has notched two solid victories since splitting a pair of championship fights with top-level bantam Rau’shee Warren. A victory over undefeated Plania would move him one step closer.
Twenty-one-year-old Plania is a mostly unknown commodity in North America, as he’s never fought on this side of the ocean. He currently resides in Miami and is looking to make Payano the first big name on his growing resume. He is currently riding a three-fight KO streak.
“This is a tremendous match-up with world championship implications for the winner,” said Henry Rivalta, Director of Boxing for The Heavyweight Factory. “Juan Carlos has said he wants no easy fights on his way to regaining his belt, and undefeated Plania will be a stiff challenge. Plania will be looking to make his mark in the US by defeating a recent world champion. He will be very determined to score this big win. I’m excited to see what plays out in the ring on Friday.”
“Rumble at the Rock” is proudly sponsored by Armero Tequila. Special guests expected for the evening include former heavyweight champions Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe and Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield. On fight night, Hard Rock Event Center will open its doors at 6 p.m. with the first bout starting at 7 p.m.Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is located at 1 Seminole Way in Hollywood, Florida.
About Hard Rock Event Center
Hard Rock Event Center is the newly constructed 3,500-seat venue located in the northwest corner of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood. As part of the $1.5 billion property expansion, the former Hard Rock Live arena will be razed and replaced with a state-of-the-art 6,500-plus-seat venue in a theater-style configuration, slated to open in 2019. In the interim, a full schedule of concerts, comedy shows and other events will take place in the Hard Rock Event Center. Seminole Hard Rock has hosted some of the hottest musical acts such as John Legend, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Marc Anthony, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Tim McGraw and Carlos Santana; top comedians including Kevin Hart, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, George Lopez and the late Robin Williams; as well as major sporting events and events of major sports stars, from UFC matches to charity galas for Jason Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade and more. For additional information, please visit www.myhrl.com.

Braulio Rodriguez fractures hand in bout with Christopher Diaz

NEW YORK, NY (March 20th, 2018) – This past Saturday night at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, featherweight prospect Braulio Rodriguez (19-3, 17 KOs) locked horns with undefeated prospect Christopher Diaz in a battle for the WBO-NABO Super Featherweight title.
Through the first two-plus rounds, Rodriguez was holding his own with Diaz, until Rodriguez hurt his right hand.
Unfortunately Rodriguez could not continue, and the bout was stopped 28 seconds into round four.
Rodriguez was diagnosed with a Metacarpal fracture on his right hand.
“Braulio proved that he can compete with the top 130 pound fighters out there,” said Rodriguez manager, Felipe Gomez of El Matador Management.  “He suffered a freak injury before he could really get going.  He was landing some good shots, and I feel he had a good chance of winning.  When he heals, hopefully we can get a rematch or some big fight as I feel he should be in the mix for those opportunities.
Rodriguez is promoted by Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Boxing.
  
www.elmatadormanagement.com

Follow El Matador Management :

Twitter: @BoxingAdvisor
Facebook: @ElMatadorManagement
Instagram: @ElMatadorManagement
SnapChat: @ElMatadorMngmt
YouTube: @NewLegendPromotions

World ranked Yenifel Vicente comes out in defense of Latinos for derogatory comments by father / trainer of champion Isaac Dogboe

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – Renowned Dominican boxer Yenifel ‘El Rayo’ Vicente (31-3-2, 23 KO’s) has been aware of the expressions made by Paul Dogboe, father and trainer of the Interim World Boxing Organization champion (WBO) 122 pounds, Isaac Dogboe (18-0, 12 KO’s), who is scheduled to face WBO world champion, Mexican American, Jessie Magdaleno (25-0, 18 KO’s), on April 28 in Philadelphia .

Paul Dogboe had expressed that his son not only will defeated Magdaleno, but deported the Mexican-American born in Las Vegas after the victory by throwing it on the wall that divides both countries and in the celebration, they will present the world title to the President of the United States, Donald Trump.

“If Dogboe defeats Magdaleno, I will ask my promoter Lou DiBella to fight him,” said Yenifel Vicente.

“If we have to fight in Ghana, we will be ready to travel and put the Latinos and people who respect others regardless of their race with a big victory for them. Those comments create hatred and divisions. We live in a world where we all breathe the same air and we are the same. I will not allow them to insult our Mexican brothers and others who work hard in search of a better quality of life, “said Yenifel Vicente.

Vicente has won six consecutive bouts, including the PBC’s Knockout of the Year, a three-round knockout over the undefeated favorite, Juan ‘Baby Tito’ Dominguez.

Vicente’s manager, Raúl Patrana, President of the ‘Spartan Boxing Club’, is willing to help with the fight.

“If Dogboe wins, we are willing to make the necessary arrangements so that Dogboe’s first defense can be against Vicente who is ranked 12th in the WBO and of course in the best coliseum available in Ghana. We wish the best of luck to Magdaleno. At the end, we hope both fighters make a good fight for the fans and leave healthy after that”.

The Case for Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Vs. CM Punk in the UFC Cage

By: Rich Bergeron

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not done fighting. The money he made with Conor McGregor in a one-sided boxing match will not be very easy to make outside the dangerous world of combat sports. Retirement always seems to eat at Floyd, and sooner or later he comes back for another blockbuster bout that shocks the world.

 

CM Punk needs a draw to get us interested in his career. Even if he beats the ever living crap out of the next guy they feed him in the UFC Octagon, Punk will still have a lot to prove. Put him in against Mayweather in a welcome to MMA bout for the world-class boxer, and make it the dream setup for Floyd that gives him all the perks and sponsorship concessions he wants in the contract.

 

Floyd would be an automatic underdog going in against McGregor immediately in the cage. A challenger like CM Punk gives him more of a fighting chance. It gives CM punk a chance to really launch his career if he can beat Floyd.

 

The fact is, Mayweather can learn the sport of mixed martial arts quickly, and with his speed and athleticism, given more striking options he could actually shock us in his first MMA fight… if he really backs up his talk of fighting in the cage with action.

 

During the tour for the boxing match, Floyd repeatedly referenced the idea of fighting McGregor in the cage after the boxing match went his way.  He doesn’t say things out loud that he doesn’t really think are true or could be true if he sunk his effort into it.

 

I had the good fortune of standing on the edge of the ring next to Leonard Ellerbe during a Mayweather training session in Las Vegas years ago.

 

Before he threw any punches on the mitts I asked him what he liked most about boxing. I didn’t attempt to get close during the big press rush, so I think he didn’t expect the question.

 

He sat silent, and I didn’t want it to go hanging like a bad fart in the wind. I asked it again, even louder. He didn’t look my way as he shadowboxed with himself. “Everything.” he finally conceded, and then he went to to work on exhibiting his speed and punching prowess for all the media to see.

 

Incorporating elbows, backfists, kicks and wrestling into his fighting routine could create a real monster out of Mayweather. Also, the money from boxing that would follow him to the cage could be tremendous for him and the UFC alike. It will take a ton of work at his age to adapt to the new sport, but CM Punk as a first opponent sets the bar fairly low with both men getting a chance to show they belong. Give them both a serious training camp, make a reality show out of it, and it could happen.

 

 

 

“Money” is already preparing to train in mixed martial arts with UFC Champ Tyron Woodley, and he heaped some praise on both Woodley and McGregor as fighters recently:

 

“So we have to tweak a few things then, take things to that next level. You know I can’t overlook or knock any MMA guy. Tyron is unbelievable. Unbelievable fighter, tough competitor. Conor McGregor, he’s a tough competitor, helluva fighter. There’s a lot of tough, rugged guys out there in MMA and I can’t overlook or disrespect those guys.”

 

 

 

The MMA versus Boxing debate has been going on since long before I decided to do my own take on it with a series of radio shows pitting one expert against another. One of my favorites was “Iceman” John Scully against Ken Shamrock.

 

Not surprisingly, the debate between these two fighter/trainer experts drifted into Mayweather making the crossover to MMA. This is not a new concept to Floyd. He’s been hearing the critics yap about him never making it in MMA for more than a decade now, always thinking about how he could one day prove his haters wrong.

 

 

Anyone who thinks the best MMA fighter in his weight class demolishes Floyd has never watched him train. What could this guy do with a couple of tune-up fights and a title tilt? How about 9 months of hard training in takedown and submission defense?

 

Everybody and their brother who knows anything about MMA decides to use the argument of all the past boxers who failed at MMA. They remind us all of the freakshow fight involving Randy Couture easily defeating James Toney. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is not only on  a different level than James Toney was when he got the chance to fight in the cage,  he’s on a different planet.

 

 

Floyd can afford the best trainers, the best of everything really in preparing to enter the UFC Octagon. He will spare no expense in finances and sweat equity in cementing his legacy as the best crossover fighter in the history of the boxing and MMA rivalry. Who has the best true athletes? Mayweather is representing boxing’s best, and he doesn’t have much time left to prove that a world class boxer can dominate the MMA scene with the right approach and strategy.

 

 

 

McGregor did prove that he could give Floyd a few fits in the boxing ring,  but on the third fight into a UFC contract that match could happen again in the cage. Floyd just has to show he belongs, but the first step is having the guts to back up his words with actions. He did say on the boxing press tour for the McGregor fight that when he beat McGregor in his own craft, he would go to the UFC and beat Conor in the cage, too.

 

 

 

I anticipate a “Shark Tank” type of negotiation between Mayweather and UFC President Dana White. Floyd will need to get a piece of the promotion itself, access to a wild amount of sponsorship cash, options to collect on media income, and at least $10 million per fight in just base pay. To get the billion dollar contract he envisions, the lawyers will be ironing out the details for as long as Floyd decides he needs to train for his first fight.

 

Floyd could easily rake in $90+ million in sponsorship and media income to make $100 million per fight with Showtime executives in his corner and a familiarity with being in front of the cameras. A five fight deal means there is a 1/2 billion dollar gap unless I am underestimating how much the UFC would give Floyd for base pay. Even if he makes $200 million per fight, the rest would have to come out of the overall corporation itself as equity, which is what Conor McGregor has been asking for.

 

Floyd just has a bigger upside to being an owner/partner and would be a huge asset when it comes to the UFC wanting to promote boxing at some point. He can also bring his fans and everyone who wants to see him get whipped and schooled in the new discipline. He brings eyeballs, extreme attention and money with him wherever he goes. At a $5 billion valuation, the UFC would likely be able to part with a ten percent chunk of the promotion to bring Mayweather officially on board and get him locked in for a long-term deal.

 

 

The other area that Floyd could have a huge impact on is in attracting more boxers to cross over to MMA. We’ve seen football players like Matt Mitrione and Greg Hardy experience virtually immediate success in MMA, so why not a world class boxer like Floyd? 19-0 Pro Boxer Gervonta Davis is already hinting at following his protege Floyd to MMA and says he’s just waiting for Dana White’s phone call. Then there are the heavyweight boxers to think about bringing into the cage, and Word Champion Anthony Joshua is keen on giving it a shot, too.

 

 

 

So, the odds are high that Mayweather steps into the cage to compete by December of this year if you believe one of his most controversial videos to date on the subject:

 

 

Mayweather could be an incredible MMA fighter if given half the chance. He is not a man who takes a challenge like this lightly. He will have the best approach possible to get into cagefighting shape. He will bring all kinds of interest back to the boxing vs. MMA debate and actually might even inspire a whole new phase of that debate. The combat sports world as a whole will benefit if Floyd and the UFC can make this partnership work.

 

 

As for those who think Floyd will get eaten alive, they are certainly entitled to their opinion, but don’t use McGregor’s failure to adapt to boxing as your bar for Floyd. Mayweather will not take on a world class MMA fighter the first time he steps in the cage. He will not bring in the MMA equivalent of Paulie Malignaggi to get up to speed on the sport. He will spare no expense to get the best preparation possible. He’s already showing that to be true by bringing Tyron Woodley on as his official training partner. He will hand pick his first opponent and likely not get any crack at a title until two or three fights go his way.

 

Critics of people who think they can show up to an MMA gym and come out in six weeks at the UFC level will call me crazy, but Floyd truly is an amazing athlete who can quiet his doubters, and he’s not getting any younger. It’s now or never to solve that question of which sport  is truly better at crafting the ideal fighter.