“HISTORY AT THE CAPITOL” BERNARD HOPKINS VS. BEIBUT SHUMENOV FIGHTER MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

Bernard Hopkins
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 16, 2014) – Several of the featured fighters for Saturday’s “History at the Capitol” event at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. worked out for media members at Bald Eagle Recreation Center in Washington, D.C. The SHOWTIME tripleheader headlined by future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins against Beibut Shumenov in an epic light heavyweight world championship unification.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.

Below please find what the fighters had to say at today’s workout.

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“I think my longevity has a lot to do with the early preparation in my life and my career. I took care of myself like I always have for the last 20 years and I’m reaping the benefits now.

“A lot of it has to do with just what I do and don’t put in my body. A lot of long-term discipline and staying the course, and not derailing many times during down time, or binging on things that aren’t good for you. I think that plays a big role in longevity.

“I’ll say that Shumenov is saying the right things because anything else contrary to that would hurt the fight and will not help ticket sales. People want to see you when you’re still relevant, so to me this is the time to show and perform on a worldwide stage.

“Shumenov wants to make a name for himself by defeating me. All the young guns want to make it big, and beating me would do that for Shumenov, but that’s not going to happen.

“To me, there are no butterflies. I’m eager, but it’s controlled for that moment to come and then we’ll have the fireworks. That’s the good part about it. I’m on stage, and as any entertainer loves the stage, you love the attention.

“Washington, D.C. is the nation’s capital. This is part of the foundation of East Coast boxing. So when you talk about D.C., you also say Philly and New York. There’s rich tradition and it’s all about history here.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Super Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I’m feeling great, most of the work has been done. I cannot wait to show what I am capable of.

“To show the world that I am the best light heavyweight in the world.

“I haven’t missed any days of training. Every day after my workout my body was exhausted and the next day I was always excited to go to the gym. Every day was valuable for me, every day I saw improvement. It made me happy to go to the gym.”

SHAWN PORTER, IBF Welterweight World Champion
“I’m excited to being fighitng in D.C. for the first time. I’ve been training well and the team is working very hard. We’re excited to get out there Saturday night and show what we can do.

“Paulie is a good fighter, he’s skillful, crafty and smart. I have everything it takes to beat him, I’m just as fast, just as quick. We’re going to go after him Saturday night.”

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, NABF Welterweight Champion

“I enjoy being here, it’s experience. I fought in D.C. in the amateurs, and this is my first time as a professional. So this is a great welcome back.

“I think Bernard can do amazing things at his age, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues to do that for many more fights.

“Shawn Porter is a young, hungry guy who wants to make his mark on the sport, but I’m in his way. He’s aggressive. He’s got a certain physicality, but we’ll be ready for him.”

PETER QUILLIN, WBO Middleweight World Champion

“I’ve been in there working on my ability and showing what I can do. Nobody can beat me.

“What do I know about my opponent? I know he’s bald and that he’s from the Czech Republic. I also know he has a white hat on today and that he didn’t want to say ‘hello’ to me.

“This is a business, and when you get out of the ring, you’re going to get your check. There’s nothing emotionally involved in that. I just know that I’m coming here to handle business.

“I trained superbly for this fight. I know I have a lot riding on me, and that doesn’t discourage me. I just know that I have to work hard, and stay focused, hungry, and motivated, and stay inspirational to my fans. That’s what it’s all about.”

LUKAS KONECNY, WBO European Champion & Former WBO Interim Junior Middleweight Champion
“I expect a first class fight, he’s a good champion but not a great one. I want to take the belt home with me.

“I’m training twice a day, like I’ve done for over 20 years. I’ve got a lot of experience. I’ve been wathcing his fights with my trainer and I think we have a great plan.”

SADAM ALI, Undefeated Welterweight & 2009 U.S. Olympian

“I know my opponent has a lot of experience. He’s a veteran. I know I’ve learned from him, and he’s a good fighter. I’m not underestimating anybody. I’m training hard, and I’m just ready to go out there and do what I do.

“I don’t really have a game plan for anybody really. Once I see what kind of style they have, I know what to do right away. I don’t have to know who I’m fighting months before. It could be a week before my fight, and I find out who I’m fighting and I know what to do.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Junior Welterweight Prospect

“Training has been going good. It’s an honor for me to be fighting here on Bernard Hopkins’ undercard on Saturday.

“It’s been great, we work hard like we always do and I can’t wait to fight on Saturday. I know I have a tough opponent, but it’s my time to show the world what I’ve got.

“I know my opponent is a tough guy. He’s a tough veteran and he’s got a lot of fights -a lot more fights than me- but it’s my time to go out there and do my job and handle my business.

“We’ve been doing things like we always do. We stick to the game plan. I’m not going to say too much, but we do what we do. We work hard. We make sure we’re always in good shape, and we have a game plan that we’re going to stick to and do what we’ve got to do.”

MARCUS BROWNE, Undefeated Light Heavyweight & 2012 U.S. Olympian

“Bernard is a legend in my weight class, and it’s just like going to school. I have my fight of course and I take care of business, and then I go and take notes and learn what I can learn from the greats.

“My professional debut and my second fight were in California. But getting to fight in D.C. is great. I get to show my talent here and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s not right around the corner, but it’s like being down the block from New York City.

“This is a boxing town. So I just want to go out there and do what I have to do and look impressive.”

D’MITRIUS BALLARD, Undefeated Super Middleweight Prospect from Washington, D.C.
“I know that my opponent is from Kansas City, but I don’t know too much about his style.

“I know that my opponent is a southpaw so I’m working on that. I’ve just been working my way through my punches so they’re ready.”

LAMONT ROACH, Washington, D.C. Lightweight Prospect

“It feels great to make my professional debut. I’m ready.

“Puerto Ricans are very good fighters, so we’ll see what my opponent has to bring to the table.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




BERNARD HOPKINS & ZACHARY OCHOA PHILADELPHIA MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

Bernard Hopkins
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (April 10, 2014) – Future Hall of Famer and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins worked out in front of a throng of reporters Thursday at DSG Boxing Gym in Philadelphia as he winds down preparation for his Saturday, April 19, World Championship Unification against Beibut Shumenov.

Hopkins, the IBF titleholder, and Shumenov, the WBA Super Champion, will square off in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING world championship tripleheader at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C., live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), immediately following the premiere of Episode 1 of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana.

At 49-years-old, “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KOs), of Philadelphia, is looking to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles, while Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs), of Shymkent, Kazakhstan, is aiming to become the fastest fighter to unify the light heavyweight division with only 15 professional fights.

Tonight on SHOWTIME EXTREME (10 p.m. ET/PT), SHOWTIME Sports® will re-air Hopkins’ unanimous decision over Karo Murat (last Oct. 26 from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City) followed by Shumenov’s knockout of Tamas Kovacs (last Dec. 14 from the Alamodome in San Antonio).

In the April 19 co-main event, IBF Welterweight World Champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter will defend his title against former two-time and two-division word champion Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi. In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME telecast, undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin will put his title on the line against former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Lukas Konecny.

Joining Hopkins at Thursday’s workout was undefeated junior welterweight prospect Zachary Ochoa, who will square off against Hector Marengo in the second of three bouts that will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Here’s what the participants had to say after Thursday’s workouts:

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion

“If you don’t respect your job, it’s going to disrespect you and kill you.

“To be 49-years-old, approaching 50 and knocking on the door of being a senior citizen. It’s a profound statement of my dedication.

“It’s sweeter now to be here with everybody. Everything I do is history. If you had one more chance to see something that you loved before you never see it again…here I am. You’ll have a chance to see history. You can tell your grandkids about what you saw today at Danny Garcia’s gym.

“Taking the test without studying is like taking a fight without being in the gym. The gym is studying. The test is April 19. You can put the cart in front of the horse if you’re a fool and I think people would agree I’m no fool.

“I’m a guy that loves the craft and respects the craft. You can love something, but it doesn’t mean you respect it. Love is the emotional part; respect is the dedication and hard work. That attitude and that demeanor is always going to be there. That’s just who I am.

“I’m still having fun. That’s the thing that a lot of us miss. I’m having more fun now than when I was in the middle or beginning of my career. There were a lot more things I had to go through in my life, but I’m having more fun now than I had in the last 16 years. Since about 40-years-old, we’re talking nine years later. It’s a big deal. I don’t want to downplay it.

“Name another athlete in this country that is doing it at this age and winning, not just competing, but fighting the top fighters in the world. This guy is no run-of-the-mill guy, he’s a threat. I’m not fighting a cream puff; this isn’t a bum of the month club. I’m fighting real dudes. These guys are hardcore, hungry and top contenders.

“The sweet science that has been missing in this sport. We hate violence, but we love it. People don’t look at the sweet science like I do in this ring. The game is to hit and not get hit.

“You can overthink or over study for a test. There’s a time and a place for everything. You have to look at some tape, but I can’t sit there every day watching and watching. Your mind starts playing tricks on you. You start seeing things you aren’t really seeing. I want some element of surprise, so I can check it right there.

“I’m not going to be surprised by his style. There’s nothing he can do that I haven’t seen. Can he say the same thing?

“I’m fresher now, living the same lifestyle. Taking care of my body the same way I did them. I’m in better shape now and with wisdom.

“I don’t get caught up in anybody else’s business where it becomes negative to me. I have tunnel vision. Everything is looking towards my fight. I don’t get sidetracked.

“Shumenov wants to make a name, like everyone else. What better place to make a name than against me?

“I’m from the old school but I’m stuck in the new era.”

ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Junior Welterweight Prospect

“This is my second day training at Danny Garcia’s gym. I came because Danny gave me an open invitation so I was here Monday and he invited me back.

“Every time I fight on a Hopkins undercard its history. That’s what he is.

“I’ve never been to D.C. in my life and this is my first time in Philly. I’m a Brooklyn kid. I’m not nervous, just excited.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




BERNARD “THE ALIEN” HOPKINS AND BEIBUT SHUMENOV MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

Bernard Hopkins
Kelly Swanson
This week has been jam-packed with information about the April 19 ‘History at the Capitol. Yesterday, we did a conference call with the undercard fighters, and now, we have our main event fighters available today to talk to the press. I’m very excited about it.

Bernard Hopkins, the IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion, certainly a future first ballot Hall of Famer is on the phone; along with Beibut Shumenov, who is the WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Champion. I think it’s going to be an amazing unification bout; let’s go ahead and talk a little bit more about the fight and its particulars as well as introduce the fighters. I’d like to introduce Bruce Binkow, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Golden Boy Promotions.

Bruce Binkow
We’re very, very excited about this one, and I personally can’t wait as I know a lot of you can’t. It’s a great tripleheader. It’s called ‘History at the Capitol.’ The main event is outstanding, Hopkins versus Shumenov. The co-main, Shawn Porter and Paulie Malignaggi is a fight that a lot of people want to see, and the telecast will open with Peter Quillin versus Lukas Konecny. It’s going to be a great night. It’s Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. It’s promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and brought to you by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. The telecast will be on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern and Pacific Time. There are tickets still available starting at just $25. The tickets can be had at Ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations. The Dc Armory Box Office is open on fight night only starting at 3 p.m.

So, without further ado, let’s get right to the main event. I’d like to start by introducing to you all, Beibut Shumenov. Shumenov is 14-1 with 9 KOs. He’s a native of Shymkent, Kazakhstan, but fights now out of Las Vegas, Nev. He was a 2004 Olympian for his home country. What’s amazing about Beibut aside from his talent is that he made his way up the ranks of the light heavyweight division with amazing speed. He won his first title in 2009 in just his eighth professional fight, and then, he added soon thereafter his WBA title in 2010. Since 2010, he’s successfully defended his title five times. So, this April 19h, he’s going to get a shot at the big one, which is the legend, Bernard Hopkins, and Shumenov is hoping to etch his name in history with a victory on the 19th. So, with that, Beibut, if you’d like to make an opening comment before we open it up for questions, ladies and gentlemen, Beibut Shumenov.

Beibut Shumenov
Hello, everyone. I’m very excited that I’m fighting with Bernard Hopkins, one of the greatest fighters and a future Hall of Famer. So, everything has been great. I’m in the final stage of my preparation camp. So, everything is great. I am looking forward to showing all my capabilities on April 19 in Washington, D.C.

B. Binkow
Now, I’d like to introduce a man that needs no introduction. As a matter of fact, you almost run out of things to say about Bernard. If you’re on this conference call, you know everything there is to know about Bernard Hopkins, so I’m not going to recite all of the amazing stats and the history and the triumphs that this man has experienced and given us through his performances in the ring, but I will just say something that we talked about when we were on our press conferences and that is I truly believe that what Bernard is doing, the level in which he’s competing as a professional athlete, in one of the toughest sports that there is at this point in his life is nothing short of remarkable. If it was any other sport, I think that he would be getting a lot more mainstream media attention, and it’s my mission to make sure that people experience the joy of watching Bernard do his thing before he finally hangs it up, whenever that’s going to be.

He’s been called ‘The Executioner,’ more recently ‘The Alien.’ I’d like to introduce to you Bernard ‘The Alien’ Hopkins.

Bernard Hopkins
Thank you, Bruce, and thanks to all the sponsors and everybody that’s had a hand in promoting this tripleheader coming up in Washington, D.C. Any of those three fights can easily be main events on any night, so that’s the bang for your buck if you can tell me that something else can match that in three championship fights. So, I’m looking forward to being the main event on that and also making a statement like I’ve done many times before.

I’m used to this type of dance, and I’m just hoping that people will tune in whether they are there personally or at home and checking it out so they can witness the three major championship fights on the same card, which is not done often in boxing.

Q
Beibut, can you talk about what the reason was for your two lengthy layoffs and was that by your design or was it just problems getting fights or you weren’t signed with a promoter or what was going on there?

B. Shumenov
At that time, I was promoting myself and we tried to make a fight against Cleverly; it didn’t happen, and then, we tried to make a unification title fight against Chad Dawson. Again, we didn’t get any success. So, I couldn’t get any of those big names, and I couldn’t get to all those big networks. That’s why I got stuck and couldn’t do anything.

Q
So, was it a matter of when you came to make your deal with Golden Boy Promotions that they outlined a plan where they said hey, we’ll get you in the ring, we’ll give you a fight, it turned out to be the Kovacs fight and then after that, we’ll get you that big fight with Bernard Hopkins?

B. Shumenov
They didn’t mention Bernard, but I told them to my manager, Mr. Al Haymon and then to Richard Schaefer that I want to fight who’s the best. I want to keep fighting until I fight for all of the championship belts. So, I want to fight all those champions.

Q
Does it offend you that no one says what about Shumenov against Stevenson because they’re sort of overlooking you I guess a little bit against Bernard Hopkins? What are your thoughts about that?

B. Shumenov
Like I said, my main goal is to unify all the titles and I’m not thinking ahead. I’m only concentrated and focused on my upcoming fight against Bernard Hopkins, and it kind of motivates me more. They’re only talking about Bernard facing Adonis Stevenson. It motivates me more. I don’t care. It makes me train even harder. It makes me be a better fighter.

Q
What are your thoughts about fighting a guy with so few fights compared to the legendary resume that you’ve compiled over your 20-plus year career?

B. Hopkins
If you look at Shumenov, you look at Shumenov’s record, you can be blinded and misled by that, he has to give you some type of blueprint to say if you’re not thinking multiple ways. You’re thinking one way, then you think what you see. But I’m smart enough to understand that when a guy has a pedigree of an amateur record, as far as I’m concerned, they need to send people to fight amateurs with 100-something fights that come out of there basically closed, they just don’t have they license yet, and that’s a big debate in amateur boxing right now.

I’m very wise in this game, and I understand when you have a pedigree and it goes deep in the Olympics for his country, Kazakhstan, it’s something that he understands the big stage. He’s been around the championship level without even having a title at the top.

So, I’m not underestimating him. I’m in a position right now where I haven’t been in many, many years, and that is people overlooking my opponent. People have overlooked Bernard Hopkins even with titles. I mean I have records to prove, but at the same time, I know what that can do to a guy. It can motivate a guy and also can put pressure on a guy, and that’s the blessing and that’s the education that I come from both sides. I’m still around to understand how he feels and how he has to be motivated, what motivates him, and that’s dealing with the IQ and that’s dealing with the experience and that’s the luxury that I have in the game today amongst anybody I fight whether it’s Shumenov, whether it’s Stevenson, or whoever you name. It doesn’t matter because I’ve been here longer than any boxer that’s boxing right now in a respectful level and position, and I think that’s an honor.

Q
What is your opinion about that aspect of sort of knowing that you have an even bigger fight perhaps in the future if everything goes good for you in April and also your thoughts about Stevenson making that jump because he’s wanted you certainly much more than he’s wanted Kovalev.

B. Hopkins
Well, first of all, it’s good for both of us. It’s good for both guys, myself and Shumenov because we going in April 19 in D.C. on SHOWTIME, and all what you just said is going to be mentioned by the commentators, and leading up to the fight it’s going to be mentioned. So, it’s out there. I mean, like you said, it was out there when Stevenson came onboard to unify the title on this end, and of course, he’d be fighting his next fight on that network. So, all these things are basically a win/win for the fans of boxing because at the end of the day, no matter which side of the street you’re on, west side, north side, east side, southwest, doesn’t make a difference. People want to see one guy who even has a title as the man that beat the man. When you’re a fighter, you want all the major belts that someone else is carrying.

Now, tell you how much I’m a dinosaur in the game, I’ve been here before, as anybody having short memories that’s listening, 2001, post-9/11, New York City. So, I have a track record of having an itch to prove if I have to have all three or four belts, forget what anybody says who’s the best in this division or who’s the best, the man beat the man, that is true I agree, but at the end of the day, Stevenson made it clear he wants to fight other champions, myself and anybody else, and as far as I’m concerned, the belts that people care about are the main three belts that people really know about and care about. Any fourth or fifth belt is just extra gravy if you want to put some more on your bread. The bottom line is we in the ring April 19. We’re going to do what we got to do, the winner will be the winner and we move forward, and I’m looking to be the winner and I’m looking to make history. What better place to make history than D.C. at the capital?

Q
Beibut, nothing can be said exactly about Bernard’s accomplishments. He’s 49-years-old, but when you look at him, why do you think he’s been able to have success as long as he’s had?

B. Shumenov
It’s truly amazing. It’s unbelievable. It’s incredible. I don’t see where in the past or in the future anybody could do what Bernard does.

Q
Do you have any fears that if this fight goes to the cards that because of his reputation, the decision will go in his favor and not yours?

B. Shumenov
Right. But since my December fight, which was before the fight, a lot of people starting asking about potential fights between us, and then, right after the fight Bernard got in the ring and I got the feeling that the fight would happen in the near future, and right after the fight, I started watching his fights and studying him. I’m preparing to win each round clearly to leave no doubt for judges, anybody.

Q
Bernard, you mentioned 2001 against Felix Trinidad. It’s been a very long time since you had a unifying title fight. Why has it been so long?

B. Hopkins
Well, you have to ask boxing. I mean, you’re asking me a question; if I had a crystal ball, every division would be unified to one champion. I mean that’s through the politics, but you’re asking a question that I think that me and you both are asking. You’re allowed to ask anything you want, but that’s self-explanatory, but I’m glad I’m the one that continues to make history, that continues to give something to scratch your head about, and that’s my main objective.

I have my own agenda, and trust me, in that agenda is to one day be part of a long conversation about where do they put Bernard Hopkins because we can’t just put him with all of the other historic legend boxers. So, I want to make y’all have a really hard time whether you’re here or not, whoevers in the future, figuring out where to put this and I have to do the work now to be able to do that later. That’s the thing. You work now, you enjoy later. That’s how it’s supposed to be.

Q
Bernard, for the third straight fight, you’re listed again as the betting favorite. Does that change your views going in?

B. Hopkins
That’s shocking, but I always say I know you might look at this as not being a boxing question, but I was born in 1965 in this great country, and anybody that knows history of 1965, I was the underdog when I was born in this country compared to my ancestors. So, when you say underdog, I got the mentality that I’m always going to be the underdog. I don’t look for any favors or any help. I go and do what I got to do, and that’s one of the reasons I’m here so long.

I’d have been long gone if it was that. If I wanted to just get a house and have some money in the bank, I’d been gone 15 years ago. Do the math. It’s 2014. Do you know how many great fights I had in the last 15-plus years? So, I mean, I’m glad you said it, but it doesn’t move me one way or the other. I was hoping that Shumenov would be the underdog because I know how he feels when people don’t give a person a chance. I mean, trust me, I’ve been through that, I understand that, but I accepted that, and I’d rather have it that way.

So, I flip it in my mind that he’s the favorite. I’m a 10-1 favorite on April 19 in D.C. He’s a 10-1 favorite over me in D.C. April 19. That’s how I train, that’s how I think. I don’t look for any favors from nobody because I never got any. Look at my career.

Q
I recently talked to your trainer, Naazim Richardson, and he said ultimately what it comes down to is Bernard is going to get tired of winning all these titles. Do you kind of see it that way, that the only way you will ultimately leave this game is throughout your own volition, giving up those titles, not having them taken from you?

B. Hopkins
Absolutely. Me and Naazim, he’s an old man. He’s been around me for 20-something years. He’s been a second trainer at one time with Bouie Fisher, the first trainer. So, he understands and he understands how I think and he understands what kind of mission that I feel that I’m on. We communicate. So, I couldn’t have been as accurate as you said. But my whole thing is, as Beibut said, he wanted to unify the titles. I’m answering that call because I want to do the same damn thing, and now, we have the pieces in line that has the same mentality. It gives you something to write about. It gives the fans and anybody that’s listening that comes along after you, it gives them a chance now to say we unified the title in that division, maybe become a good disease, a good virus that might spread through other weight divisions and that would be good, I think, for boxing. I mean that’s my opinion, I could be wrong.

Q
Are there any fights you’ve seen, for example, his last fight with Murat or probably one of the biggest fights of his recent career with Kelly Pavlik, for example, where you were able to learn from those fights?

B. Shumenov
My apologies, but I cannot discuss the knowledge that I have about Bernard’s work. Out of all the studies, I cannot discuss the knowledge as I’ve been perfecting myself against Bernard Hopkins, and I’m at the final stage with my preparation, so people will get to see my capabilities.

Q
Bernard, what do you see from Shumenov when you study him?

B. Hopkins
These are the things that I don’t have any problem telling you, how I feel whatever because whatever I tell you, if you want to hear it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be my strategy. See, The Art of War is one of my favorite books. You asked me a question, see the difference between Bernard Hopkins and Beibut, and that’s his own style and it doesn’t make him bad or good, it’s just the way he thinks.

You ask me a question, well what do you see in Beibut, that you can do to expose? Well, I can tell you anything. Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. I just might want him to hear, and these are things from The Art of War. He understands what The Art of War means. You understand? Because at the end of the day, no matter what I tell you, it’s what happens in that ring, but I’ve been in this game almost three decades, and there’s no style through the amateurs, short amateur career I had, I didn’t have 100 fights, I didn’t have 50 fights, but the short amateur career that I had, that and the one in state penitentiary is that it’s no style, I repeat, there’s no style on this planet earth dealing with boxing that I haven’t seen or been in the ring with.

It’s nothing I haven’t seen that I’ve been in this game for 26, 27 years that’s going to surprise me April 19, and that’s not underestimating anybody. That’s not overlooking. That’s just keeping it real by the time I’ve been in this game and by the time I’ve been a student and still considered a student, a little edge of a teacher in this game that I’m in.

Q
Beibut said that he wouldn’t react negatively if things get dirty in the ring and that he would let the referee deal with that. What do you think about that?

B. Hopkins
I don’t know where this dirty stuff comes from. I mean, I don’t understand. Only thing I know in two weeks or less, man, we’re going to be doing what we got to do. It’s not my job to think about what a man can do to me, I can do to him. I never had a big brother. I am the big brother of six siblings. So, I never had a big brother to look over me in case something happened. Now, I let my challenge speak for itself. I let my history speak for itself. I let the last five or six fights or five or six 17 years speak for themselves. We’re going to fight, and if somebody does something they’re not supposed to do, you got checks and balances that will check that.

It’s not my job. I can’t be a fighter and the referee. I wouldn’t even bring that up to you. That’s irrelevant. It’s ridiculous, and if he said it or you said it, whoever said it, it’s just not the point. The point is that you’ve got a guy in there, it’s the reason he’s in there, and the bottom line is I’m going to come across and bring my talent to a level where people are going to be talking about something else, and they’re going to be excited and they’re going to look forward for what comes next, and that’s how I feel, and that’s how I’m training and that’s how I live.

Q
You spoke of being born 1965. You were three years old 46-years-ago today when Martin Luther King was assassinated, and I guess I would like to ask you if you would express your thoughts on the significance of this day and his legacy from your point of view.

B. Hopkins
It really in a major way speaks for itself, because I was born at a change in America, but I also was born to establish my history through the checks and balances. A lot’s been done, lots still needs to be done, that would be perfect, but at the end of the day, I’ll just say this, when I step in any challenge and I step in any era or any other ways I think about history and when I was born and people that came before me, it puts me in a situation to do what I do.

I really believe that and that means the law of God, and I really believe that and that’s from my soul, and I’m here not only because of my talent, I’m no fool. I’m here because I have not only angels watching over me, but a bigger being that got me through things that I know weren’t my doing. It couldn’t have been my doing not even having the best lawyer. It couldn’t have been my doing. This was something beyond that, and that’s what comes in the spirit when I go to fight. If he don’t have that same spirit he’s in trouble. He’s in trouble.

Q
Does it energize you the prospect of being a unified champion again?

B. Hopkins
Yes. It gets me a lot more energized than my last two fights, but those last two fights played a role to get energized; to me, this isn’t the climax, this is the pre-climax, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s where I need to be and where I had to go through to get here in the last year or two, to be patient, to fight my mandatory, to show people and get out of there, get out of the way. I wanted it to be Kovalev but they chose to fight Cleverly, smart move, good management.

Now, we’re here, and I’m looking to show the world that I might be the second or the first boxer in any division that became undisputed in two weight classes in modern time, and I stand to be corrected, but I figured I’d put it out there. Somebody can research; I know y’all will get back to me, but I love history and I love trying to break records that have been set for multiple years because I believe I have a history of doing that, and this is energizing too. This is also adding to what you said being energized, yes. [NOTE: Evander Holyfield was undisputed at cruiserweight and heavyweight.]

Q
Do you sit back and sort of notice that boxers are sort of being on top now a little bit more, having more decision and more say on the business side and whether that makes you proud of the things that you’ve done in the past and those struggles that you’ve gone through and the battles that you’ve fought to try to assert your rights as a boxer?

B. Hopkins
Well, I’m always proud when you have your fellow man that’s tired of being labeled one way and wants to get the red light district type of mentality label off their back, I’m always excited when you see change and bigger fights, better fights and also knowing your business. I think knowing your business gives you an advantage, not at a disadvantage.

The only reason why I’m here is Ali had his purpose. Jim Brown had his purpose. Jethro Page had his purpose. So many people had their purpose and their time and I’m like those people in this time. Love me or hate me, I went against the grain when it needed to be and I compromise in a respectful way when need to be, and I think that’s what leadership is about.

But April 19 starts another chapter, and this other chapter is very important because I’m 49-years-old, and I’m showing that I’m 49-years-old and competing and winning because what I’ve done in the past and I’m reaping the benefits of how you take care of yourself, and that’s the brand, that’s the Bernard Hopkins. So, Beibut, 29, 30 whatever he is, he’s 10 years younger, 15, whatever he is, I’ve got 10 or 15 years over him or more, I’m not fighting a guy my age, I’m fighting young guys. I’m fighting guys that can fight guys that are undefeated, longer stints of amateur career, not new to the game, not going to be camera shocked, not going to be D.C. shocked. I just come in to push through, man, to make him work and I’m here to do this.

I’m here to show that this is why I’m different and to show how you’re different is to show in a sport that’s so physical and so mental; what better place to prove yourself than boxing. I know no other sport and I’m biased that I’ve been a part of where you can show what you’re made of in 36, 37 minutes or less.

Q
You look up to Hopkins. How long have you been following his career?

B. Shumenov
Look-I’m not just a boxer, but I’m also boxing fan. So, I’ve always watched all the big names when they fight Bernard.

Q
Could the fans expect you to try for the knockout on April 19?

B. Hopkins
Well, I sure enough think I try hard enough. I didn’t get it with Karo Murat, and Shumenov is no Karo Murat, no disrespect to Karo Murat, he can fight, different style, different demeanor, but at the end of the day, I see opportunities. I see a lot of opportunities with Shumenov, believe it or not, that I didn’t see with Karo Murat, and the styles always make fights. I know that’s an ancient quote, but it’s legit and it’s real, and I see his style perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better style in a match up and I don’t know what he thinks. It doesn’t matter, but he might think the same thing.

As he said, he’s been studying me since his fight in San Antonio in Texas, and he’s a boxing fan. You can’t look at the record and be sidetracked and think this man doesn’t have any experience. I will not play that game, but in the same token, I’m looking for a battle. I’m looking for a battle, and when it’s all said and done, I want to be raising my hand in victory.

Q
Are you going to look into training fighters because they could use your knowledge and I think you would help?

B. Hopkins
I have so much to bring to the table to again, respecting trainers from all walks of life, to limit myself to be in a corner, to limit myself away from the big picture in boxing would be a disservice to my fellow boxers, who are in Pampers right now, and it’s going to be boxers one day. They’re walking around at six months old or a year old and they walk around in diapers and they are going to be fighters one day like myself and others.

So, why not have a venue for them where they can not only be educated first about a sport to get into and then multiple people that are going to be teachers/trainers and anything else, but I think do good for boxing. I think I played a role that I’ve been playing with Golden Boy Promotions for seven years. I think I’ve played a role when fighters come up and ask me about certain things, about taking care of the body, living a clean life amongst all the lights and the flash and the glitter and the success, how do you stay focused, disciplined. I think it would be a disservice to keep that away and just tell a person how to throw a jab and a left hook.

Q
Bernard, what should he study for?

B. Hopkins
I mean, I lost count. There’s a lot of them. You can go on YouTube. I mean it’s an information highway. You can find out anything about anybody, what you want to put out there, but in the same token, I mean it’s kind of hard to be kind of like an invisible man in a boxing business. Can you imagine that?

People going to know the style you’ve been successful with and the style that you are and just now knowing how to crack that safe. Now, it’s multiple styles I have, and I’ve said it, I don’t know, it wasn’t with you, but it was with two other callers before you, I’ve been in the game since 1988, I mean that’s almost three decades. Obviously, I’ve seen every style that you possibly can see with the short amateur career. I’ve seen the different styles how they hold their hands, how Beibut holds his hands, how he fights with a jab out, all this stuff. This isn’t giving away no secrets.

That’s the boldness of me, not the showoff because I’m confident about what I say based on putting the work behind, and understanding that I have to live up to those things, but I don’t mind being on the edge. Look at my life. Look at my career. So, whatever style, it needs to be presented. We do what we do.

So, at the end of the day, somebody’s hand is going to get raised and somebody is going to have to evaluate they’re career.

Q
How is different now going through the rigors of training than it was let’s say during the middleweight tournament days?

B. Hopkins
When you’re young, you overdo things a lot and you get away with it. When you have wisdom and you have understanding, you learn how to not overdo things where you rest and save your money like investing and you go ahead and you spend it tomorrow. A lot of things you do when you’re younger, you get away with it, a lot of things, you can’t do or you shouldn’t do wisely because it’s always the next day, there’s always next week, and it’s the preparation part.

The mindset controls the body because the body has always been right, but I’ve prepared a temple to be able to have the mind control the body. When your mind is right, everything is going to fall into place, but if your mind is right and your body is whack, it’s off balance. Life is a balance, and come April 19 on SHOWTIME, you’re going to see the balance between a guy with experience, a guy with a good pedigree, but a guy that’s in there with someone that has an IQ and a boxing ability and a body that brings it, not the look and the physical part, that’s nothing but the physical, but the youth of half his age in the ring with a guy that’s 30, 31-years-old. It’s going to be amazing to y’all, and that’s what I need to display and that’s what I will display. I’d rather show you than I can tell you. It’s better to prove it to you than talk to you all day long, but this is part of the business too. You have to talk.

Q
Do you still have long-term goals or do you just take it fight by fight now?

B. Hopkins
No. I can’t take it fight by fight because that’s boring. That’s like going to work and not knowing if you’re going to get fired each day. My thing is I always have long-term goals just to stay alive, but they are realistic goals, and I believe the realistic goals compared to the goals you just had, is nothing but a dream. It’s nothing but something just to fool yourself, and then reality comes in when those times go by and you looking at that date that you have to have things done that aren’t done, you get to now looking at reality and then you just die. So, my thing is yes, as long as I live and breathe this air called life in my lungs. So, yes, that’s how I operate. That’s how I function.

B. Binkow
That was a great call. Yes, I don’t have anything to add other than to reiterate what Bernard said at the beginning, which is that these are three potential main events in one night, another spectacular tripleheader brought to you by SHOWTIME and Golden Boy. Any chance that we have to showcase the great Bernard Hopkins is always a treat and very special. So, I urge everybody to tune in or buy a ticket, and whatever you do, just be with us on April 19 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) immediately following ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online athttp://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000.The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




SADAM ALI, MARCUS BROWNE AND ZACHARY OCHOA IN ACTION BEFORE “HOPKINS VS. SHUMENOV” TRIPLEHEADER AT

sadam-ali
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 7) – Some of New York City’s most promising prospects are heading down the highway from the Big Apple to the nation’s capital to be showcased at the DC Armory on Saturday, April 19 in undercard bouts leading up to the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader. The event is headlined by Bernard Hopkins’ history-making title unification bout against Beibut Shumenov for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship. In the televised action on SHOWTIME EXTREME, beginning at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), 2008 U.S. Olympian Sadam “World Kid” Ali of Brooklyn, N.Y. puts his unbeaten record on the line against another former amateur standout in New Jerseys’ Jeremy Bryan of Paterson, New Jersey. Plus, another undefeated Brooklynite Zachary Ochoa, takes on Puerto Rico’s Hector Marengo. Opening the SHOWTIME EXTREME broadcast will be 2012 U.S. Olympian “Sir” Marcus Browne of Staten Island against an opponent to be announced.

Also in non-televised bouts will be local standouts D’Mitrius Ballard, Dominic Wade and David Grayton.

Brooklyn’s Sadam “World Kid” Ali (18-0, 11 KOs) has been considered a top candidate for world title honors ever since turning pro after the 2008 U.S. Olympics. Yet it wasn’t until 2013 that he truly got his chance to shine when he defeated Jay Krupp via decision followed by a knockout of Jesus Selig. On April 19, the 25-year-old steps up to the plate once again to square off with Paterson, New Jersey’s Jeremy Bryan (17-3, 7 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight bout. Bryan, winner of three of his last four fights, is a two-time National Golden Gloves winner who owns an amateur win over current 140-pound world champion Danny Garcia.

In a six-round junior welterweight bout, popular Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (6-0, 3 KOs) hopes to keep his perfect record intact when he meets Arecibo, Puerto Rico’s Hector Marengo (6-7-4, 4 KOs). The 21-year-old Ochoa has built a strong local following thanks to three fights in his hometown, but he’s excited to take his show on the road for his fight against Marengo at the DC Armory.

Hailing from Staten Island, New York, “Sir” Marcus Browne (9-0, 7 KOs) has long been his borough’s favorite son. After making the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and notching wins in each of his nine professional bouts, that’s no surprise. Fresh off of a shutout win over Kentrell Clairborne in January, the 23-year-old light heavyweight will be back in action on April 19 in an eight-round bout against an opponent to be named.

Another 23-year-old phenom, Largo, Maryland’s Dominic Wade (14-0, 10 KOs) is making plenty of noise on the local scene, showing more and more skill with each fight. In January, Wade displayed his heart as he rose from a first round knockdown to defeat veteran Dashon Johnson. On April 19, he faces Jacksonville’s Marcus Upshaw (15-11-2, 7 KOs) in an eight-round middleweight match.

Unbeaten in four professional bouts, D.C.’s own D’Mitrius Ballard (4-0, 3 KOs) has electrified the city’s boxing scene with his phenomenal skills and power in the ring. Returning to the DC Armory after his third-round technical knockout of Marlon Farr there in January, the 21-year-old super middleweight prospect will meet Kansas City’s Quincy Miner (3-4) in a four-round matchup.

Also on the card will be two D.C. boxers, welterweight David Grayton (6-0, 5 KOs) and debuting lightweight Chrisshawn Alexander. Both will face opponents to be named in four round bouts.

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA
Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




SHAWN PORTER, PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, PETER QUILLIN AND LUKAS KONECNY MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

Paulie Malignaggi
Kelly Swanson
Today we have a great conference call to discuss an unbelievable undercard that will be on the “Hopkins vs. Shumenov” fight card at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 19. I’m looking forward to seeing all of these fights. We’re going to start with Lukas and Pete, and then we will move into Shawn and Paulie immediately upon the completion of these two fighters. So, to make the introductions is Bruce Binkow, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Golden Boy Promotions. He is joining us to introduce the fighters and talk a little bit more about the fights.

Bruce Binkow
I totally agree with you; this is going to be a great night, “History at the Capitol.” In keeping with the tradition of SHOWTIME’s terrific tripleheader action, I think we have three amazing televised fights. Obviously, Bernard Hopkins and Beibut Shumenov, who you’ll be hearing from tomorrow, but today we want to talk about two outstanding fights that I think are really exciting in and of themselves. Obviously, Porter and Malignaggi, and the one we’re going to talk about first, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin and Lukas Konecny.

To reiterate, the fight is Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory. It’s promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. Our sponsors are Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. It is airing live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®, which will begin at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. It will be available in Spanish via the SAP Channel. There are some tickets still available starting at just $25 at Ticketmaster.com. The DC Armory box office is open on fight only, so I wanted to stress that again.

Lukas Konecny is from the Czech Republic, and he joins us today from Germany, where he’s training. He’s 50-4 with 23 KOs. He’s a five-time National Champion for the Czech Republic and he also represented his nation in the 2000 Olympics. He’s a former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion. He made his permanent move to 160 in 2013.

He’s 35-years old, and is making his U.S. debut after years of fighting Europe’s best. He plans on making it a memorable visit as he challenges for Quillin’s WBO middleweight belt. Without further ado, let me introduce to you Lukas Konecny. Lukas.

Lukas Konecny
By me everything is okay. For example, before every fight I have a big trouble with my weight, but this time everything is okay. Sparring is going quite well and I hope that I can bring a great fight to Washington, D.C.

B. Binkow
Okay. Now I want to introduce a guy that most of you know and have heard from before, one of the most exciting fighters out there, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin. His record stands perfect at 30-0 with 22 KOs. He’s currently fighting out of Brooklyn, N.Y., although I have to say that I spotted just today a “Kid Chocolate” t-shirt at the gym in L.A., on the west side of L.A., which I think speaks to his growing popularity out there.

He’s wearing the championship belt of the division Hopkins once ruled. Quillin got his reign at 160 off to a rousing start with a decision over Hassan N’Dam for the WBO crown in 2012, and after two successful defenses with stoppages of Fernando Guerrero and Gabriel Rosado he’s ready to take on the challenge of Konecny. He’s 30-years old. He has wins over Winky Wright, Craig McEwan, Jesse Brinkley, and Fernando Zuniga, and he’s eager to begin 2014 with another knockout over the experienced Konecny. Ladies and gentlemen, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin. Pete.

Peter Quillin
Hi. Thank you for having me on the line. I want to thank Golden Boy, want to thank Al Haymon, I want to thank my whole team, I want to thank my manager, John Seip, I want to thank Gleason’s Gym, I want to thank the D.C. Commission for letting this fight come to the capital, our nation’s capital, and I’m looking to come up in D.C. with a spectacular win, spectacular victory.

Training has been A-1. I’ve been having great sparring sessions. I’ve been learning a lot of valuable lessons about myself with this cat, and I just know that I’m looking to experience everything that Konecny is going to bring in the fight and I think this is what we do as far as challenging ourself and taking something away from every fight. I’m just very humbled by the experience to be able to go and perform at the level I’ve been performing at to hold this belt, and then for sure this belt is coming back to Brooklyn.

Q
How difficult is it not to focus on the rest of the division when you obviously want to be unifying the titles?

P. Quillin
Well, let’s just say, first and foremost, if we worry about too much and don’t remain focused then I wouldn’t have what I have. So I know that Lukas is a strong challenger, very experienced and I’m not going to focus on that. I know he’s going to come and fight for a world title shot. It gives somebody another sense of motivation, so I have to just worry about what’s in front of me, and then after the fight then I can worry these other guys and worry about unifying the belts. But I just know that nothing is possible without looking good in this fight and winning spectacularly to consider myself as one of the best in the world.

Q
Is this potentially one of your more dangerous fights?

P. Quillin
Yes. I can look at any fight and say that they’re dangerous, because, like for instance, I don’t really know anything about Lukas. I just know that I’ve seen some videos of him and he seems very determined and he brings a lot of pressure. I just think I have to really focus on what he’s going to bring, because anybody is very dangerous, especially when they’re fighting for a world title. I’m an American star. This guy is a European star, and he’s pretty big in the Czech Republic and everybody seems to know him. Being a world champion doesn’t mean that I just fight guys in America or guys that American fans are familiar with. I think a world title-holder fights everybody across the world to be able to bring the best out.

So I’ll just stay focused on that. I just know what I’ve been working towards, and motivated being at home training here in Brooklyn, and, like I said, I’m just looking for a spectacular victory.

Q
Lukas, what do you know about Peter and how do you characterize him as far as the level of opponents you faced? How difficult is he compared to the rest of the opponents you’ve faced?

L. Konecny
So, of course, I know he is a world champion, I know he’s taller than me, he’s got a good punch, and he has some skills. He’s, of course, a good world champion, but not a very good one. I think he has more experience, but not with the same style as I have. I have over 250 amateur fights, over 50 professional fights.

Q
Do you mean he’s not a very good champion or are you saying he’s not as good as the other ones? What, what does that mean?

L. Konecny
No, I think he’s a good boxer, he’s a good fighter, he’s a good champion, but I can beat him.

Q
What is his style that you haven’t seen? What about his style have you still not seen?

L. Konecny
He is fast, he moves well, but, but he didn’t have a great coverage. His defense is not the best.

Q
Peter, can you address his comments?

P. Quillin
Yes, I can definitely do that. I can just definitely say that everybody can judge me off of whatever performance they’ve seen from me, but, like he said, he has 250 amateur fights and 50 professional fights. I only have 15 amateur fights and I have 30 professional fights, and I think that’s special within itself. Being one of the first guys to ever put Winky Wright on the canvas; I think I have a lot to show for my work and dedication to boxing. I think it was very special that a lot of guys see the flaws in me, but once they actually step in there with me I fight totally different than they expect. That goes for Hassan N’Dam, Gabriel Rosado, Fernando Guerrero, all these guys that have all the experience to be able to go in a fight and say they can beat me.

Q
What does it mean for you to fight on Bernard Hopkins’ undercard as the middleweight champion knowing that he was so great in that division for so long?

P. Quillin
For me, just looking at it as a business, that part is great promotion for me, to be able to get for somebody that held the same belt and is creating legendary status every time he steps out there. A lot of guys criticize me for not having a main event, but, like I said, fighting on a Bernard Hopkins undercard like this, I learn valuable things outside the ring with Bernard, I catch moments with Bernard all the time, and I’m very thankful to be able to be part of this card. My first being in D.C., I almost thought about changing my name to the ‘Capital Kid’, because going up in there to fight on Bernard Hopkins’ undercard is a privilege to me, and I’m just very thankful.

Q
What specifically do you pick up from your time; you talk about spending outside of the ring with him, what specifically did you pick up from him?

P. Quillin
I always learn that inside of the ring when we wear our boxing uniforms we are professional boxers. When we step outside of the ring I put my business suit on and I become a businessman, and I happen to be on top of my business at all times. I’m talking to my accountant as often as I can. I’m organizing my team making sure that everybody’s delegated a task to be able to make sure that I will not step out there for a fight, that I have nothing else to think about besides how to win. And I learned a lot of those values from Bernard Hopkins and how to organize the many people. So there are a lot of things that I may not be so experienced with, but I can call Bernard up and get any knowledge that I can and he’s willing to share with me.

Q
Lukas, what does it mean to you to be fighting in America for the first time?

L. Konecny
Well, I am fighting in America first time, but only in professional ring. I was over there in ’98 at the Goodwill Games in New York and then ’99 in Houston for the World Championship. So maybe it’s not the first time, but this is a big event.

Q
What exactly is your style and can you describe it for your American audience?

L. Konecny
I think I have a good defense and I make pressure all the time; I can make pressure for all 12 rounds.

K. Swanson
Okay, guys, that is it. Thank you so much. We’re going to go ahead and transition now to talk to Shawn Porter and Paulie Malignaggi. So we appreciate you taking the time out of your training, and we will see you April 19. Thanks.

B. Binkow
So we move into our co-main event, and I would like to start with Mr. Malignaggi. Most of you guys know Paulie; he’s been around, he’s familiar to us all. He’s always exciting to watch. He is currently fighting out of Brooklyn, always fought out of Brooklyn. He’s currently the NABF Welterweight Champion, former two-time, two-division world champion, recently has been winning awards for his commentating work, which we here at Golden Boy are very delighted with. Obviously, he’s on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and the Golden Boy Live on FOX Sports 1 broadcasts, and doing a terrific job. But I think, more importantly, he’s proven that at 33 he’s still one of the top welterweights in the world, so he hasn’t quite made the transition of full time yet.

He first made his mark at the 140-pound weight class when he defeated Lovemore N’Dou in 2007 for the IBF crown. In April 2012, he scored a ninth-round TKO over Senchenko, and it earned him the WBA Welterweight World title. And he went to the Ukraine to do that, which was pretty impressive. He successfully defended his belt against Pablo César Cano during our opening event at Barclays Center, our opening boxing event at the Barclays Center in 2012. He’s become a fixture at the Barclays Center since then. He’s won six out of his last seven bouts, and on April 19 he’s going to attempt to become a three-time world champion. So, with that, I’d like to introduce Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi. Paulie.

Paulie Malignaggi
I’m excited to be on the show. It’s exciting. I want to thank Golden Boy, Al Haymon and the rest of my team for the great job they’ve been doing with me. It’s a chance to capture my third world title, and I’m all about accolades, I’m all about trying to accomplish more in my life as best I can, be it in the ring or outside the ring. As Bruce mentioned, I just got the award for Broadcaster of the Year as well. So I’m just trying to basically be the kind of guy to stay motivated, be it with my work in the ring, out of the ring, and it’s a chance to keep that motivation going with my work in the ring with a chance to capture my third world title.

I respect Shawn; he’s a good champion, he’s a hungry champion, but I feel like I have the experience necessary to put this work into place and get this third world championship. It feels good to still be here. I’m 33-years old, still going strong. I live well; I don’t drink, don’t do drugs, I live a clean life. Even if I like to be out and about a lot I always keep myself healthy. And I think my body of work has proven it, in the last, especially the last few years since I joined up with Golden Boy and I’ve been training with Eric Brown. We’ve done a lot of good things; we’re going to try to continue to do good things.

I think, as far as I’m concerned, I haven’t lost at all in the last three years. Adrien Broner was given my world title, so I feel like I need to win another world title to kind of rightfully get what’s mine. I deserve to be a world champion; I should not have lost that bout. It was basically a win for Broner where I basically became a filler for his, for Adrien Broner’s bullshit resume that he has. My name just became a filler on that resume, and I feel like for that reason I need to get a world title to kind of redeem myself and get what’s rightfully mine.

I mean Shawn worked hard for his, but it’s, it’s a world championship that I want and now I got the chance to do it. So I’ll look forward to the challenge. I’ll look forward to putting on a good show on the 19th of April.

B. Binkow
In order to do that Paulie’s going to have to get through a very tough guy. Shawn Porter is 23-0-1 with 14 KOs out of Akron, Ohio. He was one of the best amateur boxers of this era, and he’s coming off a really impressive win that I’m sure you all saw, his 12-round unanimous decision win over Devon Alexander, where he picked up his IBF Welterweight belt. He has wins over Julio Diaz, Phil Lo Greco, Alfonso Gomez. He’s 26-years old and will be beginning his reign with the belt on April 19 against Paulie. I’d like to introduce you now to Shawn Porter. Shawn.

Shawn Porter
Thank you for the introduction. I want to thank God, want to thank my team, thank Al Haymon, Golden Boy Promotions. They’ve been promoting me since I came back in 2012, and it’s been great. I’m an IBF champion now. That’s a beautiful blessing to have and to able to say.

And with that being said, Paulie Malignaggi is meant to be. We had that feeling for quite a while, so it was nothing new to us when the fight was finally announced. We had been training since the beginning of January, so we will be prepared to do whatever it takes to hold onto this title, whatever it takes to get Paulie out of that ring. My team and I, we worked extremely hard day in and out, and we are going to be prepared and excited April 19 to get back into the ring and do what we all love to do and what we’re here to do. And with that being said, I am the IBF champion, and I plan to stay that way.

Q
Against Alexander was your mentality just that you would not be denied that night and that whatever it took was going to be the way the fight went down?

S. Porter
That was my mentality and that is my mentality. I’ve been bred that way, I’ve been trained that way my whole life. I’ve always been taught to be hungry, be aggressive, and not to allow someone to get comfortable in the ring, and that’s going to always be my mentality against whoever it is I’m going to be fighting.

Same goes with Paulie. I know he’s fast and he has good feet and he knows how to move around the ring, so my plan is to cut him off and be really aggressive and get to his body and make it uncomfortable for him for 12 rounds or less.

Q
Shawn, do you feel like by facing Devon that that was a halfway decent blueprint for the way you would approach a fight with somebody like Paulie?

S. Porter
Yes, a pretty good blueprint for going against someone like Paulie, and then you take into account everything I’ve done up until this point. Sparring with Manny Pacquiao, I mean there’s no better blueprint than that. The guy’s got the quickest hands and feet in the business. So I have all the experience in what it takes to beat Paulie, and it’s just matter of getting in there April 19 and doing it.

Q
When was the last time you were involved in Manny’s camp?

S. Porter
It’s been a few years since I’ve been involved with Manny’s camp. I want to say it was the Shane Mosley fight was the last time I had done anything with him.

Q
What did you think of that performance against Alexander and were you at all surprised by just the extreme aggressiveness that he showed?

P. Malignaggi
I remember the performance. I’ve seen it all. Shawn is a very good performer. He did a very good job of taking Devon out of his comfort zone, like you said, and he did a very good job at taking away what Devon does well, and he’s got to be given credit for it. He became world champion that night for a reason.

But sometimes in boxing it’s about fighting smarter, not harder. Shawn has a tendency to fight very hard, and that’s not a bad thing at all and it’s got him to this point. It’s gotten him a world championship and it’s got him a lot of success, even as an amateur. But in professional boxing we have 12 rounds, and that leaves a lot of time to set traps, it leaves a lot of times to bait you with a lot of things. And so aggressiveness can be made to pay, and that’s kind of my bread and butter. It’s kind of always been my blueprint.

But again, fight aside, I’ve gone over a hundred times of what the problem was in the Ricky Hatton fight. I’m not going to get into it again. But really, regardless of that, if you look at anything else I make aggressiveness pay. And we have our own game plans, and we, we feel that we have a very good game plan for that kind of aggressiveness. We expect a very high-intensity fight, and we expect to have the answers for that kind of high-intensity fight.

But this is nothing new for me, conditioning has never been a problem for me, but it’s, it’s definitely the kind of challenge that I look forward to. It’s a stylistic match up that I think, in my opinion probably could make it the best fight of the night. So I look forward to it. It’s boxing; being a both pro athlete, being a pro fighter, it’s these kinds of moments, to be a part of them, and I’m a part of them yet again. I’m a part of one of them yet again, and I look forward to being motivated and putting my skills to the test against Shawn.

Q
Hey, Paulie, one other thing for you. When, when you were, after the Broner fight and you were deciding that you were going to fight on again, and I know you wanted to fight for another title and everything, at that time Shawn was a little under the radar. Everybody kind of looked at him as this is a very good prospect, but he hadn’t won a title yet, hadn’t fought the big names yet, or anything like that. I mean at any point did you think to yourself, ‘Wow, I might be fighting this guy?’ Because we’ve known in boxing Shawn’s been around for a while as atop young guy coming up, but he didn’t have the title. So was he even remotely on your radar? When the fight came up were you sort of like, ‘Oh, yes, I’ll guess I’ll fight him because he has a belt,’ but that was not somebody that I would think was on your hit list, let’s say.

P. Malignaggi
I think before he beat Devon I looked at him as a solid fighter, but it never really crossed my mind that I might fight him. I had seen him and his father training in Wild Card Gym at times. We’ve always been friendly, we’ve always been cool. I never really looked at Shawn as somebody I would fight, but once he got the title he kind of stepped up into another dimension. People view you differently when you’re a world champion. So, obviously, once Shawn grabbed that title, it put things into a different perspective as far as okay, maybe this is somebody I may wind up in the ring against, because he’s got a world title in my weight class. And then so be it and it happened.

I wasn’t sure it would happen right off the bat, but certainly once he beat Devon Shawn put himself in another level, which is the level of guys like me who will look at and say, ‘Oh, you know what, he’s a guy to be reckoned with, he’s a force to be reckoned with, and I might wind up in the ring with him.’ All the other stuff didn’t matter before that. Once you become world champion I think you put yourself, you set yourself apart from the rest of the class, and Shawn did that by winning the world championship.

All that other bullshit about sparring with Manny Pacquiao and all that, I don’t rate Manny Pacquiao as a very good fighter. I don’t rate him as a very intelligent fighter, actually. So all that other bullshit about the sparring and all that stuff it really, for me, goes in one ear and out the other. But what Shawn did to Devon was very impressive, and certainly it put him in a different light in a lot of different ways, in a more positive way, should I say.

Q
Shawn, when you fought Devon for your first title Paulie and Zab were fighting in the main event in that night. Did you go into that night knowing that you would probably end up fighting the winner of that fight?

S. Porter
I actually did. I thought that it would be somewhat of that kind of situation where the winners would fight each other. I didn’t know if it would come so soon or when it would come, but I did kind of have a mindset of fighting the winner of Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi. So, again, we’ve been training for a long time, and when the call came that it was going to be Paulie, it was not a surprise to me or my camp.

Q
Shawn, where do you rate Paulie in terms of level of competition as far as everyone you’ve faced to date?

S. Porter
I mean he’s right up there, he’s at the top. I think out of everyone I’ve fought, other than Julio and Devon, he’s got the most spirit. So I think maybe out of those two just maybe him and Julio. So I know what I’m up against April 19. I’m up against a crafty veteran, someone who’s got the hands, feet, and likes to hustle his hands, and like he said, he’s in shape. So I’m prepared to come in there, man, and be in just as great a shape as he’s in and be just as smart as he is, and be aggressive and do what I have to do to hold onto my title.

Q
Paulie, is there anyone that you have fought that reminds you of Shawn Porter?

P. Malignaggi
I mean, I can’t say anybody for sure, but he has an aggressive mentality. Guys like Juan Diaz or Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto had that aggressive mentality. So you can’t say you’ve seen exactly what he’s bringing to the table, but I’ve seen similar stuff, I guess. I think Shawn is the biggest guy out of those guys, so it poses a little bit of different challenges and then some of the same challenges. I think we’ll make the decider as you get in there and you start to adjust as you, as the rounds progress and you start to see things more and more, and that’s going to be important on fight night. It’s about being intelligent in there. I know the fight is a long fight; it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So you start toimprovise on the game plan and start to execute what you need to do.

Q
Shawn, we’ve talked a lot about what you did against Devon; Paulie’s expressed his opinion about that. What did you gain from watching Paulie against Adrien Broner? Was there anything that you could gain? I know your styles are different.

S. Porter
Yes, I’m going to say not much from that fight. We have, me and Adrien, have two different styles. So Paulie’s smart, I know that. Paulie has a good coach. Eric Brown is a good coach, I know that. They’re not going to come at me the way that they came at Adrien Broner, and it would be smoke and mirrors for me to look at that fight and say that they will. I think Paulie’s going to use his feet a little bit more and try to use his reach and move away instead of being as aggressive as he was against Adrien.

So I did look at the fight. I’m not going to say what small things I did see that I am going to take from that match, because you don’t want to give up anything at this point. But that really wasn’t one of the fights that I watched that I’m watching to get ready for Paulie.

Q
Did you score the fight? Paulie really feels like he won the fight. What are your thoughts?

S. Porter
Yes, I scored the fight, and every time I come back to it I’m just like it’s out of my hands; whatever the judges say is what it is. I honestly couldn’t — if you said it was a draw — I would have said, “Okay, it was a draw.” I didn’t really have it going Paulie’s way. I had it going more of a draw, or maybe even Adrien’s way.

Q
Paulie, what do you have to say about the fact that he says he couldn’t pick anything up? Did you learn anything, is there something you didn’t do in that fight? Did you do enough to win, and is there something you can learn, even at your age and with your experience into this fight?

P. Malignaggi
I felt like I did enough to not lose my title, to hold onto my title. I do think it was a close fight, but I did feel like I did enough to hold onto my title. Like I said, I think in the end, at the end of the day, that fight was always going to be used as a filler to fill Adrien’s bullshit resume, which is what it is pretty much if you look at it as a whole. But at the end of the day it didn’t go my way and I’m not going to sit there crying over it or to go back at it. And I think I’ve made my points about the fight, and we go on and we move on.

I actually think I’m fighting a better opponent than Adrien Broner. I think you match up Adrien Broner and Shawn Porter, and I think Shawn Porter beats him every time simply on the grind. Adrien doesn’t like to fight, and I think Shawn would force him to fight at a pace that he wouldn’t like. And Adrien, as we saw in the Maidana fight, doesn’t have an answer when you force him to fight at a pace that he doesn’t like.

So I think I’ve got a better opponent in front of me, I think I’ve got a more worthy world champion in front of me, but that makes it all the more the better of a fight, that makes it all more entertaining for the fans, and that’s going to make it a better stylistic match up overall, because there’s skill, there’s talent, there’s grind, there’s hard work in there. We’ve got the combination of everything you want to see in a fight. And so I think anything I can take from the Broner fight doesn’t really apply here. I’ve got a better fighter in front of me.

And really the only thing, at the end of the day, everybody came in saying he’s going to be the big puncher and all that stuff, and I actually came in respecting a little too much at first, and it turned out he couldn’t punch for shit. So it was a lot of aliveness that some of me subconsciously bought into with Adrien, and I’m definitely not going to make that mistake again.

But Shawn Porter, all I can say, I think he’s a better fighter than Adrien, but at the end of the day it’s a different fight, and so there’s a different kind of game plan.

Q
All right. And the difference also was that, I don’t know if you feel this is relevant, you weren’t without Haymon when you fought him. You are now. You’ve won a fight since then over Zab Judah. Do you feel that you could potentially be a filler for his resume or do you feel like the the playing field is even?

P. Malignaggi
I think the field is even. I think Al takes care of all his fighters and when they’re matched up against each other it’s just may the best man win. I think on the 19th it will be that kind of situation: may the best man win. I’ve got no complaints, I don’t believe Shawn does, so I think it’s just a matter of it’s a competition and we both want the same thing. We’re in the same weight class, we both want world championships, and so you kind of come across each other and you have to fight for what you want. So I have no beef on any of that, you know what I mean; it’s all in the name of competition, and that’s what I’m here to do.

Q
Shawn, what do you think of his thoughts of how he kept saying that you’re a better fighter than Adrien?

S. Porter
I mean I feel the same way. I think that I’m one of the best welterweight fighters here. I feel like I have everything that it takes, the mentality, the physicality, the strength, everything, the heart, everything that it takes to become a world champion. I think I have all that. And again, like Paulie said, I am extremely competitive. I would not be fighting Paulie Malignaggi if he was a filler fighter, if he was just someone for me to get in the ring with and showcase my skills against. I wouldn’t do it, because that’s not what we accept. We don’t accept anything but the best. Everybody thought he was the best opposition for us, and so with that being said I’m really looking forward to April 19. And I’m excited that Paulie is willing to get in there and be as competitive as I expect him to come into the ring and be.

Q
Paulie, you’ve always done a good job of mentally evaluating fighters before we see them in the ring. You did that with Adrien and you also did that recently with Judah when you mentioned how you did that and basically with the strategy that you brought to the ring. From what you see of Shawn Porter do you feel his aggression can be broken that same way, just based on what you’ve seen so far from him in the ring?

P. Malignaggi
I think the trick is always to take what a fighter does best and kind of try to minimize it or take it away from him. So one of Shawn’s best assets is that aggressive physicality, so as a fighter, as a veteran of the sport, as a guy myself who has been around some of the best fighters in the world and have been around some of the best fighters in the world, has been trained with some of the best trainers in the world, including the one I have now, Eric Brown, I think you gain a lot of knowledge going through all of that. And I think it’s not out of the question to say Shawn is a very good fighter, but at the end of the day there’s traps that can be set for that kind of aggressiveness, and there’s traps that will be set for that kind of aggressiveness. So you kind of you go with the flow and then you adjust as the fight goes along.

But boxing is like numbers, they never end; there’s always a counter move to a move, you know what I’m saying. So I expect that kind of fight. I really expect a demanding, physically demanding fight. We always come in very good shape. I do and I know he does, and it’s going to come down to a lot more than just grinding to win the fight. Boxing at a world-class level is a combination of a lot of things; just one thing will not win you the fight. So I think we both know that, we both understand that, and I for sure understand that, and have implemented that on my game plan going into the fight.

Q
Paulie, a couple years ago you mentioned that one of your main goals with boxing was you wanted to get into the Hall of Fame. You also mentioned at that time you felt you had a few key losses that might prevent you from getting that goal. If you were to win this fight and become a three-time world champion, do you think that would finally put you over the hump to possibly get in the Hall of Fame when you retire?

P. Malignaggi
It’s not up to me to decide that. I hadn’t really given it a lot of thought in recent years. I think a lot goes into the Hall of Fame besides what you do in the ring. I think a lot of it has to do with the kind of team you have around you. For example, if I had the team I have now from when I turned pro I think for sure I’d be a Hall of Famer. But I didn’t have the team I have now when I first turned pro, I didn’t have the team I have now from up until recently through these last few years. Getting into the Hall of Fame, there’s a lot of different things involved in that. In the last few years especially, I have not given it a lot of thought. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. Really my focus is on being the best fighter I can be and just accomplishing one goal at a time and make some good money in the process.

Q
Shawn, do you see any weaknesses in Paulie’s boxing skills that you feel that you can take advantage of? Because he’s pretty good, he’s pretty smart, and he’s always active, so what do you see that you could take advantage of?

S. Porter
Pretty good, pretty smart, and pretty active; you hit it on the nose with that one. We plan to just take advantage of that; when he’s trying to be active we want to be more active, when he’s trying to be smart we want to be feinting him and showing him things that he can’t, or not that he can’t, but things that are just going to propose questions, things that are going to make him uncomfortable in the ring. And with that being said, that’s kind of the blueprint, I think, to beating Paulie is just making him uncomfortable, and I plan to do that.

Q
Paulie, before your last fight with Judah you had said that you were examining your career and that another loss might make you want to consider if you – wanted to continue on in the sport. Now that you have beaten Judah and you have that victory do you feel like your career has been revitalized?

P. Malignaggi
Yes, I think you’re always one key win away from revitalizing your career. I think boxing at a world-class level, when you have a good resume behind you already, I think you’re always one good win away from revitalizing things. But I just take one fight at a time. I have fun doing it. I enjoy my time in boxing, I enjoy my time competing. I still love it, I still love to be in front of a big crowd and hear the crowd roar in a big championship match.

So at 33-years old, you’re not 23, you don’t have a lot of years in front of you, but at the same time I’m the kind of determined fighter, determined athlete that if I do something I’m going to do it 100 percent, otherwise I won’t do it. So my time fighting, while I’m still fighting, it’s going to be done 100 percent. I’m going to keep giving it my all every time I step in the ring and fight. I always told myself that I would refuse to be one of these older veterans that kind of just fights just to step in the ring and make an extra paycheck, but really doesn’t dig down the same way that he used to. You see a lot of older fighters tending to reach that point in their career where they just don’t want to dig down the same way, and I always remind myself that will not be me.

So I think I keep proving it. I think I always grind and hustle the way I need to, be it in the ring or be it in the gym, and so to kind of not be stereotyped in that way. When my time is done fighting, I’ll be done fighting. I don’t need to force it, right, I don’t need to force it. But I want to do it, and I think my body work speaks for itself, so I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.

Q
Paulie, do you see any weaknesses in Shawn’s boxing skills that you can take advantage of?

P. Malignaggi
There’s pros and cons to everybody’s style. Everybody does some good things, everybody has some bad habits, and so none of us are perfect as fighters. Shawn does a lot of good things, but in turn he also does some things that you can kind of make him pay for it. So come fight night we’ll see who has all the answers.

But absolutely it takes, it’s like he said, you got to grind hard, you got to be smart. Tthere’s going to be times when you do one or the other. I think a fight evolves a certain way, and then from there you start to add the pieces to it. But absolutely I don’t think anybody likes to be uncomfortable, so making each other uncomfortable is definitely a game plan for both of us I guess.

Q
Paulie, you keep talking about traps and maybe a little inexperience on Shawn’s part that you see. Do you see enough of that that you can exploit him and put yourself in the position to eventually get another big fight, maybe a Mayweather fight down the line, maybe a rematch with Broner?

P. Malignaggi
I don’t look at it. I don’t look past anything with Shawn. Right now I’m looking at April 19 and I know there might be others from the welterweight division in general, but I really don’t think about anything but Shawn right now and the fact that I’m fighting him and that I’ll handle my business on April 19with Shawn. As far as how I’m setting traps or whatnot, I mean those are just as you make on the fly. You see things in somebody’s file and you kind of look for them during the fight or maybe you’ll see something else during the fight that you may not have seen on video or whatnot. Regardless, I’m a guy that I feel like I’m very intelligent, I feel like I observe things, I catch onto things quickly, and sometimes when I’m in the ring with somebody I may see something different than I did when I wasn’t in the ring with that person. So some of the traps that get set are preordained, or whatever they’re called, we’ll set them from knowing … in setting these kind of traps, and sometimes you may see other things that you got to set different kind of traps once you get there.

So little by little; it’s one round at a time and, like I said, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So it’s two world-class fighters in there going at it putting their best effort up. So I don’t expect an easy fight, I never do, so it’s the kind of thing I know I’m going to have to think my way through.

Q
Paulie, you seem very respectful. Is it the way that Shawn approaches you or is it just your laser focus right now that if you get past this you know there’s big things at the end of the rainbow for you?

P. Malignaggi
I always feel like I’m focused, but I know Shawn and his dad, I’ve seen them, I see them training at the Wild Card back when I was there, always respectful people, just good competitive guys that want to make the best of themselves. So I don’t knock that, I don’t knock that at all. I think we’re all in this to make a buck, to make a career for ourselves, to make a name for ourselves, and there’s definitely nothing wrong with that. And so they’ve always been respectful, so I have no reason to disrespect him.

Q
Shawn, going into this fight everything’s a little different for you. You’re the champ, you’re getting a lot more attention, people are recognizing you. How has this changed you, who you are as a person and also, more importantly, how you’re preparing to get into the ring?

S. Porter
Winning this IBF title hasn’t changed me one bit, especially not as a person, but it hasn’t changed anything around me either. I still live with my dad, we still train hard every day, and I still have the same team that I’ve had for the last ‘X’ amount of years. It’s still tight, it’s still small and we’re going to keep it that way. We know what it took to get to this championship and we know that that worked, and so we don’t want to change anything and make anything different. Maybe working harder. My dad works me extremely hard. That could be the only thing that I would say has changed is I’m working harder in some type of way. I come to the ring always strong and in the best shape of my life, so that’s a given. But if I had to say anything changed I would say we’re working harder.

Q
Shawn, Paulie has great athleticism, he’s a fast fighter, doesn’t have the pop that you might want out of a boxer, but he presents a lot to you. What do you think is the most significant thing that he can give you trouble with or offer that will give you trouble?

S. Porter
You know what, to be honest with you, I’m not sure. I’ve watched Paulie, I’ve seen what he can do. I’ve seen it before; I’ve been against it. And like he says, it’s just a matter of being smart, making adjustments: he’s quick, I’m quicker; he’s fast, I’m faster; he works hard, I’m going to work harder than him. I’m going to keep my title. What he can do to make me uncomfortable or make me slow down or anything like that remains to be seen. I really don’t know what that is, so when we get in the ring I’m going to expect that to come up. But every round we’ll take it one round at a time and make our adjustments as we go.

B. Binkow
Well thanks, Kelly, and thanks, everybody, for joining. I wanted to reiterate that the fight, again, is on April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. It’s a great, great tripleheader live on SHOWTIME starting at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. We heard from all four guys that are on the featured bouts, and I think it’s going to be a very memorable night. And, obviously, I urge everybody to tune in or come to the fight if they can and they’re in the neighborhood. And looking forward to speaking to Bernard and Beibut tomorrow. So until then thank you guys very much, and have a great day.

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




Farewell? Not Bernard Hopkins, who always says hello to a challenge

By Norm Frauenheim–

Bernard Hopkins
A couple days after 40-year-old New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter began a long goodbye to baseball with the first stop in a farewell tour, 49-year-old Bernard Hopkins talked during a conference call Thursday about a new beginning in the cruelest game of all. Jeter got golf clubs, cowboy boots and a Stetson as big as the old Astrodome before a game in Houston. That’s a lot better than a punch in the face, which is about the only thing Hopkins can be sure of getting on April 19 in a fight with light-heavyweight Beibut Shumenov, who was a four-and-a-half-year-old kid in Kazakhstan when Hopkins lost his pro debut in October 1988.

Hopkins has been fighting for so long that it’s getting hard to remember what boxing was like before him. Indeed, the youngest generation of fans and fighters have never known the sport without Hopkins, who has been around since Ronald Reagan and at this rate might still be fighting after Barack Obama moves out of the White House. Truth is, there are some in his own generation who would be happy to see him retire. They’d even buy him the boots, Stetson and clubs if he would.

But Hopkins fights on, in part out of familiar defiance, in part for an ongoing pursuit of history and, mostly, because he can.

There’s a compelling argument that Hopkins continues to fight at the highest level because of a shallow pool of world-class talent. There are fewer good Americans than ever. But an arrival of tough and talented fighters from Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan and other locales have turned that shrinking pool into dangerous waters. At light-heavyweight, there’s Haitian-turned-Canadian Adonis Stevenson and Russian Sergey Kovalev. They were supposed to fight each other in a bout that was near the top of the fans’ wish list. But Kovalev-Stevenson wound up in the trash, right next to Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr., when Stevenson signed with Al Haymon and moved across the street, from HBO to Showtime. Only the promotional feuds are older than Hopkins.

But there are plenty of reasons to think fans will continue to watch Kovalev and Stevenson, even if they don’t fight each other. To wit: The audience for Kovalev’s seventh-round stoppage Saturday of Cedric Agnew exceeded one million, according to HBO. In an HBO doubleheader on November 30, 1.305 million watched Stevenson beat Tony Bellew and 1.254 million saw Kovalev beat Ismayl Sillah.

Kovalev or Stevenson? Stevenson or Kovalev? Doesn’t matter. For Hopkins, they are just different sides of the same coin. Against either, the likely expectation is that Hopkins would finally encounter his own mortality. That, of course, was the expectation in 2008 against Kelly Pavlik, now retired and never the same after Hopkins did what few thought he could. No wonder Hopkins sounded so confident Thursday. The same circumstances are on the horizon.

“Been there, done that,” said Hopkins, who sounded as if he were anxious to be there and do it once more.

Stevenson’s move to Showtime for a May 24 bout with Andrzei Fonfara sets up a showdown with Hopkins if he beats Shumenov, a 30-year-old fighter who is hard to judge mostly because of a small sample. Shumenov, who reportedly had more than 100 amateur bouts, has only answered a professional bell 15 times for a 14-1 record with nine KOs.

“It’s bad to think beyond April 19 and Beibut Shumneov, but the Stevenson fight is going to be mentioned,” said Hopkins, who will be able to put an AARP card next to his Costco card when he turns 50 next year on January 15. “It’s out there. It’s been out there since Stevenson came on board to eventually unify titles.”

There was no hint of a farewell in anything Hopkins said. He wouldn’t know how to say goodbye to a threat anyway. He’ll let younger guys do that.




LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION AND FUTURE HALL OF FAMER BERNARD HOPKINS AND GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS DONATE FUNDS FOR COMPLETION OF JOE FRAZIER STATUE IN PHILADELPHIA

Bernard Hopkins
PHILADELPHIA (April 3, 2014) – IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard
“The Alien” Hopkins is pleased to announce that he and Golden Boy Promotions have made a significant donation to fund the completion of the previously announced Joe Frazier statue that will stand nine feet tall outside of Xfinity Live in Philadelphia’s sports stadium complex (corner of Patterson and 11th Street). Hopkins, a friend of the Frazier family and a Philadelphia boxing legend in his own right, is set to once again showcase his fighting roots when he steps into the ring on Saturday, April 19 against WBA and IBA titleholder Beibut Shumenov at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. live on SHOWTIME®.

“Seeing this statue built has meant a great deal to me for a very long time,” said Hopkins. “I have always felt strongly that Smokin’ Joe has a rightful place in Philadelphia history and that should be honored. We have a ‘Rocky’ statue and Rocky isn’t even real. Joe Frazier embodies the Philadelphia fighting spirit and I am so happy to be able to pay homage to him in this way.”

“When Bernard asked us to make a donation to help build the Joe Frazier statue in Philadelphia, we did not hesitate,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We firmly believe in preserving the great history and heritage of our sport and there is no better way than honoring some of the legends that have paved the way for the fighters today. Joe Frazier is one of the all-time greats and we are pleased to be a part of this project.”

The Frazier statue will become part of Philadelphia’s public works of art as voted on by Philadelphia’s Art Commission. The statue, designed by local artist Stephen Layne, will mirror Frazier’s reaction after knocking down Muhammad Ali during their 1971 title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and is projected to be unveiled between Thanksgiving and Christmas of this year.

Members of the Frazier family will publicly thank Hopkins and Golden Boy Promotions for their contributions on Thursday, April 17 at the Hopkins vs. Shumenov final press conference at Hamilton Live (600 14th St. NW) in Washington, D.C.

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, WBA and IBA
Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the 12-round co-features, Shawn Porter defends his IBF Welterweight World Title against Paulie Malignaggi and Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 7 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




SHAWN “SHOWTIME” PORTER DEFENDS HIS IBF WELTERWEIGHT WORLD TITLE AGAINST FORMER TWO TIME TWO DIVISION PAULIE “MAGIC MAN” MALIGNAGGI ON SATURDAY, APRIL 19 AT THE DC ARMORY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Paulie Malignaggi
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 17, 2014) – Two world championship fights on one night is great for boxing fans. But Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME believe that three is even better. So, on Saturday, April 19, joining the title fights between Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins and Beibut Shumenov and Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin and Lukas Konecny there will be a battle for the IBF Welterweight World title between champion Shawn “Showtime” Porter and former two-time and two division word champion and current NABF Welterweight titleholder Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, making this tripleheader at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. a must see.

“I fought hard to get this title. Paulie says he wants it, but is he willing to go through me to get it?” said Porter, who won his crown with an impressive win over Devon Alexander last December. “Fighting Malignaggi is like fighting Alexander. They don’t have the strength or power to keep me away, and I will steamroll Paulie on my way to victory April 19.”

“I’m excited to be back in a title fight so soon after my win over Zab Judah. I will become a three-time world champion on April 19,” said Malignaggi. “Porter is a good fighter and I’m sure he’ll be a champion again in the future, but he doesn’t have the tools or experience to beat me.”

A native of Akron, Ohio, unbeaten Shawn “Showtime” Porter (23-0-1, 14 KOs)
showed on Dec. 7, 2013 that all of the rave reviews he received since his amateur days were well deserved, as he scored a 12-round unanimous decision win over Devon Alexander to win the IBF Welterweight World title. The win followed impressive professional victories over Julio Diaz, Phil Lo Greco and Alfonso Gomez that put Porter at the top of the 147-pound weight class. Now the 26-year-old begins his reign on April 19 against “Magic Man.”

When he’s not winning awards for his commentating work on SHOWTIME broadcasts, NABF Welterweight Champion Brooklyn’s Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi (33-5, 7 KOs) is proving that, at 33, he’s still one of the top welterweights in the world. Winner of six of his last seven bouts, with the only loss coming via split decision to Adrien Broner last June, Malignaggi was in top form when he defeated Zab Judah last December, and on April 19, he has the opportunity to become a three-time World Champion.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com and follow on Twitter at @Therealbhop, @Kidchocolate, @ShowtimeShawnP @PaulMalignaggi @GoldenBoyBoxing, @SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm , follow the conversation using #HopkinsShumenov and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, IBA and WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19 at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. In the co-features, Peter Quillin puts his WBO Middleweight World Title on the line against Lukas Konecny in a 12-round bout and Shawn Porter faces Paulie Malignaggi in a 12-round welterweight bout for his IBF World title. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and available online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3 p.m.-10 p.m. ET.




BERNARD “THE ALIEN” HOPKINS, BEIBUT SHUMENOV AND PETER QUILLIN NEW YORK CITY PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FOR APRIL 19 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION

Bernard Hopkins
NEW YORK (March 12, 2014) – IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins and WBA Super World Champion Beibut Shumenov continued their media tour on Wednesday at Lucille’s Bar & Grill inside B.B. King’s Blues Club in New York to formally announce their world championship unification on Saturday, April 19, live on SHOWTIME® from the DC Armory in Washington, D.C.

At 49-years-old, “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KOs), of Philadelphia, is looking to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles, while Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs), of Shymkent, Kazakhstan, is aiming to become the fastest fighter to unify the light heavyweight division with only 15 professional fights under his belt.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® co-main event, undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs), of New York, will defend his title for the third time when he meets former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Lukas Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs) of the Czech Republic.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, went on sale today at 10 a.m. ET and are available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.

Below is what the participants had to say at Wednesday’s presser:

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion:
“Look at your age and look at mine. You want to risk this being done again, that you’ll be living to witness it? That’s like waiting for another black president. I wish you luck. I’m not risking that.

“You talk boxing. I live boxing. One thing that’s important to live in boxing is the lifestyle. So there’s noting that I’m doing that you haven’t written, because most of you have been writing about me for 10 years or more.

“I could have come out here with a walker, taken my teeth out, and then have him help me up to the seat there and play right into the old man syndrome. But I’m not going to play games with you.

“This is something that you’re going to remember, tell your grandkids, someone younger, someone in the boxing game, someone not in the boxing game. This is not only my personal achievement in history, but this is something that you can pass down to your kids. You can pass down to anyone you care to pass it down to. I can tell my son who’s two years old, Bernard III,that this is the legacy he inherits from me.

“Let’s talk about Father Time. He’s a son of a bitch. He is. Father Time is undefeated because time is undefeated. That’s the fight that I can’t win and nobody on this earth can win. I’m not fighting Father Time. That’s why me and Father Time really have no problem. There’s no war going on.

“So at the end of the day, Father Time says to me, “Have fun, you’ve got time.” Everyone asks me about my age because their stomach is out this big. Because they’re eating bagels. Because they’re drinking wine. Enjoy yourself. That’s what you want to do. But when you see me, don’t be envious, be motivated. Be energized, woman or man. And say to yourself: how can I start to be like him? How can I take a page out of his book and have a long life and play with my grandkids?

“When you see me April 19 in D.C. on SHOWTIME, be inspired. Be inspired that if you’re near 40, if you’re over 40, if you’re over 50, over 60, that it’s never too late to change your lifestyle. It’s only too late when you’re dead.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Super and IBA Light Heavyweight World Champion:
“I’m very excited that I’m fighting one of the greatest fighters ever. That’s the way for me to show the world that I am the best in the world. Don’t miss out on April 19. It will be a history-making event.

“Bernard has his legacy, but I am looking to build my own legacy. But don’t forget that I am here to make history, too.

“This is a great opportunity to show the world that I am one of the greatest champions in boxing. He’s considered the best light heavyweight champion but this is my opportunity to show the world that I am the best light heavyweight.

“My main goal is to unify all the titles, but right now I’m 100 percent focused on my fight with Bernard Hopkins. It’s the most important fight in my life and it will be the hardest fight in my life.

“Bernard is a boxing genius. He is a legend. He has the highest boxing IQ and skills ever.”

PETER QUILLIN, WBO Middleweight World Champion:
“Preparation for this fight has been awesome. I believe in being in the best shape.

“Some people say that I shouldn’t be on undercards, but I’m on Bernard’s undercard and I am working to be a legend like him.

“B-Hop is a legend. Every time he steps into the ring he creates a legacy and history. I’m working toward that.

“I do this to be the best I can be. My father came from Cuba in 1980 and came here for opportunity and now he is able to see his son live out his dreams and be the middleweight champion.

“I do this every day to be an inspiration.

“A lot of people need an inspiration. I’m going to go out there and try my best no matter what.

“If I need to take a loss to learn about myself then I’m willing to do so. Until then, I’m just going to keep on winning. We’re going to keep on putting on awesome fights and keep on fighting on SHOWTIME.

“I want to be the best fighter, the best father, the best husband and the best son I can be and I hope you all keep on supporting me.”

NAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer:
“I agree that this is a historic fight. Everything Bernard does now is historic. Every interview, every walk out is history. Every move he makes is history, not just inside the ring, but outside of the ring.

“He could walk out tomorrow, beat Beibut Shumenov and say I’m done. He owes us nothing and gives us everything.

“I have a lot of respect for Mr. Shumenov. Shumenov is a young 30. He did everything with such a fast learning curve. He’s not someone who is worn down.

“He is already a champion and a guy who is moving that fast and has that kind of enormous focus to be in the front and be the best. But now, not throwing the word around, you’re dealing with a legend.

“Come out to the fight because you’re going to see two men on two different paths that are going to collide on April 19.”

TEAM SHUMENOV:
“Training camp is great, Beibut is incredible. Beibut is ready because of his intelligence. He’s an attorney. He’s highly intelligent and he studies more than anyone ever. His fight IQ is through the roof.

“You will see how prepared Beibut is. He’s ready to do it.

“B-Hop is great; he has tremendous longevity in the sport. He’s a wizard. But everything comes to an end and that duration will be April 19.”

BRUCE BINKOW, COO & CMO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“Any time Bernard Hopkins steps into the ring it’s a historic event.

“I think this is a great opportunity for a young champion like Beibut to make his mark on history as well by attempting to take down a legend.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME SPORTS:
“We’re very proud to be hosting and televising another Bernard Hopkins fight. The word icon is used quite a bit — thrown about very casually — within sports, within entertainment and music. Bernard is one of the few personalities, the few athletes where the term accurately applies.

“He is a legend in the sport. His accomplishments speak for themselves. Any time Bernard fights it is an event, it’s an occasion, and ‘History at the Capitol’ is a very accurate term.

“Having said all of that, Beibut is a young, hungry, strong challenger – a champion in his own right. Those of you who saw him on SHOWTIME in San Antonio had to be impressed. He’s a very intelligent young man, a very intelligent fighter, a very strong fighter. I would dare to say that he’s going to be one of the toughest challengers that Bernard has faced in quite a while. So I’m looking forward to a very strong main event on April 19.

“I’m also excited to have Peter Quillin back on the network again fighting Lukas Konecny. I think it’s particularly appropriate that we have Quillin on the undercard here, in that Peter is attempting to follow in the rather large footsteps that Bernard Hopkins has started. That is, to start and campaign as a middleweight, where Bernard spent so many years and defended his title for a world-record number of times.”

GREGORY A. O’DELL, President & CEO of Events DC
“On behalf of fight fans in Washington, D.C., we are honored to have a championship experience come back to the District. This fight validates the quality of Washington, D.C. as a fight capital.

“This is the third championship fight we’ve had in 14 months. Thank you for recognizing that D.C. is a fight town.

“Over 20 years ago, a slightly younger fighter fought on the RFK campus. We are thrilled that he will be returning on April 19 and we hope to see more fights in Washington, D.C.” [On Bernard Hopkins]




Porter to defend Welterweight belt against Malignaggi on Hopkins – Shumenov card

Paulie Malignaggi
IBF Welterweight champion Shawn Porter will defend his title against former two-division belt holder Paulie Malignaggi on April 19th in Washington, D.C. as part of a championship tripleheader that will be televised on Showtime according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“This is a very meaningful fight for Paulie and for Shawn,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “I think it’s a very attractive fight in the ring as well. To be paired up with Hopkins is absolutely fantastic. I’m happy for the fans, for the fighters and for Showtime. Three world title fights. I think it’s going to be one of the biggest cards in Washington D.C., in quite some time.”

“It’s great for Shawn Porter because he is fighting one of the most recognized names in the sport of boxing,” Schaefer said. “People know Paulie Malignaggi, so for Shawn Porter to go in the ring with someone of the name recognition and resume of Paulie Malignaggi, should he win, it would be a big feather in Shawn’s cap. It would be a big win for him.

“For Paulie Malignaggi it’s a tremendous opportunity to win another world title. It really is amazing. When I think back to 2010, when most people had written Paulie off after he lost to Amir Khan, he came to see me in Los Angeles and said, ‘I’m not done, contrary to what everyone says. I really want to be with Golden Boy.’ I believed in him and since then Paulie has had some of his biggest fights and accomplishments.”

“I’m excited about this fight and excited to get back in the ring for my first defense,” Porter told ESPN.com. “I was thinking about it last night. I’ve had [regional titles] and it was just a matter of winning those fights to get to the bigger title fight. Now, this is a matter of holding onto something, holding on to this title. I’ve been looking at Paulie’s fights on YouTube and at his record. He has fought everybody and he’s still trying to do it. I won’t allow him to screw me and take me to school.

“I see him trying to beat me with his speed and trying to move against me. I know me and my father (trainer Ken Porter) will have a great fight plan consisting of a lot of things we did against Devon Alexander. I think it will be an exciting fight for fans. We knew what we wanted to do against Devon — contain his speed and movement and limit what he likes to do. Same thing goes with Paulie. The difference here is because Paulie has so much experience, he’s not going to allow me to just do anything. He’s going to fight back. From round 1 to the end, it will be a fight of making adjustments. You have two guys coming in who really want it and who both legitimately have what it takes to win the fight.”

“I’ve seen Porter through the years,” Malignaggi told ESPN.com. “He’s a young fighter, an improving fighter. He’s gotten better over the years and is maturing into a good solid pro. I’m excited about the chance to win my third world championship. I’ve been through a lot of naysayers. A chance to win a world title for the third time is special and a motivator and something a lot people didn’t expect from me. I’m here and I’m looking to make good by winning a third championship.”

Porter-Malignaggi was made possible when the IBF approved Porter’s application for an exception to his mandatory defense against Kell Brook of England. April 19 is 12 days beyond the window by which Porter could have made an optional defense without an exception, but that did not match Showtime’s schedule.

The IBF granted the exception under the condition that Porter and Malignaggi agree in writing that the winner will make his next defense within 90 days against Brook, as long as Brook wins his stay-busy fight against Alvaro Robles on Saturday in Liverpool, England.

“We had to wait for the IBF for their ruling and they ruled, so the fight is on,” Schaefer said. “Both fighters will agree with the ruling of the IBF. Whatever the IBF ordered is fine and both fighters will agree to whatever the IBF stipulates.”

Said Porter, “Right now it’s Paulie for me. After this fight, it would be Kell Brook. Unless something happens Kell brook, he’s supposedly the next guy.”




BERNARD “THE ALIEN” HOPKINS AND BEIBUT SHUMENOV WASHINGTON, D.C. KICK-OFF PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES FOR APRIL 19 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION

Bernard Hopkins
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 11, 2014) – IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins and WBA Super World Champion Beibut Shumenov held a press conference on Tuesday at The W Hotel in Washington, D.C., to formally announce their world championship unification on Saturday, April 19, live on SHOWTIME® from the DC Armory.

At 49-years-old, “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KOs), of Philadelphia, is looking to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles, while Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs), of Shymkent, Kazakhstan, is aiming to become the fastest fighter to unify the light heavyweight division with only 15 professional fights under his belt.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® co-main event, undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs), of New York, will defend his title for the third time when he meets former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Lukas Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs) of the Czech Republic.

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, went on sale today at 10 a.m. ET and are available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.

Below is what the participants had to say at Tuesday’s presser:

BERNARD HOPKINS, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion:

“I’m looking to put on something special. Because my thing is, you’re only as good as your last fight. Here in D.C. you’re only as good as your last vote. At the end of the day, I’ve realized that you can be a champion yesterday, but if you dwell on yesterday you will never go forward.

“I’m pretty sure that a lot of people don’t know who Shumenov is. And I tell them he’s a fast guy who is rising in the sport of boxing quickly. He comes to fight and he comes to win.

“You haven’t seen guys rise this quickly in boxing for many years. You usually see 30 or so fights before a guy gets a world title. But I’m not reading into all that stuff. All I know is that the guy signed up to fight a world champion. And he has something that I need to be the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world. He’s in the way of that.

“Not only is he in the way, I have to use a lot of other things that motivate me even more to be successful on April 19. This fight is about my legacy. I unified the middleweight division and now my goal is to unify the light heavyweight division.

“I am blessed to be here through hard work and disciplinee. Shumenov will learn from this fight because he’s still young and he still has some experience to gain after this fight. But I’m not playing him cheap and I’m not playing him short because anyone who steps in the ring with Bernard Hopkins has the skill to be a world champion.

“I believe I’m the most feared fighter in the world or maybe the last 15-20 years in spite of my age. Love me or hate me, people understand how dangerous I can be to a fighters’ career moving forward.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Super and IBA Light Heavyweight World Champion:
“I’m very excited that I’m going to fight one of the greatest fighters ever. I know that I’ve never faced anyone on his level and I know it’s going to be the hardest fight of my life. But I will do whatever it takes to win this fight. And I’ll do anything possible and impossible to get the victory.

“People will find out on April 19 that I belong in the elite level. That I am the best light heavyweight champion in the world. I’m looking to make a statement to the world.

“I’m confident, he’s confident. You have to be prepared for all styles. I never faced anybody at Bernard’s level. I consider him the best light heavyweight champion. And he is in my way to prove that I am the best light heavyweight champ.

“It’s a dream of mine to have this kind of opportunity. I’ve been ready to fight at this type of level for several years and now I have this platform to show off all my skills.

“I was honored to see the ambassador of our country [Kazakhstan] here. I have a lot of fans here in the U.S. and Las Vegas and all over the country.”

NAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer:
“When you’ve been in the game so long that you outlive your nickname … well, this guy has been in boxing longer than the ‘Executioner.’ Now he’s ‘The Alien.’

“It’s been an honor and a pleasure to actually watch him culminate into the type of athlete that he is today.

“A lot of people don’t understand our sport and they don’t understand that 30 in boxing is old. This guy is ancient. You have to sit back and realize how impressive this is.

“Beibut is just an exceptional athlete. If you look at this fast pace he’s been on you have to respect it and the success he’s had.

“But no one can ever tell you what you see when you climb into those ropes and you look across the ring and it’s not a fighter, it’s not a fighter that fights well, it’s not a champion, it’s not an elite-lever fighter. When you look across that ring and you see an absolute legend, no one can tell you what that’s like.

“I hope that we can appreciate this guy [Hopkins] while he’s here. Every single thing this guy does in this sport is history. Every press conference he has, every mouthpiece he puts in his mouth. Everything he does in this sport now is absolute history.”

BRUCE BINKOW, COO & CMO of Golden Boy Promotions:
“D.C. is becoming a hotbed for big fights and we’re excited to bring this world championship unification to our nation’s capital.

“Every time Bernard Hopkins fights it’s a historical event and we also have a world champion who is looking to make his mark and history by taking Bernard’s belt.

“Shumenov has successfully defended his title five times, and this April he gets an opportunity to add his name to the history books if he can do what very few people have done and beat Bernard Hopkins.

“I could remind you that Bernard won his middleweight title in 1995 and successfully defended it 20 times. But what’s really amazing is that Bernard has had a spectacular last couple of years. He’s already twice become the oldest man to win a major world championship and in 2013 he had one of his greatest years ever.

“I believe that if a baseball, football or basketball player was performing anywhere near the level that he is performing at his age he would be in a lab being studied by science. It’s absolutely unbelievable. “

SCOTTIE IRVING, Chairman of D.C. Boxing Commission:
“We’re very happy to have this world title fight here in Washington D.C. When we had the Peterson fight back in January we talked to Bernard and Golden Boy Promotions about having another fight back here in D.C., but what we didn’t know was that Bernard was going to fight here himself.

“What I think that came from was as he walked around the DC Armory, he saw he had a lot of fans enchanted with his boxing career that wanted to see him fight in D.C. So we’re happy to bring this world championship event to D.C. and we’re looking forward to a great fight.”

# # #

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, IBA and WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19, at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona,AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. The live SHOWTIME telecast will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale now and are available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.




BERNARD “THE ALIEN” HOPKINS VS. BEIBUT SHUMENOV LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP UNIFICATION TO TAKE PLACE SATURDAY, APRIL 19 LIVE ON SHOWTIME® FROM THE DC ARMORY IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Bernard Hopkins
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7, 2014) – Washington, D.C. is known as a city where history is made. On Saturday, April 19, another historic event will take place in the nation’s capital when IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Bernard Hopkins faces WBA World Champion Beibut Shumenov in an attempt, at 49-years-old, to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to unify world titles. The DC Armory, the site of several championship boxing matches in the last year, will host the return of the future Hall of Famer to the capital for the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the West Coast).

In the co-main event, popular undefeated WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin defends his title for the third time when he meets WBO European titleholder and former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Lukas Konecny. Quillin has been one of boxing’s most exciting competitors over the last few years; scoring 11 knockdowns in his last three title fight wins. In Konecny, he will be in the ring with a crafty and experienced veteran, a former Olympian who has never been stopped.
Tickets priced at $25, $50, $75, $200 and $300, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale today at 10 a.m. ET are available online at http://www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (800) 745-3000. The DC Armory Box Office will be open on fight night only from 3:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. ET.

“It’s no secret that my one of my biggest goals has been to unify the titles and getting to do that in a city where I have a lot of history is the best-case scenario,” said Hopkins, who defended his middleweight title with a seventh-round technical knockout of Robert Allen in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 6, 1999. “I’m coming back to break another record by unifying the title and I’m looking to get my first knockout since I fought Oscar De La Hoya in 2004. I know Shumenov is tough, but I’m tougher and I’m not going to let him make a name for himself by being the one to stop me.”

The legendary Hopkins made his first attempt at a world title in Washington, D.C. in 1993 when he lost to Roy Jones Jr. at RFK Stadium, just steps away from the DC Armory. A year later, he faced Segundo Mercado in neighboring Landover, Md. and won the IBF middleweight world title, which he held for over a decade.

“I am very excited that the fight is going to happen against one of the greatest fighters ever,” said Shumenov. “I am going to do everything possible and impossible to get the victory.”

“I can’t wait to get back in the ring and defend my title once again,” said Quillin. “I’m excited to be fighting in front of the great fans in D.C. and I will give them a show on April 19. Konecny is an experienced challenger, and you can’t overlook anyone with 50 wins, but I’m going home with the title, and I’ll be looking for another knockout.”

“I have a lot more experience than Quillin and the fans will see that on April 19,” said Konecy. “This is my first fight in the U.S. and I don’t plan on going home without that belt. Every fighter dreams of fighting for and winning a world championship, and I am thankful for the chance to do that against Peter Quillin.”

“The fans in D.C. have been enthusiastic and supportive of the sport whenever we’ve brought an event there, and I know they will love this championship doubleheader,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Bernard Hopkins continues to amaze everyone with his performances in the ring, but when he faces Shumenov, he’ll have to pull out all his veteran tricks to keep his amazing streak going. This may be the toughest test he’s faced at light heavyweight.”

“Coming off of a very successful fight card in January, we are pleased to welcome back Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME to the historic DC Armory,” said Erik A. Moses, managing director of Events DC’s Sports and Entertainment Division, which manages the DC Armory and RFK Stadium. “D.C. is a great fight town, and hosting a fight of this caliber will certainly add to the rich history of professional boxing in the nation’s capital. It’s great to see the DC Armory come alive again with big-time boxing, and we look forward to continuing this tradition.”

Boxing’s elder statesman, Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (54-6-2, 32 KOs) continues to achieve remarkable goals in the world of boxing-and has done just that since turning pro in 1988. But he has amazed even more with his exploits over the last few years, as he twice became the oldest man to win a major world championship in the ring. Now 49-years-old, the pride of Philadelphia, Pa., had one of his best years yet in 2013, defeating Tavoris Cloud in March to win the IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship, and then successfully defending his title in October with an exciting win over Karo Murat. On April 19, the future Hall of Famer returns in an attempt to unify the 175-pound title. Additionally, as a partner in Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins has undertaken out-of-the ring promotional duties that further solidify him as one of the most recognized and revered figures in the sport.

A native of Shymkent, Kazakhstan who now fights out of Las Vegas, 30-year-old Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KOs) made his way to the top of the light heavyweight division with lightning-fast speed, winning his IBA title against Byron Mitchell in 2009, in just his eighth professional fight before adding the WBA title by defeating Gabriel Campillo two fights later in 2010. Since then, Shumenov, a 2004 Olympian for Kazakhstan, has successfully defended his title five times, defeating Vyacheslav Uzelkov, William Joppy, Danny Santiago, Enrique Ornelas and Tamas Kovacs. But this April, Shumenov gets his opportunity to make a name for himself in the history books if he can defeat Bernard Hopkins.

Proudly wearing the championship belt of the division Hopkins once ruled, New York’s
Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (30-0, 22 KOs) has gotten his reign atop the 160-pound division off to a rousing start with a decision win over Hassan N’Dam for the WBO crown in October of 2012, then going on to successful defenses twice with stoppages of Fernando Guerrero and Gabriel Rosado. Now ready to take on the challenge of Konecny, the 30-year-old boxer-puncher–who also owns wins over Winky Wright, Craig McEwan, Jesse Brinkley and Fernando Zuniga-is eager to begin his 2014 campaign with another knockout victory.

A five-time National Champion for the Czech Republic who also represented his nation in the 2000 Olympics, 35-year-old Lukas Konecny (50-4, 23 KOs) will make his United States debut on April 19 after years of fighting Europe’s best. Konecny plans on making it a memorable visit as he challenges for the WBO Middleweight World Championship. A former interim WBO Junior Middleweight Champion, Konecny made a permanent move to 160 pounds in 2013, and after winning the WBO European Title with a win over Karim Achour and successfully defending it by defeating Moez Fhima, he put himself in line for world title honors against Quillin.

Hopkins vs. Shumenov, a 12-round fight for the IBF, IBA and WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, April 19, at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.sports.sho.com and follow on Twitter at @THEREALBHOP, @KIDCHOCOLATE and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #HopkinsShumenov and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.




World Champion Beibut Shumenov’s Time to shine has finally arrived

shumenov
LAS VEGAS (December 264, 2013) – Reigning World Boxing Association (WBA) Super and International Boxing Association (IBA) Light Heavyweight World Champion
Beibut Shumenov (14-1, 9 KO’s) celebrates his fourth anniversary as world champion next month but he really didn’t arrive on the worldwide boxing scene until this past December 14th in his SHOWTIME debut.

The 30-year-old Shumenov set a light heavyweight record for capturing a world title in the fewest career fights, 10, when he won (Jan. 10, 2010) a 12-round decision over Gabriel Campillo in Las Vegas. Shumenov’s fifth successful world title defense was an impressive performance over previously undefeated challenger Tomas “Tomi Kid” Kovacs (23-1, 14 KOs) on “Danger Zone,” headlined by Marcus Maidana’s upset of Adrian Broner, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Shumenov, the 2004 Kazakhstan Olympian who lives in Las Vegas, dropped Kovacs at the end of round one with a picture-perfect left hook to the European champion’s chin. The powerful Kazak briefly switched to southpaw in the second round, decking Kovacs with a left uppercut, and referee Rafael Ramos halted the fight at the 2:55 mark of the third round after a battered Kovacs was knocked down for the third time in the fight.

Although he hadn’t fought in more than a year, Shumenov showed little ring rust, if any at all, as he patiently stalked Kovacs, who Shumenov expected to be aggressive from the opening bell. “From watching some of his past fights,” the 30-year-old Shumenov explained, “I expected him to come forward and fight inside. I was prepared to counter him, but he fought defensively and I had to set him up. I feinted a lot more than in my past fights, moved better, and I eventually got him.

“My goal has always been to unify and Golden Boy and Showtime are going to give me that opportunity. We tried to make a couple of unifications and different fights that for one reason or another fell through. We tried to made unification fights with [Nathan] Cleverly and [Chad] Dawson when they held belts, but they weren’t interested in fighting me. I tried to unify with a scheduled fight against [then WBO champion Juergen] Braehmer but he ran out of town three days before our fight.”

The winner and still world champion, Beibut Shumenov
(photo by Tom Casino / SHOWTIME)

Aligning himself with Golden Boy and Showtime has positioned Shumenov for a potential unification fight with International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, who has the same promoter and fights for the same network as Shumenov. Hopkins attended Shumenov’s fight in San Antonio and went on record saying he wants to fight Shumenov for both belts in late March or early April.

“Bernard Hopkins is a legendary fighter and it would be an honor to fight him,” Shumenov added. “He said he wants to fight me, I want to fight him. If I had my choice of unifying against any of the other world champions in the 175-pound division, I would pick Bernard Hopkins because he is a six-time world champion who is headed to the Hall of Fame. Hopkins already proved that age isn’t an issue and maybe he isn’t human. The other two world champions, [WBC, Adonis] Stevenson and [WBO, Sergey] Kovalev, only became world champions this year and they haven’t beaten opponents at their peaks like Hopkins has so many times. Stevenson beat Dawson after [Andre] Ward destroyed him and [Tavoris] Cloud wasn’t the same after Hopkins fought him. Kovalev won his title from Cleverly, who I had been trying to fight for a few years because he had been built up and had never fought a top guy.

“I want to prove that I am the best 175-pound champion in the world and the way to do that is to beat the other champions. I think if fans really support having one world champion in our division, maybe all sides can get together to do a tournament with the winner of a fight between me and Hopkins going against the Stevenson-Kovalev winner. It’s been done before.”

Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.




Weights from San Antonio

Adrien Broner 144.4 – Marcos Maidana 146.2
Keith Thurman 145.8 – Jesus Soto Karass 146.2
Leo Santa Cruz 121.4 – Cesar Seda 121.6
Beibut Shumenov 175 – Tamas Kovacs 174.4

SHOWTIME EXTREME – Live at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHTS
Ricardo Alvarez – 140.4 Pounds
Rod Salka – 138.8 Pounds

LIGHTWEIGHTS
Robert Easter, Jr. – 133.6 Pounds
Hardy Paredes – 135.4 Pounds




BEIBUT SHUMENOV SET TO MAKE GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS DEBUT

NEW YORK (Dec. 4, 2013) – Beibut Shumenov is a former amateur standout in Europe and represented Kazakhstan in the 2004 Olympic Games. The WBA Super Light Heavyweight World Champion, he became the fighter with the fewest professional fights to win a 175-pound world title when he captured the crown in his tenth start.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Shumenov (13-1, 8 KO’s) will make his Golden Boy Promotions debut and his fifth title defense when he faces unbeaten Tamas Kovacs (23-0, 14 KO’s) of Slovakia, in the opening bout of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING quadrupleheader live on SHOWTIME® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It is the second of back-to-back four-fight telecasts on SHOWTIME. This Saturday, Dec. 7, friends-turned-foes and former World Champions Zab Judah and Paulie Malignaggi fight for Brooklyn bragging rights when they meet in the featured match at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

In the eagerly awaited main event on Dec. 14, popular, colorful, undefeated rising superstar Adrien “The Problem” Broner faces the toughest test of his career when he risks his WBA Welterweight World Championship against hard-hitting Marcos “El Chino” Maidana. In addition to Shumenov-Kovacs, there are two more 12-rounders on the stacked card: Undefeated WBA Interim Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman defends against dangerous Jesus “El Renuente” Soto Karass and undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz defends against Cesar Seda.

Shumenov,a personable, humble 6-foot-2, 30-year-old who has lived in Las Vegas since 2007, grew up with his father, an accountant, mother, a school teacher, and younger brother in a one-unit home when Kazakhstan was a part of Russia. His parents were business-minded and hard-working, frequently putting in 10-to-12-hour days, and were often on the road.

Shumenov nearly died when he was less than a-year-old. While under the care of his aunts, he was fed spoiled milk. Two weeks later, when his father returned Beibut was blue-faced and had to be rushed to the hospital. They could not locate a vein and had to give him IV through the head. His parents were told he would die.

He survived, but was a sickly child for years. He was unable to play sports until he was nearly six when he started taking Taekwando, karate, wrestling, Muay Thai and kickboxing. He mostly kept involved in the family’s businesses. He and younger brother, Chingis, were to become attorneys. Beibut once worked as a clerk for a judge in Kazakhstan and Chingis once worked as a prosecutor and is the current Deputy Mayor of Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

After watching a Mike Tyson fight on television, Shumenov turned to boxing at the age of 13 and quickly established himself as a fighter with ability. In the amateurs, he went 180-20 pounds. There were enormous expectations for him to bring home the gold in the Olympics. He won his first fight, but broke his hand in the process and then lost his second bout.

“I broke my right hand in the fight that I won,” Shumenov said, “But I wasn’t able to punch with it and lost my second fight against the guy from Turkey. Before the Olympics, I fought the guy and won.”

The defeat demoralized Shumenov. “I quit boxing after the Olympics,” he said. “I couldn’t handle the loss. Everyone was so confident I’d win the gold medal. There was so much pressure. So after returning home in 2004 I quit to concentrate on the family businesses. Even though I suffered a broken hand, I felt I’d let so many people down, including my father, mother and country. But I always maintained my condition.”

In 2006, Shumenov returned to the ring with an eye on the 2008 Olympics, but after dominating his opposition he was urged by a former coach to turn pro, which he did at age 24 on Nov. 17, 2007.

Shumenov won his initial eight starts, suffered his lone defeat on a 12-round majority decision to defending WBA light heavyweight champion Gabriel Campillo, then reversed the result in a rematch on a controversial 12-round split decision in his tenth outing on Jan. 29, 2010.

Here’s more of what the physically strong, aggressive-minded Shumenov had to say about his life, career, Golden Boy and upcoming bout against Kovacs:

On signing with Golden Boy Promotions after basically promoting all his fights with the exception of his pro debut…

“I’m very excited and really appreciate what Golden Boy is doing for me. I finally get to show the world my boxing skills and that I am the best light heavyweight in the world. Really, to get this opportunity on a big card like this, on SHOWTIME, has brought a whole new level to my training.

“I’m so thankful for Golden Boy and SHOWTIME. Since signing with Golden Boy in late September, I’ve felt like a weight has been lifted. I always wanted to be on a major network when I was promoting myself (he and his brother formed KZ Event Productions), but everything was coming out of my pocket. It got frustrating and very stressful for me to try and do everything and the business outside the ring. It was taking away from what I needed to do inside the ring.

“Before, I was my own manager, trainer, fighter and promoter. I’m still my own trainer but I feel very confident. I don’t have to think about promoting, only the preparation for the fight. It is a great relief.”

On his goals…

“My main goal is to unify all the titles. I’ve always wanted to fight for world titles against other great champions. Sure, I’d fight Bernard Hopkins. I’d feel very honored.”

On what this fight means to him…

“This is by far my greatest opportunity. I’m going to try to win impressively. That’s how you get popular. That’s what the exposure of fighting on SHOWTIME can do. This is like starting over as far as opportunity goes on this kind of platform. I want to utilize my skills. I’m comfortable. I’ve trained hard and enjoyed my preparation. I feel everything’s going well. There’s no pressure. I’m very focused.”

On this being his fifth title defense yet first fight in 18 months and only fourth since July 2010…”The reason I’ve fought so little was because I only wanted big fights, and I was trying to do it on my own with no promoter. We tried a long time to make a unification with (Chad) Dawson and (Nathan) Cleverly when they were champions. I tried to reach out to their promoters. I thought I was close against Cleverly, but he disappeared on me. Dawson disappeared, too. I thought I had a unification with Juergen Braehmer when he was WBO champ but he also just disappeared.”

On what he knows about Kovacs…

“To be honest, I haven’t seen many of his highlights on tape but I know he’s an aggressive, come forward fighter that throws a lot of punches. I’m sure he’ll try and make it exciting. But I have the style and the knowledge to fight against anyone. I’m a power puncher-boxer. I have a lot of power but l like to show my skills. I feel confident against any style. I’m excited to get back in the ring and I’m really looking forward to this fight.”

On leaving the family business to return to boxing…

“Our family is very close. I’m sure I get my drive from my parents. Every business decision we make is a family decision. If my parents had their way, I wouldn’t fight. They would prefer I run our family business. They’re very proud of me, but I’m sure they’d rather me be involved in more business-related ventures than to be in this kind of sport. I only plan to fight a couple more years.”

“For me to get this far is an accomplishment. Kazakhstan was not an easy place to grow up. I broke my hand in the Olympics and a few other things on the streets.”

On coming to America…

“I chose to move to Las Vegas to live and train because it is the boxing capital of the world. When I first said I was coming by myself to the United States, my dad laughed. He thought I’d be here about a week and was just coming to party.

“The first English I learned came from watching movies. I watched all kinds of movies for about six months and then hired a tutor, who worked with me for two months. My favorite movie is ‘The Godfather.’ ”

ABOUT “BRONER VS. MAIDANA”:
“DANGER ZONE: Broner vs. Maidana,” a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBA Welterweight World Championship taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T, Casamigos Tequila and Grudge Match. In the 12-round co-featured attraction, Keith Thurman will defend his interim WBA Welterweight World Championship against Jesus Soto Karass. Leo Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World title on the line against Cesar Seda in a 12-round bout and Beibut Shumenov faces Tamas Kovacs in a 12-round clash for Shumenov’s WBA Super & IBA Light Heavyweight World titles. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100, $75, $50, $25, $20 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available at the Alamodome box office, or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com or online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 745-3000.




World Champion Beibut Shumenov Honorary Captain of Team Challenge, Southwest Chapter

LAS VEGAS (November 3, 2013) – Team Challenge has World Boxing Association (WBA) Super and International Boxing Association (IBA) Light Heavyweight World Champion Beibut Shumenov (13-1, 8 KO’s) in its corner to help KO Crohn’s & Colitis.

Shumenov, who makes his fifth world title defense Saturday, December 14 on SHOWTIME, airing live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, has been named Honorary Captain of Team Challenge, Southwest Chapter.

“I’m proud to be involved with such a worthy group like Team Challenge,” Shumenov said. “I hope that it will help increase awareness of this terrible disease and raise funds for Crohn’s and Colitis research and education. I hope other fighters will join me to KO Crohn’s and Colitis.”

Shumenov takes on undefeated, WBA No. 14-ranked Slovakian challenger Tamas “Tomi Kid” Kovacs (23-0, 14 KO’s), the former World Boxing Organization (WBO) European and World Boxing Federation champion, Dec. 14 on SHOWTIME.

“Beibut’s support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America means so much to our organization and the people we serve,” noted Team Challenge National Manager, Aaron Castens. “He’s an accomplished fighter and knows that the 1.4 million Americans battling Crohn’s and Colitis are in a fight for their lives. His generosity and willingness to make a difference for our patients is exceptional. In the past five years research has shown overwhelming promise that we will soon have better treatment options and ultimately a cure. Thanks to Beibut’s contributions to our Team Challenge program, we are one step closer to ending this fight.”

The 30-year-old Shumenov, who lives and fights out of Las Vegas, represented his native Kazakhstan at the 2004 Olympics in Greece. In 2010, he set a light heavyweight record for capturing a major world title in the fewest amount of career fights, 10, by winning a 12-round decision over Gabriel Campillo. Shumenov has successfully defended his WBA/IBA titles four times against No. 1 mandatory challenger Viacheslav Uzelkov (DEC12), three-time world champion William Joppy (KO6) and multi-world title challengers Danny Santiago (TKO9) and Enrique Ornelas (DEC12).

“Fans may friend Beibut Shumenov on his Facebook Fan Page at www.facebook.com/BeibutShumenov.

“DANGER ZONE: Broner vs. Maidana,” a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBA Welterweight World Championship taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Grudge Match. In the 12-round co-featured attraction, Keith Thurman will defend his interim WBA Welterweight World Championship against Jesus Soto Karass. Leo Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World title on the line against Cesar Seda in a 12-round bout and Beibut Shumenov faces Tamas Kovacs in a 12-round clash for Shumenov’s WBA Super & IBA Light Heavyweight World titles. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100, $75, $50, $25, $20 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available for purchase at the Alamodome box office, or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com or online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 745-3000.




FIGHTERS GIVE THANKS AS THEY PREPARE FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE BOUTS ON SATURDAY, DEC. 7 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN AND SATURDAY, DEC. 14 AT THE ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO LIVE ON SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®

Paulie Malignaggi
LOS ANGELES (Nov. 25, 2013) – As the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaches, the boxers participating in the back-to-back quadruple headers on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 14 live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING took time out of their training camps to share some of the things they are thankful for this holiday season. While turkey, stuffing and yams may not be on their Thanksgiving menus, they are all in agreement that there is much to be thankful for.

PAULIE “THE MAGIC MAN” MALIGNAGGI, Former Two-Time, Two-Division World Champion (Training in Brooklyn, NY)
“[I am thankful for] My family and my true friends, especially those that have stuck with me from the start.”

“SUPER” ZAB JUDAH, Former Five-Time, Two-Division World Champion (Training in Las Vegas, NV)
“I am thankful for this time and that I get to be together with my family.”

DEVON “THE GREAT” ALEXANDER, IBF Welterweight World Champion (Training in St. Louis, MO)
“I am very thankful just to be living and in the position I’m in to help a lot of kids and inspire them too. I’m really thankful for so many things in my life, but I can’t mention them all because then the list would go on and on. I do want to say that I am thankful for my team and Golden Boy Promotions for getting me the best opportunity possible. Many peoplewant to be in the position that I am in and I am glad that I am one of them!”

SHAWN “SHOWTIME” PORTER, Top Welterweight Contender (Training in Las Vegas, NV)
“I am most thankful for family because they are the most important thing to me.

ERISLANDY “EL ORO DE GUANTANAMO” LARA, WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Champion (Training in Houston, TX)
“I am most thankful for being in the United State of America and for the freedom I have been given.”

AUSTIN “NO DOUBT” TROUT, Former WBA Super Welterweight World Champion (Training in Houston, TX)
“First and foremost I am most thankful for God, the Son of Jesus. Also, I am thankful for the love from my family, friends and fans. I have so much that I am grateful for including my health and career that allows me to provide for family.”

SAKIO “THE SCORPION” BIKA, WBC Super Middleweight World Champion (Training in St. Louis, MO)
“I am most grateful to have my family. Also, I am thankful that I have my health and a roof over my head because in this world there are a lot of disabled and homeless people.”

ANTHONY “THE DOG” DIRRELL, Super Middleweight Contender (Training in Del Rey, FL)
“I am most thankful for my family and getting this world championship title opportunity. What I have been through has been amazing with the cancer (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma) and the motorcycle accident. Having the opportunity to recover and fight for the title means a lot to me.”

ADRIEN “THE PROBLEM” BRONER, Undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion (Training in Colorado Springs, CO)
“I am thankful to God for giving me the ability to take care of family, friends and children.”

MARCOS “EL CHINO” MAIDANA, Former WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Champion (Training in Oxnard, CA)
“I’m thankful for this opportunity that Golden Boy Promotions is giving me. I’m really excited about this fight because of the many more opportunities that will come my way if I win. I’m also grateful to the fans, all the Mexican fans that are showing me their support.”

KEITH “ONE TIME” THURMAN, Undefeated WBA Interim Welterweight World Champion (Training in Clearwater, FL)
“I am most thankful for my career in boxing. Boxing is the only job that I have ever had and the only job I have ever wanted and I am truly grateful for that.”

JESUS “EL RENUENTE” SOTO KARASS, Top Welterweight Contender (Training in Los Angeles, CA)

“I am most thankful for my life and my family. I am grateful to have the love of my wife, kids, parents and siblings. I have the best in life with them. I am also grateful for my health.”

LEO “EL TERREMOTO” SANTA CRUZ, Undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion (Training in Los Angeles, Calif.)
“I am most thankful for my family, especially my brother. He still suffers from his illness [lupus], but he is doing much better. I am also thankful for my promoter Golden Boy Promotions, my manager Al Haymon and his hard working staff and my fans for supporting me in becoming a champion. Without any of them I wouldn’t be where I am at today.”

CESAR SEDA, Super Bantamweight Title Challenger (Training in Salinas, Puerto Rico)
“I am thankful to God for my health and all of the good things in life that have happened to me and my beautiful family. I know that this Thanksgiving I won’t be able to be with my wife, kids, mother or my grandparents and the rest of my family, but they understand the sacrifice that I am making for their good. This Thanksgiving I pray that God blesses the whole world and that he brings a lot of peace. I am so grateful for the new opportunity he gave me to fight for a world title again.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion (Training in Las Vegas, NV)
“As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I am most thankful for my family. My father and mother raised me to be the person I am today and the continuous love and support from my brother, Chingis.”

TAMAS “TOMI KID” KOVACS, Top Light Heavyweight Contender (Training in Budapest, Hungary)
“I am very thankful for my family and feel very grateful every day to see my kids and my wife. When I am preparing for a fight my family is always on my mind and in my heart. In my career I am very grateful for the opportunity that I can fight for the WBA title.

# # #

ABOUT “MALIGNAGGI VS. JUDAH”:
Malignaggi vs. Judah is a 12-round fight for the NABF and NABO Welterweight titles taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Super Judah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T, Casamigos Tequila and Grudge Match. In the co-featured bout, Devon Alexander puts his IBF welterweight title on the line in a 12-round bout against Shawn Porter, Erislandy Lara defends his interim WBA Super Welterweight title in a 12-round fight against Austin Trout and Sakio Bika defends his WBC Super Middleweight title against Anthony Dirrell in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME telecast begins at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT immediately following ALL ACCESS: Broner vs. Maidana which begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT. The telecast will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

ABOUT “DANGER ZONE: BRONER VS. MAIDANA”
“DANGER ZONE: Broner vs. Maidana,” a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBA Welterweight World Championship taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T, Casamigos Tequila and Grudge Match. In the 12-round co-featured attraction, Keith Thurman will defend his interim WBA Welterweight World Championship against Jesus Soto Karass. Leo Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World title on the line against Cesar Seda in a 12-round bout and Beibut Shumenov faces Tamas Kovacs in a 12-round clash for Shumenov’s WBA Super & IBA Light Heavyweight World titles. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will air live at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100, $75, $50, $25, $20 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, went on sale today, Thursday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. CT and are available at the Alamodome box office, or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com or online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 745-3000.




ADRIEN BRONER, MARCOS MAIDANA AND THE DANGER ZONE FIGHTERS MEET THE PRESS AT ALAMODOME

Adrien_Broner
SAN ANTONIO (Oct. 31, 2013) – An enthusiastic crowd of boxing fans showed up for a public press conference on the floor of the Alamodome today as Golden Boy Promotions formally announced DANGER ZONE, a blockbuster event highlighted by a highly anticipated matchup between undefeated WBA Welterweight Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana live on SHOWTIME® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) on Saturday, Dec. 14.

The 12-rounder between rising superstar Broner (27-0, 22 KO’s), of Cincinnati, and the always-dangerous, hard-hitting Maidana (34-3, 31 KO’s), of Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina, tops a stacked fight card to close out what has been record-breaking year on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®.

Other Dec. 14 matchups: unbeaten Keith “One Time” Thurman (21-0, 19 KO’s), of Clearwater, Fla., will defend his interim WBA Welterweight Championship against Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass (28-8-3, 18 KO’s), of Los Mochis, Mexico, undefeated Leo Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KO’s), of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Mexico, will risk his WBC Super Bantamweight world title against southpaw Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KO’s), of San Juan, P.R., popular former world champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KO’s), of Oxnard, Calif., will make his long-awaited return to the ring against an opponent to be determined, and WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Beibut Shumenov (13-1, 8 KO’s), of Las Vegas, Nevada by way of Shymkent, Kazakhstan, defends his title against Tamas “Tomi Kid’’ Kovacs (23-0, 14 KO’s), of Galanta, Slovakia.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (6:30 p.m. ET.PT).

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100, $75, $50, $25, $20 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, went on sale today, Thursday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. CT and are available at the Alamodome box office, or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com or online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 745-3000.

What the fighters and executives said Thursday:

Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions
“On Dec. 14, we have a celebration. A celebration of boxing at the highest level with the best fighters fighting the best opposition. This is what Golden Boy is all about. But it also is a celebration of San Antonio. New York at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Los Angeles at the Staples Center, Las Vegas at the MGM Grand and San Antonio at the Alamodome. That’s right. San Antonio is now one of the top-four premiere destinations for boxing in the United States. And our company, in partnership with local promoters Jesse James Leija and Mike Battah, are committed to bringing big-time boxing to this market on a regular basis.

SHOWTIME is going to continue the tradition of the best fighting the best. And on Sat. Dec. 14, Santa Claus is coming to town. I want to thank my friend Stephen Espinoza, the General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports and the chairman of CBS Corporation, which is the parent company of SHOWTIME, Leslie Moonves. His commitment and passion for boxing is second to none. And he has allowed us the opportunity to stage these incredible events on SHOWTIME.”

Jesse James Leija, Former World Champion and Texas boxing legend
“Between Golden Boy Promotions and Leija*Battah Promotions, it’s possible to have great fighters to promote and bring up as champions but none if this is possible without the San Antonio fight fans.”

Mike Battah, President of Leija*Battah Promotions
“As of now we have $500,000 in sales, so we know that we have brought these fights to the right city [San Antonion]. On December 14, the fight fans here will get all of the excitement they are looking for when these guys go into the ring and give their best.”

SHOWTIME Spokesman Chris DeBlasio
This fight card is truly stacked. I feel like we have been saying that a lot lately in the past two years. But this, five major fights featuring this level of talent is perhaps the best of a great bunch.

SHOWTIME has quickly emerged as the premiere destination for big-time boxing. Through the close working relationship between Stephen Espinoza (Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports) and Richard Schaefer, SHOWTIME has become the home of the best fighters in the most competitive divisions in boxing today.

As a result, our subscribers have responded by tuning in in record numbers. To date, the top-five of the most watched SHOWTIME boxing events in our nearly 30 year history in this sport have all occurred in the last 13 months. So far this year, our average viewership for SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is up more than 23 percent. And dating back to 2011, our average viewership is up a remarkable 62 percent. There is no doubt that this incredible trend will continue when we deliver the strongest fight card of the year, on Saturday, Dec. 14, live on SHOWTIME.”

ADRIEN BRONER, Undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion
“I have to thank God. He blessed us. And now it’s back to work. Like I’ve said before, I’ll fight whomever you all want me to fight. The next one is going to be the same way. After I (expletive) him up on Dec. 14, I’ll fight whomever you want.

(Regarding Maidana’s versatile training with renowned trainer Robert Garcia)
You can train different. You can lift weights with your teeth. You can push cars for two months straight. That doesn’t matter. I got the skills to pay the bills and I got enough will, my last name could be Smith.

There are a lot of people who hate me but the haters are going to love me at the end of the day. They just don’t know it yet. On Dec 14 I hope my haters become fans. You’ll love me eventually because I love all y’all.

I want to acknowledge the troops (members of the U.S. Military in attendance at the conference). I train in Colorado Springs. And I had the opportunity to go to Kuwait and Afghanistan to meet the troops a while back. And while I was sleeping, I could feel the ground shaking. We were getting bombed and I didn’t even know it at the time. That (expletive) over there is for real. Y’all are real fighters and y’all have given us the opportunity to do what we do. So, I thank you.

It’s going to be a hell of a fight. I can promise you this. It’s going to get ugly. I am talking Sam Cassell, Tyrone Hill ugly. It’s going to get ugly. I don’t know if he’s faking that he doesn’t speak English. But after Dec 14, he’ll speak English. I am going for the knockout. Strap up.

(On what Maidana brings to the ring)
He can hit. But Mark McGuire can hit too. But if he can’t hit nothing, his power shot becomes irrelevant. I want him to be 100% in this fight. I don’t want any excuses.

(Regarding his knockout prediction)
The Argentine fighters are strong for six rounds. They can’t go much past six. This fight is over shortly after the sixth.

Who is doing it like me? Nobody.”

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion
“This is a fight I wanted. I wanted to fight the best, the champion. And Adrien Broner is the champion so I am going to come prepared. I am very enthused. This is for the championship of the world. I am going to win. I am focused and will be 1000% ready.

Every fight, I have changed and I’ve improved my arsenal. Come Dec. 14, you are going to see a champion in Marcos Maidana.

(The key to beating Broner)
The key is to throw a lot of punches. Pressure him. Kick his ass. And that’s what I am going to do.

(On nuances in preparing for this fight)
I have not changed my style because this is who I am and that is how I fight. But Robert (Garcia) has sharpened my skills. He’s given me more composure in the ring and helped me to pick my shots and be even more aggressive than before.”

KEITH THURMAN, Undefeated WBA Interim Welterweight World Champion
“One Time. I am just so happy to be here. I am back. I am back in San Antonio to give another great performance. My motto is knockout for life. I am not called “One Time” for nothing. I come to bring the hurt. Fighters think they know what they’re getting into when they step into the ring. But no one can prepare for this. I am a beast. Dec. 14 is what I live for. That action. Getting hit, taking hits, giving hits. Seeing if they can take my hits, which they can’t do for long.

I am honored that Soto Karass took this fight. I am honored. There are a lot of guys that won’t take this fight. It gets me excited to know that I am going to meet someone like me in the ring. A true warrior. Someone that lives for the fight. Just like me, he’s not afraid of nobody.

I have to skip Thanksgiving. Sacrifices, sacrifices. But I can’t wait for Dec. 14. It’s going to be a special night.

There isn’t anything he can do to challenge me. No one can test me. I am testing you and you’ll fail. I come with a passion, drive, desire and will. Not just ordinary will, but the will to be champion. You’ve seen that will in my last fight. And Soto Karass is the type of fighter that can bring that out in me again. Once that comes out, it’s over for him.

(On ability of Soto Karass to challenge him)
He’s tough. Some people say he’s really tough. But when it comes to boxing, it takes skills. It’s nice to be tough but tough isn’t tough enough. If you don’t have the skills, it doesn’t matter. You have to be well rounded in this sport. I showed my versatility in my last fight and I’ll show you more on Dec. 14.

Other than Mayweather, you are looking at the best welterweights in the world (on this card). Adrien Broner is the world champ. I am Interim Champ. Marcos Maidana is ranked No. 1 by the WBA. This division is packed. I just happen to be one of the most talented.”

JESUS SOTO KARASS, (28-8-3, 18 Kos) Challenging for WBA Interim Welterweight Title
“Thank you. Especially to you, the people of San Antonio for letting me return and fight in this great city. I am excited to be back. And fighting Keith Thurman. I have seen him fight. We’ve been on the same cards before so I know what he has and he knows what I have. Come Dec. 14, I am going to bring it. I am coming to take that title back to Los Mochis (Mexico).

He has the same heart but the difference is that I have bigger balls.

I respect him but once we get into the ring, I don’t have that respect any more. My corner and myself will make adjustments once we get into the fight. I am going to war in the gym. I have bruises from the gym because I am preparing myself very well.

Mentally, I know that I need to train hard and be ready. I need to be successful and win in order to provide for my family.

There is no pressure. I know what I have to do. I have to attack and go to war in order to win this fight.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, Undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion
“Thank you for bringing me to Texas. I always heard that I should fight in Texas and now I am here. I am going to give the fans what they want. Thank you for putting me on big shows. I am thankful for having the chance to be seen by so many people.”

CESAR SEDA, Super Bantamweight Title Challenger
“The opportunity to fight for this world title is a big deal for me. I am going to come prepared. I am going to continue with the great tradition of Mexico vs. Puerto Rico. I know I am not the favorite. I am not fighting at home. So I am going to do everything possible to come to PR with my hand raised up.”

VICTOR ORTIZ, Former WBC Welterweight Champion
“I shot a movie. I did “Dancing With Stars,” but through all that, in the back of my mind, I kept telling myself that I will be World Champion again. And that’s why I am here. Enjoy these fights. We have some of the greatest fighters of this era up here, so you are in for a treat. I will be world champion again, like it or not. Step aside. I am here.”

BEIBUT SHUMENOV, WBA Super Light Heavyweight World Champion
“I am excited. I am honored. I am looking forward to showing my skills.”

# # #

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and leijabattahpromo.com, follow on Twitter at @AdrienBroner, @ChinoMaidana, @KeithThurmanJr, @LeoSantaCruz2, @VICIOUSortiz @GoldenBoyBoxing, @LeijaBattahPR, and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #DangerZone and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/LeijaBattah and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.




WBA WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION ADRIEN BRONER TO DEFEND HIS TITLE AGAINST FORMER WORLD CHAMPION MARCOS MAIDANA ON DEC. 14 LIVE ON SHOWTIME FROM THE ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO

Adrien_Broner_1
SAN ANTONIO (Oct. 31, 2013) – WBA Welterweight Champion Adrien “The Problem” Broner and former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana are no strangers to facing the most feared competitors in the sport of boxing. On Saturday, Dec. 14, in a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® mega-bout to air live from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the bold and brash Broner and the punching powerhouse Maidana will enter the DANGER ZONE like never before, with “The Problem” defending his title against the Argentine knockout artist determined to wrap championship gold around his waist once again.

Who will emerge from the DANGER ZONE unscathed? Will it be the fast and precise Broner or the aggressive and powerful Maidana? The world will find out on Dec. 14.

“Maidana is one-dimensional and not in my league,” said Broner. “I’m a Ferrari and he’s a go-kart and my fans will see that in my return to Texas. It’s been over four years since I’ve fought there and I’m going to put on a show. Watch me light Maidana up like a Christmas tree on Dec. 14.”

“Everyone knows that Broner has a big mouth, but that doesn’t bother me, because his mouth can’t fight for him,” said Maidana. “Whether he has the guts to stand in front of me or if he runs I’ll definitely go for the KO and either way, I’m leaving the ring with the belt.”

“On paper this is the classic boxer versus puncher matchup, but Broner is also willing to stand and trade and Maidana can box, so I’m expecting this to be a Fight of the Year candidate to end 2013,” said CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Richard Schaefer. “There’s a lot on the line for both fighters and I can’t wait to see who comes out of the DANGER ZONE with the belt.”
“With five amazing fights and boxing’s top stars, I can’t think of anyplace better to have this event than in San Antonio,” said President of Leija*Battah Promotions Mike Battah. “As shown with the Canelo Alvarez-Austin Trout fight, this is a city that loves and supports the sport, and I can’t wait to see the Alamodome filled once again on Dec. 14.”

“This has been an outstanding year for boxing on SHOWTIME, and I can’t think of any better way to end 2013 than with a stacked card like this one. Adrien Broner vs. Marcos Maidana is a dream matchup between two of the biggest names in the welterweight division. Keith Thurman and Jesus Soto Karass are two of the most aggressive, hard-hitting fighters in any division,” said Executive Vice President & General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports Stephen Espinoza. “We’ve also got one of the sport’s top young fighters in Leo Santa Cruz. Add in the return of Victor Ortiz, and it’s clear that this truly is a can’t-miss event. It’s a pay per view-quality event without the pay per view price tag.”

In the co-main event, one of boxing’s top young stars, Keith “One Time” Thurman, will meet his toughest challenge yet when he defends his interim WBA Welterweight Championship against Mexico’s Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass.

“Soto Karass is a tough guy, there’s no question about that, and I respect him a lot,” said Thurman. “But his style is tailor-made for me and I expect to defend my title and win by knockout.”

“Thurman is a young, talented fighter with good power,” said Soto Karass. “But as I proved in my fight with Andre Berto that when I’m on top of my game, no one can beat me. I will become a world champion on Dec. 14.”

Before Thurman and Soto Karass battle it out, the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship will be on the line when defending champion Leo “Teremoto” Santa Cruz battles Cesar Seda.

“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring and making my debut in Texas against Cesar Seda,” said Santa Cruz. “Seda is a quality fighter and a top contender, but I’m not ready to give up my belt to him or anyone.”

“I admire Santa Cruz for his talent and his accomplishments, but styles make fights, and I have the style to beat him and bring the world championship back to Puerto Rico,” said Seda.

The stacked card’s opening world championship fight pits Kazakhstan’s Beibut Shumenov against unbeaten challenger Tamas “Tomi Kid” Kovacs in a 12-round bout for Shumenov’s WBA Light Heavyweight Title.

“I am excited to be back in the ring and to compete on such an amazing event,” said Shumenov. “It’s been a long time for me, and I’m hungry to beat Kovacs in impressive style and retain my title.”

“It has been my dream to fight in the United States against the best in the world, and on Dec. 14 I finally get my chance,” said Kovacs. “Shumenov is a great champion, but I am confident in my ability to take his title.”

Plus, in a special 10-round super welterweight attraction former Welterweight World Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz makes his much anticipated return to the ring.

“It’s great to be back and I can’t wait for my return on Dec. 14,” said Ortiz. “I’m stronger and better than ever at 154 pounds, and the world will see that when the bell rings.”

Tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100, $75, $50, $25, $20 and $10, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. CT and are available for purchase at the Alamodome box office, or through Leija*Battah Promotions by calling (210) 979-3302 or emailing m@leijabattahpromo.com or online at www.ticketmaster.com and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 745-3000.

Cincinnati’s Adrien “The Problem” Broner (27-0, 22 KO’s) is boxing’s latest superstar, a charismatic and talented fighter who has made it clear with his performances that he’s here to stay. A five-year pro, the 24-year-old boxer-puncher won his first world title in 2011 when he knocked out Vicente Martin Rodriguez for the WBO Super Featherweight crown and he added the WBC Lightweight belt when he scored an eighth-round technical knockout over Antonio DeMarco in 2012. But Broner’s greatest feat came when he jumped from 135 to 147 pounds in June, defeating Paulie Malignaggi to win the WBA Welterweight Championship. On Dec.14, he makes his first defense against the biggest puncher he’s ever faced.

Thirty-year-old Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (34-3, 31 KO’s) isn’t just one of boxing’s biggest punchers; he’s also consistently amongst the most exciting fighters in the game today, one who has specialized in Fight of the Year-worthy battles against the best the sport has to offer. Hailing from Margarita, Santa Fe, Argentina, Maidana first emerged on the world scene in 2009, when he won the interim WBA World Junior Welterweight Championship with a stunning sixth-round technical knockout over Victor Ortiz. After three defenses of his title, Maidana lost a 2010 Fight of the Year candidate to Amir Khan, but he regained the belt with another classic against Erik Morales in 2011. Since then, Maidana – now competing at welterweight – has won four of his last five, all by knockout, most recently halting Josesito Lopez in six rounds on June 8.

A former amateur standout who compiled over 100 wins, Keith “One Time” Thurman (21-0, 19 KO’s) owns the kind of power that has made the boxing world take notice. On a tear since returning in 2012 from an injury-forced layoff, the 24-year-old from Clearwater, Fla. has made a statement with his trio of recent victories, as he’s scored a technical knockout over Carlos Quintana, shut out Jan Zaveck and won the interim WBA Welterweight Championship with a 10th-round knockout over Diego Chaves. On Dec. 14, he makes his first title defense.

One of the most respected veterans in the sport today, 30-year-old Los Mochis native Jesus “Renuente” Soto Karass (28-8-3, 18 KO’s) has been in some classic fights over the years, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Marcos Maidana and Andre Berto. The Berto fight in July was particularly important for him, as the 12-round technical knockout win (his fourth in his last five bouts) earned him the world title he has craved since turning pro in 2001. He promises that he won’t let this chance slip away.

Boxing’s breakout star, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KO’s) has already earned world championships in two weight classes, despite being just 25-years-old. A native of Huetamo, Mexico now living in Los Angeles, Santa Cruz’s fan-friendly attack has garnered him followers from around the world, and after his 2013 knockouts of Alexander Munoz and Victor Terrazas, the latter victory earning him the WBC Super Bantamweight Championship, he shows no signs of slowing down in his quest for boxing greatness.

A native of the boxing-rich island of Puerto Rico, San Juan southpaw Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KO’s) initially made his name in the fight game with a successful run at 115 pounds, where he won the WBA Fedecaribe and NABO titles before losing for the only time in his career against WBO Champion Omar Narvaez in April of 2011. Since that bout, the 27-year-old Seda has gone up in weight and won five straight fights, two by way of knockout, earning him a title shot on Dec. 14.

A true boxing phenon who won a world title in just his 10th pro fight, Shymkent, Kazakhstan’s Beibut Shumenov (13-1, 8 KO’s) has been one of the sport’s great success stories following an impressive amateur career that saw him represent his country in the 2004 Olympics. Now living in Las Vegas, Nev., the 30-year old WBA light heavyweight world champion has successfully defended his belt four times, most recently by decision against Enrique Ornelas in June of 2012. On Dec.14, he returns to the ring.

Unbeaten as a professional, 36-year-old Tamas Kovacs (23-0, 14 KO’s) is a seasoned veteran who’s finally getting his shot at world championship glory. A WBF and WBO European champion thus far in his five-year career, the Galanta, Slovakia native is coming off of two 2013 victories over Peter Vecsei and Said Mbelwa, and he would love to close out the year by bringing a world title belt back home to Europe.

One of boxing’s most charismatic young stars, 26-year-old “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KO’s) has made headlines in and out of the ring, first as a former welterweight world champion who has engaged in memorable battles with Andre Berto, Floyd Mayweather, Marcos Maidana, Antonio Diaz, and Josesito Lopez; but also as a member of the cast of ABC’s hit series “Dancing With The Stars.” Now with his dancing shoes put away, Ortiz has the gloves back on and makes his highly anticipated return to the ring.

“DANGER ZONE: Broner vs. Maidana,” a 12-round fight for Broner’s WBA welterweight world championship taking place on Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, is promoted byGolden Boy Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Grudge Match. In the 12-round co-featured attraction, Keith Thurman will defend his interim WBA welterweight Championship against Jesus Soto Karass. Leo Santa Cruz will put his WBC super bantamweight world title on the line against Cesar Seda in a 12-round bout and “Vicious” Victor Ortiz will make his much anticipated return to the ring. Plus, Beibut Shumenov faces Tamas Kovacs in a 12-round clash for Shumenov’s WBA light heavyweight title. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will air live at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT and can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary bouts will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME®at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and leijabattahpromo.com, follow on Twitter at @AdrienBroner, @ChinoMaidana, @KeithThurmanJr, @LeoSantaCruz2, @VICIOUSortiz @GoldenBoyBoxing, @LeijaBattahPR, and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #DangerZone and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/LeijaBattah and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.