Articles

QUILLIN, CUELLAR, OQUENDO & ALGIERI MEDIA WORKOUTS QUOTES

Published

8 years ago

November 25, 2015

PETER QUILLIN, JESUS CUELLAR, JONATHAN OQUENDO & CHRIS ALGIERI MEDIA WORKOUTS QUOTES & PHOTOS

Quillin, Oquendo & Algieri Host Media In Miami While Cuellar Talks To Media
At Gym In Marina del Rey, Calif., Leading Up To Saturday, December 5 Showdowns From Barclays Center, Live On SHOWTIME^®

Quillin, Oquendo & Algieri Photos From Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME

Cuellar Photo From Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

BROOKLYN (Nov. 25, 2015) – After hosting separate Coast-to-Coast media workouts in Miami and Marina del Rey, Calif., Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Jesus Cuellar, Jonathan “Polvo” Oquendo and Chris Algieri spoke to the media about their respective showdowns next Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, live on SHOWTIME.

Quillin, Oquendo and Algieri held their media workout at the 5^th Street Gym in Miami while Cuellar hosted media at CMC Pro Boxing Gym in Marina del Rey.

Quillin headlines the Dec. 5 show when he takes on WBA Middleweight World Champion Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs. Cuellar and Oquendo square-off in a battle for Cuellar’s WBA Featherweight World Title while Algieri anchors SHOWTIME EXTREME coverage when he takes on Erick Bone. Coverage on SHOWTIME starts at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT while SHOWTIME EXTREME begins at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50, not

including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

The Algieri fight is promoted in association with Star Boxing.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

PETER QUILLIN, Undefeated Former Middleweight World Champion

“This has been one of the most inspirational camps that I’ve had in my career. I’m around great people. I’m in the best shape of my life and as humble as possible. We’re going into this fight with nothing but confidence.

“I’m mentally and spiritually strong. I’ve been in 33 of these fights in my career. Every one of those guys has said they’re going to beat ‘Kid Chocolate’ but no one has beaten me. I’ve been in with a lot of different guys and I’m yet to be beat.

“I’m humble and blessed to be on this platform. I hope that I can inspire those who want to get to where I’m at. I’ve been in this place before. I’ve been at the top for a while and I’m going to stay here. My view of myself has never changed and that’s why I continue to win.

“It’s important for my journey and my team to get this win. We’ve put a lot of blood and sweat into this and it would mean everything for it to pay off with a victory. All this hard work has to go towards something.

“I don’t have a prediction for fight night. It’s up to Daniel Jacobs to determine that — because I’m here to win.”

JESUS CUELLAR, WBA Featherweight World Champion

“Training camp has been going great. I spent my first four weeks of camp in Argentina and then the past seven weeks I have been training in Los Angeles. My mindset in this camp hasn’t changed at all now that I am defending my title for the first time.

“Jonathan Oquendo comes from a lower division and has fought great competition. As long as I come in prepared for this fight, Oquendo is just another opponent and doesn’t bother me. I know what I am capable of accomplishing in this fight.

“I am blessed to be on such a prestigious card and I am honored to be a part of it. That’s why training camp has been so long, I must be completely prepared.

“There is no difference to me in winning the interim belt versus the title. When I first won the interim belt I considered myself a champion. To me, I’ve always been a champion.

“I didn’t expect to be fighting Jonathan Oquendo, but they mentioned my name and I want to fight the best fighters out there. I will fight any of the best fighters in the division.

“I know that there are five great champions in this division, and I will fight any of them.

“After the Oquendo fight I hope to fight one more time at 126 against a big-name fighter and then I will move up to 130 pounds. I will fight anyone in the featherweight division.

“The fact that I am the only current champion from Argentina doesn’t affect me. I knew that I would be a world champion since a young age and that’s why I train so hard.

“Growing up in Argentina was very difficult. I am one of eight siblings and the only one who is a boxer. My dad first introduced me to boxing because he was a professional fighter in Argentina. I have been in the gym since I was six years old.

“Since I won the title people have definitely begun to recognize me more in Argentina. I have been known since I was on the Argentinean National Team, but winning the title helped my recognition in the country.

“My nickname is ‘El Forastero’ because that is the name of my horse in Argentina. Besides boxing, I have always been interested in riding horses.”

JONATHAN OQUENDO, Featherweight Contender

“Cuellar is a very strong fighter. He’s a warrior in the ring, so I’m preparing myself for a very tough fight. I’m getting ready for his aggressive style.

“This is a great opportunity for me. Fighting in New York, with the great Puerto Rican fan base is wonderful and I am not going to disappoint them.

“I’ve been here in Florida for a month training and I’ll be heading up to New York on December 1. My plan is to go back to Puerto Rico after I win this fight and become a world champion.

“I’m very relaxed. I believe I am going to win this fight. I want to follow in the footsteps of the other great world champions from Puerto Rico.”

CHRIS ALGIERI, Former Super Lightweight World Champion

“Training camp has been fantastic. It’s been a productive five weeks with John David Jackson and we’re ready to roll into this fight. We’ve been working non-stop since the Amir Khan fight and I’m in great shape.

“Bone is a scrappy guy who will come in shape. This is his world title fight. He’s going to come as prepared as possible. I have to go out there and control the fight with my skill level and intelligence.

“I love fighting at Barclays Center. I’ve had some of my best performances there and I plan to do it again and keep it rolling into 2016.

“I’m going to go out there and show winning form. I’m going to use my experience to dominate the fight.”

# # #

Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @DanielJacobsTKO, @KidChocolate, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment and www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter.

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The Sweet Science

Articles

2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

8 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

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Articles

Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

8 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

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Articles

2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

8 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

Photo by naoki fukuda

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