|
Tag Archives: Showtime
ONE-YEAR IN: ABNER MARES & ROBERT GARCIA ON THE ROAD TO DECEMBER 10 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
|
|
HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER TO BE GUEST ANALYST FOR ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. ERIC MOLINA HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT ON SATURDAY, DEC. 10 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® Airs at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT Live On SHOWTIME; Encore Presentation During Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®Telecast
Watch, Share & Embed “Wilder Road To Recovery” Video: http://s.sho.com/2gcc2TI
Download: https://we.tl/V82xszVTFc
Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
NEW YORK (Dec. 2, 2016) – WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join the SHOWTIME announce team as a guest analyst for the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT).
Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi for the SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, site of that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.
The “Bronze Bomber” just completed rehab for a fractured right hand and torn right bicep (see video above) as he (Wilder) sets his sights to unify the division in 2017. Wilder is acutely familiar with Molina, having defeated the fellow-American in the first defense of his title in June, 2015 on SHOWTIME.
“I know firsthand just how tough Eric Molina is,” Wilder said. “He’s coming to win because it’s a chance for him to win a world title, and he’ll definitely push Joshua. Whoever wins will have to see me eventually because it’s my goal to collect all the belts and become the undisputed heavyweight champion.”
Joshua is making the second defense of his title against Molina, who is getting his second shot at a belt in his quest to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight world champion.
An encore presentation of Joshua vs. Molina will air as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast later that evening, following the main event showdown between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar and three-division former champ Abner Mares. In the opening bout, Jermall Carlo will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Julian Williams.
Junior Featherweight World Champion Amanda Serrano Meets Former Two-Division World Champion Yazmin Rivas Live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® in First Women’s World Title Bout on National Television in Nearly A Decade
Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Plus! Undefeated Rising Middleweight Contenders
Ievgen Khytrov & Immanuwel Aleem Collide in Action
Beginning at 7 p.m. ET/ PT
BROOKLYN (December 2, 2016) – Junior featherweight world champion and Brooklyn-native Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano (30-1-1, 23 KOs) is set to battle former two-division world champion Yazmin Rivas (35-9-1, 10 KOs) in the first nationally televised women’s world title bout in nearly a decade on Saturday, January 14, live on SHOWTIME EXTREME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
NOTE: The last nationally televised female world title fight was Mary Jo Saunders vs. Valerie Mahfood on March 30, 2007 (ESPN2).
The SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast begins at 7 p.m. ET/PT and features Ievgen Khytrov (14-0, 12 KOs) battling Immanuwel Aleem(16-0-1, 9 KOs) in a 10-round matchup of undefeated rising contenders for the WBC Middleweight Silver belt.
The January 14 event features a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader headlined by the super middleweight world championship unification showdown between Badou Jack and James DeGale. Televised coverage on SHOWTIME® begins at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT with super featherweight world champion Jose Pedraza taking on undefeated contender Gervonta Davis.
Serrano, the WBO 122-pound titlist, and Rivas, the WBC International champion at super bantamweight, will fight for the WBO title and the prestigious WBC Diamond championship in a bout that promises intense action from start to finish. The addition of Serrano means that the card will feature Puerto Rico’s only two world champions, Serrano and Pedraza.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
Raised in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, Serrano gravitated toward boxing from watching her older sister Cindy, also a professional fighter. She picked the sport up quickly, amassing a 9-1 record during a brief amateur career in which she won the New York Golden Gloves title in 2008. The 27-year-old would go on to fight all over the world, seizing her first world title in 2011 when she defeated Kimberly Connor to grab a super featherweight belt. In 2014, she went to Argentina and defeated Maria Elena Maderna to become a world champion at lightweight. Her world title climb continued in February when she stopped Olivia Gerula in the first round to capture her featherweight championship. She made her Barclays Center debut in July with a first-round stoppage of Calixta Silgado before earning another victory in the first round when she stopped Alexandra Lazar to pick up a vacant junior featherweight world title.
A 28-year-old out of Torreon, Mexico, Rivas picked up her WBC International title in her last bout, a decision victory over Jessica Gonzalez. Rivas had previously successfully defended her bantamweight world title four times after winning the belt against Alesia Graf in 2014. Her prior run as a bantamweight champion lasted for five defenses after she defeated previously unbeaten Susie Ramadan to win that belt. These extended championship runs came after she became a flyweight world champion in 2005 by defeating Lucia Avalos.
An Olympian who represented his native Ukraine, Khytrov also won an Amateur World Championship before turning pro in 2013. Since then, the 28-year-old has dominated on his way to stopping contenders Josh Luteran and Nick Brinson and previously unbeaten fighters Maurice Louishomme and Aaron Coley. Khytrov, who trains out of Brooklyn, won an entertaining ninth-round knockout over Paul Mendez in his last start this past July. Khytrov has fought three times previously on ShoBox: The New Generation.
Born in East Meadow, New York and fighting out of Richmond, Virginia, Aleem was introduced to boxing at a young age by his parents. Since turning pro in 2012 at age 18, the 23-year-old has wiped out all of the competition in front of him. In 2015, he dominated Emmanuel Sanchez, David Toribio, Oscar Riojas and Carlos Galvan before defeating once-beaten Jonathan Cepeda in April. In his last bout, he boxed a draw with once-beaten prospect Demond Nicholson. He will look to take advantage of another big opportunity on January 14.
# # #
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment,www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz, Dejan Zlaticanin & Mikey Garcia Los Angeles Press Conference Quotes & Photos
Plus! Quotes & Photos from the Frampton vs. Santa Cruz
Belfast Press Conference
(Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME)
Featherweight World Championship Rematch Headlines
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Doubleheader
Saturday, January 28 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena
in Las Vegas
Click HERE for Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
Click HERE for Photos from Premier Boxing Champions
LOS ANGELES (December 1, 2016) – Featherweight world champion Carl Frampton and former three-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz went face-to-face in Los Angeles Thursday along with lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin and undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia in advance of their respective showdowns Saturday, January 28 in a Premier Boxing Champions event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and live on SHOWTIME.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with Zlaticanin vs. Garcia. For Frampton and Santa Cruz, Thursday’s event was the second press conference promoting their highly anticipated rematch as the featherweights spoke to media in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday at the Europa Hotel.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with Cyclone Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $504, $404, $304, $204, $104 and $54, and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.AXS.com.
After the Belfast press conference, the fighters and their teams flew to the U.S. to meet with the media at an open to the public event at the outdoor plaza at the Los Angeles Central Public Library.
Here is what the participants had to say at the two events:
CARL FRAMPTON
From Los Angeles:
“This rematch with Leo Santa Cruz is going to be an amazing one. The first one was considered a ‘Fight of the Year’ and I don’t think this can be any different. We’re going to kick-off 2017 with a bang.
“Leo is an amazing fighter and I want to thank him for giving me the chance to fight for his title in July. I was more than happy to give him the rematch straight away. These are the types of fights I want to be involved in.
“I thought I won the first fight. I don’t think it was controversial at all. I think I won the fight by three or four rounds. They were definitely close, competitive rounds, but I think I was doing more to win rounds and get the nod. This one is going to be more of the same.
“Las Vegas is obviously a bit closer to home for Leo and I’m sure he’ll bring a lot of fans. But I’m bringing at least 4,000 from the UK. Right now I’m the most well-supported fighter in the UK. It’s a great privilege for me.
“When I fight people, I feel like I improve the second time. I have a good boxing brain and I can adapt to different situations. The only person I’ve fought twice as a pro was Kiko Martinez and the second time I fought him I won comfortably. Because I learned from the first fight. I know everything about Leo. He fights the same way every single time.
“I think our styles just gel really well together. You can expect a great night with a really huge undercard from start to finish.
“I know his training may not have been as focused last time as it could have been because of his father. I expect a better Leo Santa Cruz. But in terms of how he fights, I think he’ll fight the same way. It’s a good way to fight and it’s gotten him far. He usually wears people down, but I have serious punching power and that again could be the difference.
“If you want people to remember you in 20 or 30 years’ time, you need to fight guys like Leo Santa Cruz. We’ve already been working very hard in the gym and we’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure I remain the champion and bring the title back home to Ireland.”
From Belfast:
“It’s always good to be here in Belfast and see the people. It’s good for them to see great fighters like Leo Santa Cruz in their hometown.
“This is going to be a dream come true. It won’t all sink in until I’m out there and ready to perform. Las Vegas is the mecca of boxing. It’s where all the big names go. I’m expecting a big support base from all over the UK and Ireland on January 28.
“I feel like no matter who I fight, I always get better the second time. I have a good boxing brain and I can adapt to my opponent’s style and use it to my advantage. If you’ve seen me in sparring, if I have a dodgy performance, you know I will get better the second time.
“I know how Leo fights, and he knows how I fight. But I can adapt and make changes. I can be a bit more clever than I was last time. I got dragged into the fight more than I wanted to.
“Headlining in New York against a great fighter like Leo Santa Cruz was a dream come true. Now I have the opportunity to go to Las Vegas, where Leo has fought a few times. It’ll be his first time in the main event there as well and I’m just excited to get out there and feel the buzz of fight week.
“I think this fight could be even better. I gave him his first loss and I’m sure he’s going to come looking for his revenge. But I’m training very hard. I’m in good shape for this point in camp.
“There’s no doubt that Leo went through a difficult time with his father’s illness. I also know that Leo trained very hard anyway. He threw about a thousand punches last fight and was throwing all the way to the end. You can’t throw much more than that so I don’t think he’s going to improve his work rate.
“I believe he’ll come up with a different game plan but I genuinely believe that I’ll be able to deal with anything he brings to the ring. It’s not going to be an easy fight, but I’ll do whatever it takes to win and I believe I will.
“Leo Santa Cruz is a tough fighter with a solid chin. But I believe that if I hit any featherweight, or super featherweight, with a clean shot, that I can knock them out. If I’m a little bit cleaner, then I could knock him out. But I’ll be prepared to go a hard 12 rounds.
“I believe if I use my brain a little bit more in this one, and don’t get dragged into his fight, that I can win it more convincingly. But there will be times in this fight where I’ll just have to bite down and fight for my life.
“I’m prepared for anything. I’m ready to keep this title in Belfast and then I’m going to return here for a show in Belfast in the summer.”
LEO SANTA CRUZ
From Los Angeles:
“Carl Frampton is a great fighter. He has the respect of the fans because he has proven that he’s a great champion. I know it’s going to be another very close and exciting fight.
“We both train really hard for our families and for the fans. We want to give you all a great show. I know that this rematch is going to be very tough.
“I learned from the first fight that every little mistake really matters. One or two could really cost you. I trained hard but without my dad he wasn’t pressuring me like I’m used to. Those things come back to haunt you. It hurt, but it taught me that I have to leave it all in the ring and work every day for what I want.
“We’re going to be mentally and physically ready. I’m getting more motivation from having him there. We’ll be making some little changes and we’re going to do a lot better.
“I’m motivated to get my belt back. I was a champion and now I’m a former champion. That makes me unhappy. We’re going to train hard and do our best to become a champion again.
“We’re going to go to the gym and train hard to make this fight even better than the first one.”
From Belfast:
“This is a very nice city and when I knew there would be a rematch, I wanted to come to Belfast. This is the first time I’ve been to Europe.
“It was a very hard fight and right after it was over, the first thing that came to my head was a rematch.
“Las Vegas is a lot closer to my hometown and I feel very comfortable fighting there. Carl Frampton has a lot of fans though, and they’re going to fly over to Vegas. I think it will be a pretty even crowd and I don’t see it as an advantage for anyone.
“It was a pretty close fight the first time. When you’re in the ring you’re only worried about fighting. It could have gone either way. I thought being the champion, that it should have gone my way. But I won’t take anything away from Frampton. We’re looking to the future and beating him in the rematch.
“The fans here have made me feel very welcome since the first fight. I feel comfortable here. I’m excited to be here in Belfast with these great fans.
“I was disappointed but it was a very close fight the first time. He had the bigger crowd and the Irish people would scream for everything he did. It was a really good close fight though. I really think it could have gone either way.
“Carl Frampton is a great fighter and I knew it would be a tough fight. I didn’t get to train for that fight like I was supposed to. My father was going through cancer treatment so I wasn’t 100 percent in the training. I was thinking about my dad’s health and he was only really there for the last three weeks of camp. We’re going to have a great game plan and it’s going to be another tough fight, but we’re looking to get the victory.
“If you watched the first fight you know that it was a great fight. The second one is going to be even better. I took my first defeat. He’s a great fighter, but I want to win this rematch. If I win the rematch, I’m fine bringing the third fight of the trilogy to Belfast.”
DEJAN ZLATICANIN
“Everyone thinks that Garcia is a pound-for-pound star but I want to tell everyone that I’m going to win this fight.
“Everything in preparations has been going great. I’ll be 100% ready on January 28. This is the fight of my life. I have to be ready and we’re right on track.
“I always respected fighters like Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. or a fighter like Mike Tyson because whoever they were supposed to fight they fought. I’m the same way, an old school fighter who’s willing to fight anybody.
“I came up the hard way, and sometimes I thought I might never get this opportunity. I’ve been in some really tough fights where people gave me no chance to win, but now I’m a world champion.
“To be the first world champion from Montenegro is historic. I think it’s made me a national hero in the country and I’m honored. The people in my country love me and I love them back.
“When I beat Mikey Garcia that will make me an even bigger star. I think Mikey is a good puncher, and he has good timing, but I can hit him easily and I’m planning to knock him out.”
“Mikey will have a big opponent in front of him. He needs to run around the ring because I’m going to come for him. You will see me defend my title and you will enjoy it.”
MIKEY GARCIA
“I’m thankful to everyone who came out. I was down for over two years, but it seems like no one has forgotten about me. We’re looking for big things. I want to pick up right where I left off.
“I’m really happy to have been given this opportunity to claim a world title in a third division. This is going to be an amazing fight. He’s a hungry world champion. He’s very dangerous. These are the kind of fights that I want. This is what I need to prove myself.
“This is only the beginning. This is going to be a huge year for me. I want to win multiple titles and maybe conquer multiple divisions this year.
“I haven’t fought in Vegas since 2012 but I expect the fans to be out there supporting. This is a big stage and a night of great fights. This is a great opportunity to become a world champion in another weight class.
“I’ve known Leo Santa Cruz since the amateur days. We get to share the stage again on July 30 and I’m looking forward to another good shot. I can’t ask for anything more.
“My brother and my dad watch more film than I do. I only like to watch a couple rounds of my opponent. So I’ve seen what Dejan has. During the fight I’ll listen to my corner and make adjustments. He’s a young, undefeated champion for a reason. I want him to be at his best because that will bring out my A-game.
“My body feels really good right now. I think this is going to be a great division for me. I don’t think the weight will affect me in any way.
“This is going to be a great show. I’m going to give everything that the fans want to see. I’m sure my opponent will do the same. I want to take on the biggest challenges and I’m ready to make those fights happen. I want to give the fans the fights they want. The best of my career is yet to come.”
BARRY MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Manager, Former World Champion & Hall of Famer
From Los Angeles:
“It’s great to be here in Los Angeles for such a great occasion. Dejan, Mikey, Leo and Carl are all incredible fighters and it really is going to be a magnificent show.
“These are two amazing fighters. If they fought every day of the week, and twice on Sunday, every single fight would be close. I just think that Carl has the edge in innate boxing intelligence. He is more versatile and a naturally bigger guy than Leo. We have to get him into the best shape of his life.
“Carl is going to have to turn it up on fight night and we know that Leo will turn it up as well. He’ll put the pressure on him. I believe it will be at least as good of a fight as last time.
“We’re going to have a fabulous night on January 28 and I have to say it again, we will be winning.”
From Belfast:
“You boxing fans here in Belfast are the best supporters in the world, we have no doubt about it, and we’re going to go to Las Vegas to make sure we win again and win more convincingly.”
RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports
From Los Angeles:
“When you mix these two together, you know it has to be another ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. These two guys could fight 10 times and every time it would be a ‘Fight of the Year’, and probably a very close decision. These are our modern day gladiators.
“These are exciting matchups where you really don’t know who’s going to win. This is what the fans like to see. These are closely matched fights, for the fans. That is exactly what you will see on January 28.
“Dejan vs. Mikey is the most significant matchup in the lightweight division. There is no question about it. It’s an extremely dangerous fight. It’s playing with fire for Mikey. I can pretty much assure you that this fight will end in a knockout. This is easily a main event on its own.
“I believe that Mikey Garcia is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. But to get there and to stay there, you have to face fighters like Dejan. This just shows what Mikey is made of.
From Belfast:
“I was fortunate to promote many of Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather’s fights, but whenever I am here, I can feel the passion that you fans here bring to the sport. You elevate these fighters to do better. At Barclays Center we saw you there cheering on your guy.
“Tickets are available as low as fifty dollars. I don’t think that’s a bad idea in January, to go from cold Ireland to warm Las Vegas. There are many reasons to go out there, but this fight is the biggest reason to go.
“It’s a rematch of the ‘Fight of the Year’ and I’m very proud to be able to promote this fight together along with Barry McGuigan. I thank all of the fans here again for the passion you bring to the sport of boxing.”
SHANE MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Trainer
From Los Angeles:
“These are two really good fighters. As Richard said, this would be a great fight 10 times out of 10. Leo had a lot of distractions in training camp with his father’s health and I think he will be a better fight the second time.
“That was Carl Frampton’s first time fighting at 126-pounds, so he had a lot of new experiences leading up to the last fight. They both learned in the first fight and I think they will both be able to give a little bit more the second time. The fans will be the ones to enjoy the action.
“Training camp has been going great.
From Belfast:
“I don’t know who was lucky enough to see the first fight between these two, but it was really a great one. Carl got dragged into Leo’s fight at times, but with that came excitement.
“I think this fight we’re going to win a lot more convincingly, cement the win and then move on. I’m extremely excited about it.
“To see how far Carl has come is phenomenal. I hope people will buy a ticket and come out to support. He needs that support and I hope to see you all out there.”
ALEX VAYSFELD, Zlaticanin’s Manager
“It was a very hard uphill road for Dejan to get where he was going. He had to fight a lot of different places and fight people that he wasn’t supposed to beat, in other people’s minds. But he won.
“Dejan knows how to be an underdog and he knows how to calm a favorite. I guarantee you that Dejan knows every aspect of Garcia’s game. When he steps into that ring, you will all see something amazing.
“Mikey is going to bring his best, Dejan is going to bring his best and of the fans are going to be in for an amazing fight.”
ROBERT GARCIA, Mikey’s Brother & Trainer
“I consider Leo Santa Cruz a great fighter and a friend. Carl Frampton is another great fighter and it’s fantastic to be part of a card with such a big main event.
“This was a very easy fight to make. Mikey said yes right away. He wanted to fight for a title and he got it. Mikey isn’t going to hold back. He wants to keep moving up and challenging big names. He wants to be remembered as one of the best fighters in the world. Mikey wants to give the fans the best fights out there.
“I don’t have any second thoughts about this fight because I believe in Mikey. We’re preparing to become the lightweight champion of the world.
“Mikey is training hard. He’s going to be ready on January 28 and prepared to give everybody a great fight.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports
“SHOWTIME has without question delivered the strongest lineup of any network in boxing. We are looking for the best fighters fighting the best. Top tier fighters against top tier fighters. This is what we have here today.
“Our main event has Carl Frampton, who for my money is the 2016 ‘Fighter of the Year.’ He defeated two undefeated world champions to unify 122-pounds and pick up a title at 126-pounds. There is no fighter who has done what he has in 2016.
“Leo Santa Cruz is a three-division world champion. He’s always entertaining. His Abner Mares was the ‘Fight of the Year’ in 2015 and his fight this year with Carl was my ‘2016 Fight of the Year.’ I think his fight on January 28 will be another one.
“The co-main event is really worthy of being a main event of its own. For those of you who don’t know Dejan Zlaticanin, he’s a fighter that nobody wants to fight. He’s one of the most avoided fighters in the lightweight division. He’s a power puncher who’s very aggressive. No one except Mikey Garcia. He’s looking for a world title in a third division and he’s no doubt a top 10 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. These guys were so anxious to fight that we put it on the card on January 28 and the fans get a real treat.
“We have four top tier fighters. This is the best in the sport, coming together on one card. As Richard suggested, the combined record of these fighters is 112 wins and 1 loss. These are four of the most skilled fighters in the sport. It’s a special night. You shouldn’t miss it.”
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @MikeyGarcia, @DinamitDejan1 and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
UNDEFEATED 154-POUND CONTENDER JULIAN WILLIAMS TALKS GROWING UP IN PHILADELPHIA AS HE PREPARES TO CHALLENGE JERMALL CHARLO NEXT SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®
SHOWTIME BOXING VIDEO ALERT
“I take pride in the history of Philadelphia boxing and building my own legacy.” – Julian Williams
Watch, Share & Embed The Video: http://s.sho.com/2grd41m
Download Link: https://we.tl/Pu8svAEmQQ
Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
Two of the best fighters in the 154-pound division will face off next Saturday, Dec. 10 when Julian “J-Rock” Williams challenges fellow-undefeated IBF Junior Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME. Check out this video from SHOWTIME Sports® to hear J-Rock discuss his youth growing up in West Philadelphia as he approaches the toughest challenge of his career.
In the main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast, live from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar will defend his belt against former three-division world champ Abner Mares.
# # #
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Q&A WITH AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT ERIC MOLINA AS HE PREPARES TO CHALLENGE UNDEFEATED IBF CHAMPION ANTHONY JOSHUA, SATURDAY, DEC. 10 ON SHOWTIME®
Molina Aims To Become First Mexican-American Heavyweight Champion
SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL Live on SHOWTIME
At 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT From Manchester England
NEW YORK (Dec. 1, 2016) – If strength of schedule had anything to do with a boxer’s ranking, Eric Molina (25-3, 19 KOs), of Weslaco, Texas, might be rated amongst the top boxers in his division.
Consider: In June of last year, Molina went to Birmingham, Ala., to challenge undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs). Molina, a prohibitive underdog, lost but had his moments, including staggering Wilder with a wicked shot in the third round.
This past April, Molina traveled to Poland and knocked out one of that country’s all-time great champions, Tomasz Adamek, in the 10th round.
And now, on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME, Molina will travel to Manchester, England, to challenge unbeaten IBF Heavyweight World Champion and hugely popular local favorite Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs). Once again, he will enter the ring as a significant underdog.
“A lot of heavyweights haven’t walked the streets that I’ve walked through,’’ Molina said. “This is an evil sport. You lose, they write you off. It’s hard to bounce back like I have. Nothing has been given to me. I’ve earned it. I’ve done it the hard way. I enjoy the world underestimating me, but they don’t understand the struggles I’ve been through.
“This is my second world title shot, my third major fight in 18 months, and I’ll be the first Mexican-American heavyweight champ in history if I win. I’m coming into this fight like this is it for me. This is my last shot. I’m ready to fight with everything I have.
“I love these big, big fights. They don’t scare me. There is no fear in me.”
Here are Molina’s responses to a recent Q&A:
On his upcoming assignment against Joshua
“I feel great about this fight. These are the kinds of fights I want and want to be in. Before I fought Wilder I had 35 days to train; for this I’ve had about five weeks. We feel this gives us plenty of time to fix what we have to fix in training.
“This is a mission I set out for – to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion of the world. This is my mission. I’m looking forward to fighting Joshua and embracing the opportunity. I work very hard and put everything into it every day. I want to be the first Mexican-American heavyweight champion.
“The magnitude of this fight is everything. I put everything in. But I know I have to stay focused and relaxed.”
What do you think of Joshua?
”Obviously, he does a lot things well, but there are a lot of areas to his game we haven’t seen yet, and I’m going to test him in those areas. He really hasn’t had to take too many punches in his fights. I’m going to have to put him in spots where he’s uncomfortable. There has to be a game plan and there will be for Joshua.”
Who are the top heavyweights in the world?
“Joshua has got a great attitude. I’d say he’s the No. 1 heavyweight, ahead of Wilder and Tyson Fury.”
On how this fight came about
“Once I got wind that the Klitschko fight might not be happening, I started thinking, ‘well, if not Wlad, then who?’ I looked at the rankings and didn’t see a lot of possibilities so I knew I had a chance. Then, I got a call from Eddie Hearn with an offer and I signed a few days later. I feel truly blessed. I feel like this is my time.”
How would you describe how your career is going?
“I no longer second guess what I can do. Fighting on the road so much; fighters need that kind of experience to compete against a fighter like Joshua. You have to stay in the moment and keep focused at what you are there to do and not allow the atmosphere in the arena get to you.
“I’ve fought some of the biggest fights on the road, so I’m accustomed to it and definitely think that is my edge over (Dominic Breazeale and Charles Martin).
“Some fighters have to go down to become champion. It’s not that easy to become champion. My road sure hasn’t been that easy. I got beat by Wilder, but then I knocked out Adamek and now I’m fighting Joshua.
“I’ve been in the underdog situation. I’ve been in these fights, and that doesn’t affect me. I’m ready for it.’’
Where are you training?
“I’m training in Weslaco with my team at my own private gym. We’ve brought in some sparring partners. I took a year off from teaching so I was in the gym anyway, but now I’m training for a world title again. We’ve been working hard, putting in extra time on strength and conditioning. The plan is to take our time, try to put everything together and not rush anything. So far we’re right on the mark.’’
When do you depart for England?
“We are leaving on Dec. 2 or Dec. 3. Before that, I just need to concentrate on staying in the moment, which is to continue focusing on training and letting the future take care of itself.’’
What were your takeaways from the Wilder fight?
“In the Wilder fight, look at the first knockdown. You see how I landed on my left ankle. I rolled it over and it hurt – and got worse — but I kept fighting. The ankle was in a cast for six-seven weeks afterward.
“Take out the Wilder fight and it puts me in right in the mix with any heavyweights in the world. For me, that fight was confirmation that no heavyweight can just run through me. That is one of the differences between my attitude now and before.
“At one point I didn’t have the experience –I had no amateur fights – or the confidence I have now. I now know what I can do and can’t do, I know my strengths and weaknesses more and just feel that I’ve matured into a top contender. I’m now confident in my power and the things that I can do.’’
How do you rate the victory over Adamek in your last fight?
“It was pinnacle of my career. To knock him out there, it was the biggest win of my career and set me up now for the biggest fight of my career against Joshua. I have such nice memories of that fight. I t took a full team effort to beat Adamek and it will take another full team effort to beat Joshua. Our backs are against the wall but we’ll be ready.’’
Premier Boxing Champions Presents: 12 Rounds with Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo
|
|
Featherweight World Championship Rematch Between Carl Frampton & Leo Santa Cruz Headlines Premier Boxing Champions Event Saturday, January 28 From MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Live on SHOWTIMEâ
PLUS! Lightweight World Champion Dejan Zlaticanin Battles Undefeated Former Two-Division Superstar Mikey Garcia
Frampton & Santa Cruz to Host
Press Conferences in Belfast & Los Angeles
Tickets on Sale Tuesday, November 29 at 9 a.m. PT!
LAS VEGAS (November 23, 2016) – Undefeated featherweight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (23-0, 14 KOs) and former three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz(32-1-1, 18 KOs) will meet again in a world title rematch that headlines a Premier Boxing Champions event Saturday, Jan. 28 live on SHOWTIME from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGâ doubleheader will also feature lightweight world champion Dejan Zlaticanin (22-0, 15 KOs) making his first title defense against fan favorite and former two-division titlist Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29 KOs).
Frampton and Santa Cruz are set to clash in a rematch of their July “Fight of the Year” candidate that saw tremendous back-and-forth action throughout the 12-round fight that ended in a majority decision for the Irish fighter. Frampton drew significant Irish support in Brooklyn and will now bring his legion of fans to Las Vegas for the first time in an arena where Santa Cruz has fought six times. Just a few hours from Santa Cruz’s home of Los Angeles, the electric atmosphere is sure to be buoyed by two men who combined to land 402 power shots out of the 497 punches landed in their first fight.
To kick off the promotion, Frampton and Santa Cruz will be holding open-to-the-public press conferences in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Tuesday, Nov. 29 and in Los Angeles on Thursday, Dec. 1 with more details to be announced shortly.
“The rematch is the fight we wanted,” said Frampton. “I enjoyed our first fight in New York. The atmosphere was fantastic and the fight lived up to the hype. On January 28th I will be better and I will win more convincingly. I know the way Leo fights, he throws a lot of punches and he is brave, but his style suits me. It has always been a dream of mine to headline in Las Vegas and I cannot wait to get out there and put on a great performance for the American boxing fans and the travelling support from Ireland and the UK.”
“From the moment our last fight ended, when the decision came and I lost the fight, I knew my only goal was to get my belt back,” said Santa Cruz. “When I sat in the locker room afterward, I felt more motivated than ever to get back in the gym. All I’ve thought about since the fight was this rematch. There won’t be any distractions in this camp. I’ll be heading into the fight with a better game plan. I’m putting in 100 percent in training and I’m excited to get in the ring on January 28 to get my belt back.”
“This is the most important fight of my career,” said Zlaticanin. “I expect a tough and ruthless fight. I know how good Mikey Garcia is, but I also know how good I am. The fight is not going to reach the final bell; one of us will be knocked out, and I believe it will be Mikey. Garcia has never fought a good and strong fighter like me before. He will feel my power on January 28.”
“I’m very happy and excited for my upcoming fight,” said Garcia. “This is a chance to claim a third world title in my third division. Zlaticanin is tough, strong and dangerous but I feel confident in my abilities. I’m planning on giving the fans in Las Vegas a great show. 2017 will be a great year for me and it all starts January 28!”
“Frampton-Santa Cruz II is truly the best that boxing has to offer, an immediate rematch of a leading Fight of the Year candidate between the two top-rated fighters in the division,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “And Zlaticanin vs. Garcia is a ‘50/50’ fight between two undefeated champions and a main event in its own right. The Jan. 28 telecast is the cornerstone of four upcoming SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presentations that feature the best matchups in boxing’s deepest divisions. Events like this one are proof that SHOWTIME delivers the strongest boxing line up of any network in the sport today.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports in association with Cyclone Promotions and TGB Promotions, are priced at $504, $404, $304, $204, $104 and $54, and go on sale Tuesday, November 29 at 9 a.m. PT. Tickets are available at www.AXS.com.
“I am looking forward to a terrific event in Las Vegas,” said Barry McGuigan of Cyclone Promotions, a former world champion and Hall of Famer. “The first fight between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz was sensational and I truly believe that the rematch will be even better. I’m convinced that Carl will win the rematch more convincingly and beating someone like Leo Santa Cruz a second time will define Carl as true great of Irish boxing. I know everyone at Cyclone Promotions is proud to deliver a great night of boxing at MGM Grand where there will be a full action packed card of championship fights.”
“It’s a thrill to promote another fantastic night of boxing featuring two evenly matched world championship showdowns,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman and CEO of Ringstar Sports. “These are the kinds of cards that Ringstar is all about. Frampton and Santa Cruz put on a memorable performance in July and battled from the opening bell. It was Frampton who took home the belt last time, but I expect that Leo will train to be 100 percent and do everything in his power to get his title back. I believe this could be an even better fight than the first one. We also have Mikey Garcia, who shook off the ring rust in July and will challenge the most dangerous lightweight champion in the world, Dejan Zlaticanin, in the co-main event. This is a fight that looks destined to end by knockout. The perfect stage for this great night of action is the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and I anticipate a huge crowd on hand to support these outstanding fighters.”
“The first fight between Frampton and Santa Cruz was action packed from start to finish and I guarantee the rematch will be the same,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Along with the Zlaticanin-Garcia bout, as they battle for a world title, you have another can’t miss night of boxing from MGM Grand live on SHOWTIME.”
Frampton’s all-action style has made him a firm favorite with boxing fans all around the world. The record breaking Northern Irishman is currently one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet and on January 28 will, for the first time, take his legion of fans to the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.The 29-year-old defeated Santa Cruz after conquering rival Scott Quigg in their 122-pound unification bout in February. Fighting out of Belfast, the Irish national amateur champion (in 2005 and 2009) became a world champion in 2014 when he defeated Kiko Martinez to earn a super bantamweight title. He made his U.S. debut in July 2015 when he defeated Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. in Texas before unifying the title against Quigg.
The popular Mexican-American Santa Cruz fights out of Los Angeles and won a 126-pound title in a “Fight of the Year” grudge match against former three-division champ Abner Mares in August 2015 at STAPLES Center. He followed that up by stopping former world champion Kiko Martinez before taking the Frampton challenge. Prior to that, Santa Cruz won belts at 118 and 122 pounds while earning a reputation as one of boxing’s most active and exciting fighters. The 28-year-old also holds victories over Cristian Mijares and Eric Morel and has competed in world title bouts in 12 of his last 14 fights since 2012.
The first world champion ever from Montenegro, Zlaticanin will be putting his belt on the line for the first time since earning a third-round stoppage of Franklin Mamani in June to pick up the vacant title. The 32-year-old put himself in position to fight for the title in his U.S. debut by dominating then unbeaten Ivan Redkach on his way to a third-round TKO. A hard-hitting southpaw, Zlaticanin also has victories over Ricky Burns and Petr Petrov.
A popular fighter on both coasts, Oxnard, California’s Garcia returned from a two and half year layoff in July to dominate former champion Elio Rojas on his way to a fifth-round stoppage in Brooklyn as the co-main event of the first Santa Cruz vs. Frampton fight. The 28-year-old is ready to resume his promising career that already saw him pick up world titles at 126 and 130 pounds. Trained by his brother Robert, he owns impressive victories over Roman Martinez, Orlando Salido, Juan Manuel Lopez and Bernabe Concepcion.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.premierboxingchampions.com andwww.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @MikeyGarcia, @DinamitDejan1 and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares Media Conference Call Transcript & MP3
|
|