Devastating Accidental Head-Butt Ends J’Leon Love-Abie Han Fight in Technical Majority Draw;

Caleb Plant Stays Unbeaten With Shutout Decision Over Andrew Hernandez

Спіймати Replay Понеділок, Сім. 11, На 10 p.m. І/PT На SHOWTIME EXTREME^®

Натисніть ОСЬ Щоб скачати фото; Кредитна Розі Cohe / Showtime

Лас-Вегас (Сім. 8, 2017) – At 20 роки, 9 months old, Девід Бенавідес became boxing’s youngest world champion – and the youngest ever in the super middleweight division – with a split decision victory over Рональд Гаврило в п'ятницю night on an exciting night of 168-pound action on SHOWTIME БОКС: СПЕЦІАЛЬНЕ ВИДАННЯ від спільної в Hard Rock Hotel & Казино. See the video of the decision via Twitter link ОСЬ.

Бенавідес (19-0, 17 КО) placed the previously vacated WBC Super Middleweight belt around his waist after winning the title against former European amateur standout Gavril (18-2, 14 КО) in what Benavidez later described as quite possibly the “Fight of the Year.” One scorecard had Gavril winning 116-111, with Benavidez winning on the other two scorecards, 116-111 і 117-111 in the event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“It feels amazing to win this title,” said the Phoenix resident Benavidez. “It’s everything I’ve dreamed about since I was a little kid. It’s everything I’ve dedicated myself to and I’ve worked hard for. It finally paid off.”

The 31-year-old Romanian Gavril, who trains at Mayweather’s Gym in Las Vegas by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, sent Benavidez to the canvas with a left hook with just 50 seconds left in the wild 12^ї і фінал.

“I feel I won the fight. I dominated the pace. I can’t say anything else other than it was up to the judges,” Gavril said, who was watched by his promoter all-time great Floyd Mayweather from ringside. “The only thing I can do is to ask for a rematch.”

Бенавідес, who turned pro at age 16 and only had 15 аматорські бої, took control of the fight early on, but Gavril seemed to gain steam mid-fight, out-boxing and being more active than Benavidez in the seventh, Восьмий і дев'ятий раунди. In rounds 11 і 12, Benavidez out-landed Gavril 66-35 в цілому і 53-14 with power punches.

“I felt my performance was good except for the last round when I got too anxious and wanted to knock him out,” Benavidez said. “I let my young side takeover and I wanted to give the fans a great fight. I didn’t really feel hurt but it was a shock knockdown. I know to be careful and more cautious. It was a learning experience.”

In another super middleweight contest, Аби Хан suffered a devastating accidental head-butt againstJ'Leon Любов на 1:02 into the eighth round and the fight went to the scorecards. One judge had Las Vegas’ Love winning 79-73, and the other two 76-76 making the decision a technical majority draw.

Following an exchange of punches, Любов (23-1-1, 13 КО) leaned in and the two fighter banged heads in violent fashion. Han (26-3-1, 16 КО) of El Paso, Техас, was left stunned and fell to the floor as blood gushed from his forehead above his left eye and he was immediately checked on by referee Kenny Bayless.

Han, who left the arena sitting up on a stretcher before hearing the decision, won the statistical battle in the ring. Han landed more blows (78-47 в цілому, 20-12 уколи, 58-35 потужність) and did so more accurately (24 відсотків в 17 percent overall, 16 percent to eight percent jabs and 30 відсотків в 27 percent power).

SHOWTIME boxing analyst Al Bernstein had Han winning by one point at the time of the stoppage.

“I can’t rate my performance as great because I didn’t get a victory, I got a draw,” said Love, who once trained at the famed Kronk Gym in Detroit under Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward.

The 29-year-old Love ended nearly a one-year layoff with his return to the ring. “I’m kind of rusty but I feel like I pressed the action and tried to take it to him,"Він сказав. “Other than that I feel like I landed the cleaner shots.”

У першому бою телепередачі, unbeaten super middleweight prospect Калеб завод (16-0, 10 КО) recorded a 10-round shutout decision against a tough Андрій Ернандес (19-7-1, 9 КО), 100-90 три рази.

Завод, who resides in Las Vegas by way of Ashland City, Тенн., was the more active fighter against the 31-year-old switch-hitting journeyman Hernandez, who took the fight on just eight days’ notice after Alan Campa dropped out. Plant jabbed effectively (81 з 271, 30 відсотків) while neutralizing Hernandez’s usually effective jab (46 з 325, 14 відсотків). Plant was also sharp with his power shots landing 44 percent to Hernandez’s 19 відсотків.

“I’m very pleased with my performance,” Plant said. “I boxed well and I dictated the pace. I pressed when I needed to press and boxed when I needed to box. I felt I put on a great show for the fans. I want to be star in boxing. I know with hard work I can accomplish anything.

“Hernandez is tough, I sent him with everything and he stood tall and my hats off to him. He’s a tough competitor.”

Ернандес, з Фенікса, Штат Арізона., suffered a cut under his left eye in the third and it caused him problems throughout the fight, opening up and bleeding over the final two rounds.

“All respect to Caleb Plant on his performance tonight,” Hernandez said. “He put on a solid fight and he’s got a great future. I was happy I was able to stay in there and last the entire 10 раундів.

“I felt Caleb won, but I don’t think it was 10 rounds to none. But that’s not for me to decide. It’s all up to the judges at the end of the day it only matters what they think.”

Plant added: “I’m ready to step up in competition and fight anybody in the top 10 of the super middleweight division. I got my eye on Benavidez and all the other world champions. Я йду!"

П'ятниці tripleheader will replay on Sunday, Сім. 10, на 9 a.m. І/PT, і Понеділок, Сім. 11, на 10 p.m. І/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available on SHOWTIME on DEMAND^® і SHOWTIME У БУДЬ-ЯКИЙ ЧАС^®.

Barry Tompkins called the action from ringside with Bernstein and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. Виконавчим продюсером став Гордон Холл з продюсером Річардом Гоганом і режисером Ріком Філліпсом.

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Unbeaten Rising Contender David Benavidez & Former European Amateur Star Ronald Gavril Battle for Vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Title

in Main Event of SHOWTIME BOXING: СПЕЦІАЛЬНЕ ВИДАННЯ^® П'ятниця, Сім. 8Жити на SHOWTIME в 10:05 p.m. І/PT

Лас-Вегас (Сім. 5, 2017) – Fight Week is here for the six boxers competing in в цю п'ятницю SHOWTIME БОКС: СПЕЦІАЛЬНЕ ВИДАННЯ телепередача, headlined by unbeaten rising star Девід Бенавідес і претендентом Рональд Гаврило хто will battle for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship live on SHOWTIME (10:05 p.m. І/PT) від спільної в Hard Rock Hotel & Казино, Лас-Вегас.

Подія, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, will feature two additional showdowns in the super middleweight division. Once-beaten J'Leon Любов (23-1, 13 КО) will battle Texas-native Abraham Han (26-3, 16 КО) in a 10-round bout while unbeaten prospect Калеб завод (15-0, 10 КО) takes on 31-year-old Phoenix, Штат Арізона., switch-hitter Андрій Ернандес (19-6-1, 9 КО), who steps in for Alan Campa for the 10-round attraction.

Квитки на турнірі, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Sampson Boxing, за ціною $100, $50 і $25, and are on sale Tuesday, Серпня. 22. To purchase tickets visit AXS.com or the Hard Rock Hotel & Казино, Las Vegas Box Office.

The following is a training camp update from each of the fighters on в цю п'ятницю tripleheader.

David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez

• He trains out of The Summit Gym in Big Bear, Халіф.
• His trainer is his father, Jose Benavidez Sr.
• With a victory, Бенавідес (вік 20) would become the youngest Super Middleweight to ever win a world title and the youngest current world champion.
• He’s very familiar with the gym because his brother Jose Benavidez Jr. (former WBA interim super lightweight champion) used to train there when he was active.

Benavidez on training camp:

“My training camps are always fairly long. I only take a week off after every fight and go back into training. For the first couple weeks, it’s just moving around, then we slowly work into the hard training. For this one, I probably had like a month and a half, two months.”

За його супротивника:

“I feel like he [Рональд Гаврило] has a really good style for me to showcase my skills, like how I did against Rogelio Medina. With our sparring partners, we have brawlers and we have boxers, також. Whatever style he fights on that night, I’m going to be prepared for it.”

Рональд «Три» Гаврил

• He trains at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas.
• He is a former European amateur standout.
• His trainer is Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (65 років; former WBA light heavyweight world champion, retired in 1988 із записом 50-8-1, 39 КО).

Gavril on training camp:

“I feel really sharp and I’m really happy with how everything has gone during training. This is the opportunity that I’ve worked so hard to get to and I’m definitely not letting it slip by. I know that everything needs to be 100 percent on fight night so I’m pushing myself to be ready to do whatever it takes to leave with the belt.”

За його супротивника:

“Benavidez is a strong guy who’s coming in with a lot of support behind him, but I’m not going to let any of that distract me from my preparation. Me and my trainer are going to have a great game plan for him. I know he wants to be active and smother me and we’re going to show him all of the parts of my game.”

Едді Мустафа Мухаммад:

“I got Ronald sparring with the IBF’s number-one super middleweight contender, Хосе Ускатегі. He’s giving us good work, too—he can fight. We also sparred Badou Jack for a couple rounds. We’ve got an abundance of guys that we’re working with.

“The way they’re talking about Benavidez, it’s like he’s King Kong. But it’s good—perfect! Ronald is a boxer-puncher, he can adapt. That’s the whole key. He has a wealth of amateur experience. This is our opportunity. We’ve talked about this for a while now, and Ronald is at a point where he’s ready right now…It’s going to be a great fight.”

J'Leon Любов

• He trains at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas.
• His trainer is Theo Chambers.
• He’s been in training camp for about five months

Love on training camp:

“My training camp—it’s been months! I started training in April. Being that we had fights fall out, I always stayed in the gym. That’s the hardest part, because I feel like I’ve had bad luck with fights falling out. But one thing I can say—we train our ass off! I just want to go on vacation after this.”

“We’ve had a lot of good sparring—Lionell Thompson and Denis Douglin have been in here working. We’ve had so many sparring partners throughout this camp, and we’ve just been working, working, working.

За його супротивника:

“I remember Abie Han from the amateurs. He’s always been a tough fighter. You can’t look past anybody. Everybody comes in that ring to fight. Everybody comes in with a different mode or a different drive, so this may be the drive he has to really come out and explode on the scene and beat me. Так, I’m taking him absolutely, positively serious, like he’s a world championship fighter and we’re fighting for the world title.”

Abraham “The Sun City Warrior” Han

• Trains out of his father’s martial arts studio in El Paso, Техас (Han’s Martial Arts).
• He is trained by Louie Burke — 56 років; former pro junior lightweight, retired in 1985 із записом 19-3, 12 КО; won the “ESPN Junior Lightweight Title” on Apr. 14, 1983, with a 12-round unanimous decision against Freddie Roach; also won a 10-round decision against Roach in the rematch on Nov. 10, 1983.
• He has sparred with former world champion Austin Trout.

Han on training camp:

“I train at my dad’s martial arts studio in El Paso – Han’s Martial Arts. I’m sparring mostly with local people from El Paso, and I also sparred with Austin Trout.

“I’ve been working hard and working with Austin (Форель) and that makes a big difference. Austin makes me so much better. He’s been a world champion and he will be a world champion again. His expertise and his knowledge is amazing. He’s been in those situations and he tells me little things along the way and I think that will make all the difference in this fight.”

Caleb “Sweet Hands” Plant

• Moved to Las Vegas from Nashville about a year ago to train
• He is trained by Justin Gamber and his father Richie Plant.

Plant on training camp:

“I’ve been living in Las Vegas for more than a year now – since August 24th, 2016. I’ve been in the gym consistently this whole time since my last fight, but my ‘official’ training camp will be seven or eight weeks. We bounce around to a couple of different gyms for sparring. I’ve had good work this camp – great sparring, good strength and conditioning, good gym work, and I’ve had good rest. I have a good diet.

“I know every boxer says, ‘Oh, this is my best camp,’ and a lot of times they don’t mean it. But this has literally been my best camp. Things are very smooth.”

Андрій Ернандес

• He is managed by his wife Jacquie Hernandez and trained by Alan Beirs.
• Alfred Quintana serves as his cut man and strength and conditioning coach.
• A late replacement, Hernandez got the call on Aug. 29 and accepted the fight; contract signed the next day.
• Trains at Gents Gym in Arrowhead, Арізона.

What Hernandez has to say:

“I’ve known my trainer, Alan Beirs, деякий час. He actually helped me with my last couple of fights – we’ve only been together maybe six months or so. He worked my corner in February, but we weren’t working completely together. Then when I got back in the gym in March, that’s when we really started working together.

“I train at a place called Gents Gym in Arrowhead, Арізона. I trained there with the Busted Knuckles Boxing crew – that’s Alan Beirs’ crew. We’re all pushing each other to get better and I know they’ll have me ready for fight night.”

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