Category Archives: boxing
Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo Defends Against Highly-Ranked Contender Dennis Hogan Live on SHOWTIME® Saturday, December 7 in Premier Boxing Champions Event from Barclays Center in Brooklyn
Tickets on Sale Now!
BROOKLYN (October 17, 2019) – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten middleweight star Charlo making the second defense of his 160-pound title against Hogan, a tough former world title challenger who has campaigned from super welterweight through light heavyweight.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
“Jermall Charlo is a can’t miss attraction and one of the brightest stars in boxing,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He’ll look to make the second defense of his WBC Middleweight Championship in his fourth appearance at Barclays Center on December 7. He’ll have his hands full with the hard-charging Dennis Hogan, who many believe should be a 154-pound champion and should have earned the decision over junior middleweight champion Jaime Mungia. That performance has put him right back in a position to fight for a title and there’s no doubt that him and Jermall are going to leave it all in the ring and give fans a great fight live on SHOWTIME.”
“Jermall Charlo is one of those rare athletes who creates a spectacle every time he steps in the ring, and December 7 will be no different,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Jermall is the complete package – speed, power, athleticism and elite talent – so it is no surprise that he is one of the most avoided boxers in his division. Dennis Hogan deserves credit for stepping up to a challenge which many other middleweights wouldn’t. Hogan is a tough, aggressive fighter who many believe should already be a world champion. This is an intriguing clash of styles and personalities.”
“We’re looking forward to hosting another great night of Brooklyn Boxing and to welcoming Jermall Charlo back into our ring for the fourth time,” said Keith Sheldon, EVP of Programming and Development for BSE Global. “December’s matchup against Dennis Hogan exemplifies our ongoing commitment to bringing world class fights to Barclays Center featuring the sport’s most exciting stars.”
The undefeated Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) is one of the most exciting young champions in the sport. He and his twin brother, Jermell, were super welterweight champions simultaneously between 2015-17 before Jermall decided to move up to middleweight. Charlo won the IBF Junior Middleweight title with a thrilling TKO victory over Cornelius Bundrage in 2015. He made three successful defenses, including a victory over current unified champion Julian Williams, before moving up to middleweight.
The 29-year-old has proven to be just as dominant at 160 pounds as he was at 154, with three convincing performances since moving up in weight. Charlo will be making his second defense of the WBC middleweight title and fighting for the fourth time at Barclays Center. In a homecoming defense in June on SHOWTIME, he successfully defended the title against Brandon Adams with a unanimous decision in his first bout since being elevated to full champion. In his last fight at Barclays Center he shared the card with his twin brother, Jermell, and came away with a hard-fought unanimous decision over tough veteran Matt Korobov last December.
“Nobody knows Dennis Hogan like I know Dennis Hogan,” said Charlo. “He likes to come straight forward with that ‘Mexican’ style. I’m going to exploit that. He’s a tough fighter and he deserves a shot at the world championship because he competed well at the championship level already.
“I’m going on two consecutive 12-rounders and I don’t feel good about that. I’m ready to get back to my thing, which is knocking them out and getting them out of there. This is a big fight for me because it’s my 30th fight and I’m about to turn 30.”
Hogan (28-2-1, 7 KOs) is coming off a razor-thin majority decision loss to Jaime Munguia in a super welterweight world championship match on April 13 in which many thought Hogan did enough to pull off the victory. The 34-year-old, who was born in Ireland and now lives in Queensland, Australia, is looking for a clear-cut victory over Charlo in his first U.S. fight since 2016. Hogan put together a six fight winning streak before the title fight against Munguia.
“I am excited for the opportunity to challenge for the most prestigious belt in boxing, the WBC Middleweight world title against Jermall Charlo at Barclays Center,” said Hogan. “It doesn’t get any bigger than fighting in Brooklyn on SHOWTIME against the undefeated middleweight champion. After the disappointment I faced in April in Mexico, having been cheated out of the WBO Junior Middleweight world title that I strongly feel I earned, I am extremely grateful to have another opportunity to become a world champion.
“As an Irishman, I feel right at home in New York and have no issue traveling abroad once again to achieve my dream. I have successfully competed at light heavyweight and middleweight as a professional and I will feel stronger with the extra six pounds on December 7. I’m thankful to Jermall and his team for working with my team to provide this opportunity. I will be prepared and ready to shine.”
For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing
Heavyweights Alex “The Great” Flores & Mario Heredia headline RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®
BOUTS WILL STREAM LIVE ON NOV. 7TH FROM
CASINO DEL SOL IN TUCSON, ARIZONA
AT 10 P.M. E.T. / 7 P.M. P.T.
LAS VEGAS (October 17, 2019) – Heavyweights will grab the spotlight on November 7, when Alex “The Great” Flores takes on Mario “Chabelo” Heredia, headlining the latest installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, to be streamed live and exclusively from Casino Del Sol’s outdoor AVA Amphitheater in Tucson, Arizona at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions, four potentially explosive bouts will stream live on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 9 p.m. ET.
The 29-year-old Flores (17-2-1, 15 KOs) is a knockout artist from Rowland Heights, California, whose only two losses as a professional have been to world champions, Joseph Parker andCharles Martin. A former World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth World heavyweight champion, Flores’ most recent fight was a controversial loss in New Zealand to Parker, who struck Flores numerous times below the bout, leading to a knockout.
Flores and Mario “Chabelo” Heredia (16-7-1, 13 KOs), a former WBC FECOMBOX champion from Mexico, will throw-down in the 10-round main event. Two fights ago, Heredia upset former WBC heavyweight world champion and Nigerian Olympian Samuel Peter by split decision.
Texas light heavyweight Samuel Clarkson (22-5, 15 KOs), who lost in 2017 to Dmnitry Bivolfor the World Boxing Association (WBA) nterim light heavyweight, will be showcased in the 10-round co-featured event against an opponent to be determined.
Undefeated Mexican welterweight Santiago “Somer” Dominguez (19-0, 15 KOs) puts his untarnished pro record on the line in an eight-rounder versus his Uzbekistan opponent,Ravshan Hudaynmazarov, who was the 2007 World Military Games champion.
The UFC FIGHT PASS opener pits undefeated California super middleweight Juan Jose “Nazzy” Dominguez (11-1-1, 10 KOs) in his RJJ Boxing debut against Fidel Hernandez(20-7-1, 11 KOs), of Phoenix.
Dominguez’ younger brother, welterweight Marcos “Nazzy” Dominguez (1-1-1, 10 KOs), will be in action, off UFC FIGHT PASS, in an either-round match against unbeaten Tucson welterweight Christopher Gonzalez (5-0-1, 1KO).
Also fighting on the undercard in four-rounders are Tucson flyweight Briana “Amenaza” Sanchez (2-0, 2 KOs) vs. Albuquerque, New Mexico’s pro-debuting Amanda Borg, and Tucson junior middleweight Jose “Raging Bull” Pena (3-2, 1 KO) vs. TBA.
Cards are subject to change.
Ticket are available for purchase online at www.casinodelsol.com and priced at the following: $10.00 (lawn), $15.00 (pavilion), $25.00 (gold), $75.00 (platinum) and $100.00 (elite)..
To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com
INFORMATION:
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Twitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @UFCFightPass, @KeithVeltre, @CDSResort
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KEVIN NEWMAN AND MARK ANTHONY HERNANDEZ TALK TRAINING CAMP AHEAD OF HIGHLY ANTICIPATED REMATCH ONSHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION QUADRUPLEHEADER FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
Click HERE for Photos from Mayweather Promotions
LAS VEGAS – October 16, 2019 – Super middleweight prospects Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman 10-1-1 (6 KOs) and Mark Anthony Hernandez 14-2-1 (3 KOs) discuss training camp, their first matchup, and the animosity between the camps leading up to their ShoBox: The Next Generation debuts on Friday, November 1 live on SHOWTIME at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.
The ShoBox four-fight telecast will see Mayweather Promotions’ undefeated super featherweight prospect Xavier Martinez (14-0, 10 KOs) return for his second consecutive test on the series, this time against veteran Filipino Jessie Cris Rosales (22-3-1, 10 KOs). In the co-featured fight, 2016 Olympian Richardson Hitchins (9-0, 5 KOs) will face once-beaten Kevin Johnson (7-1, 4 KOs), while undefeated Las Vegas knockout artist Rolando Romero9-0 (8 KOs) opens the telecast.
Tickets for the Mayweather Promotions’ Sin City Showdown start at $25 and can be purchased at: https://mayweatherpromotions.com/events/.
After back-to-back KO performances this year, Newman returns with a vengeance to face the man who owns the only blemish on his record in a rematch with Hernandez. In 2017, with eight professional bouts on his record, Newman appeared on the Mayweather vs. McGregor undercard where he took on Hernandez, a tough rising prospect. After six rounds of what Newman calls, “the worst performance of my professional career,” judges ruled the bout a unanimous decision in favor of Hernandez. Newman took the loss in stride and bounced back with three consecutive wins and looks ahead to the rematch, while Hernandez is focused on repeating history.
Here is what the fighters had to say ahead of the November 1 rematch:
On training camp:
Newman: “Training camp has been going great. We’ve been working hard day in and day out, making sure we leave no stone unturned and working on a solid game plan come fight night.
“My runs and workouts have been a little longer and harder. We’re just focusing on getting better every day and pushing as hard as we can to ensure we get the W in the rematch.
“People are going to see a slightly different version of me this time around. I won’t give away any specifics, but I’m going to shock a lot of people come fight night and they will get the best Kevin Newman.”
Hernandez: “Camp has been great. I have a great team behind me. I expect him to come harder for this fight so we’re preparing for anything this time around. But we will remain smart at all times. There are things I’m taking with me this time around that I’ve learned and practiced in the gym. I’ve improved since our last fight so he better be ready.”
On what the importance of a win and the rivalry between the fighters:
Newman: “A win in this fight does a lot for my career, but it’s not just the win itself, it’s how I win that will do the most for me. Fans can expect an explosive fight. It will put me in a great place to further my career and get tougher fights, which will lead to the end goal of a title shot.
“There is definitely some animosity between us. A lot has been said, more so on his end than mine, but I just let him and his camp talk. I expect him to fight to win and I’m just going to continue to work hard like I have these past two years since the first fight. We don’t like each other, I can tell you that, so this fight will bring fireworks and I’m just going to let me hands do the talking and get the W.”
Hernandez: “A second win will just prove that I am the better fighter.
“I always come to win; I train to win. My family will be in attendance supporting me and I know his will too, so this will be a fight with both of us having a lot to prove.
“There’s been a lot of talk going into this rematch, but none of that affects me. I’m just working hard and I’m going to come even stronger than the first fight. None of the stuff outside the ring really matters to me. I out boxed him and outfought him in 2017, and I plan to do the same again this time around, mixed with a few other tactics.”
How does it feel to fight on national television?
Newman: “It feels great to return and fight on national television, especially getting to fight on SHOWTIME for the first time in my career. I’m very thankful to Leonard Ellerbe and Floyd Mayweather as well as SHOWTIME for giving me this opportunity. The last time I fought on national television I put on a great display of my talent and skills, so I look forward to doing the same this time around.”
“I’m very excited for this opportunity to redeem myself. I knew this day would come, I just didn’t know when. I’ve won fights since the first fight and had dominant performances in the process, but nothing has filled that void. This is my opportunity to do that, so come November 1, when it’s all said and done, I will be victorious.”
Hernandez: “It’s my first time on ShoBox and I’m thankful for this experience. Fans can expect a great fight. He’s a really good fighter and I won’t take anything from him. Moving up again will be a challenge, but I think I can beat him again.”
# # #
Fans can live stream the undercard fights on Mayweather Promotions’ Facebook beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET. Bring a minimum of 5 food items to receive a complimentary general admission ticket (limit 1 ticket per person while they last). List of accepted items include mac & cheese, corn bread, green beans, cake mix, cake icing, and mashed potatoes. Tickets for the live event start at $25 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets to the live event, visit: www.mayweatherpromotions.com/events. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo Defends Title Against Highly-Ranked Contender Dennis Hogan Saturday, December 7 Live on SHOWTIME® in Premier Boxing Champions Event from Barclays Center in Brooklyn
TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, OCTOBER 14 AT 10 A.M. ET!
(October 11, 2019) – On Saturday, December 7, undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale Monday, October 14 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.comand barclayscenter.com.
Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, starting Tuesday, October 15 at 12 p.m. ET. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.More information on the event will be announced in the coming days.
DEVIN “THE DREAM” HANEY HAS VISIONS OF BRINGING BOXING BACK TO ITS GLORY DAYS
BLAIR “THE FLAIR” COBBS RETURNS TO THE RING NOVEMBER 2ND ON CANELO VS. KOVALEV CARD
Top Super Welterweight Erickson Lubin Now Set to Take On Hard-Hitting Nathaniel Gallimore In Main Event Of Premier Boxing Champions Event On Saturday October 26, Live on SHOWTIME® from Santander Arena in Reading, Pa.
Plus, Rising Heavyweight Sensation Efe Ajagba Added To The Televised Card Replacing Rau’shee Warren vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez
Terrell Gausha & Rau’shee Warren Withdraw Due to Injuries
READING, Pa. (October 10, 2019) – Top super welterweight contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin will now face hard-hitting Nathaniel Gallimore in a 10-round showdown on Saturday, October 26, live on SHOWTIME from Santander Arena in Reading, Pa., in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The all-action Gallimore replaces Terrell Gausha, who was forced to withdraw from the main event bout due to an injury to his left hand during sparring that required surgery.
Unbeaten heavyweight sensation Efe Ajagba will enter the ring against once-beaten Jack Mulowayi in a 10-round bout that replaces the previously announced Rau’Shee Warren vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez fight. Warren had to withdraw from the contest due to a right hand injury suffered during sparring.
The three-fight SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION begins live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features former lightweight world champion Robert Easter Jr. making his super lightweight debut against battle-tested veteran Adrian “El Tigre” Granados in the 10-round co-featured attraction.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and King’s Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com or at the Santander box office (Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.).
Orlando, Florida’s Lubin (21-1, 16 KOs) was one of the fastest rising contenders in boxing as he quickly raced to the top of the ladder to challenge Jermell Charlo for the WBC 154-pound championship in 2017. Following a one-punch, first-round stoppage to Charlo, the 24-year-old Lubin has rebounded with three straight stoppage victories of his own to regain his momentum toward a world championship.
In February, Lubin became the first boxer to stop former champion Ishe Smith and is coming off a TKO victory over Zaharia Attou in his last fight in June on SHOWTIME.
“It’s unfortunate that Gausha had to pull out because I was really looking forward to that fight,” said Lubin. “Now I’m facing Nathaniel Gallimore, who is a very good fighter whose only losses are to top level guys. I’m expecting a very difficult fight, one that will be explosive for the fans, but one I know I will win. It’s my time to show the world I’m ready to be back on top of the super welterweight division.”
The 31-year-old Gallimore (21-3-1, 17 KOs) most recently defeated Antonio Todd by decision in August to rebound from close decision losses to unified champion Julian Williams and top-ranked contender Patrick Teixeira in 2018. Born in Kingston, Jamaica and fighting out of Evanston, Illinois, Gallimore put together a seven-fight winning streak before the Williams fight, including knockouts of contenders Justin DeLoach and Jeison Rosario.
“I’m approaching this like any other big fight that was in the works for a long time,” said Gallimore. “I’ve been waiting for this moment in my career for a while. This is a stepping stone that can take me where I want to go. Lubin’s a pretty good boxer-puncher. He was on the rise for a moment and I knew about him coming up. It’s going to be a great fight. I’ll make any adjustment in the ring to capitalize on what I need to do to be victorious that night.”
Nigeria’s Ajagba (11-0, 9 KOs) most recently passed the toughest test of his professional career when he defeated fellow 2016 Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen by 10-round unanimous decision in July. The 25-year-old Ajagba gained widespread notoriety in August 2018 when his opponent, Curtis Harper, walked out of the ring after touching gloves to start the first round. Ajagba won the fight without throwing a punch as Harper was disqualified.
Living in Stafford, Texas and training with Ronnie Shields, Ajagba has steadily increased his competition and added knockouts wins over Amir Mansour and Michael Wallisch this year.
Fighting out of Antwerpen, Belgium, by way of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mulowayi (7-1-1, 3 KOs) will make his U.S. debut on October 26 in a pro career that dates back to 2015. The 32-year-old was unbeaten in his first seven pro fights before losing a narrow majority decision to Herve Bubeaux in a bout for the Belgium heavyweight title in May. He rebounded to defeat Artur Kubiak in July heading into his fight against Ajagba.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions.
Loaded Reno boxing card announced Inaugural RJJ Boxing & Silver Legacy event Co-promoted with Joey Gilbert Promotions
Event streaming live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS
LAS VEGAS (October 8, 2019) – Roy Jones Boxing Promotions has announced a loaded full- card for its latest installment of RJJ Boxing on UFC FIGHT PASS®, October 25 in the great fight town of Reno, Nevada.
Co-promoted by Joey Gilbert Promotions, in association with Silver Legacy Resort Casino at THE ROW, the event will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT, from inside the Grande Exposition Hall at Silver Legacy.
Four highly competitive, entertaining matches will be streamed live on UFC FIGHT PASS, preceded by a pair of four-round bouts to open the show.
San Antonio’s undefeated super lightweight prospect Kendo “Tremendo” Castaneda (16-0, 7 KOs), the reigning North American Boxing Association (NABA) champion, will take on battled-tested Estonia-native Stan Martyniouk (20-2, 6 KOs), who lives in Belmont, California, in the eight-round main event.
The co-featured event will showcase Reno fan-favorite Oscar “Chapito” Vazquez (15-2, 3 KOs) against Mexican bantamweight Gilberto Mendoza (15-7-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Vazquez has won 13 of his last 14 fights, while Mendoza is riding a four-fight win streak, winning eight of his last nine.
Undefeated Sacramento cruiserweight Blake McKernan (10-0, 2 KOs) faces New York veteran Shawn Miller (18-5, 7 KOs) in another eight-round bout on UFC FIGHT PASS. McKernan is looking for an impressive win against a former World Boxing Federation (WBF) title challenger such as Miller to build his name recognition outside of the region.
The opening UFC FIGHT PASS bout will match Reno featherweight prospect Ricard Lucio(2-0, 2 KOs) versus Sacramento’s pro-debuting Samir McQueen in a four-rounder.
Scheduled to fight on the undercard on the non-UFC FIGHT PASS segment is Reno lightweight Peter Cortez (1-1) vs. undefeated Las Vegas lightweight Daquan Mays (3-0, 1 KO), and Reno lightweight Kenny Davis, Jr. (0-2-1) vs. Philip Schwartz (3-0-1, 2 KOs), of Stockton, CA, in a pair of four-round fights.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.
Tickets are available for $25, $45 and $65 and can be purchased at the Silver Legacy Box Office, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 775-325-7401 or 1-800-MUST-SEE.
Silver Legacy Resort Casino is offering a special RJJ Boxing room rate at its hotel as well as its connected sister properties, Eldorado Resort Casino and Circus Circus Reno. Click on the respective property links for more information.
Doors open at 5 p.m. PT, first bout 5:45 p.m. PT, and UFC FIGHT PASS starts at 7 p.m. PT /
10 p.m. ET
INFORMATION: Websites: www.RoyJonesJrBoxing.com www.SilverLegacy.comTwitter: @RoyjonesJRfa, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @UFCFightPass, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacyInstagram: @RoyJonesJRboxing, @RoyJonesJrOfficial, @artofmusiclv, @rivalboxinggear, @JoeyPromotions, @SilverLegacyRenoFacebook: /RJJBoxing, /JoeyPromotions /SilverLegacyResortCasino |
UNDEFEATED WELTERWEIGHT SENSATION JARON ENNIS RETUNS WITH KNOCKOUT VICTORY OVER DEMIAN FERNANDEZ SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®
Catch An Encore Presentation Monday At 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHOWTIME EXTREME®
Click HERE To Download Fight Night Photos; Credit Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME
FLINT, MICH. – October 5, 2019 – Unbeaten welterweight Jaron Ennis scored yet another knockout in his return to national television Saturday on SHOWTIME with a third round TKO of Demian Fernandez at Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint, Mich.
Ennis, widely considered one of the top prospects in boxing, wasted no time in his first fight under the national spotlight in nearly a year. The Philadelphia native, who had scored two highlight reel KOs in 2018 on ShoBox: The New Generation, now has 22 knockouts in 24 professional fights.
Ennis was aggressive from the opening bell, landing 43 percent of his power shots as he switched from orthodox to southpaw. Two warnings for low blows in the first minute of the fight did not stop the speedy Ennis from attacking the body. In the third, Ennis backed Fernandez into the corner and unleashed an onslaught of unanswered power shots that forced the Argentine to take a knee. Fernandez beat the count but told referee Frank Garza that he couldn’t see and the fight was immediately ended.
“It feels good to be back in the spotlight and get another win,” Ennis said. “I showed a little of my skills. I wanted to show more, but my dad said go get him and get him out of there, so that’s what I did.
“I’ve been ready for a big fight for a while. I want to go to the next level. I just have to keep putting on shows like this and keep doing my thing and hopefully my title shot will come sometime next year. The big names had better start running. I would even go down to 140 to get one of them.”
After the fight, Fernandez (12-2, 5 KOs) was transported to a local hospital with a suspected orbital injury.
In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast, undefeated American heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin scored two knockdowns en route to a 10-round unanimous decision over Pavel Sour, scored 97-91, 98-91, 98-90.
Fighting less than an hour from his hometown of Saginaw, Mich., Franklin (20-0, 13 KOs) scored knockdowns in the sixth and 10th rounds. The 24-year-old was making his third consecutive SHOWTIME appearance of 2019 and showed significant improvement from his prior televised bouts, particularly in his speed, mobility and power.
“I was trying to get the knockout, I wanted it real bad, but it feels great to get the W,” said Franklin, who landed 50 percent of his power shots. “I wasn’t looking for a knockdown the first time he went down. I was trying to be quick and catch him with a counter and I caught him. It surprised me that he went down because it wasn’t meant to be a power punch.”
“I didn’t think I finished him on the second knockdown. I wanted to, but I slowed down and got a little too relaxed instead. I should have stayed on him.”
“There are just some minor things I still need to work on, like fighting on the inside, grappling and knowing when to punch on the inside – minor things. Once I get that down, I’ll be doing well.”
Sour (11-2, 6 KOs), who was making his U.S. debut, was frustrated with his opponent.
“I couldn’t free up my punches and I didn’t let my hands go,” Sour said. “I was too tight in there. I was never really hurt by Franklin’s punches. He is very strong, but I could handle it. I was trying to catch him with a strong right hand.”
The Ennis vs. Fernandez bout was elevated to main event status after the Claressa Shields vs. Ivana Habazin fight was called off following an altercation prior to Friday’s official weigh-in that resulted in an injury to Habazin’s trainer, James Ali Bashir.
Tonight’s live event was promoted by Salita Promotions.
An encore presentation of tonight’s doubleheader will air Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and will be available via the network’s On Demand platforms.
Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins called the action alongside fellow Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez. World-renowned ring announcer and Hall of Famer Jimmy Lennon Jr. rounded out the telecast. The Executive Producer of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION was Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.