LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS,

TEN GOOSE BOXING GYM, VAN NUYS, CALIF.

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Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

“I am fighting [Andrzej] Fonfara now because I like big opponents. I like the challenge of fighting good, hungry fighters.”

– Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“Julio wants credibility in this sport and that’s why he made the decision to take this fight, even though it’s a dangerous decision.”

– Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

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VAN NUYS, Calif.(April 13, 2015) – Former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. held a media workout on Friday in front of a packed house at Ten Goose Boxing Gym in Van Nuys, Calif., as the Mexican superstar prepares to make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® debut on Saturday, April 18, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., live on SHOWTIME(10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

In the main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGdoubleheader, Mexican superstar Chavez, Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) meets dangerous brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) in a 12-round light heavyweight bout.

In the 10-round co-feature, top 10 ranked junior welterweight contender Amir Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) will aim to move one step closer to a world title opportunity when he makes his second start of 2015 against fellow power-puncher Walter Castillo (25-2, 18 KOs).

Julio Cesar Chavez, arguably the greatest Mexican fighter of all time, made an appearance during his son’s workout to show his support and offer words of encouragement.

Here’s what Chavez Jr., Julio Cesar Chavez and Joe Goossen (trainer) had to say Friday at the Los Angeles-area gym:

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR., Former World Champion

“I am very focused going into this fight. I have changed a lot mentally this past year.

“I am fighting [Andrzej] Fonfara now because I like big opponents. I like the challenge of fighting good, hungry fighters. Just because Fonfara doesn’t have the name recognition of other fighters, it doesn’t make him an easy fighter. He’s tough.

“I feel comfortable at light heavyweight. Any time that you can add a couple pounds, you feel better. Although I will be fighting at 175, I feel most comfortable at 168 as a boxer. Since I have had one year off, it was a better choice to fight at this weight so that I could see how my body feels.

“Since I have added a few pounds, I have become a more physical and stronger boxer. The light heavyweight division has very big and physical contenders.

“Joe [Goossen] is a great trainer. He is a great motivator to his fighters and makes them better. I have worked very hard with him for the 35 days we spent together in Lake Tahoe.

“When I was training with Freddie Roach, it was very different. I think Freddie is a great trainer, but Joe also has a lot of experience and we have made a connection together.

“I really liked training in Lake Tahoe. The altitude, the ring, everything I needed was there. I felt very comfortable up there and I would like to come back there to train for a fight again.

“I promise a great fight, this is a very exciting fight. Fonfara isn’t an easy opponent, but he has never seen an opponent like me.”

JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ SR.

“I am here to support and be with my son. I try to give him good advice. I tell him to train and prepare hard, and fortunately he is doing that well.

“I think Joe [Goossen] is doing a great job, we are on the same page. We are all focused on him [Chavez Jr.] getting to the fight well prepared. This fight requires great preparation because he is going into the fight at a weight that’s higher than his normal weight and he is facing a very tough opponent.

“He must go in 100 percent to win this fight.

“I think there has been a 180 degree turn in his career. I see this as a positive because he can really develop his ability and looks very well prepared.

“I would’ve liked to have seen him take a tune up fight instead because of his long layoff; I particularly didn’t want this fight.

“Julio [Chavez Jr.] wants credibility in this sport and that’s why he made the decision to take this fight, even though it’s a dangerous decision. He must be very prepared for this fight.”

JOE GOOSSEN, Chavez Jr.s’ Trainer

“I’ve been asked over the years who the one fighter was that I would like to work and my answer was always Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

“I’ve always really admired his style. I had known him as a kid, his father is a legend. It had always seemed like a dream job for me, and out of nowhere I got it.

“Lake Tahoe was tremendous for training camp. You are isolated and it’s not an easy thing. When you aren’t training you are sitting in a hotel room. You are deprived the comforts of home, but it really gives you that concentration and dedication factor and I think that will interpret into some positive results.

“I matured over my years, once I had a kid and a family and I think the same has happened with Julio. Life becomes clearer when you put away the immaturity. You realize that you have a future and if you really want to access what’s available to you, then you are going to have to work hard and dedicate yourself to it.

“Going to Lake Tahoe and really working hard is a sign of maturity and I think that’s what Julio is going through right now. He really showed it by leaving his home and spending an extended period of time up there. To me that is a great indicator that he is mature, dedicated and taking this fight very seriously.

“Of course I believe Julio is ready to fight Fonfara. The fight was made before I even came on board, but that’s the challenge that I am presented with. You must figure out a good game plan and figure out what you’re up against.

“Just because Julio has been out a year doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a cake walk for Fonfara. We went up to Lake Tahoe with one thing in mind, and that’s winning this fight and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

# # #

“Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara”, a 12-round light heavyweight bout co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Amir Imam faces Walter Castillo in a 10-round jr. welterweight showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets for the event are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, are available for purchase online at AXS.com.

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Younger Brother of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Will Also Be In Action from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME Airs Live at 8 p.m. ET/PT;

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Live on SHOWTIME^® AT 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Full Undercard Featuring Mix Of Exciting Veterans & Rising Prospects

Tickets Are On Sale!

CARSON, CALIF. (April 10, 2015) — Interim WBA Super Bantamweight World Champion Oscar Escandon (24-1, 16 KOs), of Tolima, Colombia, will make the first defense of his 122-pound title when he faces undefeated Moises “El Chucky” Flores (22-0, 1 NC, 16 KOs), of Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 12-round main event live on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT) on Saturday, April 18 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

Headlining the card, popular Mexican superstar and former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. (48-1-1, 32 KOs) will make his SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXINGdebut when he meets dangerous brawler Andrzej Fonfara (26-3, 15 KOs) live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

In the 10-round co-feature of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, Top 10 ranked junior welterweight contender Amir Imam (16-0, 14 KOs) will aim to move one step closer to a world title opportunity when he makes his second start of 2015 against fellow power-puncher Walter Castillo(25-2, 18 KOs).

Opening the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast, Omar “El Businessman” Chavez (32-3-1, 22 KOs), younger brother of Chavez, Jr. and son of legendary Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., will face Richard Gutierrez (28-15-1, 17 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight fight. Time permitting, unbeaten Argentine welterweight Fabian “TNT” Maidana (5-0, 4 KOs), brother of former world champion Marcos Maidana will also be featured in the featured in the telecast against an opponent to be named.

The action continues featuring a clash of middleweight contenders when Fernando Guerrero (26-3, 19 KOs) meets Abraham Han (23-2, 14 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight match. Plus, young undefeated prospects face tough challenges when Wes Nofire (16-0, 12 KOs) takes on Joell Godfrey (17-13-1, 6 KOs) in six-round heavyweight action, Jordan Shimmell (18-0, 15 KOs) faces Carlos Reyes (7-6-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round cruiserweight bout and Anthony Flores (6-0, 5 KOs) battles William Hughes (4-2, 3 KOs) in a six-round welterweight contest.

Also featured, Jessie Roman (17-2, 9 KOs) and 2012 Olympic Silver medalist from MongoliaTugstogt Nyambayar (1-0, 1 KO) in separate bouts.

Tickets for the event co-promoted by Goossen Promotions and Chavez Promotions are priced at $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, and are on sale online at AXS.com.

The aggressive-minded, 30-year-old Escandon captured the crown in his last start via a 12-round split decision over Canadian southpaw Tyson Cave last Dec. 11. Escandon was making his United States debut and triumphed in a tight fight by the scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 113-115.

Escandon was a top amateur -he represented Colombia in the 2004 Olympic Games- before turning professional in June 2006. Twenty of his initial 21 fights took place in his native Colombia while he’s also fought in Argentina and Panama. His lone defeat came in his first attempt at the interim WBA  title on a split 12-round decision to Nehomar Cermenoon Aug. 10, 2013, in Panama. .

Flores, 28, is making his 2015 debut and third start in a row in the United States. A pro since August 2008, Flores’ first 20 fights took place in Mexico. He’s never gone more than seven full rounds although three of his fights have been scheduled for 10.

Known in Mexico for his show stopping-knockouts, the heavy-handed Flores registered three devastating knockouts in 2013, the biggest of which was a brutal second-round stoppage of longtime Mexican contender Rodolfo Hernandez in February of that year.

Flores recorded a seventh-round TKO in his last start over Mario Macias last Nov. 21 in Tulsa.

Omar Chavez, 25, the youngest son of Julio Sr. and three years younger than Julio Jr., will be making his U.S. and 2015 debut. All his fights have been in Mexico, where he turned pro at the tender age of 16 in December 2006. He was victorious in his first 28 bouts before losing a 10-round split decision to Jorge Paez Jr., the son of popular former world champion, Jorge “Maromero” Paez, in December 2011. Paez also outpointed Chavez across 10 rounds in July 2012, this time unanimously.

After the rematch with Paez, the 5-foot-8 Chavez won four consecutive times, including a 10-round decision over Daniel Sandoval in May 2014 to win the NABO 154-pound crown. But Chavez lost his last fight on a shocking 10-round decision to Ramon Alvarez, brother of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, on Sept. 27, 2014.

The 36-year-old Gutierrez is hoping to bounce back after suffering consecutive defeats. Fighting out of Miami by way of Colombia, Gutierrez has been battle-tested over the years having faced the likes ofJoshua Clottey, Vanes Martirosyan and Luis Carlos Abregu.

Maidana, 22, is nine years younger than Marcos. A pro since June 21, 2014, he has won his last four fights by knockout, all within two rounds.

An exciting, come-forward crowd-pleaser (like his big brother), Maidana will be making his third start at StubHub. He won a decision his first time out and by a first-round knockout over Phillip Sorianothe second time around.

A terrific amateur, Maidana was the Pan American Youth Championships Bronze Medalist and World Youth Championships Silver Medalist in 2010.

A former world title contender, Guerrero is looking to bounce back from losing to David Lemieux in 2014. With victories over Ishe Smith, Gabriel Rosado and Derrick Findley, the 28-year-old from the Dominican Republic but fighting out of Salisbury, Md. is eager to redeem himself and get back into the hunt for another world title opportunity.

A 30-year-old former kickboxing champion, Han, of El Paso, Texas, turned pro in 2007 and quickly adapted his skills to the boxing ring. He won his first 19 pro fights before losing a hard-fought bout with Glen Tapia in 2013. He rebounded to win four straight bouts before suffering a split-decision defeat to Sergio Mora his last time out.

An undefeated heavyweight prospect fighting out of Miami by way of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Nofiremakes his debut in California when he looks for win number 17.  The 28-year-old will battle the 34-year-old Godfrey out of East Saint Louis, Ill.

A former amateur standout who became the first heavyweight to win four Michigan Golden Gloves titles, Shimmell will attempt to remain undefeated and entertain the crowd with his seventh straight knockout against Reyes, 37, of Phoenix, Ariz. Most recently, the 26-year-old stopped Phil Williams in the fifth round in Dec. 2014.

A young prospect fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif., Roman will look to bounce back from losses in two of his last three fights after starting his career with 16 consecutive victories. The 23-year-old will be fighting at StubHub for the first time.

A hot welterweight prospect, the 24-year-old Flores will look to represent his hometown of Los Angeles when he takes on the 37-year-old Hughes out of Tacoma, Wash.  Opening the card is the 22-year-old 2012 Olympic Silver medalist out of Mongolia, Nyambayar who battles an opponent to be determined.

Brian Custer will call the SHOWTIME EXTREME action from ringside with boxing historian Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst.

Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara is a 12-round bout that takes place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jcchavezjr1, @andrzej_fonfara, @StubHubCenter and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #ChavezFonfara, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.