WBA Super Lightweight Champion Barrios Takes on Four-Time World Champion Gervonta Davis Headlining SHOWTIME PPV®Lørdag, Juni 26 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta Klikk HER for Bilder fra Esther Lin / SHOWTIME Klikk HERfor Photos from Mayweather Promotions HAYWARD, CALIF. (Juni 10, 2021) – Unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight ChampionMario “El Azteca” Barrios shared updates on training camp and previewed his upcoming showdown against four-time world championGervonta “Tank” Davis before they square off in the SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, Juni 26 from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased atticketmaster.com.
The 26-year-old Barrios will be looking for a signature victory on June 26, and will bring a 5 ½ inch height advantage into the matchup against Davis. Since moving up to 140-pounds, Barrios is 9-0 med åtte knockouts, and scored multiple knockdowns in the only fight that went the distance, his title-winning performance over Batyr Akhmedov. The San Antonio-native is buoyed by having renowned veteran trainer Virgil Hunter in his corner.
Here is what Barrios and Hunter had to say about training camp, Davis and more:
MARIO Barrios
“This is a huge opportunity for me. Gervonta Davis has a huge name in the sport and outside of it. This is the type of fight that can accelerate both of our names after June 26.
“I think Gervonta and his team might have bit off more than they could chew with this fight. I’m not one to talk too much, but we’ll see how it plays out when we step into the ring on June 26.
“’Tank’ is going to be in there with a full blown 140-pounder. He’s not going against someone past their prime or going up in weight. I’m a guy who goes out and gets stoppages. He’s facing someone just as dangerous as he is, but two weight classes higher than what he’s used to seeing.
“We know Gervonta is a dangerous fighter. We know the threat that we have in front of us. But I’m just as dangerous, if not more dangerous. I’ve been dangerous at 140 pounds for quite some time now.
“I have speed, power and explosiveness, just like Gervonta. But I have the length and physical stature to present problems that he’s never faced before.
“I know that I have power that carries from round one through round 12. He’s not used to being at this weight and we’re going to see how he handles that move up.
“I’m confident because I have a great team behind me. I’ve had a tremendous training camp. I go into every fight with confidence in my preparation. Just like every fight, I’m more than prepared for fight night.
“This is going to be fireworks from the opening bell. We have everything we need to make this the ‘Fight of the Year’.
“This is the moment that I’ve been dreaming of since I was a kid. It just goes to show that everything I’ve been working for my whole life is now unfolding in front of me. This is just the beginning and I’m ready to seize this opportunity.”
VIRGIL HUNTER, Barrios’ Trainer
“The preparation is going really well. We feel really good. Mario is as ready as he can be, so we’re looking forward to an exciting fight. He understands the importance of this fight. It’s a career-defining fight at this stage of his career, so he understands the significance of it. He understands what a victory means and what a setback means. He understands right where he is. His career is still in front of him because he’s a young fighter. But at this stage, it’s a very important fight and a victory would mean a lot.
“You always have to acknowledge ‘Tank’s’ punching power. You have to acknowledge his quickness and his IQ. His attributes appear to be very much real from what I’ve seen. There’s not anything about him that you cannot take seriously. You have to take everything about him seriously. He’s got a good corner and good people behind him so that makes for a formidable opponent.
“Mario’s reach and height is an advantage if you know how to use it to your advantage. It could be an advantage or could be a disadvantage. The thing is that we’re going to find the avenues to take advantage of it and make it work for us. På den andre siden, it could be a disadvantage. Height and reach has never meant much to me in boxing because there are ways to overcome each stature that a fighter possesses. It’s who imposes their strategy and who imposes their will on the other who I think is going to come out victorious.
“The work ethic is there. Mario has a high ceiling that he hasn’t reached yet. He’s going towards that, but when he came here, he came with a high ceiling. A lot of fighters come and they’ve reached their ceiling, so there’s only so much you can do with them. But Mario has a lot of room for improvement and growth and I would say the best Mario Barrios is coming a couple years from now. But that doesn’t mean that he won’t be victorious on June 26. He definitely has what it takes to be victorious.”
# # #
OM DAVIS VS. BARRIOS Davis vs. Barrios will see four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis set his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class when he faces undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in a SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, Juni 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT and will feature a battle of two top 154-pound contenders as Erickson “Hammer” Lubin faces former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Former unified super welterweight champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams returns to the ring to take on Brian Mendoza in a 10-round showdown and hard-hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov steps in against former world champion Argenis Mendez in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.
Arrangementet promoteres av Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions. The Akhmedov vs. Mendez fight is promoted in association with World of Boxing.
GERVONTA DAVIS LAS VEGAS MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS Four-Time World Champion Davis Prepares for SHOWTIME PPV®Main Event Showdown Against WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios Saturday, Juni 26 from State Farm Arena in Atlanta Klikk HER for Bilder fra Esther Lin / SHOWTIME Klikk HERfor Photos from Mayweather Promotions Klikk HERfor Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions LAS VEGAS (Juni 10, 2021) – Four-time world championGervonta “Tank” Davis held a media workout in Las Vegas Wednesday as he approaches his showdown against WBA Super Lightweight ChampionMario “El Azteca” Barrios which headlines a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, Juni 26 from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased atticketmaster.com.
One of boxing’s biggest stars at just 26-years-old, Davis moves up to 140-pounds for the first time in his career as he aims to add super lightweight champion to his stellar resume. With a victory, Davis will hold world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few fighters in history, including Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez.
Here is what Davis, along with trainerCalvin Ford, og Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, had to say Wednesday from the Mayweather Boxing Club:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“We can’t say who the bigger puncher is until we get in that ring and test his power. It doesn’t matter who is stronger, I want to be better than him across the board and in every aspect of the game.
“People who are here in the gym with me see a lot of things that I don’t need to bring out, even in my fights. Floyd is always telling me to box and use my skills, and don’t always look for the knockout. This camp we’ve actually been working on getting back to that and letting the knockout come.
"For meg, greatness is just not going backwards. I just want to keep going forward no matter what. No matter who’s in front of me, I just have to go through them. Where I’m from, a lot of people don’t make it out, so I’m doing something right. It doesn’t even have to be an opponent, it can be something outside of the ring. I’m always chasing greatness.
“My thing is just beat whoever is put in front of me. When it’s time, we’ll see who the top guy is. Inntil da, I don’t need to speak on any other fighter than the one in front of me.
“Barrios and I have been through the amateurs together. He’s known what I’ve been doing. It’s crazy how life works out sometimes.
“I’m a team player, so whatever my team tells me has to be done to better myself, I’m all for it. That’s what’s made me so good. I don’t just stand out by myself. I have the best team in boxing.
“My last fight people complained that Leo Santa Cruz was too small, so I’m basically going out there and showing that a size difference doesn’t matter. I’m going to beat whoever they put in front of me. I’m trying to chase greatness.
“I’m definitely looking to walk down the bigger guy. He might feel like he can walk me down. I was definitely watching Floyd fight a much bigger guy in Logan Paul and taking a few pointers from it.
“I don’t know what Barrios will bring, but from my side, I’m bringing everything I’ve got. You know whenever I fight, I’m bringing something for the fans to enjoy.”
CALVIN FORD, Davis’ Trainer
“’Tank’s’ pay-per-view numbers opened up the doors for the rest of them. It’s because of ‘Tank’s’ social media. When people ask me why people gravitate towards him – he’s just like any kid that’s coming up from the inner cities. Look at basketball players – inner cities. Look at football players – inner cities. He’s showing them that if you put the right people around you and you put your mind to something, alt er mulig.
“’Tank’, Devin Haney, Teofimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia will be the Four Kings if the fights happen. La oss holde det ekte. Akkurat nå, they’re doing the same thing that the Four Kings did at the beginning stage. All we have to do is sit back and let the minds that be, do their thing. It’s going to happen. All these fights that people want to see are going to happen.
“Have you noticed that ‘Tank’ don’t call anybody out? He never did. But if you put him in front of somebody, he’s going to show you. If you know ‘Tank’ from the amateurs, he’s going to show up in the ring. He’s like a baby Mike Tyson.
“The weight isn’t what I’m focused on, it’s actually the opponent. When I started studying the opponent, his coach and I go way back in the amateurs. When we see each other, we know each other. It’s about the minds. He knows his athlete and I know my athlete. That night, it’s about the minds. It’s about who is going to hold fast to what they’re supposed to be doing. That’s the fight for me.
“I wouldn’t say this is the toughest test of ‘Tank’s’ career because nobody can show me the best of ‘Tank’ yet. I know the best of ‘Tank’. Ya’ll ain’t seen ‘Tank’.”
LEONARD Ellerbe, CEO i Mayweather Kampanjer
“From top to bottom this is one of those pay-per-view events that you don’t want to miss. Anytime you have the most exciting fighter in the sport, you know it’s going to be big. Don’t expect anything less on June 26.
“Coach Calvin Ford is a tremendous trainer who’s been with Gervonta since day one and they have a great game plan in place. I fully expect him to be able to execute. But Barrios is coming for him. He’s got a great trainer himself in Virgil Hunter and has made great progression with Virgil.
“We know this is going to be a tough fight, but Gervonta just has to figure it out from the opening bell. And I believe he’ll do that, but it will take some time. Barrios is looking to upset the apple cart.
“Gervonta is molding into his comfort zone. He’s becoming more comfortable with the media because he truly understands what he has in front of him. He knows that his ceiling is to be the biggest star in the sport. On the inside of the ring though, nothing has changed.
“The co-feature is a terrific bout with Erickson Lubin taking on Jeison Rosario. That’s going to be a very entertaining fight. A win for Lubin puts him one step closer to his ultimate goal. Lubin feels like he’s the best in the weight class and eventually right that wrong of his loss to Jermell Charlo. But he has a tough rugged fighter in front of him and that should be an exciting bout.
“Former unified champion Julian Williams is looking to bounce back against Brian Mendoza on the pay-per-view. Julian is obviously one of the top fighters in the division, and he’s looking to get back what he lost.
“In the opening bout the very tough Batyr Akhmedov is up against Argenis Mendez, who is always in go-mode. So it really shows you how highly entertaining this card is all the way through. I’m really excited to be back at State Farm Arena.”
(Photo Credit: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME) “Barrios is coming with power, and you know for sure I’m coming with power. Måtte den beste mann vinne," – Davis “We’ve never faced fighters like each other before. We’re going to see on June 26 if it’s the right move for him," – Nabolag Four-Time World Champion Gervonta Davis Seeks Title In A Third Division Against Unbeaten Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios Headlining A SHOWTIME PPV® Lørdag, Juni 26 In A Premier Boxing Champions Event From State Farm Arena In Atlanta Klikk HER for Bilder fra Esther Lin / SHOWTIME Klikk HERfor Photos from Mayweather Promotions ATLANTA (Mai 20, 2021) – Four-time world championGervonta “Tank” Davis and undefeated WBA Super Lightweight ChampionMario “El Azteca” Barrios went face-to-face Thursday at a press conference to preview their SHOWTIME PPV main event taking place Saturday, Juni 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
One of boxing’s biggest stars at just 26-years-old, Davis will take on a career-defining challenge in the undefeated Barrios, as he sets his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class. With a victory, Davis will hold world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few fighters in history. Standing in his way is the undefeated 26-year-old Barrios, who owns a 9-0 record with eight knockouts during his 140-pound reign and holds a six-inch height advantage over Davis.
Davis returns to fight at State Farm Arena after selling out the venue in December 2019 during a star-studded event that saw him stop former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the 12thand final round to capture a lightweight title.
Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, gå på salg i morgen, Fredag, Mai 21 ved 10 a.m. OG, og kan kjøpes på ticketmaster.com.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday at State Farm Arena:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“Camp has been great for me. We know that Barrios is a bigger guy and that he can punch. We’re working hard each day in the gym, because we’re going up against a big task on June 26.
“We all have challenges we go through in life, and that’s what makes us strong. This is another challenge that I have on my road to success. I’m ready to walk through it and keep pushing.
“We know this is a dangerous fight. Barrios is coming with power and you know for sure I’m coming with power. Måtte den beste mann vinne.
“I took this fight because I want to be great. All the other big names at lightweight had scheduled fights so I felt like I wanted to go out and beat the best fighter out there for me.
“Even if he is bigger than me on fight night, det spiller ingen rolle. This is all part of the sport. My goal is to break him down. If I can get him out of there, I’ll get him out of there. If it goes 12 runder, Så være det. He’s big and strong, but he’s never faced anyone like me.
“We have to wait and see what happens on fight night. Different styles dictate what I need to show in the fight. We’ll see what he brings to the table, and then we’ll capitalize off of it.
“I’m not worried about losing any speed by adding weight. I’m going to be quick regardless. I think I’m going to be at my best at 140-pounds.
“Like all of the rest of my fights, this is going to be action packed. Don’t go get popcorn during the fight, because it could end at any moment. I bring what boxing needs, and that’s excitement. We all know when I fight, it’s never a boring fight. Fra første runde, until whenever it ends, I just keep coming, in all of my fights. That’s what you’re going to see June 26.”
MARIO Barrios
“This is a huge opportunity for me. ‘Tank’ called me out. I know he’s trying to do something great, but this is a dangerous fight for him. It’s going to be an action-packed fight. We’ve never faced fighters like each other before. We’re going to see on June 26 if it’s the right move for him.
“I fight to represent my city and my people. I’m going to go out there and do my best to make everybody proud.
“They might be looking at my fight against Batyr Akhmedov closely. But I think he has a totally different style and that this fight will be different than what they expect if they just watch that match. I don’t know what they see in me to want this fight, but none of it matters to me. All the questions are going to be answered on June 26.
“’Tank’ is jumping up two weight classes. He’s doing something a lot of great fighters have done. He even said it: this isn’t an easy fight for him. We’re ready to face the best version of ‘Tank’ that anyone has ever seen and it’s going to be war.
“I was surprised when his name was brought up to me. But whether you like ‘Tank’ or not, he has one of the biggest names in boxing. This is the type of fight that can skyrocket my name up there to the top level of the sport.
“’Tank’ is a good fighter and a very explosive fighter. There is the question of whether he’s bringing his power up to 140. I don’t have any concerns about it though. He’s the guy who has to show people he can handle my power at this weight.
“I’m excited to be fighting in Atlanta. This is my first time here actually but I know the fans here are very passionate. I’m expecting to see a great turnout here at State Farm Arena.”
LEONARD Ellerbe, CEO i Mayweather Kampanjer
“’Tank’ is a generational fighter. He has certain abilities that others just don’t. He’s special, but this is a dangerous fight for him. This is a tremendous challenge and I’m really excited for this fight.
“Atlanta is a hot market. Obviously the first fight they had in a long time was ‘Tank’ vs. Yuriorkis Gamboa and it was a packed sold out crowd in this building. The fans really enjoyed it. The city needs big events like this. We told the fans we were coming back and here we are.
“’Tank’ is chasing history. When you look back at a lot of all-time greats, they’ve gone through things no one else ever has. Looking to be a three-division champion at 26 years old is another example of him chasing greatness like that.
“’Tank’ is the most exciting fighter in the entire sport and he gives the fans what they want to see. He puts butts in seats. People gravitate to the way he fights. This new generation of fans that we have, they love him.”
# # #
OM DAVIS VS. BARRIOS Davis vs. Barrios will see four-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis set his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class when he faces undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in a SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, Juni 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT and will feature a battle of two top 154-pound contenders as Erickson “Hammer” Lubin faces former unified champion Jeison Rosario in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Former unified super welterweight champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams returns to the ring to take on Brian Mendoza in a 10-round showdown and hard-hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov steps in against former world champion Argenis Mendez in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view telecast.
Arrangementet promoteres av Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions. The Akhmedov vs. Mendez fight is promoted in association with World of Boxing.
FOUR-TIME WORLD CHAMPION GERVONTA DAVIS SEEKS TITLE IN A THIRD DIVISION AGAINST UNBEATEN SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION MARIO BARRIOS HEADLINING A SHOWTIME PPV® Lørdag, Juni 26 IN A PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS EVENT LIVE FROM STATE FARM ARENA IN ATLANTA Top Contender Erickson Lubin and Former Unified Champion Jeison Rosario Battle in WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in Co-Main Event Former Unified Champion Julian Williams Takes On Rugged Contender Brian Mendoza and Hard-Hitting Olympian Batyr Akhmedov Duels Former World Champion Argenis Mendez In Pay-Per-View Action Beginning at 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT Tickets on Sale Friday at 10 a.m. OG! ATLANTA (Mai 19, 2021) – Four-time world championGervonta “Tank” Davis will take on a career-defining challenge as he sets his sights on capturing a title in a third weight class when he faces undefeated WBA Super Lightweight ChampionMario “El Azteca” Barrios in a SHOWTIME PPV main event Saturday, Juni 26 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The pay-per-view undercard will feature a battle of two top 154-pound contenders asErickson "Hammer" Lubin faces former unified championJeison Rosarioin a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. Former unified super welterweight championJulian "J-Rock" Williams returns to the ring for the first time in 18 months to take onBrian Mendozain a 10-round showdown and hard-hitting OlympianBatyr Akhmedovsteps in against former world championArgenis Mendez in a 12-round WBA Super Lightweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view telecast at 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT.
Tickets for the live event at State Farm Arena, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. OG, og kan kjøpes på ticketmaster.com. The Akhmedov vs. Mendez fight is promoted in association with World of Boxing.
One of boxing’s biggest stars at just 26-years-old, Davis moves up to 140-pounds for the first time in his career as he aims to add super lightweight champion to his stellar resume. Davis has already captured titles at 130 and 135-pounds. With a victory, Davis will hold world championships in three different divisions simultaneously, a feat only accomplished by a few fighters in history, including Henry Armstrong and Canelo Alvarez. Standing in his way is the undefeated 25-year-old Barrios, who owns a 9-0 record with eight knockouts during his 140-pound reign while holding a six-inch height advantage over Davis.
“Gervonta Davis is looking to become a three-division world champion, and has a big undertaking in front of him in challenging Barrios for his WBA title at 140-pounds,”Sa Leonard Ellerbe, CEO i Mayweather Kampanjer. “Barrios is a warrior, and this is going to be Davis’ toughest fight to date. Atlanta, be ready for a show on June 26!"
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) delivered a highlight-reel knockout in his last fight, producing another sensational and memorable performance that has made him a popular draw throughout the country. Davis stopped four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz with one powerful uppercut in that October 2020 fight and put Santa Cruz down and out for the first time in his illustrious career. Fremmet av Mayweather Kampanjer, Davis will make his second headline appearance on pay-per-view as he has asserted himself as a must-see headline attraction in his first pay-per-view
Davis first burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title in a star-making performance on SHOWTIME® i januar 2017. På tidspunktet, han ble den yngste verdensmesteren i boksing i en alder 22. The Baltimore-native also owns knockout performances in world title fights over Jesus Cuellar in 2018 and Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2019. Den 2019 triumph over Gamboa came at a sold out State Farm Arena, during a year that also saw him fill venues in his hometown of Baltimore and Southern California.
“I’m excited to make history on June 26 in Atlanta and become a three-division world champion,"Sa Davis. “Atlanta welcomed me with open arms for my fight against Gamboa and I couldn’t wait to come back and headline a spectacular SHOWTIME PPV card. Mario Barrios is an undefeated champion, but he hasn’t ever faced anyone like me before. Moving up to 140-pounds is a big challenge but I’ve been working hard in camp and I’ll be ready. Thank you to my whole team for making this historic boxing event possible. Make sure you get your tickets early because this fight is definitely selling out! Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you!"
Nabolag (26-0, 17 KOs) captured his 140-pound championship in September 2019, scoring two knockdowns and fighting through a cut to win a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov. The San Antonio-native trains in Oakland, Calif., under veiledning av den anerkjente treneren Virgil Hunter. I sin siste opptreden, Barrios knocked out Ryan Karl in the sixth-round of their clash on the pay-per-view undercard of Davis vs. Santa Cruz.
Standing nearly six-feet tall, Barrios debuted as a pro at super bantamweight in 2013 and had success moving up the rankings in the super featherweight division. His first 140-pound bout came in 2017 and saw him increase his power from his previous performances. At super lightweight, Barrios has scored knockouts in every fight except the title-winning performance against Akhmedov, where his power was still on display with a pair of knockdowns.
“Fighting on SHOWTIME PPV is a dream come true and an opportunity that I’m going to take full advantage of,”Sa Barrios. “Gervonta Davis is a pound-for-pound champion and it’s going to be an honor sharing the ring with him. This fight is my shining moment and the pinnacle of the boxing world, on the biggest stage possible. Boxing fans around the globe will be watching this fight and I’m coming to shock the world. To all my Mexican fans, I’m going to bring this historic victory home for La Raza.”
The 25-year-old Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) has put together an impressive five-bout winning streak since a loss to unified 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo in 2017. I sin siste opptreden, he defeated U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha by unanimous decision in September of last year. Prior to the victory over Gausha, he became the first person to stop former champion Ishe Smith, in addition to a dominating victory over Nathaniel Gallimore in October 2019. A native of Orlando, Fla., Lubin is trained by acclaimed coach Kevin Cunningham as he continues his quest toward another title opportunity. After a stellar amateur career, Lubin turned pro at 18 years old in 2013, eventually being named “Prospect Of The Year” by ESPN and Ring Magazine in 2016.
“I’m so ready for this fight and we’ve been working hard in preparation for Rosario,” said Lubin. “This fight is another step closer to getting that world title shot. Coach Cunningham and I have a great game plan in place. We know this is going to be a tough fight and the fans are going to see a much-improved version of myself. I’ve taken my training to the next level during this training camp. Rosario is a former world champion who I know is going to bring his best, which is going to make for a great night of boxing. This card is stacked, but I’m going to steal the show with an incredible performance. I will not be denied, I’m coming out on top. It’s Hammer Time!"
Rosary (20-2-1, 14 KOs) will look to climb back into world title contention after losing his 154-pound belts to Jermell Charlo in their September 2020 clash. The 26-year-old captured the WBA and IBF belts by stopping Julian Williams in one of 2020’s biggest upsets. Born in the Dominican Republic and now fighting out of Miami, Rosario rode an eight-fight unbeaten streak into the showdown with Williams, including victories over 154-pound contenders Jamontay Clark, Justin DeLoach, Jorge Cota and Marcos Hernandez. Coming into the Charlo matchup, Rosario had established his power by earning a stoppage victory or scoring a knockdown in seven of his previous nine contests.
“I make no excuses for losing the fight to Charlo, but that was then, and this is now,” said Rosario. “I have turned to a new page in my career with my new trainer Herman Caicedo. I will not lose again, especially in this fight against Lubin. He’s a great contender, and I respect his abilities, but I will knock him out on June 26.”
Philadelphia’s Williams (27-2-1, 16 KOs) became a unified world champion at 154-pounds in May 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd in one of the year’s best fights, winning a close-quarters brawl by unanimous decision. The 31-year-old dropped the titles in his first defense, losing to Jeison Rosario in January 2020. Williams had been riding a five-fight winning streak going into the Rosario matchup, in which he added victories over former champion Ishe Smith and hard-hitting contender Nathaniel Gallimore to his ledger.
“This has been the longest layoff of my career, so I’m excited to get back in the ring,"Sa Williams. “Mendoza is a decent fighter. I’ve even been in the gym with him and he’s a good guy. But on June 26, it’s going to be all business. I just need to come out on top. He doesn’t have anything that I haven’t seen before. I know he’ll be ready because this is like the Super Bowl for him. So I know he’ll be ready, but I’ll be ready too. If I’m able to get the win, then it’s on to bigger and better opportunities. But I’m definitely not looking past Brian because I know how seriously he’s taking this fight.”
Mendoza (19-1, 13 KOs) earned a career best-victory in his last outing, beating veteran contender Thomas LaManna by unanimous decision in August 2020. The 27-year-old has fought professionally since 2014, with his only defeat coming by a narrow split-decision in November 2019 against Larry Gomez. Mendoza was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he won two New Mexico Golden Gloves Championships as an amateur, and currently fights out of Las Vegas.
“This fight against Julian Williams is just the fight I’ve been waiting for,” said Mendoza. “I’m planning to take full advantage of the opportunity. Julian Williams is a great fighter, but after June 26, the whole world is going to know that I belong at this level.”
Born in Uzbekistan and now fighting out of Los Angeles, Akhmedov (8-1, 7 KOs) represented Turkey at the 2016 Olympiske leker. The 30-year-old turned pro in 2017 and won his first seven pro fights, with six coming by knockout. His lone blemish came in an action-packed title fight against Mario Barrios in September 2019, where he was able to survive two knockdowns to make it a close fight, before eventually losing by decision. Sist, Akhmedov blasted out Ray Perez in the first round of their September 2020 clash.
“I can’t wait to get back in the ring for a big fight on June 26,” said Akhmedov. “I’ve been training hard to get another shot at the title. I know that if I make a big statement and defeat a former world champion in Mendez, I expect my next fight will be for the title. I’m always in exciting fights that fans love, and this matchup is going to be no different.”
A former super featherweight champion, Mendez (25-6-3, 12 KOs) has a reputation for providing stiff challenges to the sport’s best and has proven to be a durable contender at 140-pounds, including his most recent outing that saw him drop a split-decision to Richardson Hitchins last December. I 2019, Mendez fought to back-to-back draws against super lightweight contenders Anthony Peterson and Juan Heraldez. Born in San Juan de La Maguana, Den dominikanske republikk, Mendez now fights out of Yonkers, N.Y.. and owns victories over Eddie Ramirez, Ivan Redkach and former titlist Miguel Vazquez. He has also gone toe-to-toe with former champions Rances Barthelemy and Robert Easter Jr.
“I am ready for anything Akhmedov brings and then a world title fight after,” said Mendez. “I believe that I beat Hitchins in my last fight, even though I was coming off a long layoff. I’m in great shape right now. Akhmedov is a hard puncher, but the fans are going to see me shine against him. There is a lot left in my tank and that will be obvious to everyone on June 26.”
“I have to prove that I’m the baddest man in the sporton Saturday night," – Davis “Everyone has their opinion on this fight. It’s my job to go out there and prove the doubters wrong," – Santa Cruz Three-Time World Champion Davis and Four-Division World Champion Santa Cruz To Meet in Halloween Thriller at Alamodome in San Antonio Headlining SHOWTIME PPV® Denne lørdagen, Oktober 31 in Event Presented by Premier Boxing Champions Klikk HER for Bilder fra Esther Lin / SHOWTIME® Klikk HERfor Photos from Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions SAN ANTONIO, TX – Oktober 29, 2020 – Tre ganger verdensmester Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division championLeo "Jordskjelvet" Santa Cruzsquared off at a final press conference Thursday to preview their highly anticipated SHOWTIME PPV (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) main event showdown taking place this Saturday, Oktober 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Two of the sport’s most electrifying fighters, Davis and Santa Cruz will battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships in a matchup that pits the prodigious power of Davis against the unrelenting pressure of Santa Cruz.
Davis vs. Santa Cruz is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Kampanjer, GTD-kampanjer og Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Billetter er i salg nå og kan kjøpes på Ticketmaster.com. Alamodome har implementert en omfattende helse- og sikkerhetsplan for å beskytte mot spredning av coronavirus. Alle fans som deltar på arrangementet vil bli vist ved innreise og må bære en maske samt følge retningslinjene for sosial distansering. Billettene blir distribuert i seteblokker kjent som “pods” for å opprettholde avstand mellom grupper som ikke er fra samme parti. For mer informasjon, besøk Alamodome.com.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“My team and I decided to move our camp to Las Vegas so we could have a perfect camp. We spent 15 weeks in training, so I’m well prepared. Hopefully Leo is well prepared and we give the fans what they want to see.
“We know Leo is going to come with a lot of punches and I’m going to be explosive. It’s all about giving fans a treat. I’m grateful to be in this position and I’m ready. Saturday night is going to be a memorable night.
“Not to take anything from him, Yuriorkis Gamboa was just trying to survive against me. It’s harder to get punches off when someone isn’t trying to bring the fight. I know Leo is going to come to fight. I think this performance is going to put me up to the next level.
“I don’t think I have to knock him out, I just have to go out there and be great. Forget everything else, I just have to go out there and show everyone that I’m the top guy in the boxing world. That’s my main goal.
“Michael Jordan used to read the paper and do what they said he couldn’t do. That’s what I’m doing. I have to prove that I’m the baddest man in the sport on Saturday night.
“Leo is going to come to fight and it’s just about me stepping up and doing what I do best. You can see the potential in a fighter from the outside, but you have to see it actually come out in a fight to believe it. That’s the position I’m in. Everyone knows I’m great, I just have to show it.
“Leo has shown that he’s a top tier fighter, and he’s going up against an explosive, powerful fighter like myself. I think the winner should be in the top 10 of the pound-for-pound list.
“Floyd Mayweather has just told me to stay focused despite everything that comes with pay-per-view week. I have to get the job done first, but also do everything that comes with being the next pay-per-view star.
“I’m one of those fighters that knows how to focus when I have something big in front of me. None of the great fighters before me have frozen up when it’s crunch time. I’ve always been able to focus when big things are on the line. That’s what I did for this training camp.
“I’m not really focused on anyone who isn’t Leo Santa Cruz. I can’t overlook Leo. As far as any other fighter out there, they just don’t matter to me right now. I’ll prove it along the way. This is one step closer to proving the point I want to prove.”
LEO SANTA CRUZ
“This is what I’ve always dreamed of. When I was a little boy, I wanted to be on this stage. I’m living that dream and I’m very happy and excited. I never thought I’d accomplish it. I thought it was like winning the lottery. But thanks to the fans, I’m here where I’m at.
“I’m facing the best fighter in the division. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I have to go against the best fighter. I wanted to challenge myself. I know this is a dangerous fight for me, but I want to test myself.
“We’ve both suffered and been through a lot to get here. Neither of us wants to go back to where we started. So I know we’re both going to give a great fight to the fans.
“I have the heart of a Mexican warrior. My dad has told me to fight a smart fight, but even though he’s going to say that, there’s a good chance I end up brawling with him at times. Uansett hva, we’re going to find a way to beat him.
“I don’t really worry about being the underdog. Everyone has their opinion. It’s my job to go out there and prove the doubters wrong. I trained hard to go out there and do that Saturday.
“Gervonta is the best opponent I’ve faced. He’s the strongest fighter I’ll have faced. The Abner Mares and Carl Frampton fights were great experience for this kind of fight. I learned a lot from those four fights and since then I’ve learned a lot more.
“It would mean the world to me to become a five-division champion. It would be another dream come true. I would put the Santa Cruz last name right up there with the best.
“Gervonta is a big guy and I know he’s going to come hit hard. But I’ve trained with bigger guys all camp and I’ve been able to take everything thrown at me.
“The fans want you to go and make it a back and forth war. I know against Gervonta I have to fight smart. I’m going to just try as hard as I can to listen to my father’s advice.
“I definitely took this fight to quiet the critics. People said I didn’t want to fight the big names. So I went after the biggest challenge in the division and that’s Gervonta Davis.
“I leave the opinions to the fans and media. My job is to get the win and give the fans a great fight. I’m going to give it my best and leave it all in the ring.”
CALVIN FORD, Davis’ Trainer
“Camp has been great. It was unbelievable. I really appreciate the work that he put in. I can’t wait to see Tank in the ring. I’m looking forward to great performances from both fighters.
“’Tank’ accomplished a lot of things that I’ve asked him to do, but this is the pinnacle of them all right here. Both of these families have walked the same line with different trails. They both have a chance to become greats with this win.
“Every time I look at ‘Tank’ now, I flash back to those younger years in the gym with him as a child. Now he’s the man I’ve always looked at him to be. He’s a family man, business man and a wonderful fighter. It’s amazing to see one of my boys all grown up.”
JOSÉ SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’s Father and Trainer
“We had a really good training camp and understand the importance of this fight. Leo is fully prepared for this fight on Saturday and I expect him to have a great performance.
“I’m very thankful to be here. I’m so happy to be here with my son for such a big fight and be able to guide him and help him accomplish his dream.
“We know that Davis is a very strong and accomplished fighter. But Leo has just used it to motivate him in the gym every day and you’ll be able to see that on Saturday.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, Programmering av sport og begivenheter, Showtime Networks Inc.
“One of the biggest reasons I love boxing is because we get to witness young men, like ‘Tank’ Davis and Leo Santa Cruz, develop and mature right in front of our eyes. This is our ninth fight with ‘Tank’ and 13thwith Leo. We have seen them mature as fighters and we have seen them mature as young men. We’ve seen them struggle, sweat, and triumph. We’ve seen them become fathers.”
“I remember the first time I met ‘Tank’, it was April 2016 i Washington, Likespenning. He was on the non-televised undercard of an Adrien Broner fight. He had already fought, he came over during the telecast and Floyd introduced him. I remember his very words, ‘This is my young fighter. Watch out for this kid.’ And we’ve been watching ever since.
“I remember the first time I met Leo was in June 2012. Shortly before his first world title fight. He was a very humble, quiet, soft spoken, almost shy young men. Very different from the guy that I saw in the ring about 48 hours after that. The point is, we’ve been along for the journey of these young men.
“They have been battling the odds, literally since birth. We were lucky enough to spend time with them duringALL ACCESS. They opened their hearts, their minds, and themselves to share their stories. The thing I’ve heard most is that the difficulty about this fight is not whether people want to watch it or whether they’re going to buy it, it’s who they’re going to root for. Because if you know these young men’s stories, what they’ve gone through, and what they’ve experienced, it is incredible.
“The bottom line is in these two young men we have two of the most accomplished and popular young fighters in the sport today. Leo has been a champion almost consistently since 2012. ‘Tank’ had sellouts or near sellouts in Los Angeles, Baltimore and Atlanta, just last year. We have got these two accomplished young men fighting on Saturday night. You have to respect their journey, hvor de kommer fra, and respect the teams that come around him.
“We do know what’s going to happen on Saturday night. Leo is going to come into the ring, throw a lot of punches and show an activity rate that’s unlike just about anybody else in the sport. ‘Tank’ is going to show the power, fart, and the athleticism that has made him one of the fastest rising young stars that we’ve seen in sport in some time. Beyond that, it will be up to them, just like it’s been up to them for their entire lives.”
OM DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ Davis vs. Santa Cruz vil se tre ganger verdensmester Gervonta “Tank” Davis og firedivisjons verdensmester Leo "Jordskjelvet" Santa Cruz kjempe om WBA Super Featherweight og WBA Lightweight Championships med en SHOWTIME PPV lørdag, Oktober 31 (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions fra Alamodome i San Antonio, Texas.
The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heráldez in a 10-round showdown. I fjernsynsåpneren, lette konkurrenter Isaac Cruz og Diego Magdaleno vil kjempe i en kamp om IBF-eliminator.
"I oktober 31 alle vil se hva jeg er i stand til," – Heraldez Ubeseiret utøver Juan Heraldez står overfor tidligere verdensmester Regis Prograis i SHOWTIME PPV® ActionLørdag, Oktober 31 Lev fra Alamodome i San Antonio, Texas i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions NEW YORK – Oktober 16, 2020 – Uovertruffen super lett utfordrer Juan Heraldez er dypt inne i treningsleir og delte innsikt i forberedelsene hans når han nærmer seg et oppgjør mot tidligere mester Regis "Rougarou" Prograis på lørdag, Oktober 31 live på SHOWTIME PPV i et Premier Boxing Champions-arrangement overskrevet av Gervonta Davis vs.. Leo Santa Cruz bor fra Alamodome i San Antonio.
«Det har vært en lang åtte ukers leir som forbereder seg på Prograis,”Sa Heraldez. “Vi kjemper mot en annen kampstil, noe som er bra fordi han er den typen jagerfly som kommer for å kjempe. En stil som dette gjør det lettere for meg å trene og forberede meg.
“Prograis har makt, men du må lande det, og det er der forsvaret mitt kommer inn i bildet. Forsvaret mitt har alltid vært en faktor, og det er noe vi alltid tilpasser og finner måter for meg å bli skarpere. På papiret er hans legitimasjon der oppe, men i ringen går alt dette ut av døren. Når klokken ringer, Jeg tenker ikke på at han var en tidligere verdensmester. Jeg kjemper og får jobben gjort. ”
Heraldez har tilpasset seg endringene som oppstår ved trening under pandemien, og har vært i stand til å holde fokus hele leiren. Han krediterer infrastrukturen på Mayweather Boxing Club, der han trener i Las Vegas, for å hjelpe til med å holde ting i orden mens han forbereder seg på å møte sin tøffeste motstander til dags dato.
“Pandemien har hatt en liten innvirkning på leiren som den har med alt annet,”Sa Heraldez. “Det er så mange protokoller og sikkerhetstiltak, slik at du ikke bare kan rotere sparringpartnere så lett som du kunne før. Å tilpasse seg å bruke en maske i treningsstudioet og bli testet hele tiden er ting du lærer å bli vant til. Mayweather Boxing Club har gjort en god jobb med å holde treningsstudioet rent og trygt for oss alle. Mange av stallkameratene mine er her i Las Vegas og forbereder seg på store kamper, så det er en god følelse å vite at vi kan komme til et treningsstudio der sikkerhet er topp prioritet. "
Den ubeseirede Heraldez kommer tilbake til ringen etter å ha kjempet den tidligere verdensmesteren Argenis Mendez til uavgjort i mai 2019 på SHOWTIME. Heraldez hadde satt sammen en imponerende rekke seire fra en 2017 triumfer over den da ubeseirede Jose Miguel Borrego, og inkluderte en knockout-seier over Eddie Ramirez i februar 2019 fører inn i Mendez-kampen. Heraldez har fortsatt å finjustere sitt arsenal på vei inn i Prograis-kampen.
“Teamet mitt og jeg har jobbet med forskjellige ting, for eksempel jabben min, men viktigst av alt der jeg er i ringen til enhver tid,”Sa Heraldez. “Min ringbevissthet har løftet denne leiren. Treneren min og jeg holder ting på skolen, vi har ikke styrke- og kondisjonstrener, vi jobber med det grunnleggende og blir bedre på dem hver leir. Boksing er enkelt. Hold deg og beveg deg og ikke bli truffet. Treningen jeg får fra trener Otis Pimpleton dekker så mange ting som kondisjonstrening, teknikk, ring IQ, etc., så jobben min er bare å lytte til teamet mitt og stole på dem når jeg er i leir og i ringen på kampkvelden. "
Mens Heraldez ønsker å forbedre uavgjort i sin siste kamp, Prograis vil prøve å sprette tilbake fra sitt første karrieretap, et minneverdig samleobjekt på 140 pund med Josh Taylor. Med begge krigerne sulten på seier i oktober 31, Heraldez forventer en spennende kveld for fansen.
“På kampkveld, begge stilene våre gir god action,”Sa Heraldez. “Vi bringer begge mye til ringen. Vi kjemper begge for å være best, men i oktober 31, alle vil se hva jeg er i stand til. ” OM DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ Davis vs. Santa Cruz vil se tre ganger verdensmester Gervonta “Tank” Davis og firedivisjons verdensmester Leo "Jordskjelvet" Santa Cruz kjempe om WBA Super Featherweight og WBA Lightweight Championships med en SHOWTIME PPV lørdag, Oktober 31 (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions fra Alamodome i San Antonio, Texas.
Det stablede underkortet vil inneholde ubeseiret innfødt San Antonio og WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios som forsvarer tittelen mot den hardtslående Ryan “Cowboy” Karl i co-main-arrangementet og tidligere superlett verdensmester Regis “Rougarou” Prograis vil ta imot ubeseiret konkurrent Juan Heraldez i et 10-runde oppgjør. I fjernsynsåpneren, lette konkurrenter Isaac Cruz og Diego Magdaleno vil kjempe i en kamp om IBF-eliminator.
Arrangementet promoteres av Mayweather Promotions, TGB Kampanjer, GTD-kampanjer og Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Billetter er i salg nå og kan kjøpes på Ticketmaster.com. Alamodome har implementert en omfattende helse- og sikkerhetsplan for å beskytte mot spredning av coronavirus. Alle fans som deltar på arrangementet vil bli vist ved innreise og må bære en maske samt følge retningslinjene for sosial distansering. Billettene blir distribuert i seteblokker kjent som “pods” for å opprettholde avstand mellom grupper som ikke er fra samme parti. For mer informasjon, besøk Alamodome.com
Lette konkurrenter Magdaleno og Isaac Cruz møtes i Tittel Eliminator Åpning SHOWTIME PPV® Lørdag, Oktober 31 fra The Alamodome i San Antonio i Event Presented by Premier Boxing Champions KlikkHER for Magdaleno treningsvideo – Kreditt: Armando Bareno NEW YORK – Oktober 9, 2020 – Tidligere verdensutfordringsutfordrerDiego Magdalenodelte innsikt i treningsleiren sin da han nærmer seg en IBF Lightweight Title Eliminator-kamp motIsaac Cruzsom starter SHOWTIME PPV (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) handling på lørdag, Oktober 31 fra Alamodome i San Antonio i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions.
“Dette er min andre kamp som jobber med‘ Bones ’Adams ut av treningsstudioet i Las Vegas,”Sa Magdaleno. «Jeg har faktisk kjent ham siden jeg var ni år gammel, så jeg anser ham som min beste venn. Jeg stoler på ham med livet mitt. Jeg har brukt litt tid på å trene for denne kampen i Scipio, Utah også, trekke høyballer og gjøre alle slags interessante øvelser. Jeg har fått inn noen gode sparring her i Vegas, og jeg dro til og med ut til California for litt sparring, også.
«Jeg var på et av de siste kampkortene før pandemien, og jeg er beæret over å være på det første kampkortet med en live publikum siden pandemien startet. Det har vært et hektisk år, men jeg er fornøyd med hvor ting er for meg på vei inn i denne kampen. Trener Adams har gjort en god jobb med trening, men han håndterer også min styrke og kondisjonering. Han har et stort treningsstudio med mange motiverte krigere, og det er flott å være rundt den slags atmosfære. Og forloveden min har håndtert ernæringen min de fire siste kampene mine. Så, det er flott å ha henne med også. "
Magdaleno går tilbake til aksjon etter å ha opprørt Austin Dulay i Dulays hjemby Nashville, Tenn. i februar, slippe ham i runde syv på vei til en enstemmig avgjørelse i 10 omganger. Han krediterer laget sitt i treningsleir for den imponerende prestasjonen mot Dulay.
“Jeg har alltid vært stolt av å være profesjonell, men jeg lærte at jeg kan være veldig farlig med riktig team rundt meg,”Sa Magdaleno. “Jeg gikk inn i den slags slags å bli ansett som et springbrett for Dulay, men jeg viste at jeg fremdeles er en sterk fighter. Folk regnet meg ut og de gjorde en feil. Jeg er bare veldig glad for at jeg fant Coach Adams og fikk ordnet et ordentlig team rundt meg. Jeg var i stand til å ombestemme folks tanker med bare en kamp. Nå er jeg i en titteliminator, og med seier i oktober 31, Jeg får mitt tredje skudd på verdensmesterskap. ”
33-åringen har kommet kort i sine mest profilerte kamper til nå, slippe tittelkamper til Terry Flanagan og Roman Martinez, i tillegg til en 2019 tap mot nåværende lettvektsmester Teofimo Lopez. Med disse erfaringene og en forbedret treningsstruktur rundt seg, Magdaleno mener at lærdommen han har tatt fra disse kampene, vil være instrumental fremover.
“Det største jeg har lært er å være rolig,”Sa Magdaleno. “Når jeg begynner å tenke for langt fremover, det er da ting går galt. Trener Adams har en flott måte å holde meg jordet og sammensatt. Han vet hvordan å forenkle ting for meg og kommunisere nøyaktig hva jeg trenger å gjøre, noe som gjør det mindre stressende for meg. Og vi har gjort noen andre ting, som å korrigere fotarbeidet og vinklene jeg bruker. ”
I den 22 år gamle Cruz, Magdaleno vil bli motarbeidet av en raskt stigende og spennende meksikansk fighter som ønsker å markere seg i sin største kamp til dags dato. Med et aldersgap på 11 år, Magdaleno planlegger å bruke sin omfattende erfaring til sin fordel i oktober 31.
“Cruz er noe jeg har sett før,”Sa Magdaleno. “Jeg har kjempet mot mange jagerfly i meksikansk stil som ham som ikke har mye teknisk dyktighet, men som har en come-forward-stil. Så, Jeg tror jeg vil kunne gå tilbake til det jeg vet. Jeg må bare være flytende og plukke Cruz fra hverandre. Han er en fyr som liker å kjempe på innsiden og kaste mange overhånds slag og kroker. Jeg vil bryte ham ned som om jeg gjorde min siste motstander. "
Magdaleno vil se på å fortsette sin karriere renessanse mot Cruz og sette seg tilbake på sporet for en annen verdensmestermulighet. Med alt han har vært igjennom i løpet av karrieren, Magdaleno er fortsatt svært motivert for å bevise at kritikere tar feil og oppnår målet om å bli verdensmester.
“Det jeg vet er at når alle teller deg ut, du må bare tro på deg selv,”Sa Magdaleno. “Når jeg bestemmer meg for å legge på hanskene, det vil være fordi jeg vil, ikke fordi andre sier at jeg burde. Jeg har selvtilliten tilbake nå, og jeg er veldig fornøyd med hvor jeg skal . Å være ett skudd unna tittelen som jeg drømte om som barn, er en veldig motiverende faktor for meg. Og jeg kjemper for familien min, også. Jeg er en annen person nå. Jeg er mer moden, og jeg tror jeg vil kunne bevise det for folk i denne kampen. "
OM DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ Davis vs. Santa Cruz vil se tre ganger verdensmesterGervonta “Tank” Davisog firedivisjons verdensmesterLeo "Jordskjelvet" Santa Cruzkjempe om WBA Super Featherweight og WBA Lightweight Championships med en SHOWTIME PPV lørdag, Oktober 31 (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions fra Alamodome i San Antonio, Texas.
Det stablede underkortet vil inneholde ubeseiret innfødt San Antonio og WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios som forsvarer tittelen mot den hardtslående Ryan “Cowboy” Karl i co-main-arrangementet og tidligere superlett verdensmester Regis “Rougarou” Prograis vil ta imot ubeseiret konkurrent Juan Heraldez i et 10-runde oppgjør. I fjernsynsåpneren, lette konkurrenter Isaac Cruz og Diego Magdaleno vil kjempe i en kamp om IBF-eliminator.
Arrangementet promoteres av Mayweather Promotions, TGB Kampanjer, GTD-kampanjer og Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Billetter er i salg nå og kan kjøpes på Ticketmaster.com. Alamodome har implementert en omfattende helse- og sikkerhetsplan for å beskytte mot spredning av coronavirus. Alle fans som deltar på arrangementet vil bli vist ved innreise og må bære en maske samt følge retningslinjene for sosial distansering. Billettene blir distribuert i seteblokker kjent som “pods” for å opprettholde avstand mellom grupper som ikke er fra samme parti. For mer informasjon, besøkAlamodome.com
WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario Barrios tar på seg Ryan Karl; Tidligere 140-pundmester Regis Prograis står overfor ubeseiret Juan Heraldez; Lette konkurrenter Isaac Cruz og Diego Magdaleno møtes i tittel Eliminator BILLETTER TIL SALGS MANDAG, Oktober 5 AT 10 ER. CT! NEW YORK – Oktober 2, 2020 – Tre ganger verdensmester Gervonta “Tank” Davis og firedivisjons verdensmester Leo "Jordskjelvet" Santa Cruz vil slå av i en Halloween-thriller for WBA Super Featherweight og WBA Lightweight Championships live på SHOWTIME PPV lørdag, Oktober 31 (9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT) i et arrangement presentert av Premier Boxing Champions fra Alamodome i San Antonio, Texas. Fire-kamp-betal-per-visning-kortet vil være den første store boksearrangementet med tilstede fans siden COVID-19 tvang et stopp til USA.. sport i mars.
Det stablede underkortet har ubeseiret innfødt San Antonio og WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios forsvare tittelen mot hardtslående Ryan “Cowboy” Karl i co-main-arrangementet og tidligere superlett verdensmester Regis "Rougarou" Prograis vil ta på seg ubeseiret konkurrent Juan Heraldez i et 10-runde oppgjør. I fjernsynsåpneren, lette kandidater Isaac Cruz og Diego Magdaleno vil kjempe i en IBF tittel eliminator kamp.
Den etterlengtede hovedarrangementet vil bli anfektet på 130 pund og vil kjempes for både Santa Cruz sin 130 pund tittel og Davis '135 pund tittel, som de vant hver i sin forrige kamp. To publikumsfavoritter med massive etterfølgere, Davis vs. Santa Cruz er en all-action stil matchup, med Davis som eier en .957 knockout rate, mens Santa Cruz lenge har vært etablert som en av de travleste slagere og beste trykkjegere i sporten.
Davis vs. Santa Cruz vil være et sjeldent sammenstøt i boksehistorien der verdens titler i to vektklasser vil stå på spill. Andre bemerkelsesverdige forekomster i nyere bokshistorie er 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard vs.. Donny Lalonde kjemper om lett tungvekt og super mellomvekt titler, og 2014 Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana-omkamp for superveltvekt og veltvektmesterskap.
«Jeg gleder meg til å vise verden hvor hardt jeg har jobbet i leiren,"Sa Davis. “Vi er bare noen få uker unna, og jeg er allerede i god form. Overskrift på pay-per-view har alltid vært en drøm for meg siden jeg begynte å bokse. Jeg gleder meg til å stille en spektakulær forestilling mot verdensmesteren Leo Santa Cruz i flere divisjoner. Takk til teamet mitt, SHOWTIME, Mayweather Kampanjer, GTD-kampanjer, og alle fansen min over hele verden. Fortsett å støtte meg, så kjemper jeg for deg. "
“Oktober 31 kommer til å bli den største kampen i karrieren min,” sa Santa Cruz. “Jeg skal kjempe mot en veldig tøff motstander, kanskje den tøffeste motstanderen i karrieren min. To titler kommer til å være på linjen, og dette vil være min første gang overskrift på en pay-per-view. Så jeg skal gjøre alt jeg kan for å gi et godt show. Davis er kjent for sin makt. Men jeg tror med min erfaring og ring-IQ kan jeg bryte ham ned. Han kommer sannsynligvis til å være veldig aggressiv i de tidlige rundene. Men hvis jeg gjør det jeg skal, og utføre spillplanen vår, Jeg vil vinne.''
Arrangementet promoteres av Mayweather Promotions, TGB Kampanjer, GTD-kampanjer og Santa Cruz Boxing Club.
“Denne kampen mellom Gervonta Davis og Leo Santa Cruz er så stor kamp at vi måtte ha det med fans, som vil være en første for et stort boksearrangement siden COVID-19 startet,” sa Floyd Mayweather, President for Mayweather Promotions og en 12-gang, fem-divisjon verdensmester. “Tank’ Davis er et spesielt talent, en super dyktig fighter, og jeg har vært i treningsstudioet regelmessig for å se og hjelpe ham med å forberede seg på en tøff motstander i Santa Cruz, som vi alle vet alltid kommer i form og er klare til å kjempe. Det kommer til å bli en flott kveld for Mayweather Promotions, for boksing og for sport. Det beste å kjempe best er alt vi kan be om.”
“Vi fortsetter med tradisjonen med å tilby boksefans de beste matchups i de hotteste divisjonene, pitting de beste mot de beste,"Sa Stephen Espinoza, President, Programmering av sport og begivenheter, Showtime Networks Inc. “Tank Davis mot Leo Santa Cruz er en av de mest spennende kampene i året. Du har en ung, sulten stjerne med ødeleggende kraft i Davis og en erfaren og ubarmhjertig firedivisjonsmester som ønsker å erobre en tittel i femte divisjon. Dette er den typen matchup-boksefans som har ventet hele året på å se. To superstjerner i sin tøffeste match hittil, som kjemper om titler i to vektdeler samtidig. ”
“Gervonta Davis er den mest spennende fighteren i sporten, og han er satt til å overføre sitt første pay-per-view-kort og sette verden i brann,”Sa Leonard Ellerbe, CEO i Mayweather Kampanjer. "Han står opp mot en erfaren, firedivisjons verdensmester i Leo Santa Cruz, som ønsker å ta ham ned og gi ham sin første L 31. oktober. ”
“Gervonta Davis vs.. Leo Santa Cruz er en av de beste matchups som kan lages i boksing, med hver fighter i posisjon for å score en karrierebestemmende seier,”Sa Tom Brown, President av TGB Kampanjer. “Vi er glade for å gi et historisk oppgjør med verdenstitler i to vektklasser på banen til fans på Alamodome. Davis vs. Santa Cruz presenterer et fascinerende sammenstøt med stiler, med Santa Cruz's ubarmhjertige press mot Davis 'kampskiftende makt. Legger til i tre høye innsatser undercard attraksjoner, denne betal-per-visningen er stilt opp for å presentere drama i ringen fra start til slutt. ”
Billetter blir solgt mandag, Oktober 5 ved 10 a.m. CT og kan kjøpes på Ticketmaster.com. Dette er den første store boksearrangementet med tilstedeværende fans siden starten på COVID-19-pandemien i USA.. i mars. Alamodome har implementert en omfattende helse- og sikkerhetsplan for å beskytte mot spredning av viruset. Alle fans som deltar på arrangementet vil bli vist ved innreise og må bære en maske, samt følge retningslinjer for sosial distansering. Billettene blir distribuert i seteblokker kjent som “pods” for å opprettholde avstand mellom grupper som ikke er fra samme parti. For mer informasjon, besøk Alamodome.com.
“Alamodome er glade for å være vertskap for Davis vs.. Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV-arrangement og å bringe disse idrettsutøverne til San Antonio,”Sa Steve Zito, General Manager, Alamodome. “Ikke bare er dette en flott plattform for disse idrettsutøverne og deres fans, men arrangementet vil også fokusere på San Antonio gjennom nasjonale TV-kamper og generere økonomisk innvirkning for samfunnet vårt i disse utfordrende tider. " Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) brøt ut på scenen med en eksplosiv knockout-seier over Jose Pedraza for å vinne IBF Junior Lightweight World Tittel i en stjernefremmende forestilling på SHOWTIME® i januar 2017. På tidspunktet, han ble den yngste verdensmesteren i boksing i en alder 22. I ringen, Davis blander kontrollert aggresjon med brennende hånd- og fothastighet, iøynefallende kraft og sublime bokseferdigheter. Den dynamiske kombinasjonen av ferdigheter har gjort Davis til en fan-favoritt som fylte arenaer i Atlanta, Ga., og hjembyen Baltimore, Md., i fjor.
25-åringen begynte sin 2019 med en knockout av Hugo Ruiz i februar, før han scoret en andre runde stopp av Ricardo Núñez i sin hjemkomstkamp i juli. Davis avsluttet året med å fange sin lette tittel via 12th runde TKO av tidligere mester Yuriorkis Gamboa i desember. Davis eier også en tittelvinnende forestilling der han dominerte den tidligere mesteren Jesus Cuellar for å fange WBA 130 pund belte i 2018. Under veiledning av Mayweather Promotions, Davis vil se på å forbedre sin imponerende portefølje ytterligere med en annen tittelvinnende forestilling i sin første pay-per-view hovedarrangement.
Fighting ut av Los Angeles, Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) debuterte i super fjærvekt i november i fjor ved å beseire Miguel Flores for å fange WBA-tittelen. Santa Cruz har gjort seg kjent i sporten ved å delta i en rekke konkurrenter for årets kamp, inkludert to spennende fjærvektstittelldueller mot den fire ganger mesteren Abner Mares og todivisjonsmesteren Carl Frampton hver. Han mistet fjærvektstitelen sin første kamp mot Frampton i 2016, men gjenvunnet det i omkampen året etter.
32-åringen har konkurrert i tittelkamper i 17 av hans siste 19 kamper, mens du tar opp belter kl 118, 122, 126 og 130 pund. Den 130 pund store tittelen gjorde Santa Cruz til den femte fighteren av meksikansk avstamning som vant titler i fire vektklasser, bli med Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Jorge Arce og Mikey Garcia. Santa Cruz ble introdusert for sporten og trente gjennom sin karriere av faren Jose, sammen med brødrene Jose Armando, en tidligere lettvektsutfordrer, og Antonio. Santa Cruz ser ut til å bli en femdelingsmester i sin første pay-per-view headliner.
Den 25 år gamle Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) skal gjøre det første forsvaret av verdensmesterskapet i hjembyen San Antonio. Barrios fanget sin 140 pund tittel i sin siste kamp i september 2019, tjene en hardt kjempet enstemmig avgjørelse over da ubeseiret Batyr Akhmedov, slippe ham to ganger og slåss gjennom et kutt på hodet. Barrios trener i Oakland, Calif. under veiledning av den anerkjente treneren Virgil Hunter. De fem fots ti-tommers Barrios debuterte som en super bantamvekt i 2013, til slutt flytte opp til 140 pounds på heltid i 2017 hvor han er 8-0 med syv knockouts.
“Den lange permitteringen er endelig over, og fans kan forvente å se meg gå i krig med Ryan Karl, som jeg kjenner kommer for å bringe en aggressiv kamp på bordet,”Sa Barrios. “Jeg har holdt meg i god form det siste året, så nå er det på tide for meg å fortsette å gi boksefans spennende kamper. Jeg skal representere byen San Antonio og som alltid, alle kan forvente å se meg like eksplosiv som alltid. Oktober 31, alle fansen som ser på pay-per-view, vil se på meg når jeg forsvarer tittelen min. ”
Født i Milano, Texas og nå trent i Houston under veiledning av topptrener Ronnie Shields, Karl (18-2, 11 KOs) vil gå inn for sin første tittelmulighet i oktober 31. 28-åringen går inn i denne kampen på en tre-bout seiersrekke, med alle tre seirene som kommer inn 2019, inkludert en knockout av Kevin Watts for å hevne et av tapene i en umiddelbar omkamp. Karl eier også seire over Kareem Martin og den ubeseirede Jose Felix Quezada i løpet av sin pro-karriere som dateres tilbake til 2014.
«Jeg har trent for dette hele livet og vil ikke la det gli unna,”Sa Karl. “Vi jobber hardt i treningsleiren for å oppnå den beste prestasjonen i karrieren min. Vi vet hva vi står overfor i Mario Barrios, men jeg har kommet for langt til ikke å benytte meg av muligheten 31. oktober. "
En stift av 140 pund elite, PROGRAMMER (24-1, 20 KOs) vender tilbake til ringen etter å ha mistet tittelen i et spennende foreningsoppgjør gjennom flertallsavgjørelse i oktober mot Josh Taylor. 31-åringen vant tittelen ved å beseire Kiryl Relikh av TKO i april 2019 og har også vunnet stoppseire over tidligere enhetlig mester Julius Indongo, og da uslåtte kandidater Joel Diaz Jr.. og Juan Jose Velasco. Prograis ble født i New Orleans, men lever og kjemper ut av Houston.
“Dette er en enorm kamp, og jeg er veldig takknemlig mot PBC for å gi meg denne muligheten,"Sa Prograis. «Jeg har ikke kjempet på et år, og siden den gang har jeg gjort mye selvrefleksjon og flyttet fra L.A. tilbake til Texas. Jeg er mer fokusert enn jeg noen gang har vært, og jeg kan ikke vente med å komme tilbake til min første plassering i super lett divisjon. Jeg må være verdensmester igjen og stopper ikke før det skjer.
Den 30 år gamle Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs) kan hvelve seg inn i toppnivået på 140 pund-kandidater med en karriere-beste seier over Prograis i oktober 31. Født i Northridge, Cal. og trening ut av Mayweather Promotions treningsstudio i Las Vegas, Heraldez kjempet sist mot flertall i mai i fjor mot den tidligere mesteren Argenis Mendez. Heraldezs pro-karriere har også sett ham score seire over tidligere ubeseiret Jose Miguel Borrego og tøff konkurrent Eddie Ramirez.
«Det har vært et sprøtt år, men jeg benyttet anledningen til å tilbringe tid med familien min og skjerpe ferdighetene mine inne i ringen,”Sa Heraldez. “Det har skjedd mye flott sparring på Mayweather Boxing Club som jeg har benyttet meg av. Jeg har en tøff motstander foran meg, og det er mitt eneste fokus akkurat nå. Jeg stoler på min evne som fighter, og jeg stoler på at teamet mitt får meg over målstreken med seier i oktober 31. Jeg er takknemlig for Mayweather Promotions for å ha satt meg på en så stor plattform for denne kampen. "
Kjemper ut fra hjemlandet Mexico City, Mexico, Cross (19-1-1, 14 KOs) er ubeseiret i sin siste 15 kamper siden han droppet sin sjette pro-kamp ved avgjørelse. 22-åringen slo ut 10 av 13 motstandere mellom 2016 og 2018, før han gjorde sitt U.S.. debut i desember 2019. Den konkurransen fikk Cruz til å oppnå en enstemmig avgjørelse over Miguel Perez, som han fulgte opp i februar i år ved å beseire Thomas Mattice ved avgjørelse på ShoBox: Den nye generasjonen.
“Siden jeg begynte å bokse, det har vært min drøm å kjempe på denne scenen i USA,"Sa Cruz. “Jeg vet at Diego Magdaleno er en veldig tøff og erfaren jagerfly, men det er min tid i oktober 31. Fans vil se at jeg har det som trengs for å bli verdensmester når jeg slår Magdaleno og kunngjør meg selv som en av de beste lettvekterne i verden. ”
Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) går inn i denne kampen og kommer av en imponerende seier over konkurrent Austin Dulay i februar som så ham slippe Dulay på vei til en enstemmig beslutning. 33-åringen har utfordret Roman Martinez om en 130 pund tittel og Terry Flanagan for en lett krone, mens han også kjempet mot lettvektsmester Teofimo Lopez i februar 2019. En innfødt i Las Vegas, Magdaleno har vunnet fire av fem kamper inn i oktober 31, inkludert en 10-runde avgjørelse over Artyom Hovhannisyan.
“Jeg har vært veldig ivrig etter å komme tilbake til ringen siden forrige opptreden,”Sa Magdaleno. “Den seieren utløste en brann i meg og fikk meg så motivert som jeg noen gang har vært. Nå som jeg er i en titteliminator, Jeg er enda mer spent på å komme tilbake til handling. Jeg står overfor en annen ung løve, men han mangler den erfaringen jeg har. Trening med Bones Adams har gjort en verden av forskjell i karrieren min. Jeg har gjort en overgang til å være mer sammensatt og smartere i ringen. Jeg er her for å komme med en uttalelse og hevde det som er mitt. Jeg kommer aldri til å trekke meg tilbake før jeg får den verdens tittelen. "
PBC Boxers Continue to Engage Fans Through Social Media During Social Distancing
Keith Thurman, Deontay Wilder, Anthony Dirrell, Leo Santa Cruz, Gervonta Davis, Andre Berto & David Benavidez to Appear on PBC Social Media Platforms Next Week
LAS VEGAS (April 10, 2020) – Premier Boxing Champions boxers will roll into another week of taking to social media to engage with fans during social distancing. Each week PBC will present opportunities for fans to hear from boxers as they try to find ways to pass the time.
Former unified welterweight championKeith Thurmanappears on“Time Out With Ray Flores” live on thePBC Instagram pagethis Monday, April 13 ved 3 pm. ET / 12 pm. PT.
Former heavyweight championDeontay Wilderand former super middleweight championAnthony Dirrellwill appear on thePBC Podcastwith hosts Kenneth Bouhairie and Michael Rosenthal. The Podcast will be available on Wednesday, April 15 på PBC website, iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spreaker and other outlets.
WBA Super Featherweight ChampionLeo Santa Cruzwill appear in the“At Home With…” Serien, hanging out live on thePBC Facebook page onsdag, April 15 ved 4 pm. ET/1 p.m. PT. And in a special edition of“At Home With…”, WBA Lightweight ChampionGervonta “Tank” Daviswill be interviewed by former welterweight championAndre Bertolive on thePBC Instagram page på fredag, April 17 ved 4 pm. ET/1 p.m. PT.
WBC Super Middleweight ChampionDavid Benavidezwill appear on“Going The Distance” på PBC YouTube page torsdag, April 16. Benavidez will be breaking down his fight against Anthony Dirrell at 4 pm. ET/1 p.m. PT.
I tillegg, “PBC Replay” will feature a replay of the full televised card for the first Leo Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares showdown on thePBC YouTube page på lørdag, April 18 ved 8 pm. E / 5 p.m. PT.
This week’s schedule is loaded with some of PBC’s top attractions sharing their insights and life during these challenging times. Stay tuned. There’s more to come.
Two-Time Super Featherweight Champion Gervonta Davis Battles Former Champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for Vacant WBA Lightweight Title this Saturday, Desember 28 Live on SHOWTIME from
State Farm Arena in Atlanta
Klikk HER for Bilder fra Amanda Westcott / SHOWTIME
ATLANTA (Desember 26, 2019) – Boxing’s hottest attraction, Gervonta “Tank” Davis,and former unified championYuriorkis Gamboa, went face to face Thursday at the final press conference two days before they battle for the vacant WBA Lightweight Title this Saturday, Desember 28 live on SHOWTIME from the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The press conference also featured WBA Light Heavyweight ChampionJean Pascal og to-deling mester Badou Jack, who will square off in the co-main event, og tidligere mester Jose Uzcateguiog Lionell Thompson, who battle in the opener of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast beginning at 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT.
Billetter til dette arrangementet, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale and available through Ticketmaster.com. Good tickets are still available. All tickets start at $54 og $104.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel:
GERVONTA DAVIS
“Training camp has been great. I’ve been training with my brothers and sister on the undercard. Saturday night we’re going to make history again. There hasn’t been a title fight in over 20 years and I’m excited to be in this position to open doors for others and myself.
“This is my first time fighting in Atlanta. I’ve been coming here for over four or five years and I’ve been wanting to fight here. Atlanta always shows me love and I always thought that me fighting here would be big. I knew I had a big fan base here.
“Saturday night we’re going to have a big fight. Thank you to Gamboa for taking the chance. Saturday night it’s going to be an action-packed fight and we’ll see who’s got what it takes.
“I’m pretty sure Gamboa watched my last fight. He’s just saying he didn’t to be cocky. I know he at least watched it heading into this fight. We’ll see Saturday night. He’s been a little cocky, so I have to make him pay.
“I can’t say whether I’ll get the knockout, but I’ve trained very hard and I’ve been focused on the main goal, which is to get the win. I know that Gamboa is a tough opponent and he’ll lay it all on the line. If it goes 12 runder, it doesn’t matter to me. I’m looking to make this a great fight for me and also for the fans.
“I believe that I haven’t gone past nine rounds and I’m undefeated, so I think that’s a good thing for me. I’ve been doing this for so many years that I believe Gamboa can’t bring anything to the ring that I haven’t seen.
“I know that I have to come in there focused, strong and fast. Let’s see what it all comes out to. I’m ready and hopefully he’s ready to give the fans what they want to see.
“Saturday night everyone should be looking for a great fight, not just from Gamboa and me, but the whole undercard. On Saturday night the fight fans win. We’re both bringing our all and we’ll see what Saturday night brings for each of us.”
YURIORKIS GAMBOA
“My job isn’t to pay attention to any trash talk. My only focus is to go in there at 150% and give it my all. I don’t care about any of the chatter outside of the ring.
“The confidence that I have comes from my focus and the hard work that I’ve put into this camp. I know what I have to do December 28. Everything from camp has unfolded how I wanted to leading into fight night.
“I’m very appreciative to have this opportunity to fight for the world title on Saturday night. I have to make the best of this position that I’m in. I’m still at the level where I know that I can compete and beat the best fighters in the sport.
“My focus and discipline has allowed me to get to the position that I’m in today. I’ve always relied upon that heavily and it hasn’t failed me yet.
“Gervonta knocking his opponents out and not going past the ninth round is great for him, but I don’t think it has anything to do with my resume. I’ve faced stronger fighters than Gervonta and I’ve been able to beat them. He’s not going to bring anything I haven’t seen.
“We’re thrilled that the fight landed in Atlanta and we can tell you that the fans are going to be very happy with the fight they see Saturday. I came here to win and I’m definitely ready to go all 12 rounds if I have to.
“I’ve had a great training camp and I know what I’m able to give on Saturday. I’m giving my all and then some. Atlanta, be ready. We’re going to give you a war.”
JEAN PASCAL
“This is my first time in the city of Atlanta and I might have to move here after my victory on Saturday night.
“I’m excited to be able to display my talents on SHOWTIME on Saturday night. I’m at the top of my game and my whole team has helped me get to here.
“Badou Jack is a solid fighter with great defense and good attack. I’ve had a great camp in Puerto Rico. I’ve been away from my family for three months and I’m war ready. Sørg for at du stiller inn.
“Badou and I sparred, but it was a long time ago back in 2014. Sparring is sparring. I was getting ready for Sergey Kovalev. It was a good session, but at the time he was at 168-pounds. I don’t rely on that sparring because it was so long ago.
“I know that Badou has had a long layoff and he’s fresh and will be even hungrier. I’m always hungry and that will make it a great fight on Saturday night.
“I’ve been fighting at the highest level for the last 11 år. That means something. I’m a special fighter. I have things that nobody can teach, which is a chin and a heart.”
JACK Badou
“I had a great training camp, which everyone says, but I really do feel great. Jeg er 36 and I feel like I’m 26 igjen. I can’t wait for Saturday night to hear ‘and the new’.
“I guess you have to wait until Saturday night for me to prove that I still have it. I was flat against Marcus Browne, regardless of the cut, but I feel much better this time than I did heading into that fight.
“All of the close decisions I’ve had in the past, everyone who watched those fights knows that those were wins. Saturday night I’m going to win and there will be no doubt.
“Gervonta was on my undercard and now I’m on his and I’m very proud of him. He’s already a superstar.
“I take care of myself. I don’t do anything outside the ring to jeopardize my career. I have a great nutritionist who gives me all organic foods. You can talk to my strength and conditioning coach as far as how I’m looking, but I feel amazing.
“I’m going to take everything one fight at a time. I think Pascal can bring the best out of me on Saturday night. Styles make fights and I think our styles will mesh.
“Pascal and I both come to fight. Marcus Browne is a southpaw and he’s more evasive. So it’s hard to compare. Pascal is a tough guy and I expect nothing less than a tough fight.”
JOSE UZCATEGUI
“I’m grateful to be back in this position and I promise the crowd won’t be disappointed. I’m going to be around for a long time and I’m going to get my world title back.
“I don’t talk much, but since he says I only have power, we’ll see on Saturday. Don’t talk today and then run around the ring.
“After I knock out Lionell Thompson, we’ll see what Caleb Plant has to say after that. I hope he will stand and fight. The only reason Plant is champion is because I messed up.
“When I’m at my best, I’m the best super middleweight on the planet. Everyone will see on Saturday.”
LIONELL THOMPSON
“I want to thank Uzcategui and his team for taking the fight. This is my first time in the super middleweight division and I plan on being victorious.
“To everybody that has helped me and supported me, I promise I won’t let you guys down. I’m planning on giving my best performance on Saturday night.
“I’ve been in there with bigger punchers at light heavyweight and the only time I was stopped was early in my career. I’ve beaten good guys and undefeated prospects that could punch.
“I believe that moving down in weight, and doing it right with a nutritionist, will be better for me. Anyone can hurt you. Everyone says that he can punch, but anyone who hits you right can hurt you.
“I’m focused on being perfect. I don’t plan on making any mistakes. I know what I can do. Anyone who has shared the ring with me will say I’m one of the most skillful fighters out there. Floyd Mayweather even said it.
“I know Uzcategui is tough, but I’m not worried because I’m bringing my best. I believe I’ll be victorious. I respect him and he’s definitely a force to be reckoned with, but I just believe in myself.”
LEONARD Ellerbe, CEO i Mayweather Kampanjer
“Saturday night, it’s going to be lit. I’m very excited about this card. I can recall when we first talked about bringing this fight to Atlanta, there was only one name that was synonymous with tapping into a market that hasn’t had a big fight in 20 år. When it comes to excitement, the name Gervonta Davis goes hand in hand.
“We knew that this entire community would be involved. We know that this would be the most talked about event and create a buzz that we haven’t seen in many years.
“We have an outstanding undercard, including a great co-main event with Jean Pascal and Badou Jack, which I guarantee will be a very entertaining match. These two are going to lay it all on the line.
“From top to bottom this is a very entertaining card. Looking at the main event, when you look at Gamboa, you know what he brings to the table. We’re not buying anything about him being an older fighter. He has a phenomenal pedigree and he has seen everything in that ring. This is a very dangerous fight for Gervonta and that’s what we want. We want nothing but the best for Gervonta.
“I think that Gamboa is going to bring out the best in “Tank” on Saturday night. We’re going to give you an entertaining card from top to bottom, with a main event that’s going to end in a knockout.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Hendelses Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.
“It’s a big weekend for SHOWTIME as we have eight big boxing shows over the next 10 uker, featuring some of the biggest names in the sport and some of boxing’s top young prospects. We couldn’t kick it off with a better fight card this Saturday night.
“It’s time to quit calling Gervonta a young star or a rising star, because what he has demonstrated this year is that he’s a bonafide star. That is without question when you go into three cities and bring out all the people that he has.
"På slutten av dagen, none of that matters on Saturday night. That’s what we love about this sport. You have labels, critics and big names, but none of it matters when the bell rings. Each one of these six fighters up here fights like an underdog, because they’ve all been underdogs before.
“Gervonta and Gamboa fight like they’re hungry and like they’re angry. They fight like there’s one plate in the middle of the ring. I co-main event, with Badou Jack and Jean Pascal, I’ll put their resumes against any fighter in the sport. They’ve fought tough fight after tough fight and they’re still fighting on this stage. Uzcategui is one of the hardest punchers in the sport, and Lionell Thompson is looking for his shot. With all of this together, we’re in for an entertaining night.”
# # #
OM DAVIS VS. GAMBOA
Davis vs. Gamboa will see two-time super featherweight champion Gervonta “Tank’’ Davis, Mayweather Promotions’ top rising star and boxing’s hottest attraction, as he takes on former unified world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA Lightweight Title live on SHOWTIME Saturday, Desember 28 at the award-winning State Farm Arena in Atlanta in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The special holiday SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® sendingen begynner på 9 pm. ET / 6 pm. PT and features WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal battling two-division champion Badou Jack in the co-main event.
Følg på Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing
