Video: Fight Night Belfast Q&A




“Knockout Night at the D” weights

NABA USA Lightweight Championship (10)*
Reynaldo Blanco (13-2, 7 KOs), Champion, Mantancita, Dominican Republic 133.8 lbs.
Demond Brock (12-3, 4 KOs), Challenger, New Orleans, LA 134.8 lbs.

Junior Middleweights (8)*
Daniel Rosario (11-1, 10 KOs), Caguas, Puerto Rico 154.6 lbs.
Norberto Gonzalez (22-8, 13 KOs), Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico 154 lbs.

Junior Lightweights (6)*
Randy Moreno (6-0, 5 KOs), Las Vegas, NV 129.6 lbs.
Daniel Perales (7-5-1, 4 KOs), Monterrey Nuevo Leon, Mexico 131 lbs.

Female Junior Flyweights (4)
Marina Ramirez (2-0, 0 KOs), Parma, ID 106 lbs.
Natalie Gonzalez (2-0, 0 KOs), New Rochelle, NY 105.6 lbs.

Junior Featherweights (4)
Juan Sanchez (1-0, 1 KO), Allentown, PA 125.8 lbs.
Javier Cepeda (0-2), Roswell, NM 125.2 lbs.

Cruiserweights (4)
Jason Beauchamp (pro debut), Las Vegas, NV 198.4 lbs.
Kenny Cruz (0-2-1), Natalino, Puerto Rico 200.4 lbs.

Middleweights (4)
Shady Gamhour (pro debut), Sweden by way of Pensacola, FL 159 lbs.
David De La Cruz (pro debut), Los Angeles, CA 159 lbs.

*denotes TV fight

WHAT: “Knockout Night at the D” professional boxing

WHEN: Friday, November 18, 2016

WHERE: Downtown Las Vegas Events Center

PROMOTER: Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions

TELEVISION: Live on CBS Sports Network and live streamed worldwide via FloBoxing.tv (full undercard plus 3 TV fights outside of North America)

BROADCASTERS: Hall of Famers Jim “JR” Ross & Al Bernstein

RING ANNOUNCER: Justin Roberts

DOORS OPEN: 6:00 p.m. PT

FIRST BOUT: 7:00 p.m. PT

FIRST TV BOUT: 9:00 p.m. PT

OTHER: “Knockout Night at the D” series was developed in partnership with the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center

TICKETS: $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.

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: @bodyshot brock and @_randymoreno

RIVAL BOXING GEAR & EQUIPMENT is the official gloves partner for the “Knockout Night at the D” series. www.rivalboxing.com, @rivalboxinggear
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/
For More Information:
“Knockout Night at the D”: Bob Trieger, (978) 590-0470, bobtfcp@hotmail.com, @FightPublicist




ROY JONES JR. BOXING PROMOTIONS INKS EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH BRYAN “TIQUITO” VASQUEZ

Las Vegas, November 17, 2016 – Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions Founder 10x World Champion, Roy Jones Jr. and CEO / Co-Founder, Keith Veltre proudly announce the promotional agreement with Bryan “Tiquito” Vasquez

29-year old Vasquez (35-2, 19 KOs) from San Jose, Costa Rica two time WBA World Champion and currently the #1 ranked contender in the world by the WBA. Making waves in the boxing square, with his mobility, charisma & his combinations of one-two’s, Vasquez quickly made a statement when he entered the ring with at the time undefeated Jose Felix Jr. (35-1-1. 27KOs) on the Bradley / Pacquiao card back in 2014. Taking it to the distance, Vasquez was strapped with the Interim WBA World Champion Super Feather Weight Title.

“Vasquez is a huge pick up for team RJJ,” stated Roy Jones Jr., Founder of Roy Jones Jr. Promotions. “Bryan Vasquez adds to our conception of being one of the best boxing promotions companies in the industry.

“I am extremely happy to have Bryan Vasquez join the RJJ family,” said Keith Veltre
Co-Founder & CEO of Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions. “Bryan is a top tier fighter and is only a fight or two away from being a World Champion. We have a good relationship with his management and all of us expect big things from Bryan. This is a prime example on how RJJ is moving in the direction of becoming a premier promoter.”

“The first of many fighters we will bring to Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions,” said Hector Fernandez de Cordova. “Together we will make a difference in the sport. Very grateful for the opportunity. Thanks to Keith Veltre and Roy Jones Jr. for taking the time and believing in our vision.”

“It is a dream come true,” stated Bryan Vasquez, “What a better way to become a legend than to work with one. I wont disappoint my idol, Roy Jones Jr.”

Vasquez is ranked #1 Contender in the world by the WBA and has no intention of moving from that spot.

Vasquez officially signed with Roy Jones Jr. Boxing Promotions at a Brio Tuscan Restaurant located in Town Square, Las Vegas. Vasquez’ team is excited for what the future holds for him. The list of contenders for Vasquez to showcase his skills is beyond anything anyone could imagine. With names like Jason Sosa (20-1-4 15KOs), Francisco Vargas (23-0-2 17KOs) & Former World Champion & Cuban Gold Medalist Yuriokis Gamboa

Co-founded in 2013 by 10-times 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, Daniel Rosario, former 3x world champion super bantomweight Joseph Agbeko, along with Tony Lopez & Hanzel Martinez, lightweight Demond Brock, super featherweight Randy Moreno & Bryan Vasquez cruiser weight Irsael Duffus, bantamweight Max Ornelas, superlightweight Emanuel Robles, middleweight Rolanda Garza & light heavy weight Adrian Taylor.




NATIONAL COLLEGIATE BOXING ASSOCIATION TO PRESENT AMATEUR BOUTS AS PRELUDE TO ROSA-IWASA IBF JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT ELIMINATOR

New York, NY (11/17/16) – On Saturday, November 19, DiBella Entertainment returns the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Mashantucket, CT, for the latest installment of its popular Broadway Boxing series, presented by Cedars Mediterranean Foods, Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House. New Haven’s undefeated Luis Rosa Jr. (22-0, 10 KOs) will headline the card facing Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa (22-2, 14 KOs), in an IBF junior featherweight world title eliminator scheduled for 12 rounds.

Opening up the event will be several amateur bouts presented by the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA). The six-bout amateur portion of the card will feature boxers from the United States Military Academy (West Point), United States Coast Guard Academy, University of Massachusetts, University of Connecticut and Trinity College.

“It gives me great pleasure to present yet another National Collegiate Boxing Association event at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino,” said Al Valenti. “The evening will showcase college boxers from the nearby Coast Guard Academy, UConn and Trinity College. A strong team will travel down from UMass Amherst and West Point will once again bring their well-trained cadet team. The NCBA held their National Championships at Foxwoods in 2013 and looks forward to providing a night of exciting Olympic-style boxing.”

“The NCBA is proud to partner with the world famous Foxwoods Resorts Casino on this exciting collegiate boxing event,” said Eric Buller, President of the NCBA. Foxwoods has a proud history of presenting outstanding boxing and we appreciate the opportunity to continue to be part of that history and, hopefully, its future. The mix of schools participating this year is unique in that we have traditional powers like the United States Military Academy and the United States Coast Guard Academy mixing it up with relative newcomers in the University of Connecticut, Trinity College and the University of Massachusetts. It will surely prove to be a very exciting night of boxing. As always, we must thank our volunteer coaches, doctors and officials that are vital to putting on this event and, of course, our great hosts and partners at Foxwoods and DiBella Entertainment.”

Tickets for the November 19 Broadway Boxing event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Teiken Promotions and presented by Cedars Mediterranean Foods, Nissan of Queens, Azad Watches, OPTYX, and Christos Steak House, are priced at $125, $75 and $45. Tickets can be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 800-200-2882, or visiting the Foxwoods box office. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the first fight scheduled for 7:00pm.




Video: New Blood Nov 17, 2016 Weigh In




Danny Roman Faces Marlon Olea (late replacement) in “New Blood” Main Event Friday

ORANGE, Calif. (Nov. 17, 2016) – Danny Roman (20-2-1, 7 KOs) – currently ranked No. 5 by the WBA at 122 lbs. – will face Marlon Olea (12-0, 11 KOs) in Thompson Boxing Promotions’ “New Blood” main event Friday night from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Roman was originally scheduled to fight Victor Proa, but Proa could not obtain a visa in time and was consequently replaced by Colombia”s Olea. The fight is scheduled for 8-rounds.

At Thursday’s weigh in, Roman weighed in at 122 lbs., while Olea checked in at the same weight (122 lbs.).

Tickets for “New Blood” are available at general admission ($40) and ringside ($100). Fans may purchase tickets tomorrow (Friday) beginning at 5:30 PM local time from the will call booth at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

In the co-feature, Giovani Santillan (19-0, 10 KOs) weighed 142.4 lbs. and challenger Miguel Angel Mendoza (23-9, 22 KOs) checked in at 141.7 lbs.

WEIGHTS

Danny Roman, 122 vs. Marlon Olea, 122
Giovani Santillan, 142.4 vs. Miguel Angel Mendoza, 141.7
Mario Heredia, 269.6 vs. Johnny Rice, 262.6
Rudy Garcia, 118.5 vs. Joel Cano-Castro, 120
Michael Dutchover, 131 vs. Sergio Campos, 130.5

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. local time with the first bell at approximately 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N. Vineyard Ave., Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at (909) 937-0900.

“New Blood” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with Everlast.

For more information, please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. To follow the conversation on social media, please use #NewBlood and #ThompsonBoxing.

For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook Page, find us on Google+ and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @ThompsonBoxing.




12 Rounds with Junior Middleweight World Title Challenger Julian Williams

Julian Williams
Born and raised in the boxing-rich city of Philadelphia, Williams has proven throughout his rise up the 154-pound ranks that he can beat you with his brains as much as his brawn. How else do you explain the 26-year-old’s current streak of nine straight fights without so much as losing a single round?

More than just a skilled boxer, Williams is also a true student of the sweet science, both in and out of the ring. In fact, “J Rock” has such deep respect for his sport’s history that one gets the sense he’s spent as much time researching the legends of the game as he has how to perfect a three-punch combination.

Speaking of history, Julian Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs) will be looking to make some of his own December 10 when he challenges 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo at the Galen Center on the campus of USC in Los Angeles (SHOWTIME, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

During a recent break from training for his first world title fight, Williams chatted with us about the man he believes is the greatest fighter in history, the importance of the jab, his mad culinary skills and the top item on his bucket list (hint: He’s on the verge of crossing it off).

Do you have a boxing hero?

I respect Muhammad Ali as a modern hero in history for the things he stood for-not just for what did in boxing. To me, Ali’s boxing [accomplishments] are relative and a smaller part of his legacy compared to what stood for outside of the ring.

Muhammad Ali’s true greatness was represented by what he did for the world and the stands he took more than his fights.

Of all the boxers in history, who do you wish you could’ve fought, and how would the fight have played out?

I don’t want to give you a result, but I would say Sugar Ray Robinson, because in my opinion, he is the best fighter who ever lived. And I would want to see how I would stand up against the best fighter ever to wear a pair of gloves.

Sugar Ray Robinson had everything-great punch selection, the skills, the jab, the speed. He was a tremendous fighter. I’ve never seen anybody as good before or since.

This was during a time when guys were fighting with six-ounce horsehair gloves two or three times a month. They were doing that against the best competition. I mean, he would fight Jake LaMotta and Kid Gavilan in 15-round fights. They just don’t build men like that no more. It doesn’t happen.

Sugar Ray Robinson would bring out the best in me and give me a great gauge about how good I actually am. I would never disrespect Sugar Ray Robinson by saying I would beat him. I respect the legends. I would just like to see how good I would do against those types of guys.

Finish this sentence: If not for boxing, I would be …

… probably just finishing up college, paying back student loans and being miserable. I would probably be a major in business administration.

What’s the public’s biggest misconception about boxers?

That we’re all stupid.

What’s the hardest you’ve ever been hit, and how you did you deal with it?

You know what, I’m not trying to sound cocky or anything, but I don’t remember. I’ve had some tough fights, but I don’t really recall an opponent who has really hurt me like that.

It’s never been where I was like, “Oh my God, he punches so hard,” or “He hit me so hard, I couldn’t get myself together.” I’ve never experienced that. I’m not saying that it can’t happen; I’m just saying that it hasn’t happened.

Excluding yourself, who’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world today?

It’s close, because I don’t think anyone has taken the lead for now. I would probably say Andre Ward, but at the same time he’s had so much time off.

You’ve got guys like Sergey Kovalev out there who have been dismantling everybody, and then you’ve got guys like Guillermo Rigondeaux who is probably the best fighter in the world, but he’s never gotten the opportunity to prove it on the big stage.

Then you’ve got Floyd Mayweather Jr., who I think is the clear-cut best fighter in the world when he’s active. But he’s retired.

It’s just hard to pick one. I couldn’t pick one. I would be able to pick one at the beginning of the next year.

What kind of food is the toughest to give up while training for a fight?

I like pasta and red meat. I don’t eat too much red meat when I’m training, because it’s too hard to cut. I like steak and lamb and pasta. I just like all pasta in general.

Speaking of training, what’s your favorite exercise?

I don’t really have any. I hate them all. I just do them because I have to do them.

What about a favorite punch to throw?

It depends on who I’m fighting, but I would definitely have to say the jab, because the jab sets everything up. That’s usually my range finder, and I can usually control the fight with the jab. I pretty much use it in every fight to good effect.

Do you have a favorite boxing movie?

Raging Bull. I liked Rocky, also. I mostly liked all of the Rocky movies.

Who is the one artist on your playlist that would surprise fight fans?

Teddy Pendergrass. I grew up with my mother and father liking his music.

Would you rather run over a linebacker or juke him out of his shoes?

That depends on who it is. If it’s [retired Baltimore Ravens legend] Ray Lewis, I would have to juke him. Because I don’t want to be hit by him.

Finish this sentence: People would be surprised to know that …

… I’m an amazing cook. I can cook a lot of things-pretty much anything.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Race relations. The world would be a better place if everybody didn’t see so much color.

What’s on your life’s bucket list?

I want to be a world champion, which I can accomplish in my next fight by beating Jermall Charlo. This is what I’ve been working so hard for my entire life.

I don’t have a bucket-list wish to go skydiving before it’s all over or go to Japan or anything. It’s simple: I’ve been working half of my life to become a world champion, and that’s the most important thing on my bucket list.

“12 Rounds With …” is published Wednesdays at PremierBoxingChampions.com
Next week: 154-pound champion Jermall Charlo.




JOEL DIAZ JR. FIGHTS ON SATURDAY IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

New York, NY (11/17/16) – Undefeated junior welterweight prospect Joel Diaz Jr. (22-0, 18 KOs), of Palmdale, CA, will return to action on Saturday, November 19, at the Sosua Bay Grand Casino, in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The 24-year-old Diaz will face Dominican Mario Beltre (15-1, 11 KOs), of San Pedro de Macoris, who is a former Dominican Republic lightweight champion, in a scheduled eight-round bout.

After accumulating an impressive 85-10 amateur record, Diaz turned pro at the age of 18 in July 2010. Quickly becoming a noteworthy prospect, Diaz was featured on Showtime’s ShoBox series in January 2012, defeating 7-0 Guy Robb via seventh-round stoppage. Shortly after beating experienced veteran Jose Angel Beranza in March 2014, on DiBella Entertainment’s Broadway Boxing series in Brooklyn, Diaz, managed by Mike Criscio, was signed to a co-promotional agreement between DBE and Jean Pascal Promotions. Back on ShoBox as a headliner in May 2014, Diaz was taken the full 10-round distance for the first time, winning an impressive unanimous decision over 14-1 Canadian contender Tyler Asselstine. Diaz closed out 2015 as the co-feature on a pay-per-view broadcast topped by Shane Mosley on August 29, at the Forum, in Inglewood, CA. He dismantled gritty foe Luis Arceo inside four frames. It was after the Arceo bout that Diaz made changes to his corner, assigning former heavyweight champion Chris Byrd as his new head trainer, looking to combine his aggressive style with improved defensive technique.

Currently ranked no. 1 by the USBA, Diaz has shown continued improvement with Byrd and, with a victory on Saturday, is determined to prove he is ready for bigger challenges in 2017.

“It’s been a few months since my last fight, so I am anxious to get back in the ring and score a spectacular victory over Beltre,” said Diaz. “Working with Chris Byrd has been great. The longer we work together, the more his influence will show in my performances. I am ready to step it up and fight anybody in the top ten. 2017 will be my year to really shine.”

“Joel Diaz Jr. is one of the best young prospects in boxing right now,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “His talent was evident early on, when he stopped Guy Robb in his ShoBox debut. Hiring Chris Byrd as his new trainer shows me how dedicated he is to improving as he climbs up the rankings. Following a win on Saturday, Pascal and I will ensure Diaz gets big fights and opportunities in 2017 to secure his contender status and move toward a title shot.”




Training Camp Notes: “The Terminator” Virgilijus Stapulionis Prepares to Headline First US Card on November 26 at Mohegan Sun

Oxnard, California: The premiere of Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series on Nov. 26 at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut will feature junior middleweight prospect Virgilijus “The Terminator” Stapulionis’s (18-3-1, 13 KOs) first main event in the United States since his US debut back in 2015. The Terminator will take on local prospect, Patrick Day (12-2-1, 6 KOs), of Freeport, New York in a ten-round battle.

Stapulionis, 30, is originally from Pasvalys, Lithuania but came to the United States last year when he signed with world-renowned manager, Egis Klimas. He made his US debut on Dec. 3, 2015 with a second round TKO over Cesar Vila in Costa Mesa, California. After he stopped Laszlo Fazekas of Hungary on the Kovalev-Pascal II undercard in Montreal, Quebec Canada earlier this year, he signed a promotional contract with Main Events. This fight with Day will also be his first on the East Coast.

When asked whether there was added pressure headlining his first show in the US, Virgilijus stated, “I don’t feel added pressure. I am just happy that this is my first main event in America. I am just going to the ring to win the fight. I prepare for all my fights 100%. Every day I am thinking about the fight. I will be ready.”

His opponent, Day, 24, made his professional debut back in 2013 after a stellar amateur career. He was a US National Champion in 2012 and a New York Golden Glove Champion. He remained undefeated through his first ten professional bouts (one draw against Urmat Ryskeldiev in Brooklyn). In his most recent fight, he defeated Courtney Pennington via unanimous decision in Huntington, New York.

Stapulionis admits he does not know much about his opponent but added, “I haven’t seen many of his fights but I respect him and I know he will be a tough opponent. Nothing really changes for me each training camp. When I see my opponent fight I will prepare more for his style. I have more experience than my opponent in the professional ring. I think this will help me with the fight.”

In his most recent bout, Virgilijus defeated previously-undefeated prospect Nathaniel Gallimore in a ten-round split decision in El Monte, California. The Terminator reflected on this tough bout with Gallimore when he said, “I learned that boxing is until the end of the last round bell. I continue to fight until the last second. It doesn’t matter what happened at the beginning I will fight to the end. After this fight I want to face some bigger names. Top ten fighters. Canelo Alvarez.”

Virgilijus is trained by world-renowned trainer, Robert Garcia, who said, “Training camp is going good. He got married September 3 and came to camp September 20. He has more than eight weeks in camp and will be 100% ready for whatever Patrick Day brings to the fight. He is really excited about headlining his first card at Mohegan Sun. He understands the responsibility with this fight and he is 100% focused.”

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Pacquiao – Vargas does around 300,000 PPV buys

Pac May PC 2
According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, The November 5th ppv fight between Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas generated around 300,00 Pay Per View buys.

This week, Bob Arum told ESPN that his decision to have Top Rank produce and distribute the event on its own was successful. The Pacquiao-Vargas fight sold “around 300,000, probably a little more” pay-per-view buys, he said.

“It did about the same as Pacquiao-[Timothy] Bradley,” Arum said of the third fight between the rivals that took place in April and was produced and distributed by HBO.
“So if it did about the same as that fight, why do I need HBO to be involved? Why do I have to pay them a percentage when we can do the same thing on our own?”

Arum said he did not have precise numbers yet for the Pacquiao-Vargas pay-per-view sales because “one thing we can’t do is get a handle on all the numbers as quickly as HBO can. They have that down pat, but we’ll learn. That said, the numbers are still coming in and we’re pleased. We had a good show, we put on some entertaining fights, and we made money, the fighters made money, so that’s good.”

Although Vargas was not a well-known opponent and nobody expected Pacquiao to generate the seven-figure pay-per-view sales he did during his heyday a few years ago, Arum said he thought one reason the fight would wind up doing about 300,000 sales is because consumers knew that without HBO’s involvement that there would be no delayed broadcast on the network a week later. Arum also said he was aware that because fans can easily find live streams on social media, it likely robbed the event of hundreds of thousands of buys.

“It’s always been a problem, but it’s gotten worse,” Arum said. “It’s stealing, and it’s not just a Pacquiao fight. It’s Canelo [Alvarez] fights. It’s UFC pay-per-views. We have our attorneys working on things.”




Video: Kovalev – Ward Final Press Conference at 4 PM ET




JOHN DAVID JACKSON & VIRGIL HUNTER TRAINERS DEBATE QUOTES

john_david_jackson
LAS VEGAS, NV (November 17, 2016) – World renown trainers, John David Jackson and Virgil Hunter, squared off in a debate moderated by HBO Boxing Insider Kieran Mulvaney on Wednesday, Nov. 16, ahead of Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward “Pound For Pound” showdown on Nov. 19 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

John David Jackson is the trainer of WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (30-0-1, 26 KOs). Virgil Hunter is the trainer of Two-Time World Champion and 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (30-0, 15 KOs). Here is what the trainers had to say:

John David Jackson, Trainer of Sergey Kovalev:

“Alright, thank you very much it’s nice to have the press out here and I’m glad you made it out the Sergey Kovalev – Andre Ward fight is a fight that I am glad was made for a lot of reasons, but one reason is for the fans because this fight was deserved. In boxing today, there’s too many fights that aren’t being made these are the best fighters in the world so it definitely had to be made.

“Decline I say because when you look at his past (Ward’s) last five years and the way he dominated 168. He fought different fights and he fought a different way.

“In Andre I see many thing but you know what on that night they might not show. He may become totally different but we are prepared for what he brings to us.

“Andre has a lot of strengths. You know when you look at him or when you really study him he’s a well schooled fighter he listens to everything Virgil preaches and he definitely absorbs it. The one beautiful thing I’ve noticed from that is he trusts Virgil. When you trust your trainer that speaks volumes for you, you listen to everything he tells you to do, so any game plan that Virgil advises he’s gonna follow.

“I really studied Andre these past few weeks I have a great appreciation for what he does because looked and I said you know what his style was similar to mine. I was busy in my fights, I was very captivated in my moves, I set traps for my opponents. As soon as I sat down and recognized what he does, I like what he (Ward) does he’s very smart.

“Once I really sat down and studied Andre and Virgil I had to sit back and give them all the credit they deserve I kinda sold them short a couple years back.

“He don’t need to worry about the knockout if the knock come it come but if it doesn’t we are prepared to go 12 hard rounds to get the victory by decision.

“We knew going in that this was the fight that would make Sergey a household name his names good but being in a fight with a name like Andre ward makes it even better.

Virgil Hunter, Trainer of Andre Ward:

“Sergey Kovalev vs. Andre Ward ‘Pound For Pound’ is going to be a historical initiation. As far as preparing for this fight, we’ve been preparing for it from the first time that he started boxing.

“Each fighter is different but you have the masses, the critics who need to be impressed by a certain way that a victory comes up. We came out of the garage from a one-and-a-half-year layoff and fought Sullivan Barrera. He was the number one contender at the time, so it was a dangerous fight until the fight was over, then Barrera was garbage. Nobody is ever going to be satisfied. That’s just the nature of the game so you have to be satisfied with yourself.

“I’m very attuned to body language, I’m very attuned to tone of voice, and from what I hear, from what I see, it’s safe to say that there is a lot of disarray in that camp. What I mean by that is I don’t even know if Coach Jackson is getting the respect he is due in that camp but time will tell. For instance, why do we have to make an excuse for Kovalev in Russia for selling tickets and things. Don’t you have a team who could have taken care of that? You’re supposed to have a team to take care of that to take the pressure off the fighter.

“I believe somebody probably told Kovalev to say that Ward is a dirty fighter because you go eight, nine weeks and all of a sudden he is a dirty fighter? Kovalev will learn, one day, to not be everyone’s robot and do what they tell and ask him to do. He does it because he’s loyal. It doesn’t even sound like him. That’s not him saying that. That’s not in his character. That is his promoter saying that. It’s nothing but if he kicks Ward, he’ll get kicked back. Simple as that.

“We know Kovalev is a dangerous fighter, we give him all he’s due. I give Coach Jackson all he’s due. The coaching fraternity is a very tough fraternity. We are the first ones to get the blame. The fighter never takes full responsibility for his shortcomings. The fighter always has other people in his ear, telling him there is a better way, so I understand what he goes through as a coach.

“I just want the best Andre Ward and the best Sergey Kovalev. If Kovalev wins the fight, my respect goes out to him. If we win the fight, my respect goes out to him because they can’t be great unless they fight each other. Sometimes two people come out of that situation looking great. I wish the best to both of them regardless of what happens.

“‘Do I believe that Ward will exhibit mental toughness? Yes, without a doubt. Do I believe that Kovalev will exhibit it? I’m sure he will as well, and that’s the making of a great fight.”

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Monster Products, JetLux, Zappos, Jordan Brand and Shoe Palace. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.

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Mega Show Set For Final 2016 Fight Club OC

The first holiday gift of 2016 will come early this December, as Fight Club OC has eight mega bouts set for its Thursday, December 8th show in The Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.

Saying it is a Mega Show is really an understatement as fans will see five rated fighters on the eight-bout show headlined by such stars as 21-2 Cuban heavyweight Mike Perez, 2012 Mexican Olympian Oscar Molina, 7-0 flyweight sensation Carlos “Mexicanito” Licona, 11-0 Emmanuel Medina, and 6-0 Mongolian star Tug Nyambayar. This is a 66-7 win loss record for the fighters on the show!

And they will be in tough as Perez will face surging Avery Gibson who has won his last four bouts; 11-3 Limberth Ponce will face Molina in what should be an all action bout, Licona will put his perfect record on the line vs Garden Grove’s tough Yezber Romero, and Tug will face German Meraz from Sonora, Mexico who comes in with 55 wins!

MMA action will see Hawaiian Gardens 5-3 Emilas Jimenz vs Long Beach’s 4-2 Vincent Borquez and Laguna Niguel’s 2-2 Michael Reddemann vs Ladera Ranch’s 2-1 Geoffrey Thomas Mellor.

The Hangar doors open at 6:30pm with the action starting at 7pm
Tickets all priced at $60 can be purchased online at
www.fightcluboc.com.




M-1 Challenge 72 Weights

ALEXEY KUCHENKO (14-0-0, M-1: 6-0-0), Champion, Russia 168 lbs. (76.5 kg)
vs.
MURAD “Hunter” ABDULAEV (15-4-0, M-1: 3-2-0), Challenger, Russia 168 lbs. (76.3 kg)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ARTEM FROLOV (7-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Russia 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)
vs.
LUIGI “The Italian Tank” FIORAVANTI (26-14-0, M-1: 4-3-0), USA 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)

KRISTIJAN “Pacman” PERAK (9-3-1, M-1: 0-2-1), Croatia 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)
vs.
TALEKH “The Azerbaijan Terminator” NADZHAFZADE (4-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Azerbaijan 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ARTIOM DAMKOVSKY (21-10-0, M-1: 11-7-0), Belarus 154 lbs. (70.1 kg)
vs.
ALEXEY “Ataman” MAKHNO (13-4-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)

DAMIR ISMAGULOV (8-2-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Russia by way of Kazakhstan, 159 lbs. (72.4 kg)
vs.
RUBENILTON “Rubinho” PEREIRA (16-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil 160 lbs. (72.9 kg)

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ARTUR TYULPAROV (pro debut), Russia 204 lbs. (92.6 kg)
vs.
MICAL KOTALIK (2-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Czech Republic 204 lbs. (92.6 kg)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

DANILA PRIKAZA (4-1-1, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia, 168 lbs. (76.5 kg)
vs.
IVICA “Terror” TRUSCEK (31-27-0, M-1: 0-3-0) 167 lbs. (75.8 kg)

ADAM BAKAEV (0-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 169 lbs. (76.9 kg)
vs.
MAKSIM “Mad Max” MELNIK (2-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0) 168 lbs. (76.5 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

TIMOR NAGIBIN (7-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 147 ½ lbs. (67.1 kg)
vs.
KURBANALI ABDUSALAMOV (6-2-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Russia 147 ½ lbs. (67.1 kg)

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ALEXEY NAUMOV (12-4-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Ukraine, 135 lbs. (61.3 kg)
vs.
MOKTAR “Le Kabyle” BENKACI (11-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0), France, 135 ½ lbs. (61.6 kg)

BAIR SHTEPIN (3-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia 137 lbs. (62.5 kg)
vs.
ALEXSANDR LUNGA (8-8-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Ukraine 139 lbs. (63.1 kg)

WHEN: Friday, November 18, 2016

WHERE: Moscow, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

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

INFORMATION:

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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.

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Video: Correspondent Melissa Stark visits Virgil Hunter, Ward’s trainer and longtime mentor




Video: Host Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman take an in-depth look at Kovalev vs. Ward




Video: The Fight Game: Bernard Hopkins on Kovalev vs. Ward




Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” HBO PPV Televised Undercard Media Roundtables Quotes

Curtis Stevens
Curtis Stevens

“Training camp was excellent. I did the first half in Boca [Raton], Florida and the second half we did up in Oxnard. It was great. I brought in Cicilio Flores for strength and conditioning. Everything was great.

“I need to go in there and let my hands go like I did in the Teixeira fight. I don’t look at this fight as another step towards the big fight. A fight is a fight. He is coming to win and so am I.

“This is the road back to GGG. I am the only one that wants a rematch because I gave him his toughest challenge so far. I know I can beat him. I just gotta let my hands go.

“I am glad that de la Rosa took the fight because before him no one else would take a fight with me. This is the biggest fight of the year so this is the stage. The world is gonna be watching.”

James De La Rosa
“We worked on it in training camp. You know this is a big fight for me, we asked for this fight coming off the two losses but I talked to my manager I wanted a big fight.

“I told my manager, what would be a better opportunity to be on the undercard of this (Kovalev-Ward) and whoever they have I will fight.

“I have nothing bad to say coming in as a fighter you know I don’t bash nobody I don’t talk down on nobody unless they come at me like that. I have nothing but respect for every fighter that gets in the ring. It takes a lot to get in there.

“I think what hurts boxing is that everyone waits so long to fight each other why wait a year, why wait two years, why wait? You know for me when I was always coming up I started boxing at 8 years old that’s all I wanted to do is fight and as I turned pro that was the same thing. I want fights, I’ll go to peoples’ back yards, it didn’t matter to me. I believe like my 8th or 9th pro fight I fought someone in their back yard and knocked them out. You know that’s all I wanted to do, I always wanted to go in and be the underdog, nothing to lose, everything to gain.”

Oleksandr Gvozdyk

“I’m very excited and I had good preparation and I understand that the opponent is very hard and we will see what happens on Saturday night. He is the best opponent in fights so far.

“It’s normal every fighter is supposed to be nervous before a fight and if you’re or maybe you’re crazy or maybe your blind you know of course but not so much it’s just regular for me.

“I like Oxnard. I like our gym you know now we have big boxing gym Egis like brought all the fighters, now it’s like a lot of people in the gym its funny. It’s not boring.

“I know him (Lomanchecko) for a while maybe since 2009 I knew him before but I know him personally like 2009 we was from the same Olympic national team. We were at the world championships together. He is my very good and close friend.

“You know I just going to do my same job just try to keep him and not get hit with punches.”

Isaac Chilemba

“If you are asking about power, you are asking the wrong person. Power doesn’t bother me. When I go into the fight I don’t think about how much power my opponent has. I might get hit but I don’t take a minute to think about how strong my opponent is.

“I will do whatever it takes to win. Roy Jones Jr. and me make a great team. Roy is a champion and I want to become champion. I watched Roy fight when I was younger. When I started boxing I tried to fight like Roy. I have really enjoyed working with him and I am really looking forward to the fight.

“This is every fighter’s dream to fight in Las Vegas because this is where big fights are happening. I am really glad I am here. I am happy.

“Camp was great. I had a really good time training with Roy. We worked on a lot of new things. I am stronger now.”

Maurice Hooker

“Darleys Perez is a good fighter. He’s a world champion and it takes a lot of hard work to get there. To me, he is a boxer, but I’m tall and long, and I will keep him to the outside and outbox him. He has someone who punches really hard like me. Perez is 32. He’s going to do what he has done to get himself here so far. Why change that now? If he does, I’m going to make him pay for it.

“I’m so ready! My last two fights came as first round knockouts and this will be my third fight this year so why not go for another first round knockout? My first fight, this year, they said was a step up… I knocked him out. The last fight, they said was a step up… I knocked him out. Now, this fight is another step up, a real test… I’m going to knock him out.

“I’m ready to show the world who I am. I’m Maurice Hooker… Mighty Mo Power! I’m excited to be on this card, it’s a big card… it’s a big fight, and I can’t wait to watch the main event between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward as well on Saturday night!”

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Monster Products, JetLux, Zappos, Jordan Brand and Shoe Palace. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.

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INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAME SETS DATE TO ANNOUNCE NEWEST CLASS OF INDUCTEES

CANASTOTA, NY – NOVEMBER 17, 2016 -The International Boxing Hall of Fame will release the names of the Class of 2017 on Tuesday, December 6th at 1 p.m.

Inductees will be named in four categories: Modern, Old-Timer, Non- Participant and Observer. Members of the Boxing Writers Association of America and an international panel of boxing historians cast votes. Voters from Japan, England, Canada, Australia, Germany, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United States are among those who participated in the election process.

“The Hall of Fame’s annual announcement is an exciting moment for the boxing community. All eyes turn to Canastota to see who will be among the new honorees,” said Executive Director Edward Brophy. “All inductees receive a permanent place on the Hall of Fame Wall and living inductees will be presented with a gold Hall of Fame Ring at the Official Induction Ceremony.”

The 2017 Hall of Fame Induction Weekend will be held June 8-11th in Canastota, NY. Many events, including a banquet, parade, golf tournament and the Official Induction Ceremony on the Hall of Fame Museum Grounds, are scheduled. A celebrity lineup of over 40 boxing greats of yesterday and today is anticipated.

For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 28th Annual Induction Weekend and the announcement of the Class of 2017, please call the Hall of Fame at (315) 697-7095, visit online at www.ibhof.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/InternationalBoxingHallofFame and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BoxingHall.




Video: Pedraza vs. Kilmov: Round 7 | SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING 30th Anniversary




SINGH VOWS TO RETAIN HIS WBO ASIA PACIFIC CROWN AGAINST FORMER WORLD CHAMPION CHEKA

Vinjander Singh
WBO Asia Pacific Super-Middleweight Champion Vijender Singh will face the toughest test of his professional career when he makes the maiden defence of his title against former World and current WBF Inter-Continental Champion Francis Cheka in New Delhi on December 17, live and exclusive in the UK on BoxNation.

Singh, 31, has racked up six big knockout wins in seven undefeated outings since turning professional just over a year ago and claimed his first title against Kerry Hope in-front of a 6,000 strong crowd at the Thyagaraj Stadium back in July.

The 2008 Beijing Olympics Bronze Medallist – India’s first in boxing – has vowed to retain his Asia Pacific crown when he faces the 34 year-old from Tanzania. Singh insists he feels no pressure being the poster boy of Indian boxing and is predicting another memorable night in New Delhi.

“Cheka is a highly experienced boxer, he has many bouts under his belt but I am the younger, stronger and hungrier fighter,” said Singh. “He is coming to my homeland to take what is mine but I won’t let this happen. The Thyagaraj Stadium is my patch now and I’m expecting another huge crowd to come and support me.

“I am confident of getting another win, I feel my stance is becoming better with every training session and on top of that I feel more powerful than ever. On December 17 you will all see the results of the hard work and dedication that goes on behind the scenes.

“This is my title and I’ll be protecting it with pride. The support that I receive both here in the UK and back home in India is overwhelming. I’ll pay back everyone’s support and retain my title for the people of India!”

Cheka is a veteran of 43 fights with 32 wins including 17 KO’s. In a career spanning just under 17 years he has tested himself against top Super-Middleweight talent including former WBA World Champion Fedor Chudinov and three-time World title challenger Mathew Macklin.

He won the WBF Intercontinental Super-Middleweight crown against Geard Ajetovic via a unanimous decision in February and is determined to spoil the party in New Delhi.

“I am ready to give this kid a lesson of boxing,” said Cheka. “I’ve heard a lot about this Indian boxer and there’s a lot of hype around him. I can’t wait to be the one to put him in his place and put an end to the hype.

“I have seen his record and he hasn’t fought anyone of note yet. I’ve been in with World level opposition and my experience and class will show on the night. I’m going there fully expecting the win.”

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise this fight on Sky (SD Ch.437 and HD Ch.415), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon).

Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this show and more live!




WARD DEFENDS BRITISH CROWN AGAINST CLARK

Martin J. Ward will defend his British Super-Featherweight title against Ronnie Clark at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday November 26, live on Sky Sports.

Ward landed the vacant strap with an impressive eighth round stoppage win over Andy Townend at The O2 in September and the unbeaten Brentwood talent takes his first step towards outright ownership of the coveted Lord Lonsdale belt in his 18th pro fight.

Clark will want to spoil Ward’s plans though and the Dundee man comes into the fight on top form with three stoppage wins in his last four fights, landing the Scottish Area strap in March – a first title for the 31 year old.

“September 10 was a big win for Martin and now he can really get his teeth into the division,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “We know Ronnie and his team are going to give everything but Martin has to look good as he continues to move up the level. You only have to look at Jason Sosa vs. Stephen Smith last week to see where you need to be, it’s a fierce division but a very exciting one.”

Ward’s clash with Clark is part of a huge night of action in London as Irish amateur sensation Katie Taylor face Karina Kopinska on her pro debut.

Tommy Coyle and John Wayne Hibbert clash in a must-win Super-Lightweight battle, Ohara Davies faces a huge step-up as he challenges WBC Silver Super-Lightweight champion Andrea Scarpa, Reece Bellotti is meets Ian Bailey in an eliminator for the English Featherweight crown, Conor Benn fights for the sixth time in the paid ranks and fellow unbeaten youngsters Jake Ball, Craig Richards and Ted Cheeseman look to end 2016 with a bang.

Tickets for November 26 are on general sale priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.ssearena.co.uk or by calling 0844 815 0815. £150 VIP tickets are available exclusively via www.matchroomboxing.com
Face value tickets for November 26 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.




WELTERWEIGHT SUPREMO SKEETE INKS NEW DEAL WITH WARREN AND TARGETS WORLD HONOURS IN 2017

British, Commonwealth and WBO European Welterweight Champion Bradley Skeete has signed a new three year deal with Frank Warren. The Andy Ayling-managed star makes the maiden defence of his prestigious Lord Lonsdale Belt against Edingburgh’s John Thain next Friday at the Brentwood Centre, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

South London’s red-hot 6ft 1in talent picked up his first title win when he defeated Chas Symonds by a round four TKO, claiming the Southern Area title back in 2012. Since then the hugely popular iBox Gym fighter has climbed to the very top of the domestic Welterweight scene and now has a World title in his sights.

“I’m delighted to have signed a new deal with Frank Warren that will take me in to 2019,” said Skeete. “I started my career with Dean Powell and I’ve been a pro now for just over six years. I’m really happy with the progress that I’ve made in that time.

“I have the British title now and my immediate aim is to win that outright and then move on to World honours in 2017. My rankings are really high now, I’m ranked fourth with the IBF and sixth with the WBO and I’m going from strength to strength.”

“With the news of BT Sport signing a deal with Frank and BoxNation it’s a really exciting time to be involved in the sport. I’m showing loyalty to Frank and the team and I’m sure in the long run it’s going to pay off.

Multimedia and telecommunications giant BT recently signed a landmark multi-year deal with Hall of Famer Warren and his pioneering boxing channel BoxNation. The ground-breaking deal will see Warren promote 20 UK events a year, broadcast to millions via BT Sport and BoxNation. Skeete is looking forward to a busy 2017.

“I’m a BoxNation fighter through and through and the extra exposure I’m going to get fighting on BT Sport is going to be massive for me,” added Skeete. “BoxNation has been developing really well over the past few years and I’m really excited about what the future holds. British boxing is on the up and things can only get better.”

Skeete, 29, tops a huge night of boxing at the Brentwood Centre next Friday and is promising to end a memorable 2016 on a high note. Penge punch-picker Skeete completely outboxed and outclassed Birmingham’s Sam Eggington in his backyard to claim the British title back in March and is now determined to win it outright.

“Obviously I was supposed to fight my mandatory challenger Shayne Singleton but he pulled out and fair play to John Thain for stepping in. I want to keep this belt outright and he’s in my way of doing that. I’ll be putting on a strong performance and then going through the list to win it for keeps.

“Me and Andy (Ayling) had a deal that when I won the British title he’d buy me a Rolex watch. He promised me it and he’s a man of his word, I’ve got my watch and I’m well happy! I need to think of another present he’s going to buy me when I win a World title!”

Remaining tickets for November 25 can be purchased from: http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005127E2BBBE0E

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions, will televise this show on Sky (SD Ch.437 and HD Ch.415), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon).

Go to www.boxnation.com to see how you can watch this show and more live!




Video: HBO Boxing News: Kovalev vs. Ward Trainer Debate (HBO Boxing)




Gvozdyk vs. Chilemba Scouting Report 50-50 Fight Between the Prospect and the Veteran

Isaac Chilemba
Las Vegas, Nevada: Before they enjoy Kovalev-Ward “Pound For Pound” on Nov. 19, the HBO Pay-Per-View audience will get to see another great 50-50 bout between the veteran and the prospect when Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (24-4-2, 10 KOs) challenges Oleksandr “The Nail” Gvozdyk (11-0, 9 KOs) for Gvozdyk’s NABF Light Heavyweight Title at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The boxing world is split 50-50 on the outcome of this exciting match-up. Below is the scouting report:

Category
Oleksandr Gvozdyk
Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba
Age
29
29
Record
11-0 (9 KOs)
24-4-2 (10 KOs)
Strength
Oleksandr has raw power in both hands, he does a good job of applying pressure on his opponents. He also has a good jab that remains at constant throughout the fight.
Isaac is a tough, durable and crafty fighter with plenty of experience. He utilizes his jab well and has been in the ring with some of the best fighters in the division.
Weakness
He is inexperienced as a professional compared to Chilemba. This will be the biggest challenge of his career thus far. Also, he tends to stand directly in front of his opponents. In his last bout against Tommy Karpency this got him in trouble. After being caught by a shot, he got knocked down.
“The Golden Boy” lacks adequate punching power and has a tendency to start slow. He may need to step on the gas early against Gvozdyk who has wasted little time finishing opponents thus far in his career.
Experience
Oleksandr has an impressive amateur background, but as a professional he lacks the big-fight experience that Chilemba has.
Isaac has been in almost triple the amount of pro bouts as Gvozdyk. He has competed all over the world. In his most recent bout he competed on the biggest stage of them all when he came up short in a decision loss to titleholder Sergey Kovalev in Kovalev’s backyard.
Power
Gvozdyk has tremendous power and a devastating right hand when he lands clean.
Chilemba is a technically skilled boxer, but lacks that initial pop that could change the momentum of the fight.
Speed
He has significant hand speed, especially when he puts his combinations together.
Isaac has average speed, he keeps a steady and consistent pace throughout the fight.
Endurance
Oleksandr’s endurance is still in question. He has yet to fight more than six rounds in any of his pro bouts thus far.
Chilemba has excellent endurance; he has gone a full 12-rounds on ten separate occasions throughout his career, including his most recent bout against three-belt champion, Sergey Kovalev.
Accuracy
Similar Chilemba, Gvozdyk is a very accurate puncher. He has a jab that is constantly in motion, and a right hand that very few have been able to avoid.
Isaac is a very accurate puncher who chooses his punches wisely and times his punches well. He has an accurate jab that has been a key factor in taking his opponents out of their rhythm.
Defense
The Ukrainian’s offense has been his best defense thus far. He has managed to walk his opponents down and inflict damage at will.
Chilemba is a defensive fighter with effective counter-punching skills. He has good foot work and moves around the ring well.
Chin
His chin is still a question; he was knocked down in the first round of his recent bout. However, he managed to get back to his feet and score a sixth round TKO.
Isaac has never been stopped, he took some heavy shots and was knocked down in his most recent bout with The Krusher, but he managed to get off of the canvas and make it to the final bell.
Style
Oleksandr is an aggressive, in-your-face fighter who is always looking to finish the fight early. He is constantly putting his jab to work and picking his opponents apart during the process.
Chilemba is an effective technical fighter with good counter-boxing skills. He likes to utilize his defense and a sharp jab to take his opponents out of their comfort zone.
Intangibles
Despite having only 11 professional fights under his belt, Gvozdyk is coming off of two dominant wins over former title contenders: Nadjib Mohammedi and Tommy Karpency. He clearly plans on wasting no time with meaningless tune-ups, as he is looking to make a statement in the light heavyweight division by taking on another former title contender, and also one of only two fighters to go the championship distance with Sergey Kovalev.
Isaac is coming off of consecutive losses for the first time in his career: WBC #1 contender Eleider Alvarez and light heavyweight kingpin Sergey Kovalev. At the young age of 29, Isaac has time to polish his game against lesser opposition before he is called upon for another major title implication bout. However, Isaac is a gamer and believes in his skillset, which is why he has decided to take on a top-five ranked contender and knockout artist in Oleksandr Gvozdyk.
Crowd Support
Gvozdyk may have an edge because he has competed in Las Vegas on four separate occasions, including his two most recent bouts. He also possesses a fighting style that may attract new fans.
Chilemba has only competed in Las Vegas once in his career back in 2012. However, he raised a lot of eyebrows during his hard-fought bout against Kovalev in July so he may have gained some new fans in the process.
The Match-up
1. Will Chilemba be able to handle the power Gvozdyk has?
2. Will Gvozdyk get frustrated with Chilemba’s boxing ability?
3. Will both guys rise to the occasion with fighting on such a big stage?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “This is the match that should be made more often in boxing. Gvozdyk is an up-and-coming boxer who could have passed on the fight to keep building his record but instead he opted to challenge himself against a fighter that no 175lber ever wants to fight, unless they have to. Chilemba just came off a hard-fought 12-round fight with Sergey Kovalev and could have opted for a tune-up fight before taking another big fight. Instead he wanted the challenge. This is your typical veteran against the prospect. There is not one person who can say for sure who will win this fight and boxing needs more fights like this!”

Kovalev vs. Ward “Pound For Pound”, a 12-round mega-fight for the WBO/IBF/WBA light heavyweight title at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, is presented by Main Events, Roc Nation Sports, Krusher Promotions and Andre Ward Promotions and is sponsored by MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Corona Extra, Monster Products, JetLux and Zappos. The championship event will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available on axs.com and the T-Mobile Arena box office.
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Video: Craig Richards on McKenzie v Smyle, Adam Jones and goals for next 12 mths




Badou Jack vs. James DeGale Press Conference Quotes

Badou Jack
BROOKLYN (November 16, 2016) – A star-studded press conference took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday, as Floyd Mayweather, along with several New York boxing “ambassadors,” signified the return of boxing to New York by announcing the super middleweight world championship unification fight featuring Badou Jack against James DeGale that will take place Saturday, January 14 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME®.

Also announced on Wednesday and featured on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast is undefeated junior lightweight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza taking on unbeaten rising contender Gervonta “The One” Davis.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available starting this Friday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. 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.

The press conference signified the return of boxing to New York for the first time since a controversial insurance measure instituted by the New York State Government. Participants were on hand to discuss the exciting doubleheader on January 14 and celebrating the long awaited return of boxing to The Big Apple.

Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:

BADOU JACK

“I think this will be an exciting fight. I’m going to give it my all and he’s going to give it his all. This is a bigger fight than anything we’ve been a part of. He’s going to turn it up and so will I.

“Now it’s me and DeGale. All the other fights are in the past. We’ve had different results against the same fighters. But none of that matters, it’s time to fight.

“A real champion can take a loss and bounce back. It shows what kind of person you are. I’ve proven I’m mentally tough.

“Boxing is not dead. It’s here to stay. There are some very good fights coming up. Probably even more next year.

“I came from Sweden, a country that has no boxing. Now I’m here headlining in New York for a unification fight. The sky is the limit. I always stay humble and never forget where I came from.

“It’s not going to matter what people think on fight night. DeGale is definitely one of the top guys in the division. He’s a road warrior. He comes over here and fights guys in their backyards. He deserves a lot of credit. That’s why this fight is so big. We both want to be great.

“I like being the underdog. If I’m the underdog in this fight, then that’s perfect for me. There won’t be any excuses when I beat him.

“I just try to stay humble win after win and keep looking forward to bigger and better things. After this fight come talk to me about who is the best in the division.

“I don’t want to compare myself to anyone else but I’ve had a couple of good years. Now we’re working to have two even better years.

“I made a mistake and got caught in my loss. I was able to bounce back and it made me a way better fighter. It was definitely a blessing in disguise. People are still overlooking me because of it. I look at it as a good thing.

“Everything happens for a reason. I’m very blessed to be here in Brooklyn. This is my second home in America. I trained at Gleason’s Gym in 2009 and now I’m headlining at Barclays Center. It’s amazing.”

JAMES DEGALE

“It’s here. The big one. The best fighting the best. Number one against number two. Badou Jack is a very good fighter. He doesn’t do anything spectacular, but he’s a compete fighter.

“I have that X-factor. I’ve lost before and I’m not going to lose again. I’ve come too far in my life to lose this opportunity.

“On January 14, Brooklyn is in for a treat. You will not want to miss this one. Make sure you get your tickets.

“My people in London can’t wait for me to fight at home. It’s coming. But first I want to take over in America.

“New York is one of my favorite cities. It’s a boxing city. I watched Santa Cruz vs. Frampton and it was a wicked atmosphere. I can’t wait to be in there.

“I’m very confident in my abilities. I believe I’m the best in the division and one of the best in the world. I’ve been waiting for this fight for a long time and I’m ready to get in there.

“I think in the last three fights I’ve shown everything. I haven’t been getting the respect that I deserve. I’ve beaten everyone put in front of me. This is what I love to do.

“I’m a natural super middleweight. I want to be in fights where people think I’m going to lose. I’ll challenge anybody.

“Me and Badou Jack are two different fighters. I think I’m going to beat him wide on the scorecards or stop him.”

JOSE PEDRAZA

“I’m thankful to everyone here and my people from New York who I know will be supporting me on fight night.

“I expect this to be a very exciting fight. I’m going to be ready for anything that Davis will bring into the ring. I’m going to take care of business.

“I’m very privileged to help with this cause and to help push boxing in New York. I’m going to represent my people on January 14 and I’m very proud of the opportunity.

“If Davis says he has to be killed to be beaten, then he’s going to have to go down.

“I’m undefeated and I will remain undefeated after January 14. I know Davis is a strong kid, but he isn’t on my level. I am looking to dominate this fight.

“Fighting at Barclays Center is really a dream come true. I know that I will have a lot of support from the Puerto Rican boxing fans and I’m going to train hard to perform for them.

“I’m sorry for Davis to be signed for Mayweather, because when I take away his undefeated record, I’m going to feel like I beat Mayweather.”

GERVONTA DAVIS

“It feels great to fight in Brooklyn for the first time. I’ve never fought in New York and it’s tremendous. I’ll have a lot of hometown fans driving up to here for the fight.

“Pedraza is a tough opponent. We’re going to work hard in camp and be ready to fight on January 14.

“My hometown has been backing me for all of these years. On January 14, I get my shot. It’s amazing. I know Pedraza is a great fighter. People will say he has more experience. But I had 206 wins in the amateurs and a lot of titles.

“There’s nothing Pedraza can bring to the ring that I haven’t seen before. I’ve been battle-tested inside the ring and outside the ring.

“He’s going to have to kill me to retain his title. I’m coming home a champion. There’s no doubt about it.

“On paper this is definitely my hardest task. We’re both great fighters. I hope he trains hard because I’m training for the fight of my life.

“I’m going to steal the show on January 14. I’m going to get Pedraza out of there and then work to unify the division against the other champs.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, President of Mayweather Promotions

“We’re back. What other better city to be in, than New York City? It was always one of my dreams to fight in New York City. I’m glad I’m in a position to put fighters out there to give the fans what they want to see. New York City is the best place for boxing.

“For years and years these fighters have worked so hard and dedicated their lives to get to this point. I’m thankful for everyone who is supporting us and supporting our movement.

“The only thing we’re going to do is continue to build these fighters and help these fighters get to the highest heights. So many people have helped me get to this point, where I can give back to these young fighters.

“Lou DiBella is a guy I love to work with. The boxing business is about working together. Leonard works hard day in and day out to put these fighters in the best position, and I do the same. It’s all about working to get these fighters to the next level.

“We’re here in New York and we want to bring boxing to New York City. This is one of the meccas of boxing. The whole state has embraced me throughout my career.

“I’m very proud of Badou Jack. He’s a guy who carries himself like a gentleman. That’s what a true champion does. He’s very respectful, humble and appreciative.

“Badou Jack is such a hard worker and he’s very appreciative. I remember the position he was in. He’s still very thankful and humble now that he’s in a great position in his life and career.

“I’m just happy that I’m able to put fighters in a good position. They then have to take advantage of the position I put them in.

“We want to continue to do fights in this arena and bring championship boxing to New York City. We want to give you great shows again and again.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“This is a tremendous platform. Coming to New York is something that Floyd has been advocating for. He’s wanted to bring a big event here and come January 14 that’s what the fans are going to get. We have a great night of fights from top to bottom.

“This is everything for Badou. This is why you lace them up when you’re a kid. This is an opportunity to be the best. He’s the best 168-pounder in the world and on January 14 he’ll have that platform to do it.

“When it comes to unification, you don’t see too many unified champions. The best fighting the best is what it’s all about. DeGale is an Olympic gold medalist and a world champion. He’s fought some very good fighters. Badou will be making his third title defense and there is no better opponent than DeGale.

“When two guys come together and they want to determine who’s the best, with everything on the line, that’s what it’s all about.

“The fans can expect to see Mayweather Promotions go back to Las Vegas with two world champions. One will be a unified champion and one will be the new super featherweight world champion.

“This is a great step-up for Gervonta. That’s what life is about, stepping up and taking risks. That’s why you get into the sport. He’ll have his full arsenal on display on fight night.”

LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

“Fans should go out and buy their tickets once they go on sale. There is going to be a show here on January 14. We have lawyers and insurance people on it and we will pay what needs to be paid.

“This announcement not only represents a fight announcement, but a call to action to all boxing fans. Boxing needs your help in New York. We need to change or repeal this law that has really shut us down. Even if we can get really expensive insurance for January 14, the small promoters and small fights and grassroots boxing have come to a standstill.

“Come out to this incredible fight card on January 14. Jack vs. DeGale is as good as it gets. Jose Pedraza is Puerto Rico’s only champion and he’s defending against Gervonta Davis. That is a great fight. The undercard is also going to be terrific.

“It also represents boxing trying to take its rightful place back. We’re not sitting back in 2017 and letting our industry be brought to a halt. We’re going ahead and announcing January 14. But we need everyone’s help with respect to making the necessary changes to allow our sport to thrive in this space again.

“I promoted Badou early in his career and he is a terrific fighter. He does everything well. He’s active in the ring and he makes good fights, and so does DeGale. He comes forward and fights. These two guys are going to throw down. This is a fan friendly main event. With huge significance.

“The opening bout features Puerto Rico’s only champion, fighting in front of New York’s huge Puerto Rican community. Gervonta Davis comes right up from Baltimore and it’s a can’t-miss fight.”

BRETT YORMARK, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment

“We want to reinforce our commitment to boxing. Not just from a Barclays Center perspective, but from a state perspective. Boxing is very important to the history here in New York and we want that to continue. We want to take a lead position as the sport continues to grow and thrive in the marketplace.

“We have become one of the premier venues in the country for boxing. We look forward to a very successful 2017. This fight in particular is very important to us. We haven’t had a championship event here since July. Floyd being involved brings a whole different dynamic as well and we’re excited for a tremendous undercard full of Brooklynites.

“Floyd has been here to the Barclays Center several times and we’re thrilled that he’s back. It’s a pleasure to welcomes Badou Jack and James DeGale to Brooklyn and I’m confident that you will like the Brooklyn crowd.

“There has not been a major boxing event at Barclays Center since the July 30 Santa Cruz vs. Frampton card and we’re proud to take the lead on bringing boxing back to New York. We’re excited that January 14 will be the first major boxing card in New York in 2017. We are more committed than ever before to bringing boxing to Barclays Center.

“It’s a very exciting time for the building, for the sport and it should be an electric evening for the sport.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive VP & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“This card is unique, high quality and special. You don’t see cards like this every day. These four fighters have made a combined 14 appearances on SHOWTIME. We’re very proud of these four fighters.

“To create and deliver special events, it takes commitment. When you’re committed to a cause, special things happen. We’ve done special things with Mayweather Promotions and now we have this great card coming to us.

“The four young men on the stage today are some of the most talented and accomplished athletes in the sport. This is the best this sport has to offer. They’re committed to taking on other accomplished athletes. We have four of those fighters here on the televised portion and we have to salute them.

“New York City has a tremendous history in boxing. It’s hosted the biggest fights in the history of the sport. Barclays Center has emerged as the biggest and most aggressive supporter of boxing on the east coast. We’re optimistic that there won’t be any holdup getting to January 14.

“No network is as committed or as passionate about boxing as SHOWTIME is. The biggest and the best fights are on SHOWTIME. No other network is televising fights like these. Top five versus top five and champion versus champion. There is no better way to kick-off boxing in 2017 than with this great card at Barclays Center.”

ERIC ADAMS, Brooklyn Borough President

“Now is the call for action. We have witnessed what happens when the call for action is not personified and mobilized. Too many people pass legislation and are focused on the paper it’s written on, instead of the people who are impacted by it. It is clear that New York state is the Empire State where we build empires instead of destroying them and we are destroying the empire of boxing in New York.

“If we don’t do something about this piece of legislation, then these fighters will no longer have the aspiration to fight in the state that they love. That cannot happen. New Yorkers don’t follow the agenda, we lead the agenda. We must do that to make sure this is done correctly.

“We are going to mobilize and move in the right direction while protecting the fighters. We don’t want to knock out boxing in the state of New York. That cannot happen.

“This is going to be a great opportunity for these fighters and for Brooklyn and we are thankful to the team at Barclays for putting these fighters on this great stage.”

# # #

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.




Badou Jack & James DeGale Meet in Super Middleweight World Championship Unification Showdown Saturday, January 14 From Barclays Center in Brooklyn Live on SHOWTIME

Badou Jack
BROOKLYN (November 16, 2016) – WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) and IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs)will look to stake their claim as the best 168-pound fighter in the world when they meet in a title unification clash on Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME as boxing returns to New York for the first time in five months.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also feature undefeated junior lightweight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) defending his title against up-and-coming Mayweather Promotions’ undefeated contender Gervonta “The One” Davis (16-0, 15 KOs).

“I’m expecting a very tough fight from James DeGale,” said Jack. “But I’m very confident that I’m going to win the fight and become the unified champion. This is an incredible stage to be at Barclays Center and on SHOWTIME and I’m going to take full advantage of it. I’m ready to make my mark as the best in the division.”

“I am so happy that this fight has finally been made,” said DeGale. “This is the best fighting the best. This is what boxing is all about. Badou Jack is a very good fighter and he’s underrated. I am going to have to be 100 percent on my game to beat him, but I am confident I will deliver on January 14. I have already fulfilled my dream of becoming a world champion and now it is time to unify.”

“Davis is a great young fighter with an impressive record,” said Pedraza. “He is a complete fighter and I am very happy to fight a challenger of his caliber. However, I do feel that Davis has been protected so I plan to really show off in this fight and perform at my best. Defeating Davis will be a great start to 2017, a year I would love to unify my division. I am thrilled to be back on SHOWTIME and look forward to putting on a great show for all those in attendance at Barclays Center.”

“I’m excited for the opportunity to fight a respected undefeated world champion like Jose Pedraza,” said Davis. “I’m also ready to show the boxing world what I’m capable of doing. Boxing is searching for its next star and I believe that I’m the one. On January 14, I plan to show what over 200 amateur wins and 12 years of training with coach Calvin Ford looks like. Baltimore, we’re here. Brooklyn, I’m ready to shine for you. Jose Pedraza, get ready. I’m coming to kick your a**.”

“Mayweather Promotions is pleased to have the opportunity to bring this huge event to Brooklyn and Barclays Center,” said Floyd Mayweather, President of Mayweather Promotions. “Badou Jack versus James DeGale is one of the best match-ups in the sport. It’s the best fighting the best. I believe that Badou Jack has what it takes to be a unified world champion. I’m also excited to see Gervonta Davis fight for his first world title. He has the skills to be a fighter who carries the sport. He has a tough, undefeated world champion in front of him and I am looking forward to seeing him perform on January 14. These are two evenly-matched fights that will bring a lot of explosive action to the ring on fight night, you don’t want to miss it.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available starting Friday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. 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.

Both Jack and DeGale retained their titles on SHOWTIME in April. Jack kept his belt via a controversial split draw against Lucian Bute, a match in which many thought Jack had prevailed, while DeGale defeated mandatory challenger Rogelio Medina. Both fighters were sharp; each landed over 60 percent of his respective power punches to set up this showdown for the top spot in the super middleweight division.

“We’re looking forward to bringing our first boxing event to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on January 14, when Badou Jack will face James DeGale in a world title unification bout live on SHOWTIME,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Badou has a tremendous work ethic and ability to stay focused and this has helped him get to where he is now in his career. He’s prepared to keep putting the hard work in to stay on top. Every time he was counted out, it just made him work harder. He’s proof that if you stay focused and dedicated to your craft, you can reach your dreams. I’m also eager to see Mayweather Promotions’ own Gervonta Davis in his first world title fight. We believe there is a bright future ahead for that young man and this could be the first step on his way to a truly special career.”

“Boxing will return to New York in 2017 with a tremendous card at Barclays Center on January 14 featuring two high caliber championship contests,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “With Badou Jack and James DeGale facing off, you have champion versus champion, the best fighting the best in what promises to be an action-packed battle in a super middleweight unification. Puerto Rico’s only world champion, undefeated Jose Pedraza, will defend his junior lightweight title against a hungry, heavy-handed challenger in Gervonta Davis.”

“Jack vs. DeGale is a terrific start to 2017,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “I want to thank Floyd Mayweather for making this fight happen and to Lou DiBella for his continued support of BROOKLYN BOXING. In our fifth year at Barclays Center, we are committed to boxing more than ever before.”

“In 2016, SHOWTIME delivered more high-quality, competitive fights than any other network and 2017 will be no different. We’re thrilled to kick off the year with a true ’50/50′ unification fight between two world champions in the prime of their career,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Badou Jack vs. James DeGale is boxing at its best – a matchup between the No. 1 – and No. 2-ranked boxers in the division – the right fight happening at the right time. And the Jose Pedraza-Gervonta Davis co-feature, which features two of boxing’s rising stars, could have been a main event on its own. There is no better way to begin the year, as well as our tremendous run of four separate SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presentations over a seven-week span.”

Jack, who fights out of Las Vegas by way of Stockholm, Sweden, captured the WBC 168-pound crown with a 12-round majority decision over previously unbeaten defending champion Anthony Dirrelllast April 24. A former amateur standout who represented Gambia in the 2008 Olympics, Jack retained his belt against former world title challenger George Groves last Sept. 12 on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s final fight. Jack was an underdog against both Dirrell and Groves before retaining his title. The 6-foot-1, 33-year-old won four in a row leading up to his controversial draw against Bute in April.

DeGale won the vacant IBF belt in his U.S. debut last May by dropping Andre Dirrell twice on his way to a unanimous decision. The 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist from London then successfully defended it last November in a thrilling shootout with the hometown favorite and former titlist Bute. The 30-year-old, who’s only blemish came in a majority decision in his 11th bout against the then-unbeaten Groves, will make his fourth consecutive start outside his native England as he looks to become a global power and a unified champion at 168 pounds.

The switch-hitting Puerto Rican Olympian Pedraza backed up his “The Sniper” moniker against Andrey Klimov, picking apart the Russian with superior speed and accuracy on his way to a world title win last June. Pedraza earned a shot at the title in his previous bout with a career-best victory over former world title challenger Michael Farenas. The 27-year-old then went on to defend his title successfully against Edner Cherry last October and most recently against Stephen Smith in April. This fight marks the fourth consecutive time that Pedraza has fought on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

A highly regarded prospect that won the 2012 National Gloves championship, the 22-year-old Davis recorded five victories inside of the distance in 2015. The Baltimore native, who Floyd Mayweather has called “the next big star in boxing,” kept his momentum going into 2016 as he recorded a sixth-round stoppage of Guillermo Avila in April and a first round knockout of Mario Macias in June. Davis enters his first world title showdown with seven straight victories by stoppage.

# # #

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.




Video: LIVE Badou Jack vs. James DeGale: KickOff Press Conference | Live Stream




Video: HBO Boxing News: 1-on-1 with Andre Ward