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Quotes From “Mayhem” Undercard Fighters
“MAYHEM: MAYWEATHER VS. MAIDANA 2” SHOWTIME PPV® UNDERCARD FIGHTERS DISCUSS TRAINING CAMP DAYS AWAY FROM FIGHT NIGHT ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 13
Undercard Fighters Trained Across The Country For Respective
SHOWTIME PPV® Bouts From MGM Grand in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (Sept. 8, 2014) – “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” SHOWTIME PPV undercard fighters Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, Miguel “Títere” Vázquez, Mickey “The Spirit” Bey and James De La Rosa have wrapped up their training camps and have made their way to Las Vegas to set the stage for the most anticipated rematch of the year. Expectations are high, but the Saturday, Sept. 13 undercard promises to deliver, live on SHOWTIME PPV (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
In the main event, undefeated 11-time world champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather will square off against Marcos “Chino” Maidana in a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight, WBC Welterweight and WBC Super Welterweight World Titles.
In the co-feature, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title on the line against Roman. In the second pay-per-view fight of the evening, Vázquez will defend his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Bey in a 12-round bout. In the opening fight of the telecast, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo will face De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout.
Fight week has arrived, and as the fighters prepare for their bouts, Roman, Vázquez, Bey and De La Rosa answered some questions about how they’ve trained for boxing’s biggest stage.
MANUEL ROMAN
Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?
A: There’s a little fatigue, but after training camp I’ll be in good shape.
Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?
A: In South Gate, Calif. with my trainer Salvador Casillas.
Q: What made you decide to train there?
A: I’ve been with Salvador for a couple of years and we wanted to keep things consistent.
Q: What did you do to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?
A: I like to be with my family. I rest a lot, and we like to go to the park for walks.
Q: What motivates you most during training camp?
A: This is pay-per-view and on Floyd Mayweather’s undercard. There aren’t a lot of fighters who get this opportunity so I want to take advantage.
Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?
A: Performing at my best for the fans is motivation. My family comes first though. Them being happy is most important.
Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?
A: They all live close by, but my dad is always around. He’s my biggest supporter.
Q: You’re coming off of consecutive wins. Do you think that you’re carrying some momentum heading into your fight with Leo Santa Cruz?
A: Yes, of course. I feel great coming off of those two wins and there shouldn’t be any ring rust.
Q: Santa Cruz has said that you have nothing to lose coming in to this fight and everything to gain. Do you agree with his assessment?
A: That’s actually a good way to say it. I agree with him.
Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Leo’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?
A: I’m going to need to throw a lot of counter punches, and I’ll have to have a lot of oxygen to handle all the punches (Santa Cruz) will throw.
MIGUEL VAZQUEZ
Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?
A: I’m feeling very good and strong. I’m prepared in every way and ready to win.
Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?
A: With with Javier Capetillo Sr. at the Ponce De Leon Boxing Gym in Montebello, Calif.
Q: What made you decide to train there?
A: It’s a great private gym that I’m familiar with.
Q: What did you do to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?
A: I tried to rest and spend time with my family. That’s what I like to do with my free time.
Q: What motivates you most during training camp?
A: The Lord helps me and takes me to victory. That’s my greatest motivation.
Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?
A: Jesus Christ and the money.
Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?
A: Yes, it’s been great having my family around. They help make camp more comfortable and are very supportive.
Q: You’re coming off of 13 consecutive wins. Do you think that momentum will help you come Sept. 13?
A: Yes, the momentum is definitely going to help. I’m just very motivated to get another win and keep this going.
Q: This will be your third fight at MGM Grand. Do you believe that your previous experiences there will help you, and if so, how?
A: Yes, the experience should help. I’ve matured more too and that is going to help also. I’m mentally prepared for this fight.
Q: You’ve been getting more and more professional experience against American fighters. Do you notice any major differences between Mexican and American fighters?
A: No, I feel like all fighters are complicated and risky. I prepare for each of them the same.
Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Mickey’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?
A: I really don’t watch too much video to study guys. I trust my trainer and let him guide me as far as the strategy is concerned.
MICKEY BEY
Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?
A: I feel great. I was ahead of schedule. We’ve been putting in a lot of work to get to this point.
Q: Where did you train and who did you train with?
A: I’ve been preparing with Floyd Mayweather Sr. at Mayweather Boxing Club.
Q: What made you decide to train there?
A: I’ve been training there for a while, so we just wanted to continue with what’s been successful.
Q: What have you been doing to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?
A: I don’t do that much actually. I rest. I might drop by the gym to see Floyd train. Other than that I just eat, sleep and train.
Q: What motivates you most during training camp?
A: I want to become a world champion. I know I could have done it a while ago, but I’m with the right team now and I have the opportunity.
Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?
A: Living up to the expectations that I set for myself.
Q: You’re coming off of consecutive wins. Do you think that you’re carrying some momentum heading into your fight with Miguel Vazquez?
A: Yes, absolutely. I’m always working on improving. I think I improve rapidly and I’ll do whatever I can to get better.
Q: You’ve fought at MGM Grand once before. Do you believe that your previous experience there will help you, and if so, how?
A: As long as there’s a ring, it doesn’t matter where it is. If there’s a ring I’m going to fight. I might enjoy fighting on the biggest stage, but the fight is going to be the same no matter where it happens.
Q: Do you think that your 10th round loss to John Molina Jr. last year was a setback for you, and did you learn any particular lessons from that defeat?
A: It wasn’t a setback because I won every round. I started playing around at the end and he got me. I only really got hit three times, and he kind of blindsided me at the end. The fight was easy though.
Q: How’s everything going with Floyd Mayweather Sr. in training? Are you doing anything new this time around in training camp?
A: We stepped things way up this time around. We’re doing old school stuff. People wonder why he’s such a good trainer. It’s because he came up around guys who worked with greats like Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson. We’ve been working on some of the same things those guys practiced.
Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Miguel’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?
A: Yes, there are things I can expose. I’m not preparing any differently though. I’m good at adapting and my preparation helps me be ready for everything.
JAMES DE LA ROSA
Q: We’re less than a week away from fight night. How are you feeling physically?
A: I feel really good. This is probably the best I’ve ever felt and the closest I stayed on weight throughout camp.
Q: Where did you train and who did you train wtih?
A: I’m trained in my hometown of Harlingen, Texas with my dad.
Q: What made you decide to train there?
A: I wanted to be close to my family.
Q: What have you been doing to pass the time when you’re not at the gym?
A: I’m always at the gym. I’m always trying to stay consistent and doing something to keep myself loose.
Q: What motivates you most during training camp?
A: The opportunity that I have and the spot that I’m in right now. Sometimes it takes fighters a long time to recover from losses, but I have the opportunity to keep on going and prove that I belong.
Q: You make a living in the toughest, most hardnosed sport there is. So what makes you truly happy?
A: Being in the ring makes me happy. My kids keep me happy of course, but being at the gym and in the ring is always on my mind. I love what I do, and I love putting on a show for the people. I’ve been boxing since I was eight. So I really love everything about the sport.
Q: Did any family come along with you for training as you prepare for this fight?
A: My dad’s my head trainer so he motivates and pushes me. I’ve always asked my dad to treat me like any other fighter. So he works with me and always encourages me.
Q: After dropping two of your last four bouts, do you think your fights with Conyers and Willis were setbacks for you?
A: They were losses, but I learned a lot from both of those fights. Now I’m coming back harder than ever, and I know what I have to do to continue being successful in this sport.
Q: This will be your first fight at MGM Grand. Angulo has fought there once before earlier this year. Do you think that his familiarity having fought there previously will play to his advantage?
A: No, because when I get in the ring I feel that it’s my time to put on a show. It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting or where he’s been. Whether the crowd is rooting for him or not, he’s going to know my name by the end of the night.
Q: Are you doing anything special to prepare for Angulo’s style of fighting? Do you see anything unique about his style that you’re looking to expose?
A: I’ve seen a lot of stuff that I hope to expose. There are lots of things that he does wrong, and we’ve been working so that I can capitalize on them once we get in the ring.
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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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.
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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