Yordenis Ugas Tops Omar Figueroa by Unanimous Decision; Sergey Lipinets Stops Jayar Inson in Two Rounds & Luis Nery Knocks Out Juan Carlos Payano in Ninth Round in Pay-Per-View Undercard
CALEB PLANT RETAINS SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE WITH THIRD-ROUND KNOCKOUT OF MIKE LEE IN FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT MAIN EVENT PRIOR TO PAY-PER-VIEW
Efe Ajagba Defeats Ali Eren Demirezen by Unanimous Decision in Clash of Unbeaten Heavyweights on FOX
Click HERE for Photos from Stewart Cook/FOX Sports Password: f0xb0x
Click HERE for Pacquiao vs. Thurman & HERE for Plant vs. Lee Photos from Ryan Hafey/Premier Boxing Champions
Click HERE for Photos from Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
Click HERE for Photos from Sean Michael Ham/Mayweather Promotions
LAS VEGAS (July 21, 2019) – Boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao dropped Keith “One Time” Thurman in round one and won a close split decision to earn a welterweight world title in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event Saturday night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
“It was fun,” said Pacquiao. “My opponent is a good fighter and boxer. He was strong. I’m not that kind of boxer who talks a lot; we were just promoting the fight. I think he did his best, and I did my best. I think we made the fans happy tonight because it was a good fight.”
The sell-out crowd of 14,356 got treated to great action from the start, as an exciting first round was capped off by Pacquiao dropping Thurman for the first time in his career with a straight right hand late in the round.
“I knew it was too close,” said Thurman. “He got the knockdown so he had momentum in round one.”
Thurman made it into the second round but continued to have trouble with Pacquiao’s right hand, as the future Hall of Famer threw it successfully as a jab and a power punch throughout the fight. Thurman adjusted in the middle rounds and began to try to smother Pacquiao and walk him down, having success when he was able to get his combinations off before his opponent.
Despite blood pouring from his nose from round four on, Thurman was able to land powerful combinations on Pacquiao for much of the second half of the fight, but was never able to hurt Pacquiao or score a knockdown of his own.
“I wish I had a little bit more output to go toe to toe,” said Thurman. “I felt like he was getting a little bit tired, but he did have experience in the ring. My conditioning and my output was just behind Manny Pacquiao’s. I would love the rematch.”
In round 10, Pacquiao’s landed a strong left hook to the body that clearly hurt Thurman and forced him to spend much of the remainder of the round backpedaling. The CompuBox scores were indicative of the close nature of the fight, with Thurman out landing Pacquiao 210 to 195, while Pacquiao was busier throwing 686 punches to 571 from Thurman.
“I really love the fans,” said Pacquiao. “Thank you so much for coming here and witnessing the fight. I’m sure they were happy tonight because they saw a good fight. Even though Thurman lost, he did his best. He’s not an easy opponent. He’s a good boxer and he’s strong. I was just blessed tonight.”
Pacquiao had a large advantage in jabs landed, connecting on 82 to Thurman’s 18. The 192 power punches landed by Thurman was the most in 43 Pacquiao fights that CompuBox has tracked. Round-by-round, the two fighters were only separated by more than five landed punches in rounds two, seven and nine.
After 12 rounds, the judges reached a split decision, with one judge scoring the fight 114-113 for Thurman, overruled by two judges scoring it 115-112 for Pacquiao, who captured the WBA Welterweight World Championship at 40-years-old.
“You get blessings and lessons,” said Thurman. “Tonight was a blessing and a lesson. Thank you everybody, and thank you Manny Pacquiao.”
“I think (I will fight) next year,” said Pacquiao. “I will go back to the Philippines and work and then make a decision. I do hope to be at the (Errol) Spence vs. (Shawn) Porter fight on September 28.”
The co-main event of the pay-per-view saw top contender Yordenis Ugas (24-4, 11 KOs) drop previously unbeaten Omar Figueroa (28-1-1, 19 KOs) on his way to a unanimous decision in their WBC welterweight title eliminator.
Ugas got off to a strong start, connecting on a straight right hand that sent Figueroa into the ropes, which he held onto so he didn’t hit the canvas, but enough that referee Russell Mora ruled it a knockdown.
“The fight played out how I thought it would,” said Ugas. “I came out strong and Figueroa was tough as well. This was similar to the fight everyone expected. I came out on top.”
Figueroa recovered and was able to make it to round two, where he continued his strategy of coming forward to try to hurt Ugas on the inside. Ugas was able to control that action on the inside, landing numerous uppercuts to stun Figueroa. However, the inside fighting led to Ugas being deducted a point by the referee in round five for holding.
“Ugas fought a smart fight,” said Figueroa. “He was smothering me on the inside and holding. I thought the scores were too wide. I was following him and working the whole time. I felt like he only worked the last 30 seconds of the round, but I guess that was all it took.
“I didn’t have any problems with his size. I thought I was able to do my thing, but when he was holding me I couldn’t get my offense going.”
Despite that, and being warned later in the fight for delivering low blows, Ugas dominated the fight according to CompuBox, out landing Figueroa 229 to 131 and connecting with 28% of his punches, to Figueroa’s 22%.
“I knew Figueroa was a tough guy, so I didn’t want to waste my energy trying to take him out early,” said Ugas. “I was ready to go 12 rounds.”
After 12 rounds, all three judges scored the fight the same, 119-107 in favor of Ugas, who became the mandatory for the winner of the Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter welterweight title unification.
“I’m extremely happy to be in this position to fight for the WBC title again,” said Ugas. “I will be ready for the winner of Errol Spence Jr. vs. Shawn Porter.”
Additional action saw former world champion Sergey Lipinets (16-1, 12 KOs) score a highlight-reel knockout against Jayar Inson (18-3, 12 KOs) in the second round of their welterweight matchup.
Lipinets was originally scheduled to fight John Molina Jr., before Molina pulled out of the fight Friday morning due to a back injury. Inson, who was scheduled to fight on the non-televised undercard, stepped up to the challenge.
“When I first heard the news about Molina, I knew that I wanted to still fight on a show of this magnitude,” said Lipinets. “As far as fighting a southpaw, I’ve had so many amateur fights in my kickboxing career that I had no problem adjusting. It was just a matter of time. I also have sparred with great southpaws like Victor Ortiz throughout my career, so I was comfortable with the change in fighter.”
In an exchange early in the second round, Lipinets landed a clean left hook to Inson’s head, which sent the Filipino-fighter to the canvas. Although Inson got to his feet, referee Jay Nady waved off the bout 57 seconds into the round.
“I got hit and I slipped, that made it look worse,” said Inson. “When I stood up I thought I was fine and tried to raise my hands and show the referee.”
“Joe Goossen is an exceptional trainer and he just told me to work from a different direction facing a southpaw,” said Lipinets. “I just made sure to block his punches with my elbows. That was the only adjustment I had to make and it ended up working just fine.”
The opening pay-per-view bout saw undefeated former champion Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) deliver a ninth-round knockout of former bantamweight champion Juan Carlos Payano (21-3, 9 KOs).
“I wasn’t really paying attention to how long the fight was going, I was just getting into a rhythm as it went on,” said Nery. “I had to work hard to get to him because he’s a good boxer. The longer it went, the better I felt. I put my punches together well once I got going.”
In a fast-paced duel of former champions, Payano had success early boxing the aggressive Nery, moving back to avoid his attack and landing his own offense against the knockout artist. Payano out landed or was even in punches landed for each of the first six rounds of the bout.
“I’m a warrior and I wanted to keep going and fight back every time he came forward,” said Payano. “My coach wanted me to stay behind my jab a little more.”
As the fight grew into the middle rounds, Nery began to increase the offense and was able to land power shots that slowed Payano’s ability to box from the outside. Nery hurt Payano early in round seven, eventually dominating the round, out landing his opponent 22 to 7.
“He was a very complicated fighter at the beginning, he’s a veteran, so I had to try to adapt to his style to see how I could get in,” said Nery. “In the fifth or sixth round I started gaining control of the fight and then that left hook came to the body which was devastating.”
“During the exchanges it was Nery’s second shot that was getting in,” said Payano. “We corrected the issue but then that body shot came in from nowhere and hit me in a rib that I had broken years ago against Raushee Warren.”
Round eight saw Nery continue to break Payano down, most notably landing a big left hand midway through the round that caused blood to pour from Payano’s nose. During an exchange in the ninth-round, Payano landed a devastating left hook to the ribs that put Payano down. He was unable to recover and referee Vic Drakulich halted the bout 1:43 into the round.
“I wanted to get him out early,” said Nery. “But this showed that I do have the experience to go into the later rounds and still take out my opponent. I showed that I have good defense and can make adjustments.”
The FOX PBC Fight Night main event on FOX and FOX Deportes saw IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant (19-0, 11 KOs) retain his title with a dominant third-round knockout over previously unbeaten Mike Lee (21-1, 11 KOs).
“It went exactly how I planned it would go,” said Plant. “Absolutely. I’ve been telling you all week it wasn’t going to go 12 rounds and I stuck to my word and I tried to do that. I hope you guys had a good time.”
Plant got off to a fast-start, dropping Lee with a left hook late in the first round. The unbeaten challenger was able to recover and survive the round, but was hard-pressed to make up for the hand speed advantage of Plant.
“I think I have a high boxing IQ and I do this at a really high level,” said Plant. “So it was just about making adjustments. He’s a big, strong guy and he just came in here to give it his all.”
Lee looked to charge in hard against Plant and use his size and power to land a big shot and change the momentum of the fight. Plant was sharp and avoided the looping right hands that Lee was attacking with.
“The speed was the difference, he’s fast and very accurate,” said Lee. “I had some success with my right hands but wasn’t able to be consistent with it.”
In round three, Plant landed a vicious right hook early in the round that put Lee down for the second time. After a left hook appeared to connect and send Lee down a second time, referee Robert Byrd ruled it had come from a push and continued the fight once Lee got to his feet.
Plant had his opponent hurt and continued to press forward, eventually landing another left hook that put Lee down, this time forcing the referee to wave off the bout 1:29 into the round.
“I had no issue with the stoppage, that’s the referee’s job and I respect it,” said Lee.
After the fight, Benavidez was asked about a possible unification fight against the winner of the just announced Anthony Dirrell vs. David Benavidez WBC Super Middleweight Championship fight.
“Oh yeah, we can definitely unify,” said Plant. “I ain’t hard to get a hold of. I ain’t hard to make a fight with. Come see me. You know my advisor.”
The opening bout on FOX and FOX Deportes saw Efe Ajagba (11-0, 9 KOs) score a unanimous decision over Ali Eren Demirezen (11-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round battle of undefeated heavyweights. It was the first time that two unbeaten fighters from the 2016 Olympics faced off as pros.
Ajagba used his jab and height effectively throughout the fight, landing 10 of 45 jabs per round, doubling the heavyweight average. However, an elbow injury and the accurate punching of Demirezen forced Ajagba to go the distance for the first time as a pro.
“This was the first fighter to take me the distance,” said Ajagba. “He was strong and could take my punches. My trainer just told me to keep using my jab and stay in the middle of the ring.
“I hurt my elbow early on, so I couldn’t shoot my right hand like I wanted. But I won’t use that as an excuse. As a tall man I had to use the jab and if it went the distance, that was my best way to win.”
Demirezen thought the scorecards should have been closer and believed that his performance should have garnered him more than the decision loss. Demirezen was actually the more accurate puncher, landing 26% of his punches to 22% from Ajagba.
“I don’t agree with the scores, especially 99-91” said Demirezen. “It was much closer. I feel that at minimum, it was a draw. I knew I had to knock him out and that a knockout might be easier than winning by points. I thought it was a good performance but I can do better. I’d like to fight in the U.S. again.”
Ajagba’s activity from start to finish was impressive, as he threw 877 total punches, landing 191. While Demirezen was not far behind with 149 punches landed, he only out landed Ajagba in three rounds.
After 10 rounds of action all three judges scored the fight in favor of Ajagba, by scores of 99-91 twice and 97-93.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
# # # Pacquiao vs. Thurman Headlines Premier Boxing Champions FOX Sports Pay-Per-View Event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas
“You’re going to see a world class performance on July 20 that has me standing alone on top of the division.” – Thurman
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. (July 8, 2019) – Keith “One Time” Thurman’s victories have always been the center of conversation. Even with nine championship fights and eight title defenses already under his belt, his Saturday, July 20 fight against Manny Pacquaio could prove to be the most significant, as he steps onto boxing’s biggest stage looking to capture a momentous victory.
Pacquiao vs. Thurman will pit the undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Thurman against boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The FOX pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
Coming off a majority decision over Josesito Lopez that ended a 22-month ring absence in January, Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs), 30, had won a close unanimous decision over former title holder “Showtime” Shawn Porter in June 2016 and a split-decision over two-division title winner Danny “Swift” Garcia in March 2017, adding Garcia’s WBC crown to his WBA version, before he vacated the WBC title due to injury.
Thurman broke down all of his title performances in anticipation of the fight that could cement his place amongst boxing’s best of this era.
KO 10 Diego Chaves, July 27, 2013, AT&T Center, San Antonio: The 24-year-old Thurman came off a near-shutout unanimous decision over former champion Jan Zaveck in March 2013 and faced an unbeaten Argentine interim WBA champion who was after his fifth consecutive stoppage win and had knocked out 18 of 22 opponents.
Thurman traded early power shots, controlled tempo with his athleticism and boxing ability and floored Chaves with a ninth round left hook to the liver before dropping him for the final time with a right hand in the 10th round. Chaves failed to beat the count as Thurman became a 147-pound titleholder.
“The Diego Chaves fight was the biggest fight of my career, elevating me to the WBA interim champion,” said Thurman. “I broke him down round by round and landed a beautiful body shot in the ninth round and after that it was a matter of time. That was a fight that earned me worldwide respect and was the start of everything for me.”
TKO 9 Jesus Soto Karass, December 14, 2013, Alamodome, San Antonio:Soto Karass’ previous victory was a 12th-round stoppage of two-time belt holder Andre Berto in a fight that saw him rise from an 11th-round knockdown. Hurt by a hard right in the first round, Thurman recovered, flooring Soto Karass with a left uppercut in the fifth and again from a powerful combination in the ninth as the referee ended matters.
“Soto Karass was coming off a victory over Andre Berto which made it an important measuring stick fight for me,” said Thurman, “He did open the fight by tagging me in the first round, but I dropped him in the fifth and again in the ninth and was able to finish him off for my first title defense.”
RTD 3 Julio Diaz, April 26, 2014, StubHub Center, Carson, Calif: In a one-sided beat-down, former champion Diaz took a knee from a left to the temple the second round and retired prior to the fourth from a body shot that caused rib damage. Diaz never fought again.
“That was a tremendous fight for me as the headliner in my first main event,” said Thurman. “Diaz was coming off of good showings against Shawn Porter, fighting Porter to a draw once, and Amir Khan, whom he dropped in their fight. I also had the opportunity to make a statement. I did that by stopping him in only three rounds.”
UD 12 Leonard Bundu, December 13, 2014, the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas: A previously unbeaten 40-year-old switch-hitting veteran, Bundu (31-1-2, 11 KO) was dropped by a first-round right hand in a shutout victory (120-107 three times) for Thurman who ended an eight-month ring absence and was recovering from an injured left shoulder.
“Bundu was a switch-hitting awkward fighter. I switched [to southpaw] on him in the first round and dropped him with a right hand,” said Thurman. “I out boxed him and really gave the world a taste of how good of a boxer I am. It was an easy blowout.”
UD 12 Robert Guerrero, March 7, 2015, the MGM Grand Grand Garden Arena: Thurman entered this bout after having been elevated to the full champion before facing Guerrero (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a two-division title winner. He overcame a grotesque hematoma above his left eye from an accidental clash of heads, dropped “The Ghost” in the ninth-round, and lost a combined four rounds in PBC’s first ever main event.
“Guerrero had fought Floyd Mayweather and I was happy to have a common opponent with Floyd, so that I could prove to the world that I deserved a shot at Mayweather,” said Thurman. “I had to overcome that adversity of having that hematoma by knocking him down in the ninth round. That fight really raised my stock to another level.”
RTD 7 Luis Collazo, July 11, 2015, USF Sundome, Tampa: Thurman overcame a crippling left hand to the liver in the fifth round to become only the man to stop Collazo, a former champion who had gone the distance in losses to Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, Andre Berto and Amir Khan. In a homecoming fight, Thurman opened a deep gash over Collazo’s right eye with his own left hook, eventually resulting in the southpaw’s retiring on his stool after the seventh round.
“I was able to survive that body shot to perform in the next round. The fight was taking its toll on him though. I was becoming more comfortable and accurate as I physically broke him down,” said Thurman. “The arena was electric, and the love was amazing. It was a great homecoming to defend my world title near where I grew up in Clearwater, Florida.”
UD 12 Shawn Porter, June 25, 2016, Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York:Thurman overcame a bullish former champion in Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) before an electric crowd, winning a give-and-take, blood-and-guts brawl by scores of 115-113, on all three judges’ cards. Highlights were Thurman’s clean right hand-left hook combination that buckled Porter’s knees late in the third round, a 10th-round left hook that did the same, and an even more vicious head-swiveling hook in Round 11 of a Fight of The Year standout from 2016.
“Our fight was tough, back and forth, but by no means was Shawn Porter going to take my title,” said Thurman. “I pushed myself over the final rounds to make sure I’d be victorious in what was one of the ‘Fight of The Year’ contenders that year. That fight proved to everyone that I can win any type of fight, against any type of fighter.”
SD 12 Danny Garcia, March 4, 2017, Barclays Center: Thurman won a clash of 28-year-olds over the then unbeaten Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs), along with the WBC’s crown in just the 10th title unification in division history and only the third between a pair of unbeaten fighters. The crowd of 16,533 represented the highest attended boxing match at Barclays Center to date. Thurman’s movement disrupted the timing of Garcia, a Philadelphia-based fighter who was a unified champion at 140-pounds.
“This was two undefeated welterweights going toe-to-toe in the prime of their careers. Danny Garcia’s a sharp puncher who won the WBC’s vacant title that Floyd Mayweather gave up for retirement,” said Thurman. “But after beating Shawn Porter, I knew Danny would be an easy fight. This was my first chance to beat an undefeated world champion, and I came out swinging on him in round one to make a statement that his world title was about to be mine.”
MD 12 Josesito Lopez, January 26, 2019, Barclays Center: Thurman ended an injury-hampered 22-month ring absence against Lopez (36-8, 19 KOs), scoring a second-round knockdown with a left hook, being hurt by a right hand in the seventh, and using his mobility and athleticism down the stretch for the victory.
“I was really nervous about making weight after walking around at 182 for the past two years,” said Thurman. “But even though I got hit and hurt in the seventh round, I knew my boxing ability would get me through. It was a relief to make it through that fight feeling strong and healthy and I’ve taken those feelings right into this training camp.”
Manny Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs), July 20, 2019, the MGM Grand Garden Arena: The 40-year-old Pacquiao has earned back-to-back victories over former champions by seventh-round TKO over Lucas Matthysse (July 2018) and unanimous decision Adrien Broner (January).
“Does Manny belong in the ring with a fighter in his prime? Is Keith Thurman still Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman after some vulnerability against Josesito Lopez?” said Thurman, rhetorically speaking. “Of course, I’d like to get the knockout or TKO, but either way, you’re going to see a world class performance that has me standing alone on top of a division that has so many great fighters. I’m trying to be that great, devastating champion once again, and come July 20, I will prove that I am.”
STACKED CARD SUPPORTS MANNY PACQUIAO VS. KEITH THURMAN SHOWDOWN THAT HEADLINES PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON FOX SPORTS PAY-PER-VIEW EVENT SATURDAY, JULY 20 FROM THE MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA IN LAS VEGAS
Unbeaten Former Champion Omar Figueroa Jr. Tangles withTop Contender Yordenis Ugás in WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator
Hard-Hitting Former Champion Sergey Lipinets Clashes Against Rugged Veteran John Molina Jr. in Welterweight Duel
Former Champions Collide When Unbeaten Brawler Luis Nery Battles Crafty Juan Carlo Payano in Bantamweight ShowdownAt 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT
LAS VEGAS (June 6, 2019) – Undefeated former world champion Omar “El Panterita” Figueroa Jr. takes on Yordenis Ugás in a 12-round WBC welterweight title eliminator highlighting a loaded undercard in support of the Manny Pacquaio vs. Keith Thurman battle for welterweight supremacy that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View on Saturday, July 20 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The action also features hard-hitting former world champion Sergey Lipinets going toe-to-toe against rugged veteran John “The Gladiator” Molina, Jr. in a 10-round welterweight match. The show opens with former world champions squaring-off as undefeated power-puncher Luis “Pantera” Nery takes on slick-boxing Juan Carlos Payano in a 12-round bantamweight bout at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The stacked card is the perfect accompaniment for the summer’s biggest fight, which will pit boxing’s only eight-division world champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao against undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman in a powerhouse 147-pound showdown in the main event. This high-stakes match will firmly give the winner a claim for the top spot in one of boxing’s deepest and most talented divisions.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by MP Promotions, Mayweather Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased online through AXS.com, charge by phone at 866-740-7711 or in person at any MGM Resorts International box office.
“MP Promotions is proud to be co-presenting this all-action undercard with PBC and FOX Sports,” said Sean Gibbons, President of MP Promotions. “It will be a historic night of boxing, spanning many platforms and this is the type of PPV undercard that is jam packed with top-flight boxers. When you look at the fighters involved in supporting what is the best biggest fight of the year – Pacquiao vs. Thurman – you can be assured that the night will be filled with non-stop action.”
Figueroa (28-0-1, 19 KOs) is a come forward boxer-puncher who’s yet to meet an opponent who could slow down his relentless style. The 29-year-old from Weslaco, Texas, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over John Molina Jr. in February on FOX. A former lightweight world champion, Figueroa owns victories over former world champions including Robert Guerrero, Ricky Burns and Antonio DeMarco.
“I’m excited for this fight against a talented Olympian who’s very skilled,” said Figueroa. “I know he will be moving around the ring a lot, so I’m going to have to move with him and chase him all night. I’m going to have to be in really good shape and work hard on my conditioning. This fight has definitely raised the stakes for me, so I know I have to be ready. I’m going to have a good camp and come in with excellent preparation for July 20.”
The 32-year-old Ugás (23-4, 11 KOs) has been one of the busiest welterweight contenders in boxing the last two years, fighting three times in both 2017 and 2018. Ugás, who is from Santiago, Cuba and now lives in Miami, Florida, was on an eight-fight win streak before losing a narrow split-decision to Shawn Porter in a world title fight on FOX in March.
“I’m very excited to be on the biggest card of the year,” said Ugás. “Omar Figueroa Jr. is a tremendous fighter, and that’s the style I like to face. I’m an all-action fighter and the fans are going to be in for a full course meal before the actual main event. That I can promise. You don’t want to miss this event and you don’t want to miss this war. I’m grateful to FOX Sports and PBC for including me in an event of this magnitude.”
The 30-year-old Lipinets (15-1, 11 KOs) made a successful debut at 147-pounds in March with a TKO victory over former two-division champion Lamont Peterson in a PBC on FS1 fight that is an early Fight of the Year frontrunner. Lipinets, who was born in Kazakhstan, grew up in Russia and now lives in Los Angeles, has only one loss on his record. He lost his 140-pound belt in a 2018 showdown against four-division champion Mikey Garcia.
“There’s no slowing down in my march to get that welterweight championship belt,” said Lipinets. “As always, I’m fighting a guy that is very dangerous and tough to the last bell. My title shot is right around the corner. I’m very excited to be part of a show like this and I’m grateful for these opportunities in my career and I promise that I’ll earn my keep. I’m looking forward to becoming a two-time world champion.”
Molina (30-8, 24 KOs) is coming off a close unanimous decision loss to Omar Figueroa Jr. in February. A tough veteran brawler, Molina, of West Covina, California, has been in the ring with some of the top boxers at lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. Over his 13-year career he’s been involved in multiple Fight of the Year contenders while picking up victories over Ruslan Provodnikov, Mickey Bey, Hank Lundy and Ivan Redkach.
“It’s going to be another barnburner like every one of my fights,” said Molina. “My opponent is tough and durable, so I know it is going to be another exciting fight for my fans. There’s no surprises at this stage of the game for me. This is going to be a huge night from top to bottom and I can’t wait.”
Nery (29-0, 23 KOs) is a power puncher and has stopped his last 10 opponents and 14 of his last 15. He scored a TKO victory over Shinsuke Yamanaka for the world bantamweight title in 2018. The 24-year-old southpaw from Tijuana, Mexico is coming off a dominant stoppage victory over McJoe Arroyo on the March PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View.
“I am thrilled to be back on a PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event and to be fighting on a card with my friend, Senator Manny Pacquiao,” said Nery. “To fight in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine since I turned professional. All the great Mexican fighters have fought in the fight capital of the world. My fight against Juan Carlos Payano is the last step to me getting my shot at the WBC championship and getting my belt back. Viva Mexico!”
Payano (21-2, 9 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision victory over then-unbeaten Damien Vazquez in October on FS1. It was a bounce back victory from his loss to Naoya Inoue in a world title match last October. The only other loss in the career of the 35-year-old from La Vega, Dominican Republic came in another world title match, when he dropped a majority decision to Rau’shee Warren in 2016, after previously beating Warren for the title in 2015.
“Manny Pacquiao has been my favorite fighter since I’ve been a pro and I’m very excited to be fighting on this pay-per-view,” said Payano. “I even nicknamed myself ‘Baby Pacquiao,’ so this is a special honor. Fighting Luis Nery is also a great opportunity for me. Luis is a very hungry, strong fighter looking to regain his championship status. Unfortunately, he is not going to do that with me. I’m sure he will be ready and come for war, and so will I.”
Blockbuster Event to Feature Unbeaten Former 168-Pound Champion David Benavidez, Undefeated Former Bantamweight Champion Luis Nery & Fan Favorite Chris Arreola In Separate Bouts on Four-Fight Pay-Per-View Card
ARLINGTON, TX. (February 14, 2019) – Unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. defends his title against undefeated four-division champion Mikey Garcia in a highly anticipated and historic showdown for pound-for-pound supremacy that headlines a Premier Boxing Champions on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event on Saturday, March 16 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The four-fight pay-per-view card will also see unbeaten former super middleweight world champion David Benavidez taking on veteran contender J’Leon Love in a 10-round showdown, undefeated former 118-pound champion Luis Nery battling former champion McJoe Arroyo in a 10-round attraction and fan-favorite Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola facing unbeaten Jean Pierre Augustin for 10-rounds of action.
Tickets for this showdown, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.
Spence and Garcia will go face-to-face on Saturday, February 16 at a press conference in Los Angeles that will air live on FOX from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT. The press conference is open to ticket holders for the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Rafael Rivera featherweight championship fight.
On Tuesday, February 19, Spence and Garcia will square off at a press conference from AT&T Stadium where they will finally go toe-to-toe on March 16.
Garcia is stepping up two weight classes from his last fight to challenge Spence for the welterweight title in Spence’s backyard, not far from the Dallas suburb of DeSoto where Spence grew up a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan. Garcia will be fighting in Texas for the ninth time as a pro and figures to be buoyed by the large contingent of Mexican and Mexican-American fans that will be in attendance.
His task has historical parallels to the paths taken by great fighters like Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, who all moved up multiple weight classes to challenge all-time great welterweights. Mosley and Pacquiao were both successful in moving up from lightweight to defeat Oscar De La Hoya, while Marquez’s rise to welterweight was halted in a decision loss to Floyd Mayweather.
Spence is a power-punching welterweight who has stopped his last 11 opponents heading into this intriguing matchup against the brilliant tactician that Garcia has established himself as. With a clash of two superb boxers in the prime of their careers and squarely in the top-five of the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, the winner can stake a claim as the best boxer in the sport today.
“Errol Spence Jr. vs. Mikey Garcia is a matchup of two highly-skilled and accomplished fighters in a true blockbuster showdown,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Fans will get to see the hometown hero Spence against the Mexican-American superstar Garcia with huge contingents of fans uplifting them to put on a performance to match the moment. Combined with a jam-packed pay-per-view undercard of action fights, this has all the makings of a once-in-a-lifetime event.”
“Spence vs. Garcia is an event that transcends boxing and is a coronation that will crown the new ‘King of Boxing,'” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman and CEO of Ringstar Sports. “In addition to the main event, fight fans will be treated to a spectacular night of boxing featuring three of the most exciting Mexican fighters in the sport in David Benavidez, Luis Nery and Chris Arreola. This is exactly what a pay-per-view card is and should be all about: entertainment and non-stop action from the first bell to the last!”
“We are proud to host a boxing match of this magnitude with Errol Spence Jr. and Mikey Garcia,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “AT&T Stadium was built to house the greatest sporting events on the planet, and we feel we have another incredible boxing event on the horizon with this matchup in our building on March 16.”
Spence (24-0, 21 KOs) is no stranger to big stadium events as he won the IBF title by traveling to England to take on then-champion Kell Brook at Bramhall Lane soccer stadium on May 27, 2017. In front of a raucous crowd of over 27,000 loyal Brook supporters, the 28-year-old Spence stopped Brook in round 11 to wrest away the title.
This will be Spence’s third defense of the title. After beating Brook, he successfully defended it with an eighth-round stoppage of two-division champion Lamont Peterson and then knocked out mandatory challenger Carlos Ocampo in the first round in his last fight at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, near his hometown of Desoto, Texas on June 16. Spence turned pro shortly after representing the U.S. at the 2012 London Olympics with much promise and rose to the championship ranks with wins over former champion Chris Algieri and veteran contenders Leonard Bundu, Alejandro Barrera and Chris van Heerden.
“I can’t wait for March 16th. It doesn’t get bigger than this,” said Spence. “Fighting at AT&T Stadium in my hometown is a dream come true. If I beat Mikey Garcia the way I plan on beating him, I will be the guy in the sport. This is my year and Mikey isn’t going to stop me. I am training like this is the biggest fight of my life and I want to put on a great show for the fans and win convincingly.”
Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) is striving to put together a legendary career and is aggressively pursuing that goal. He has won world championships at featherweight, junior lightweight, lightweight and junior welterweight. He now eyes a welterweight title against the consensus class of the division in Spence. Fighting out of Moreno Valley, California, Garcia unified the IBF and WBC Lightweight World Championships in his last bout by scoring unanimous decision victory over Robert Easter, Jr. on July 28.
The 31-year-old first reached the championship ranks by blitzing through the featherweight and junior lightweight division, defeating Orlando Salido, Juan Manuel Lopez, Roman Martinez and Juan Carlos Burgos to establish himself as a star in the sport. Garcia has been on a fast track since ending a nearly 2-1/2-year hiatus with a knockout victory over Elios Rojas in 2016. After the victory over Rojas, Garcia scored a KO victory over Dejan Zlaticanin for the WBC lightweight championship in January 2017, before defeating four-division champion Adrien Broner in July and then captured a title at 140-pounds by dropping and defeating Sergey Lipinets last March.
“In my career I’ve always sought to fight the best in boxing and this fight against Errol Spence Jr. is just that,” said Garcia. “I want to be known as one of the all-time greats and what better way to do that than to win a welterweight title and become a five-division world champion. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Errol and what he’s accomplished, but I fully expect to leave the ring at AT&T Stadium with the welterweight world title. This is a match that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time and I plan on giving the fans a performance they’ll never forget.”
The 22-year-old Benavidez (20-0, 17 KOs) became the youngest fighter to ever win a super middleweight title in 2017 when he defeated Ronald Gavril at just 20-years-old. Fighting out of Phoenix, Benavidez’s older brother Jose is also a pro fighter who challenged Terrence Crawford last year. Benavidez most recently won a rematch against Gavril last February, and as WBC “Champion in Recess” he will look to reclaim his belt against the winner of the Anthony Dirrell vs. Avni Yildirim bout for the vacant title on February 23.
Born in Detroit but fighting out of Las Vegas, Love (24-2-1, 13 KOs) has long been amongst the top contenders at super middleweight and most recently lost a decision to Peter Quillin in August. The 31-year-old had been previously unbeaten in seven bouts heading into the contest against Quillin.
Currently riding a nine-fight knockout streak, Nery (28-0, 24 KOs) will look to get one step closer to a fight to regain a bantamweight title when he steps into the ring March 16. The 24-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico twice traveled to Japan and stopped Shinsuke Yamanaka in WBC title fights. In 2018 he stopped Jason Canoy and Renson Robles heading into his U.S. debut against Arroyo.
A 2008 Olympian for his home country of Puerto Rico, Arroyo (18-2. 8 KOs) captured a 115-pound championship with a technical decision over Arthur Villanueva in their 2015 clash. After dropping decisions against Rau’shee Warren and Jerwin Ancajas, the 33-year-old most recently defeated Sander Diaz last June.
An exciting brawler inside the ring, Arreola (37-5-1, 32 KOs) is well-known for challenging the best heavyweights in the sport throughout his career, and for becoming a popular attraction in and around his native Los Angeles for his fighting style and persona. The 37-year-old faced the likes of Vitali Klitschko, Tomasz Adamek, and Bermane Stiverne, before challenging Deontay Wilder for his title in 2016. After a brief retirement, Arreola returned to stop Maurenzo Smith last December.
Unbeaten and fighting out of Louisville, Augustin (17-0-1, 12 KOs) will face his toughest and most experienced test to date in Arreola. Born in Haiti, Augustin turned pro in 2014 and has steadily climbed up the heavyweight rankings.
About AT&T Stadium: AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.
