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IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, MIKEY GARCIA FIRST GOES ALL THE WAY BACK

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Watch SHOWTIME Sports Original Digital Series: “THE REVEAL With Mark Kriegel: MIKEY GARCIA”

 

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

“There’s a lot more that I’m going to accomplish and there’s going to be a lot more things for him to be proud of.’’ – Mikey Garcia on his father and motivator, Eduardo

 

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Undefeated Two-Time World Champion Returns to the Ring Against Former Titleholder

Elio Rojas On Saturday, July 30, Live on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

 

 

On the eve of his long-awaited return to the ring, undefeated two-division world champion Mikey Garciatakes a stroll down memory lane in an enlightening and candid conversation with Sports Emmy® Award-Winning Writer Mark Kriegel. The 28-year-old Garcia openly reflects on his two-and-a-half year hiatus from boxing, the toll of his lengthy legal battle, and the humble family background that drives him to compete and strive for greatness.   Check out the latest installment of the SHOWTIME Sports® digital series “THE REVEAL with Mark Kriegel”, to get to know Garcia like never before as he embarks on the second chapter of his career. 

 

Garcia returns to face former world champion Elio Rojas in the co-main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on Saturday, July 30, live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. In a battle of unbeatens in the main event, undefeated Leo Santa Cruz will defend his WBA Featherweight World Championship against former 122-pound titlist, unbeaten Irish star Carl Frampton. 

 

# # #

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @mikeygarcia, @PaulMalignaggi @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment,www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

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   SANTA CRUZ vs. FRAMPTON BY THE NUMBERS:  SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE IN VOLATILE MIX OF STYLES BETWEEN TWO OF THE WORLD’S BEST

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Santa Cruz’s Volume & Accuracy Battles Frampton’s Superb Jab & Defense
On Saturday, July 30, LIVE on SHOWTIME® From Barclays Center In Brooklyn
 
Click HERE & HERE To Download High Res Versions Of Graphics Featured Below
Credit: SHOWTIME
BROOKLYN (July 21, 2016) – The featherweight world championship clash between defending titlist Leo Santa Cruz and undefeated former unified super bantamweight champ Carl Frampton features an unpredictable and potentially explosive mix of styles between two of the world’s top fighters.
Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) will make the second defense of his WBA Featherweight Title against Irish superstar Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs), who relinquished two belts at 122 pounds, when they face off in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader on Saturday, July 30, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Three-division world champion Santa Cruz ranks as one of the world’s top-three fighters in four key categories – Total Punches Thrown, Landed, Connect Percentageand Power Punches Landed (all per round, per CompuBox).
The numbers prove that Santa Cruz is one of the best punchers in the world, toppingGennady Golovkin, Manny Pacquiao and ranking only second by a small margin to pound-for-pound champ Roman “Chocolatito”  Gonzalez in Power Punches Landed Per Round.
More impressively, Santa Cruz ranks as the world’s best in the Plus/Minus category that was dominated for years by pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather.  In that statistical measure, which is determined by subtracting opponents connect percentage from a fighter’s connect percentage, Santa Cruz stands tall at No. 1 (+15.8% per fight), followed by Andre Ward (+15.3), Golovkin (+15.2), Erislandy Lara (+14.5), Terence Crawford(+13.2), Roman Gonzalez (+12.5) and Canelo Alvarez (+12).
While Santa Cruz is a statistical leader in five key categories, defending Santa Cruz’s biggest strength – power punches – is one of Frampton’s greatest attributes.  In his last six fights, Frampton’s opponents landed just 29.2 percent of their power punches.  Comparatively, Santa Cruz landed an astonishing 46.9 percent of his power shots over his last eight fights. Can both fighters continue at this impressive rate when they faceoff on July 30?
Frampton ranks in the top 10 of Opponents Power Punches Connected, meaning he stops his opponents from landing power shots at a staggering rate.  Frampton ranks No. 10 in a group that features Guillermo Rigondeaux, Lara, Wladimir Klitschko, Ward and Crawford.
Additionally, Frampton is the second best in the world in Average Number Of Jabs Thrown Per Round, behind leader Jesus Cuellar and well ahead of Rigondeaux (No. 5), Golovkin (No. 6), Crawford (No. 7) and Kell Brook (No. 8). Santa Cruz is also a statistical leader in this category, ranking No. 9 in the world.
Below is the list of categories where Santa Cruz and Frampton excel:
PLUS/MINUS (hit vs. get hit):
Santa Cruz ranks as the world’s best, followed by Andre Ward (No. 2), Gennady Golovkin (No. 3), Erislandy Lara (No. 4), Terence Crawford (No. 5), Roman Gonzalez (No. 6) and Canelo Alvarez (No. 7).  The retired Floyd Mayweather had previously held the top spot.
TOTAL PUNCHES THROWN PER ROUND:
Leo Santa Cruz only trails Roman Gonzalez in terms of total punches thrown per round.  Santa Cruz (No. 2) tops Jesus Ceullar (No. 3), Juan Francisco Estrada (No. 6), Orlando Salido (No. 7) and Gennady Golovkin (No. 9).  Santa Cruz throws 84.6 total punches per round, compared to boxing’s overall average of 55.5.
AVERAGE TOTAL PUNCHES LANDED PER ROUND:
Santa Cruz trails Roman Gonzalez by less than two percent, connecting at a 33.1 percent clip compared to the overall average of 16.9.  At No. 2, Santa Cruz tops pound-for-pound mainstays Gennady Golovkin (No. 3) and Juan Francisco Estrada (No. 4).  Santa Cruz’s average more than doubles the CompuBox average punches landed per round of 16.9.
TOTAL CONNECT PERCENTAGE:
Santa Cruz ranks in the top three in this important category in which only a few percentage points separate the world’s best.  Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. ranks No. 1, followed by Golovkin, Santa Cruz, Roman Gonzalez, Adrien Broner and Andre Ward respectively.  At 39.2 percent, Santa Cruz landed at a nearly 10 percent higher rate than the overall average.
AVERAGE POWER PUNCHES LANDED PER ROUND:
Santa Cruz is second in the world in this category, trailing only Roman Gonzalez by a slim margin and topping Juan Francisco Estrada (No. 3), Abner Mares (No. 5), Golovkin (No. 7) and Pacquiao (No. 8) among others.
AVERAGE JABS THROWN PER ROUND:
Santa Cruz and Frampton both rank in the top 10 in average number of jabs thrown per round.
Frampton, who is second in the world behind leader Jesus Cuellar, tops master jabbers Rigondeaux (No. 5), Golovkin (No. 6), Crawford (No. 7) and Brook (No. 8).  Santa Cruz is ninth best in this category.  Frampton, who trails Cuellar by just one percentage point, throws 13 more jabs per round than the overall average.
OPPONENTS POWER PUNCHES CONNECTED:
Frampton is amongst the world’s best at preventing his opponent from landing power shots.  He ranks at No. 10 in a category that includes Rigondeaux (No. 1), Lara (No. 2), Wladimir Klitschko (No. 3), Ward (No. 4) and Crawford (No. 5).  Frampton’s opponents landed just 29.2 percent of their power shots.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment,www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Leo Santa Cruz, Mikey Garcia & Ivan Redkach Los Angeles Media Workout Quotes & Photos

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Stacked Night of Fights Takes Place Saturday, July 30
At Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
 
Live On SHOWTIME® At 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT &
SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT

Click HERE for Photos
Credit: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME
 
LOS ANGELES (July 13, 2016) – Two of the most popular Los Angeles-based fighters, featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz and former two-division champion Mikey Garcia, took part in a media workout on Tuesday at City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles, Calif. as they prepare to make a cross-country trip to Brooklyn for their respective Saturday, July 30 showdowns at Barclays Center and live on SHOWTIME®.
Santa Cruz will defend his title against Irish superstar Carl Frampton in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The undefeated Garciawill return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff to fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout while 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko meet in a 12 round IBF Jr. Middleweight eliminator in the televised opener. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).
Also in attendance at the workout was promising lightweight contender Ivan Redkach, who takes on Tevin Farmer in the opening bout ofSHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT). Additional action on July 30 will feature an all-Brooklyn welterweight battle between two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi and Gabriel Bracero in the main event of a SHOWTIME EXTREME doubleheader.

Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday:
LEO SANTA CRUZ
“My dream is to be the next big thing in boxing. We’re going to work hard every day in the gym, learn from our mistakes and improve so I can be the best fighter out there. With the help of the fans and the media I think I can accomplish that.
“He has great skills, great punches and he moves very well. It’s going to be a tough fight for me but I’m going to work hard to defend my belt.
“I see Frampton as someone trying to come and take away everything I worked hard for. I can’t let that happen. I’m going to do what I have to do to get the win.
“He’s a very skilled fighter. He has great power and I think it’s going to be an exciting fight. These are the kind of guys I want to fight. It gives me even more motivation to get in the gym and train hard.
“I’ve known Mikey Garcia from the amateur days and our families have sparred with each other. I’ve even trained with Robert Garcia before. To see another great Mexican fighter go over to New York is very exciting. I’m very happy for him. He’s a great guy and a great fighter.
“I think Frampton will keep his power up the weight classes. He couldn’t make 122-pounds anymore and he’s said that he will be even stronger this time. That’s good. That’s what I want. I want him to feel good so it’ll be a tough and entertaining fight.
“I can’t let him come over to the U.S. and get this win. We’re going to go out there and see if he can bring the best out of me. I’m going to be one-hundred percent ready.
“I’m comfortable at 126-pounds. I want to get this win against Carl Frampton and then unify against Gary Russell Jr., Lee Selby or any of the champions. When my body is ready we’ll move up in weight to seek another world title.
“When I first started boxing all I ever thought about was being a world champion one time. Then after I got there I started pushing my goals. If I continue to keep learning and improve as a fighter, I could go all the way up to 140-pounds.
“I’m thrilled to be fighting in New York. It’s going to be my first time out there. I’m excited to meet new fans. The people who have wished I would fight in New York will get to see me. There are people that don’t know me and this my opportunity to be impressive and put on a show for them.”
 
MIKEY GARCIA
“I’m a well-rounded fighter. I can adjust to just about any style. I get a lot of diverse sparring so that I can adjust to anything Rojas might bring. Training camp has been going very well and I think it’s going to be a good night for me.
“I’ve seen Rojas before. I saw him when he was champion. He’s a good fighter with a lot of experience. He can definitely box and has a good right hand. He lost his title to a great champion. He’s very skilled and experience.
“Both of us are boxers and we tend to try to work from a distance. This time I may have to look for the fight a bit more and apply some pressure. If he tries to box around, I’ll find him. I think my power will eventually be the difference and I’ll break him down.
“I don’t believe there will be ring rust because I was never really outside of the ring. I’ve been in the gym the whole time, sparring and training. I would spar 10 or 12 rounds, just to do it. Not because I had a fight, but just to keep me active. I know it seems like a long time, but I don’t really see it. I feel like I was gone six months.
“I want to fight at 135 and fight for a title there. I’m going to see how my body feels after this fight, but that’s the plan as of now. We’re not looking past Elio. I definitely want to get back in the ring soon if everything goes right.
“I have no regrets. I’ve got to enjoy myself more than I had in the last 10 years. When you’re in boxing, it’s a year round sport. You don’t have time to yourself, for your family or friends. You miss out on a lot. I learned a lot in my time away about boxing and more.
“This will end up being about a seven-week training camp, but even prior to that I’ve been staying in the gym. I don’t feel any different. I feel one-hundred percent. My body is well-rested which makes me hungrier and more motivated.
“I’ve fought in New York before and it’s always been a great and very supportive crowd. I was at Barclays Center for the first time on June 25 for Thurman-Porter and it was a great arena. It had great energy and I can’t wait to fight there. I can’t wait to fight at Barclays.
“It’s great to be in the gym with all these different types of fighters that my brother trains. I have a lot of very intense sparring. I’ve gotten a chance to really learn from the different styles and it definitely helps me.”
IVAN REDKACH
“This is an excellent fight for me. I’m closing in to a title shot and I’m going to be ready on July 30.
“I have a plan for this fight. You’ll see it in the ring. I’m going to make this an exciting fight.
“A title fight is my motivation but my focus in fully on July 30. Everything I’ve done is to lead up to a world title fight.
“I know that my opponent is slick and very fast. He’s a good boxer but we’ll see what he brings to the ring.
“This is my first camp with Leo Santa Cruz and his team and it’s been going very well. I feel very prepared to fight.”
ANTONIO SANTA CRUZ, Leo’s Brother & Trainer
“This camp feels very close to the same as usual. My father (Jose) is usually the one who tells us what to do. I’m in the ring with Leo but he’s still there. He is sick but he is still going to the gym. He wants to be there for Leo.
“Frampton is a good fighter. He’s going to give my brother a good fight. Short guys are tougher for Leo so we’re making sure we have sparring with fighters of all heights. Frampton won’t be hard to get inside but his height could pose a problem.
“It’s a little bit more pressure on me. I’m trying to show my father that I can learn and help Leo be at his best. I think he’s going to have a great night.”
JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Leo’s Father & Trainer
“I feel good. Right now I’m going to the gym every day. Leo looks good in the ring and is training very well.
“Little by little Antonio is learning and even I’m still learning. We’re both getting better as trainers and that is our goal, to be great. I feel the love from my sons and I love them a lot too. I’m proud of them and I’m proud that they are my sons.
“Leo is very calm. I don’t think Leo is going to be affected by traveling to New York. Even if he doesn’t have the majority of the fans, I don’t think it will affect him.
“You never know how it’s going to go on fight night. You can prepare in the gym, but sometimes, once you’re up in the ring, a fight can get complicated.
“Even if I can’t make it to New York, I’m going to watch the fight. Even if it’s with one eye open, I’m going to watch.”
ROBERT GARCIA, Mikey’s Brother & Trainer
“Mikey definitely wants to win a title at 135-pounds. There are some good champions out there but not necessarily a huge name. Eventually Mikey would want to go up to 140-pounds where I believe there are a lot of exciting fights that could be made.
“Elio is a fighter that has been off for a while and he’s a former world champion. He’s also trying to come back and make a statement. We have to be prepared for the opponent to be at the top of his game.
“Now that he’s got a date and with the training and sparring, Mikey has been looking really good. It’s been a while. We might see a little bit of rust, a little bit of adjustment to timing. But the way he’s been in the gym, against top quality fighters, he’s been looking so good that I wouldn’t be surprised if he put on one of his best performances.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
# # #
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @mikeygarcia, @PaulMalignaggi @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Carl Frampton Media Workout Quotes & Photos

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Undefeated Irish Star Welcomed to America & New York by Brooklyn Star & Former World Champion Paulie Malignaggi At Gleason’s Gym Ahead of July 30 Showdown Against
 Leo Santa Cruz at Barclays Center
 
 
(Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)
 
Click HERE & HERE for Photos from Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
Click HERE for Photos from Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
 
TV Outlets: Click HERE To Download Raw Workout Footage (Available after 5p ET)
 
BROOKLYN (July 7, 2016) – Undefeated Irish star Carl Frampton was officially welcomed to the United States and New York City Thursday by former world champion and Brooklyn-native Paulie Malignaggi before Frampton held a media workout at Gleason’s Gym as he prepares for his matchup with featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz taking place Saturday, July 30 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center.
Frampton was joined by his manager, Hall of Fame former featherweight world champion Barry McGuigan, and his son Shane, Frampton’s trainer.  Frampton returns for just his second fight stateside aiming to win back the same WBA Featherweight World Championship that Barry McGuigan lost 30 years ago.  McGuigan’s loss to Steve Cruz on June 23, 1986 was his second and final fight in the U.S.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader begins at at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former two division-world champion Mikey Garcia returning to take on former world champion Elio Rojas and rising super welterweight contender Tony Harrison battling once-beaten Sergey Rabchenko in a 154-pound title eliminator.
Malignaggi headlines a SHOWTIME EXTREME doubleheader against fellow Brooklyn-native Gabriel Bracero while a lightweight slugfest between Ivan Redkach and Tevin Farmer opens televised coverage at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions and presented by Premier Boxing Champions, start at $38 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
Frampton and Malignaggi posed for pictures outside of Barclays Center and under the Brooklyn Bridge before heading to Gleason’s Gym, where Malignaggi got his start in the sport, for Frampton’s first workout for New York media.
Here is what the participants had to say Thursday:
CARL FRAMPTON
“I want to be in exciting fights. From here on in my career, I want to be great. Who better to face than Leo Santa Cruz? This is a chance to put my name down in history and become a two-weight world champion from Ireland.
“I’ve been listening to Barry McGuigan since I turned professional. I just wanted to soak all of it up like a sponge. He’s got so much knowledge and he’s been around for so many years. I just need to be around him and learn. Shane does an amazing job training me, and between the two of them, I feel like I’m benefitting every day.
“It’s very nice to be here in Brooklyn, it’s a lovely borough and it’s so great to be here in New York. There are a lot of boxing fans in New York and I really think this is the number one city for boxing.
“We’re bringing a lot of lads from back home, and I also hope the Irish-Americans get to know my name, and everyone in Brooklyn as well. I expect about 1,500 traveling fans from Belfast. I think I’ll have more support than Santa Cruz.
“This fight is huge for me because I really want to create a legacy. I know how people talk, and I think people will be talking about this for a very long time. I want people to remember me as a great fighter, that’s all.
“I train very hard for every fight. No less or no more for Santa Cruz. We’re expecting a very tough fight with a lot of action.
“The last time I was an underdog was the Irish championships, when I was an amateur. You could have got me at 11:2, I was a massive underdog. I dropped him pretty early on, so the last time I was an underdog, a lot of people who knew me made a lot of money. It’s going to be the same result this time.
“Moving up to 126 pounds was definitely the right decision for me. I’m a big puncher but I lost power coming down to 122 pounds. I’m going to be punching harder and be at my very best.
“I’m right on the door step of everything. I’m so excited for fight night, it’s going to be a truly special experience.
 “It’s important to be recognized in the States. This is where all of the great fighters from around the world end up fighting, and I really want to be recognized as a great fighter.”
PAULIE MALIGNAGGI
“I think my fight with Bracero is an interesting clash of styles. We have similar styles in that we like to box and counter punch but we’re also both very familiar with each other. I’m sure he’ll have something up his sleeve for me.
“Making this kind of all-Brooklyn fight is great for the fans. We both have our own followings so it should make for an electric atmosphere at Barclays Center.
“The main event is going to be a great fight. When you look at the styles and the pedigrees of both men, it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen. Both guys have exciting styles so I’m betting on the fans getting their money’s worth.”
BARRY MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Manager, Former World Champion & Hall of Famer
“After Carl defeated Scott Quigg and became a unified champion at 122 pounds, we believe that all of the exciting fights in that division have passed. We want to be involved in exciting fights.
“The Quigg fight wasn’t as exciting as we would have liked, but we knew it was going to be like that. We knew he’d come on late in the fight and we had our tactics planned well. This is going to be a much better fight because Santa Cruz is brave and takes chances. He also has underrated boxing skills.
“Shane is making Carl a better fighter every day. Every day that you don’t get better is a day you wasted. Carl is in the best physical shape of his career and we will have a plan A, B and C for this fight.
“Santa Cruz is a great fighter. He’s low-key, humble and he hasn’t talked trash. This will be Carl’s hardest fight. It feels great to be involved helping Carl reach his maximum potential, it’s the second best thing to being in the ring yourself.
“We believe 100 percent in Frampton’s ability to win this fight and that he will be successful on fight night.
“There are some great fights out there for Carl. We’re 100 percent committed to July 30 but there are lots of great fights in the featherweight division. We will have lots of support on fight night and I have no doubt there will be a large Irish crowd there to support Carl.”
SHANE MCGUIGAN, Frampton’s Trainer
“Leo Santa Cruz is unbeaten and there aren’t really any weaknesses from my perspective. He’s a phenomenal fighter, but I don’t believe he’s fought a fighter of Carl Frampton’s caliber, as an all-around fighter.
“When he meets someone who is as good, or in my opinion, better than him, we’ll see what he’s made of. I think it’s going to make for one of the most exciting fights of the year.
“I wouldn’t be taking on this fight it I wasn’t extremely confident in Carl, even though he’s coming in as the underdog. I don’t think Santa Cruz has ever felt the power that Carl brings before. I think Carl can beat him comfortably if he continues to prepare well, and then steps into the ring and does what he’s capable of doing.
“We’re finishing up camp now and making sure we’re 100 percent read. We have to be 100 percent to fight Leo Santa Cruz.
“Carl is extremely heavy-handed. He’s extremely skillful, a true all-rounder. He really lives the life, and that makes it easy for me. The way he trains, how he eats, how he sleeps: he takes it seriously and takes care of himself.
“The transition coming over to New York to finish training camp has been great. We could have waited until closer to fight night but we want every single percent to our advantage.
“We’re still acclimatizing to the heat, the jet lag is no problem and we’re going to be ready on fight night.
“This fight is history in the making. It’s a fight that can really put Carl on the map. It’s always a huge opportunity when you’re fighting for a title, against someone of Santa Cruz’s caliber.”
# # #
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.  For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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MIKEY GARCIA RETURNS ON SATURDAY, JULY 30 FOR STACKED NIGHT OF BOXING ON SHOWTIME® AND SHOWTIME EXTREME®FROM BARCLAYS CENTER PRESENTED BY PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS

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SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Leo Santa Cruz Defends WBA Featherweight Championship vs. Carl Frampton

Two-Division Champ Mikey Garcia Returns Against Former Champion Elio Rojas

Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko Meet in IBF 154-Pound Eliminator

 

SHOWTIME BOXING ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® – 7 p.m. ET/PT

Brooklyn Welterweights Paulie Malignaggi and Gabriel Bracero Square Off

Ivan Redkach Faces Tevin Farmer in Lightweight Bout

 

Tickets On Sale Now

 

BROOKLYN (June 28, 2016)—Undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia will return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff on Saturday, July 30 on an exciting night of boxing on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME EXTREME that is one of the strongest cards ever assembled at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

 

Garcia, who won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, will fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature of the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton event presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

 

In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, once-beaten 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko will meet in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Eliminator.  Harrison and Rabchenko will square off for the No. 2 mandatory challenger spot to IBF titlist Jermall Charlo, who successfully defended his crown on May 21, and undefeated contender Julian Williams, who earned the No. 1 mandatory position on March 5, both on SHOWTIME.  Harrison vs. Rabchenko is the sixth matchup in 2016 between top 154-pound fighters, a lineup showcasing three world title fights and three title elimination matches in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

 

The combined record of the six fighters on the SHOWTIME telecast is an impressive 162-4-1 with 113 knockouts.

 

An all-Brooklyn showdown between welterweight technicians Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Gabriel “Tito” Bracero highlights the undercard action on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME.  The 10-round bout is a matchup between a former two-division world champion, Malignaggi, and a fellow Brooklyn native, Bracero, coming off the biggest win of his career when he knocked out Danny O’Connor last October.

 

A 10-round clash between once-beaten lightweight Ivan Redkach and streaking Tevin Farmer, a winner of 14 straight, will open the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast live at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

 

The July 30 event at Barclays Center comes on the heels of last Saturday’s potential Fight of the Year thriller between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, a back-and-forth slugfest that generated the top grossing live gate and second-highest attended boxing event in venue history.

 

“This is the strongest card from top to bottom that I have promoted at Barclays Center,” said DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella.  “Every single fight is significant and competitive, and this is a great follow up from the tremendous success that boxing had with Thurman-Porter this past weekend.”

 

“This will be our 19th boxing event, but from top to bottom it’s arguably our best card yet,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark. “We are excited to welcome undefeated Santa Cruz and Frampton to Brooklyn for the first time, a fight that could rival Barclays Center’s epic Thurman-Porter bout for Fight of the Year.  It’s also a pleasure to welcome Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi back to Barclays Center for the fifth time and to host the return of Mikey Garcia after a two and a half year hiatus. July 30 is going to be another big night for BROOKLYN BOXING.”

 

“We are excited to be part of Mikey Garcia’s return to the ring.  Before the layoff, he was a two-division world champion and considered one of the top boxers in the world. We know he is determined to reclaim his place among the elite,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “SHOWTIME has distinguished itself by delivering the most compelling matchups and the most important events in boxing all year long.  There is no other network as committed to the sport, and the July 30 event, from top-to-bottom, is a prime example.”

 

MIKEY GARCIA vs. ELIO ROJAS

“I expect to pick up right where I left off,” Garcia told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray last Saturday on CBS.  “I was a world champion, I was undefeated, and I still am.  I didn’t leave because I was injured.  I think I’ll come back even better.  I’m hungrier now than I was before.

 

“I just have to get one fight in.  This first fight with Elio (Rojas) will be somewhere between 135 and 140 pounds, but I want to fight at 135 and win a title there.  I want to win a title there and keep going after champion after champion.  Now that all that (uncertainty) is behind me I look forward to the next stage of my career.  This next stage of my career will be what people remember me for.”

 

“Mikey Garcia is a great fighter,” Rojas said. “I want to thank him for this opportunity.  We are both former WBC World Champions and I expect a great fight.  However, all of the talk surrounding this fight has been about Mikey’s comeback and his future plans.  I am no tune-up. This is also about me coming back and fighting again.  He may be looking past me, but I am fully focused on him and securing the victory.  I will do whatever I have to do to win, so I can move on and regain my world championship.”

 

Garcia (34-0, 28 KOs), of Ventura, Calif., is 28-years-old and in the prime of his career.  Once considered one of the top young boxers pound-for-pound in the world, he will make his first ring appearance since he retained the WBO 130-pound title with a 12-round unanimous decision overJuan Carlos Burgos on Jan. 25, 2014.  Garcia, the brother of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, has been victorious by knockout in 10 of his last 12 fights and holds impressive victories overRoman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido and Bernabe Concepcion.

 

Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs), of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, won the WBC featherweight world championship in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision over defending titleholder Takahiro Ao in Japan.  The 33-year-old successfully defended the title against Guty Espadas Jr. in 2010, before losing the belt via unanimous decision to Jhonny Gonzalez in April 2012.  Since the loss to Gonzalez, Rojas moved up to lightweight, where he defeated Robert Osiobe in August 2014.

 

TONY HARRISON vs. SERGEY RABCHENKO:

“I’m thrilled to return to the ring on this big stage for my first fight in Brooklyn, and I’m ready to put on a show,” said Harrison. “Fighting for a world title is my dream and I know that I have a challenge in front of me. I’m working hard in camp to get another knockout and to make my mark on the division.”

 

“This is the start of realizing my dream,” Rabchenko said.  “America is the Mecca of boxing so it is a huge privilege for me to be asked to fight there. American fans like to see knockouts and I like to knock people out so I think they will like what they see. I think I can build a fan base there.  I am hungrier than ever. I have not seen much of Harrison, but I am ready for anyone. People say he is a very good fighter with good power. I’m not worried. I have good power as well and I think I will have too much for him.”

 

At just 25-years-old, Harrison (23-1, 19 KOs) has showed tremendous promise. He manufactured a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 to 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10 rounds in October 2015 and stopped Fernando Guerrero in impressive fashion in March.

 

Fighting out of Belaraus, Rabchenko (27-1, 20 KOs) is looking to put himself squarely into world title contention when he makes his U.S. debut on July 30. The 30-year-old is coming off  stoppage victories over Walter Calvo in May 2015 and Miguel Aguilar in February.

 

SHOWTIME EXTREME:

 

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI vs. GABRIEL BRACERO:

“I feel truly blessed to have yet another opportunity to fight in Brooklyn,” Malignaggi said.  “I have known Tito a long time and I know he always comes to fight.  We will give the Brooklyn fans a great appetizer before the terrific main event later that night in Barclays Center.”

 

“I’m looking to make a statement by winning this fight,” said Bracero. “Paulie and I have been friends since the amateurs and I’m thankful to have this opportunity, but he’s had his run. Now it’s time for me to have mine. This fight is going to change my life.”

 

A former world champion at 140 and 147-pounds, the 35-year-old Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will return to the ring to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth time. He has faced a slew of big names throughout his career and has been victorious over the likes of Zab Judah, Vyacheslav Senchenko and Pablo Cesar Cano. Born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, “The Magic Man” was victorious twice fighting in his birth country of Italy last year after unsuccessfully challenging unbeaten Danny Garcia in August.

 

Another Brooklyn-native, Bracero (24-2, 5 KOs) comes off of a sensational one-punch knockout of rival Danny O’Connor in their rematch last October. The 35-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita and Pavel Miranda in addition to his first triumph over the previously unbeaten O’Connor in 2011.

 

IVAN REDKACH vs. TEVIN FARMER:

“I am extremely happy to be back in the ring on a big show in New York,” Redkach said.  “There are so many Ukrainian fans in New York and I am thrilled to have their support and will put on a great show for them. I want to thank Leo Santa Cruz and his team for having me in their camp as we both prepare ourselves to put on tremendous performances come July 30.”

 

“I couldn’t be more excited about this fight,” Farmer said.  “This is my Barclays Center debut and it is going to be a spectacular performance.  I have called out anyone and everyone in the 130- pound division to no avail, so now I’m moving up to 135 to take on Redkach, one of the most feared punchers in the division. Redkach is an aggressive guy and I know he is coming to fight, but there is no way I leave that ring without my hand being raised.  This is a fight where I can and I will make a major statement.  I’m willing to fight whoever they put in front of me to inch closer to a world title opportunity and July 30 is another step in that direction.  I tip my hat off to Redkach for giving me this fight, but this is my time to shine.”

 

Born in Ukraine but fighting out of Los Angeles, Redkach (19-1-1, 15 KOs) began boxing at the age of six and has put together an impressive career since turning pro in 2009. The 30-year-old owns victories over Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich and Yakubu Amidu. Most recently, Redkach knocked out Erick Daniel Martinez in October 2015 and fought to a draw with Luis Cruz in April.

 

Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Farmer (24-1-1, 5 KOs) has won 14 bouts in a row since losing to unbeaten world champion Jose Pedraza in 2012. The 25-year-old has come on strong in recent years, upsetting previously unbeaten fighters such as Emmanuel Gonzalez, Angel Luna and Camilo Perez. Farmer dominated veteran Gamaliel Diaz in March and will make his Barclays Center debut on July 30.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions, start at $38 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

 

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP.  For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN RESULTS   GABRIEL BRACERO KNOCKS OUT DANNY O’CONNOR IN 41 SECONDS

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 JONATHAN GUZMAN MAKES IT 20-FOR-20
 
RYAN KIELCZWESKI DECISIONS VAZQUEZ IN WAR
 
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Photo Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October, 10 2015) – Brooklyn welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero(24-2, 5 KOs) came into hostile territory and knocked out hometown favorite Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-3, 10 KOs) only 41 seconds into the first round, headlining tonight’s loaded Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN card at historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.
Bracero, who handed O’Connor his first pro loss four years ago, used an overhand right that O’Connor, fighting out of nearby Framingham (MA) did not see coming.  O’Connor was out cold before he hit the mat.
“I worked on that punch for six weeks,” Bracero said after the fight.  “In my last fight, I fought a southpaw and made some mistakes.  I specifically worked on that punch because Danny’s a southpaw. I slipped to the side and threw the right.  This was the first time I went away to camp, away from my family.
“I’m just so humbled and grateful. I knew coming in here that all the pressure was on him (O’Connor); the crowd would try to take the beast out of me and put me on the defense.
Everything is going to work out (regarding his next fight).  I’ll let Tommy Gallagher andLou DiBella take care of my next fight.  I’m ready to go right back in the gym.”
O’Connor was taken by ambulance to the nearby Lowell General Hospital for observation.
Hometown hero “Irish” Micky Ward and National Hockey League Hall-of-Famer NBCSN analyst “Sugar” Ray Leonard returned to the same building in which he captured a National Golden Gloves Tournament title in 1973.
Undefeated Dominican super bantamweight KO artist Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (20-0, 20 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), made it a perfect 20 fights, 20 KO wins via a ninth-round stoppage of a game Danny Aquino (17-3, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Guzman dropped Aquino, a Mexican native fighting out of Connecticut, in the second round.  The badly hurt Aquino, however, lasted until the ninth round when Guzman ended the show with a brutal left hook.  Aquino, another New England Golden Gloves champion who won his title in this very building, had never been stopped as a professional.
 
Quincy (MA) featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (24-1, 7 KOs), who won two New England Golden Gloves championships at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, won a 10-round, hard fought decision over Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-2, 13 KOs).
Kielczweski out boxed Vazquez in the first four rounds, but Vasquez came charging back and opened a cut over Kielczweski’s right eye in the eighth and rocked the local fighter in the final 30 seconds of the fight  The judges had Kielczweski winning the entertaining fight by scores of 97-93 twice and 96-94.
FIGHTER QUOTES
GABRIEL BRACERO:
“God bless Danny O’Connor. He’s a champion. Just because he lost here today, I still tip my hat off to him. It takes a real champion to come in here and do what he does. I wish him the best.
“It’s an amazing feeling. The truth is, I was a winner before I walked in the ring. This is a dream come true. I have dreamed about this day for a long time. I made some mistakes in my prior fights, but I went back to the drawing board, went to camp, fixed my mistakes and came in here super focused today.
On what he said to O’Connor after the fight…
“My message to Danny was, after my last fight, after my last loss, I was down. I went through a depression. I told him not to let that happen to him. To pick himself back up, to be proud of himself. To go home to his beautiful wife and kids and enjoy life. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to him, that happened to me.”
JONATHAN GUZMAN:
“I proved that I can fight and I can punch. This fight was an example of what I can do.
“From the second round I fought with two hurt hands. It didn’t matter to my hands, I was going to stop him.”
RYAN KIELCZWESKI:
“Before this fight, I knew he could punch. I thought I avoided it for the whole fight, but in the 10th round, he got me. It felt pretty good to get rocked for the first time, just to know what it feels like.”
“I kind of started off slow, but in the middle rounds, I started putting my punches together, throwing four, five, six punches at a time and it was working. But he came back every time and started trading with me.
(On going 10 rounds…)
“It’s all the same. You’re just as tired after a four-round fight as you are after six, eight or 10.  You leave it all till the end of the fight. It all feels the same.
(On getting hurt in the 10th….)
“I didn’t know where my feet were. It was a strange feeling, I had no idea what that felt like. He caught me and I could see straight, but I felt myself going left and right.
“He’s a tough guy.  I really needed that fight.
“We knew he wasn’t much of a volume pincher.  It didn’t surprise us when he came on in the middle rounds.
“The blood wasn’t in my eye. I didn’t know I was cut until the referee came over.
“I like to entertain in the ring.  I don’t need to do this.  I do it because I like to fight and entertain.
“This was my favorite venue to fight in as an amateur.  I fought here 10-15 times as an amateur.”
RAFAEL VAZQUEZ:
“He was a slick fighter, he moved and he had great power. He was in great shape. He’s young, I will be 38 this year. No excuse, I moved up to 126 pounds to face him, I’m 122 pounds.
“I thought I won the last three rounds. Especially the ninth and tenth round. The tenth round was big. He maybe connected ten punches in the whole round. I rocked him. I hurt him. But, we’re fighting in his hometown, and I’m grateful to him for giving me the opportunity.”
Undercard
Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (12-0, 10 KOs), fighting out of Brooklyn, kept his undefeated record intact, turning in a workmanlike effort to win an eight-round unanimous decision (78-73 X 3) over Rodney Hernandez (8-3-1, 1 KO).
Irish junior lightweight Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland (31-1, 14 KOs), a 2012 Interim world featherweight title challenger, lived up to is nickname.  The Dubliner dropped toughDavid “El Finito” Martinez (18-7-1, 3 KOs) once on his way to a one-sided fight that ended at 18 seconds of the eighth round when Hyland caught Martinez with a vicious left hook.
Irish middleweight champion Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan (22-1, 15 KOs) outclassed light heavyweight veteran David Toribio (21-16, 14 KOs) and ended the fight with a second-round knockout. Former European champion Stephen “The Rock” Ormond (19-2, 10 KOs) dropped former world title challenger Michael “Cold Blood” Clark twice en route to an opening round victory by knockout.
New York lightweight prospect Titus Williams (3-0, 2 KOs) remained unbeaten, stoppingArthur Parker (1-14-2, 1 KO) in the second round, while two-time world title challengerFernando “El Vasco” Saucedo (57-6-3, 10 KOs) registered a second-round technical knockout over lightweight Carlos Fulgencio (19-7-1, 12 KOs) in the opening bout of the evening.
O’Connor vs. Bracero was promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphy’s Boxing.
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FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC LOSS OF HIS FATHER AND TRAINER IRISH CONTENDER PATRICK HYLAND CARRIES A HEAVY HEART AS HE LOOKS TO FIND SOLACE IN THE RING ON SATURDAY NIGHT

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RETURNS ON THE UNDERCARD OF PBC ON NBCSN AT LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN LOWELL, MASS.
LOWELL, Mass. (10/9/15) – On Saturday night, Irish world-rated contender Patrick Hyland (30-1, 14 KOs) faces David Martinez on the undercard of the PBC on NBCSN  event from Lowell, Mass. The fight won’t be shown on television, Hyland views this is the most important fight of his career as he works his way back into world title contention.
The bout on Saturday night will be the first in a career that dates back to his days as a 9-year-old amateur in Ireland where his trainer, father and best friend Patrick Sr. will not be in his corner. Patrick Sr., better known as Paddy, tragically passed away in the spring of this year. Leaving the Irish boxing community shocked.
“I hear his voice in the back of my head every day. Every day. Especially in the gym though when I am training,” said Hyland Jr.
The loss of Hyland’s father came just weeks before Hyland’s wife Lorna gave birth to their first child, Callum, further adding to the significance of this fight.
“I challenged Javier Fortuna for the world championship,” said Hyland. “I won the Irish world title. I have fought at MGM Grand, the O2 Arena and Madison Square Garden. For me though, this is the most important fight of my career. Not only am I fighting for my newborn son, but I am fighting to keep my father’s legacy alive. He made me the man that I am today and the man that I want my son to one day become. Winning a world title was our dream that we had together. He was always pushing me and my brothers to be the absolute best that we can be, and I won’t stop until I get another crack at a world title.”
The bout on Saturday night will be Hyland’s fourth since the lone loss of his career, a highly entertaining 12-round decision for the interim featherweight title against now-reigning super featherweight champion Javier Fortuna.  Following the loss to Fortuna, Hyland was out of action for a year and a half, as he sorted through promotional issues. Hyland signed with DiBella Entertainment in June of 2014 and has since put together three impressive victories. Hyland believes that he will be knocking on the door to challenge for another world title in 2016.
“I have a great team behind me. My manager Brian Peters and promoter Lou DiBella are working hard,” continued Hyland. “As long as I continue to win and do what I need to do, I know they will get me the opportunity to prove myself and show that I am one of the best 126-pounders in the world. 2016 is going to be a big year for me and I fully expect to once again be challenging for a piece of the featherweight crown.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets, visit www.lowellauditorium.com
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys, www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxing and www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN FIGHTER MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Credit: Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
 
BOSTON (October 8, 2015) – Fighters took part in a media workout today at Welch’s Gym in South Boston to kick off fight week for this Saturday night’s Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN card at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA, headlined byDanny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs) vs. Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) with triple-header coverage starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes, and are on sale now. Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets visit www.lowellauditorium.com
See here what the participants had to say Wednesday:
DANNY O’CONNOR
 
“This is all about me fighting the process. Gabriel Bracero beat me but I really beat myself.  Just like training for this fight, we had a baby son.  Two weeks before our first fight, my first son was born and I didn’t know how to separate sport from such life-changing events.  I was 14-0 and fighting on Showtime. We just had a baby boy two weeks before this fight.  I want to prove to myself that I can beat this process.  Bracero is my redemption!
“This fight is me vs. me.  The time was right for this fight.  I was offered this fight five times during the past few years but the time wasn’t right.
“I was a scared little kid with no experience in our first fight.  I couldn’t handle the pressure, I didn’t even know it was there.  Now, I’m a mature man who is a husband and father.  I’m a totally different person.
“This fight could be in my living room.  I’m at peace in the ring doing what I love to do.  It’s great being back in the ring in Lowell, where I won the New England Golden Gloves title and I’m fighting on national TV, but the event is between the four corners and that’s what really counts.”
GABRIEL BRACERO
 
“I’m excited. I’ve trained for this fight like I’ve never fought Danny before.  I beat him but that was four years ago.  I can’t overlook him.  He has obviously made improvements and I did also to get where we are today.
“I’m more experienced. I moved to train in Orlando and get away from distractions.  I hit a few bumps and got incarcerated.  Tommy Gallagher (trainer) saved my lie.  He was there when I went to prison and there when I got out.  I added a new trainer to our corner, Alexander Lopes, but Tommy and my father, Kiro, are still there.  Tommy gives the orders and he likes what Lopez has done with me.
“Tommy Gallagher is my guardian angel.  He believed in me more than I believed in myself.  He had this vision before I did.
“Danny has become a better fighter.  I can’t take anything away from him, but I’m looking forward to putting on a spectacular performance Saturday night.”
JONATHAN GUZMAN
“I’m going to make it 20-for-20, yes!  I’m powerful because I make strong moves.  My left hook is my best punch. I can feel the power through my entire body when I hit somebody right.
“I don’t worry about my opponent or what he’s done in the past.
“Lawrence is my home now.  I will go back to the Dominican Republic in December for the holidays.  I feel like a Bostonian.  This is the sixth fight I’ve trained here for and I love the Boston Red Sox.”
DANNY AQUINO
 
“My last fight propelled me (upset by decision over Ryan Kielczweski).  It made me more confident in myself. My last fight was on ESPN and this one is on NBCSN.
“I don’t know too much about my opponent other than he has power that I’ll be looking out for.  A win over him should put me in the top 10 and that’s why I’m so motivated for this fight.
“I won the New England Golden Gloves championship in Lowell Memorial Auditorium in 2007.
“I train hard and I’m always in good enough shape to beat anybody.”
 
RYAN KIELCZWESKI
 
“I like fighting at home and this is one of my favorite venues.  I won the New England Golden Gloves there twice.
“I’ve trained for this to be the toughest fight of my career.
“(Vasquez) is tough with a lot of power.  He’s going come forward, but I’ll be able to out-box him.
“He’s rated in the top 10 of the world and a win should put me back in the top 10 fighting for a world title within the next year.”
 
RAFAEL VASQUEZ
 
“This is a great opportunity for me.  I think this fight will put me on the map fighting on national TV and showing fans what I’ve got.
“I’m a hungry, small fighter determined to win.  I fight for my wife, Sandra, who has stage-four cancer and my eight-year-old daughter, Kaline, who has autism.  It’s not just me fighting in the ring, it’s the Vasquez family.  With God’s grace, anything is possible.
“Ryan moves a lot. He uses the ring and boxes.  He lost to Aquino and I know he’ll be coming back to prove himself. “
GARY “SPIKE” O’SULLIVAN
 
“Boston is my second home.  I love it here.  The people are so nice and there are good gyms.
“I’m an exciting, entertaining fighter who always comes to fight.
“After I finish off Eubanks, I’ll be the No. 1 contender in the WBA and Golovkin can’t hold me off any longer.
“I watched a few clips of my opponent.  We have identical records.  We both knock people out, so I have to be careful.  I’d like to get in a few rounds, but when I hit people, they fall.”
 
STEPHEN ORMOND
“My first four fights were here in the US.  Boston is like my second home.  The people are so nice.  Boston is a real fight city.  I can’t wait for these people to see me in the ring.
                                                                                                                        
“I saw my opponent fight last year in Boston.  He’s an experienced guy with a lot of fights.  He fought for a world title a long time ago.
“With Ken Casey behind me, an impressive victory will get me a title shot.  I’ll take any of them. I was one fight away, losing a qualifier.  My grandmother passed away the day of my fight.  I’m ready now!”
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The Saturday, Oct. 10 edition of Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, features a O’Connor(26-2, 10 KOs) and Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) rematch in a 10-round welterweight super middleweight showdown, Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs) Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight match up, and Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs) meets Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout to open the PBC on NBCSAN broadcast at 8:00 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.facebook.com/NBCSports, www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingand www.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

DANNY O’CONNOR VS. GABRIEL BRACERO II, RYAN KIELCZWESKI VS. RAFAEL VAZQUEZ CONTINUES BOSTON VS. NYC RING RIVALRY

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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 FROM THE LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
8 P.M. ET/5 P.M. PT
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October 6, 2015) – The great Boston vs. New York City sports rivalry continues Saturday, October 10 in the ring on national television with northeast bragging rights on the line as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN comes to historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts.
The Boston home team sends out welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs) and featherweight Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs), respectively, against Brooklyn invaders Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs) and Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs).
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes.  Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets, visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
O’Connorwill be seeking revenge for 2011 loss to Braceroin the 10-round main event, while Kielczweski faces the toughest test of his career versus Vasquez in their 10-round bout to open the NBCSN broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
In the other scheduled televised fight, undefeated Dominican super bantamweight KO artistJonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs), fighting out of nearby Lawrence (MA), takes on Connecticut’s upset-minded Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs) in the 10-round co-feature.
Boston vs. New York is a classic matchup that has dominated sports headlines in the northeast for years as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox waged countless wars while the New England Patriots faced the New York Giants in two Super Bowls and continued their longtime rivalry with the New York Jets. The rich tradition of this rivalry has also spilled into the ring as many top fighters from each region have faced-off over the years.
The first significant Boston vs. NYC fight goes back to 1927 at Yankee Stadium, when Jack Dempsey stopped Jack “The Boston Gob” Sharkey in the seventh round of their heavyweight title eliminator to challenge world champion Gene Tunney.  Controversy surrounded this fight as Sharkey, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, fought his boxing idol, Dempsey, who along with Babe Ruth ruled Manhattan during America’s Golden Age of Sports in the 1920s.  Sharkey out-boxed Dempsey for six rounds until, complaining to the referee about Dempsey’s low punches, he was knocked out cold with a picture-perfect left hook.
Another legendary heavyweight champion from the Boston area, Rocky Marciano, wouldn’t have retired with his famous 49-0 record if one round or another were scored differently against Bronx favorite Roland LaStarza in 1950.  Marciano took a questionable 10-round decision from LaStarza at Madison Square Garden. Three years later at the Polo Grounds, Marciano successfully defended his world title, knocking out LaStarza in the 11thround of their 1953 Fight of the Year.
A pair of Hall of Fame heavyweights from Brooklyn, Floyd Patterson and “Iron” Mike Tyson, respectively, knocked out Boston’s Tom McNeeley and his son, Peter McNeeley.  McNeeley dropped Patterson once but he hit the deck 11 times before finally succumbing in the fourth round of their 1961 title fight in Toronto.  His son, Peter, lost by first-round disqualification to Tyson who was fighting for the first since being released from prison.
A fireman from Boston with brittle hands, Paul Pender, twice defeated arguably the consensus Greatest of All-time, Harlem’s “Sugar” Ray Robinson, not once but twice by 15-round split decisions in 1960 world middleweight title fights at the Boston Garden.
“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler, a transplanted New Jersey fighter who lived in Marciano’s hometown of Brockton, Mass., felt ripped off when he was given a draw in his first world title fight against Brooklyn’s defending champion Vito Antuofermo in Las Vegas. Two years later in 1981, Hagler captured the coveted crown at the Boston Garden as Antuofermo retired after four rounds.
Even Lowell’s “Irish” Micky Ward had a New York City rival in Brooklyn’s Zab Judah, who he dropped a hard-fought 12-round decision to in 1998.  For many years Judah said Ward was the toughest opponent he ever fought.
More recently, Irish Olympian Kevin McBride, fighting out of the Dorchester section of Boston, ended Tyson’s career in 2005 with a sixth-round TKO victory that left the boxing world in shock, and Boston heavyweight John Ruiz – the only Latino heavyweight champion of the world – won a 2008 fight in Mexico against Harlem’s Jameel McCline by 12-round decision in a world title eliminator.
On October 10, O’Connor, Bracero, Kielczweski and Vazquez will have their opportunity to not only represent their hometowns, but to etch themselves into the annals of the rivalry.
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing,www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.
boxing, NBC, Premier Boxing Champions

SUGAR RAY LEONARD RETURNS TO LOWELL MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM 42 YEARS AFTER WINNING NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES TITLE THERE

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DANNY O’CONNOR VS. GABRIEL BRACERO REMATCH HEADLINES
PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON NBCSN
SATURDAY, OCT. 10 FROM IN LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS
 
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
(Photo Credit: Premier Boxing Champions)
 
LOWELL, Mass. (October 1, 2015) – Forty-two years after he captured his first National Golden Gloves Tournament title at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Hall-of-Famer Sugar Ray Leonard returns Saturday, October 10 to the same historic building as a television analyst for Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBCSN, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Murphys Boxing, airing live from Lowell, Massachusetts.
PBC on NBCSN is headlined by a 10-round rematch between Framingham (MA) welterweight Danny “Bhoy” O’Connor (26-2, 10 KOs), who is fighting to avenge his 2011 loss to Brooklyn welterweight Gabriel “Tito” Bracero (23-2, 4 KOs). O’Connor and Leonard are two of only four people to ever win the National Golden Gloves and National Amateur Championship in the same year. O’Connor collected both accolades in 2008.
Leonard captured top honors in the lightweight division (132 pounds) of the 1973 National Golden Gloves Tournament, outpointing Hilmer Kenty in the championship final at Lowell Memorial Auditorium. Leonard won the National Golden Gloves Tournament at light welterweight title the following year, while seven years later Kenty became the first professional world champion from Emanuel Steward‘s soon-to-become legendary Kronk Gym in Detroit.
“One of the most precious moments of my career happened in Lowell, Massachusetts,” Leonard recently said about his aforementioned experience.  “It was priceless.”
In addition to Leonard and Kenty, five other future world champions – Marvin Hagler,Aaron Pryor, Art Frias, Leon and Michael Spinks – competed in the 1973 National Golden Gloves Tournament.  Leonard, Hagler, Pryor and Michael Spinks are International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees.
Leonard has another tie to Lowell, the fourth-largest city in Massachusetts.  In 1978, he won a 10-round decision over Dicky Eklund at Hynes Auditorium in Boston. Eklund was the head trainer of his half-brother, “The Pride of Lowell” and three-time “Fight of the Year” participant “Irish” Micky Ward, who celebrates his 50th birthday this coming October 4.
Also featured on the PBC on NBCSN telecast is undefeated super bantamweight rising star Jonathan “Salomon King” Guzman (19-0, 19 KOs), a Dominican Republic native who now lives in nearby Lawrence (MA), takes on upset specialist Danny Aquino (17-2, 10 KOs), of Meriden (CT), in the 10-round co-feature.
The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will showcase Quincy, Mass. featherweight prospect Ryan “The Polish Prince” Kielczweski (23-1, 7 KOs) against Brooklyn’s Rafael “Dynamite” Vazquez (16-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
Lowell Memorial Auditorium, which also hosted the 1995 National Golden Gloves Tournament, represents a homecoming for O’Connor and Kielczweski, who both won New England Golden Gloves Tournament titles there.
Tickets are on sale and priced at $125, $85, $50 and $35, not including applicable service charges and taxes.  Special student, veteran and senior ticket prices also available. For tickets visit www.lowellauditorium.com.
# # #
For more information, visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.nbcsports.com/boxing, www.lowellauditorium.com and www.dbe1.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing,  @LouDiBella, @DropkickMurphys, @MurphysBoxing, @DOC_Boxing, @TeamBracero, @NBCSports and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports,www.Facebook.com/DropkickMurphys,www.facebook.com/MurphysBoxingandwww.facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.