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boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

ADONIS STEVENSON vs. SAKIO BIKAUNDERCARD   PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) On CBS

Saturday, April 4, At 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT From Pepsi Coliseum In Quebec City, Canada
Click HERE for photos from the undercard press conference

Credit: Amanda Kwok / PBC on CBS

 

QUEBEC CITY (April 2, 2015) – Before the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions on CBS telecast begins (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT), a bevy of young stars will look to ignite the Pepsi Coliseum crowd in a series of undercard bouts beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the live event are on sale and can be purchased at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

 

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika and featuring Artur Beterbievas he faces Gabriel “The Handsome Man” Campillo, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

 

Headlining the undercard action is rising undefeated super welterweight contender Julian “J Rock” Williams (18-0-1, 11 KOs), who’ll be looking to continue his rise to stardom when he faces exciting Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (24-2-1, 14 KOs)in a 10-round welterweight bout.

 

In another top non-televised match, Kevin Bizier (23-2, 16 KOs)returns to the ring in his hometown to face Fouad El Massoudi (12-4, 1 KO)in an eight-round super welterweight showdown. In an eight-round heavyweight scrap, undefeated Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (15-0, 10 KOs) will face Oezcan Cetinkaya (19-9-2, 13 KOs).

 

In a pair of super welterweight bouts, Sebastien Bouchard (9-1, 3 KOs) will take on Denis Farias (19-6-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round clash and Custio Clayton (2-0, 1 KO) will faceRonald Berti (4-3-1, 1 KO)in a six-round showdown.

 

The remainder of the card is rounded out by a trio of Canadian prospects looking to build their pro resumes. Jan Michael Poulin (1-0-1) takes on Michel Tsalla (1-9-2) in a four round middleweight bout, Vislan Dalkhaev (1-0) battles Adel Hadjouis (7-3) in a four-round bantamweight bout and Shakeel Phinn (1-0, 1 KO) faces Roody Rene (0-2-1)in a four-round super middleweight bout.

 

An undefeated prospect hailing from f the great fighting city of Philadelphia, Williams is looking to keep his undefeated record intact and impress on the big stage. The 24-year-old faces a stiff test in Miami-native Hernandez. The 30-year-old Hernandez has battled some of the best in boxing and he intends to hand Williams his first professional loss when the two square off.

After dropping a title-eliminator by split decision in his last bout, Bizier, 30, returns to his hometown of Quebec looking to get back in the win column and into title contention. He hopes to build his case with a victory over the 27-year-old El Massoudi, who is making his North American debut. The fighter out of Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dome, France hopes to make an immediate impact in his battle against Bizier.

 

An undefeated heavyweight who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, Rivashas fought exclusively in his adopted hometown of Montreal since turning pro in 2009. He’ll be making his first start at Pepsi Coliseum when he faces Cetinkaya, of Kassel, Hessen, Germany.

 

Fighting for the third time as a professional at Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec’s Bouchard is seeking his second consecutive victory since suffering his lone defeat. The 27-year-old faces a difficult test in the experienced Farias, of Aulnay-sous-bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. This is the 27-year-old Farias’ first fight outside of France.

 

A 2012 Canadian Olympian, Clayton looks to build his professional resume and show why he was considered one of the best amateur boxers to come out of Canada. The 27-year-old from Montreal battles the 27-year-old Berti from Bracquegnies, Belgium.

 

A latecomer to the professional ranks, Poulin is looking to build off of his first career victory in December 2014. The 32-year-old from Quebec faces the 31-year-old Tsalla, who also hails from Quebec.

 

Russian-born but fighting out of Quebec, Dalkhaev is making his second pro start after earning his first pro victory in December 2014. The 26-year-old will be tested by the 28-year-old Hadjouis, of Rueil-Malmaison, Haut-de-seine, France.

 

Rounding out the non-televised undercard, Phinn, 24, will be looking for his second pro victory after picking up a TKO win over Eddie Gates in January of this year. The Quebec-native battles the 36-year-old Rene out of Ontario.

 

Below are quotes from Thursday’s press conference:

 

YVON MICHEL, President of GYM

“In my opinion, the biggest fight in the history of Pepsi Coliseum was Pascal-Hopkins 1, but the scale of this event presented on a general network like CBS exceeds all that was done previously. “We are privileged to have the PBC series for this historic first. All of this is possible thanks to Adonis Stevenson. The undercard is also stacked.

 

“PBC on CBS will also ensure that the people there love the experience. There will be screens everywhere and spectacular entrances. It will be a unique experience!” added the promoter.”

 

BERNARD BARRE, Executive Vice President of GYM 

“There will be 10 fights  Saturday, including nine non-televised bouts that only people who bouthg tickets to be at the Coliseum will see.  It’s a Marathon!”

 

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I’m just looking to perform well and get the win on Saturday. I’ve been preparing and training extremely hard for this fight. I’m taking it one fight at a time, and I’m definitely not looking past a fighter like Hernandez.”

 

JOEY HERNANDEZ

“There’s no excuses this time around. I’ve had some trouble motivating myself for training in the past, but not this time. I respect my opponent and have worked very hard to prepare for this fight. This will be the fight of my life and I’m looking to put on a great show on Saturday.”

 

KEVIN BIZIER“I’m happy to close the Coliseum. It is my home here. And you know I always do good fights! My opponent will come to fight and he loves going inside to brawl. It will be a good battle me and him. May the best man win Saturday.”

FOUAD EL MASSPOUDI

“It is a first time for me in Canada. I am ready for this fight and we have all the weapons to succeed”

 

OEZCAN CETINKAYA

“I’m glad to have the opportunity to box at the Quebec Coliseum. It’s a new year and I look forward to make a statement this year

 

SEBASTIEN BOUCHARD

“We worked hard in the gym and that labor paid off when I stopped Cédric Spera. We continued in the same vein for this fight.”

DENIS FARIAS

“It’s been over a month I’ve been training twice a day for this fight. I came here to win.”

JAN-MICHAEL POULIN

“I look forward to settling something Saturday. It’s nothing personal against Michel Tsalla, but I have a draw to erase against him.”

MARC RAMSAY (trainer of Vislan Dalkhaev)

“I have a special history with Vislan Dalkhaev. Initially, he came here on the recommendation of Artur Beterbiev. The initial goal was to help Artur to acclimate to Montreal and I knew that having a friend here would help. At the gym, however, I discovered that, not only were they friends of the each other, but Vislan was a high-level boxer.” 

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For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.groupeyvonmichel.ca, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @yvonmichelgym, @AdonisSuperman and @Sakio_Bika, follow the conversation using #StevensonBika, become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog athttp://theboxingblog.sho.com.
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

RISING STAR JULIAN WILLIAMS BATTLES JOEY HERNANDEZ PLUS, A HOST OF CANADIAN PROSPECTS & CONTENDERS TO BE FEATURED ON ADONIS STEVENSON VS. SAKIO BIKA UNDERCARD

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Don’t Miss Any Of The Action Leading Up To The Inaugural Premier Boxing Champions on CBS Event (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT)

 

First Fight Starts At 1 p.m. at Pepsi Coliseum

 

Click HERE for photos from the undercard press conference

Credit: Amanda Kwok / PBC on CBS

 

QUEBEC CITY (April 2, 2015) – Before the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions on CBS telecast begins (3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT), a bevy of young stars will look to ignite the Pepsi Coliseum crowd in a series of undercard bouts beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

 

Tickets for the live event are on sale and can be purchased at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

 

PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika and featuring Artur Beterbiev as he faces Gabriel “The Handsome Man” Campillo, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

 

Headlining the undercard action is rising undefeated super welterweight contender Julian “J Rock” Williams (18-0-1, 11 KOs), who’ll belooking to continue his rise to stardom when he faces exciting Joey “Twinkle Fingers” Hernandez (24-2-1, 14 KOs)in a 10-round welterweight bout.

 

In another top non-televised match, Kevin Bizier (23-2, 16 KOs)returns to the ring in his hometown to face Fouad El Massoudi (12-4, 1 KO)in an eight-round super welterweight showdown. In an eight-round heavyweight scrap, undefeated Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (15-0, 10 KOs) will face Oezcan Cetinkaya (19-9-2, 13 KOs).

 

In a pair of super welterweight bouts, Sebastien Bouchard (9-1, 3 KOs) will take on Denis Farias (19-6-2, 1 KO) in an eight-round clash and  Custio Clayton (2-0, 1 KO) will face  Ronald Berti (4-3-1, 1 KO)in a six-round showdown.

 

The remainder of the card is rounded out by a trio of Canadian prospects looking to build their pro resumes.  Jan Michael Poulin (1-0-1) takes on Michel Tsalla (1-9-2) in a four round middleweight bout, Vislan Dalkhaev (1-0) battles Adel Hadjouis (7-3) in a four-round bantamweight bout and Shakeel Phinn (1-0, 1 KO) faces Roody Rene (0-2-1)in a four-round super middleweight bout.

 

“In my opinion, the biggest fight in the history of Pepsi Coliseum was Pascal-Hopkins 1, but the scale of this event presented on a general network like CBS exceeds all that was done previously,” said GYM president Yvon Michel. “We are privileged to have the PBC series for this historic first. All of this is possible thanks to Adonis Stevenson. The undercard is also stacked.

 

“PBC on CBS will also ensure that the people there love the experience. There will be screens everywhere and spectacular entrances. It will be a unique experience!”

 

An undefeated prospect hailing from f the great fighting city of Philadelphia, Williams is looking to keep his undefeated record intact and impress on the big stage.  The 24-year-old faces a stiff test in Miami-native Hernandez. The 30-year-old Hernandez has battled some of the best in boxing and he intends to hand Williams his first professional loss when the two square off.

 

“I’m just looking to perform well and get the win on Saturday,” said Williams. “I’ve been preparing and training extremely hard for this fight. I’m taking it one fight at a time, and I’m definitely not looking past a fighter like Hernandez.”

 

“There’s no excuses this time around,” said Hernandez. “I’ve had some trouble motivating myself for training in the past, but not this time. I respect my opponent and have worked very hard to prepare for this fight. This will be the fight of my life and I’m looking to put on a great show on Saturday.”

 

After dropping a title-eliminator by split decision in his last bout, Bizier, 30, returns to his hometown of Quebec looking to get back in the win column and into title contention. He hopes to build his case with a victory over the 27-year-old El Massoudi, who is making his North American debut. The fighter out of Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dome, France hopes to make an immediate impact in his battle against Bizier.

 

An undefeated heavyweight who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, Rivas has fought exclusively in his adopted hometown of Montreal since turning pro in 2009. He’ll be making his first start at Pepsi Coliseum when he faces Cetinkaya, of Kassel, Hessen, Germany.

 

Fighting for the third time as a professional at Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec’s Bouchard is seeking his second consecutive victory since suffering his lone defeat. The 27-year-old faces a difficult test in the experienced Farias, of Aulnay-sous-bois, Seine-Saint-Denis, France. This is the 27-year-old Farias’ first fight outside of France.

 

A 2012 Canadian Olympian, Clayton looks to build his professional resume and show why he was considered one of the best amateur boxers to come out of Canada. The 27-year-old from Montreal battles the 27-year-old Berti from Bracquegnies, Belgium.

 

A latecomer to the professional ranks, Poulin is looking to build off of his first career victory in December 2014. The 32-year-old from Quebec faces the 31-year-old Tsalla, who also hails from Quebec.

 

Russian-born but fighting out of Quebec, Dalkhaev is making his second pro start after earning his first pro victory in December 2014. The 26-year-old will be tested by the 28-year-old Hadjouis, of Rueil-Malmaison, Haut-de-seine, France.

 

Rounding out the non-televised undercard, Phinn, 24, will be looking for his second pro victory after picking up a TKO win over Eddie Gates in January of this year. The Quebec-native battles the 36-year-old Rene out of Ontario.  

 

#       #       #

 

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.groupeyvonmichel.ca, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @yvonmichelgym, @AdonisSuperman and @Sakio_Bika, follow the conversation using #StevensonBika, become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog athttp://theboxingblog.sho.com.
boxing, ShoBox, Showtime Boxing

UNBEATEN BROOKLYNITES FRANK GALARZA, IEVGEN KHYTROV AND SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO FEATURED ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TRIPLEHEADER AT AVIATOR SPORTS AND EVENTS CENTER IN BROOKLYN, N.Y.

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Friday, April 10 At 10 p.m. ET/PT; Live on SHOWTIME®

                                                                                                           

NEW YORK (April 2, 2015) – Brooklyn-native, unbeaten Frank “Notorious” Galarza (16-0-2, 10 KOs) returns to the ring to battle Belgium’s Sheldon “The Closer” Moore (13-2-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout headlining ShoBox: The New Generation  tripleheader on Friday, April 10 from the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

 

Galarza, regarded by many as “The Brooklyn Rocky,” continues to make up for lost time. His shocking second-round knockout victory over the favored John Thompson on his ShoBox: The New Generationdebut, was one of the most memorable knockouts of the year.  Galarza has been on a tear since.

 

“Galarza was a fortuitous find by ShoBox,’’ acknowledged boxing historian and ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood. “Since he upset Thompson, he’s won four more times, and looked better each time. The level of his opposition doesn’t allow him to be called a contender yet, but he’s made major strides. I would think at age 29 he would try to make this a breakthrough year for him.”

 

The Galarza-Moore bout is one of three scheduled eight-rounders on a telecast that has a distinct Brooklyn flavor to it. Undefeated power-punching middleweight Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (9-0, 9 KOs) and stablemate, blue-chip super middleweight prospect Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3 KOs/World Series of Boxing: 23-1, 7 KOs) also reside in Brooklyn.

Khytrov takes on fellow unbeaten Aaron “Heavy Metal” Coley (9-0-1, 6 KOs), of Hayward, Calif., while the world-ranked Derevyanchenko will box once-beaten Alan “Amenaza/Threat” Campa (13-1, 1 NC, 9 KOs), of Sonora, Mexico.

Tickets for the event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing  are on sale and priced at $100, $70 and $35. Tickets can be purchased by calling DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET.

 

For Galarza, who’s creeping up in the world rankings, the recent surge couldn’t come at a better time. A physically strong, aggressive boxer-puncher, Galarza got a late start in boxing and had only 11 amateur fights.

 

“The time for me is definitely now,’’ he said. “My first ShoBox fight set the platform for me. I didn’t just win a fight that absolutely nobody thought I could, I won it in grand style. I made a statement. I’ve continued to grow and feel I’ve gotten better since that fight. But I’m here to show people what I’m all about, continue to train very hard and just take it little by little, one fight at a time.

 

“It’s exciting to fight in the televised main event in my backyard. I’ve never been more motivated for a match. I want to thank SHOWTIME for giving me another opportunity to fight on ShoBox.’’

 

Style-wise, Galarza believes this is a great matchup for him. “Moore looks physically big and strong, tough and hungry and comes to fight,’’ he said. “He’s aggressive and that’s the best part about it – it should make for a great fight. I can be aggressive, too. I know he’s coming to fight and everybody knows I’m not moving backwards, so I expect fireworks.

 

“I come to fight every time, especially on SHOWTIME, on ShoBox where they give you opponents of good caliber who are expected to put on a show and expected to make a good fight.

 

“It’s in Brooklyn, my hometown, and I want to entertain the people. This is my show, my homecoming, and I will defend my home turf. I have a job to do on April 10, but after that, the big names of the division are going to be forced to deal with me. I’m 29 and laying it all on the line.’’

 

In his most recent ShoBox appearance, Galarza won a unanimous eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Sebastien Bouchard (8-0 going in) on May 16, 2014, by the scores of 78-73 and 77-74 twice despite having a point deducted for a low blow in the final round.

 

Galarza’s opponent, 27-years-old Moore, is making his ShoBox debut and fourth start in the United States where he is 1-1-1. He last appeared in the U.S. in June 2012.

“This is a huge opportunity for me and my career, hands down this is the biggest fight of my life,” Moore said. “It is a must-win fight for me. I have seen a few of Galarza’s fights and I am fully confident that I have what it takes to upset him in his backyard. This is a dream come true for me, fighting on national television, and I plan on showing the boxing world that I belong at the elite level of this division.

“My style is definitely aggressive. I like to walk down my opponent. Galarza has good movement and good reach. But this fight will be the first fight where I don’t have to work on the side during the preparation. I’m 100 percent dedicated to the sport and set to go on April 10.”

 

The 5-foot-10 Moore has won his last two fights, the most recent on a first-round knockout over Janos Varga last Dec. 20 in Belgium. Just like Galarza, he got a late start in boxing and had a limited amateur career (27 bouts). He did kickboxing when he was 15, but didn’t have his first amateur fight until the age of 19.

 

Khytrov (pronounced HE-trov) was a phenomenal amateur with reportedly 500 amateur bouts. He was the 2011 amateur world champion and a representative for Ukraine in the 2012 Olympic Games.

 

This will be his second appearance on ShoBox. In his debut on Jan. 9, he destroyed the previously undefeated Maurice Louishomme, winning by third-round TKO. He lit up Louishomme with right hands and uppercuts to the body, staggering him on multiple occasions in a one-sided affair that was stopped at 0:24 in the third round.

 

Aggressive, offensive-minded Khytrov has fought a total of 27 rounds in nine starts, an average of three rounds a fight – and that includes his career-best eighth-round TKO over always-tough Puerto Rican Jorge Melendez on March 6.

 

“Ievgen [pronounced YEV-gin, with a hard G] is as fan-friendly a fighter as you’ll find, never takes a backwards step, looks to hurt his opponent with every punch,’’ Farhood said.  “After nine fights, he shows all the signs that he’ll be a title contender in a year-to-18 months. His most recent, a stoppage over Jorge Melendez, was a bold move to take on a dangerous and experienced opponent and he took him out, broke him down. What does that tell me?”

 

One of the top prospects in boxing, the 5-foot-11, 26-year-old Khytrov has been moved at a much faster pace than most other prospects at this stage of their careers. He made his professional debut at age 25 in December 2013 and fought six times in 2014. This is his third fight of 2015. All of his fights have been in the United States.

Khytrov, who relocated to Brooklyn shortly after the 2012 Olympics, is eager for April 10 to arrive. “I am very excited to be returning to the ring on April 10, especially being that the fight is in my adopted home of Brooklyn,’’ he said. “I want to thank my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. and my manager Al Haymon for this opportunity to once again showcase my skills on ShoBox.

“I expect a tough fight out of Coley, who, like myself, has never been defeated as a professional. We knew that 2015 was going to be a big year for myself and my career, and I promise yet another spectacular performance on April 10 as we continue to move up the ranks of my division.”

Khytrov compares his style to one of boxing’s all-time greats. “I’ve got a Roberto Duran style. I’m an all-out brawler,’’ he said. “I attack the body. I love the TV spotlight.’’

 

Coley is a left-hander and two-year pro who’s taking an immense step up in this fight, his ShoBox and eight-round debut. A prospect at 160 pounds – he moved up from the junior middleweight division in his last fight – he iscoming off the sixth knockout of his career, a fifth-round KO over Loren Myers on Oct. 11, 2014.

 

“I’m very excited about showcasing my skills on a platform like SHOWTIME,’’ said the always well-conditioned Coley, who has never been knocked down as a pro or amateur. “I’ve seen Khytrov fight. From what it looks like, he is a decent fighter. I really don’t think there’s anything special about him. He’s pretty straightforward, an Eastern European dude who just comes in and uses little angles. He’s a hard puncher with good power, but I don’t know the guys he’s been fighting.

 

“Plus, you can’t hurt what you can’t hit.”

 

An agile boxer who now works out of Virgil Hunter’s gym in northern California, Coley is making his second start for new trainer Eddie Croft.He had been living and training in Las Vegas. He went 8-0 at the outset of a pro career that began in April 2012.

 

Regarding his nickname, Coley said, “My dad owns a scrap metal business.”

 

Derevyanchenko (pronounced der-i-van-CHENK-oh), who is making hisShoBox debut, has the look of a “can’t-miss” contender. One step further, many expect his ascent in the world rankings to be nothing less than meteoric. He’s currently ranked No. 12 in the IBF, No. 25 in the WBC.

 

“I’m very excited about my first fight on American television,’’ he said. “This will be my first time appearing on ShoBox and I’m absolutely thrilled. This is my coming out party. I’m preparing day and night, and I’m ready to showcase my skills to the world. I’m ready to show them ‘The Technician.’

 

“My style is very technical, but once I figure my opponent out, I attack viciously. With hard work and a great team behind me, I will become a world champion in my division. There is no doubt in my mind.”

 

An exceptional amateur, the 5-foot-7 Derevyanchenko compiled an astonishing record of 390-20 while representing his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympic Games. One year before, he won the bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships.

 

This will be Derevyanchenko’s fifth start in a row outside the World Series Of Boxing where he went 23-1. He was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. He fought in the WSB from November 2010 to April 2014.

 

Derevyanchenko won his first fight outside the WSB on a second-round TKO over Cromwell Gordon on July 23, 2014. In his last start this pastFeb. 20, he scored a one-sided second-round TKO over Vladine Biosse.

 

As for his opponent, Derevyanchenko said, “Campa is a good fighter – tall, strong. He looks durable, a solid opponent.’’

 

Campa is making his ShoBox debut on April 10 and it will be his first fight outside of Mexico. He has won four in a row, three by knockout. He knocked out Christian Chavez in the second round in his last outing lastDec. 6.

The 6-foot-1, 23-year-old is taking a gigantic leap in class and the odds are against him, but none of that matters to him once the opening bell sounds.

“I am very excited to finally make my dream a reality and fight in the United States,’’ he said. “This is just the opportunity that I have trained and fought for the last five years. I am versatile; I can fight aggressively or box and move.

“Many promising young prospects got their start on ShoBox and went on to win world titles. On April 10, Alan Campa will start paving the road to join the list of ShoBox world champions.

“I have trained very hard. I know I can win this fight.”

Campa also had a strong amateur background (182-6). Before turning pro in September 2010, he was a five-time Sonoran state champion, a five-time regional champion, and a four-time national champion. He was also the gold medalist at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championships at 165 pounds.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughanproducing and Rick Phillips directing.

 

About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. Some of the growing list of the 59 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Omar Figueroa, Nonito Donaire, Devon Alexander, Carl Froch, Robert Guerrero, Timothy Bradley, Jessie Vargas, Juan Manuel Lopez, Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi, Ricky Hatton, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams and more.

amateur boxing, boxing, HBO Boxing, Showtime Boxing

Win A Trip to Las Vegas for Mayweather-Pacquiao

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Enter for a chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas and two tickets to the megafight between Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and Manny Pacquiao on May 2 at the MGM Grand. The grand prize winner will receive two tickets to the fight, three nights of lodging on the Las Vegas strip and a $700 travel allowance per person.

 

The second place winner will receive a $1000 equipment package from provider Sting and the third place winner will be awarded a $300 USA Boxing apparel package.

 

For just a $10 suggested donation, you can enter our sweepstakes to witness the fight of the century firsthand and support USA Boxing and the United States’ best Olympic-style boxers at the same time.

 

Though a donation is not necessary to enter and it will not improve your chances of winning, don’t miss your chance to win this once in a lifetime experience. Enter now and enter often. The sweepstakes will end onApril 15, 2015.

 

Click here to enter the sweepstakes.

 

See Official Rules for details, including eligibility and entry deadlines.  Void where prohibited.  No purchase or donation is necessary to enter or win.   
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

ADONIS STEVENSON vs. SAKIO BIKA, ARTUR BETERBIEV vs. GABRIEL CAMPILLO FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

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“I’ll definitely be going for the knockout this Saturday on CBS” – Adonis Stevenson

 

“I didn’t come here to Canada just to walk and look around.  I came here to take this belt back home” – Sakio Bika

 

Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) On CBS

Saturday, April 4, At 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT From Pepsi Coliseum In Quebec City, Canada

 

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Credit: Amanda Kwok / PBC on CBS

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC (April 1, 2015) – During Wednesday’s final press conference at Le Bonne Entente in Quebec City, both Adonis “Superman” Stevenson and Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika promised a knockout when they meet in the main event of the debut presentation of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBSTelevision Network this Saturday, April 4,  at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT.

 

The hard-hitting Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs) will defend his light heavyweight world championship against former super middleweight world champion Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs) in the  main event from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

 

The case was the same with the co-main event fighters as both undefeated light heavyweight and two-time Russian Olympian Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs) and former light heavyweight world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs) expected to win via KO this Saturday afternoon.  Campillo, sporting a Tom Brady jersey, even promised he would win in dramatic fashion like this year’s Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

 

Below are quotes from the fighters and trainers from Wednesday’s press conference:

 

ADONIS STEVENSON:

“I know Sakio is going to try to take my title, but I’m prepared for that.

 

“I know he was a champion.  I made the move from 168 to 175 pounds and it worked well for me.  I expect him to bring his best at 175 pounds.  He’s a former champ so I’m preparing to face a champion.

 

“I’m looking for the KO because I’m from the Kronk Gym.  Knockouts sell.  But I can go 12 rounds, that’s not a problem.  I train for 12 rounds.

 

“My trainer has given me a great plan.  He knows Sakio Bika very well and we’ll see what happens in the ring.

 

“Bika is still going to have the same power moving up in weight.  He should actually be stronger.

 

“I’m very focused because I know Bika is very dangerous.  I know he’s going to come into the ring and try to give me trouble.

 

“I’m a knockout artist. I can do a lot in the ring, but first and foremost I’m a knockout artist.

 

“I’d love to unify the belts eventually, but I’ll let my manager Al Haymon take care of that.

 

“My mentor Emanuel Steward always told me that as soon as I enter the ring the knockout is what sells. I’ll definitely be going for the knockout this Saturday on CBS.”

 

“I’m ready to go toe-to-toe.  Adonis Stevenson vs. Sakio Bika on CBS, baby.”

 

 

SAKIO BIKA:

“To beat a great fighter you have to be your best.  I’m looking to take the WBC title back home.

 

“I’ve fought everyone – I’ve never ducked an opponent – and I don’t know if he can handle the pressure.

 

“I feel more comfortable at 175 pounds.  I want to test the big boy [Stevenson] and I feel like I can do that.  On Saturday we’ll see.

 

“He’s knocked people out, but I’ve never been knocked out.  On Saturday I’ll be the one to knock him out.

 

“I’m very hungry to get a world title back.  I trained very hard at light heavyweight to get a title back.

 

“I didn’t come here to Canada just to walk and look around.  I came here to take this belt back home and I’m very confident I’m going to do that.

 

“Training camp went very well, we put in good work and now we’re here in Canada ready to shock the world.”

 

 

JAVAN “SUGAR” HILL:

“Training camp was very good as always.  Nothing different, just hard work perfecting his boxing and the basic fundamentals.  We’re looking for him to make a mistake and catch him.

 

“The way you prepare for an unorthodox fighter like Bika is to make sure your basics are sound. You have to have a good jab, you have to have good movement and you have to have ‘super power’  And I have “Superman.

 

“Emanuel also told me the knockout sells.  It’s something that we both know and it’s something that is imbedded in us.  We’re looking for the knockout on April 4.  Sometimes I see things that Adonis is looking to do before he does it.  So I’ll just be sitting there waiting for Adonis to catch Sakio Bika making a mistake and getting a knockout.

 

“I’m super proud to represent Kronk Gym.  That’s why I wear my hat here.  Kronk to me is like my family name and that’s what I live by.  I was born into Kronk when I was a little kid going to a tournament with my uncle Emanuel and all I remember is the Kronk fighters winning.  And that’s what I do now: win.

 

“Adonis is an artist, he’s a KO artist.  My prediction for Saturday is a knockout on CBS.

 

“There’s been a lot of talk and now it’s time for action.  Toe-to-toe on April 4.  Don’t miss it.”

 

 

KEVIN CUNNINGHAM:

“We had a great training camp.  Everyone was relaxed.  We had great sparring.

 

“He was making 168 pretty easy, but stepping up he’s able to eat whatever he wants.  The weight is good.  We think he’s going to be good and strong at 175.  It’s a good move for him.

 

“He’s never had any problems with power, so I think the extra weight and energy should be good for him at light heavyweight.

 

“All this talk about Stevenson fighting (Sergey) Kovalev has motivated him pretty good.  I think it gave him a pretty good picture of how the business of boxing works.  He realizes that when the bell rings he needs to do something about it and he’s motivated by that.

 

“I can’t say if Stevenson is overlooking him because I’m not around him enough.  But I know the fans and media want to make the Kovalev fight.  It was good for Bika to hear that because it motivated him.  He knows he has an opportunity to do something about it.  On Saturday afternoon he can change all that.

 

“If Stevenson does what he says he’s going to do – meet him in the center of the ring and go toe-to-toe –  this is going to be a tremendous fight.

 

“If he comes to the center of the ring and fights and goes toe-to-toe then this fight won’t go the distance.  If Stevenson comes to trade I think he gets knocked out.   If he runs around the ring and boxes then it could be a different outcome.”

 

 

ARTUR BETERBIEV:

“I don’t think this is a big challenge for me.   I’m ready to face the world champions and raise the bar higher.  This is just another opponent for me.

 

“This is another step that will move me closer to facing the champions at 175 pounds.  I want to put on a solid fight and show that I’m one of the best fighters in this division.

 

“A knockout is never a goal for me.  I’m trying to show my work and my dedication in the ring, but usually that’s what happens.  Usually I finish with a knockout but that is not my main goal.  My main goal is to box and show my skills.

 

“My motivation is to face the champions.  That’s why I work so hard every day in the gym.  I will get there soon.

 

“Why not face Kovalev?  I’m ready.  When I turned professional my goal was to meet the champions.  He’s a champion now and I’d like to face the champions.”

 

 

GABRIEL CAMPILLO:

“We started training Jan. 1 and camp has been very good.  We’ve been working very hard and I think I’m in great condition for this fight.

 

“Beterbiev may not have a lot of professional experience, but he’s had a very long amateur career. So we know that he’s ready and is a good opponent for us.  We’ll see how he handles things once we get past the 5th, 6th and 7th rounds.

 

“To get ready for a hard-hitter like Beterbiev required lots of conditioning training.  We worked the neck and the chin a lot.  We think we’ve got a great chance in the second half of this fight though considering Beterbiev hasn’t really been tested like that.

 

“As for a prediction, I’m going to knock Beterbiev out in the seventh round.”
boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

CBS SPORTSCASTERS KEVIN HARLAN AND BRENT STOVER WITH ANALYSTS PAUL MALIGNAGGI AND VIRGIL HUNTER TO CALL PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON CBS

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 Series Premieres This Saturday, April 4, on CBS at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT
NEW YORK (March 31, 2015) – The broadcast team for the April 4 debut of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on CBS features a blend of highly respected sportscasters and shrewd boxing minds.  Hosted by CBS Sports Network’s Brent Stover, the fights will be called by versatile and respected play-by-play veteran Kevin Harlan with ringside analysts Paul Malignaggi and broadcast newcomer Virgil Hunter.

 

The PBC on CBS announce team will usher in the first of up to eight live events this year beginning this Saturday, April 4, at 3 p.m. ET/Noon PT.  Light heavyweight world champion Adonis Stevenson (25-1, 21 KOs), of Montreal, will defend his title against former super middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (32-6-3, 21 KOs), of Sydney, Australia.  Opening the two-fight afternoon broadcast will be undefeated Russian-born Canadian light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev (7-0, 7 KOs), of Montreal, facing former world champion Gabriel Campillo (25-6-1, 12 KOs), of Madrid, Spain, from Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City.

 

A veteran broadcaster, Harlan has called NFL games for 30 consecutive years.  He joined CBS Sports’ NFL broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer in 1998.  Harlan called CBS Sports’ HDTV coverage of the 2001 AFC Championship and Super Bowl XXXV.  He has called CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship since 1999, including this year’s CBS/Turner coverage of the West Regional from Los Angeles.  A well-versed radio broadcaster, this past season Harlan once again called play-by-play for NFL games with Boomer Esiason on Westwood One Radio Sports.  Harlan and Esiason were the lead announce team on Westwood One for “Monday Night Football,” the playoffs, a Conference Championship game and the Super Bowl.  This season marked Harlan’s fifth consecutive Super Bowl.  Harlan called the NCAA Final Four and Championship games for CBS Radio Network and Westwood One for five consecutive years (2003-07), as well as the regionals (2009, 2010, 2011).  Harlan’s boxing experience includes the 1995 Mike Tyson vs. Buster Mathis Jr. bout on FOX and various championship boxing events he has called for radio. Harlan is in his 28th season broadcasting the NBA and has called play-by-play action for Turner Sports’ coverage of the NBA Playoffs since 1996 and regular-season games for TNT and TBS since 1997.

 

The 34-year-old Malignaggi is a two-time, two-division world champion.  He is known for his passionate and honest assessment of live fights and fighters as an analyst for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.  An invaluable asset at ringside, Malignaggi applies a lifetime of personal boxing expertise to dynamic, ever-changing situations in the ring and articulates with aplomb.  He’s been a regular ringside analyst since 2012.

 

The knowledgeable and sage Hunter is one of the most prominent and respected trainers in boxing.  He has coached unbeaten super middleweight kingpin Andre Ward, British superstar and former undisputed 140-pound world champion Amir Khan and former welterweight world champion Andre Berto and was named the 2011 Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.  Hunter is making his first foray into announcing on April 4 and offers a fresh and unique perspective to the PBC on CBS.

 

Stover has served as studio host for CBS Sports Network since 2011.  He joined the network in 2010 and has held a number of roles, including as play-by-play announcer for football, basketball and for Olympic sports.  Prior to joining CBS Sports Network, Stover served as host, anchor, reporter and play-by-play voice for the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports Net Midwest/Southwest.

 

The second installment of PBC on CBS is Saturday, May 9, and will pit undefeated Omar Figueroa, who vacated his Lightweight World Championship to move up in weight to 140 pounds, against former champion Ricky Burns.

 

Additional dates for Premier Boxing Champions on CBS are to be announced include live broadcasts in June, July and September, with up to three remaining events on the 2015 calendar. The live boxing broadcasts on CBS, other than the aforementioned premiere, will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

 

The Premier Boxing Champions series was created for television by Haymon Boxing.  It is the first consistent series presentation of live boxing on CBS in 15 years.  The network aired a one-off live event featuring current WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz in 2012.  Prior to that, the last live boxing on the network was in 1997 when then-middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson.

 

Live boxing was a staple on the network in the 1980s, consistently featuring future Hall of Famers Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns, Roberto Duran, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini and others.  Boxing’s history on CBS dates back to 1948 when the Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts premiered featuring legendary blow-by-blow commentator Russ Hodges.

boxing, CBS Boxing, Premier Boxing Champions

ADONIS STEVENSON, SAKIO BIKA & ARTUR BETERBIEV MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL

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Lisa Milner

Thank you, operator.  Thanks everyone for calling in.  We have a great call today to talk about the debut of PBC on CBS taking place next Saturday, April 4th, from the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Canada.  We are going to start with the main event guys it’s Adonis Stevenson, light heavyweight world champion; his trainer, “Sugar” Hill; Sakio Bika, former super middleweight world champion; and his trainer, Kevin Cunningham.  We will also have Artur Beterbiev later.  His opponent is training in Spain.  So, he will not be joining us.  But, first let’s get some opening comments from the fighters and their trainers.  Adonis, would you give us a little bit of information on how training’s going leading into next week’s fight week?

 

Adonis Stevenson

Thanks to all the media. I want to thank Al Haymon, my manager, great job.  This is a good person for me and fight on CBS since like ’80 like Sugar Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali.  You know, this is amazing.  And the first championship they want to start in Canada, Quebec City.  This is amazing.  And I’m very glad to be part of that.

 

L. Milner

Great. “Sugar” Hill, could you add anything to that about training or comments about how Adonis is doing at camp?

 

“Sugar” Hill

The training camp is going fantastic.  We are here in his hometown of Montreal training at his gym.  His gym is just opening.  So, this would be the first training camp held at this gym and for such a fight of this magnitude where Adonis is defending his world championship for the fifth time.  I’ve only been here for one week any other time, but Montreal is a great place and a great place for training as well.  The city has been so good and warm welcoming me here, and I see why Adonis loves Montreal, and I see why Montreal loves Adonis as well.

 

L. Milner

Great.  Thank you.  Sakio, could you give us a quick opening comment about training camp?

 

Sakio Bika

All right, first of all, I want to thank everybody for giving me this big opportunity at the world title.  .  My training camp is going really well. I want to thank God, you know, to give me this opportunity.  Again, we have a good training camp here.  Everyone is happy.  I’m happy, and my coach is happy.  All my kingdom is happy.  I’m just looking for on April the 4th, to become three time world champion.

 

L. Milner

Awesome.  Thank you.  Mr. Cunningham, are you there?  Could you add anything to that?

 

Kevin Cunningham

Yes.  To piggyback on what Sakio has just said, we’ve had a tremendous training camp, great sparing.  Everything is going well.  Sakio understands the opportunity that’s before him, and we look to come to Canada and Montreal.  And we’re going to into Adonis’ hometown.  So, I’ve been there, done that.  You got to go into the lion’s den and take the title.  So that’s what we’re working on doing and that’s what we plan on doing.

 

L. Milner

Great.  Thank you.  Okay, we’re going to go ahead and open it up for questions from the media.  Operator, can you please do that?

 

Q

Adonis, so much talk about you fighting the other light heavyweight champions and who the real light heavyweight champion of the world is.  What are your thoughts about these other guys and it is interfering with your concentration for your fight with Sakio on April 4th on CBS? 

 

A. Stevenson

Yeah, I know they have so much talking about that, but I’m very focused on Bika now, because Bika is in my face now.  I don’t see anybody.  I don’t see anybody in my face now.  It’s Bika.  And I don’t underestimate him, and I’m very prepared for him. I will be ready for him April 4th. So, my focus is on Bika. I know that they have so many people talking to me about how to fight this, but I’m very focused on this guy.

 

Q

What is the procedure for drug testing before the April 4th?

 

A. Stevenson

Three time in the training and one time is six o’clock in the morning.  So, they come into the condo and to do a drug test and two times in the training after sparing.  I think it’s good for the boxers, to protect them.  I’m very glad about that.  And when I got to fight, I always do the test, you know?  So, it is not the first time I do the test, but I always to do it.  This is fantastic, I love that.

 

Q

Do you think it was necessary for boxing to have that kind of test?

 

A. Stevenson

Of course it is necessary because, is helps you. So, it is very important to make sure everything is going very well. And that’s part of boxing and that’s the evolution. I’m very glad and happy and support that.

 

Q

Sakio, what do you think about that?

 

S. Bika

I think it is very, very good because I have [unintelligible] since I’ve been here.  I think it’s good for the new generation.  It goes for this sport. For me, I think it is perfect. It’s perfect because, so many people [unintelligible] retire [unintelligible] drug and they never get tested.  And now with new generation, I think it’s very good, you know, for younger kids to try to see if they want to win.  Once you come in this sport you have to have been clean. It’s a perfect organization to get people involved in and test them. It’s the perfect thing to do.

 

Q

So both of you will be tested three times, two times during the training camp, one time before the fight?  Is that correct, guys?

 

 

A. Stevenson

I don’t know for him, but for me it’s three time.  And we do a piss test, and we do a blood test, too.

 

S. Bika

Yeah, for me it was three time.  Then two blood test–like blood test and piss test.  This is the third time them testing me since I was here.

 

Q

The first question that was asked to Adonis about his preparation for the upcoming fight and also the distraction around all future potential opponents, I would like to get to add the same question to Adonis again.

 

A. Stevenson

You know, the kind of stuff like Bika is wild and has shown he come–you know, he just keep coming.  The kind of stuff like that, I love this kind of stuff because he’s large and keep pressuring.  And so, it shows if you make a mistake like that then it will be a knockout very soon in the fight.

 

Q

My question is for “Sugar” Hill.  “Sugar”, I just want to know if you were pleased with the style that was chosen for this upcoming fight, if this is the type of test you were looking for as a trainer.

 

S. Hill

As far as looking for a style for Adonis to fight–and actually it doesn’t really matter to me.  I’m happy with the selection of Sakio Bika.  I have no problem with his style.  I actually like the style because he’s coming forward.  He wants to fight, and Adonis loves to fight.  Adonis likes to go to toe-to-toe, and he likes to box.  This is important for the maturity and, for Adonis learning more about boxing to be able to be in it with a fighter like Sakio Bika, who’s a strong, determined and tough veteran who can withstand. He can take a punch.  He’s never been knocked out or anything like that.  So, this is an opportunity for Adonis to maybe go 12 rounds or into the later rounds, which can build and add to his career as fighting in later rounds, which he has been able to do. This fight here with Bika is a test, and Adonis loves to be tested. I love for him to be tested as well.  This is the only thing that’s going to make him grow and become more of a talented fighter and become a bigger superstar.

 

Q

Adonis, are you looking at a tough 12 round fight or do you see it as motivation as to being the first to knock this guy out if that opportunity presents itself?

 

A. Stevenson

It is motivation for me.  That’s why I train very hard.  I know he’s large as well in his punch.  And he wants to keep me pressured.  I love this kind of style.  And if he goes for 12 rounds I’m ready for 12 rounds. I fight and spar.  My fight is, sparing and training for 12 rounds.When I get in the ring, I’m looking for the knockout.  I don’t look for the 12 round.  If he goes the distance or 12 rounds, this is not a problem.  I can box.  I’m beautiful.  I got a good skill.  I’m a Superman.  So, it’s not a problem for me.  But, first I’m looking for a knockout.  And I think any boxer going in the ring to fight always looks for a knockout. Sometimes, it’s not like that.  But, me, I’m looking for the knockout.  And Emanuel said knockouts sell.

 

Q

You said that you weren’t impressed with Kovalev’s performance over Jean Pascal.  Do you want to put on a better performance?  Do you feel pressure to put on a better performance since you said that?  What do you think about that?

 

A. Stevenson

I’m not going to put pressure on myself.  “Superman” doesn’t feel pressure. I’m going to use my boxing skill, and I’m going to use my head in the ring. I don’t have to put pressure on something like that.  I don’t feel like that. I’m the man.  I’m the guy to get beat.

 

Q

Was Sakio Bika the first opponent they offered to you?

 

A. Stevenson

Yeah, it was the first.  He was the first to open.  We’re happy, and we don’t have a problem.  And I know Sakio he was light–no, super middleweight champion.  It’s very good, because he’s a good boxer. He was champion last two fights.  That’s a good opportunity for him, too, to go from light a heavyweight to fight me.  And it’s a good opportunity for me, too.

 

Q

I want to ask you at what point did you say to yourself, “I have to fight,” or “I want to fight Sergey Kovalev to unify all the belts in the division.”  At what point did you say that in your career?

 

A. Stevenson

I don’t think about Kovalev now.  I think about Bika. It doesn’t matter what I said now because I have a fight coming up with Bika.  But, sure I want to fight for titles, but now–for now I’ve got Bika in my face.

 

Q

You were not impressed with the way that Kovalev looked in the fight the other week against Pascal. Why?

 

A. Stevenson

I’m not impressed by it because this is the first big fight Pascal had since Bernard and he fights one time a year before Bernard Hopkins.  So, in four years he fights one time.  So, that’s why I’m not impressed about that, because Pascal is not an active boxer like he used to be back in the day.

 

Q

You know that Kovalev, because of the WBC is going to be mandatory.  I want to know how hard will you press for that mandatory if you’re successful again.

 

A. Stevenson

Of course, I know. I’m ready to fight a title.  But, I let my team, Al Haymon, care about that. Then after that Kovalev we can unify the title.  It’s not a problem for me because the two titles he gets now he gets Bernard Hopkins’ title, and I should fight Bernard Hopkins.

 

Q

This is a fight that’s going to be on national television in the United States, free TV.  Have you given any thought about the fact that you’ll be performing in front of an audience probably bigger than has ever seen you fight ever?

 

A. Stevenson

Of course.  This is a good opportunity for that.  And first of all, I want to thank Al Haymon for that, too, because, that’s him putting on the show.  And since Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, back in the day it was free.  Now, we offer the public the fight for free and that’s a great opportunity for me.  So, I have a good performance for Sakio Bika.  But, I know Sakio Bika is a tough opponent and he’s very awkward and tough.  We’ll prepare for that, and we’re ready. It’s also very good for the young kids, watching the fight. It’s a good opportunity for everybody.

 

Q

With that big potential audience watching wouldn’t that put you in a position where you’re looking for a knockout?

 

A. Stevenson

Of course.  That gives me a lot of motivation.  That’s why I train really hard for this fight and watch–so people watch me.  Since Muhammad Ali, I’m the first to be poor and the projects.  So, I’m very, very happy, and I’m going to put a good performance.  Like Emanuel said, knockouts sell.

 

Q

Adonis, where are you training this week?  And then, when are you actually going to Quebec City?

 

A. Stevenson

You know I opened a new gym in Quebec City.  This is a good opportunity for me to train in my hometown.  This is the first time since 2011. I can see my kid, too.  So, I love that.  And we train very hard, me and my trainer. We put the hard work pay off.  This is different.  This is a good opportunity for me, and I love that.

 

Q

So, you’re in Quebec City now then?

 

A. Stevenson

I’m in Montreal now.  Quebec City, I’m going this week.

 

Q

So, when will you actually go to Quebec City?

 

A. Stevenson

Sunday.

 

Q

Again, my question goes to Adonis.  I just want to know if a knockout is the result that you absolutely need or would you be disappointed if you didn’t win by a knockout against Bika?

 

A. Stevenson

I know Bika is a tough opponent.  So, I’m prepared for 12 rounds. If the knockout is there, it’s there.  If it’s not, it’s not.  But, in the ring, I’m looking for the knockout.  So, it doesn’t matter for me, but I’m always looking for the knockout.  That’s a Kronk.  The Kronk Gym and my team we’re looking for that.  Since the Kronk it’s been a while.  They’re always looking for the knockout.  If you’re training in the Kronk Gym and any fighter is looking for the knockout.

 

Q

But, it can be dangerous to always be looking for a knockout because then if you don’t get it as quickly as you want then you can get away from your style of boxing.  Is that something that worries you?

 

A. Stevenson

We can go 12 round.  It’s not a problem for me.  We train for that.  We train for that.  I can go 12 round.  And I’m from Kronk Gym, Detroit.  And this place, we have a good, good trainer like Emanuel “Sugar” Hill.  They know boxing.  They teach me very well my skill and everything and my balance.  They know boxing.  And so, they know if the knockout is not there, but we’re going to work.  We’re going to use the good ability to go for 12 rounds.  It’s not a problem.

 

Q

Sakio, I just want to know, how does it feel for you in this training camp to train for a light heavyweight fight after having spent pretty much your entire career at a super middleweight?

 

S. Bika

I feel it was a new challenge to go up and try to fight the big bull. When you see my regimen, nobody ever wants to fight me. It was always a little bit difficult because people don’t want to fight me. For me it’s a big challenge because Stevenson, Adonis is a great champion and I want to become the world champion in life. I’m very sure I can handle him. And come April 4, because I have a good preparation, , a great sparing partner, I just looking for you to see how I can handle the big bull. Adonis is the first one for me at this weight,  but I just feel confident, I feel positive. I’m ready, you know, to go there and show the people in the world I can beat Adonis Stevenson on April 4. I want to tell the big bull.  I want to move up in light heavyweight division, andApril 4 people are going to be see it.

 

Q

Does the weight feel better for you?  Do you see yourself staying at light heavyweight?

 

S. Bika

I see myself like a light heavyweight. I see myself at light heavyweight because you see so many world champions. For me just it’s just a challenge.  I want to challenge myself. I can do light heavy easy. It would be a struggle to do super middleweight.  You know, I can do light heavyweight really easily. I can handle the big bull, because I handle everyone. This is a big opportunity for me to try to see if can I handle the big bull.  I can handle Adonis. come April 4, I will try to test myself.  You all ready? I’m ready. I have a good preparation,. We train very hard for this fight. I’m just looking to come to Quebec and take care of business.

 

Q

At the same time you were at the Sergey Kovalev/Jean Pascal fight, and you went over to HBO commentator at the time, Bernard Hopkins, and you told him that you guarantee that you will fight Sergey Kovalev.  I wanted to see what your answer was to what you think of Sergey Kovalev and his performance on Saturdaynight a couple of weekends ago.

 

A. Stevenson

Pascal doesn’t matter now because we’re talking about Bika. I go to fight April 4 with Bika. It’s a very tough thing about Bika and Kovalev is not a person now when I think about the fight with Kovalev and Pascal and then after I said, “Well, yeah, I’m going to fight.”  He’s not a person for me now.  The person now is Bika.

 

Q

You guaranteed that your next fight would be against Kovalev back in May of last year after 12 rounds against Fonfara.  You beat Fonfara. 

 

A. Stevenson

You can’t guarantee.  It’s not working like that.  It’s not football.  It’s not hockey. And one punch can change anything.  So now I got Bika in my face, and I’m very focused with Bika, because I know this guy gives problems to all the champions.  He was champion.  And I know this fighter is tough.

 

L. Milner

Okay.  Gentlemen, thank you so much for your time.  I think this call really set in motion a great week and a half heading into the fight.  So, thank you so much.  We’re going to switch over to Mr. Beterbiev.

 

Artur Beterbiev

 

I like my training, and I am training hard.  And it was all planned.  So, it all went according to the plan. It’s a serious opponent. I can’t wait to have that fight.

 

Q

Artur, you defeated Sergey Kovalev in the amateurs.  What do you think of him as far as a professional opponent right now?

 

A. Beterbiev

Taking into consideration all his statements that he recently produced, I would like to meet with him and put him back in his place in professional.

 

Q

What do you remember about him as a guy who’s fighting you?  What do you remember?

 

A. Beterbiev

I have a very good memory.  So, I did beat him twice in the amateur ranks, but I’m more focused on the future right now. I would like to beat him again.

 

Q

Artur, could you describe how you feel your career is going up at this point? 

 

A. Beterbiev

I like the way I’ve been led in my professional career. I’m training everyday and working everyday and always thinking about that. I always try to improve and improve my not that strong parts, as part of my preparation.I’m not a future teller.  So, I’m ready to meet all the solid opponents.  And I’m ready for the championship of the world, and I’m ready for any case scenario.

 

Q

Is there any interest in you fighting the winner of Stevenson/Bika?

 

A. Beterbiev

I could fight anybody.

 

Q

What do you think of Campillo and what kind of challenges does Campillo presents to you because he has so much more professional experience than he has?

 

A. Beterbiev

Yes, I have a lot of respect for Campillo because he’s very experienced.  For sure he has more experience than I do.  He has experience winning and losing, and he’s a solid opponent, but the fight’s going to show if his professional language could help him in this fight.

 

Q

What do you learn from a knockdown?

 

A Beterbiev

I don’t think that was a knockdown.  I just lost my balance for an instant. I recovered right away instantly.  But I still think that this is a good lesson for me for this not to happen in the future.  And I’m going to try to avoid any dangerous situations in my future.

 

Q

How do you see Campillo, what kind of a fighter is he, and is there any part of his style–any elements of his style that can be worrisome?

 

A. Beterbiev

This is a solid opponent.He’s working very well, very experienced at attack.  He’s very experienced at defense. The fight is going to show what’s going to happen.

 

L. Milner

Okay, great.  Thank you.  Thank you, Artur.  Thanks everybody for being on.  A special thanks to the media.  This is a great show April 4th on regular CBS, PBC on CBS right from Quebec City.  So, thank you so much and have a great day.

 

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PBC on CBS, headlined by the light heavyweight world championship fight between Stevenson and Bika, is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and presented by Videotron and in association with Mise-O-Jeu.
Tickets are on sale now at the Pepsi Coliseum box office in Quebec, by calling (418) 691-7211 or (800) 900-7469, online at www.billetech.com, at GYM (514) 383-0666 and Champion Boxing Club (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $25 to $250 on the floor.

 

For more information visit www.sports.sho.com and www.groupeyvonmichel.ca, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @yvonmichelgym, @AdonisSuperman and @Sakio_Bika, follow the conversation using #StevensonBika, become a fan on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.
boxing, Showtime Boxing

JERMELL CHARLO OUTPOINTS VANES MARTIROSYAN ON A SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® DOUBLEHEADER

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WELTERWEIGHT CHAMP KELL BROOK OBLITERATES JO JO DAN

TO RETAIN TITLE ON SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL®  

Watch The Replay Of The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Doubleheader

Tomorrow/Sunday at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME,

Tuesday, March 31, at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHO EXTREME

 

Click HERE For Charlo vs. Martirosyan & Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr. Photos

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

Click HERE For Brook vs. Dan Photos

Photo Credit: Lawrence Lustig

 

LAS VEGAS (March 28, 2015) – After coming close to world championship glory in 2014,

Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), a former United States amateur standout, delivered on his promise in impressive fashion Saturday night, knocking out defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez (57-9, 48 KOs), of Mexico City, in the fourth round in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader promoted by DiBella Entertainment at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort.

 

In the co-feature on SHOWTIME®, undefeated Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (26-0, 11 KOs) of Houston, won a close, unanimous 10-round decision over Vanes Martirosyan(35-2-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., in a clash of top-five ranked super welterweights. There were no knockdowns in a bout scored 97-93 and 96-94 twice.

 

The talented and quick-fisted southpaw Russell, who stood and exchanged with Gonzalez, utilized his overall speed to dominate. He dropped the veteran three times, once in the third and twice in the fourth before referee Tony Weeks waved off the fight 37 seconds into the round (to watch the knockout click HERE).

 

“This is the kind of performance I always expect but don’t always get,’’ said Russell, who lost a close 12-round decision to Vasyl Lomachenko in his initial attempt at the 126-pound crown last June 21 on SHOWTIME. “If people only knew how hard we worked for this, the time we put in the gym, the mental and physical things we work on and put ourselves through every day.

 

“There are always obstacles to overcome but for this fight I was 100 percent. This win is for all the people who have been with me from the beginning.’’

 

Russell’s strategy was to eliminate Gonzalez’ vaunted left hook, and he executed the plan to near perfection.

 

“We were never in this to turn it into a track meet,’’ Russell said. “We were going to stand right in the pocket. We know what Gonzalez likes to do, and that’s throw the wide left hook. I tried to bait him into throwing it and he did.

 

“Honestly, I don’t think he recovered from the first knockdown.’’

 

Gonzalez, a two-time WBC featherweight world champion – and a veteran of 16 world championship fights – won the title for the first time in April 2011 and made four successful title defenses before losing it in September 2012. He regained the title on a shocking first-round knockout over Abner Mares in August 2013 on SHOWTIME, and had made two more successful title defenses before falling to Russell.

 

Gonzalez offered no excuses before quickly exiting the ring.

 

“I’m OK,’’ he said. “I did not expect this kind of fight at all. We expected him to run around the ring with me chasing. But he didn’t.’’

 

In the co-feature, Charlo silenced critics of his resume by defeating his toughest opponent to date.

He was surprised at the way his match with Martirosyan played out. “I definitely expected a much rougher fight,’’ he said. “This was easy compared to what I thought we were in for.

“I fought smart and when I was told to pick it up, I knew what time it was so I did. I’m absolutely ready for a shot at a world title.’’

Martirosyan, who was cut over the left eye from an accidental headbutt in the eighth round, was visibly disappointed with the result.

“I positively feel 100 percent that I won that fight,’’ he said. “I was the aggressor and forced the action. All he did was run. I landed the cleaner punches. I definitely felt I won the last round.

“I was stunned by the headbutt [that resulted in the bout being halted while he and the ringside physician discussed the cut]. Sure my left eye bothered me after that and it was blurry. But that’s no excuse.

“I felt I was hurting him. He never hurt me once. I really don’t understand this decision.’’

Earlier Saturday, on SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL, undefeated IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook (34-0, 23 KOs) overwhelmed mandatory challenger Jo Jo Dan (34-3, 18 KOs), dropping the Romanian-based Canadian four times before the one-sided beatdown was wisely halted after the fourth round at Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England.

 

Brook, of Sheffield, was making the first defense of the welterweight title he took from previously undefeated Shawn Porter last August on SHOWTIME and fighting for the first time since suffering a serious injury when he was stabbed in the thigh during a holiday on the island of Tenerife last September.

 

The exciting welterweight showed no ill effects from the layoff in an emotional return to the ring, registering two knockdowns in the second round, and two more in the fourth, with the final knockdown coming at the closing bell. Dan suffered the first knockout defeat of his career (to watch the knockout click HERE).

 

“I’m back, baby!” said Brook, whose devastating performance against the usually durable Dan electrified the hometown fans while paving the way for a major showdown in the future.

 

“It was truly amazing to walk out in front of all my fans. I didn’t think I would ever walk again, much less  box again. Here I am filling arenas. I can’t put into words how much it means to be back and defending a world title. It means everything to me.

 

“It was hard there holding it together. But this is where I belong. The leg feels fine. The leg feels as good as the other leg. There is no problem with the leg.

 

“If you’re watching Amir Khan, then get in here with me. I know you’re delicate around the whiskers. I’ll take you out.’’

 

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader will re-air this week as follows:

 

DAY                                                                            CHANNEL

Tomorrow, Sunday, March 29, 9 a.m. ET/PT            SHOWTIME

Monday, March 30, 10 p.m. ET/PT                            SHOWTIME EXTREME

 

Saturday’s two-fight telecast will be available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning tomorrow, Sunday, March 29.

 

Brian Custer hosted the SHOWTIME telecast, with Mauro Ranallo calling the action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-time world champion Paulie Malignaggi commentating and Jim Gray reporting. In the Spanish simulcast, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow and former world champion Raul Marquez served as color commentator. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING was David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

 

# # #

 

“Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.”, was a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez’s WBC Featherweight World Title and was promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo took on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event took place at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The event aired on SHOWTIME.

 

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

boxing, Showtime Boxing

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH WASHINGTON D.C. BOXER  GARY RUSSELL, JR. PRIOR TO HIS FIGHT WITH JHONNY GONZALEZTOMORROW ON SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®

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Gary Russell Jr. discusses his family’s boxing background, his father’s role in his corner, and his motivation following his first professional defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko. Russell steps in the ring for the WBC Featherweight World Title against defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez tomorrow,Saturday, March 28 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME ®.

http://s.sho.com/1xCFbic

 

 

Click on the image below to watch, share and embed this video:

 

 

 

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(Photo Credit: SHOWTIME)

 

# # #

 

“Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.”, a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez’s WBC Featherweight World Title, is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event will take place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

 

Tickets for the live event are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable fees are on sale. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

 

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

boxing, Showtime Boxing

SHOWTIME SPORTS® TO CHRONICLE THE MOST ANTICIPATED EVENT OF THE YEAR WITH “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO”

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Four-Part Documentary Series To Include The Network’s Distinctive And Award-Winning “Epilogue” Episode; Series Premieres Saturday, April 18, Only On SHOWTIME®

 

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(Photo Credit: SHOWTIME)

NEW YORK (March 27, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® offers viewers exclusive access to Floyd “Money” Mayweather and the most anticipated event of the year with “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO,” an intimate four-part documentary series chronicling the life of the perennial pound-for-pound champion as he navigates his collision course with Manny Pacquiao.  Episode 1 premieres on Saturday, April 18 immediately following the liveSHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader featuring Mexican superstar Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

 

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO delivers a unique perspective of the compelling and popular Mayweather in the weeks leading up to the biggest prizefight of this generation.  In the fourth installment, Epilogue, SHOWTIME Sports focuses the distinct and Sports Emmy Award-winning spotlight on the unpredictable drama of fight week, takes viewers inside the ropes on fight night, and into the mind of the fighter in the aftermath of the bout.

 

“SHOWTIME has set itself apart with its coverage of the biggest fights in boxing and our viewers have come to expect the unique access we provide,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO will not only welcome viewers into Mayweather’s camp before the fight, but also give viewers a window into those dramatic and often poignant moments immediately before and after this historic fight.”

 

SHOWTIME cameras are entrenched in Mayweather’s camp in the shadow of the bright lights of Las Vegas.  This unparalleled access allows INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO to peel back the curtain on Mayweather’s opulent public persona while revealing the unrelenting pursuit of perfection that propels the undefeated, undisputed champion.

 

From the red carpet spectacle of the kickoff press conference in Los Angeles and the rigors of training camp to the intensity of the weigh-in and the calm dressing room after the final bell, INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO offers an inside-out look at an event that has no rival.

 

Forty-seven fighters have stepped into the ring with Mayweather and all 47 have come away empty.  With complete access to Mayweather and the vast entourage that surrounds and supports him, viewers of INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO come to understand what makes “Money” tick.

 

INSIDE MAYWEATHER vs. PACQUIAO episodes premiere on SHOWTIME with multiple encore presentations, including the cable television premiere on CBS SPORTS NETWORK.  All episodes of the series will be available on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and online at SHO.com/Sports.

 

Ø  Episode 1 premieres Saturday, April 18 on SHOWTIME, immediately following SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Chavez vs. Fonfara (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Ø  Episode 2 premieres Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME

Ø  Episode 3 premieres Wednesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

Ø  Epilogue premieres Saturday, May 9 on SHOWTIME

 

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About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.