Tag Archives: Chris Algieri

BOSTON MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

Local Favorites Ryan Kielczweski, Javier Fortuna & Jonathan Guzman

Prepare For Undercard Bouts on Saturday, May 23 at Agganis Arena

 

Danny O’Connor Faces Paulie Malignaggi On Premier Boxing Champions

on May 29 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

 

Click HERE For Photos From Emily Harney/Premier Boxing Champions

 

BOSTON (May 14, 2015) – Some of Boston’s most popular local fighters participated in media workouts yesterday at Peter Welch’s Gym in South Boston as they prepare for respective Premier Boxing Champions fights taking place in the coming weeks.

 

Exciting local favorites Ryan Kielczweski (22-1, 6 KOs), Javier Fortuna (27-0, 20 KOs)and Jonathan Guzman (18-0, 18 KOs) all worked out in anticipation of their bouts taking place Saturday, May 23 at Agganis Arena. Also in attendance was President and CEO of Murphys Boxing, Ken Casey.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are priced at $250, $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets will be available atwww.ticketmaster.com. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.

 

Also participating is local welterweight contender Danny O’Connor (25-2, 9 KOs), who is preparing for his May 29 fight against Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6 7 KOs) at Barclays Center.

 

Here are what the participants had to say at yesterday’s workout:

 

Danny O’Connor, Framingham, MA:

“I think the show is big but, for me, it’s just another fight with Paul. I’m excited about the challenge in front of me, matching my skills against somebody like Paul with his resume.  I’m extremely focused.  All the work is done here (in gym).”

 

Ryan Kielczweski, Quincy, MA:

“It’s really cool fighting close to home on such a big card with double world title fights.  Someday, hopefully, I’ll be there. I’m focusing on my fight and when that’s over I’ll watch Edwin (Rodriguez) fight.”

 

Javier Fortuna, La Romana, Dominican Republic

“I feel super good and super confident.  I’ve been training here (Boston) but haven’t seen much of the city. I expect a lot of fans there for me.  I’ve been doing a lot of Spanish interviews.  I await their approval of my performance.”

 

Jonathan Guzman, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

“I feel very, very good.  I’m ready to fight, 19 for 19 (19 wins, 19 KOs).  I have a lot of family living in Lawrence (suburb) of Boston) and I’ve been staying here (S. Boston).”

 

Ken Casey, President & CEO of Murphys Boxing

“Boston is a sports-crazed city with a lot of good local fighters.  It’s a shame a show like this hasn’t happened here in a long time.  Sometimes it just takes good fighters and the right promoter to help them. It’s the perfect combination now.”

 

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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.AgganisArena.com andwww.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AndreDirrell, @JamesDeGale1, @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @NBCSports and @AgganisArena and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys and www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxing. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #PBConNBC

 

PBC ON SPIKE MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT WITH AMIR KHAN, CHRIS ALGIERI, PAULIE MALIGNAGGI & DANNY O’CONNOR

Kelly Swanson

Thanks so much, everyone, for calling in.  We have a great call today. Joining us will be Amir Khan, Chris Algieri, Paulie Malignaggi and Danny O’Connor all in exciting bouts at Barclays Center on PBC on Spike. The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Star Boxing. This is a great show.  I’m going to turn it over to our moderator now, Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment.  Also joining us on the call in between the fighters are Brett Yormark and Jon Slusser.

Lou DiBella   

It’s a great card that’s going to be on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Friday night, the 29th of May, at Barclays Center.  The first bout will feature the anticipated return of Paulie Malignaggi to the ring after a year layoff.  Very few guys in boxing can claim to be more Brooklyn than Paulie Malignaggi and he has his hands full in a bout with Danny O’Connor.  Danny is a tough kid who is hungry for this fight.  This is a matchup between an Italian-American and an Irish-American, a kid from New York and a kid from Boston has the makings of a terrific fight. We’re going to get to Danny first.  Danny is going to say a few words, then we’ll open it up to a few questions for him, then turn it over to Paulie.

Danny O’Connor

I want to thank everyone for being here.  I’m very excited about this opportunity to fight Paulie and to come down to New York and showcase my skills at Barclays Center.  I’ve worked my whole career for this.  I put a lot of effort and sacrifice in my life to get here.  I’m very excited and I’m ready for the task at hand.

Q

Danny, in a situation where you’re fighting a guy who in his last fight was TKO’d, does that make you think of coming in a different way than you ordinarily might, really target him and be more aggressive than usual being that he was stopped in his last outing?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

No, I don’t.  Anything can happen on any given night in boxing.  That’s what we do we get punched in our face.  Because of that, I’m not looking at anything differently.

Paul had some time off to recover and recoup.  I’m expecting Paul at his best.  I want him at his best.  The better he is, the better challenge that lies in front of me.  The more excited that makes me. My game plan is going to be my game plan regardless of the outcome of his last fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What was your reaction when your name was picked?  You’re fighting Paulie Malignaggi, a former world champion.  Did you think it was a joke or did you see it as you’re getting a fight at an elite fighter that will springboard you?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

I was excited right off the rip.  That’s what I’ve been working my whole career for, is that shot at something big.  To be able to match my skills up against someone like Paul, with his résumé, that’s what excites me.  I get up for that type of challenge. I didn’t want to get my hopes up in case something fell through.  Boxing, anything can happen.  As it got more and more real it was excitement.  It’s all about excitement.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’ve been working a very long time to get to this spot.  I put in a lot of work and I deserve to be here.  I’m excited to take this chance and to showcase my skills against Paul.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You have a tremendous amateur record, 110 wins, only 11 losses.  Is that part of the training ground that you’ve had to put you into this position now?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

Yeah.  I think with anything in life, experience is going to get you places.  The more experience you have, the more comfortable you’re going to be, the more savvy you’re going to be.  I think along with that, the type of person I am, my work ethic, how hard I’ve worked, it’s got me far so far.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

A victory over Paulie will put you on top of the radar charts for the other 47-pounders. There is a grand central community of 147-pounders.  Is that what you’re looking for?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor

 It’s not even in my mind, man.  I don’t look at all past Paul.  He’s a tough fighter.  I’m focused at the task at hand, and that’s Paul.  That’s all I’m looking at.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie is fast.  How do you intend to deal with his speed?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

Hopefully I’ll be able to neutralize that speed by having my own speed.  I’m not too slow myself.  I think it’s going to be a battle of the minds.

 

DiBella

I would just like to acknowledge Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys, the legendary Boston-based Irish rock band who has Murphys Boxing – Danny’s promoter. I’m going to introduce a man I know very well, and who probably didn’t think I’d be making this announcement, but Paulie, would you like to say a few words?

                                                                                                                                                      

Paulie Malignaggi

I’m happy to be here.  I’m excited about fighting at Barclays Center again.  I’ve gotten the desire to fight again over the past year little by little.  It was almost nothing and then the desire started growing more and more.  Once you sign up for a fight, you see the event in front of you, you start seeing things like the teleconference and all that we’re doing now, it starts to resonate in your mind that it’s coming up, it’s close, so the excitement kind of builds.  I’m happy to be a part of this event, part of this show and everybody involved with it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

Paulie, you’ve gotten off to a great start in your broadcasting career.  Does this take anything away from what you’re achieving in broadcasting or slow your development that way, or do you feel like you can manage both things side by side?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi 

This has been a training camp where I’m kind of getting it all down pat together.  It’s basically a training camp where I haven’t had as much work to do as I have this time around in the past. The reason I still have the passion for this is I still make time to train every day. I still find the time to prepare adequately every day.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s not always easy with the broadcasting. Throughout the course of my career, you have to fight, shut everything down and focus on the fight.  It’s not like that anymore.  That kind of comes with age, you kind of get into new things in your life and whatnot.

                                                                                                                                                      

If it was a couple years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.  I’m at a place in my life where I am more mature. I can handle it more and compartmentalize things more.  The passion shows in and of itself.  If I didn’t really want to do this, trust me, I would do the broadcasting, I would half-ass it on my training.  Last week was challenging, but every day I was able to get in my training somehow, some way.  One workout a day, sometimes two workouts a day.

                                                                                                                                                      

That shows me I have the passion. When you don’t want to train, but you still go out and do it, you have that victory in your mind, you want to persevere and excel.  I’m the type of person that wants to do that.  In the end, after this fight, I plan on winning the fight and looking good.  I’ve been feeling good in the training camp.  After the fight, I’m just taking it one fight at a time.  I’m not looking past Danny.  It’s a little bit different in my career right now, but at the same time I’m still enjoying the ride.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

At some point when you were doing the broadcasting, was there something about being on the sidelines that kind of inspired the feelings that you’d like to be back on the other side of the ropes again?  Was it a particular fight or moment?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I wouldn’t say it was anything in particular.  I don’t say that was part of the reason, I guess. At first it was part of the reason why I didn’t want to fight again.  I would see these fights from close range, see the violence, some crazy exchanges.  “Man, better these guys than me.  I’m done.”

                                                                                                                                                      

Then little by little, as I started feeling better, I would start seeing the same kind of stuff, and I would focus on the crowd reaction, the adrenaline these fighters are feeling.  I was starting to slowly change my thinking pattern.  It was starting to slowly become more like, I got to feel this again, I got to feel that rush again.  It’s something missing in my life.

                                                                                                                                                      

The transition kind of came slowly.  I don’t think it was one particular moment or situation, it just kind of came slowly and developed.  At first I got back in the gym and wanted to keep my weight down. Before you know it, you start to hit a couple bags.  As with any boxer in general, you start to hit the bag, you start to loosen, before you know it, you start to feel it. I suppose when you retire from boxing you should stay away from the boxing gym, because otherwise you’re going to want to fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie, how much of a factor was the result of your previous fight in motivating you to kind of come back and have a chance to go out with a win if, in fact, that’s what ultimately occurs here?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

My last fight had no bearing on any of this.  The only bearing in my life that fight had on me was the decision not to fight anymore.  When I went into the fight, I didn’t decide it was going to be my last fight.  I wasn’t thinking of any of that stuff at all.

                                                                                                                                                      

When the result happened, I was more so thinking, okay maybe this is it.  It wasn’t really that particular result as far as me not being able to accept it. It was more so, before the Porter fight, I hadn’t looked bad. I had a split decision lost against Broner. I had a dominant victory, but I had one bad night.  If I really want to chalk up my entire career to that one bad night and be done, or do I give myself another shot?

                                                                                                                                                      

It wasn’t about Idon’t want to go out on a loss, I have more left.  The Porter fight doesn’t take away from what I did in the past two or three years.  You have a fight like that, take a year off, people expect that’s where you are and that’s it.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think people are going to draw their own conclusions.  The Porter fight had no bearing on what I wanted to do.  I felt like, I’m alive and I want to live.  For me living is feeling that adrenaline rush, the rush of being in the ring and competing.  I’m a competitive person.  That’s more what was the motivator.  I’m not dead, so I don’t need to live like I’m dead.  Some people choose to live like they’re dead.  I don’t need to do that.  I can feel life.  Nothing makes me feel more alive than having the adrenaline of being in a boxing ring in front of a packed crowd.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie, depending on how you look at this fight, if you perform to your highest capabilities, if you win handily, what’s next for you?  Do kick back into that mode where you go challenge for a title, fight one of the better fighters in the division again?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi:

Honestly, it hasn’t even crossed my mind.  I want to see not only how I look and feel in the fight.  There are a lot of things I have to decide. I may look good and say, you know what, I’m good to go again.  I may look good and say, you know what, this is taking away too much time from other things I want to enjoy in my life.  I may need to feel this adrenaline rush again.  I don’t know. I haven’t given it that much thought yet.  I’m only focused on Danny O’Connor right now. I’m focused on May 29th.  I feel like those are possible things that would be crossing my mind, but in reality I haven’t given it enough thought to really have made that kind of decision. I don’t know yet.  I’m focused only on the fight right now.  So anything post May 29th I’ll decide post May 29th.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You said you started training, you were feeling good, had no problem training.  How much fun are you having again with boxing?  Do you feel rejuvenated?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I enjoy a good challenge in life, a challenge that I enjoy.  If you put me in a chemistry class, it will be a challenge, but I don’t think I’ll enjoy it too much.  Know what I’m saying? Boxing is a challenge to me, but it’s a challenge I enjoy.  I enjoy pushing my body and mind to the limits and seeing if I can succeed and testing myself.  Of course, I’ve been enjoying it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Sometimes people look at me and tell you, why would you want to fight again?  You’re good. You’re set.  You have good money coming in.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s not about the money.  Well, obviously it’s always about the money.  That’s not the main motivator.  The motivator is to feel alive.  I can be dead when I’m six feet under.  Right now I don’t want to feel like that.  I want to feel that rush of adrenaline again, feel alive.  While I can still do it, I will do it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie, what made this particular fight the right opportunity to get back into the ring?  What does the New York/Boston rivalry add to this fight?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

The opportunity to be back in the ring could have came against anyone. The New York/Boston rivalry, I’ve thought of it a couple times over the camp.  It’s not Boston/New York, Italian/Irish.  It’s like 50 years too late.  If it’s 1955 instead of 2015, you’re going to have this in a huge stadium, everybody would be into it. Everyone would be going crazy  It could be a real cool event.  Not that it’s not going to be a cool event anyway. What I’m saying is the perception of the event is different now than it would have been back in the day when the Italian and Irish rivalry, New York and Boston rivalry might have been more.  It gives it a fall-back feel to me and that’s good for me.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What do you know about Danny O’Connor?  He hasn’t fought a lot of the top-level opponents that you have.  What do you see as your strengths and his weaknesses in this fight?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I’ve known Danny for quite some time.  Obviously he hasn’t fought at the level that I have.  The experience is in my favor. I knew he had a good amateur career.  He’s a solid competitor.  He has a national Golden Gloves title and he was an Olympic alternate.  When you have that kind of amateur career, you expect yourself to break through in the pros.

                                                                                                                                                      

I had a good amateur career, I was a national championship as well.  I remember turning pro with  the expectation I would have a successful pro career as well.  At that point you’re used to winning and winning at a high level.

                                                                                                                                                      

I feel like Danny has that expectancy of himself.  Maybe it’s come a little slower.  I feel this is an opportunity for him because he has a chance to finally show all the things he had to show in the amateurs where he was a good amateur and was considered a top guy.

                                                                                                                                                      

For that reason I can’t take him lightly, and I don’t take him lightly because I know what he’s feeling.  I know what it’s like to have that successful amateur career, go into your first professional fight and have those goose bumps and be ready for it.  I kind of know what he’s feeling, what’s going through his mind, both the good and the bad. In that way I guess I have the advantage because I’m prepared for that thing because I’ve already been through it. You can never underestimate me. I’m a hungry fighter and Danny’s a hungry fighter.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Are you able to focus on him as an opponent in this fight rather than all these broader questions about your career arc and all that type of thing?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

Yes, of course.  I’m preparing for a slick boxer named Danny O’Connor. He can become aggressive at times.  He’s a southpaw, can sit back on the back foot sometimes.  He might bring the kind of fight I intend to bring, my game plan.  Every day I’m in the gym working on that.

                                                                                                                                                      

Although the distractions are nice to talk about, in the end I’m working on the exact plan in the gym every day.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Paulie. Now I’d like to acknowledge John Slusser the senior vice president of sports for Spike and everyone at Spike TV. The first PBC on Spike card was on March 13 and it was a terrific show and we are looking forward to continuing that streak. I would now like to introduce a gentleman who has become a friend of mine. I would be remised first if I did not make this announcement. Tickets are available are priced at $250, $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now.

Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.comwww.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

Now I’d like to introduce the CEO of Barclays Center, Brett Yormark.

                                                                                                                                                      

Brett Yormark:

Thank you, Lou.  Glad to be here with everyone.  Looking forward to hosting Paulie and Danny on the 29th, as well as Amir and Chris.

                                                                                                                                                      

From a building perspective, obviously we’re committed to boxing.  We’re thrilled to be hosting our second PBC fight.  Our first event was just a resounding success.  It was our biggest gate since we opened Barclays Center as it relates to boxing.  It was the most highly attended event.

                                                                                                                                                      

The atmosphere and the environment was electrifying.  We think we’ll be able to duplicate and replicate that experience for our fans on the 29th.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’m thrilled that Spike will be our partner.  They have a great edgy and cool feel of broadcast, how they do their business.  That’s a perfect fit for Brooklyn.  Obviously we are just excited that Paulie is on the card. In bringing boxing back to Brooklyn, it was always about bringing fights that meant something nationally, but it was also about nurturing and fostering the careers of Brooklyn fighters.

                                                                                                                                                      

There’s no bigger fighter in Brooklyn than Paulie Malignaggi.  He’s a friend and has fought many times at Barclays Center.  Welcoming him back after a year away from the sport is terrific for us.

                                                                                                                                                      

We’re also thrilled to have Danny fight in our building for the first time.  I’m also excited to be working with Amir Khan. He and I have become friendly and I always hoped that Amir would call Barclays Center home.  He’s been in our building for Nets games and other boxing events. For him to be in our ring is a real pleasure.

                                                                                                                                                      

Then Chris Algieri, he and Provodnikov last June probably had one of the biggest and most electrifying fights ever at Barclays Center.  For him to come back and fight again is terrific for us.  He brings a big Long Island fan base, which we hope to tap into again.

                                                                                                                                                      

This should be a really big night for Brooklyn boxing, boxing in general and certainly the PBC.  We are thrilled to be a partner and look forward to the 29th.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Brett. Now to what will be our other main event of the evening, the final fight of the evening on Spike on May 29th at Barclays Center. The first participant is the pride of Huntington, Long Island. As Brett mentioned, his career best victory took place at the Barclays Center when he upset Ruslan Provodnikov and really established himself as a force in boxing. He is promoted by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Chris Algieri with a record of 20-1, I know is looking forward to this great opportunity versus Amir Khan. Chris, can you say a few words.

                                                                                                                                                      

Chris Algieri 

Hello, everybody.  I’d like to thank Lou DiBella Entertainment for working with my promoter Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing.  It’s a pleasure to be back at Barclays Center.  We fought a year ago last June, had a great fight, won my first world title.  I’m also excited to be fighting on Spike TV.  Thank you for hosting the event.  It’s a whole new network to fight on.  I’m very excited about it all.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Chris.

                                                                                                                                                      

This next gentleman, I use that word seriously, is one of the most talented fighters in the game.  He’s from England.  Former world champion with a terrific record of 30-3.  Amir Khan.

                                                                                                                                                      

Amir Khan

Hello, everyone.  I want to say hi to all the press and media.  Brett Yormark is a friend of mine now from Barclays Center.  I’m very excited to fight at the Barclays Center.  I’ve been there a few times.  I always said that I want to come over here and give New York a huge fight, bring boxing there.  I have a big fan base from New York.  I’m sure Chris Algieri also has a big fan base there as well.  But we’re going to come and make some noise.

                                                                                                                                                      

The fight is going to be on Spike TV, which I’m also excited for.  I’m looking forward to the whole event on the 29th of May, on Friday.  I hope you’re all going to be there cheering us on.  Thank you.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Chris, you’ve had time to work with John David Jackson now.  Do you see him changing you in any significant way?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri

Yeah, absolutely.  It’s been a great training camp.  We’ve been learning quite a bit.  John has been bringing out a lot of aspects of my style, things I can do in the ring that I haven’t had an opportunity to show just yet.

                                                                                                                                                      

We’re both very excited about this fight, excited about what we’re going to be able to do on fight night the 29th. Learning new aspects in a sport I love has been an eye-opening experience and enjoyable one as well.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

Taking someone on like Amir Khan, someone with his experience, the people he’s fought, I know you’ve kind of made the step up in these last two fights to a higher level, but this could have been an opportunity for you to take a little bit easier fight.  Why did you keep it this tough right here?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

You know, I’ve never been that guy, to take an easy route or an easy fight.  I’ve come up very fast in both of the sports I’ve come up in.  Even at a young age when I was kickboxing, I took on big fights.  In my young boxing career, it’s been a constant step-up my entire career.

                                                                                                                                                      

I have not been one of those guys who has moved along gingerly.  I’ve been excited to tackle big opponents and big fights on big stages.  This is par for the course for my career.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you had a possibility of fighting Mayweather until he made the fight with Pacquiao.  They’ve already mentioned your name as a next possible opponent.  How critical is winning this fight toward preserving that dream of fighting Mayweather?  Do you see it as part of the big picture?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Definitely, winning this fight is everything to me.  I’m not looking past this Chris Algieri fight.  I know it’s a very dangerous fight for me.  Stylistically he’s very dangerous and I’m not going to be looking past it.  If I do, I’ll have made a mistake. I’ve looked past fights and made mistakes. It will put me right back where I don’t want to be.

                                                                                                                                                      

I have to be focused.  I have to be disciplined in training camp, not looking past this Chris Algieri fight.  I know there are big fights out there like Mayweather and stuff.  I just have to stay focused and win this fight and go from there really.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You call Chris “dangerous”.  He’s not known as a big puncher.  It could be a good boxing match.  What do you see as the danger that Chris poses to you?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Technically I think overall he’s a very good boxer, moves well.  He makes a lot of fighters fall short.  He’s very skillful.  You have to be on your “A” game to beat him.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’ve been watching a lot of videos like Provodnikov. Even the Pacquiao fight, there’s some good things he did there.  It could be dangerous for me coming into this fight if I’m not on my “A” game.  I have to be one step ahead and make sure I don’t make any mistakes.  Chris Algieri is a guy that if you make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay for it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you were criticized heavily for taking this fight.  What can you do in this fight to put your name up there to get the bigger fights again?  What will you have to do? Are you going to have to knock out Chris to make a real impression?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Look, there’s people putting this fight down, and I don’t know why.  At the end of the day, Chris has won a world title.  He’s been in the ring with Pacquiao in his last fight.  He’s a very good boxer, moves well, boxes well.  I definitely have to be on my “A” game.

                                                                                                                                                      

All this stuff what people are saying, they’re probably thinking Amir thinks it’s going to be a walk in the park, but he’ll make a mistake and lose this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I take every fight seriously.  I’ve made that mistake in the past. For example the Danny Garcia fight.  I’ve fought some fights that I thought are going to be a walk in the park; I got hurt, I lost the fight.  I’m not thinking any fight is going to be easy.  Every fight I walk into, every person in front of me is going to be in there to win the fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Listening to Chris Algieri, he seems he wants to win this fight.  That motivates me and makes me train harder.  I’ve got someone in front of me that wants to win this fight. I’m not really listening to what people are saying about future fights or where this fight can take me.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

There still is pressure on you to deliver because you have to send a message that you’re still a big name.

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Definitely there is.  There’s a lot of pressure on me in every fight because they want to see me perform.  Obviously there’s always the bigger picture of the other side. At the end of the day I’m still fighting the top guys and I believe Chris is one of the top guys in boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

You were quoted on the weekend that saying Leonard Ellerbe has mentioned Mayweather to you.  September is an issue. What would be your plan there?  Would it be hoping he puts it back to November or could you fight late in September?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

To be honest, I’m not looking past this fight.  I’ll tell you everything after the fight.  At the moment what’s on my mind is the Chris Algieri fight.  I don’t have anything else on my mind.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you left Golden Boy after your contract ran out.  You’re with PBC now.  What was your thinking behind making that move?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

PBC I think is brilliant because it’s going to give more fans the chance to tune in to get to see you.  I think it’s going to be good for the boxers.  To be on Spike, the viewers are going to be great.

                                                                                                                                                      

At the end of the day it’s not like I’m making less money or anything.  I’m still doing well financially.  Obviously I’m getting more people to watch me fight hopefully on Spike and on PBC.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Obviously your name has been linked with Mayweather not just the last three weeks but with the last three years.  You’re both with Haymon.  Has he ever said what you need to do to get in the ring with Mayweather?

A. Khan                                                                                                                    

Mayweather is the best fighter in the world and in order to get that fight, you have to look good.  You have to shine really.  It’s all about working hard, training hard, putting in good performances in the ring.  To turn in the best performances in the ring, I can’t take it easy in camp.  I have to work very hard in camp and I have to be very focused. I have to be very focused.

                                                                                                                                                      

There’s been the word there for the last couple years that that fight was going to happen.  But I’m going to be taking every fight one step at a time, hopefully put on great performances.  If that fight comes, obviously it’s something I’ve always wanted.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Is that what he’s saying to you?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yes, Virgil my trainer, everyone has said, “You have a fight in front of you and Chris Algieri is no joke.”  I can’t go into this fight thinking it’s going to be easy.  In boxing you can get beat and, there are always guys who are skillful and can beat you.  I have to be that one step ahead.  I can’t really take this fight lightly and think it’s going to be easy, lose my fight, then all my dreams are shattered to fight all the big names in boxing. Chris is a very dangerous opponent for me.

                                                                                                                                                      

Losing this fight, it would ruin my dreams to fight the big names in boxing.  I have to be focused on this fight. I’m fighting in his own backyard.  I know what it’s like to fight someone in their own backyard.  When I fought Lamont Peterson, you have to try harder to win that fight. There will be a big crowd there as well. I have to be very focused, definitely keep the game plan strong, just win your rounds and win the fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Chris, you were in the ring with Pacquiao before.  Obviously there’s a shoulder injury he says he’s had for quite some time.  Was there anything you felt when you were in there, maybe you saw a difference in him, different from when he fought you?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

I didn’t really see anything physically.  I saw a little more mental.  He seemed more focused from my fight, to tell you the truth.  Even at the weigh-in, he was kind of bubbly and smiley at the Mayweather weigh-in.  He wasn’t that way with myself when we were in China.  That’s neither here nor there.  You don’t know whether that could be anything. That’s kind of a hard question to answer for someone else.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What does this fight mean for you going forward?  A win against a top name in boxing would do wonders for your career.  Tell us what a win would mean for your career moving forward.

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

Yeah, I don’t want to speak for Amir or any other fighter out there, but we’re all competitors.  We’re all out there to win.  There’s a reason we do this at the elite level.  You have to have a burning desire to be a winner.

                                                                                                                                                      

Amir is a champion, a former champion.  I’m a former champion, a champion myself.  That will and desire to always want to win is there.  There’s a lot of questions that are being asked.  You have to win this fight.  Of course, you have to win this fight. That’s how boxing is. That’s what competition is. You have to win to get the big fights.

                                                                                                                                                      

That’s one of the great things about this sport:  when you keep winning, good things happen.  Of course, we’re all very hungry to get this victory and move on with our careers.  I’m in exactly the same place.  This is a huge fight, a huge opportunity.  As with any other fight, I want to win.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, did you see anything in Mayweather that you would have taken advantage of, something you saw that other people didn’t see?  Did he look a step slower?  Something you saw that you could take advantage of?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yeah, I mean, I was there as a boxing fan.  I’m only an hour away from Vegas.  I went there to watch the fight.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and everything.

                                                                                                                                                      

Mayweather looked great.  He did what he had to do to win the fight.  His accuracy was nothing but the best.  He was catching Pacquiao with some good, clean shots, whereas Pacquiao was falling short.

                                                                                                                                                      

That’s the way he fights.  He’s a very skillful fighter who is very patient and makes his opponent make mistakes.  That’s what I liked about him.

                                                                                                                                                      

His world grade is dropping tremendously because of his age.  But there are a few things I saw there which I have not seen before; when he takes a good shot, he doesn’t panic.  The only way to catch him is with speed, which Manny has.  Pacquiao didn’t use as much speed and explosiveness in the fight. I enjoyed it.  I’m sure there were all those people who said he was never going to beat Pacquiao, well, he’s been there and done that.

 

Q:

One last point on Mayweather. Floyd Sr. said that Floyd would fight you next and it would be an easy fight and I was wondering what you think about that.

A. Khan

Floyd Sr. is going to say its going to be an easy fight. Before anything I have Chris Algieri in front of me. Maybe they don’t want me to focus on my next fight. I have to be smart. I’m not going to let anything distract me in anyway. I am not going to think about Floyd’s team or put me down. At the moment that fight is not happening. At the moment the only fight that is happening is between me and Chris Algieri. We are only three or four weeks away from the fight and it is crunch time.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.  A lot of people want you to fight Kelly Brook, can you talk about the decision to take a different opponent who is not ranked as high?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

I could have fought Kell Brook in the UK.  I only want to fight in may. I don’t want to fight in June because of Ramadan coming up.  Either way, I’d be taking Ramadan off.  I don’t want to be going into Ramadan tired after a fight, going straight into Ramadan, fasting.

I like to give my body a break. I’ve done that before.  I’ve had a fight and I’ve gone straight into Ramadan back-to-back.  It’s too much for a body to take.  Obviously I need to look after my body.

                                                                                                                                                      

Yeah, Kell Brook, the guy is a world champion, he should be fighting the likes of Bradley and the big names in boxing, like I’m doing.  I’m fighting Chris Algieri, who just came out of the ring in his last fight against Manny Pacquiao.  Kell Brook, his last fight, never heard of the guy he fought.  Now he’s fighting another no-name fighter without a ranking.

                                                                                                                                                      

That name doesn’t bother me anymore because he’s not doing anything.  The only reason his name gets pushed to me because he holds the title.  If he didn’t have the title, I don’t think it would mean anything to me or boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.  Tell us your thoughts on Algieri as a fighter and give us some of your scouting report on him.

 

A. Khan

Chris Algieri just came off a win against Provodnikov.  I saw it the other day.  It was a very good fight.  He boxed very smart against a guy who is a good pressure fighter and a big puncher.  Then, against Pacquiao, one of the quickest fighters in the world.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think if you look at the names of Chris Algieri’s last few opponents and Kell Brook’s last few opponents, the names will speak for themselves.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Chris, in this fight there’s been a lot of discussion what Amir is going to do in his next fight, all this.  You’re in some ways being overlooked in this.  Tell us what you think your advantages are over Amir and why you think you’re going to be able to win this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

All the talk is none of my concern, to tell you the truth.  I’m focused on training, preparing the best that I can for this fight.  I’ve been working hard, working on a lot of new things with John David Jackson.  Great sparring so far.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’m just a very hungry fighter at this point.  I’m coming off my first loss as a professional, and watching Pacquiao and Mayweather fight this weekend has spurred me on even that much more, made me that much more of a hungry fighter.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s one of those things, you have a guy in great shape that is really hungry for the win.  I think that’s a big advantage in any fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, focusing on this fight, what do you think your advantages are over Chris? You said you watched his fight recently with Provodnikov where he won. What do you think his advantages are?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yeah, the speed, the movement, the power.  Experience is something that I have on my side.  I remember a couple years ago when I was fighting the guys who were a lot more experienced than me, I was going and beating those guys.  Now I’m in a position where I’m one of the guys with most experience, fighting guys with less experience.

                                                                                                                                                      

You can’t take that lightly really because obviously I was once in Chris Algieri’s position where I had one loss and I was going up against the top guys in boxing, and I beat those guys.

                                                                                                                                                      

I can’t go into this fight thinking it’s going to be an easy fight or I’m going to win this fight because I was once in Chris Algieri’s position, where I was getting people telling me, you’re not going to make it, you’re not going to win this fight.  I was the underdog and I proved everybody wrong.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you fought in New York before.  Chris is going to be the hometown guy in this fight.  You’re well-known in New York, too.  What do you think the effect is going to be having the fight in Brooklyn?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

I always wanted to fight in Brooklyn.  I fought at Madison Square Garden in 2009 against Paulie.  From there, I always wanted to come back to New York.  The fan base is huge.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s like a second home for me.  My wife lives in Staten Island.  I spend a lot of time in New York.  We live in England, but spend a lot of time in New York and America itself.

                                                                                                                                                      

For me, every time I’m walking the streets of New York, I have everybody asking me, when are you going to be fighting again?  We want to see you fight again in New York.

                                                                                                                                                      

Also when I’m at Barclays Center, I’ve been there for a couple of the Nets games, people have always asked me, we need you back in New York.  We need you to fight at Barclays Center.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think it’s time now.  I promised them I would come back.  I’m coming back fighting one of their home fighters.  I know by fighting that home fighter you have to work a bit harder because he’s going to have a little bit more fans than me.

                                                                                                                                                      

But, I mean, time will tell.  We’ll see how it all goes. I’m going to be focused on everything.  I’m going to stay calm and hopefully come fight night I’m going to be ready for everything that Chris Algieri brings to the table.  I’m going to be ready, yeah.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, in Vegas over the weekend you were getting mobbed everywhere you went by fans.  What are they saying to you at this point?  They’ve been asking you about Floyd.  Has that subsided or is that still the message?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Everybody was talking about that one big fight.  “You should fight Floyd.  You should fight Floyd.”

                                                                                                                                                      

I was telling them all, I’m fighting Chris Algieri next.  That for me is a very tough fight.  I need to win this fight if I need to go near any of the big names in fighting.

                                                                                                                                                      

They were very supportive.  I was getting a lot of respect in Vegas.  But, like I said, this is time to fight Chris Algieri.  I’m not going to be fighting Floyd Mayweather yet till I win this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I was listening, being respectful back. Just meeting fans and greeting fans really.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

How inspiring was that to be part of the weekend?  It was something quite special, wasn’t it?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

It was massive having two big names.  I’ve been to both big fights.  Normally you have a Pacquiao fight with big names.  When you go to a fight with two big names, it was huge.  Manny had the bigger crowd, it seemed to me.  Floyd just did what he had to do.  It was full of a high-profile people, celebrities and stuff.  I sat amongst them.  It’s something I want to be doing one day, being in the ring, having millions of people in the world watching you and having high profile people watch you ring side.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You had Adrien Broner in your ear.  What was that all about?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan

I think he just wants to jump on the bandwagon really and get a little hype.  I told my advisor Al Haymon to get me the fight with him before we even got the fight with Chris.  Adrien to me seemed to not want the fight.  In front of the cameras, he seems to want the fight, but when it comes down to signing the contract he didn’t want to sign anything.  When it comes down to signing the contract, he doesn’t want the fight. Adrien didn’t want it, so obviously I had to go on to someone else.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Is it true that you’ve ruled out fighting in September if a Mayweather fight does come to pass?  Will you not fight in September?

                                                                                                                                                      

A Khan 

No, no, I’ve not ruled out.  It’s possible I could fight in September, yeah.  Ramadan is going to be a little bit earlier this year, so obviously it helps, gives me enough time to get the training done and everything.  It can happen in September.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Amir and Chris.  Thank you, everybody, for joining us.

 

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For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions,www.barclayscenter.com and www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AmirKingKhan, @ChrisAlgieri, @LouDiBella, @SpikeTV and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/AmirKhanThePage, www.Facebook.com/ChrisAlgieri andwww.Facebook.com/Spike. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BrooklynBoxing.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON SPIKE BROOKLYN MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

 

Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment

 

BROOKLYN (May 13, 2015) – Former two-division world champion Paulie “The Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-6, 7 KOs)held an open workout at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn Wednesday before he takes on Danny O’Connor (25-2, 9 KOs)on Premier Boxing Champions on Spike, Friday, May 29 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT live from Barclays Center.

 

Also working out at Gleason’s Gym on Wednesday was undefeated bantamweight contender Heather “The Heat” Hardy (12-0, 2 KOs) and undefeated Brooklyn heavyweight Adam Kownacki (9-0, 9 KOs).

 

These fights will be part of an explosive evening headlined by boxing superstar Amir “King” Khan (30-3, 19 KOs)who faces tough New Yorker Chris Algieri (20-1, 8 KOs).  Doors at Barclays Center open at 6 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Star Boxing, are priced at $250, $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Tickets are available atwww.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

 

Here are what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

 

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI

 

“I know Danny O’Connor pretty well. He’s a good boxer who had a good amateur career. He can be pretty slick and he’s a real intelligent guy. He’s not going to just hand it to you so you have to use your mind against him.

 

“O’Connor is going to come hungry. With the situation he’s in, he’s really been looking for this opportunity in his career. I expect the hungriest and best possible Danny O’Connor.

 

“I’m going to go out in the first round see what I’m looking for. I’m not going to go out and expect something from him, but we’ll make adjustments. If I see some of his patterns that I’ve seen on video, then I’ll know what to do. I’m going to look to take apart what’s in front of me.

 

“Gleason’s Gym is the first place I ever learned to box. I learned to throw a jab in here. I learned to throw a right hand in here. All of my fundamentals came from here. I didn’t have a clue about boxing before I came to Gleason’s. I owe a lot to this gym.

 

“There was a good six months where I didn’t really care about coming back. I was satisfied. But then I just started to miss being a competitor. I was keeping busy but the competition was missing in my life. Once I got back in the gym and started hitting the bag and I felt good I knew I wanted to get back out there.

 

“It’s been tough balancing the schedule out with my announcing. It’s a mental challenge to make sure you’re still training despite all the other responsibilities. To me that proves that I still have the passion to fight. I still wanted to train no matter how busy I got.

 

“I’m thankful to be able to be a part of something really big like this. Sometimes you take a bad loss in your career and you can take a big step back but I’m thankful to have an opportunity to be on a highly elevated show like this, it’s really cool.

 

“I’d still like to fight for a world title and take on big names. If I could win another title I feel like I can put myself into the position to go into the Hall of Fame as a fighter. I’ve been fighting at a high level since 2006, a good percentage of them have been world class opponents.

 

“PBC is really amazing, I think it’s great for the sport. It’s going to build up new stars because fighters are going to be on your television constantly. I think people are going to start to really follow it. You’re going to see a lot of different kinds of fights and fighters, there’s something for everybody.”

 

HEATHER HARDY

 

“Training camp has been very good, this is probably the biggest fight of my career so far against Noemi Bosques. I’m fighting the number two bantamweight and I’m really excited.

 

“I haven’t changed my training at all. I go into every fight to win and I always give 100 percent.

 

“I’m really happy to be back in the ring so quickly. I was winning my last fight and I was ready to knock this girl out, but then the head butt stopped it prematurely. There was an unfinished feeling after the last fight, almost like a sparring session.

 

“I know I’m facing a tough fighter, she can box but she’s also an aggressive fighter. We’re going to do what we do against every fighter, which is make adjustments.

 

“Me being on the undercards for these PBC shows has been great for women’s boxing because it’s got a lot of great media attention.

 

“I love fighting at home. I watched them build Barclays Center and I thought about how much I’d love to fight there. It’s a dream come true. Barclays Center is special.

 

“I’m still on the steps looking up in my career. There’s a lot more to go. I don’t feel like I’ve reached the highest that I can reach. I’m going to keep fighting and winning and giving the fans a reason to come back.”

 

ADAM KOWNACKI

 

“I was born and grew up in Brooklyn so it’s a real treat to fight at Barclays Center. I can’t wait to perform there. It’s going to be an amazing night.

 

“It’s really a dream come true to be fighting at Barclays Center. I’m so glad it’s finally here. Hopefully one day I’ll be the main event.

 

“I’ve fought recently in Chicago and Philadelphia, but I’m really excited to be back home and have a lot of people come out to support me.

 

“I come to fight, if the knockout comes it comes. Hopefully the knockout comes again on May 29.

 

“I want the fans to keep looking for me, I’m going to get tougher opponents and tougher fights and more exposure that I’m so excited for.

 

“I bring excitement to the ring. I throw a lot of punches and my defense has improved with every fight.”

 

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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions,www.barclayscenter.com and www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AmirKingKhan, @ChrisAlgieri, @PaulMalignaggi, @DOC_Boxing, @LouDiBella, @SpikeTV and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/AmirKhanThePage,www.Facebook.com/ChrisAlgieri and www.Facebook.com/Spike. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BrooklynBoxing.

PBC ON SPIKE MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT WITH AMIR KHAN, CHRIS ALGIERI, PAULIE MALIGNAGGI & DANNY O’CONNOR

 

Kelly Swanson

Thanks so much, everyone, for calling in.  We have a great call today.  This is a great show.  I’m going to turn it over to our moderator now, Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment.  Also joining us on the call are Brett Yormark and Jon Slusser.


Lou DiBella   

It’s a great card that’s going to be on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Friday night, the 29th of May, at Barclays Center.  The first bout will be Paulie Malignaggi after a year layoff.  Very few guys in boxing can claim to be more Brooklyn and he has his hands full in a bout with Danny O’Connor.  Danny is a tough kid who is hungry for this fight.  This is a matchup between an Italian-American and an Irish-American, a kid from New York and a kid from Boston.

We’re going to get to Danny first.  Danny is going to say a few words, then we’ll open it up to a few questions for him, then turn it over to Paulie.


Danny O’Connor

I want to thank everyone for being here.  I’m very excited about this opportunity to fight Paul and to come down to New York and showcase my skills at Barclays Center.  I’ve worked my whole career for this.  I put a lot of effort and sacrifice in my life to get here.  I’m very excited and I’m ready for the task at hand.

Q

Danny, in a situation where you’re fighting a guy who in his last fight was TKO’d, does that make you think of coming in a different way than you ordinarily might, target him and be more aggressive than usual?


D. O’Connor 

No, I don’t.  Anything can happen on any given night in boxing.  That’s what we do.  Because of that, I’m not looking at anything differently.

Paul had some time off to recover and recoup.  I’m expecting Paul at his best.  I want him at his best.  The better he is, the better challenge that lies in front of me.  The more excited that makes me.

                                                                                                                                                      

My game plan is going to be my game plan regardless of his last fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What was your reaction when your name was picked?  You’re fighting Paulie Malignaggi, a former world champion.  Did you think it was a joke or did you see it as you’re getting a fight at an elite fighter that will springboard you?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

I was excited right off the rip.  That’s what I’ve been working my whole career for, is that shot at something big.  To be able to match my skills up against someone like Paul, with his résumé, that’s what excites me.  I get up for that type of challenge.

                                                                                                                                                      

I didn’t want to get my hopes up in case something fell through.  Boxing, anything can happen.  As it got more and more real it was excitement.  It’s all about excitement.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’ve been working a very long time to get to this spot.  I put in a lot of work and I deserve to be here.  I’m excited to take this chance and to showcase my skills against Paul.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You have a tremendous amateur record, 110 wins, only 11 losses.  Is that part of the training ground that you’ve had to put you into this position now?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

Yeah.  I think with anything in life, experience is going to get you places.  The more experience you have, the more comfortable you’re going to be, the more savvy you’re going to be.  The type of person I am, my work ethic, how hard I’ve worked, it’s got me far so far.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

A victory over Paulie will put you on top of the radar charts for the other 47-pounders.  Is that what you’re looking for?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor

It’s not even in my mind, man.  I don’t look at all past Paul.  He’s a tough fighter.  I’m focused at the task at hand, and that’s Paul.  That’s all I’m looking at.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie is fast.  How do you intend to deal with his speed?

                                                                                                                                                      

D. O’Connor 

Hopefully I’ll be able to neutralize that speed by having my own speed.  I’m not too slow myself.  I think it’s going to be a battle of the minds.

 

DiBella

I’m going to introduce a man I know very well, and who probably didn’t think I’d be making this announcement, but Paulie, would you like to say a few words?

                                                                                                                                                      

Paulie Malignaggi

I’m happy to be here.  I’m excited about fighting at Barclays Center again.  I’ve gotten the desire to fight again over the past year little by little.  It started growing more and more.  Once you sign up for a fight, you see the event in front of you, you start seeing things like the teleconference and all that we’re doing now, it starts to resonate in your mind that it’s coming up, it’s close, so the excitement kind of builds.  I’m happy to be a part of this event, part of this show, and everybody involved with it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

Paulie, you’ve gotten off to a great start in your broadcasting career.  Does this take anything away from what you’re achieving in broadcasting or slow your development that way, or do you feel like you can manage both things side by side?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi 

This has been a training camp where I’m kind of getting it all down together.  It’s basically a training camp where I haven’t had as much work to do as I have this time around in the past.

                                                                                                                                                      

The reason I still have the passion for this is I still make time to train every day, find the time to prepare adequately every day.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s not always easy with the broadcasting.  You have to fight, shut everything down and focus on the fight.  It’s not like that anymore.  That kind of comes with age, you kind of get into new things in your life and whatnot.

                                                                                                                                                      

If it was a couple years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.  I’m at a place in my life where I can handle it more and compartmentalize things more.  The passion shows in and of itself.  If I didn’t really want to do this, trust me, I would do the broadcasting, I would half-ass it on my training.  Last week was challenging, but every day I was able to get in my training somehow, some way.  One workout a day, sometimes two workouts a day.

                                                                                                                                                      

When you don’t want to train, but you still go out and do it, you have that victory in your mind, you want to persevere and excel.  I’m the type of person that wants to do that.

                                                                                                                                                      

In the end, after this fight, I plan on winning the fight and looking good.  I’ve been feeling good in the training camp.  After the fight, I’m just taking it one fight at a time.  I’m not looking past Danny.  It’s a little bit different in my career right now, but at the same time I’m still enjoying the ride.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q.

At some point when you were doing the broadcasting, was there something about being on the sidelines that kind of inspired the feelings that you’d like to be back on the other side of the ropes again?  Was it a particular fight or moment?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I wouldn’t say it was anything in particular.  I don’t say that was part of the reason, I guess.

                                                                                                                                                      

At first it was part of the reason why I didn’t want to fight again.  I would see these fights from close range, see the violence, some crazy exchanges.  “Man, better these guys than me.  I’m done.”

                                                                                                                                                      

Then little by little, as I started feeling better, I would start seeing the same kind of stuff, and I would focus on the crowd reaction, the adrenaline these fighters are feeling.  I was starting to slowly change my thinking pattern.  It was starting to slowly become more like, I got to feel this again, I got to feel that rush again.  It’s something missing in my life.

                                                                                                                                                      

The transition kind of came slowly.  I don’t think it was one particular moment or situation, it just kind of came slowly and developed.  Before you know it, you start to hit a couple bags.  As with any boxer in general, you start to hit the bag, you start to loosen, before you know it, you start to feel it.

                                                                                                                                                      

I suppose when you retire from boxing you should stay away from the boxing gym, because otherwise you’re going to want to fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie, how much of a factor was the result of your previous fight in motivating you to kind of come back and have a chance to go out with a win if, in fact, that’s what ultimately occurs here?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

That had no bearing on any of this.  The only bearing in my life that fight had on me was the decision not to fight anymore.  When I went into the fight, I didn’t decide it was going to be my last fight.  I wasn’t thinking of any of that stuff at all.

                                                                                                                                                      

When the result happened, I was more so thinking, Maybe this is it.  It wasn’t really that particular result as far as me not being able to accept it. It was more so, before the Porter fight, I hadn’t looked bad.  I had a dominant victory, but I had one bad night.  If I really want to chalk up my entire career to that one bad night and be done, or do I give myself another shot?

                                                                                                                                                      

I don’t want to go out on a loss, I have more left.  The Porter fight doesn’t take away from what I did in the past two or three years.  You have a fight like that, take a year off, people expect that’s where you are and that’s it.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think people are going to draw their own conclusions.  The Porter fight had no bearing on what I wanted to do.  I felt like, I’m alive and I want to live.  For me living is feeling that adrenaline rush, the rush of being in the ring.  I’m a competitive person.  That’s more what was the motivator.  I’m not dead, so I don’t need to live like I’m dead.  Some people choose to live like they’re dead.  I don’t need to do that.  I can feel life.  Nothing makes me feel more alive than having the adrenaline of being in a boxing ring in front of a packed crowd.

Q

Paulie, depending on how you look at this fight, if you perform to your highest capabilities, if you win handily, what’s next for you?  Do you go challenge for a title, fight one of the better fighters in the division again?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi:

Honestly, it hasn’t even crossed my mind.  I want to see not only how I look and feel in the fight.  I may look good and say, you know what, I’m good to go again.  I may look good and say, you know what, this is taking away too much time from other things I want to enjoy in my life.  I may need to feel this adrenaline rush again.  I don’t know.

                                                                                                                                                      

I haven’t given it that much thought yet.  I’m only focused on Danny O’Connor right now.  I feel like those are possible things that would be crossing my mind, but in reality I haven’t given it enough thought to really have made that kind of decision.

                                                                                                                                                      

I don’t know yet.  I’m focused only on the fight right now.  So anything post May 29th I’ll decide post May 29th.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You said you started training, you were feeling good, had no problem training.  How much fun are you having again with boxing?  Do you feel rejuvenated?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I enjoy a good challenge in life, a challenge that I enjoy.  If you put me in a chemistry class, it will be a challenge, but I don’t think I’ll enjoy it too much.  Know what I’m saying?

                                                                                                                                                      

Boxing is a challenge to me, but it’s a challenge I enjoy.  I enjoy pushing my body and mind to the limits and seeing if I can succeed.  Of course, I’ve been enjoying it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Sometimes people look at me and tell you, why would you want to fight again?  You’re set.  You have good money coming in.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s not about the money.  Well, obviously it’s always about the money.  That’s not the main motivator.  The motivator is to feel alive.  I can be dead when I’m six feet under.  Right now I don’t want to feel like that.  I want to feel that rush of adrenaline again, feel alive.  While I can still do it, I will do it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Paulie, what made this particular fight the right opportunity to get back into the ring?  What does the New York/Boston rivalry add to this fight?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

The opportunity to be back in the ring could have came against anyone.

                                                                                                                                                      

The New York/Boston rivalry, I’ve thought of it a couple times.  It’s not Boston/New York, Italian/Irish.  It’s like 50 years too late.  If it’s 1955, you’re going to have this in a huge stadium, everybody would be into it.  It could be a real cool event.  Not that it’s not going to be a cool event anyway.

                                                                                                                                                      

What I’m saying is the perception of the event is different now than it would have been back in the day when the Italian and Irish rivalry, New York and Boston rivalry might have been more.  It gives it a fall-back feel to me and that’s good for me.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What do you know about Danny O’Connor?  He hasn’t fought a lot of the top-level opponents that you have.  What do you see as your strengths and his weaknesses in this fight?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

I’ve known Danny for quite some time.  Obviously he hasn’t fought at the level that I have.  The experience is in my favor.

                                                                                                                                                      

I knew he had a good amateur career.  He’s a solid competitor.  He has a Golden Gloves title.  When you have that kind of amateur career, you expect yourself to break through in the pros.

                                                                                                                                                      

I had a good amateur career, I was a national championship as well.  I had the expectation I would have a successful pro career as well.  At that point you’re used to winning and winning at a high level.

                                                                                                                                                      

I feel like Danny has that expectancy of himself.  Maybe it’s come a little slower.  I feel this is an opportunity for him because he has a chance to finally show all the things he had to show in the amateurs.

                                                                                                                                                      

I can’t take him lightly, and I don’t take him lightly because I know what he’s feeling.  I know what it’s like to have that successful amateur career, go into your first professional fight and have those goosebumps.  I kind of know what he’s feeling, what’s going through his mind, both the good and the bad.

                                                                                                                                                      

In that way I guess I have the advantage because I’m prepared for that thing because I’ve already been through it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Are you able to focus on him as an opponent in this fight rather than all these broader questions about your career arc and all that type of thing?

                                                                                                                                                      

P. Malignaggi

Yes, of course.  I’m preparing for a slick boxer named Danny O’Connor.  He’s a southpaw, can sit back on the back foot sometimes.  He might bring the kind of fight I intend to bring, my game plan.  Every day I’m in the gym working on that.

                                                                                                                                                      

Although the distractions are nice to talk about, in the end I’m working on the exact plan in the gym every day.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Paulie.

                                                                                                                                                      

Now I’d like to introduce the CEO of Barclays Center, Brett Yormark.

                                                                                                                                                      

Brett Yormark:

Thank you, Lou.  Glad to be here with everyone.  Looking forward to hosting Paulie and Danny on the 29th, as well as Amir and Chris.

                                                                                                                                                      

From a building perspective, obviously we’re committed to boxing.  We’re thrilled to be hosting our second PBC fight.  Our first event was a resounding success.  It was our biggest gate since we opened Barclays Center as it relates to boxing.  It was the most highly attended event.

                                                                                                                                                      

The atmosphere and the environment was electrifying.  We think we’ll be able to duplicate and replicate that experience for our fans on the 29th.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’m thrilled that Spike will be our partner.  They have an edgy broadcast, how they do their business.  That’s a perfect fit for Brooklyn.  Obviously we are excited that Paulie is on the card. It was always about bringing fights that meant something nationally, but it was also about nurturing and fostering the careers of Brooklyn fighters.

                                                                                                                                                      

There’s no bigger fighter in Brooklyn than Paulie Malignaggi.  He’s a friend and has fought many times at the Barclays Center.  Welcoming him back after a year away from the sport is terrific for us.

                                                                                                                                                      

We’re also thrilled to have Danny fight in our building for the first time.  I’m also excited to be working with Amir Khan.  I always hoped that Amir would call Barclays Center home.  He’s been in our building for Nets games and other events.

                                                                                                                                                      

 Then Chris Algieri, he and Provodnikov last June probably had one of the biggest and electrifying fights ever at Barclays Center.  For him to come back and fight with us is great for us.  He brings a big Long Island fan base, which we hope to tap into again.

                                                                                                                                                      

This should be a really big night for Brooklyn boxing, boxing in general, and the PBC.  We look forward to the 29th and are thrilled to be a partner.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Brett.

                                                                                                                                                      

Now to what will be our other event of the evening on May 29th, the first participant is the pride of Huntington, Long Island.  His career best victory took place at the Barclays Center when he established himself as a force in boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Chris Algieri with a record of 20-1, I know is looking forward to this great opportunity versus Amir Khan.

                                                                                                                                                      

Chris, can you say a few words.

                                                                                                                                                      

Chris Algieri 

Hello, everybody.  I’d like to thank Lou DiBella Entertainment.  It’s a pleasure to be back at Barclays Center.  We fought a year ago last June, had a great fight, won my first world title.  I’m also excited to be fighting on Spike.  Thank you for hosting the event.  It’s a whole new network to fight on.  I’m very excited about it all.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Chris.

                                                                                                                                                      

This next gentleman, I use that word seriously, is one of the most talented fighters in the game.  He’s from England.  Former world champion with a record of 30-3.  Amir Khan.

                                                                                                                                                      

Amir Khan

Hello, everyone.  I want to say hi to all the press and media.  Brett Yormark is a friend of mine from Barclays Center.  I’m very excited to fight at the Barclays Center.  I’ve been there a few times.  I always said that I want to come over here and give New York a huge fight, bring boxing there.  I have a big fan base from New York.  I’m sure Chris Algieri also has a big fan base.  But we’re going to come and make some noise.

                                                                                                                                                      

The fight is going to be on Spike, which I’m also excited for.  I’m looking forward to the whole event on the 29th of May, on Friday.  I hope you’re all going to be there cheering us on.  Thank you.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Chris, you’ve had time to work with John David Jackson now.  Do you see him changing you in any significant way?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri

Yeah, absolutely.  It’s been a great training camp.  We’ve been learning quite a bit.  John has been bringing out a lot of aspects of my style, things I can do in the ring that I haven’t had an opportunity to show just yet.

                                                                                                                                                      

We’re both very excited about this fight, excited about what we’re going to be able to do on fight night the 29th. Learning new aspects in a sport I love has been an eye-opening experience and enjoyable one as well.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Taking someone on like Amir Khan, someone with his experience, the people he’s fought, I know you’ve kind of made the step up in these last two fights to a higher level, but this could have been an opportunity for you to take a little bit easier fight.  Why did you keep it this tough right here?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

You know, I’ve never been that guy, to take an easy route or an easy fight.  I’ve come up very fast in both of the sports I’ve come up in.  Even at a young age when I was kickboxing, I took on big fights.  In my young boxing career, it’s been a constant step-up my entire career.

                                                                                                                                                      

I have not been one of those guys who has moved along gingerly.  I’ve been excited to tackle big opponents and big fights on big stages.  This is par for the course for my career.

Q

Amir, you had a possibility of fighting Mayweather until he made the fight with Pacquiao.  They’ve already mentioned your name as a next possible opponent.  How critical is winning this fight toward preserving that dream of fighting Mayweather?  Do you see it as part of the big picture?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Definitely, winning this fight is everything to me.  I’m not looking past this Chris Algieri fight.  I know it’s a very dangerous fight for me.  Stylistically he’s very dangerous and I’m not going to be looking past it.  If I do, I’ll have made a mistake.

                                                                                                                                                      

I have to be focused.  I have to be disciplined in training camp, not looking past this Chris Algieri fight.  I know there are big fights out there like Mayweather.  I just have to stay focused and win this fight and go from there really.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You call Chris “dangerous”.  He’s not known as a big puncher.  It could be a good boxing match.  What do you see as the danger that Chris poses to you?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Technically I think overall he’s a very good boxer, moves well.  He makes a lot of fighters fall short.  He’s very skillful.  You have to be on your “A” game to beat him.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’ve been watching a lot of videos.  Even the Pacquiao fight, there’s some good things he did there.  It could be dangerous for me coming into this fight if I’m not on my “A” game.  I have to be one step ahead and make sure I don’t make any mistakes.  Chris Algieri is a guy that if you make a mistake, he’s going to make you pay for it.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you were criticized heavily for taking this fight.  What can you do in this fight to put your name up there to get the bigger fights again?  Are you going to have to knock out Chris to make a real impression?

                                                                                                                                                      

Amir Khan 

Look, there’s people putting this fight down, and I don’t know why.  At the end of the day, Chris has won a world title.  He’s fought Pacquiao.  He’s a very good boxer, moves well, boxes well.  I definitely have to be on my “A” game.

                                                                                                                                                      

All this stuff what people are saying, they’re probably thinking Amir thinks it’s going to be a walk in the park, but he’ll make a mistake and lose this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I take every fight seriously.  I’ve made that mistake in the past.  I’ve fought some fights that I thought are going to be a walk in the park; I got hurt, I lost the fight.  I’m not thinking any fight is going to be easy.  Every fight I walk into, every person in front of me is going to be in there to win the fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Listening to Chris Algieri, he seems he wants to win this fight.  That motivates me and makes me train harder.  He wants to win this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’m not really listening to what people are saying about future fights or where this fight can take me.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

There still is pressure on you to deliver because you have to send a message that you’re still a big name.

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Definitely there is.  There’s a lot of pressure on me in every fight because they want to see me perform.  Obviously there’s always the bigger picture of the other side.

                                                                                                                                                      

At the end of the day I’m still fighting the top guys and I believe Chris is one of the top guys in boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You were quoted on the weekend that saying Leonard Ellerbe has mentioned Mayweather to you.  What would be your plan there?  Would it be hoping he puts it back to November or could you fight late in September?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

To be honest, I’m not looking past this fight.  I’ll tell you everything after the fight.  At the moment what’s on my mind is the Chris Algieri fight.  I don’t have anything else on my mind.

Q

Amir, you left Golden Boy after your contract ran out.  You’re with PBC now.  What was your thinking behind making that move?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

PBC I think is brilliant because it’s going to give more fans the chance to tune in to get to see you.  I think it’s going to be good for the boxers.  To be on Spike, the viewers are going to be great.

                                                                                                                                                      

At the end of the day it’s not like I’m making less money or anything.  I’m still doing well financially.  Obviously I’m getting more people to watch me fight hopefully on Spike and on PBC.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Obviously your name has been linked with Mayweather not just the last three weeks but with the last three years.  You’re both with Haymon.  Has he ever said what you need to do to get in the ring with Mayweather?

A. Khan                                                                                                                    

To get that fight, you have to look good.  You have to shine really.  It’s all about working hard, training hard, putting in good performances in the ring.  To turn in the best performances in the ring, I can’t take it easy in camp.  I have to be very focused.

                                                                                                                                                      

There’s been the word there for the last couple years that that fight was going to happen.  But I’m going to be taking every fight one step at a time, hopefully put on great performances.  If that fight comes, obviously it’s something I’ve always wanted.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Is that what he’s saying to you?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yes, my trainer, everyone has said. “you have a fight in front of you and Chris Algieri is no joke.”  I can’t go into this fight thinking it’s going to be easy.  In boxing, there are always guys who are skillful and can beat you.  I have to be that one step ahead.  I can’t really take this fight lightly and think it’s going to be easy, lose my fight, then all my dreams are shattered to fight all the big names in boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Losing this fight, it would ruin my dreams to fight the big names in boxing.  I have to be focused on this fight.  I know what it’s like to fight someone in their own backyard.  When I fought Lamont Peterson, you have to try harder to win that fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I have to be very focused, definitely keep the game plan strong, just win your rounds and win the fight.

Q

Chris, you were in the ring with Pacquiao before.  Obviously there’s a shoulder injury he says he’s had for quite some time.  Was there anything you felt when you were in there, maybe you saw a difference in him, different from when he fought you?

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

I didn’t really see anything physically.  I saw a little more mental.  He seemed more focused from my fight, to tell you the truth.  Even at the weigh-in, he was bubbly and smiley.  He wasn’t that way with myself when we were in China.  That’s neither here nor there.  You don’t know whether that could be anything.

That’s kind of a hard question to answer for someone else.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

What does this fight mean for you going forward?  A win against a top name in boxing would do wonders for your career.  Tell us what a win would mean for your career moving forward.

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

Yeah, I don’t want to speak for Amir or any other fighter out there, but we’re all competitors.  We’re all out there to win.  There’s a reason we do this at the elite level.  You have to have a burning desire to be a winner.

                                                                                                                                                      

Amir is a champion, a former champion.  I’m a former champion, a champion myself.  That will and desire to always want to win is there.  There’s a lot of questions that are being asked.  You have to win this fight.  Of course, you have to win this fight.  You have to win to get the big fights.

                                                                                                                                                      

That’s one of the great things about this sport:  when you keep winning, good things happen.  Of course, we’re all very hungry to get this victory and move on with our careers.  I’m in exactly the same place.  This is a huge fight, a huge opportunity.  As with any other fight, I want to win.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, did you see anything in Mayweather that you would have taken advantage of, something you saw that other people didn’t see?  Did he look a step slower?  Something you saw that you could take advantage of?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yeah, I mean, I was there as a boxing fan.  I’m only an hour away from Vegas.  I went there to watch the fight.  I enjoyed the atmosphere and everything.

                                                                                                                                                      

Mayweather looked great.  He did what he had to do to win the fight.  His accuracy was nothing but the best.  He was catching Pacquiao with some good, clean shots, whereas Pacquiao was falling short.

                                                                                                                                                      

That’s the way he fights.  He’s a very skillful fighter who is very patient and makes his opponent make mistakes.  That’s what I liked about him.

                                                                                                                                                      

His world grade is dropping tremendously because of his age.  But there are things I saw there which I have not seen before; when he takes a good shot, he doesn’t panic.  The only way to catch him is with speed.  Pacquiao didn’t use as much speed and explosiveness in the fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I enjoyed it.  I’m sure there were all those people who said he was never going to beat Pacquiao, well, he’s been there and done that.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

A lot of people want you to fight Kelly Brook, can you talk about the decision to take a different opponent who is not ranked as high?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

I could have fought Kell Brook in the UK.  I don’t want to fight because of Ramadan coming up.  Either way, I’d be taking Ramadan off.  I don’t want to be going into Ramadan tired after a fight, going straight into Ramadan, fasting.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’ve done that before.  I’ve had a fight and I’ve gone straight into Ramadan back-to-back.  It’s too much for a body to take.  Obviously I need to look after my body.

                                                                                                                                                      

Yeah, Kell Brook, the guy is a world champion, he should be fighting the likes of Bradley and the big names in boxing, like me.  I’m fighting Chris Algieri, who just came out of the ring in his last fight against Pacquiao.  Kell Brook, never heard of the guy he fought.  Now he’s fighting another no-name fighter without a ranking.

                                                                                                                                                      

That name doesn’t bother me anymore because he’s not doing anything.  The only reason his name gets pushed to me because he holds the title.  If he didn’t have the title, I don’t think it would mean anything to me or boxing.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Tell us your thoughts on Algieri as a fighter and give us some of your scouting report on him.

 

A. Khan

Chris Algieri just came off a win.  I saw it the other day.  It was a very good fight.  He boxed very smart against a guy who is a good pressure fighter and a big puncher.  Then, against Pacquiao, one of the quickest fighters in the world.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think if you look at the names of Chris Algieri’s opponents, Kell Brook’s last few opponents, the names will speak for themselves.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Chris, in this fight there’s been a lot of discussion what Amir is going to do in his next fight, all this.  You’re in some ways being overlooked in this.  Tell us what you think your advantages are over Amir and why you think you’re going to be able to win this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

C. Algieri 

All the talk is none of my concern, to tell you the truth.  I’m focused on training, preparing the best that I can for this fight.  I’ve been working hard, working on a lot of new things with John David Jackson.  Great sparring so far.

                                                                                                                                                      

I’m just a very hungry fighter at this point.  I’m coming off my first loss as a professional, and watching Pacquiao and Mayweather fight this weekend has spurred me on this much more, made me that much more of a hungry fighter.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s one of those things, you have a guy in great shape that is really hungry for the win.  I think that’s a big advantage in any fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, focusing on this fight, what do you think your advantages are over Chris?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Yeah, the speed, the movement, the power.  Experience is something that I have on my side.  I remember a couple years ago when I was fighting the guys who were a lot more experienced than me, I was going and beating them guys.  Now I’m in a position where I’m one of the guys with most experience, fighting guys with less experience.

                                                                                                                                                      

You can’t take that lightly really because obviously I was once in Chris Algieri’s position where I had one loss and I was going up against the top guys in boxing, and I beat those guys.

                                                                                                                                                      

I can’t go into this fight thinking it’s going to be an easy fight or I’m going to win this fight because I was once in Chris Algieri’s position, where I was getting people telling me, you’re not going to make it, you’re not going to win this fight.  I proved everybody wrong.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, you fought in New York before.  Chris is going to be the hometown guy in this fight.  You’re well-known in New York, too.  What do you think the effect is going to be having the fight in Brooklyn?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

I always wanted to fight in Brooklyn.  I fought at Madison Square Garden in 2009 against Paulie.  I always wanted to come back to New York.  The fan base is huge.

                                                                                                                                                      

It’s like a second home for me.  My wife lives in Staten Island.  I spend a lot of time in New York.  We live in England, but spend a lot of time in New York and America itself.

                                                                                                                                                      

For me, every time I’m walking the streets of New York, I have everybody asking me, when are you going to be fighting again?  We want to see you fight again in New York.

                                                                                                                                                      

Also when I’m at Barclays Center, I’ve been there for a couple of the Nets games, people have always asked me, We need you back in New York.  We need you to fight at Barclays Center.

                                                                                                                                                      

I think it’s time now.  I promised them I would come back.  I’m coming back fighting one of their home fighters.  I know by fighting that home fighter you have to work a bit harder because he’s going to have a little bit more fans than me.

                                                                                                                                                      

But, I mean, time will tell.  We’ll see how it all goes. I’m going to be focused on everything.  I’m going to stay calm and hopefully come fight night I’m going to be ready for everything that Chris Algieri brings to the table.  I’m going to be ready, yeah.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Amir, in Vegas over the weekend you were getting mobbed everywhere you went by fans.  What are they saying to you at this point?  They’ve been asking you about Floyd.  Has that subsided or is that still the message?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

Everybody was talking about that one big fight.  “You should fight Floyd.  You should fight Floyd.”

                                                                                                                                                      

I was telling them all, I’m fighting Chris Algieri next.  That for me is a very tough fight.  I need to win this fight if I need to go near any of the big names in fighting.

                                                                                                                                                      

They were very supportive.  I was getting a lot of respect in Vegas.  But, like I said, this is time to fight Chris Algieri.  I’m not going to be fighting Floyd Mayweather yet till I win this fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

I was listening, being respectful back. Just meeting fans and greeting fans really.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

How inspiring was that to be part of the weekend?  It was something quite special, wasn’t it?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

It was massive having two big names.  I’ve been to both big fights.  Normally you have a Pacquiao fight with big names.  When you go to a fight with two big names, it was huge.  Manny had the bigger crowd, it seemed to me.  Floyd just did what he had to do.  It was full of a high-profile team, celebrities and stuff.  I sat amongst them.  It’s something I want to be doing one day, being in the ring, having millions of people in the world watching you and having people watch you ring side.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

You had Adrien Broner in your ear.  What was that all about?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan

 I think he just wants to jump on the bandwagon and get a little hype.  I told my advisor to get me the fight with him before we even got the fight with Chris.  Adrien to me seemed to not want the fight.  In front of the cameras, he seems to want the fight.  When it comes down to signing the contract, he doesn’t want the fight.

                                                                                                                                                      

Adrien didn’t want it, so obviously I had to go on to someone else.

                                                                                                                                                      

Q

Is it true that you’ve ruled out fighting in September if a Mayweather fight does come to pass?  Will you not fight in September?

                                                                                                                                                      

A. Khan 

No, no, I’ve not ruled out.  It’s possible I could fight in September, yeah.  Ramadan is going to be a little bit earlier this year, so obviously it helps, gives me enough time to get the training done and everything.  It can happen in September.

                                                                                                                                                      

L. DiBella 

Thank you, Amir and Chris.  Thank you, everybody, for joining us.

 

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For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions,www.barclayscenter.com and www.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AmirKingKhan, @ChrisAlgieri, @LouDiBella, @SpikeTV and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/AmirKhanThePage, www.Facebook.com/ChrisAlgieri andwww.Facebook.com/Spike. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BrooklynBoxing.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao In-Depth Preview and Analysis

By: Tony Penecale

Find Tony on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TornadoTP

FINALLY!!!!  After six years of arguing, negotiating, finger-pointing, and the real possibility that it would never happen, the long-awaited superfight between Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. and Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is finally about to happen.  There is a possibility of grossing upwards of $300 million between them, easily the richest event in sports history.  Mayweather is set to make $180 million.  He would earn $15 million per round, $5 million per minute, & $83,333.33 per second.  Pacquaio would make $120 million and would earn $10 million per round, $3,333,333.33 per minute, & $55,555.56 per second.  Las Vegas is a gambling town, and after years of bluffing, raising the ante, and calling each other out, both fighters have put all their chips in.  Their legacies are on the table.  Now, it’s time to see who is really holding the Aces when they step in the ring.

AGE, RECORD, AND STATS

Mayweather:                      Age:  38 years old

Record:  47-0 (26 Knockouts)

Height:  5’8”

Weight:  146   * * Weight for last bout (9-13-14)

Reach:  72”

 

Pacquiao:                Age:  35 years old

Record:  57-5-2 (38 Knockouts)

Height:  5’6”

Weight:  144 ** Weight for last bout (11-20-14)

Reach:  67”

 

RING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Mayweather:

1996 Olympic Bronze Medalist

WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’98-’02)

WBC Lightweight Champion (’02-’04)

Ring Magazine Lightweight Champion (’02-’04)

WBC Junior Welterweight Champion (’05-’06)

IBF Welterweight Champion (’06)

WBC Welterweight Champion (’06-‘07)

WBC Junior Middleweight Champion (’07)

WBA Junior Middleweight Champion (’12)

WBC Welterweight Champion (’11-Pres)

Ring Magazine Welterweight Champion (’06-‘07)

Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #1 Boxer (’05-’07, ’12-Pres)

 

Pacquiao:

WBC Flyweight Champion (’98-‘99)

IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (’01-’03)

WBC Super Featherweight Champion (’08)

WBC Lightweight Champion (‘08)

IBO Junior Welterweight Champion (’09)

WBO Welterweight Champion (’09-‘12)

WBO Welterweight Champion (’14-Pres)

Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #1 Boxer (’08-‘12)

Ring Magazine Pound-4-Pound #4 Boxer (Pres)

 

STYLE

 

Mayweather:

A pure boxer with great speed who does everything well with an arsenal that includes a snapping jab, accurate right hand and a left hook that can be doubled and tripled with tremendous effect.  Uses feint moves to freeze opponents and open punching lanes.  Tucks his chin well behind his shoulder to roll with punches.  Even on the ropes, he is a difficult target to land a solid punch on.  He doesn’t have great punching power.  Most of his stoppage victories come from outpunching and outclassing his opponents but rarely scoring clean knockouts.

 

Pacquiao:

Pacquiao boxes from a southpaw stance, moving forward and bobbing and feinting his way in.  Once in close, he uses his right hand to find the range and then unleashes his powerful left, either straight or looping, and he will often double and triple it to the body and head.  Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward.  Has soundly developed under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, developing a decent right hook, either as a lead punch or thrown behind the left.  Uses quick head shifts to slip punches while moving forward. Is no longer the feared finisher he once was earlier in his career.

 

STRENGTHS

Mayweather:

* Experience – Boxing is in Mayweather’s blood, and he’s been involved in the sport since his childhood.  Completed an extensive amateur career by winning the bronze medal in the ’96 Olympic Games.  He has been competing successfully on a championship level for the past 17 years, facing and defeating fighters with a variety of styles.

 

* Conditioning – Mayweather is a fitness freak with an amazing work ethic when it comes to training.  Few fighters push themselves as much as Mayweather does in the gym, even doing midnight training sessions.  It is evident in the ring when his stamina carries him in the late rounds.

 

* Ring Generalship – Mayweather knows every inch of the ring and how to control a fight.  He knows when to attack, when to box, when to turn up the heat, and when to coast.  Mayweather owns the ring when he is in there.  Even the rare times when he has been stunned in fights, he was able to quickly settle down and quell the threat.

 

 

Pacquiao:

* Unorthodox Style – Pacquiao is very unorthodox, even for a southpaw.  He moves straight in but is hard to time with his bobbing and head feints.  Before most opponents can time his onrushes, he is throwing whirlwind punches from a variety of angles.

 

* Speed – Pacquiao is fleet of foot and the owner of very fast hands, especially for a boxer with such considerable power.  He quickly moves into position and fires rapid one-two combinations. He’s expanded his arsenal to include blinding combinations of hooks, uppercuts, and double or triple left hands.

 

* Stamina – Pacquiao is always in tremendous shape and fights just as hard in the last round as he does in the first.  He applies a ton of pressure and is constantly punching, wearing opponents down in the process.

 

WEAKNESSES

Mayweather:

* Aging – Mayweather may have an unblemished record, but Father Time has never been defeated.  Mayweather has been more flat-footed in recent bouts.  His first encounter with Marcos Maidana was a rough and tumble affair where Mayweather looked very ordinary.  The rematch was more definitive but unimpressive.

 

* Distractions – Maweather loves to be in the public eye and never shies away from controversy.  Most notably are his public disputes and reconciliations with his father and trainer, Floyd Mayweather, Senior.  The most recent camp turbulence came in the form of a training camp dispute between Floyd Sr. and Alex Ariza, working as the strength and conditioning coach.  A non-harmonious training camp could lead to unnecessary distractions.

 

* Punching Power – Most of Mayweather’s stoppage wins came from an accumulation of punches.  The usual result is the referee or opposing corner stopping the bout to prevent further punishment.  Notwithstanding his controversial and explosive knockout of Victor Ortiz, it is rare to see Mayweather finish a bout with one punch, dating all the way back to his days as a 130-pounder.

 

 

Pacquiao:

* Killer Instinct – Pacquiao was once regarded as a ruthless buzzsaw, cutting through opponents until they succumbed.  He has since lost that edge, failing to win a fight by stoppage since 2009.  More of a concern is that on several occasions he eased up on outclassed opponents, allowing them to survive the last few rounds.

 

* Trouble with Counterpunchers – Pacquiao is an aggressive, offense-first fighter who will freely throw punches, but he can be timed and is often open to be hit with counters.  Juan Manuel Marquez gave him fits with movement and counter punches, even scoring a spectacular knockout over Pacquiao with a perfectly-timed counter right hand.

 

* Age – Pacquiao is no longer the phenomenon he was in his 20s.  He is now in his mid-30s.  As he has physically aged, he has also taken on a super human schedule with political aspirations in his home country, numerous personal appearances, and several difficult bouts.

 

 

PREVIOUS BOUT

Mayweather:

(09-13-14) Mayweather neutralized and outboxed Marcos Maidana in a rematch from their closer-than-expected bout from four months prior.  While the action was sparse, it was a case of Mayweather using his superior skills and intelligence to thwart his aggressive but limited opponent.

 

Pacquiao:

(11-20-14) Pacquiao won a dominating unanimous decision over the game but vastly inexperienced Chris Algieri.  Pacquiao was in control from the start and scored a total of six knockdowns, somehow failing to score the knockout some experts thought he needed to be in position for the Mayweather fight to happen.

 

THREE BEST PERFORMANCES

 

Mayweather:

* Diego Corrales (1/20/01) – Experts were torn on who to pick in this one with many leaning towards Corrales to win by KO.  Mayweather never let him in the bout, knocking him down five times before the referee halted the bout in the 10th round.

 

* Arturo Gatti (6/25/05) – Although Mayweather was a solid betting favorite, many expected Gatti to make things rough for Mayweather.  It never happened, as Mayweather floored Gatti in the first round and dealt out a severe beating before Gatti’s corner stopped the bout after six one-sided rounds.

 

* Ricky Hatton (12/8/07) – Hatton was undefeated coming into the bout and set a gameplan of constant pressure to wear out Mayweather.  After a few uncomfortable rounds, Mayweather was able to find his range and take over, flooring Hatton twice in the 10th round and forcing a stoppage.

 

Pacquiao:

* Oscar De la Hoya (12/06/08) – It’s hard to imagine now, but the consensus at the time was that De la Hoya would destroy the smaller Pacquiao in a landslide.  It was a landslide, but it was Pacquiao dishing out the beating, ripping De la Hoya apart with both hands.  After eight one-sided and brutal rounds, a swollen and bloodied De la Hoya was beaten into permanent retirement.

* Miguel Cotto (11/14/09) – Pacquiao impressively dismantled the larger and physically imposing Cotto.  Pacquiao dropped the Puerto Rican superstar twice early. From the 6th round on, Pacquiao had Cotto in a defensive shell, battering him until the referee stopped the bout in the 12th round.

* Ricky Hatton (05/02/09) – Pacquio ran through Hatton in fast and destructive fashion.  Hatton–while still an underdog–was expected to provide a challenge with his strength and mauling tactics.  Pacquiao unveiled an improved right hook and had Hatton down twice in the first round before crushing him with a devastating knockout in the second.

 

 

COMMON OPPONENTS

*Oscar De la Hoya

– Mayweather: Split Decision 2007

– Pacquiao: TKO 8th round 2008

 

*Miguel Cotto

– Mayweather: Unanimous Decision 2013

– Pacquiao: TKO 12th round 2009

 

*Ricky Hatton

– Mayweather: TKO 10th round 2007

– Pacquiao: KO 2nd round 2009

 

* Shane Mosley

– Mayweather: Unanimous Decision 2010

– Pacquiao: Unanimous Decision 2011

 

* Juan Manuel Marquez

– Mayweather: Unanimous Decision 2009

– Pacquiao: Draw 2004, Split Decision 2008, Majority Decision 2011,

KO’d 6th round 2012

 

 

KEYS TO VICTORY

 

Mayweather:

* Get Pacquiao’s respect early, timing his rushes, and hitting him with straight right hands.

 

* Use clinches to smother Pacquiao and thwart any offensive momentum.

 

* Do not try to trade punches with Pacquiao.

 

 

 

Pacquiao:

* Use feints to get Mayweather to make the first move.

 

* Don’t aim strictly at Mayweather’s head.  Focus on the body, arms, and torso?

 

* Do not let Mayweather control the tempo.

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

* Can the fight live up to the hype?  Unless this turns out to be Hagler-Hearns, Gatti-Ward, and Ali-Frazier all rolled up into one, it will be nearly impossible to live up to the hype that has surrounded this match-up for over six years.  The hype might be inflated and overbearing, but it can still be entertaining.

 

* Is the fight happening too late?  Both fighters are in their late 30s. While these two phenoms are still elite competitors, they are past their primes.  Even so, instances of fighters past their primes matching up perfectly and turning in an epic encounter have occurred on several occasions.

 

* Who has the most to lose?  Mayweather without a doubt has the most to lose.  Pacquiao is an icon in his home country, so no matter what happens, he will remain a beloved figure.  Mayweather is boasting about himself as “The Best Ever” and relishes his undefeated record.  He even said recently that he’s better than Muhammad Ali was. A loss obliterates the “0” on Mayweather’s record and will provide more fodder for the argument that he is not even the best of his generation.

 

* How will their styles match up?  It figures to be a classic boxer vs puncher match-up.  Mayweather is a consummate strategist.  He is a master of figuring out his opponents, frustrating them, and setting up counter punches.  Pacquiao will press the action, try to overwhelm, breaking through Mayweather’s defense with a high volume of punches.  It will be a clash of Quantity against Quality.  Pacquiao will throw more punches, more punches than anybody has ever thrown against Mayweather.  Mayweather will throw less but land at a higher connect rate, with sharp counter punches.

 

* What are the chances of a Knockout?  Pacquiao is known as the better puncher, but he has failed to score a stoppage victory since battering Miguel Cotto in 2009.  Mayweather has scored only one stoppage victory since 2007 against the weak-chinned Victor Ortiz.  The two most likely scenarios for a knockout win would either be Pacquiao becoming reckless and leaving himself open to Mayweather’s straight right hand or Mayweather suddenly becoming an old fighter and wilting under Pacquiao’s relentless pressure.  Likely, this fight will go to the scorecards.

 

 

* Will the officials factor into the conclusion?  Kenny Bayless has been assigned as the referee and is regarded as one of the best in boxing.  He has worked as the referee in six previous Pacquiao fights and four previous Mayweather bouts.  The only backlash he received from those ten total bouts was the Mayweather-Maidana rematch where he was criticized for breaking up the inside clinches too quickly, seemingly favoring Mayweather against the mauling style of Maidana.  With Mayweather naturally bigger than Pacquiao, breaking up clinches quickly (especially if Pacquiao has any momentum) would serve more as a disadvantage to Mayweather.  The judges are Burt Clements, Dave Moretti, both veteran officials in Las Vegas, and Glenn Feldman, based out of Connecticut.  Moretti has worked nine Mayweather bouts and six Pacquiao bouts.  Clements has worked three Mayweather bouts and one Pacquiao bout.  Feldman has only worked one Mayweather bout early in his career.

 

* What happens next?  If the fight turns out to be entertaining, close, or controversial, a rematch is possible depending on the outcome.

If Mayweather wins, he is 48-0 and can walk away from Pacquiao and seek a different challenge for his final fight.  He could even seek a possible move up to grab a title at middleweight and another superfight with the next big sensation Gennady Golovkin.

If Pacquiao wins, a rematch is almost a given, especially with so much money on the table.

A draw would also most likely force a rematch for the final fight of Mayweather’s career sometime in September.

 

PENECALE PREDICTION

The anticipation as the fighters make their way to the ring will be electric.  The growing crescendo of excitement will continue through the introductions with Mayweather sporting a confident smirk and Pacquaio fixated with an icy glare.

 

The waiting will be over when the bell rings and both fighters come out to the center of the ring.  Mayweather will be moving to his left, rolling his hands and probing with a soft jab.  Pacquiao will be like a coiled spring, bouncing back and forth and feinting with his jab.  Pacquiao will throw a few wild left hands that Mayweather backs away from, his back hitting the ropes as he slides away to his right.  The round will end without anything conclusive landing for either fighter, making it difficult to score.

 

Pacquiao will look to increase the pace in the second round and outwork Mayweather.  While Mayweather is the center of the ring, he will dictate the pace and the action, keeping Pacquiao limited to throwing one punch at a time.  When Pacquiao is able to cut the ring off and back Mayweather to the ropes, he will unleash combinations.  The flurries for the most part won’t land, but the work rate will stir the crowd into a frenzy.

 

Pacquaio will continue the high volume of punches through the 3rd and 4th rounds until Mayweather lands a right hand while their feet are tangled, causing Pacquiao to sprawl to the canvas.  He will protest while Bayless administers the count, but he will not be hurt. Mayweather will smile and move in, throwing a few right hands, truly seeing if Pacquiao is stunned.  Pacquiao will respond with his own vicious left hand, bringing the crowd to their feet as the bell rings.

 

Mayweather will again box cautiously starting the 5th round, staying on the outside and pivoting away when Pacquiao gets close.  The fight will resemble a cat and mouse affair with Pacquiao trying to corner Mayweather and Mayweather trying to bait him into making a mistake.  Pacquiao will be the aggressor, throwing far more punches.  Mayweather will be timing him with single counter punches throughout the 6th and 7th rounds.

 

A sharp left hand by Pacquiao in the 8th round will startle Mayweather and cause blood to leak from his nose.  Pacquiao will try to press the advantage and unleash another torrent of punches.  Mayweather will pull away against the ropes, and Pacquiao will focus his attention to the body with a combination of punches to the chest and shoulder, forcing Mayweather to clinch and break the momentum.

 

Mayweather will get up on his toes in the 9th round, using lateral movement to keep Pacquiao from setting his feet and unleashing more than one punch at a time.  Pacquiao will step in with a few lefts that are blocked, but Mayweather’s movement will keep him from throwing any follow-up punches.  As Mayweather slips out, he will land his own counter punches, making it another difficult round to score.

 

Throughout the 10th and 11th rounds, Mayweather will execute a plan to counter Pacquiao with single punches and avoid most of his counter flurries.  Pacquiao will step in with a hard left to the body, forcing a Mayweather clinch.  When the action resumes, Pacquiao will look to attack the body again, only to be met with a straight right hand over the top.

 

The final round in a very close bout will see Mayweather neutralizing Pacquiao’s rushes, landing single counter punches and pivoting away from danger, sharpshooting from the outside.  Pacquiao will desperately try to corner Mayweather but he won’t allow it, moving on the outside and clinching in close, bringing an anticlimactic ending as the final bell rings.

 

It will take several minutes for the scorecards to be tabulated, with the consensus believing Mayweather won 7 rounds, including a knockdown.  Pacquaio will pray in his corner while Mayweather smiles and laughs with his entourage.

 

The decision will be as follows.  Glen Feldman will score the bout 114-113 for Pacquaio.  Burt Clements will score 115-112 for Mayweather.  Dave Moretti will score the bout a very curious 115-112 for the winner of the biggest superfight of the century…. MANNY “PACMAN” PACQUIAO!!!!

 

With the decision announced, a disgusted Mayweather will demand a rematch before storming out of the ring, setting up another lucrative event in September and a possible trilogy.

 

BRITISH BOXING SENSATION AMIR “KING” KHAN TO FACE FORMER WORLD CHAMPION CHRIS ALGIERI AS PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS RETURNS TO SPIKE TV ON FRIDAY, MAY 29 LIVE FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

 

 

Tickets On Sale Tomorrow!

 

BROOKLYN (April 15, 2015) – Boxing superstar Amir “King” Khan (30-3, 19 KOs) returns to the ring to take on former world champion  (20-1, 8 KOs) on Friday, May 29, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York as the Main Event in an exciting Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) card on Spike TV.

 

The televised action begins live on Spike TV at 9 pm ET/6 p.m. PT.  Doors at Barclays Center open at 6 p.m. ET.

 

“I have happy memories of New York having made my successful U.S. debut there against Paulie Malignaggi in 2010,” said Khan. “I’m delighted to now be fighting there once again against another champion in Chris Algieri. Algieri has shared the ring with some tremendous fighters and shown great skills in those fights so I know I will need to be at my very best when we meet. In all my fights I bring excitement, speed and skill and can guarantee more fireworks on May 29 at Barclays Center.”

 

“I am very excited to get back into the ring and to be fighting here in New York,” said Algieri. “Fighting at Barclays Center, where I won my world title just under a year ago, is an added bonus. Amir Khan is a tested champion and is the matchup that I wanted. I believe this is a fight that will bring the best out of me.”

 

“I am thrilled to be returning to Barclays Center for another terrific PBC event,” stated Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Amir Khan is hands down one of the biggest names in the sport.  Coming off a huge win over Devon Alexander, Khan is on the short list to participate in a future mega fight. He must first get by the hometown fan favorite, Algieri. This is a fight that Chris wanted. He is looking to show the world that he belongs, at the arena where he shocked the world and upset Ruslan Provodnikov for a world title. We expect an electric atmosphere come May 29th.”

 

“We are excited to bring two outstanding fighters in Amir Kahn and Chris Algieri to Brooklyn,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. “Khan is among the most talked about and dynamic fighters in the sport, and Long Island’s own Algieri had his career defining win at Barclays Center last June. Our first PBC event in Brooklyn on April 11 was a huge success and we expect another big night on May 29. After less than three years in existence, Barclays Center is cementing itself as the premier boxing venue in the country.”

 

“We are thrilled to present this must-see matchup between of one of the sport’s true superstars, Amir Khan, and the tough-as-nails New Yorker, Chris Algieri, fighting in front of his hometown fans,” said Jon Slusser, Senior Vice President, Sports, Spike TV.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and Star Boxing, are priced at $250, $150, $75 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale tomorrow, Thursday, April 16th at 2 p.m. ET. Tickets are available atwww.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Friday, April 17 at noon ET. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

 

A 28-year-old star who first burst onto the scene with his silver medal-winning performance at the 2004 Olympics, Khan is an exciting fighter who has shown incredible offensive skills and improved defensive technique since moving up to the welterweight division. His last two fights have come against former welterweight world champions Devon Alexander and Luis Collazo. He cruised to victory in those two contests and now looks to defeat another former champion when he battles the tough Algieri on May 29. Fighting out of Bolton, United Kingdom, the former super lightweight world champion is eager to make an impression in his first start at Barclays Center.

 

Algieri rose to fame in June 2014 at Barclays Center when he upset Ruslan Provodnikov for a super lightweight world title. The 31-year-old returns to the scene of his greatest triumph on May 29 to take on the British superstar Khan. The former kickboxing champion from Huntington, New York, built his undefeated boxing record on the strength of his excellent movement and skill with the jab. His victory over Provodnikov earned him a shot at Manny Pacquiao in Nov. 2014, a bout that Algieri ultimately lost.  He had previously defeated strong contenders Mike Arnaoutis and Emanuel Taylor on the way to his world title.

 

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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, www.barclayscenter.com andwww.dbe1.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AmirKingKhan, @ChrisAlgieri, @LouDiBella, @SpikeTV and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/AmirKhanThePage,www.Facebook.com/ChrisAlgieri and www.Facebook.com/Spike. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BrooklynBoxing.