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Promoter Floyd Mayweather & Premier Boxing Champions Media Workout Quotes

Published

9 years ago

June 18, 2015

LAS VEGAS (June 17, 2015) – With pound-for pound king and President of Mayweather Promotions Floyd “Money” Mayweather looking on, fighters competing on this weekend’s Premier Boxing Champions cards at MGM Grand, participated in a media workout Wednesday at Mayweather Boxing Club. Mayweather made the most of his time at the gym, staying for nearly two hours to talk with the media, give the fighters insight and advice and sign autographs for fans.

Fighters who worked out at the event that are featured on Saturday’s Premier Boxing Champions on NBC card included Adrien “The Problem” Broner (30-1, 22 KOs), “Showtime” Shawn Porter (25-1-1, 16 KOs) and Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (16-0, 13 KOs). Coverage on NBC begins at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. Broner, who considers Mayweather a mentor and “big brother,” has trained at the Mayweather Boxing Club for weeks, per Mayweather’s suggestion.

Principle fighters who will be showcased on Sunday’s Premier Boxing Champions on CBS card were also in attendance as Rances Barthelemy (22-0, 13 KOs), Antonio DeMarco (31-4-1, 23 KOs), Sammy Vasquez (18-0, 13 KOs) and Wale Omotoso (25-1, 21 KOs) all worked out and signed autographs. Coverage begins on CBS Sports at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the Saturday’s event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions in association with TGB Promotions, are priced at $400, $300, $100 and $50, not including applicable service charges and taxes are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Tickets for Sunday’s event, which is also promoted by Mayweather Promotions in association with TGB Promotions are priced at $100, $75, $50, and $25 not including applicable service charges and taxes are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Here are what the workout participants had to say:

FLOYD MAYWEATHER, President of Mayweather Promotions

“You’ve got two guys this weekend in Adrien Broner and Shawn Porter who have the right teams around them. If they continue to win and we bring their personality out of them, we’ll see what happens.

“Shawn Porter has been a champion before. He only has one loss and Adrien only has one loss. So I think this is a good matchup.

“When I was getting ready for Robert Guerrero, who is a southpaw, the first guy I started looking to spar with was a southpaw and Errol (Spence Jr.) was giving me real good work. He pushed me and made me get in tip top condition, and once I was in tip top condition, I was ready and the best I could be. He’s a hell of a fighter.”

ADRIEN BRONER

“Porter can’t beat me, it’s not going to happen.

“I will not be the next Floyd Mayweather. I will be the first and only Adrien Broner.

“I don’t know why I would be terrified of Porter. I’m not terrified of anything. He can talk, it’s all okay.

“I’m going to give my dad a great Father’s Day present this weekend when I get that victory Saturday night.

“Everyone has to tune-in to see AB on NBC, it’s going to be a show just like every time I step into the ring.”

SHAWN PORTER

“I feel great. My weight is great and that’s all that matters. That’s the first small battle and the next battle will come on Saturday night.

“I think Broner thought that if he gets me drained it would be a problem for me, but it’s not going to be. That’s not the Porter way. We’ve done everything right to this point.

“Broner keeps saying that he hopes I’m ready to bring it, but I don’t really understand what he means because everyone knows I’m ready and everyone knows I always bring it. You don’t have to ask that of Shawn Porter.

“He’s a talker, he likes to run his mouth but it’s all good. We’re just going to do our thing on Saturday night.

“This is going to be a good one. Certainly a crowd pleaser. Old or new to boxing, this is going to be good for you. Broner has skills, but I have skills too. It’s going to be a magnificent fight on Saturday night.”

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“It’s been training camp as usual for us. We didn’t really do anything different, it was a little more intense but all the same things we do.

“I’m just ready to fight. I want to weigh-in, get some food in my stomach and get in that ring. I’m on weight already, it’s been a long, eight-week training camp so we’re 100 percent ready.

“I’m a boxer-puncher. I can come forward or I can box. I’m always looking for the knockout and I’m always bringing exciting fights.

“Fighting on NBC, on my biggest card to date, it’s really big for me and I have to perform so that I can get back on NBC and be the main event next time.”

RANCES BARTHELEMY

“I know DeMarco will be prepared and he’ll put a lot of pressure like Mexican fighters do. That’s the only way that he has a chance. We have a plan for how we’re going to fight.

“Moving to Las Vegas has made me more relaxed and comfortable. Now that I’m married and have my daughter, it’s been even more peaceful. I’m ready to go.

“Being on CBS where everybody in the U.S. can see me, it gives me even more inspiration. People will know who I am after this fight.”

ANTONIO DEMARCO

“I’m coming in ready to box, brawl or whatever it will take to get the victory on Sunday.

“I know my opponent is undefeated but he has not fought the same guys I have. My experience is better and it will show in the ring.

“We had a great training camp, all the hard work is done. It’s about going out on Sunday and putting on a show for everyone to see.”

SAMMY VASQUEZ

“This was probably the best sparring camp I’ve ever had. It was a little longer than I’m used to – about eight weeks – and we had some great sparring partners. I’m more ready than ever.

“The guys that Omotoso’s faced, he’s knocked out, so he’s been doing his job. He’s a power hitter so I know I can’t take him lightly. He dropped Jessie Vargas, but he’s not as quick of a fighter as I am.

“He can say what he wants, but he’s not going to knock me out. That’s what he’s supposed to say. Everything changes when you step into the ring. He’s going to find out pretty quickly that he hasn’t faced anyone like me.

“My game plan is to beat him and if I see the opportunity to knock him out then I will take it.

“I’m fighting for all my fans back in Pittsburgh, all my brothers and sister in the Armed Forces. I’ll be carrying them on my back as I enter the ring this Sunday.”

WALE OMOTOSO

“I’ve seen a few of Sammy’s fights. I think he has speed, but that’s the only thing that I see. I don’t think he has the power to knock me out.

“I’ve faced the tougher guys than him. In my last fight I floored Jessie Vargas, and I think Jessie is quicker than him.

“It doesn’t matter how quick he is, he’ll bring out the best in me.

“When I see a challenge I like to face it. I’m going to knock him out.”

# # #

Photo credit : Idris Erba/Mayweather Promotions

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.nbcsports.com/boxing and www.mayweatherpromotions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @AdrienBroner, @ShowtimeShawnP, @ErrolSpenceJr, @RealKidBlast, @De.Marco07, @SammyV2112, @MayweatherPromo @NBCSports, @SHOSports and @MGMGrand and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions,www.Facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/NBCSports www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing orhttp://shosportspoundforpound.tumblr.com/.

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2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

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

Published

9 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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2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 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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