ERROL SPENCE JR. VIRTUAL MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES & PHOTOS
ARLINGTON, TX. (November 19, 2020) – Unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. brought fans and media into his training camp Thursday during a virtual media workout as he prepares to take on two-division champion Danny ‘Swift” Garcia in the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event on Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.
The Desoto, TX native Spence will return to the ring after two impressive performances on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-Views in 2019. In March, he defeated four-division champion Mikey Garcia at AT&T Stadium by unanimous decision, before going to Los Angeles to unify welterweight titles in September by defeating Shawn Porter in one of the year’s best fights.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.
Spence was joined at the workout by his longtime trainer Derrick James. Here is what the workout participants had to say Thursday:
ERROL SPENCE JR.
“I’m feeling great right now. I’m in shape and ready to go. We’ve been training hard and we’re 100% percent focused. I’m ready to put on a great show for my hometown fans.
“I’m not concerned about ring rust. We have a game plan and I’m working with my coach every day on it. I’m going to stick to the plan and use it December 5. I can’t wait.
“I picked Danny Garcia because he’s a tough opponent with a granite chin. He’s always in tough close fights. He’s going to bring the best out of me.
“If I took a tune-up fight, I wouldn’t be as focused or dedicated as I am right now. I know Danny’s dad is pushing him to take my belts in my hometown. So I’ staying focused to make sure that doesn’t happen.
“This is as good as I’ve ever felt. You can see I’m sweating today and I’m not dried out. There’s no struggle to make weight. I’m just feeling good.
“I don’t know if Danny is the hardest puncher I’ve faced. We’ll see when I get into the ring against him. But I know that I’m not Amir Khan or Adrian Granados or anyone else that he’s knocked out.
“I’m just going to feel him out. If I can press him early, I’m going to press and do what I do. We have a great game plan. Everyone has to tune in and watch what I’m going to do because this is guaranteed to be an exciting fight.
“There was a lot of uncertainty after my accident, but I knew that I wanted to keep training and make sure that I’m 100% ready to get into the ring. The doctors gave me the okay and said everything is fine, so I’m ready to go.
“It’s a blessing to have my son born during training camp. Seeing his face just pushes me to work harder. Along with my two daughters, I want to give all of them a great future. The only way I can do that is by training hard, staying focused and getting this victory on December 5.
“I want to make an impactful statement. I guarantee there’s going to be highlights everywhere from this one. It’s going to be a great performance.
“My message to the rest of the division is just, line ’em up. Everyone knows who to talk to. All the other top welterweights, anyone else in my way, can come and try to get it.”
DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer
“Errol has been working hard. The dedication and determination are there. He’s pushing himself as hard or harder than ever. You can tell there’s a competition within himself so that he can push himself to be the best he’s ever been.
“Danny is a very smart fighter. He’s one of the most decorated fighters in the sport and he’s got a great resume. He’s definitely a threat. So me and Errol both need to be on our ‘A’ game to be able to beat him.
“We don’t worry about what Angel Garcia is saying. On this level, you have to have that confidence that Angel has in Danny. We always believe we’re going to win. If it’s the Dallas vs. Philadelphia rivalry inspires them, then that’s fine. We have our own motivations that inspire.
“The key to Errol’s power is his body. He’s punching with his whole body. He’s really focused on his technique and putting all 147 pounds of pressure into a shot. It could lead to a knockout at any point in the fight.”
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.
AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app. For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
About AT&T Stadium: AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.
Foster Stops Roman in 9!!
O’Shaquie Foster stopped Miguel Roman in round nine of their scheduled 10-round super featherweight bout at the parking lot of the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California,
In round one, Foster dropped Roman with a perfect right to the chin.
In round nine, Foster dropped Roman with a hard left hook. Foster jumped on Roman and landed a barrage of punches and referee Jack Reiss stopped the bout at 58 seconds.
Foster, 130 lbs of Houston, TX is 18-2 with 11 knockouts. Roman, 129 1/2 lbs of Ciudad Juarez, MEX is 62-14.
“I feel great and like I showed everybody I can box” Foster told ringside reporter Curran Bhatia. “I showed the world that I’m talented and hope everyone will want to see me fight again.”
“It feels unbelievable to be on this stage and show my talent to the world,” Foster continued. “I would love to face the winner of Berchelt vs. Valdez next, or even Carl Frampton. Any of the top guys, I’m ready to get in the ring with.”
Zepeda stops Ramirez in 5!
William Zepeda remained undefeated by stopping Roberto Ramirez in round five of their scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.
Zepeda applied tremendous pressure and had Ramirez on the defensive for most of the fight. In round five, Zepeda landed a huge barrage of punches that forced the corner to stop the fight at 2:43.
Zepeda, 135 lbs of San Mateo, MEX is 22-0 with 20 knockouts. Ramirez, 134 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 23-3-1.
Eduardo Hernandez stopped Eduardo Garza in round three of a scheduled eight-round super featherweight bout.
In round one, Garza was cut under the left eye. In round three, Hernandez started to wear Garza down and landed a body shot that sent Garza down for the 10-count the fight was stopped at 2:37.
Hernandez, 129 lbs of Mexico City is 30-1 with 27 knockouts. Garza, 130 lbs of Mission, TX is 15-3-1.
AUDIO: EP45 ChampionsHeart You Can’t Play Boxing NEWS with Marc Abrams
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VIDEO: Interview with Lightweight Austin Dulay
Heavyweight Finishers Clash at UFC APEX
Las Vegas – UFC® continues its run of events in Las Vegas with a classic grappler versus striker matchup of heavyweight finishers as No. 2 ranked contender Curtis Blaydes and No. 4 Derrick Lewislook to make their cases for the next shot at the UFC heavyweight belt. Also on the card, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger and No. 6 ranked Anthony Smith steps in on short notice to take on Devin Clark.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT ON ESPN+®: BLAYDES vs. LEWIS will take place Saturday, November 28 from UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The main card will be available on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes in English and in Spanish, and simulcast on ESPN+, starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The prelims will kick off exclusively on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Blaydes (14-2, 1 NC, fighting out of Chicago, Ill.) plans to cement himself as the next contender for the belt with another dominant performance. Despite only being 29 years old, he already holds the record for most takedowns in UFC heavyweight history, which he earned with statement wins over Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt and Junior Dos Santos. Blaydes now intends to show off his ever-growing skill set by snapping Lewis’ win streak and making a statement to the rest of the division.
Fan favorite Lewis (24-7, 1 NC, fighting out of Houston, Texas) crowned himself as the greatest knockout artist in UFC heavyweight history in his last bout after landing a record-setting 11th KO by besting Aleksei Oleinik. A former boxer under the tutelage of George Foreman, Lewis holds additional impressive finishes over Alexander Volkov, Travis Browne and Gabriel Gonzaga. He now aims to secure another shot at the title by becoming only the second person to stop Blaydes.
Former light heavyweight title challenger Smith (33-16, fighting out of Omaha, Neb.) proves that he will compete against anyone, anywhere, at any time by stepping in on short notice against rising prospect Clark. A longtime middleweight standout with 30 of his 33 wins coming by finish, Smith quickly rose up the light heavyweight ranks with defining stoppages over Rashad Evans, Mauricio Rua and Volkan Oezdemir. He now seeks to secure his first victory of 2020 with a vintage performance.
Clark (12-4, fighting out of Sioux Falls, S.D.) looks to make 2020 his most successful year to date by clinching his third victory against the toughest opponent of his career. A product of the first season of Dana White: Looking for a Fight, Clark has found his footing in the UFC with back-to-back wins over Dequan Townsend and Alonzo Menifield. Clark now has his sights set on earning his first promotional finish against Smith and breaking into the rankings.
Additional bouts on the card include:
Exciting lightweight strikers battle when Renato Moicano (14-3-1, fighting out of Brasilia, Brazil) meets Rafael Fiziev (8-1, fighting out of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan by the way of Phuket, Thailand)
Luke Sanders (13-3, fighting out of Nashville, Tenn.) returns to the Octagon after almost two years to take on Nate Maness (12-1, fighting out of Henderson, Ky.) in a 140-pound catchweight bout
Flyweight action sees Amir Albazi (12-1, fighting out of Alperton, England, United Kingdom) square off with Zhalgas Zhumagulov(13-4, fighting out of Aktobe, Kazakhstan)
Martin Day(8-4, fighting out of Kailua, Hawaii) and Anderson Dos Santos(20-8, fighting out of Sao Paulo, Brazil) seek to secure their first UFC wins at bantamweight
Rising welterweight strikers Miguel Baeza (9-0, fighting out of Davie, Fla.) and Takashi Sato (16-4, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan) vie to steal the show with an impressive performance
Su Mudaerji(11-4, fighting out of Chengdu, Sichuan, China) has his sights set on delivering a dominant performance in his flyweight debut against Malcolm Gordon (12-3, fighting out of Markham, Ontario, Canada)
In a clash of heavyweights looking to make a statement, Josh Parisian(13-3, fighting out of Howell, Mich.) battles Parker Porter (10-6, fighting out of West Hartford, Conn.)
Ashlee Evans-Smith (6-4, fighting out of Santa Ana, Calif.) plans to keep Norma Dumont (4-1, fighting out of Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil) from claiming her first UFC win at bantamweight
Entertaining featherweights Spike Carlyle(9-2, fighting out of San Diego, Calif.) and Bill Algeo (13-5, fighting out of King of Prussia, Pa.) compete to bounce back into the win column
Gina Mazany(5-4, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nev.) aims to spoil the Octagon return of Rachael Ostovich (4-5, fighting out of Waianae, Hawaii) at flyweight
Visit the UFC.com for information and content to support your UFC coverage.
About ESPN+ ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 10.3 million subscribers.
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.
About ESPN
ESPN, the world’s leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.
Uncharted journey for Cusumano continues with new opponent
November 19, 2020 (Providence, RI) – Boxing is one of a small handful of sports in which participants need to be ready for anything at all times, specifically outside the ring, where last-minute cancelations, fall-outs, and other roadblocks can derail a fighter’s path to success.
In this unpredictable 2020 – highlighted by a worldwide pandemic that shut down most of the professional sports’ landscape for several months – heavyweight contender and CES Boxing prospect Juiseppe Cusumano has operated under the ideology that it’s not only wise to expect the unexpected, but perhaps it’s best to brace yourself for the unthinkable.
Less than two weeks from his scheduled WBC USNBC Heavyweight Title bout Saturday, November 28 in Los Angeles, the 6-foot-4 “Sicilian Nightmare” is now prepping for one of boxing’s most common curveballs – the sudden change in opponent.
With Mississippi’s Nick Jones unable to obtain a license in the state of California, Cusumano (18-3, 16 KOs) will now challenge the dangerous Greg Corbin (15-3, 9 KOs) of Dallas, TX, a former National Golden Gloves champion and fellow 6-4 giant ready to embrace the opportunity of a lifetime on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard at The Staples Center.
Cusumano-Corbin, scheduled for eight rounds for the USNBC title, is one of seven fights scheduled for November 28, including the highly-anticipated exhibition headliner between rings legends Tyson and Jones, who fight eight rounds for the newly-created WBC Frontline championship. With no fans in attendance, the card is available for purchase on pay per view via FITE TV, or on the newly-launched Triller app, available both on Apple or Android devices. Visit tysonontriller.com for more information. Showtime is 9 pm ET.
This is no walk in the park for Cusumano; Corbin rose to prominence over a six-year stretch as a pro with 15 consecutive victories, including a spectacular knockout win over the rugged Homero Fonseca in 2018. He is best remembered for recent showdowns with boxing’s top heavyweights, notably former world champion Charles Martin and rising prospects Filip Hrgovic and Stephan Shaw, who are now a combined 25-0.
Cusumano’s not-so-secret weapon may be the influence of his recent two-month training camp in Providence, where he trained under the guidance of Roland Estrada; his son, former Olympian and heavyweight contender Jason “Big Six” Estrada, and former cruiserweight title challenger Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey. This is an ever-changing landscape for Cusumano, who typically trains in his hometown of Danville, VA, but decided to minimize distractions and add a new set of voices to his camp in anticipation of the biggest fight of his career.
With Jones out, this is now a crossroads fight between two heavyweight contenders looking for a big win to get them back on track and back into the conversation among top-ranked heavyweights. The USNBC belt provides the exposure and world ranking necessary to a shot at championship glory that, unfortunately, eludes most fighters in their quest for boxing immortality.
WBC World Youth Featherweight Champion Irvin Gonzalez Jr. (14-2, 11 KOs), also from Worcester, battles undefeated Forth Worth, TX, prospect Edward Vazquez (8-0, 1 KO) in an eight-round bout for the vacant WBC USNBC Featherweight Title. Also on the card, undefeated lightweight and reigning WBC Youth title-holder Jamaine Ortiz (13-0, 7 KOs) of Worcester, MA, faces African southpaw Sulaiman Segawa (13-2-1, 4 KOs) of Silver Springs, MD, in an eight-round bout for the vacant WBC USNBC Silver Lightweight Title.
Visit CESBoxing.com for more information, or follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter at @CESBOXING.
INFORMATION
CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC Fight Pass, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience.
Mike Tyson’s Legends Only League is a sports league created and owned by Mike Tyson and Eros Innovations. The Legends Only League is a next-generation sports venture that provides full support and infrastructure to the world’s greatest athletes, bringing the best of the best back to the ring, onto the court, and back on the field. The league will span live sporting events including tennis, basketball, boxing, and more in addition to creating consumer products, live events, premium content, and full-service management for the greatest sports stars the globe has ever known.
Eros Innovations is a global venture creation group led by Sophie Watts that invests in and creates globally recognized businesses for celebrities across premium content, consumer products and live experiences.Owners of Eros Innovations include Eros Investments, a media and tech investment holding company whose affiliate companies include Eros Now, India’s leading OOT platform with 186 million registered users.
Triller is an entertainment platform built for creators. The app allows users to create music videos, skits, and lip-syncing videos containing background music. Launched in 2015 by co-founders David Leiberman and Sammy Rubin, Triller uses an AI-based video editing tool that automatically adds effects like overlays, fast or slow motion, and basic text to videos. Triller has more than 65 million active users and has been downloaded over 250 million times worldwide. It also boasts some big names among its users, like Cardi B, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, and others. Triller is owned by Proxima Media, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group with other investors like Snoop Dog, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Wayne, and The Weeknd.
November 28: Daniel Dubois-Joe Joyce Heavyweight Showdown to Stream Live in the United States Exclusively on ESPN+
(November 19, 2020) — The highly anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown between British and Commonwealth champion Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois and Joe “Juggernaut” Joyce — Saturday, Nov. 28 in London— has an American broadcast home.
Dubois-Joyce and unbeaten junior middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz against veteran Guido Nicolas Pitto will stream live on ESPN+ beginning at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT, with a full slate of undercard contests (including the return of WBO No. 1 junior welterweight contender Jack Catterall) on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
The 12-round heavyweight main event will also be contested for the vacant European title.
“The future of the heavyweight division will be seen live on ESPN+ Nov. 28,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Daniel Dubois is a tremendous young fighter, but Joe is older and had an incredibly successful amateur career. I am glad that American fight fans will have an outlet to watch one of the year’s best fights.”
Dubois (15-0, 14 KOs), winner of six in a row by KO, is no stranger to American fight fans, as his last eight bouts have streamed live on ESPN+. He went 5-0 in 2019, including a second-round stoppage over former world title challenger Razvan Cojanu, a fifth-round KO over fellow prospect Nathan Gorman and a second-round blitzing of Kyotaro Fujimoto last December. He made his 2020 debut Aug. 29 and knocked out Ricardo Snijders in the second round.
The 35-year-old Joyce (11-0, 10 KOs) turned pro in October 2017 after capturing a super heavyweight silver medal for Great Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He wasted no time as a professional, as he won Commonwealth honors in only his fourth bout. In 2019, he knocked out former world champion Bermane Stiverne in six rounds and veteran gatekeeper Alexander Ustinov in three rounds to increase his knockout streak to nine. In July 2019, he went the 12-round distance and outworked former world title challenger Bryant Jennings over 12 rounds. He returned to action July 25 and knocked down Michael Wallisch three times en route to a third-round stoppage.
About ESPN+ ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 8.5 million subscribers.
Fans subscribe to ESPN+ for just $5.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). It is also available as part of The Disney Bundle offer that gives subscribers access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu (ad-supported) — all for just $12.99/month.
BENN VS. FORMELLA + UNDERCARD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Eddie Hearn:
“Here we go again. We’re back in the bubble. We’re up against it once again. Every week and every show is a bonus. Last week was a tremendous show. A women’s World Championship triple-header, the great Katie Taylor, the numbers were through the roof. Boxing is buzzing. Somehow, someway, we’re finding a way to keep cracking on with great shows. This Saturday night we’re live and exclusive on Sky Sports and on DAZN in the US.”
Conor Benn – Ilford, England – 16-0, 11 KOs – defending his WBA Continental Welterweight Title against Sebastian Formella:
“The novelty does wear off. I miss my family. On Saturday night I will take that frustration out on my opponent. I’ve worked too hard to get to where I am now to let it slip between my fingers.
“To many, I’m a role model. To the older generation, I will always be Nigel Benn’s son but the younger generation say to him: ‘Oh, you are Conor Benn’s dad!’
“There will be ups and downs. I have come through adversity. The sky is the limit. I will reach the end goal but I won’t put a time limit on it. I don’t know when. I don’t know what I’ll have to go through to get there.
“But I will get there because I’ve too hard. I plan to show that I am the business. My four-year apprenticeship is done, finished. I’m here to prove that I am a contender.
“He’s a tough opponent but that doesn’t bother me. People said Jussi Koivula would beat me but he got banged out. If you get hit by a right hand, left hook then it doesn’t matter who you are.
“I’ve got to win in good fashion. I’m good for 10 rounds or to get him out in the first couple. It’s not down to him. It doesn’t matter what he does. If he wants to move I’ll hunt him down. If he wants to have a tear-up? More fool him, I’ll soon make him regret that.
“He’s nice and polite – trying to be Andy Ruiz Jr – waving at me from across the room! It ain’t all good when we get in there. I know he thinks this is an easy fight. I’ve sacrificed too much for me to not perform.”Sebastian Formella – Hamburg, Germany – 22-1, 10 KOs – challenging Conor Benn for the WBA Continental Welterweight Title:
“Firstly I would like to thank everyone for their hospitality. The staff have been very helpful and I feel completely at home. It’s very cool to stay here in the bubble.
“Conor Benn is a difficult fighter to face with good skills. It will be a good fight. I have trained very hard. Of course I will win the fight on Saturday, I won’t make it easy for him.
“I learnt to put up my hands and have a good defence in my last fight against Shawn Porter. Of course it is a short amount of time after the Shawn Porter fight, but it was enough to change things a little bit. It was a very good experience and I was happy to do this fight in America.
“Because I am higher in the rankings than him, I am the test for him. He is also a good fighter and I have seen many of his fights. He comes forward and has a good defence when he wants.
“It’s a good step up for the both of us because when I win the fight, there will be more good fights in the future for me. It could be a tactical fight or we could stand feet to feet and fight, hitting each other all of the time.”
Fabio Wardley – Ipswich, England – 9-0, 8 KOs – fighting Richard Lartey in a ten round Heavyweight contest:
“I’m always ready for the step-up. This is another fight on our progress of me moving forward, proving that the different tests you throw at me, the different types of opponent, whatever they may be, that I can overcome them.
“Obviously prove that I’m a real contender for the division, that I’m here to do some damage and make some waves.
“You know exactly what you’re going to get from him. He’s not coming there to roll over. He’s not coming there to just get some money and go home. He’s coming to take my head off.
“You’ve seen in his previous fights, he was more than happy to stand there and go toe to toe with Daniel and try and take his jaw and he’ll be doing the same with me.”I’ve got to be switched on, I’ve got to be paying attention, and as long as I stick behind my game plan, I can always get them out of there.”
Richard Lartey – Accra, Ghana – 14-3, 11 KOs – fighting Fabio Wardley in a ten round Heavyweight contest:
“Thank you very much for this opportunity. I respect Matchroom for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to appear on this bill. Thank you to Wardley for accepting this contest.
“I have to respect anybody that I come into contact with in the ring. No party, no Lartey is coming on Saturday. We’re coming to do some wonderful work in the ring.
“I respect my opponent and the people that have brought me here to fight in London again. This is my third time being in London. I’ve got a lot of fans who I know will be watching. I thank them for what they are doing for me.
“I know definitely something massive and positive is going to come on Saturday night. I’m not here to joke, I’m here to prove my worth.”
Alen Babic – Zagreb, Croatia – 5-0, 5 KOs – fighting Tom Little in an eight round Heavyweight contest:
“Why does he talk like that? I said nothing but nice things so why do you take Hrgovic’s side? That’s a sell-out. You can’t be in ‘The Savage’ army anymore.
“There is a lot of disrespect. They always talk about Hrgovic. I don’t care about him – he has fought no-one. You are not a friend, you are a sell-out. Hrgovic said you are a bum but you take his side?
“You have done cross-fit for one month and you talk like you have the biggest arms. He talks like I am nothing. I have five fights, 10 rounds. Everybody beat you, brother!””‘The Savage’ is mad. I was his friend when he was as fat as a doughnut. Now he says he will finish me then say ‘Hrgovic is better’. Why does he say this?
“Everyone can keep doubting me. I’ve heard enough. I keep knocking everyone out in two rounds. I’ll knock him out in one round. One round is my plan. Everyone keeps questioning me.”
Tom Little – Hatfield, England – 10-8, 3 KOs – fighting Alen Babic in an eight round Heavyweight contest:
“I had an epiphany when I got home from Saudi Arabia. This runs deeper than just myself. For what I want to do, this is the first stop on the way. I’ve said a lot of cheap words but they were masking agents.
“I rate Babic highly. But this isn’t about how I rate him. If he can manage to get the job done, he is fighting [a better version of me] than Hrgovic, Dubois or Majidov fought.
“Me and this man have promised everyone a war. Blood and guts. We will go out and deliver. I’m not going to run. I’m a man of my word and I’ll meet him in the middle. I won’t give any ground.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if both of us have to climb off the canvas. There is not a cowardly bone in my body. I am there to fight, bleed and win.”Ben Ridings – Bury, England – 3-0 – fighting Jez Smith in a six round Middleweight contest:
“I was ecstatic when I got the call to be honest because as you all know I was supposed to be appearing on the Ultimate Boxxer competition fighting Zak Chelli but that fell through because me and Kieran tested positive for coronavirus so we’ve been quarantining ever since. I was just at home with my family when we got the call for this fight. One minute it was on, one minute it was off.
“Everyone is looking at my old YouTube videos. I’ve not fought like that in nearly two years now. I’ve been sparring the best every week. I’ve been sparring Callum Smith every Wednesday. Obviously there’s other great fighters in that gym. I fight completely different. I can hold my own. It’s going to be exciting.
“I’m going to fight with everything that I’ve got. I’m just a local Bury lad. It’s a massive opportunity, look at all of these cameras! He’s a good fighter, I’m not taking that away from him. If he’s looking through me think it’s going to be an easy win for him then he needs to think different because I am game for the night. It’s the biggest stage that I could be on and I’m here.”
Jez Smith – Harrow Weald, England – 11-2-1, 5 KOs – fighting Ben Ridings in a six round Middleweight contest:
“Firstly I’d like to thank Eddie and Matchroom for having me on this show. I just stay ready all of the time. I’m always in good fights. On Saturday night Ben is getting smashed. It’s as simple as that. There’s levels to this game and he’s taking a step up too quickly. He’s getting dealt with on Saturday. I think my experience will be too much for him. He hasn’t been in with anybody. He’s only fought journeymen. I know he’s been out of the ring for a while. If he comes and has a scrap he gets knocked out. If he comes to box he gets smashes. Either way, on Saturday night it’s going to be a dominant performance from me and I’m going to deal with him. I probably start too fast sometimes. Six rounds definitively won’t be a problem for me.”
Liam Davies – Telford, England – 7-0, 2 KOs – fighting Sean Cairns for the vacant English Bantamweight Title:
“I just want to start off by saying thank you to Eddie Hearn, Matchroom, BCB and Errol Johnson for making this happen. I’m here and I’m ready to grab it with both hands. I’m so excited, and what a card to be on. Hopefully it’s my first title of many. Expect some good skilled boxing and a guaranteed win for Liam Davies. This is the hardest fight of my professional career and I expect that. I know he’s a tall awkward southpaw, I’m tall myself so it’s going to be a great fight and I can’t wait to get in there now.”
Sean Cairns – Liverpool, England – 7-2, 1 KO – fighting Liam Davies for the vacant English Bantamweight Title:
“We’ve both got to take our opportunities haven’t we. Liam is looking past me, and I know he’s looking past me. I like that. This is what you dream of when you turn pro isn’t it. To be on big shows like this. I’m just so blessed to be here. If you’d look at my life ten years ago, you’d have never of dreamed of my being here. Honest to god I’m just so blessed to be here and I’m going to take advantage of that. I’m going to grab this opportunity with both hands and you’ll have me back again.
“I’m a great advert for what boxing can do for you. I’m from probably the roughest part of Liverpool. You’re a product of your environment aren’t you. I was led down the wrong road when I was younger but boxing took me out of that and look where I’m sitting now. Ten years ago you would never expected it. Not even ten years ago, seven years ago even. Where I’m from there’s no youth clubs or anything like that anymore. There’s only boxing clubs for the kids to go to. They’re the only places that keep kids off the streets. Boxing has saved my life.”
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA VS. JORGE COTA & JOSESITO LOPEZ VS. FRANCISCO SANTANA MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
Ray Flores On today’s call, we’re going to be hearing from some of the fighters that will be competing on the Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard. It all comes your way on Saturday December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Fans will be allowed to attend. COVID restrictions will be in place. You can get tickets and they are available at SeatGeek.com. We come to you live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with three exciting matchups featuring all Mexican and Mexican-American fighters.
We will kick off the pay-per-view with a former champion Julio Ceja going head to head against contender and Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC featherweight title eliminator.
This fight coming up is one that I have my eye set on. It is going to be pure pandemonium and it features all action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana in a 10 round welterweight showdown.
The co-main event Sebastian Fundora, fresh off of a win topping Nate Gallimore back in August. He’s in action as he matches up against Jorge Cota in in a WBC super welterweight title eliminator matchup. The event all brought to you by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions.
And now, let me introduce the President of TGB Promotions. This man will no doubt go down as probably the best matchmaker in all of boxing history, my dear friend, Mr. Tom Brown.
Tom Brown Good afternoon and welcome everyone. And thanks for joining us for this conference call for what I believe is going to be an extremely exciting night of boxing. We have a spectacular undercard.
There’s going to be non-stop action leading up to the highly anticipated Errol Spence Jr. versus Danny Garcia welterweight unification bout. Sampson Boxing’s unbeaten super welterweight contender, Sebastian Fundora. He put the boxing world on notice with his exciting performance against Nate Gallimore back in August and will be taking on Jorge Cota.
And then we have the all action veteran Josesito Lopez and Francisco Santana squaring off in a 10 round welterweight bout. And this is the type of fight that we could just go put in a phone booth.
I just can’t wait for the opening bell for them to say go for this fight. Really any one of these fights could steal the whole show. So, I’m really looking forward to this card and Ray said, tickets are on sale now which is so great to be able to say.
We’re looking forward to having a live audience and exciting event. And now, I’ll send it back to Ray to get things started. Thanks.
Flores Thank you very much, Tom. And yes, we have a stellar undercard. Let’s meet one of the principals involved in one of these thrilling matchups. This man, his record 25 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw, 12 come by way of knockout.
He hasn’t shied away from anybody, fighting top competition at welterweight and super welterweight throughout the course of his career. He challenged Jermell Charlo, fought Julian Williams to a draw and most recently lost a decision to Jarett Hurd, he also pulled off a notable upset over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in a welterweight fight back in 2018.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the always exciting and entertaining Francisco “Chia” Santana.
Francisco Santana I’m excited and I’m very, very thankful and grateful for another great opportunity to be able to fight once again and in an all action fight. People that know boxing know that Josesito and myself, it’s like it’s another version of the Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward type of style fight. You know, we both come forward. It’s the same versions of each other. So, I think the fans are in for a good treat.
Q I know you guys are both California guys who’ve been around the sport for a long time. Do you guys know each other at all?
Santana No, obviously we know of each other but I’ve never necessarily met him or introduced myself. We both at one we both started out back in the days with Mr. Dan Goossen, may he rest in peace, that was my original promoter back in the days.
So we would see each other a lot on different cards. But other than that, no, I’ve never had the privilege to meet him.
Q How many similarities are there between you two?
Santana I let people compare us. Essentially, it is that we do have a similar record, similar type of style. We both come forward, all action.
When they mention my name or they mention his name, I think that boxing fans know that they’re in for a good fight, because I don’t think either him or I have ever been in a dull fight. So, I feel like that’s definitely a big similarity with each other.
Outside of boxing, I don’t know. I don’t know how he is outside of boxing. I’m just a low-key family man. I’m actually here at work right now. So, I’m in my office away kind of secluded myself for this interview.
So, I don’t know what he’s like outside of work but inside the ring, I think that we are very similar.
Q Looking back, and maybe your last couple losses, what have you feel that you’ve needed to change or what have you learned from those experiences?
Santana I still haven’t stopped learning. So, a lot of it has to do with that, and just being able to have confidence in myself to be able to just go out there and display it all out there, put it all out there.
This is like do or die type of fight. So, I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m just going to go out there and just basically just leave it all out there.
Like I said I’ve got everything to gain, nothing to lose. This is my go big or go home type of fight. So, as far as past experiences, it’s always a learning experience. I just fought the biggest super welterweight out there.
And that’s not necessarily, my weight class, even though I used to campaign at that weight class back in the days, but not necessarily my best weight. I was just doing it because I didn’t have the proper training or proper coaches back in the days but nonetheless, I don’t dwell on the past. I live in the future and live in the present and just want to be a better person every single day. So, I can be a better man tomorrow.
Q How are you feeling coming into this particular bout seeing as it will be at 147 pounds coming off your fight against Jarrett Hurd?
Santana I’m naturally a 147. I’m not at 154 like when I fought Jarrett Hurd. I didn’t really have to make weight practically. I think I hydrated a couple pounds or not even hydrated, I just went and ate.
This is my natural weight class. So, I just have to make the best of it, like I said this is go big or go home.
Q Do you think that you’ll have to be I will say like a lot tougher then Lopez going into this fight?
Santana At this point, I just have to prepare for whatever he brings. I have to be prepared for the best of Lopez out there. So, if he is tough, I have to be tougher. If he wants to be clever, I have to be more clever.
If he wants to display certain skills, I have to display even better skills. So, I just got to bring everything up, no matter what he brings to the table.
Q How do you think being in a lot of tough fights that went the distance builds you going into this particular fight against Josesito Lopez, who is a tough fighter like yourself?
Santana To me, it’s just another day. It’s another day of boxing. It’s something that I’ve trained for moments like this to be able to test myself once again.
And what better way to test myself than with someone like Josesito Lopez, who is another version of myself, basically. So, I’m testing myself with another version of myself. Q How will having fans in attendance play a factor into feeding off the energy of the crowd while you’re in the ring there?
Santana Well once you get hit, you don’t even realize if there’s a crowd or not. Your blood kind of boils up a little bit and you just go.
So, I’m sure that once that bell rings and we start throwing punches it’ll be the same as always. Him and I, we can probably fight in a garage, with no people there and it will still be a hell of a fight.
As far as the crowd, I’m sure every fighter learns to just tune it out. It is what it is and we’re going to go out there and let our hands go.
Q What did you take away from that fight with Hurd that you think you can bring into this fight coming up?
Santana Well, it will first of all, I fought the biggest super welterweight out there. I do have a good chin right? I showed that being able to hang in there with such a big boy like himself and a great fighter.
So, coming into this fight, I was able to realize that I am a little sturdier and little stronger than what I thought.
Flores Francisco do you have any final thoughts as you get ready for your December 5 showdown against Josesito Lopez?
Santana Everybody just tune in. You’re in for a real treat. Everybody, obviously like myself included, we’re looking forward for the main event. But also, this is an all action packed undercard and especially Josesito Lopez versus myself.
So, you guys don’t want to miss it because when you guys think of Josesito and myself, you guys know that we never disappoint and we’re not going to start now.
Flores Thank you very much Francisco. Now, let’s talk with the man who will be standing across the rings from you on December 5 as he has beaten the likes of Victor Ortiz, faced Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana, Jessie Vargas narrowly came up short at the hands of Keith Thurman back in January of 2019 in a world title fight.
Most recently having knocked out John Molina Jr. last September at STAPLES Center. He’s trained under the guidance of renowned coach Robert Garcia. He comes to us from Riverside, California. 37 wins, 20 of those by knockout against 8 losses.
Ladies and gentlemen, anytime he’s inside the ring, he produces fireworks. Please welcome “The Riverside Rocky” Josesito Lopez. Josesito?
Josesito Lopez Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for having me. I’m thankful and glad to be fighting December 5 and I’m healthy. Training camp has been going great. And I’m excited for this fight with just a couple more weeks to go.
Ray Flores: Now, we’ll turn it over to the operator for questions from the media for Josesito Lopez.
Q First question is as far as your time working with Robert Garcia, describe some of the changes that you’ve seen in your boxing style in your fighting over the last year or two that you guys have been together.
Lopez He’s helped me become a smart technician. And then we have one of the best gyms in the entire world with the most amount of quality fighters.
So, as far as experience, I bring the experience but quality fighters in sparring helps and they have the best of the best here. No shortage of sparring, and good work and we all push each other. So it’s been all good since I made the move.
Q As far as personal improvements that you’ve seen in your own boxing game, what are the one or two things that you feel that you’ve really tightened up as far as your performances?
Lopez Well, when it comes to the top level of boxing, it’s just the smallest of mistakes that can cost a lot. And I’ve made those mistakes in the past and I’ve managed to correct them.
And then Robert helped me to tweak small things that have made a big change in my boxing. So those small changes can – it goes a long way for me.
Q Do you feel a sense of that you have not as much time as you used to in order to try to get that championship?
Lopez Yeah, I’m a little higher in age. I feel that and I know that. But I feel very, very good with Robert right now. And I’m at a good time in my life where I’m balancing experience with strength and quality work with Robert.
There has been nothing but good things, positive things throughout with him. So, I’m excited.
Q How do you see this fight playing out, ideally, what would you like to see occur?
Lopez Well, obviously, ideally, I would like to come out with a victory, but I’m prepared for a war. I’m prepared for anything that Francisco comes to bring to the ring. He’s a tough, gritty fighter that always comes to fight and I expect that. I expect fireworks, I expect quite possibly the fight of the night. So I’m ready for anything.
Q In terms of your mentality, how do you get to that level mentally, of knowing you’re going to be in for what many considered to be a war on December 5?
Lopez Well, mindset wise, every fight is the most important fight of my career. This one, no less. So, I come into the table as if it could possibly be my last fight and I bring everything. I trained hard. I focused. I’ve been away from home.
Q Do you think that after not fighting for roughly about a year or so, has it been good for you or has it refreshed you?
Lopez Well you got to make the most of it. I wish I could have fought a little sooner but I make the most of it. I stayed active in the gym. I’m constantly training, working with other guys. I’ve had a few camp right before the shutdown. I was helping Mikey Garcia prepare for Jessie Vargas.
So I’ve been training. I think for the most part, I’m just thankful and happy to be able to be fighting in this year, really a time where some fighters won’t even get to fight this year. So, I’m glad I can.
Q Have you seen Francisco fight? What is it that you see in his game that you think that you may be able to exploit?
Lopez Well, it’s not necessarily what I see in him. I just think I’m a better fighter than I was before. And we both bring grit and determination to the fight, I think that’s been clear.
I just feel like I’ve been quite a bit smarter in my boxing throughout my last few fights. And I’m able to have that ring IQ that’s necessary for a fight like this.
Q Can you talk about how your time with Robert Garcia helped you particularly in your last fight?
Lopez Well, my time with Robert Garcia has been great. He’s a good mentor and he has helped me with game plans. Intelligent ring generalship and that showed against John Molina where I did knock him down early.
We stayed patient. I didn’t make little mistakes and I still finished the job. So, all that is basically where the work that Robert Garcia has shown. It made me a little bit smarter in many ways.
He says you work smarter not harder. Even though I’m still working just as hard, I’m just getting a little smarter.
Q What have you learned from the pandemic of overall?
Lopez What I’ve learned is that with the shutting down and everything there, it gets tough for everyone and my heart goes out to definitely all the people that are struggling and hurting. You know, everyone is struggling in some type of way.
But you also got to make the most of your time. I’ve definitely sat down and made the most of my time. I was able to do things that that are important to me.
I started my own trucking company and the things that you put aside and procrastinate on doing, it was a good time to really realize the important things in life and then work hard for what you want.
So although it’s been a tough, tough time for myself and everyone else you make the most of this bad time.
Flores Josesito, if you have any final comments before you get ready for December 5?
Lopez Well, I want to say that I’m very thankful to be fighting on PBC and with FOX. They know a fight with myself is never a boring fight. So, I’ll definitely bring that action. I’m excited to be on the card with another exciting fighter that will bring fireworks.
So, this is a fight that you can’t miss. And you can’t blink because the fight could be over anytime. I feel great and I’m excited to get out in there and then show everybody what I got.
Flores Thank you very much, Josesito. We look forward to seeing you during fight week in Dallas.
Now, let’s transition to our co-main event. This man is a longtime contender who has put himself back into world title contention by defeating Thomas LaManna back in January.
He bounced back with two straight wins after back to back losses to top super welterweights Jeison Rosario and Jermall Charlo. His record 30 wins, 27 of those coming by way of knockout against four losses. He comes to us from Sinaloa, Mexico.
He is the hard hitting, Jorge Cota. Jorge, if you have any opening comments.
Jorge Cota I’m very excited to be a part of this amazing fight. And I’m excited to show the fans what we’re able to offer in this outstanding fight that we’re going to have.
Q How are you planning to get inside of his reach? And do you think that those things are going to give you problems in this fight?
Cota You hit the nail on the head because that’s going to be the challenge and what makes the fight so attractive. The fact that he’s so tall and that his reach is so stunningly large made me work a lot on my movement, my lateral movement and in making my hips be able to rotate efficiently to be able to get inside and make it a close contact fight.
Q Do you feel that your power is going to be the difference maker in this fight?
Cota Again, I can’t emphasize enough. The hips are going to be huge. And the fact that I need to be able to make it a close range fight. And that way I can take advantage of my power.
If I can get close and make it a blow-by-blow kind of fight where we are exchanging blows with our bodies close together, then I can take advantage of my power, but everything is on the hips.
Q How big of a win was that for you over Thomas LaManna which essentially led you to this opportunity on December 5 against Sebastian Fundora?
Cota That win gave me my confidence back. That was everything, because after winning the fight, I was able to believe in my power, in my endurance, in my ability to be a winning boxer once again.
LaManna was an outstanding opponent, someone that fought very well and I was really happy to see my hand raised in the end by the referee. But the most important takeaway for me was that I regained the belief in myself to win with my power once again.
Q What did you learn in the fights against Charlo and Rosario that you feel that you are now more experienced?
Cota Those two fights provided me with the experience I need to know where I stood. Especially, the Rosario one, that was my barometer. That was a fight that allowed me to know where I stood against an outstanding world champion who unfortunately after that bumped into Charlo, who is also a champion in his own right.
So, after that I know where I stood. And it provided me with the experience that I needed to move forward in my career.
Q Also when it comes to this fight being on an undercard that is full of Mexican fighters and Mexican-American fighters. We all know history of great Mexican battles, the names of Barrera and Morales come to mind.
What does it signify for you to be able to fight a fellow Mexican on a card of this magnitude? Cota Thank you for that comparison with the Barrera – Morales clashes. And I’m also thinking about Juan Manuel Marquez as well where he left his mark. I’m just out here trying to leave my mark as well.
The fact that I’m going to go out there to the ring and try to give my best and make everybody proud. That’s all I can do is to try to live up to the legacy that those fighters, like, Barrera, like, Morales, like, Marquez left behind and for me to continue on.
Flores Finally, do you have any closing comments as you prepare for your co-main event showdown against Sebastian Fundora?
Cota My message to the fans is, don’t you dare miss this fight. It’s going to be awesome. It has the potential to be the best fight of the night. Sebastian is going to be an outstanding opponent. It’s going to be a war from start to finish. We are going to beat each other up. And it’s going to be really fun for the fans to witness.
So, I am going to go out there try and do my best and not only win but to provide the fans a show they will never forget and make both Mexican and American fans everywhere happy and proud to have seen me fight.
Flores Thank you very much to Jorge Cota. We greatly appreciate the time. What stands out about what Jorge Cota said was, the word “Guerra” meaning war. All of these undercard fights can no doubt be wars.
Now let’s meet his adversary on December 5, most recently have been knocked out Nate Gallimore back in August on FOX. He became the first and only man to finish off Nate Gallimore, looking to put himself in position to battle current WBC and WBA Super Welterweight champion of the world, Jermall Charlo or another top WBC contender, such as Erickson Lubin.
He stands 6’6″ tall, uses his height and his reach to his advantage. But he also likes to fight with power and aggressiveness. And I’ll be honest with you when it comes to his fighting style, he loves to mix it up on the inside. He comes to us from Coachella, California.
He has an undefeated record, 15 wins, no losses, one draw, 10 wins come in by way of knockout. A high volume puncher who always brings forth punches in bunches. Here “The Towering Inferno” Sebastian Fundora. Sebastian.
Sebastian Fundora I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling strong, we had a nice camp. After the last fight, we went straight back into camp for this fight. So, I’m just excited to put a great show for the fans.
Q What is the added time in camp this time around done for you and how much more prepared do you feel?
Fundora I feel very prepared for this fight. It’s done a lot especially in terms of sparring we had, especially because they change the date too. It just gives me more time to work and to prepare for this fight I plan to show it for this one too.
Q In your last performance, you did something that no one’s ever done. You stopped Nathaniel Gallimore and you did in fantastic fashion. How much did that give you as far as confidence? What has that done for you in your mindset?
Fundora That’s something me and my team always knew. It’s just showing the crowd that we can step it up, showing the fans that we’re not here to play, we’re actually here to do something in this division.
Q Describe the changes that you’ve seen in yourself either physically, mentally as a boxer over just maybe the last year or two. What changes have you noticed?
Fundora I feel myself getting more muscular and stuff like that. Just physical changes, getting faster and smarter in the ring. I’m learning to place punches in different places and to always have a smart mindset coming into the fight.
Q Are you weary about fighting inside against someone with this type of power or is that the way you fight and you’re not changing it?
Fundora I welcome it. I welcome it. I fought power punchers before. This last guy, Gallimore, was a power puncher. So, I welcome all the power. On December 5, we’ll see who hits harder.
Q What type of message are you trying to send here in this matchup against Jorge Cota given that you’ve had a bout in February 22 against Daniel Lewis and then the KO over Nathaniel Gallimore?
Fundora It’s just the work that we’re trying to display that, like I said, for the last fight, for the fight before that, we’re just trying to make a place in the division and hopefully become a champion.
Q Are you trying to direct yourself or position yourself to have like a title shot with Charlo or maybe something against Erislandy Lara in the future?
Fundora Of course. That’s every boxer’s dream. That’s the main goal of every fighter and that’s what we’re moving toward fight by fight.
Q Would you be interested in a rematch against Jamontay Clark?
Fundora I have to talk to my coach about that one. But winning on December 5 will definitely happen. I have no doubts like that in my mind. So, we’re just going up from there.
Q I see for the past couple years you’ve been fighting three times a year. Going into 2021, is that something you would like to do as well?
Fundora Yes. More fights, even more fights. I felt like this year was a slow down because of everything going on. But if I could do more than three fights, I’d love to.
Q Was there anybody that you fought previously whose style resembles Jorge’s or that that you feel as though has prepared you to fight Jorge Cota?
Fundora I don’t think so. Jorge is a whole different boxer. I never fought Jorge, so I can’t compare him to anybody else.
Q On the 5th, will you be looking to knock him out coming off another good knockout win?
Fundora Of course, of course that’s the main goal, that’s the main goal. But if it has to go to the decision, I’ll box him too.
Q How are you looking forward to on December 5, being back into a fight with fans in the stands?
Fundora All I’m worried about is the guy in front of me, which will be Jorge Cota. But it’s pretty exciting to have fans back in the building. I’m pretty excited about that. It’s a better feeling.
Q We’ve heard from several fighters during all year long, how pretty much feels like a sparring session in the ring where you hear nothing but your coaches without fans. Is that kind of what you felt in the ring against Nat Gallimore?
Fundora Not really. I mean it’s obviously different because you still have the pressure of the TV and everything on you. But, yes, I heard my coach, I heard the commentators, that’s how close everything was.
It wasn’t that bad. I can’t complain. It’s still a fight. I still kept everything prepared for that fight and the fans not being there didn’t really change that.
Q Have you seen anything Cota’s past fights that you were able to pick up on?
Fundora Of course. Yes, but it’s the competition, we’re not going to really say anything right now. You’ll have to see on fight night.
Q Do you feel any added pressure heading into December 5 on a card of this magnitude against Jorge Cota?
Fundora Definitely not. I felt like I really fought one of the biggest cards of this year with Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. This card will be the same. I feel like I’m born for this. So, when December 5 comes, I’m ready to put on a great fight and maybe steal the show.
Flores Do you have any closing comments as you continue your preparation for your matchup against Jorge Cota?
Fundora Like I said, I plan to make this fight an exciting one. I’m sure Jorge Cota will come in prepared and ready to bring an exciting fight and a healthy fight. December 5, be ready.
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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app. For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
About AT&T Stadium: AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 19, 2020) – One of the best and most active boxing venues in the world needs the help of the our boxing community to stay open.
The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia has hit hard times during these days of Covid-19, and is facing a very uncertain future as recent restrictions has forced the cancellation of events for the rest of the year.
The 2300 Arena is an independently owned sports & entertainment venue located in the heart of South Philadelphia. Many of you know that the 2300 Arena is the premier boxing venue in the boxing hotbed of Philadelphia.
For decades ago when The 2300 Arena was called The “World Famous” ECW Arena. You have grown with us during our most transformative years where we have taken professional wrestling, boxing, MMA & jiu-jitsu to new levels of excellence in live sports and entertainment. Even more recently, we successfully expanded to host live music, food festivals, and corporate & private events, spanning galas and weddings. 2300 Arena has truly become a state-of-the-art entertainment venue now entering its 13th year of operations.
It is with a heavy heart that the 2300 Arena is asking for help from our friends, family, and supporters, with our hat in hand when it counts the most. We need your support to stay afloat this winter and continue our 13-year legacy of not only top events, but the opportunity the arena gives many in our industry a chance to earn a living.(Athletes, Promoters, Managers, Television Networks, Television Production, Round Card Girls, Maintenance Workers, Ring Crew, Journalists and more)
Since March, The 2300 Arena held on tightly to overcome a barrage of never-ending obstacles, surviving by putting our heads down and going to work with the mindset to refuse defeat. We have overcome what used to seem like the impossible, reconceptualizing 2300 over and over again until we got it right, and four weeks ago were finally given the opportunity to open our doors and we followed all Covid-19 protocols including the 25% capacity rule of our 1,200-capacity space, limiting us to 300 indoors.
There was no lack of interest. Events were booked within days. Promoters were eager to get back to work along with athletes and entertainers excited for the chance to perform again. This short-lived success thus far was all thanks to our client and employee dedication and support, and mostly to our loyal guests. It was an amazing feeling to see people walk through front doors again reminding us it was all worth it.
We have looked over the past four weeks of operations at “reduced capacity” with a bare minimum of expectations in order to survive. We anticipate this winter to be our last hurdle to get over between the long dark winter months eliminating our outside capacity and the currant six-week shut down before we can once again open our doors next season and thrive. We see the light at the end of the tunnel and have no doubt that we can rebound from all of this.
Our hard work and diligence won’t be enough – we need your support so we can be on the other side of this stronger than ever.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Every dollar counts. Contribute and help us take it to the next level of reopening successfully. Please help us keep this legacy alive!!
Flex your social muscle. Share our gofundme campaign to your network via social, email, text, etc. #save2300
Point business our way! We rent the space out to everything from weddings, galas, award shows, live televised music performances, sporting events, and even TV production.
DONOR PERKS:
$200+ – Gladiator: As a sign of our eternal gratitude, you’ll get a personalized plaque on our 2300 Arena donor wall, plus a thank you on the site.
$100 to $199- Hats off: You’ll receive a 2300 Arena branded winter hat, plus a thank you on our site.
up to $99- Hero Spotlight: You’ll receive a thank you on our site.
Thank you to all who support us in these times, we will be forever grateful.
Christy Bottie and Roger Artigiani
DUBOIS vs JOYCE AND YARDE vs ARTHUR TO LAND IN WESTMINSTER
Hall-Of-Fame Promoter Frank Warren will celebrate forty years in professional boxing by bringing the two biggest domestic battles of the year right into the heart of Central London.
Dubois vs Joyce (28th Nov) and Yarde vs Arthur (5th Dec) will take place at the majestic Church House, in view of the world famous Westminster Abbey.
Church House was founded in 1887 and was built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. The current building was designed by the renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker and the foundation stone was laid by Her Majesty, Queen Mary on 26 June 1937. It took until 1940 to complete and was officially opened by His Majesty, King George VI on 10th June 1940.
The building suffered a direct hit in the early part of WWII but due to its exceptional construction only minimal damage was done. The Prime Minister of the day, Winston Churchill, was so impressed by this that the building was refurbished for use by the two Houses of Parliament for the remainder of the war.
Many historic speeches and events took place within the building during this time, in particular the announcement by Churchill from the stage of the Hoare Memorial Hall of the sinking of the battleship Bismarck.
In 1945, the first meetings of the United Nations Preparatory Commission and Security Council were held in the Hoare Memorial Hall.
Frank Warren said: “I’m delighted to be able to confirm such a spectacular venue to host two weeks of fantastic big time boxing. It’ll be a more than fitting way to celebrate my forty years in professional boxing.
“Both these bouts are going to be battles for the history books, so it makes sense they’d take place in a venue so rich in history.
“Winston Churchill announced the sinking of the Bismarck inside this venue, and soon we’ll know who out of Dubois, Joyce, Yarde and Arthur will sink or swim.”
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About Church House Westminster
Church House Westminster is a Grade-II listed multi-purpose event and conference venue uniquely located in tranquil Dean’s Yard. Most of its 19 flexible event spaces offer stunning views of Westminster Abbey. The dedicated team are consistently recognised by the BDRC Gold Standard for their commitment to service excellence throughout all areas. The conference and event spaces are equipped with the latest technology, supported by the venue’s own in-house, award-winning Audio-Visual team.
Genc Pllana to Edgar Berlanga: “I am ready to Fight”
Philadephia, PA (November 19, 2020)–Following the cancellation of his bout against undefeated Khainell Wheeler that was scheduled for this Saturday, super middleweight Genc Pllana is available and ready to fight anybody, and is targeting undefeated knockout artist Edgar Berlanga.
Pllana (8-2-1, 4 KOs) would like to be Berlanga’s dance partner for a perspective bout on December 12th, and the Hagerstown, Maryland native feels that Berlanga’s perfect 1st round knockout streak is more a product of a (lack) of strength in schedule then anything else.
“He is 15-0 with 15 knockouts in the the 1st round., He should have no issue fighting me. Especially if he is the monster that they say he is, He has not defeated anyone in the top-100, Where I have already defeated two fighters that were top-50, and I have only had 11 bouts. So fighting me would me the perfect fight for him.”
Pllana is referring wins over Kevin Newman and a disputed draw with undefeated Kalvin Henderson. Pllana has never been stopped in his 11 bouts feels that he would be able to not only take Berlanga rounds, but be in position to win the fight.
Pllana’s promoter Marshall Kauffman of King’s Promotions agrees with his 26 year-old fighter.
“Genc has proven that he will face anyone at anytime, and when I gave him the news that Saturday’s fight was off, he told me to pursue a fight with Berlanga. That shows that he is one of those fighters that is willing to take major opportunities.”
LIVE VIDEO: Errol Spence Jr. Media Workout
VIDEO: Benn vs Formella, Babic vs Little, Wardley vs Lartey press conference
“I BENT DOWN, SCRATCHED MY ANKLE AND THREW THE SHOT” – TOM LITTLE BACKS DURABLE JOYCE OVER ‘DYNAMITE’ DUBOIS
TOM LITTLE has felt the force of Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce – but isn’t slow in giving his big fight prediction.
“I think Joe is going to beat him and I hope he does.” said Little.
Boxing is split over the outcome when the World’s top two Heavyweight prospects clash on Saturday November 28, live on BT Sport.
Little lost in five rounds when he faced Dubois in June 2018 and is often called up by Joyce for sparring.
He explained: “I have tossed back and forward over this fight. I’ve wrestled with it physically.
“When I say I want Joe to win, it’s not because I don’t like Daniel. I like Daniel, he is a nice boy and I have no hard feelings towards him.
“I just think it is a fight too early for him against someone who has big amateur pedigree and fought big names as a professional.”
Little revealed he has also been giving tips to Joyce ahead of the triple title clash where Dubois defends his British and Commonwealth belts, with the vacant European championship also on the line.
He added: “The first minute of that fight is going to be so important in the fact that Joe needs to take his jab away.
“I can tell you first hand, Daniel Dubois has got a jab like a straight right hand. It hurts a lot, believe me.
“Joe knows this. I have spoken with him about it. I genuinely think that Joe is capable of taking that jab away.
“If he can do that, Daniel doesn’t carry that concussive hurtful power. He is so, so strong but doesn’t carry that power up close in short mid-range.
“Joe will be horrible for him to fight, a bit like Dereck Chisora would be for Daniel. Joe doesn’t let you fight at your pace. It’s impossible to fight at your pace.”
Little who had a bad-blooded build up when he fought Dubois in an English title clash also warned that his old rival is in for shock when he lands clean on Joyce.
He said: “Hand on heart. I hit Joe on the side of the head with a shot that I would have thrown in a pub. I literally bent down, scratched my ankle and threw the shot.
“It was the sort of punch you’d throw on a punch ball machine on a booze up. I threw it with everything and he went back a little bit, but came straight firing back into me in the spar.
“Hurting him is going to be a problem for Daniel, but none of us are machines or robots.
“It is genuinely a fight where you look and you can make such a strong case for both.”
Dubois vs Joyce headlines a great night of boxing action, live on BT Sport 1 HD on November 28th.
On the undercard, highly-touted Ilford youngster Hamzah Sheeraz (11-0-0, 7KO’s) will defend his WBO European Super-Welterweight title against canny Spaniard Guido Nicolas Pitto (26-7-2, 8KO’s). Jack Catterall (25-0-0, 13KO’s) will take on the French-based Tunisian Abderrazak Houya (14-2-0, 2KO’s) in a 10 round Super-Lightweight contest ahead of his challenge for the WBO world title.
London Heavyweight David Adeleye (3-0-0, 3KO’s) returns to behind-closed-doors action for the third time when he battles Silsden’s Danny Whittaker (4-1-0).
Jack Massey (16-1-0, 8KO’s) returns to action in an 8 round Cruiserweight contest against a fearsome puncher from the UAE, Mohammad Ali Bayat Farid (16-1-1, 16 KO’s).
Joshua Frankham (1-0-0) will return to Super-Welterweight action, Louie Lynn (7-0-0, 6KO’s) will look to follow up his 2nd round TKO from the 25th July and Henry Wharton backed Heavyweight Mitchell Barton will make his long awaited pro-debut.
LERRONE RICHARDS SIGNS WITH MATCHROOM BOXING
Lerrone Richards has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing.
The New Malden southpaw (13-0, 3 KOs) turned professional in 2013 following an impressive stint in the amateurs where he won the renowned ABA Golden Gloves Championships at the age of 14, before winning the Golden Belt at the ABA National Novice Championships shortly after.
Trained by Dave Coldwell and managed by S-JAM Boxing, 28-year-old Richards widely outpointed Tommy Langford to claim the Commonwealth and WBO International Titles in April 2019 before decisioning Birmingham’s Lennox Clarke to add the vacant British Title to his growing collection in November 2019.
Ranked in the top 15 in the world with the WBO, ‘Sniper The Boss’ believes that he is ready to push on towards European and World level after cleaning up at the 168lbs domestic scene, and the slick 5ft 11in Londoner will look to follow in the footsteps of his new stablemates Callum Smith and Billy Joe Saunders.
“I’m happy, elated and excited,” said Richards. “I just can’t wait to get going and I’m really looking forward to the plans ahead. I wanted a fresh start now that I’m top of the domestic tree. You look at Matchroom and they’ve got all of the top boys and I want to be part of this, and I want to be involved in big fights in the future.
“I’m very excited to showcase my skills. Like I always say, it’s all about the skills and that’s what everyone is going to see. My short-term goal is to get out as soon as possible and showcase my skills. Then I want to conquer Europe. After I’ve done that, I want those World Titles and those big fights. I feel like now I’m working with Eddie Hearn, I’ll get the right promotion and I’ll be able to build my profile.
“There are so many fights out there that I can really get my teeth into. I want to show the world what I’m capable of doing. I’m ranked in the top 15 in the world with the WBO. There are other governing bodies as well, that I would like to get highly ranked in to chase these champions.
“Time is precious, and you’ve got to use your time wisely. The time I’ve had out of the ring, and the time I’ve had with Dave, we’ve used that wisely and you’ll see a far more improved fighter in my next fight. There are a lot of coaches around, but there are very few teachers. Dave is a teacher. When I’m in the gym every day I’m learning and improving.
“Fans tuning in on Sky Sports and DAZN can expect to see skills from me. Skills pay the bills. It’s all about the skills, no hype required. They’re going to really be impressed with what I bring to the table. The future is really bright and I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m delighted to welcome Lerronne to the team,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “I remember watching him when he turned pro, he was a real talent and now he sits at 13-0 at the top of the domestic tree ready to explode onto the World stage. We welcome him to the big league and we will deliver all our promises to help him realise his dreams.”
Sam Jones and Adam Morallee of S-JAM Boxing said: “Lerrone is a world class athlete who is ready to compete at the world level. We are grateful to everyone who has helped Lerrone get to where he is now. The opportunity to join Matchroom is a great one for Lerrone – they have most of the 168lb world level fighters and we have no doubt Lerrone will join the other great British Super-Middleweight Champions who have gone on to become World Champions.”
You can follow Lerrone’s journey on Twitter: @Snipertheboss and Instagram: snipertheboss
WARDLEY: THIS IS A GOOD TEST FOR ME
English Heavyweight Champion Fabio Wardley is expecting a hard night’s work from Richard Lartey when they go to war in a scheduled ten-rounder on the Benn vs. Formella undercard this Saturday, shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
The rising Ipswich star (9-0, 8 KOs) stopped Simon Vallily in three rounds of their highly-anticipated grudge match to pick up the vacant English Title – his first professional belt – on the opening weekend of Matchroom Fight Camp back in August.
Dillian Whyte’s Heavyweight protégé hasn’t put a foot wrong since turning professional in April 2017, and the 25-year-old feels like he is ready to push on towards more Title opportunities following his breakout win in the Matchroom HQ garden.
Next up for Wardley is big-punching Ghanaian Lartey (14-3, 11 KOs), who in his last two fights has gone to war in a fourth-round stoppage loss against British Champion Daniel Dubois, and extended the highly-rated Nathan Gorman to a points decision in October.
“I didn’t really have to take this kind of step-up,” said Wardley. “I could have taken something easier. These are the type of moves that I want to make. I want to test myself to see where I can go and what I can get out of this sport. Lartey always comes to fight so we’re going to put on a good performance.
“He’s durable and he can be a bit crude from time to time. He’s always there to fight and to put it on you. When he turns up, he’s there to take your face off. He’s swinging those big hooks and big rights hands. If you don’t get out of the way they’re going to clock you.
“That’s what we’re looking for from him, someone who’s coming in and won’t be scared of anything. We know he can take a punch, so when I land those big shots on him, I know he’s going to keep marching forwards at me. It’s going to be a good test to see how I handle that in the ring.
“We want to start moving on to those bigger rounds, those bigger fights and those bigger names. We want to keep pushing forwards and moving on. I’m always there to finish my opponents. I don’t ever want to leave it to the judges. That’s what I’ll be looking to do against Lartey. As long as I put on a good performance and finish him off I’ll be happy.”
Wardley vs. Lartey is part of a big night of action in London, ‘The Destroyer’ Conor Benn (16-0, 11 KOs) takes a big step-up against Germany’s former IBO Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Formella (22-1, 10 KOs), ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (5-0, 5 KOs) meets Hatfield’s Tom Little (10-8, 3 KOs) over eight rounds, Donnington’s Liam Davies (7-0, 2 KOs) battles Liverpool’s Sean Cairns (7-2, 1 KO) for the English Bantamweight Title and BenRidings (3-0) meets Jez Smith (11-2-1, 5 KOs) over six rounds in a Middleweight contest.
Super Middleweight Vaughn Alexander Calling Out Current First-Round KO King Edgar Berlanga
Super middleweight contender Vaughn “The Animal” Alexander is looking to get back into contention for big fights and he’s willing to fight a man they are calling a monster, hard-punching first-round knockout specialist Edgar “The Chosen One” Berlanga, to do it.
“Why wouldn’t I want to fight Edgar Berlanga?” said a confident Alexander (15-4, 9 KOs). “He’s calls himself a monster. I want to find out. No hate at all; he’s doing what he’s supposed to do with the people they are putting him in with, but I think I will beat him.”
Saint Louis native Alexander, older brother of former two-weight world champion Devon Alexander, says he sees things in the 23-year-old Brooklynite Berlanga (15-0, 15 KOs) that will not only allow him to snap the young slugger’s 15-fight first-round KO streak, but will also carry him to victory.
“I will beat him. He’s knocking all these guys out that just stand there and offer no resistance. I will do the things that benefit me, not him; I will stand when I want to. And his power means nothing to me. I have a hell of a chin. I’ve even fought light heavyweights and still held my own.”
“I think Edgar is a promising prospect, but let’s see what happens when someone gets out of the first round,” said Michael Cameron, Alexander’s manager. “Vaughn will take him deep into the fight. Nobody knocks Vaughn out. Let’s see what happens when a real fighter like Vaughn is still there late in a fight.”
Cameron says he’s reaching out to Berlanga’s people to try and make the fight happen, hoping they decide to try and give their fighter a challenge, rather than looking to continue the KO streak.
“He’d be a good win for me,” continued Alexander. “With the wave he has going right now, it’ll put me back where I need to be to further my career. I’m not hating on him. Berlanga is a good up-and-coming prospect who is knocking everybody out because he’s a very good fighter. I’m just a real fighter in the same weight class and I feel I will beat him.”
BENJAMIN-FIELDS MIDLANDS DERBY ALSO PITS BROTHER-IN-LAW TRAINERS HEAD-TO-HEAD
London, UK (19 November 2020) Promoter Mick Hennessy has added a fiery Birmingham derby title clash between Kaisee Benjamin and Ben Fields to his Friday 11th December fight night as chief support to the Sam Eggington-Ashley Theophane showdown, live on free-to-air Channel 5.
Chelmsley Wood’s Benjamin (10-1-1, 2 KO’s) defends his Midlands Area Welterweight title against Digbeth’s Fields (10-8-2) in a 10-round clash that has also pits their families head-to-head.
Benjamin is trained by father and son team Paul and Louie Counihan, while Fields is trained by Paul’s brother-in-law Shaun Cogan which will add even more spice to the fight.
The boxers are managed by renowned Birmingham fight figure Jon Pegg, who didn’t want to pit his two men against each other, but following some explosive and over-heated sparring sessions, both trainers then approached Pegg to make the fight.
Pegg, Hennessy Sports Matchmaker, said, “I don’t say it often, but I really believe it could be one of the Fights of the Year. I’ve seen them spar and they go at it hammer and tongs and then some more after the bell. It’s a real fierce local derby with plenty of animosity between them and bucket loads of pride and honour at stake. I manage both lads, but I won’t be cheering for either of them on 11th December. I didn’t want to make the fight, but both trainers came to me after a particularly heated session when they had to yanked apart and said they wanted it to happen. Throw in the family ties between Paul and Sean who are brothers-in-law and you’ve got a real barnstormer on your hands. I’m thrilled it’s on Mick’s show and I hope they settle it once and for all.”
Benjamin, 25, has made three defences of the Midlands title, but says he’ll deal with Fields in quick time to press his English title shot as he’s the mandatory challenger to Champion Ekow Essuman. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, Essuman has an impending British title shot, but won’t release the English title until that is confirmed.
“I’ll deal with Fields easily,” Said Benjamin. “He gives it large during sparring but lets see if he can do it for real in the ring. I’ll shut him up and then focus on bigger things like my English title which I’m long overdue a shot at. I’m not involved in the Paul and Sean situation, that’s between them. This is between me and Fields. It won’t go the distance with Fields, he’s getting taken out early.”
Fields, 31, has incredibly turned his life around through boxing. The former drug addict was down and out but found salvation in boxing at 23 and in his last fight defend the odds and won the Midlands Area Super-Lightweight title.
“I’ve dealt with harder stuff in life that Benjamin,” Said Fields. “I’ve fought my way back from rock bottom and I’m not letting anything get in my way. It’s been sparring up until now, lets see how he does for real. Remember, we spared with big gloves and headguards and now it will just be the little gloves.”
Sam Eggington versus Ashley Theophane headlines the Hennessy Sports card in an International Super-Welterweight Contest. Chief-support features the Vacant Midlands Area Welterweight Title between Birmingham derby between Kaisee Benjamin and Ben Fields. The undercard includes: undefeated super-lightweight and red-hot talent Stephen McKenna from Monaghan, Ireland, in a six-round contest; his equally talented brother Aaron McKenna (appearing courtesy of Golden Boy Promotions) an unbeaten light-middleweight in a six-round contest; Sevenoaks middleweight prospect Michael Hennessy Jr. and the flash, brash and exciting unbeaten Birmingham star Idris Virgo in a four-round middleweight contest.
For further information go to www.hennessysports.com or social media: Facebook @HennessySports, Twitter @HennessySports and Instagram @hennessysports
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER FOR JUGGERNAUT JOE
JOE JOYCE DOES not go along with the thinking that says his blockbuster battle with Daniel Dubois on November 28 is a make or break fight for him.
Now 25, Joyce accepts that having launched his professional career just three years ago, every fight has represented a crossroads for him, where time would not be on his side in the event of having to rebuild.
However, the 2016 Olympic silver medallist insists he remains a sprightly 30-something with plenty of miles to go on his clock.
“I don’t feel that old because I only started in the game at the age he is now, which is 23,” countered the Putney-based heavy. “I feel like I haven’t been in the sport that long and that I have quite a few years ahead of me.
“But, yeah, this is a big fight and it is a big ladder to the top or a snake where I would have to rebuild. So the loser will have to rebuild a little bit and Daniel has got time more on his side because he is a young pup who would definitely be able to come back.
“I’d be able to come back too, but I don’t plan to do that. This is my chance to show what I am made of and to progress to the next stage and get a shot to become heavyweight champion.
“That is the route I am going. My aim before was to get to the Olympics and win a medal, so I completed that, although it was meant to be the gold medal and that didn’t happen. As a professional I want to be world champion and this is the route I need to go down and Dubois is standing in my way right now.”
According to Joyce, the pressure going into the fight rests on the shoulders of the younger man.
“I am not under any pressure because, according to the bookies, Daniel has already won. He has made a big name for himself and he has got the pressure to deliver.
“I don’t know why, but it is okay because it will be better when I beat him because I will take his scalp, how he has been built and take it further.”
Dubois vs Joyce headlines a great night of boxing action, live on BT Sport 1 HD on November 28th.
On the undercard, highly-touted Ilford youngster Hamzah Sheeraz (11-0-0, 7KO’s) will defend his WBO European Super-Welterweight title against canny Spaniard Guido Nicolas Pitto (26-7-2, 8KO’s). Jack Catterall (25-0-0, 13KO’s) will take on the French-based Tunisian Abderrazak Houya (14-2-0, 2KO’s) in a 10 round Super-Lightweight contest ahead of his challenge for the WBO world title.
London Heavyweight David Adeleye (3-0-0, 3KO’s) returns to behind-closed-doors action for the third time when he battles Silsden’s Danny Whittaker (4-1-0).
Jack Massey (16-1-0, 8KO’s) returns to action in an 8 round Cruiserweight contest against a fearsome puncher from the UAE, Mohammad Ali Bayat Farid (16-1-1, 16 KO’s).
Joshua Frankham (1-0-0) will return to Super-Welterweight action, Louie Lynn (7-0-0, 6KO’s) will look to follow up his 2nd round TKO from the 25th July and Henry Wharton backed Heavyweight Mitchell Barton will make his long awaited pro-debut.
RING CITY USA OFFICIAL WEIGHTS AND QUOTES AHEAD OF INAUGURAL FIGHT NIGHT FROM WILD CARD BOXING CLUB
Los Angeles – November 18, 2020 – Super featherweights O’Shaquie Foster (17-2, 10 KO’s) and Miguel Roman (62-13, 47 KO’s) made weight on Wednesday ahead of their 10-round headlining fight tomorrow/Thursday on Ring City’s inaugural fight night airing live on NBCSN at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST from Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles.
Foster returns to the ring carrying a seven-fight win streak to face Roman, a three-time world challenger who has proved durable and resilient in an impressive career spanning almost two decades.
In the co-feature, skilled Mexican fighters William Zepeda (21-0, 19 KO’s) and Roberto Ramirez (23-2-1, 16 KO’s) meet in a 10-round contest. Nov. 19 marks Zepeda’s first professional fight in the U.S. He faces Ramirez, known for upsetting former WBC title holder Dejan Zlaticanin in 2018.
Former two-time welterweight champion Shawn Porter will call the action alongside NBC Sports play-by-play commentator Bob Papa. Brian Campbell will serve as fight night analyst with Curran Bhatia reporting from ringside.
RJJ Boxing OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC LATINO SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)* (R) Juan Barajas (11-0, 7 KOs), Victorville, California, USA 165 lbs. (L) Bruno Sandoval (21-4-1, 17 KOs), México City, Distrito Federal, México 166 lbs.
CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)* Jesus Moroyoqui Palomares (5-0-1, 4 KOs), Navojoa, Sonora, México 159 ½ lbs. Jaime Portillo (3-0, 3 KOs), Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, México 160 lbs.
HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)* Geovany Bruzon (2-0, 2 KOs), Guatemala City, Guatemala by way of Cuba 220 lbs. Jesus Nerio (14-8-1, 6 KOs), Guadalajara, Jalisco, México 211 lbs.
FEATHERWEIGHTS (4)* Jesus Miguel Diaz Valenzuela (5-0-1, 4 KOs), Phoenix, Arizona, USA 125 lbs. Miguel Nides (0-0-1), Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México 125 lbs.
JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHTS (4) Jonathan Lopez (pro debut), Orlando, Florida, USA 130 lbs. Edwin Salcido (3-3, 2 KOs), Agua Prieta, Sonora, México 125 lbs.
(card subject to change) *denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS
BROADCASTERS: Sean Wheelock (blow-by-blow), and James “Smitty” Smith (color commentator)
UPCOMING EVENTS: Nov. 20 – RJJ Boxing in Mexico Dec. 9 & 10 – RJJ Boxing in Mexico
DUBOIS SAYS HE’D HAPPILY WIN WORLD TITLE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IF HE PASSES JOYCE TEST
Heavyweight powerhouse Daniel Dubois insists he’s ready to roll with the punches when it comes to his next career step and would take a World Title fight behind closed doors if he had to.
23-year-old ‘Dynamite’ has seen first-hand the havoc Coronavirus restrictions can wreak on the sporting schedule, with his upcoming bout with Joe Joyce having been pushed back three times this year.
Unfazed, Dubois fully intends to continue his rapid ascent through the ranks of boxing’s glamour division and would take whatever shot came his way, regardless of how it came to him.
Of getting a World Title shot behind-closed-doors he said: “If the situation doesn’t improve and it doesn’t look likely there’ll be crowds there I’d definitely take it. After this fight, if that’s the next option then we’ll definitely take it.”
Dubois (15-0, 14KO’s) is currently ranked #2 with the WBO and, if internet whispers are to be believed, could be in-line to face #1 ranked Ukranian Oleksandr Usyk for the title should Britain’s Anthony Joshua vacate the title in search of a superfight with ‘The Gypsy King’ Tyson Fury.
Questioned by host Dev Sahni about his willingness to take on a fight against Usyk at such an early stage of his career, Dubois was assured in his response: “I’d definitely take that on.
“It’s another big challenge and another big exciting fight. He’s a talented boxer with a good boxing brain and good all round movement.”
Former Cruiserweight kingpin Usyk would undoubtedly enter any such fight as the bookies favourite, owing to his wealth of experience, but ‘Dynamite’ believes he has the attributes to overcome the odds.
Asked what he has that would see him claim victory over Usyk, he said: “My athleticism, my speed, my youth and my power. All that put together.”
Ready to take on any challenge, Dubois also insists that should Joshua not vacate the title then he’d happily take part in a ‘Battle of Britain’ affair with AJ for the Gold.
When questioned on what kind of fighter would prove to be Olympic Gold medallist Joshua’s undoing, Dubois said someone who was “young and hungry”.
So, did the ambitious Greenwich prospect have anyone in mind?
“Yeah” he laughed, “me next!”
Before any World Title opportunity though, there’s a massive obstacle in his way by the name of Joe Joyce.
35-year-old Joyce boasts an undefeated record of his own, with 11 wins to his credit, and is backed by many within boxing to deliver a first defeat his younger foe.
Dubois however is convinced that he has the answers to any questions posed by ‘The Juggernaut’.
“Whatever he does I’ve got an answer for it. If he tries to move in and fight me that’ll be better for me, that’s what I want, but if he tries to box I can do that too. I’m not worried about what he’ll try and do.”
With another behind-closed-doors bout ahead of him, perhaps not for the last time, confident Dubois knows exactly what people can expect come November 28th when he faces off against Joyce.
“A knockout. A devastating finish.”
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The Queensberry Lowdown with Daniel Dubois, presented by Unibet, is live now on the Queensberry Official YouTube Channel.
LIVE VIDEO: Benn v Formella Workout LIVE!
BENN: I PLAN ON GOING IN THERE AND MAKING A STATEMENT
Conor Benn is planning on announcing himself on the world stage when he takes on former IBO Welterweight World Champion Sebastian Formella at the top of a bill at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday November 21, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.
‘The Destroyer’ (16-0, 11 KOs) heads into his toughest assignment to date in explosive form, having scored two big knockout wins in 2019, firstly obliterating Jussi Koivula in two brutal rounds at York Hall in June, and then taking out Steve Jamoye in four rounds at The O2 in October.
The 24-year-old Essex native knows he has his work cut out against Germany’s Formella (22-1, 10 KOs), who went the distance with two-time World Champion Shawn Porter last time out in his sole career defeat, but insists that fans can expect a “true Benn style” win this weekend.
“My life has changed drastically over the last six months,” said Benn. “Now that I’ve got a son coming it gives you a different perspective on life. I came into this game at 19. I haven’t got big amateur pedigree. It’s all learning. There’s no ceiling to my career so I think that’s the exciting thing about it.
“What’s great is the British public gets to see me blossom right before their eyes. From a novice who had a debut, to having a terrible second fight, to then knocking out a three-time European Title challenger and now fighting Sebastian Formella.
“Is it all going to be smooth sailing? No, of course it isn’t. At the end of the day, you’ve got the appreciate the downs and the ups, because that’s what makes the ups so special. This is all about legacy and striving for greatness.
“We’ve got a world level opponent in Sebastian Formella. His only loss came against Shawn Porter, and as we all know he lost on points. It’s a tough fight and a massive step up but I don’t believe he’s got anything that I need to worry about.
“Is he tricky? Is he this, is he that? Is he well experienced? Is he a 33-year-old man who’s just lost to Porter on points? I plan on going in there and making a statement, it doesn’t really bother me. They said the same about Koivula, people thought I was going to lose. He was a three-time European Title challenger, I banged him out in two.
“I’ll rise to the occasion. It’s all learning. It’s all growing. It’s a rollercoaster journey and god willing, I do the job on November 21. Is this a massive test? Yeah. Do I think I’m ready? Yeah, yeah I do. Am I going to go in there and try to stop him, to let him know what I’m about? Yeah I am. I plan on introducing myself to the world stage. This is the sort of fight that does that.
“I plan on really taking it to him. It doesn’t take a lot to get me going. With or without a crowd, a fight is a fight. I plan on winning this fight in true Benn style. I’ll find a way to win. Come November 21 I plan on showing exactly what I’m made of.”
Benn vs. Formella tops a big night of action in London, fresh from winning the English Heavyweight Title at Fight Camp, Fabio Wardley (9-0, 8 KOs) takes on Ghana’s Richard Lartey (14-3, 11 KOs), ‘The Savage’ Alen Babic (5-0, 5 KOs) meets Hatfield’s Tom Little (10-8, 3 KOs) over eight rounds, Donnington’s Liam Davies (7-0, 2 KOs) battles Liverpool’s Sean Cairns (7-2, 1 KO) for the English Bantamweight Title and BenRidings (3-0) meets Jez Smith (11-2-1, 5 KOs) over six rounds in a Middleweight contest.
MOLE IN THE CAMP? DUBOIS SAYS SHARING SPARRING PARTNER WITH JOYCE IS NO PROBLEM
DANIEL DUBOIS has dismissed concerns about his main sparring partner, Solomon Dacres, being signed to the same management firm as rival Joe Joyce by insisting “it won’t change anything”.
In just ten days’ time Dubois, considered by many to be the most exciting young prospect in Heavyweight boxing, takes on the biggest test of his short career when he steps up against the more experienced Joyce.
Preparations for such consequential scraps are usually shrouded in secrecy to ensure opponents don’t get sight of key tactics but Dubois and trainer Martin Bowers are fully aware that this time, that’s not the case.
That’s because Dynamite’s main sparring partner, talented Team GB Heavyweight Solomon Dacres, has recently signed a management deal with Joyce’s manager Sam Jones.
Since penning their deal Jones and Dacres have made no secret of the fact that the 27-year-old Birmingham bruiser has been flitting between the Peacock, to spar Dubois, and Stallards Gym in Surbiton to put Joe through his paces.
Confident Dubois couldn’t care less.
The 23-year-old Greenwich knockout artist said: “It’s not going to change anything on fight night. I’ve just got to get in there and put it all on the line. I’ll be ready for that.”
Asked whether he thought there was any intelligence on his preparations that Dacres could smuggle out to Joyce’s camp, Dubois added “I’m changing all the time anyway. Right now, I’m on a different level to what I was last week. I just keep stepping up.”
Daniel did accept that the sparring situation was unusual, suggesting “it’s a new one on me”, but says he doesn’t begrudge Dacres making decisions that are in his best interests.
“It’s boxing. You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I don’t begrudge these fighters, he’s out for himself and if that’s the path he’s taking I can’t say too much on that.”
Dubois and Joyce both boast unbeaten records, with the 15-0 Dubois coming off a second round stoppage of outmatched Dutch Heavyweight Ricardo Snijders.
Thanks to his impressive resume Dubois enters the fight with 11-0 Joyce as the bookies favourite, but that hasn’t stopped many pundits suggesting that if ‘Dynamite’ doesn’t finish Joyce early it could be ‘Juggernaut’ who leaves victorious.
Asked why so many people were pushing the ‘Dubois early or Joyce late’ narrative, Dubois said: “I’ve prepared for a full twelve rounds, if I have to go the distance. I’m getting ready to break him down, chop him down.”
“I’m going to bring everything I’ve got in me and put it on him. Let’s see if he can handle it.
“I’m sure a lot of people all over the world will be watching, especially with it being free to watch I think a lot of people will be tuning in. Because of the situation around the world, with people at home and stuff, this is the thing to watch.”
So whether it’s the coronavirus pandemic, the unbeaten Joe Joyce or the ‘mole in the camp’ Solomon Dacres, Dubois believes nothing will stand in his way.
“I’m going to be unstoppable. I’m just rising up and up. This is the next step for me and I just know what I can do.”
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The Queensberry Lowdown with Daniel Dubois, presented by Unibet, premieres on the Queensberry Official YouTube Channel tonight at 7pm
CANELO ALVAREZ MEETS CALLUM SMITH ON DECEMBER 19
Canelo Promotions and Matchroom Boxing are delighted to announce that Canelo Alvarez will take on Callum Smith for the WBA and Ring Magazine World Super-Middleweight titles on Saturday December 19, live on DAZN in 200+ countries and territories worldwide (excluding Mexico).
Alvarez (53-1-2 36 KOs) is back in action for the first time since knocking out Sergey Kovalev in November 2019 in Las Vegas, ripping the WBO World Light-Heavyweight title from the Russian to become a four-weight World ruler.
The Mexican superstar beat Smith’s old foe and fellow Liverpool fighter Rocky Fielding in December 2018 to win the WBA regular belt at 168lbs – his third weight to rule at – and will be gunning to follow his domination at Middleweight up to Super-Middle.
Smith (27-0 19 KOs) has landed the huge fight he has craved, and the powerful Brit will be out to cement his position as top dog at 168lbs. ‘Mundo’ landed the WBA and Ring belts he puts on the line with a clinical stoppage win over fellow countryman George Groves in the seventh round of final of the inaugural World Boxing Super Series in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in September 2018.
The 30 year old has defended the titles twice since, stopping Hassan N’Dam in New York in June 2019 and then outpointing John Ryder in his Liverpool hometown five months later. Smith will also be out for family revenge when he steps through the ropes, with Canelo having beaten Smith’s brother Liam in Texas in September 2016.
“I’m very happy to return to the ring and continue to make history,” said Canelo. “I am motivated to continue to be the best, and I look forward to fighting Callum Smith, who is one of the best at 168lbs.”
“We are very happy to return to the ring and close out the year with one more victory to continue demonstrating that Canelo is the best boxer on this planet,” said EddyReynoso, Sport and Talent director at Canelo Promotions and Canelo’s trainer.
“I’ve been wanting a big fight since becoming World champion, so I’m so pleased that during these challenging times we can deliver to the fans a fight between the very best in the division,” said Smith. “I truly believe I beat him and will prove that 168lbs is my division.”
“I’m delighted to be part of this huge fight to close out 2020 and deliver this opportunity for Callum Smith,” said Eddie Hearn, managing director of Matchroom Sport. “Canelo is a fearless competitor who constantly challenges himself against great champions and this will be a thrilling battle for 168lb supremacy. It’s a pleasure to be working with Canelo and Eddy Reynoso and we look forward to a spectacular event on December 19.”
“We’re thrilled to work with our great partners Canelo Alvarez, Eddy Reynoso and Matchroom on this new venture,” said Ed Breeze, DAZN EVP, Rights. “Canelo vs. Smith is a perfect fight to support DAZN’s global launch in December as we look forward to introducing the platform to sports fans around the world.”
An announcement on the venue for the fight will be made soon.
VIDEO: UFC 255 Embedded: Vlog Series – Episode 1
RJJ Boxing FACT SHEET
MAIN EVENT – VACANT WBC LATINO SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP (10)* Juan “Just Business” Barajas (11-0, 7 KOs), Victorville, California, USA vs. Brunbo “Tiburon” Sandoval (21-4-1, 17 KOs), México City, Distrito Federal, México
CO-FEATURE – HEAVYWEIGHTS (6)* Geovany “La Bestia” Bruzon (2-0, 2 KOs), Guatemala City, Guatemala by way of Cuba vs. Jose “El Titan” Vazquez (6-4-1, 3 KOs), Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
MIDDLEWEIGHTS (6)* Jesus “Mazo” Moroyoqui Palomares (5-0-1, 4 KOs), Navojoa, Sonora, México vs. Jaime Portillo (3-0, 3 KOs), Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México
LIGHTWEIGHTS (4)* Jesus Miguel Diaz Valenzuela (5-0-1, 4 KOs), Phoenix, Arizona, USA vs. Miguel Nides (0-0-1), Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México
LIGHTWEIGHTS (4) Jonathan Lopez (pro debut), Orlando, Florida, USA vs. Edwin “La Sombra” Salcido (3-3, 2 KOs), Agua Prieta, Sonora, México
(card subject to change) *denotes streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS
WHERE: Maninaterra Hotel & Spa Event Center in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
WHEN: Thursday, November 19, 2020
CO-PROMOTERS:RJJ Boxing Promotions and De La O Promotions
LIVE STREAM: Streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS®, the world’s leading digital subscription service for combat sports, boxing starts at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT To sign up for UFC FIGHT PASS, please visit www.ufcfightpass.com
BROADCASTERS: Sean Wheelock (blow-by-blow), and James “Smitty” Smith (color commentator)
