Category Archives: NBC

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

HEAVYWEIGHT STAR CHRIS ARREOLA SET TO MAKE RETURN ONMARCH 13 FROM THE CITIZENS BUSINESS BANK ARENA IN ONTARIO, CALIF.

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ONTARIO, CALIF (Feb. 27, 2015) – Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (35-4, 31 KOs) returns to the ring on Friday, March 13 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

 

The action-packed card features a pair of exciting main events as Andre Berto goes up against Josesito Lopez and Shawn Porter battles Roberto Garcia on the debut of PBC on Spike TV. The televised bouts on Spike TV begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

 

“I’m itching to get back in the ring and show that I’m still going after my dream of being heavyweight champion of the world,” said Arreola. “This is a wonderful platform for me to fight with Premier Boxing Champions and I couldn’t be more excited to fight in front of my fans here in California.”

 

Born in Escondido, Calif. but fighting out of Los Angeles, Arreola has long been one of the most feared punchers in the heavyweight division. He was a 2001 National Golden Gloves champion who turned pro in 2003 and slowly began his rise up the heavyweight rankings. In 2009, having already captured a number of regional belts, Arreola challenged Vitali Klitschko for the heavyweight world title at Staples Center in Los Angeles. He took the champ deep into the fight before retiring in the tenth round, but he did not let that deter him from continuing towards his championship goals.

 

After dropping a tough decision to Tomasz Adamek in 2010, Arreola pushed his way back into title contention with six-straight victories before he got a chance against Bermane Stiverne in 2013. In their first fight, Arreola lost a unanimous decision but earned himself another fight against Stiverne, this time for the heavyweight world championship. In an action-packed fight, Arreola was stopped in the sixth-round.

 

Now, Arreola looks to return to his winning ways in a familiar setting. This will be the 33-year-old’s fifth time fighting at Citizen’s Business Bank Arena and his tenth time fighting in Ontario, Calif. If his winning ways return, he could put himself back in the world title mix.

 

The fight card is promoted by Goossen Promotions, which has promoted all of Arreola’s professional fights.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are on sale now and are available for purchase at www.axs.com.

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AndreBerto, @JosesitoLopez, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AmenazaGarcia and @SpikeTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing andwww.Facebook.com/Spike.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

JOHN MOLINA JR. & ABNER MARES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Click HERE For Photos

Photo Credit: Abel Madrid

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 26, 2015) – John “The Gladiator” Molina Jr. and Abner Mares held an open workout for Los Angeles media Wednesday before they lace up their gloves for the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC show taking placeSaturday, March 7 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

These fights are part of the blockbuster card promoted by Goossen Promotions featuring Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT). The Abner Mares vs. Arturo Santos Reyes bout will be televised live on the NBC show (8:30-11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com   or www.ticketmaster.com.

Check out what the fighters had to say about their upcoming bouts:

John Molina Jr., Super Lightweight Contender

“Being the underdog is how I got to this point. I took the scenic route to get here but I’m definitely excited to be on this big show on NBC. It’s going to be a great night of boxing onMarch 7.

“The (Humberto) Soto fight was a learning experience, but going in as the underdog is about going in and doing your job. I’ve had a lot of success as an underdog.

 

“I just took the positives from my last fight and tried to make the best of it and now I’m here today with the golden ticket in my hand.

 

“To see where I’m at today, after all I’ve gone through in my career, I’m in awe sometimes but we’re just barely getting started.

 

“I’m undefeated against quick guys like Adrien Broner and I love being the underdog. Adrien Broner is a great name for the sport of boxing, everyone loves to hate him, so it’s going to be a great night of boxing.

 

“Stylistically it’s two very different styles and that is what makes great fights. It’s like Apollo Creed and Rocky.

 

“There’s nothing in the past or before this, I’m only focused on being victorious on March 7.”

 

Abner Mares, Former Three-Division World Champion

 

“I have always felt the love from all my different coaches. There’s no perfect coach and no perfect fighter. Going back to Clemente Medina was just the most perfect fit. He knows me well and we’re on the same page. There is a lot of comfort.

 

“I didn’t lose anything from the Gonzalez fight, I gained. I learned a lot from that fight and now I’m more focused on becoming better and better.

 

“I have to go out there and make a statement. I’m going out there and branding myself on national television. I’m excited for people to see me out there and my mentality is to go in there and impress. I want to steal the show.

 

“I hope Leo Santa Cruz is next. I know it’s there. I just want to look sharp and go from there.”

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports.
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RISING STARS TO BE FEATURED ON UNDERCARD OF BLOCKBUSTER EVENT  ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7 AT THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA

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U.S. Olympians Terrell Gausha & Dominic Breazeale To Be Featured; Plus

Undefeated Lightweight Prospect Robert Easter Also In Action

 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 25, 2015) – The action-packed undercard on Saturday, March 7 just got even better with the additions of undefeated U.S. Olympians Terrell Gausha and Dominic Breazeale and undefeated lightweight prospect Robert Easter, all participating in separate bouts at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

These fights are part of the blockbuster card featuring Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT). The Abner Mares vs. Arturo Santos Reyes bout will be televised live on the NBC show (8:30-11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com   or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

Born and raised in Cleveland, Gausha (13-0, 7 KOs) was a decorated amateur who won gold medals at the U.S. National Championships in 2009 and 2012. The 27-year-old is undefeated since turning pro in 2012. Most recently he scored a knockout victory in December 2014 over Cesar Vila and he looks to keep his perfect record intact on March 13.

 

A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Breazeale (13-0, 12 KOs) has been nearly perfect in recording knockouts as a pro, having only gone the distance in one fight. The 29-year-old looks to keep his undefeated record intact on March 7 when he takes on 35-year-old Puerto Rican heavyweight Victor Bisbal (21-2, 15 KOs). Bisbal last fought in 2013 when he was knocked out by Magomed Abdusalamov despite having won his previous 16 bouts.
An accomplished amateur from Toledo, Ohio, Easter (12-0, 9 KOs) is another highly regarded amateur looking to make a statement on March 7 in Las Vegas.  He most recently recorded a dominant unanimous decision victory in December 2014 over Angel Hernandez. Fighting for the third time in Las Vegas, the 24-year-old will look to put on a show on March 7.

 

The stellar March 7 fight night is promoted by Goossen Promotions.

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

ROBERT GUERRERO MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

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Click HERE For Photos

Photo Credit: Stephanie Trapp

 

AROMAS, CALIF. (Feb. 19, 2015) – Media in the Bay Area gatheredWednesday to watch Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero prepare for his headlining welterweight showdown with Keith “One Time” Thurmanon the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC taking place Saturday, March 7 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available
at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Here is what Guerrero had to say heading into his historic bout with Thurman:

ROBERT GUERRERO, Former Four-Division World Champion

“I’m very happy that the fight is right around the corner. I’m looking forward to giving fans a great night in boxing. A lot of big shots are going to be thrown from my end.

“I know Keith Thurman is training hard and so am I. This fight is going to be a war and I’m looking forward to it.

“Training camp is wrapping up and my body feels great. This is one of the best camps I’ve had in a very long time and the fans can count on me being at peak performance on fight night.

“I can’t wait to show the world and everybody watching on NBC what I’m all about. March 7 can’t come soon enough. I’m ready to go!”

                 # # #

Premier Boxing Champions on NBC is promoted by Goossen Promotions and features Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. in bouts that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT). The Abner Mares vs. Arturo Santos Reyes bout will be televised live on the NBC show (8:30-11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions andwww.facebook.com/NBCSports.

boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ABNER MARES TO FIGHT ON BLOCKBUSTER CARD IN “PBC ON NBC” DEBUT LIVE IN PRIMETIME ON SATURDAY, MARCH 7

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Mares To Face Arturo Santos Reyes From The MGM Grand Garden Arena In Las Vegas

 

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 12, 2015) – Former three-division world champion Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KOs) returns to the ring to face 2008 Mexican Olympian Arturo Santos Reyes (18-4, 5 KOs) on Saturday, March 7 live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in the primetime debut of the Premier Boxing Champions series on NBC and NBCSN.

 

The fight is part of the blockbuster card promoted by Goossen Promotions featuring Keith Thurman vs. Robert Guerrero and Adrien Broner vs. John Molina, Jr. that will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).

 

The Mares-Reyes bout will be televised live on Saturday, March 7, on the NBC show (8:30 – 11 p.m. ET) or on the NBCSN telecast (11 p.m. ET).

 

Marv Albert will call the fights in primetime on NBC alongside analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard, the six-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist. Al Michaels will host.

 

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to fight in Las Vegas on March 7,” said Mares. “This is a fantastic card that is great for me and great for the sport of boxing.  I look forward to putting on a show for the fans and winning impressively.”

 

“It’s a big honor to get this fight against Abner Mares and to be fighting at MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” said Reyes. “Mares is a great fighter. I know what he brings to the table. But I’m going to give it my all on March 7 and shock the boxing world.”

 

The 29-year-old Mares looks to stay at the top of the featherweight division when he steps into the ring on March 7. Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares first tasted world championship gold in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight world title. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight respectively. He suffered his only defeat in a shocking loss to Jhonny Gonzalez but has rebounded nicely with back-to-back wins and now looks to return to the top of the sport.

 

An accomplished amateur from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Reyes makes his U.S. debut on March 7 with a chance to immediately make a name for himself stateside.  The 29-year-old was a silver medalist at the Junior World Championships in 2004 and he would go on to represent his country at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Reyes turned pro in 2009 and racked up victories in his first five outings. Fighting almost exclusively in Mexico, he defeated Khabir Suleymanov in 2012 for the super bantamweight title. Most recently Reyes went on the road and lost to Simpiwe Vetyeka in his native South Africa for the vacant international featherweight title. He returns to the ring looking to make an immediate impact in his U.S. debut.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,  www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.goossenpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @KeithFThurmanJr, @GhostBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @JohnMolinaJr135, @abnermares, @NBCSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.facebook.com/NBCSports.

boxing, NBC

DANNY GARCIA VS. LAMONT PETERSON AND ANDY LEE VS. PETER QUILLIN IN BROOKLYN BOXING SHOWDOWNS LIVE IN PRIMETIME ON NBC ON SATURDAY, APRIL 11

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Premier Boxing Champions on NBC Comes to Barclays Center with Two Sensational Main Events

 

– Televised Fights on NBC Start at 8:30 P.M. ET –

 

Tickets on Sale Tomorrow!

 

BROOKLYN (February 12, 2015) – The eagerly awaited showdown between undefeated superstar Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) and Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs) will become a reality as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC returns to primetime onSaturday, April 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

 

In the first main event of the evening, middleweight world champion “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) takes on the undefeated Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) in a 12-round world title fight.

 

Marv Albert will call the fights in primetime on NBC alongside analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard, the six-time world champion and 1976 Olympic gold medalist. Al Michaels will host.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale tomorrow,Friday, Feb. 13 at 10 a.m. Tickets are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center starting onSaturday, Feb. 14 at noon. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

 

“It’s an honor to be fighting back in Brooklyn where I’ve experienced some of the best moments of my career,” said Garcia. “Fans have been asking for this fight for so long and on April 11 I’m planning on giving them the show they’ve been waiting for.  Doing it live on NBC will make it even sweeter.”

 

“This is an amazing opportunity for me fighting in Brooklyn and on national TV in front of millions of people,” said Peterson. “I’m going to go out there and give the performance of a lifetime. Danny Garcia better not underestimate me, because my time is now.”

 

“I’m looking forward to returning to New York and defending my title against Quillin,” said Lee. “I’m at the peak of my powers now. I cannot see myself losing to anyone. I want to be recognized as the best middleweight in the world and beating Quillin will go some way to proving that.”

 

“To be able to fight at home in Brooklyn and win a title on such a big stage is a dream come true,” said Quillin. “I’m honored and excited to be a part of something that is great for my career, but also for the sport of boxing as a whole. I know that I’m going to win on April 11, become champion once again, and then I’m going after anyone and everyone at 160 pounds.”

 

“I am thrilled to be promoting this PBC mega event at Barclays Center in my hometown of Brooklyn,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson and Andy Lee defending his middleweight title against Peter Quillin are two of the very best bouts that can be made in boxing. On April 11, the fans are going to be the biggest winners and DBE is proud to be part of it.”

 

“Quality championship fights are only in Brooklyn in April,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. “Danny Garcia always brings excitement to our ring and we are delighted once again to have Brooklyn’s own Peter Quillin fighting in Barclays Center. Fans want drama and unpredictable fights, and we are confident our card will deliver that on primetime television.”

 

Now in his fourth year as a world champion, Philadelphia’s Garcia will return to headline at Barclays Center for a record fourth time. Garcia also fought in the main event in October 2012, the first ever-boxing card at Barclays Center. The 26-year-old has taken down some of the biggest names in boxing on his way to an undefeated record, including Amir Khan, Erik Morales, Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse. He will once again have a chance to prove himself against the best, this time in the long anticipated clash with Peterson.

 

Washington, D.C.’s Peterson is a gifted boxer-puncher with as much heart as talent. Like Garcia, the 31-year-old Peterson is another longtime champion.  Peterson has always faced the best and defeated Amir Khan in 2011.  The only blemishes on his perfect record came against Timothy Bradley and Lucas Matthysse.  He is coming off of two impressive victories in 2014 and now he gets the bout he and the public have clamored for as he takes a shot at beating Garcia in Brooklyn.

 

An accomplished amateur who was Ireland’s sole boxing representative at the 2004 Olympic Games, Leegot his first taste of world championship gold in December 2014 when he defeated Matt Korobov for the vacant middleweight world title with a sensational sixth round technical knockout. The 30-year-old has fought in his home country of Ireland, the UK, Germany and most often in the U.S. throughout his career. His only career losses came against Bryan Vera, which he would later avenge and Julio Cesar Chavez in his first world title fight. On April 11, Lee will fight for the fifth time in New York City, looking to give the primetime national television audience a memorable night.

 

A former world champion looking to reclaim the belt he vacated last year, Quillin will return to the same arena where he won the middleweight belt in 2012 with his star-making, six-knockdown performance against Hassan N’Dam in the first boxing card hosted by Barclays Center. Born in Chicago but fighting out of New York City, the 31-year-old went on to defend that title against strong contenders Fernando Guerrero, Gabriel Rosado and Lukas Konecny. Now, “Kid Chocolate” looks to show off his superstar skills to a primetime audience.

 

Beginning with the first show, Saturday, March 7, at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC, NBC and NBCSN will present 20 live “PBC on NBC” boxing events in 2015. Within the 20 live shows, NBC Sports Group will present more than 50 hours of PBC coverage, including NBCSN pre- and post-fight programming for NBC telecasts. The Premier Boxing Champions series is created for television by Haymon Boxing.  The PBC on NBC will feature many of today’s brightest stars, in their most compelling matches.

 

All PBC on NBC shows will be streamed live on NBC Sports Live Extra via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. NBC Sports Live Extra is available for desktops at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available at the App Store for iPad and iPod touch, on select devices within Google Play, and on windows phones and tablets.

 

 

# # #

 

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.BarclaysCenter.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @DiBellaEnt, @DannySwift, @KingPete26, @KidChocolate, @AndyLeeBoxing, @NBCSports and @BarclaysCenter and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. Follow the conversation using #PremierBoxingChampions and #BKBoxing

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BOXING RETURNS TO PRIMETIME NETWORK TELEVISION

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BOXING RETURNS TO

PRIMETIME NETWORK TELEVISION

 

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS DEBUTS ON NBC WITH TWO STAR-POWERED MAIN EVENTS LIVE FROM THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA

AT 8:30 P.M. ET/5:30 P.M. PT

 

Undefeated Welterweight Star Keith “One Time” Thurman Takes On Former Four-Division World Champion

Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero In Welterweight Action

 

The Evening‘s First Main Event Pits Former Three-Division World Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner

Against Hard-Hitting Super Lightweight

John “The Gladiator“ Molina Jr.

LAS VEGAS (January 28, 2015) – The return of prizefighting to primetime network television has finally arrived as the recently announced Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) series is set to debut on Saturday, March 7 with an action-packed double main event on NBC, live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

 

The inaugural PBC on NBC fight night will feature two spectacular bouts worthy of this historic occasion. In the second main event of the evening, undefeated welterweight knockout artist Keith “One Time” Thurman (24-0, 21 KOs) will take on former four-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs) in a showdown where both men look to prove they are amongst the best fighters in the world on the biggest stage in recent boxing history.

 

The first main event of the evening will feature one of boxing’s biggest and most compelling stars, former three-division world champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) facing off against the always exciting John “The Gladiator” Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) in a super lightweight bout that will put the winner at the top of the division.

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

 

Don’t miss a minute of the PBC on NBC action as the first televised fight on NBC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT SHARP!

 

“The team and I are extremely excited and we are all looking forward to this opportunity to fight on NBC. A lot of what my team keeps saying is that this is going to change the sport. It reminds me that my late trainer Ben Getty used to tell me, that all I needed to do was get on a big stage,” said Thurman. “I’m truly looking forward to headlining the first show. I’m happy to be back at MGM Grand and looking forward to a great knockout. This is the start of creating a household name.”

 

“It’s very refreshing to know that NBC is bringing boxing back to primetime television,” said Guerrero. “It’s an honor to be part of the first show, especially against an undefeated champion like Keith Thurman.  Everyone knows I always come to fight. Let’s hope Thurman has the same mindset.  He claims that he’s going to knock me out, but I see a totally different outcome. When this fight is over, everyone tuning in will know why boxing is one of the most exciting sports to watch, that I can guarantee.”

 

“This is the first big installment of ‘AB on NBC.’ There’s nothing I can’t do,” said Broner. “It’s a great fight not only for the fighters, but for the fans. Everyone knows that I always come to fight and I know John Molina Jr. is coming to fight. I look forward to stopping Molina on NBC. I love the support and anyone that supports me; I’m going to fight for them. This is just the start of the ‘AB Show’ in 2015.”

 

“I am extremely excited to be a part of the inaugural show on NBC and to be on this platform. I can’t wait to go out there and do what I do best in front of millions of people,” said Molina Jr. “I want to fight the best and Broner is one of the best. This is a fight that we asked for over a year ago and we finally got it. I am so excited. I’m not nervous at all. If I were nervous, I wouldn’t be in this industry. This is the type of thing that real fighters dream about. I’m counting down the days.”

 

The return of boxing to primetime on NBC is nearly 30 years in the making, with the last such fight night taking place May 20, 1985. That fight saw Larry Holmes win a 15-round decision and defend his IBF Heavyweight World Championship against Carl Williams in Reno, Nev.

 

Primetime national television was a long-time home for some of the most recognizable names in the history of the sport, with fighters such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Mike Tyson making a name for themselves in front of a national audience.

 

The PBC on NBC series will feature a cast of familiar names and voices who will lend their immense talents to the broadcasts. Seven-time Emmy Award winner Al Michaels will host the series while Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer will compose the music that brings the series to life. In addition, legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard will serve as lead analyst.

 

“I’m so excited about PBC on NBC. I was shocked when I got the call, but right away I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” said Leonard. “This is what boxing needs, and this is what the boxing fans need.”

 

Los Angeles-based Goossen Promotions will promote this inaugural PBC on NBC event.

 

“It’s an honor to be a part of this extraordinary and highly anticipated event

on March 7, the debut of the ‘Premier Boxing Champions’ series on NBC,” said Tom Brown of Goossen Promotions. “These are two outstanding fights featuring four world class boxers and fans are in for a terrific night of action.”

 

Thurman has long proven his power by knocking out 18 of his first 19 opponents, but when he won the interim WBA Welterweight World Title with a 10th round knockout over Diego Chaves in July of 2013, he put himself in a position to fight the very best in the sport. The 26-year-old Clearwater, Florida native has since made three successful title defenses with knockouts over Jesus Soto Karass and Julio Diaz, before dominating Leonard Bundu on his way to a unanimous decision in December 2014. Now, Thurman looks to remain undefeated when he faces his toughest test to date in Guerrero.

 

A battle-tested veteran, Guerrero, of Gilroy, Calif., has been among the elite fighters in boxing for years. A southpaw boxer-puncher, Guerrero has won world titles in four weight classes from 130 to 147 pounds, beating the likes of Andre Berto, Joel Casamayor, Michael Katsidis and Selcuk Aydin along the way. His prowess across these weight classes earned him a fight with pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in 2013, which he lost by unanimous decision. “The Ghost” bounced back nicely in June of 2014 with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Yoshihiro Kamegai.

 

One of boxing’s most well-known stars, Broner, the 25-year old phenom who has collected world titles at 130, 135 and 147 pounds, is setting his sights on the dangerous puncher John Molina Jr. on March 7. Broner has prevailed over the likes of Paulie Malignaggi, Daniel Ponce de Leon and Antonio Demarco on the way to becoming a three-division champion. Despite suffering his first loss to Marcos Maidana in December 2013, the Cincinnati-native rebounded with back-to-back victories over Carlos Molina and Emmanuel Taylor.

 

Molina Jr. from Covina, Calif., has had great success in the professional ranks including an impressive knockout victory over current world champion Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight. The 32-year-old lost a scintillating Fight of the Year candidate to Lucas Matthysse in 2014 and is looking to start off 2015 with a big win against Broner.

 

A full night of exciting undercard bouts will be announced shortly.

 

PBC on NBC, will take place Saturday, March 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and is promoted by Goossen Promotions. The event will air live on NBC (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).

 

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