 WEST JORDAN, Utah (Desember 18, 2017) – United States Boxing Association (USBA) featherweight champion Jose “Pepito” Haro (14-1-1, 8 KOs) is suffering from unfair blowback for the accidental role he played this past summer, in which his opponent, Daniel Franco, nearly died from injuries resulting from their nationally televised fight in Idaho.
Den 3-2 underdog Haro, fighting out of West Jordan, Utah, dropped Franco with a chopping right in the eighth round, soon followed by a crisp combination of devastating punches, which resulted in a knockout victory and the USBA title for Haro.
Dessverre, Franco (16-2-3, 11 KOs) was sent to Mercy Medical Hospital, where he underwent two brain surgeries to relieve pressure caused by brain bleeds. He came out of a medically induced coma and, fortunately, Franco continues to recover at home in California from what his father/trainer, Al Franco, has described as a miracle.
“I can’t forget it,” Haro said about his last fight. “It’s been traumatic. I’m very happy Franco is recovering but, every time something comes up about him on social media, a lot of people tag me. I don’t answer, I just need to deal with it. My victory was taken away, I couldn’t enjoy it. I fought a clean fight, but some people blame me for what happened.”
Haro hasn’t fought since that fateful night in Iowa last June. Whitfield Haydon, who serves as Haro’s agent, is a veteran Southern California matchmaker, kanskje, best known for discovering under-the-radar boxing talent such as Haro. It appeared that Haro was finally going to catch a big break in late October, when Haydon was contacted about a non-mandatory title fight for Haro with International World Boxing (IBF) Featherweight World Champion “Lyn” Lee Selby (26-1, 9 KOs). The Selby vs. Haro world title fight contract was reportedly being drawn up and Team Haro had agreed to promotional options in the event of him winning. Suddenly, skjønt, communications with Team Selby went dark. Team Haro later learned that Selby had gone in another direction, Eduardo Ramirez, who Selby defeated by way of a 12-round unanimous decision December 9 i London.
“We were going to London for short money because the world title shot was worth it,” Haydon explained. “Haro would have been one helluva live dog in that fight. I must not have been the only one thinking that way. I’ve been hearing that, within the boxing industry, Haro has become a hot potato after his Franco fight. How ridiculous is this? Last time I checked, Haro’s a featherweight who’s also capable of fighting at junior lightweight or super lightweight. My phone has been silent, skjønt, other than for a late notice fight or a fight at lightweight. Boxing sometimes eats its own. This is a joke.”
Haro, who was a member of the USA Junior Olympic Boxing Team during his amateur days, isn’t 100-percent sure why he’s not being offered good fights, but he does blame most of it on boxing politics.
“After the Franco fight,” Haro remarked, “I feel like I’ve been benched. I think I’m not getting good fights is because I’m a high risk, no reward fighter. I’m depressed right now about it. I love boxing but, Jeg er 30 with a wife and five kids. Boxing politics is the reason!”
Boxing is the most unforgiving sport, boxers risk their lives every time they walk up the three steps into the ring. The aftereffects of a boxing tragedy like this is traumatic for all parties involved. Nobody knows that better than the 30-year-old Haro.
Ranked No. 15 i verden av IBF, Haro works fulltime for Pepsi, putting product on shelves at supermarkets in Utah. The father of three girls and two boys, the hard-working Mexican-American starts at 3 a.m. and works until 12 middag, then goes home to watch his children because his wife, Yesenia, also needs to work to make ends meet.
 Haro has overcome so many obstacles during his career that some refer to him as, “Hard Luck Haro.” In addition to repercussions from the Franco fight, back in 2015, he was shot in both feet (see accompanying picture) in a parking lot after shopping by a stranger for no apparent reason. Haro noted, “I was tainted by that because only bad guys get shot, rett?”Losing the opportunity to fight in his world title fight against Selby was another example of what Haro’s been facing the past six months. “I’m not much of a talker,” Han innrømmet, “but I won’t be used for leverage. I won’t’ be used as piece of meat. I’m not taking a fight just for the money, I’m going in the ring to give it my all to win for me, my family and team.
“I’m riding this out (boxing career) for my wife and children. I’m teaching my kids to never give up and to continue working hard no matter what life may throw you. It’s been rough. We’ve had our ups and downs, but I have to continue working until, hopefully, I get a big payday.”
For Haro and Haydon, they’re both due for a big break in 2018.
|
Tag Archives: Daniel Franco
Jose Haro issues statement on tragic injury sustained by Daniel Franco
|
New USBA Featherweight Champion Jose Haro has issued a brief statement regarding the status of his fallen opponent, Daniel Franco, through his promotional representative, Whitfield Haydon:
“I respect all fighters. My heart hurts knowing that my opponent from Lørdag night is still in the hospital. I hope he has a full and speedy recovery. Nothing but love, brotha. We put everything on the line when we step inside the ring. I always tell my brother/trainer that I’m a father first, fighter second, and if he ever sees me badly hurt to stop the fight because my kids need their daddy. I’m very grateful that I won but it really doesn’t feel like I won. I always pray that my opponent and myself come out our fight in good health. Let’s go #TeamFranco, you got this!” |
“KO Night Boxing” results from Iowa
|
|
New showdown announced for “KO Night Boxing: WAR In WinnaVegas”
|
Juni 10 live from Iowa on CBS Sports Network
|
|
SLOAN, IA (Mai 31, 2017) – An injury has forced NABO Junior Welterweight Champion Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (22-0-3, 16 KOs) to withdraw from his scheduled “KO Night Boxing: WAR In WinnaVegas” headline event against Abdiel “Mortero” Ramirez, på Lørdag, Juni 10, lufting (10 pm. OG / 7 pm. PT) on CBS Sports Network live from WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan, Iowa.
“KO Night Boxing: WAR In WinnaVegas” is presented by KO Night Boxing LLC, in association with Roc Nation Sports, Ringside Ticket Inc. and WinnaVegas Resort Casino. TITLE Boxing is the official gloves provider for KO Night Boxing.
WBC Oriental Super Lightweight Champion Zhimin Wang (8-1, 3 KOs), of China, will face Dallas lightweight Manuel Rey Rojas (14-3, 4 KOs) as an addition to the card. Elevated to main event status is the original 10-round co-feature being contested for the vacant United States Boxing Association (USBA) featherweight title, matching former USBA champion Daniel “Twitch” Franco (15-1-3, 10 KOs), who fights out of Rancho Cucamonga, California, and Utah favorite Jose Haro (13-1-1, 7 KOs).
The 25-year-old Franco (15-1-3, 10 KOs), who fights under the Roc Nation Sports banner, was a standout amateur boxer captured the vacant USBA featherweight title last November, knocking out previously unbeaten Derrick Murray (13-0-1) in four rounds. He lost the belt in his following fight, stopped by veteran Christopher Martin (29-8-3) in the third round of their non-title fight in Los Angeles on Mars 23. Franco is currently rated No. 5 by the USBA and No. 11 by the NABO.
Haro (13-1-1, 7 KOs), USBA No. 14-karakter, is an all-action fighter with tremendous potential. The 29-year-old is presently riding a six-fight win streak with five victories and one draw. His lone loss as a professional was to highly-touted prospect Toka Kahn Clary (11-0) by way of a six-round decision in 2014.
The new 10-round co-feature will be an exciting match-up between Wang and Rojas (14-3, 4 KOs). Last January in China, Zhimin defeated Aekkawee Kaewmanee (16-6), by way of a 10-round unanimous decision for the vacant WBO Oriental crown. The only blemish on Zhimin’s otherwise perfect pro record is a 10-round loss by decision last September, to then 12-0 Russian prospect Ivan Baranchyk in Oklahoma.
“I honestly felt that Haro vs. Franco was a legitimate main event fight as the co-feature,” promoter John Andersen. “Injuries are an unfortunate part of boxing and we’re disappointed to lose a world-class fighter like Hooker. Nå, skjønt, Haro-Franco gets top billing and we’re fortunate to have a solid co-feature added to a very competitive, entertaining card.”
The TV opener features Chicago super bantamweight prospect Giovanni Mioletti (7-0, 1 KO) taking on Las Vegas’ upset-minded Sal Lopez (4-1) i en seks-round bout. In a pair of four-round undercard matches, Sioux City, Iowa cruiserweight Shalyn Joseph will make his pro debut against Chicago’s Darrius Flowers (0-1), while Sioux Falls, South Dakota super welterweightKeith Cournoyer (0-0-1), firkanter av med Justin Likeness, of Minot, North Dakota.
Alle kamper og jagerfly er gjenstand for endring.
Tickets are on sale at the WinnaVegas box office and online at www.tickets.winnavegas.biz. Advance ticket prices are $35.00 ringside (rader 1 & 2), $35.00 VIP Reserved Seating (rader 3 & 4), $20.00 General Admission Reserved Seating (rader 3 & 4) og $15.00 General Admission Standing Room Only. A special Resort/Hotel package for two is also available for $199.00, which includes two VIP Reserved Seats, WinnaVegas hotel room, two dinner vouchers and two $5.00 Søndag breakfast buffet-voucher.
Dørene åpner kl 6:30 pm. CT med åpningen anfall planlagt ved et 7:30 pm. CT. It is an all-ages event.
INFORMASJON:
Twitter: @KONightBoxing, @NeonStarSE, @WinnaVegasIA
|
Two regional title fights featured on “KO Night Boxing: WAR In WinnaVegas”
|
|
TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND POWER-PUNCHING COLOMBIAN ALEXANDER BRAND FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AND PHOTOS
SHOWDOWN SET FOR SATURDAY, August 6
AT Oracle Arena i Oakland, CALIFORNIA
TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ®
Klikk HER for Bilder
Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sport / Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos
OAKLAND, SLIK AS (August 4, 2016) - På torsdag, August 4, Roc Nation Sports vert den siste pressekonferansen for to-tiden verdensmesteren og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) and power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) ved Lake Merritt Amphitheater i Oakland, California in advance of their August 6 kjempe på Oracle Arena i Oakland. Ward and Brand will meet in 12-round WBO Intercontinental title fight televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:35 pm. ET / PT.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf sent senior special advisor, Penny Moore, to kick off the press conference with an official proclamation honoring Ward’s contribution to the city and declaring August 4 as Andre Ward Day.
Below is what the fighters and dais guests had to say at the press conference:
ANDRE WARD, To ganger verdensmester og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter:
“The Bay Area is a beautiful place. I’m blessed to be here in my city and to represent you all. I’ve gotten a lot of heat in the press about fighting here but I won’t apologize. I dreamed about fighting here and being a headliner. We’re going to continue to headline. I’m thankful for all the sponsors that were named, HBO and everybody who supported on a small and big level.
“I’m excited about the future. I want to be the lightweight champion of the world, a two division champion. Everyone knows that, but it’s impossible for me to overlook this man (Brand). I’m not built like that. I wasn’t raised like that. I wasn’t groomed like that. As a young fighter, I don’t operate like that. This man is coming, this is his super bowl. Because this is his super bowl, it has to be my super bowl. My ribs are showing, Jeg er sulten. I’ll see you all Saturday night.”
ALEXANDER BRAND, Former WBC Latino Super Middleweight Champion:
“I want to thank you all for being here today. It’s a pleasure for me to be in this wonderful city. All I want to do is give a good show and make sure that I give that to my fans here in Oakland. I want to have a good fight and work hard. It’s really a true honor to be in the ring with a champion like Andre Ward.”
MICHAEL YORMARK, President og Chief of Branding & Strategy – Roc Nation:
“Over the last year and a half this city has become our home away from home, with Saturday marking Roc Nation Sports’ third big Bay Area fight in the last 16 måneder. Enda viktigere, Oakland is also the home to the world’s greatest pound-for-pound boxer and Olympic gold medalist, your very own Andre Ward and now the new home of another Roc Nation star athlete, Kevin Durant. On Saturday at Oracle Arena and live on HBO, Andre looks to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand.”
VIRGIL HUNTER, Andre Ward’s Trainer:
"Thanks to the city of Oakland for coming out and supporting Andre. We hope you continue to do that as we continue to grow in his career and his journey. Much respect for Team Brand. We consider him a very formidable opponent. He cannot be taken lightly. We know he can fight, we know he is a great competitor. It is also an honor for us to be in the ring with him and his team.”
JAMES PRINCE, Andre Ward’s Manager:
“I like to thank God for this opportunity, HBO, Roc Nation, Antonio Leonard Promotions and Team Alexander Brand. Alexander Brand has over 400 amateur fights so this is an opponent we’re not taking lightly. Anybody who has 400 fights has a lot of experience so we look forward to fighting him. We had him on our radar a few months ago but we didn’t reel him in. We were injured and he got away from us. Come Saturday night, we’re going to put an S.O.G brand on Alexander Brand.”
ALEX CAMPONOVO, Alexander Brand’s Manager:
“It’s been a long road for Alexander Brand. He’s worked very hard to get where he is today. He was given the opportunity by HBO last December for a fight in Florida on HBO Latino and he showed his true colors. This is a great opponent, one of the greatest of all time, in Andre Ward. We know that this champion probably has never lost a round inside the ring and that is what Brand is here to do, to prove himself and to show that if you try and work hard, you can go very far.”
TONY WALKER, Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View:
“On behalf of our executive Vice President Peter Nelson and the rest of the HBO Sports staff, I’d like to say that we’re very happy to be here in Oakland. We are looking forward to a great card on Saturday night. We’ve done three shows from Oracle, and each time, Andre Ward has put on an outstanding performance and showcased his skills as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. We consider Andre one of the HBO family as he’s been able to showcase his skills, become one of the best boxers of this generation, recognized as a champion and he’s all done it with great character and great professionalism. He’s a joy to work with us at the network.
“I’d like to welcome Alexander Brand to the network as he’s here to spoil the party. Anytime you get in the ring, anything can happen as we’ve seen in boxing over the years. We welcome him and know that he’s going to give a great performance as he tries to elevate his own career.
“There seems to be an opportunity that people have been talking about this fall for Andre. With what we’ve seen in boxing over the past few years, I think we should wait to see what happens Saturday night, then start talking about what happens after that. The telecast starts at 10:35 pm. ET / PT. We have a great broadcast crew, we guarantee you some informative and exciting discussion on boxing and a great night of television.”
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental title, presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Bedrifts Reise Management Solutions (CTMS), Jordan Brand, Shoe Palace, Kingsford, Autocom Nissan, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 år. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®beginning at 10:35 pm. ET / PT.
Billetter priset til $250, $100, $70, $40 og $30, ikke inkludert gjeldende avgifter og skatter, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online på Ticketmaster.com og kostnad på telefon (800) 745-3000.
For mer informasjon, vennligst besøk www.rocnation.com. Følg Roc Nation på Twitter og Instagramrocnation og på Facebook på www.facebook.com/RocNation.
For mer informasjon, besøk www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.
TWO-TIME WORLD CHAMPION ANDRE WARD AND POWER-PUNCHING COLOMBIAN ALEXANDER BRAND MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS
SHOWDOWN SET FOR Lørdag, August 6 AT Oracle Arena i Oakland, CALIFORNIA; TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING ®
Klikk HER for Bilder
Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sport / Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos
OAKLAND, SLIK AS (August 3, 2016) - På tirsdag, August 2, To ganger verdensmester og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) and power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) deltatt i en medie treningsøkt på Kongens Gym i Oakland, California i forveien August 6kjempe på Oracle Arena i Oakland. Ward and Brand will meet in 12-round WBO Intercontinental title bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:35 pm. OG/PT.
Etter shadowboxing i ringen og et par runder på boksesekker, both fighters participated in interviews with media members in attendance. Also on hand to catch the hometown hero were a dozen members of the West Oakland Boys and Girls Club chapter. Ward surprised the group of local youths with tickets to Lørdagens fight.
Nedenfor er det jagerfly hadde å si under finalen media trening:
ANDRE WARD, To ganger verdensmester og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter:
“It was good to get back in camp right after the last fight. I was a lot sharper early in camp than I normally am. The last couple of years, typically, you have to get the rust off first, then work on getting sharp, work on technique and the game plan. This training camp was continuous of the last training camp, I probably put in over 130 runder. Jeg føler meg veldig bra.
“I know enough about Brand. He’s got everything to gain and nothing to lose. He swings for the fences with every punch. He’s a dangerous guy to fight.
“It feels good to be back at Oracle Arena multiple times this year. I don’t know how much stock you can put into the last couple of years. A lot of people are talking about it, but people have to weigh in the amount of time I have been doing this, which is all my life. You look at Floyd Mayweather, he took a couple of hiatuses and it may have given him two or three more years. It was a mental break and it was a physical break. Taking those couple years where maybe you’re not fighting as frequently, it’s not always a bad thing, especially late in your career.
“I came up a little different in my Olympic days. Virgil Hunter is the type of coach who will get you away from everybody and turn your phone off. We didn’t have snapchat in 2004, we didn’t have Instagram in 2004. We had a room that we all had to huddle around with desktop computers where we all had to get news about what was going on. But now, i 2016, I see the USA team snapchatting and Instagramming. Part of you wants to tell them to shut it down and do it like I did it, but that may not be the right thing. Understand why you’re there, understand you’re not going to get this moment again. You don’t typically repeat when you go for the Olympics. Understand why you’re there, take it seriously and everything else will fall in place.
“The key is to have a good team. I’ve got a great lawyer, a great manager and a great promotional team in Roc Nation Sports. They are going to make sure the details are right. This is a very much a business, and before there’s combat, business has to be handled and taken care of. I think fighters and all athletes should be unapologetic about taking care of business. Den veien, when you get into that ring or field or court, your mind can be free.
“Unfortunately, our women don’t get the respect they deserve, they don’t get the notoriety. They don’t get the exposure that they probably should get. Raquel Miller, who will be on the card, and other female fighters, they do what we do. They’re training and grinding but they are not always noticed. I remember the Christie Martin days where she fought on the Mike Tyson undercards with Laila Ali. They got some good publicity and shine. Men, there are so many other young female fighters coming up, ones who are established and have been fighting, whom people don’t know about. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m happy for Raquel and excited to have her on the card. I don’t believe when people say there is no market for women’s boxing. Let’s create a market then, let’s create some buzz!
“Sergey Kovalev is not on my mind at all. I’ve got a job to do. I haven’t even talked about Kovalev. We can talk about Kovalev on August 7th, that’s what I told my team. I didn’t watch his last fight, he’s not my next opponent but I know what happened and what people are saying about it.
“I’ve never seen Brand in person. It’s tricky, in my last fight, Sullivan Barrera was a little bit bigger than me. Everyone made a big deal about that, and Brand is smaller than me. You’ve got to be able to get it done, short or tall, explosive or wild. Brand is wild, so it’s going to take a few rounds to break him down and tame him before we start doing what we want to do. As a championship-caliber fighter, you’ve got to be able to deal with everything, every style and size. I’ve never seen the guy in person, so it’s hard to gauge.
“Taking away my opponents’ best weapon away is a skill that I developed as a kid, right here at King’s Gym. Virgil was a really, really good coach. He’s probably the last of the great teachers. I’ve been in here with pros at 13 og 14 år. Seasoned veterans hitting me on my head, trying to discourage me, trying to bully me. I would go back to the corner and say, ‘Man he hit me on my head. Man he’s pushing my head back.’ And Virgil would say, ‘Then make him stop.’ In other words, I had to figure it out. Having those sessions here year after year, I had to get my respect in here first before I could even fight others. I had to learn to adjust here first before I had the chance to adjust in a big fight. Så, it started here. Og, it carried over. Til og med i dag, we bring in top sparrers. Sparring is different than a fight, but we bring in top sparrers to make sure my senses are on point. I don’t like to lose a second of a round so even when I am tired, I try to figure it out mentally. What can I do to offset him? How can I take that away from him? Exploit his weakness? That is constantly on my mind. I think it shows when the lights come on.
“Being back at home, it’s two-fold. Part of me wants to stop and take it in. Go down memory lane and remember all the times I’ve walked into the gym, all the battles I’ve had in here. Remember the good days and the bad days. Then there is another part of me that doesn’t like looking back too soon. I’ve got to stay in the moment. It’s kind of surreal. It’s surreal to be in the arena that I have driven past for years. Driving down 880 and wishing I could headline. Jeg er velsignet. Not a lot of people get the opportunity. I know a lot of great fighters who didn’t get the opportunity for one reason or another. And to have that opportunity, I don’t take it lightly.
“I’ve been given a tremendous opportunity. God has blessed me a lot. There’s an inscription in the bible that says to whom much is given, much is acquired. He’s given me a talent, and I’m probably not the most talented, but I want to make sure I use it the best I can. I’m running my race right now in this professional game, and when I look back I want to say that I didn’t cheat anybody, that I gave everything that I had, and this is what I have to show for it. Finishing strong is really important to me. Becoming an all-time great is really important to me. I’m just giving God a return on his investment, because he’s invested a lot in me. I’m thankful.”
ALEXANDER BRAND, Former WBC Latino Super Middleweight Champion:
“I didn’t want to show too much at this media workout but I’ve got something in store for the day of the fight.
“It doesn’t really matter that the fight is in Ward’s hometown, it’s going to be a fight. Wherever it is, whether it’s in his backyard or anywhere else, I’m coming to fight and that’s the most important thing.
“It’s nothing new for me, Jeg kjempet på 175 pounds in the amateurs. My last fight in December was at 175 pounds against an undefeated Russian when Andre Ward got hurt and couldn’t fight me on the Cotto-Canelo card.
“Whatever Ward brings, I’m going to have something for him.
“Ward still has 12 rounds to fight before he can think about Kovalev.”
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental title, presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Bedrifts Reise Management Solutions (CTMS), Jordan Brand, Shoe Palace, Kingsford, Autocom Nissan, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 år. Arrangementet vil bli TV live på HBO VM Boxing begynnelsen på 10:35 pm. ET / PT.
Billetter priset til $250, $100, $70, $40 og $30, ikke inkludert gjeldende avgifter og skatter, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online på Ticketmaster.com og kostnad på telefon (800) 745-3000.
For mer informasjon, vennligst besøk www.rocnation.com. Følg Roc Nation på Twitter og Instagramrocnation og på Facebook på www.facebook.com/RocNation.
For mer informasjon, besøk www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.
Raquel Miller Added to Ward vs. Brand Undercard
Roc Nation Sports is pleased to announce the addition of San Francisco’s Raquel Miller (1-0, 1 KO) to the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Alexander Brand at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on August 6, 2016. This will be the first Roc Nation card to feature a female fighter.
Bayview-Hunters Point native Raquel “Pretty Beast” Miller will be making her second professional start since debuting against Sara Flores on May 21, 2016 in Richmond, California. In her augural pro fight, the former amateur standout wasted no time, scoring a technical knockout over her opponent within the first minute and 14 sekunder av første runde. Miller was the 2012 Women’s World Championships Silver Medalist, 2012 USA Boxing Women’s National Champion and 2012 US-. Olympic Team Trials Bronze Medalist, serving as the U.S Women’s Olympic alternate in the London Games. Miller will be taking on an opponent to be determined on August 6 på Oracle Arena.
Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) vil returnere til ringen på Lørdag, August 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) på Oracle Arena i Oakland, California. Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight for the WBO Intercontinental title, presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Bedrifts Reise Management Solutions (CTMS), Brand Jordan, Shoe Palace, Kingsford, Autocom Nissan, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 år. Arrangementet vil bli TV live på HBO VM Boxing begynnelsen på 10:35 pm. OG/PT.
Billetter priset til $250, $100, $70, $40 og $30, ikke inkludert gjeldende avgifter og skatter, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online på Ticketmaster.com og kostnad på telefon (800) 745-3000.
ROC NATION SPORTS ANNOUNCES NON-TELEVISED UNDERCARD FIGHTERS FOR ANDRE WARD VS. ALEXANDER BRAND
ON Lørdag, August 6 AT Oracle Arena i Oakland, CALIFORNIA
WARD VS. BRAND TO BE TELEVISED LIVE
ON HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®
BEGINNING AT 10:35 pm. OG/PT
NEW YORK, NY (Juli 26, 2016) – Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (29-0, 15 KOs) vil returnere til ringen på Lørdag, August 6, to continue his conquest of the light heavyweight division when he takes on power-punching Colombian Alexander Brand (25-1, 19 KOs) på Oracle Arena i Oakland, California. Arrangementet, which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:35 pm. OG/PT, will now include six bouts of non-televised action for ticketed fans to enjoy before the main showdown.
The promising undercard lineup will feature East Bay familiar, Bilal Mahasin and a collection of Roc Nation Sports’ brightest prospects including, Daniel "Twitch" Franco, Rudy “The Revelation” Puga Jr. og Darmani “Rock Solid” Rock. Roc Nation Sports’ sparkplug Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker also looks to ignite Oracle Arena as the card’s co-feature in a 10-round NABO Junior Welterweight Title clash against Tyrone Barnett.
Maurice “Mighty Mo” Hooker (20-0-2, 15 KOs) was born and raised in Oak Cliff, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, where he found a boxing home at Maple Avenue Boxing Gym by way of an outreach program for at-risk youths. His natural talent was soon noticed resulting in him competing as an amateur, during which time he participated in over 100 kamper, compiling a record of 97 seire og bare 7 tap, med 67 victories coming by way of knockout. Hooker turned professional on April 29, 2011, taking on the vastly more experienced Tyrone Chatman at the Orpheum Theater in St. Louis. After four rounds, the judges saw the fight 40-36, 37-39 og 38-38, making the fight a split draw. Undeterred, in his next fight on June 24, 2014, Hooker scored his first professional win, knocking out Wilbert Mitchell in the first round at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas. Eleven wins (eight by knockout) later, he took on undefeated Abel Ramos on January 17, 2014 in a bout that was featured on ShoBox from the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. After eight close, hard-fought rounds, the judges saw the fight a draw. Four consecutive knockout victories would follow before he took on fellow undefeated prospect Eduardo Galindo on June 26, 2015 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Championship. “Mo” did not disappoint his legion of hometown fans who saw him capture the title with a sixth round technical knockout victory. Oktober 17, 2015, Hooker successfully defended his title at Madison Square Garden in New York City against his toughest opponent to date in Ghislain Maduma. The 10-round decision win came on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin vs. David Lemieux and was featured on the event’s “freeview” as well as streamed online around the world. “Mighty Mo” made his debut under the Roc Nation Sports banner on the undercard of Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera, this past March at Oracle Arena in Oakland, SLIK AS, where he annihilated opponent Wilfrido “La Roca” Buelvas of Columbia in the first round of a 10-round junior welterweight bout by way of technical knockout. Hooker looks to advance his undefeated record when he takes on Tyrone Barnett (23-4-1, 15 KOs) på August 6 på Oracle Arena. Barnett was in action this past February, with a technical knockout victory over Daniel Attah at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The D.C. native is eager to stop Maurice Hooker’s momentum and take home the NABO title.
Stammer fra Riverside, California og kjemper seg ut av boksing arnested for Oxnard, ubeseiret junior lettvekt Daniel "Twitch" Franco (13-0-3, 8 KOs) begynte boksing i en alder av åtte, samle en amatør registrering av 67-15, vinne Oxnard PAL-EM i 2006 og California State Silver Gloves mesterskapet i 2007 underveis. Under Franco profesjonelle debut desember 18, 2010, Han beseiret Emanuel Machorro på Club 401 i Ontario, California via en tredje runde teknisk knockout. Franco imponerte tidlig i karrieren, kompilere en ubeseiret rekord med to uavgjorte på arenaer over hele California i slutten av 2013. En av de uavgjorte kom mot Alejandro Ochoa på Quiet Cannon i Montebello, California september 20, 2013, but in a rematch three months later, Franco outmatched Ochoa oppnå en seks-runde enstemmig beslutning seier i Westin Bonaventure Hotel i Los Angeles. Juni 20, 2015, during Ward’s return to the ring at Oracle Arena, Franco saw action in an eight round junior lightweight bout against Jonathan Alcantara and won by unanimous decision. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016 på Oracle Arena i Oakland, California on the Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard, the unbeaten Twitch met Mexico’s German “Panteonero” Meraz in an eight-round featherweight bout. Franco scored a technical knockout over the veteran fighter in the final round of the fight.August 6 will be Franco’s third appearance at Oracle when he takes on Renton, Washington’s Marcelo Gallardo (7-3-2, 3 KOs). The 26-year-old Gallardo has been known to play the spoiler role, scoring unanimous decision victories over unbeaten prospects Christopher Diaz and Vic Pasillas in 2015.
Having compiled an exceptional amateur record of 99-8, Rudy “The Revelation” Puga. Jr. (8-0, 7 KOs), the promising prospect from Salinas, California made his professional debut on September 2, 2011, scoring a fourth round technical knockout victory over Raul Talamontes at the Sports Complex in his hometown. Back in the ring less than two months later, Puga Jr. raised his record to 2-0 with a first round technical knockout of Jose Jesus Hurtado at the Sherwood Inn in Salinas. I juni 2012, he sent Thomas Turner to the mat four times scoring a second round technical knockout win at the Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. After a little more than a year away from the ring, he rededicated himself to the “sweet science” with a vengeance and on February 17, 2014, Puga Jr. made his comeback stopping Charon Spain in the third round with an overpowering body shot at the Salinas Storm House in his native Salinas. Puga Jr. rounded out 2015 with a four-round technical knockout of Katrell Straus and a six-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Rojas. På Februar 12, Puga Jr. extended his undefeated streak to 7 fights by knocking out Alejandro Osuna in two rounds at the Double Tree Hotel in Ontario, California. In his most recent fight on March 26, 2016 på Oracle Arena i Oakland, California on HBO’s Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard, Puga Jr. extended his undefeated streak against Carlos “Kalimba” Lozano by way of a technical knockout in the sixth round. The Southern California native returns to the Bay Area on August 6 to face an opponent to be announced.
Brooklyn’s undefeated Junior “The Young God” Younan (9-0, 7 KOs) is considered one of New York City’s best boxing prospects. Younan, trained by his father Sherif, a former professional boxer himself, began fighting competitively at age eight and only two years later was called a “boxing prodigy” by the New York Times. He compiled an amateur record of 90-5, racking up an impressive series of titles along the way including nine Junior Olympic championships, nine Junior Metro championships, eight New York State Silver Gloves championships and five Regional Silver Gloves championships. I 2011, he was crowned National Junior Golden Gloves champion and was U.S.A. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer in his weight class. Less than a month after his 18th bursdag, Younan made his professional debut on November 9, 2013, at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, New York, stopping Kenneth Schmitz in the first round. During his recent match up on the Andre Ward vs. Sullivan Barrera undercard that took place March 26, 2016, Younan scored a four round unanimous decision over Christian Solarzano, pitching a shutout on all three scorecards. Facing his stiffest test to date on May 13, 2016 on the undercard of throne boxing’s Dusty Hernandez-Harrison vs. Mike Dallas, Jr. on BET and Tidal.com, Younan overwhelmed Rodrigo Almeida of Woburn, Massachusetts with a technical knockout in the first round at the DC Armory in Washington, Likespenning. Returning to Oakland on the Ward vs. Brand undercard, Younan is set to take on Jaime “Zarco” Solorio (5-2-2, 4 KOs) på August 6. Fighting out of Baja, California, the Mexico native is riding an undefeated streak in his last six fights.
I en alder av 20, Darmani Rock (3-0, 3 KOs) is already drawing comparisons to former heavyweight greats of the past. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rock was brought to a local boxing ring by his father at age twelve after he lost a street fight to neighborhood bullies. Standing at 6’4”, he moves with an unparalleled lightness and speed for a fighter his size. Rock earned nation-wide accolades following a banner year in 2014 when he took home the USA Boxing Junior and Youth Open, Youth Continental and Youth World super heavyweight titles. During the 2014 Junior and Youth Open in Reno, Nevada, Rock shut out the 2013 National Youth Champion, John Luna, 3-0. This impressive performance was followed by another super heavyweight title at the Youth Continental Championships in March 2014 in Quito, Ecuador where he defeated Argentina’s Kervin Espinola 3-0. Rock then took home the gold medal at the prestigious World Youth Championships in Bulgaria in April 2014 by a 2-1 decision over Germany’s Peter Kadiru. Rock also took home the 2014 World Junior Amateur Championship and capped off 2014 by being named Philadelphia’s Amateur Boxer of the Year at the annual Briscoe Awards. His most noteworthy win, men, came in May 2015 when he beat Cam Awesome in Las Vegas for the National Golden Gloves title. Rock also captured the 2015 US-. National Amateur super heavyweight championship. He ended his amateur career as the number one rated super heavyweight in the United States (and the number five rated super heavyweight in the world) går 19-5 in national tournaments. Rock made his highly anticipated professional debut, after signing an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports, against Rockville, Maryland’s Carlos Black on May 13, 2016, as the co-feature of Roc Nation’s throne boxing card at the Armory in Washington, Likespenning. Following a devastating left hook, Rock brought his opponent to the floor with a right-left combination at the 1:54 mark av første runde. Without wasting any time, Rock followed his impressive debut by demolishing his next two opponents, Bobby Favors and Hassan Lee, both by way of knockout in the first round of the respective bouts. Making his Oracle Arena debut on August 6, Rock looks to keep his fierce win streak alive when he takes on Mike Kyle (1-2-1, 1 KO). The Boise, Idaho native seeks to reaffirm the impression he has set on Oakland where he scored his first career win and knockout over James Kirby this past January.
Bilal “Rebellious” Mahasin (8-3-1, 1 KO) is no stranger to Oakland fight fans. A resident of the Bay Area’s eastern shore, Mahasin made his professional debut in 2002 with great promise, winning his first three fights. November 10, 2013, he fought one of the area’s top junior welterweight fighters, Moris Rodriguez, at the Red Lion Hotel in Sacramento, California. East Bay supporters made the trek to the state’s capital for Mahasin’s triumphant return which came by way of a six-round unanimous decision. Mahasin has accrued a ring record with a majority of the results coming as wins, and has transitioned up a weight class to super welterweight. He last fought on June 11, 2016 i 16th Street Rail Station in Oakland, going the distance with a six-round unanimous decision over Vincente Guzman. Mahasin is ready to take on journeyman Luis Alfredo Lugo (14-25-1, 5 KOs) på August 6 at Oracle Arena in front an ever-steadied fanfare.
Ward vs. Brand is a 12-round fight presented by Roc Nation Sports and sponsored by Corona Extra, Verizon, ProSupps, Bedrifts Reise Management Solutions (CTMS), Brand Jordan, Verizon, Shoe Palace, Ticketmaster and The Clorox Company, supporting the Bay Area Community for over 100 år.
Billetter priset til $250, $120, $90, $40 og $30, ikke inkludert gjeldende avgifter og skatter, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online på Ticketmaster.com (http://bit.ly/WardBrandPR) og lade på telefon (800) 745-3000.
For mer informasjon, vennligst besøk www.rocnation.com. Følg Roc Nation på Twitter og Instagramrocnation og på Facebook på www.facebook.com/RocNation.
For mer informasjon, besøk www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.
Follow the conversation using #WardBrand.
Ward vs. Barrera + Diaz Jr. vs. Velez Endelig Pressekonferanse Kurser og bilder
TO ganger verdensmester ANDRE WARD VS. Ubeseiret SULLIVAN BARRERA
NABF FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. Jayson VELEZ
SLUTT pressekonferanse sitater og BILDER
Showdowns SET FOR Lørdag, MARS 26
AT Oracle Arena i Oakland, CALIFORNIA
Direkte hos HBO ®
Klikk HER for Bilder
Photo Credit: Roc Nation Sport / Tom Hogan – Hoganphotos
OAKLAND, SLIK AS (Mars 23, 2015) - På onsdag, Mars 23, Roc Nation Sports vert den siste pressekonferansen for to-tiden verdensmesteren og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward(28-0, 15 KOs) og nummer én karakter IBF lett tungvekt konkurrent Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) ved Lake Merritt Amphitheater i Oakland, California i forveien Mars 26 kjempe på Oracle Arena i Oakland. Ward og Barrera vil møte i 12-runde IBF nummer én posisjon og obligatorisk posisjon eliminator bout TV live på HBO VM Boxing® begynner på 9:45 pm. OG/PT. NABF Fjær Champion Joseph "Jojo" Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) og topp-karakter fjær kandidat Jayson "La Maravilla" Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) var også til stede på pressekonferansen pallen med utsikt over Lake Merritt forut for sin 10-runde NABF Fjær tittelen kampen som vil åpne opp HBO telecast.
Ward vs. Barrera utvikler seg til å bli en svært omstridt kamp mellom to krigere som begge har sine severdigheter satt på en match-up mot Unified Lett tungvekt verdensmester Sergey Kovalev.
Nedenfor er det jagerfly, arrangører, trenere, ledere og andre dais gjester hadde å si på pressekonferansen:
ANDRE WARD, To ganger verdensmester og topp-karakter pound-for-pound fighter:
"Jeg ønsker å takke alle for å komme ut som vanlig. The Bay Area er et vakkert sted. Vi får ofte ikke nok kreditt for talent som kommer ut herfra, men for fanbase, det er enorm. Jeg er bare takknemlig for å være fra et sted som dette, og takknemlig for å ha kjærlighet og støtte på hvert arrangement som vi bringer her. Jeg er takknemlig for at jeg og gutta som Marshawn Lynch, Damian Lillard og Warriors sette dette stedet på kartet, og folk tar varsel på den nasjonale scenen. Det er veldig viktig for meg.
"Så vidt kampen selv, det er veldig enkelt for meg ... noen som kjenner meg, de vet hvordan jeg jobber, og de vet hvordan jeg huke. Jeg får ikke fanget opp i hva som skjer videre. Jeg får ikke fanget opp i hva folk sier. Jeg er klar over hva som blir sagt. Jeg vet hva min motstander har sagt, og jeg tar ham på ordet. Jeg har gjort alt som jeg skal gjøre, som jeg alltid gjør, og som jeg har gjort den siste 10 år med min karriere. Jeg har tatt på det beste ... hvis det ikke er en annen mester så er det en topp kandidat ... og dette er ikke annerledes. Dere vet at jeg er fokusert og låst i som jeg alltid er. Jeg er forberedt på, og jeg er klar for krig kommer Mars 26."
SULLIVAN BARRERA, Nummer én karakter IBF lett tungvekt konkurrent:
"Jeg ønsket å si takk for at du kom hit. Jeg ønsker å si takk HBO, takk alle sammen. Takk Andre Ward for å akseptere min kamp. Jeg lover alle som kommer til arenaen som jeg har hatt stor forberedelse, og dette er en stor drøm. På den natten, Jeg vil ha et flott show for alle. "
DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO Boxing - Roc Nation Sports:
"To av de beste lette tungvekterne på planeten vil kollidere på Mars 26. De har en kombinert registrering av 45-0 med 27 KOs og unødvendig å si, verken har smakt nederlag som en profesjonell. Mens hver mann har en formidabel motstander foran seg, de begge har sine øyne på Sergey Kovalev og hans tre VM-tittel belter, men først de har virksomhet til å ivareta på lørdag natt.
"Når jeg kommer ut til Oakland for en hendelse, og jeg er med Andre på en funksjon der han snakker til media, det slår meg som åpenbart, Han er et spesielt talent idrettslig, men han er også en spesiell person, og jeg håper at alle her i Oakland forstår og setter pris på at. Han er en prinsipiell familiemann som alltid prøver å gjøre det rette og det er noe som er sjelden i livet i disse dager, men det er spesielt sjelden i idrett. Jeg håper dere setter pris på ham. Boksing karrierer varer ikke evig. Han kommer ikke til å være med å kjempe for alltid, slik at alle bør sette pris på hva du har her i Andre Ward.
"Andre fanget en gullmedalje i OL i Athen og er den siste US-. boxer å ha gjort det. Hans liste over beseirede fiender leser som en hvem som er hvem av super mellomvekt divisjon. Han har også dominert og slått ut tidligere lett tungvekt verdensmester, Chad Dawson i sin 2012 showdown. I sin siste kamp, Han dominerte to ganger verdensmester tittel utfordrer Paul Smith Juni 20 på Oracle Arena. Han legger ut på neste kapittel av sin karriere på Mars 26, tilbake til Oracle Arena igjen, som han gjør sitt trekk opp mot lyset tungvekt divisjon klar til å gjøre det han gjorde i super mellomvekt divisjon ... rense den ut og dominere alle som står i veien for ham. "
NICOLE DOVE, Vice President of Marketing og General Counsel - Main Events:
"Jeg vil gjerne takke Andre Ward. Han trengte ikke å ta på en ubeseiret fighter i sin første kamp på lett tungvekt, men han gjorde det, og jeg tror det er prisverdig.
"I sin siste kamp, Sullivan ble obligatorisk kandidat for Sergey Kovalev sin IBF belte. Han kunne ha satt tilbake og ventet på sin tittel kamp, men i stedet så han denne kampen mot Andre Ward som en mulighet til å virkelig nå for storhet, og han gjorde det. Som dere alle vet, Main Events og Roc Nation Sports har store planer for Andre Ward og Sergey Kovalev senere i år og Sullivan Barrera kan virkelig opprørt over at apple cart.
"Begge disse mennene, Sullivan og Andre, har alt ridning på utfallet av Lørdagens fight. I klima som vi har i boksing akkurat nå, Det er forfriskende å se virkelige krigere som ikke er redd for å ta risiko. De begge fortjener vår respekt og beundring for det. Dette er hva vår idrett skal være om.
"Sullivan Barrera er ubeseiret med en registrering av 17-0 med 12 vinner kommer i form av knockout. Han bare snudde 34, en måned siden, som du kanskje tror er litt gammel for dette punktet i karrieren. Det du kanskje ikke vet er at han hadde en vellykket amatørkarriere i Cuba og deretter mistet flere år av sitt prime mens han defecting til USA. Han er kommet veldig langt for å være her i dag for dette øyeblikket og denne muligheten. Han er sulten, han er trygg, og han er klar. "
VIRGIL HUNTER, Andre Ward trener:
"Dette er en fantastisk kort med fantastiske utøvere som prøver å gjøre veien i verden av boksing. Hvis denne kampen fant sted i noen annen by, det ville være en stor begivenhet. Det vi ønsker å gjøre er å sørge for at Oakland forstår, og at de omkringliggende Bay Area forstår, omfanget av denne hendelsen, slik at vi kan fortsette å bringe verdensklasse boksing til Oakland. Oakland er en yngleplass for topp jagerfly, og vi allerede har dem. Jo mer du støtte oss, jo mer at disse kampene vil bli synlig, og du vil se den store tid på toppen.
"De sier andre nettverk gjør jagerfly, men HBO gjør stjerner, så vi er glad for å være en del av dette. Vi ber deg om å komme ut og støtte denne kampen. Kom ut Lørdag natt og kos dere for en god natts topp boksing. "
BEN lire, Sullivan Barreras Trainer:
"Jeg ønsker å takke alle de menneskene som satt sammen denne super arrangement på lørdag. Vi er her for å sette på et stort show og Sullivan har gjort alt for å forberede seg for denne hendelsen. Han vet hvilke utfordringer foran seg, men han tror på seg selv og mener han at dette er hans tid til å vise publikum og seerne at det er der han er. Han er der for å gjøre en uttalelse.
"Mer enn noe annet, vi respekterer Mr. Ward for sine prestasjoner, hans troverdighet, og han er en super fyr i sporten. Det er flott å være en del av dette. Vi forberedt seg godt, og vi har gjort alt vi har å kommer Lørdag å gi seerne en super flott show fordi dette er hva boksing handler om. Det handler om ytelse og begge krigere får å prestere på dette nivået på en stor begivenhet. Vi er beæret over å være en del av denne hendelsen. Vi har gjort alt som er mulig for å sikre at vi vil komme ut og sette på en fabelaktig vis. "
JAMES PRINCE, Andre Ward manager:
"Dette er et historisk øyeblikk for oss. Vi går inn i 175 pund lett tungvekt divisjon. Dette er et øyeblikk at byen ikke vil gå glipp av. Dette er det tidspunkt ved begynnelsen av en bevegelse. Barrera bare skjer for å være det første offeret, og vi kommer til å forholde seg til ham tilsvar. Vi har hørt mye snakk og samtale finner sted hvor han er bekymret, og vi vet at han mener alt han sier. Igjen, Vi er begeistret for denne muligheten, og du ikke vil gå glipp av denne historiske øyeblikk på lørdag natt. "
JOSEPH DIAZ JR., NABF Fjær Champion:
"Komme Mars 26, Jeg vet at jeg har en veldig tøff kamp foran meg. Jeg vet Jayson Velez er en erfaren veteran i ringen. Han er en kriger. Han har en seks-tommers rekkevidde fordel over meg, så det kommer til å bli en virkelig stor kamp. Jeg vet at han kommer ut av et tap, så jeg vet at han virkelig ønsker å sprette tilbake og vise alle at han fortsatt er en verden tittel kandidat.
"Jeg hadde en veldig god treningsleir. Jeg har trent i åtte uker. Dette er min første gang kjemper på HBO, så jeg virkelig ønsker å vise frem hvem jeg virkelig er. Jeg er 110% klar. Jeg er klar til å gi kampen fans en krig om Jayson Velez ønsker å ha en krig. Jeg er klar for å vise frem til alle alle evnene jeg har inne i ringen. Jeg er veldig spent på å være med å kjempe på Andre Ward og Sullivan Barrera kort. De er to toppidrettsutøvere, og jeg er veldig beæret over å være co-main event for denne kampen. Slik som Mars 26, Jeg lover at jeg skal gi deg et flott show. "
Jayson VELEZ, Topp-karakter fjær kandidat:
"Jeg vil takke Gud først, selvsagt gjør han alt mulig. Jeg vil takke mine arrangører, Miguel Cotto Kampanjer og Golden Boy Promotions og min hele laget. Jeg har ikke så mye å si i tillegg til at dette er en stor kamp. Joseph kommer til å kjempe. Jeg kommer til å kjempe. Vi begge ønsker å vinne. Vi begge tar utfordringer. Folk fortsetter å spørre meg hvorfor jeg tok denne farlige kampen og svaret er enkelt ... hvis jeg ønsker å være best, Jeg må kjempe den beste. Josef er en av de beste.
"Jeg mistet min siste kamp, så jeg trenger å vinne. Jeg ønsker å vinne. Jeg kan ikke fortelle deg hvem som kommer til å vinne denne kampen fordi vi begge er store krigere og krigere. Han er meksikansk, Jeg er puertoricanske, og når du har en Puerto Rico og en meksikansk i den samme ringen, vil du se en krig. Du vil se hastighet, makt, alt i denne kampen. Han er en stor fighter, og jeg er så spent. Takk til alle, og følg med denne lørdagen og takk til HBO selvfølgelig. "
ROBERT DIAZ, Leder Matchmaker - gullgutten Kampanjer:
"Selvfølgelig den viktigste hendelsen taler for seg selv. Du har fått Andre Ward versus en ung ubeseiret fyr som Sullivan Barrera, men co-main event kommer til å pit to unge, sulten jagerfly mot hverandre i Jayson Velez og Joseph Diaz. De er begge unge. De er begge villige til å ta de beste kamper, de tøffeste kamper og bevis på det er hvor enkelt det var å gjøre denne kampen.
"Jeg er veldig begeistret for denne kampen. Du ønsker ikke å gå glipp av 10 runder for NABF tittelen.
"Jayson Velez er en ung, sulten løve som ønsker å komme tilbake opp på scenen og vet hvor viktig en seier over Joseph Diaz er. Han forsto muligheten til å kjempe på HBO og på denne enorme kortet. Jeg vil minne deg om karakteren av Jayson Velez. I en tid hvor en fighter som mister ønsker å ta kanskje et comeback eller tune opp, eller to eller tre, før de tar en høy risiko kampen og Jayson Velez gjør det rett etter. Det viser at han ønsker å komme tilbake på toppen, og han vet hva han skal gjøre for å komme dit ... det må være ved å stoppe en topp-nivå fighter som Joseph Diaz. "
RALPH HEREDIA, Joseph Diaz manager:
"Det er en ære å være her, en stor mulighet og et privilegium å få denne muligheten til å presentere en talent, 2012 Olympian. Joseph, Dette er hva vi snakket om, takk for å være tålmodig, du er klar for muligheten. Vi vet hva en spesiell ung mann og talentfull mann du er, men nå er hele verden vil komme til å se på den store scenen hva et talent, hva en ekte gentleman og hva en fighter bør være ... som Joseph Diaz.
"Hva kan jeg si om Jayson Velez? Han er en gentleman som vet hva som står på spill, og har erfaring. Tro meg, du ikke vil gå glipp av denne. Lørdag, må du stille inn. Det kommer til å bli en actionfylt kamp. "
JOSE "at det" SANCHEZ, Jayson Velez-trener:
"Jeg ser Diaz som en stor fighter, men jeg har Jayson i meget god stand, og han er klar for kampen. Jeg vet det kommer til å bli en god kamp fordi de er klare, og det samme gjelder for min fighter Jayson Velez. Han jobbet veldig hardt for denne kampen, og jeg vet at han er klar til kampen. "
TONY WALKER, Regissør, HBO Sports:
"På vegne av vår konserndirektør Peter Nelson, vi er veldig glad for å være her i Bay Area, med et stort publikum og store boksing fans, som vi ser for å gi deg denne double på lørdag natt.
"Det er ikke lett å trekke sammen en stor boksekamp og disse lagene har trukket sammen et flott kort fra topp til bunn, så selv om alle kamper ikke vil være på HBO, Hvis du ønsker å se noen stor bokse, gå til Oracle Arena, og hvis du har til å være hjemme, sjekk den ut på HBO.
"Gjennom vår 43 år med programmering på HBO, boksing har alltid vært en integrert del av det vi gjør. Vi har alltid roste oss på å ha de beste krigerne og de beste kampene, og vi føler oss veldig bra at denne tradisjonen vil holde igjen som André Ward gjør sin 2016 debut i ringen. I bokseringen, det er aldri anbefalt at du overser en sulten, ubeseiret fighter som vi har i Sullivan Barrera, så jeg ønsker deg velkommen Sullivan til nettverket og takke ham for å ta på denne utfordringen.
"Åpne TV sendingen vil være Joseph Diaz mot Jayson Velez, to up-and-coming unge gutter, to unge kanoner, som mener de er klare for den store scenen. Alt i alt, det kommer til å bli en stor telecast, 9:45 PM ET Vi lover deg en informativ og underholdende kveld med vår kringkasting team. "
Ward vs. Barrera, en 12-runde IBF nummer én posisjon og obligatorisk posisjon eliminator som blir presentert av Roc Nation Sports i forbindelse med Main Events, skjer Lørdag, Mars 26, 2016 på Oracle Arena i Oakland, California. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticket, Bedrifts Reise Management Solutions (CTMer), Glad, løfte~~POS=TRUNC, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel og Visit Oakland. Arrangementet vil bli TV live på HBO VM Boxing begynnelsen på 9:45 pm. OG/PT. Åpning av HBO sendingen vil være Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez i en 10-runde kampen om NABF Fjær tittelen presentert av gullgutten Kampanjer i forbindelse med Miguel Cotto Kampanjer.
Billetter priset til $300, $150, $100, $50 og $25, ikke inkludert gjeldende avgifter og skatter er tilgjengelig på alle Ticketmaster steder, online på Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) og lade på telefon (800) 745-3000.
Følg samtalen på Twitter ved å bruke #WardBarrera.
For mer informasjon, vennligst besøk www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com,www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, Følg oss på Twitter og Instagram @rocnation, @hovedhendelser, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions og @HBOBoxing og bli en fan på Facebook på www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing og www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.