JOE SMITH JR. FIGHTS NINE ROUNDS WITH BROKEN JAW IN HARD FOUGHT LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BATTLE WITH SULLIVAN BARRERA

Popular Long Island light heavyweight contender JOE SMITH JR. (23-2-0, 19 KO’S), gritted his way through Saturday’s ten round battle with SULLIVAN BARRERA (20-1-0, 14 KO’s), after suffering a broken jaw early in the 2nd round. Even with a broken jaw, Smith Jr. dug deep to fire away at the skilled Barrera until the final bell, in which he ultimately fell short by scores of 96-93 and 97-92 twice.

In a fight that had the cheering crowd on their feet throughout, Smith and Barrera went to war from the opening bell. Prior to breaking his jaw, Smith wasted no time showing his sheer power as he drilled Barrera with a hard left hook to the forehead in the opening round sending Barrera sprawling to the canvas. Barrera, hurt from the knockdown, showed his proven grit and determination by rising and finishing the round.

Although having his jaw broken in the second round, Smith continued to fight hard throughout the fight which featured excellent two-way action. Smith showed a great chin and tons of heart as he tried his best to fight through a debilitating injury. Smith landed some heavy blows stunning Barrera on occasion but Sullivan outworked him to grab the decision on the judges scorecards.

“Joe knocked down Barrera hard in the first round but in the second round he sustained a broken jaw,” said JOE DEGUARDIA, CEO and President of STAR BOXING. “It’s a similar injury to the one he suffered five years ago and frankly it’s amazing that he continued to valiantly fight over the next eight rounds and finish the fight.”

In his only other previous loss, Smith also suffered a broken jaw against Eddie Caminero five years ago.

Continued DeGuardia, “After spending part of Saturday night at the UCLA Medical Center, Joe will have surgery later this week in New York and we’ll know more then about a time frame for his full recovery. We congratulate Sullivan Barrera on his victory.”

We at Star Boxing are extremely proud of Joe for fighting this fight under such extreme conditions as are all his fans who came to the fight last night from Long Island and those who watched on HBO. Joe Smith is a true warrior and epitomizes what a real fighter is supposed to be.

Video: Joe Smith Jr. vs. Sullivan Barrera: BAD Highlights (HBO Boxing)

Video: HBO Boxing News: 1-on-1 with Sullivan Barrera

JOE SMITH JR. RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM LABOR UNION IN LOS ANGELES!

WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion JOE SMITH JR., (23-1-0, 19 KO’s) met with a group of his labor union brotherhood following today’s final press conference at The Fabulous Forum for his showdown this Saturday night, July 15 against highly ranked contender SULLIVAN BARRERA, (19-1-0, 14 KO’s), telecast live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark (9:50 p.m. ET/PT).

“It’s great to have the support of the local chapter of LIUNA (Labor International Union of North America) while they’re on the job here building the new football stadium across from the Forum.” said the 27-year-old Smith, himself a long-standing, full time member of LIUNA on Long Island, New York. “LIUNA has been great to me and I’m proud to represent them this Saturday night.”

“The national support of LIUNA for Joe is outstanding as we’ve seen in New York City and now in Los Angeles,” said JOE DEGUARDIA, CEO and President of STAR BOXING.

At the press conference Smith Jr. met with a large gallery of Los Angeles media and posed for photos with Barrera before being interviewed by HBO’s KIERAN MULVANEY.

Known as “The Common Man”, Irish-American Joe Smith Jr. burst onto the international boxing scene last June, knocking out the highly favored, former world title challenger Andrzej Fonfara in the first round of a nationally televised contest (NBC) from the Pole’s hometown of Chicago.

Six months later Smith challenged future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins at the Fabulous Forum and live on HBO. Dominating the legend on December 17 through the first seven rounds, the construction union laborer Smith drilled Hopkins to the canvas and out of the ring earning the knockout in the eighth round.

Sullivan Barrera is riding a two bout knockout streak with victories over Paul Parker on April 15 and Vyacheslav Shabaranskyy on December 16, 2016. His only loss was to light heavyweight champion Andre Ward in March 2016, and Barrera is considered one of the top fighters in the stacked divsion.

Smith vs. Barrera is presented by Joe DeGuardia’s Star Boxing and Main Events. This fight is part of a sensational triple header featuring Miguel Berchelt vs. Takashi Miura, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship and the WBA Super Featherweight World Championship with Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales defending his title against Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos. Berchelt-Miura is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions and Teiken Promotions.

The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, July 15 at Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 9:50 P.M EST/PST.
Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

MIGUEL BERCHELT VS. TAKASHI MIURA PLUS TRIPLE-HEADER FIGHTERS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (July 13, 2017): HBO Boxing After Dark® triple-header fighters hosted a press conference today ahead of their fights on Saturday, July 15, from The ‘Fabulous’ Forum and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 9:50 p.m. ET/PT.

Main event and guaranteed to provide “Fight Of The Year” material, the WBC World Super Featherweight clash between warriors Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) and Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) is scheduled for 12-rounds. Co-main event and match for WBA Super World Super Featherweight championship, Panamanian Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs) will make his U.S. debut against rugged Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs). Opening the HBO telecast, current WBC International light heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) will put his belt on the line against the Miami’s Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs). On the RING TV live streamed portion of the card, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (30-1-2, 16 KOs) will run up against Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (33-10-1, 16 KOs), Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (9-0, 8 KOs) will go up against Mario Macias (27-21-1, 14 KOs), and Manny “Chato” Robles (12-0, 4 KOs) will step up his competition with Chihuahua, Mex.’s Juan “El Peñita” Jimenez (23-12, 16 KOs).

Below is what fighters on the Saturday, July 15 HBO Boxing After Dark® triple- header had to say at today’s press conference:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Thank you to the Forum for hosting this fight night. Boxing here is special-I would know because I made my professional debut nearly 25 years ago in this venue just a few months after I returned from the Olympics in Barcelona. Thank you to our friends at Zanfer Promotions, Teiken Promotions, Star Boxing and Main Events for working alongside us in putting together these fights.”

“Saturday will be a guaranteed action-packed triple-header featuring the newly crowned WBC Super Featherweight World Champion, Mexico’s Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt making his first title defense against former titlist and dangerous Japanese warrior Takashi Miura in the main event.”

“Every fan knows an action-packed main event makes for an exciting night of boxing, but great fights from start to finish are even more exceptional. In the co-main event for WBA Super World Super Featherweight championship hardware, Panamanian Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales will make his U.S. debut against Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos-a fighter known for massive upsets. Opening the night with another hot-pursuit for a title, current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. will put his belt on the line against Miami’s Sullivan Barrera. As you may all remember, Smith, Jr.’s previous fight at the Forum resulted in handing Bernard Hopkins his only knockout loss-and we can be sure to expect fireworks in this next fight also.”

“Aside from this triple-header, we also have some outstanding rising prospects fighting on the undercard that are hungry and eager to showcase their talents to the fans on Saturday night.”

MARTHA SHEN-URQUIDEZ, California State Athletic Commission:
“The best part of being a part of the commission is coming to events like this, and being able to be a part of great cards. This Saturday, we will see an awesome triple header event. I love to see Oscar choosing to have more fights in California.”

“In California, we have the largest number of boxing fans. We appreciate the relationship we have with Golden Boy Promotions, and the caliber of fights they bring to the state – this year they’ve had 24 events, with about 20 of them televised. This Saturday, you will see a great championship fight, and we are looking forward to help facilitate a safe and successful event.”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice-President of HBO Sports:
“This card brings an array of talent. We are thankful to The Forum, it’s a great venue and brings great fans. It is emblematic of what we are about – not great names, but great fights because great names come from great fights.”

“To get to this level, its hard water to tread – look at Castellanos who has spoiled the careers of many prospects. This is his opportunity; the first fight of his career was an eight-round fight for 200 dollars. To go from where he was to where he is today, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. I want to thank Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions who make my life easier by putting together such great cards. We have a main event where a fighter has already participated in two ‘Fight Of The Year’ matches already, and Berchelt who is coming off of a spectacular victory against Francisco Vargas.”

“Opening the card, we have returned to the scene of the crime [The Forum] committed by Joe Smith Jr., and you have a veteran like Sullivan Barrera, who goes down to the canvas and comes back with a vengeance. You also have the co-main event with Corrales, who has gone into enemy territory to get the victory, and now will be making his U.S.A debut on HBO.”

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t include my thanks to the promoter partners, Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing and Kathy and Nicole Duva of Main Events. I also want to thank our HBO subscribers and fans of the sport, without you, all of this wouldn’t be possible.”

JOSE “PEPE” SULAIMAN, JR., CEO of the WBC’s Los Angeles Office:
“The fights for this particular belt have been real wars. Miura is known as a Mexican executioner. There is a new rivalry that has built up – before it was Mexico vs. Puerto Rico – but now Japan has taken that place against Mexicans. Berchelt has a stinging precision. Easily, this fight is material for ‘Fight of the Year’.”

“The WBC was created and is always fighting to make the sport better and safer for the fighters. We are pleased and honored to have Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya, who has been a great friend for many years now. I would also like to thank Teiken Promotions – the last fight my father saw was Miura versus Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson. I am certain that this fight on Saturday will be ‘Fight of the Year’.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Business Partner:
“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for being here for me during this transition. Like Peter Nelson mentioned earlier, we return to the scene of the fight; but I’m here as the promoter this time.”

“It is a privilege to be in a historic place like this, and be a part of this scene. You have guys who have the opportunity to break into the light heavyweight division that is wide open right now. I want to speak to my young fighters, this is your opportunity to steal the spotlight. I challenge the young fighters to steal the spotlight from the big guys, in the future, they can be your best promoter. This is the hurt business, so be there to watch this Saturday.”

NICOLE DUVA, COO of Main Events:
“We are happy to help put together a great triple header. Our fight is a matchup of two guys trying to move up in the rankings. This fight is also very meaningful for Sullivan, as his father will be sitting to watch his son for the first time in his career. This is extra motivation as he moves up in the sport, and will be emotional for all of us.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Current USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion:
“This fight is very meaningful for me. My father has come all the way from Cuba to watch me. It’s been eight years since I have seen him, and this will be the first time he will see me fight professionally. I’m thankful to Golden Boy and HBO for another opportunity. Joe Smith, Jr. is a great fighter, and I am looking forward to a great fight this Saturday.”

JERRY CAPOBIANCO, Trainer to Joe Smith, Jr.:
“This is going to be a great fight. Joe had a great training camp, is in top condition, and we expect a great fight.”

JOE SMITH JR., Current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion:
“I am glad to be back at the Forum on HBO, I am expecting a great show on Saturday. Sullivan is a great fighter. It’s another great accomplishment for me and my career. I want to thank my coach Jerry Capobianco, and my team for the opportunity.”

ENRIQUE GUILBERT, Manager to Robinson Castellanos:
“We are thankful to HBO, and we are excited to prove what Robinson can do when he gets the shot to do it. Thank you to the press, I hope that you are paying attention to what is happening here. Castellanos is coming off of a victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa, and has stopped numerous prospects including Ronny Rios.”

ROBINSON “ROBIN HOOD” CASTELLANOS, Super Featherweight Contender;
“This is literally a dream come true. I remember a couple years back, my father and I were watching Yuriorkis Gamboa fight, and we were breaking him down, and we talked about how we would try to win. Who would have thought that years later we would have been able to accomplish that? Who knows what is next. I am thankful for the opportunity, and I am excited to show everyone what I am capable of.”

LESBIA DE MOSS, Manager to Jezreel Corrales:
“I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for the opportunity and to HBO for introducing my fighter Jezreel Corrales who is all the way from San Miguelito, Panama. I just want to let you guys know that he is a very technical boxer, who is also very aggressive. He is ready to put on a great show.”

JEZREEL “EL INVISIBLE” CORRALES, Current WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion:
“I want to thank Golden Boy and Oscar De La Hoya for the opportunity. I want to thank Rogelio Espino and the WBA for the opportunities that I have this moment. I feel very happy, very motivated, and very positive for the opportunity that has been presented to me. I’m here with a lot of energy, and to give this victory to my mother.”

“I’m going up against a great fighter. It’s going to be an interesting fight. I just turned 26, and my gift to myself is to come home with the victory.”

SENDAI TANAKA, Trainer to Takashi Miura:
“I want to thank Golden Boy and HBO for this great fight. We had a very good preparation and he is very ready.”

TAKASHI MIURA, Former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion:
“I want to thank HBO, Golden Boy Promotions, Teiken Promotions and the WBC for this fight. The champion is a great fighter, a tough fighter, but I am taking back my belt with me. Please expect a very exciting fight from me. Thank you very much.”

MARIO ABRAHAM, Manager to Miguel Berchelt:
“I want to thank everyone at Golden Boy, HBO and all our sponsors. This is our night, Miguel will have the great opportunity to fight as a champion as the main event in a great city, a great venue, a great show, and a great network. We are very excited. We know we are facing a true Japanese warrior.”

“We respect Takashi Miura. He is a big puncher, he’s been a world champion, and he wants the belt back. But now this is Miguel Berchelt’s time. He is 25, he is a world champion, and he has been working very hard this year with Alfredo Caballero and his team. This Saturday, he is going to prove to the boxing world that he will be one of the great Mexican Champions.”

MIGUEL “EL ALACRAN” BERCHELT, Current WBC Super Featherweight Champion:
“I want to say thank you to everyone, and to the media for the support. I am very happy that this is my third time fighting in the US, and the second time as the main event on HBO with Golden Boy. I want to thank Golden Boy, HBO and promoters at Zanfer for the great opportunity.

“I am very well prepared. I know I have a very good, strong, former world champion ahead of me. Takashi Miura is a typical Japanese kamikaze that is coming with everything. That’s why I prepared myself very well. I respect him tremendously, and I know it’s a great fight on both sides. I am going to give my Mexican people a great show, and take my belt back home.”

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.hbo com/boxing, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @hboboxing, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, and follow the conversation using #bercheltmiura.

Berchelt vs. Miura, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions and Teiken Promotions. Corrales vs. Castellanos is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Smith vs. Barerra is presented by Star Boxing in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, July 15 at Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 9:50 P.M EST/PST.

Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/BercheltMiura into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

Joe Smith Jr. vs. Sullivan Barrera Scouting Report Power vs. Power

Los Angeles, CA: When Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) and Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) square off on Saturday night for Smith’s WBC International Light Heavyweight Title it will be an exciting match-up of power against power. Both fighters are coming off monster wins. Smith stopped future hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins and Andrzej Fonfara in his last two fights and Barrera stopped Vyacheslav Shabranskyy to end 2016. Saturday night they will open the HBO Boxing After Dark® telecast (9:50 p.m. ET/PT)with a 12-round light heavyweight battle. Below is the scouting report for this match-up:

Category
Joe Smith Jr
Sullivan Barrera
Age
27
35
Record
23-1 (19 KOs)
19-1 (14 KOs)
Strength
Smith is a strong fighter who wastes little time once the bell rings. He applies smothering pressure and can end the fight with any punch.
Barrera has solid endurance and a granite chin. He has a strong jab that he uses well and has shown great patience in breaking down his opponents.
Weakness
The Long Island native also tends to get wild when fighting fire-with-fire. If Smith lets his guard down, Sullivan is a heavy hitter who can end the fight early.
Sullivan can get wild so he needs to keep it together and stay sharp in order to avoid one of his opponent’s thundering blows.
Experience
He has managed to stay active throughout his young career. He also gained valuable experience in the past year with wins over Andrzej Fonfara and Bernard Hopkins
He is an experienced fighter who has been in with some of the best in the division: Andre Ward, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Karo Murat.
Power
Smith has devastating power in every punch he throws. He delivers nasty combinations to the body and comes out swinging with the first bell.
Sullivan has a powerful jab and a devastating right hand that have been instrumental in the majority of his stoppage wins. His previous eight wins all came by way of knockout.
Speed
Joe’s speed comes on full display when he realizes his opponent is in trouble and the end is near.
Sullivan has average speed; he turns it up a notch once he smells blood and goes for the finish.
Endurance
Smith’s endurance is somewhat of a question; he went 10 rounds once but has yet to go a full 12.
Barrera proved he can go 12 rounds when he came up short in a decision loss to current titleholder Andre Ward.
Accuracy
He has very effective accuracy when he can work his way to the inside or force his opponent to the ropes.
Sullivan’s accuracy is on point when he gets his jab going and puts his punches together behind it.
Defense
Joe’s offense is his best defense; he does an exceptional job at smothering his opponents with an over-aggressive style that wears his opponents down.
If Barrera commits to the jab, it can be very effective taking his opponent out of his element, making it difficult to get anything going offensively.
Chin
Smith was stopped once in his lone pro defeat in 2010. Since then, he has not been in any real danger.
Sullivan has been knocked down but recovered well and finished strong.
Style
Junior is an aggressive, in-your-face fighter who overwhelms his opponents with a vicious onslaught of punches and combinations.
Barrera is a technical fighter that likes to stick his jab and set up his shots. He also has a brawling style that inevitably comes out when his opponents show that they are willing to engage.
Intangibles
Coming off the two biggest wins of his career over Bernard Hopkins and Andrzej Fonfara, Smith is wasting little time in getting back into the ring with the best in the division. A win here could stamp his spot amongst the top of the division rankings and earn him a well-deserved title fight.
Sullivan has been very vocal in his desire to fight the best in the light heavyweight division and there are very few light heavyweights riding the momentum like Smith is now. Sullivan is willing to take out anyone in his path, and he knows a win over Smith can solidify another shot at a world title.
Crowd Support
Smith has a crowd-pleasing style that won the support of boxing fans in Los Angeles when he defeated Hopkins, so the New York native is expected to have substantial crowd support for his return to “The Fabulous” Forum.
With his last eight wins coming by way of knockout, Barrera earned fan support and established himself as a fan-friendly fighter. His last big victory over Shabranskyy also took place in California, so he should have some fans returning to see him.
The Match-up
1. Will Barrera frustrate Smith with his boxing ability?
2. Will each fighter be able to handle the other’s power?
3. Who is going to dictate the fight?
4. Will Barrera fall into Smith’s aggressive style?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year, Jolene Mizzone, “This is a great fight in the ring and kudos to both guys for stepping up and agreeing to fight each other. The winner of this fight will be in a very good position in the light heavyweight division. This fight has bombs away written all over it: both guys have power in both hands.”

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PDT to 7:00 p.m. PDT) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

www.sullivanbarrera.com
Twitter: @SullivanBarrera
Facebook: facebook.com/SullivanBarrera
Instagram: @SullivanBarrera

BERCHELT VS. MIURA, CORRALES VS. CASTELLANOS AND SMITH, JR. VS. BARERRA AND FIGHTERS FROM JULY 14 LA FIGHT CLUB TELEVISED BOUTS LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (July 12, 2017) Fighters from the July 14 LA FIGHT CLUB
card and July 15 HBO Boxing After Dark triple header led by Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) and Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) today hosted a Los Angeles media workout at City of Angels Gym ahead of their respective fights.

On July 15 live from the “Fabulous” Forum, televised on HBO Boxing After Dark, Berchelt will take on Miura in a WBC Super Featherweight Championship main event. The triple header will also feature Panamanian super featherweight Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs) who will make his U.S. debut against Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs) for Corrales’s WBA Super World title. Opening up the action-packed HBO telecast, current two-time WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) will put his belt on the line against the Miami’s Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs). On the RING TV live streamed portion of the card, Mercito “No Mercy” Gesta (30-1-2, 16 KOs) will run up against Martin “El Brochas” Honorio (33-10-1, 16 KOs), Ryan “Kingry” Garcia (9-0, 8 KOs) will go up against a TBA opponent, and Manny “Chato” Robles (12-0, 4 KOs) will step up his competition with Chihuahua, Mex.’s Juan “El Peñita” Jimenez (23-12, 16 KOs).

Below is what fighters on the Saturday, July 15 HBO Boxing After Dark triple header had to say at today’s workout:

MIGUEL “EL ALACRAN” BERCHELT, Current WBC Super Featherweight Champion:

“I consider myself a world champion, and fighting Takashi Miura is a way to prove that I am the best in my class. Some of my advantages include my height, the fact that I haven’t been in many wars, and my youth.

“I have a youthful hunger that makes the difference between the two of us. It’s cool to know that I am facing the best in my division – I was able to get through Francisco Vargas, so I know that I can take on Miura.

“Our plan is simple: win round by round. I will show the crowd that not only can I box, but that I can keep my energy through the rounds. Fighting with intelligence is key-you can be in a war but if you’re not smart with how you land your punches it won’t benefit you or help you win.

“Overall, I am excited to be able to fight again in Los Angeles with my fellow paisanos (countrymen).”

TAKASHI MIURA, Former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion:

“Training camp went extremely well, and I am pleased with how everything is going. I am getting used to the environment and time difference in LA, but should be fully ready to go come fight week.

“After my last loss, I became depressed for a couple of months. I thought I wouldn’t be able to come back to the level that I once was. However, boxing is everything to me, and I couldn’t just walk away.

“I have more heart than Berchelt. I want this more than I want anything. I am expecting a war because I know he won’t want to give up his belt that easy. But I want it back. If there’s a possibility to unify the titles, I will, if the opportunity is there. Our division is known for a lot of wars.”

JEZREEL “EL INVISIBLE” CORRALES, Current WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion:

“I’ve always been confident in my training. They call me ‘El Invisible’ because you can’t see me in the ring when I’m moving.

“I’m very happy to be making my U.S. debut and fighting with Golden Boy Promotions.”

ROBINSON “ROBIN HOOD” CASTELLANOS, Super Featherweight Contender:

“We had a great training camp, and we did everything we could to put together the best fight possible. I don’t know which way the fight will go, however what I can tell you is that the only thing on my mind is winning.”

JOE SMITH, JR., Current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion:

“Since my last fight, everyone recognizes me more. I’ve been working on continuing my journey towards becoming a world champion.

“In my fight with Barrera, we’re just all going to have to see what Saturday brings.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Current USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion:

“This fight is special because it is the first time my father will see me fight professionally. Joe Smith, Jr. is very good; he has power, but I have power too. I think I have a lot more experience than him, and I’m his biggest challenge yet.”

MERCITO “NO MERCY” GESTA, Lightweight Contender:

“I’m always excited for every fight to get back in the ring, especially now that I’m fighting at the ‘Fabulous’ Forum for the first time. I’ve been working a lot on my sparring, and I’ve learned a lot going in to this fight. I’m ready.”

RYAN “KINGRY” GARCIA, Lightweight Prospect:

“I’ve been focusing on staying consistent during my training camp, which was five weeks. I’ve been working with my strength and conditioning coach a lot. I know my opponent is a come-forward fighter, and we will both put on a great show on July 15 at the Forum.”

On Friday, July 14 at LA FIGHT CLUB at the Belasco Theater, Venezuela’s Roger “The Kid” Gutierrez (14-0-1, 11 KOs) will face Nicaraguan warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (24-8, 16 KOs) in an eight-round super featherweight bout. As the co-main event, Edgar “Kid Neza” Valerio will up the ante with Torreon, Mex.’s Jairo Hernandez(18-11, 9 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout. Opening up the Boxeo Estelar telecast on Estrella TV, Panama’s Jaime “Jaimito” Arboleda (10-0, 8 KOs) will take on Philly’s Recky Dulay (9-2, 6 KOs) for a six-round super featherweight contest.

Below is what the July 14 LA FIGHT CLUB fighters had to say at today’s workout:

ROGER “THE KID” GUTIERREZ, Super Featherweight Contender:

“I get to represent my people of Venezuela in this fight. This is my first professional fight in the U.S., and I’m excited to be able to do that against someone like Alvarado who has fought for titles and has proven to be a skillful fighter. We work on everything in camp, so I feel prepared to make my U.S debut.”

RENE “GEMELO” ALVARADO, Super Featherweight Contender:

“I have a lot to gain if I win in this fight. I have to make my upward climb back to the top, and this fight is a step in that direction. I am by no means expecting an easy fight – we both want this.”

EDGAR “KID NEZA” VALERIO, Featherweight Prospect:

“Right now, I feel like I’ve been getting better at being patient and calm in the ring. Boxing isn’t a game and taking punches isn’t easy, but I feel I’ve improved on keeping my composure.”

JAIME “JAIMITO” ARBOLEDA, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“I have so much pride in being able to represent Panama. I will be going up against a Filipino fighter. He is fast, but we have prepared well to take him on and be able to box him. I feel good, and I am excited to fight in Los Angeles and give a good show.”

July 15: Tickets for Berchelt vs. Miura at the “Fabulous” Forum are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

July 14: Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB are starting at only $20 with Flex Passes for multiple fight packages, Group Tickets and Knockout Experience upgrade are available for purchase now at www.goldenboypromotions.com, the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page, by calling 213-233-2957.

Berchelt vs. Miura, a 12-round fight for the WBC Super Featherweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Zanfer Promotions and Teiken Promotions. Corrales vs. Castellanos is presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Smith vs. Barerra is presented by Star Boxing in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, July 15 at Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum and will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:50 p.m. EST/PST.

Gutierrez vs. Alvarado is an eight-round super featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Tecate “Born BOLD”, Casa Mexico Tequila, and Adriana’s Insurance. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 5:30 p.m. PT. Boxeo Estelar will air tape delayed on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via LBI Media, Inc.’s Fenomeno Studios. The Ring TV live stream will begin at approximately 5:30 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

THE SUMMER HEATS UP WITH SIZZLING HOT BOXING ACTION WHEN HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®: MIGUEL BERCHELT VS. TAKASHI MIURA, JEZREEL CORRALES VS. ROBINSON CASTELLANOS AND JOE SMITH JR. VS. SULLIVAN BARRERA IS SEEN SATURDAY, JULY 15

HBO serves up a tripleheader of hot ring action when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK: MIGUEL BERCHELT VS. TAKASHI MIURA, JEZREEL CORRALES VS. ROBINSON CASTELLANOS AND JOE SMITH JR. VS. SULLIVAN BARRERA is seen SATURDAY, JULY 15 at 9:50 p.m. (ET/PT) from the renowned venue The Forum in Inglewood, Cal. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

The fights will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

The main event is a 12-round super featherweight title showdown between Miguel Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) from Merida, Mexico, and Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) from Tokyo, Japan. Fighting in the U.S. for only the second time, Berchelt will be making his first title defense since taking the belt from Francisco Vargas last January in a thrilling fight seen on HBO. The current mandatory at 130 pounds, Miura is a former super featherweight champ looking to regain the title he lost to Francisco Vargas in 2015, a bruising battle that captured consensus “fight of the year” honors.

The middle bout features Jezreel Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs) from San Miguelito, Panama and Robinson Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs) from Celaya, Mexico in a scheduled 12-round super featherweight title contest. Corrales’ only loss came in his second pro fight; he will be making his first U.S. appearance after winning the crown with back-to-back victories over Takashi Uchiyama. Castellanos, who experienced a string of losses early in his professional career, has won 14 of his last 16 fights, scoring an emphatic upset win over former Olympic gold medalist and featherweight champ Yuriorkis Gamboa this past May.

The tripleheader opens with an intriguing light heavyweight contest between New Yorker Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) and Cuban native Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs). Smith, who worked in construction on Long Island as he built his ring career, stunned the boxing world last December when he knocked future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins out of the ring. Barrera, now living in Miami, Fla., suffered his only pro loss to reigning 175-pound champion Andre Ward. Both fighters are known for heavy hitting, and a big victory in this 12-round matchup will dramatically enhance the winner’s position in the talent-rich division.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jonathan Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Sullivan Barrera Reunites with His Father for Joe Smith Jr. Showdown

Miami, FL: It has been more than eight years since Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) defected from Cuba and left his friends and family behind to pursue his dream of becoming a professional boxer in the United States. On Saturday, July 15 he takes on Long Island, New York native Joe Smith Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) for the WBA International Light Heavyweight Title and, for the first time in Sullivan’s life, his father, Rafael Barrera, will be watching him from ringside.

After an eight-year separation, father and son were reunited on Thursday when the elder Barrera was finally able to visit from Cuba. In Cuba, it is difficult for Sullivan’s father to watch him fight. On some rare occasions, Rafael is able to travel to one of Cuba’s larger hotel chains to watch his son fight live on television. Usually, though, Sullivan has to ship videos of his fights to Cuba for his father to see them.

The 35-year old from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is elated to finally have his father here in the United States for his fight with Smith. When asked about the reunion, Sullivan said, “It has been eight years since I have seen my father. It is very important for me that he is here for this fight, for my mind and for everything. I want to get for him the victory. I am very excited.”

Understandably, the anticipation of his father’s visit has been a bit of a distraction for Sullivan. According to his trainer, Derik Santos, “I think it is just human nature. Sullivan always says he is out there to do his job, but there has to be an added layer of anxiety with his father being there the first time. You would have to expect that. He hasn’t seen his father in eight plus years. We trained this morning and we spoke about it. There was a kid-like giddiness about him. He can’t stop smiling about it. He is very excited, but it is my job to keep those emotions in check on fight night.”

Despite the added anxiety and anticipation of his father’s arrival, Barrera and Santos agree that they will be ready for Smith on July 15. They are fueled by Barrera being the underdog in this matchup. “I like the status of being the underdog. It motivates me to continue to prove to people that I belong at the top,” said Sullivan. “This is going to be a very interesting fight and it is a great fight for my career. When I come out victorious, it should either give me a shot at the title or get me one step closer to fighting for a title. Smith beat a legend in Bernard Hopkins, but Hopkins had been out of the ring for a long time before their fight. July 15, I am going to come out victorious.”

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PDT to 7:00 p.m. PDT) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

BERCHELT VS. MIURA / CORRALES VS. CASTELLANOS / SMITH, JR. VS. BARRERA CAMP NOTES

LOS ANGELES (July 10, 2017) The all-action fighters participating on the stacked tripleheader this Saturday, July 15 have wrapped up camp and begun their journey to Los Angeles for their championship bouts at The “Fabulous” Forum. The night will feature the rugged Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) defending his hard-earned WBC Super Featherweight belt against Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round main event championship bout. Serving as chief support in the co-main event, Panamanian super-star and newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (21-1, 8 KOs) will make his U.S. debut against Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs) in a 12-round super featherweight bout for Corrales’s WBA Super World title. Opening up the HBO telecast, current WBC International light heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) will put his belt on the line in a 12-round fight against Miami’s Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs). The action will be televised on HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 9:50 p.m. ET/PT.

Hear what the teams had to say about their upcoming bouts:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“We saw what Miguel Berchelt is capable from his slugfest earlier this year against the rugged Francisco Vargas, and that level of action is what fans should expect to see on July 15 when he takes on former world champion Takashi Miura. With Jezreel Corrales facing Robinson Castellanos, who had an impressive upset over Yuriorkis Gamboa in May, plus Joe Smith, Jr. taking on the heavy-handed Sullivan Barrera, this triple header on HBO Boxing After Dark will surely deliver the type of non-stop action fans crave from boxing.”

MIGUEL “EL ALACRAN” BERCHELT, Current WBC Super Featherweight World Champion:
“I am ready to defend my title and very excited to fight in a big city like Los Angeles with the support of all my countrymen. We have prepared a great deal and next Saturday you will see the best Miguel Berchelt.”

“This by no means will be an easy fight – Miura has gone to war many times in his career and I am expecting nothing less in this fight. I want to prove that winning this belt was no fluke, and defending it against a warrior like Miura is the perfect opportunity to do that.”

TAKASHI MIURA, Former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion:
“I have had a great training camp for this fight. The training is going well. I am preparing myself for a tough fight.”

“This will be my third fight in the United States, and I feel comfortable in getting myself acclimated to the time difference. I am looking forward to being on HBO again and putting on an exciting fight for the boxing fans.”

“If I am able to get the belt back Saturday, and the opportunity is there, I would want to unify the belts in the super featherweight division.”

JEZREEL “EL INVISIBLE” CORRALES, Current WBA Super World Super Featherweight Champion:
“I’m going up against a boxer who doesn’t like to waste his punches. I know that he has also watched my fights and that he has studied me well. I know that he will come forward to attack me, and to look for opportunities to get his lost chance back in the sport.”

“He will try to overwhelm me, and he will try to throw punches to knock me out, but, that’s why they call me ‘El Invisible’ (The Invisible). I won’t let him catch me. Like we say here in Panama, he will be left unsatisfied and wanting more after meeting me in the ring.”

ROBINSON “ROBIN HOOD” CASTELLANOS, Super Featherweight Contender:
“I’ve enjoyed this preparation; however, the work has been intense. There is a motivating environment in the team, and I am very encouraged.”

“We have been working with several left-handed sparring players to fine-tune the strategy. I know that Jezreel is surely doing his part to win, and I hope it turns out an attractive fight for fans and HBO for both him and me. This fight opens doors for me to take part in huge cards like this one.”

JOE SMITH, JR., Current WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion:

“It feels great to be fighting on HBO. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m in great shape and ready to put on a tremendous performance against Sullivan Barrera. It’s not like fighting at home but I’m looking forward to fighting at the Forum again, I was treated very well there and it’s a tremendous and legendary venue. I like Los Angeles; the fans were very good to me as well.”

“I saw Sullivan Barrera’s fight with Andre Ward, and I’ve seen a few of his other fights. This fight is a huge challenge to me as he’s got a lot of experience but I’ll be ready on July 15.”

“I’d still like to fight Adonis Stevenson. I was ready this year, and I’ll be ready at any time but now my focus is solely on this fight. Joe DeGuardia has done a great job of getting me these opportunities, particularly with Fonfara and Hopkins and now with Barrera, it’s my job to take care of business in the ring.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Former USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion
“This is going to be a very interesting fight, and it is a great fight for my career. When I come out victorious, it should either give me a shot at the title or get me one step closer to fighting for a title. Smith beat a legend in Bernard Hopkins, but [Hopkins] had been out of the ring for a long time before their fight.”

“Down the road, I would like to fight for a title next. But if I cannot fight for a title in my next fight, I would like to fight Eleider Alvarez or Nathan Cleverly.”

“July 15, I am going to come out victorious. I want to let all the fans know that they should tune-in to HBO. With the help of God, on July 15 I will be coming back home with the WBC International light heavyweight belt.”

Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PT to 7:00 p.m. PT) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

JOE SMITH JR. IMPRESSES AT NYC MEDIA WORKOUT

NEW YORK CITY (June 28, 2017) Hard hitting light heavyweight contender JOE SMITH JR., (23-1 19 KO’s), held court in front of a tremendous crowd of New York City media on Tuesday afternoon at the Mendez Boxing Gym ahead of his highly anticipated 10-round clash with fellow contender SULLIVAN BARRERA (19-1, 14 KO’s) set for Saturday, July 15 at The Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, California and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:50 p.m. ET.

JOE SMITH JR.

“It feels great to be fighting on HBO, I’m looking forward to it, I’m in great shape and ready to
put on a tremendous performance against Sullivan Barrera.”

“It’s not like fighting at home but I’m looking forward to fighting at the Forum again, I was treated very well there and it’s a tremendous and legendary venue. I like Los Angeles, the fans were very good to me as well.”

“Along with the media, it’s great to see some many of my union brothers here at the media workout, I truly appreciate all the support they’ve shown me.”

“I saw Sullivan Barrera’s fight with Andre Ward and I’ve seen a few of his other fights. This fight is a huge challenge to me, he’s got a lot of experience but I’ll be ready on July 15.”

“I’d still like to fight Adonis Stevenson, I was ready this year and I’ll be ready at any time but now my focus is solely on this fight.”

“I’ll definitely be going back to working for the union in the future when I’m not training for a fight, it’s a great job and they’ve been very supportive of me throughout my career.

“Joe DeGuardia has done a great job of getting me these opportunities, particularly with Fonfara and Hopkins and now with Barrera, it’s my job to take care of business in the ring.”

JOE DEGUARDIA, President and CEO of Star Boxing

“We’re all very excited for Joe, he’s in tremendous shape as you can see. Barrera is another challenge for Joe and he’s well prepared to be victorious.”

INFO:

Sullivan Barrera is riding a two bout knockout streak with victories over Paul Parker on April 15 and Vyacheslav Shabaranskyy on December 16, 2016. His only loss was a decision to light heavyweight champion Andre Ward in March 2016, and Barrera is considered one of the top fighters in the stacked division.

The event is sponsored by Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, July 15 at Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum and televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark at 9:50 P.M EST.
Tickets are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL BERCHELT TO MAKE FIRST TITLE DEFENSE AGAINST FORMER CHAMPION TAKASHI MIURA ON SATURDAY JULY 15 AT THE ‘FABULOUS’ FORUM

LOS ANGELES (May 17, 2017) – The white-hot super featherweight division will be on full display Saturday, July 15 when two world title fights come to Los Angeles’ “Fabulous” Forum as part of a stacked tripleheader on HBO Boxing After Dark.

In the main event that has “Fight of the Year” candidate written all over it, newly crowned WBC World Super Featherweight Champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) will make his first title defense against former world champion and mandatory challenger Takashi Miura (31-3-2, 24 KOs).

In the co-main, Panamanian superstar and WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Jezreel “El Invisible” Corrales (21-0, 8 KOs) will look to keep his title and undefeated record, as he makes his stateside debut against a resurgent Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (24-12, 14 KOs), hot off his massive upset victory over two-time world champion Yuriorkis Gamboa.

Opening up the televised card, WBC International Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Smith, Jr. (23-1, 19 KOs) will return West from Long Island to put his belt on the line against the Miami-based Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) in a battle of heavy-handed sluggers.

“The super featherweight division is absolutely stacked with skilled, high-action fighters right now, and the four competitors atop this card are competing to see who will be the top dog,” Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions said.”Add to that a showdown between two of the top light heavyweights in the world in Smith and Barrera, and you have all the makings of a trio of absolute wars on July 15.”

Riding a 10-consecutive knockout streak culminating in an 11th-round stoppage of Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas in January, Berchelt — fighting out of Merida, Mexico — will look to continue his winning ways in just his second fight on American soil.

“I took on this challenge, because I only want to fight the best,” Berchelt, 25, said. “I know that Miura is a true warrior and always leaves it all in the ring, but I am young and hungry and am confident that I will return to Mexico with the world championship belt still around my waist.”

Miura, one half of the consensus 2015 Fight of the Year with Vargas, returns after a dynamic 12th-round stoppage against Miguel “Mickey” Roman on the same card that Berchelt defeated Vargas for the WBC crown.

“I have wanted to regain my championship belt from the moment I lost it in November of 2015,” Miura said. “I know Berchelt is strong, and I know that we’ll go head to head for this world championship title that will prove to be a great fight.”

The 25-year-old Corrales, a southpaw, earned his title with back-to-back victories over Takashi Uchiyama, who was at the time thought to be the No. 1 fighter in the division.

“I am excited to make my United States debut and defend my world title,” Corrales said. “While people in America might not yet be familiar with me, they will surely know my name after this fight.”

His opponent, Castellanos, has defeated top opponents throughout his career including Ronny Rios and Rocky Juarez, but his shocking TKO victory over Gamboa is what catapulted the 35-year-old Castellanos into title contention.

“This is the biggest fight of my career, and I am not going to let the opportunity slip away,” Castellanos said. “I have the experience and power to take out Corrales and that’s exactly what I’m going to do on July 15.”

In the televised opener, Joe Smith Jr. returns to the site of his greatest victory looking to follow up on his knockout of legendary Bernard Hopkins at the end of 2016.

“I’m thrilled to be back on HBO against another top light heavyweight,Sullivan Barrera,” Smith said. “I’ve already started training and will be more than ready on July 15. There’s a number of great fighters in our division and I’m looking forward to another victory on my way to a world title shot.”

Smith will take on the heavy-handed Sullivan Barrera, who is riding a two-fight knockout streak – including a seventh-round stoppage of previously undefeated Vyacheslav Shabranskyy — after taking his only professional loss against top five pound-for-pound fighter, Andre “S.O.G.” Ward.

“This is a great opportunity for me. I want to thank my entire team for making this happen,” Barrera said. “I respect Joe for taking this fight. He is a great fighter and I have a tough test on July 15. I will work hard to put on a great show for all the fans.”

“This should be a spectacular fight,” said Joe DeGuardia, President and CEO of Star Boxing.”Over the past few months many have refused to fight Joe Smith Jr., so I give credit to Sullivan Barrera, who, like Joe, is a tough fighter willing to fight anyone. Joe’s captivating rise as a humble working-class ‘Common Man’ has resonated with sports fans all over the world and I look forward to being at the Forum on HBO as Joe and Sullivan battle for the future.”

This is a really interesting fight,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “It is a can’t miss fight because Barrera and Smith are both finishers. We are all eager to see how this plays out and I give credit to both men for wanting a challenge.”

Tickets for Berchelt vs. Miura are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $125, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person, go on sale Wednesday, May 24 at 10:00 a.m. PT. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker Scouting Report Power vs. Power

Uncasville, CT: This Saturday night fans at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut and those watching live on HBO Latino will be treated to an action-packed showdown of power vs. power when Cuban Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs) and Ohio native Paul Parker square off in an 10-round light heavyweight fight. The fight will be main event on the HBO Latino Boxing telecast which begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Category
Sullivan Barrera
Paul “Pay Per View” Parker
Age
35
32
Record
18-1 (13 KOs)
8-1 (4 KOs)
Strength
Barrera is a strong and hungry fighter with solid endurance and a granite chin. He has a strong jab that he uses well. Look for him to put it to good use in this bout.
Parker is a crafty and gutsy fighter; he is a favorable counter-puncher with a solid jab and a game-changer of a right hand.
Weakness
Sullivan tends to get sloppy at times. He must keep his composure and stay sharp in this one as Parker has put his last four opponents on the canvas.
With only nine pro bouts under his belt, Parker lacks the experience of Barrera. Also, he has not competed in over a year so ring rust may be a factor.
Experience
Barrera has had more professional bouts and he has been in with some of the division’s best: Andre Ward, Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Karo Murat.
Although Paul has faced some notable names in his previous two bouts, he has yet to be tested.
Power
His previous seven wins were all stoppage victories, including his most recent over previously undefeated and ranked contender Vyacheslav Shabranskyy.
Although he may be at a slight disadvantage, his power is nothing to take lightly. He has a vicious right hand that has put numerous opponents on their backs and sealed the deal in his last bout when he earned the decision over Lionell Thompson.
Speed
Sullivan may be at a slight disadvantage; his speed may not be on display until he smells blood and goes for the finish.
Paul has some quick hands and quick feet. When combined with his size and range, he can be extremely difficult to track down.
Endurance
Barrera proved endurance is not a problem when he hung in for 12 rounds just one year ago against current light heavyweight champ Andre Ward.
Parker has only gone eight rounds once (in his most recent bout), so his endurance is still in question.
Accuracy
Sullivan’s accuracy is on point when he gets his jab going and puts his punches together behind it.
He has an accurate jab and a very dangerous overhand right that can be pivotal if landed clean.
Defense
Barrera has a very strong jab that can make it difficult for any fighter to get anything going offensively if he commits to it.
Paul is a lanky and rangy fighter with a solid jab and good movement, which makes him very difficult to hit.
Chin
He has been down before, but has recovered well and has never been knocked out.
Parker was stopped one time against Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, but Parker also had Shabranskyy down as well.
Style
Sullivan is a good technical fighter that likes to stick his jab and set up his shots. He tends to turn brawler which has worked in his favor in the past.
Pay Per View is a rangy fighter who likes to use his jab and movement to keep his opponents off-balance. Like his opponent, he has no problem turning a fight into a brawl if he must.
Intangibles
He has been very vocal about his desire to stay active and continue to fight the best in the world. With Parker coming off a big win, Barrera understands the momentum the young prospect will have coming into this bout. However, Sullivan must take out anyone in his way, including the young guns trying to take his spot in the rankings.
Parker started competing against notable light heavyweight contenders very early into his professional career. After a minor setback in a loss with Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, Paul got right back at it with a win over veteran Lionell Thompson. With just nine pro bouts, he is determined to continue to compete against the best in the division and be taken seriously in the stacked light heavyweight division.
Crowd Support
Barrera is the bigger name coming into this bout; he has fought in front of a live audience on multiple occasions. He is coming off a barn-burner win over Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, which was also aired on HBO Latino.
Parker may have earned himself a decent fan base with his recent outings. His style is intriguing and fan-friendly, so he may leave the building with some more credibility amongst boxing fans.
The Match-Up
Will Barrera be able take Parker’s power?
Will Parker be able to take Barrera’s power?
Will Barrera’s experience make it an easy night for him?
Will Parker’s hunger and will to win make it an easy night for him?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker and 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year Jolene Mizzone, “In my opinion, any fight these days at light heavyweight is always interesting. Many feel that Paul Parker lacks experience but he is the one light heavyweight to step up to the plate and take the fight. That says a lot about a fighter. Parker didn’t think twice about taking the opportunity. Sullivan Barrera also could have sat out and waited for a bigger fight, like most do, instead he wants to keep busy and knows he is going in against a fighter that has nothing to lose.”

Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Main Events and Mohegan Sun as part of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) with the ten-round middleweight match-up between Vaughn Alexander and Andres Calixto Rey. Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster, the Mohegan Sun box office or the Main Events’ office. The card is presented by Main Events and sponsored by Corona Extra.

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Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker Final Press Conference Quotes

Sullivan Barrera
“I want to thank everyone for coming out today. I want to thank my promoter Main Events. Thank you very much to HBO Latino for having us back on the network. Thank you to Mr. Paul Parker for accepting the fight. As usual we had a good training camp and we are going to put on a good show. Thank you so much.”

Paul “Pay Per View” Parker
“I wanted to thank Main Events for this opportunity. This is big for me to be here with no manager and no promoter. I did this the hard way. I believe in myself more than anything else in the world. I came to get what’s mine; what I’ve earned. He’s put in front of me so he has to go. I am Paul “Pay Per View” Parker. I want to thank Main Events and everyone who put this show together. I want to thank God for being in my life.”

Vaughn Alexander
“Like my brother said I want to thank God. I definitely want to thank Main Events for giving me this opportunity, for giving me a platform to build on. I started this a long time ago and had some mishaps years ago. I put the work in to display my talents and get to this place. I am just one step closer to taking over this middleweight division. I am ready to fight whoever, wherever. I am ready to go to war. I am going to put on a display. Without them giving me this platform I don’t know where I would. I want to thank everyone that supported me in my second coming. Jolene [Mizzone] and Kathy Duva have helped me so much. It was a touchy situation for me. I am going to do what I do. I brutalize people. I want to thank everyone for coming. I look forward to showcasing my talent Saturday night.”

Cassius Chaney
“I want to thank Main Events and everybody that is coming out to support me in Connecticut. I am excited to watch Sullivan and Vaughn showcase their talents. I love to learn and put on a show at the same time. I am excited to get back in the ring soon. I had a great training camp and I am excited to fight on Saturday night.”

Nicole Duva – Main Events’ COO
“Welcome everyone to the beautiful Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. We are here to discuss some fantastic fights that will air Saturday night on HBO Latino presented by Corona Extra. In the main event, we have light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera vs. light heavyweight prospect Paul “Pay Per View” Parker.

“In the co-feature we had a last minute change. Arif Magomedov had to pull out due to illness so Vaughn Alexander has stepped up and will be fighting in the co-feature. Doors at the Uncas Ballroom will open at 7 PM and the first fight will be at 8 PM. To start the evening, we have amateur standout Meiirim Nursultanov from Kazakhstan against Javier Olvera of Mexico. Both fighters are undefeated and this should be an exciting six-round middleweight fight. Enriko Gogokhia is a former professional kickboxer from Georgia who is making the conversion to boxing. He will take on Bryan Goldsby of Macon, Georgia. Featherweight Kevin Asmat will be returning to Rising Stars and he brings with him a huge crowd from New Jersey. Madiyar Ashekeyev from Kazakhstan will be fighting Shawn Cameron of Brooklyn. Both are returning to Rising Stars. In the final fight before the HBO Latino telecast we have Cassius Chaney of New London, Connecticut. Cassius was a basketball star at the University of New Haven and built up a successful following of fans in Connecticut. He is fighting Juan Goode of Detroit.

“Our co-feature is a ten-round middleweight fight. This will be Vaughn’s first 10-round professional fight. It was originally scheduled for eight rounds but when we needed to move the fight to television, Vaughn didn’t think twice about the additional rounds. I think it is great to see a fighter step into that role. He is a brother of Devon Alexander. When he fought on the last Rising Stars card, no one knew who he was. I have never seen a fighter connect with the crowd so quickly. By the end of the fight, we had a room full of Vaughn Alexander fans.

“In our main event, we have Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker. Jolene Mizzone, our matchmaker, had a hard time finding an opponent willing to fight Sullivan. Parker has half the professional fights of Sullivan but he demanded the fight. We want hungry fighters. We love fighters like that.

“Sullivan Barrera is a Cuban fighter who breaks the mold of a Cuban fighter. He is aggressive and he makes it interesting. He has one loss and that was to number one Pound for Pound fighter Andre Ward. He took Ward 12 rounds and made the fight exciting. It was one of two exciting fights that Andre Ward has been in, in a decade.
“I want to thank everyone – the media and the staff at Mohegan Sun for their support, lead by Tom Cantone and Mike Mazzuli. I want to thank our staff at Main Events. Thank you to HBO Latino for all of their support and to our sponsor Corona Extra.”

Derik Santos – Barrera’s Trainer
“Thank you for being here. I want thank the staff at Main Events. I hold them near and dear to my heart. Sullivan’s manager, Luis Molina, who is the best manager in the world to work with. I would like to thank HBO for having us back. I would like to thank Mohegan Sun for hosting this event. This is a great venue. Thank you to Mr. Parker and his team for stepping up to the plate and agreeing to fight us. Hopefully everyone comes out healthy. I hope everyone has a great time. The is a lot of great young talent like Cassius [Chaney] and Vaughn [Alexander] here. We are going to put on a show.”

Lamar Alexander – Alexander’s Trainer
“First I want thank God because without him we are nothing. I want to thank Kathy and Main Events for taking a chance on Vaughn and letting him live out his dream. He has definitely done the work. Personally, I have been around a lot of fighters. I was Devon’s [former world champion Devon Alexander] assistant trainer for a long time. We won world titles. But I have never seen a fighter dedicated like Vaughn. It is an unbelievable thing to see. His dedication is second to none. I am so happy for him. We both say we don’t believe in luck. It is hard work and preparation. When preparation meets opportunity, this is what happens. I can get emotional just talking about him. His comeback story is just amazing. He is just going to show you guys Saturday night.”

Roderick Colbert – Head Coach Paul Parker
“When Paul called, and asked me what I thought about this fight. I told him to take it. He is a hard worker. He has a lot of dedication. He has a good skill set. I wish we had a little more time to prepare but he is on the right track to come out victorious. You look for fighters like Paul because he never talks back and he accepts what I say. I believe he will prove himself to be worthy of this shot on Saturday night.”

Fan Favorites from Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series Pilot Return to Connecticut in Stacked Undercard

Uncasville, Connecticut: This Saturday, April 15th, Mohegan Sun and Main Events will be host to the newest installation of Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. With five rising stars returning from the exciting inaugural Rising Stars Boxing Series’ pilot that took place in November, this upcoming card is looking to be just as action-packed. Before fans in attendance at the Uncas Ballroom at Mohegan Sun enjoy what should be a thrilling main event between Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs) and Paul “Pay Per View” Parker (8-1, 4 KOs), they will enjoy a diverse mix of local prospects and international talent during the undercard bouts.

2010 Asian Games gold medalist, Meiirim Nursultanov (1-0, 1 KO), from Astana, Kazakhstan looks to face off against Javier Olvera (1-0, 1 KO), who is fighting out of Agua Prieta, Mexico. Nursultanov, who started boxing at the young age of 13, made his boxing debut in November of last year, defeating Henry Beckford by unanimous decision. His opponent, Javier Olvera also made his debut last year, scoring a TKO on Edgar Gonzalez in late June.

Also returning to the Rising Stars undercard is former kickboxer Enriko Gogokhia (3-0, 1 KO). As a kickboxer, Gogokhia ended his professional kickboxing career at 42-7, with half his victories coming by way of knockout. Look for him to keep that intensity and try to end the night early in this six-round matchup against Bryan Goldsby (4-2) of Macon, Georgia.

Shawn Cameron (10-2, 5 KOs) faces off against Madiyar Ashkeyev (8-1, 3 KOs). Both men fought in separate bouts in the inaugural Rising Stars’ series pilot. In 2014, Madiyar earned first place at the XX International Boxing Tournament, where three years earlier he earned second place. Facing off against Cameron, Ashkeyev looks to challenge the southpaw, making this bout one to watch.

Two local fighters also returning to Rising Stars are New Haven native Cassius Chaney (9-0, 5 KOs) and Kevin Asmat (1-1, 1 KO). Chaney, the former basketball star turned professional boxer, will be going up against Juan Goode (8-4, 6 KOs) the southpaw from Detroit, Michigan in a six-round matchup. Asmat’s four round featherweight bout will be against Jonathan Ramos (1-2), fighting out of Tepic, Mexico.

Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Main Events and Mohegan Sun as part of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster, the Mohegan Sun box office or the Main Events’ office. The card is presented by Main Events and sponsored by Corona Extra.

Barrera vs. Parker April 15 on HBO Latino

Uncasville, CT: Sullivan Barrera (18-1, 13 KOs), the exciting Miami-based light heavyweight from Cuba, will return to HBO Latino Boxing on Saturday, April 15 at Mohegan Sun’s Uncas Ballroom against Toledo, OH native Paul “Pay Per View” Parker (8-1, 4 KOs). Barrera will look to build on his thrilling knockout victory on HBO Latino® Boxing in Decemberover previously unbeaten prospect Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, while the prospect Parker looks to make a statement in the biggest challenge of his career to date. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. ET (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Barrera, 35, of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba made his professional debut in 2009 after defecting to the United States. His career began with five straight knockouts and nearly seven-year undefeated streak until he suffered his first defeat against current WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Andre “SOG” Ward in March of last year. Barrera bounced back in late 2016 with his upset KO over Shabranskyy in his most-recent appearance on HBO Latino.

Parker, 32, has had an impressive career thus far since his professional debut in 2012. His only loss was a third-round TKO against Shabranskyy in June of 2015. He rebounded in early 2016 with an eight-round split decision victory over Lionell “Lonnie B” Thompson.

When asked about the fight Sullivan Barrera said, “I’m excited to be back on HBO. I want to thank my team, my promoter Main Events and HBO for putting this all together. It has been a tough start to the year for me but I’ve been in the gym working and ready for this opportunity. It is another step towards the ultimate goal of contending for a world title. My opponent is a very good boxer we have studied him in the gym and are ready for everything he will bring come April 15th.”

Parker added, “Well everyone thinks it’s a risky fight but where other see risk I see opportunity and I plan to capitalize on this opportunity!”

In the televised co-feature, Russian slugger Arif “The Predator” Magomedov (18-1, 11 KOs) will take on Mexican prospect Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas (13-3, 8 KOs) in a ten-round middleweight showdown. Magomedov, 24, last appeared on HBO Latino in May of last year when he last a hard-fought battle to Andrew Hernandez in Las Vegas. In his most recent bout he stopped Chris Herrmann in the second round in his home country of Russia.

Espadas, 26, is from Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and made his professional debut nearly five years ago in his home country of Mexico. He has fought several times in the US in both California and Florida but this will be his first time fighting in New England. He has won his last four fights in a row with three of those wins coming by way of knockout.

The event is part of the “Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series” presented by Mohegan Sun and Main Events. The exciting joint-venture, which features boxing prospect from New England and around the world, met with rave reviews after the debut event in November. As part of the untelevised undercard, the latest installment of “Rising Stars” will feature the return of local fighters Cassius Chaney from New London, CT, Reinaldo Graceski from Springfield, Mass., Kevin Asmat from Union City, NJ, and Shawn Cameron from Brooklyn, NY. Also returning to Mohegan Sun are highly-touted middleweight prospect Vaughan Alexander and international talents Enriko Gogokhia, a junior middleweight from Ukraine, Madiyar Ashkeyev, a junior middleweight from Kazakhstan, and Meiirim Nursultanov a middleweight also from Kazakhstan. Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster and the Mohegan Sun box office.

According to Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva, “The first Rising Stars was a great night of fights and a great success. I’m very pleased that we are coming back so quickly for the second installment and get a chance to build on the momentum of the debut. Bringing in HBO Latino Boxing to televise these really fun fights – Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Park and Arif Magomedov vs. Elias Espadas – is just icing on the cake.”

“I am looking forward to some great fights on April 15, 2017. HBO has not been in the building for many years and with them teaming up with Main Events, it will be an exciting night”, said Michael Mazzulli, Director of Athletic Regulations for the Mohegan Tribe.

Sullivan Barrera vs. Paul Parker is a 10-round light heavyweight bout presented by Main Events and Mohegan Sun as part of the Mohegan Sun’s Rising Stars Boxing Series. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. ET. The HBO Latino Boxing telecast begins at 11:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) with a ten-round middleweight match-up between Arif “The Predator” Magomedov and Elias “Latin Kid” Espadas. Tickets, which are priced at $50 and $75, are available now through Ticketmaster, the Mohegan Sun box office or the Main Events’ office. The card is presented by Main Events in association with Shamo Boxing and A&T Events and Promotions.

Promoter Yvon Michel sets record straight about Cancelled Beterbiev-Barrera IBF title eliminator

MONTREAL (March 13, 2017 – Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) president Yvon Michel has responded accordingly to unfounded allegations recently made in the media by Sullivan Barrera about GYM and its undefeated world light heavyweight contender, Artur Beterbiev, to set the record straight regarding the recently announced cancelled Beterbiev-Barrera International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight title eliminator.

“Despite Barrera’s claims,” Michel insisted, “he didn’t sign a contract because he never intended for fight Artur. In Team Barrera’s letter, he lied and showed his ignorance trying to distract from the facts.

“For the conclusion of this unfortunate saga, the IBF has informed me that it has ruled to ban Barrera from its world rankings, or from participating in one of its sanctioned fights, for the next six months. I’ve also been informed that, if nobody in the IBF top 10 is available and agrees to fight Artur, the IBF will declare him as its No. 1 mandatory challenger for the winner of the Ward-Kovalev rematch. Artur will be back in the ring in late April, early May. The mandatory defense for the Ward-Kovalev II winner, or Ward if that fight doesn’t happen, is due in September.”

IBF Light Heavyweight Ratings: Champion – Andre Ward, 1. Unrated, 2. Artur Beterbiev, 3. Sergey Kovalev, 4. Erik Skoglund, 5. Enrico Kolling, 6. SUSPENDED, 7. Oleksandr Gvozdyk, 8. Dominic Bosel , 9. Robert Stieglitz, 10. Trent Broadhurst.
Below, Michel sets the record straight, point-by-point, in terms of the open letter Team Barrera sent to the media.

Michel didn’t negotiate with Barrera’s promoter, Kathy Duva, and asked for it to go to an immediate purse bid.

“Kathy Duva (CEO/Main Events) came to my office the day before the deadline set for Barrera’s acceptance to participate in the IBF title eliminator to speak about the situation. Our hope was to fight Barrera but because he is prohibited from traveling to Canada, I confirmed our intention with Ms. Duva to accommodate Barrera and leave Canada and make the fight in the United States. We were in the same position a year ago, when Barrera pulled out of the same title eliminator because he couldn’t get a visa to fight in Canada. Artur was then supposed to fight Karo Murat, but he suffered an injury and was unable to fight. Barrera later defeated Murat to move into the IBF mandatory position in which he then lost to Andre Ward.

“Kathy told me the number she had in mind to make the fight. I said that I would see if there were enough resources for that amount and promised to call her the following day. I did and explained that there weren’t enough resources to meet that purse structure. Nevertheless, not long after I received confirmation Barrera was officially taking the challenge, I then decided to move forward and immediately requested a purse bid date, which is the prerogative of any promoter, knowing what was Main Events’ expectation in terms of their fighter’s purse. In this business, everybody knows the best way to determine the true market value of a fight is a purse bid, where promoters are evaluating their resources and making their bid accordingly. We still had still seven days to make an offer, one and other, and make a deal up to five minutes before the bid was due. Main Events never made us an offer and neither did we.”

GYM’s winning purse bid was $251,000, substantially more than Main Events’ bid of $182,000, of which Beterbiev would receive 75-percent of the winning bid. Barrera would have received $62,750, compared to $45,500 he would have earned if his own promoter had won the bid.

Beterbiev reported on social media that his fight versus Barrera would be held March 4th in Brooklyn, New York and Michel reported that the fight would be held in late March, early April, in New York. Barrera had trained for those dates but didn’t receive a contract.

“GYM won the purse and pursuant to IBF rules and regulations, the fight had to be held within 30 to 90 days,” Michel continued. “We deposited $50,000, per IBF rules, and received a confirmation letter from the IBF all was conform. As per IBF regulations, within 15 days after the purse bid, we filed contracts for the two fighters. Artur signed his five minutes after he received the contract and it was then sent to the IBF. We executed Barrera’s contract, sending it to Main Events for Barrera with a copy sent to the IBF. Soon after I received notice from the IBF that everything was in order and that we had complied with the IBF requirements.”

Michel sent an improper agreement to Main Event listing various dates.

“We knew we had a PBC date, either April 14, 21 or 29. It’s very common for fight dates written in the initial fighter contract to vary one week before or after the date listed. I contacted IBF president Daryl Peoples and said April 21st was the most likely date but that it could end up being a week earlier or after. He recommended to be transparent and to write all three potential dates into the contract. We did and then sent it to Main Events for Barrera to sign. Main Events noted that IBF rules said only one date and site could be written in the contract. Daryl complied with the objection so we then officially confirmed April 21st would be the date of the fight and Florida the site. We then sent a GYM executed corrected IBF bout agreement back to Main Events to be signed by Barrera and filed with the IBF on February 16th.

“Meanwhile, GYM received a request, from Main Event to produce a Provision of Service agreement for Barrera’s participation. GYM was not obliged to positively fulfill that request but, as a display of good faith, we did so in belief the contract that Barrera would sign and Main Events would file it at the IBF office, on that date, as per its rules. Soon after, GYM received a letter from IBF championship chairman, Mr. Lindsey Tucker, that all requirements had been fulfilled to officially sanction the bout.”

The Florida location for the fight had been selected by GYM for three reasons. 1. Beating Barrera in his own backyard would send strong message for Beterbiev within the division; 2. GYM had received an offer from Miami-based SMY Sports and Entertainment’s president M. Eric Senecal, who wanted the buy the rights to produce the event; 3. GYM’S longtime and very close relationship with Florida-based Warriors Promotions, Mr. Leon Margules.

On behalf of GYM, Margules had reserved the April 21st date with the Florida Athletic Commission. SMY Sports & Entertainments made a deal with GYM that had a deadline to deposit the agreed upon money guarantee. They had reserved the Seminole Hard Rock arena in Fort Lauderdale. If SMY was not able to deliver money and site, GYM had a backup plan, proposed by Margules, who had a deal and a site on hold, Hialeah Racetrack in nearby Hollywood (FL). No matter what would transpire, the fight was guaranteed at a site in Florida, April 21st for a PBC event to be televised on FS1.

Barrera’s manager was contacted by one of the promoters to help pay Yvon Michel and finance the bout.

“This is a tortuous claim and a terrible lie,” Michel said. “Nobody representing GYM ever made that kind of request. The truth is a local promoter, M. Michael Luzbet, whom I’d never met and never made any deals of any sorts with in the past, wanted to be a partner with SMY Sports and Entertainments. He tried to raise his share of money to participate but SMY rapidly disassociated themselves from Michael Luzbet.

“How the group (SMY) was raising money wasn’t really my concern, but they had found sponsors and were counting on the important Quebec community residing in Florida at that time of the year, as well as the important Cuban population and their contacts with the Russian community, to sell VIP tables and tickets. It wanted the rights to put the show on in Florida but they were concerned because they had heard a rumor that Barrera hadn’t signed a contract and he was going to pull out of the fight.

They then requested a guarantee that Barrera (who lives in Miami) was going to fight before confirming their money deposit. I was in Quebec City at that time for the Alvarez-Bute fight. Mr. Lindsey Tucker was there representing the IBF and I spoke to him. He said he believed the IBF had received a signed contract from Barrera. I contacted SYM to say everything was fine and that I had requested a copy (of the Barrera-signed contract) from Lindsey. Daryl People then informed me that there was a misunderstanding and they did not have a signed contract from Barrera. It is only then I realized Main Events had pressured Barrera to sign the agreement without success. We asked the IBF president to pressure Main Events to have Barrera sign the contract because, without it, we were jammed in the promotion of the event. This is exactly what happened.”

Team Barrera implied that Yvon Michel couldn’t promote a show of this magnitude in the U.S.

“I’ve promoted more than 200 shows, never defaulting or cancelling a single show, including involvement in more than 50 world championship fights and many multi-million dollars events, much bigger than this title eliminator. This statement just shows his ignorance about what we’re all about and who we are and was just smoke screen to his behavior. I’ve promoted shows with the majority of the major promoters in the world; DiBella Entertainment, Warriors Promotions, Don King Promotions, Golden Boy, Main Events… just about everybody. It was unbelievable for them to write such an impertinent line.”

Team Barrera unjustly belittled the quality of Beterbiev’s last two opponents, calling them cow farmers from Argentina.

“This is terrible to be so insolent to fellow world contenders. Both fighters were world ranked in the top 15 at that time. (Ezequiel Osvaldo) Maderna (23-2, 16 KOs) had never been knocked out and (Isidro) Prieto (26-1-3, 22 KOs) had suffered only one loss, a decision to the WBC #1 contender Eleider Alvarez. Beterbiev knocked them both out (Maderna in the fourth round, Prieto in the first), so downgrading the quality of Artur’s 2016 opponents was totally unwarranted. If Barrera ever actually got into the ring with Beterbiev, he would have fallen into the same category as Maderna and Prieto, who were both fierce competitors but not in the same league of Beterbiev.”

Michel firmly believes Barrera never intended to fight Beterbiev for his share of the purse bid and, to cover up, he tried to place the blame on others. His promoter spent time and money for the bid at the request of its fighter, Barrera, believing he had a legitimate chance of winning the fight. It is obvious that sentiment was not shared by Barrera, even if the fight was to be held in his own backyard in Florida.

“The truth of this matter is that Barrera lied to distract media attention from the fact he didn’t sign a contract and clearly wanted no part of Beterbiev,” Michel concluded. “We don’t disrespect any contender who prefers not to challenge Artur Beterbiev for the mandatory position. We also believed that Main Events did everything in its power to convince their fighter to keep his words and to go forward with the fight. Main Events is not at blame. We also have respect for Barrera’s fighting abilities but we have no respect for the person Barrera is with his despicable, unprofessional, shameful and disgraceful attitude in handling the present situation.

“On a personal note, I have never met Sullivan Barrera. I never had to directly communicate with him, I never had to do business with him, everything went through his promoter, Main Events, and I really don’t envy them! Soon, GYM will have two light heavyweight world champions and I can guarantee Barrera will never be in their plans.
“We’ve moved on from Sullivan Barrera to find an opponent who has the desire to step into the ring to fight Artur Beterbiev. While Barrera will still be suspended by the IBF, Beterbiev will be World Champion!”

Beterbiev, a two-time Russian Olympian, holds two amateur victories over his fellow countryman, Kovalev, the former world light heavyweight champion. Whether it’s Kovalev or Ward, Artur Beterbiev will be more than ready for the challenge to fight for the world light heavyweight championship this September.

INFORMATION:
www.groupeyvonmichel.ca
www.Facebook.com/groupeyvonmichel
Twitter: @yvonmichelgym, @ABeterbiev
Instagram: @YvonMichelGYM, @Groupeyvonmichel, @ArturBetebiev
ABOUT GROUPE YVON MICHEL (GYM): Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel and his associates. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers through coaching support and especially by competitive management. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events and it is associated with the popular series, “Premier Boxing Champions (PBC),” and has developed major Videotron partnerships with Loto Quebec, TVA Sports, Centre Videotron, Casino de Montreal and Lac Leamy, Tonik GroupImage and Lapointe Dental Centre, in addition to collaborating closely with Rixa.

Team Sullivan Barrera Responds to Artie Beterbiev

Yesterday, you decided to go to the internet and social media as you have tried to do in the past and paint your own picture of the IBF eliminator bout between yourself and Sullivan Barrera. Maybe your propaganda works in Russia and in Canada but not in the United States. The fact is this fight was doomed to fail from the beginning and you can only look to your fake promoter for reasons and excuses.

First, your promoter decided not to negotiate with Barrera’s promoter Main Events and asked to go to an immediate purse bid. You immediately told the world on your social media account that the fight would be March 4th in Brooklyn, New York. Sullivan Barrera started training for this bout but no contract ever came for this bout.

After your promoter won the purse bid, he then told the world the fight would be in late March or early April in New York. Sullivan continued to train for that bout but again no contract ever came from your promoter.

Then, a few days before your promoter was obligated to meet the IBF’s deadline to send Sullivan Barrera a bout agreement for the eliminator, he is quoted in a Canadian news article about a possible cancellation of the bout if you would not be able to get a visa to enter the United States. You then had to go to your social media to try and correct your own promoter’s quotes and continue to push him to make the bout happen rather than bring up possible excuses to cancel the bout.

Next, your promoter tried to tell the world that the bout would be April 21st in Miami. But following the same pattern, a contract from your promoter never came for that bout either. Instead, he tried to send improper agreements to Main Events with various dates and sites that were all contingent on “financial backers” and could be cancelled and postponed at any time which is against IBF rules. If your promoter didn’t want to negotiate with Main Events in the first place and won the purse bid, why is he trying to make side deals with Main Events instead of just sending a bout agreement?

It was also learned that even after your promoter failed to meet the IBF deadline to submit a proper bout agreement to Barrera with the actual date, site, and location of the bout, he was still reaching out to local promoters in the Miami area and asking them for large amounts of money for the rights to put on the fight in Miami. One of those promoters actually contacted Barrera’s manager and asked his manager to help pay Yvon Michel and finance the bout.

Hopefully you can see how all of these actions (and inactions) raised tremendous concern in the camp of Sullivan Barrera that your promoter was grasping at straws and was not going to be able to properly deliver on the bout. He was in violation of the IBF rules governing the winner of a purse bid and kept trying to find ways around it. As of yesterday, he still wasn’t providing specific information on the site of the bout and at no time has the bout ever been listed on the schedules of any of the main boxing venues in Miami or on any schedule for U.S. television.

While it was always questionable whether your promoter could actually promote a fight of this magnitude in the United States when he has yet to ever do so, we no longer wanted to wait and find out the hard way. Barrera was simply not going to play these games any longer. After training for weeks and spending his own money with little to no certainty as to whether the bout would actually take place, enough became enough. Your promoter got what he wanted and you can thank him for the cancellation of this bout.

Artur, you are a great fighter with a great future. You will either take tough bouts against the best in the light heavyweight division like Sullivan Barrera has done or go the way of your countryman Adonis Stevenson and avoid tough bouts at all costs. You will either be a part of the propaganda and games being played by your promoter or you will demand to be well informed about the truth behind your opponents and the bouts.

But you should know that every story has two sides and Barrera’s track record should leave no doubt about his intentions to fight you and the very best in the division. While you spent all of 2016 fighting whatever cow farmers from Argentina your promoter could find, Barrera was on HBO facing off against Andre Ward and then destroyed the previously unbeaten Slava Shabranskyy.

Have no doubt that Sullivan Barrera was ready to fight you and does not care about the fact that everyone else is afraid of fighting you. But Sullivan needs to be treated like a man and not a piece of meat. If you and your promoter are just looking for fresh meat, you need to keep going back to Argentina.

Artur Beterbiev vs. Sullivan Barrera IBF LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT ELIMINATION BOUT April 21 in MIAMI

MONTRÉAL (February 17, 2017)- It’s official: Montreal’s Artur Beterbiev (IBF #2 – 11-0-0, 11 KOs) will be in the most important fight of his career, against Cuban-born Sullivan Barrera (IBF #7 – 18-1-0, 13 KOs), for the mandatory challenger position for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heayvweight world title, held by American Andre Ward (31-0-0, 15 KOs). The Beterbiev vs. Barrera clash will take place April 21 in Miami, Florida.

“It is with great pride and confidence that we go into this fight in Miami,” Beterbiev’s promoter Yvon Michel (Groupe Yvon Michel). “In order for Beterbiev to receive maximum credibility, he needs to demonstrate that he can perform anywhere in the world. Because Sullivan Barrera, the only top-rated contender to accept the challenge to face Artur, could not cross the Canadian border, we agreed to have this fight take place in the United States.

“We are convinced that the many Quebecers who still live in Florida, at this time, will come to support Artur, who has made Quebec the adopted home for him and his young family.”

The Beterbiev-Barrera winner will become the mandatory challenger for the IBF light heavyweight champion, who will have until September, at the latest, to face the winner.]GYM won the IBF-ordered purse bid Feb. 2 (2017), winning with a $201,000 (USD) bid to $181,000 for Barrera’s promoter, Main Events. Due to the 75-25 percentage advantage going to the highest ranked fighter, Beterview will earn $188,250 to $62,750 for Barrera.

Ward won the IBF, WBA and WBO light heavyweight titles with a 12-round unanimous decision win over Sergey Kovalev, November 19, 2017, in Las Vegas.

Beterbiev was impressive in his most recent outing, last December 23 at the Lac Leamy Casino in Gatineau, stopping Paraguayan slugger Isidro Ranoni Prieto (26-1-3) in opening round (2:44).

Barrera also displayed tremendous skills during his most recent performance, this poast Dec. 16 in California, shattering the previously undefeated Vyacheslav Shabrankyy (17-0-0), of Ukraine, with a spectacular TKO victory in the seventh round.

More details about Beterbiev vs. Barrera will be announced in the coming days.
ABOUT GROUPE YVON MICHEL (GYM):

Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004 by Yvon Michel and his associates. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers through coaching support and especially by competitive management. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events and it is associated with the popular series, “Premier Boxing Champions (PBC),” and has developed major Videotron partnerships with Loto Quebec, TVA Sports, Centre Videotron, Casino de Montreal and Lac Leamy, Tonik GroupImage and Lapointe Dental Centre, in addition to collaborating closely with Rixa.

Beterbiev to take on Sullivan Barrera after purse bid won by Yvon Michel

Yvon Michel won a purse bid to stage on IBF Light Heavyweight title elimination bout between Artur Beterbiv and Sullivan Barrera, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We have 15 days to decide the exact date and place,” Michel said. “We have to see where that will fit best, and we also need the time to properly advertise it because this match has all the ingredients for a great fight. Our wish is to bring that fight to the USA to enhance Artur Beterbiev’s exposure.”

“Barrera will no doubt be the strongest opponent of Beterbiev’s pro career so far,” Michel said. “The Cuban has an excellent amateur background, is always well conditioned, has a good sense of distance in the ring and a very dangerous right hand.

“Nobody so far has been strong enough to keep up with Beterbiev’s power but he has much more that that. He has great boxing IQ; he is very crafty; and Barrera’s opposition will give Artur the opportunity to show the world his real nature.”

“I think we have a good idea of what Sullivan can do in this fight. I feel very confident,” Main Events promoter Kathy Duva said. “The thing about Sullivan is his career is on an upswing. He has fought much tougher opposition that Beterbiev has. Styles make fights and I think he has the style to beat him. I know he’ll have the game plan to do it. He’s on a high now coming off a big win. When he heard about this fight he was like, ‘I’m doing it.’ We had other possibilities and talking to HBO but he said, ‘No, this fight is what I want. I want to get the shot at becoming the mandatory again.’ You have to love him. He’s a real fighter.”

Barrera taunts Pascal “Did my KO of Shabranskyy scare you?”

Fresh off of his crushing 7th round knockout of the previously unbeaten Vyacheslav Shabranskyy, top rated light heavyweight contender Sullivan “Sully B” Barrera has his next victim in mind.

The former amateur standout from Cuba wants to avenge his countryman Yunieski Gonzalez’s defeat to Jean Pascal. Shabranskyy is the only other fighter to defeat his compatriot.

“I knocked out Shabranskyy to get revenge for my friend and I will knockout Pascal too. We can fight anywhere in the United States. Hell, I would go to his country of Haiti and fight him. I just want to get my hands on him,” Barrera stated.

Barrera has been chasing Pascal for two years but has had no luck getting the former champion in the ring. With Barrera’s main two targets – Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev – locked in for a year rematch in the first half of 2017, Barrera knows a fight between himself and Pascal would produce a worthy challenger for either one of them in the second half of next year.

“I want a rematch with Ward or a fight with Kovalev but I know they are fighting again so I can’t just sit around. Pascal needs to man up and fight me. If he beats me he can get a Ward fight. If I beat him I can get a Ward rematch or a Kovalev fight,” said Barrera.

“I can’t fight in Canada but I am willing to fight him anywhere else in the world. I will fight him in the backyard of his parent’s house in Haiti if he wants. Pascal, you need to stop running from me and give the fans the fight they want. Did my knockout of Shabranskyy scare you? Me and you toe to toe is guaranteed to end in a knockout! Congratulations on your win on Friday but now it is time for me and you to get in the ring!”

Video: VYACHESLAV SHABRANSKYY VS SULLIVAN BARRERA WEIGH IN AT 4 PM ET

BERNARD HOPKINS VS. JOE SMITH, JR. AND SHABRANSKYY VS. BARRERA FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 14, 2016) – Former two-division world champion and Future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-7 2, 32 KOs) andJoe Smith, Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) today hosted the final press conference ahead of their battle for the WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship on Saturday, December 17 televised live from Inglewood, Calif.’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In addition to Hopkins and Smith, Jr., co-main event fighters Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs) and Horacio Garcia (30-1-1, 21 KOs) who will fight for Diaz, Jr.’s NABF Featherweight Title; and Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9 KOs) and Thabiso Mchunu (17-2, 11 KOs) who will battle for Usyk’s WBO Cruiserweight Title on the December 17 undercard were also in attendance along with Vyacheslav “Lionheart-Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) and Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) who will face off as the main event on the Friday, December 16 HBO Latino® card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

Below are what the fighters had to say at today’s final press conference:

BERNARD “THE EXECUTIONER” HOPKINS, Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of Famer:

“You have to prove you’re special, no matter how many titles you win. If you use that to stay in the game then you become special and an icon surpasses legend. Common man, special man. Which one do you want? Which one do you want? I want the special, you are that before you become that. If you want to work your way back down to common man, there’s a lot of people down there. I’m not going to predict that I end his [Joe’s] career. One day if he recovers mentally then he might have something to salvage and go forward. I’m a career stopper to most of my opponents that talk like him. Yes, I’m honored to be respected as Joe mentioned, too. I listen to words. Nobody is really paying attention to Joe.

“Joe won’t be special come Saturday. He will stay common.

“Since I gave you some food for thought, enjoy the final one, enjoy the textbook of the sweet science as you heard in the beginning of this press conference. The sweet science that I’ve been taught about boxing…the sweet science has nothing to do with power. It’s not like I can’t hit; I’ll beat you up.”

JOE SMITH, JR., Light Heavyweight Contender:

“I can’t even describe how excited I am to say it’s finally fight week. I’m ready for this Saturday and am very excited. I know I’m going to be there with a legend but I’ve worked very hard in the gym and made many sacrifices to get to where I am today. He is a legend, but Saturday night he’s just another opponent. I’m looking to stop him, be the first person to stop him in his entire career.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“Golden Boy Promotions is going out with a bang in 2016. We’ve put together two spectacular, back-to-back cards in December with these two events, Shabranskyy vs. Barrera and Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr.

“What can I say about Bernard Hopkins that hasn’t already been said? Bernard’s resume reads like a hall-of-fame induction ballot. Between holding the record for the record number of title defenses as middleweight champion of the world (20) and moving up to light heavyweight to capture multiple belts in that division, Hopkins fought and defeated a who’s who of boxing world champions throughout his 28-year career.

“I want to say also, that Bernard is not just a champion in the ring, but in life. He’s had a remarkable life and career-and it’s not over just yet.”

JOE DEGUARDIA, President and CEO of Star Boxing:

“This is truly history. It’s almost like the passing of the guard. One way or another this is the last fight you’ll be able to see of a man who has boxed for decades and has done it his way. This is probably the most dangerous fight Bernard can take. It’s truly special to either watch either Bernard victorious or the passing of the guard.

“Joe Smith is the perfect example of the common man. He’s a heart lion from New York, and he’s the kind of guy like so many others that get up early in the morning; his craft now is as a boxer but he’s a hardworking union member. Saturday night we believe you’re going to see what happens when the common working man breaks his everyday and defeats a legend, and then the doors open up. Joe Smith, Jr. has been working very hard to get this done. He’s focused on the thing that he needs to do Saturday night and come out victorious.”

JOHN DAVID JACKSON, Trainer for Bernard Hopkins:

“Saturday is the day. Smith team feels good and confident; our team feels great and confident. There’s so much you can say about Bernard, but he definitely sees the best and this is a good fight for the fans to see Bernard go out and win. He’s a tremendous individual in and out of the ring. We’re looking forward to a great evening of boxing.”

JERRY CAPOBIANCO, Trainer for Joe Smith, Jr.:

“I would like to thank Joe DeGuardia and Star Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions Bernard Hopkins for picking Joe for this fight. I believe he’s going to make a statement, and as Bernard’s last fight I think it’s Joe’s coming out party. I know my father is looking down on us, and we’re going to be victorious. For all those counting the odds, you can double your money. Thank you very much.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“I want to thank Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions and HBO as well for giving me another opportunity to showcase my talent. Man, this is a historic event with the legend Bernard Hopkins. It’s a blessing to be the co-main event. I want to tell everyone that I’ve been through an extensive training camp. My opponent Horacio Garcia will go out there and prove himself, but we’re ready and I’ll see you guys Saturday at the Forum.”

HORACIO GARCIA, Featherweight Contender:

“I am very motivated to give a great fight. I form a part of Canelo Promotions and am part of the team with Eddy and Jose “Chepo” Reynoso and Canelo Alvarez. We have done a lot of work and have a great strategy for this fight.”

OLESKSANDR USYK, WBO Cruiserweight Champion:

“Hello my name is Oleksander Usyk. I will be fighting this Saturday. Thank you to everyone, and I will be ready for this Saturday.”

THABISO MCHUNU, Cruiserweight Contender:

“Thanks to HBO and Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity to showcase my talent. With every good opposition you always rise to the occasion. Thank you.”

VYACHESLAV “LIONHEART-CHINGONSKYY” SHABRANSKYY, USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion:

“Good afternoon everyone. I will fight this Friday at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, and you’re welcome to watch me. I’d like to thank everyone at Golden Boy Promotions and would like to wish Bernard Hopkins luck on Saturday.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Light Heavyweight Contender:

“I want to say thank you to Golden Boy Promotions, Kathy Duva and HBO for this opportunity. I want to say that this is a great fight for boxing fans, and I’m inviting everyone to go this Friday to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. I think it’s a great show for everyone. Thank you for coming, and thank you for the support.”

NICK SPAMPANATO, Senior Vice President West Coast and General Manager of The Forum:

“We are proud to continue our rich boxing tradition by hosting the final fight for one of boxing’s living legends – Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins as he faces Joe Smith, Jr. this Saturday, Dec. 17. It’s set to be an exciting night and one for the history books.”

KATHY DUVA, CEO of Main Events:

“Before I start I’d like to congratulate Bernard. We’re very happy to be here. I’d like to thank HBO. The only way to consistently present good events is by all working together and that’s what we’ve done here. Sullivan [Barrera] proved his medal when he risked his number one position against Andre Ward, and he is coming to win on Friday night. Thank you so much and we’re all looking forward to it on Saturday.

“We met Thabiso Mchunu when we met Sullivan Barrera. This [cruiserweight] is the division I believe that you will see action. I have a good feeling about our fight and have a great opponent in Oleksandr Usyk. We’re looking forward to our fighters putting on the best show as possible.”

TOM LOEFFLER, Managing Director of K2 Promotions:

“This is a great boxing weekend. Friday and Saturday shows as Oscar [De La Hoya] had said are tremendous shows. It’s all possible because of the living and fighting legend, Bernard Hopkins. Everyone is here to pay tribute to Bernard. They’re getting the opportunity to showcase their skills on the same fight as this legend. Thank you to everyone at Golden Boy Promotions, and I’d like to thank Kathy Duva and Main Events. Certainly Mchunu wasn’t our first choice; he has a tricky style with southpaw, but this is a true quality HBO matchup. It’s been 13 years since HBO has showcased a cruiserweight championship fight.”

TONY WALKER, Director of HBO Sports:

“I’d like to thank Oscar and all of Golden Boy Promotions for putting together a great night of boxing. This is the greatest collection of promoters on one card we have put together, and I wish we could do this more often.

“This is the final World Championship Boxing show of 2016, and we are finishing it with a bang with this triple-header. This show is unique for all the different stories – you have Diaz who fights out of LA who is taking on a fighter who is trained under the famous Eddy Gomez. We have a cruiserweight bout with Usyk and Mchunu, which is historic since we haven’t had a cruiserweight bout on World Championship boxing since 2008.

“This will be Bernard Hopkins 23rd and last fight with HBO who will be fighting a young lion – and Bernard would have it any other way. The last images of Bernard fighting, with a scowl over his face with his arms crossed as the executioner pose will be seen by his followers from all over. We welcome him as part of the HBO family as he continues his plans post retirement.”

Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. is a 12-round WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Garcia is a 10-round NABF featherweight title match presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Usyk vs. Mchunu is a 12-round WBO Cruiserweight World Title battle presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on Saturday, December 17, 2016 from Inglewood, California’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. are on sale and are priced at $25, $50, $75, $105 and $205, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00 a.m. PST to 7:00 p.m. PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

B-roll and images of Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. are available for use and download HERE. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

BERNARD HOPKINS VS. JOE SMITH, JR. AND SHABRANSKYY VS. BARRERA LOS ANGELES MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 13, 2016) – Former two-division world champion and Future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins (55-7 2, 32 KOs) today hosted a Los Angeles media workout at City of Angels Boxing Gym ahead of his final career fight against Joe Smith, Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) for the WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship on Saturday, December 17. The bout will be televised live from Inglewood, Calif.’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

In addition to Hopkins and Smith, Jr., fighters on the undercard of the December 17event were also in attendance along with Vyacheslav “Lionheart-Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) others who fight on the Friday, December 16 HBO Latino® tripleheader card at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media work out:

BERNARD “THE EXECUTIONER” HOPKINS, Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of Famer:

“I want the book to be written good. The last thing you remember about a good book is not the beginning, it’s the ending. I look at this as the final icing on the cake or that exclamation point. This is it. You know this is history.

“I achieved my first goal of success in the first part of my life. That was rougher than boxing. If you know anything about Bernard Hopkins’ history, if you go into details about the inner city Philadelphia guy, who was in the penitentiary from age 17 to 25, and survived, you’d realize I became champion a long time ago.”

“We as humans put limitations on ourselves. When all is said and done, I don’t want to regret what I didn’t do.”

JOE SMITH, JR., Light Heavyweight Contender:

“It’s a privilege to be on this card. To take on a legend like Bernard is an opportunity I would have never expected. That said, come fight night, that won’t matter because it’ll just be me and him in the ring. My team and I have been training to take on any of the styles Bernard may bring. I’m excited for the night to come, and I’m ready to put on a great show.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“Garcia, my opponent on December 17, is very dangerous. He’s big for his weight. I feel like he is going to have a lot more power at 126 than he has in the past. This is his big shot to get an upset. I didn’t take him lightly at all. This is probably one of the hardest training camps I’ve had.

“This is my home turf so I want to give the LA fans a great fight. I’m going to do anything and everything it takes to get the win. I want to put on a great show. Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions could have chosen someone else to be the co-main event for Bernard Hopkins’ final fight but they chose me and that’s a big thing. This is a dream come true. I’m going to give everyone a fight to remember.”

HORACIO GARCIA, Featherweight Contender:

“We wouldn’t have taken the fight if we didn’t think it was possible to win. I have a strong corner on my side with Eddy Reynoso. Our training camp has been great, and I’ll be looking for opportunities to break in. Diaz, Jr. had taken on a lot of tough opponents, but that doesn’t scare me. I am ready.”

OLESKSANDR USYK, WBO Cruiserweight Champion:

“I’m not fighting at heavyweight now because we should go step-by-step. I want to become a star in the United States because I want to show everyone quality boxing.”

THABISO MCHUNU, Cruiserweight Contender:

“It feels really to cool to be on this card. It doesn’t get much better than this.”

VYACHESLAV “LIONHEART-CHINGONSKYY” SHABRANSKYY, USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion:

“We never say we are going for the knock out. That’s not my style. We train to go the distance, especially knowing he has been under the care of a new trainer so we don’t know what kind of Barrera we are going to get. Sullivan is one of the toughest opponents I have faced yet. He’s faced fighters like Andre Ward and has gone the distance and has demonstrated his skill. Knowing that he needs this fight will make him even more hungry in the ring, and we are expecting him to come forward.

“With this fight, I get the opportunity to face opponents like Andre Ward. But first things first, I have to finish Barrera.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Light Heavyweight Contender:

“I believe this fight is the most important fight of my career. This fight will demonstrate that I am among some of the top fighters out there. My fight with Andre Ward has built me, and has given me the maturity to step back and think clearly. I needed that loss to win this fight.”

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Contender:

“I’m ready for action on Saturday night. I’m 110 percent right now. I was lucky [my injury] was just a sprain in the wrist. It was frustrating more than anything because it wasn’t a terrible injury but I just had to rest it. I had to be patient and that is hard. It was a good experience for the future in case that happens again.”

RYAN “KINGRY” GARCIA, Lightweight Prospect:

“I feel good. Training camp went well. I feel so happy that I get to start my career with Golden Boy Promotions on this legendary card with Bernard Hopkins’ final fight.

“I accomplished everything I wanted to in the amateurs. I expect a busy year in 2017. I will keep fighting and keep going.

“I’m a smart power puncher. I place my punches well so I’m pretty accurate. I know my opponent has some power to him. I’m going to get in the ring, execute my game plan and get the victory on December 17.”

CARLOS “THE SOLUTION” MORALES, NABA Super Featherweight Champion:

“I feel good. We train for moments like this. I’m expecting a ruthless Charles Huerta in the ring, and we have been perfecting my ability to box him out. He wants my NABA title, and I expect for there to be a war in the ring come fight night. It’s a privilege to fight under this Bernard Hopkins card, and I hope I get to have a career like his.”

ROY “PITBULL” TAPIA, Featherweight Prospect:

“I believe in myself and I know what I can do. The good thing about this camp is that it was intense, but I didn’t kill myself with weight. I’ve been walking around the past couple of weeks at 127, 128. Not one day have I struggled to make the weight.”

CHRISTIAN “CHIMPA” GONZALEZ, Lightweight Prospect:

“I always train 110 percent. I’m ready for Saturday.

This is very motivational for me. I grew up watching Bernard fight so now that I’m on the undercard it feels like ‘wow!’ This is my first time fighting at such a big and historic venue on December 17.”

IVAN “STRIKER” DELGADO, Lightweight Prospect:

“It feels great to fighting in my hometown of Los Angeles. To have the city behind you and motivating you feels great. My opponent is a strong fighter. He’s going to want to come out and win. On fight night, I’m going to come out strong and get the win.”

B-roll and images of Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. are available for use and download HERE. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Contacts for Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr.:
Ramiro Gonzalez, Golden Boy Promotions: (213) 489-5631
Stefan Friedman/Kristen Caloca: (424) 202-1671
John Cirillo, Star Boxing: (914) 260-7436
Bernie Bahrmasel, K2 Promotions: (773) 592-2986
Ellen Haley, Main Events: (973) 903-6715
Patrick Byrne, HBO: (212) 512-1361
Kevin Flaherty, HBO: (212) 512-5052
Erik Stein/Brooke Paller, The Fabulous Forum: (818) 761-6100
Media Credentials: www.magnamedia.com

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Training Camp Notes: Sullivan Barrera

Indio, California: OnFriday night, 34-year old Cuban defector Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) will look for redemption against undefeated light heavyweight prospect Vyacheslav “Lion Heart” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) for the WBC United States (USNBC) Light Heavyweight Title at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California and live on HBO Latino.

Barrera is coming off a hard-fought 12-round unanimous decision loss against current WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward earlier this year in Ward’s hometown of Oakland, California. The loss to Ward was the first of Barrera’s professional career and in the aftermath Sullivan decided to make some important changes. First, he severed ties with his long-time trainer, Abel Sanchez. Sanchez trains out of Big Bear, California and Sullivan had a desire to train closer to his home in Miami, Florida.

This desire to train in his adopted home state of Florida aided Barrera in joining forces with his new trainer, Derik Santos. Derik is the long-time protégé of world-renowned trainer John David Jackson. According to Sullivan, “I had known about Derik for a long time, since I came to this country. My team and I thought this was the best decision to work closer to home. Camp is going great, we had a long camp. It worked out perfect because I got time to really learn a lot of things from Derik.”

Traditionally, Barrera had a reputation in camp for being quiet and passive during his training sessions. However, his new partnership with Santos has brought Barrera out of his shell. Santos said, “One thing that was funny, I was told he didn’t speak much. That had been the experience where he had been before. I quickly learned that wasn’t to be the case with us. I don’t know why he opened up more with me. Maybe it’s just we clicked, but we spoke a lot. He opened up to me about his life, his boxing and his experiences along the way. I remember telling Luis [Molina, Sullivan’s manager], ‘I thought you said he doesn’t say much.’ Luis said that he was surprised I had gained his trust and his confidence to have such a rapport with him.”

The rapport between Barrera and Santos quickly developed a new strategy and game plan for his upcoming battle with the hard-hitting Shabranskyy. According to Santos, “I really have seen a change from what he was when he got here. It’s not that he wasn’t a good fighter, but technique-wise. He credits the detail, talks and time I spent with him. He says, ‘Coach it wasn’t that I couldn’t do these skill things, it’s that no one really asked me to do it. Everyone just said go forward and use my brute strength.'”

Even though the plan is for Sullivan to rely on his technical skills more than his power, Barrera still would prefer to end the night early. He said, “I must take advantage of my opportunity and do what I do best. It would be great to get a knockout because I know I am going into his home turf and his promoter’s home turf, going to be very tough to get a decision. My goal is to knock him out.”

Main Events CEO Kathy Duva said, “Sullivan put up a great fight in March against Ward. This is his chance to go for the win against another undefeated boxer and I think Sullivan is going to give Slava Shabranskyy more than he can handle.”

Shabranskyy vs. Barrera is a 10-round bout for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT, and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (live ET/tape delayed PT).
Tickets are still on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @HBOLatino, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @main_events

WBC SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION FRANCISCO VARGAS TO BE VIP GUEST AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO ON DECEMBER 16 CARD HEADLINED BY VYCHASLAV SHABRANSKY AND SULLIVAN BARRERA

LOS ANGELES (December 7, 2016) – WBC Super Featherweight Champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-2, 17 KOs) will serve as the VIP guest for the stacked Friday, December 16 HBO Latino show at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California. His appearance will come just six weeks before he defends his title against Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (30-1, 27 KOs) in a 12-round surefire high-action fight on January 28, from the same venue live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Vargas, a former Olympian, is coming off back-to-back Fight of the Year performances. First, in 2015, he got off the deck to defeat Takashi Miura and capture his world championship belt in a consensus Fight of the Year war. Earlier this year, Vargas started right where he left off, brawling for 12 rounds with Orlando “Siri” Salido in a contest that ended in a majority draw. In Berchelt, Vargas will face yet another top contender, one with 27 knockouts in his 30 victories.

Christmas will come early for boxing fans at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on December 16 with a massive tripleheader featuring a light heavyweight match-up of top contenders between WBC USNBC Champion Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) and Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) in the main event.

Super lightweight standout and undefeated contender Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (25-0, 16 KOs)will face one of his toughest challenges to date, taking on the always-dangerous and exciting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado, Jr. (22-3-1, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBC International Super lightweight Championship in the 10-round co-main event.

Additionally, Bronx-born IBF North American welterweight titlist Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (19-1, 11 KOs) will put his title on the line in a 10-round fight against undefeated Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (16-0, 11 KOs) of Lynn, Massachusetts to open the HBO Latino broadcast.

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy vs. Sullivan Barrera is a 10-round bout for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 4:00 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino® Boxing telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS PLACES SPOTLIGHT ON VYACHESLAV “LIONHEART-CHINGONSKYY” SHABRANSKYY AHEAD OF MAIN-EVENT USNBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE SHOWDOWN AGAINST CUBA’S SULLIVAN BARRERA ON HBO LATINO® LIVE FROM FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO ON DECEMBER 16TH

LOS ANGELES (November 29, 2016) Looking to continue his rise in the light heavyweight division, one of Golden Boy Promotions’ most talented contenders Vyacheslav “Lionheart-Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) will defend his USNBC Light Heavyweight Championship against Cuba’s former interim WBO Latino and WBA Fedelatin light Heavyweight ChampionSullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) on December 16 at the Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino. The result of the bout — taking place on the eve of the highly anticipated “Final 1” battle between future Hall of Famer Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins and Joe Smith Jr. — will have a major impact on the entire light heavyweight division.

The clash will be the opportunity of a lifetime for the “Chingonskyy” who will not only be defending his title, but his spotless professional boxing record. Golden Boy Promotions caught up with Shabranskyy ahead of his pivotal fight, in an exclusive Q&A session. Below is what Shabranskyy had to say:

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy Fighter Spotlight

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy Fighter Spotlight
How did you receive the nickname “Chingonskyy”?
Oscar De La Hoya first called me “Chingonskyy”. I was just about to sign my contract with Golden Boy, and he asked me ‘How do you say your name?’ When I replied, ‘Shabranskyy’, Oscar looked at me and said, ‘You are no longer Shanbranskyy, you are Chingonskyy.”

How has the transition been from living in the Ukraine to moving to Los Angeles?
It’s been different. In the Ukraine, I was living in a more amateur life style. Since coming here, meeting Manny Robles, and becoming a professional, it’s completely different. It’s completely changed me. When I first came here, my mentality was to just come and fight and get inside the ring. Manny had to tell me to take it easy, to refocus, and take it one fight at a time. Los Angeles isn’t a pit stop, it’s become my second home.

What has been your favorite childhood memory of the Holiday season? Are these traditions you share with your family today?
Our holiday season is different in the Ukraine from here in the US. We usually have massive celebrations in January. It’s very much like how Latinos do it – the entire family visits the elders, like the grandma’s house, and we sit, we eat, drink, and just sing, and the older members in the family will give gifts to the youngest children. I will definitely teach my children to celebrate Christmas and the holidays the way that Americans do as well – I love how we give each other presents and spend time together. I also love Thanksgiving. When I first came in 2010, I was alone and Manny introduced me to his entire family during this specific holiday, and each time I have celebrated it since then, my family has just grown.

What are some of your favorite things about being a Golden Boy Boxer?
Golden Boy gives me a good push to perfect myself in the sport, especially professionally. It reminds me of who I am-as Chingonskyy.

What are some fight tactics you have been working on in the gym recently?
I always focus on everything, and I don’t like to leave anything out. Every time I come to the gym, Manny teaches me something new. I never stop learning.

Barrera is a Cuban fighter, who is very tactful and logical inside the ring. How do you think your styles will match up when you meet him inside the ring?
I’ve never fought anyone with his type of style. Although I’ve seen many of his videos fighting, you never know who you are going to get in the ring. We know that he has switched up his training camp, he’s moved to Miami, which means we could see him fight a little different. We will tell what kind of Barrera shows up in the ring that day. It doesn’t worry me that much though. All I know is that I am training hard, and will be prepared for it. I’ll be able to tell you after the first round how it’s going.

How does it feel to return to HBO Latino as the main event?
It feels great. It’s a huge accomplishment for my career. It shows me that I am close to the level that I want to be at, and that I am closer to the fights I want. It is a step in the direction of where I desire my career to go.

How was it sparring with Bernard for his fight against Sergey Kovalev?
I learned so much sparring with Bernard. He is a very smart fighter inside the ring. After every sparring session, we would sit down, and he would explain to me everything that he knew. I was so excited to be in training camp with him. Bernard’s fight against Sergey Kovalev was not an easy fight, and Bernard gave him a tough twelve rounds. Bernard was able to adapt and strategized every round to last the 12 rounds.

What fuels your love and dedication for boxing?
I’ve been boxing since I was 13 years old. I was fighting a lot in school, and my mother got tired of it. She would pick me up from school and take me to a kick boxing class, and would tell me to take the energy from fighting people in the streets and use that energy to fight people in the gym. I’ve been boxing for a little more than half of my life. My family has always been very supportive of everything that I do, and that fuels me.

Who are some of your heroes in boxing?
When I was younger, and trained as an amateur in the Ukraine, I admired Mike Tyson. I would watch his videos, and I would get so excited to watch him, especially when he was about to fight. Now that Tyson has retired, I would say I look up so much to Vasyl Lomachenko. I think he is one of the best fighters who is out there now who we should all watch out for.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mainevents.com and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @HBOLatino, @Shabranskyy and @sullivanbarrera and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @Shabranskyy, and @sullivanbarrera follow the conversation at #ShabranskyyBarrera.

UNDEFEATED SENSATION ANTONIO OROZCO TO BATTLE FIDEL MALDONADO JR. FOR VACANT WBC INTERNATIONAL SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE IN CO-MAIN EVENT OF STACKED DECEMBER 16 CARD AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO IN INDIO, CALIF.

INDIO, CA - JULY 29: "Relentless" Antonio Orozco steps on the scale to weigh in for his July 30, 2016 fight against Abner Lopez (not shown) at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. MANDATORY CREDIT: Ed Mulholland/HBO — INDIO, CA – JULY 29: “Relentless” Antonio Orozco steps on the scale to weigh in for his July 30, 2016 fight against Abner Lopez (not shown) at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. MANDATORY CREDIT: Ed Mulholland/HBO

LOS ANGELES (November 14, 2016) – Super lightweight standout and undefeated contender Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (25-0, 16 KOs)will face one of his toughest challenges to date, taking on the always-dangerous and exciting Fidel “The Atrisco Kid” Maldonado Jr. (22-3-1, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBC International Super Lightweight Championship in the 10-round co-main event of the Dec. 16 HBO Latino® Boxing tripleheader at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Tickets are already on sale for the stacked card, which will feature a light heavyweight match-up of top contenders between WBC USNBC Champion Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) and Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) in the main event and Bronx-born IBF North American welterweight titlist Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (19-1, 11 KOs) putting his title on the line in a 10-round fight against undefeated Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (16-0, 11 KOs) of Lynn, Massachusetts.

Orozco has shot to the top of the rankings in the last two years with victories over solid opposition including three-division world champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto, Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor and Abner “Jaeger” Lopez. In Maldonado, Orozco will see an offensive-minded fighter who has scored knockouts in 19 of his 22 victories.

“My dream of becoming a world champion is getting closer and closer, and I am confident I will keep my undefeated streak alive against Fidel Maldonado, Jr.,” Orozco said. “Fidel doesn’t know how to take a step backwards, and anyone who knows my style know that I don’t, either. Fans should expect fireworks.”

“One guy is nicknamed ‘Relentless’ and the other has knocked out almost all of his opponents — this is a guaranteed slugfest,” said Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Whoever comes out on top in this fight will likely be looking at a world title shot in 2017, so they will both leave it all in the ring.”

Off HBO Latino, but on RingTV.com, WBC Silver featherweight titlist and Santa Ana-born Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs)will seek to grow his three-fight winning streak – including a solid victory against the then-undefeated Jason Velez to earn the belt – against prospect Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (12-1-2, 6 KOs).

Another standout Golden Boy Promotions prospect, San Diego’s Genaro “El Conde” Gamez (3-0, 3 KO) will return for his fourth performance in a four-round super featherweight match against a soon to be announced opponent.

Can’t-miss super lightweight prospect Vergil Ortiz Jr. (2-0, 2 KOs), hot off of two, thunderous first-round knockouts including one in his hometown of Dallas, Texas, will step in against Juarez, Mexico’s Nestor Garcia (0-1) for a four-round fight.

Super welterweight banger Alexis Rocha (5-0, 4 KOs) returns to Fantasy Springs two months after delivering a devastating knockout to take on a yet-to-be-determined opponent in a six-round scrap.

Opening the night, Ryan “Blue Chip” Martin (15-0, 9 KOs) will look to keep his impressive undefeated record intact in an eight-round bout in the Lightweight division against an opponent to be named later.

Local fan favorite Javier Padilla (1-0, 1 KO) will look to build on his successful pro debut at the same venue two months ago when he takes on Christian Lorenzo (2-3, 1 KO) of Los Angeles in a four-round battle of Super Bantamweights.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.mainevents.com and www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @main_events, @HBOLatino, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/maineventsboxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @main_events. Follow the conversation using the hashtag #ShabranskyyBarrera

BERANRD HOPKINS VS. JOE SMITH JR. & SHABRANSKYY VS. BARRERA LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Bernard Hopkins
LOS ANGELES (October 24, 2016) – Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of FamerBernard “The Executioner” Hopkins(55-7-2, 32 KOs) and Light Heavyweight Contender Joe Smith Jr. (22-1, 18 KOs) today hosted a Los Angeles press conference to discuss their 12-round battle set for December 17 at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. and to be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®. Also, in attendance for this press conference was Los Angeles-based undefeated Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) as he takes on Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs) for a 10-round bout for Shabranskyy’s WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title on HBO Latino® Boxing on Friday, December 16 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Also rounding out the HBO Latino® Boxing card, was Former WBC Silver featherweight titlist Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs) against Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (12-1-2, 6 KOs).

Below is what the fighters, their trainers, managers and promoter had to say at today’s press conference:

BERNARD HOPKINS, Former Two-Division World Champion and Future Hall of Famer:

“This is history, we have been here many times where history has been made. This is obviously different than everything I have ever done, because it is the Final 1. To be able to have the Final 1 in LA, where the city of stars are trying to be stars, however you cut it, it couldn’t have been better with the history placed in the DNA that the Forum has produced.

“It is fitting that the end of a twenty-nine year career, since 1988 is in a historic place at the Forum in Inglewood, CA. This is something that came as an opportunity to be here. I couldn’t tell you that it would be in this arena-it just happened, and here I am against an incredible opponent.

“I don’t want anyone to say Joe Smith Jr. gave me anything-give me an opportunity and give me a door and I’ll open it myself. I don’t’ have to convince anyone of anything. This is not emotional. What I am going to do is show you why I have been named three different names in boxing from “The Executioner” to “B-Hop” to “The Alien” they all exist in me.

“On December 17th you will see “The Executioner,” it will all come full circle. This press conference is just a warm up. Win, lose or draw, there is no excuse-Final 1.”

JOE SMITH JR., Light Heavyweight Contender:

“I’m so glad I was chosen to fight Bernard Hopkins in his final fight on December 17th at the Forum. I’m going to train very hard for this fight and take full advantage of it. I’m looking forward to putting on a great show for everyone.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“As you know, we are calling this the “Final 1,” and Bernard has expressed this is the final one. We are really excited to be putting together this card. We want to thank HBO for putting this card together.

“December 17th will be historical. I want to say coming out party, but it will be the last hoorah, as a champion goes out in his terms, in his way. Only legends can do that and superstars who transcend the sport.

“What excited me about this fight is that Bernard is not fighting someone who is a walk in the park, he is fighting a difficult fight, and this gentleman has every opportunity in the book to win and win a world title. This is Hopkins, this is who Hopkins chose. Joe Smith Jr. has an amazing record and an outstanding knockout percentage that is unheard of in his division.

“Hopkins will be an athlete that will transcend the sport, not just for what he has accomplished in the ring, but for outside of it, and that is huge. I am very excited and happy that this fight will be taking place in an arena where I began my professional career. It is an honor for me and thank you for giving Los Angeles and Angelenos an opportunity to watch this fight.

“Leading up to the event, we have some great events coming up. The annual Oscar De La Hoya Foundation Toy Giveaway will be taking place the day of the fight. We want to get the community involved, not only because yours truly is from here and I began my career here-but because we are celebrating a legend, such as Bernard in a way he should be honored.

“Part of the festivities leading up to the December 17th fight will be a card on December 16th on HBO Latino at one of the best casinos in California, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino,

“At Golden Boy, we are very proud to grow our young fighters. Rios vs. Tapia wasn’t an easy fight to make, because we have developed these fighters, but you have to make great fights for the fans and this will be an exciting fight to watch

“On December 16th, I think it is best to promote one of the best divisions in boxing today, the middleweight division. I acknowledge Jason Quigley, who is here today as an undefeated middleweight fighter.

“The main event fight on December 16th has a potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate, in a very hot division-light heavyweight division. Ever since I saw Shabranskyy, who I nicknamed ‘Chingonskyy’ I have seen something in him, with his finesse in the ring. He is a very special fighter and he is facing an experienced, durable fighter in Sullivan Barrera.

“Thank you to our sponsor, Tecate. I am proud to announce that Tecate will be sponsoring boxing in a whole new way in 2017, everyone will be blown away by how they will bring boxing to the next level.

“What makes Bernard Hopkins is that he doesn’t stop, he keeps going and surprises people. He would continue until he was 60 if he could, that’s what a legend is, he takes care of himself and keeps going.

JOE DEGUARDIA, President and CEO of Star Boxing:

“It is certainly great to be here in LA at the Forum where so much history has been made. This fight was really easy to male, and that is a testament to Bernard Hopkins, because most fighters would shy away from a puncher like Joe Smith Jr. It is an honor and I thank Bernard and Oscar for taking this fight.”

TONY WALKER, Director of HBO Sports:

“December 17th is our last broadcast of the year, and it is very special because it is the last time we will see Bernard Hopkins in the ring. This fight will be Bernard’s twenty-third fight on HBO, tying him with Lennox Lewis in appearances. Hopkins will join all of the boxing greats you can name. His traits of tenacity and endurance have been with him and we are going to celebrate Bernard with this Final 1 fight.”

JOSE “PEPE” SULAIMAN, JR., CEO of the WBC’s Los Angeles Office:

“With greatness comes great responsibility, Bernard Hopkins has taken this to very high levels. He is an ambassador for peace, and is an example in and outside the ring. He has a wonderful relationship with the WBC, and was a very great friend to my father.

“At the WBC, we are very proud to be a part of this fight. This is not another fight, this is not a farewell fight, this a real fight. We are very enthusiastic to be a part of this. Great champions fight great fights and great fighters. There will be two belts. One for the winner and one to celebrate a great champion.”

ANDY FOSTER, Executive Director of the California State Athletic Commission:

“One thing I can tell you, the California Commission does not care who wins, we want both fighters to go home safe. We look forward to a safe and successful event.”

NICK SPAMPANATO, Senior Vice President West Coast and General Manager of the Forum and MSG:

“The people up here are the best in the business. At The Forum, we are extremely excited to host this fight and have the historic Forum be the host. December 17th will be a great night of fights and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”

CHRIS LAVOIE, Public Relations Manager of Fantasy Springs Resort Casino:

“Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is proud to be hosting a great weekend in boxing, it will be broadcast live on HBO Latino. We are proud of our longtime relationship with Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions. Golden Boy boxing brings about ten to twelve shows a year to Fantasy Springs and Shabranskyy vs. Barrera will be an exciting fight on December 16th.”

VYACHESLAV SHABRANSKYY, WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion:

“My next fight is December 16th on HBO Latino, and I am very excited to fight. This is a good opportunity for me and for the fans to witness a great fight. I will be ready”

RONNY RIOS, Former WBC Silver Featherweight Champion:

“First and foremost, thank you to HBO and Golden Boy for this great opportunity. December 16th and 17th will be a great night for boxing, as a legend says good bye to the sport. I never underestimate any opponent or fight, so Roy let’s put on a great show for everyone to see why Golden Boy is the best promoter in the sport.”

ROY TAPIA, Featherweight Prospect:

“What can I say, December 16th will be a great fight. I want to thank my manager and Golden Boy. It has been anything but a smooth path to get here, but on December 16th you will see who I am and what I can do. Like Bernard Hopkins just said up here, give me a door and I will knock it down.”

Hopkins vs. Smith is a 12-round light heavyweight battle presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Hopkins vs. Smith are priced at $25, $50, $75, $105 and $205, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person, go on sale Monday, October 24, 2016 at 10:00 am PST. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00am PST to 7:00pm PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.comor www.ticketmaster.com.

Shabranskyy vs. Barrera is a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila Doors open at 4:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 4:15 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino® Boxing telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). Ticket information to be announced shortly.

MASSIVE TRIPLEHEADER HEADLINED BY LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN BETWEEN VYACHESLAV SHABRANSKYYAND SULLIVAN BARRERA SET FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16 AT FANTASY SPRINGS RESORT CASINO IN INDIO, CALIF. TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO LATINO® BOXING

LOS ANGELES (October 19, 2016) – Los Angeles-based undefeated Vyacheslav “Lionheart Chingonskyy” Shabranskyy (17-0, 14 KOs) will look to continue his impressive run up the light heavyweight ladder, but standing in his way will be his toughest competition to date in the form of Cuban standout Sullivan Barrera (17-1, 12 KOs), as the two warriors go head-to-head in a 10-round bout for Shabranskyy’s WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight title on HBO Latino® Boxing on Friday, December 16 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Shabranskyy is coming off of victories inside the distance in his last seven of eight fights and last appeared on HBO Latino at the end of last year when he earned a hard-fought majority decision against rugged contender Yunieski Gonzalez.

“My goal is to win a world championship in the light heavyweight division, and Barrera is just another stepping stone on that path,” Shabranskyy said. “I am excited to make my second appearance on HBO Latino, and look forward to fans seeing me get ready to take on any upcoming challenges in the ring.”

Barrera is a standout boxer/puncher out of Cuba, now living in Miami. He has amassed a stellar record and reputation during his years in the sport with his only blemish a hard-fought battle against top five pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward. Barrera’s main challenge has been finding opponents willing to step into the ring against him.

“I’m looking forward to December 16. My respect to Shabranskyy for agreeing to fight me,” said Barrera. “This will be a great fight for the fans!”

“Anyone who has heard me talk about Slava over the last few years knows that I’m extremely bullish on him winning a world championship in his next few fights,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.”He can do anything in the ring – he’s got power in both hands, he moves incredibly well for a tall fighter and he has an incredible capacity to learn from his mistakes. With a win against Barrera, Slava will position himself for some very big things in 2017.

“Sullivan gave Andre Ward the toughest fight Ward has had in years,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events. “A performance like that against one of the best fighters in the world is impressive! With the experience he gained and a new trainer to guide him, I think Sullivan has everything he needs to become a world champion. That journey starts with beating Slava Shabranskyy on December 16!”

In the televised co-main event of the night, Bronx-born IBF North American welterweight titlist Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez (19-1, 11 KOs) will put his title on the line in a 10-round fight against undefeated Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (16-0, 11 KOs) of Lynn, Massachusetts.

Gomez is coming off of three straight victories including a May win in this last appearances over Jon Karl Sosa that earned Gomez the IBF North American welterweight title.

Ellis has never tasted defeat in this three-year career and has held the WBA Fedecentro welterweight title and the interim WBC Latino Welterweight championship. He has fought at the junior middleweight and middleweight limits during his last two fights, but returns to welterweight for his showdown with Gomez.

Rounding out the HBO Latino card, WBC Silver featherweight titlist and Santa Ana-born Ronny Rios (26-1, 11 KOs) will seek to grow his three-fight winning streak – including a solid victory against the then-undefeated Jason Velez to earn the belt — against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.

Vyacheslav Shabranskyy vs. Sullivan Barrera is a 10-round super lightweight bout for the WBC USNBC Light Heavyweight championship, presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” and Casa Mexico Tequila Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 5:10 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino® Boxing telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). Ticket information to be announced shortly.