Kelly Swanson
Thanks media for joining us. We are here today to talk about the big matchup on Saturday, February 18th, Adrien Broner versus Adrian Granados from Cintas Center at Xavier University in Cincinnati and it will headline a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event.
The event is promoted by About Billions Promotions and Mayweather Promotions in association with TGB Promotions. Tickets for the live event start at $30 and are still available to purchase through Ticketmaster and the event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
Before we get to the participants, I’m going to introduce Chris DeBlasio, Senior Vice President, Sports Communications at Showtime Networks.
Chris DeBlasio
Thanks Kelly and thank you to the fighters for being on and to all the press for joining. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING winter schedule rolls on. As we had announced last October, our promise to our subscribers and to fight fans is that we would pit the top-rated fighters against the top-rated fighters in the deepest and most talent-laden divisions in boxing.
So far we have seen spectacular results. Just a brief recap, back in December we saw Jermall Charlo in a brutal knockout win over Julian Williams. We saw Abner Mares reassert himself against Jesus Cuellar and win a world title back.
The turn of the year on Jan. 14th we witnessed a thrilling super middleweight championship unification bout where Badou Jack and James DeGale were in a thrilling fight. On the undercard of that event, we saw a breakout performance from Gervonta Davis, who beat Jose Pedraza for his first world title.
Davis is now one of the youngest world champions today and just two weeks ago still fresh in our minds, Leo Santa Cruz won an awesome majority decision over Carl Frampton. That was another fantastic fight at featherweight and we saw an incredible Knockout of the Year candidate on that card from resurgent Mikey Garcia.
Mikey didn’t just knock out another champion, a paper champion of sorts or any type of middling contender. He beat one of the toughest guys at lightweight in spectacular fashion, so it’s pretty plain to see there’s no one making a bigger commitment to the sport of boxing than SHOWTIME.
We are consistently delivering the strongest lineup of fights directly to our subscribers and we appreciate all of you in the press as you guys have made note of that. Our subscribers have responded and tuned-in in larger number and we’re excited to continue next week on Feb. 18th.
There’s no prohibitive favorite, no look-good or stay-busy fight on this card. Adrien Broner versus Adrian Granados, both men are in need of a big win to lineup that next world title shot. For Broner we all know what he’s capable of. He’s a four-division world champion and one of the most popular fighters in the sport, still in the prime of his career.
Adrian Granados is very comfortable in the underdog role. You can look no further than his stunning upset of Amir Imam last year. Just a bit of housekeeping here. The SHOWTIME telecast is going to air live on the 18th of Feb. at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT.
We had a short video feature that we released yesterday titled The Reveal with Mark Kriegel. This edition was on Adrien Broner and The Reveal, as you may know, is where Mark sits down with boxing’s biggest stars and he engages in candid conversations about life, about motivations and challenges and more.
Each of the interviews that Mark does for this series The Reveal, they’re unique, as unique as the subject in them and the one with Adrien Broner is probably the strongest we’ve produced so far so Adrien thank you for that candor in that and I encourage all the press to check it out.
We’ll have one on Adrian Granados available later this week so with that I thank you for your time and I’ll turn it back to you Kelly so we can get to the fighters.
K. Swanson
Thanks so much, Chris. We’re going to start with Mr. Broner himself and before he gets on the line I just want to say that he is wearing two hats as his company About Billions is very busy these days.
They have a big fight in Toledo, Ohio which will be Robert Easter versus Luis Cruz, that’s Premier Boxing Champions: The Next Round on Bounce at the Huntington Center in Easter’s hometown. That begins at 9:00 pm ET so Mr. Broner is acting both as a promoter and also preparing for his fight as Chris mentioned, he’s a former four-division world champion and has held world titles at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds.
He’s a thrilling fighter, very, very popular and I have to say myself watching The Reveal that there was a wonderful maturity and self-awareness that I’m so happy that Adrien has come to feel as he worked through his own legacy as a boxing champion. Mr. Broner are you on the call and could you make some opening comments before we give it to the press, Adrien?
Adrien Broner
Well, I really don’t have much to say. It’s fight time right now so you can bring them all in and I’m ready to answer all questions.
Q
How’s the weight going and do you think you’ll have any issues making the weight this time around?
A. Broner
Training camp has been great and like I said before, I’m just ready to fight and ready to go out here and put on a great show not only for the city but for boxing and we’re going to step it up from here on out.
I’m really not worried about the weight right now. It’s all about staying focused and putting on a great show for boxing.
Q
How different do you feel this time around Adrien?
A. Broner
I’ve just been more focused. Less distractions and just tunnel vision.
Q
Do you find that you’ve been able to be a lot more productive in training because of that?
A. Broner
Even in my last fight with the distractions, I still got a TKO so, let’s fight without the distractions and I can only put only a greater show.
Q
Adrien, what is your expectation with you and SHOWTIME for this year?
A. Broner
Well, I don’t look past any opponent and I don’t try to look past any fight so I just take it a fight at a time and my main focus right now is next week, February 18th.
Q
What is your experience fighting with guys like Adrian Granados?
A. Broner
I know he’s a tough competitor, world-class fighter and that’s why I picked him so he can bring the best out of Adrien Broner.
Q
What do you project for your weight class for your next fight?
A. Broner
Right now like I said before I’m really not worried about any weight situation. All I want to do is win and put on a great show for my fans.
Q
Adrien how helpful is it for you to go back, train in your neighborhood where you came from and realize where you came from and kind of help you to appreciate what you have now?
A. Broner
It helped a lot. It’s a humbling situation. I’ve been living the fast life and I’ve calmed down a lot and just coming back home and just seeing everything. It just brings me back down, right, so I’m in a great mind state right now and I’m just ready to put on a great show.
Q
How have your children changed your perspective?
A. Broner
It changed a lot. It’s not about me anymore, it’s about my children and that’s what I’ve based my career off of now. I’m doing everything for them.
Q
It seems like you’re kind of reenergizing yourself for another opponent with an opponent this tough. Is that what you were thinking?
A. Broner
Yes, I just know what I’m doing. To bring out the best Adrien Broner I have to have a nice opponent in front of me and that’s why I picked a nice opponent.
Q
My last question is about the potential for fighting for a title. Does that play into your mind? Would that be something you’re looking for if you do everything you’re training to do?
A. Broner
If you looked at my last two fights, you know nobody never stopped Khabib. Nobody never stopped Ashley. If I have a chance to stop Adrian Granados, then I’m going to take it.
Q
Where does what sounds like honest to goodness maturity come from at this point?
A. Broner
The situations, man, and just wanting to do better and be in better situations. That’s all. When you try to do it your way and it don’t work, then you got to make the right choices and start following all the right steps.
Q
Do you feel like that at this point of your career and of your life that you’ve figured-out a better way to handle the fame and the money and the stuff that goes along with being a famous athlete than you did maybe a few years ago?
A. Broner
I was young. I’m pretty sure a lot of people who’ve been as successful as me or even more successful than I am today, have been through a lot of the same things and I know one person to have and that’s Floyd Mayweather and he tells me all the time ‘You’re going to be okay.’
He says, ‘I’ve done some of the things you’ve done before but it’s all about learning from your situations,’ and that’s what I’m doing, I’m learning from my situations and now it’s just time to grow up.
Q
Can you even calculate how many rounds you did with this Granados and how were those sparring sessions?
A. Broner
We’ve done numerous rounds and I know he’s tough as nails and he’s got to bring it when he comes to fight me so I know this has a chance to be a Fight of the Year type of fight, but we’ll see once the bell rings.
Q
Is it correct to say then at various times you each had the better of one another?
A. Broner
This is boxing, you have good days, you have bad days but at the end of the day if you’re having more good days than bad days, everything’s okay. You’re going to have a day where something happens or you’re just not that focused that you should be and a fighter get off but at the end of the day, as long as you do what you got to do, you’ll be okay.
Q
Would you say that you and Adrian were friendly with one another?
A. Broner
Aw, man, of course. Of course. I love him. I love him to death.
Q
Okay, got you so this is one of those fights where and we’ve seen this lots of time in boxing where guys are real cool with each other outside the ring. They go and they try to win the fight, they try to do their best to beat the heck out of each other but when it’s over, friends again, right?
A. Broner
Of course. He’s a stud, I mean, he’s a stand-up guy. Anytime he needed me, I was there for him and it’s still the same way today.
Q
When you sparred Granados, was there a moment in camp that kind of got your attention or respect for Granados?
A. Broner
What happens in the gym I try to keep it in the gym, but I can say that every time that we sparred, he earned it, every time and like I always said, he’s a hell of a fighter.
Q
As you know Ed Brown was shot in December. I was just wondering if you had any thoughts on that? You know, he was pretty close to Granados and I understand you knew him as well.
A. Broner
Ed Brown was a hell of a guy, a special type of talent. I knew him since the amateurs. He was actually a close friend to me, but at the end of the day like I told Adrian in camp, there’s just some people you can’t save, you can’t save everybody and was a heartbreaking situation for Adrian but I was there.
I was a shoulder to lean on and I was there. He got through it and I tried to make his days better.
K. Swanson
Okay, Adrien any final thoughts before we let you go and congratulations on your promotion this Friday night too. About Billions is making a lot of about noise.
A. Broner
This weekend it’s about Rau’shee Warren and Robert Easter, Jr. and you know, it’s going to be a hell of a card it should be a sold-out event and then next week we got another electrifying card with great fights on the undercard and the main event is me, Adrien against Adrian, Adrien with an E and Adrian with an A in the end and the best Adrien shall win.
K. Swanson
Great, thank you. That’s an awesome statement. Okay, so we’re going to let you go because we know you’re busy and we will now have the media talk to Adrian Granados.
The hard-hitting contender Granados fights out of Chicago and he enters this bout against Adrien Broner on a five-bout winning streak including a very impressive stoppage over the then-unbeaten top contender Amir Iman in November of 2015.
So Adrian, I’d like you to make some opening comments about your upcoming bout against Adrien Broner on Saturday, February 18th from Cincinnati and live on SHOWTIME and then we’ll open it up for media questions.
Adrian Granados
Yes, I just wanted to say just thank you to God, thank you to my promoter TGB Promotions, my management team Journeyman Management, my team here in Chicago, my family and everyone who supported me. This has been a long time coming and a hard-earned fight and thank the lord I’ve got this opportunity and I look to become successful with this fight next Saturday.
Q
Adrien Broner was just saying on his version of the call that he discussed the Ed Brown situation with you after Ed’s tragedy and tried to help you through it. Can you elaborate on that and maybe how much he was able to maybe help you through that?
A. Granados
Me and Adrien Broner, we did develop a friendship during camp and it was a mutual respect.
He was there for me just like I was there for him, when he was having his scare, on the social media that everybody was worried about him, I guess he reached-out to his people and told them, I was there for him and I know he was there for me too during my tragic loss of my good friend Ed Brown.
At the end of the day, we’re both men and we’re both human, so when things like what has happened to both of us in the past few months happened, you kind of put the business and the boxing out the window and you worry about the person so yes, I appreciate him for that.
Q
What was he able to tell you that maybe helped you a little bit?
A. Granados
Just knowing that he was there, that was it, I mean, I had to get through that myself. I didn’t need anybody to tell me anything. Ed Brown, that was my best friend in boxing, that was my little brother in boxing.
I knew him the most out of anybody in the boxing world just because we spent the last 12 years pretty much side by side here in Chicago, we were pretty much always with him in the juniors as the lower weight and then once he got older, he was right under me at 132 and I was representing at 141 so like I said we were brothers of the ring and we spent countless days here at the gym, I used to pick him up, I used to drop him off.
I used to always tell him to stay out of trouble and like Adrien said there’s some people that you can’t save but that doesn’t change that I lost a good friend and a good man. He was just a great kid, he was always smiling, always positive vibes from him and you know, it was a terrible loss for boxing.
Q
Can you give me your view of how those sparring sessions [with Broner] went?
A. Granados
Yes, it was a great experience. It reaffirmed to myself that I belonged at that level, they were very competitive sparring sessions. They were very exciting and it was like I said it was just a reminder that I belong at this level.
I helped prepare Juan Manuel Márquez for his fight again Juan Diaz when he beat him by knockout and like I said it was a reminder that I belong at that level because as I was competitive with Juan Manuel Márquez, I was just as competitive with Adrien Broner and just what I got from the sparring was like if we ever fought, it’s going to be a very entertaining, very competitive, very high action fight.
That’s definitely what I’m expecting next Saturday. It’s going to be exciting for boxing. It’s going to be exciting for SHOWTIME and the people there in Cincinnati, Ohio, so it’s just going to be a great fight. I have a feeling like we’re going to make a classic.
Q
Do you think the sparring means anything when the bell rings in the real fight or does that all go out the window?
A. Granados
Yes, I’m definitely old school and I think that goes out the window when we’re under the bright lights, smaller gloves, no headgear, it’s going to be a free for all and may the best man win and the best man will win that night. Sparring is completely different from a fight, the show and the lights and just the atmosphere so I’m not banking on the sparring sessions we had.
I know that I can compete with him and that I can beat him and I know he feels the same way about me so that’s why we’re in the fight and it’s going to be an electrifying night come the 18th.
Q
What would a victory against Adrien Broner mean for you?
A. Granados
It would be a huge victory for me. I definitely believe it could change my life and the life of my family and the life of my teammates. I plan on coming-out with that victory however I understand the odds and the way that they’re stacking it up.
I’ve been in there with some great fighters myself like Lanardo Tyner, Kermit Cintron, Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz, Frankie Gomez, undefeated Brad Solomon.
Adrien Broner’s a different caliber of fighter but I’ve got some thick skin myself because I know I won a lot of those losses.
I could easily be undefeated. I’ve always been the B-side and always had the odds stacked-up against me so I just got to thrive in the underdog position and which I plan to and yes, this is definitely the biggest fight of my career and I plan on taking full advantage of it.
Q
Was there a letdown in your last fight after beating Iman or what was the deal?
A. Granados
No, I was working on some different things I wanted to get my miles in, however, I did suffer an accidental head butt and I was actually sick with diarrhea actually for that fight. I actually had to use the washroom the whole day after the win. There was a yogurt that I had that was expired and it just didn’t sit well so I pretty much going to the washroom even one last time I had to go, before I went out to fight so it was just I was very dehydrated and that’s just a lot of things that you don’t know about that fight but either way, I got my rounds in.
Once I got going I got sharp again and just got back to work and Ariel came to fight. He knew this was a good opportunity for him to get another good payday but yes, there was an accidental head butt and I was suffering from diarrhea during that fight but I did finish the fight and I won, and that’s all that matters.
Q
What is it in your mind that makes you believe that you can beat him?
A. Granados
I just believe I’m a better fighter. He’s a tremendous fighter, a tremendous talent, I just believe that people underestimate my talent and they only see me as a one-sided fighter and one type of style and one type of skillset but there’s plenty there that the boxing world doesn’t know about me and I plan on giving them a hint of that February 18th.
Q
What weight is the fight at?
A. Granados
Yes, it is actually at 147. It was 142, but however it’s 147 now and this is just the way it is.
Q
So what happened, so the fight was initially made at a catch weight of 142 and then did Broner’s side ask for it to be at welterweight?
A. Granados
Yes, they did and it was kind of a take it or leave it offer so, I’m obviously not going to pass up on this opportunity and I accepted.
Q
Do you buy that this is a new Adrien Broner or do you think it’s going to be the old Broner? What do you think about all the talk that he’s a different guy for this fight?
A. Granados
I mean, that’s all up to him, I don’t worry about who I’m fighting or what their preparations are and what they’re doing. I have to worry about myself and that I’m the best Adrian Granados.
Good for him if that’s what it is and if it’s not he’s still a good guy. I know him as a real man and as a true competitor so more power to him if he’s turning a new page in his life and God bless him.
Q
If Adrien knows how tough this fight is going to be and you guys are capable of being so emotionally close and he knows how good you are, why would he choose you to fight in such a difficult situation coming off of a 10-month layoff and what does that say about him?
A. Granados
I totally respect that. I think he’s a great true competitor. I know he was brought-up the right way but once he got to the new level, he took a lot of tough fights that he didn’t have to, Marcos Maidana being one, Shawn Porter being another one, myself included, we’ve seen, he’s a true competitor.
He wants to be a great fighter and he wants to be remembered as a great fighter and that’s why I respect him for taking this fight, it’s at a time when really nobody’s trying to fight and no, there were talks of so many fights that would get on and fall off, get on and fall off.
I’ve been going through hell this past year waiting on a big fight and finally I got one and although yes, we do have a friendship and a mutual respect, we know we’re in the business and we’re not into team sports and there can only be one.
One of the fights he was talking with Ricky Burns and at the time I was the highest ranked available fighter because I know Number 1 and 2 had fights already setup and I was ranked Number 3 by the WBA and now I’m Number 5 but either way, yes, I mean, this is a true attribute to his competitive spirit.
A lot of people they didn’t want to fight me and I was calling people out and him included and he accepted it so I mean, this is great and it shows how much of a real man he really is.
Q
You just think he wants to bring out the best in himself and put it really put it on the line or do you think there’s a part of him that says I know he’s good but I have a little bit better?
A. Granados
It’s a little bit of both, he wants me to bring out the best in him and yes, obviously if he’s taken this fight, he believes he can beat me so that is what it is and I appreciate what SHOWTIME is doing putting on a great fight and giving me this opportunity and definitely giving boxing the best versus the best.
Q
You had said that or he had said that when Ed Brown was killed, you and Adrien were in camp together. Were you in camp together and if so, what camp was that?
A. Granados
That was the first time Ed was shot, the first time Ed was shot, I was in camp with him at the end of the Maidana fight. They all knew that Ed was very close to me. They all knew Ed Brown too so yes, he looked out.
That was my guy. The black and brown twin kids of Chicago, we were always at the same shows together. We were always good to see each other. If you seen me and I seen him, there was always a smile.
So you know it’s different here at the gym that we train at because he was the heart of this place and I feel like now I have this huge burden because everybody who sees me now thinks of Ed, and they’re like oh man, Ed always spoke so highly about you, and I feel like I have to be twice as great for both of us now.
Q
Can you characterize your give-and-take sparring sessions with each other?
A. Granados
Yes, they were electrifying sparring sessions, we were putting on a show for the camp and yes, that was bloody, some days we were both bloody. There were just two dogs trying to get at each other and I was quiet at first but I mean, I’m from the neighborhood, from the streets too, you can’t get too tough for me.
I’m raised in Chicago, we’re the murder capital of the world right now so I have some stuff to say back and that was entertaining, I actually got a lot more respect like, okay he’s not going to take that and he can talk some of his own too so it was cool afterwards.
We would just shake hands and go work and we would just chop it up, we got to kick it outside of the ring too and then he was a real cool dude. Like I said, everybody got their own outlook on him but I seen him as a cool ass dude.
He was down to earth, funny and he was a good cat, and it was electrifying sparring and it’s going to make for an electrifying fight and sparring is going to be completely different from the fight because you got less leather and no headgear and it’s just going to be me and him and we’ll see what happens.
Q
Have you ever fought at 147-pounds before?
A. Granados
Yes, plenty of times. I’ve fought Lanardo Tyner there, I fought Kermit Cintron there, Brad Solomon, also I fought the BKB fight with Jesus Soto Karass. The weigh-in actually was 150 for that fight.
Q
Are you going to come-in at 147 or you going to come-in lighter than that?
A. Granados
We’ll see what my body actually tips it off at, I believe he got sick and that’s what kind of threw off his camp. I was sick too as well. I was still planning on making 142 but he just made it easy on both of us and I still expect a competitive and an even fight and it’s going to be a great fight.
K. Swanson
All right, do you have any last thoughts Adrian before we let you go and wrap this call up?
A. Granados
Win, lose or draw, just know I’m coming to win. It’s going to be a great fight. Action-packed, Adrien versus Adrian, an A versus the E, AB versus AG so it’s just going to be a great competitive fight and the best man will win.
# # #
ABOUT ADRIEN BRONER vs. ADRIAN GRANADOS
Adrien Broner vs. Adrian Granados will take place Saturday, February 18 from the Cintas Center at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH live on SHOWTIME. Televised coverage on begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with unbeaten light heavyweight contender Marcus Browne meeting hard-hitting former title challenger Thomas Williams Jr. in a 10-round showdown. Also featured will be WBA Welterweight Champion David Avanesyan battling former two-time world champion Lamont Peterson.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by About Billions Promotions and Mayweather Promotions in association with TGB Promotions and K1 Promotions, are priced at $250, $100, $75, $50 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online atwww.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @AdrienBroner, @ElTigreAG, @SHOSports, @ShowtimeBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @CintasCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.
