WBA Featherweight World Championship – 12 Rounds
Jesus Cuellar – 124 Pounds
Abner Mares – 126 Pounds
Referee: Jack Reiss; Judges: Kermit Bayless (Calif.), Max DeLuca (Calif.), Dave Moretti (Nev.)
IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship – 12 Rounds
Jermall Charlo – 153½ Pounds
Julian Williams – 154 Pounds
Referee: Wayne Hedgepeth; Judges: Eddie Hernandez (Calif.), Patrick Russell (Calif.), Zachary Young (Calif.)
SHOWTIME BOXING ON FACEBOOK LIVE – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

IBF Junior Welterweight World Title Eliminator – 12 Rounds
Sergey Lipinets – 139¾ Pounds
Lenny Zappavigna – 139½ Pounds
Middleweight Bout – 10 Rounds
Erickson Lubin – 157 Pounds
Juan Ubaldo Cabrera – 159 Pounds
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Bethlehem, PA (December 9, 2016) – Weights for Saturday night’s card at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center and live on www.ringtv.com

David Peralta 145.5 – Berlin Abreu 147.2
(WBC Latino Title)

Kermit Cintron 147.8 – Rosemberg Gomez 147.1

Ronald Ellis 167 – Oscar Riojas 169
Erik Spring 150 – Grayson Blake 148
Derric Rossy 226.5 – Richard Carmack 362.3
Antowyan Aikens 169 – Blake Mansfield 167.7
Abraham Nova 127.9 – Joshua Santos 127.1
Chordale Booker 155 – Dawond Pickney 158.7
Jesus Perez 140.5 – Antonio Allen 143

Promoters: GH3 Promotions, King’s Promotions and Sampson Boxing
Venue: Sands Bethlehem Event Center
Live Stream: www.ringtv.com (9 PM ET)

Photos by Joe Tarlecky

Doors open at 6 PM with the 1st fight at 6:30.

Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com for $100, $75 and $50.

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 9, 2016) – Former world champion Randy “El Matador” Caballero (23-0, 14 KOs) has re-signed a multi-year promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, the company announced today. Caballero, who is 26 years old and from the Coachella Valley, is a former IBF Bantamweight World Champion who started his career with Golden Boy Promotions in 2010. He is currently ranked number 11 in the super bantamweight division by the WBC.

“I’m very excited to be back with a great company like Golden Boy Promotions,” said Caballero. “We made a great team in the past by winning a World Title, and I’m sure we will have a great future together. I will soon become a Two Time World Champion! Thank you to the Golden Boy team.”

“We have always believed in Randy Caballero as he has tremendous talent and the drive to become an elite fighter,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Randy is a young fighter with time on his side, and I know he will continue to work hard and rise up to become a world champion once again. Golden Boy supports Randy and is pleased to continue to be part of his professional career and journey in 2016 and beyond.”

The former WBC Youth Intercontinental and NABO champion, Caballero earned a shot at a world title in April 2014 by stopping Kohei Oba in eight rounds in Kobe, Japan, and in October 2014 he defeated Stuart Hall via unanimous decision in Monte Carlo to win the vacant IBF Banatamweight Championship. Returning to the ring after a long absence due to a large surgery to remove a cyst on his ankle, “El Matador” demonstrated his fighting spirit once again on February 5 when he defeated Ruben Garcia (17-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round super bantamweight bout in his hometown of Indio, Calif. at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino that was televised live nationally on Estrella TV.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya @RandyELMatador, a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing @OscarDeLaHoya @RandyELMatador.

LONDON (9 December) – Pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford has vowed to make a statement against John Molina as he looks to be crowned the 2016 ‘Fighter of the Year’.

29-year-old Crawford clashes with the teak tough Molina this Saturday night, exclusively live on BoxNation, at the CenturyLink Center in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

The undefeated WBC and WBO light-welterweight world champion has enjoyed a fruitful year and is ready to end it with a bang as he looks to continue from where he left off following wins over Viktor Postol and Henry Lundy.

“I will do what I do best and that’s to make a statement in the ring just as I did in the summer against Viktor Postol,” said Crawford.

“I unified the belts and became the lineal champion by dominating and beating a fellow undefeated champion in Postol. That’s when boxing is at its greatest – when the best fight each other and risk it all,” he said.

Molina will be no easy pickings as his unanimous points win over Russian assassin Ruslan Provodnikov proved in the summer.

The slick Crawford, however, feels a victory this weekend will propel him into the number one spot to be named the best fighter of 2016.

“Do I think I should be the fighter of the year? I do,” said Crawford.

“A win on Saturday will give me three televised world championship victories in three different cities. I beat Hank Lundy at Madison Square Garden. No one put the dents into Hank Lundy that I did. I stopped him in the fifth round.

“In the Postol fight, I went to Las Vegas and scored several knockdowns against an undefeated champion trained by Freddie Roach and unified the titles. Now I’m back in Omaha against a number one contender in Molina,” he said.

Having been in tough wars before, including a thriller against Argentine knockout artist Lucas Matthysse, 33-year-old Molina knows he will need to dig deep if he is to overcome a man regarded as one of boxing’s finest talents.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for me and the fans are going to see a great fight. I got into this game to fight the best and Terence Crawford is one of the best,” Molina said.

“It was a great training camp. We did all our homework and we are prepared. Hank Lundy was an enormous help as a sparring partner. It will be important to take Terence into deep water.

“It will be a great crowd because Terence Crawford fans are fans of boxing. But we will disrupt their enthusiasm by upsetting the apple cart,” he said.

Earlier in the day BoxNation will also be exclusively live from New Zealand as undefeated heavyweights Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz battle it out for the vacant WBO world title.

BoxNation will be live on air from 8am this Saturday as it brings subscribers the enthralling showdown to see who will be the new face of heavyweight boxing, before turning attentions to Crawford and Molina later that night.

Crawford v Molina / Parker v Ruiz is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/Online & App) this Saturday. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

Los Angeles – Dec. 8, 2016 – AXS TV FIGHTS wraps up its 2016 fight calendar tomorrow night at 10pE/7pP with RESURRECTION FIGHTING ALLIANCE 46, the final event from RFA before it merges with Legacy Fighting Championship to become Legacy Fighting Alliance in 2017. At today’s weigh-in event, light heavyweight title contenders Jordan Johnson (5-0) and LeMarcus Tucker (5-1) both came in on weight for their headlining fight tomorrow.

RFA 46 will be broadcast live from Branson Convention Center in Branson, Missouri voiced by AXS TV FIGHTS broadcasters UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich and “The Voice” Michael Schiavello. Full weigh-in results are below with records and weights (in pounds) in parenthesis.

Televised Main Card

Main Event – Light Heavyweight Title Fight – Jordan Johnson (5-0, 204.9) vs. LeMarcus Tucker (5-1, 203.6)

Co-Main Event – Welterweight Fight – James Nakashima (5-0, 170.7) vs. Desmond Hill (8-3, 170.6)

Featherweight Fight – Bobby Moffett (8-2, 146) vs. T.J. Brown (7-3, 148.5)

Catchweight Fight (120 pounds) – Mandy Polk (3-2, 122.5) vs. Katy Collins (5-1, 119.3)

Heavyweight Fight – Don’Tale Mayes (2-0, 261.1) vs. Kenny Fredenburg (7-4, 257.2)

Flyweight Fight – David Waters (3-2, 125.6) vs. Jeremiah Cullum (3-1, 125.8)

ABOUT AXS TV FIGHTS

AXS TV Fights presents more LIVE mixed martial arts and kickboxing events than any other television network with 45 scheduled LIVE world-class fight cards in 2017. “The Voice” Michael Schiavello and UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich call all the action and Ron Kruck reports from cageside as champions, challengers, and top prospects take center stage every Friday night at 10pE/7pP. AXS TV Fights can be found online, on Facebook and on Twitter. AXS TV is widely distributed in the U.S. via AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Sling TV, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite, telco and streaming providers. The network is also carried in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.

LOS ANGELES (December 8, 2016) – Featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before their world title showdown that headlines action this Saturday, December 10 at Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles and live on SHOWTIME®.

The press conference also featured super welterweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top rated challenger Julian Williams who meet in a battle of unbeaten rising stars that opens the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.

Additional action on Saturday will be shown via SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and feature unbeaten contender Sergey Lipinets battling Australia’s Lenny Zappavigna in a junior welterweight world title eliminator and undefeated prospect Erickson Lubin taking on once-beaten Juan Ubaldo Cabrera.

Here is what the participants had to say Thursday from the Galen Center Founders’ Club:

JESUS CUELLAR

“I’m feeling healthy and on weight. I’m really happy with the work I put in during camp and what I’ve accomplished so far.

“This is definitely the biggest fight of my pro career. This is historic and I definitely think that it will be a memorable fight for fans. Because of who I’m fighting and what we’re fighting for, it makes it crucial that I get the victory.

“I’m a warrior. My style is to be aggressive and fight with my heart. If I have to let the warrior out, I am ready. But if I have to box, I am ready for that too.

“We are finally here and we are ready. I am willing to give it all for this fight. I’m very excited to perform.

“I want to give the fans a great performance. I know that he will have a lot of support here in California, but I’m going to make them Jesus Cuellar fans. I will bring the heart of an Argentine warrior into the ring.

“Mares is a great fighter and has been a great champion. But I don’t think he’s ever faced anyone with my power or ability. It’s not going to be an easy fight for either of us, but I’m very confident that I will win and probably knock him out.

“I want to thank my great team for the amazing training camp. I am sure that I am going to bring my title back to Argentina.”

ABNER MARES

“People said I could have taken a tune-up fight, but there’s no point to that. Jesus Cuellar is one of the hardest punchers in the weight class. Of course I’m aware of his power, but I’m not scared. This is a contact sport. I can punch back.

“I’m looking forward to this test. Every single fight is a test for me. I’m going to make you guys believe. You will see a tremendous fighter in the ring on Saturday night.

“I’m really excited about this fight. It’s been a long year of waiting. It’s been a process. Having this fight so close to happening makes me really happy.

“I don’t pay attention to the fact that I’m a three-division world champion. That’s in my past and it’s my history. It’s always going to be part of me, but I’m looking for that fourth world title.

“He says he’s going to try to box me. If he wants to do something that’s not really who he is, that’s on him. We’re going to go in there and do what we do. We’re going to stick to a game plan.

“You guys know that I’m always going to give you a good fight. Win or lose, it’s always exciting. I fought last year and lost to Leo Santa Cruz, but I didn’t feel like I lost. It was a close fight and now I’m here. This is going to be an early Christmas present to the fans.”

JERMALL CHARLO

“I had a great camp. Everyone stood by my side as I prevailed through camp. Everyone is here to support me. I’m fighting for more than a world title. I’m fighting to keep my legacy alive.

“There is no fighter equal to me. I grind different and I shine different. I’m not worried about what Julian does well. I’m focused on my game plan and doing what I can do well.

“This is a very interesting fight. I’ve been under these lights before and I’ve felt the pressure of a big fight. You always have to keep looking forward. I could easily have moved up to middleweight, but this is about legacy. This is about giving the fans what they asked for. That’s what I’m here for.

“As hungry as Julian talks, I expect him to come at me. I expect him to come in crazy, which is what I want to do. I’m going to use my brain and my smarts. I know when it’s time to turn it up. I’m a fighter. There’s nothing you can do when I’m placing my punches in the right places.

“I’m planning to fight fire with fire if I have to. If he comes to box me I plan on doing everything perfectly.

“I was near-sighted but now I can see perfectly. I’ve been fighting without perfect vision all my life so now I feel like it’s going to play a big factor in the fight. Things that used to be fuzzy won’t be fuzzy anymore.

“I’m going to fight. I hope he is too. I see a guy who’s ready to give go in there and give it his all. I also see a guy who’s ready to run into the traps I have planned for him.

“I don’t think for one second that I’m not going to win this fight. There’s not one second of this fight where my foot won’t be on the gas. This guy is coming to take my belt and I have not forgotten about that.

“Saturday night, it doesn’t matter where you’re from, or who you are, I know what I came to do, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

JULIAN WILLIAMS

“I want to thank Jermall for being a true champion and taking this fight. It’s going to be a tough fight. We had a rough training camp, but it was really good. I’m really excited about this fight.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to prove to people what I can do. I’ve been underrated and overlooked a lot, but Saturday night is my time to shine.

“I don’t plan on losing any rounds on Saturday night either. Let’s give these fans what they want to see.

“The only way it’s not going to be a tremendous fight is if he doesn’t show up. I expect a firefight. I think this will be a shootout.

“I don’t want to say too much about my strategy, but this is going to be an amazing fight from the start till whenever it finishes.

“I feel really good and focused on getting the job done. Training camp has been amazing. We had about seven or eight sparring partners and it’s definitely the most intense training camp we’ve had.

“There’s always a lot of determination in camp but this is definitely the most important fight of my life. Of course all of my fights before were the most important at that point, so it’s just been building on that to lead to this moment.

“Records don’t lie. My record doesn’t lie. I’ve faced all different kinds of opponents. Fighters from everywhere. I’ve faced them all.

“There’s no beef. He might want to create a beef, but this is boxing. This is a business. He has something I want, and I’m coming to get it.

“I’ve been good on weight. I don’t struggle. I’m eating what I want. I ate breakfast this morning.”

ERICKSON LUBIN

“I can’t wait to go out there on Saturday night and show why I’m one of the best 154-pounders out there. I know that Cabrera is going to come ready to fight like I am and I hope people enjoy the show.

“I’m very happy with where I am in my career. I’m here on a great card ready to fight someone who is going to push me higher in the rankings if I get past him. I feel like everything is playing out how I wanted to and I just want to keep pushing it forward.

“I plan on putting on a great performance and then 2017 is going to be a huge year. I’m going to go right back to the gym after this fight. I love staying active and busy. I just always want to get better and stronger in the gym.

“I expect my opponent to come ready to fight. I expect every boxer to do that. He only has one loss and I plan on coming out victorious.

“Next year I’m looking for a world title shot. WBC, IBF, any of them. I’m coming for them.”

RICHARD SCHAEFER, Chairman & CEO of Ringstar Sports

“This is one of the best cards that I can remember — two evenly matched fights at the top of the card and really a great night from top to bottom.

“When you look at these two fights, you really have two events that could be main events anywhere. These four guys are really made for each other. It’s going to be a very entertaining night.

“Galen Center is a beautiful facility. It’s the newest indoor venue in Los Angeles and it’s perfect for boxing. It’s great to be here on the campus of USC.

“When you think about punchers, you think about Argentina. Jesus Cuellar is a guy who more often than not ends a fight with a knockout. He’s always ready to take on any challenge and ready to make a name for himself. He’s a force to be reckoned with in the featherweight division.

“A few times a year you just know that a fight is going to be a ‘Fight of the Year.’ This main event is one of those fights. You can bet the house that Cuellar vs. Mares is going to be a good fight. You want to be there to see what happens.

“Abner Mares is easily one of the most accomplished and exciting fighters to come out of Mexico in recent history. Here he is trying to reach for the stars again. You’ve seen how exciting he is. You also know that he is a great young man outside of the ring. It’s always very special for me to introduce Abner in particular.

“I was fortunate enough to know Jermall and Julian since early in their career. They are extremely talented fighters and their records prove that.

“Jermall Charlo is the kind of champion who doesn’t shy away from fighting anyone. He’s always ready and prepared and looking for the best challenges. These are the fights that turn champions into legends.

“Jermall and his brother are truly two great young men. They always carried themselves very well and you could always feel their hunger to be world champions. It’s really just the first step. The question is then where you take it. Can you become a superstar? That is what both brothers have in them.

“Jermall already has two title defenses and has come out successful. He continues to take on anyone and that’s just the kind of warrior he is.

“Julian is another truly exciting and gifted fighter who has been waiting for his opportunity for the world title. We often hear fighters say they’re hungry, but Julian defines that. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who was so ready for this. This is really an amazing matchup.

“Julian Williams hasn’t lost a round in his last 10 fights. I challenge you to find another guy in the sport who has performed like that. He’s been waiting for his opportunity and now it is here.

“This is the first time that I’m introducing Erickson Lubin and I hope it’s the first time of many. He has the flash and power in both hands, combined with the charisma to be a big star. Don’t miss his fight.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“In 2016 no other network has made a more significant contribution to the sport of boxing than SHOWTIME. Through Saturday we will have televised more than 22 world title fights. Overall, across our platforms we will have televised 68 total fights and we’re thrilled to be this committed to the sport.

“It’s not just quantity we’re delivering; we’re bringing the most significant matchups in the sport. This card is another example of it.

“This card starts an incredible run over the next five months. All of the fights we have coming up are top 10 versus top 10. These four guys here are top six in their division if you ask anybody. Some have them even higher. The fact that they’re willing to fight each other is great for this sport. This is a card we’re very proud of.

“The main event fighters have fought a combined 24 times on the SHOWTIME platforms. Jesus and Abner will be the fifth featherweight world title we’ve televised this year. This is an exciting time in the history of the featherweight division and we’re excited to bring it to you.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports and www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @SHOSports, @PremierBoxing, @JesusCuellarBOX, @AbnerMares, @FutureOfBoxing, @JRockBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Hall of Famer BOB ARUM may be the oldest active fulltime boxing promoter, but who knew he was also the youngest? The proof is in the attached copy of theDecember 8, 1931 edition of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

Talk about being born to promote!

Arum, 85, is celebrating his birthday in Auckland, New Zealand, co-promoting Saturday’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) heavyweight championship fight between undefeated heavyweight contenders JOE PARKER (21-0, 18 KOs), of Auckland, and ANDY RUIZ, JR. (29-0, 19 KOs), of Mexicali, Mexico, world-rated No. 1 and No. 3 by the WBO, respectively. The fight will be televised in the U.S. on a same-day delay opening the HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the live telecast from CenturyLink Center Omaha, featuring the 10-round NABF/NABO lightweight championship fight between Top-10 contenders RAY BELTRAN (31-7-1, 19 KOs), of Phoenix, AZ, and MASON MANARD (32-1, 24 KOs), of Rayne, LA, and the Main Event, undefeated WBO/ World Boxing Council (WBC) / Ring magazine junior welterweight champion TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (29-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., defending his titles against No. 1 contender JOHN MOLINA JR. (29-6, 23 KOs), of Covin, Calif. This will be Crawford’s first defense of his unified titles and his third televised world championship fight of 2016.

*********************

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with TGB Promotions, remaining reserved seat tickets to the Crawford – Molina world championship event, priced at $27, $52, $77 and $127, can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call (800) 745-3000. To order online, visit ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordMolina to join the conversation on Twitter.

LOS ANGELES (December 8, 2016) On December 17th, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs) will look to defend his NABF Featherweight Championship for the fourth time this year, as the former 2012 U.S. Olympian steps into the ring for a 10-round slugfest against Horacio “Violento” Garcia (30-1-1, 22 KOs) as the co-main event of Bernard Hopkins’s final fight at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, California. Golden Boy Promotions caught up with the charismatic and undefeated fighter from South El Monte, CA ahead of the biggest fight of his career in an exclusive Q&A session. Below is what “Jojo” had to say:

How big is it for you to be co-main event on the final fight of Future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins?
It’s huge, it’s a dream come true and a blessing. When I was little, I would watch Bernard Hopkins fight and I really admire his story of fighting in prison and beco
ming a professional fighter from there and later a world champion. Just knowing I’m the co-main event on such a big card with the legend of Bernard Hopkins-a future Hall of Famer, will not be something I will take for

granted and I will showcase to the world who Joseph Diaz, Jr. is. While this is the end of an era for Bernard Hopkins, it is the beginning of my career also.

What makes Horacio Garcia a dangerous opponent?
I saw his last fight at the Toshiba Plaza the night before Canelo vs. Khan with no idea I would be fighting him in the future, but my manager and I saw he was a very strong, talented fighter. He has an effective jab and throws lots of jabs to the body with a very tight defense. We know going in to this fight, he will be a dangerous opponent with a good record. I think him coming in at 126 pounds will benefit him because at his previous 122 pound weight, he was coming in weak and dehydrated and not living up to his full capabilities as far as strength. We know we have to be cautious and come in with a good game plan. I’m going to showcase to everyone that not only am I good fighter, I’m good brawler and can take shots and deliver shots.

Are you doing anything different to prepare for this opponent?
For this opponent, I’m training a lot harder because I know this is a big fight for me and will dictate where I am at and determine if I will be fighting on HBO next year again. I know if I do perform well, HBO will want me on their cards again so I need to go out there and perform. I know my opponent will be coming in very strong, but I am focusing on lots of lateral movement and my footwork, as well as my angles after my combinations and using my jab a lot whenever I’m fighting. Going in to the fight, I know I’m going to dictate my pace by using my jab.

As a local LA fighter fighting at a great venue such as the “Fabulous” Forum, do you put pressure on yourself to put on a show?
Yes, I put a lot of pressure on myself but it gives me motivation to train harder and to be more focused and to give the fight fans what they want to see. Being from LA and knowing I am fighting at the Forum, where legends have fought in that arena is a dream come true. Knowing I am going to have all my fans there supporting me from my Team Diaz, Jr. fans to my local LA fans, it’s going to be a dream come true hearing them chant my name once I’m entering the ring.
What does boxing mean to you?
Boxing means everything to me. It brings out the best in me and makes me the man I am today, and helps me keep my composure. But most of all, it benefits me by supporting my family financially, I get to support them so they don’t have to worry about struggling. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to help out my parents because we grew up poor, I knew that boxing could pay well. Once I started competing in
the amateurs, I started getting a monthly stipend and ever since then, I was hooked.

Describe yourself as a fighter.
I feel I am an elite fighter and I can do anything because I am an all-around fighter and can adjust to any opponent. If an opponent wants to box me, then I will be able to cut him off and be the aggressor. If the opponent wants to be the aggressor, I am able to create my angles and box a little bit. I feel that overall, I am the full pa
ckage and because I can move around and create my angles or bang on the inside. I have the speed and power, but I know I’m not the best fighter and still have room for improvement. That’s why I’m in the gym 24/7 to perfect my craft.

Outside of the ring, we know you as a very nice guy who’s always smiling. What happens to that once you get inside the ring?
Outside of the ring, I’m a
very nice, outgoing guy and very humble. The reason why I get so angry inside the ring is because I know that the person I am fighting is going to try to defeat me and try to take what I want to be in life and what I am providing for my family financially. If my opponent defeats me, I’m not going to be able to provide for my family or be that role model for the kids because they see me as an undefeated fighter. When I’m inside the ring,

I use that anger as motivation knowing that I have little kids looking up to me as their role model and that’s what motivates me to be a vicious beast inside the ring.

How special is it to have your father as your trainer and experience the success together?
It’s very special and it’s very touching, because ever since I was a little kid, my dad has been my best friend. We used to play baseball together and he would be my coach trying to be make sure I was the best baseball player I could be. Even though my dad would work over twelve hours a day, he would come home every day and be very energetic with me. He would always want to be there for me, and I really appreciate that. If it weren’t for my dad, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He has kept me off the streets, away from bad influences and on the right track doing my homework and at the gym. He has made me a caring family man, and I really appreciate him for that. It’s very touching and a blessing having my dad as my trainer because he sacrifices more than people could imagine. I want to take the time to thank him and let him know we are in this for the long haul.

Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. is a 12-round WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Garcia is a 10-round NABF featherweight title match presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Usyk vs. Mchunu a 12-round WBO Cruiserweight World Title battle presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on Saturday, December 17, 2016 from Inglewood, California’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Tickets for Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. are now on sale and are priced at $25, $50, $75, $105 and $205, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00am PST to 7:00pm PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
B-roll and images of Hopkins vs. Smith are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/HopkinsSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

LAS VEGAS (December 8, 2016) – The 10-round main event December 17 of the final 2016 installment of the popular “Knockout Night at the D” series, featuring undefeated Oscar Cantu and Aston Palcite, is a classic match-up of styles between a boxer and puncher.

“Knockout Night at the D” will air live (7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET) on CBS Sports Network from inside the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center indoor facility, located in the heart of the downtown Las Vegas casino district, one block away from the world-famous Fremont Street (200 S. 3rd St.), and FloBoxing.tv will live stream the Dec. 17th undercard worldwide, starting at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET), in addition to three main card TV bouts – excluding North America – beginning at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET).

The “Knockout Night at the D” series, presented by the D Las Vegasand Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, is promoted by Roy Jones Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions.

Jim “J.R.” Ross and Joey Varner will call all the action live from ringside, while Jeff Huston will be the ring announcer and fight-week master of ceremonies.

Cantu vs. Palicte will be contested for two belts as Cantu defends his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super flyweight championship, in addition to the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) Inter-Continental super flyweight title.

Rated No. 4 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) as a flyweight, the 25-year-old Cantu (14-0, 1 KO) will face the toughest test of his 4+-years professional career in the heavy-handed Palcite, but he’s excited to be headlining this nationally televised show from Las Vegas.

“I feel honored to be headlining a card in Las Vegas,” the Texan said. “The opportunity is what every boxer wants because Vegas is the biggest boxing hum in the United States and it has produced great champions in the past. I want to thank Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions for this opportunity.

“A victory can help me open doors to the world title and allow me the show everybody what I stand for, which is being God’s humble champion. The outcome of this fight will come down to who wants to win more. I’m sure that adjustments will need to be made throughout the fight. Either way, I am well prepared to get this victory.”

Palicte (21-2, 18 KOs) is a dangerous Filipino fighter who is world rated at No. 11 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and No. 15 by the WBO. Now training in Los Angeles, Palicte is looking forward to making his American debut Dec. 17.

“I’m really excited,” he remarked. “I’ve been training o hard, pushing myself to the limit, because I also want to excel as much as the other Filipino fighters. I am grateful for this opportunity to fight in the main event. Knowing he is undefeated, this is going to be an exciting, challenging fight.

“I’ve always dreamed of fighting for the world title and I’m taking things one step at a time. Through my promoter, RJJ, it was mentioned that there’s a big possibility for a world title challenge in 2017 if I win this fight. I’ve fought some quality fighters and I think I can do what I want in the ring, though I won’t say it’s going to be easy to control the fight.”

Styles made fights and a classic match-up between a consummate boxer (Cantu) and powerful puncher (Palicte) guarantees an intriguing fight that should be highly entertaining and incredibly competitive. Both fighters also respect each other.

“Palicte brings an impressive record and a lot of experience,” Cantu noted. “The road to a world title is a tough one, which means no easy opponents. I am really excited about this challenge. This is a classic fight because of our styles and I am sure we won’t let the viewing public down. I am ready to become the next great American champion in this weight class.”

“Cantu is a smart boxer,” Palicte added. “I’d compare him to Ismael Garnica, who I fought in our Showdown at Sands in Macau. (Palicte won by way of a seventh-round TKO.) He (Cantu) is kind of a runner, too, always moving around the ring, but we can never tell one’s ability until we’ve fought.

“This is going to be an exciting fight. I’m really looking forward to getting a hold of those belts. Cantu is also a good boxer but with my experience and power, I think I have much more advantages than him. I know he’s also doing his best training, so, it’s going to be a really good fight come December 17th.”

Unbeaten Chilean junior middleweight champion Angelo Baez (15-0-1, 11 KOs) will make his U.S. debut against Jamaica-native Nathaniel Gallimore (15-1-1, 12 KOs), fighting out of Evanston, Illinois, in the eight-round co-feature.

Los Angeles’ Flavio Rodriguez (5-0, 4 KOs) meets Mexican invader Dilan “El Terrible” Loza (5-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round battle of undefeated welterweight prospects to open the televised segment of the evening.

The Las Vegas Big 3 – 21-year-old junior lightweight Randy “El Matador” Moreno (7-0, 6 KOs), 26-year-old welterweight Jeremy “J-Flash” Nichols (7-0, 2 KOs) and 18-year-old bantamweight Max “The Baby-Faced Assassin” Ornelas (6-0, 3 KOs) – will be showcased Dec. 17th.

Additional fights will soon be announced. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $1,000.00 VIP booth (includes 15 admissions), $50.00 VIP ringside, $25.00 and $15.00 general admission, are on sale at www.Ticketmaster.com or www.DLVEC.com. Taxes and fees apply to all sold tickets.

Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT with the opening bout scheduled at 5:00 p.m. PT.

The “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and Neon Star Media.

INFORMATION:

Websites: www.dlvec.com, www.thed.com, www.royjonesjrboxing.com, www.knockoutnightboxing.com

Twitter: @thedlasvegas, @dlvEventsCenter, @DerekJStevens, @BoxingatheDLV, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Instagram: @dlvec, @thedlasvegas, @RoyJonesJrBoxing

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/dlvec, www.Facebook.com/thedlasvegas

Follow these fighters on Twitter: @AstonPalicte, @_RandyMoreno, @JFlashGang, @Ornelas_Max

RIVAL BOXING GEAR & EQUIPMENT is the official gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series. www.rivalboxing.com, @rivalboxinggear
THE DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR A MEDIA CREDENTIAL IS THIS SATURDAY. NO FORMS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINE, NO EXCEPTIONS, DUE TO LIMITED MEDIA SPACE.
About the D Las Vegas: the D Las Vegas delivers the fresh, energetic attitude and fun atmosphere synonymous with downtown Las Vegas. The new casino hotel boasts 629 remodeled rooms and suites and a unique two-level casino featuring modern and vintage floors. Cocktails, beer and frozen beverages abound inside the casino at LONGBAR and on the Fremont Street Experience at D Bar. the D offers contemporary American fare at D Grill, Detroit’s legendary Coney Dogs at American Coney Island and premium steaks and authentic Italian dishes at Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse. The Showroom at the D Las Vegas features outstanding entertainment ranging from award-winning dinner theater and Broadway productions to music, comedy and more. Follow the D on Facebook and Twitter.

About Downtown Las Vegas Events Center: Located at the corner of Third St. and Carson Ave. across from the D Las Vegas, the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center can accommodate up to 11,000 guests and features state-of-the-art stage, sound and lighting. The open-air design is inviting to both tourists and locals and offers the perfect spot for concerts, conventions and other large-scale events. Embracing the uninhibited spirit of Downtown Las Vegas, the new venue plays host to a line-up of curated events including premier concerts, food festivals and more. The venue is also the first entertainment arena in Las Vegas to accept Bitcoin as currency. For more information, visit www.dlvec.com or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @dlveventscenter.

About Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions: Co-founded in 2013 by 10-time world champion Roy Jones, Jr. and Keith Veltre, Roy Jones, Jr. (RJJ) Boxing Promotions is on its way to reinventing boxing. Based in Las Vegas, Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions is climbing to the top at a fast pace, adding young talent to its growing stable such as undefeated super welterweight John Vera and former 3-time world super bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko, along with Tony Lopez and Hanzel Martinez, lightweight Demond Brock, super featherweight Randy Moreno, cruiserweight Irsael Duffus, bantamweight Max Ornelas, super lightweight Emanuel Robles, middleweight Rolando Garza and light heavyweight Adrian Taylor.

About Neon Star Media LLC: Neon Star Media is a marketing and content company that creates highly effective brand-integration experiences for our clients, executed through a unique “story-telling” approach that empowers client’s product messaging to soar while delivering results. At Neon Star Media, we maximize client media spends by leveraging our relationships with various sporting events, cable channels, digital platforms and other social media outlets. We work with our clients to engage, endorse and advance their message with audiences on all platforms 24/7. Visit us on Twitter @Neonstarmedia or Facebook www.facebook.com/Neon-Star-Media-378687919005532/

MANCHESTER, England (Dec. 8, 2016) – IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina met for their final press conference on Thursday in Manchester, England, as they prepare to square off this Saturday at Manchester Arena live on SHOWTIME® (5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT).

The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL® presentation originates from Galen Center at USC in Los Angeles, site of that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast. WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder will join host Brian Custer and analysts Al Bernstein and Paulie Malignaggi as part of the SHOWTIME announce team for Joshua vs. Molina.

“It’s not so much about who I’m fighting, it’s about myself,” Joshua told the British press. “I’m not really worried about what Eric’s camp is doing. God willing I go out there to do my job. I’m just really worried about myself. I’ll make Eric look like a novice.”

Molina said he wants to duplicate the feat of his long-time mentor Oliver McCall, who in 1994 upset Lennox Lewis for the WBC Heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium in London. “I always envision myself having that moment that he had here in England,” Molina said. “He had that big win and it just shows the world that in this heavyweight division anything is possible.”

Added Molina: “If you slip-up one second you’ll be dancing and the world will be talking.”

Undefeated sensation and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) will make the second defense of his title against Molina (25-3 19 KOs), a Texas native getting his second shot at a belt in his quest to become the first Mexican-American heavyweight world champion.

An encore presentation of Joshua vs. Molina will air as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast later that evening, following the main event showdown between WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar and three-division former champ Abner Mares. In the co-feature, Jermall Charlo will defend his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against fellow-undefeated challenger Julian Williams.

Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora will still fight in a WBC World Heavyweight title eliminator at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The British Boxing Board of Control held an emergency meeting in Manchester on Thursday afternoon to discuss the clash between the pair at their press conference on Wednesday.

The Board ruled that Chisora would be handed a suspended two-year suspension, a £25,000 fine plus £5,000 costs and that Whyte’s British title would not be on the line.

Both fighters will weigh-in at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester tomorrow but at separate times and will not face-off.

NEW YORK (Dec. 8, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports will offer multi-camera, fully-produced boxing coverage on Facebook Live on Saturday, Dec. 10 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT), providing fight fans with high-quality access to live undercard bouts preceding that evening’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader. The unique two-fight offering is the first time the network has offered live boxing coverage exclusively on Facebook Live.

SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live, from Galen Center on the campus at University of Southern California, features the 12-round IBF Junior Welterweight Title Eliminator between undefeated contender Sergey Lipinets (10-0, 8 KOs) and Lenny Zappavigna (35-2, 25 KOs). Also featured is a 10-round middleweight matchup between undefeated Erickson Lubin (16-0, 11 KOs) and once-beaten Juan Ubaldo Cabrera (23-1, 15 KOs).

Scott Hanson, known for his work as host of NFL RedZone and PBC on SPIKE, will call the action alongside best-selling author and Sports Emmy Award winning reporter Mark Kriegel.

SHOWTIME Sports also will live stream the final press conference on Thursday and the official weigh-in on Friday via Facebook Live. Saturday’s live streaming fights will be available to the U.S. audience only.

The December 10 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is headlined by a featherweight world championship showdown between two of the best 126-pound fighters in the world, WBA titleholder Jesus Cuellar and former three-division world champion Abner Mares. The live SHOWTIME telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with a matchup of undefeated rising stars, IBF Junior Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo taking on top-rated contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams. In addition, earlier in the evening, SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL will bring you the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight between undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and American challenger Eric Molina on Saturday, Dec. 10, live on SHOWTIME 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.

SHOWTIME BOXING on Facebook Live is an extension of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME, the industry standard for live undercard boxing coverage. Both offerings provide bonus bouts to viewers at home, delivering an experience that was previously available only to fans in arena. Via Facebook Live, viewers are afforded the unique opportunity to interact with the boxing community during the event in real time.

The live stream is a prime example of Showtime Networks’ cutting-edge sports coverage. SHOWTIME Sports was the first to distribute a heavyweight world champion fight via multiple online portals including YouTube and Facebook (WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka, Jan. 2016) and Facebook. SHOWTIME Sports was the first to release a full fight in 360-degree Virtual Reality (Daniel Jacobs vs. Peter Quillin, Dec. 2015; VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/1ZxBh1Z).

Over the past two years, SHOWTIME Sports has grown its digital presentations and franchises, providing innovative content across seven social platforms unique to audience interests. Among new reoccurring digital series are THE REVEAL with Mark Kriegel, featuring exclusive and in-depth interviews with boxing’s emerging stars, FIGHT NIGHT, a short-form— 60 or 90-second capsules—capturing intimate, all-access moments surrounding a fight.

# # #

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com

M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
RAMAZAN EMEEV (14-3-0, M-1: 8-1-0), Champion, Russia 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)
vs.
ANATOLY TOKOV (24-2-0, M-1: 8-1-0), Challenger, Russia 184 lbs. (83.5 kg)

M-1 CHALLENGE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
IVAN “Buki” BUCHINGER (31-4-0, M-1: 6-0-0), Champion, Slovakia 145 lbs. (65.9 kg)
vs.
MAGOMED IDRISOV (6-0-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Challenger, Russia 146 lbs. (66.3 kg)

CATCHWEIGHT (140 lbs. / 65.5 kg)
LEE “American Bulldog” MORRISON (15-7-0, M-1: 2-4-0), USA 139 lbs. (63.1 kg)
vs.
SERGEY MOROZOV (6-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Kazakhstan 135 lbs. ( kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS 3 X 5
CHRISTIAN “The Animal” HOLLEY (10-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), UK 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)
vs.
KHAMZAT DALGIEV (7-1-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Russia 153 lbs. (69.7 kg)

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
“The Finisher” JOSH RETTINGHOUSE (13-4-0, M-1: 1-0-0), USA 135 lbs. (61.3 kg)
vs.
SERGEY MOROZOV (6-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 135 lbs. (61.3 kg)

SWING BOUT

BANTAMWEIGHTS — 3 X 5
ZALIMBEG OMAROV (7-1-1, M-1: 4-1-1), Russia 135 lbs. (61.5 kg)
vs.
DIEGO “The Pride” DAVELLA (15-5-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 141 lbs. (64 kg)

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT FIGHT

HEAVYWEIGHTS
ALEXANDER ANDREEV, Russia 241 lbs. (109.6 kg)
vs.
RUSTAM KUKURHOEV, Russia 238 lbs. (108.1 kg)

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
KURBAN IBRAGIMOV (5-2-0, M-1: 3-2-0), Russia. 233 lbs. (105.9 kg)
vs.
DENIS POLEKHION (2-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 263 ½ lbs. (119.7 kg)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ANDREW BILYK (4-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Mykolaiv, Ukraine 168 lbs. (76.5 kg)
vs.
AKHMED-KHAN OZDOEV (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia 168 lbs. (76.5 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ERLAN ULUKBEKOV (2-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Kyrgyzstan 160 ½ lbs. (73 kg)
vs.
PAVEL GORDEAV (3-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 159 ½ lbs. (72.5 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ANDREY “Iron” LEZHNEV (8-6-0, M-1: 3-2-0), Ukraine 144 lbs. (65.6 kg)
vs.
ALEXEY NEVZOROV (11-2-0, M-1: 5-1-0), Russia 144 lbs. (65.4 kg)

ELMAR MAMEDOV (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), St. Petersburg, Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)
vs.
AKHMAD-KHAN BOKEV (1-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Ingushetia, Russia 144 lbs. (65.5 kg)

WHEN: Friday, December 9, 2016

WHERE: Ingushetia, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE STREAM: www.m1global.tv (11.00 a.m. ET / 8:00 a.m. PT in USA)

Information:

www.M1Global.tv
www.mixfight.ru
www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/M-1-GlobalNews
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2016 has been another sensational year of world-class competition, featuring a full calendar of Challenge events, fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

BROOKLYN (December 8, 2016)-The only two Puerto Rican-born world champions in boxing are set to show their skills and heart for boxing fans in New York as Jose “Sniper” Pedraza and Amanda “Real Deal” Serrano defend their titles on Saturday, January 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME.

“Puerto Rico has such a rich boxing history with many of the sport’s greatest champions hailing from the island,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Right now, there are only two Puerto Rican-born world champions, junior lightweight Jose Pedraza and junior featherweight Amanda Serrano, and I happen to promote them both. January 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn is a tremendous card all around, but it will also serve as a celebration of Puerto Rican pride and heritage to be able to watch the country’s only two world champions defend their titles on the same show.”

Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) will defend his IBF Super Featherweight World Championship against hard-hitting unbeaten contender Gervonta Davis (16-0, 15 KOs)in the co-main event on SHOWTIME. With his victory in June 2015, Pedraza added his name to the distinguished list of Puerto Rican world champions. After losses suffered by Roman Martinez and McJoe Arroyo, he currently stands as the only remaining male champion born in Puerto Rico.

“Being the only male Puerto Rican-born world champion is something that I’m very proud of,” said Pedraza. “It is also a big weight that I carry on my shoulders. I know that I have to give my best because I am not just a champion of the ring. I am a champion of my island of Puerto Rico. Knowing that all of Puerto Rico will be in there with me encourages me to give my all every time I step into the ring.

“On January 14 I will be facing a great boxer with a lot of talent, speed and power. However, I will let him know what it feels like to share a ring with a real world champion. Davis will enter the ring as a young, hungry unbeaten challenger, but the only thing he will leave with is the first loss on his record.”

Serrano (30-1-1, 23 KOs), a four-division world champion, will defend her WBO Super Bantamweight World Championship against former two-division world champion Yazmin Rivas (35-9-1, 10 KOs) in the SHOWTIME EXTREME main event at 7 p.m. ET/PT. The winner of the Serrano-Rivas matchup will earn the prestigious WBC Diamond championship. Serrano’s first world title victory in 2011 made her just the third Puerto Rican-born woman to win a world title.

This bout also signifies the first nationally televised women’s world title bout in nearly a decade, since Mary Jo Saunders fought Valerie Mahfood on March 30, 2007 (ESPN2).

“It feels fantastic to be fighting on SHOWTIME for the first time and sharing the stage at Barclays Center with my countryman Jose Pedraza,” said Serrano. “Knowing that both he and I are currently the only two Puerto Rican-born world champions, male or female, in boxing today is an honor.

“As for Yazmin Rivas being a tough fight, that’s only on paper. I will prove that I am in a different league. There’s a reason why finding someone to fight me wasn’t easy. I’m the hardest hitting female fighter in boxing today. Rivas will soon know that personally.”

Pedraza, of Caguas, and Serrano, of Carolina, are the latest in a long line of world class and beloved Puerto Rican champions who will look to put on impressive performances and make a mark nationally with victories in front of the friendly New York crowd. New York City boasts nearly one million Puerto Rican residents, making it the largest population of Puerto Ricans outside of Puerto Rico.

“I met Amanda Serrano at this year’s Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York,” said Pedraza. “She is a kind woman and I can see that, as a champion, Serrano is dedicated and always gives her best. I am proud of her for representing our people of Puerto Rico very well. On fight night, Barclays Center will shine with Luz Boricua as Amanda and I seek glory for Puerto Rico together.”

“To be able to defend my world title in Brooklyn, where I live, is a dream come true,” said Serrano. “New York is home to so many Puerto Ricans and I am sure they will really come out in support of this great event. I am truly a fan of my people. I would like to thank Lou DiBella, the best promoter in boxing, for giving me the chance to show the world why I am the ‘Real Deal’! I would also like to thank SHOWTIME for the opportunity. Mr. Stephen Espinoza, I will not disappoint you.”

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is headlined by a super middleweight world championship unification showdown between Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) and James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs), with televised coverage beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

# # #

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotionswww.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

OMAHA, NEB. (December 8, 2016) — Undefeated World Junior Welterweight Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (29-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., will make his bid for 2016 Fighter of the Year honors (to go with his 2014 award) when he makes the first defense of his unified World Boxing Organization (WBO) / World Boxing Council (WBC) / Ring magazine 140-pound world titles. Crawford rumbles with one-time world title challenger and current No. 1 contender JOHN MOLINA JR. (29-6, 23 KOs), from Covina, Calif., on This Saturday! December 10, at CenturyLink Center Omaha (455 North 10th St., Omaha, Neb. 68102.)

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with TGB Promotions, the Crawford vs. Molina world title tilt will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will open with the same-day delay telecast of the Joseph Parker vs. Andy Ruiz, Jr. WBO heavyweight championship in New Zealand, followed by the live telecast from Omaha, featuring a 10-round lightweight battle for the NABF and NABO titles between Top-10 world-rated contenders Ray Beltran (31-7-1, 19 KOs), of Phoenix, AZ , and Mason Menard (32-1, 24 KOs), of Rayne, LA, and concluding with the Crawford – Molina world title fight.

Today’s Final Press Conference will be streamed live, beginning at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, via:
· www.toprank.com
· www.Youtube.com/trboxing
· www.Facebook.com/trboxing

WORKOUT QUOTES

TERENCE CRAWFORD

“It’s been a great training camp in Colorado Springs. I always spar with bigger men to prepare myself. I know he is going to bring his A-plus game. There is no reason to overlook an opponent who is willing to step into the ring with me. Not many are willing to do that anymore. Molina is coming off a great victory over Ruslan Provodnikov and a Fight of the Year performance against Lucas Matthysse. I know he’s dangerous. He has shown versatility and guts. He is a legitimate No. 1 contender – tough and rugged. He has my respect.

“I will do what I do best and that’s to make a statement in the ring just as I did in the summer against Viktor Postal. I unified the belts and became the lineal champion by dominating and beating a fellow undefeated champion in Postal. That’s when boxing is at its greatest – when the best fight each other and risk it all.

“Do I think I should be the fighter of the year? I do. A win on Saturday will give me three televised world championship victories in three different cities. I beat Hank Lundy at Madison Square Garden. No one put the dents into Hank Lundy that I did. I stopped him in the fifth round. In the Postal fight, I went to Las Vegas and scored several knockdowns against an undefeated champion trained by Freddie Roach and unified the titles. Now I’m back in Omaha against a No. 1 contender in Molina.

“I also think Brian McIntyre should be Trainer of the Year. When I was named the 2014 Fighter of the Year, Brian should also have been honored. How can I be a Fighter of the Year without the Trainer of the Year? He doesn’t get the recognition h deserves. Maybe it’s because we are from a small market in Omaha and we don’t get the national media attention fighters and trainers get from bigger cities like Los Angeles.

“But I’m so happy to have HBO shine a national spotlight on Omaha. It’s a great incentive to the kids here to stay in the gym and out of trouble and to work hard. That’s really what it’s all about to me.”

BRIAN McINTYRE

“We keep hearing about a future fight with Manny Pacquiao but there doesn’t seem to be much interest from his team, especially since Freddie Roach got a good look at Terence from Postal’s corner. What they need to do – Koncz, Roach and Manny — is to hold hands and pray and ask for divine intervention directing them to a fight with Terence.

“Oscar was man enough to accept Manny’s challenge. It’s part of the cycle of life in boxing. Handing off the torch to the successor. Manny should be man enough to do the same thing. There is no excuse. Manny nd Freddie say Manny walks around at 140. Both are world champions. Both are Top-10 pound for pound fighters. It’s a natural. But it takes two to make a fight. Terence only lacks the opportunity to take over the spot that Manny and Floyd Mayweather used to hold as the pound for pound star of the sport.

“Manny is a great fighter but he is limited. Manny is a machine and to beat him you need to offset him. Once an envelope gets stuck in a sorter it jams. That’s what Terence will do to Manny. Offset him. Because once Manny is offset, he cannot adapt.

“Right now our goal is to unify the belts. Terence can still make 140 easily. He is growing as a talent and we are growing as a team.

“Molina is a very tricky fighter coming off an exciting win over Provodnikov. He will try to capitalize on that momentum. It will be am exciting fight. Molina may try to box Terence but when that doesn’t work, he will revert back to his old style. He’s going to get hit with power he has never felt before.”

JOHN MOLINA JR.

“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime for me and the fans are going to see a great fight. I got into this game to fight the best and Terence Crawford is one of the best. It was a great training camp. We did all our homework and we are prepared. Hank Lundy was an enormous help as a sparring partner. It will be important to take Terence into deep water

“I think it’s great to be fighting in Omaha. It’s a great town and everyone here has been great to us I’m used to fighting away from home. I love fighting here. It will be a great crowd because Terence Crawford fans are fans of boxing. But we will disrupt their enthusiasm by upsetting the apple cart. But Omaha has a lot to be proud of in Terence Crawford.”

*********************

Remaining reserved seat tickets to the Crawford – Molina world championship event, priced at $27, $52, $77 and $127, can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call (800) 745-3000. To order online, visit ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordMolina to join the conversation on Twitter.

Tune in on these dates to watch the junior middleweight showdown between Philadelphia’s Tyrone Brunson and Ismael “Tito” Garcia of South Jersey.

Friday, December 9 – 9 p.m. on TCN Philly
Saturday, December 10 – 8 p.m. on CSN Philly
Saturday, December 24 – 9 p.m. on TCN Philly
Thursday, January 5 – 7 p.m. on CSN Philly

The broadcast schedule for Philly Fight Night – Farmer vs. Zenuaj on Dec. 2 will be released in the coming weeks.

Like us on Facebook at: Joe Hand Promotions, Peltz Boxing, and BAM Boxing
Visit us on Instagram at: @JoeHandPromo, @PeltzBoxing, and @BAMBoxingInc
Follow us on Twitter: @JoeHandPromo, @Peltzboxing, and @BAMBoxingInc
Hashtag the conversation using #PFN & #PhillyFightNight

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (December, 8, 2016) – Undefeated heavyweight contenders JOE PARKER (21-0, 18 KOs), of Auckland, and ANDY RUIZ, JR. (29-0, 19 KOs), of Mexicali, Mexico, world-rated No. 1 and No. 3 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) respectively, will be battling for the vacant WBO heavyweight world title on Saturday. The fight will be televised in the U.S. on a same-day delay opening the HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast at 9:35 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the live telecast from CenturyLink Center Omaha, featuring the 10-round NABF/NABO lightweight championship fight between Top-10 contenders RAY BELTRAN (31-7-1, 19 KOs), of Phoenix, AZ, and MASON MANARD (32-1, 24 KOs), of Rayne, LA, and the Main Event, undefeated WBO/ World Boxing Council (WBC) / Ring magazine junior welterweight champion TERENCE “Bud” CRAWFORD (29-0, 20 KOs), of Omaha, Neb., defending his titles against No. 1 contender JOHN MOLINA JR. (29-6, 23 KOs), of Covin, Calif. This will be Crawford’s first defense of his unified titles and his third televised world chmpionhip fight of 2016.

Below are the comments from Parker, Ruiz and their teams from their final press conference, as reported by intrepid publicist Ed “Kiwi” Keenan, who is on the scene.

BOB ARUM:

Bob, who would you put your money on?
“I don’t put money on fights. I do give Andy a great chance to win this fight. I always tell people, the best way to lose money is to bet on a fight.

“Andy is in sensational shape for this fight.

“Andy has the fastest hands in a heavyweight that I have seen since Muhammad Ali. And he really stands in there and takes the fight to his opponent. The winner of this fight will be the preeminent heavyweight.

“The competition in the heavyweight division will be great in the years to come and these two will lead it. Ruiz and Parker will help make the heavyweight division the premier division in boxing.

“We’re celebrating my (85th) birthday here in New Zealand on December 8, which really isn’t my birthday because back home where I was born it will be December 7.”

BRUCE TRAMPLER:

“This is a historic fight and if I wanted two trainers for a fight I would pick these two – Abel Sanchez (Ruiz) and Kevin Barry (Parker). It’s the perfect storm these two fighting. I can’t imagine a better matchup. Two athletic hard-fighting guys that won’t take a step back. There are two two-weight classes in boxing – the heavyweights and then everyone else.”

ABEL SANCHEZ:

“We have two guys here that are the future of the heavyweight division. They will show us the way heavyweights are supposed to fight like. I am on a streak but that was Russia and this is New Zealand so we have to start a new streak.

“Kevin is an old fashioned kind of trainer like I am. I don’t have strength and conditioning coaches or nutritionists, I do it all myself

“Andy lost 35 pounds and it wasn’t plastics or diet. We ran a gym that made him work hard. And he lost the weight a little bit at a time. The guys in my camp weigh in every day, and they each need to be at same weight or less than they were the day before. So I can tell when they are cheating – eventually it catches up to them.

‘There are 68 world champions out there and all of their coaches are geniuses.

“Key improvements are up here (pointing to his head). He has skills already. My job is to get him mentally prepared to fight.

“Can he stay away from Joe’s jab? “Can Joe stay away from Andy’s jabs, and combinations?”

“The guy that can impose his will to win. Andy is very confident. The game plan will come after imposing his will.

:”There are different ways to lose weight. When you lose the weight you become a sharper puncher. You may lose a little power but gain sharpness.

“Heavy work was don in camp – right now we just wait for the fight. These two guys could fight tomorrow if they needed to.

“We sparred eight 4-minute rounds every day that was the hard part and Andy did 11 the day before I left for Russia. Andy is in the best shape of his life.

“I think Saturday is a tough 12-round fight. We are going to have a fight where they hurt each other. Heavyweights recently have been wrestling. This is going to be a real fight. I know I am going to have to work a full 12 rounds also as well as I know Kevin will too.

“They have treated us great in New Zealand. The people on the streets have been coming up and wishing Andy good luck, even though they aren’t on Andy’s side.”

KEVIN BARRY:

“This is a great fight. This is the best heavyweight fight of the year. They both have a chance to make history here. Joseph is a very confident boxer and that rubs off on a fighter. The crowd will be behind Joseph and that will lift Joseph to new heights. Joe understands the power he has and it will give him the drive and determination that will carry him.”

ANDY RUIZ

“This is my chance and I didn’t come all the way to New Zealand to lose. I know everyone is underestimating me. I know I trained hard for this fight. I hear everyone commenting on how I look physically, but imagine now that I am in great shape, how good I will be on Saturday night. I know I am an exciting fighter – I will use lots of footwork and throw a lot of combinations – and we both hit hard.

Does Parker have more pressure on him since he’s fighting at home?
“Both of us have pressure. I don’t know what Parker thinks about how much pressure he has on him, but I hope he feels like he has more pressure. I am confident in the work that I have done in training.”

“I know we are both prepped for 12 rounds. I don’t talk a lot of trash or anything. But when the bell rings we both flip the switch. I have a family to feed and I fight for them.

“This is a great opportunity for me and I’m not leaving New Zealand without that belt.”

JOSEPH PARKER

“There are two nights to go until the fight and I am very excited for the fight and excited to have it in New Zealand. We are not underestimating Andy Ruiz. We know he is in great shape. We both know that we are in great shape and we each know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

“Yes, we did spar together. I was in Las Vegas and new to the sport. I went in to spar with him [Ruiz] and thought it would be easy because of his size but when we were sparring he hit me pretty good and he chased me out of the ring and now I have to get him back for that. He’s coming to my backyard. I have to defend my country’s honor.

“We use the same routine for this fight as all the others – it is the one that has always worked.

“I will use the support in the building to motivate me and that will drive me throughout the fight.

“Andy wants to take the belt back with him and I want to keep it here. I want to go out there and win this and win it well.

“I know Andy is a nice guy and there is no hate between us. But when the bell rings on Saturday night we flip the switch and we will each be trying to knock the other guy out.”

*********************

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with TGB Promotions, remaining reserved seat tickets to the Crawford – Molina world championship event, priced at $27, $52, $77 and $127, can be purchased at the CenturyLink Center Omaha box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. To charge-by-phone call (800) 745-3000. To order online, visit ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.toprank.com, or www.hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/trboxing, facebook.com/trboxeo or facebook.com/hboboxing, and on Twitter at twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, or twitter.com/hboboxing. Use the Hashtag #CrawfordMolina to join the conversation on Twitter.

Johannesburg, December 8 – After their memorable battle in Germany in October, light-heavyweight contenders Ryno Liebenberg and Enrico Koelling will engage in a much-awaited rematch at South Africa’s Emperors Palace Casino on February 4.

Confirming the news on Thursday, Golden Gloves boss Rodney Berman and Kalle Sauerland of Team Sauerland said that agreed terms included Koelling travelling to Liebenberg’s back yard to prove the first result was no fluke.

Koelling (22-1, 6 KOs) won a split decision that infuriated the South Africans’ camp, who vowed revenge in the event of a rematch.

“We moved heaven and earth to get this done,” said Berman. “I must credit Koelling for his sportsmanship in agreeing to the rematch. We might have complained, but he was under no obligation to fight Ryno a second time. Naturally, we are delighted he said yes.”

Berman agreed to the Germans’ demands for a German judge to go alongside a South African official and a neutral official to ensure potential claims of bias have no basis.

Liebenberg (17-4, 12 KOs) has been bristling ever since the referee raised Koelling’s arm at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg, telling supporters to watch the video on YouTube to decide for themselves.

After going unbeaten in his first 16 fights, Liebenberg’s venture into top 10 territory has been fraught with what-might-have-beens with three of his four defeats coming narrowly on points – all away from home.

“I feel great about the rematch,” said Liebenberg. “Credit to Enrico for sticking to his word about the rematch. I’m thrilled it’s taking place in South Africa. I would have gone back to Germany, but the travel is lousy.

“He’s very strong and has good ring generalship. The way he handles himself is very composed and his defence is outstanding – he blocks you everywhere.”

But Liebenberg believes the rematch will be much different.

“I’m gonna show the guy who I really am. I told Koelling on Instagram, I’m not gonna run. I’m a superior boxer . . . I’m stronger, fitter, faster and I throw more punches. This time he’ll meet the real Ryno.”

Koelling, ranked number five by the IBF and number 11 by the WBA and WBO, has enjoyed a charmed ride as a professional. Among the belts he has won are the vacant WBO Youth light-heavyweight title and the WBA Inter-Continental light heavyweight title.

All of his fights have taken place in Europe and this will be his first fight beyond the Continent.

“It’s in my nature to be a good sportsman and that’s why I directly offered Ryno a rematch in South Africa via Facebook,” Koelling revealed. “I know that it’s a lot tougher to fight abroad – you are not just fighting against an opponent but the crowd which may very well influence the judges to some extent, but I am ready to do this. I don’t want people to say that I’m just a hometown fighter and afraid to cross boarders but rather fighting the best all over the world. That’s what real champions are doing.

“I watched the first fight on tape again, re-scoring it. With some distance, I still feel I notched it by two or three rounds. The first six rounds were all mine as I set the pace and had by far the more telling blows with Ryno barely finding an opening. Then I became very passive and Ryno took over until the championship rounds and those were level.

“Ryno is a showman and after our bout I expected him to complain about the decision. It’s his character not to admit a loss in such a hotly-contested clash.”

Kalle Sauerland, representing Koelling, said: “’Enrico is a man of his word and a true sportsman. The first fight was close, and we believe Enrico did enough to deserve the nod, but he offered Ryno the rematch, and he’s stayed true to his word. Now, Enrico must travel to South Africa and enter the lion’s den, and the fans can look forward another exciting 12 rounds of action.

LOS ANGELES (December 7, 2016) – Four of the top trainers in the sport, Freddie Roach, Robert Garcia, Ronnie Shields and Stephen Edwards met with media in Los Angeles to discuss their fighters’ respective showdowns this Saturday, December 10 from Galen Center at USC and live on SHOWTIME®.

Saturday’s event is headlined by featherweight world champion Jesus Cuellar defending against former three-division world champion Abner Mares in a long-awaited showdown. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with junior middleweight world champion Jermall Charlo and top-rated challenger Julian Williams in a world championship battle of undefeated rising stars in their prime.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Ringstar Sports and TGB Promotions, are on sale and are priced at $35, $50, $75, $150 and $200. To purchase tickets go to www.galentix.com.

Roach (Cuellar), Garcia (Mares), Shields (Charlo) and Edwards (Williams) spoke to media at the Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown about their fighters and the highly anticipated matchups taking place this weekend in Los Angeles.

Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:

FREDDIE ROACH, Cuellar’s Trainer

How has your relationship with Cuellar developed?
“I’ve gotten to know Cuellar quite well and have spent a lot of time with him. I think he’s learned a lot and I think he’ll carry that into the fight with him. He’s prepared and he won’t go out there just trying to look for a knockout. He’s a good puncher and everybody thinks he’s looking for the KO, but I told him to just let it happen. If you force it, it will never happen.

“He’s going in there with a good opponent, an experienced fighter with a lot of good fights under his belt. He’s caught punches before and knows how to handle it. And if [Mares] moves, we’ll cut the ring off to make it smaller and set traps for him. If he tries to come forward, I want my guy to show his power either way and show him who the boss is.”

On Garcia having the upper hand by having trained Cuellar:
“I don’t really know how their relationship is and I don’t really know how long they’ve been together. I heard that during his training camps that he had gone to Florida for another trainer so I don’t know how great they’re really getting along but again, I don’t really worry about the other side so much. I know my guy is ready for a hard 12-round fight.

“He does know my fighter well and I’ve tried to improve my fighter a lot and he said he never learned anything over there, but every day he learns in my gym. I just don’t think he’s the same guy that Robert is used to seeing and I think he’s improved a lot in a lot of different areas and I think he’ll show it in the fight.”

What are you predicting for Cuellar?
“I’m predicting better angles, not so wide with the punches, not so big with them. He goes out there looking for knockouts so many times and I’ve told him to just let it happen. He needs to get behind his jab a little bit. He has a good jab but he just doesn’t throw it that much because he’s always looking for the home run. So, we’ve worked a lot on not only looking for the home run right away and going out there and breaking this guy down.”

What’s the game plan if Abner comes to box?
“I think he’s going to try to box us, yes, so we have to put pressure on him and we have to keep him close to the ropes. We have to set traps on the ropes and into the corners and we’re well prepared for that. We did prepare for [Mares] coming at us also, trying to maybe catch him early and I want Cuellar to show his power right away because I think if we can get him to box and move, he can’t win the fight by moving away.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Mares’ Trainer

“Cuellar is very strong and hits really hard. He has tremendous power. He’s very strong physically and mentally. He has that warrior mentality that just goes out there looking for the knockout.

“I don’t have the secret recipe. It’s just that I know Abner is in great shape and we’ve had a year to prepare for this fight. And I know Cuellar very well. I know how he thinks and that could be a plus. I think facing a guy I used to train can be an advantage for us.

“I know Jesus and how he is in locker room. And I can use that against him. Even though he’s with a great trainer in Freddie Roach, he has never walked out to the arena with him. I did it for five fights and for two years. But I don’t think I need those advantages.

“If Abner does everything that he needs to do, there’s no doubt he will walk out of there a world champion. But this is my first fight with him so I don’t know if during the fight he will forget all I told him, and do what he is used to doing. He’s picked up a lot of good things from me, so I think he’ll stick to the game plan.”

What has impressed you most about Abner this camp?
“For a full year training and having dates and then the dates being cancelled, postponed, changed. It’s been four dates. They were scheduled to fight in March, then June. Then we were supposed to fight in October and now December. He never showed any signs of frustration or being upset. He always thought like I think: Things happen for a reason and this just gives us more time to work together and to learn from each other. So, I think it was the best thing that happened.”

Did you always have aspirations of becoming a trainer?
“Never did. It’s funny how it happened. When I had my last fight at 26, my plans were to forget about boxing. I hated boxing. The last couple of fights I had I didn’t want to be in the ring. I didn’t want to have anything to do with it. But then I started to come around my Dad’s gym in Oxnard (Calif.). The thing that I loved the most was the travel — because I traveled around the world during the amateurs and the pros. My first three fights were in Japan. But we didn’t enjoy it. I was always trying to make weight. And I never got to enjoy it. But I never thought I’d be in this position to train nine world champions.

“I will have my 10th world champion, and I’m hoping it’s this Saturday. I’m very confident about it. One day I’ll have 15 or maybe 20, but that’s one thing I hate to do is predict it. But I do feel really good we can pull this one off.”

Who is your pick for Trainer of the Year?
“Manny Robles had two world champions and has two really good fighters. And Freddie Roach had a great year with Pacquiao. So, I think they would be good picks. I believe Manny Robles deserves it.”

Have you gotten the credit you are due?
“It’s mostly politics and who you know. Will I get it again? I really don’t care. My fighters are happy and my family is happy. I get the love from you reporters and the fans. And that’s all that’s important to me and my team.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, Charlo’s Trainer

“All I hear is Charlo is scared. Jermall isn’t scared to fight anyone. Why would a guy who is champion of the world be scared of fighting [Williams]?

“Jermall and Julian ran into each other a few times as amateurs, but not as professionals. I think they both realized they would meet in the ring and that it would happen.

“I’m not really surprised this fight happened this early in their careers, because both guys are great fighters. And they are both deserving to be at the top.”

On Charlo calling Williams an “undefeated nobody”:
“That’s just Jermall [laughing]. All fighters are confident in their ability, and he just feels like he’s the better guy. And I’m glad he feels that way, because I don’t have to do anything extra to motivate him. He’s highly motivated, and ready to go.”

How do you think this fight will end?
“I don’t look at the ends, I only look at the beginnings. If you go in looking to knock the guy out in the early rounds and don’t get it, what’s going to happen in the later rounds? I think I’ve got Jermall to the point where he can go 12 rounds with anyone. He doesn’t care who it is.”

What does Julian Williams do well?
“I think Julian does a lot of things well. You have to have the simple fundamentals in boxing, which I think carries a lot of fighters a long way. You have to have a good jab, combination of punches. And Jermall has the same thing. I think it will come down to who has the biggest will to win this fight. My guy has a huge will to win this fight.”

What is underrated about Jermall that fight fans might now know?
“I think that a lot of people don’t know how smart an individual he is. Outside of the ring, and inside of the ring. He’s so different than he appears in public. He’s a really quiet guy and does not really boast a lot.

“These days you see a lot of fighters using different guys, and not just the same guys [in terms of trainers]. I think a lot of fighters are trusting different people, and not just the same guy.

“I’ve known Jermall since he was eight-years-old and I know what type of guy he is, and what his will is. I just don’t see anybody beating him. He just has such a strong will to win, and he does everything right. And that’s hard to say about the other guy.”

“This could be Jermall’s last fight at 154 pounds. But he will make weight on Friday. If there was a chance he wasn’t going to make weight, I wouldn’t let him [fight at 154 pounds] because I realize it’s too dangerous, and I’m not going to take that chance with my guys.”

STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams’ Trainer

“We were ready for this fight, maybe a year and a half ago but unfortunately it took a bit longer than we thought to come into fruition. But he’s had a great camp. I know Jermall is a formidable fighter, he has a great coach and I’m expecting a great fight. I think it’s really, really difficult to beat an undefeated fighter that does not know how to lose.

“We have a big task in front of us but he’ll be the third undefeated guy that Julian has fought. So, he’s used to being up under that kind of stress.”

On knowing Julian’s past life on the streets:
“I knew him but I wasn’t training him at the time. Ironically, I knew Julian in 2007 and I used to work at the shelter that he was at. Unfortunately, due to the circumstances I didn’t meet him until I was having a fight party for the Floyd Mayweather-Ricky Hatton fight and we became pretty good friends and then later I started training him in 2010. When he came to the party I knew who he was from attending some of his amateur fights and when he was ready to turn pro, he asked me for some help. We have a relationship outside of boxing and then I started working with him and here we are.”

Did he open up to you about his story shortly after you knew him?
“I kind of already knew it so it wasn’t a revelation. It kind of happened organically, you know, as you get to know somebody and you’re around them, I kind of started to learn different things about him and we started talking more about it. Actually, a lot of things came up through boxing because I would ask him ‘How do you not win Nationals as good as you are?’ I thought he was the best amateur in the city. I would say: ‘How long do you run?’ and ‘What kind of diet do you do?’ and he would say ‘I just lose weight by taking laxatives.’ I thought he was killing himself and that’s when I wanted to take him on in training. I said man, if he was 77-10 as an amateur taking laxatives to lose weight, he is ruining the lining of his stomach and decreasing his energy level too. So, I said to myself ‘this kid has a big upside.’

“If I could just get him to buy into a diet, buy into doing things the right way, he could be a world champion. I think that I believed that he was going to be a world champion before he did. That’s how the stories started to unravel about his homelessness, that he didn’t have anything to eat, that he would work at McDonalds and other places and that would be his diet.

“This is a national level fighter, ranked No. 3 in the country on a McDonald’s diet. So I always just kept in the back of my mind that he had an unbelievable upside and regardless of what was going on or what people were saying, I trust my eyes more than I trust anybody else’s and that’s what I believe.”

How much do you think his past goes into the way he fights?
“I definitely think that he has a hint of anger. He’s a little introverted and I’m very similar in certain things that we don’t talk about. Getting him ready for the Hugo Centeno fight when his mom passed away, we never talked about it. It’s the weirdest thing in the world. I hugged him, I told him I would help him with the funeral arrangements because he’s a young guy and he didn’t know how to handle those things.”

What can you say about Jermall?
“He’s not better than Julian at anything. I’m not trying to concede anything. He doesn’t punch harder, he’s not faster and you all can quote me when I say he’s not better than him at nothing. And determination. If it comes down to a point of who’s really willing to lose his life in the ring, I already know who’s willing to lose his life in the ring. But he’s not better at him at anything. Nothing. Not just determination, Julian is just the more skilled fighter and he has more on the inside and he’s going to show everyone on Saturday night.”

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The bid would be on December 19th.

“Still planning to have a deal done with Jacobs before the bid deadline,”said Golovkin promoter Tom Loeffler, who was traveling in Germany, told ESPN by email after the purse bid order was announced.