Tag Archives: Keith Thurman

boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime

Jesus Cuellar & Abner Mares Los Angeles Media Roundtable Quotes & Photos

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Featherweight World Title Fight Opens Coverage
Live on CBS at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT Before
Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter Welterweight World Title Showdown
 
Click HERE For Photos From Scott Hirano/SHOWTIME
 
LOS ANGELES (May 12, 2016) – Featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares went face-to-face for the first time Thursday as they hosted media roundtables in Los Angeles ahead of their showdown on Saturday, June 25 showdown live on CBS from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by the highly anticipated welterweight clash between welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and former world champion Shawn Porter.
Tickets for the June 25 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 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.
With both men training in California, the two met for the first time at The Palms Restaurant about their fight and respective training camps before they head east to Brooklyn for the primetime battle.
Here is what the participants had to say Thursday:
JESUS CUELLAR
“I’ve been training very hard for this fight. You will see on June 25 that I have one of the best chins out there. I’m excited to finally have this fight.
“I have no bitterness towards Robert Garcia. I’ve seen him and I’m thankful for him making me a champion. This is business. This is work.
“We’ve been training in Big Bear for a little over two months now so I’m pushing myself very hard for this fight. I’m thankful for this great opportunity and I want to make the most of it.
“On June 25, I will once again give it my all and leave it all in the ring. At the end of the fight I will prove who the champion is and raise my hand in victory.
“I’m focused and well prepared. I’m ready for anything that happens. I know I’m going to win the fight. It doesn’t matter how, but I’m going to win.
“This is the same team we’ve had for four years, whether Robert Garcia is here or not. We’re ready to take on anyone.
“We’ve wanted this fight for two years and finally it is the time. We’re going to be in great shape and I know Mares will be in great shape too. We’re very happy that the fight was made. June 25 I’m going to prove that I am the number one featherweight champion.
“I’m just excited to go in the ring and give my best on June 25. I’m going to bring the victory home to Argentina.
“I’m thankful to be an Argentine champion and I’m happy to represent my country as the only world champion right now.”
ABNER MARES
“I’m really happy to be a part of this card against a really tough fighter in Jesus Cuellar. I know he’s mentioned that he wants to fight me and I’ve never been scared to do so. It’s all about timing. Now he’s going to know what it’s like to fight a top level fighter.
“I’ve been in boxing for many years. I’ve fought many tough fights. Against Leo Santa Cruz it wasn’t the outcome that we wanted, but we showed that we have the heart and the intelligence to fight top level guys.
“I’m happy that I’m fighting some with a legacy. Jesus Cuellar is a tough fighter, he hits hard and I respect him. I have nothing bad to say about him as a person. I know he’s going to be well conditioned, but I’m a level higher and I’m going to show it on June 25.
“This is a fight that I can gain so much and Robert Garcia too. He’s going to show, through me, that it was a big mistake for Cuellar to leave him.
“I feel great about the Santa Cruz fight, despite the loss on my record. It was a win, because I gained so much, a lot of respect and a lot of experience.
“I have a lot of reasons to be excited about this fight. One, I’m finally going to New York. I’ve never been there in my life. Two, I will become a world champion again. Three, I’m definitely fighting a top-level fighter. As I’ve mentioned many times before, I like these types of fights. It always brings out the best in me.
“Against Cuellar you’re going to see a different Abner, a new Abner. With Robert Garcia as my coach I have the slight advantage that he once trained Cuellar and took him to a world title. He’s a tough fighter, but he can’t say I’m not either.”
JUAN MANUEL LEDESMA, Cuellar’s Trainer
“We worked with Robert for four fights. We worked together and made Jesus a better fighter. Now there is the opportunity to continue working with Jesus, so I see no controversy or problems there.
“The long camp was what we needed. We needed to clear up some stuff and work on some things that were lacking. We got extra time in the altitude and being in Big Bear we are away from any distractions. Jesus is focused on what he needs to work on.
“Abner Mares is a great, skilled fighter. We have been working together to perfect the skills that we need to bring into the fight. When the day comes, we will be ready for the fight.”
ROBERT GARCIA, Mares’ Trainer
“When Mares first started working with me, we had no idea we were going to fight Jesus Cuellar. Now that we’re back in camp, I definitely have to take advantage of all the things I know about Cuellar. He has weaknesses that I know and I’m working on them with Abner.
“Abner is a fighter who over the last few years has given a lot of exciting brawls and great fights. Abner has tremendous skills though. When I met him years ago he had those skills but they weren’t being honed. People will think I taught him these skills, but I’m just bringing them back.
“Cuellar leaving me was the best thing that could have happened. If Cuellar hadn’t left, I wouldn’t have Mares. I got a great fighter and a great person. Things happen for a reason. We are going to do great things in boxing.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manage, SHOWTIME Sports
 
“Right now there is some criticism of boxing, that the best aren’t fighting the best. All you have to do is look at this card. These are the right fights. The right weight at the right time.
“June 25 we have two marquee matchups. All four fighters ranked in the top 10 in their respective divisions taking on each other. Thurman and Porter, Cuellar and Mares, this is the best doubleheader of the entire year. I will put these two fights against any doubleheader that airs on television. That was our focus when we turned to CBS for this broadcast.
“The Thurman v. Porter and Cuellar v. Mares fights showcase fighters in the primes of their careers. What we have here are four fighters that are willing to take on the best, not make a spectacle of it.  The go about their business with great care for the craft and they simply come to fight.
“Featherweight is one of the hottest divisions in the sport. You know Abner Mares, he has one of the best resumes in boxing. If you look at the list of fights that he has had, there aren’t a lot of big names on it and now the New York City fans will get to see what he has to offer.
“The champion, Jesus Cuellar has quietly put together his own very strong resume. What we have here is a fascinating matchup.”
KEVIN ROONEY, Director of Communications, DiBella Entertainment
“We’re truly honored and excited to promote this fight. Lou DiBella said at the New York presser for the main event that this is ‘the best this sport has to offer.’ These are not only tremendous world title matchups, but two of the biggest and most exciting matchups that can be made in their respective divisions taking place at Barclays Center, the premier sporting venue on the East Coast.
“A testament to how big an event this is, is how the tickets are moving. We are hoping and anticipating that some fans will make it over from the West Coast.
“Robert Garcia trained Jesus Cuellar for much of his career and the two won a world title together. Robert Garcia is here today but with his new charge, Abner Mares. The two have their first fight together and they believe that this will be the best Abner Mares we have ever seen.
“For Cuellar it will be his second fight with Juan Manuel Ledesma, but the two have worked together since Cuellar was a kid. It should be exciting to see how it plays out on fight night.
“We know that Sergio Martinez will be there on fight night to cheer on his fellow countryman in Jesus Cuellar and we look forward to seeing an exciting fight.”
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime Boxing

Shawn Porter Spars With TV & Radio Personality Charlamagne Tha God In Special Event At Gleason’s Gym

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Click HERE for Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment/
Premier Boxing Champions
 
BROOKLYN (May 12, 2016) – Former welterweight world champion Shawn Porter hosted a special celebrity sparring session with TV and Radio personality Charlamagne Tha God at Gleason’s Gym on Wednesday afternoon in an event open to the media and public.
Porter has spent the week in Brooklyn as he prepares for his Saturday, June 25showdown with Keith Thurman in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar battling former three-division world champion Abner Mares.
Tickets for the June 25 event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $49 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.
Porter, along with his father and trainer, Ken, are training at the world famous Gleason’s Gym as they prepare for Shawn’s primetime battle in the county of Kings. Porter invited Barak Bess of Sirius XM, Rhett Butler of The Shadow League and Nestor Gibbs of Tha Boxing Voice to try their best in the ring against the former champion, leading up to the rounds with Charlamagne.
Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:
SHAWN PORTER
“It was nice and relaxed in there. My main goal was to not get caught with anything flush and give people something to talk about. It was really fun. These guys gassed out quicker than I thought. They might have thought I was coming to knock them out.
“I hope these guys learned a little something and found out how much harder it is to do than to talk about.
“Charlamagne did well. He came in with some toughness and a bit of a game plan. He knew I was here to put on a show, but he competed.
“It’s easy on the outside, but it’s hard when you get inside this ring. To get them to feel that kind of excitement from this crowd, now they know. They were a little hyped up and in a world championship fight you have to learn how to hone that energy into something productive.
“I feel really good and I’m glad to be here. I’m happy we came out to Brooklyn. It’s the tail end of camp and I’m ready to fight. I can’t wait for June 25.”
CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD
Before the sparring:
 
“I expect Shawn to take it easy on me. Hopefully he doesn’t bruise me up too bad.
“This will not be an Apollo Creed-Ivan Drago situation. Shawn doesn’t have anything to prove against me. He’s ready to prove it June 25 against Keith Thurman, not against Charlamagne Tha God right now.
After the sparring:
 
“I watch boxing, so I respect the craft. I was in there for two rounds and I feel like I was running for two hours. This is no joke, respect boxers. If you see them in the street, don’t mess with them.
“He was faster than I thought he was. Hand speed, foot speed and he had power. He got me pretty good a couple times, I’m glad I had this gear on.
“Porter and Keith Thurman are two of my favorite young fighters. ‘One Time’ does hit hard, but if he doesn’t move, then Porter is going to be able to get on the inside and I think he can knock him out.
“I really like both guys, so I don’t know who is going to win. I’m not a gambling man, but if I had to pick, I put my money on Porter.”
KEN PORTER
“We’re fighting in Brooklyn and at Barclays Center and every time we’ve been there they’ve opened up their arms to us and been so welcoming. Shawn won his first world title here. So I thought, let’s go to Brooklyn and make it our home and become a part of what is going on here.
“Shawn is in excellent shape, so he doesn’t need to get in shape during camp. We didn’t have to consider that when we decided to come to Brooklyn.
“The people in Brooklyn have rolled out the red carpet for us. That’s why we’re here. We felt welcomed every time we came here to fight or to watch a show. I said let’s go home, let’s make Brooklyn home.”
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Keith Thurman & Shawn Porter Take New York

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Welterweight Stars Discuss Saturday, June 25 Showdown Live on CBS
From Barclays Center During Whirlwind Two Days in NYC

Click HERE for Press Images From Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
NEW YORK (April 28, 2016) – The best the sport has to offer, two of the most talented fighters in the world, elite athletes in their prime and set to fight each other at the world-class Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on broadcast TV in primetime, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter,took over New York this week as they made the rounds to officially announce their welterweight blockbuster on Saturday, June 25 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).
Thurman and Porter, who are confident and hard-working boxers inside the ring and classy gentlemen outside, have the spotlight to themselves on the world’s biggest stage on June 25. And what an extraordinary moment it will be for the two 147-pound prizefighters, competing at Barclays Center and on CBS, America’s most-watched network.
“This is the very best that boxing has to offer,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment, at Tuesday’s press conference at the Edison Ballroom in midtown.
From the press conference, Thurman and Porter where whisked throughout the city, from the Sports Illustrated offices in the Financial District, to the offices of Complex Magazine, CBS Sports Radio and SiriusXM in Midtown and across the bridge to Barclays Center and the PIX 11 studios.
“Barclays Center makes this a big fight,” said Thurman. “We get to promote here in New York City. This is a fight town.”
On Tuesday, Porter visited with “The Breakfast Club” on POWER 105 while Thurman paid a visit to CBS This Morning to promote their highly anticipated showdown and stake their claim as the present and future of the welterweight division.
“This is going to be a memorable night,” said Porter. “It’s going to be a record-breaking night at Barclays Center and we’re going to put on a show.”
Click HERE for photos from Thurman and Porter’s media tour. If you’re interested in visiting Thurman or Porter in their respective camps or speaking to them over the phone, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the PR contacts below.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $42, not including applicable fees, 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.
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment andwww.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime Boxing

Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter Press Conference Quotes & Photos

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“My friend is about to become my enemy….
June 25 I’m doing my best to put you to sleep.” – Keith Thurman
 
“He thinks he’s going to knock me out, I say he’s not…I’m going to do everything it takes to beat him and make it look easy.” – Shawn Porter 
 
“This is the best that boxing has to offer.” – Lou DiBella

Click HERE For Photos From Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
 
Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
NEW YORK (April 26, 2016) – Welterweight world champion Keith Thurman and former champion Shawn Porter went face-to-faceTuesday afternoon in Manhattan as they hosted a press conference to discuss their highly anticipated Saturday, June 25 showdown on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Televised coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar defending his title against former three-division world champion Abner Mares.
 
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $42, not including applicable fees, 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.
Thurman and Porter went eye-to-eye and talked about their eagerly awaited 147-pound world title clash that takes place in primetime on June 25.
Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday:
KEITH THURMAN
“I made you wait. But it’s worth it. This is a tremendous fight. Arguably the best matchup of the year. We’re going to work our butts off to make it the Fight of the Year.
“Our two teams go way back. This is the most beautiful moment of my professional career and I’m about to compete with somebody I grew up with. I’m happy for my success and I’m happy for Shawn’s success. We come from the same boat. When you’re a young kid in the gym training and then you’re here today, that takes a special kind of person. Shawn and I are both that kind of person.
“We took six weeks off after my accident, with three days a week of physical therapy. I was relaxing at home. I didn’t like it. As a fighter, I wanted this fight as bad as the fans wanted this fight.
“This isn’t just the biggest fight of my career. But it’s the most anticipated fight of my career. Sometimes it pays to add some drama to the game. It wasn’t our intention, but I think it worked out.
“Barclays Center makes this a big fight. We get to promote here in New York City. New York is a fight town. My favorite fighter of all time, Mike Tyson, is from Brooklyn. This just happened to work out for the best.
“I anticipate most of the welterweight division being in attendance on June 25. The situation that division is in right now is that we’re all in a frenzy. Everyone wants the spotlight and everyone wants to be the top dog. We all have that opportunity.
“I want to have two titles by the end of this year. People talk about replacing Floyd Mayweather, but you can’t become the man without beating all the people in front of you. One fight at a time. I want to stay at the top by grabbing another belt. I’m going to show that I’m the big dog at 147 pounds.
“June 25, my friend is about to become my enemy. I’m going to treat him like any other enemy.
“Get your tickets. Get your seats. Get your popcorn. Whatever you need to do. This is going to be a fight you don’t want to miss. This is going to be a knockout you don’t want to miss. I love you Shawn, but I’m doing my best to put you to sleep.”
SHAWN PORTER
“I’m very excited about this fight. I’m blessed to have this opportunity. Not only to go for this title but to be a part of a record-breaking show at Barclays Center. This night is going to be memorable.
“Keith Thurman is bringing out the competitiveness in me to a level I’ve always wanted. It’s a level I expect. I have a guy next to me who is challenging me more than ever. Me and Keith Thurman are going to put on a show. Everything you talked about, you’re going to get it.
“It is amazing to be a part of something great like this. I’ve always considered myself to be a very good fighter and a very good athlete, but I’ve always wanted something like this and to have it is very humbling.
“I wasn’t surprised that Keith said he would knock me out. He has to pump himself up and be confident. When he looked at me I think he was trying to convince me that he was being real and I was looking at him to find out if he was convinced. He thinks he’s going to knock me out, I say he’s not. I’m going to do everything it takes to beat him and make it look easy.
“This is forming to be a big fight, one of those fights that we’ve looked forward to since we were kids.
“This is my second time fighting at Barclays Center. I’m 1-0 with a championship so now I’m looking for another one. I’ve been to some of the other fights at Barclays too and it is really an electric atmosphere. People are coming out to see something great and that’s what I’m going to give them.
“I’m not changing anything in camp because of how familiar Keith and I are with each other. I have to do it at the right time in the ring. We’re going to do everything we do to prepare for a world championship fight.
“Thurman is a little unorthodox at times so we’re prepared for that. It’s about going 12 rounds or less and looking good doing it. We’ve done a little sparring as pros but nothing as competitive as I’m expecting on June 25.
“I have a feeling Keith is going to say he’s knocking me out a lot. I want to know if he believes that. He’s a cutthroat kind of fighter. I know that. The hands will be up, the defense will be taken care of, and we’re taking care of business.”
DAN BIRMINGHAM, Thurman’s Trainer
“We’re looking forward to this fight. Me, Keith and the Porters go way back, but sometimes you have to fight your friends.
“These two guys are both at the top of their games and the best man is going to win.”
KEN PORTER, Porter’s Father & Trainer
“Dan Birmingham is actually one of my mentors and I’ve been watching Keith since he was 14-years-old. We’re all friends but to have the opportunity on this stage, I don’t think we can have better competitors as fighter and trainer. I don’t think it can reach a higher level.
“I fully expect the immovable object versus the irresistible force meeting in the ring for an explosion on June 25.”
LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment
“This is the best that boxing has to offer.
“Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter could very well be the Fight of the Year. It’s a fan fight that everybody has anticipated for many years. These are the two most established welterweights in the world battling to see who the successor to Floyd Mayweather’s domination of the division is.
“This is so far the fastest-selling boxing event at Barclays Center and the biggest presale we’ve ever had for a fight at Barclays Center. This is one to start buying your tickets early.
“Aside from being two of the very best at their weight class, these are two of the more interesting guys in boxing. These are two of the smartest and most cerebral fighters.
“This is why I’m in boxing. This is why we’re all in boxing. This is on national, free, over-the-air television and I think it’s great. WE want as many people as possible to watch this fight. We want to expose people to the best our sport has to offer.
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports
“We’re in the midst of perhaps the strongest run of boxing this network has ever had. While other networks cut back on programming, we are reinvesting in the sport and giving it as big of a platform as there ever has been.
“We have the strongest lineup of any network this year. These are two of the strongest fighters in the most popular division in the sport.
“The last primetime boxing match on CBS was 1987, Ali-Spinks 1. Those are big shoes to fill. When I pitched a fight for CBS I knew I had to bring something that was incredibly strong. That is what we have on June 25. This card has come together as perfectly as anyone could have imagined.
“Two of the top five welterweights of their career battling for the top of the division. This is an event that speaks for itself. I’m proud to be involved with this event.”
BRETT YORMARK, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment
“It’s been a special time at Barclays Center the last couple of weeks. I think Barclays Center is defined by dramatic moments. When I think of this particular event, it’s going to be a dramatic moment in Brooklyn and I’m thrilled about it.
“I’m a huge boxing fan and this is one of those nights that you circle on the calendar. You need to be there. We’re off to the best pre-sale and on sale since we opened Barclays Center. We have a bit of a history already and this will be the biggest one yet.”
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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment andwww.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime Boxing

KEITH THURMAN TO DEFEND WELTERWEIGHT TITLE AGAINST SHAWN PORTER ON SATURDAY, JUNE 25 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

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FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION JESUS CUELLAR BATTLES FORMER THREE-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION 
ABNER MARES IN CO-MAIN EVENT
 
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS
Presented By Premier Boxing Champions Live At 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
 
Tickets On Sale Thursday, April 21 at 10 a.m.!
 
BROOKLYN (April 16, 2016) – An action-packed primetime doubleheader of world title fights, headlined by the explosive, eagerly-awaited clash between welterweight champion Keith “One Time” Thurman and former champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter,will come to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 25.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) broadcast will begin with a co-main event featherweight battle between current champion Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $25, not including applicable fees, and are on sale Thursday, April 21 at 10 a.m. 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.
Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs), of Clearwater, Fla., and Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of Akron, Ohio, are both coming off superb 2015 campaigns that solidified the fresh faces among the elite of arguably boxing’s most exciting division.  With perennial pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather now retired, the 27-year-old Thurman and the 28-year-old Porter are hungry to stake their claim as the future of boxing.
Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs), of Buenos Aires, Argentina, will make the second defense of his WBA 126-pound title against Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs), a popular brawler from Southern California who has compiled a staggering resume over the past five years while earning titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds.  Cuellar vs. Mares joins a stacked lineup of featherweight bouts that showcases many of the world’s best 126-pounders aiming to unifying one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
“Keith Thurman against Shawn Porter is one of the best matchups that can be made in the welterweight division right now,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Fans in attendance at Barclays Center and those watching on CBS will witness a passing of the torch as the hard-punching world titleholder Thurman and the highly skilled former champion Porter vie to prove who will be the next heir to the throne in the post-Mayweather era of the 147-pound division. The explosive co-main event between Jesus Cuellar and Abner Mares will give fans a fight to remember.”
“Barclays Center has featured many memorable welterweight fights and the long-awaited Thurman vs. Porter matchup promises to become the best one yet,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.
Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com,follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment andwww.facebook.com/BarclaysCenter.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

AMAZING SHOWTIME SPORTS® SPRING, 2016 BOXING LINEUP

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Caption: L-R (back row): Bute; Martin, Jack, DeGale, Russell Jr., Mares, Selby, Provodnikov, Quellar, Pedraza.

L-R (front row): Joshua, Thurman, Wilder, Porter, Povetkin.

 

NEW YORK (March 11, 2016)—SHOWTIME Sports on Friday announced seven live boxing telecasts over a 12-week span, a stacked lineup featuring nine world championship fights and 14 overall matches in boxing’s deepest and most exciting divisions.

 

The full slate of programming is free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the presentation on CBS is the first Prime Time boxing event on CBS television network in decades.

 

Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, also announced a summer blockbuster in the making.

 

“This is an incredibly exciting time in boxing, a time for emerging stars to make their mark, and for established champions to break through to the next level,” Espinoza said.

 

“This schedule features high level matchups with champions taking on the highest-rated contenders available, and top-ranked challengers facing one another.  We are thrilled and grateful to the promoters and the fighters themselves who have worked with us these last few weeks to put together such an impressive lineup for SHOWTIME Boxing.  It has to be one of the best we’ve ever assembled.

 

“We have seven live telecasts over a 12-week span that runs the gamut of our SHOWTIME boxing series. It includes nine world title fights, and that doesn’t count a great fight that’s just coming together today, as both Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton have now agreed to a championship matchup to be scheduled for late summer.

 

“All of these events are free to SHOWTIME subscribers, and the June 25 event is the first Prime Time boxing presentation on CBS television network in decades.

 

“Again, thanks to the fighters and promoters for not only making these great matches a reality, but for their cooperation in today’s major announcement.”

See below for details on the events that Espinoza, and the principals involved, are in the process of finalizing.  Additional details on each individual event will be announced in the coming days.

 

Saturday, April 9 – SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL

Main Event: Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21 KOs) vs. Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15 KOs) – IBF Heavyweight World Title Championship

Co-feature: Lee Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) vs. Eric Hunter (21-3, 11 KOs) – IBF Featherweight Championship

Start Time: TBD

Venue: The O2 – London

Promoter: Warriors Boxing & Matchroom Sport

 

Friday, April 15 – ShoBox: The New Generation

Main Event: Nikolay Potapov (14-0, 6 KOs) vs. Stephon Young (14-0-2, 6 KOs) – 10-Rd Bantamweight Bout

Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/PT

Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY

Promoter: Salita Promotions

  • Four-fight telecast featuring at least six undefeated fighters.

 

Saturday, April 16 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event: Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) vs. Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) – WBC Featherweight World Championship

Co-Feature: Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) vs. Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs) – IBF Super Featherweight World Championship

Start Time: 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT

Venue: Fox Theatre at Foxwoods Resort Casino

Promoter: DiBella Entertainment

  • Featherweight world title fights in consecutive weeks.
  • Gary Russell Jr. returns to make his first title defense
  • Crucial Super Featherweight bout between defending champ Jose Pedraza and No. 1 challenger Stephen Smith.

 

Saturday, April 30 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event: Badou Jack (20-1-1, 12 KOs) vs. Lucian Bute (32-3, 25 KOs) – WBC Super Middleweight Championship

Co-Feature: James DeGale (22-1, 14 KOs) vs. Rogelio Medina (35-6, 29 KOs) – IBF Super Middleweight World Championship

Start Time: 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT

Venue: TBD

Promoter: Mayweather Promotions

  • Former champ Bute, fresh off a great fight against DeGale, steps in to replace the injured Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
  • Medina is the IBF’s mandated challenger for DeGale.
  • The winners will meet in an immediate unification.

 

Targeting May 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – PENDING CONFIRMATION

Main Event: Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) vs. Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22 KOs) – WBC Heavyweight World Championship

Start Time: TBD

Venue: TBD

 

Saturday, June 11 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event: Ruslan Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) vs. John Molina Jr. (28-6, 23 KOs) – 12-Rd Super Lightweight Bout

Start Time: 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Venue: Turning Stone Casino – Verona, NY

Promoter: Banner Promotions

  • Induction Weekend for International Boxing Hall of Fame.
  • Main event features two fighters involved in Fights of Year

 

Saturday, June 25 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS Presented by PBC

Main Event: Keith Thurman (26-0, 1 ND, 22 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-1-1, 16 KOs) – WBA Welterweight World Championship

Co-Feature: Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) – WBA (reg.) Featherweight World Championship

Start Time: TBD

Venue: TBD

Promoter: DiBella Entertainment

  • Thurman cleared to resume training after minor injury
  • Three-division world champ Mares to now face Jesus Cuellar for featherweight title

 

Late-Summer 2016 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event: Leo Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) vs. Carl Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) – WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship

  • Frampton the unified 122-pound titlist, will move up to face Santa Cruz for the WBA (super) Featherweight World Championship
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

MARCH 12 BOXING EVENT CANCELLATION NOTICE

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NEW YORK (Feb. 24, 2016)—After extensive discussions between DiBella Entertainment, Showtime Networks and Mohegan Sun, the March 12 boxing event has been canceled.

 

Following the injury to Keith Thurman and the postponement of the Thurman vs. Porter bout, we evaluated several options for salvaging the card, but various factors, including scheduling and programming issues, prevented the parties involved from doing so.

 

The featherweight bout between fellow three-division world champions Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel will remain paired with the Thurman vs. Porter welterweight world championship event, which is being rescheduled for a later date on CBS.  The other bouts on the card will be rescheduled on a date or dates to be announced.

 

“Every effort was made to move forward with the remainder of this excellent card, despite the tight time frame,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “However, scheduling conflicts and other factors forced us to make the unfortunate decision to cancel the entire event.  There are a number of attractive fights on the table and we look forward to presenting all of them to the fans as soon as possible.”

 

Tickets purchased for the March 12 event will be refunded at the point of purchase.

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

KEITH THURMAN SUSTAINS INJURY FORCING POSTPONEMENT OF TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST SHAWN PORTER

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DiBella Entertainment, Mohegan Sun and Showtime Evaluating Options to Continue with the Remainder of the March 12 Fight Card
 
NEW YORK (Feb. 22, 2016)–Undefeated world champion Keith Thurman sustained an injury as a result of a car accident that has forced his March 12 welterweight title defense against Shawn Porter to be postponed.  The announcement was made today by promoter Lou DiBella, president of DiBella Entertainment.  According to his doctors, Thurman’s injuries are not considered serious and he is expected to be cleared to resume training in the coming weeks.  Thurman vs. Porter was the main event of a scheduled two-fight card to be broadcast in prime time on CBS.  This fight and the network broadcast will now be rescheduled for a later date.
DiBella Entertainment, Mohegan Sun and Showtime are evaluating the option of continuing with the remainder of the fight card on Saturday, March 12 with a transition of television coverage to SHOWTIME.  Complete details are forthcoming.
“While it’s unfortunate that we must temporarily postpone this marquee matchup, a main event of the magnitude of Thurman vs. Porter requires both fighters be healthy and at their best.” said DiBella.  “Keith is anxious to resume training as soon he is able and both he and Shawn are looking forward to a new fight date.”
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

SHAWN PORTER MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Former Champion Porter Challenges Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman In Exciting Primetime Matchup Saturday, March 12

Live On CBS (8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT)

 

Click HERE For Photos From Premier Boxing Champions

 

LAS VEGAS (February 19, 2016) – Welterweight star “Showtime” Shawn Porteropened up his training camp to media Thursday at Porter Hy-Performance Center in Las Vegas as he prepares for his primetime showdown with welterweight world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman on Saturday, March 12 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) from Mohegan Sun Resort in Connecticut.

 

Televised action begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT with an all-action showdown between former multiple division world champions Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel.

 

Porter worked out for media along with his father and trainer, Ken Porter as he looks to become a welterweight world champion for the second time. Porter defeated multiple-division champion Adrien Broner in a primetime PBC main event last year and is looking to again find success under the bright lights.

 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at

$300, $150, $75 and $35 (plus applicable fees) and are on sale now through

Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call (800) 745

3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also available at the Mohegan Sun

Box Office.

 

Here is what Porter and his father had to say Thursday:

 

SHAWN PORTER

 

On training camp…

 

“Training camp is going great. It’s been hard work as always and nothing really different specifically for this fight.  Obviously it is always a different game plan for a different fighter but that’s about it.

 

“I’m not making too many adjustments from my previous fight, just taking what I learn from each fight and take those learning experiences with you. Going into this fight we will definitely have some of our past experiences show up.

 

“It is getting closer. I feel it every day. It’s approaching and the excitement is brewing. The closer it gets the more excited and more focused that I get.

 

On being perceived as the underdog…

 

“I do not feel like I am coming in as the underdog. In order to be the champion, you have to beat the champion. That is my outlook on this fight, not only to outpoint him but to make it very decisive and dominate the fight.

 

”My motivation is to prove the doubters wrong.

 

“I have faced a tougher opposition than Keith Thurman. I feel like that may work most to my advantage. I think that there will come points in this fight where I will put him up against things that he has never been up against. It is all about how he reacts to what I throw at him.

 

“My plan is to go in there and shake him up, make him uncomfortable and carry the fight just like that.

 

“I am ready and whatever Thurman has to bring. I’m ready for 12 rounds, I’m ready to knock him out.  I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win. I’m ready.

 

On sparring with Thurman…

 

“We expect what we saw in sparring with him to show up in the fight. He moved around a lot when we sparred. There weren’t very many clean shots landed by either of us, but I know from sparring with him that I have to be aggressive and that I have to cutoff the ring.

 

“I would say that for the majority of this fight it is probably going to be me as the aggressor. He likes to bully guys at the beginning of the fight to wear them down to feel himself out.. We’re expecting him to move a lot more against me.

 

“We’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to be smart, we’re looking beyond this fight.

“In my last fight I didn’t get hit very much and I am taking that same mindset and defense into this fight.

 

On being the next Floyd Mayweather Jr…

 

“I am expecting to beat Keith and be the guy that everyone looks at.

 

“When you go up against someone at a high level like this, you go up and you show out.

 

“As far as Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, I think those faces are going away. The welterweight class is exciting and there’s going to be a new face on the top of that ranking.  I’d like that face to be me.

 

“I don’t make any predictions; I just know I am going to win.

 

“I have been waiting for this fight since 2013. I had just gotten my title then and I could see the way his career was moving that there was a collision course. We didn’t know how long this fight would take to happen or when it would happen, but we knew it was coming.

 

“When I was told this fight was happening all I could think was ‘Ok, let’s do it’ and it took some time to make the fight happen but when we finally did our faceoff, it felt great to look him in the eyes and let him know ‘I’m coming after you.’

 

“For me to fight Keith it has always been something that was a part of my career, all business not personal. It was just something that I needed to do to get to where I want to be.

 

“Keith Thurman is a good fighter. Nothing really sticks out to me as something I should worry about. He’s a good athlete and a good boxer, but he is very beatable, he just hasn’t been beat yet.

 

“You’re only as good as you’re last competition. If you look at the Kell Brook fight, I was not as good as I should’ve been. Since then I am very good, but still I feel that you are only as good as your last fight until you prove otherwise.

 

“It is and isn’t personal. For Keith to be considered one of the top dogs in this weight class, it is personal to me to beat him and reign over him. Other than that, it is all business.”

 

KEN PORTER

 

On being his son’s trainer…

 

“Because I have the history of working with a lot of top-level amateurs who have moved on to the professional level, I think that Shawn sees that in me as an edge.”

 

On his history with Keith Thurman…

 

“I know him very well. I’ve had opportunities to work with him in the amateurs. I’ve had opportunities to work with him in the pros. I’ve worked in his corner in an amateur fight before, I’ve worked in his corner in a pro fight.

 

“Keith knows Shawn, they’ve sparred about 30 rounds. He knows speed and won’t come in the ring trying to land a significant shot from the beginning.  If he’s throwing that punch, he’s probably running the other direction at the same time.

 

“I would challenge [Thurman] to come in the ring and fight, but I know he’s going to fight. I know he will try to outbox us and try to land a slick and unexpected punch. Anyone can land a shot on you, that happens, but it’s what you do after the punch that counts.

 

“We’re looking forward to trading punches, boxing with him, slugging with him. We’re looking for a fight.”

 

On what it will take to win this fight…

 

“At this point in time, there’s going to be a lot of adjustments that have to be made, and I can’t just determine what it’s going to take to do it, but I know it’s going to take everything – speed, quickness, power, aggressiveness, conditioning, making adjustments mentally –  it’s an intellectual fight.”

 

# # #

 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports andwww.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

boxing, CBS Boxing, Showtime Boxing

ABNER MARES AND FERNANDO MONTIEL TO MEET IN ALL-ACTION SHOWDOWN OF THREE-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPIONS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 12, LIVE ON CBS®

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Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter Face Off in Welterweight Blockbuster
In Main Event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® on CBS
Presented by Premier Boxing Champions
 
Live On CBS At 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT
NEW YORK (Feb. 3, 2016) – Former three-division world champions Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel will square off in all-action co-feature on Saturday, March 12, live on CBS at 8:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. PT.
In the main event of the first primetime boxing presentation on CBS in nearly 40 years, welterweight knockout artist Keith Thurman will defend his WBA Welterweight World Championship against former titlist Shawn Porter in a matchup of two elite fighters in boxing’s glamour division.
The event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment from Mohegan Sun Casino Resortin Connecticut, is produced by SHOWTIME Sports® for the CBS Television Network, both divisions of the CBS Corporation.
Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) and Montiel (54-5-2, 39 KOs) are two of the most accomplished and entertaining Mexican boxers in the sport today.  Mares compiled a staggering resume over the past five years while earning titles at 118, 122 and 126 pounds.  Montiel is one of the most skilled boxers of his generation having won championships at 112, 115 and 118 pounds over a 17-year career.
“I’m ready to get back in the ring and have the boxing world see the monster that the Mares and Robert Garcia partnership is creating,” said Abner Mares. “I’m a tough fighter. I’ve made some adjustments and I will show my warrior spirit and skill on March 12. It’s time to go to work.”
“I have been wanting to fight Abner Mares for many years,” said Montiel. “They say that styles make fights and Abner Mares’ style is tailor made for me. My last fight was a close decision against one of the best featherweights in the world in Lee Selby. I need to make every fight count and on March 12 Abner Mares will be my next step to another world title!”
“Abner Mares and Fernando Montiel are both proud warriors,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Both are coming off tough, competitive fights and both must win to once again realize championship dreams. This will be a throw down, entertaining battle.”
Tickets for the live event are priced at $300, $150, $75 and $35 (plus applicable fees) and are on sale now through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call (800) 745-3000; or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets are also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares won his first title in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight crown. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight.  The 30-year-old won three straight fights leading to a massive showdown with Leo Santa Cruz last August. Mares showed the same explosiveness that made him a multiple division world champion in a thrilling Fight of the Year candidate that he lost by decision. The always-exciting Mares will enter the ring for the first time under the tutelage of renowned trainer Robert Garcia and strength coach Luis Garcia as he looks to work his way towards another world title.
The veteran Montiel won his first world title in 2000 over Isidro Garcia and went on to have title-winning performances over Pedro Alzacar, Ivan Hernandez, Z Gorres, Ciso Morales and Hozumi Hasegawa.  Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, Montiel rode an eight-fight win streak heading into his October world title shot against Lee Selby.  Montiel’s aggressive style frustrated Selby but it was not enough for him to grab a title in his fourth weight class.  The 36-year-old has an opportunity to get back in the mix for a world title with a victory over Mares.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing @KeithFThurmanJr, @ShowtimeShawnP, @AbnerMares, @LouDiBella and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports,  www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionsand www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.