FEIGENBUTZ AND PLANT COME FACE TO FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME AHEAD OF WORLD TITLE FIGHT

The ‘KO King’ Vincent Feigenbutz (31-2, 28 KOs) came face to face with Caleb Plant (19-0, 11 KOs) for the first time at Thursday’s press conference ahead of their IBF Super Middleweight World title fight this Saturday night at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. 

The final press conference, taking place on the 21st floor of the AC Hotel overlooking downtown Nashville, was packed with media eagerly awaiting the first meeting between World Champion Plant and German contender Feigenbutz. 

Following a lively press conference, both champion and challenger refused to back down from the face off and despite the best efforts of lightweight Diego Magdaleno to intervene, the two headline acts continued to square off until they were finally separated following an intense stare-down. 

24-year-old Feigenbutz, who achieved his mandatory status with the IBF following ten consecutive victories with nine of them coming via way of knockout, made it clear he was not fazed about facing Plant in the American’s backyard. 

“I don’t care that we’re fighting in his backyard,” said Feigenbutz. “I’d fight him anywhere, I’d fight him in a toilet. I’m coming to fight and he’s going to have to fight me every second in there.

“I’m excited to be here in Nashville, coming all the way from Germany. I’m prepared for this fight, it was a short but intensive preparation and we are happy to be here and to have this opportunity. It’s always been a dream of mine to fight in the US, I love this country and this is something I’ve worked my whole career for. 

“You will see how I bring the fight on Saturday night. I’ve prepared with the best training camp of my life. I don’t care about anything Plant says to me today, because in the ring, I’ll have the answer for everything.”

Plant, who won the IBF World title with a points victory over Jose Uzcategui, is looking forward to realising his lifetime dream of fighting in Nashville having been raised in nearby Ashland City. 

“Saturday night I get to live out my dream,” said Plant. “I can’t wait to get in the ring in front of all my family, friends and peers. This World title is staying right here in Nashville.

“This is something that I’ve worked for literally my whole life. I’ve sacrificed everything for this. Since I was a kid, it was not only a dream of mine to fight in Nashville as a World Champion, but to defend my World title at the Bridgestone Arena.

“Walking to that ring Saturday night is going to be a spectacular moment,” continued Plant. “It’s all of my life’s work coming down to that moment. This is the biggest fight of my life and I trained as such. I pushed myself to exhaustion.”

The IBF Super Middleweight World title clash between Caleb Plant and Vincent Feigenbutz takes place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on February 15th with all the action broadcast live on Fox in the US, Sport1 in Germany and BoxNation in the UK.




ULTIMATE BOXXER 7 FIGHTER LINEUP ANNOUNCED

London, UK (14 February 2020) – Ultimate Boxxer the all-action and entertainment professional boxing brand has today announced the eight Super Middleweight fighters set to compete on Ultimate Boxxer 7  the seventh instalment of the series, which is taking place at Manchester’s Ice Arena on Friday April 3.

Ultimate Boxxer 7 will see some of Britain’s top Super Middleweights come together over the short format including Seb Eubank, Mark Jeffers and Diego Costa as they battle it out to win the Golden Robe.
The event will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport.

Tickets to Ultimate Boxxer 7 are on general sale now and can be purchased via Ticketmaster. Ticket prices start from £25.

All eyes will be on British fighter Seb Eubank, who will put it all on the line in one night. With a host of amateur boxing fights and MMA bouts to his name and with a surname that is set to turn heads amongst the boxing community, he has everything to prove as he looks to continue his unbeaten professional record in the ring. Those that train closely with him say that he definitely has the famous Eubank knockout power. 

At just 22 years old, Manchester’s Mark Jeffers (11-0-0) will enter the night full of confidence following his Central Area title win in his last fight. With 11 wins from 11 fights, he goes into the tournament as one of the favourites with comparison’s already being made to Ricky Hatton- with many tipping him to go to the very top in the sport. 

Unbeaten Idris Virgo comes into the tournament entering the peak of his career. Best known for his appearance in Love Island back in 2017, he will be determined to be taken seriously in the professional sport with his exciting style and personality. 
Knockout artist Diego Costa who hails from Brazil via Manchester (7-0-0) joins the tournament with the best knockout ratio on the card. He is yet to taste defeat in his professional boxing career and his explosive nature is sure to excite fans as he looks to maintain his unbeaten record. 

Next up is former Commonwealth Super Middleweight Champion Luke Blackledge who fights out of Darwen, Lancashire. Blackledge brings the most experience to the card and will be seeing this as his last chance to hit the big time. 

Representing Scotland is the current Celtic champion, Tommy Philbin who returns to his favoured super middle weight and will be looking to return to winning ways when he steps back inside the ring after experiencing defeat for the first time in his last fight.

Other fighters set to compete in the tournament include Charlie Schofield (15-1-0) who fights out of Aston under Lyne and Scotland’s Tommy Philbin (13-1-0), both of whom are coming off losses and will be aiming to prove they have what it takes to win.
Finally, two Manchester based fighters complete the line-up. The established Charlie Schofield who holds a very impressive fight record of (15-1-0) and stands at 6ft 3 inches tall. And 22-year-old Ben Ridings, the youngest fighter in the tournament who will be looking to maintain his unbeaten record in front of his own fans.
Four quarterfinals of 3 x 3-minute rounds will be followed by two semi-finals before one grand finale to determine who will take home the title.

The draw for the quarter final pairings will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Ultimate Boxxer event will also feature other headline fights including world title challenger Jimmy Kelly (24-2) and the undefeated British welterweight Jack ‘demolition man’ Rafferty (11-0).

Attention now turns to Ultimate Boxxer 7 which will see the Ultimate Boxxer series return to Manchester for the second time in six months. On that night Nick ‘Wild’ Webb was crowned the winner of Ultimate Boxxer 6 coming out on top on points against Mark Bennett in front of a 4,000-capacity crowd.

Benjamin Shalom, Promoter at Ultimate Boxxer said: “We’re excited to bring Ultimate Boxxer to a monster super middleweight division. The Ultimate Boxxer shows have been growing in popularity with huge ticket sales and now a sold-out pre-sale for this show. 
“This time we wanted to bring a group of high-profile names to the card and it’s stacked with homegrown unbeaten British talent. There is no doubt this is our highest quality card to date.”

He added: “Ultimate Boxxer has already proved it’s a platform for boxers to go and compete at the very top of the sport. Shakan Pitters, Mikael Lawal and I hope Derrick Osaze will all be fighting for British titles. This year there will be even more opportunity for our winners’ 

With a fight card stacked with homegrown talent and six fighters going into tournament unbeaten, Ultimate Boxxer 7 promises to be an unforgettable night of high-octane explosive boxing action for boxing fans and casual fans tuning into the event.”

For more details and for full fighter records, please visit http://www.ultimateboxxer.com




ELLIE SCOTNEY SIGNS WITH MATCHROOM BOXING

Ellie Scotney has signed a long-term promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and will make her highly-anticipated professional debut on the undercard of David Avanesyan vs. Josh Kelly at The O2 in London on Saturday March 28. 

A shining amateur stint saw the London prospect win the 2017 Elite national amateur title at 57kg and the English Title at Youth level having entered after only four amateur bouts. She was in serious contention for a GB Olympic qualifying place for Tokyo 2020 before leaving the programme last year to pursue her pro career. 

Trained by renowned coach Adam Booth alongside Matchroom stablemates Josh Kelly and Shannon Courtenay, Scotney will begin her career at Featherweight next month as she looks to announce herself as the next star of women’s boxing. 

“I’m over the moon to be joining the Matchroom stable,” said Scotney. “I can’t wait for my debut at The O2, it all seems surreal at the minute! I’m counting down to fight night already. I’m joining a team that boasts a two-weight World Champion in Katie Taylor, the first British woman to win a World Title in Terri Harper and rising start Shannon Courtenay so I know that the sky is the limit with Eddie and my team.”

“I’m excited to announce the signing of gifted Adam Booth protege Ellie Scotney who will make her highly-anticipated professional debut on the undercard of Avanesyan vs. Kelly at The O2,” said Eddie Hearn. “Women’s boxing is absolutely flying at the moment and this is the perfect time for Ellie to start her journey in the professional ranks.

“We saw Terri Harper create history in Sheffield last week by dethroning long-reigning WBC Super-Featherweight Champion Eva Wahlstrom to become the first ever British woman to win one of the major World Titles and Irish hero Katie Taylor has been flying the flag for women’s boxing in recent years. 

“Ellie joins a thriving Matchroom stable and I believe she in the perfect place to develop her skills as she bids to become the latest major player in women’s boxing. The March 28 show at The O2 is shaping up to be another huge night of boxing so make sure you catch it all on Sky Sports and DAZN.”

General Sale tickets priced £40, £60, £100 and £200 (VIP) are available to purchase NOW from StubHub (www.stubhub.co.uk), The O2 (www.theo2.co.uk) and Matchroom Boxing (www.matchroomboxing.com).




VIDEO: Ryan Garcia vs. Francisco Fonseca Weigh-In






THOMAS MATTICE VS. ISAAC CRUZ OFFICIAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES AND PHOTOS FOR SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TOMORROW LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

PHILADELPHIA – February 13, 2020 – Rising lightweight prospect and ShoBox: The New Generation veteran Thomas Mattice and hard-hitting Isaac Cruz both made weight a day before their ShoBox main event on Friday, February 14 live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.

Cleveland’s Mattice (15-1-1, 11 KOs) will be making his sixth appearance on the prospect developmental series and is coming off his most significant win to date, an eighth-round TKO of previously undefeated Michael Dutchover last September on ShoBox. The 21-year-old Cruz (18-1-1, 14 KOs), currently ranked No. 7 by the IBF, has scored knockouts in 11 of his last 14 fights since suffering the only loss of his career in just his sixth professional fight.

In the co-featured bout, undefeated super bantamweight Ra’eese Aleem (15-0, 9 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of Muskegon, Mich., will take on ShoBox veteran and San Antonio resident Adam Lopez (19-3-2, 9 KOs) in an eight-round 122-pound bout. In a matchup of undefeated super lightweights, Cleveland’s Montana Love (12-0-1, 6 KOs) returns to ShoBox in an eight-round showdown with New Orleans’ Jerrico Walton (16-0, 7 KOs). In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated super welterweights Derrick Colemon Jr. (11-0, 8 KOs), of Detroit, and Joseph Jackson (15-0, 12 KOs), of North Carolina, will square off in an eight-round 154-pound bout.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by GH3 Promotions and King’s Promotions are $100, $75 and $50 and be purchased at www.2300arena.com

The four-fight telecast is the third of four ShoBox presentations over six weeks showcasing some of boxing’s brightest young prospects in their toughest tests to date. Hall of Famer Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

FINAL WEIGHTS

Lightweight 10-Round Bout
Thomas Mattice – 133 ½ lbs.
Isaac Cruz – 134 ¾ lbs.

Super Bantamweight 8-Round Bout
Ra’eese Aleem – 122 ¾ lbs.
Adam Lopez – 123 lbs.

Super Lightweight 8-Round Bout
Montana Love – 139 ¾ lbs.
Jerrico Walton – 140 lbs.

Super Welterweight 8-Round Bout
Derrick Colemon Jr. – 154 ¾ lbs.
Joseph Jackson – 153 ¼ lbs.

Non-Televised Bouts weights:
Norman Neely 235.7 – Nicoly Clarke 213.1
Rasheed Johnson 146.5 – Omar Garcia 143.1
Eduardo Diogo 115.8 – Jerrod Miner 114.2
James Martin 148.6 – Vincent Floyd 148.7

FINAL QUOTES:

Thomas Mattice

“I had a great camp. I’m excited to have a big ring in this fight. We’re going to be all over that ring. You’re going to see some beautiful combinations. All night long. I have a great game plan. I hope I can end the fight in spectacular fashion, but I’m not going to rush anything. I will just see how he comes out, and adjust and fight my fight.

“I feel like a whole different person. I feel motivated. I feel great. I’m right on weight and I had no problems making it. We worked on a lot in this camp. I don’t want to say too much, I just want to go out there and show it. But you will definitely see a different Thomas Mattice. My skills are a lot better than what you guys have seen on ShoBox.

“A win in this fight would mean a lot. What it could do for my career, I’m not sure. I hear he’s ranked No. 7 by the IBF, so a win should put me in a really nice position. I think I should be really close to some big money fights. I’m 29 years old, but I’m a young 29. I’m not rushing.

“I really don’t know much about my opponent. I just know that he is a really tough fighter. I know that he likes to come forward. But I am used to that because that’s the type of guys I’ve been fighting a lot. I just will fight my style and I’m confident in the outcome.”

Isaac Cruz

“Fighting in Brooklyn was very different from fighting in Mexico. Everything from the hand wrapping, to the commission to the medicals. But the guy I faced [Miguel Perez] talked a lot, he was dirty. But I’m happy I have that experience of fighting in the U.S., it will help me both physically and emotionally for this fight.

“I don’t know anything about my opponent. I fight the same fight no matter who I’m facing. I really like to attack. I’m a pitbull. I’m used to facing guys that are taller than me. This is nothing new for me. My grandfather was a fighter and my father was a fighter. We all fight the same way, on the inside.

“I come to put on a show. I always come forward and the fans will enjoy my style. I really need to connect on my punches, either on the body or the head. I need to alternate my angles and throw a lot of punches.”

Ra’eese Aleem

“I’m an aggressive fighter. I’m exciting. I have fast hands. I have good boxing IQ. I’m naturally southpaw, but I box orthodox. Sometimes it’s just instinct, sometimes it’s to give my opponent a different look. I think I’m more fluent orthodox.

“I actually haven’t seen footage of my opponent. I’m just focused on myself. It feels like just another fight for me. I’ve been in this arena before and each time I’m here, I put on a great show. I stopped [Marcus] Bates here and I fought [Ramiro] Robles here and I stopped him in the first round. I think I just have good luck here.

“I moved from Michigan to Vegas, and that really helped turn my career around. I used to travel around a lot to train, and when I came to Vegas to train with Nonito Donaire, I realized that this was what I wanted to do. It was a great decision and has put me on the path I want to be on.

“I was in the karate gym at the age of three. I got my black belt by the age of 13, and started boxing at 14. It’s hard going fight to fight, paycheck to paycheck. But I really think I’m close to better days ahead.

“The ultimate goal is to win a world title and to defend my title. I want to do that and everything that comes along with that. The pay days, the other doors that will open, the sponsorships. I want to be the best I can be. I don’t think I’m too far away. I feel like I’m knocking on the door. I just have to stay consistent and this is a great opportunity for me. I want to win, and I want to look good doing it.”

Adam Lopez

“I think both physically and mentally, having three wins in a row is a huge help. In the past, I’ve been inconsistent. But I’m feeling really good right now. I feel like I’ve gotten over that hump and I have my confidence back. They offered me this fight and I think it’s a fight that I can definitely win. Aleem is an overall good fighter, but he’s nothing that I haven’t seen before.

“If I’m going to test myself, I need to get in there against a guy that’s good. How am I going to know that I’m back to where I need to be if I don’t test myself? I feel like a different fighter than the last time I was on ShoBox. I had a great camp, sparring against young fighters. There was no slacking off. I made a few subtle changes during this camp and I feel great.

“I have a sense of urgency with this fight. This is my eighth time on ShoBox. There was a sense of urgency the seventh time I was on ShoBox. I just have to go out there and stop this guy. I want to get on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. I want to get on bigger cards with world title fights.

“I think that I’ve been through more than Aleem in the ring. He is a good, fast fighter but I have a little bit more experience than him. He’s fought a lot of journeymen, so I think I’m a big step-up for him.”

Montana Love

“I took some time off after my last fight because I was fighting back-to-back. Then we just had some management issues, but everything worked out and I’m ready to go. I’ve been busy in the gym. I don’t feel right if I don’t go to the gym. I need to be around that atmosphere. It’s my second home. Boxing is my priority and when the time comes, I put my all into it.

“This fight means a lot. I’m facing another undefeated guy. He’s 16-0 so we’re not taking him lightly. This fight is a hump. If I can get over this, it will bring me to a whole different level. I think I have a major advantage with my hand speed. During camp, I prepared for both an inside fight and an outside fight. I’ve always worked on that, since my amateur days. The fight is won in the preparation.

“I’m not happy with my performance my last time on ShoBox against [Kenneth] Sims. I just felt off. I wasn’t myself. I’m usually more elusive in there. It was an off night. I think I over-trained. For this fight, I’m facing a guy with not much of an amateur background. I’ve been doing this my whole life. I’ve put everything into boxing.

“My name is Montana ‘Too Pretty’ Love and I’m fighting on Valentine’s Day, so I will be giving a lot of love out tomorrow night. I’ve got something special planned.”

Jerrico Walton

“I sparred with one of the best southpaws around for this fight, O’Shaquie Foster. He gave me great work and really prepared me well for Montana.

“My best friend was murdered in front of me before the [Dedrick] Bell fight, which is why I think my performance wasn’t great. That wasn’t the real me in the ring that night, but I fought because I think my friend would have wanted me to.

“I never thought I’d be at this point in my life. Through all my trials and tribulations, it’s surreal. I don’t think it’s even hit me yet. Being here, I want people to know my story. I want to have an impact on somebody’s life, just to show them that no matter what, you can change. You can be unique. You can be different. You can be successful. I want to use this fight to tell the world my story and have an impact on somebody’s life.

“We have a good game plan for Montana, and I think we’ll be successful tomorrow night. Before I got with Ronnie Shields, I was just a counter-puncher. Now, my style has changed completely. I think the world will see that on Friday night that I’m much more versatile. I can fight on the inside, I can box and I have much better defense than I had before.

“I didn’t know much about Roberto Duran when I was first given my nickname. When I learned about him, I thought to myself that I need to live up to that name. I need to keep that name alive, ‘Hands of Stone’. There’s a lot to live up to and those are big gloves to fill.”

Derrick Colemon Jr.

“Emanuel Steward was a huge influence for me. He was that guy. I was just a little kid and he put all of this attention into me, so that meant a ton. I was at his house every day after school. He would cook for me. He would give me pointers and invest a lot of time into me. We watched fights together. He was like a grandfather to me. I knew the whole Kronk crew growing up and Gerald McClellan was my favorite fighter growing up in Detroit.

“Kronk is in my blood. We’re animals. I come from the original Kronk gym. I trained in Los Angeles for this fight because of the experience. There’s really good sparring there. I sparred with a lot of Russian Olympians. It was invaluable experience for me.

“I don’t know much about my opponent. I just know that he’s 31 years old. It’s desperation time for him. We watched very little video on him. I just need to be myself, fight my fight, and stay within myself. I can box and I can bang.

“If you haven’t seen me fight before, you’re going to see a nice jab. Good body punches. And once I see how my opponent is reacting, I’ll go from there. Whatever I need to do to adjust, I’ll go from there. I can fight from range or in close. I don’t have any nerves. I feel like I’ve been here before. I want the boxing fans to say that I’m next up after they watch me Friday night.”

Joseph Jackson

“I feel good. I feel like a kid in a candy store. I just like going to show off, show out, and show new eyes what I can do. This is a chance to show America what I can do. I can be a boxer or I can be a brawler. I like to come forward. I have a strong punch and I’m in great condition.

“We’ve seen a little bit of my opponent. But we don’t really go off what our opponent does. We just glanced at him to see what his style is like, and we go off what we can do best. We’ll just adjust as the fight goes on. I just need to be myself and do what I do best.

“I’m always learning. I’m learning on the go because I had such a late start. But I’m doing a good job of learning from the guys I’ve been in camp with. Of course I’m a late bloomer but I’m doing well on the go. There’s definitely a sense of urgency because of my age. This is not just for me, but for my family and my kids. I have the maturity advantage. I think that is what will propel me to victory.

“I had a couple offers for football coming out of high school, but I wanted to go out and work and provide for my daughter. I got a job out of high school at UPS, and then I got into boxing by just trying to stay athletic and stay in shape. Now I’m a fulltime fighter. It makes all the difference. Mentally, it’s all I need to focus on – just boxing and providing for my kids.

“I sparred with Tony Harrison when he was preparing for Jermell Charlo. He was a great guy to be around. It was a great experience and I’m a better fighter because of it. I stay in the gym. What I learned from the Harrison camp, I brought into my camp. We had great sparring. I stayed consistent, stayed on-weight. This is a great opportunity for me. North Carolina doesn’t have the best reputation in boxing, but I’m going to break that curse tomorrow night.”

#

For more information visit www.sho.com/sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

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 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, 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.

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




CALEB PLANT VS. VINCENT FEIGENBUTZ FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

NASHVILLE (February 13, 2020) – Undefeated IBF Super Middleweight Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant and mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz squared off at the final press conference Thursday before they battle this Saturday, February 15 in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes as Plant makes his homecoming at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Thursday’s press conference also featured welterweight contenders Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella and Abel Ramos, who compete in the 10-round co-feature, plus lightweight contender and Nashville native Austin Dulay and former title challenger Diego Magdaleno, who battle in the televised opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Sweethands Promotion, TGB Promotions and Sauerland Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from SpringHill Suites/Residence Inn/AC Hotel -Downtown Nashville:

CALEB PLANT

“This is something that I’ve worked for literally my whole life. I’ve sacrificed everything for this. Since I was a kid, it was not only a dream of mine to fight in Nashville as a world champion, but to be defending my world title at the Bridgestone Arena.

“Saturday night I get to live out my dream, and I can’t wait to get in the ring in front of all my family, friends and peers. This world title is staying right here in Nashville.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep this world title. However long that I need to hold my breath under water, I will do it. He can’t hold his breath as long as me, because he hasn’t had to. Anyone who knows me, knows that he can’t hold his breath like I can.

“I can promise you that he has a tall order in front of him, and he’s going to have to focus on that. He’s facing a guy who’s willing to do whatever it takes to have his hand raised.

“This is the best I’ve ever felt heading into a title fight. This is the sharpest that I’ve ever boxed. Anyone who knows me, knows that I make weight easily. We’ve had the best sparring partners yet for this camp, and it’s going to make the fight easy on Saturday.

“Walking to that ring Saturday night, it’s going to be a spectacular moment. It’s all of my life’s work coming down to that moment. This is the biggest fight of my life and I trained as such. I pushed myself to exhaustion.

“I really appreciate everyone here coming out not just to support me, but all the fighters on the card. Especially for some of the local fighters from here in Tennessee. I’m grateful for you coming here to support this event.”

VINCENT FEIGENBUTZ

“I’m very excited to be here in Nashville, coming all the way from Germany. I’m prepared for this fight. We’ve had an intensive training camp and I’m happy to be here to take advantage of this opportunity.

“I don’t care that we’re fighting in his backyard. I’d fight him anywhere. I’m coming to fight and he’s going to have to fight me every second in there.

“I’m very happy to be fighting the U.S. because it’s always been my dream of mine. I love this country and this is the opportunity I’ve worked my whole career for.

“You will see how I bring the fight on Saturday night. I’ve prepared with the best training camp of my life. I don’t care about anything Plant says to me today, because in the ring, I’ll have the answer for everything.”

BRYANT PERRELLA

“On Saturday night I’m coming to put on a dynamic display of boxing. I’m ready to go. I’m in there against a tough, experienced fighter. But he’s never experienced what he’s about to be in the ring with.

“I’m the consummate athlete. I’m driven to conquer and succeed in this sport. Tune in, because Abel won’t be able to do anything. They’re not ready for me. We’re ready to go.

“After our loss, we got right back in the gym and we’ve been training ever since. Day in and day out. We’ve added so many layers to my game.

“I’ve had over 140 rounds of sparring in this camp. I went over 15 rounds straight with different guys getting in the ring. I’m a monster in this division and Saturday night I’m going to show it.”

ABEL RAMOS

“I want to thank my whole team for putting me in this position. I can’t wait for Saturday night to put on a great performance. My team has trained me super hard for this fight. I’m ready to put on a show.

“This should be an action packed fight and that excites me. We both have styles that match up really well inside of the ring. I think it’s going to be fireworks.

“I just have to stay composed and stick to my game plan. I can’t worry about going for the knockout or trying to force anything. I’m just going to stay relaxed and when the moment comes, I’ll be ready.”

AUSTIN DULAY

“I’m thankful to everyone for being here, and I also want to thank Diego. I’m really excited for this fight. I’ve been training my whole life for a moment just like this. I’m ready to prove to everyone what I have to offer this sport.

“I’m training the hardest that I ever have for this camp. I’m looking forward to Saturday night and showing the world what I got. I can’t wait to do what I have to do on Saturday.

“I can’t wait to prove myself in that ring. I know that nobody has seen the best version of me yet, but we worked really hard in camp so that I show the best Austin Dulay that’s ever fought.

“We’re just so ready. I know that Magdaleno is experienced and he’ll come to fight, but it’s all about what I can do. I just have to make sure all my focus is on being my best, and that’s what we’ve done all of training camp.”

DIEGO MAGADALENO

“It’s a big pleasure to be here with another big opportunity for my career. I’m no stranger to anything on this stage. I’ve been under the bright lights before plenty of times.

“I’m ready for this opportunity to knock on a new door and open it up and explore what’s on the other side. I’ve made big changes since my last fight and have teamed up to have Bones Adams train me.

“I’ve been working with Blair Cobbs in the gym and we’ve been getting each other ready for our fights. They’ve been undefeated the last two years and I’m new to the team and ready to get this win.

“I’m coming back with something to prove. I’m here to show everyone watching that I’m here and I’m here to fight. I’m looking forward to Saturday night.

“I’ve always put my heart into every round that I fight. I’m so eager and excited to get in the ring. I’m ready to go to work.”

#

ABOUT PLANT VS. FEIGENBUTZ
Plant vs. Feigenbutz will see undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant make a homecoming title defense against mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz Saturday, February 15 in the FOX PBC Fight Night Main event and on FOX Deportes from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features welterweight contenders Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella and Abel Ramos battling in the 10-round co-feature plus lightweight contender and Nashville native Austin Dulay, who battles former title challenger Diego Magdaleno in the televised opener.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.




GARCIA VS VARGAS CLASH FOR THE WBC DIAMOND BELT

The WBC is pleased to confirm the Diamond belt to honor the winner of this sensational fight between two elite fighters as Mikey Garcia and Jessie Vargas clash on Saturday February 29 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW STARTING AT $25 VIA SEATGEEK

Garcia and Vargas are multi-division world champions and also are proud WBC Cares ambassadors and role models for society.

The World Boxing Council Board of Governors unanimously voted in favor to approve the WBC Diamond belt to be awarded to the winner celebrating this sensational fight between these great fighters .

The WBC Diamond belt is an iconic trophy which has been awarded to commemorate special fights. Some of the past winners of Diamond belts include Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Bernard Hopkins and Canelo Alvarez.

Garcia and Vargas clash on a stellar night of World championship action in Frisco, with the longest reigning British World champion Kal Yafai (26-015 KOs) puts his WBA World Super-Flyweight title on the line against the former pound-for-pound king and four weight World ruler Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (48-2 40 KOs) and rising Mexican sensation Julio Cesar Martinez (15-1 12 KOs) makes the first defense of his WBC World Flyweight title against unbeaten European champion Jay Harris (17-0 9 KOs)

Murat Gassiev (26-1 19 KOs) will make his long-awaited Heavyweight debut against Jerry Forrest (26-3 20 KOs), Israil Madrimov (4-0 4 KOs) defends his WBA Inter-Continental Junior-Middleweight title in an official eliminator for the #2 position in the WBA against Venezuelan Charlie Navarro (29-9 22 KOs).

Matchroom Boxing USA talents Diego Pacheco (8-0 7 KOs) and Alexis Espino (5-0 4 KOs) get their first taste of action in 2020 and headline star Garcia will showcase two of his Garcia Promotions charges with 20 year old unbeaten Texan Flyweight Jesse Rodriguez (10-0 6 KOs) clashing with Marco Sustaita (12-2-1 10 KOs) over ten rounds and unbeaten Mexican Middleweight Leo Ruiz Acevedo (6-0 4 KOs) taking on Dennis Knifechief (12-11 7 KOs) over six rounds.

ENDS

About The Star in Frisco
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, other world class sporting events such as top flight boxing matches, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.




DEONTAY WILDER INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

Ray Flores
I want to thank the media for joining us from wherever you are around the world. We are so excited, we are 11 days away until the highly-awaited rematch with unbeaten Lineal Champion Tyson Fury going head to head against the man who will be talking later on during this conference call, the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World, the “Bronze Bomber”, Deontay Wilder.

This is a mega PPV event and when I talk about the magnitude of it, it requires two networks to come together, as it’s presented by FOX Sports PPV and ESPN+ PPV. Live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena next Saturday, February 22 starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Wilder vs. Fury II has been highly anticipated since their first meeting at STAPLES Center in December of 2018 when Deontay Wilder retained his championship by way of split draw after Tyson Fury, I don’t know how he did this, but he miraculously rose from the canvas after a 12th round knockdown to finish the fight.

It is without a doubt one of the most memorable moments in heavyweight history and raised the historical stakes heading into the rematch next Saturday, February 22. Tickets are on sale but let me tell you they’re going fast. I am not exaggerating. My goodness are they flying and you can purchase them at mgmgrand.com or AXS.com.

The event promoted by BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions, Top Rank and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

Now it takes a very good team to get a prize fighter to a level of this magnitude along with the fighter’s hard work, and it gives me great honor and pleasure to introduce the man who’s been around boxing for several decades. I want to welcome co-manager of the “Bronze Bomber,” Deontay Wilder, here is Shelly Finke.

Shelly Finkel
I’ve been with Deontay and with Jay Deas 13 years, and I couldn’t be prouder. The man is just special and he’s going to prove it again a week from Saturday on the 22nd. This time the count will be done correctly and you will see Deontay’s hand raised and they will announce he is still Heavyweight Champion, by knockout.

R. Flores
Thank you very much, Shelly. And now we will get an opportunity to talk with one of the co-trainers of Deontay Wilder, along with Mark Breland, they make up what is I think one of the best corners in boxing today. He has an eye for it. Please welcome Jay Deas, the co-trainer of Deontay Wilder.

Jay Deas
Hope everybody is doing well. Camp has gone fantastic. Deontay was so far ahead of where we needed to be on day one, it was like week three. So he’s ready to go and this is the kind of fight and the kind of moment that he’s been begging for, for a long time. We’re excited for it to be right here. It’s going to be fantastic and Deontay Wilder will be the one face, one name and one champion, come the 22nd.

R. Flores
Thank you very much, Jay. Looking forward to seeing you during fight week. Now let’s get an opportunity to speak with the champion, from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he is boxing’s current longest-reigning heavyweight champion, his 10 consecutive successful title defense give him more than all-time greats, Mike Tyson, Joe Frazier, Lennox Lewis and matches Muhammad Ali’s longest run of defenses.

After the first fight with Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder delivered two of 2019’s top knockouts, highlight reel knockouts of Dominic Breazeale at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in May and then followed it up by wiping out Luis Ortiz at MGM Grand in November. Now after the fight with Ortiz, Deontay Wilder went to Rome and had the privilege of an audience with Pope Francis who named him the 2020 Ambassador for Peace through Sports, joining the likes of Muhammad Ali and Riddick Bowe as the only American Heavyweight Champions to receive this honor.

He’s also the most active heavyweight champion as February 22 will be his fourth title defense within 14 months. And if you break down the math of that, that’s a little over three months per fight, so that just goes to show you how active Deontay Wilder is when it comes to fighting and defending his championship. When it comes to categorizing Deontay Wilder, the words that come to mind are exciting and also must-see.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome with the record of 42 wins, no losses, one draw, 41 wins coming by way of knockout, he is the baddest man on the planet, ladies and gentlemen, here is the “Bronze Bomber”, Deontay Wilder.

Deontay Wilder
Yes, baby. Hey thank you, guys. What can I say, it’s been a wonderful year for me. Last year was wonderful and this year is a wonderful year starting up as well. I’m just looking forward to February 22. It’s a great moment in time for me. So many different events are happening, and of course we know it’s Black History Month as well, so I’m looking forward to providing my service to my greatness on black history month and like I said, making Tyson Fury a black history trivia question.

The first fight was an amazing fight. It was a very controversial fight. We left people confused about what happened or who won. This is where we come and settle everything. This is judgment day. This is the moment where everyone will have a clear conscious after February 22, about who actually won the first fight.

This is unfinished business. I’m picking up where I left off at. I knocked him out the first time, I didn’t get it, but I’m going to knock him out this time again and this time he’s not getting up, that’s for sure. I promise you that. So I’m looking forward to it. This is a electrifying fight, I’m looking for electrifying energy come February 22 in the arena at MGM Grand. And yes, baby, you don’t want to miss this one. as always.

If you can’t make it to the arena at MGM Grand February the 22nd, pick up that remote and click that button please. Fox Sports PPV, ESPN+ PPV, most likely the remote will be right beside you anyway, so let’s go. This is the biggest heavyweight title fight in boxing period and this is where it starts. The heavyweight division is so exciting, it’s lit, it’s on fire, and it’s my job to keep it that way. Any questions?

Q
How did you discover that you had special generational all-time great power? And what have you done during the course of your career to help harness that as you’ve improved and evolved?

Deontay Wilder
I’ve always had power. I always tell the story of how my grandmother said I was anointed by God, that God is trying to use me for things. It’s just all about living, coming into this world and finding your purpose in life. I think I found one of my purposes in life, and of course that’s whooping ass and taking names, at this point in time. And I do that very well.

I’ve just been blessed tremendously. It’s one of the things I can’t describe how it transpired. When you have a calling in your life, it’s just that. I just have a calling all my life and I’m providing my service to my greatness and I’m showing the world who I am, what I am and the champion said he’s not going anywhere.

Most of these things become muscle memory for me. When I’m preparing for a fighter, the preparation for the fight is always great. I always have great sparring partners coming in and giving me great looks that mimic the opponents.

So when it’s time for me to fight them, there are certain things, there’s a look. I’ve got the best coaches in the world and none of my coaches ever get acknowledgement and they never get recognized. You’ve got one of the baddest men on the planet, the hardest hitting puncher in history, and none of my coaches get recognized for their greatness that they display.

They do a great job of scouting my sparring partners so I can have the best look possible to fight some of these guys. They do a lot of film study and to pinpoint mistakes that my opponent makes. So when I’m in a ring, I understand that and I can recognize it when I’m in the ring, so it becomes a muscle memory.

When you have power is this a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing because when I hit guys, they’re either hurt or they’re going to the canvas. And it’s a curse, I feel, because I have so much power that when I hit things, I’m either hurting my opponent or anything that I hit or I’m hurting myself and that’s it, there’s nothing in between.

Q
Do you look at the fight Fury had against Otto Wallin and think maybe Wallin left him a little bit worse for the wear as he goes into the fairly short timing after this rematch?

D. Wilder
Yes, I haven’t seen the fight, but I’m going off of what I heard about certain things. You’ve seen different highlights with the eye and different things. But Wallin had a great game plan that he instituted and when he saw Fury was vulnerable, he took his chances and by taking his chances, he ended up busting him in the eye and it opened it, which I felt like the fight should have been stopped with a cut so deep and a cut so wide. You can’t even see.

But I understand that he had a major fight coming up with me. And he was saved because this fight is happening right now. I will be exploring some of those things Wallin did. I definitely look forward to re-cutting open that eye. Once it is open and blood is all in his face, I might get a little bit on me as well, it’s all right, we’ll see if they continue to keep that fight on because I’m already dangerous as is.

And if that eye cut open again and it got blood in his face, then that’s going to be up to the doctors, because I’m coming in for the kill. They already know my demeanor about myself, you already know my main reason, and you know what I come to do.

I don’t play around at all and especially with this fight right here. So I’m looking forward to this fight, this is everything to me, this is the breaking the tie of consecutive title defenses with me and Muhammad Ali, my all-time great idol. I’m looking forward to setting history with that.

I never imagined just being able to do so many great things in the sport of boxing, and I’m doing them. I’m living witness that you can be from the middle of nowhere, you can come from a place where the system of boxing is not recognized and overcome and achieve greatness. And that’s what I’m doing, I’m leading by example. And I just can’t wait until February 22. Fury is going to get sent to the ground and this time around he definitely not getting up.

Q
Do you think that he’s really going to try to come at you or do you think that’s him just trying to talk a good game and sort of hype things up?

D. Wilder
I really don’t know what’s their plans are or what he’s going to do or wheat he’s not going to do. I don’t know what is true about what he’s saying and what is not true. I know one thing, that I’m prepared for anything that he brings to the table. I’m overly prepared for whatever. So if you want to bring the fight, then come on, let’s make it happen, that’ll benefit me more than anything, him coming full at me. So I hope they stick with that game plan and follow it through and aren’t just talking for hype. Actually do what you say you’re going to do. I’m looking forward to it.

If he does that, it’s going to make the fight that much more interesting and hype the fight up even more. So we’ll see what happens. Deep down in his heart, I really feel that he’s nervous. I really feel that he’s very, very nervous from the first time of what happened. When you knock a person down and give him a concussion, you never forget that. You never forget who did it to you and how they did it. And when you crawl back in the ring with him a second time to relive that moment all over again, there has to be stress; You definitely can’t sleep at night.

If anybody should be changing up anything you would think it would be me since he’s saying he beat me by a wide margin. But that’s even not the case. He knows what the truth was, and I’m looking forward to it. So I hope he’s a man of his word because I’m every bit a man of my word and February 22 should be a sign for all of us.

The fans are in for a treat. They’re the ones that are getting their money worth when it comes to this fight right here. They already know what me and Tyson are all about. We come in, we wear our hearts on our sleeves and we fight to the end and that’s what we’re going to do come February 22.

Q
Jay, do you feel like Otto Wallin may have softened Fury up a little bit?

J. Deas
Well the thing about Fury is he always is going to perform better when people don’t think he’s going to do it, like he did with Wladimir Klitschko. He kind of tries to live for that moment where he’s an underdog or where people doubt him. So he’s probably never going to perform as well against a Wallin as he will in the bigger fight. So we’re expecting to best Tyson Fury.

We expect he’s going to come in the best he’s ever been and that’s what we want. We want there to be no questions whatsoever, so that at the end of the day, Deotay will get full credit for what he’s going to do and nobody will think that Fury came in less than the best he could be, because he’s put his time in, he’s put his training camp in and he’s done all the things he thinks will benefit him. That’s what we’re expecting, the best Tyson Fury so that there’ll be no way to say anything other than Deontay Wilder is the man and no questions asked after it’s over, that he beat the best Tyson Fury.

Q
Tyson Fury said last week that he was going to weigh around 270 pounds for the rematch. Just wondering what your thoughts on that are and do you believe that he’s going to come in that high?

D. Wilder
Anything that Fury is saying he’s going to do, I really don’t care at all. I’m just waiting on that date to come around. I’m just so ready. I don’t care what he weighs in at, I just want him to be the best Fury that he could be. If that weight suits him and he’s comfortable with it, then hey, come on with it whatever he’s saying he want to do, come on with it. This is what it’s all about.

I want him to be the best shape, I want him to be comfortable with his weight, I want him to be physically and mentally ready for the best fight of his life because he’s definitely in for a great fight come February 22. I just don’t want any excuses. I don’t make excuses, and I am not planning on making any. I give my best when I go in there and I expect the same thing from him. I don’t want excuses.

I don’t want him to have the excuse that he should have been a little bit smaller or whatever. At this point in time he should know where he needs to be as far as weight-wise and everything else. So if he blows himself up, then that’s him. But I’m looking for the best fight from Fury possible come February 22.

J. Deas
I don’t have anything to add. I think Deontay said it all perfectly. Same exact thing, it doesn’t matter to me what weight he comes in at, Deontay’s been outweighed probably in 38 fights or something like that in his career. So whatever Fury weighs, he weighs and we’re not worried about – it’s not about him, it’s about Deontay.

Q
What did you make of Fury changing trainers and why do you think that he did that?

D. Wilder
For me, I just think it’s nervous energy to be honest, I really think it’s nervous energy from the first fight. He can go on and say that he beat me in a wide margin, but he doesn’t believe that. He honestly really doesn’t believe that.

That’s why he wants to change up a lot of things because if he did really, really believe that you wouldn’t change up so much. He has changed up from where he trains at, to trainers to now he putting his hand in gasoline to try to make him harder. He brought so many people in his camp. Like there’s just so much going on, there’s too much to keep up with all the changes.

The next day he’s going to go see a spiritual advisor, that’s going to be the next thing he going to do to ease his mind. That’s what’s about to happen to him and his body come February 22. But all in all as a fighter we must do the things that we feel are going to give us confidence in the fight. I don’t think he’s confident that in the fight and when he’s dealing with me because of the state of being that I left him in.

I gave this man a concussion. At the end of the day a concussion is a concussion. And easily that will happen again the second time around because the head is not meant to be hit especially by no power like Deontay Wilder’s. He got a lot to think about come the 21st before the fight, I think he’s going to be really thinking a lot that night and when the fight happens on the 22nd. uh-oh, he in trouble now.

So I can’t wait. This is the moment in time for the heavyweight division. Its’ fire is lit, it’s on fire. And I’m planning on keeping it that way. As the Heavyweight Champion of the World I’m planning on keeping it exciting for everyone. It’s back; the heavyweight division is back, baby.

Q
Jay, can you just also answer what you think of the change in trainers and how that might impact him?

J. Deas
It’s we saw that with Virgil Hunter and Dominic Breazeale, it’s tough to get chemistry even if you’ve worked with somebody in the past, very tough to get chemistry quickly. It’s just something that takes time. I think from what I’ve heard, I don’t really know him, but I think his new trainer is a good trainer from what I’ve heard. Tyson, he knows how to box so he knows what he’s doing in the ring so it depends what they’re going to bring to the table together, we will see.

I hate it for Ben Davison because I think Ben really was instrumental in a lot more than just boxing for Tyson as a friend and a mentor and a brother and a confidante, a therapist and boxing coach, and everything else all mixed into one. I think he added a lot of value to Tyson personally and professionally. So I hate that for Ben, but at the same time Fury’s got to do what he thinks is best for his career. But our team is solid. Our team is consistent and we’ve been that way for a long time, so I feel like that gives us an advantage.

Q
Are you allowing yourself to look any further ahead than this fight? Because obviously over here in Britain we’ve got a few fighters who might fancy themselves to be heavyweight champion but are you just fully focused on what’s coming up now?

D. Wilder
I’m fully focused on what’s coming up now. I always say I never look past a fight but I do look through them. This fight means so much to me. At this point in time, this is about me and Fury all these other guys will still be here after this fight. I’ll still be here after this fight. I’ll still be the king after this fight. And then we can go from there. But at this moment in time it’s truly about me and Fury. This is our time, this is our date. This is where we solve it all after we left you guys confused about what happened.

I can tell you what happened, he can tell you what happened, but it’s two different versions. Now we have the opportunity to correct the wrongs into a right and people’s minds all over the world and that’s what I plan on doing just proving them clearly who won the first fight but also not only proving it to them but doing it in the same fashion but just in a more dramatic way.

Q
Deontay throughout this promotion Fury has said that he’s going to go for the knockout. How can a more aggressive Fury leave himself vulnerable to being knocked out by you and possibly even earlier in the fight?

D. Wilder
It’s a strong possibility that can happen, especially him bringing the fight to me. As you can see, I brought the fight to him, nearly the whole fight the first time. And if he wants to do the reverse and bring it to me and bring all the force to me while I’m already applying force throwing at him, then it’s going to be an interesting fight; it’s going to be a short night, but it’s going to be an interesting fight.

An interesting fight and short night, you can count me in, baby, but I don’t get paid for overtime so he plans on running into my plans and I’m looking forward to seeing if he’s going to follow through with his game plan. That’s going to be exciting to see.

Q
Does that tell you that he will follow through?

D. Wilder
My gut just tells me I’m ready to go. I’m in the best shape of my life. My gut tells me that I’m prepared more than anything and about to put on this show. My gut tells me I’m the Heavyweight Champion of the World and I can’t be beat and I can’t wait for this fight. That’s what my gut’s telling me.

As far as what he’s saying and what he says he’s going to do – what he’s saying and what he’s going to do, I think are going to be two different things. This makes this fight such an exciting fight, not only with our words but with our action and waiting to see what’s going to happen. So if he does that, then may God be with him on that night of that fight, because God may have mercy, but I won’t.

Q
Is there any part of you that would love to see Anthony Joshua try to make his way into the ring following this fight?

D. Wilder
I’m not worried about that, he barely got his titles back, let alone talking about stepping in the ring with the king. So I know he’s been out of the picture. Ain’t nobody talking about him no more so it ain’t on me to bring him up right here right now, February 22, Deontay Wilder versus Tyson Fury. Other than that, nobody else in the distance at this point in time.

Q
Knowing what you know about him and knowing what happened in the first fight, do you feel like your confidence level is maybe higher in terms of knocking him out or winning this fight compared to the first fight?

D. Wilder
Yes, my confidence is very high not just because this is the second fight, and this is the second time I’m entering in the ring with him, we know each other a little bit more than we knew the first time. But because of my last two performances. I’m coming off of two dramatic knockouts, one in the first round and one in the second round so that’s even more about a confidence builder.

Both guys, Dominic Breazeale he’s a brave soul and no matter what his skill level is in there, he’s coming to give his best, he’s fought at this level before, he competed for the heavyweight title before and that was his second time around.

So I got him out of the first round. With Luis Ortiz, he took on a whole another level, as he may not be the boogeyman to me but, he’s the boogeyman to the rest of the heavyweight division. That’s for sure because nobody still to this day is calling his name, trying to fight him.

They want to call out all sorts of guys, and you try to make all the excuses in the world why to say you fight the best but not Ortiz, because he’s old.

They make me sick in this sport and that’s why I got to continue to keep it live. Coming into the ring with Tyson Fury the second time, knowing that I fought him before, my confidence is through the roof.

Q
What does this kind of event say about Deontay Wilder’s growth as a star in the US?

S. Finkel
I was lucky enough to be in the first big heavyweight fight with two networks and that was Tyson vs. Lewis with HBO and SHOWTIME. They were too big for one network to stop it and it’s the same here. This is the largest, biggest, most anticipated heavyweight championship fight since Tyson vs. Lewis. And neither FOX nor ESPN were going to stand in the way.

They all wanted to be part of it and you see the promotion they’re doing. There’s never been anything like it. And the week of the fight it’s even going to ramp up more. You’ve never seen a heavyweight championship be promoted on the Super Bowl.

Q
Deontay, you’ve been critical of Fury’s power in the past, where does he rate on the full spectrum of opponents that you’ve faced as far as power goes?

D. Wilder
That’s a great question, probably a question that I can’t put an appropriate answer to. Going back on that fight, reminiscing and going back in that fight, I can’t tell you any rounds where I felt like I was threatened by his power. Like I said before, and many quoted me on it and you can continue, that he has pillow-esque fists, that’s how soft they were in that fight.

Maybe my adrenaline was too high to even feel anything, even after the fight, sometimes after the fight you may feel a little sore or whatever, even after the fight I didn’t feel anything. I took all his punches that he landed and I walked right through it.

I don’t respect his power, he’s just a tall big man that can move around a ring and that’s about it. As far as power, there’s none there and I don’t think he’ll be able to develop it. I don’t care what trainer he brings in, you just don’t develop that power in a couple of weeks, or in a month because you have this trainer that comes in.

At the end of the day I don’t I don’t see his trainer developing it. What fighter has he had that he developed to give them power? We’ve got to look into that as well. So, if he doesn’t have no fighter that he developed and into a power puncher, then how is he going to do that for Tyson Fury in this short amount of time that he has? It’s impossible. It’s impossible. As a guy with dramatic power to the limit, I would know these things, I’m an expert at that.

So I’m just looking forward to the fight and I just can’t wait to see what’s going to happen on the night of the fight. Whether he believes that he’s going to do what he’s saying or not. That’s the big question, that’s why this fight is so exciting, because there’s so many questions to be answered. I’m looking forward to answering everything come February 22.

Q
Looking back at your first performance against Tyson Fury, what grade would you have given yourself in that first fight?

D. Wilder
In that first fight I was probably 50% or less coming into that fight. I didn’t fight like I normally fight. There’s a lot of things that I did that I don’t normally do. Especially when I look back at that fight, me and Jay can pinpoint so much, like look man, I don’t even do that. Why did I did that? Why did I do this? I know why I did it but I don’t know why I did it.

It’s just one of those things that you know why you did it because moving forward holding my guard high swinging swinging with no hope, just just doing certain things because in this fight I felt like I had the opportunity at that moment in time for me; that was the date for me, for the heavyweight division in America to be put on notice.

It meant a lot to me because when I was coming up, no one in America knew who the Heavyweight Champion of the World was, and it’s very hard when you’re in the division and you’re trying to get notoriety and bring it up and bring up a sport that is not our top priority and you try to make it exciting so people get to talking about it again.

At this point in time as I sit here and talk to you guys, I can say a job well done as far as getting the attention back in America, the hype back in America. With this fight right here, I’ll be ready to do the proper things that I need to be doing. I’ve lived that moment of excitement and I’ve lived that moment of having my first PPV, going on my third one.

Q
Jay, how much progress have you seen in Deontay’s boxing skills as a pugilist mentally and physically?

J. Deas
Well I’d say I’m glad you asked that question. Deontay does not get the credit that he deserves for the improvement, the skill level that he has and the ring IQ that he has. I don’t think people totally get what they’re seeing, and sometimes they don’t understand the nuances of the sport. But we do what we call a six-month test, every six months we ask ourselves, would you right now beat you from six months ago?

And I can answer 100% honestly that since the beginning of the first day that he came in the gym, that answer has been yes. He beats him from six months ago. He keeps getting better and better and better and smarter and refined with the technique. See, the things that people don’t really get is, and understand, the timing, the distance, the spacing, the positioning, all those things that allow you to land those big punches, that’s skill, that’s maybe the most important skill.

Now I know people like to look on the Internet and see a guy throwing on the mitts a 47-punch combination with three dips, four dips and five dips, but that’s not reality, that’s not against live resisting opposition. And what Deontay does is he puts himself in a position to land those shots. Now that’s more skill than people really sometimes can even comprehend what he’s doing.

So to answer your question, yes, I mean, his improvement just continues and continues. And the thing is, he wants to learn. He’s the kind of guy that is still hungry to get better and better and I think that’s probably the best compliment I could give any fighter. But Deontay is a whole different level guy.

Q
So Tyson makes a big thing about his boxing skills and boxing IQ. What do you make of that?

D. Wilder
Right, well he has to have the confidence to think that he has some type of skill in this sport to survive in this sport, especially at the elite level. You have to have some kind of confidence to differentiate you from the rest. So he’s only expressing what he feels. But at the end of the day we have a time, we have a place, and we have the date to witness each other’s greatness as we share our energy in the ring.

That’s a special moment on February 22 on FOX Sports PPV and ESPN+ PPV at MGM Grand. See who is all talk, and who’s not.

R. Flores
We appreciate the champ sharing his time, we know he’s busy in training camp, 11 days away until he puts his world title on the line against Tyson Fury in the rematch dating back from December of 2018. Champ, the floor is yours for final comments.

D. Wilder
To everyone that’s on the call or had questions, thank you guys so much for the participation and the questions. Again to all my fans, thank you guys so much, especially to my day ones. Thank you for this love and the support. And here we are, February 22 it’s going to be an amazing time in history for me and as well as you guys. You guys are the witnesses to witness greatness, to see what greatness looks like and if you come close to me, you’ll see what it smells like. And I just can’t wait.

You guys are in for a treat, you know what to expect in the second fight because you’ve seen the first fight. The fight sells itself, there’s nothing more needed to be said. I’m just looking forward to the fight and I’ll see you guys there.

#

ABOUT DEONTAY WILDER VS. TYSON FURY II
Wilder vs. Fury II will see the highly anticipated rematch between unbeaten WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and undefeated lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury as they headline a historic, mega PPV event Saturday, February 22 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Wilder vs. Fury II PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington for a 12-round IBF Heavyweight Title eliminator in the co-main event. WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, a.k.a “The Mexican Iron Man” will defend his title against Filipino contender Jeo Santisima in the PPV featured bout. Plus, in the PPV opener, super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face 2016 Australian Olympian Daniel Lewis in a 10-round battle of unbeatens.




The Passing of Jimmy Thunder

Philadelphia, Pa. – February 13, 2020 – Banner Promotions has issued the following statement on the passing of it’s former fighter, heavyweight Jimmy Thunder, who passed away on Wednesday due to complications of a brian tumor at age 54 in New Zealand.

“My heartfelt condolences go out to Jimmy’s family. I was saddened to hear that Jimmy passed away,” said Artie Pelullo, President of Banner Promotions. “He was a real good guy and true professional. It was my pleasure to be associated with Jimmy. He was a good fighter who gave the fans a lot of exciting fights when we promoted him, especially on the Tuesday Night Fights series on USA Network, where he had one of the fastest knockouts in boxing history when he knocked out Crawford Grimsley in 13 seconds. It’s always sad to see someone pass away at a young age.”

Included in Thunder’s record that read 35-14 with 28 knockouts were wins over three former heavyweight champions, Tony Tubbs, Trevor Berbick and Tim Witherspoon.




STAR BOXING RETURNS TO RESORTS WORLD CATSKILLS FOR “CATSKILLS CLASH III’ SET TO GO DOWN ON APRIL 17

New York, February 13, 2020

Star Boxing is pleased to announce its return of “Catskills Clash III” to the majestic Resorts World Catskills Casino Resort in Monticello, New York on April 17.

The Catskills have an undeniable claim to boxing greatness. Decades of fighters have called the Catskills their temporary home, to train for upcoming championship fights. The hollowed boxing grounds of Sullivan County have been sacred territory since the golden age of boxing, established by the likes of Marciano, Tyson and Ali. As of late, that reputation has carried over to the new, fully integrated casino as Star Boxing delivered two hugely success events there in 2019.

Star Boxing’s “Catskills Clash” series returns to the Resorts WorldRW Epicenter, continuing theits own legacy of boxing in the region. Fully prepared to pick up where it left off last September, “Catskills Clash” III is set to be an evening of thrilling, action packed fights. In Catskills Clash I & II, Star Boxing featured rising talent including five title fights, big time knockouts and immense boxing skill. On April 17, fans can expect another outstanding experience.

Star Boxing CEO JOE DEGUARDIA is excited to be back at Resorts World Catskills, “The Catskills and boxing go hand in hand, and we are proud to be a part of that continued legacy. The fights at Resorts World Catskills have been great and fans love that they can see the fights and afterwards walk out to NYC’s closest fully integrated casino. April 17 will yet again feature fan-pleasing fights on a thrilling show with top talent, rising stars, and title bouts.”

TICKETS:
Tickets to Catskills Clash III open to the public starting TOMORROW, FRIDAY, February 14, at NOON ET and can be purchased HERE.

More information on the fight card will be announced soon.
GET TICKETS TO “CATSKILLS CLASH” III!
Fight Night: Friday, April 17, 2020
TICKETS OPEN TO PUBLIC TOMORROW (2/14) AT NOON ET

BUY TICKETS NOW

ABOUT RESORTS WORLD CATSKILLS:
Located in the heart of New York’s Catskill region, Resorts World Catskills Casino Resort offers guests unmatched experiences in excitement, entertainment, and luxury. The integrated casino resort includes an 18-story all-suite hotel, and a casino featuring 100,000 square feet of gaming action including over150 live Las-Vegas style table games, 1,600 state-of-the art slot machines, a poker room, private gaming salons and a 100 seat sportsbook lounge. The casino resort also offers more than 10 varied bar and restaurant experiences, which includes an Italian steakhouse created by celebrity chef Scott Conant, and year-round live entertainment at the 2,500-seat RW Epicenter, casino bars and lounges. The luxurious hotel located within Resorts World Catskills is comprised of 332 suites, the Crystal Life Spa, two indoor pools, and two fitness centers. The integrated casino resort also includes additional stay and play destinations on its campus, including The Alder, an adjacent 101-room lifestyle hotel featuring the first Topgolf Swing Suites in New York State, and Dos Gatos, a cantina-style Mexican eatery and the recently opened Kartrite Resort and Indoor Waterpark, and will be expanded to include a Rees Jones redesigned golf course




Callum Smith turns down Canelo Fight

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBA Super Middleweight champion Callum Smith has turned an offer to fight Canelo Alvarez in May.

“He’s an idiot,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Osacr De La Hoya. “Callum Smith is a good fighter and has an amazing shot of beating Canelo and he turns it down?”

“Callum Smith turned down the fight and he would have made three to four times the money he has ever made and he turned it down,” said De La Hoya, who declined to say how much Smith was offered. “I wish him all the best and hopefully he can make the same money somewhere else. But Callum Smith, the most dangerous fighter out there at super middleweight, is out there and he’s bragging how he wants to fight the best and he turns it down? What’s wrong with these fighters? What’s happening with the legacies? It’s all business now.”

“We turned down the initial offer but, of course, it’s the fight that Callum wants next,” Smith’s promoter Eddie Hearn said. “If we feel the offer is right, he will jump at the chance.”

“We have a few opponents that we’re looking at,” De La Hoya said. “We’re going to go down the list. And whoever turns it down, on to the next one. These days I can’t even mention names because they automatically add zeros to the final number (of dollars they want). I commend Billy Joe Saunders because he went on record saying he wants the fight and would fight Canelo for free, but there are several guys out there.

“I don’t want to mention any names from my mouth, but we will work with anybody. We will just keep going down the list. But it’s an idiotic mistake on their part to turn down a chance to fight Canelo, the biggest star in boxing, and to make the most money.”




Las Vegas ‘Monster’ Fight: Naoya Inoue Aims to Unify Bantamweight World Titles Against Johnriel Casimero April 25 LIVE on ESPN+ at Mandalay Bay Events Center

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 13, 2020) —A five-foot-five-inch, 118-pound Japanese monster is ready to take over the Las Vegas Strip. WBA/IBF bantamweight world champion Naoya “Monster” Inoue, the three-weight world champion climbing the mythical pound-for-pound rankings, will make his Las Vegas debut Saturday, April 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in a unification bout against WBO bantamweight world champion and fellow three-weight kingpin Johnriel Casimero.

Inoue is coming off a memorable decision in the 2019 Ring Magazine and ESPN.com Fight of the Year against future Hall of Famer Nonito Donaire. This will be Inoue’s first bout under his long-term promotional agreement with Top Rank.

Inoue-Casimero and the 10-round bantamweight tilt featuring WBO No. 1 contender Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer Jr. and WBO No. 2 contender Jason Moloney will stream LIVE on ESPN+ beginning at 9 p.m. ET. In the final undercard bout on the ESPN+ stream, former super featherweight world champion Andrew Cancio will take on Tyler McCreary in a 10-rounder.

The preliminary bouts will air live on ESPN2 (7 p.m. ET) and will include the return of former world title challenger Alex “El Cholo” Saucedo in a 10-round super lightweight bout.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Ohashi Promotions, MP Promotions, TGB Promotions and SGG Sports Promotions, tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25 (not including applicable fees) go on sale Friday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased online at www.axs.com or by phone at 888-929-7849.

“The ‘Monster’ is coming to Las Vegas, and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He is a generational talent, a fierce competitor who is ready to take the United States by storm. Casimero is a seasoned champion, and Inoue knows he’s in for a firefight at Mandalay Bay.” 

Inoue (19-0, 16 KOs), 26, won his first title in only his sixth pro fight, knocking out Adrian Hernandez to win the WBC light flyweight crown. He is 14-0 with 12 knockouts in world title bouts, as he defended his light flyweight title once before moving up two weight classes to knock out long-time WBO junior bantamweight world champion Omar Narvaez in two rounds in December 2014. He defended that belt seven times before setting his sights on the bantamweight division. His first three bantamweight title bouts lasted a total of four rounds, as he catapulted up pound-for-pound lists with stoppages over Emmanuel Rodriguez and Juan Carlos Payano. The Donaire bout — the final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament — was the ultimate gut check, as he suffered a broken orbital bone before prevailing in an instant classic.

“It is a tremendous honor and a dream come true to headline a card in Las Vegas against a great fighter like Casimero,” Inoue said. “It is my goal to be the undisputed bantamweight king, and I am coming to America to put on a great fight for the fans. I would like to thank Mr. Bob Arum and MGM Resorts for making my Las Vegas dream a reality. Now, the work begins, and I will kick off my 2020 schedule at Mandalay Bay in devastating fashion.”

Casimero (29-4, 20 KOs), from Ormoc City, Philippines, is a newly minted bantamweight world champion who upset South African southpaw Zolani Tete via third-round TKO last November in Birmingham England. A world traveler, Casimero has won world title bouts in Mexico, England, China, Panama and the Philippines, in addition to interim world title bouts in Argentina, Nicaragua and the United States. He is on a five-bout winning streak and is in his physical prime at 29 years old. The Inoue-Casimero winner will be one belt shy of completely unifying the division, as WBC world champion Nordine Oubaali holds the final piece of the championship puzzle. 

“This is my dream fight. I have traveled the world and fought in 10 countries. I’ve won world titles at 108, 112 and 118 pounds,” Casimero said. “But ever since I saw my hero and fellow countryman, Senator Manny Pacquiao, fight in Las Vegas, that has been my dream. To everyone who thinks I am the underdog on April 25, I will shock the world and show the fans who the real ‘Monster’ is in the ring.”

Greer (22-1-1, 12 KOs) has won 19 fights in a row, but as he heads into the most significant bout of his career, he’s made a significant change. After seeing his seven-bout KO streak ended with a pair of close decisions over Nikolai Potapov and Antonio Nieves, Greer has moved his training base from Southern California to his hometown of Chicago. He has reunited with former trainer George Hernandez and is training at Garfield Boxing Gym, the place where he developed from amateur standout to promising professional. With a world title shot in his sights, Greer is not taking chances.

“I know what I’ve done before, and I know that I’m capable of,” Greer said. “George is the perfect man for the job. We have great chemistry. I love being back in the gym with him. This is what separates the boys from the men. I’m just ready to show the world who I am. At Garfield, the young kids keep me hungry. They don’t care about my ranking or that I’ve fought on ESPN. Chicago keeps me humble. Thanks to Moloney for taking the challenge, and I look forward to getting busy April 25.”

Moloney (20-1, 17 KOs), from Australia, will be fighting for the second time away from home as he seeks a second world title shot. He fought for the IBF bantamweight world title in October 2018 in Orlando, Fla., dropping a split decision to Emmanuel Rodriguez. Moloney has fought three times since, securing a trio of knockout wins during a successful 2019. In his last bout, he blitzed Dixon Flores in two rounds on an ESPN+-streamed card that also featured his twin brother, 115-pound interim world champion Andrew Moloney.

“I’m extremely grateful for this big opportunity. Fighting in Las Vegas has been a dream of mine for many years, and I’m looking forward to having a very impressive win over Joshua Greer Jr. and moving another step closer to becoming world champion,” Moloney said. “April 25 is a very important day for us in Australia and New Zealand called Anzac Day. It is a day of remembrance, where we pay our respects to all those who have served and died for our beautiful country. I will do whatever it takes to win this fight, and I will dedicate this victory to all those who have served for us.”

Cancio (21-5-2, 16 KOs) had a dream start to 2019 when he knocked out Alberto Machado in February to win the WBA super featherweight world title. He stopped Machado in three rounds four months later, but he was dethroned in November via seventh-round knockout by Nicaraguan veteran Rene Alvarado. McCreary (16-1-1, 7 KOs), from Toledo, Ohio, is looking to bounce back from a unanimous decision defeat last November to former two-weight world champion Carl “The Jackal” Frampton.

“I’m very excited to start my next chapter with Top Rank on April 25 against Tyler McCreary at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and on such an outstanding card,” Cancio said. “I know how formidable an opponent McCreary is, but I’ll be more than ready to be victorious and put on a great show for the fans when I return to battle.”

“It’s another big opportunity, something I couldn’t pass up,” McCreary said. “He’s a former world champion, but he’s no Carl Frampton. This is a steppingstone for bigger fights. I have to get past him to see the bigger names. I learned a lot from the Frampton fight, and that experience is the number one teacher for me.”

For more information, visit www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing.

Use the hashtags #InoueCasimero and #GreerMoloney to join the conversation on social media.

About ESPN+
ESPN+ is the leading direct-to-consumer sports streaming service from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) segment and ESPN. Launched in April, 2018, ESPN+ has grown quickly to 3.5 million subscribers in 18 months, offering fans thousands of live events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, as well as premium editorial content.

Programming on ESPN+ includes exclusive UFC and Top Rank boxing events, thousands of college sports events (including football and basketball) from more than a dozen sports at 20 conferences, hundreds of MLB and NHL games, top domestic and international soccer (Serie A, MLS, FA Cup, Bundesliga – beginning in 2020, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup, Eredivisie), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, exclusive ESPN+ Original series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films

Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) through the ESPN App, (on mobile and connected devices), ESPN.com or ESPNplus.com.  It is also available as part of a bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu (ad-supported), and ESPN+ ­— all for just $12.99/month.




Here Comes the Kaboom: Top Ranks Signs Heavyweight Contender Oscar Rivas to Promotional Pact

(Feb. 13, 2020) — Heavyweight contender Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas, the Colombian-born, Canadian-based puncher on the precipice of a world title shot, has inked a multi-fight promotional agreement with Top Rank. Rivas, who is co-promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel, will return on an ESPN platform in 2020.

Rivas (26-1, 18 KOs), ranked No. 3 by the WBC, represented Colombia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics before moving to Montreal to begin his professional career.

“Top Rank is in the heavyweight business, and we are pleased to be partnering with Yvon Michel to help Oscar get to the next level,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “He fits right in the heavyweight picture and has the skills and toughness to compete against anyone in the division.”

Said Michel: “Oscar Rivas is ready to send a strong message, as he has the style to beat any heavyweight on any given day. It is with great enthusiasm that we are confirming this partnership for Oscar with Top Rank.” 

“I am very proud and excited to join forces with Top Rank. I thank Top Rank for believing in me,” Rivas said. “I also want to thank my manager, Stéphane Lepine, and my promoter, Yvon Michel, for their leadership and guidance from the beginning of my career. 

“I am still a bit bitter over the circumstances surrounding my last fight in London against Dillian Whyte, and I hope that one day we will fight a rematch on an even playing field. As for Dillian, I know he will do all he can to avoid this, but nothing will ever stop me from becoming a world champion. I am ready to take on any challenge.”

Rivas was undefeated when he traveled to Whyte’s home turf last July in a fight for the vacant WBC interim heavyweight world title. Rivas knocked White down in the ninth round but ultimately lost a close unanimous decision. The Whyte defeated put a temporary halt to Rivas’ momentum, as he began his 2019 campaign with a dramatic 12th-round TKO over Bryant Jennings.

Rivas now joins Top Rank’s loaded heavyweight stable, which includes lineal champion Tyson Fury and top contenders Kubrat Pulev, Agit Kabayel, Carlos Takam and Jarrell Miller. As an amateur, Rivas defeated Pulev and former unified heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr.




VIDEO: Josh Warrington rejoins Eddie Hearn & Matchroom Boxing (Full press conference)






JOSH WARRINGTON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Eddie Hearn:

“I am very proud and very happy to welcome the No.1 Featherweight in the world back to Matchroom, Sky Sports and DAZN. It’s funny how life works out, it was a conversation I had with Steve Wood and I asked him, “When’s Warrington out of contract again?”, and it all went from there. 

“It’s been amazing to watch Josh’s development since we parted company and I think what he has done has been sensational. The early days looking back at what we started at Leeds Arena are probably some of the most rewarding days of my career. Forgetting the beer that used to come over the tiers onto my head, the atmosphere that you guys generate up here is second to none. 

“When you talk about atmospheres, the likes of Carl Frampton in Belfast, Lewis Ritson in Newcastle and I am not just saying that because I am here, but up here really is special. I think it began on a Wednesday night at Leeds Arena and even then you could feel what was growing. Going on to win the British and European Titles there, the crowds were going up and up and we got to a stage where we parted company with Josh and unfortunately I have had to watch these great nights and it was a sickener for me! 

“I was watching Elland Road and thinking he won’t be Lee Selby, and fair play it was a great performance and he won that fight in style. Whilst it wasn’t on my show I was proud and pleased for him because of what him and Steve Wood have built from the ground up is special. There was no GB squads or Olympic medals, this was starting in small hall shows winning English Titles. He came to Hull to win the Commonwealth Title and sold 300 tickets and that was a life and death fight at that stage of his career. 

“Let’s not forget that Josh is the number one. Check the rankings, check BoxRec and check his resume. What he has achieved in the last year and a half is extraordinary! The Carl Frampton fight was an unbelievable performance and now I feel it’s time to establish that legacy internationally and to have those away days in America. It’s also very important we fight here in Leeds, and the absolute focus has to be the unification fights. He has been there, seen it and done it all so now it’s time to have the major fights here in this great city.

“All the champions have been on the phone to me and for me the unification fight is the target to finalise over the next two weeks. There is also the focus of the American dream, we know that Kid Galahad is the mandatory and at some point that is something that Josh will have to focus on but for now the aim is the big fights here in Leeds. It’s what we feel we have to deliver for Josh and that is key. 

“It’s a pleasure to have Josh back, not just one of the best in Britain but one of the best pound-for-pound in the world and now it’s time to prove that so be ready because we’re going to have some crazy nights in Leeds!”

Josh Warrington:

“It’s good to be back and obviously Eddie has missed me and the big nights. This is a long story, it is not something that happens in a short space of time. In the break of the transition I had a chance to develop a little bit more and did what I did in winning the World Title. As I get round to this chapter of my career, it’s created some big opportunities. The unification is the main priority but the away day in America is also on my mind. 

“It’s all about making memories for me now and Eddie and Matchroom have the connections in America. There is plenty of fights there for me whether that is down the unification route or fighting my mandatory in Kid Galahad. Eddie has said he will deliver and I believe that he will do so. 

“That night at Elland Road will stay with me until the day I die. That was a box ticked and now to fight at Headingley would be so special. Anyone walking out there wouldn’t know what had hit them. Fighting at Headingley will be the last thing for me to achieve here in the UK.

“I want all the big fights because being a part of the big nights is what excites me. I never thought when I first turned pro that I would win a World Title, winning the British crown was my aim. To be here now I feel that I will beat any other Featherweight in this division. 

“I don’t want to be remembered as a decent boxer from Leeds, I want to be remembered as a UK great who was a part of special night, not a Champion who had a padded record and padded defences. The fans are a massive part of my journey and there is possibly a higher pressure when you’re fighting at home because of that expectation that is there. My next fight will be something special!”




DEONTAY WILDER VS. TYSON FURY II IS AS BIG AS IT GETS

LAS VEGAS (February 13, 2020) – The upcoming rematch between WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury is the biggest heavyweight title fight in history.

Literally.

Standing 6’7″ and 6’9″ respectively, Wilder and Fury create the greatest combined height ever seen in a bout for the WBC, Ring Magazine and lineal heavyweight titles, standing a collective 13 feet and 4 inches. The only heavyweight title bout “taller,” so to speak, took place in 2007, when the 7-foot Nikolay Valuev defended his WBA heavyweight title against the 6’6″ Jameel McCline. But never before have the sport’s very best big men been as large as they are today.

To put in perspective how large Wilder and Fury are, it’s best to compare them to the land of giants: The NBA. Consider the fact that at 6’7″ and in the neighborhood of 220 pounds, Wilder is the same size as Los Angeles Clippers small forward Kawhi Leonard. Fury, meanwhile, is nearly identical to LeBron James in terms of height and weight.

These days, a look at the Top 10 of any rankings you choose shows that most contenders are built like Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce, who stands 6’6″ and weighs around 250 pounds.

As anyone who watched the thrilling first contest between Wilder and Fury will know, the two are indeed athletes, far from the lumbering behemoths you might expect men of their measurements to be. Wilder might be known for his titanic one-punch power, but he’s displayed some truly dynamic movement in the ring as well. Go watch the tape of his knockout of Bermane Stiverne and watch him bound laterally to create angles before landing his devastating shots, juking like a wide receiver in the open field, and you can see why Wilder dreamt of playing college football at Alabama when he was in high school.

Fury never dreamt of doing anything other than boxing-how could you when you were named after a heavyweight legend and born into a family rich with fighting history in Ireland. But the “Gypsy King” was also born with remarkable nimbleness to go along with a lifetime of developed boxing acumen, gliding around the ring and boxing with a style that would befit a welterweight, not a power forward-sized heavyweight.

Wilder and Fury are distinctive because ironically, giants aren’t usually dominant in sporting fields. While some have been all-time greats-i.e. the 6’9″ Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who is a lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame-often times big men are known mostly just for being big, and don’t reach the pinnacle of their sport. And understandably so. Being colossally large is often a hindrance in as many ways as it’s an advantage, particularly when it comes to movement and dexterity. The NFL’s tallest player, seven-footer Richard Singh, played just eight career games, the MLB’s all-time tallest player, the 6’11” Jon Rauch, was a journeyman reliever, and tennis’ 6’10” and 6’11” skyscrapers Ivo Karlovic, John Isner and Rilley Opelka have no majors to their names.

As human beings have become bigger and stronger over the years, naturally, so have boxers. Rocky Marciano, standing 5’10 ½” and weighing just above 180 pounds, would be a tiny cruiserweight by today’s standards. Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali, considered by many to be the two greatest heavyweights of all-time, and certainly not tiny fighters in their time, stood 6’1 ½” and 6’3″ respectively. Theoretically, Louis would give up nine inches in reach to Fury, whose wingspan is 85″. There were outliers in earlier eras, of course-Jess Willard and Ernie Terrell were 6’6″ and above and captured heavyweight titles-but for decades it was possible to be the size of a modern cruiserweight and not just compete, but be an imposing figure in the division.

Things began to change in the late 80s and 90s, when Tony Tucker, Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis, a trio of 6’6″ heavies captured belts. But the modern era was ushered in by Vitali and Wladimir Klitscko, the 6’6″ brothers who essentially ruled the division for the better part of a decade before Fury unseated Wladimir for the lineal crown in 2015.

Boxing has had its share of giants through the years, many of which have fallen short of the elite levels. In recent times, fans will remember the much-hyped American prospect Tye Fields, a towering 6’8″ southpaw who despite a massive amount of hype, never fought for a world title. Julius “The Towering Inferno” Long started his career 5-0, and at 7’1″ with a 90″ reach looked like a force to be reckoned with, before settling in as one of the sport’s most notorious journeymen and reliable sparring partners.

Wilder and Fury are a remarkable blend of size and athleticism and are bucking the trend that you can be “too big” to be great. As the rematch nears, it’s exciting-or perhaps scary-to think about the next evolution of heavyweights that will come after these two. There was a time when the great George Foreman, at 6’3″ and with a 78″ reach, or Larry Holmes at 6’3″ with an 81″ reach, were considered among the most daunting physical presences to ever step in the ring. But Wilder and Fury have set a new physical standard. Will NBA-sized heavyweights become the norm in the coming years?

At least for the moment, Wilder and Fury are far from normal. They’re colossal presences, yes, but they’re also the two very best heavyweights in the world at the peak of their powers, looking to follow up one of the most memorable fights, and hotly debated draws in recent history.

Who will stand tall on February 22?

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ABOUT DEONTAY WILDER VS. TYSON FURY II
Wilder vs. Fury II will see the highly anticipated rematch between unbeaten WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and undefeated lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury as they headline a historic, mega PPV event Saturday, February 22 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The Wilder vs. Fury II PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington for a 12-round IBF Heavyweight Title eliminator in the co-main event. WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, a.k.a “The Mexican Iron Man” will defend his title against Filipino contender Jeo Santisima in the PPV featured bout. Plus, in the PPV opener, super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face 2016 Australian Olympian Daniel Lewis in a 10-round battle of unbeatens.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at www.mgmgrand.com or www.axs.com. The event is promoted by BombZquad Promotions, TGB Promotions, Top Rank and Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. A Premier Boxing Champions presentation.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.toprank.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com and www.espn.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @ESPN, @ESPNRingside, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.Facebook.com/trboxing, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/espn.




CRUISERWEIGHT ACE ISAAC CHAMBERLAIN IS BACK!

London, UK (13 February 2020) London cruiserweight hotshot Isaac Chamberlain has signed a long-term promotional agreement with promoter Mick Hennessy as he reignites his career towards a World title shot.

The highly-talented Chamberlain (10-1-0, 4 KO’s) has been frustratingly out of action for 16 months, but will finally relaunch himself in the division when he features on two Hennessy Sports events within a month, both exclusively live in the UK on free-to-air Channel 5.

‘Chambo’ from Brixton, South London, first features in an eight-round contest on the highly anticipated domestic dust-up between Shakan Pitters and Craig Richards for the British Light-Heavyweight Championship on Saturday 28th March at the Coventry Skydome.

The 25-year-old will follow that up quickly when he appear a few weeks’ later on an exciting Hennessy Sports event due to be announced tomorrow.

Chamberlain turned professional in January 2015 and stormed through his first nine fights and captured the Southern Area title in a memorable points victory over Wadi Camacho despite suffering a dislocated shoulder injury in the third round. His sole loss was against bitter rival Lawrence Okolie on points for the WBA Continental title, but rebounded with a victory over Luke Watkins in his last fight in October 2018.

Under renown promoter Hennessy’s adept guidance and with free-to-air national TV exposure on Channel 5, Chamberlain believes it’s all systems go as he aims to finally fulfil his destiny and become a World Champion.

Chamberlain said, “The time out of the ring has been a period of immense frustration for me but it has been a real character building exercise also. I like to look at the positives and going through this has strengthened my will and determination. I believe that I will be more dangerous and savage when I make my return to the ring on March 28. I’m so happy to have signed this long term promotional deal with Mick Hennessy and he is a person who I believe is passionate about his fighters and he fights for them. He’s a real solid person to have on your team and I need someone like him that to push me to where I need be. He’s got the track record with creating stars like Tyson Fury, Carl Froch, Darren Barker, Junior Witter and Chris Eubank Jnr and a great eye for spotting talent. He makes World Champions and that will motivate me to work hard and win. Becoming the WBC World Cruiserweight Champion is my primary goal and I’m obsessed with it. I want to be the best I can be and prove myself. I just can’t wait to get back into the ring and with the Channel 5 cameras on me and knowing that a viewing audience of millions will be watching me comes with pressure but I will thrive and perform to my best. I know the pain and heartache of not fighting and being inactive but Mick has a long term plan for me and I’m really excited again.”

Hennessy commented, “I’m delighted to welcome Isaac to the Hennessy Sports team and I’m looking forward to an incredible ride with him to the World title. I can see in Isaac a fighter with incredible potential, character and determination and he has World Champion stamped all over him. I believe he has the personality that will attract the masses because of his all round appeal and he will be a fantastic addition to Channel 5. The inactivity has been a hindrance but we have moved quickly to ensure he gets great exposure on national free to air TV on Channel 5 on two of my shows in quick succession that will raise his profile and shake off the ring rust. He’s still a young man at 25 and has a lot of time in front of him as we plan and manoeuvre him into World title contention.

A key figure in Chamberlain’s decision to go with Hennessy has been Matt Hamilton, exclusive advisor to Isaac, who said, “We are beyond delighted to have signed with Mick Hennessy. His record at creating PPV A siders is without equal in modern British boxing, he is the guy who created Carl Froch & Tyson Fury. We are all in with Mick, it’s a long term promotional deal under Mick’s direction for the remainder of his career. Isaac has enough ability; a vastly improved trainer and all around support behind him for us to want to pick one promotional platform and run with it. His path to a world title & PPV A-sider status is, in my view, inevitable. Lofty goals indeed but there is no point in investing a working lifetime in this sport if you don’t have your eye on the big prize. And Isaac has always had an unshakeable belief in how far he can and will go in this game.”

For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports




FEIGENBUTZ FIRES WARNING: NO BOXER IS UNBEATABLE INCLUDING CALEB PLANT!

24-year-old German contender Vincent Feigenbutz (31-2, 28 KOs) holds no fear about facing Caleb Plant (19-0, 11 KOs) as he prepares to challenge the undefeated American this Saturday night for the IBF Super Middleweight World title at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Yesterday’s media workout, taking place at Nashville’s Music City Boxing Gym, gave the assembled US press their first opportunity to meet the man known as the ‘KO King’ due to his fearsome punching power, and before giving fans a brief taste of what to expect as he hit the pads, Feigenbutz made it clear he was ready to fulfill his lifetime ambition of winning a World title in the USA.

“I am fighting an American fighter on American soil, so everyone knows that a knockout will make it easier to get the victory,” said Feigenbutz. “However I believe that no boxer is unbeatable and this definitely applies to Caleb Plant.

“My team and I have analysed what Caleb’s strengths and weaknesses are,” Feigenbutz continued. “He is a strong boxer and very good athlete, however I am a German warrior. I have a strong punch and I’ve proven that many times. I will look for my chance until the very last second and I am a fighter who will never give up.”

Having not fought outside of Germany since 2016, Feigenbutz is looking forward to making his US debut and has enjoyed his introduction to Nashville.

“My jet lag has gone and I’m feeling very comfortable. I’ve been out in the city and there seems to be a lot of excitement about the fight. I’ve met lots of nice and hospitable people who have treated my team and I with respect and it’s good to see the Americans are looking forward to the fight.

“Even though my fight will be in the middle of the night I’m sure my fans will stay up to watch me in Germany. It’s good for me to know that any fans who couldn’t travel to Nashville will still be watching on TV and cheering me on, this gives me even more motivation. I hope I can do my part to bring German boxing back to where it belongs!

“When I bring that belt home it will be a big step in the right direction for myself and my country. I want to become a World Champion. That has always been my dream and my ultimate goal. A big thank you goes to my promoter Team Sauerland, my partners, sponsors, friends, family and my manager Rainer Gottwald. On Saturday I will repay you!”

The IBF Super Middleweight World title clash between Caleb Plant and Vincent Feigenbutz takes place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on February 15th with all the action broadcast live on Fox in the US, Sport1 in Germany and BoxNation in the UK.




VIDEO: Ryan Garcia vs. Francisco Fonseca Final Press Conference






RYAN GARCIA VS. FRANCISCO FONSECA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (Feb. 12, 2020): Rising lightweight sensation Ryan Garcia (19-0, 16 KOs) and Nicaraguan contender Francisco Fonseca (25-2-2, 19 KOs) hosted their final press conference today at the Honda Center ahead of their 12-round title fight for the WBC Silver Lightweight Championship. Undercard fighters from the event also participated in the presser. The action-packed event place Friday, Feb. 14 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Below is what today’s participants had to say at the press conference:

RYAN GARCIA, WBC Silver Lightweight Champion:
“2020 is the year to show everyone that I’ve got the skills and talent to take on bigger challenges. I’ve been working hard and training every day, and I’ve sacrificed a lot of things to become a better fighter. Francisco Fonseca is a tough fighter, and this gives everyone a chance to see how good I am. I’m ready, so let’s show everyone that boxing is here to stay.”

FRANCISCO FONSECA, Lightweight Contender:
“I’m going to come prepared to give a great show, and God willing I’m going to take the win. I’m ready for this.”

JORGE LINARES, Former Three-Division World Champion:
“I’m so excited and happy to be here, this is my first time at the Honda Center. I’m ready to make an amazing show on this great card. Good luck to all the boxers!”

CARLOS MORALES, Lightweight Contender:
“I’m really thrilled to fight someone like Jorge. He’s probably the best lightweight of his era. I’m excited to test my skills against a hall of famer in boxing, and we’re going to give a good fight.”

ALEXIS ROCHA, WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Champion:
“I’m very excited to fight in my hometown. I know I have a very tough competitor, but I’m ready to shine.”

BLAIR COBBS, NABF Welterweight Champion:
“It’s great to be in an undercard with talent as great as Ryan Garcia. The most exciting man is boxing is here to take over the welterweight division, and I’m here to stay.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy:
“I’m excited to showcase a really phenomenal card that the fans deserve. Ryan Garcia is taking boxing to the next level at the Honda Center, the home of many big fights featuring the likes of Julio Cesar Chavez and Canelo Alvarez. This is a very important card for all participants. Garcia has developed into an athlete that is deserving of a world title.”

JOE MARKOWSKI, EVP, DAZN North America:
“The narrative around this fight is pretty straightforward. Is Ryan Garcia a social media sensation or a future world champion? Can Ryan Garcia put on a show on Valentine’s Day and raise a belt over his head? This will all be determined on Friday night. Even though, it’s pretty early in the year we are very excited about the fights DAZN has put out so far.”

Garcia vs. Fonseca is a 12-round fight for the WBC Silver Lightweight Title presented by Golden Boy. The event is sponsored by Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Friday, Feb. 14 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for the event are on sale and are priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, plus
applicable taxes, fees and services charges. Tickets can be purchased at goldenboytickets.com, ticketmaster.com, and by phone at 800-943-4327 and at the Honda Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 5 p.m. PT and Sat 10 a.m. PT to 4 p.m. PT).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and
DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing/ and
https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoy and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #GarciaFonseca.

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting
the link https://bit.ly/GarciaFonseca into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.




KIM CLAVEL VS. ESMERALDA MORENO

MONTREAL (February 12, 2020) – Dooly’s Boxing Series, presented by Mise-O-Jeu, in association with Videotron, is back at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal in 2020 with five entertaining events on March 21, May 2, June 6, October 24 and December 12.

North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light flyweight champion Kim Clavel (11-0, 2 KOs) will be the main star of this series, and on March 21 she will make her Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) debut. Clavel will defend her title in the 10-round main event against her Mexican challenger, former world champion Esmeralda Moreno (35-12-2, 11 KOs).

Moreno is a two-time World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight World champion, reigning from 2012-2013 and again in 2017. She is 3-4-1 in world championship fights and currently ranked at No. 2 according to the independent website BoxRec.com. The charismatic Clavel will face the toughest test of her pro career in her GYM debut.

“Kim Clavel and her team are tremendously ambitious and confident by accepting this challenge,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. “Moreno is part of the elite fighters in her division, holding WBC champion Yesenia Gomez to a draw and losing to a majority decision in a pair of 2018 clashes. After March 21, we will know where Kim rates among the brightest prospects in her division. “

A very well-known and popular figure at the Casino de Montréal, undefeated light heavyeight Terry Osias (9-0, 4 KOs) of Longueuil, will be in his 10th pro fight, all held at the Casino de Montréal, which is a unique phenomenon in Quebec. His opponent will be former Bolivia National Champion Javier Saucedo (7-3-1, 6 KOs) in an 8-round bout.

Welterweight Marie-Pier Houle (2-0-1, 1 KO) of Terrebonne, will be in her first career 6-round fight, against Mexican Claudia Rangel (2-2, 0 KOs). Marie-Pier fought a furious fight against Linda Dostalkova at the Videotron Centre in her last outing, which ended in a draw.

This Casino event will mark the start of an association with Ontario promoter Lee Baxter. For the entire 2020 series at the Casino de Montréal, GYM and Lee Baxter Promotions will be co-promoters of popular Montreal prospect Mazlum Akdeniz (11-0, 6 KOs). The light welterweight Quebecer will not be in unknown territory since he has already fought six fights on GYM cards. His opponent in the 8-round match is left-hander Lavisas Williams (9-1-1, 3 KOs) of from Rochester NY.

In other bouts, Ontario light heavyweight Kane Heron (16-0-1, 7 KOs) will face Alejandre Meneses (12-4, 6 KOs) in an 8-rounder. Light heavyweight Simon Pierre Adde (7-1, 3KO), a Frenchman who lives in Los Angeles, will meet undefeated Italian Stivven Dredhaj (5-0, 2 KOs) in a 6-round fight. In a pair of 4-round confrontation the Stéphane Larouche protégé, super lightweight Abed El-Safadi (3-0, 0 KOs) will tangle with Jakub Laskowski (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Poland, and a show opener for Diizon Belfon (2-0, 2 KOs) of LaSalle, an associate of the famed Grant brothers, who will try for another knockout against his Greek foe, Alexandros Kirsanidis (1-0, 1 KO).

All this action will take place in the warm and unique atmosphere of the prestigious Cabaret of the Casino de Montréal, where the proximity of the ring and the fighters provides a perspective and sensations that are found nowhere else. The fights will start at noon, so it’s a good opportunity to come have lunch with us, while watching spectacular and emotional fights on the first day of spring.

Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster.ca, 514-790-1245 / 1-855-790-1245 starting at $ 70.50 or directly at the Casino de Montréal box office. Season tickets or tables for the five events are available to a 10-percent discount by directly contacting Groupe Yvon Michel at 514.383.0666, extension 5.

: groupeyvonmichel
: @groupeyvonmichel
: @yvonmichelGYM




Golovkin – Szeremeta to happen in the Spring

Gennady Golovkin’a mandatory title defense against Kamil Szeremeta will happen this Spring with no set date as of yet, according to Dan Rafael o f espn.com.

 according to promoter Eddie Hearn, the fight will not take place until at least April — possibly April 11 — and there is a chance that it could take place in Golovkin’s native Kazakhstan, although it could also be in the United States.

“It’s something we have been looking into,” Hearn said. “Nothing is settled, but the fight could be [in Kazakhstan].”




GARCIA: I WOULD LOVE TO WIN A WELTERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE

Mikey Garcia says he will prove he can win a World title at Welterweight and become a five-weight World champion as he prepares to face Jessie Vargas at 147lbs at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Saturday February 29, live on DAZN in the US and on Sky Sports in the UK.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW STARTING AT $25 VIA SEATGEEK
Garcia (39-1 30 KOs) has stayed at Welterweight to meet Vargas (29-2-2 11 KOs) following his World title clash with IBF ruler Errol Spence at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas in March, stepping up two weights following his comprehensive win over Robert Easter Jr in a unification clash in Los Angeles in July 2018.

The 32 year old returns to action just under a year since his meeting with Spence, and has chosen to remain at 147lbs to meet former WBO Welterweight ruler Vargas, the former two-weight champion himself looking to return to World title level.

Garcia understands that fans and media alike are curious to see him remain at Welterweight and not go back down to 140lbs or 135lbs – and the man himself says that he will shine on the first night of the latest phase of his glittering career.

“I think that there’s a lot more that I can do at 147lbs,” said Garcia. “The Spence fight was not a representation of that, it wasn’t my night and not the fight that I wanted to fight, I just couldn’t perform and once in a while you have an off night and it happened to be that night for me. I need to show my fans and the boxing world that I can do a lot more, even at 147lbs. 

“A World title in a fifth division is very exciting. I would love to fight for a title again at 147lbs, claiming a World title in a fifth division would be amazing and that’s why I am staying at 147, but there are other motivations for me in the sport, I’m not done, there’s a lot more to accomplish. After this fight I’ll look at options at 147lbs and 140lbs, I’m not stuck at either weight, I’m keeping my options open.

“I have a lot of legacy to build still, I want to create a bigger legacy for myself and for my family. I’m not done. I still feel I have a lot more to accomplish and I know I will. I’m in the prime of my career right now. There’s no looking back or stopping me right now. 

“I consider this the third stage of my career because I am coming off a loss. Can I come back stronger and better than before or am I done? Past my prime? That’s why I’m here to prove it to everyone that I’m not any less than what you saw in previous years, in fact, I am only getting better. I’m not declining at all; I’m fast, strong and talented, and I consider this next part to be the best years of my career.”

Garcia’s clash with Vargas is part of a stellar night of action in Frisco, with the longest reigning British World champion Kal Yafai (26-015 KOs) puts his WBA World Super-Flyweight title on the line against the former pound-for-pound king and four weight World ruler Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez (48-2 40 KOs) and rising Mexican sensation Julio Cesar Martinez (15-1 12 KOs) makes the first defense of his WBC World Flyweight title against unbeaten European champion Jay Harris (17-0 9 KOs) 

Murat Gassiev (26-1 19 KOs) will make his long-awaited Heavyweight debut against Jerry Forrest (26-3 20 KOs), Israil Madrimov (4-0 4 KOs) defends his WBA Inter-Continental Junior-Middleweight title in an official eliminator for the #2 position in the WBA against Venezuelan Charlie Navarro (29-9 22 KOs). 

Matchroom Boxing USA talents Diego Pacheco (8-0 7 KOs) and Alexis Espino (5-0 4 KOs) get their first taste of action in 2020 and headline star Garcia will showcase two of his Garcia Promotions charges with 20 year old unbeaten Texan Flyweight Jesse Rodriguez (10-0 6 KOs) clashing with Marco Sustaita (12-2-1 10 KOs) over ten rounds and unbeaten Mexican Middleweight Leo Ruiz Acevedo (6-0 4 KOs) taking on Dennis Knifechief (12-11 7 KOs) over six rounds.

ENDS

About The Star in Frisco
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, other world class sporting events such as top flight boxing matches, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.




CALEB PLANT VS. VINCENT FEIGENBUTZ NASHVILLE MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

NASHVILLE (February 12, 2020) – Undefeated IBF Super Middleweight Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant and mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz participated in a media workout in Nashville Wednesday before they square off this Saturday, February 15 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee in the FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes.

The Ashland City, Tennessee native Plant greeted fans in attendance before he makes the second defense of his 168-pound title in a homecoming attraction, as he fights in his home state for the first time as a pro. Fighting out of his native Germany, Feigenbutz will be making his U.S. debut and hoping to spoil Plant’s homecoming in the “Music City”.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Sweethands Promotion, TGB Promotions and Sauerland Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

Wednesday’s workout also featured Nashville native Austin Dulay, who battles Diego Magdaleno in the FOX PBC Fight Night opener at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Also entering the ring at Wednesday’s media event were Ashland City’s Tyler Tomlin (3-0, 3 KOs) and Nashville-based Cuban Maidel Sando (9-0, 7 KOs), who compete in separate non-televised attractions Saturday night.

Here is what the main event fighters had to say Wednesday from Music City Boxing Gym in Nashville:

CALEB PLANT

“I’m excited about fighting in my hometown. This is something that I’ve wanted to do since I turned pro. To be coming back home as a world champion at Bridgestone Arena is exciting and motivating. I’m ready.

“I know that Feigenbutz has a lot of fights and a lot of knockouts. He’s coming in here to spoil my plans, but he’s going to fall short.

“I’m excited but I’m not really focused on anything but the fight. I’m happy to be here in Nashville in front of my home crowd. This is something that I pushed for, but once I got it, there’s no reason to really focus on it. I have to treat this like another day at work.

“I’ve worked very hard for this moment over many years. There was a point in time when there were no cameras in front of me. It was just me and my small team, that’s grown into a big team. Now we’re on the big stage and we’re prepared.

“My father (co-trainer Richie Plant) has always instilled in me that anything you’re not willing to do, there’s someone out there who is. I’m a fierce competitor and just like I don’t want to lose in boxing, if somebody is working harder than me, I’m losing in that area too.

“Preparation for this fight was great and I’m feeling good right now. I’m rested and relaxed. All the hard work is done. I can’t get in any better shape. At this point, you’ve put the work in or you haven’t.

“It’s not hard for me to stay hungry. People say I’m the hunted now, not the hunter. But I still feel like I’m hunting. It was just one goal to become a world champion. The other goals and aspirations that I have, those are what keeps me motivated.

“I’m ready to have a great performance Saturday in front of my hometown fans. This is going to be fireworks and you’re not going to want to miss it.”

VINCENT FEIGENBUTZ

“I will win this fight anywhere it’s fought. I’m very happy to be here in the U.S. on this big stage. I have a great team that got me here. If the American people give me a chance, they’re going to like what I bring into the ring. I don’t like to talk too much, but I like to fight.

“I was only 20-years-old when I last lost. I’m a man now and I’m much more experienced and have everything I’ll need to beat Caleb Plant.

“We’ve had great preparation for this fight like always. I’ve of course looked at Caleb’s fights and we got sparring partners to match his style. We’re going to be ready for fight night.

“You’ll see in the first round that I’m prepared. I’m going to bring something different than Caleb expects. I’m confident that I’m going to win this fight, or else I wouldn’t be here.

“We’re all very excited to be here in Nashville. My whole family loves Johnny Cash and all the music here. The people are very nice and I’m looking forward to winning a world title here.

“In the future I’d love to come back and fight in the U.S. I’m planning to put on a good performance and I know that will open up the door to the biggest fights in the sport.”

#

ABOUT PLANT VS. FEIGENBUTZ
Plant vs. Feigenbutz will see undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion Caleb “Sweethands” Plant make a homecoming title defense against mandatory challenger Vincent Feigenbutz Saturday, February 15 in the FOX PBC Fight Night Main event and on FOX Deportes from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features welterweight contenders Bryant “Goodfella” Perrella and Abel Ramos battling in the 10-round co-feature plus lightweight contender and Nashville native Austin Dulay, who battles former title challenger Diego Magdaleno in the televised opener.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.




VIDEO: Lewis Ritson vs Miguel Vazquez launch press conference (Plus undercard)






RITSON VS. VAZQUEZ PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Eddie Hearn:

“It’s a pleasure to be back in Newcastle and it’s fair to say that you guys here today and especially the man to my right have revolutionised the boxing scene here. It’s going to be nearly two years when we return on April 4 since Lewis’ first big fight there against Paul Hyland and we witnessed a great performance from him that night. 

“The Patera loss was one that made him as a fighter but at the time took the wind out of the sails and we wondered if we would be able to go on from there and claim this city as a major fight night location for Sky Sports.

“Lewis’ last fight against Robbie was a brilliant fight and a great occasion in what is remembered as a Fight of the Year contender. Boxing in Newcastle has become an experience now with fans wanting to be a part of the atmosphere that is created in the arena on fight night. Lewis has become a major draw in British boxing and that’s what it’s all about. 

“Miguel Vazquez is a great fighter, a former IBF World Champion who is smart and has a style which is very tough to beat. He is on the hunt to become a two-weight World Champion and that begins on April 4.

“When we look down the card, Kash Farooq is one of the best young fighters to come out of Scotland for a long time, Wardley against Vallily is a great Heavyweight match-up for the English Title and Thomas Patrick Ward is I believe the hidden gem of the North-East.

“Thomas is bang on the verge of challenging for a World Title, currently ranked #3 in the world and he is a great talent who has gone under the radar. With a victory on April 4 I believe that he will secure a fight for the World Title this summer.

“Savannah Marshall will challenge for the WBO World Light-Heavyweight crown and she has picked the right time to come forward. She challenges Peres in Newcastle and for me women’s boxing is at an all time high right now. Savannah steps out of her comfort zone to take on a World Champion and the North-East has a chance to crown another World ruler on April 4.”

Lewis Ritson – Newcastle, England – 20-1, 12 KOs – fighting Miguel Vazquez in a 12 round Super-Lightweight contest:

“This will be a very hard fight but I feel if I get through this we will have three World Champions in the North-East in me, Tommy and Savannah.

“He can do a bit of everything and he’s proved that as a World Champion. He was a champion for a long time but I know Fanno will put together a solid gameplan and we will come away with the win.

“This is the sort of fight that I need for the experience to get to that next level. I showed that against Robbie Davies Jr and I will show this again and bring back some big nights to the North-East.

“It’s not just Newcastle it’s the whole North-East. As long as the fighters on the undercard keep winning and the main event keeps winning then we will continue to bring great nights here in what I think is the best atmosphere in the country.

“I will be very tough to beat in the arena and Vazquez will feel like he is fighting two people in there with the noise levels. It’s a great time for the division and I’m confident that I am more than capable of beating any of them, I’ll get Vazquez out of the way and then I want that World Title shot.”

Miguel Vazquez – Guadalajara, Mexico – 42-9, 16 KOs – fighting Lewis Ritson in a 12 round Super-Lightweight contest:

“Thanks for the invitation to come here, it’s always great to be in the UK because I feel at home here.

“I would really like to kickstart my career here so I can open some doors and have a good end to my professional journey.

“I would love to become World Champion again and beating Lewis Ritson is the first step in achieving that goal. Lewis Ritson is very tough and a great fighter and I expect a great fight on April 4.”

Savannah Marshall – Hartlepool, England – 8-0, 6 KOs – fighting Geovana Peres for the WBO Light-Heavyweight World Title:

“I just want to say thanks for the opportunity, Eddie, Matchroom and MTK. Just for the chance to box for a World Title in Newcastle, even if it is at the weight above, I’m jumped at the chance. She’s a reigning, defending World Champion. She’s a weight above so I know she can whack. She’s a Brazilian-born adopted Kiwi, so that just screams toughness.

“These are the challenges that I want. Women can go up and down in the weights because there aren’t that many women about. This is just the start for me and I’m hoping to become a World Champion on April 4th in Newcastle.

“I’ve got the height there for Light-Heavy, Super-Middle and Middle. I’m strict with myself and I train hard. That does allow me to go up and down the weights. I’m comfortable at Middle, I’ve never been a true Super-Middle. I know I can hold the weight and do it properly. I’m looking forward to this one.”

Thomas Patrick Ward – West Rainton, England – 29-0, 4 KOs – rated no.3 at Super-Bantamweight with the WBO: 

“I believe I’m right in line for a World Title shot this year. I’m excited to get out and get a good win on April 4th. The division is there for me. There’s some good champions in the weight but I believe I’m the best of the lot.

“I’ve been flying under the radar for some time like you said and I believe that I’ve got the skills to beat anybody. Anybody that steps in the ring with me have only got a chance of beating me by knocking me out, and my chin is perfect so I believe I’m the best in the division and I will show it. 

“They’re all great champions in this division. Like I said, I believe I am the best. My skills will be too much for them. I’m not saying it’s going to be an easy night, not one bit, but I’ve got a full bag of tricks and people won’t realise how good I am until the champions are in the ring fighting me.”

Joe Laws – Benwell, England – 8-0, 4 KOs:

“You alright Eddie? I’ve made the poster this time. I’m feeling good, camp has been going well. I’m moving down in weight; I’m feeling better and stronger in the gym. The last two arena shows have been amazing. The atmosphere we bring is special and I can’t wait for it. 

“My previous fights were like 148 and 147lbs, 150 some of them, so I’m going to move down slowly. I’m fighting two weeks on Saturday, one fight at 142 and then I’ll just keep bringing myself down until next year when I’m 135 and I believe at that weight I’ll be a proper handful. 

“I’m on six rounds now. Later this year I’ll do a few eights, test the waters and all that, and next year I’ll be ready for them titles. Devin Haney is one of the main reasons that I’ve moved down to 135, people having been saying ‘what’s the point in calling someone out when you’re a different weight’? So I thought I’d get to 135, put some wins together, up the rounds, and if he wants to step up then come to Newcastle. Let’s get it on.”

April Hunter – Wallsend, England – 2-0:

“Women’s boxing is in an amazing place at the moment. I watched Terri over the weekend and I thought she looked amazing. I feel like the hype for women’s boxing has grown and I’m just happy to be a part of it. I can’t wait for Savannah to get a World Title on April 4th

I’m not going to go looking for the stoppage. I’m going to try and pick my shots a bit better. These journeymen fighters know how to survive don’t they so the more I go looking for it the harder it’ll get so I think I’m going to be a lot more relaxed and composed. I’ll show my boxing skills a lot more in this one.”




Celebrated manager Jackie Kallen predicts unbeaten Mykquan Williams will be her sixth world champion

MANCHESTER, Conn. (February 12, 2020) – Women’s pioneer Jackie Kallen, the first and arguably most successful female manager in the boxing history, strongly believes unbeaten 21-year-old “Marvelous” Mykquan Williams (15-0-1, 7 KOs) will develop into her sixth world champion.

Williams, fighting out of East Hartford, CT, is the reigning the World Boxing Council (WBC) United States super lightweight champion.

“Mykey has a lot of the qualities as some of the greats in boxing,” Kallen said. “He has some of the flash and speed of fighters like Ray Leonard, and the training habits and dedication of Thomas Hearns and Mike Tyson. He also has a killer smile and good looks like Hector Camacho, Sr.

“Mykey can go all the way to a world title. He has the speed, attitude, and heart, along with exceptional boxing ability. He has been groomed perfectly by his trainer, Paul Cichon, who has kept Mykey true to his style, working hard to perfect his skill. Mykey trains hard, eats right, and takes the game seriously.”

“Jackie’s very experienced and knowledgeable in boxing,” Williams remarked. “She’s worked with some great, world-class fighters, so she knows the route to take for me to get there.”

Cichon added, “I sought out Jackie as our manager because of her love for the sports, as well as the knowledge of that she brings to the table. She’s very well respected, as she certainly deserves to be.”

Boxing has dramatically changed since Kallen covered her first fight for a Detroit daily newspaper in 1978. The card showcased Hearns and Mickey Goodwin. She became an instant fan and wrote about boxing on a regular basis. A legendary trainer/manager based in Detroit, Emanuel Steward, hired her as a publicist for his famed Kronk Gym. Some of her best friends to this day are fighters who she worked with back then. She and Hearns still get together.

Kallen & Hearns

After serving as Kronk’s publicist for a decade, Kallen decided to branch out and she started managing fighters. Her first client was heavyweight Bobby Hitz, who today is a successful promoter and restaurateur in Chicago. She went on to manage a group of Who’s Who fighters, including world champions James Toney, Bronco McKart,Tom “Boom Boom” Johnson, Pinklon Thomas and Nonito Donaire.

Kallen, who overcame sexism in the boxing industry, is best known, perhaps, for her working relationship with Toney, largely because her life during that period was the inspiration for the popular 2004 movie, Against the Ropes, starring Meg Ryan as Kallen.

“Boxing today is a totally different animal,” she explained. “That’s not to say it’s better or worse, just different. There used to be more gyms in every city, heavy amateur programs, lots of shows on television networks, and enough local club shows to keep a young fighter active. I had guys back then who fought 8 to 10 times a year, which, of course, is almost impossible in 2020.

“There wasn’t as much information available on opponents either. If you were lucky, you could buy a tape. If the fighter hadn’t been on television, though, you were out of luck. There was no Internet, so there was nothing like BoxRec to check opponents’ records. You just had to believe the matchmaker. I had fighters expecting to fight a 14-4 guy who found out at the weigh in that he was actually 16-0.”

Boxing, likely the second-oldest profession, has continued to survive, albeit often on a roller-coaster ride.

“Today’s fighters are not as quick to fight each other as they were in the days of Hearns/Hagler/Leonard/Duran,” Kallen noted. “Back then, fighters wanted to really fight to be the best they could be. I see fighters today being more analytical and taking less chances.

“There are also more sanctioning organizations today. Back then it was most the WBA, WBC and IBF. Not to mention there was never one person who managed dozens and dozens of boxers at the same time. The game has definitely changed!”

Kallen, though is still heavily invested in the sport she loves. Confident Williams will be her next world champion, her dream is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with Toney (pictured below).

“In 1992,” Kallen concluded, “I was named ‘Manager of the Year’ and my love for the sport has never waned. As long as there is talent out there needing guidance, I will stay active.”

INFORMATION:

Twitter: @MarvelousMyke, @JackieKallen
Instagram: @M.mkw_, @jackie.Kallen
Facebook: /MykquanWilliams, /PaulCichon, /JackieKallen




RICHARDSON HITCHINS AND NICK DELOMBA DISCUSS TRAINING CAMP AHEAD OF SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT MATCHUP ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28 LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

LAS VEGAS – February 12, 2020 – Fast-rising super lightweight prospects Richardson Hitchins (10-0, 5 KOs) and Nick DeLomba (16-2, 5 KOs) open up about training camp ahead of their ShoBox: The New Generation co-featured bout Friday, February 28 live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT) from Sam’s Town Live in Las Vegas.

In the ShoBox main event, unbeaten Mayweather Promotions’ prospect Malik Hawkins (18-0, 11 KOs) will return for his second appearance on SHOWTIME as he goes toe-to-toe with undefeated Vegas native Keith Hunter (11-0, 7 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight bout. The opening bout of the telecast will see Kevin “The Second Coming” Newman (11-1-1, 6 KOs) against an opponent to be announced in a 10-round super middleweight bout. The previously announced opponent, Kalvin Henderson, has withdrawn from the fight due to an injury.

Tickets for the Mayweather Promotions’ Sin City Showdown start at $25 and can be purchased at: https://mayweatherpromotions.com/events/.

Hitchins, of Brooklyn, N.Y., returns for his second consecutive test on the prospect developmental series. In his last outing, he earned a unanimous decision over Kevin Johnson at Sam’s Town. Hitchins, a 22-year-old 2016 Haitian Olympian, has gained notoriety for having the skillset of a veteran with a gritty and slick style inside the ring. Hitchins has credited some of his boxing development to advice and pointers he has gotten from world champion Daniel Jacobs and Shakur Stevenson, and stablemate Gervonta Davis.

“Nice” DeLomba, fighting out of Cranston, R.I., is coming off a five-fight win streak with three out of five wins by knockout. He’s best known for his slickness and elusiveness in the ring and looks to make a powerful statement in foreign territory as he makes his Las Vegas and ShoBox debuts.

Here is what Hitchins and DeLomba had to say ahead of the February 28 match-up:

How has training camp been going in preparation for February 28?

Hitchins: “Camp is good, but I’m always in camp. There’s never a time when I’m not preparing and perfecting my craft, I’m really a student of the game. I know that I’m approaching that next level in my career, so I have to stay sharp and in the gym to perform at that next level.

“I’m headed to Colorado to finish training camp. It’s where the Olympic training center is, and it’s a place I’ve gone a couple of times to finish my camp. The air is better up there and that really helps me to get in better shape going into the fight.”

DeLomba: “Training camp is going wonderful. I’m getting everything I need to prepare for the fight: nutrition, meal plans, and strength and conditioning. I’ve added a new strength and conditioning coach and I’ve tweaked things to adjust to Hitchins’ style. I’m ready to go and I can’t wait for fight night.”

What is your game plan going into this fight?

Hitchins: “My game plan is the same for every fight. Stay composed and be the first to strike. I’m at a point in my career where the competition is getting tougher so the main thing for me is keeping my defense tight. My defense will keep me in good shape during the fights as the competition gets steep. But overall, I always have the mindset that I’m the better, smarter, and faster fighter.

“I surround myself with champions. That’s the only way to become one and this fight gets me one step closer.”

DeLomba: “I plan to go in and fight smart; stick to the game plan my team has for me and execute it well. My goal is to overcome whatever he tries to throw at me.”

What do you know about your opponent?

Hitchins: “I don’t know much. He’s who my team picked for me so I’m just going to get the job done and take him out. On fight night, I’ll have a clearer idea of how to get him out. I can adjust to anything.”

DeLomba: “I know my opponent has quick hands and likes to throw speedy shots. I’m completely focused on myself and my training. I believe in my abilities as a fighter. I’m not intimidated.”

What will a victory on February 28th do for your career going forward?

Hitchins: “Another win carries me to that next level. I’m hungry, I come from nothing, so I stay with a chip on my shoulder. I’m appreciative of my team, Mayweather Promotions, and to SHOWTIME for providing me with this opportunity to build my name in the sport and show the world what I can do.”

DeLomba: “A win over Hitchins will catapult me to that next level. It’s a televised bout and this will bring me the exposure I need to branch out and expose myself to a new audience. It will improve my career tremendously.”

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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 81 fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Errol Spence Jr., Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Erislandy Lara, Shawn Porter, Gary Russell Jr., Lamont Peterson, Guillermo Rigondeaux, 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.

For more information: visit www.sho.com/sports, www.mayweatherpromotions.com/events, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, and on Instagram @mayweatherpromotions, @showtimeboxing, #SinCityShowdown and #ShoBox, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, or www.bit.ly/sincityshowdown.




Philadelphia Area Fighters Highlight Non-Televised Undercard This Friday Night At The 2300 Arena James Martin takes on Vincent Floyd in All-Philly Showdown

PHILADELPHIA (FEBRUARY 12, 2020) – Some of Philadelphia’s favorite fighters will be on display as part of the non-televised undercard of a ShoBox: The New Generation card this Friday night at the 2300 Arena.

The undercard will begin at 7 PM ET with the live ShoBox card beginning at 10 PM ET live on SHOWTIME.

As part of the undercard, Philadelphia welterweight’s James Martin and Vincent Floyd will square off in a six-round bout.

Martin of Philadelphia has a record of 5-1, and is the son of former light heavyweight world title challenger Jerry “The Bull” Martin. Martin, who has a win over Denis Okoth (2-0-1), is coming off a four-round unanimous decision victory over Juan Rodriguez on October 25th. This will be Martin’s fourth consecutive appearance at The 2300 Arena.

Floyd has a record of 4-8-1 with two knockouts. Six of those defeats have been to undefeated foes. Floyd is coming off a no-contest with Shinard Bunch on October 25th.

Also seeing action in a six-round bout will be welterweight Rasheed Johnson of Philadelphia taking on Omar Garcia of Mexico.

Johnson has a record of 6-3 with two knockouts. The 27 year-old has a win over Tony Morris (4-1-1). He will be looking to get back in the win column after dropping a decision to Kashon Hutchinson on September 14th in Bethlehem, Pa.

Garcia of Monterrey, Mexico has a record of 6-10. Garcia is coming off a decision loss to Desmond Lyons on October 4th in Houston.

Just before the Television cameras roll, undefeated heavyweight Norman Neely (5-0, 5 KOs) of Paterson, New Jersey fights Nicoy Clarke (2-5) of Jersey City in a four-round bout.

Eduardo de Oliveria Diogo (1-0, 1 KO) of Sao Paulo, Brazil fights Philadelphia Jerrod Miner (1-9-2, 1 KO) in a four-round bout.

Shamar Fulton (4-1, 3 KOs) of Philadelphia takes on an opponent to be named in a four-round bout.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by King’s Promotions and GH3 Promotions are $100, $75 and $50 and be purchased at www.2300arena.com

In the main event of the four-fight telecast, lightweight prospect Thomas Mattice (15-1-1, 11 KOs) will face hard-hitting Isaac Cruz (18-1-1, 14 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout. In the co-feature, Raeese Aleem (15-0, 9 KOs) of Las Vegas takes on Adam Lopez (19-3-2, 9 KOS) of San Antonio in an eight-round super bantamweight bout. Plus, in a matchup of undefeated super lightweights, Cleveland’s Montana Love (12-0-1, 6 KOs) returns to ShoBox in an eight-round bout with Houston’s Jerrico Walton (16-0, 7 KOs). In the opening bout of the telecast, undefeated super welterweight Derrick Colemon Jr. (11-0, 8 KOs), of Detroit will face Joseph Jackson (15-0, 12 KOs) of North Carolina.




ESPN and FOX Sports Offer Extensive Wilder vs. Fury II Fight Week Programming

LAS VEGAS (Feb. 12, 2020) —Today, ESPN and FOX Sports announced an extensive Wilder vs. Fury II fight week and fight night programming lineup in advance of the highly anticipated rematch between undefeated heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and unbeaten lineal champion Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury taking place on Saturday, Feb. 22, in a historic, joint presentation by FOX Sports PPV and ESPN+ PPV live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
 
The Wilder vs. Fury II PPV begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features former heavyweight world champion Charles Martin squaring off against former title challenger Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington in a 12-round IBF Heavyweight Title eliminator as the co-main event. WBO Junior Featherweight World Champion Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, a.k.a “The Mexican Iron Man” will defend his title against Filipino contender Jeo Santisima in the PPV featured bout. Plus in the PPV opener, super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face 2016 Australian Olympian Daniel Lewis in a 10-round battle of unbeatens.
 
Early prelims will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT on FS1, ESPNEWS and in Spanish on FOX Deportes and ESPN3, featuring two explosive bouts. ESPNEWS’ coverage will switch to ESPN at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
 
Fight week and fight night programming will feature a quartet of former champions and current ESPN and FOX Sports analysts, including three-time world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, former two-division world champion and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, two-time welterweight world champion Shawn Porter and future Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley. Lewis and Ward will join ESPN veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore for ringside commentary. Bradley and Porter will join ESPN’s Max Kellerman and FOX Sports’ Brian Kenny (host) live on the desk. ESPN’s boxing insiders Mark Kriegel and Bernardo Osuna will serve as reporters alongside FOX Sports’ Kate Abdo. Boxing Hall of Famer Larry Hazzard Sr. will serve as the unofficial scorer and rules expert, while Jimmy Lennon, Jr. will serve as ring announcer. Spanish-language coverage from site includes play-by-play from ESPN Deportes’ Jorge Eduardo Sánchez and FOX Deportes’ Adrián García Márquez, alongside former champions Juan Manuel Márquez (ESPN Deportes) and Hall of Famer Erik “Terrible” Morales (FOX Deportes) on the analysis. ESPN Deportes’ David Faitelson and FOX Deportes’ Jaime Motta will provide commentary.
 
ESPN and FOX Sports’ presentation of Wilder vs. Fury II will feature unique production upgrades to bring fans closer to the ring and deliver views that enhance their experience. The production will include 35 cameras — unprecedented for an ESPN boxing production — seven super-slow-motion and six robotic cameras, a 4D camera system that allows 360 degree replays, a mini FlyCam, a JITA camera for unique shots, as well as bumper corner cameras.
 
Covering the historic heavyweight battle, ESPN and FOX Sports will be producing an unprecedented amount of content from numerous locations in Las Vegas starting Tuesday, Feb 18. Lead up coverage includes:
 

  • SportsCenter on the Road (Tue-Sun, from MGM Grand set near KÀ Theater): Toni Collins, Mark Kriegel, Bernardo Osuna, Joe Tessitore and Stan Verrett rotate to host segments for ESPN’s flagship news and information program.
  • Max on Boxing (Tue & Thurs from MGM Grand set near KÀ Theater; Wed & Fri from the MGM Grand Garden Arena): ESPN’s boxing series hosted by Max Kellerman airing on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET, Tue, Thurs, Fri and 5:30 p.m. ET on Wed. Shows on Tue, Thurs, Fri will each be one hour, while Wed will be 30-minutes following the live final press conference.
  • Speak For Yourself (Wed-Fri at 3:00 p.m. ET on FS1): Jason Whitlock and Marcellus Wiley co-host the 90-minute discussion and opinion-based program live on-set at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino set near the MGM Grand Race & Sports Book.
  • First Take (Thu-Fri at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN): ESPN’s morning debate show hosted by Molly Qerim with commentators Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman will have Smith, Kellerman and Qerim live on-set at the MGM Grand set near KÀ Theater.
  • Wilder vs. Fury II Final Press Conference (Wed at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and FS1): Watch Joe Tessitore, Brian Kenny and Shawn Porter preview Saturday’s showdown, while Kate Abdo hosts the fighters in their final press conference from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes and FOX Deportes.  
  • Wilder vs. Fury II Official Weigh-In: (Fri at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2 and FS1 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena): Joe Tessitore, Brian Kenny and Shawn Porter discuss the heavyweight title fight, while Kate Abdo reports. Spanish-language coverage on ESPN Deportes and FOX Deportes.
  • Wilder vs. Fury II Pre-Show on ABC: Will feature Joe Tessitore from the desk, with ringside analysis from Tim Bradley, Max Kellerman, Mark Kriegel, and Andre Ward, and reports from Bernardo Osuna.  

Wilder vs. Fury II Original Content

ESPN.com

  • From ESPN.Com: The Tyson Fury rollercoaster – a look at the highs and lows of a wild career
  • Mark Kriegel on how Tyson Fury’s decision to change trainers changed everything about this fight
  • The stories about Deontay Wilder you need to know, as told by those who know him best
  • Mark Kriegel on how Deontay Wilder became the unlikeliest American boxing icon
  • Breaking down “The punch”: An oral history of the 12th round in the first Wilder-Fury fight
  • How does each fighter get the job done? Tim Bradley offers up the gameplan for both fighters (E+)
  • Social: @ESPNRingside TwitterFacebook and Instagram

FOXSports.com

  • From FOXSports.com: Martin Rogers on how the epic Wilder vs. Fury rematch will shape the boxing landscape and their legacies.
  • ‘One More Round’ with Wilder and Fury – both fighters break down the pivotal rounds from their first bout
  • The best of “Inside PBC Boxing” including both fighters’ Keys to Victory as broken down by Shawn Porter and Abner Mares
  • A host of original content on @PBConFOX’s social channels, including Wilder and Fury’s Top 3 Knockouts and their Boxing Mount Rushmores

ESPN and FOX Sports Fight Night Schedule for Saturday, Feb 22:

Sat, 2/22
 
Time ET Show Network
11:00 a.m. *A Los Golpes ESPN Deportes
1:00 p.m. Wilder vs. Fury II Pre-Show (Live) ABC
5:00 p.m. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II (Early Prelims)
 
ESPN App unauthenticated (English & Spanish), FOX Sports App,
6:00 p.m. Wilder vs. Fury II Pre Show (ABC Re-air)
 
ESPNEWS
7:00 p.m. Wilder vs. Fury II Live Pre-Show
 
ESPNEWS, FS1; Spanish: ESPN3, FOX Deportes
7:30 p.m. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II (Undercards)
 
ESPNEWS, FS1
Spanish: ESPN3, FOX Deportes 
8:00 p.m. Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II (Undercards)
 
ESPN, FS1,
Spanish: ESPN3, FOX Deportes
9:00 p.m. Wilder vs. Fury II PPV Available on PPV via major cable and satellite providers, FOX Sports app and ESPN+
Conclusion of PPV Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II Post Show (Live)
 
ESPN2, FS1
Conclusion of PPV In Spanish – Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury II Post Show (Live)
 
ESPN Deportes, FOX Deportes

*slight delay

Main Card, Undercards and Early Undercards (All times ET)

9:00 PM Main Deontay Wilder (C) vs. Tyson Fury (Lineal)
Co-Feature Charles Martin vs. Gerald Washington
Special Feature Emanuel Navarrete (C) vs. Jeo Santisima
Opener Sebastian Fundora vs. Daniel Lewis
8:00 PM Feature Amir Imam vs. Javier Molina
7:30 PM Feature Subriel Matias vs. Petros Ananyan
5:00 PM Feature Rolando Romero vs. Arturs Ahmetovs
Undercard Gabriel Flores Jr. vs. Matt Conway
Undercard Vito Mielnicki Jr. vs. Cory Champion
Undercard Isaac Lowe vs. Alberto Guevara

For more information, visit FOX Sports Press Pass or ESPNPressRoom.

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For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.comwww.toprank.comhttp://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepagewww.foxdeportes.com and www.espn.com/boxing, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @trboxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @ESPN, @ESPNRingside, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampionswww.Facebook.com/trboxingwww.facebook.com/foxsportswww.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/espn.