PHILADELPHIA (November 13, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (33-0, 19 KOs) put on a show for fans in his hometown Saturday night as he dropped and stopped Colombia’s Samuel Vargas (25-3-1, 13 KOs) on his way to a seventh round TKO victory in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on Spike from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

The dominant performance by Garcia officially setup a welterweight world championship unification showdown in March against Keith “One Time” Thurman, who was in attendance as part of Spike’s broadcasting crew. The two welterweight world champions met in the middle of the ring after the conclusion of the bout and began to set the stage for their explosive showdown.

“I just had to tell Keith that he’s next,” said Garcia. “I’m going to beat him down. There’s not much more to say. Keith is going to get what he asked for and now he’s going to face a big dog.”

“You have two big punchers meeting on March 4,” said Thurman. “I don’t see how the fight can go 12 rounds. I see myself as the best competition that Danny has ever faced.”

Garcia was sharp offensively and defensively Saturday night, making Vargas miss often and countering with powerful shots. He started slow but late in the second round, Garcia delivered an overhand right hand that sent Vargas tumbling to the canvas.

“I felt a little rusty,” said Garcia. “But I started putting my punches together well and came out with the victory. The overhand right knocked him down. It was just a well-timed shot.”

“I got beat up in there,” said Vargas. “It takes a lot of courage to come to North Philadelphia and fight the champ. It just wasn’t my night.”

Vargas continued to come forward and work, but Garcia was entirely in control, making Vargas swing at air while delivering shots of his own that kept him in command. In the seventh round, Garcia began to unload with a series of big shots that hurt Vargas on the ropes. This eventually prompted referee Gary Rosato to stop the fight 2:17 into the round.

“It was great to give back to my fans in Philadelphia,” said Garcia. “It was a long time coming. I’m just happy I was able to give Philly a great night. I’m a Philly champion and it was great to see guys like Allen Iverson and Meek Mill out here supporting. Most importantly it felt great to give back to those in need in my city.”

“Danny is a great fighter and a great person for his city,” said Vargas.

With the March 4 unification fight now set, boxing fans can look forward to seeing two of the best fighters in the sport put their undefeated records and world titles on the line.

“Danny can talk whatever he wants and Angel Garcia can say whatever he wants,” said Thurman. “They can talk smack all day. Danny is real flat-footed. I believe I’ll be able to be on the outside, see the wide punches and counter punch. They said he wanted the tune-up, now he’s ready to see me.”

“On March 4, fans can expect what they always get from me,” said Garcia. “It’s going to be fireworks. I’m a Philly champion. I have the heart of a champion and I’m coming to win and unify titles.”

The co-main event of the evening saw undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd (19-0, 13 KOs) stop former title challenger Jo Jo Dan (35-4, 18 KOs) in the sixth-round of their super welterweight battle.

The smaller Dan sought to smother Hurd from the beginning and negate the previously unbeaten fighter’s advantage in reach and height. Hurd was unable to get full power behind his punches, while Dan tried to hit Hurd with short punches, mainly to the body.

“We knew he was a crafty southpaw,” said Hurd. “We wanted to take our time because we didn’t know how he would come out. We felt him out at first.”

“The weight was a big difference,” said Dan. “I took the fight on short notice and I’m a 147-pound fighter. He was too strong for me tonight.”

Things began to open up for Hurd in round two as he began to tee off on the head of Dan, including a thudding left that caused Dan’s nose to bleed. Hurd continued to pummel Dan, mixing in looping shots to the body with his devastating array of hooks and uppercuts.

“My defense was a little off because being prepared for a right hander,” said Hurd. “We fixed that in the last round and got the stoppage.”

The damage continued into the sixth round as Dan kept coming forward but was consistently met with hard shots from Hurd. The fight was finally called at 1:08 into the sixth round, on the advice of Dan’s corner.

“He was wobbly and shaky,” said Hurd. “I probably would have taken him out in the next round. There are a lot of great fighters in this division and whoever I can get in there with next, I’ll be ready for.”

“He’s a tough guy,” said Dan. “I gave him some tough shots and I took some good shots. At the end of the day this is boxing. I couldn’t do enough to get the win.”

The opening bout of the telecast saw former world champion Javier Fortuna (31-1-1, 22 KOs) survive an early knockdown to come back and earn a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Omar Douglas (17-1, 12 KOs) in their 10-round lightweight match.

Douglas got off to the better start, connecting with a straight left hand late in the first round that buckled the knees of Fortuna and sent him to the canvas.

“He got me cold in the first round,” said Fortuna. “I wasn’t surprised that he came out sharp. I worked very hard to come back.”

“The left hand was there for me so I took it,” said Douglas. “I knocked him down based on reflexes.”

Fortuna recovered nicely however, and used his movement and combination punching to fluster the less experienced Douglas. Fighting primarily out of the southpaw stance, Fortuna used his jab and followed up with flurries that score consistently.

“Every time that I was aggressive, I tried to follow it up with more punches,” said Fortuna.

Douglas tried to be patient and counter, but too often it led to the fighters getting tangled up instead of inflicting damage.

“He was grabbing me, but that’s the game” said Douglas. “That’s the game I signed up for.”

The final round saw Fortuna come out strong in an attempt to close the show with emphasis.

“I knew in the final round that I had to finish it well to make sure there were no questions,” said Fortuna.

The former champion connected at will on Douglas for much of the round, staggering him near the ropes with successive hooks. Douglas stayed on his feet but was unable to mount enough offense as all three judges gave the final round to Fortuna. In the end, the judges scored the bout 96-93 twice and 95-94 for Fortuna.

“I feel like I won the fight. The decision was absurd. He held me the whole fight,” said Douglas.

“I felt like I won just about every round after the first,” said Fortuna. “I want a rematch with Jason Sosa next. That’s a very big fight for me.”

In Off-Television action:

Titus Williams scored a 6-round majority decision over Antonio DuBose in a super featherweight bout.

Williams of Long Island, NY won two cards by tallies of 59-55 and 58-56 while a third card read even at 57-57.

Williams, 126.3 lbs is now 7-0. Dubose, 127.2 lbs of Philadelphia is 8-2-1.

Kyrone Davis stopped Carlos Gabriel Ozan in round three of their scheduled 8-round middleweight bout.

Davis dropped Ozan in round three with a hard barrage of punches. Ozan got to his feet, but stumbled back to the corner and the bout was stopped at 41 seconds.

Davis, 158.6 lbs of Wilmington, DE is 11-1 with 5 knockouts. Ozan, 155.7 lbs of Mendoza, ARG is 12-2.

Milton Santiago won a 8-round unanimous decision over Claudio Rosendo Tapia in a super lightweight bout.

Santiago, 137 lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 80-72 on all cards and is now 16-0. Tapia, 135.8 lbs of Mendoza, ARG is now 28-17-4.

Thomas Velasquez won a 4-round unanimous decision over Raul Chirino in a super featherweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Velasquez, 129.9 lbs of Philadelphia and he is now 6-0. Chirino, 134.2 lbs of Miami, FL is 7-4.

Jeffrey Torres won a 4-round unanimous decision over Joseph Serrano in a battle of Philadelphia based lightweights.

Torres, 137.7 lbs won by scores of 40-36 on all cards and is now 2-0. Serrano, 136.9 lbs was making his pro debut.

Christian Carto kept his perfect streak going as he stopped Leonard Reyes in a scheduled 4-round bantamweight bout.

Carto registered a knockdown from body shots in round two. Later in the round, Carto continued the domination and the bout was stopped at 2:34.

Carto, 118.6 lbs of Philadelphia is 4-0 with all wins coming early. Reyes, 114.5 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 4-11.

# # #

PBC on Spike was promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions.

PHILADELPHIA (November 10, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and Colombia’s Samuel Vargas went face-to-face Thursday afternoon, one day before they weigh-in for their Premier Boxing Champions on Spike main event showdown taking place Saturday, November 12 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.
Televised coverage on Spike begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd battling former title challenger Jo Jo Dan plus former world champion Javier Fortuna taking on unbeaten Omar Douglas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200. Garcia has teamed up with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive and raise money throughout the promotion. For more information on how to get involved, visit the event’s webpage HERE.

Here is what the participants from Thursday’s event at the Clarion Hotel had to say:

DANNY GARCIA

“I’ve dedicated my life to the sport of boxing and I’m proud to be on a card like this. It’s amazing to be fighting in my city with my home base there to support me.

“This is a great opportunity for me. Giving back is very important to me and my family. I have my whole family, including my daughter Philly here with me. It just adds to the excitement leading up to the fight.

“Training camp has been amazing. We had a really smooth camp. I’ve stayed disciplined and taken care of everything I have to do. I’ve been running and sparring and preparing for anything. I took no shortcuts.

“I’m feeling good and I’m happy to bring my fans in Philadelphia a fight. I’m looking forward to bringing more fights back here to Philadelphia. This is a fighting city where it all started for a lot of great fighters.

“I’m really excited about this undercard. I know the fans are going to really love it. I hope those fighters take full advantage of their opportunity to fight on a card like this.

“I know people are excited about the Thurman fight. I understand that and I’m going to be pumped up for that one too. But I’m not looking past anybody. I’m fully focused on putting on a show at home and doing what I have to do to beat Vargas.

“There’s not too much to say but I’m really excited to fight. I hope all the fans come out and see what they’ve been missing in Philly. I’m going for the knockout.”

SAMUEL VARGAS

“I had four weeks of intense training in Miami. We were at the Fifth Street Gym and they made us feel at home. I got great sparring and I feel ready to fight.

“This is a fight that I have to be 100 percent ready for. I have to mentally be prepared for battle. Then I just have to execute the plan.

“Danny is a champion for a reason. He does everything well. We just have to find a way to win.

“My trainer, Billy Briscoe, has done an amazing job of working with me and keeping me motivated. It’s been a really good camp.

“I’m looking for the upset that night. Everyone wants to see Danny fight Keith Thurman, but I’m looking to make myself known. I feel confident.

“All I have to do is go up there and do my job. Don’t miss it, because it’s going to be a memorable one.

“I have to dictate the pace of the fight if I want to win in Philadelphia. I have to win decisively. I have to be a smart fighter and I’ll be ready.”

JARRETT HURD

“I’m trying to let everyone know I’m here. I’m here for everyone in the 154-pound division and I’m here to stay. I’m not a guy who’s just going to work my way up but not win a title. My goal is to win a world title.

“It feels really good to be on a Danny Garcia card. We’re both ‘Swift’ so I’m glad fans will have a chance to see two really entertaining fighters on the same card.

“The opponent switch didn’t leave us a lot of time to prepare for a southpaw, but we’re used to the style. Training camp was really great and I’m just excited to get in the ring.

“I really want to thank my trainer, Ernesto Rodriguez, because he’s been with me since day one. We always talked about fighting on cards like this.

“A fight of this magnitude it’s always a good thing. I’m happy to fight on a card of this magnitude. I hope that everyone enjoys the show on Saturday night.

“All-year round we prepare for changes like this. Sometimes you get an opponent who is orthodox but he comes out southpaw. We’re always prepared for things like this.”

JO JO DAN

“I’m thankful to Hurd for accepting this challenge. I’m looking to make a great fight. I’m in great shape and I have no doubt this is going to be an exciting night.

“Hurd is a great fighter. He has an undefeated record and he’s younger than me, but I’m not worried about it. He likes to fight and switch styles. So I know I will have to be ready for anything.

“My training camp was very good. There are no injuries and I’m very thankful to be healthy. I’ve been in the gym a very long time.

“I have a good strategy for this fight. I’m planning on getting in there and testing him out. I think I’m going to have a really good performance.

“When I got the call about this fight I was already in really good shape. I expect it’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans.

“My original weight is still 147-pounds, but this is a great opportunity and I jumped on it. I believe I’m ready to make a splash.”

JAVIER FORTUNA

“I promise you that this fight will not go 10 rounds. I’m telling everybody. I’m going to knockout Omar Douglas.

“My team works so hard and we’re not going to stop until I’m a champion again. Douglas is the next guy I need to get rid of.

“I’m very honored to be a part of a card of this magnitude, especially with one of the best fighters in the world in Danny Garcia.

“I’m coming to fight Douglas on his turf and I’m going to give him a boxing lesson. I’m prepared and I’m ready to go on November 12.

“I’m confident in myself and confident in my team. We’ve prepared extremely well. My goal is to continue to get back to where I was. I want to be a champion once again.

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny’s Father & Trainer

“Danny is 100 percent prepared. Camp went perfectly. He’s hitting hard. I just pray every day that he doesn’t kill anybody in the ring. These aren’t the ‘Looney Tunes.’ This is real right now. Vargas is in with the champ of the world.

“We’re going to worry about Sam on Saturday. We’re going to get the job done. Because I know what Danny brings to the table.

“I think Danny is the top welterweight in the world. Danny is going to be undefeated, still, after November 12. Sam is going to come in and work. But it’s not going his way.”

BILLY BRISCOE, Vargas’ Trainer

“We went to camp and we prepared to the best of our abilities. Sam knew what he had to do and he took care of everything that he could.

“There’s not too much to say. We understand that we’re fighting a great fighter like Danny. He’s a tremendous fighter and he has great trainer in Angel.

“We’re going to be ready. Sam has put in the hours in the gym that are necessary. We’re looking for a good show and a big shock.”

PHILADELPHIA (November 9, 2016) – Days before he enters the ring to fight in his hometown, undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia opened up his DSG Boxing Gym to media on Wednesday as he prepares to face Colombia’s Samuel Vargas in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Saturday, November 12 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Coverage on Spike begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd battling former title challenger Jo Jo Dan plus former world champion Javier Fortuna taking on unbeaten Omar Douglas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200. Garcia has teamed up with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive and raise money throughout the promotion. For more information on how to get involved, visit the event’s webpage HERE.

Here is what Garcia and his father and trainer, Angel had to say Wednesday:

DANNY GARCIA

On Keith Thurman being ringside on the Spike announcing crew…
“He will just get an up close and personal look at what will happen to him in March. I hope he’s paying attention.

“I am excited to give the Philly fans a great fight. This is an opportunity to give back and that is most important to me. I’ve been training really hard and I’m going to give 100 percent for my city.

“I am just going in the ring and be myself. Seek and destroy. I am taking this one round at a time. I’m looking to be smart and break him down. When the opportunity comes, I’m taking it and putting on a show.

“I am not looking past this fight. I have tunnel vision and have never looked past anyone. I know he is coming to win, but I am ready mentally and physically to get the job done.

“This is going to be a great night. It’s an exciting card from top to bottom. Young local fighters getting a chance to show their skills is great for the sport and great for Philadelphia.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny’s Father & Trainer

“Thurman may be on the outside looking in on Saturday, but he’s going to see what he has in store for him in March.

“Billy Briscoe (Vargas’ trainer) is another Philly guy like me and I know he’s going to try his best. But they’re fighting the champ and they know they have their hands full. He may think he knows our game plan but he really doesn’t.

“I’m excited for Danny to be fighting at home. It’s a great opportunity to give back. I’m expecting Danny to look great in the ring and get the win.”

PHILADELPHIA (November 9, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia talked about some of his favorite moments and biggest influences from his long career in advance of his Premier Boxing Champions on Spike showdown this Saturday against Colombia’s Samuel Vargas from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Coverage on Spike begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd battling former title challenger Jo Jo Dan plus former world champion Javier Fortuna taking on unbeaten Omar Douglas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200. Garcia is teaming up with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive and raise money throughout the promotion. For more information on how to get involved, visit the event’s webpage HERE.

Here is what Garcia had to say when looking back at some moments from his career so far:

Q: What do you consider to be the best performance of your career?

Danny Garcia: The best performance of my career, I believe, was against Lucas Matthysse. I was the unified world champion, I was a 3-to-1 underdog, he was knocking everybody out. I don’t think one person in the world thought I’d win that fight, but I knew deep in my heart I was the better fighter.

Q: What’s your favorite punch in the ring?

DG: My favorite punch is actually my right hand, but for some reason the left hook knocks everybody out. So I don’t know, man. Whatever punch lands, I try to use all my punches and different weapons in different angles. I try to use each hand as the set-up punch for the next punch. So I don’t really have a favorite punch. A lot of people think it’s my left hook, I like the right hand better, but the left hook just knocks everybody out.

Q: Which opponent you fought hit you the hardest?

DG: The two strongest opponents I’ve fought with the best punching power were Kendall Holt and Lucas Matthysse. They kind of had the same kind of power. It was like a thumping shot, and when they hit you, you felt like “Ooh, this man can punch.”

Q: Who was the hardest opponent for you to hit in your career?

DG: The hardest opponent I had to hit was probably Lamont Peterson. He was moving a lot, he wasn’t trying to engage with me at all, was trying to use the ring a lot with lateral movement. He came with a good game plan.

Q: Who was the fastest opponent you’ve faced?

DG: Fastest fighter, hands down, Amir Khan. He is the fastest fighter I’ve ever fought.

Q: What was the best atmosphere you’ve ever fought in?

DG: Barclays Center is No. 1. I’d probably say the Zab Judah fight. We hold the gate (record), the most fans to go to Barclays for a boxing event. It was like a concert.

Q: When was the maddest your dad ever got at you during a fight?

DG: My dad is always mad. He’s happy sometimes, but when it’s fight time, he’s always mad. That’s all I can say.

Q: Are there any fighters you watched growing up who you style yourself after? Or are there any fighters out there who maybe remind you of yourself?

DG: I take a lot from different fighters. (Felix) Trinidad, I loved his left hook. Prince Naseem Hamed, I loved how he wore the animal print, and then I did that. Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, those are fighters I looked up to. (Julio Cesar) Chavez, going to the body, that left hook to the body. I take a lot of things from other fighters’ arsenals and put it into my style. But I never try to be any other fighter. I try to be myself.

Q: When you meet him next March, where will Keith Thurman rank among the opponents you’ve faced in your career?

DG: Like I said, I’ve fought 10 current or former world champions in my career. He’s just another guy, another champ I need to dethrone. That’s basically it.

PHILADELPHIA (November 9, 2016) – Spike TV’s upcoming broadcast of the Premier Boxing Champions series on Saturday, November 12 at 9:00pm ET/PT will have some extra knockout power. Undefeated welterweight world champion Keith “One Time” Thurman will be joining Spike’s critically-acclaimed boxing announce team for the main event featuring Danny “Swift” Garcia vs Samuel Vargas.

Thurman will be paying close attention to Garcia as the two are set to square in a highly-anticipated PBC bout next March.

“I’m excited to be back calling the PBC fights this time on Spike and especially since it’s my next opponent Danny Garcia. Danny I’ve got my eyes on you. It’s going to be a great fight and Spike viewers will want to tune-in to hear what ‘One Time’ has to say,” noted Thurman.

Emanating from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA, Garcia, the prodigal son of the City of Brotherly Love, will put his undefeated record on the line in front of his hometown fans against the hard hitting Vargas from Colombia.

PHILADELPHIA (November 4, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia continued his efforts to give back to his hometown of Philadelphia on Friday, hosting a canned food drive and fan meet and greet in advance of his Premier Boxing Champions on Spike showdown against Colombia’s Samuel Vargas taking place Saturday, November 12 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Coverage begins on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd battling former title challenger Jo Jo Dan plus former world champion Javier Fortuna taking on unbeaten Omar Douglas.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200. Garcia is teaming up with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive and raise money throughout the promotion. For more information on how to get involved, visit the event’s webpage HERE.

In addition to the events going on throughout the promotion, Garcia hosted the food drive Friday at the the Xfinity Store on Aramingo Avenue in Philadelphia. Garcia will continue to raise awareness for the cause leading up to fight night. Fans have been encouraged to drop off canned goods at the Liacouras Center (1776 N Broad St) and the DSG Boxing Gym (3731 Jasper St). Additionally, $10 from each ticket sold has been donated and will provide 20 meals per ticket for people in need.

PHILADELPHIA (November 3, 2016) – This Friday undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia will host a canned food drive in an effort to fight hunger at the Xfinity Store (3903 Aramingo Ave.) in Philadelphia.

Garcia will be host the food drive beginning at 4pm and will be at the store until 6pm

Garcia, who will meet Samuel Vargas in a 10-round welterweight bout on Saturday, November 12 at the Liacouras Center, has teamed up during this promotion with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive, collecting most-needed items, such as tuna and vegetables. Fans have been encouraged to drop off canned goods at the Liacouras Center (1776 N Broad St) and the DSG Boxing Gym (3731 Jasper St). Additionally, $10 from each ticket sold has been donated and will provide 20 meals per ticket for people in need.

WHO: Danny Garcia, undefeated welterweight champion

What: Danny Garcia will meet with his fans as he hosts a canned food drive for this in an area of need.

Where: Xfinity Store
3903 Aramingo Ave.
Philadelphia, PA.

When: Friday, November 4th at 4pm – 6 pm

Tickets for the live event on November 12th, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports @KingsBoxing_ and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. Follow the conversation using #fight4philly. PBC on Spike is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

PHILADELPHIA (November 1, 2016) – Undefeated world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia held a media workout at his gym in Philadelphia on Tuesday as he prepares for his Premier Boxing Champions on Spike showdown with Colombia’s Samuel Vargas taking place Saturday, November 12 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.

Also in attendance at Tuesday’s workout was undefeated rising prospect Omar Douglas, who battles former world champion Javier Fortuna in PBC on Spike action that same night.

Televised coverage on Spike begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd against former title challenger Jo Jo Dan in a super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200.

Garcia has teamed up during this promotion with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive, collecting most-needed items, such as tuna and vegetables. Fans have been encouraged to drop off canned goods at the Liacouras Center (1776 N Broad St) and the DSG Boxing Gym (3731 Jasper St). Additionally, $10 from each ticket sold has been donated and will provide 20 meals per ticket for people in need.

Here is what the participants had to say Tuesday:

DANNY GARCIA

“It feels great to be fighting at home. This is what Philadelphia needed. We’re a fight town. I feel like people don’t know that all over the world. We have a great history and a lot of world champions from here, and they’ve been kind of been overshadowed. It’s an honor to be able to bring a fight back to these fans.

“It’s very important to give back. I’m so happy to have the opportunity. With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner I’m sure we’ll be making a big impact. There are a lot of families in Philadelphia who really need it and I’m glad I can help.

“I’m very lucky to be where I am. It takes a lot of hard work, but you also need the right timing. My dad and I had a vision. We never gave up on that vision. We’ve been through so much in life, we didn’t want to stop till we reached our goals.

“The city of Philadelphia needs a champion. They need someone to give them a hometown show. There’s a lot of excitement with the Eagles and Sixers right now, and I’m going to give them another thing to cheer for.

“It’s a very short trip for me to the arena so I’m happy about that. I feel comfortable. I’m in my own backyard. We’re planning to make sure Vargas is very uncomfortable.

“I love seeing these young kids from Philadelphia on the card. I love giving them an opportunity to get fights in front of their hometown fans too. There are a lot of doors opening up for young fighters from Philadelphia and I love that I can be a part of it.

“I know Billy Briscoe (Vargas’ trainer) will have some tricks. We’re very familiar with each other and I know what kind of trainer he is. He’s never prepared to face someone like me.

“I’ve watched the tape on Vargas. He’s a gritty fighter. He’s definitely a tough guy who won’t give up. I have to be ready. I’m going to have to be prepared. I feel ready to go.

“I had to grow into 140-pounds before I started knocking people out. This will be my third fight at welterweight and I think I’m going to feel as good as I have in my career. That’s why we’re ready to take on the best.”

OMAR DOUGLAS

“This is just a task. I’ve been preparing for this moment all my life. Ever since I was eight-years-old. Not to take anything away from Fortuna, but he’s a gatekeeper in the division. I have to get through him to get to what I want.

“Camp has been camp. It’s rough at times but it’s part of the process. I embrace it all though. I love being in camp. I’m bored when I’m not at camp so I’m definitely happiest when I’m in the gym.

“My weight is on point and on target. We’re just slowing it down and getting ready to make sure I’m peaking on fight night.

“Being able to fight in Philadelphia means the world to me. This is where I started my boxing career. I’ve been coming up the highway from Delaware to fight since I was a kid. Now a win here can propel me to another level.

“Fortuna is where I want to be at. I want to get through him. I can’t look past him. I’m focused on Javier Fortuna and writing another chapter in my story.

“You can expect a very exciting fight on November 12. Hopefully he’s everything that people claim he is. I know that I am and I’m definitely going to come out on top.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Danny’s Father & Trainer

“There are people in this country who don’t have food. My parents were farmers when they came to this country. When I was a child I was hungry. I ran around with no shoes and I wore my brother’s clothes. The first thing Danny and I do when we get in the ring is say a prayer and bow our heads for the kids in the world with nothing to eat. I always told Danny and my family to appreciate whatever we have gotten. We’re using our position now to make a difference.

“Danny is completely ready for this fight. He’s healthy and on track to make weight. We’ll be in the ring on November 12 and I think that if Samuel Vargas comes to fight and stands toe-to-toe with Danny, we’re going to end the night early.

“We’ve brought in a lot of young prospects and guys with more experience for Danny to spar. I try to mix it up on Danny and keep him 100 percent ready. We can’t take anything away from Vargas though. I know Danny is a very talented fighter and he gives me what I want. He’s always learning.

“We don’t watch a lot of tape. My job is not to watch the opponent, it’s to train Danny Garcia. You can’t forget about what your fighter does well.

“These are big things for Danny. He’s the champion and he should be on exciting cards like this. We’re looking to keep building and building his career.

“We’re keeping Danny focused. He knows that he can’t underestimate anybody. We take every opponent very seriously. The 32 people that he fought before were taken just as seriously as Vargas. We don’t change anything or take anything away. I make sure his circle is tight and that camp is focused.

“I’m happy because headlining in Philadelphia is Danny’s dream. What makes Danny happy makes me happy. That’s what it’s about at the end of the day.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports @KingsBoxing_ and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. Follow the conversation using #fight4philly. PBC on Spike is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NEW YORK (Oct. 25, 2016) – SHOWTIME Sports will present seven marquee boxing matches pitting top-10 rated champions in the prime of their careers against fellow top-10 rated challengers over four consecutive months beginning in December. The schedule, which is the second robust boxing programming announcement from SHOWTIME in 2016, was announced today by Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. The lineup includes two long-awaited championship matchups, Jesus Cuellar vs. Abner Mares and Jermall Charlo vs. Julian Williams; the can’t-miss featherweight rematch between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz, and a welterweight unification blockbuster between undefeated champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia. All four of these anticipated bouts will be presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME Sports produced the strongest lineup of world-class boxing events of any network this year, delivering 18 world title fights devoid of mismatches and “tune-up” fights. The best fought the best, and the results were spectacular: two “Fight of the Year” contenders, Thurman-Shawn Porter and Santa Cruz-Frampton; a “Knockout of the Year” frontrunner by one of boxing’s biggest punchers, Deontay Wilder; and the arrival of one of boxing’s most marketable new stars in Anthony Joshua. SHOWTIME also featured the trio of junior middleweight champions, the Charlo twins, Jermall and Jermell, and Erislandy Lara, all in title fights on one card; highlighted the world’s best featherweights in Santa Cruz, Frampton, Gary Russell Jr. and Lee Selby; and set the table for the title unification fight between super middleweight champions Badou Jack and James DeGale.

Boxing’s brightest stars will again take center stage on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® as the network prepares to present the following seven matchups, including six world title fights, over a 12-week span. All bouts will air live on SHOWTIME with the exception of Garcia vs. Thurman, which will either air live in Primetime on CBS or live on SHOWTIME.

Seven of the 14 fighters are undefeated, while the champions and challengers in the six world title fights boast a combined 313 wins versus just six losses.

December 10: Jesus Cuellar (28-1, 21 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs)*
Jermall Charlo (24-0, 18 KOs) vs. Julian Williams (22-0-1, 14 KOs)*

January 14: Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) vs. James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs)**

January 28: Carl Frampton (23-0, 14 KOs) vs. Leo Santa Cruz (32-1-1, 18 KOs)* Dejan Zlaticanin (18-0, 11 KOs) vs. Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29 KOs)*

February 11: Adrien Broner (32-2, 24 KOs) vs. Adrian Granados (18-4-2, 12 KOs)

March 4: Danny Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs) vs. Keith Thurman (27-0, 22 KOs)**

*World title bout
**World title unification bout

“This is a slate of high-level, evenly-matched, 50/50 fights – the best fighting the best – which has become the calling card of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING,” said Espinoza. “Every fight we are announcing today features a top 10-ranked champion taking on a top 10-ranked challenger; in many cases, it’s top-five vs. top-five.

“This is our second major boxing lineup announcement this year, further proof that no other network is delivering high-quality competitive fights – without relying on PPV – as consistently as SHOWTIME. No other network is as committed to driving the sport forward. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is giving subscribers the best that boxing has to offer.”

Saturday, Dec. 10 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®
Presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions

In a highly anticipated featherweight blockbuster, hard-hitting Jesus Cuellar will make the second defense of his WBA 126-pound title against Abner Mares, a three-division champ who has compiled a staggering resume while collecting belts at 118, 122 and 126 pounds. Cuellar vs. Mares is the latest in a lineup of action-oriented 126-pound showdowns assembled with the goal of unifying one of the sport’s most talent-laden divisions. It will be the fifth featherweight world championship of 2016 on SHOWTIME.

On Dec. 10, there also will be a long-awaited world championship contest between two undefeated 154-pound fighters. Jermall Charlo will make the third defense of his IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship against No. 1 mandatory challenger Julian Williams in a matchup of 26-year-old fighters at the top of their game. Charlo vs. Williams becomes the sixth title or world title eliminator in the 154-pound weight class in 2016 on SHOWTIME, a roster featuring eight of the top-10 fighters in the division.

Saturday, Jan. 14 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Super middleweight world champions Badou Jack and James DeGale are set to unify the 168-pound class. Both champions retained their titles on a doubleheader last April 30 on SHOWTIME. Jack kept his WBC belt in a controversial draw with longtime titlist Lucian Bute that many thought Jack clearly won. Earlier that evening, DeGale successfully defended his IBF crown with a unanimous decision over mandated challenger Rogelio Medina. Jack landed 61 percent of his power punches, while DeGale connected on an astonishing 66 percent of his power shots. Now, Jack and DeGale will face off in a long-awaited unification to determine the No. 1 fighter in the super middleweight division.

Saturday, Jan. 28 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions

The most anticipated rematch in boxing will take place when Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz square off in an immediate rematch of a leading 2016 Fight of the Year candidate. In their first encounter July 30 on SHOWTIME, former super bantamweight champ Frampton moved up in weight to challenge fellow unbeaten Santa Cruz, edging the three-division titlist in a firefight. The must-see rematch will be the sixth featherweight world championship on SHOWTIME in less than 12 months.

The co-feature pits undefeated lightweights Dejan Zlaticanin against resurgent fan favorite Mikey Garcia. Zlaticanin is making the first defense of his WBC 135-pound crown against the former two-division titlist in Garcia. The champion is the No. 1 fighter at 135 pounds, while Garcia is aiming to become a three-division world champion in just his second fight back from a two-and-a-half year layoff.

Saturday, Feb. 11 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Four-division world champion Adrien Broner will face the streaking Adrian Granados in a matchup of top-10 ranked 140-pound fighters. The flashy Broner, who has captured titles at 130, 135, 140 and 147 pounds, has scored two consecutive knockouts in the super lightweight division. The hard-charging, all-action Granados, who pulled a stunning upset of then-undefeated WBC No. 1 ranked super lightweight Amir Imam in a dominating performance last November on SHOWTIME, thrives in the underdog role and has a deceiving record – his four defeats, all via split or majority decision, have come against opponents with a cumulative record of 52-1.
Saturday, March 4 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions

Undefeated welterweight world champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia have been on a collision course for more than a year. Thurman has held a version of the WBA Welterweight World Championship since 2013 but announced his arrival in March 2015 with an emphatic win over Robert Guerrero. Thurman has since defended the title twice, including most recently against former world champion Shawn Porter in a potential Fight of the Year thriller in June on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS. Garcia, after conquering the 140-pound division, captured the WBC Welterweight World Championship with an impressive performance against Guerrero in January. Should Garcia defeat Samuel Vargas on Nov. 12 in a non-title fight, he and Thurman are set to meet in a marquee unification blockbuster between undefeated champions at the pinnacle of their careers. Garcia vs. Thurman will air live in Primetime on CBS or live on SHOWTIME.

# # #

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

Danny Garcia

PHILADELPHIA (October 13, 2016) – Undefeated welterweight world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs) will make his first appearance in his native Philadelphia since 2010 as he takes on Colombia’s Samuel Vargas (25-2-1, 13 KOs) in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on Spike Saturday, November 12 from Temple University’s Liacouras Center. The bout will be Garcia’s final hurdle before a planned massive showdown with unbeaten champion Keith “One Time” Thurman scheduled for the first quarter of 2017.

In keeping with his desire to give back to the community, Garcia is teaming up with Philabundance, the region’s largest hunger relief organization, to arrange a regional food drive, collecting most-needed items, such as tuna and vegetables. Fans are being encouraged to drop off canned goods at the Liacouras Center (1776 N Broad St) and the DSG Boxing Gym (3731 Jasper St). Additionally, $10 from each ticket sold will be donated and provide 20 meals per ticket for people in need. More information on these efforts and how you can get involved will be announced shortly.

Garcia, a two-division world champion, will battle Vargas in a 10-round non-title bout in his first fight since his exciting win over Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in January. Garcia insisted on staging the fight in his hometown and using the event as a vehicle to raise awareness and money for the less fortunate in the area.

“My dad and I wanted to get one more fight in before the end of the year and there was no doubt in my mind it had to be in Philadelphia,” said Garcia. “My team got it done and it’s a great feeling to fight at home over the holidays. I’m excited to use this opportunity to give back to the community and put on a show on November 12. This city means everything to me. I hope everyone comes out, but shows up with cans of food too. I’m gearing up for a big fight with Keith Thurman next year that’s going to be a can’t miss event. First, I’m going to fight for my city on November 12.”

“Things happen when you work hard and I’m so excited about this opportunity,” said Vargas. “Garcia is a great fighter and he cleaned out the 140-pound division and now he is champion at 147. A win would change my life and everyone around me. This is my time. I can’t fail. This is going to be a Rocky story in Rocky’s town.”

Televised coverage on Spike begins at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT and features undefeated rising star Jarrett Hurd (18-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round bout against once-beaten super welterweight contender Jorge Cota (25-1, 22 KOs) and former world champion Javier Fortuna (30-1-1, 22 KOs) battling undefeated Omar Douglas (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight bout.

“This win will put me one step closer towards winning a world title,” said Hurd. “The win over Oscar Molina was a big opportunity that has opened a lot of doors and was a great experience. Cota is a tough veteran with a high knockout rate. He is a little wild and I have to look out for that. I’m going to go out there to land nice shots and stick to my game plan.”

“I’m looking forward to this opportunity to fight a good undefeated fighter,” said Cota. “I know that I have the power and skills to beat anybody out there. I’m going to leave it all in the ring and get the victory on November 12.”

“I’m only thinking about winning heading into this fight,” said Fortuna. “Douglas is a good fighter who moves very well. I’m looking forward to this challenge on November 12. I will be a world champion once again.”

“This is the type of fight that I need if I am going to be a champion,” said Douglas. “I plan on putting on a crowd pleasing performance. Fortuna is a decent fighter and I’m going to have to break him down. He is good for four or five rounds but then he slows down. I’m going to set him up to take him out in the later rounds.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DSG Promotions and King’s Promotions, are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50 and $35 and are on sale now. To purchase tickets visit www.LiacourasCenter.com/events or call 800-298-4200.

Garcia returns to headline in his hometown as a two-division world champion who has picked up major victories over top fighters including Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi and Zab Judah on his way to 31 professional victories. The 28-year-old earned a vacant welterweight world title in his last bout when he won a toe-to-toe battle with former world champion Guerrero in Los Angeles taking his professional record to 32-0.

The 27-year-old Vargas enters this bout on a five-fight win streak including three stoppage victories including his most recent outing, a 10-round decision over Juan Armando Garcia in May. Born in Columbia, his family left to find a better life when he was 15 years old and after a brief stay in New York City, they moved to the Toronto suburb of Mississauga. Vargas enrolled at a boxing gym early on and learned discipline while adapting to his surroundings. He turned pro in 2010 after just 12 amateur bouts and was undefeated in his first 16 fights while fighting out of Canada.

Hurd fights out of Accokeek, Md., just south of Washington, D.C. and is perfect since entering the pro ranks in 2012. The 26-year-old has faced three straight undefeated fighters including a sixth-round stoppage of Frank Galarza in 2015 and a 10th round TKO over Oscar Molina in the co-main event of the Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter card in June. The exciting boxer puncher will look to continue his climb to a world title on November 12.

A powerful puncher sporting an 88 percent knockout rate, Cota made his U.S. debut in August of 2015 and upset Cuban Olympic silver medalist Yudel Jhonson while knocking him down twice over the 10 round bout. The fighter out of Sinaloa, Mexico is entering this fight with nine straight wins, including six by way of knockout. The 27-year-old will be making his first ring appearance of 2016.

An amateur standout that participated in the first Pan American Junior Championships in 2003, the 27-year-old Fortuna owns victories over Abner Cotto, Carlos Ivan Velasquez, Miguel Zamudio and Patrick Hyland. He took down the highly regarded Bryan Vasquez to earn a super featherweight world title in May of last year. Representing La Romana, Dominican Republic, Fortuna bounced back from a defeat to Jason Sosa to stop previously unbeaten Marlyn Cabrera in September.

An undefeated fighter out of Wilmington, Delaware, Douglas impressed in his last two outings when he defeated contender Frank De Alba in a step up fight last December and followed it up with a seventh round knockout of Alexei Collado in June. The 25-year-old has picked up four victories since the beginning of 2015 and will face his toughest competition to date when he battles Fortuna.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com and www.spike.com/shows/premier-boxing-champions. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @SpikeTV, @SpikeSports @KingsBoxing_ and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions. Follow the conversation using #fight4philly. PBC on Spike is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

About Philabundance
Philabundance is the Delaware Valley’s largest hunger relief organization, serving more than 90,000 people each week in nine counties in PA and Southern NJ. Of those served, thirty percent are children, sixteen percent are seniors, and adults served include students, the working poor and single parents. In 2015, Philabundance rescued more than 10 million pounds of food and distributed 28 million pounds through its own distribution programs, and a network of 350 agencies. A one dollar donation provides two meals – Give now or learn more at Philabundance.org.

GILROY, CA (January 29, 2016) – With the PBC (Premier Boxing Championships)
debuting boxing back on NBC and FOX, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (33-4-1, 18 KOs) remains the highest viewed TV fighter in the sport. In fact, Guerrero’s fights with Keith “One Time” Thurman (26-0, 22 KOs) and Danny “Swift” Garcia (32-0, 18 KOs) are two of the most watched boxing matches in the last 17 years.

In March of 2015, Thurman vs. Guerrero on NBC peaked at 4.2 million viewers, making it the most viewed fight telecast since 1998 when Oscar De La Hoya fought on the FOX network. This past weekend, Garcia vs. Guerrero on FOX peaked at 3.5 million viewers, making Guerrero the most watched fighter in boxing.

Known for bringing excitement to the ring, Robert Guerrero is your modern day gladiator. His fights are never boring and his relentless attack is what makes boxing appealing to the average sports fan. His tenacity and aggressiveness translates to great television.

Last Saturday Robert Guerrero once again proved he’s the peoples champion, giving the fans what they deserve, an all action fight. With the PBC showcasing their stars on network television, boxing is heading to the glory days of the 80’s and 90’s. Guerrero is happy to lead the way.

“Everyone knows when I step in the ring, I’m going to bring an exciting fight to the fans.” said Robert Guerrero. “Being a warrior is in my blood, it’s the meaning of my last name in Spanish. It brings me great joy to know that the PBC is generating a tremendous amount of new fans with all the fights they’re showing on network television. Boxing is back like never before and I’m happy to be spearheading the movement.”

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Staples Center, Philadelphia welterweight Danny “Swift” Garcia decisioned Californian Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero by unanimous if narrow scores of 116-112. Both men adhered to sound strategies, and the spectacle was entertaining, benefitting as it did from a televised undercard stuffed with b-side quitters (jaw, tongue, hand, elbow). The match’s result enabled a hotly anticipated event of some sort in the fall, and the captain of The Money Team, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, himself, presided over about 2/3 of the main event from ringside, providing one member of the telecast an incredible opportunity for autographs.

The PBC’s struggles with authenticity continued unabated. Garcia-Guerrero, a fair and competitive fight conducted at a level three above most PBC fare, nevertheless felt somehow inauthentic – as if the combatants were in 20-ounce gloves.

Before prizefighting was scripted, back when Richard Schaefer lacked the managerial acumen to do what Al Haymon successfully did last year, Danny Garcia made a pair of matches with Mexican Erik “El Terrible” Morales, and whatever their druthers, Golden Boy executives stood by while Garcia twice beat their guy. The first fight happened in Houston, and Morales, six fights in an illadvised comeback, missed weight widely, got dropped in round 11, but nevertheless did unexpected things enough for Golden Boy to try again for their chance to promote Morales as a legendary champion (not long after Top Rank’s promotion of former Golden Boy partner Marco Antonio Barrera fizzed to its end). Garcia corkscrewed Morales in the canvas during the rematch, one that placed a blemish of unseriousness on both Golden Boy’s and New York’s PED Police badges, and that ended Morales’ career on a note sour as the meat that contaminated the many drug tests he failed till he passed one.

However obviously Golden Boy wanted a Morales victory, however comically they stretched rules in efforts that failed, the Garcia-Morales fights never felt inauthentic the way Saturday’s did, the way PBC cards ever seem to. The rounds went by – and this may speak to an interest in either fighter that does not endure – and little happened to excite viewers, and this may be an offsetting sort of reaction viewers have to the potent inauthenticity of PBC commentators, as if, in search of a mental sort of homeostasis while watching a PBC card, viewers turn down the credulousness settings on their HDTVs – or it might be something quite different actually: their eyes fatigued by squinting to see whatever the hell the commentary crew is on about through the undercard, PBC viewers’ gazes glaze during the main event and their minds go off to graze on nostalgic happenings of yesteryear, be they Garcia’s starching Amir Khan or Guerrero’s icing Martin Honorio.

It was that 2007 fight, right there, a Guerrero co-main in Tucson that preceded Juan Manuel Marquez’s undressing of Rocky Juarez, that brought a stitch of annoyance to Saturday’s viewing, when one of the commentators who was not a fighter continued to stress the talent disparity between Garcia and Guerrero. Talent was simply the wrong word, though exactly the word one might choose if he didn’t know who Guerrero was till a series of music videos preceding “The Ghost’s” 2013 match with Floyd Mayweather (who was in the building Saturday, who was in the building Saturday, who was in the building Saturday).

Before Guerrero became a popup ad for Christ and cancer survivorship, he was a very good, if somewhat overhyped, flyweight, and that is worth reiterating because it belies the apparent disparity in talent Guerrero suffered across from a career junior welterweight like Garcia: At 126 pounds, Guerrero put men to sleep faster than Garcia did at 140. Guerrero turned from boxer-puncher to brawler as he climbed weightclasses because it improved the probability of his consciousness at the ends of welterweight matches.

That was strikingly apparent Saturday, as Garcia graciously ceded large amounts of ring estate for a possibility of putting Guerrero at the end of a righthand lead. At distance, Guerrero had nothing but chin to match Garcia’s fist, and both men knew it. Guerrero was solely successful inside Garcia’s punches; if there were a miscalculation in the match, it was not Guerrero’s but Garcia’s – “Swift” overestimated the devastation his crosses and hooks would wreak when they did land and came within a round or two of needing the very homerun for which he kept swinging.

Fighters gain weight on their chins more than their fists, generally, and Garcia, while still possessed of concussive pop at 147, is not the same puncher he was at 140, a debilitation offset mostly by the experience he acquired fighting championship-caliber men in his pre-PBC years. Whatever Keith Thurman, now as much a salesman as a prizefighter, opines of his own power, the chance of his blasting Garcia before Garcia blasts him is long indeed – not because Thurman lacks talent for the trick but because, unlike Garcia who fought real men in real matches as a real underdog before the PBC pardoned him from doing very much of that, Thurman went from prospect to PBC without proving he has the wiles for unfastening another champion.

Guerrero marked a genuine challenge for Thurman, an opponent that required Thurman’s best to win a safe decision. For Garcia, Guerrero was a showcase opponent of sorts, a knownguy Garcia never worried might beat him, a Money Team-made celebrity Garcia would either look spectacular smashing to pieces or else decision without worry. Guerrero brought more violence than anticipated, and Garcia appeared grateful for it, appreciative of the reminder their 36th minute together gave him: A promotional b-side in a rigged affair who nevertheless believes he will win and fights like it – I remember that feeling!

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Danny Garcia won the WBC Welterweight title with a hard fought 12-round unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Garcia landed the harder shots with both hands as he gave ground from the charging Guerrero.  Garcia landed some flush shots but it did not deter Guerrero as he tried to make it an inside fight.  Guerrero wasn’t that effective as Garcia painted him with hard right’s and left hooks.

Garcia, 146 3/4 lbs of Philadelphia won by 116-112 scores on all cards and is now 32-0.  Guerrero, 146 3/4 lbs of Gilroy, CA. is 33-4-1.

Sammy Vasquez scored a stoppage over Aaron Martinez after round six of their scheduled 12-round Welterweight bout.

Vasquez pushed the action with Martinez not offering much in return.  Following round six, Martinez bowed out of the fight, citing an injured left elbow.

Vasquez, 147 lbs of Monessen, PA is 21-0 with 15 knockouts.  Martinez, 147 lbs of East Los Angeles is 20-5-1.

Even though he was dominated, Dominic Breazeale remained undefeated as Amir Mansour did not come out of his corner for round six of their scheduled 10-round Heavyweight bout.

Mansour came out aggressive and in round three, he landed a right hook to the head that sent Breazeale to the canvas.  Breazeale landed some decent shots but Mansour rocked Breazeale in round five with a hard straight left and a right hook.  Mansour worked very hard and was easily ahead but did not come out of the corner after the 5th round.  Mansour said he could not close his mouth and may have injured his jaw.

Breazeale, 252 3/4 lbs of Alhambra, CA is 17-0 with 15 knockouts.  Mansour, 218 lbs of Penns Grove, NJ is 22-2-1.

Follow all the action LIVE  as Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero fight for the vacant WBC Welterweight title.  The action begins at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT with a Heavyweight attraction of former U.S. Olympian Dominic Breazeale knockout Amir Mansour that will be followed by a Welterweight fight between Sammy Vasquez Jr. and Aron Martinez

Page will refresh automatically

Round 1 Guerrero putting the pressure on..Straight left to body

Round 2 Quick left from Garcia…right..left hook..

Round 3 Body shot from Guerrero..right..Nice left hook..Right to the body…

Round 4 Guerrero working on inside..Garcia lands a body shot..right to body…left..1-2…Uppercut from Guerrero..

Round 5 Long left from Guerrero..Right from Garcia..Garcia starting to swell under his right eye..Straight right from Garcia..looping right…

Round 6 Uppercut and right from Garcia…Left …Quick right…Right to chin..quick left hook..lead right..2 big rights and left at the bell

Round 7 Big right from Garcia..right…

Round 8 Right from Garcia at the bell

Round 9 Straight right from Garcia..left hook..big left hook..Lead right…sneaky right

DANNY GARCIA WINS ON ALL CARDS 116-112

Round 10

Round 11 Big right from Garcia..Body work and left hook to head..Guerrero lands a left..nice flurry from Garcia..Good uppercut..

Round 12 Left hook from Garcia…straight left from Guerrero..left..Good action to close it out

Round 1 Straight left to body from Vasquez..

Round 2 Combination from Vasquez…Vasquez lands in the corner..Martinez telling Vasquez to come on…

Round 3 Left from Vasquez

Round 4 Right hook from Vasquez..Right from Martinez..

Round 5 Vasquez being aggressive

Round 6 Vasquez lands a left….MARTINEZ QUITS IN CORNER

Round 1 Mansour comes out swinging…Jab to the body…Breazeale lands a right..Mansour lands a hard left..Left to body

Round 2 Right and left from Brezeale…Hard left hurts Breazeale…Hard right hooks rock Breazeale

ROUND 3 BIG RIGHT HOOK TO TOP OF HEAD AND DOWN GOES BREAZELE…Hard jab…right hook..Big uppercut from Breazeale

ROUND 4 Mansour jabs to the body..Right from Breazeale…Jab

Round 5 Huge right from Mansour…Right…Body work..double right hook…right hook..Right from Breazeale..Straight left from Mansour..

ROUND 6 MANSOUR DOESNT GET OUT OF CORNER…FIGHT STOPPED

Latino rivals Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero are all set to go to war tomorrow night in their Vacant WBC World Welterweight title showdown, televised exclusively live in the UK on BoxNation from 1am.

Garcia and Guerrero collide at the famous Staples Centre in Los Angeles with Floyd Mayweather’s former title up for grabs and British hero Amir Khan looking to face the winner next.

It pits the fiercely proud fighting nations of Puerto Rico and Mexico head-to-head once again with Garcia of American-Puerto Rican decent and Guerrero of Mexican-American heritage in the potential thriller.

The fight exploded into life this week when Garcia and Guerrero nearly came to blows at the press conference, but it wasn’t the two silent but battled hardened warriors, it was their fathers, who are also their trainers.

“He (Angel) wants to act like he is, but he’s not. They ought to let us go for a round, but then they’ll have to stop it because I’ll hurt him. I will hurt him.” stormed Ruben Guerrero, a former professional fighter in the 1980s.

“(Ruben) is going to remember Jan. 23 for the rest of his life. It’s going to be his new new year.” Retaliated Angel Garcia.

Former four-time world champion Garcia says he’s fired up for his shoot-out against Guerrero and feels fantastic at 147 pounds after moving up from 140 pounds where he struggled to make the weight and risked his unbeaten record against Mauricio Herrera last March.

“I feel a lot better. I’m happier now. When I fought at 140, I was always mean while trying to cut weight. I was never in a good mood,”

“I feel blessed. It’s an opportunity for me to kick off the year in nice fashion, and to be in the first big fight of the year in the headliner. I can’t wait to get in there and showcase my skills.”

“This is another fight that is going to make me a bigger star.” Said Philadelphian Garcia.

Guerrero, out of Gilroy, California, will put everything on the line in a final shot at glory against Garcia. He’s lost two of his last four fight, but that was against superstars Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Keith Thurman and he ended both fights on his feet.

“Having the world title on the line just adds fuel to the fire,” he said. “We’ll find out Saturday night how it all plays out.” Said Guerrero.

(Quotes from boxingjunkie.usatoday.com)

The action packed card will also include unbeaten welterweight prospect Sammy Vasquez Jr. facing hard veteran Aron Martinez, plus heavyweight hope Dominic Breazeale takes on Amir Mansour.

Live coverage will start on BoxNation at 1am. To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, Freeview 255, TalkTalk 415, online or app) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com or watch online at watch.boxnation.com and via iPhone, iPad or Android and Amazon devices.

– Ends –

About BoxNation

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

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

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

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

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 20, 2016) – Golden Boy Promotions has a great reputation in the sport as one of the leading promoters as well as a skill for creating and promoting world champions and boxing superstars. Having worked and promoted multi-divisional world champions including: Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Erik “Terrible” Morales, Juan Manuel “Dinaminta” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco Antonio “Baby Face Assassin” Barrera, Sugar Shane Mosley, Canelo Alvarez, Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse, Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares, Randy “El Matador” Caballero, Abner Mares, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, Danny “Swift” Garcias, Keith “One Time” Thurman, Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, and Adrien “The Problem” Broner. In 2016, Golden Boy Promotions is looking to the future to usher in the New Era of Boxing spearheaded by current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs).

For 2015, Golden Boy Promotions received extraordinary media acclaim for exciting fights year-round and was awarded the honors of Promoter of the Year, Event of the Year, Fight Cards of the Year, Fight of the Year, Fighter of the Year, and Knockout of the Year. Also, top prospects Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs), Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs), and Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs) not only graduated into contender territory, but also received honorable mentions for Prospect of the Year while Shabranskyy debuted at number nine on the light heavyweight pound-for-pound list.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs), also debuted on the pound-for-pound list at number five in the heavyweight division after defeating former world champion challenger Bryant “By-By” Jennings via seventh-round technical knockout. Other fighters on the divisional pound-for-pound list include Canelo Alvarez, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs), Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares (40-3, 27 KOs), Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs), Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs), Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs), Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs), Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs), Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs), Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs), David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs), Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (30-4, 26 KOs), and Jayson “Star” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs).

Golden Boy Promotions’ top picks for “Fighters to Watch in 2016” include (in alphabetical order):

WORLD TITLE CONTENDERS:

WBA International Welterweight Champion, Sadam “World Kid” Ali

Sadam “World Kid” Ali: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs) impressed boxing fans with his unanimous decision victory over Francisco “Chia” Santana in April, 2015 that earned him the WBA International Welterweight Title and also made him the mandatory challenger for the WBO Welterweight World Championship.

Randy “El Matador” Caballero: Indio star Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) hit the heights of the boxing world in 2014 when he defeated Stuart “Stuey” Hall for the vacant IBF Bantamweight World Championship. In 2015, forced Caballero to vacate the title, however, 2016 looks promising for the fighter as he prepares his big return to the ring on February 5 against Ruben Garcia at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano: Already a respected welterweight contender after bouts against the likes of Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Mexico’s Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (29-4-1, 21 KOs) kept his march to a world title going in 2015, as he went unbeaten in three bouts against Jorge “Pantera” Silva, Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu and Silverio “Chamaco III” Ortiz.

Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos: The mandatory

WBC Featherweight World Championship Mandatory Challenger, Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos

challenger for the WBC featherweight world title, Celaya, Mexico’s Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (23-11, 13 KOs) started his journey to become a champion very differently in 2014. Coming off a loss to Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado in February 2014, Castellanos followed it up with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios in October 2014, stopping the then-unbeaten prospect in the fifth round. Castellanos continued to show his power in January of 2015 facing the warrior Rocky Juarez for the chance to win the WBC Silver Featherweight title and become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Both fighters showed a lot of heart and put on one of the bloodiest fights of 2015, but it was Castellanos’ dominance that was on display as his powerful jabs, brutal uppercuts and well-timed counter-punching knocked down Juarez in the fifth and twice in the 10th round to win via unanimous decision with scores of 118-106, 118-106 and 118-107. Now, Castellanos is the WBC Feather World Championship mandatory challenger.

Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera: One of the truest warriors in the sport today, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) continued to show his supreme boxing skills and heart in a decision win over “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy in July to win the vacant NABF Super Lightweight title, and in 2016, big things are expected from Riverside’s “El Maestro” once more.

Tureano Johnson: A native of Nassau in the Bahamas, 31-year-old Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) proudly represented his nation in the 2008 Olympics, making it to the quarterfinals in Beijing. In 2010, he turned professional and soared up the middleweight ladder before a controversial 2014 loss to Curtis Stevens. Undeterred, Johnson has since won five fights, four by knockout, and is one of the newest members of the Golden Boy Promotions roster. In his first fight since signing with Golden Boy Promotions, Johnson gave the fans a thrilling performance in the undercard of Gennaday Golovkin vs. David

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco

Lemieux at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2015. Johnson faced Ireland’s Emmon O’Kane for the IBF Middleweight Title Eliminator, knocking down O’Kane twice in the first round and winning the fight via unanimous decision with scores of 118-108, 117-109, 119-107. Now the Nassau native is next in line for a shot at the unified middleweight championship in 2016.

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco: Unbeaten as a professional, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs) made his move to the elite level of the super lightweight division in 2015. In May, Orozco defeated fellow rising star Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor in Phoenix, but the best was yet to come, as he decisioned multi-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto in their October bout at StubHub Center.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz: On Dec. 19, at Turing Stone Resort Casino inVerona,New York, Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs) defended his WBA Interim Heavyweight World Championship against one of the toughest fighters in the division, Bryant “By – By” Jennings in a fantastic display of boxing skill with a dramatic seventh round knockout of the former world champion challenger Jennings. Ortiz, dominated the fight early on with powerful hooks, uppercuts and jabs that kept him in

WBA Interim Heavyweight World Champion,
Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz

control of the pace throughout the 12-round heavyweight brawl. The victory allowed Ortiz to keep his undefeated status but also made a loud announcement to the boxing community that a new heavyweight threat had arrived to the division. This fight catapulted Ortiz on the heavyweight pound-for-pound list debuting at number five.

Michael “The Artist” Perez: Undefeated since 2012, exciting New Jersey native Michael “The Artist” Perez (23-1-2, 11 KOs) had one of the biggest years of his career in 2015, as he decisioned always toughMiguel “Aguacerito” Acosta in January and then knocked out Luis “Chespi” Sanchez in six rounds in July to win the vacant NABO lightweight title.

Ronny Rios: After suffering the first loss of his career to Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos in 2014, Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs) came back more determined than ever in 2015, and his performances in defeating Sergio “El Frio” Frias and previously unbeaten Jayson “Star” Velez proved that this 25-year-old was ready for prime time again.

USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy

Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chingonsky” Shabranskyy: People might have troublespelling the name of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), but among boxing fans, his name spells action, and he continued to deliver the goods in 2015, moving to 15-0 with wins against Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson, Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena, Paul “Pay Per View” Parker and Yunieski “El Monstro” Gonzalez, the latter three foes owning a combined 34-1-1 record and breaking him into the top 10 light heavyweight rankings on USA Today’s Boxing Junkie and ranking number 12 on the WBC’s rankings.

Patrick Teixeira: Brazil’s best boxing import since beloved former champion Acelino Freitas, unbeaten southpaw Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) fought twice in the United States in 2015, impressing fans in New York and California with knockouts of Patrick Allotey and Don Mouton that sent a warning to his fellow 154-pound fighters that he was here to stay.

CONTENDERS TO WATCH:

Manuel “Tino” Avila: Fairfield, California’s Manuel “Tino” Avila (19-0, 8 KOs) has long been one of the most exciting prospects on the local scene, and in 2015, he made his name on the national scene with wins over Erik Ruiz, Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas and Jose Angel “Pepe” Beranza, the Salinas fight earning him the interim NABF super bantamweight title.

WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion,
Diego De La Hoya

Diego De La Hoya: Highly-touted super bantamweight Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs)made the jump to eight and ten-round bouts in 2015 and he continued to impress every step of the way en route to five more victories. In September, De La Hoya won his first pro title, decisioning against former world title challenger Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz for the vacant WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight belt.

Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr.: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team, South El Monte, California’s Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) won his first professional title in his fifth victory of 2015, as he impressively stopped Hugo “Olimpico” Partida in December to win the vacant NABF featherweight title and an honorable mention as one of ESPN.com’s 2015 Top 20 Rising Stars.

KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson: 24-year-old welterweight undefeated fighter, KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson (14-0-1, 6 KOs), who now makes his home in Las Vegas, has become quite popular with impressive victories over John Nater, Jose Hernandez and Nelson Lara. In his second fight of 2015, Gibson faced Jorge Ramos in an eight round fight winning the bout via unanimous decision in the undercard of Canelo-Kirkland on May 9.

Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez: East LA’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (19-0, 13 KOs) is known for his exciting style and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon “Ice Man” Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge “Pantera” Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition in the division and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016.

Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez: A former WBC Youth World Lightweight champion,

Abraham “Chamaco” Lop
Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez (25-3, 21 KOs) picked up two early knockout wins in 2015, halting David “Nene” Rangel and Hevinson Herrera to set up a big 2016 for the Mexico City native.

Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez: Featherweight standout Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (19-0-1, 14 KOs) returned from three years away from the sport in 2015 and the El Puente product picked up where he left off with knockout victories over former Ghana Olympian Alfred “The Stinging Bee” Tetteh and Jorge “King” Diaz and a draw against Juan “El Pez” Carlos Martinez.

Marcelino “Nino” Lopez: The latest star to emerge from the boxing hotbed of Argentina, Buenos Aires’ Marcelino “Nino” Lorenz (32-1-1, 17 KOs) continued dominating the local scene in his home country, but in October of 2015, he finally got the chance to introduce himself to United States fans when he knocked out David Rodela in three rounds at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez: Los Mochis, Mexico native Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (32-1, 26 KOs) continued romping through the lightweight division in 2015, adding to his stellar record with a decision over Edgar “Lupillo” Ramirez and knockouts of Daniel “El Mulato” Valenzuela and Cristian “Veneno” Lopez.

NABF Lightweight Champion, Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero

Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero: Born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, but now making hishome in Tijuana, Marvin Quintero is a former world title challenger whose first title fight was a razor-thin split decision loss to Miguel Vazquez in 2012. Since then, the 29-year-old southpaw has won two fights by knockout over Carlos Sanchez and Cesar De la Mora. In September of 2015 the veteran fighter proved he still had what it takes to chase championship gold when he defeated Puerto Rico’s Jeffery Fontanez via fifth-round knockout to gain the NABF Lightweight Title.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH:

Damon Allen: 23-year-old Philadelphian Damon Allen (8-0, 3 KOs) stepped through the ropes twice in 2015, stopping Luis “Yeye” Rodriguez in three rounds at home in Philly before making his Los Angeles debut in November with a decision victory over Oscar Santana.

Nick Arce: Hard-hitting 19-year-old Nick Arce (6-0, 6 KOs) didn’t stick around long for his five wins in 2015, as he knocked out each of his opponents before the final bell. This power and finishing ability has made this featherweight a must see for California fight fans, and the rest of the country should get introduced to him in the coming year.

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard: 2015 was a pivotal year for Maryland supermiddleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (11-0, 7 KOs), and he passed his tests with flying colors, showing that he could box as well as bang in decision victories over Josue “Chiquilin” Ovando, Juan Carlos “Chiflado” Rojas and Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena.

Ivan “Striker” Delgado: Keeping a steady pace throughout 2015, 25-year-old lightweight prospect Ivan “Striker” Delgado (8-0-1, 2 KOs) won five more bouts, and with fans packing the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles to see him fight on the LA Fight Club events, the future is bright for this up and comer.

Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez: 20-year-old Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (12-0, 11 KOs) added four more wins to his perfect pro record in 2015, and while he went the distance for the first time against Darryl Hayes in June, he closed out the year with a pair of second-round knockouts of Luis “Lichito” Lizarraga Jr. and Alejandro Ochoa.

Joet Gonzalez: Former amateur standout Joet Gonzalez (12-0, 6 KOs) is finding his way onto many hot prospect lists after a 2015 campaign that saw him go 4-0 with three knockouts. Included on that slate is a third-round KO of 12-0-1 prospect Marcos Rios in November.

Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis: A swift and ferocious striker, the undefeated Rashidi “Speedy”

WBA Fedecentro & WBC Interim Latin Welterweight Champion,
Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis

Ellis (14-0, 11 KOs) has repeatedly showcased his skills to audiences, most recently with a fourth-round technical knockout victory in Puerto Rico over Victor “Pambele” Gonzalez in March 2015 to claim the vacant WBA Fedecentro and the WBC Interim Latin Welterweight titles. Ellis won his three previous fights via technical knockout, defeating Joseph De los Santos and Joanthony Vazquez in Puerto Rico and Jose Martinez in the Dominican Republic. Later in 2015, Ellis played a key part in the training camp of Golden Boy Promotions fighter and now WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez. The 22-year-old Ellis trained with Canelo as a sparring partner in preparation for Alvarez’s November 21 super fight against Miguel Cotto. After “Speedy” put Alvarez to the test with his notoriously fast fists in training camp, Alvarez defeated Cotto via unanimous decision.

Travell “Black Magic” Mazion: 20-year-old Travell “Black Magic” Mazion (10-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top prospects in boxing, a fact evidenced by his a perfect professional record and knockout ratio, ending six fights in the first round. Now ready for his biggest year yet, Mazion is looking forward to start off the year strong in 2016.

Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete: Now making his home in Los Angeles, 27-year-old Colombia native Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (12-0, 5 KOs) was a stellar amateur before turning professional on May 24, 2013 with a four-round decision victory over Cristian Ciciliano. Two more wins would follow in 2013 for Negrete, but it was in 2014 that he began to get noticed in his adopted home state of California, as he stepped up to the plate four times and hit it out of the park with each appearance, decisioning unbeaten Carlos

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa

Medina and stopping Pablo Cupul, Gabriel Braxton, Salvador Perez. 2015 proved to be a
busy year for Negrete as he fought five times winning all his bouts via decision excluding the most recent in December, where he defeated Ernesto Guerro via third-round technical knockout.

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa: After winning the first nine fights of his professional career onthe east coast, Brooklyn’s Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (13-0, 6 KOs) took his show on the road in 2015 and he continued to show off the skills that have made him a top prospect as he picked up four wins, including a big victory in Los Angeles over David Rodela and Alejandro “Soma” Rodriguez.

Jason “El Animal” Quigley: Former Irish amateur star Jason Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs) began his professional career in the United States in 2014, and he never left, learning his craft in Southern California. In 2015, Quigley scored five more wins by knockout before decisioning Marchristopher Adkins on November 20 and earning an honorary mention by Boxing News Magazine UK as one of the top prospects in the sport.

Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez: 22-year-old southpaw sensation Julian Ramirez (15-0, 8 KOs) kept piling the wins on in 2015, with his victories over seasoned veterans Raul “Bule” Hidalgo and Hugo “Olimpico” Partida setting Los Angeles’ “El Camaron” up for even bigger bouts when 2016 rolls around.

Lamont Roach Jr.

Lamont Roach Jr.: Washington D.C.’s Lamont Roach Jr. (9-0, 3 KOs) nearly doubled his
professional experience in 2015 with four victories that proved this 20-year-old super featherweight prospect is the real deal and a fighter to watch in 2016 and beyond.

Emilio Sanchez: Popular 21-year-old featherweight Emilio Sanchez (10-0, 7 KOs) had a busy year fighting in Golden Boy Promotions’ LA Fight Club series, going 5-0 with three knockouts at downtown Los Angeles’ Belasco Theater. The wins helped build Sanchez’ following and set the stage for another big year in 2016.

Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr.: Hailing from San Antonio, Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) has been fighting since 2007 and during that time has won eight national championships. In 2012, he qualified to attend the Veles Cup in Kurgan, Russia and took the gold medal in his weight class and was selected as one of seven to go to the 2016 Olympic trails. Decinding instead to become a professional boxer and sign with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014, Tanajar Jr. is now the owner of an undefeated record of 4-0 with three knockouts. Tanajara will look to continue his winning streak in 2015 when he fights on Feb.5.

ABOUT GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley. For more information, visit www.GoldenBoyPromotions.com, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @GoldenBoyBoxing.

HOLLISTER, CA (January 14, 2016) – With fight week just days away, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero hosted a media workout in the Bay Area Wednesday to discuss his primetime welterweight world title showdown with Danny “Swift” Garcia on Saturday, January 23 that headlines Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX and FOX Deportes from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The stacked card features a welterweight battle between undefeated Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez and Los Angeles’ Aron Martinez plus a heavyweight attraction pits 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic Breazeale and rugged contender Amir “Hardcore” Mansour. Televised bouts begin at 4 p.m. PT inside of the arena.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.

The media day took place at the Hollister Boxing Gym and featured Guerrero’s father and trainer Ruben Guerrero. Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:

ROBERT GUERRERO

“All the hard work is done. We got one more day of sparring before we head out to Los Angeles next week. My dad and I are putting the final touches of our game plan together. We had great sparring and everyone is going to see a great fight on FOX January 23.

“Danny Garcia is very confident coming into this fight. He said he’s going to knock me out in five rounds. His dad said they’re bringing the storm to California. They both said it’s going to be the Danny Garcia show, so we’ll see. All I know is I’m coming to fight. I’m going to do all my talking in the ring with my fists.

“The Garcia’s can try to downplay the Mexican vs. Puerto Rican rivalry all they want, but the fact is, this rivalry has been the cornerstone of great boxing matches since before I was born. We are both born in America, but our roots go back to Mexico and Puerto Rico, so expect the rivalry to continue. I can’t wait to silence all the critics who are writing me off.”

RUBEN GUERRERO

“I respect Danny Garcia and his father Angel. Together they are undefeated. They feel invincible. Our motivation going into this fight is to give them their first loss. Everyone thinks my son is washed up, but they will see that he still has a lot left in the tank. Training camp is almost done and Robert knows what he has to do. It’s time to send a message to the welterweight division.

“I come from a big family and we all had it rough growing up working in the fields. We Mexicans have never had anything given to us. We had to work hard to get what we want. It’s time to represent all the hard working Mexicans going through the struggle. Robert is ready to represent La Raza. You better believe the Chicanos are going to be deep at STAPLES Center. My son is coming to throw down!”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.

PHILADELPHIA (January 14, 2016) – Before they travel across the country for their Saturday, January 23 showdowns, Danny “Swift” Garcia and Amir “Hardcore” Mansour held a Philadelphia media workout Wednesday to discuss their Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX and FOX Deportes bouts taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Garcia faces former multiple-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in a welterweight world title fight while Mansour takes on 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale in heavyweight action. Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features a welterweight battle between Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez and Aron Martinez.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.

The workout took place at Garcia’s DSG Boxing Gym and the undefeated star was joined by his father and trainer, Angel Garcia. Here is what the participants had to say Wednesday:

DANNY GARCIA

“I’m just focused on Robert Guerrero because at the end of the day, that’s the task in front of me. None of the stuff in the future can happen if don’t get the job done.

“I feel like I’ve faced some real good fighters. We just want to keep winning fights and getting bigger fights.

“It’s almost impossible to predict the future in boxing. That’s why I don’t get ahead of myself. If the opportunity is in front of me, I’m going to take advantage of it.

“I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today. It’s just about taking it one fight at a time to get to where we want to be.

“This is my first fight being a father and I’m dedicating it to my daughter. I’m wearing pink and black for her. I named her Philly because of how important the city is to me. I’m the first Latino boxing champion from Philly and I wanted to name her something that was important to me.

“I represent everybody. I’m from Philadelphia, we’re all the same here. There’s not just one ethnicity. Where I’m from, we’re all cool.

“I knew the opportunities would come and that I’d be fighting for a title eventually. There’s nothing like a championship fight, it’s just a different atmosphere.

“We’re eating right, dieting right. We were already training like this was a title fight and now it’s come to fruition. I fought Morales for a belt and now I’m fighting another Mexican warrior in Guerrero.”

AMIR MANSOUR

“I expect Breazeale to come to fight. Looking at his prior fights, he doesn’t back down. That’s what I like. I don’t think that he’s going to run. He’ll engage and it’ll be an interesting fight.

“Breazeale is a tall guy but he’s nothing different. You just have to train hard and focus on the task at hand.

“I prepare to fight. I don’t prepare to run from a guy. I’m preparing to strategically target my opponent’s weakness. I don’t think he’s faster than me, I don’t think he’s stronger than me, he’s just taller than me.

“I don’t think this fight is going the distance. I’m always going to predict that I’m going to be the winner. I really want to get this guy out of there and not leave it in the judges hands.

“This isn’t my first time on the big stage. A win is a win. We’re all one punch away from success and one punch from failure. Any win is a blessing.

ANGEL GARCIA

“We’re going up there the same way whether it was for a belt or not. Hungry and we’re coming back with that treasure.

“After he wins that belt, I’m going to call my son the undefeated champion of the world yet again.

“My son now knows that feeling of being a family and you never really know that until you’re a father. He’s always been humble but now he’s really doing it for his daughter. Now he can live the rest of his life to make sure her and her kids and grandkids will be okay.

“Danny still trains the same. When we’re in camp, it’s camp. It’s all about Danny Garcia. Him and me do it like we’ve always done.

“Danny had his mind on 147 for a while. We should have gone right to 147 after Matthysse but I wanted him to take his time. We’re where we want to be now.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.

Ray Flores
First of all, I want to send a Happy New Year to all the media and everyone that is joining us on the conference call. I’m really excited about Fight Week on FOX in Los Angeles. I could not think of a better way to kick off 2016 than the fight that we have on January 23 at STAPLES Center promoted by TGB Promotions.

It is Premier Boxing Champions Live on FOX and FOX Deportes on January 23 from STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles. It is Fight Week and you get two fights that week – TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS on FOX Sports 1 and BOXEO DE CAMPONES is on FOX Deportes. It is on Tuesday, January 19 at the Club Nokia at LA Live.

Looking at what we have on January 23, it is just going to be a tremendous matchup between two amazing welterweights and two of boxing’s biggest stars as you have Danny “Swift” Garcia and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, along with their fathers who are training them — Angel Garcia and Ruben Guerrero. They’re going to be joining us on the call in only moments.

I want to let you know tickets are still available. Get them now because we have been doing very well in regards to tickets. When you’re talking about the Garcia-Guerrero matchup, make sure to use the hashtag PBC on FOX.

Also on the card, we have another sensational welterweight matchup between the Iraq War Veteran Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez Jr. against Los Angeles fan-favorite — a man that endeared himself last year, Aron Martinez. Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes — also features an outstanding heavyweight bout between 2012 United States Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale and Amir “Hardcore” Mansour.

Fight Week kicks off on Tuesday, January 19, Club Nokia in LA Live. The main event is 2008 United States Olympian and Southern California favorite Javier Molina — squaring off with undefeated prospect Jamal James.

Right now, we are going to welcome in one of our main event fighters. This hasn’t been easy for the fighters that have been training around the holidays, but they made the sacrifice anyway and have put themselves in tip-top condition.

First of all, we want to bring in, with the record of 31-0 with 18 wins coming by way of knockout, the former kingpin at 140 pounds campaigning and fighting at welterweight for the second time in his career. Looking at his resume, he has victories over Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Zab Judah, Lamont Peterson and Erik Morales. He’s a star, he’s a rising super star, and he’s looking to have a big 2016, which is why he is kicking it off with this.

But before we get into this man, I want to bring in one of the promoters for what we’re going to be having on January 23 who is going to be promoting the event, from TGB Promotions, let’s bring in Brittany Goossen Brown.

Brittany Goossen Brown
Hello. I’m speaking on behalf of my father, Tom Brown, who’s actually in a meeting at the moment. But on behalf of all at TGB Promotions, we are really excited to be returning to the STAPLES Center and partnering with FOX for another great event.

On this call today, we have two of boxing biggest stars, Danny “Swift” Garcia and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. They’ll be answering your questions in a minute.

Along with them, on this card we have a welterweight showdown between undefeated Sammy Vasquez and LA’s Aron Martinez. Tickets start at $25. They’re available at AXS.com. And the first televised bout will be at 4:00 pm on FOX.

This Fight Week on Fox in LA kicks off with TOE-TO-TOE TUESDAYS, which will be at Club Nokia at LA Live on the 19th. Those tickets also start at $25 and are also available at AXS.com. Doors open for that at 5:00 pm, the first televised bout at 8:00 pm.

It’s really going to be an action-packed week of boxing and we are very proud to be a part of it.

R. Flores
Premier Boxing Champions couldn’t visualize a better partner than what we have with those at FOX. They have been tremendous and the shows on Fox Sports 1 have been terrific.

FOX is known for having big events; the NFL, Super Bowls and big NASCAR events. Now we have Premier Boxing Champions on January 23.

It gives me great honor and pleasure to introduce John Stouffer of FOX.

John Stouffer
On behalf of everyone at FOX, FOX Sports and FOX Deportes, we’re excited for the return of boxing to the FOX Broadcast Network after almost 20 years. We’re thrilled to be working with the PBC to bring the highest level of boxing back to the masses on Saturday, January 23, free on FOX and in Spanish on FOX Deportes.

This will be a tremendous conclusion to a thrilling week of boxing here in LA, kicking off with the great action on FS1 and Fox Deportes. We wish all the boxers the best of luck and can’t wait for Fight Week.

R. Flores
I completely agree with the sentiments of John. We mentioned as well, Premier Boxing Champions is about putting boxing back on free TV. And these fights that we have on January 23 and January 19 are sure to capture the imagination of the public.

All right, let’s get back to business in regards to one of our main event fighters. As I mentioned, wins over Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Zab Judah, Lamont Peterson and Erik Morales. Fighting out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with an exciting style, and man-oh-man, he has vowed to put on a terrific 2016.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the former world champion. He is joined alongside by his father, Angel Garcia. Here is Danny “Swift” Garcia.

Danny Garcia
Thank you guys for having me on, I appreciate it. I want to say good afternoon everybody and thank you for having me on this conference call.

I’m very excited to be showcasing my skills January 23 at STAPLES Center live on FOX. I think it’s a great opportunity for the fighters to showcase their skills in a new audience. I want to thank FOX and I want to thank all my fans all around the world for making this happen.

Team Danny Garcia is training hard and we’re focused, we’re mentally prepared and we’re ready for January 23 and we can’t wait.

Q
Danny can you talk about training camp and balancing that with the holiday season?

D. Garcia
I’ve done this before. I’ve trained on the holidays before throughout my career. It’s nothing new.

Once I got the fight date in my head, it’s kind of like there are no holidays for me. So it wasn’t hard for me to stay focused. I trained just like any training camp. And me and my dad, we train hard every day. “The holiday is no holiday” is kind of a saying to us.

Q
What are the goals for you this year? And what do you think this fight can do for your future at 147?

D. Garcia
I think it’s a great fight, I think it’s a great fight for the fans. Two fighters who like to fight. So I think this is going to be an interesting fight and a great matchup.

This is just another fight to prepare myself for a fight for a world title. So I’m ready right now. Every fight in my career that’s going on now is going to be a big fight for me.

Q
12 months from now, where do you see yourself?

D. Garcia
I want to remain undefeated and hopefully be a champion if the opportunity comes up. We’re just taking it one fight at a time for right now and that’s how I did my whole career and that’s how I’m going to keep doing it

Q
When you’re in a fight, does that ever come across your mind when taking a risk or being a little more aggressive? Does that like weigh on you like don’t be too aggressive to risk something like that?

D. Garcia
No, not at all. I’m a fighter who takes risks all the time. I want to entertain the crowd. I have the ability to play it safe if I want too, but it depends on how I feel that day. But everybody knows that Danny Garcia likes to take risks.

When I’m in a fight, I’m just playing round by round; I’m not really worrying about a record or things like that.

Q
How does your body feel with moving up in the weight? You saw the power in your last fight. Do you feel like there’s anything different going from 140 to 147?

D. Garcia
To be honest with you, I feel a lot better. I’m happier now. When I fought at 140, I was always mean while trying to cut weight. I was never in a good mood. I think that’s why a lot of times I would go in there and just fight.

But now I’m able to think more; I’m able to be a lot smarter. My punches are crispier and my stamina is better. I’m able to run more, run more miles, train harder; more endurance. So I may have had the energy at 140 and do that, so at 147 so I just feel a lot stronger and I have more stamina.

Q
Do you see yourself being more active?

D. Garcia
Yes, I would love to stay active; I would love to stay active. But, you know, that my team’s job. I’m a fighter so whatever my team wants, I’ll do. So if they want me to fight two times or three times or four times, then that’s what I’m going to do.

But as for now we’re focused on January 23.

Q
With PBC giving you a lot of exposure, are you focused on just winning the fight or putting on a show with this national space so people can know outside of boxing who Danny Garcia is?

D. Garcia
It’s a Danny Garcia show. I’m always looking to put on a great show, and to go out there and give the fans an exciting fight because at the end of the day, I’ve got to give the fans their money’s worth.

So I’m going there and giving the fans their money’s worth in a great fashion and a smart explosive fashion.

Q
What kind of challenge does Robert present?

D. Garcia
I’m looking forward to – I know he’s going to come ready, but we’re ready. I’m looking forward to a challenge. I’ve prepared myself for a challenge every day, day-in and day-out. So I expect nothing but a great fight and a great performance by me.

Q
What are your goals at 147?

D. Garcia
We’re taking it one step at a time. The goal is to become a world champion again — my second division of being a world champion. So we definitely want to be a world champion again. And when the opportunity arrives, we’ll take advantage of it.

Q
Can you talk of what the difference is in approaching a fight as the underdog with nothing to lose compared to the undefeated favorite with a lot to lose?

D. Garcia
I always approach my mind with the same mindset and it’s just a winner’s mindset. I’m not really too concerned about being the underdog or the promoted fighter or favorite.

I always approach my fight mentally that I’m going to win. I never feed into the politics of the sport or who people think is going to win or going to lose. I prepare myself to be the best Danny Garcia at every fight, and that’s what I prepared myself to do for this fight.

Q
I know you’ve gone on record saying that you didn’t it to be a Puerto Rico-Mexico kind of fight. But here in LA, it becomes that. We just went through that with Cotto and Canelo.

D. Garcia
It is what it is. Whatever the fans want to take it as or whatever the promoters want to do with it, it is what it is. I have a lot of fans and I have a lot of friends out there in Los Angeles, California.

I feel like I represent everyone; Americans and things like that and a lot of Mexican-Americans. I’m an American-Puerto Rican.

So I feel like if you’re born in American and you’re Latino, I think it’s all the same. So that’s how I’m feeling and that’s why I just feel like I represent all the Latinos.

Q
Is there a different feel when you fight in LA, when you go down to STAPLES Center?

D. Garcia
It’s a great feeling; it’s a great atmosphere. I fought there once before with Kendall Holt. I was on the undercard.

LA is where stars are born. So I’m looking forward to going out there and having a star performance.

Q
What do you feel your advantages are over Guerrero going into this fight?

D. Garcia
I just feel like I’m the better fighter. I’m one of the best fighters in the world., I got to go in there and be the best Danny Garcia and have a great performance.

Q
Have you seen where and learned anything from watching any of Guerrero’s past fights?

D. Garcia
I definitely watch the fights because at the end of the day, you know, I’m a boxing fan too and I just like to watch boxing.

I watch those fights and I see the things he likes to do and the things he doesn’t like. I’m just preparing myself for anything.

Q
Do you feel you have to make a statement?

D. Garcia
I’ve just got to go in there and get the job done like I always do. I’m not really worried about what’s next on the agenda or anything like that. Our main focus is to get the job done and that’s what we’re preparing ourselves for. Then we can talk about future opponents after the fight.

Q
Do you want to make any predictions for this fight?

D. Garcia
I’d like to say Danny Garcia wins by TKO. Round five.

Q
Did you think that Robert came back a little bit too soon for that Martinez fight and that perhaps is why he looked bad?

D. Garcia
I’m not really too sure. He might have underestimated the guy and not realized it was going to be that tough of a fight., I’m expecting a great Robert Guerrero and I’m focused on Robert Guerrero. I’m focused, I’m training hard. So I’m prepared for whatever I’ve got to do to get this victory.

Q
Kenny Porter has said he had called you out and you ducked the fight with Shawn Porter. Would you care to address that at all?

D. Garcia
I’ve never ducked anybody in the sport. This is actually my second fight at 147. So it wouldn’t even make sense to duck anybody.

I addressed the situation before when he called me out and I had my comments and he had his comments, and it was what it was. Danny Garcia doesn’t duck anybody.

Q
If the opportunity does present itself and even though the report states that it did, but if the opportunity does present itself, it’s something that you would be interested in, a fight with Shawn Porter?

D. Garcia
Yes, no doubt. I want to be a champion. If he’s a champion or there’s a belt up for grabs, then we’ve got to make it happen.

But as of now, I’m focused on Robert Guerrero and he is the task ahead. Can’t let nothing sidetrack me; I’ve got tunnel vision. I’m ready for this fight.

R. Flores
Angel, could you just give us some thoughts on training camp before we switch over?

Angel Garcia
Well yes. The time has been great, there’s no injuries. Danny is looking good. He’s got great sparring partners, as a matter of fact we spar in a few minutes today. He’s looking great. January 23 the world will see again, as Danny said, the Danny Garcia Show. It’s not the circus coming to town, Danny Garcia Show is coming to town.

So California LA, get ready because we coming like a tornado. Right now they’ve got a storm out there, all this rain and all that. You know who’s causing that? We are.

So January 23, fans get ready baby. STAPLES Center on January 23. Love you guys.

R. Flores
Danny back to you for closing comments and then Robert Guerrero.

D. Garcia
I’m very excited for this upcoming fight January 23rd. Like my dad said, we’ve put a lot of work in the gym. It’s been a long, hard camp preparing ourselves for any situation. I can’t wait to go out there, show my DSG west fans a great fight.

R. Flores
Danny, thank you very much. We really appreciate it. We look forward to fight week with Danny Garcia and his father, Angel Garcia. As mentioned, fight week kicks off in Los Angeles on Tuesday, January 19th, Club Nokia, PBC on FS1, Javier Molina and Jamal James.

We are excited and couldn’t pick a better place than STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Thank you to all the fans in Southern California for supporting PBC and the entire staff at STAPLES Center as well.

Let’s bring up a man who is representing the Bay Area, fighting out of Gilroy, California. He has won a world championship in multiple different weight divisions. Any time he steps inside the ring, it’s always electric, it’s always a show. He puts forth everything that he has and that much more. With victories over Andre Berto, Selcuk Aydin and Aron Martinez, anybody that’s been put in front of him he’s fought and he has given everything. Not only is he a former world champion, but his wife is a world champion in her own right, having defeated cancer and she’s been cancer free for quite some time now.

Ladies and gentlemen, he’s joined alongside by his father and his trainer Ruben Guerrero, it gives me a great honor and pleasure to introduce the former world champion who is without question excited and thrilled to have the opportunity to fight Danny Garcia on FOX on January 23, ladies and gentlemen here is Robert Guerrero.

Robert Guerrero
Hello everybody, how are you guys doing? I’m excited to be here and ready for your questions, so shoot away.

R. Flores
Robert, before we have open it up for questions I want to touch base with you. We heard some of the media during the conference call asking and pretty much saying that you’re the underdog. How do you react to the fact that Danny is the favorite in this fight?

R. Guerrero
That don’t bother me at all. My whole life I’ve been an underdog, since I was a kid. My family was always an underdog, having to work out of a field and come up strong and get to what where we got. It’s just a way of life for us. A lot of us Latinos out there, that’s the way it is. We come from poverty and work our way to the top. We’ve always been with our back against the wall and always been an underdog. We never look at that being a favorite, we just come and get the job done.

Q
Could you talk about a little bit how being a boxer has shaped your faith?

R. Guerrero
It’s just that fight and that struggle, getting through everything day in, day out. That hard work. When you go back and you look in the Bible, God says to put out as much as he put into you. That’s what I do every day I’m in the gym. This is a sport where anything can happen. One punch could change your whole life. It brings you closer to God. Everything else I’ve been through, you put God first all the time and that’s how we live.

Just being in the ring and knowing what’s God done for me and my career and my family and how far he’s taken us by having that faith in him, it’s incredible. It’s incredible. STAPLES Center Los Angeles main event on FOX against an undefeated fighter like Danny Garcia, it truly is a blessing from God to be able to be in the position that I’m in and the circumstances that I’ve had to face to be in this position also. The only way you can overcome everything is by having faith in God.

Q
Could you talk a little bit about the positive and negatives sides of being kind of a public religious figure?

R. Guerrero
There’s always a positive to everything, no matter what the negative is. You get the people out there who test your faith and who judge you and try to tear you down. But, when you’re a believer in Christ, you put him first. Nothing else matters to you. You work hard and you do what you got to do and you let your actions speak for you and what God’s blessed you with.

That’s one of the things that we’ve always done. And I try to not overstep our boundaries and try not to be out there forcing the Lord’s word down people’s throat. You let it come and you let people see how much you’ve prospered and how good God is in your life.

Q
Do you think that you did come back to soon after the Keith Thurman fight to fight Aron?

R. Guerrero
I have no excuses. And, you know what? I came back; it was three months after the fight. I think somewhere around there; it was back in camp. Aron Martinez is a tough guy. Everybody saw his last fight and what he did. He came out rough and tough and did his job.

I think I have no excuses. I went out there and got the job done, he gave me a tough fight, and I’m not going to take anything away from Aron Martinez because he trained his butt off and came and did what he did and got the job done. So I have no excuses for that fight. You just got to get back on top of it and work hard.

Q
How did your body feel heading into that fight and coming out of the fight?

R. Guerrero
I felt a little drained and worn out. Not so much of the fighting, but I had other situations going on in my life at home and emotional stuff. It all adds up. But like I said, there’s no excuse. Aron Martinez came to fight and that’s what he did. I sucked it up and bent down and showed that true grit and got through the fight and pulled a victory off.

Q
What are your thoughts on Danny?

R. Guerrero
He’s been in some close fights. That’s the decision of the judges; that’s their job to do that. But, you’re just as good as your last fight. That’s what you look at. He came in and got the job done and stopped him. He cracked the wall through a division. Now it’s time to step in with me and that’s what we’re focusing on. We put a great game plan together and we’re excited to get out there and execute it.

Q
When you see that as a fighter that you’re fighting a guy who’s younger, he’s undefeated, does that give you a little more edge and if you do beat him does it make it that much sweeter for you?

R. Guerrero
Oh, most definitely it makes it sweet to give somebody their first loss. It’s shows what a true champion is to see what they do after they lose and their adversity and their back against the wall. I’m excited to be getting in there with an undefeated Danny Garcia because I get that shot like everybody else gets that shot, to crack that zero and put a one there. It’s exciting.

Q
How important is your record finishing out?

R. Guerrero
It’s about trying to make yourself a better fighter. To come back strong and finish out your career with a strong output. It’s about becoming a world champion again and also attracting that Hall of Fame.

Q
I want to ask you about the whole — Danny didn’t want to make it a big deal about its Puerto Rico versus Mexico — but you know the fans always get so involved in it. You’re on the West Coast here, you know what it’s like, right?

R. Guerrero
Oh, most definitely. Whether you like it or not it’s a rivalry and it’s been a rivalry in boxing and soccer and you name it for years. That’s what it comes down to, that’s what makes our two cultures so competitive at boxing. It’s because of that rivalry. Mexicans want to be better than Puerto Ricans in the game. In my honest opinion I think Mexicans are better in the game. It’s time to come out and show what I still got left and what I can do.

Q
Nowhere better to do than STAPLES Center right here in LA, right?

R. Guerrero
Oh, most definitely. Where most of my Mexican fans are, all those Latinos out there, all those — I like to call them Chicanos out there — because that’s what we are.

Q
What advantages do you see you have over him?

R. Guerrero
There’s always that southpaw stance, being a volume puncher, a guy that throws a lot of punches. Plus being at 147 a little bit longer than him it’s all an advantage. The key is using those advantages and capitalizing on them and taking advantage of them. We got to go out there and execute the game plan and make it happen.

Q
You fought some of the top guys in the world at welterweight; Mayweather, Keith Thurman, Andre Berto and all of that. What have you learned from those fights that you could use against Danny Garcia?

R. Guerrero
You got to get better sparring. For the last couple of fights I’ve just been fighting with guys that are not even pushing me in the gym and getting me 100% ready. Guys that I can do what I want to do with in the ring. It just doesn’t cut it. It just doesn’t cut it.

That’s one of the biggest things that I’ve noticed in my training camp, is not having that solid sparring that’s going to take you to that limit and make you better, sharper, faster. Keep your eyes sharp, and be ready to make those exchanges where you do something wrong they’re going to make you pay no where you’re going to do something wrong and the guy’s going to shell up and just try to survive in the ring. You need those guys that are going to push you and make you better.

Q
Does the time in between fights give you time to heal up and get sharper better?

R. Guerrero
Not so much heal up. I always take good care of my body and I come out of these fights not really damaged too much. I mean, I do a lot of damage in the ring to guys and don’t take a lot of it. It’s a matter of me sitting back and analyzing everything that’s gone on in my training camps and my career and what I need to do, what adjustments I need to make in the gym to get back to where I need to be. I think we made those adjustments and I’m excited to get back out there and make it happen.

Q
Do you want to make a prediction for this fight?

R. Guerrero
Prediction; I’ll come in to fight. I’m coming to fight. Only God knows what’s going to happen and all I can say is I’m coming to win and put out my best performance I can put out and make it happen and become a champion in the welterweight division again.

Q
When we had Danny on the line, Danny made a prediction. I don’t know what your thoughts on his. He said he’s going to TKO you in the fifth round.

R. Guerrero
All I got to say is if that’s his prediction, come to do it. Because I’m coming to fight. I’m always up for that challenge and I love it because I know he’s coming to fight, too. If he’s coming to KO me in the fifth round, that means he’s coming to fight.

Q
Where do you see this putting you back in the rankings and how important is this fight to beat the undefeated with a lot of hype behind him in Danny Garcia?

R. Guerrero
This throws me right back in. There’s lot of hype behind Danny Garcia coming at 147 pounds. There’s a lot of big talk that he’s the next star in boxing that’s going to take over. Like he says himself, stars come to Hollywood. He’s a big star in the sport and I’m not going to say he’s not because he’s been doing what he’s had to do. He’s undefeated; he’s taken out a lot of top guys. His resume is great.

I think this is a tremendous fight for me to get back on top and to get back in the ranks. To show the doubters and the media and everybody out there that Guerrero got a lot left in him. I’ve been 100% prepared for this fight fight. We got that out of the way and it’s time to take care of business on the 23 and I’m excited about it.

Q
Do you think Danny is adding in the factor that he’s not going to be the bigger guy this time?

R. Guerrero
I think he’s going to be a lot bigger than people expect. Being at 140 for the amount of time he was and coming up to 147 pounds, he’s feeling great. He’s feeling strong, he’s feeling bigger. He just walked through Paulie Malignaggi and I know he’s expecting to walk through me. So he predicted the fifth round, a knockout. So he’s feeling great about himself. That just excites me, because I know he’s coming at his best and he’s feeling his strongest and he’s coming to fight. It’s exciting to know how he’s coming to fight.

R. Flores
Robert as we get ready to conclude the conference call, we really appreciate the time and looking forward to seeing you on fight week in Los Angeles. Did you have any closing comments for the media?

R. Guerrero
I’m just excited to be back in the ring. It’s great to be in such a big event, especially here at home in California, at STAPLES Center, in the heart of Los Angeles. I’m excited about that. Also with this great undercard with Aron Martinez who’s a local Los Angeles fighter also who’s coming up strong. It’s going to be an exciting card and I’m excited.

Everybody says that they had the best training camp ever that they’ve had in I don’t know how long. I’m just going to tell you I had a great training camp. I’m excited about this fight; I’m in great shape, feeling good. I can’t wait; I had great sparring. I can’t wait to get into that fight and show the world Guerrero’s still here. I got a little bit derailed and now I’m back on those tracks and it’s time to go full steam ahead.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.

London (7 January) – An exciting Latino fistic explosion between warriors Danny Garcia and Robert Guerrero will be screened exclusively live on BoxNation on Saturday 23 January.

Garcia, the former unified World Super-Lightweight Champion, and Guerrero, a former four weight World Champion, collide at the Staples Centre, Los Angeles, over twelve rounds in an expected thriller.

The addition of Garcia v Guerrero adds to a red-hot January on the Channel of Champions alongside top live domestic and international action with British Featherweight Champion Ryan Walsh (22 January) and the return of fearsome Russian Sergey Kovalev (30 January).

For the 31-fight unbeaten Garcia, of Puerto Rican decent, he’s taking the hard route to become a two-weight world champion by facing in only his second fight at welterweight, a hard and relentless adversary in Guerrero.

The 27-year-old big-hitter from Philadelphia vacated his titles last year to make the move up and knocked out former WBA World Welterweight Champion Paulie Malignaggi in nine rounds and is now ready to trade blows with his rival.

“Guerrero comes to fight, and he’s faced the best in the sport. This is a huge opportunity for me to show why I’m a star, and there’s no better place to do that than in Los Angeles, where stars are born.” Said Garcia.

All-action Mexican-American Guerrero, holds the edge over Garcia in rounds and has extended former pound-for-pound great Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Keith Thurman in world title challenges.

Coming back from the Thurman loss, 32-year-old Guerrero outpointed Aaron Martinez over ten rounds and is looking to get back to a winning run and towards a sixth world title. He’s anticipates a war with his Latino rival.

Guerrero, from Gilroy, California, said, “If there ever was a fight that defined the word ‘war,’ it’s this fight,” Guerrero said. “I guarantee this is going to be a historic fight. A Mexican-American vs. a Puerto Rican-American, it’s a bitter rivalry,”

“Danny Garcia is a great champion, and I know we’re going to put on a tremendous show January 23. It’s going to be fireworks—and I can’t wait!”

The action packed card will also include unbeaten welterweight prospect Sammy Vasquez Jr. facing hard veteran Aron Martinez, plus heavyweight hope Dominic Breazeale takes on Amir Mansour.

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said, “Garcia v Guerrero is the first live international fight on BoxNation of 2016 and we’re delighted to add this potential thriller to the January schedule for our subscribers. Ryan Walsh starts the year for us with his British Featherweight title defence against Darren Traynor and then the ferocious punching, top ten pound-for-pounder, Sergey Kovalev, ends the month defending his WBO/IBF/WBA World Light-Heavyweight titles against Jean Pascal. Then into February, we’re looking forward to the huge WBO World Lightweight title showdown between Terry Flanagan and Derry Matthews. It’s the start of another big year on the Channel of Champions and we’re excited to be delivering our subscribers even more live domestic and international action in the coming months.”

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 525, Freeview 255, TalkTalk 415, online or app) for only £12 a month visit boxnation.com

– Ends –

About BoxNation

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

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

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

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

LOS ANGELES (January 7, 2016) – Undefeated lightweight Alejandro “El Charro” Luna (19-0, 14 KOs) will meet Mexico’s Alan Herrera (34-7, 22 KOs) in a 10-round bout as part of a full night of undercard action on Saturday, January 23 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The event is headlined by the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX and FOX Deportes telecast that features three exciting contests in primetime. In the main event undefeated Danny “Swift” Garcia and former world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero battle in a 12-round welterweight bout. Preliminary action on FOX begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features undefeated rising star Sammy “The Sergeant” Vasquez taking on Los Angeles-native Aron Martinez, plus a matchup between heavyweights Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale and Amir “Hardcore” Mansour.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Swift Promotions, are priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.

Additional undercard action features South Korea’s Min Wook Kim (12-1, 10 KOs) in a junior welterweight attraction and 22-year-old Mexican-American Luis Bello (6-3, 2 KOs) in a six-round lightweight bout.

Rounding out the exciting night of fights is the pro debut of Los Angeles’ Sergio Quiroz in a six-round super bantamweight affair, cousin of undefeated star Leo Santa Cruz, Antonio Santa Cruz (1-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bantamweight fight and Huntington Park, California’s Jose Gomez (4-0) in four-rounds of featherweight action.

At just 24-years old, Luna has already put together an impressive 19 professional wins since turning pro in 2010. Fighting out of Bellflower, California, he defeated former world champion Cristobal Cruz over eight rounds in June and knocked out Sergio Lopez in August to close his 2015. Before 2015 he had put together victories over experienced fighters Daniel Attah and Sergio Rivera while knocking out six of his last nine opponents.

Opposite Luna will be the battle-tested Herrera out of Sinaloa, Mexico. Herrera was featured in a 2014 Fight of the Year candidate in Pittsburgh against hometown favorite Monta Meza Clay. The outstanding two way action inside of the ring thrilled the electric crown and nationally televised audience as both men showed incredible bravery before the fight was stopped in the 10th and final round. Herrera has won his last two fights and is coming off of a knockout of Isaias Cabrera.

A pro since 2010, the 28-year-old Kim dropped his debut but has reeled off 13 wins since then. After fighting in his native South Korea and China for the first several years of his career, Kim knocked out Lizandro De Los Santos in Mexico in March before stopping Luis Alberto Pelayo in his U.S. debut in July.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.

LOS ANGELES (December 9, 2015) – Before undefeated Danny “Swift” Garcia (31-0, 18 KOs) and former world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (33-3-1, 18 KOs) face-off in a 12-round welterweight showdown on Saturday, January 23 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles they met Wednesday for a press conference at the Conga Room at L.A. Live to formally announce their primetime battle.

Garcia and Guerrero will headline the televised action on the inaugural Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX and FOX Deportes fight card beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Undefeated rising star Sergeant Sammy “The Who Can Mexican” Vasquez (20-0, 14 KOs) and Los Angeles-native Aron Martinez (20-4-1, 4 KOs), who will meet on January 23 in the FOX co-main event, were also on-hand at Wednesday’s press conference.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.

Here is what the participants had to say at today’s press conference:

DANNY GARCIA

“I want to thank California for accepting me and giving me the chance to showcase my skills at STAPLES Center.

“Training camp has been going well. We already started sparring. I feel a lot stronger at 147-pounds. The world hasn’t seen the best of Danny Garcia yet, but they’ll see a fresher, faster, stronger and smarter fighter on January 23.

“I’m from Philadelphia, but I feel like California is my home because they say this is where the stars come. And I’m a star.

“I’m going to go out there and set the tempo. I’m going to back him up. If I have to move around and use angles I will. I’m going to stick to the game plan.

“I’m looking to fight anybody at 147. I believe I will be a champion in this new weight class. This is another step for me towards taking over the welterweight division.

“There are always going to be critics. It’s not a source of motivation. My motivation is to go out there, train hard and win the fight. I want to make my family proud and be the best person I can be.

“Anything can happen on any day. I have to prepare myself for all of the outcomes. The way I prepare myself, I feel like nobody can beat me.

“I represent all Latinos. In order to be a star you have to come here and do it. No matter where you come from, great fights are what you want.

” Come January 23 I’m going to go out there and give the fans a great fight.”

ROBERT GUERRERO

“It’s a blessing to be in the position that I’m in. This is going to be a great fight. We know that Danny comes into every fight ready to win.

“A lot of people are writing me off, but I’ll come in 100% prepared to take the win on January 23.

“This isn’t do or die for me, but it is a big fight. The fans love fighters and that’s what I am. As you saw in my fight with (Keith) Thurman, I come to fight.

“I’ve got to take advantage of this opportunity. If I want to get back on top then this is step one. This is a pivotal point in my career.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Danny and Angel, but on fight night I’m coming ready to do business. We can be friends after. I’m excited to fight on FOX.”

SAMMY VASQUEZ

“This is because of everything I’ve been through in my life. Now I’m standing here living a dream.

“I know come January 23 this is going to be a tough fight. Aron has faced many world champions. He had a close split decision with Robert Guerrero as well.

“Honestly, it’s easier to be fighting outside of my hometown of Pittsburgh. I’m so busy when I’m there and I try to give everyone attention. I appreciate having that fan base though. They’ve been with me from the beginning.

“The fans are who builds you up. Having those fans has allowed me to get to where I am today.

“I’m looking for fireworks. He’s definitely the type of fighter that’s a step-up for me, and that’s what I’ve been wanting. I’ve been saying I’ll fight anyone the put in front of me. Now he’s in front of me, and it’s my time to shine.

“I’m coming into his back yard, but this isn’t my first time doing that. I’ve done this before and come out victorious.”

ARON MARTINEZ

“I’m happy to be fighting in my hometown. I grew up here. I can’t wait to fight in front of my people.

“Friends are asking me what it’s like to be the underdog. I tell them I’m always the underdog. That’s what makes me work harder.

“I cannot let this man come here and beat me in my hometown. It’s a dream come true to be fighting at STAPLES Center, and I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity to add this win to my legacy.

“Hopefully Sammy Vasquez is ready because I’ve trained very hard to get here. I plan to train even harder now, have a great camp right here in the capital of boxing, and finish preparing myself.

“I think this fight is going to steal the show. It’ll be fireworks!”

ANGEL GARCIA, DANNY GARCIA’S FATHER AND TRAINER

“We’ve got to take Robert Guerrero very seriously because we know he’s coming to win against Danny.

“Danny is 31-0 and I’m going to make sure nobody takes that zero away from him.

“The Puerto Rico-Mexico rivalry will heat up. Danny is the best Puerto Rican fighter out there and we’re excited for the chance to prove it January 23 at STAPLES Center.”

RUBEN GUERRERO, ROBERT GUERRERO’S FATHER AND TRAINER

“We’re having a strong camp. This is going to be a war.

“Danny Garcia is a good fighter. He can punch. So we’ve got to be ready for all of the things that he’ll bring to the table.

“We have a good game plan and are looking forward to facing Danny at STAPLES Center. We just want to put on a great show on FOX and prove to the world what we’re capable of.”

# # #

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage, www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift @GhostBoxing, @SammyV2112, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes. Follow the conversation using #PBConFOX.

It will be a battle of world champions on the Fox network on January 23, 2016 when Danny Garcia takes on Robert Guerrero on the first bout on the network in nearly 20 years, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I’m excited to be fighting in prime time on Fox and to get back in the ring in such a big way,” Garcia said. “I know people are going to say this is a Puerto Rico versus Mexico matchup, but I fight for all Latinos and I have the fan-friendly style to back it up. Guerrero comes to fight, and he’s faced the best in the sport. This is a huge opportunity for me to show why I’m a star. There’s no better place to do that than in Los Angeles, where stars are born.”

“Garcia and Guerrero are two of the toughest guys in the sport today,” said Tom Brown, whose TGB Promotions is promoting the card on behalf of PBC. “They leave it all in the ring every time out and they’re going to give the great Los Angeles sports fans a memorable night of action. There’s no better way to start off the New Year and no more suited venue for it than Staples Center.”

“If there ever was a fight that defined the word ‘war,’ it’s this fight,” Guerrero said. “What a great way to kick off the return of prime-time boxing on Fox. I guarantee this is going to be a historic fight. A Mexican-American versus a Puerto Rican-American — it’s a bitter rivalry. Danny Garcia is a great champion, and I know we’re going to put on a tremendous show. Jan. 23, it’s going to be fireworks, and I can’t wait.”

“We’re thrilled to present the first professional boxing on Fox in almost 20 years with Premier Boxing Champions’ exciting prime-time Saturday shows,” said David Nathanson, the Fox Sports head of business operations. “With the success of the PBC’s Tuesday night boxing series on FS1 and Fox Deportes, we knew boxing would make a great addition to Fox alongside the Fox Sports portfolio.”

The second edition of ESPN’s Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN presented by Corona Extra (PBC on ESPN) series—featuring Danny García vs. Paulie Malignaggi and Daniel Jacobs vs. Sergio Mora—on Saturday, Aug. 1, delivered the largest boxing audience on ESPN since 1998 (5/22/98 Bronco McKart vs Ronald Weaver).

An average audience of 1,073,000 viewers (P2+) watched the event – up 34 percent and 55 percent among P25-54 from the July 11 PBC on ESPN event. The telecast also peaked during the main event with nearly 1.5 million viewers according to Nielsen.

Upcoming PBC on ESPN Schedule:
Date

Time (ET)

Featured Bouts

Location

Networks

Sat, Aug 29

10 p.m.

Leo Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) vs. Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs)

Staples Center, Los Angeles

ESPN, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Brooklyn, Philadelphia welterweight Danny “Swift” Garcia laid waste to the remnants of Brooklyn’s Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi in a PBC main event distributed by ESPN, home of Rosie “Amazingly Knowledgeable” Perez and Teddy “The Sandcastle” Atlas. It was not a particularly suspenseful affair, an absence of suspense being the one flaw in the PBC’s revolutionary new Inevitable Outcomes matchmaking model, but it worked just fine as a vehicle for saying goodbye to Malignaggi and hello to Garcia – the newest monster in PBC’s welterweight stable.

Garcia is an excellent fighter whose recent aversion to worldclass opposition does not wholly subvert his pre-PBC accomplishments. After going-in tough as any fighter in the world, 2011-2013, Garcia has paused to let his PBC coworkers catch up, and it’s not his fault those coworkers, having accomplished fractionally so much, have paused in synchrony.

Whatever one opines of the PBC or Al Haymon, it’s hard to fault Garcia or Malignaggi for their employment with the promotional/managerial/booking agency. Neither guy was exactly fast-tracked by other meaningful promotional entities at any time in his career. Garcia was actively cheered against by his then-promoter Oscar De La Hoya in fights against Erik Morales, Amir Khan and Lucas Matthysse, and before that Malignaggi was used by Top Rank like a subterranean detonation site in his 2006 humbling by Miguel Cotto, a pay-per-view main event that featured a ring barely larger than a Rikers Island isolation cell and a canvas spongier than what nurses might’ve used to bathe Malignaggi during his subsequent hospital stay. Whatever it might have required for Malignaggi to keep Cotto away from him nine years ago, Malignaggi didn’t have an ounce of it, and after Cotto shattered Malignaggi’s face he went to work peppergrinding the pieces. Hard as it was to like Malignaggi before that night, it was nearly impossible to believe he deserved everything Cotto did to him.

Though it was never quite clear what ingredient of Malignaggi’s showing against Cotto would go better in a mix with other elite competition, Malignaggi’s enduring appeal to New Yorkers kept him drawing crowds enough to get him another chance, one in which he managed to outbox a granitechinned South African named Lovemore Ndou and attain the IBF’s junior-welterweight title. So long as Ricky Hatton could touch 140 pounds at least 15 minutes of each year, though, nobody in the world, not even in the IBF, thought Malignaggi was the premier junior welterweight, and so, when Malignaggi had his rematch with Ndou it was on Hatton’s undercard in Manchester, and it was memorable only for Malignaggi’s airheaded idea to wear Alien braids in the ring, braids his corner had to shear from his air head, midfight.

Unsurprisingly, Hatton stopped Malignaggi on the next card they shared, and then Texan Juan Diaz decisioned Malignaggi in Texas, exactly the way Malignaggi said he would, and, well, that was an outrage. A Texan in the White House had only recently presided over the ruination of world’s economy, tempers were not subdued, and when Malignaggi whined to HBO’s cameras afterward – he’d lost the fight on two fair scorecards so he fixated on the outlier – digital outrage ensued. This was during a bumbling transitional period for American media: Having rolled its eyes at reporting on the internet for a decade, it took seriously the world wide web long enough for the rest of the country to begin rolling its eyes at reporting on the internet – a reaction that continues as unabated, today, as the slideshows that catalyze it.

The outrage over Paulie’s robbery brought a rematch in Chicago, since HBO didn’t know what to do with its investment in Malignaggi or Diaz, and Malignaggi’s vindicating unanimous decision over Diaz got him warmed-up and fed to Amir Kahn five months later in a match whose delicious absurdity retains its tanginess even, lo, these five years since it happened. Malignaggi was 0-2 (2 KOs) against excellent fighters, and 1-2 against good ones, and if he’d been from anywhere but the media capital of the world, he’d have been lucky to get a chance on ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” – where commentator laureate Teddy Atlas doubtless would have crafted and repeated and repeated a semicoherent metaphor about relocating sandcastles on a disappearing beach, long before Saturday’s spoken-word performance. Because caricatures of Yankee fans apparently are underrepresented in prizefighting, though, Malignaggi merely upgraded promoters, from a then-Golden Boy Promotions- and now-PBC-puppet promoter to the genuine article, Richard Schaefer, who helped him get a welterweight title to lose to Adrien Broner but also a commentating job with Showtime, a then-Golden Boy Promotions- and now-PBC-puppet programmer.

Malignaggi is a bright guy, and so he surely maintained no illusions about the purpose of his last two assignments, though even he must’ve been a little taken aback by the ferocity with which Shawn Porter hornworked him in 2014. The purpose of Saturday’s appearance was to welcome Danny Garcia to the welterweight division with a knockout win over a savvy veteran, and Malignaggi satisfied the requirement ably as a grinning hostess at a Yelp-reviewed eatery in gentrified Brooklyn – it’s still early, but unless Luis Collazo jealously returns to the canvas within 27 days, there’s a fair chance Malignaggi could win August’s PBC Employee of the Month.

Whatever buffoonery Malignaggi has performed while self-promoting on social media or at media events created for social media, he is an excellent commentator and knowledgeable interview. To make a robust living as a prizefighter whose hands, even when healthy, were not very good at punching, Malignaggi had to see details better fighters missed; this made him, again, the rarest of professional athletes-cum-commentators: one whose expertise extends beyond himself. He had a very good career and will not be missed in a prizefighting ring.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Follow all the action LIVE from Barclays Center as former world champions Danny Garcia and and Paulie Malignaggi get it on in a 12-round Welterweight bout. The action begins at 9 PM ET with a Middleweight world title bout between Daniel Jacobs and Sergio Mora

12 ROUNDS–WELTERWEIGHTS–DANNY GARCIA (30-0, 17 KO’S) VS PAULIE MALIGNAGGI (33-6, 7 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Left from Garcia..Straight right..10-9 Garcia

Round 2 Left from Garcia..Jab from Malignaggi..Counter right from Garcia..Malignaggi lands cmbo to the body..19-19

Round 3 Left from Garcia..Combination on the ropes..MALIGNAGGI CUT OVER RIGHT EYE..29-28 Garcia

Round 4 Malignaggi lands a left to the body..Straight right..Left from Malignaggi..Combinatiom from Garcia at end of round..39-37 Garcia

Round 5 Jab from Malignaggi..Jab from Garcia..right and jab from Maligaggi..Right from Garcia..48-47 Garcia

Round 6 Right over the top from Garcia..Jab from Malignaggi..Left and right from Garcia..58-56 Garcia

Round 7 Right from Garcia..Counter right from Malignaggi..combinaton finished with a right from Maliganggi,..67-66 Garcia

Round 8 Counter right from Malignaggi..Hard right to the body from Garcia,,,right and left..Hard left hook to the head..Big right,,77-75 Garcia

Round 9 Hard jab from Garcia..Hard 3 punch combination..Follow combination and referee Arthur mercante jr stops the fight

12 ROUNDS–WBA MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–DANIEL JACOBS (29-1, 26 KO’S) VS SERGIO MORA (28-3-2, 9 KO’S)

Round 1 BIG RIGHT AND DOWN GOES MORA..HUGE LEFT FROM MORA AND DOWN GOES JACOBS..Jacobs lands a right..Body shot from Mora…Right from Jacobs…10-9 Jacobs

Round 2 Right from from Jacobs..COMBINATION AND DOWN GOES MORA…MORA HURT HIS FOOT AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

8-ROUNDS–JR. MIDDLEWEIGHTS–PRICHARD COLON (14-0, 11 KO’S) VS MICHAEL FINNEY (12-3-1, 10 KO’S)

Round 1 Body shots from Colon..Combinations to the head…10-9 Colon

Round 2 Colon lands a left to the body…exchanging right. HUGE RIGHT FOLLOWED UP BY A BIG COMBINATIONS DROPS FINNEY AND THE FIGHT IS OVER