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Tag Archives: boxing
Olympic Gold Medalist Felix Diaz & Former World Champion Miguel Vazquez Meet in Main Event of Premier Boxing Champions on FS1 & FOX Deportes from The Dancehall in San Antonio On Saturday, May 28
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Teenage sensation Devin “The Dream” Haney Making national television debut May 21 Live on CBS Sports Network outdoors from DLVEC
 LAS VEGAS (May 5, 2016) – Lightweight sensation Devin “The Dream” Haney (5-0, 3 KOs) is a boxing prodigy. The gifted 17-year-old boxer, fighting out of Las Vegas, will make his national television debut May 21, at home, on the “Knockout Night at the D” card.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegasand Downtown Las Vegas Events Center (DLVEC), is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions. The May 21st show, airing (8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET) live on CBS Sports Network from under the neon lights at the DLVEC outdoor venue, is presented in association with Main Events and Shamo Boxing Promotions.
Undefeated Russian middleweight Arif “The Predator” Magomedov(17-0, 10 KOs) faces upset-minded Andrew “Hurricane” Hernandez (11-4-1, 3 KOs), of Phoenix, in the 10-round main event. Magomedov is rated among the top 15 middleweights by the four major sanctioning bodies: WBC #2, WBO #3, WBA #5 and IBF #14.
Unbeaten super welterweight John “The Phenom” Vera (12-0, 8 KOs), of Fort Worth, Texas, defends his NABA-USA title belt against challenger Joey “Boxer” Ruelas (10-1-1, 4 KOs), of Phoenix, in the 8-round co-feature.
Haney (pictured below) is a 7-time national amateur champion, who captured a gold medal at the 2015 Youth World Champion, but he was unable to try-out for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team because of his age. When headgear was eliminated from Olympic boxing competition, the minimum age for a U.S. boxer to compete in the Olympics was changed to 19, so Haney decided to turn pro at the age of 17 rather than wait four more years. At first, though, he had a problem getting licensed in the U.S.
 After having four successful fights in Tijuana, Mexico, Haney’s license was approved by the Nevada Athletic Commission and he won an impressive 4-round decision over Rafael Vazquez this past April 9th on the Manny-Pacauiao-Timothy Bradley IIIshow at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Fighting May 21st on CBS Sports Network promises to be the start of something very special for Haney.“It really means a lot to me fighting on national television for the first time,” Haney said between workouts. “I’m excited to have my friends from all over be able to watch me fight on TV. I’m going to make a statement that nigh that I’m the next big star. I’m going to show everyone my talents.”
Haney, of course, hasn’t graduated from high school yet. He’s been home schooled since the seventh grade, studying between his training responsibilities as a prizefighter: morning run, afternoon strength and conditioning, and full boxing workouts during the evening.
What can fans expect to see when they watch Haney in the ring? “I’m a boxer-puncher; strong and fast,” Haney added. “I’m a balanced fighter who can do everything. I’m only 17 and still have a long way to go. Every day, my head trainer, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., works with me to relax more, walk-down my opponent and take my time – it’s not the amateurs anymore – to breakdown my opponent.”
Another undefeated fighter, Virginia featherweight Jerren “Hardknocks” Cochran (11-0-1, 4 KOs), faces former WBC Youth International titlist Tony Lopez (10-1, 3 KOs), of Dallas, in the 6-round television “swing bout.”
Also scheduled to fight on the undercard in 4-round bouts are Las Vegas junior lightweight Randy Moreno (2-0, 1 KO) vs. Texan Chris Turtun (1-2), and Las Vegas welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (3-0, 2 KOs) vs. TBA.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets, priced at $99.99 VIP ringside, $49.99 ringside, $24.99 and $14.99 general admission (seated), are on sale atwww.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 6:00 p.m. PT.
The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with DLVEC and Neon Star Media.
CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 221 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go towww.cbssportsnetwork.com.
TITLE Boxing is the official apparel and gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvec, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJRFA
Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJRFA
Follow these fighters on Twitter: @johnverajr, @joey_ruelas, @jerrencochran, @jflashgang (Nichols), @Realdevinhaney @RandyMoreno
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SHOWTIME SPORTS® CONTINUES CELEBRATION OF 30 YEARS OF SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® ALL THIS MONTH WITH “MAYWEATHER”
THE MONTH OF MAY(WEATHER)
Tune-In Tonight At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME® To Re-Live Mayweather’s Dominating Win Over Previously Undefeated Canelo Alvarez; Watch Round 7 Now:http://s.sho.com/23pPQXm
Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
NEW YORK (May 5, 2016) – Universally acknowledged as the most talented fighter of this generation and one of the greatest boxers in history, now-retired Floyd Mayweather will be honored during the month of May when SHOWTIME Sports® continues its year-long salute commemorating 30 years of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®with “MAYWEATHER”.
The fifth round of a 12-month tribute will be highlighted by four of the most memorable and meaningful fights in Mayweather’s magnificent 19-year career – against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, Marcos “Chino” Maidana, Manny Pacquiao and Andre Berto.
The four fights will air on “Throwback Thursdays” all month at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME and are available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and via the network’s online streaming service. Each fight will be wrapped with brief context and commentary from SHOWTIME Sports host Brian Custer.
Below is the schedule of SHOWTIME EXTREME premieres for the month of May
- Thursday, May 5: Mayweather vs. Canelo
- Thursday, May 12: Mayweather vs. Maidana I
- Thursday, May 19: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao
- Thursday, May 26: Mayweather vs. Berto
May Days
(Mayweather-Canelo, Sept. 14, 2013) — In a blockbuster megaevent billed as “The One,” Mayweather won an impressive 12-round decision over previously undefeated Canelo Alvarez in the then-highest-grossing pay-per-view and most profitable boxing event of all time. For the night’s work, Mayweather collected Canelo’s WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine Super Welterweight Championships.
(Mayweather-Maidana 1, May 3, 2014) — Mayweather seized “The Moment” against Marcos Maidana, but it wasn’t easy. For a stirring moment – or two, in fact – it appeared the aggressive-minded Argentine might do the unthinkable — and deal Mayweather his first defeat. But the supremely skilled and savvy Mayweather rallied convincingly in the bout’s second half to take a 12-round majority decision.
(Mayweather-Pacquiao, May 2, 2015) – Five-Division world champion Mayweather won a clear 12-round unanimous decision over Eight-Division world champion Manny Pacquiao in a record-shattering “Fight of the Century.” Regarded as one of the most anticipated sporting events of all time, Mayweather-Pacquiao demolished PPV records for buys, revenue, live gate and more. The fight nearly doubled the previous record of 2.48 million buys generated by the Mayweather-Oscar De La Hoya match in 2007 and nearly tripled the record $150 million in U.S. pay-per-view revenue generated by Mayweather-Canelo in 2013. Inside the ring, Floyd had his way throughout, winning by the scores of 118-110 and 116-112 twice,
(Sept. 12, 2015, Mayweather-Berto) – Mayweather went to 49-0, matching the record of the late heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Berto. In command throughout, “TBE” landed an impressive 56 percent (232/410) in punches thrown and 67 percent of his power punches (132/196) to triumph by the scores of 120-108, 118-110 and 117-111. If this was Mayweather’s last fight, as he’s said, then the maestro manufactured yet one last masterpiece.
Rising Undefeated Middleweight Alantez Fox Battles Colombian Veteran Milton Nunez in Undercard Action On Sunday, May 8 From The Lakeland Center in Lakeland, Florida
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World ranked Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Rodríguez feels ready for the big picture
In less than a month, for his scheduled fight on Friday, June 3 in Hollywood, Florida, WBA #4, Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Rodriguez (14-0, 10 KO’s) from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico feels more than ready on facing Mexico’s Victor ‘Pitufo’ Proa ( 28-1-2, 21 KO’s) in a bout that will broadcast live on Spike, starting at 9:00pm (ET).
Rodriguez-Proa is a 10 round bout in the bantamweight division, and will take place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. In the main event, IBF Lightweight world titleholder, Rances Barthelemy will face Mickey Bey.
“Since late December, I started training but my trainer Jim Pagan forced me to rest so I can avoid overtraining because I need to be in excellent shape on fight night” said Emmanuel Rodriguez.
“I will feel mentally and physically ready for any opponent. Lee Haskins (IBF Champion) and Jamie McDonnell (regular WBA champion), both did not wanted to risk their titles against me. I was willing to travel to England and challenge any of them, but it is what it is, and now I’m fighting a tough Mexican who comes to fight, and has good power in his punches”.
“The good thing about opponents like Proa is that to beat them, you’ll have to use all of your tools, and have the capacity to adjust to any situation he may bring, but at the end of the day, this is going to be a typical Puerto Rico versus Mexico war”.
In his young career, Rodriguez has notable victories over world title contenders, David Quijano of Puerto Rico, and Luis Hinojosa of the Dominican Republic by unanimous decision and KO in the third round respectively.
Also the undefeated Puerto Rican has victories over former rising prospects, Miguel ‘No Fear’ Cartagena of Philadelphia, who was knocked out in the first round, and last November, Rodriguez TKO in the seventh round, tought Dominican, Eliecer Aquino in a bout televised by ESPN.
At 118 pounds, Rodriguez is ranked #4 WBA, # 7 WBO and # 8 in both, WBC and IBF.
* Historical Data * Emmanuel Rodriguez is the first Puerto Rican boxer to win gold medal in the Youth Olympic Games ( Sinpagur 2010 ).
Barroso and Camp Offer Sincere Respect for ‘Future Former Champion’ Crolla
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ROC NATION SPORTS ANNOUNCES CO-FEATURE & NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD FOR DUSTY HERNANDEZ-HARRISON AND MIKE DALLAS JR. WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN ON FRIDAY, MAY 13 AT THE DC ARMORY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
throne boxing PRESENTED BY ROC NATION SPORTS AND CORONA EXTRA FEATURES HERNANDEZ-HARRISON VS. DALLAS JR., ORLANDO DEL VALLE VS. THOMAS SNOW AND DARMANI ROCK VS. CARLOS BLACK TELEVISED LIVE ON BET BEGINNING AT 10:00 P.M. ET/PT
EVENT ALSO TO BE STREAMED LIVE GLOBALLY ON TIDAL.COM
JUSTINE SKYE, DJ CIPHA SOUNDS & HOST BIG TIGGER TO PROVIDE IN-ARENA ENTERTAINMENT BETWEEN BOUTS
NEW YORK, NY (May 5, 2016) – Two televised bouts and four non-televised undercard bouts will round out the card when Dusty Hernandez-Harrison (29-0, 16 KOs) of Washington, D.C. returns to the ring on Friday, May 13 to take on Bakersfield, California’s Mike “The Silent Assassin” Dallas Jr. (21-3-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The fight will headline a throne boxing event that will be televised live on BET beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET and will also be streamed live on global music and entertainment platform, TIDAL.com.
Opening the telecast will be an eight-round featherweight showdown between Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle(20-2, 15 KOs) and Thomas “KO” Snow (18-2, 5 KOs). The second televised fight will see the professional debut of highly touted Philadelphia heavyweight prospect Darmani “Rock Solid” Rock against the beltway’s own Carlos “DC Diamond Cutter” Black (1-3).
The non-televised undercard will feature Caguas, Puerto Rico’s Abner “Pin” Cotto (19-3, 9 KOs) against veteran Juan Jose “Pinocho” Beltran (29-25-3, 18 KOs) of Los Mochis, Mexico in an eight-round junior welterweight matchup; Brooklyn’s undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (8-0, 6 KOs) facing Breedon, West Virginia’s Austin “Speedy” Marcum (10-6-1, 5 KOs) in a six-round light heavyweight fight; former NFL linebacker Mike Balogun (5-0, KOs) of Upper Marlborough, Maryland and Devon Mosley (0-4-1) of Capitol Heights, Maryland squaring off in a four-round heavyweight bout; and Greenbelt, Maryland’s Sam “Vanilla Gorilla” Crossed (2-0, 1 KO) against Damion Reed (2-13, 1 KO) of Danville, Virginia in a four-round cruiserweight fight. 2008 Olympic Silver Medalist Zhang “Big Bang” Zhilei (8-0, 6 KOs) of Zhengzhou, China will also see action in a six-round heavyweight bout against an opponent to be determined.
Roc Nation Sports will bring names from the entertainment world to the event, which will showcase a special performance by Roc Nation’s own breakout artist singer/songwriter Justine Skye. The Brooklyn songstress and social media maven who garnered attention, and over two million YouTube views, with her cover of Drake’s “Headlines” and current single, “I’m Yours” featuring Vic Mensa, is currently taking over radio airwaves nationwide. The evening will also feature a DJ set from Roc Nation’s multi-talented Cipha Sounds who will keep the energy up between bouts. Darian “Big Tigger” Morgan, afternoon host on Atlanta’s V-103, former host of BET’s Rap City and 106 & Park, and currently featured on Oxygen’s “Like A Boss”, will serve as the event’s host.
Tickets priced at $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (http://bit.ly/may13throneboxing ) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.
Orlando Del Valle made his professional debut on April 11, 2008 at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey where he knocked out Rey Rivera in the third round. By October 2009, he had compiled a record of 7-0, including a third-round knockout victory over Christopher Rivera at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On June 6, 2011, at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, he notched an impressive ten-round unanimous decision victory over Dat Nguyen in a fight telecast on Showtime’s ShoBox. On September 29, 2012, Del Valle, with a record of 16-0, made is HBO debut at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut against Three-Time World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan. Darchinyan controlled a majority of the bout, relying on his experience to pressure the young contender. In the ninth round Del Valle’s perseverance almost carried the day when he staggered Darchinyan with a tremendous left hook, badly hurting the former world champion. Darchinyan, however, was able to survive the round and hold on for a ten-round unanimous decision victory. After the defeat, Del Valle moved to Mexico City to train with Hall of Fame trainer Nacho Beristain. He rebounded in 2013 with two technical knockout victories over Andre Wilson and Juan Jose Beltran. On May 31, 2014, in a bout televised by HBO Latino from the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Del Valle faced another tough opponent in undefeated fellow Puerto Rican Luis Rosa. The ten-round, evenly matched fight went the distance producing a memorable, crowd-pleasing battle. In the fifth round, Del Valle sent Rosa to the canvas with a left hook and in the seventh round Rosa was deducted a point for a late punch, but in the end Rosa was awarded a unanimous decision victory. Since the Rosa setback, Del Valle has won all three of his fights, with none of them going the distance, including his last fight on April 9, in which he scored a second round technical knockout win over Josh Crespo at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire. Del Valle will look to keep that streak going on May 13 against Snow.
Deeply rooted in D.C. and the capital community, Thomas Snow is an experienced fighter with an impressive record of 18-2 (10 KOs). Snow, who supplements his boxing earnings by working as a floor technician at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, began boxing at the age of ten at Round One Gym in Capitol Heights, Maryland, compiling a stellar amateur record of 129-10, which included three Washington D.C. Metro Golden Gloves championships. In 2004, he took home the national PAL amateur tournament title in the 119-pound weight class. On November 5, 2005, he made his professional debut with authority, knocking out Ronald Viera in the first round at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He would go on to win his next nine fights, with seven of those wins coming by way of knockout, before he ran into fellow undefeated prospect and future world title challenger Teon Kennedy who dealt Snow his first professional loss in July of 2008. A streak of six consecutive wins would follow before he suffered another setback, again against an undefeated prospect in Nate Green. Following the defeat, Snow took nearly two and a half years off from boxing. The southpaw returned to the ring on March 6, 2015 and continued to live up to his “KO” moniker with a first round technical knockout win over Christopher Sanchez at the Omar Shrine in Charleston, South Carolina. Snow followed that win with a second round knockout of Tibor Nadori on December 4, 2015 at the Rosecroft Raceway close to home in Fort Washington, Maryland. He now faces a crossroads fight when he takes on Del Valle on May 13.
At the age of nineteen, Darmani Rock is already drawing comparisons to former heavyweight greats of the past. Rock has received high praise for his powerful jab and ambidexterity. Standing at 6’4”, he moves with an unparalleled lightness and speed for a fighter his size. Rock earned nation-wide accolades following a banner year in 2014 when he took home the USA Boxing Junior and Youth Open, Youth Continental and Youth World super heavyweight titles. During the 2014 Junior and Youth Open in Reno, Nevada, Rock shut out the 2013 National Youth Champion, John Luna, 3-0. This impressive performance was followed by another super heavyweight title at the Youth Continental Championships in March 2014 in Quito, Ecuador where he defeated Argentina’s Kervin Espinola, 3-0. Rock then took home the gold medal at the prestigious World Youth Championships in Bulgaria in April 2014 by a 2-1 decision over Germany’s Peter Kadiru. Rock also took home the 2014 World Junior Amateur Championship and capped off 2014 by being named Philadelphia’s Amateur Boxer of the Year at the annual Briscoe Awards. His most noteworthy win, however, came in May 2015 when he beat Cam Awesome, a career amateur who has been called the next Chris Byrd, in Las Vegas for the National Golden Gloves title. Rock also captured the 2015 U.S. National Amateur super heavyweight championship. He ended his amateur career as the number one rated super heavyweight in the United States (and the number five rated super heavyweight in the world) going 19-5 in national tournaments. His assault on the heavyweight division begins May 13 against Black.
Rockville, Maryland resident Carlos Black is better known to capitol region boxing as the “DC Diamond Cutter.” Turning professional late in life at the age of thirty, making his professional debut on April 23, 2015 at Tall Cedar’s Hall in Baltimore, Maryland scoring a four-round unanimous decision over the more experienced Lonnie Kornegay. Black, however, would fall short of victory in his next three bouts to George Arias on May 8, 2015 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, to Dennis Benson by a hard-fought four-round split decision in his return to Tall Cedar’s Hall on July 9, 2015 and to Jerry Forrest on September 26, 2015 at the Masonic Temple in Norfolk, Virginia. Tough like his nickname and propelled by his steadfast will, he believes he can one day fulfill his dream of becoming heavyweight champion of the world. That dream will come a step closer to reality should he defeat the highly touted Rock.
Abner Cotto is part of the famous Cotto boxing family of Puerto Rico. Legendary Miguel Cotto is a second cousin, while uncles Miguel Cotto Sr. and Evangelista Cotto were pro boxers themselves. Cotto is looking for his second straight win following a loss in a world-title elimination bout against current WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Javier Fortuna. On May 13 he faces the vastly experienced Juan Jose Beltran who has faced current World Champion Leo Santa Cruz and former World Champions Eric Morel and Rico Ramos.
Brooklyn’s unbeaten Junior Younan faces his stiffest test to date on May 13 when he faces Austin Marcum. Younan returned following a nine-month injury induced layoff on March 26 on the Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard by pounding out a four-round unanimous decision over Carlos Lozano. Marcum is riding a four-fight winning streak and plans to take his 20-year-old opponent into unfamiliar territory, as Younan has yet to fight past four rounds.
Former Washington Redskin Mike Balogun looks to make it six straight wins since turning professional as a boxer in October of 2014. Balogun was a standout inside linebacker at the University of Oklahoma and spent a year on the Redskins’ roster in 2010. He also played briefly for the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers before retiring and becoming a full time boxer. Looking to stop Balogun’s rise as a pugilist on May 13 will be fellow local fighter Devon Mosley who is seeking his first professional win.
Local favorite Sam Crossed, has limited amateur experience, which his opponent Damion Reed, a 16-fight veteran hopes to exploit. Crossed, who works as bar tender, is expected to have hundreds of supporters behind him as he attempts to go to 3-0. Reed recently lost two hard-fought majority decisions to two cruiserweights and has a draw with Ken Moody.
Standing 6’6” and weighing 250 pounds, Chinese heavyweight sensation Zhang Zhilei has shown boxing skills rarely seen in a big man since turning pro in August 2014. Undefeated in eight fights as a professional, Zhilei was a highly-decorated amateur, winning a silver medal in the super-heavyweight division at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, as well as bronze medals at the 2007 world amateur championships and 2009 AIBA world championships. He faces an opponent to be determined on May 13.
Hernandez-Harrison vs. Dallas Jr., a 10-round welterweight fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports takes place Friday, May 13, 2016 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. This fight headlines a throne boxing event presented by Corona Extra and will be televised live on BET beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET and streamed live on global music and entertainment platform, TIDAL.com. The event is also sponsored by FILA, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Shoe City, Pepsi, RCN and The DC Lottery. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the May 13 edition of throne boxing on BET will feature several notable Roc Nation Sports touches that offer a unique fan experience including a live musical performance by Justine Skye as well as DJ Cipha Sounds and event host Big Tigger who will keep the energy at a high level throughout the event. Follow the conversation using #throneboxing.
For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter @rocnation, on Instagram @rocnation/@rocnationsports and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.
For more information, visit www.bet.com. Join the conversation on the following social media platforms: on Twitter by using hashtag #BET #throneboxing and follow at @BET; on Facebook by liking the fan page atwww.facebook.com/BET; and on Instagram @betnetworks.
For more information on the DC Armory, visit www.eventsdc.com and follow on Twitter at @dcsportsent.
WBO European Super Featherweight champion Evgeny Chuprakov defends title against undefeated Sebastian Tlatlik this Friday in Ekaterinburg, Russia
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QUOTES & PHOTOS FROM TODAY’S SHOWTIME SPORTS/ANTHONY JOSHUA ANNOUNCEMENT & KICKOFF PRESS CONFERENCE FOR IBF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE FIGHT VS. DOMINIC BREAZEALE
Joshua and Breazeale Engage in Heated Exchanges
June 25 Event Marks Joshua’s Initial Title Defense & First Fight
Of Exclusive U.S. Television Agreement With SHOWTIME Sports®
PHOTO DOWNLINK: HERE; Credit: Matchroom Sport
JOSHUA KO HIGHLIGHT VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/1q11DOF
LONDON (May 4, 2016) – Undefeated IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua and unbeaten American challenger Dominic Breazeale had an intense face-to-face meeting on Wednesday before a contingent of major sports media outlets in London to formally announce their June 25 showdown. The two were joined by SHOWTIME Sports Executive Vice President & General Manager Stephen Espinoza and Matchroom Sports President Eddie Hearn, as the executives announced Joshua’s new exclusive U.S. television deal. All four participants later took part on a teleconference with U.S. media.
Highlights from today’s press conference at Hilton London Syon Park and teleconference are below.
Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) will make the first defense of his heavyweight title against Los Angeles’ Breazeale (17-0, 15 KOs) live on SHOWTIME at the sold-out The O2 arena in London. The heavyweight showdown is the first of a multi-fight licensing agreement for Showtime Networks Inc., to be the exclusive U.S. television partner of Joshua, the 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist from London.
Before the press conference, Breazeale and Joshua had to be separated. Breazeale approached Joshua and was asked if there was a problem. “I don’t know, brother, I’ve just come here to get the belt,” Breazeale said. “On June 25, you’ve got a problem. You’re a bad man because you’ve got a belt now.
“This is not acting, it’s heavyweight boxing. You can act all big and bad in front of all these cameras and your promoters, but in the end you’ve got to put a mouthpiece in your mouth and gloves on your hands.”
Joshua then told Breazeale if he had a problem, they could “settle it man to man.”
Here’s what Joshua and Breazeale had to say from the podium on Wednesday in London:
ANTHONY JOSHUA:
“There are a lot of positive things happening in boxing and a lot amazing things happening in my career at the moment. But I know enough to realize that this is a dangerous sport and you are only as good as your last fight. I fought and lost in the amateurs, and I know how quickly this can all change. It’s my job now to prepare myself properly and to keep this momentum rolling.
“Dominic and I are equals in many ways. He came up around the same time I did, through the Olympic Games and all. Now, with this U.S. TV deal with SHOWTIME and the deal with Sky Sports, Dominic Breazeale gets a chance to announce himself on the UK scene. And I have the chance to do the same in the U.S.”
“I’ll never overlook, never drop the ball. As far as I’m concerned, I am the underdog. I know every day of training camp and every hour of every day, where I am in my preparations leading up to a fight. We have less than seven weeks to go and we will be ready.”
DOMINIC BREAZEALE:
“I am not here looking to see the final round. I’m not here to look at the judges’ scorecards. I am here to knock Anthony Joshua out. Period.
“I am very excited. I wish this fight was this weekend.”
When asked if he expected to fare better than his counterpart, Charles Martin.
“We are two totally different fighters. Anthony Joshua knows he is now getting in there with a beast. He knows he is in for a dog fight. He’s going to hit me and I am going to hit him. And whoever’s will breaks first will lose this fight.
“Charles Martin wasn’t prepared. He dropped the ball. He fought the wrong fight at the wrong time. He had just won the belt, was excited about that, and he took the wrong fight. I haven’t made that mistake. I won’t make that mistake.”
Here’s what the principals had to say during Wednesday’s teleconference with U.S. reporters:
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, SHOWTIME SPORTS Executive Vice President
“UK boxing is on fire right now. There are more UK champions than any other country right now and at SHOWTIME we pride ourselves on bringing our viewers the best fights and the best boxers on the planet, whether they be American, British or from any other country. It is no surprise that our desire, our quest to seek out the most talented and most exciting boxers on the planet, has led us to Eddie’s doorstep and to this deal with Anthony Joshua. We have been discussing this for quite some time. Eddie is a great advocate and ultimately Anthony’s performances have spoken for themselves.
“We had originally intended to put Anthony on SHOWTIME two fights ago but the logistics just didn’t work out, so we were fortunate enough to make his U.S. TV debut with the title fight against Charles Martin and now we’ve done a deal in which we’ve hopefully laid a foundation for hosting Anthony on SHOWTIME for the remainder of his career.
“It was bold of them for entrusting this portion of their career to SHOWTIME. There’s a wealth of good fights in the heavyweight division and most importantly of all, Eddie and Anthony are willing to take all of them.
“I’m not the biggest fan of multi-fight deals but when you have a promoter and a boxer who have committed to taking the best fights available, big or small, in the U.S. or the UK and anywhere else, it brings a lot of comfort to the network in doing those types of deals. From that perspective it was a no-brainer. We’re thrilled to have them.”
ANTHONY JOSHUA:
On coming to American and making statement:
“It’s a great opportunity to be on SHOWTIME because when I look back at my amateurs, I think that’s why I’ve had such a good career in Great Britain so far. It’s because people have been out to follow me since I was an amateur fighter. SHOWTIME worked with me on my first defense and now I get to build with the Americans. I’ve got friends out there and we’re going to build to a wider audience. If we can keep on building and growing organically, by the time I come out there it will be unbelievable. Just like I’m at home.”
On who he thinks will be his biggest challenge:
“I would have to say, Klitschko or Wilder. Klitschko because of the experience and Wilder because he’s the heavyweight champion of the world who’s defended his belt on multiple occasions. So I have to give him credit as the strong force of the division right now because he’s the only other champion who has defended his belt. As far as Klitschko, he’s won the belt and defended it time and time again. Those two are the main names I’m looking at.”
On how his life has changed since becoming a heavyweight champ:
“I’ve had no time. It has been three weeks since the belt was won and I know it was nice for my family. They all had a great time and my mom is telling everyone. So it’s nice to see her enjoy the fruits of labor, but for me, we got straight to organizing the next project, which is why we’re here now.
“You’re not a real deal until you fight in the states, so I thought there was a plan. Eddie has been doing a great job in the background while I’ve been in the gym and they (Hearn and SHOWTIME) pulled something together that is unprecedented, historical. So, credit to the guys that put it together while we’re in the gym putting in the work. At first I was surprised because I didn’t understand the capacity of it, but now I’m looking forward to seeing how we build up things in America.”
On how it is being written about and talked about by credible boxing writers that he is the next big thing in boxing:
“I think that’s why it is important to stay fighting and in the gym. If you spend too long out of the gym then one event turns to two events; turns into the club after the event; turns into all of these expectations and promises, glitz and glamour get to you and I like to keep things (in place). I’ve got an unbelievable family, I’ve got friends around me that count as my family. I’ve got really good people that see me as the same Anthony that was a kid with them running around in the streets. The belt is a great achievement but I feel that why I’ve been so calm is that I think the sky is the limit, what we’re achieving so early on.
“I think I am capable of doing great things if I stay locked away in the gym and I think that is what is so important. To keep on improving time after time. I’ve got a long career ahead of me so I can’t let the expectations and the glitz and glamour get to me right now because it’s way too early for that right now.’’
On if he’s fighting to do something spectacular or look good:
“No, no, no. What I’ve been doing has been working, which has led me to this position. So, all the expectations can’t put pressure on me because it may lead to something that we’re not used to, like a slugfest or a type of fight like that. I need to maintain composure but I definitely need to be effective because I feel like I’ll win but what’s important is how I win. The pressure for me is trying to impress my coach. That is one of my main pressures.”
DOMINIC BREAZEALE:
On the heavyweight division having a bad rep in the past and on how Joshua and Breazeale are different than recent previous fighters:
“I think the biggest difference is that we are separating ourselves with being big athletic guys. Before, in the past, there were just big, strong, aggressive guys in the ring just slugging it out. We are showing some athletic ability as far as using the jab, moving around the ring, throwing combination punches and things like that. We’re kind of taking it back to the days when you saw heavyweight fights like Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield. Not necessarily just big stiff guys that are kind of stuck in the mud. I am fortunate to be in the division at the time being right now and I am looking forward to it.”
Thoughts of Martin-Joshua clash, Martin’s performance and what he will do differently:
“I was very upset with Charles Martin’s performance against Anthony Joshua. I was expecting him to put out a lot more, give it a lot more, but unfortunately he didn’t. That four minutes in two rounds were very, very disturbing. One of the differences between me and Charles is that I am not Charles Martin. I’m a big statured guy, a big athletic guy and a strong guy and Joshua knows best that he’s going to be in the ring with somebody who mirrors his image and just a little bit bigger than him, just a little bit heavier and just a little bit stronger than him. So, I plan on finding out if Anthony Joshua has got the legs and the lungs to go five, six, maybe seven rounds but at the same time I want to test his chin, test his body and see if he is the true heavyweight champ.’’
EDDIE HEARN, Matchroom Boxing
“Probably for three years now, I’ve been knocking on the doors of American networks, telling them about this great young fighter. They’ve all been keeping an eye on Anthony Joshua, for sure and the victory on April 9 over Charles Martin to become the IBF Heavyweight champion really opened the doors.
“Anthony Joshua is the biggest star in world boxing and now we have a position with Stephen Espinoza and SHOWTIME where we will move forward together in a multi-fight deal which we hope will not be five, six, or seven fights, we hope it will be for the entire career of Anthony Joshua, for the unification of the heavyweight division. And as I have I said, the birth and the evolution of the biggest star in world boxing today.
“SHOWTIME in my opinion is at the forefront of dynamic boxing programs in the U.S. I think the fights and the shows are continuously pushing the boundaries, not just in America, but outside of America as well. We were privileged to have Quigg vs. Frampton on SHOWTIME and Andy Lee against Billy Joe Saunders recently. They’re picking up the biggest fights in world boxing in many different territories.
“For us this is a groundbreaking day. For a UK promoter and a UK fighter to sign a multi-fight agreement with SHOWTIME, gives me a huge amount of great pleasure commercially. I think it’s a groundbreaking day for British boxing as well, I think we’re on fire at the moment. We’ve got 12 world champions; James DeGale just defended his world title on SHOWTIME last weekend and we have another world champion fight this week with [Anthony] Crolla, Ricky Burns and Tony Bellew are both fighting for world titles to become the 13th and 14th Brits to win world titles. I really feel like the atmosphere, the energy and the vibes of the show that we’re producing are second to none. The atmosphere is electric, the passion is through the roof of the arena and now the U.S. man is going to get a chance to witness it time and time again with Anthony Joshua.
“The plan for us is to evolve Anthony Joshua in various different markets which will lead to U.S. fights as well and I will work closely with Stephen [Espinoza] to see if that’s possible perhaps even in November of this year, but we want to make Anthony Joshua a global star and that includes fighting in America. I am so pleased that the U.S. public will get the opportunity to watch Anthony Joshua on the No. 1 boxing network in America.”