
Kusasa/Friday, June 9 at 10:30 p.m. KANYE/PT from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y..
Chofoza LAPHA Ngoba Cabanga-In Izithombe; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Chofoza LAPHA For Hall of Fame Opening Bell Photos; Credit Tom Casino/SHOWTIME
Verona, N.Y.. (June 8, 2017) – Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and Joel Diaz Jr. isisindo senziwe ngoLwesine just hours after the “Opening Bell” to kick off festivities for the 2017 International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend.
The undefeated Prograis (19-0, 16 Kos) and fellow unbeaten Diaz (23-0, 19 Kos) will square off in the 10-round super lightweight main event of a Hall of Fame edition of ShoBox: The New Generation kusasa/Friday, June 9, bephila Showtime (10:30 p.m. KANYE/PT) kusukela Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y..
The ShoBox tripleheader will celebrate longtime analysts Barry Tompkins and Steve Farhood just two days before their induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Farhood and Tompkins were joined at the Opening Bell ngoLwesine by a handful of their fellow 2017 inductees: boxing legend Marco Antonio Barrera, Australian trainer Johnny Lewis, and the wife of the late Johnny Tapia, Teresa Tapia.
In the ShoBox co-feature, undefeated super middleweight Steve Rolls (15-0, 9 Kos) will take on the hard-hitting Demond Nicholson (17-1-1, 16 Kos) in an nesishiyagalombili round iziqubu. In the iziqubu ukuvulwa telecast, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez’s protégé, Jon Fernandez, (12-0, 10 Kos) faces Juan Reyes (14-3-3, 2 Kos) i ayisishiyagalombili-round matchup engasindi.
Amathikithi for the event, co-promoted by DiBella Entertainment (DBE) and AASHA Record Breakers, kuthiwa ontengo yakhe yayinqunyiwe at $65 for ringside, $50, $40 futhi $30 (may be subject to additional fees) and are available at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877-833-SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors lizovula at 7:00 p.m., ne iziqubu lokuqala ihlelelwe 7:30 p.m.
Izisindo OFFICIAL
10-Round Super Lightweight Main Event:
Regis Prograis - 139 Amakhilogremu ½
Joel Diaz Jr. - 137 ¼ amakhilogremu
Referee: Mark Nelson; Abahluleli: Don Ackerman, UTom Schreck, UJohn McKaie
Eight-Round Super Middleweight Co-Feature:
Steve Rolls – 161 amakhilogremu
Demond Nicholson – 162 Amakhilogremu ½
Referee: Benjy Esteves; Abahluleli: Glenn Feldman, Don Trella, Wynn Kintz
Eight-Round Lightweight Telecast Opener:
Jon Fernandez – 132 Amakhilogremu ½
Juan Ramon Reyes – 131 Amakhilogremu ½
Referee: Charlie Fitch; Abahluleli: Don Ackerman, Glenn Feldman, UJohn McKaie
OKUCASHUNIWE FINAL:
Regis Prograis
“The person that wins this fight goes up, hopefully, to a title fight. Ngingumfana 19-0, yena 23-0. I feel like this is a real big fight.
“I take all my opponents seriously, but I’m taking this one even more seriously than others in the past. Muhle 23-0, and there’s a reason he’s undefeated. He’s good, futhi unerekhodi elihle kunawo wonke engake ngabhekana nawo.
“Ngisesigabeni somsebenzi wami lapho zonke izimpi zingaholela entweni enkulu elandelayo futhi ngicabanga ukuthi le mpi ingase ibe ngeyami.. Ngiyabekezela, kodwa ngilungele okwengeziwe. Ngifuna ukudutshulwa isihloko.
“Uyi-brawler fighter, kodwa nginamandla angcono okuhlaba, kanye nesivinini.
“Uma ngizizwa njengaye [Diaz] angikwazi ukungilimaza kusukela emzuliswaneni wokuqala, Mhlawumbe ngizovele ngihambe naye phansi ubusuku bonke futhi ngimjezise.
“Ukubona ini [Errol] USpence wangikhuthaza, ikakhulukazi indlela akwenza ngayo endaweni yembangi yakhe. Kungenze ngacabanga: lokho kungaba yimi ngelinye ilanga. Sangena kuyo nezimfundamakhwela, ngakho ngiyazi ukuthi muhle kangakanani, kodwa nami ngimuhle. Umbona nje edlula lapho ethatha isihloko, Ngiyazi ukuthi isikhathi sami siyeza ngokulandelayo.
“Ngikhule ngibuka iMacho Camacho, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, kodwa ngangibuka uDuran kakhulu kunanoma yini. Ngasithanda kakhulu isitayela sakhe. Ngifunde okuningi ngokubuka izingwazi zesibhakela ku-tape.
“UTerence Crawford, Adrien Broner, UVictor Postol. Yilolu hlobo lwabafana engifuna ukulwa nalo.
“Ngaqala isibhakela eNew Orleans, futhi uma bekungeyena uKatrina, Cishe ngeke ngibe lapho ngikhona njengamanje. Lapho ngithuthela eHouston, Ngingene enkundleni yesibhakela ngaqala ngisithathele phezulu. Kwakuyisimo esibi [e New Orleans], kodwa yashintsha impilo yami.
“Umndeni wami wabuyela emuva [ukuya eNew Orleans], kodwa hhayi mina. Ngahlala eHouston ngishaya isibhakela. Ngizwa sengathi akukabi yisikhathi sokuthi ngibuyele ekhaya. Ngizobuya uma sengiyisihlabani, njengoba kufanele ngibe.”
Joel Diaz Jr.
“Leli yithuba lami, leli yithuba lami. Ngitsheliwe, ‘uthola ithuba elilodwa kuphela’, futhi lokhu kungokwami. Ngiyazi ukuthi uRegis muhle, kodwa sizokubeka kuye. Ngizoba phezu kwakhe njengezimpukane phezu kodoti. Leli elinye lamathuba engingeke ngiwavumele adlule.
“Sizomephula ngokwengqondo, sithole indlela yethu yokungena, bese uphonsa ibhomu.
“Ujikijela ama-combo, futhi yilokho okufanele ngikususe kuye. Kufanele ngibe phezu kwakhe futhi ngibe ngowokuqala ukuhlasela. Amandla ami azophatha ijubane lakhe.
“Lokhu kusho lukhulu kimina, ukuthola ukukhombisa umhlaba ukuthi ngubani ‘imfihlo’. Abantu abakayiboni ngempela into enginayo, kodwa ngeke kusaba khona izimfihlo ngemva kusasa.
“Ngizokhombisa umhlaba ukuthi ngubani uJoel Diaz wangempela. Manje ngisesindweni esifanele kimi futhi ngikhona 110 Amaphesenti angu. Angizange ngichithe amasonto amane ekamu lokuqeqesha ngizama ukwehlisa isisindo. Ngizizwa strong.
“Umqhudelwano womhlaba ngemuva kwale mpi, yilokho engifuna. Leli yithuba lami lokukhombisa ukuthi ngingubani futhi angikwazi ukukuyeka. Uma ngidedela lokhu, Ngingahle ngibuyele esikoleni. Lokhu kuzongivulela yonke iminyango.
“Sinesikhathi sisilungele lesi sinyathelo. Ngingathanda ukulwa nomnqobi we [Adrien] Broner- [Mikey] Garcia, kodwa sizobe sibone. Ngiyazi ukuthi uBroner akafuni ukulwa nami. Ngazama ukulwa naye wanqaba. Uyazi ukuthi ngizomnikeza inkinga.
“Ngashintsha abaqeqeshi. Ngangivame ukuba no-Abel Ramos, manje nginoChris Byrd. Nginomqeqeshi uChris, kuwukuzivikela kakhulu kunokwephula umthetho. Ukusebenza noChris kuyamangalisa. Wayeyisilwi, ngakho uyazi ukuthi yini edingekayo ukuze angene kuleyo ring. Uthi waba khona, ngakho uyangiqonda ngokombono womlwi futhi lokho kubaluleke kakhulu kimi. Isibopho esinaso ngaphakathi nangaphandle kweringi sikhethekile.
“Uzobona uJoel Diaz osebenza kakhulu kanye noJoel Diaz ozivikela kakhudlwana. Ngizokhombisa umhlaba ukuthi ubani uJoel Diaz 140 futhi ungithembe, bazocela okunye ngemva kokukubona.”
Steve Rolls
“Impi yami yokugcina ShoBox [ngokumelene noSteed Woodall ngoDisemba 2015] kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho kokufunda. Ngawiswa phansi okwesithathu, kodwa ngaphinda. Ngeke wazi ukuthi uzosabela kanjani lapho ubhekene nobunzima uze ubekwe kuleso simo. Ngiyajabula ukuthi lokho kwenzeke ekuqaleni komsebenzi wami. Kwangifundisa okuningi.
“Ngiyazi mina 33, kodwa ngizizwa ngingcono kunangesikhathi ngisemncane. Ngiyazinakekela. Ngiphila impilo ehlanzekile. Ubudala akuyona into kimi.
“U-Nicholson une-jab enhle. Ngike ngambona elwa. Anginaso isiqiniseko sokuthi wenze izinguquko noma uza nohlelo oluhlukile lomdlalo. Sengikulungele yini afuna kuletha.
“Kulokhu engikubonile, angakwazi ukulwa. Uyayazi into ayenzayo lapho futhi kubukeka sengathi unolwazi oluthile.”
Demond Nicholson
“Lo mfana [Rolls] akanalo ulwazi njengami. Ngiyisinyathelo esikhulu kuye.
“Impi yami yokugcina [ngokumelene no-Immanuel Aleem] kwaba yisinyathelo esikhulu phezulu, futhi ngilwe kwaze kwafinyelela iningi. Kwaqala kancane, kodwa ngingumlwi, futhi ngaqeda. Leyo mpi yangivula amehlo ngempela ukuze ngithuthukise umsebenzi wami, ikusasa lami.
“Bheka ukuthi u-Aleem wenzeni kusukela salwa. Wakhipha insizwa engahluliwe [Ievgen Khytrov] ukuthi akekho owayefuna ukubhekana nayo.
“Isipiliyoni sami yisona esizosenza sinqobe lo mfana. Unesandla sokudla esiyingozi, kodwa ngizokususa kuye lokho.
“Ngingumshayisibhakela wemvelo, kodwa abantu bebengibiza nge-brawler ngemuva kokusebenza kwami no-Aleem futhi akusikho lokho engiyikho. Kodwa ngiyakuthola - angizange ngishaye nhlobo kuleyo mpi. Yingakho kwadingeka ngibuyele ebhodini lokudweba.
“Ngifunde ukuqeqeshwa okuningi eHead Bangers eWashington, D.C. noBarry Hunter, Lamont Peterson nabo bonke labo bafana. Ngifunde eLamont, kusuka ku-Adrien Broner, kusuka e-Austin Trout. Badlala nezimpi ezisezingeni eliphezulu yingakho bedlala ezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu - ngoba banqobe nabangcono kakhulu.. So I’m doing the same.”
“I have one loss, and that taught me a lot. I had to lose 15 amakhilogremu in three days for that fight and that took a toll on me. There are no issues making weight for this fight.”
Jon Fernandez
“This is my second fight with my new trainer Tinin Rodriguez. I always try to get better and changing trainers seemed to be the best path for me. He’s helping me round up the fundamentals of boxing.
“I know I’m tall for my weight class, but I feel OK. Ngiyacabanga 130 is my ideal weight, but I might go up in weight in the future. We’ll see. I’m still young and I have a long career ahead of me.
“I used to watch tape of Maravilla when I was growing up. He inspired me to be serious about boxing. He was so good. It’s such of honor to be working with him. I respect him a lot.”
Juan Reyes
“I haven’t fought anybody that tall, but I have a good game plan. I know he’s a volume puncher, but that’s just going to get me excited. It’ll get my adrenaline pumping.
“I’m excited that I’m fighting on TV and in such special weekend, it’s the Boxing Hall of Fame. Lokhu kugcwaliseka iphupho. If I beat this guy it could change my life.”
Sergio Martinez – Jon Fernandez Co-Promoter
“Jon is a thinker. He knows when to attack and when to defend himself. He’s truly gifted.
“Some may draw comparisons of him with Paul Williams, but I fought Williams twice and let me tell you they are not alike. Paul was the type of fighter that would get in the ring and go from first, to second, to third gear without thinking. JonFer will read you, will go to whatever gear he needs to be to defeat his opponent. He has a very high boxing IQ.”
Chris Byrd – Diaz’s Trainer
“Joel is an aggressive machine, so my main focus has been on developing his defense. He’s a talented boxer, but his aggressiveness sometimes opens holes in his defense. In this training camp, we worked on that. We have a good strategy going.
“He already knew how to fight, but you just have to push him a little bit on defense. He’s still aggressive as ever, but he needed to think about what’s coming back at him.
“My main thing is life after boxing. I have two brothers that are messed up from boxing. That’s why I focus on defense so much. He has an aggressive style, but he also has talent, good feet and eye coordination. He’ll go on to do great things.
“You’re going to see something special. Regis is good, I give him props, but you’re going to see something special from Joel. And a great fight.”
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Barry Tompkins ngibize ShoBox action kusukela ringside noSteve Farhood futhi zangaphambili nezwe iqhawe Raul Marquez ukukhonza njengoba isazi Abahlaziyi. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Rich Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.
Ukuze ulwazi olunabile, vakashela www.sho.com/sports ukulandela on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, SHOSports, #ShoBox, @loudibella and @DiBellaEnt or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, futhiwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
Mayelana ShoBox: The New Generation
Kusukela yaqala ukuba khona ngo July 2001, the akukhuthazwa bajule Showtime boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation uye waba talent young abafanelana ezinzima. The ShoBox ifilosofi iwukuba televise okuthakazelisayo, isixuku ejabulisa nokufana yokuncintisana kuyilapho sihlinzeka kuyindlela yokunquma for amathemba uzimisele sizimisele ukulwa for isihloko emhlabeni. Ezinye uhlu elandayo 69 fighters abaye bavele on ShoBox sezihambile ukuletha izihloko emhlabeni kuhlanganisa: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Errol Spence Jr. futhi nokuningi.