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Andre Dirrell Talks Working with New Trainer Virgil Hunter Ahead of Interim Super Middleweight World Title Rematch Saturday, March 3 against Jose Uzcategui Live on SHOWTIME From Barclays Center in Brooklyn & Presented by Premier Boxing Champions

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Read the whole interview with Dirrell HERE via PremierBoxingChampions.com
 
OAKLAND, CA. (February 23, 2018) – Super middleweight Andre Dirrell is preparing for his rematch with Jose Uzcategui by working with renowned trainer Virgil Hunter and former pound-for-pound great Andre Ward ahead of his showdown for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight title Saturday, March 3 live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by the highly anticipated matchup between heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder and unbeaten challenger Luis Ortiz.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
Dirrell has moved his training camp out to Oakland to train with Hunter and gain wisdom from being around Ward. Ward for his part, feels Dirrell has not yet reached his potential in the ring.
“The way I feel about Andre is the way I’ve always felt, the sky’s the limit,” said the recently retired Ward. “He has the God-given ability and talent to do whatever he wants to do in a boxing ring. In other words, he is blessed with the kind of gifts, that if he’s made up his mind that he won’t allow himself to be beat and if he prepares properly in camp, it’s going to be very hard to beat him.
“With a fighter with Andre’s experience and pedigree, it’s less physical and more psychological. Do you want to be a champion and do you want to dominate your division? If the answer is yes, which I believe it is, then go do it. It sounds simple and in many ways it is, but you have to be very intentional to condition your mind to think this way and really believe it. That’s the reason he is training with Virgil in the Bay Area. Physical training, mental preparation & spiritual preparation. It all matters.”
Here is part of what Dirrell had to say about training camp with Hunter and Ward. Read the full story HERE via PremierBoxingChampions.com.
What are some of the nuances Virgil brings, and will your grandfather, Leon “Bumper” Lawson, remain in your corner?
“Virgil is teaching me similarly to the way my grandfather taught me, and I can easily say that he’s picking up where my grandfather left off. My grandfather put my talents in me, making me the fighter Andre Ward had to worry about back in the day.
“But my grandfather doesn’t have the ability to coach really anymore because he’s in the beginning stages of dementia, but I still have him in my corner, and I always will. Virgil has taken over, and this is bar-none, the best I’ve felt, mentally, in my career. There are little things about Virgil that I had to adapt to.
“Virgil’s sense of humor is raw, playful and serious at the same time. If I stop for one minute, he’ll tell me, ‘It takes one second to get knocked out.’ He teaches with passion, direction and remains focused on the task at hand, really wanting you to instill how important things are, psychologically.”
How beneficial is the atmosphere in Virgil’s gym?
“There is a positive aura in the gym, which is a winning environment. When you walk into that gym, it’s time to work. Virgil lets you know that simply by staring at you. You have Andre Ward’s posters all around you, other fighters’ posters around you. There are a lot of fighters’ faces up on those gym walls, including Andre Berto’s.
“I’m definitely inspired because the atmosphere has everything to offer as far as training. You have the mountains, the beaches. And of course, ultimately, you have Virgil, who has flair about him and a way to generate that fire within you and bring it out of you. The most important thing with Virgil is listening.”
What counsel have you received from Ward?
“Andre’s never really showed any hesitation about offering advice and has always been there to give it to me, no problem at all.  Andre has always been cordial and honest about wanting to see me hold that championship belt. I believe that he’ll see that this year.
“But I can imagine that now that he’s out of the game, he can do it more freely. I recently had a 45-minute conversation over the phone with him about Jesus Christ, but, face-to-face, we’ve spoken quite often. He came down for a few of my sparring sessions and he’ll be coming to a few more.
“We’ve always talked and had a good time, and he’s been quite an inspiration, aside from being a boxer. Andre has a confidence about himself in and out of the ring, so he’s one of the top guys in my life as a motivator for life outside of and beyond boxing.”
Has Virgil broken down the Uzecategui fight?
“Virgil has watched the fight several times, and I’ve watched the fight several times. We both agreed that the mistakes were definitely all mine and both agree that I didn’t use my ring generalship.
“Even with the flaws that I was committing, I still found my groove. I heard myself saying that I had gotten his timing down and was taking over leading up to the end of the fight.
“Uzecategui is a fighter, but that’s it – he’s no boxer. He has great punching ability but not great skills and he’s not fast, so I expect him to attack me like the first fight. He knows how to put a one-two-three together, and he’s hungry.
“As far as boxing goes, I’ll have to teach him a thing or two about how this game is really played. There’s no question I made the first fight harder than it had to be. I look at that first fight with so much confidence.
“I know that I fought it incorrectly, but I was still coming back. He won the first, second and possibly third and fourth rounds, but I was coming back. So this time, I plan on frustrating this boy so much that he’ll be completely off of his game.”
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
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HUGO CENTENO JR. SUFFERS RIB INJURY – INTERIM MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BOUT WITH JERMALL CHARLO RESCHEDULED FOR PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS EVENT SATURDAY, APRIL 21 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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Next Saturday’s Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Doubleheader Will Open With Anticipated Rematch Between Andre Dirrell & Jose Uzcategui
Saturday, March 3 LIVE on SHOWTIME At 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT From Barclays Center In Brooklyn & Presented By 
Premier Boxing Champions
 
BROOKLYN (Feb. 23, 2018) – Middleweight contender Hugo Centeno Jr. suffered a rib injury while training and his Interim WBC Middleweight World Championship bout with Jermall Charlo has been rescheduled for a Premier Boxing Champions event on Saturday, April 21 live on SHOWTIME.
The March 3 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast continues as a doubleheader beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.  In the main event, WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will make the seventh and most difficult defense of his title against fellow-unbeaten heavyweight Luis Ortiz.
In the opening bout of the March 3 doubleheader, Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui will meet for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship in an immediate rematch of one of 2017’s best and most controversial fights.
Charlo vs. Centeno will now be a featured bout on the previously announced April 21 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast presented by Premier Boxing Champions. Four-division world champion Adrien Broner will face undefeated former champion Omar Figueroa and one of boxing’s brightest young stars, Gervonta Davis, returns to the ring as the 23-year-old undefeated former champion looks to regain a title in the 130-pound class.
“While the injury to Centeno is unfortunate, we’re pleased to have the flexibility to keep the Charlo-Centeno fight on our 2018 boxing schedule,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.  “The March 3 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event remains a can’t-miss night for any fight fan, with Deontay Wilder facing the most dangerous opponent of his career in Luis Ortiz, and Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui settling the score in a rematch of one of 2017’s best fights.”
“I’m devastated.,” said Centeno. “I’ve been in the gym for a long time. Being so close to a fight and accomplishing my dream of a world title it’s devastating.
“It happened during sparring. I tried to work through the pain and as the day progressed and the adrenaline subsided I had to go to the ER and get checked out. It’s a good enough injury that it had to be postponed. Nothing was broken, but it was severe enough to keep me from fighting.
“I was just about to peak. Now I have to taper off a bit and cut back to let my body recover and then pick it up and get some momentum back.”
“I’m ready to go,” said Charlo. “I’m 167 pounds right now, and this was the best camp I’ve ever had. I’m so disappointed. I’m at a loss for words. When you want something so bad and you don’t get it, you can’t be a kid about it. You just have to deal with it.
“I’m hungry and I’m ready to get back in the ring. I’m still coming to the fight though. I’m going be there to support Deontay. I love Barclays Center and all my fans in Brooklyn.”
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
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Action-Packed Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz Undercard Includes Long Island’s Alicia Napoleon vs. Femke Hermans for Vacant WBA Women’s Super Middleweight World Title

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Saturday, March 3
Barclays Center in Brooklyn
 
BROOKLYN (February 21, 2018) – The undercard for the heavyweight world title showdown between Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz set for Saturday, March 3, from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING, will now feature an outstanding 10-round women’s world title clash between Long Island’s Alicia “The Empress” Napoleon (8-1, 5 KOs) and undefeated Femke Hermans (6-0, 3 KOs), of Londerzeel, Belgium, for the vacant WBA Women’s Super Middleweight World Title.
“I’m thrilled to be fighting at Barclays Center for this world title,” said Napoleon. “This means so much to me and for women’s boxing in the United States. I’ve worked very hard for many years and dreamed of becoming a world champion and to have my Long Island fans see me challenge for the title makes it even more special.”
“DiBella Entertainment, Premier Boxing Champions, Brooklyn Boxing and SHOWTIME remain committed to women’s boxing and together we have staged, or at least scheduled, a women’s fight of significance on every card we’ve worked on at Barclays Center,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Napoleon is a very charismatic and popular fighter from Long Island and, on March 3, she will have a chance to achieve her dream of becoming a world champion in front of her hometown fans.”
Owner of the two popular Overthrow boxing gyms in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Napoleon made her professional debut in August 2015 winning her first seven fights, including five by stoppage.
Following her first loss on December 10, 2016, to world ranked contender Tori Nelson, Napoleon bounced back to defeat Nikolett Papp, on November 18, 2017, in Queens, New York.
Victorious three times in 2017, Hermans will be leaving Belgium for the first time in her professional career for the world title fight with Napoleon. In her last bout, the 28-year-old won a unanimous decision against Ester Koneca, on September 30, 2017.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by the highly anticipated Wilder vs. Ortiz matchup and will see undefeated former 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo take on Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the interim WBC middleweight title in the co-feature. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with top super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell battling hard-hitting Jose Uzcategui in a rematch for the interim IBF168-pound world title.
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @DiBellaEnt, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Luis Ortiz Training Camp Notes

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Unbeaten Cuban Contender Faces WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder Live on SHOWTIME Saturday, March 3
 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn & Presented by
Premier Boxing Champions
 
MIAMI (February 16, 2018) – Unbeaten heavyweight contender Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz is finally nearing his first world title opportunity as he prepares to take on WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder Saturday, March 3 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
The Premier Boxing Champions event will see undefeated former 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo take on Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the interim WBC middleweight title in the co-feature. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with top super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell battling hard-hitting Jose Uzcategui in a rematch for the IBF Interim 168-pound world title.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
 
Ortiz spoke on a variety of topics as he heads into the highly anticipated showdown with Wilder. Here is what Ortiz had to say from training camp in Miami:
On Deontay Wilder…
“He’s talking too much. He’s going to have to back that up in the ring. He says he’s going to kill ‘King Kong.’ He’s going to knock me out. I want to watch him try. I’m not like those other guys he fought. I’m a real fighter. Tough and with a lot of experience. I’ve been fighting since I was 10 years old.
“He doesn’t intimidate me. His trash talk makes me laugh. It’s just a lot of noise. I’m hungry. I’m doing this for my family. He better take me seriously because he’s going to find himself on the canvas before he knows it. I’m going to show the world who ‘King Kong’ is.”
On his confrontation with Wilder after Ortiz’s last fight…
“Someone told me Wilder was in the crowd, I smiled. I was glad to see him. I knew what he wanted.
“I’m not the kind that likes to trash talk, but I’ve had it with this guy. He talks too much. He has a big mouth. He has insulted me and has said too many dumb things. So when I saw him ringside I told him to get inside the ring and to tell the world once and for all that he was going to fight me. He says he wants to fight the top fighters. I’m a top fighter. Let’s do it.”
On testing positive for a banned substance during training for the first scheduled fight against Wilder…
“A lot of people that believe in me and know me well, know that I would not do anything that can jeopardize my future as a boxer. I have too much at stake: my family, my children and the possibility to provide for them.
“I had been taking that medicine for two years. It was my mistake not to disclose that prescription drug in the paperwork. I never thought a prescription was going to bring me so much trouble. I was taking this medicine to treat high blood pressure, but apparently it’s also used to go to the bathroom a lot and mask other things. I drink two gallons of water per day. I go to the bathroom a lot already. I never put two and two together. I’m clean. The dose they found in my system was too low to mask anything at all. If I would have known this prescription drug was not allowed, I would have told my trainer and my doctor.
“I’m a heavyweight I don’t need to make weight. Why am I going to go to the trouble of taking an illegal substance that makes you go to the bathroom a lot? I have no need. I simply didn’t know it was banned. If I would have known, I would have said something to my trainer or to the doctors.
“I think the fight was not meant to be at that point in time last year. Destiny played a part. It was supposed to be postponed. Now there are no excuses.”
On how important this fight is for him…
“Every fight I’ve had in my career has been important. The key is always to avoid thinking that it’s win or die because that can put you off center. So the way I see it is that this fight is important for me because I have to win it. And I’m going to. It’s a world championship, but for me it’s just another day at work.  My only goal is to win this fight. Win. Win. Win. By winning this fight, everything else unfolds. I get a title and I help my family.”
On what’s going to happen on fight night…
“When I get in the ring, all I will be thinking about is the strategy we put together in the gym. My family is always there. They go to every fight. That was my promise to them when I had to leave them behind in Cuba to come to the United States. They will come with me wherever I go. If I gas out, I look at them and they keep me going. They are my motivation and they will help me achieve this victory.”
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Action-Packed Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz Undercard Features Top Contenders, Former Heavyweight Champion, Prospect Showdowns & Rising Future Stars Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn

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Middleweight Contender Sergey Derevyanchenko Makes Barclays Center Debut;  2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell in a Super Lightweight Attraction;  Patrick Day vs. Kyrone Davis – 10 Rounds Super Welterweights
 
Plus! Former Heavyweight World Champion Charles Martin, Middleweight Willie Monroe & Rising Local Prospect Richardson Hitchins All Enter the Ring!
 
BROOKLYN (February 14, 2018) – The heavyweight world title showdown between Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz will feature a stacked undercard of exciting attractions that includes top contenders, a former heavyweight champion, exciting prospects and more all entering the ring on Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
Action inside the arena includes top middleweight contender Sergey Derevyanchenko facing Dashon Johnson in an eight-round fight, 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell in a six-round super lightweight showdown, and a 10-round matchup between super welterweight prospects Patrick Day and Kyrone Davis.
A 2008 Ukrainian Olympian now fighting out of Brooklyn, Derevyanchenko (11-0, 9 KOs) earned his top contender status in the IBF by stopping Tureano Johnson in the 12th round of their August 2017 showdown and will face California’s Johnson (22-22-3, 7 KOs) as he awaits his title shot.
One of featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr.’s younger brothers, the 21-year-old Russell (3-0, 3 KOs) represented the U.S. at the 2016 Olympic games in Rio and made it to the quarterfinal round. He turned pro in May of last year and has scored three first round stoppages as a pro.
The 25-year-old Day (14-2-1, 6 KOs) fights out of Freeport, New York and most recently won an exciting contest over then unbeaten Eric Walker last July to seize the WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Title. He takes on another prospect looking to leap to contender status in the 23-year-old Davis (13-1, 5 KOs) from Delaware who enters this bout on a three-fight winning streak.
The card continues with former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin (25-1-1, 23 KOs) in an eight-round fight, former world title challenger Willie Monroe Jr. (21-3, 6 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight affair and a pair of local welterweight prospects fighting at Barclays Center for the fourth time as Richardson Hitchins (3-0, 1 KO) and Kenny Robles (2-1, 1 KO) compete in separate six-round attractions. Rounding out the action is unbeaten prospectShynggyskhan Tazhibay (5-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round welterweight bout.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by the highly anticipated Wilder vs. Ortiz matchup and will see undefeated former 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo take on Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the interim WBC middleweight title in the co-feature. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with
top super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell battling hard-hitting Jose Uzcategui in a rematch for the IBF Interim 168-pound world title.
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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Andre Dirrell & Jose Uzcategui Clash in Rematch for IBF Interim 168-Pound World Title Live on SHOWTIME Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn & Presented by Premier Boxing Champions

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Heavyweight Champ Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder
Defends His Title Against Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz
in Main Event & Undefeated Former 154-Pound Champion
Jermall Charlo Battles Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the Interim WBC
Middleweight Title in the Co-Feature
 
BROOKLYN (February 12, 2018) – Top super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell clashes with hard-hitting Jose Uzcategui in a rematch for the IBF Interim 168-pound world title live on SHOWTIME Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, as part of a tripleheader presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder will defend his title against Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader. The telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features undefeated former 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo taking on Hugo Centeno, Jr. for the interim WBC middleweight title in the co-feature.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
The hotly contested first match between Dirrell and Uzcategui, which was also for the IBF interim world title, ended in controversy after Uzcategui was disqualified for landing a punch after the bell sounded to end the eighth round.  Dirrell was dropped and knocked out by the punch. The referee ruled that the punch was intentional and disqualified Uzcategui. In the IBF mandated rematch, Dirrell and Uzcategui will look to put themselves in position to fight for the super middleweight title that Caleb Truax recently earned via a majority decision over James DeGale.
Dirrell (26-2, 16 KOs), a bronze medal winner for the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team, continues his quest for a world championship. The 34-year-old southpaw from Flint, Michigan lost a split decision to Carl Froch in his first attempt in 2009 and dropped a narrow unanimous decision to DeGale in his next attempt in 2015.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of one of the most dynamic tripleheaders this year,” Dirrell said. “This time around I’ll be phenomenal and leave no doubt who the better fighter is. I’m 100 percent focused on dominating Uzcategui on March 3 and getting another shot at the title.”
The 27-year-old Uzcategui (26-2, 22 KOs), who is from Venezuela and now lives in Tijuana, Mexico, worked his way up to the match against Dirrell with a string of four straight stoppage victories, including a stunning upset of Julian Jackson in 2015. Uzcategui dropped Jackson four times on the way to a second round technical knockout victory.
“I’m very excited to go get what’s mine,” said Uzcategui. “I feel I won the last fight. I didn’t feel I did anything wrong. What happened in the last fight is in the past. I’m going to get what belongs to me. The world will see what ‘Bolivita’ can do and they’ll want to see more of me.”
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
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AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER CONDUCTS LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT

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Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
Wilder Defends His WBC Title Against Fellow-Unbeaten Luis Ortiz Saturday, March 3 Live on SHOWTIME
Click HERE for Photos from Esther Lin/SHOWTIME
Click HERE for Photos from Idris Erba/Team Deontay Wilder
LOS ANGELES (Feb. 9, 2018) – Just days after the birth of his daughter, American heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder met with members of the Southern California media on Thursday as he prepares to defend his WBC Heavyweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Luis Ortiz Saturday, March 3 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
Wilder and his girlfriend, fellow “WAGS Atlanta” star Telli Swift welcomed their daughter into the world on Tuesday before Wilder turned his focus to March 3, climbing in the ring at Team Watson Boxing Club in the San Fernando Valley to work out with his Los Angeles-based trainer Mark Breland, the former U.S. Olympics gold medalist and former WBC Welterweight World Champion.
The 32-year-old Wilder owns a perfect record of 39 wins, zero losses and 38 knockouts. Fighting out of his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Ala., he was a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist and is the only reigning American heavyweight world champion.  The 6-foot-7 Wilder faces the toughest opponent of his career in Ortiz, a 6-foot-4 Cuban who owns a professional record of 28-0 with 24 knockouts.
Here is what Wilder had to say on Thursday:
 
DEONTAY WILDER:
“Once I unify all the titles then line up the mandatories, I’ll easily get to 50-0. I’m not a 12-round fighter, and I don’t get overtime. I’m a knockout artist. So that being said, I don’t take much damage, but I give all the damage. I put people in the hospitals. I put people in stretchers. When you fight me your head is not the same when you leave. When you fight me you’re really signing a death warrant.
“This is one of the biggest fights of my career and I’m up for the challenge. I’m going to pass with flying colors.
“Ortiz has got that reputation of being the bogeyman but I’ve never been scared of the bogeyman. For that reason, I wanted him. A lot of people have been avoiding him, even champions that are champions to this day have avoided Luis Ortiz. But this champion right here took on the opportunity.
Even when [Ortiz] failed the drug test once, I still blessed him again because I’m very adamant about what I want to do. I want to fight the best. I say I’m the best. I say it very proudly, I say it very confidently. I say it so boldly and I want to show the world that I don’t play around. If I say it, I really mean what I say. I don’t have time to waste.
“If he fails again then somebody’s going to need to go whoop his ass. The public needs to whoop his ass. All of Miami should get up and do that. The first time, a lot of people spent a lot of time and a lot of money for tickets and he did what he did. A lot of people were enraged. I heard it and a lot of people blamed me, which I don’t know why. But, with this fight right here and what I did with my last performance, it makes it even better. It intensifies the whole fight. So, if he [fails his drug test again] then shame on him. I feel sorry for his soul and his life. I don’t think he’s going to do that. I think he has a lot of responsibilities in his hands right now. At this point in time he knows he needs to do the right thing. Three times is not the charm in all instances.”
“I don’t focus on what these guys are doing. I don’t focus on what their strengths are. I just focus on me. I focus on what I’m capable of doing. I focus on what I’m going to do and when I tell people I’m going to do something, you know I’m going to do it. At the end of the day that’s what my father taught me. There weren’t any contracts back in the day, it was just the shake of a hand. And if you said something and you didn’t abide by it, there’s consequences to your actions, to your words. To this day, I abide by that. So, if I say I’m going to do something it’s guaranteed to be done.”
 
On his lifestyle outside of boxing:
“I just think life itself is just mental. I do a lot of visualization. I do a lot of meditation. It strengthens my mind to go through a lot of the situations that I go through. Having a baby and being on a reality show, all of that is fun stuff. Some people know how to maintain it and some people don’t. I’m just a guy that multitasks a lot of things. I can do a lot of things. Even when I’m talking to you, my mind can be in so many different places right now and still be able to comprehend and interact with you. So, I think I was meant for a lot of things. Boxing is just not what all I can do. I’m so talented in so many different areas.
“I’m a laid back guy. In my personal life I’m just a cool, calm and collected dude that likes to live life and I love peace. Unfortunately, in what I do in the ring, I turn into the ‘Bronze Bomber’ and the ‘Bronze Bomber’ don’t get caught by none.”
 
On being on reality TV and recognized by non-boxing fans:
“I think it’s very important. People need to know who the heavyweight champion of the world is. America got a bad man, an ass-whooper, right in America. I think it’s important and people should understand and should know who that is. That’s why I do the things I do. That’s why I’m so competitive. That’s why I speak the way I speak. Sometimes it may annoy people, it may get on people’s nerves and I never hear it in front of my face, but I understand it. I do it to show people that I’m going to speak it and you’re going to see me deliver it. I think you get the most respect when you say something you’re going to do and you do it. Look at Ali, people hated him. They say he was a big mouth who ran his mouth too much but he proved himself many times and that’s that thing I want to do. I want to speak what I say I’m going to do and you watch me work.”
On Anthony Joshua:
“I want him just as bad as everybody else wants him. If it was up to me, we would’ve been fighting two years ago. I’ve been calling this man out. When they hyped him up and said he was this, said he was that. I’m the type of person that I get happy for other people. With me and my happiness and me being successful, that’s all up to me. It ain’t up to nobody else. So, when I see other people doing great things, when I see good things coming to other people, I get happy for other people. It’s a hard thing for people to get happy for other people because things don’t happen for them but I’m not like that because I know my blessings will sure enough come. All I got to do is keep working.
“I come in peace all of the time but with him, I don’t think Joshua wants to fight me. His promoters don’t want him to fight me. They’re on the goal of trying to build this resume, saying they want to be the first billionaires, stuff like that. But doing that, the plans all end with me. All roads lead to me. I’m not going nowhere, no time soon. They know black don’t crack. So, I’m going to be around for a long time. I ain’t the best heavyweight in the division. I’m the best heavyweight on this earth. I’m just waiting on the opportunity to prove it.”
Prediction on Joshua-Parker:
“I’ve always said ‘later rounds’. I see that fight going later rounds if Joseph Parker is smart in what he does. He has nice movement and is able to execute on all of the opportunities that he sees with Joshua. Because Joshua can’t move his head. He’s a muscle, body-building type of guy. You’ve seen my dance? [chuckles] With that, if he’s able to calculate what he needs to do in the ring – because the ring has a lot of secrets – if he’s able to do things he needs to do, I see late rounds. But, like I said before, I think they’re going to have to knock Joshua out because they’re not going to give it to him.”
Prediction for March 3:
“People ask me the round and I always see threes. This year is a magical year. It’s the year of the 33. So, I see threes everywhere. I see three rounds or less, maybe shorter than that. It all depends on how I feel when I see him.”
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Premier Boxing Champions, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

Jermall Charlo Houston Media Workout Quotes & Photos

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Unbeaten Former World Champion Meets Hugo Centeno Jr. Saturday, March 3 in Interim Middleweight Title Showdown Live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn & Presented by
Premier Boxing Champions
 
Click HERE for Photos from Andrew Hemingway/SHOWTIME
 
HOUSTON (February 8, 2018) – Unbeaten former 154-pound world champion Jermall Charlo hosted a media workout Thursday in his hometown of Houston as he prepares for his WBC Interim Middleweight World Title showdown against Hugo Centeno Jr. Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
The Premier Boxing Champions event will be headlined by heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder defending his title against unbeaten contender Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
Here is what Charlo and his trainer Ronnie Shields had to say Thursday from Charlo Boxing and Fitness Club in Houston:
JERMALL CHARLO
“It’s going to be a tough fight against Hugo Centeno Jr. If he can stand up to my power, we’re going to fight and it’ll be a brutal war. If he can’t, I’ll take him out in the first round.
“We can’t let Houston down now. My brother and I have made it this far. We can’t stop now. It’s my turn to put on a spectacular performance on March 3. I’m trying to one-up my brother’s previous performance each time I step in there.
“My goal is to show everybody that I’m the best middleweight in the world. I’m going to keep fighting everyone they put in front of me. I’m going to knock them out one-by-one until Canelo or Golovkin have to face me.
“I’ve had the chance to work on some improvements to my game since my last fight. I think having even more patience in the ring is going to help step my game up even higher. I want to be a champion at middleweight more than I did at 154-pounds.
“Hugo Centeno Jr. is another fighter who is in my way. I know he’ll come in prepared, but I’m confident I’m going to walk out of there with the victory.
“This is going to be a big year for me and my brother. We’re going to keep showing everyone why we’re so feared.”
RONNIE SHIELDS, Charlo’s Trainer
“Jermall looks great in training camp and we expect him to be at his best come March 3. He’s motivated to put on a good show and prove to everyone he’s a force in this division.
“Hugo Centeno is a quality fighter. He’s well-trained and has length, so Jermall knows he has to be prepared. Centeno isn’t going to let him win, Jermall is going to have to go in and impose his will on the man.
“I believe Jermall has the talent and determination to beat any of the top middleweights out there. We’re going to keep working every day so that when the time comes for one of those fights with a Golovkin or Canelo, he’ll be prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.”
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For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
boxing, Showtime, Showtime Boxing

SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO PRESENT ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. JOSEPH PARKER HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION SATURDAY, MARCH 31 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

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All Four Heavyweight World Championship Titles At Stake On Industry-Leading 2018 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Schedule

 

Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing; Click Image For High-Res Version

 

NEW YORK – February 5, 2018 – SHOWTIME Sports will present the heavyweight world championship unification between undefeated IBF and WBA World Champion Anthony Joshua and unbeaten WBO World Champion Joseph Parker on Saturday, March 31 live on SHOWTIME from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. 

 

 

 

 

The British sensation Joshua, who has knocked out all 20 of his professional opponents, burst onto the global scene with a dramatic knockout of long-reigning heavyweight kingpin Wladimir Klitschko in the universally acclaimed 2017 Fight of the Year. In two fights last year, Joshua drew 168,000 spectators combined to massive stadium events in the U.K. Now, he faces another significant challenge in Parker, a native of New Zealand with 24 wins, no losses and 18 knockouts.  Parker is attempting the third world title defense of his WBO belt.

 

 

 

 

With the addition of Joshua vs. Parker, all four heavyweight world championship belts will be at stake in the same month on SHOWTIME as undefeated American Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) will defend his WBC title against unbeaten Luis Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) on Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The four top-rated heavyweights — Wilder, Ortiz, Joshua and Parker — boast a combined record of 111 wins, zero losses and 100 knockouts. 

 

 

 

 

Both heavyweight championships are cornerstones of a remarkable 2018 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING schedule that now includes 16 undefeated fighters and 13 world titles fights across 11 marquee events through the first six months of the year. 

 

 

 

 

“The heavyweight division is in the midst of a renaissance, and SHOWTIME is delivering all of the pivotal bouts to our subscribers,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programing, Showtime Networks Inc. “Anthony Joshua is a global superstar, and we’re proud to present his sixth, and perhaps most challenging, world title fight to the U.S. audience. Joshua vs. Parker will be the 12th heavyweight world championship match on SHOWTIME since Deontay Wilder won his title in 2015, an undisputed industry-leading offering in boxing’s preeminent division.”

 

 

 

 

Joshua vs. Parker is just the second heavyweight championship unification in history between undefeated world titleholders. The only fighter to emerge victorious from a matchup of unbeaten heavyweight world champions was Mike Tyson in 1987.

 

 

 

 

The event is promoted by Matchroom Boxing in association with Duco Events. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will televise the event live from Principality Stadium where organizers expect a sell-out of 80,000 spectators. The host of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Brian Custer. Mauro Ranallo calls the action from ringside along with International Boxing Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paul Malignaggi. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSIP BOXING is produced by David Dinkins Jr, and directed by Chuck McKean. The start time for the March 31 telecast will be announced. 

 

 

 

 

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, Google, Xbox One and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Now, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Channels. 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

boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER  MAKES SEVENTH DEFENSE AGAINST UNDEFEATED CONTENDER LUIS ORTIZ SATURDAY, MARCH 3 FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN & PRESENTED BY PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS

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ALSO IN ACTION! UNDEFEATED FORMER WORLD CHAMPION JERMALL CHARLO BATTLES ONCE-BEATEN HUGO CENTENO JR. FOR INTERIM 160-POUND TITLE
 IN CO-FEATURE
BROOKLYN (Jan. 23, 2018) – Undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder will face his toughest opponent to date when he meets hard-hitting Cuban southpaw Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz Saturday, March 3 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The co-feature of the evening will see the return of undefeated former 154-pound world champion Jermall Charlo, a powerful knockout artist who is looking to prove that he is a dangerous contender in the star-studded middleweight division. Once-beaten contender Hugo Centeno Jr. will test Charlo’s 160-pound credentials when they meet in a 12-round match to determine the WBC interim champion, with the winner immediately stepping into the picture for middleweight supremacy.
Tickets for the show, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com, BarclaysCenter.com, or call 800-745-3000. Tickets for the event can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
“We’re very excited to bring the heavyweight champion of the world, Deontay Wilder, back to Brooklyn for his seventh title defense and third appearance at Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “This fight is happening because Deontay wanted to silence his critics by taking on the biggest challenge available. Deontay has an axe to grind with Ortiz and will swing it on March 3. Former 154-lb. champion Jermall Charlo is already a top player at middleweight and plans to prove he’s carried his power with him by facing one of the division’s best prospects, Hugo Centeno Jr., who is coming off a huge knockout victory in his last fight.”
“Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz is one of the best fights that can be made in the heavyweight division and its’ what heavyweights are all about – power versus power,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Everybody loves the knockout and that’s what Wilder and Ortiz specialize in. In the co-main event, Jermall Charlo is strictly seek and destroy in the ring. That ferocious spirit made him a force at 154 and he has brought it with him to the 160 pound ranks. Centeno is a rugged competitor and he doesn’t back down from anyone. That makes this a can’t miss fight for the boxing fans.”
True heavyweights in every sense of the word, the 6-foot-7, 228-pound Wilder and the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Ortiz have 62 combined knockout victories.
The 32-year-old Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs), the only reigning American heavyweight world champion, is a knockout artist with the power to end any fight in spectacular fashion. His only professional match that went the distance was the fight in which he won his world title with a dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Bermane Stiverne on Jan. 17, 2015 -the birthday of legendary heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. The champion out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama added Stiverne to his list of knockout victims in his last fight with a devastating first round destruction in their rematch at Barclays Center on Nov. 4.
Wilder was originally supposed to fight Ortiz that night, but Ortiz was pulled from the match after he tested positive for a banned substance. Ortiz was later cleared after the WBC determined he had failed to list medication that he was taking on his pre-testing paperwork, which triggered the positive test. He was assessed a fine and allowed to resume boxing.
Wilder, a Bronze Medal winner for the U.S. Olympic boxing team at the 2008 Beijing Games, has successfully defended the title six times. This will be his third title defense at Barclays Center. In his first defense at Barclays Center, Wilder scored a memorable ninth-round knockout over Artur Szpilka back in Jan. 2016.
“I’m looking forward to returning to Barclays Center to defend my title for a seventh time,” Wilder said. “Luis Ortiz is one of the toughest guys around and he’s supposed to be the boogeyman in the heavyweight division. But I’ve never been afraid of the boogeyman and I’ve knocked out every opponent that I’ve faced. I plan on keeping that streak going. Everyone standing in my way of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion has to go down. It’s Luis Ortiz’s turn.”
The 38-year-old Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs), of Camaguey, Cuba by way of Miami, Fla., will make his Barclays Center debut when he meets Wilder for his first title shot. The hard-hitting southpaw turned pro seven years ago after defecting from Cuba and has since been steadily climbing the heavyweight ladder. He cemented his standing in the division with victories over veteran contenders Bryant Jennings, Tony Thompson and Malik Scott and is the No. 1-ranked contender by the WBC. In his most recent fight, Ortiz scored a devastating second-round knockout of Daniel Martz in Miami, Florida on Dec. 15.
If Ortiz wins, he will become the first Cuban born fighter to win a heavyweight world championship.
“This really is the best versus the best as far as the heavyweight division, and everyone who knows boxing knows that,” Ortiz said. “There’s been too much talking already. It’s time to fight. All I ask now is that the winner of this fight receives the respect from the other man, from the public, from the media and the fans that they deserve as the best heavyweight in the U.S.”
Charlo (26-0, 20 KOs) won his super welterweight title with a dominant knockout of Cornelius Bundrage in 2015 and eventually achieved the distinction of holding a world title in the same weight class (154 pounds) as his twin brother after Jermell won a title in 2016. After successfully defending his 154-pound title three times, Charlo of Richmond, Texas decided to move up to 160 pounds to win another title in a different weight class. In his debut at 160-pounds the 27-year-old scored a TKO victory over Jorge Sebastian Heiland at Barclays Center on July 29.
“I really love fighting in Brooklyn and at Barclays Center,” said Charlo. “The fans in Brooklyn always show me a lot of love. Since my last fight I’ve had a chance to work on my patience and work on improvements to my game. I’ve got the same feeling that I had before I won my first world title. I want to be a champion at 160 more than I did the first time at 154. More than anything I just want to get back in the ring. Centeno is a tough fighter. He’ll be a hard test for someone who isn’t at my level. I’m not taking anything away from him. But he’s just another fighter that’s in my way. I don’t feel like I have anything to prove to anyone else in this fight. I’m all about proving things to myself now. In the 160-pound division you’re hearing my name more and more. It’s more than you did when I was at 154 pounds.”
The 26-year-old Centeno (26-1, 14 KOs) caught everyone’s attention when he scored a stunning knockout of Immanuwel Aleem in his last fight on Aug. 25. It was enough to springboard Centeno into middleweight title contention. Centeno of Oxnard, California successfully rebounded from a tough TKO loss to Maiej Sulecki on June 18, 2016 with a victory over Ronald Montes before his match against Aleem.
“I’m excited for the opportunity,” said Centeno. “I think my last outing had a lot to do with this/ It helped to put me in this position. Charlo is a great fighter with a lot of talent. I feel like we have similar statures. It’s going to be an interesting fight. I think it’s going to come down to who is the smarter fighter that night and who has more left in the tank toward the end. This is a life-changing, career-changing fight for me that could lead to bigger and better things. I’m coming to win.”
 # # #
For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com,
follow us on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, @BarclaysCenter, @Brooklyn_Boxing and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter,
and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.