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LAS VEGAS (Jan. 17, 2014) – Former World Champion and Mexican boxing superstar Canelo Alvarez returns to the ring on Saturday, March 8 to face the fierce and rugged Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo in the headline attraction of a stacked four-fight event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, presented live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, the pay-per-view card offers matchups that promise to be exciting, all-action bouts. The most anticipated match of the night features Canelo, as he looks to reassert himself as the best young fighter of this era. Rounding out the card are two outstanding 12-round fights: Two-Division World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KO’s) will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against former Two-Time World Champion Cristian “El Diamante” Mijares (49-7-2, 24 KO’s); exciting young star Omar “Panterita’’ Figueroa (24-0-1, 17 KO’s) will risk his WBC Interim Lightweight Title against Canelo’s brother Ricardo “Dinamita” Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KO’s) and former Two-Time World Champion Jorge “Niño de Oro” Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s) will face Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s) in a lightweight clash.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at $600, $400, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

March 8 is a hallowed date in boxing history as in 1971; “Smokin” Joe Frazier first met Muhammad Ali in the ring to begin their epic series. Now, eight fighters, including two of the most exciting Mexican stars of today, will attempt to do their part to add to its lore.

“This is a great fight for me and for the fans and I can’t wait to get back in the ring on March 8,” said Canelo, who will be making his first ring appearance since his mega-fight with pound-for-pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather last September. “Angulo is a true warrior and I have to be alert every second of every round when I fight him. I expect that we will put on a fight no one will ever forget.”

“Canelo is a great young fighter who has earned his way to the top,” said Angulo. “That being said, I know I’m hungrier than he is right now and I will take him to places he’s never been. Our fans in Mexico and around the world will see what we’re all about when we fight.”

“When we presented opponents to Canelo for his return fight, he immediately took the man who he expected would give him the toughest challenge in the ring and who also would help him give the fans the most exciting fight possible,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Alfredo Angulo fits the bill on all counts and this will not only be a stern test for Canelo, but I know fight fans are going to see all action from start to finish. I can say that about all the fights on the card, and in keeping with Golden Boy Promotions’ promise to fans, we’re making sure to deliver the most competitive and compelling matchups that we can.”

“We are very excited to welcome back Canelo Alvarez to MGM Grand for what’s sure to be a fierce battle with Alfredo Angulo,” said Richard Sturm, president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “These two fighters are sure to bring their best performances to the MGM Grand Garden Arena for a thrilling evening of epic boxing.”

“This is the type of stacked, all-action fight card that SHOWTIME has become known for,” said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “We are proud to present this excellent main event and compelling co-features on our preeminent platform, SHOWTIME PPV. Last year, this network emerged as the premiere destination for boxing’s biggest events and most competitive fights. The men and the matchups on this fight card embody our commitment to deliver the best the sport has to offer.”

A superstar in his native Mexico who has gone international with his appeal over the last two years, Canelo Alvarez (42-1-1, 30 KO’s) is a former super welterweight world champion whose talent, fighting style and charisma is likely to keep him on top for years to come. Only 23 years of age, the Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico native turned pro in 2005 and he hasn’t looked back since he defeated the likes of Jose Miguel Cotto, Carlos Baldomir, Lovemore Ndou, Matthew Hatton, Ryan Rhodes, Alfonso Gomez, Kermit Cintron and Sugar Shane Mosley. In 2013, Canelo packed nearly 40,000 fans into the Alamodome in San Antonio for a win over Austin Trout to unify 154-pound titles. Canelo’s last fight, the main event bout vs. Mayweather, shattered pay-per-view revenue records, largely due to the growing popularity of the bright Mexican star. On March 8, Canelo is back.

A vicious puncher with a crowd-pleasing and aggressive style, Mexicali Baja California, Mexico native Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-3, 18 KO’s) produces exciting fights every time he steps through the ropes, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Owner of 2012 wins over Raul Casarez and Jorge Silva, the 31-year-old appeared to be on his way to his first world championship in June 2013 when he knocked down Erislandy Lara twice in their interim WBA title fight. However, a controversial stoppage due to an eye injury postponed Angulo’s ascension to the top, something he hopes to rectify starting with his bout against Alvarez.

All-action warrior Leo Santa Cruz simply outworks his opponents every time he steps between the ropes, becoming must-see TV in the process. But he will be meeting a former world champion in Cristian Mijares who plans on having an answer for everything the young titlist throws at him.

“I’ve always been a fan of Cristian Mijares, and I know he will give me a tough fight on March 8,” said Santa Cruz. “When two Mexicans get into the ring together, it’s always a show, and this fight will be no different.”

“Santa Cruz is an impressive young fighter and a worthy champion,” said Mijares. “I respect him because he fights like I fight: to get the knockout and give the fans a great fight. They will get their money’s worth on March 8.”
Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KO’s) is widely recognized as one of the highest -olume punchers in the game today. The 25-year-old, two-division world champion fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacán de Ocampo, Mexico, and will be making the second defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won by knockout last August. In his initial defense, Santa Cruz registered one knockdown en route to a close, hard-fought, decision over a determined and courageous Cesar Seda last Dec. 14. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as six of his last seven fights have aired on the premium network. The other came on CBS Television Network in December 2012.
Mijares (48-7-2, 22 KO’s), 32, of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico, is as game as any active fighter today. His give-and-take southpaw style makes him as vulnerable as he is exciting. He’s is currently 14-1 in his last 15 fights dating to November 2009. A pro since 1997, the former Three-Time World Champion is 8-2 in world title fights and owns a ninth-round TKO over renowned slugger Rafael Marquez. His only defeat since 2009 came on a split 12-round decision to then-WBC champ Victor Terrazas on April 13, 2013.
Seen for years as the future of boxing, Omar Figueroa’s time is now, especially after his epic win over Nihito Arakawa last July. Now returning to fight in Las Vegas for the first time since 2012, “Panterita” will look to turn back the challenge of Ricardo Alvarez, a winner of five straight who emerged on the world scene with his December victory over Rod Salka.
“I can’t wait to get back into the ring on March 8; it’s been too long and I’m ready to defend my title,” said Figueroa. “The fans know what I can do in the ring, and they’re going to see the best version of me yet against Alvarez.”
“World champions are in the Alvarez bloodline, and we’re going to make history when I become the latest champion from our family on March 8,” said Alvarez. “Figueroa is a great young fighter, but I will be the one with his hand raised in victory. ”
The popular and promising 24-year-old Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KO’s), of McAllen, Texas, captured the Interim WBC 135-pound crown with a unanimous decision over Arakawa in brutal brawl last July 27 that was a top nominee for 2013’s Fight of the Year. Figueroa, despite fighting with a cut on his nose from an accidental head butt in the third round, dropped Arakawa in the second and sixth rounds. Figueroa and Arakawa combined to throw more than 2,100 punches in their memorable 36-minute slugfest.
Alvarez (23-2-3, 13 KO’s), of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, has triumphed five consecutive times and is 13-1-1 in his last 15 bouts. The older brother of Mexican icon Canelo Alvarez and current WBC Continental Americas 140-pound champion, the 32-year-old “Dinamita” is coming off a 10-round majority decision victory over Rod Salka last Dec. 14.
Former world champion Jorge Linares has fought his way back into title contention with four consecutive victories, including three knockouts, but he will get the fight of his life from Japan’s Nihito Arakawa, whose instant classic with Figueroa last July made him an instant star in the United States and around the world.

“I’ve worked hard to get back to the top of the division, and I can’t let Arakawa slow me down,” said Linares. “He’s a tough, rugged fighter who will be in front of me all night, but I am confident that I will be victorious.”

“The United States fans treated me so well when I fought here against Omar Figueroa, and I’m excited to be back to fight Linares,” said Arakawa. “He is a true warrior and we will put on a memorable fight for sure.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Linares (35-3, 23 KO’s), a Venezuelan now fighting out of Tokyo, Japan, is a former WBC Featherweight and WBA Super Featherweight titleholder. The hard-knocking 11-year professional has won four straight, including a first-round knockout over Francisco Contreras last Nov.10 in Tokyo.
Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KO’s), of Tokyo, will be fighting for the second time in America. The 32-year-old proved his ability and toughness to the U.S. audience in the aforementioned slugfest versus Figueroa last July. Arakawa’s spirited effort was anchored by his ability to overcome two knockdowns and fight exhaustion as he forced the action until the final bell. The Japanese warrior earned great respect in defeat.
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“TOE TO TOE: Canelo vs. Angulo,” a 12-round super welterweight fight taking place Saturday, March 8 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. This event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @elperro82, @leosantacruz2, @diamantemijares, @OmarFigueroaJr, @DinamitaAB, @JorgeLinares, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #CaneloAngulo and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will take on Alfredo Anguko on March 8th in Las Vegas and will be televised via Showtime Pay Per View.

“The fight is done. Signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “Both guys are excited and ready to put on a show. These are two Mexican warriors and two of the most exciting fighters in the sport and it will be a toe-to-toe battle. That is what we are calling the card, ‘Toe to Toe.'”

“Canelo is a huge star, so going on pay-per-view was not an issue,” Schaefer said. “You see it when he goes somewhere in Los Angeles or Mexico. He has that charisma where people are drawn to him. I saw that in San Antonio in December when he came to the (Marcos Maidana-Adrien Broner card). The ovation he got was crazy. People embrace him. The fans go nuts, the females love him. You win some and you lose some. He had his first loss against Mayweather, the best fighter in the world, and there is no shame in that.

“But just because you lose to Floyd doesn’t mean you lose. He’s been exposed to so many people because of it, and that increased exposure is a good thing for Canelo and his career.

“His eye is fine. He was cleared about six weeks after the fight with Lara and he didn’t need surgery,” Michael Miller, Angulo’s manager, said. “He’s very excited and he’s looking forward to fighting Canelo. People know they’re going to get a helluva show no matter who wins. Nobody will be a loser that night because it’s going to be a memorable fight I believe.

“Angulo is going to hit Canelo and we’ll see what he can do when he gets by a big puncher.”

If Schaefer get the deal done, junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz (26-0-1, 15 KOs) would defend his belt in a mandatory defense against former two-time junior bantamweight titleholder and Mexican countryman Cristian Mijares.(49-7-2, 24 KOs), who has won two fights in a row since losing a split decision to Victor Terrazas for a vacant title in April. Santa Cruz then knocked out Terrazas in the third round in his first defense to win the title on Aug. 24.

Schaefer is also hoping to finalize a pair of lightweight bouts. In one fight, interim titlist Omar Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) would make his first defense against Ricardo Alvarez (23-2-3, 14 KOs), Canelo’s older brother.

Figueroa won the vacant interim belt in July by outpointing Nihito Arakawa (24-3-1, 16 KOs) in a savage fight of the year candidate and has not fought since. Neither has Japan’s Arawaka, who would return to face former junior lightweight and featherweight titlist Jorge Linares (35-3, 23 KOs) — a Venezuelan who lives in Japan — in the opener of the pay-per-view.

“When they have these infomercials on TV and you are ready to dial the phone and buy the product, I want this card to be an infomercial for the sport of boxing,” Schaefer said. “You announce the main and people get excited. But you say, ‘But wait, there’s more.’ I don’t have all three of these fights done yet, but I am working to get them done.

“It’s one of those cards where you can be proud of putting it on because you know when people turn on the TV you know they are going to be entertained.”

Puerto Rican junior middleweight slugger Jorge “Destroyer” Melendez (27-3-1, 26 KOs) is on the verge of getting a fight he has been calling for, for a very long time: an all-action “can’t miss” showdown with the always-dangerous Mexican, Alfredo ‘El Perro’ Angulo (22-3-18 KOs).

With only some purse negotiations left to settle, the pair are set to meet on Saturday, December 14, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and live on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View, as one of the featured bouts of a blockbuster night of boxing that also features Adrian Broner vs. Marcos Maidana, Jesus Soto Karass vs. Keith Thurman and Victor Ortiz vs. Carlos Molina.

“Let’s get this finished, so I can begin getting ready to give the great people of Puerto Rico my finest victory yet,” said Melendez. “By beating Angulo into retirement, I will put my island back on the boxing map worldwide. It will be a war, but I’m a Puerto Rican warrior who doesn’t run. I have the best power in the entire division and Angulo will be ‘Destroyed’.

Only a select few times per year does a notable fight get made for a wide audience with this much “Fight of the Year” potential. Melendez manager, Edwin Diaz, says he hopes an agreement can be reached with Golden Boy Promotions on purse, to keep this sensational fight a reality. “We are not asking for an excessive amount,” he explained. “In fact, our request is still below the real value of the fight. ‘Destroyer’ vs. ‘El Perro’ will steal the spotlight that night. With so many disappointing matchups this year, this is the kind of guaranteed-action fight boxing needs. Boxing fans and critics alike want this fight, so let’s make it happen.”

Melendez has been calling out Angulo for years, trying to make this exciting fight his calling card to the big time. The 24-year-old was last seen scoring an impressive TKO 2 victory over capable Philadelphia veteran Jamaal Davis on Saturday, October 5, on the TopRank.tv broadcast “Cotto vs. Rodriguez” undercard.

“Today I woke up with more desire and enthusiasm than ever,” continued Melendez. “I’m going to train harder than I ever have for this fight, while my coach, Wilfredo Vázquez, designs the strategy to defeat Angulo. Let’s get this fight negotiation finished so I can get ready. And when that night comes, the dog, ‘El Perro’ will go out screeching and with the tail between his legs.”

Diaz says it is expected that in the coming days, the team of both fighters and Golden Boy Promotions will reach a satisfactory agreement.

Follow Jorge “Destroyer” Melendez
Twitter @DestroyerPR
Facebook.com/jorgedestroyermelendez

Promoted by Promociones Miguel Cotto & H2 Entertainment

Los Angeles, CA (June 12) – “I want to thank all of my fans for their support in the wake of my eye injury this past weekend. I have undergone various medical examinations which I am glad to report revealed no broken bones. California State Athletic Commission physician Dr. Pearlman Hicks has informed me that I only suffered a contusion and my eye specialist thankfully sees no permanent injury to my eye.

I want to thank all of you for the love and support you have given me the past few days. I would also like to congratulate Erislandy Lara on a great fight. I’m sad that I disappointed all my fans by not giving them an “El Perro” victory as I truly believe I was on the verge of knocking Lara down for the third time and winning the fight. The sharp pain of his thumb in my eye caused me to turn my back out of reflex and I could not see out of my left eye. I accept the decision made by the referee to stop the fight and look forward to getting back in the ring in the future. I will be back to give you a better show in my next fight.”

-Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo

CARSON, CALIF. (June 7, 2013) – Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer announced at the outset of yesterday’s final press conference that he expects The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., to be sold out for the exciting fight card headlined by Marcos Maidana vs. Josesito Lopez this Saturday, June 8 on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME® (10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT).

“The venue has 8,279 seats and there are only about 800 seats left on sale so we definitely will have a sell-out,” Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions said. “That shows that cumulatively this card is the single best card we have had here in Carson.”

“I was talking with my good friend Dan Beckerman, the President and CEO of AEG and he was telling me that there has only been one event in the history of boxing here in Carson that has been a sell-out and that was the Antonio Margarito fight in 2007 against Paul Williams. Whenever there’s a fight in Carson it always elevates the crowd and the fighters. It’s a hotbed for boxing, has been called the mecca of boxing in Southern California and I agree with that,” Schaefer continued.

“I think that week after week (Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports) Stephen Espinoza is kicking ass at SHOWTIME. There’s only one brand in boxing right now and that’s SHOWTIME, the undisputed leader in boxing.”

In what is expected to be a non-stop action slugfest in the 12-round main event, hard-hitting Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (33-3, 30 KO’s), of Margarita, Argentina defends his WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Championship against “The Riverside Rocky’’ Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) of Riverside, Calif.
Two additional 12-round battles top off the Golden Boy Promotions promoted event. In a classic puncher vs. boxer matchup, exciting Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s) of Los Angeles, meets classy Cuban Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KO’s) of Houston, Texas for the vacant WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Championship and Demetrius Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 KO’s) of Philadelphia, Penn. takes on undefeated Jermell Charlo (20-0, 10 KO’s) of Houston, Texas for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship.

Matchups for the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast (8:00 p.m. ET/PT) include undefeated Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-0-1, 19 KO’s) of Sapporo, Japan taking on former World Champion Johan Perez (16-1-1, 12 KO’s) Caracas, Venezuela in a 10-round clash for the vacant WBA International Welterweight Championship, former USC football player Gerald Washington (7-0, 5 KO’s) of Los Angeles facing veteran Sherman Williams (35-12-2, 19 KO’s) of Vero Beach, Florida in an 8-round heavyweight battle and (time permitting) 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (4-0, 2 KO’s) of South El Monte, Calif. squaring off against Rigoberto Casillas (8-10-1, 6 KO’s) San Diego in a four/six round junior featherweight battle.

Remaining tickets, priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available at AXS.com or by phone at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

Here’s what the fighters and their trainers said Thursday at The Home Depot Center:

MARCOS MAIDANA

“If Lopez is willing, this is going to be a total toe-to-toe slugfest from start to finish. Fans know what they’re going to get from me. I come to brawl.

“For me, all my fights are very, very important. This fight is very important because a win means I keep progressing. I need to win so I can keep fighting higher-rated opponents.

“I’ve been in this position before, so I’m used to fighting on my opponent’s home turf, but I’ve been training in Oxnard for three months, so I am pretty acclimated to the area. Working with my trainer Robert Garcia has been great.

“I’m very excited. There’s no pressure. To me, the pressure is on Josesito. The fight is in his backyard.

“I want to thank my team, Golden Boy and SHOWTIME for this opportunity. I am very well-prepared. Come Saturday, we will do everything that we’ve worked on in camp.

“Lopez’ promoter (Ken Thompson) says I’m going to get knocked out. Words are easy, but it won’t be that easy. It’s very easy to talk as a spectator. Let him (Thompson) get in there.”

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“We’re definitely going to light up the city on Saturday night.

“I’m ready and very well-prepared for what will be the most difficult fight of my career. It’ll be great to have the fans behind me. I fight to please the fans. That’s my style. I want to put on a show, but I know I have to fight smart.

“This will be an all-action fight with the two best welterweights in the world going at it and trading their best shots. I’m not going to predict a knockout, but I don’t see how this fight can end any other way.

“These kinds of fights bring out the best in me. Maidana is one of the most dangerous guys out there, but I’m ready to prove myself again. As a fan, I am excited about this fight. Even before the fight was signed I knew this would be a great fight.

“This is such a great opportunity for me. Moving up to fight at 154 pounds against Canelo Alvarez was also a great opportunity, but that wasn’t my weight class. I feel stronger and taller at 147. Going into this fight, I feel like I did before I fought Victor Ortiz. I know I need to get Maidana’s respect and the way to do that is to fight him. I’m really looking forward to Saturday.”

ALFREDO ANGULO

“I want to thank everybody involved for this opportunity. I’ve always wanted to fight a great Cuban fighter. I never had the opportunity before, but now I do. I know some people were surprised that I took this fight, but I’ve always wanted to fight the best. Why fight a guy who isn’t ranked?

“I’ve worked extremely hard for this. I’m ready to fight. Lara is a great boxer with a lot of skills. I know I can’t let him dictate the pace or fight his fight.

“If you want to know how I’m going to do it, how I’m going to make him fight my fight, buy a ticket or tune in on SHOWTIME. Whether he comes to fight, or comes to run, I’ll see him in the ring on Saturday.”

ERISLANDY LARA

“I’m very happy to be in this fight against Angulo and I want to thank America for the opportunity to fight this Saturday.

“I’ve done tremendous work and I’m ready to fight. I’m focused on this fight and only this fight. Angulo is a good, strong fighter, one of the best in the division, so there is no way I’m taking him lightly. This is a great fight for fans, a chance to see two of the best 154-pounders in the world.

“The key in this fight for me is to work and put consistent damage on him. I want to be the clear-cut winner of every round.

“This will be the fourth time in my last six fights that I am fighting a top-10 contender. I keep proving myself fight in and fight out.”

DEMETRIUS HOPKINS

“I’ve been down this road before. I just have to be me, fight aggressively and fight my fight. At this stage of my career it’s do or die.

“This will be Charlo’s toughest fight. No one has ever tested him like I’m going to test him. I’m ready to show the fans the very best of Demetrius Hopkins.’’

JERMELL CHARLO

“Fans can expect a good action fight. I’m preparing for a great fight and a great performance. You get out of boxing what you put into it and I work very hard. I’ll be ready for anything he has to offer.

“On paper, this looks like possibly my toughest fight. We’ll see how it turns out on Saturday.

“I feel like I’m on the verge of really making a big move; my twin brother, Jermall, too. It was an honor to spar with him during camp.

“On Saturday, I’m going to do what I do. I’ll be aggressive, I’ll box, I’ll do whatever it takes. I’m coming for a knockout but I’m ready to go 12 rounds. A victory keeps me right on track. At the end of the day, you will know who I am and want I stand for.”

YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI

“This is my third fight in the United States and first in Los Angeles. I’ve been training in Las Vegas for the last five weeks and I had a great camp. I’m looking forward to having the best performance that I can.

“Even though I’m Japanese, I hope you’ll be rooting for me on Saturday.”

JOHAN PEREZ

“I’m very excited, well-prepared and I’m coming to get the victory. I don’t know too much about my opponent except that he comes well-regarded. I’m ready.

The important thing is to give the fans a great fight. That’s what it’s all about.”

GERALD WASHINGTON

“I’m very excited about fighting for the first time on television. I’ve worked hard. I want to get to the top. This is the next step.’’

JOSEPH “JO JO” DIAZ JR.

“It’s going to be awesome fighting on Saturday night and I’m really looking forward to it. This is a great card for Los Angeles and I’m excited to be part of it. I know I’m going to have a lot of fans supporting me and I can’t wait to be able to showcase my skills in front of all of them.

“Casillas has a lot of experience and some good knockouts, but I’m ready to outbox him and put on a show.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer

“We’re going to be ready for a war because that’s what this fight will be. Josesito has tremendous heart, a tremendous chin and is always in such good condition. We have to be ready for 12 hard, brutal rounds.

“With Maidana, we’ve been working on using his jab a lot and going side to side, but we also have to be realistic; we might not have a chance to use any of that. We may just have to go to war because that’s what Lopez brings. We’re prepared for whatever we have to do inside the ring.”

HENRY RAMIREZ, Lopez’s Trainer

“It’s been a long camp and we’re ready to go. This entire card is stacked from top to bottom. Both of the main event guys are warriors in the ring. Maidana is a big puncher and Josesito has that never-say-die attitude.

“This is the best venue in Southern California for boxing. There’s no bad seat in the house. There’s going to be more than 8,200 loud fans watching this fight on Saturday night.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Angulo’s Trainer

“With Alfredo it’s really about his conditioning right now. You’re looking at a guy who was incarcerated for seven months. He was unable to workout or exercise or do anything physical. That leads to a lot of deterioration, especially for a prizefighter. Then you have the mental side of it where you have the head guy telling you you’ll never get out of there.

“The concentration has been with the conditioning. You can’t teach much if he’s not in the condition to apply it, so the conditioning has been first and foremost and our priority.”

RONNIE SHIELDS, (Lara and Charlo’s Trainer)

“We’ve trained very hard and are ready. This is what we do for a living so of course we’re ready.

“Erislandy Lara is a boxer, that’s what he does. I think he’s going to surprise Angulo with the way he can punch. He’s a pure boxer. Angulo says, ‘He should be a man and stand up and fight.’ That’s what he wants. He wants to fight his fight. I’m sorry to tell him that he’s going to have to fight our fight.

“Jermell Charlo is just such a hard worker. He shows up to the gym everyday ready to work. He’s trying to hone his craft and he asks a lot of questions. He trains the same way each time, regardless of who it is. It doesn’t make any difference. He loves to fight the best guys out there. Demetrius (Hopkins) is the next guy we have to go through to get to the next level.”

ABOUT “MAIDANA VS. LOPEZ”:
Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. Also featured will be a 12-round showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and top rated super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara for the vacant WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Blue Wave Group and a 12-round fight between veteran Demetrius Hopkins and unbeaten phenom Jermell Charlo for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com
and www.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/HomeDepotCenter,
www.twitter.com/ChinoMaidana, www.twitter.com/JosesitoLopez, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/LaraBoxing, www.twitter.com/TwinCharlo, follow the conversation using #MaidanaLopez and become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/HomeDepotCenter.

Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody for joining us for this call. We’re going to have four separate fighters on the phone, and we’re going to start with Alfredo Angulo and Erislandy Lara followed by Maidana and Lopez. I’m going to turn it over to Dave Itskowitch, Chief Operating Officer of Golden Boy Promotions right away so he can get started with the particulars, and then we’ll open it up for the guys. Thanks. Dave?

David Itskowitch
Thank you, Kelly. Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. We’re really excited about the show. Based on the ticket sales everyone in Southern California is excited about this show too. Our main event June 8 at the Home Depot Center in Carson we have Marcos Maidana vs. Josesito Lopez in a 12-round fight for the WBA Intercontinental Championship.

Our co-main event features Alfredo Angulo vs. Erislandy Lara in a 12-round super welterweight fight, and our opening fight on Showtime is a 12-round fight between Demetrius Hopkins and Jermell Charlo for Hopkins’ USBA junior middleweight championship and Charlo’s WBC continental Americas super welterweight championship.

Just a note, the previously announced Sakio Bika vs. Marco Antonio Periban fight, which was scheduled for this show, will now be taking place on Saturday, June 22 at Barclays Center in New York. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions with Maidana vs. Lopez promoted in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T, will air live on Showtime Championship Boxing coast to coast 10:00 Eastern Time/7:00 Pacific Time with preliminary fights airing live on Showtime Extreme at 8:00 p.m. Eastern/Pacific. The event also can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming. As I mentioned, tickets are going quickly. We encourage everybody to get out and buy their tickets quickly. The fights starting at $25 up to $150 for ringside, they’re available at AXS.com or by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX and also at the Home Depot Center box office.

Now to say a few words I’d like to introduce a young man who is one of the greatest amateurs in the history of boxing. He’s 29 years old in search of his first world title. In 2011 he lost a highly controversial decision to former world champion Paul Williams; a fight that most ringside observers had him winning. He followed that with an impressive knockout over Ronald Hearns and outperforming Freddy Hernandez. In his last fight in November he battled through a highly disputed technical draw with Vanes Martirosyan in an elimination bout.

He’s one of the top rated super welterweight contenders in the world, and on June 8th he’s vowed to keep the judges out of matters against Angulo. He has a record of 17-1-2 with 11 KO’s. Originally out of Guantanamo, Cuba now fighting out of Houston, Texas Erislandy Lara.

Itskowitch
Erislandy, some opening comments?

Erislandy Lara
Hi; how are you? Thank you all for being on.

Itskowitch
Short but sweet. Next to say a few words a gentlemen who is one of the most exciting and devastating punchers at the 154-pound weight class. His 2011 fight with James Kirkland was a candidate for Fight of the Year, one of the best fights I’ve ever seen. Following that he was out of the ring for about a year due to immigration issues but those are all now cleared up, and he’s back ready to take on all comers in search of a world championship.

Since his return he has defeated Raul Casarez in a first round knockout decision, Jorge Silva, and really he’s shown that he hasn’t missed a beat despite the layoff. Now the 30-year-old prepares for the toughest steps of his career against Lara. He’s got a record of 20-2-2 with 18 KO’s. Originally from Mexicali, Mexico, now fighting out of Los Angeles, Alfredo Angulo.

Alfredo Angulo
Hi, how are you? I really appreciate you for your time.

Itskowitch
All right. Thank you. I guess we will now open up to the media for Q&A.

Q
A question for each of you to answer separately, Erislandy, you’ve said that this is going to be a classic boxer vs. puncher fight and that you feel that you can get Alfredo to sort of run in to punches. Alfredo, you have said that you’re not going to allow him to just sit back and box and that you’re going to force him to fight. Can each of you answer the question that’s directed to each of you, first Erislandy?

Lara
Yes that’s correct. That’s the way the fight is going to play out. He’s going to be coming in; he’s going to run into my punches.

Angulo
Yes. I’m working on my plan, and for Erislandy. I like the fighters who come straight and are ready for a good fight, and I’m ready for June 8th.

Q
Yeah. Erislandy, is there any fight in his career that sticks out that you point to that leads you to believe that you’re going to be able to execute that strategy to near perfection?

Lara
No not at all. There’s not a fight that sticks out. I know him; I know the way that he fights and my plan, I’m prepared for that. I know his style. I know the way he fights, and I’m prepared for that and my plan is going to play out.

Q
For each of you also-first Erislandy-in speaking to Gaby Penagaricano whose is the counsel and attorney for Miguel Cotto, as you know he has targeted a return for perhaps the fall, possibly September 28. He mentioned that the winner of this fight could possibly fight Cotto in his return to the ring. You’re thoughts on whether that sweetens the pot for you and whether that adds incentive for you to look spectacular in your performance?

Lara
You know what the most important thing is June 8, the fight that I have in front of me, and if I’m victorious I’ll fight anybody. I’ll fight anybody that’s what I came to this country for to fight so I’ll fight anybody. It doesn’t matter, but the most important thing is a victory on June 8.

Angulo
I don’t have another name in my head, Right now is June 8. First, June 8. After I don’t know, keep focused on June 8 and win the fight.

Q
I know you guys are focused on each other, but you in particular, Erislandy, have for probably the last year and a half looked for a big fight against a name opponent. I know this is a big fight for you, and I know you’ve wanted to fight Canelo and there were chances for that, and you entertained for a moment how much a big fight against Cotto would mean to you personally and to your career, just for a moment.

Lara
No of course, of course I would love to fight a fighter like Cotto. He’s a great fighter. He’s one of the top guys. He’s on the list; he’s on the list of guys that I would want to fight of course. He’s one of the top guys there and if the fight presents itself after this fight then of course, of course I would want a fight.

Q
Good. Good. Could you ask both fighters touched on it a little bit from the standpoint of talking about the fact that perhaps this fight, the winner would move in to an even bigger fight, as big as this one is for these two guys. But on a slightly different point of view this fight is not an official title elimination fight, but do Erislandy and Alfredo view this fight as a de facto title elimination fight where the winner is going to get a shot at one of the world titles?

Lara
Yes. Yes this should be a title fight. This should be a title fight. This is a fight that should be a title. It merits being a world title or an eliminator. Obviously, the winner is going to be in position to fight a Cotto or to fight a Canelo so this is a very, very important fight and it should merit being a title.

Angulo
Definitely. He’s has to fight for the title. Erislandy is 154 a good fighter and I am good fighter too. I think this would be a good fight for the belt. But, more importantly, right now time we have a really good show and a really good fight on June 8.

This is a great fight. This is a great fight. It’s two of the top guys fighting each other. Basically the same thing it merits being a title fight. It’s a good fight.

Q
A title fight or a title eliminator?

Gomez
It’s an important fight. Well, we’re still waiting for confirmation on that, but it is for a minor title right now.

Q
Right. I was thinking like an eliminator where the guy definitely gets a title shot.

Gomez
Yes. Yes. Of course. Of course it’s for a minor title right now but we’re looking for that. We’re waiting for confirmation that it is going to be like a title eliminator so there’s still a chance it will be.

Q
Okay. Now, if you would answer the question, Eric-your point of view as the match maker who works on a lot of this stuff for Golden Boy-what are your thoughts about where the winner of this fight winds up, in a title fight, in that type of situation?

Gomez
Oh, they’re going to be in the top three or four. I mean the winner is going to be the top three or four guys and obviously there’s Canelo. Austin Trout is still highly ranked up there, Miguel Cotto, and you can always throw Floyd in there depending on the weight class that he fights at, but obviously the winner in this fight is going to be in a very, very good position. He should be one of the top guys and this really is like a world title fight. It’s two of the top guys, and I’m just happy that we’re able to make these fights because it’s good for everybody when the top guys fight each other and both fighters realize that, and it’s just going to be a great fight.

Q
Alfredo Angulo has said Erislandy Lara that you’re an amateur fighter. You fight very much like an amateur. You don’t fight like a pro. That’s the style you have. Does that bother you that people say that Cuban fighters come over and they keep that amateur style?

Lara
No. I’m a technical fighter. I’m a technical fighter and he’s a brawler, and we’ll see who has the longer career. But the Cuban fighters are the best technical fighters in the world.

Swanson
Okay. So you guys we are done with you, and we’re now going to switch it over to Maidana Maidana and Lopez Lopez. In the meantime we’d like to thank you very much, and if you have any closing comments.

Lara
Thank you, thank you all for being here. Greetings to everybody, and I’m going to win on June 8 and I wish Angulo luck.

Angulo
Thank you so much, everybody, for their time. I really appreciate it and I’ll see you Lara … in the ring. Okay. Good luck.

Swanson
Dave, would you like to do any like updated programming notes for the upcoming Golden Boy’s schedule?

Itskowitch
Yeah. I can just kind of run through everything that we’ve got coming up. This weekend in Sunrise, Florida at the BB&T Center we have a FOX Sports Net, FOX Deportes event, which is going to air live at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The main event is Braulio Santos vs. Derrick Wilson. The co-main event is Daquan Arnett vs. Miguel Zuniga. We’ve got some good fighters on the undercard for people who are down in South Florida and want to come check it out. We’ve got 2012 Olympian Errol Spence Jr., Jermall Charlo, Justin DeLoach, Steve Geffard all on the undercard so those who are near a TV on Saturday night and want to check it out FOX Sports Net and FOX Deportes at 10:00 p.m. and if you’re in South Florida head out to the BB&T Center in Sunrise, check out a good night of fights.

Of course the following weekend we have our show at the Home Depot Center, which we’re discussing. Some notes on that, on Showtime Extreme we have Johan Perez vs. Yoshihiro Kamegai in one fight, and Gerald Washington vs. Sherman Williams. That undercard is going to feature Joseph Diaz Jr., Ronny Rios, Jamie Kavanagh, Manuel Avila, Edgar Valero, and Alan Sanchez.

After that we have June 22 at Barclays Center a highly anticipated fight between Paulie Malignaggi and Adrien Broner, trash talking going on in that one. We’re expecting a lively press conference and show for that even. Also that event is going to feature Johnathon Banks vs. Seth Mitchell; and Sakio Bika vs. Marco Antonio Periban, which will be a fight for the vacant WBC super-middleweight world championship.

The 13 of July we have Bernard Hopkins vs. Karo Murat for the IBF light heavyweight world championship, also at Barclays Center, live on Showtime at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Also the Malignaggi/Broner fight will be live on Showtime 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Co-featured fights on July 13 will include Gary Russell Jr. and Deontay Wilder also a very nice undercard of New York fighters.

The 20th of July FOX Sports Net and FOX Deportes through Fantasy Springs in Indio, California, we have a fight between Frankie Gomez and DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley. It will air on FOX Sports Net at 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

On July 27th at the AT&T Center in San Antonio we have Andre Berto vs. Jesus Soto Karass; Omar Figueroa vs. Nihito Arakawa for vacant WBC interim lightweight title; Keith Thurman vs. Diego Chaves for Chaves’ WBA interim welterweight title.

The programming which has been a little bit, April 19 will be our first show on FOX Sports I, which is FOX’s new all sports channel. We’ll be making an announcement about that show shortly.

That’s everything that’s concrete on the schedule thus far.

Swanson
Sorry for the delay guys, Maidana and Lopez are on the call. So, Dave, let me turn it back over to you to make the introductions for these next two fabulous fighters. Dave?

Itskowitch
Thank you, Kelly. When you talk about fights that are kind of earmarked as can’t miss and Fight of the Year candidates I think this fight really has that written all over it. The two gentlemen in this fight they come powered. They slug. They swing, and that’s generally the recipe for an exciting fight.

So I’d like to introduce both of these gentlemen. First to say a few words, he’s made a career now of beating the odds. It started in 2011 when he beat Mike Dallas stopping him in seven rounds. Two fights later he stepped in as a late substitute to face former world champion Victor Ortiz in a fight that most people gave him no chance in winning and he scored his huge upset stopping former world champion Ortiz in nine rounds. That set up a fight between Lopez and Canelo Alvarez, and although Lopez lost to who is now the unified 154 pound world champion Alvarez his effort and defeat earned him a lot of praise from both fans and media.

On June 8th he returns back down to more friendly waters at 147 pounds to take on Maidana. He’s got a record of 30-5 with 18 KO’s. He’s become known as the Riverside Rocky; from Riverside, California, Josesito Lopez?

Josesito Lopez
Yes. Thank you for having me. I’m excited about this fight. I’m ready to go at a weight where I feel the most comfortable at, and against one of the toughest fighters in my weight division. I’m definitely excited as a fighter and as a boxing fan for this next fight.

Itskowitch
Thank you, Josesito. Now to say a few words one of the most exciting in the sport, one of the hardest punchers in the sport. He’s the current WBA intercontinental champion and the former WBA super lightweight world champion. He recently moved up in weight from 140 pounds to 147. His first fight was a decision loss to Kevin Alexandra who has since become a world champion at 147 pounds. He went on after that to score a really exciting eighth round technical knockout win over Jesus Soto Karass in September, which was a Fight of the Year candidate. Those of you who know Maidana his fights generally tend to be Fight of the Year candidates.

In his last fight in December he defended his title with a third round knockout over Angel Martinez in front of his home town friends in Buenos Aires, and now we returns to fight in Southern California for the first time since his breakthrough stoppage of the world champion Victor Ortiz in 2009. He’s got a record of 33-3 with 30 KO’s from Margarita, Argentina, Marcos “El Chino” Maidana.

Marcos Maidana
Hello to everybody. I want to say hi; thank you for being on the call. I’m out here in Oxnard, California preparing myself for the fight, and I’m going to be in top physical shape for the fight.

Q
Josesito, my question for you is since this is going to be your first fight since the fight you had with Alvarez where we all know that you had moved up a couple of weight classes and were not at your most comfortable weight in that fight; obviously it showed in the result. But I’m wondering from your point of view was the trip up to 154, was it worth it for you to take that shot because even though you lost I’m sure you made a good purse on that fight, your career best pay day, and now you have this opportunity. But how can you characterize what it was like to take that sort of opportunity as unlikely as many of us thought that you winning the fight would be? You got paid. You got a shot at one of the belts, and now you’re coming back in this fight. How is that for you?

Lopez
You know what I wouldn’t say the move to 154 was a great decision but I have no regrets on taking that fight. I fought one of the best fighters out there. I lost and I came, but helped me. I think that moving up from 154 has probably help me mold a little bit better to 147 so now I feel a little bit better and feel more comfortable at 147.

Q
Now after spending the five rounds, taking two in the fight with Canelo and taking the punches from a much bigger guy, do you feel like you’ll be able to take those shots from Maidana because he is regarded as one of the best punchers in this weight division? At 140 pounds when he fought down there as a pretty big puncher himself but I don’t know if that gives you confidence because you took a lot of those shots from Canelo and even though you got stopped you were still getting up. It wasn’t like he knocked you out cold or anything like that; your thoughts about the power that you’ve probably heard about or read about from Maidana Maidana.

Lopez
Yeah obviously he’s a proven strong puncher so you’ve always got to be aware of that, but it’s not just because I was able to withstand some of Canelo’s power I think I’m going to take Maidana. That has nothing to do with it. I think I have a pretty good chin, and you know what I can take as hard as I can give so it should be a ten.

Q
Marcos, do you have the one fight down in Argentina in December following the Soto Karass fight, and you’ve been a guy who have taken some of those fights in your home country, kind of smaller fights. Do you feel like taking some of those fights, and then coming back to America have been the recipe to stay sharp? Because a lot of guys they may not necessarily go and fight those smaller fights back home, but you’ve done that a few times. You did it with Petrov back in ’11, did it with Angel Martinez last December. Not the first time you’ve done that.

Maidana
Yeah that’s exactly what it is; I took it and it’s helped me stay busy. It’s helped me stay sharp and conditioned, and that’s exactly the reason why I do it.

Q
When you took those fights were you still training in the States or did you train for those fights in Argentina? I guess you’re training in America for this fight.

Maidana
No. No. I trained in Oxnard. For the last one I trained in Oxnard with Robert, that’s my coach, and he lives in Oxnard so I come over here, and I don’t have a problem with that.

Q
When I asked Lopez before about the fact that he had moved up two weight classes to fight Canelo but got stopped, and we know that you are a good puncher-do you look at the fact that Lopez was stopped in that fight and think that this should be a chance for him to get a knockout or do you think it’s maybe tougher than that because Canelo was obviously the bigger fighter and he was taking on a guy that was moving up two weight classes?

Maidana
No. I feel it’s going to be a tough fight. You’re right he went up to fight Canelo. He had no business in that division so I think that at 147 it’s more his weight class and it’s going to be a tough fight. I know he’s a very good fighter. It’s going to be a tough fight. He’s going to be stronger at his weight class so I’ve got a very, very difficult fight, but I’m going to do whatever it takes to win, and I’ve been preparing myself to win. It’s going to be a tough fight but I’ve got to look good and I’ve got to win.

Q
One more thing for both guys, maybe Maidana first and maybe, Lopez, you can answer also when Maidana is done. Like you just said tough fight, solid fight between two top guys in that weight class. Where does Maidana feel like a victory will put him because he’s fought a lot of name guys? And Lopez, you fought some good fighters also but where do you feel like a victory will put you in the immediate future?

Maidana
No it’s a very important fight. It’s one of the most important fights of my career. Yes I’ve fought some big names in the past, but this is what’s in front of me. This is the next fight and I have to get past this to be considered for bigger fights and to keep moving up the ladder.

Q
Lopez, how about yourself, where do you feel like a victory over Maidana will put you in the welterweight division?

Lopez
You know what it would absolutely mean me near the top of the division. I think a victory here-I think we’re two of the toughest fighters at 147 so definitely a victory here would put us near the top, and get us in line to fight some of the best fighters in the world so who wins is very important.

Q
Marcos, have you gained anything from the similarities between the fact that each of you fought Victor Ortiz in what were brutal fights? And also do you think that you will be the bigger man given that he fought at a career high and both of you are former junior welterweights?

Maidana
No. No. I don’t think about that. It’s going to be a tough fight. He’s a good fighter. He’s going to be strong. I’m a good fighter. I’m going to be strong, and I don’t think about that stuff. I just think that the winner is going to be the fighter that’s going to be able to withstand the most and the guy that wants it more and the guy that trains better.

Q
Is he the same puncher now yet that he was as a junior welterweight or is he going to use this fight to find out if he has the similar power?

Maidana
I feel a lot stronger. I feel a lot stronger at this weight class than I did at 140.

Q
You’ve already had a shot at Devon Alexander and Devon won convincingly. Should he be victorious who would he envision himself fighting next or who would he most like to be in the ring against in this weight class?

Maidana
I want to fight the best. I want to fight the best. I want to fight the champion. I want to fight the guys that are above me, the guys that are champions whoever it is. I want a good fight. I want a big fight.

Q
Okay. So there’s nobody in specific he thinks he would really match up well against given what he’s seen whether it’s Tim Bradley, Guerrero, you know anybody like that.

Maidana
There’s different ones; a rematch with Devon I wouldn’t mind that.

Q
And I heard you say Mayweather.

Maidana
Yes, I did say Mayweather.

Q
Lopez, hey, this is your fourth straight tough fight in a row, and I actually had you winning the Vargas fight, but is there any part of you that feels that you have to prove that those fights didn’t take anything out of you, particularly the last one against a bigger and powerful Canelo?

Lopez
Yeah you know what I guess I have to prove it, but you know what I went up against a bigger, stronger fighter. A victory on June 8th would definitely help that but I’m going against the best fighters in the world now. I’m fighting top caliber fighters so every fight is going to be a tough dangerous fight. I’ve got to be prepared for every fight.

Q
Just a look back real quick, was there ever a part of you even after you fought the Ortiz fight that wanted the Vargas fight given the fact that he’s had some big fights since then? I mean that was a really close fight and there were a lot of us that thought you won it.

Lopez
Yeah that was a tough defeat to take. I thought I did enough to win. I think most people thought I did enough to win. But things happen for a reason, and even with that lose it put me in the position that I am today. So that happened but moving on with my career and if we end up meeting up in the future then so be it, and I’ll get to avenge my loss.

Q
Did your experience with Canelo-coming back down given you said that this is the right weight class for you know at welterweight do you feel like you’re going to have an advantage? Do you feel like you’re going to be perhaps the bigger man in the ring in this fight?

Lopez
No. I don’t feel like I’m at an advantage at all. I feel like I’m where I’m going to be most comfortable at, and I think that we will both be in very good shape and in a very tough fight. I think it’s a tough fight for both of us. I think really the grounds are even and really the best fighter, the smarter fighter is going to win June 8th.

Q
You just said it, the smarter fighter. You made a reference to something I wanted to tough on, that he has had stretches of trouble with fighters like Andriy Kotelnik who he lost to; Morales who some people thought beat him; obviously, Alexander and to an extent even DeMarcus Corley. With that in mind, will there be an element of boxing should you require it during stretches of the fight? Do you think you’re capable of boxing well against him?

Lopez
You know what I’m not a straight boxer so I’m not going to say I’m going to go in there and just box around in circles, and work around him, but I’m definitely picking my spots. Like I said the smarter fighter is going to win, and I’m going to pick when I want to bang because I definitely got to get … in the ring so I’m going to achieve my spot.

Q
Did you gain anything from any of those fights that I mentioned? Have you watched those fights, and, if so, what did you see was the difference say in the Kotelnik fight, the Alexander fight that maybe you can utilize to a degree?

Lopez
You know what I think overall it’s just a little more of the basic stuff, you know just using angles, getting the timing right, and going straight down the middle. But we’ve worked on a little bit of everything. We train according to a fighter so we definitely mixed it up this camp, and are expecting really the best Maidana we’ve seen.

Q
Lopez, you’re going in to this fight, it’s a tough fight. How have you prepared and how do you think the outcome is going to be?”

Lopez
Well, yeah you know what it is going to be a tough fight. He’s a good fighter. He’s a tough fighter. He’s strong, but the key is the preparation, and I’ve had a great preparation and I’ll be ready for the fight.

Q
What do you think about the comment of Victor Ortiz wanting to avenge his losses and fight both of you guys again in the future?

Lopez
Look, I beat him. I’ve moved on. I’m looking for bigger, better fights. I want to fight the champions, and if that rematch ever comes about I’ll be ready. I’ll be ready but right now I’ve got my sight set on fighting world champions in bigger, better fights.

Maidana
I don’t have a problem with it. If it comes around then doing a rematch he won’t have a problem. He’ll fight him again, and basically he’ll leave it up to Golden Boy. Whoever Golden Boy says and as long as the deal is the right deal then yeah he’ll fight.

Q
Maidana. how much have you benefited by training with Robert Garcia and the rest of the Oxnard fighters?

Maidana
Yeah it’s been a benefit. It’s been very good. I’ve been training with the team. The sparring is great at Oxnard, and my physical trainer Cicilio Flores has been very good. This is my third fight with Robert and I’ll be in great shape and ready for the fight.

Q
Hi. My question is for Josesito Lopez. Lopez, you received extra motivation for the Victor Ortiz fight, as I recall, when they announced Canelo and Ortiz as a fight before your fight with Victor Ortiz. I guess what I’m wondering is what if anything motivates you like that for this fight?

Lopez
You know what I think motivation is there, motivation just to be fighting the best fighters, motivation to continue on. I don’t really need any extra motivation. I think the fact that I’m here, I’m here at the top is motivation enough and this is where I want to be, so that’s my motivation to fight the best fighters and continue on in my career.

Q
You mentioned Victor Ortiz basically saying that you had-that’s in the past for you. It doesn’t sound like a rematch is of interest to you. With regard to Victor Ortiz what I want to know is do you think that you retired Victor Ortiz? Do you believe he’ll fight again?

Lopez
You know what I really don’t know. I don’t keep up with Ortiz. I’ve heard things but hey I don’t wish bad on anyone so hopefully he gets better. And if we end up fighting again then that would be a hell of a fight so don’t wish any bad on anyone but hopefully everything goes well with him.

Q
You talked a little bit about the Canelo fight moving up to 154, as somebody who has been in the ring with him how would you describe Canelo Alvarez? Is he overrated? Is he underrated? How good is he?

Lopez
You know what I watched a lot of video leading up to that fight, and I think up to that day I think he fought the best fight he’s ever fought up to that date. I think he made a lot of improvements and I think he looked good. He definitely came in better than his previous fights. If he wasn’t as good as people thought before I think it’s changed now. I think he’s a lot better fighter than he was just two or three fights ago so yes I think he’s made huge improvements and he’s a better fighter now.

Swanson
Okay. That’s it. That was our last question so can we get final comments? We’ll go ahead and start with Maidana, and then we’ll end with Lopez?

Maidana
Yeah I would like to invite everybody, all the boxing fans out there, everybody on this call to come out and see a great fight. It’s going to be a great fight on June 8th, and thank you all for being on.

Lopez
Yeah I want to thank everyone for being a part of a huge event, and I’m excited for this next fight, and as a boxing fan this is a can’t miss fight. So I’m really excited to be a part of it, and I’ve very blessed and thankful to be in this position, and I’m going to give everything I’ve got June 8th.

Swanson
Great. Thank you so much. Okay. That’s it everybody. Thank you for joining us today, and we look forward to your coverage and please pay attention to June 8th it’s going to be a great show. Thanks.

END OF CALL

Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden BoyPromotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. Also featured will be a 12-round showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and top rated super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara for the vacant WBA Interim Super Welterweight World Championship which is presented in association with Blue Wave Group and a 12-round fight between veteran Demetrius Hopkins and unbeaten phenom Jermell Charlo for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available at AXS.com or by phone at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (Monday throughFriday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

LOS ANGELES, May 24 – A full undercard of action is expected on Saturday, June 8 when a roster of top local talent and international contenders step into the ring at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. to lead up to the highly anticipated SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®tripleheader headlined by the WBA Intercontinental Welterweight title bout between Marcos “El Chino” Maidana and “The Riverside Rocky” Josesito Lopez.

A clash between welterweight contenders and a showdown of heavyweight power hitters will be on tap for SHOWTIME EXTREME® viewers when unbeaten Japanese standout Yoshihiro Kamegai faces Venezuela’s former World Champion Johan Perez in a ten-round bout. Also on SHOWTIME EXTREME, undefeated heavyweight prospect Gerald Washington meets Sherman “Tank” Williams in an eight round battle. With time permitting, 2012 United States Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. will see action on SHOWTIME EXTREME® against an opponent to be determined. Also in action on the undercard will be some of California’s top pugilists including Luis Ramos, Ronny Rios, Jamie Kavanagh, Manuel Avila and Edgar Valero.

Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona. The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. Also featured will be a 12-round super welterweight showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and top rated super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara and a 12-round fight between veteran Demetrius Hopkins and unbeaten phenom Jermell Charlo for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available at AXS.com or by phone at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

After engaging in a hard fought draw against Jorge Silva in Sacramento last October that impressed stateside fight fans, Sapporo, Japan’s Yoshihiro Kamegai (22-0-1, 19 KO’s) will return to the United States to battle Venezuelan Johan Perez. A punishing puncher with both hands, Kamegai most recently knocked out Jose Alberto Leal in two rounds on February 2. With 19 of his 22 wins coming by way of knockouts, it’s a safe bet that he’ll look to end his fight on June 8 early as well.

A former WBA Interim Super Lightweight World Champion from Caracas, Venezuela, Johan “El Terrible” Perez (16-1-1, 12 KO’s) bounced back from the lone loss of his career against Pablo Cesar Cano last July with a gritty 10 round win over former World Champion Steve Forbes on January 12. With his sites set on a title shot at 147 pounds, he hopes to make his case with a big win over Kamegai.

With the search for boxing’s next great American heavyweight always ongoing, fans may not need to look any further than Los Angeles, home to highly touted prospect Gerald Washington (7-0, 5 KO’s). Squaring off again Williams in his toughest test to date , the United States Navy veteran and former USC football player Washington hopes to keep his perfect record intact on June 8.

Unbeaten in 11 of his last 13 bouts dating back to 2005, Sherman “Tank” Williams (35-12-2, 19 KO’s) is a vet of the sweet science who shows opponents that life begins at 40. A native of the Bahamas, who now makes his home in Florida, the latest chapter in Williams’ 16-year career lands him in Carson, California for a pivotal bout against the unbeaten Washington.

In a fight that will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME time permitting, 2012 United States Olympian Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (4-0, 2 KO’s) of South El Monte, California will face an opponent to be named in a four or six-round junior featherweight contest. Diaz, who impressed fans and boxing insiders for years as an amateur, turned pro in December of last year and has shown no growing pains while transitioning to the pro game. Fresh off of a third round technical knockout win over Eric Gotay on May 3, Diaz is ready for battle once again.

Unbeaten in 20 pro bouts, 23-year-old Ronny Rios (20-0, 9 KO’s) has been steadily climbing up the world ratings, most recently defeating former World Champion Rico Ramos for the NABF featherweight title. On June 8, Santa Ana’s Rios collides with Sonora, Mexico southpaw Leonilo “Veneno” Miranda (32-5, 30 KO’s) in a 10-round junior lightweight bout.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Jamie “The Nuisance” Kavanagh (13-0-1, 5 KO’s) has become a popular attraction in his adopted hometown of Hollywood, California. He will risk his undefeated record on June 8 against Tijuana veteran Sergio “Sirenito” Perez (27-14, 18 KO’s) in an eight-round lightweight match.

Also in action will be Fairfield, California’s Manuel “Tino” Avila (11-0, 4 KO’s) facing off against St. Louis’ Jamal Parram (6-7-1, 4 KO’s) an eight-round junior featherweight contest and Edgar Valero (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Los Angeles who will meet fellow Angelino David Reyes (2-3-1) in a four-round bantamweight bout.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/HomeDepotCenter,
www.twitter.com/ChinoMaidana, www.twitter.com/JosesitoLopez, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/LaraBoxing, www.twitter.com/TwinCharlo, follow the conversation using #MaidanaLopez or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/HomeDepotCenter.

LOS ANGELES (May 13, 2013) – A fan-friendly, action-packed fight card highlighted by three important 12-round bouts which is presented by Golden Boy Promotions on Saturday, June 8, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., was formally announced by Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya today at La Fonda Restaurant in Los Angeles.

In what should be a slugfest in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, hard-hitting, former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion and current No. 2 rated WBA welterweight contender Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (33-3, 30 KO’s), of Santa Fe, Argentina will defend his WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Championship against tough-as-nails upset-minded Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) of Riverside, Calif.

In co-featured 12-round fights, top-rated super welterweight contenders Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s), of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico and Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KO’s), of Houston by way of Guantanamo, Cuba square off while and Demetrius “The Gladiator” Hopkins (33-2-1, 13 KO’s), of Philadelphia takes on promising, undefeated Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (20-0, 10 KO’s), of Houston, Texas, for Hopkins’ USBA Junior Middleweight Championship and Charlo’s WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Championship.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available at AXS.com or by phone at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

Live preliminary fights will be shown on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

See below for what the fighters, their camps and De La Hoya said on Monday:

MARCOS MAIDANA

“I know Josesito is a great fighter. I know he likes to stand and trade and fight. That’s what I do and that’s why it’s going to be such an exciting fight.

“My plan is to go toe-to-toe. I don’t know what Josesito is going to do, but that’s what I plan to do. Pressure is the key to the fight.

“I’m feeling great. I’ve been in Oxnard, California for over a month already. I love training there. The weather is great and it’s where my coach (Robert Garcia) is. It’s going to be a great fight and I’m going to defend the honor of Argentina.

“The 147-pound division is where I feel best. I didn’t feel that way at 140. Now I’m free and I can eat more. My body is different and you can see the definition.”

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“When you’re fighting a heavy puncher like Maidana, you have to be smart. The move up to 154 pounds helped me now that I’m back at 147. Now I feel I’m a true welterweight. I feel great in the gym; stronger and faster.

“I’m so excited about this fight and I’m the one receiving the punches. I can only imagine how excited the fans are. Years ago before I was at this level I thought, ‘Man, this would be an exciting fight. I would love to get in there and bang with him.’ Now we’re here. It’s a hell of a match-up. It could be the fight of the year.

“This is a fight I have to win. It’s a fight that keeps me on the map. This is where I want to be and I’m working my ass off.

“He’s a strong puncher and I like to think I have a little punch myself. In the ring I just have to be smart whether it’s defense on the inside or boxing on the outside. I have to be the smarter fighter and whatever works that’s what I’m going to have to do.

“We have to be smart and shoot our jab. We have to pick our spots and not let him. He’s an inside fighter and he likes to bang. Well, I like to bang too. I’ve got to be in a position where I want to be, not where he wants me to be.”

ALFREDO “EL PERRO” ANGULO

“This is my third fight after my time off and conditioning-wise I’m feeling like my old self, feeling like I used to feel. There’s no doubt I’ll be in better condition than I was for my last two fights. There was just too much time off. Now, I’m in a rhythm.

“It’s going to be a very good fight, the bull versus the matador. I have a lot of respect for Lara. He’s a really good fighter and he wants to show he’s the best, but he’s going to have to come out and fight.

“He may think he’s just going to box, but he’s going to fight.”

ERISLANDY LARA

“There’s always a lot at stake when I fight, so I know I can’t look ahead or take Angulo for granted. He is my total focus now. After I win on June 8; I can start thinking about a world title shot again.

“Angulo is a good fighter. I give him a lot of credit. He always comes to fight. I’ve worked very hard and am preparing for the best Angulo possible.

“The fact that I’m favored to win means nothing. Once the bell rings, it doesn’t matter what the odds are. It’s what you do in the ring that counts.

“Style-wise this is a perfect fight for me because Angulo likes to come forward. It’s the classic boxer versus the puncher. I expect to put on a boxing clinic, so you can expect a smart fight from me.

“Obviously, the most important thing is for me to win, but I want to put on a great show for all the fans.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

“We should have called this ‘High Stakes’ because you have the welterweight division where you have Floyd Mayweather. The winner between Marcos Maidana and Josesito Lopez automatically puts himself in line and at the front door knocking to fight the very best.

“This is how important this event is. This is high stakes here for everyone on this card. Saturday, June 8 will be explosive, that’s for sure.

“What’s most exciting for Alfredo Angulo’s team is that he’s just now putting everything together and really learning the craft of boxing under Virgil Hunter. It’s going to be very exciting to see him fight such an incredible fighter like Erislandy Lara.

“Stephen Espinoza (Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME SPORTS) has now taken SHOWTIME to a whole new level. This is the home of boxing and it will continue to be the home of boxing for many years to come.”

KEN THOMPSON, Josesito’s Lopez’ Co-Promoter

“Here we go again…one more time in L.A. and in every city thanks to SHOWTIME. We have the best fighter in the world in Josesito Lopez, the ‘Riverside Rocky.’

“When Josesito and Marcos Maidana enter the ring for the main event on June 8, no judges will be needed. This fight will end with one great fighter laying in the middle of the ring, while the other great fighter will be standing and getting his hand raised in victory and that fighter is the ‘Riverside Rocky,’ Josesito Lopez.”

LUIS DECUBAS JR., Erislandy Lara’s Manager

“This is going to be a great fight. We’re happy to be on such a great card. Erislandy is ready. He knows he is in with a very tough, aggressive fighter.

“Angulo is a hungry and determined fighter, but so is Erislandy. We’re excited about fighting on June 8.”

ROBERT GARCIA, Marcos Maidana’s Trainer

“We’re training hard for this fight and we know what type of fight we have in front of us. We cannot take this fight lightly.

“We’ve gotten some great sparring in for this fight and I know Josesito and his coach have done the same. We’re actually pretty good friends with Henry (Ramirez). We just know this is a fight that fans are really going to enjoy.

“We know both fighters’ styles and we know this could turn out to be one of the best fights of the year. As everyone who has seen the last few of Maidana’s fights knows, he is starting to use his jab a little more and using a little more footwork, in and out, so we’re going to fight smart. I know this will be end up in a war and whoever is the best conditioned has the best chance to win.

“I fought most of my fights on SHOWTIME so I’m just so happy to be part of SHOWTIME again.”

HENRY RAMIREZ, Josesito Lopez’s Trainer

“Josesito has been living with me at my place the last few weeks. He wanted to do it and it was his idea. This way there are no distractions. Just eat, sleep and think boxing. It’s been working out great.

“The return to 147 pounds will do him a lot of good. I think the time off will do him a lot of good, too, but we didn’t really plan to be off this long.

“This fight, Josesito and Maidana, is a Fight of the Year candidate. Robert Garcia and I are good friends, but this is a sport and I know he has been preparing Maidana like I’ve been preparing Josesito.

“This will be a terrific fight.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Alfredo Angulo’s Trainer

“I want to thank SHOWTIME and Golden Boy. This is going to be a great fight. We have great respect for Lara, who’s a great Cuban fighter, but we know what a big chance this is for us.

“I believe Angulo has been judged a little harshly; after all, he has only had two fights after spending nine months in detention. That’s tough for a fighter to be away that long. His first comeback fight lasted a minute. The last fight, he went 12 strong rounds and closed the show. He’ll be even better on June 8.

“I don’t think the styles will make a difference. The winner will be who wants it more. I expect Alfredo to hit another level. He’s prepared and excited to fight Lara.

“Don’t miss it. Tell a friend.”

LOS ANGELES, April 17 – The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. will be the site of one of the most intriguing clashes of boxing’s summer season, as Argentinean knockout artist Marcos Maidana faces off against Southern California favorite Josesito Lopez in a 12 round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Welterweight Championship in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader set for Saturday, June 8.

The tripleheader will also feature a 12-round junior middleweight showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and number one rated WBC super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara and a clash for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship between number one rated WBC super middleweight contender Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika and Mexico’s Marco Antonio Periban, the number four rated WBC super middleweight contender.

“If you’re a fan of action fights, there is no better card to see than this one on June 8th,” said President of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya. “All three high-stakes bouts have the potential to be the main event and the winners who walk out of the Home Depot Center with their hands raised will know they’ve been in a fight.”

“Like all of our recent fights, the fight between Marcos Maidana and Josesito Lopez is a matchup in which there is no clear-cut favorite,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive General Manager and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “You can make a legitimate argument for either fighter. Maidana is one of the most exciting fighters in any division, and he’s facing an opponent, Josesito Lopez, who scored the biggest upset of 2012 and is now back in his most natural weight class.

“Top to bottom, this card is filled with fan-friendly, all-action fights. There is no question that Maidana vs. Lopez will be one of the most entertaining, hard-fought matchups of the year, and the Angulo-Lara and Bika-Periban are sure to be hotly contested and action-packed as well.”

“Outdoor boxing cards at The Home Depot Center’s intimate 8,000-seat outdoor stadium continue to be annual highlights on the southern California sports calendar,” said Katie Pandolfo, General Manager of The Home Depot Center. “With Golden Boy Promotions lining up this championship card, our fans are truly in for another great night of boxing.”

“Josesito Lopez is a tough challenge, but I’m ready for everything he will bring to the ring on June 8th,” Maidana said. “Beating him is the next step to getting a world title shot and I know I’ll get the victory.”

“I fight my best at home, and with the fans in my corner on June 8th, Maidana doesn’t have a chance,” said Lopez. “He’s going to push me hard from start to finish, but that’s when I truly shine. I promise this will be a great fight for the fans.”

“Lara is one of Cuba’s greatest talents, but I’ll have the California fans on my side and I’m determined to do whatever it takes to win,” said Angulo. “This is the most important fight of my career and I will perform like it when the bell rings.”

“Angulo hits hard and is a tough fighter making this a classic boxer vs. puncher match up,” said Lara. “I’m really excited for this fight. Come June 8th, I’m going to put on a boxing display and finally get the ‘W’ over a top fighter that has been taken from me in my past fights.”

“I’m thankful to Golden Boy Promotions and the WBC for giving me this opportunity and I will make the most of it,” said Bika. “Ever since I turned pro, my only goal was to win a world championship and on June 8th, Marco Antonio Periban won’t be able to stop me from getting that belt.”

“I’ve trained hard, I’ve made many sacrifices and I feel that my time is now to become Mexico’s next world champion,” said Periban. “Sakio Bika will be my toughest challenge, but I have the skills, determination and heart to beat him. I’ll beat him and become the first Mexican super middleweight world champion and make history for all of Mexico.”

Maidana vs. Lopez, a 12-round fight for Maidana’s WBA Intercontinental Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona. The tripleheader will take place on Saturday, June 8 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. and will be televised live on SHOWTIME Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Maidana vs. Lopez is presented in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions. Also featured will be a 12-round junior middleweight showdown between all-action warrior Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and number one rated WBC super welterweight contender Erislandy Lara and a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Super Middleweight World Championship between number one rated WBC super middleweight contender Sakio Bika and number four rated WBC super middleweight contender Marco Antonio Periban. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME Extreme at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale Friday, April 19 at noon PT and can purchase tickets at AXS.com or by phone at 1-888-9-AXS-TIX (1-888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available for purchase by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.

2012 was a busy year for former WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (33-3, 30 KO’s) as he began his quest for another world title, this one seven pounds north in the welterweight division. After a rough outing in his 147-pound debut against current IBF Welterweight World Champion Devon Alexander in February, the Argentinean knockout artist bounced back with an exciting, Fight of the Year candidate eighth round technical knockout win over rugged contender Jesus Soto Karass before finishing things off in December by defending his WBA Intercontinental Championship with a third round knockout over Angel Martinez in his native Buenos Aires. On June 8, the 29-year-old returns to fight in California for the first time since his breakthrough 2009 stoppage over former World Champion Victor Ortiz.

One of the toughest fighters in the fight game today, Riverside, California’s Josesito Lopez (30-5, 18 KO’s) has made a career out of beating the odds and he’s not about to stop now. The winner of several regional titles since turning professional in 2003, Lopez stunned unbeaten rising star Mike Dallas Jr. in 2011, stopping the highly touted prospect in seven rounds. Two fights later, Lopez stepped in on short notice to face former World Champion Victor Ortiz in June of 2012 at STAPLES Center and scored a huge upset win, spoiling Ortiz’ chance at a fight with Canelo Alvarez by halting him in nine rounds. The victory set up a bout between Lopez and Alvarez last September. Although he was giving up size and strength advantages to the WBC Super Welterweight World Champion, Lopez’s gutsy effort in defeat earned him praise from both fans and media alike. On June 8, Lopez returns to 147 pounds to take on Maidana.

One of boxing’s most popular warriors, Mexicali’s Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s) thrilled his avid followers in 2012, knocking out Raul Casarez and decisioning Jorge Silva in his first bouts after a year out of the ring due to immigration issues. Now back in the ring and eager to take on all comers, the 30-year-old knockout artist will face his toughest puzzle to date in Cuba’s dynamic Erislandy Lara.

A product of the legendary Cuban amateur boxing program, Erislandy Lara (17-1-2, 11 KO’s) garnered a host of amateur titles and accolades before defecting and beginning his quest for gold as a professional. Now living in Miami, Florida, the 29-year-old Lara rebounded from a highly controversial decision loss to former World Champion Paul Williams in 2011 to knock out Ronald Hearns and outpoint Freddy Hernandez, only to battle to a disputed draw with Vanes Martirosyan last November. On June 8, Lara vows to keep the judges out of matters against Angulo.

A respected veteran who has earned his stellar reputation with a hard-nosed attitude and exciting fights, 2000 Cameroon Olympian Sakio Bika (31-5-2, 21 KO’s) believes that after tough world championship bouts with Markus Beyer, Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward, his fourth shot at the belt on June 8 will be the one he capitalizes on. The winner of three straight, stopping Alfredo Contreras and Dyah Davis and scoring a punishing decision win over Nikola Sjekloca, the 33-year-old “Scorpion” is ready to sting Periban and capture his first world championship.

Mexico City’s Marco Antonio Periban (20-0, 13 KO’s) has impressed fight game insiders and boxing fans ever since his pro debut in 2008 and less than five years later, he’s on the verge of becoming a world champion and adding to his country’s championship heritage. The 28-year-old Periban went 4-0 in 2012 and got 2013 off to a sizzling start on March 16 with a second round knockout over Colombia’s Samuel Miller to win the NABF Super Middleweight Championship. Now he will look to add the WBC belt to his collection on June 8.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/HomeDepotCenter, www.twitter.com/ChinoMaidana, www.twitter.com/JosesitoLopez, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82 and www.twitter.com/LaraBoxing, follow the conversation using #MaidanaLopez or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/HomeDepotCenter.

Two action filled fights have been added to the June 8th card that will feature Marcos Maidana and Josesito Lopez card in Carson, California on Showtime according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

In a Jr. Middleweight bout, Erislandy Lara will take on Alfredo Angulo while Super Middleweights Marco Antonio Periban and Sakio Bika will slug it out.

“Angulo and Lara is an evenly matched fight,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “Lara is technically better, but Angulo is a much bigger puncher. If he can get Lara in trouble, it could go his way, and if Lara decides to box him, it could go Lara’s way. Can Alfredo Angulo catch him, and if he does, how is Lara going to react?”

“We’re really excited about the opportunity. Angulo is one of the top guys in the division,” Luis DeCubas Jr., Angulo’s manager, told ESPN.com. “This is going to be his fourth top-10 contender in six fights — Paul Williams, Carlos Molina, Vanes and now Angulo. That’s four very solid top-10 guys. It just goes to prove that Lara is always willing to fight the best guys in the division.

“Angulo is definitely a guy who can turn the fight around with one shot, which makes it interesting. But Lara will hold his ground, so Angulo better be ready because he has to realize that Lara can hurt him as well. It’s a real interesting matchup. The winner of this fight will be in a great, great position to fight the winner of Canelo Alvarez and [Austin] Trout [who meet to unify titles on April 20] or to have some other big fight at 154. We’re just excited that Angulo stepped up to the plate to fight Lara because not too many people are keen on fighting him.”

“Angulo wanted a big fight, this is a big fight,” Schaefer said. “It’s not an easy fight for Alfredo. If he comes out and presses the action and catches Lara, it can be a short night. Lara, at this point, needs to step up his game. He looked average in his last two fights. He has the opportunity to look great against Angulo.”

“Bika and Periban, I expect fireworks in that one, too,” Schaefer said.

NEW YORK (Feb. 15, 2013) – So who’s going to win the eagerly awaited IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship fight between defending champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage (32-4, 19 KO’s) of Detroit and Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith (24-5, 11 KO’s) of Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 23 in the main event live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit?

Neither undefeated WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout (26-0, 14 KO’s) nor three top-10 contenders in the 154-pound division, hard-hitting Alfred Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s) unbeatens Jermell Charlo (20-0, 10 KO’s) and Carlos Molina (17-0-1, 7 KO’s), could predict a clear-cut winner, although they say the challenger may hold the slightest of edges.

What the four boxers agreed on, however, is that this is a compelling matchup that they definitely will be watching and that, most important of all, they want to fight the winner.

Below is what they said about the upcoming world title fight:

AUSTIN TROUT

“I think this is going to be a good ol’ fashioned brawl. Ishe has more technical skills than “K9,” but he still likes to bang it out. I really don’t know who to pick, but it will be a good fight between two guys who are both kind of inactive, up in age and evenly matched.

“I’ll be tuned in and watching, but I have no any personal interest in who wins. I respect both fighters, they are men of God.

“I’ll respect the winner even more if he’s willing to unify the belts. If one guy has an edge, I think it’s probably Ishe more than “K9.” But good luck to whoever wins, and let’s unify.”

ALFRED ANGULO

“I’ll be watching because these are two important fighters in my weight class in a world title fight. One of them holds the IBF title, and the other might be the new titleholder. The outcome could affect my career, so it’s important for me to watch this fight.

“As for picking a winner, I don’t have a preference either way. Both are talented, yet have contrasting and distinct styles. One is more of a technical fighter, the other is a brawler, so it should make for a very interesting fight.

“I think a lot will depend on Ishe’s condition and if he can handle the pressure because K9 throws punches with a lot of power and a lot of fighters can’t handle that.”

JERMELL CHARLO

“There will be a lot of competent fighters in this weight class who’ll have their eyes glued to the TV for this one. The main reason I’ll be watching is to see who will win. I’m anxious to see if Ishe actually made the changes to his style and, if so, if they made him better.

“I suppose I’m rooting for Ishe because “K9” turned me down for a fight before after I thought it was a 95 percent done deal. If he wins I’m pretty sure he’d turn me down again. Ishe is a guy with a lot of heart who comes to fight. Who knows that if he won the title that he would fight me, but I’d be willing.

“As for a flat-out prediction, I see it going either way, but have a feeling someone’s going to get caught with a good shot. At his age and the route he’s been going, I can see Bundrage winning if it goes the distance, but I see Ishe, who doesn’t get knocked out and is more of a boxer than “K9,” coming along. It’s very possible he can win by KO.

“My pick is Ishe by KO, but Bundrage if it goes the distance.”

CARLOS MOLINA

“I plan on attending the fight and look forward to watching. I’m the mandatory challenger in the IBF for whoever wins, so I’m hoping to be fighting the winner. Really, I just want my first world title shot. It’s what I’ve worked for my whole career.

“It doesn’t matter to me who wins as long as there’s no controversy. I wish them both the best. They’re both good people. Ishe said I deserve the title shot and he would fight me next if he wins; “K9” has not been as committal.

“Still, this is a tough fight to predict. Smith is a good boxer and I expect he’ll be boxing more and using his defense. “K9″ is a slugger whose style is to be aggressive, go right after Smith and try to land something early. If Ishe is more aggressive, he can win a decision.”

Bundrage vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for Bundrage’s IBF Junior Middleweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, February 23 at the Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, sponsored by Corona and MGM Grand Detroit and will be televised live on SHOWTIME beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are on sale at the Masonic Temple box office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.

The historic Masonic Temple in downtown Detroit was dedicated on November 25, 1926. With 1,037 rooms and 550,000 square feet, and built to house numerous fraternal organizations, it is the largest structure of its kind in the world. This amazing Gothic building was constructed between 1920 and 1926 at a cost of $7 million. George Washington’s own working tools were used to spread the first mortar for the cornerstone. Washington, who was a Freemason used these same tools to lay the cornerstone of the Capitol building in Washington DC.

For information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, and www.themasonic.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/K9Boxing, www.twitter.com/IsheSugarShay, www.twitter.com/JLeonLovewww.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #BundrageSmith or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 16, 2012) – British superstar and former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Amir “King” Khan punctuated a sensational day-night boxing marathon presented by Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME Sports® by winning a dominant 10th round TKO over gallant but out-gunned Carlos Molina Saturday on SHOWTIME® from The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.

Making his first start with new trainer Virgil Hunter, Khan (27-3, 18 KO’s), of Bolton, England, was near-perfect against the previously undefeated Molina (17-1-1, 7 KO’s), of Los Angeles, as he snapped a two-fight losing streak while capturing the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Championship.

The quicker, physically stronger and bigger Khan was in control throughout, showing excellent poise while utilizing his advantages in height and reach, moving and jabbing, punching in flurries and landing countless combinations. He didn’t score a knockdown, but he cut Molina on his left eye and thoroughly had his way. When the referee stopped the fight upon the suggestion of the boxer’s corner at the end of the 10th round, Khan had won every round on all three judges’ scorecard.

“I stuck to my game plan which means I stuck to the jab,” said Khan, who called out the boxer who dethroned him, WBA Super, WBC and Ring Magazine Super Lightweight World Champion Danny Garcia, after his victory on Saturday. “Carlos took some good shots and kept coming forward. That is when I thought to myself I am going to have to stick to the game plan and not get too aggressive.

“Virgil is a great trainer and I feel I am getting better as a fighter. He is teaching me boxing, speed, patience, picking the right shot and knowing when to throw it.

“I am my biggest critic. After each fight I always think what did I do and why did I make the mistakes I did. Danny Garcia caught me with a good shot, but I will fight him anytime anywhere. I want to fight him again”

Molina had some success and landed some good shots but was mostly confounded by Khan’s performance.

“I don’t know what happened,” Molina said. “I wanted to pull the trigger, but I couldn’t get my hands to go. I had a lack of precision. He was fast in his jab, and I was hesitant in trying to get in because he has a long reach.

“I didn’t do my job. I lost my undefeated record.

“I felt like I connected two or three times, but I wasn’t in the right distance to reconnect after I wobbled him. I am going to go back (to the drawing board), work hard and get back in the ring.”

In co-featured scheduled 10-round bouts on SHOWTIME, knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., improved to 26-0 with 26 knockouts with a one-punch, third-round knockout over previously undefeated Kelvin Price (13-1, 6 KO’s), of Pensacola, Fla., to capture the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship while junior middleweight Alfredo “Perro” Angulo (22-2, 18 KO’s), of Los Angeles, won a 10-round decision in a slugfest over Jorge Silva (18-3-2, 14 KO’s), of Chula Vista, Calif.

The 6-foot-7 Wilder finished Price, who’s also 6-foot-7, with a long, picturesque right hand. Wilder was even on two scorecards and ahead on the other when he landed the heavyweight haymaker that halted matters in sudden and dramatic fashion.

“Bomb squad baby. I practice patience in the ring because I know my punch is going to come and my opponent is going to get hit.” Wilder said. “It’s just a matter of time, but when it comes, it’s going to work and tonight it did.

“Everyone has their season and it might not come when you expect it, but it does come. Tonight my season came for me. My experience has started to pay off and I felt great in there tonight.

“I feel more polished now. We set a goal we wanted to reach and tonight it seems like that goal is almost there.”

Price offered no excuses. “I felt like I was controlling the action and just getting into my rhythm,” he said. “Then he hit me with a good shot. I could have continued, but I take my hat off to Deontay. He’s very strong and was the better man tonight.”

In a crowd-pleasing, non-stop action brawl in which the sluggers took turns pummeling each other, Angulo got the best of Silva often enough to win by the scores of 97-93 on all three judges’ scorecards.

“I asked for a fighter that would make me work because I wanted to see where I really was after taking a year off,” Angulo said. “I think I am a lot better than I was then. I threw a lot of punches and he did too, but I had to take it slow because I felt a bit sluggish in there. For some reason I came in the ring tonight at 168, which I have never done before. I thought I could knock him out in the 7th or 8th round, but he went into survival mode.

“I’m happy I got the work and it makes me feel good that I have a better idea of where my career can go.”

Said Silva, “That was a really tough fight and I thought I was doing enough to win some of the rounds the judges gave to him. It was a hard fight and I had to fight every round.

“He was strong and hit me with some good shots. I was expecting a tough fight tonight and that is what the fight was. I’m disappointed I didn’t get the win.”

In a great action fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME that preceded the SHOWTIME telecast, undefeated welterweight Shawn “Showtime” Porter (20-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Cleveland, Ohio, and former World Champion Julio Diaz (40-7-1, 29 KO’s), of Indio, Calif., battled to a crowd-pleasing 10-round draw. One judge had it for Porter, 96-94, another judge scored it for Diaz, 96-94, and the third judge had it 95-95.

The event was presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T.

The tripleheader will re-air the first time this week as follows:

DAY CHANNEL

Sunday, Dec. 16, 10 a.m. ET/PT SHOWTIME

Saturday’s fights will be available ON DEMAND beginning Sunday, Dec. 16.

Brian Kenny served as host of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING with Mauro Ranallo calling the blow-by-blow action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and current WBA Welterweight World Champion Paulie Malignaggi serving as expert analysts with Emmy Award winning sports reporter Jim Gray reporting from ringside.

The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

In a battle of unbeatens earlier in the day on CBS, Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) World Bantamweight Championship with a hard-fought, entertaining 12-round unanimous decision win over previously unbeaten Alberto Guevara (16-1, 6 KO’s) of San Diego, Calif.

Kelly Swanson
Thank you everybody for joining us. We know we had a busy boxing weekend this weekend and a very exciting one at that. So we appreciate you taking the time to call in and listen to the news on the next big, exciting boxing weekend, which is going to be coming up this Saturday, December 15th from Los Angeles. We have four fighters on the call today, as well as Stephen Espinoza, executive VP and general manager of Showtime Sports, and Asif Vali from Khan Promotions.

Oscar is going to make opening statements and make some introductions, and then he is doing some other things to help promote the show. So he’s going to drop off and I’ll take over and introduce the secondary fighters that come on after we introduce the first two. So without further ado, let me turn it over to Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions. Oscar?

Oscar De La Hoya

Thank you, thank you very much, Kelly. Yes, we are extremely, extremely excited. First off, you know boxing is on a great roll, a great, exciting fight this weekend with Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Now boxing is moving on to a bigger stage in terms of viewership and people watching on free TV. Boxing is back on CBS.

We are extremely excited, extremely proud to be working with Showtime, to be working with Stephen Espinoza. I think having boxing on network television can only help the sport and can only elevate the sport to a whole new level. We are extremely excited to be having on Leo Santa Cruz, who will be fighting the main event on CBS this Saturday. We will also be putting on in the co-main event Joseph Diaz, who was is my eyes the best Olympian making his professional debut out of the 2012 squad of the U.S. team. This event is all taking place at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

Just because it’s close to the holidays and a way of giving back, Golden Boy Promotions, along with all the fighters, all the sponsors, AT&T and Corona, we wanted to step it up a notch. We wanted to give back. We’re starting off with the fights in the afternoon on CBS. After those fights we’re doing a big fan fest for all the fans who attend the fights with autographs, food, music, and then we’re moving on the Showtime Extreme portion of it and then on to the Showtime Championship Boxing.

So this is really, really exciting to work at Golden Boy Promotions. We’re really looking forward to it, to the fights, to the events, but most importantly giving back to all those fans who supported Golden Boy Promotions throughout this year. So without any further ado, I would like to introduce to you the man who makes it happen at Showtime. He is Stephen Espinoza. Stephen?

Stephen Espinoza

Thanks, Oscar. We’re here ending the year with perhaps our most ambitious undertaking of the entire year, a grand finale so to speak. Oscar’s already described a little bit about the ambitious plans that Golden Boy has from the toy drive to the toy giveaway to the fan fest. It’s a very generous holiday gift in truly a liberal sense.

Showtime’s big day starts at 1:30 Pacific/4:30 Eastern, with Showtime Boxing on CBS. First time boxing’s been on CBS in 15 years. This is something that CBS is excited about, very pleased to be able to do, and it’s obviously something that Showtime is also very happy that we’ve been given the opportunity. We’ve got two great young boxers that we’re very pleased to be highlighting.

We’ll have the pro-debut of 2012 Olympian, Joseph Diaz. I actually met JoJo; it’s been a year ago. It was December before the Olympics. He came to one of our shows. He couldn’t be a nicer young man and very, very talented in the ring.

Leo Santa Cruz, who continues a pretty incredible 2012, has gone from Extreme to Showtime Championship Boxing and now to CBS. He deserves every second of the attention he’s getting because he is a fighter who fights his heart out for the entire fight.

Then we will take a break, and as Oscar said, they’ll be filming with the fan fest at 9:00 Eastern. That’s very exciting. Shawn Porter on Showtime Extreme against Julio Diaz. At 10:00 Eastern we are premiering All Access the epilogue episode, which covers Fight Night and beyond. All Access Epilogue Cotto vs. Trout.

Then at 10:30 we will kick it off on Showtime for Showtime Championship boxing, the return of Alfredo Angulo, his second straight appearance on Showtime coming after a very impressive knockout there at Staples Center just a few weeks ago. We’ll then be featuring Deontay Wilder, another Olympian, a bronze medalist in 2008, with probably his toughest fight to date in Kelvin Price. Then we’re going to our main event, Amir Khan, his first appearance on Showtime versus a very tough challenger, the up and coming Carlos Molina

For my money, Amir is probably the most exciting fighter in the world. It’s all action, never a dull moment in Amir’s fights. I think that goes for all of these from Joseph Diaz to Leo Santa Cruz all the way through Shawn Porter. Deontay, Alfredo, these are continuing the incredible run of action fights that we’ve been providing and we’re very excited about it. Kelly, thanks.

K. Swanson

If you notice your fight week schedule, we’re going to be having toy drive events at the various workouts as well as the weigh-in. Also on Thursday, Oscar is going to be hosting a special toy drive gift at the Golden Boy building and he will be accompanied by none other than Santa Claus.

So we really encourage you guys, if you could, to mention the locations of the toy drive. The people do receive two tickets to the Khan v. Molina fight and I think that’s a generous gift that Golden Boy is giving to their loyal fans out in the L.A. area. Also the afternoon fight is a free ticket for the Santa Cruz portion of the show. So there’s a lot of giving back that Golden Boy is doing and I really want to commend them for their efforts.

At this point I am now going to introduce Alfredo Angulo. He will go first, and then we are hoping to have Leo Santa Cruz join us too. But Alfredo Angulo is of Baja California Mexico, now fighting out of Los Angeles, California. Of course everybody saw his return last month. He’s a junior middleweight and has already demonstrated his amazing punching power. He returned on the ring November 10th for the first time since his fight of the year battle with James Kirkland in 2011.

Of course, Mr. Angulo’s story has been well documented and we certainly welcome him back to the ring, his great fight back, and we’re so happy to have him again. He will be preparing to face Chula Vista’s Jorge Silva.

A. Angulo

Thank you so much, everybody. It’s the best. I thoroughly appreciate this, and also thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.

K. Swanson

We’re also joined at this time by Leo Santa Cruz, very exciting. He’s going to be the main event on the CBS portion of the show. I think he’s absolutely adorable and he fights out of Los Angeles, California. He’s the current IBF Bantamweight World Champion, making his second title defense Saturday night. He’s a young Mexican-American phenom who is one of boxing’s brightest young stars, very exciting in the ring.

He has knocked out 11 of his last 12 opponents. He’s been very busy in the 2012 year, which always keeps a fighter crisp and able to continue his winning streak. On November 10th we saw him, too, and he scored a crushing knockout victory over Victor Zaleta in the 9th round. He will now face Alberto Guevara and again, that’s on network television, on CBS.

For the first time 15 years we have a show on CBS. So that’s very exciting, and Leo, we welcome you to the call and if you want to make an opening statement, we will open the questions up for both you and Alfredo.

Leo Santa Cruz

Thank you very much. I’m very happy to be here and thank you guys for having me.

Q

Leo, my question for you is pretty simple. You’re going to be in the first main event on network television for the CBS network for like Stephen Espinoza said first time since 1997. I believe their last time they had a main event was a world title fight when Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson in the middleweight championship fight. It’s a long time ago, and he was a great fighter obviously. What are your thoughts about being highlighted in the return of network boxing on CBS?

L. Santa Cruz

I’m very happy. I’m very excited that they chose me to be the main event right there. It’s a dream come true and gives me more motivation to train harder and to focus more on this and try to give the fans a good show. I’m always in the gym training really, really hard for our fans because that’s what I came for, to give the fans what they want and hopefully everything goes good. I’m ready.

Q

I was going to ask you, I mean, because you are the main event and you are the champion going into the fight, if CBS looks to do more boxing in the future, which many boxing fans probably hope will happen, they are obviously hoping that they’re going to see a good fight. Does that add pressure knowing that they’re going to be looking for you to deliver something so they have a reason to continue to do boxing? If the fight was a complete flameout then maybe they would say you know what, there was a reason we stopped doing boxing in 1997. We don’t need this anymore. That another good fight from Leo Santa Cruz like you did so many times before could then get them pumped up even more to see more network boxing. So do you feel like you carry that a little bit on your shoulders, or are you just going to go and do your normal fight?

L. Santa Cruz

Yes. I want to please everybody, I want them to be happy and it makes me work harder and everything but I’m still going to go up there like I always do and do what I do because some people, they’re happy already with how I fight. There is a little bit of pressure but I am going to go out there and do what I do and try to please everybody and do my best.

D. Rafael

How old were you in 1997?

L. Santa Cruz

I was nine years old, eight years old, around there.

D. Rafael

So you were a kid last time this happened. So you probably don’t remember. So you’ve never watched a boxing match on network TV before probably.

L. Santa Cruz

Nope, never.

Q

Leo, Kelly called you adorable. I don’t think any of your opponents think that. Do you?

L. Santa Cruz

No, I don’t think so.

Q

I think you’re pretty much a terror. Very quick short turnaround for you. You start last month. Before that even with Morel and you come back and fight as a leader, that’s a pretty short turnaround from September to November. Are you comfortable with this pace? I mean, after fighting nine rounds you’re going to be right back in there just a little more than a month later.

L. Santa Cruz

Yes, they told me that if I was ready to come on and fight and I was like, yes, I want to fight. They told me that it was up to me and yes, I decided to fight because I wanted to finish the year strong. After this one I’m going to take a little rest and get ready and hopefully everything goes good on this one. I’ll take some rest and become stronger for next year.

Q

It’d be great for you to finish off the year with a third straight knockout in less than four months. How do you feel about that? Do you really feel like you want to go out there and just continue the dynamic performances that you’ve turned in?

L. Santa Cruz

Yes, I do. I would like to go out there and finish the year strong and finish with a knockout and this year could be good, because I do get more times and people get to know me and for this great exposure thanks to Golden Boy, to my manager, and to all my team. Thanks to them and that’s what I’m here for, to please all the fans and give them a good show.

Q

Last question I have is when you think of the Mexican fans; you’re a Mexican-American, you just probably watched one this past weekend. When you hear the crowd cheering for a guy like Marquez, do you imagine yourself reaching that kind of a level even though you’re only in your early defenses of your title?

L. Santa Cruz

Yes, I totally imagine myself that I one day I want to be like that and I want all the fans screaming for me and everything. Even imagining that and thinking of that it gives me chills and I feel really excited, so it gives me more motivation and strength to go in the gym and so one day I could become like that, like someone like Marquez and a true Mexican like that.

Q

Do you have a true Mexican boxing idol?

L. Santa Cruz

Yes, it was Cesar Chavez before and when he was beginning with him. Then it was Oscar Larios too. They were my biggest idols.

Q

Hey Alfredo, how long before you won a challenge for one of the junior middleweight titles? How long before you do that? I mean, I know you’ve only just been out of the-that was your first fight back in a long time. How many more fights do you think you want to have before you’re ready to step in there and win a belt?

A. Angulo

I’m ready to fight for a belt. I’m working, now the decision is up to my team and Golden Boy, he’s the decision for my opponents. I would be ready to fight for the belt tomorrow. I don’t care, the champions now are a good challenge and I’m ready. I’m working very hard-I know I stopped a lot of times, but I’m going for the title.

Q

If you were to have your choice of the champions, Austin Trout, Alvarez, Bundrage, etc. Would you have a preference? Would you want to go for one of the guys that aren’t considered so good first or would you want to go for Trout or Alvarez first?

A. Angulo

Any of those would be a great opportunity for me. I don’t care. I’ll fight for anybody.

Q

How big would an Alvarez fight be for you given that you’re both Mexicans?

A. Angulo

Every fight when two fighters-he’s Mexican, he’s a really good size. He fights really hard and with a lot of heart.

Q

Last question. Do you ever envision yourself being in the ring with Canelo? Have you ever, even when you weren’t able to fight, hearing about him and what level he’s reached, possibly being in the ring with him and how that would go?

A. Angulo

I don’t fight names. I fight opponents; I fight whoever is in front of me to get through him. So to me right now the name Canelo doesn’t mean anything because I have the other opponent. That’s who I fight, the one in front of me. It’s up to my promoter, it’s up to my trainer, and who they put in front of me and I’m ready to fight.

Q

Yes, my question if for Leo Santa Cruz. Leo, I just want to know back in November, was it even on your mind that you were going to fight in December, and if so, were there opponents already in mind?

L. Santa Cruz

No, they had given me some kind of clue. They told me that if everything came out good in November and everything was good that they had maybe something in December. They didn’t tell me that for sure but they had told me that maybe they were going to put me in the show. So I trained really hard so I could do good in November and I won. So yes I kind of knew that maybe in December they were going to give me another shot.

Q

Okay, so with that in mind, how does it affect the way you train for this fight as opposed to others? Most fighters going into training camp, they already know who they’re fighting and they know how to prepare. So for this fight is just you’re training for a fight as opposed to training for your specific opponent. So did that make a difference for this particular training camp?

L. Santa Cruz

A little bit because I didn’t know the other guy’s style or anything, but I kept training like how we train really hard and doing things that my dad showed me. He has really good ideas in the gym. He taught me to fight any kind of fight; all types of styles.

Robert Diaz

I just want to make it clear that this opponent was scheduled a few-as soon as we knew that he was back on we had the opponent lined up.

Q

Thanks, I appreciate it. Leo, just one more question. What does it mean to you, and we touched on it earlier, but returning to CBS, like you said you didn’t even grow up in an era where boxing was regularly showcased on network TV. So what does that mean to you? You’re bringing back something, I guess, to an entirely new generation.

L. Santa Cruz

It means a lot to me. I’m very grateful and happy that they picked me to be on this kind of TV because millions of people are going to be watching and this is what I need, exposure so that people to get to know me. Hopefully they become fans and they like how I fight so I can give them a good show and they keep on watching and following me.

Q

The question is for Alfredo. You’ve had your first fight. Obviously it was a very emotional night coming back into the ring. How difficult was it to get through those moments of the anguish, the difficulties that you had in the past?

A. Angulo

No, I’m a little bit more tranquil this time around. As I told everyone before the first fight, the training was done, the hard work was put in so I don’t get nervous but I do from the locker room to the ring. You know, obviously this time we’ve worked very hard where we’re back into the rhythm and it shouldn’t be as much of a surprise once we go out there and hear the crowd again. We’ll be used to it. We’ll be ready.

Q

This one is for Leo. 2012 was a very, very busy year. Do you expect 2013 to be the same scheduling and also your breakout year?

L. Santa Cruz

Yes, 2013 we’re going to train even harder and be ready and prepared so that the bigger fights come, the big names, and leave the crowd and make them happy. Definitely.

Q

Okay. Alfredo, you were sensational in your last fight. However, it was very quick. Do you want to get some more rounds in in this fight?

A. Angulo

Thank you for what you said. I think so. I’m ready for more rounds.

Q

Okay, and when I talked to you the last time you said you have some new weapons in your arsenal since working with Virgil Hunter. Will we see these new weapons in this fight?

A. Angulo

A lot of people, I hear the words, it’s very hard to tell and I used the word and the reason is the fight for the people on the field why is there a fight.

Q

Okay, and do you feel that you will challenge for a world title in 2013?

A. Angulo

I don’t know. I think so. You see it’s I think so like tomorrow Golden Boy officially is switched for even fight for the title, I think for the next year for sure.

Q

How do you feel about fighting on network television in front of a huge national audience in your hometown, how does it feel?

L. Santa Cruz

Exciting, happy, but at the same time really nervous and I have a lot of pressure on me because I want to give all the fans and the network a good show and I think it’s hard to do that and please everybody.

Q

All right, and you have been sensational at bantamweight. How long do you plan to stay at this division now before moving up?

L. Santa Cruz

The truth, I’ve been ready to move already like two months ago, but like the opportunities have been coming at this weight right now, and as opportunities keep coming, if there are opportunities to unify the belt and it’s a great opportunity for me, I think I will probably stay for a few months. If not, if there are better opportunities for moving up from 122, I think that next year is going to be my chance to move up and probably this is my last fight at 118.

K. Swanson

Thank you. Okay, so next up we’re switching to our main event. Oscar has already talked about the particulars, as well as Stephen Espinoza from Showtime, so I’m going to cut right to it and we will hear from Mr. Molina first, Carlos Molina of Norwalk, California. He’s undefeated as a professional, 17 and 0 with one draw and seven KOs. He’s a former national amateur champion. He has shared the ring with many top competitors and now he probably is stepping up, if not probably, definitely stepping up to face his toughest opponent to date and that, of course, is Amir Khan. Mr. Molina, if you want to make an opening comment, and then I will introduce Mr. Khan.

Carlos Molina

Sure, how are you guys doing? I’ve been training extremely hard for this fight. I’m excited and I’m ready. I’m ready to go a 12 hard round son Saturday. I’m just excited to be fighting here in my hometown of LA and be fighting a world class fighter like Amir Khan. I think it’s just going to elevate my skills, so like I said, my team has been working very hard with my head trainer Clemente Medina; my strength and conditioning coach, Luis Garcia, they’ve been pushing me to the max every single day. My manager, Frank Espinoza, my dad along my side. I’ve got a great team and come Saturday we’re going to show the world who Carlos Molina is.

K. Swanson

Of course without further ado, this is a fantastic fighter from Bolton, England, Mr. Khan, 26 and 3 with 18 knockouts. He’s the former Unified Super Lightweight World Champion. Of course, we all know he’s an Olympic silver medalist from the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He gives a tremendous amount back in the U.K. and in Pakistan. We know he fights for all of the people that are attached to his life.

And you do know his history in the ring. He’s had unbelievable fights with top, top opponents and recently he did have a little bump on his radar, but he is back and probably the most exciting thing about this is that he has a new trainer, Virgil Hunter, so that’s a great association. He now is going to be facing Carlos Molina in his first fight back since he had his upset loss in July against Danny Garcia.

So Amir, if you want to make an opening statement and then we’ll open it up to the reporters?

Amir Khan

Hello, everyone. Thanks for joining the call. Training has gone great. I feel I’m in great condition and I know what mistakes I made in the previous fights and we’re not going to make them again. You will see a new Amir Khan come into this fight and I just want to say that the training that I’ve been doing with Virgil Hunter has been going great because to work on new techniques and new skills and everything and be a totally different fighter. I’m excited to show you all what the new Amir Khan is going to be like, but yes, training has been tough and hard.

The conditions have been very hard, as well. I kept everything really quiet and just being focused on what I need to do to. The training camp was in San Francisco. So it’s been a great camp and we just can’t wait to get in the ring there and put on a fight because it’s been such a long time since the last fight. I just want to get back in the ring now and show what Amir Khan is all about, but training, while in LA we’ve been doing the training over here as well and Virgil is also in LA, as well, so it’s fight week and it’s all about just making sure that we’re going to do things right and we’re going to stick to a game plan.

We know we’re up against a tough Carlos Molina, and we know what it’s like to fight and be inside, because they’re very confident and we’re not taking this fight lightly. We’ve taken it very seriously; especially we know that Carlos is going to come into the fight very confident after my last fight. So we’re going to be ready for everything he brings to the table and I’m excited more than anything. While the U.K. fans are excited to see me fight, fans that are in Pakistan and around the world and also in America, they’ve been messaging me and saying we can’t wait to see you fight come this Saturday. So I’m excited and I hope you guys are as well. Thank you.

Q

Hello, Carlos, do you feel like this is kind of your Rocky moment coming into this fight? You’re the big underdog and you’re going to be fighting in front of your hometown and a wink could potentially set you up with fights that for a title on the other 140 or 135 you beat a name like Khan?

C. Molina

Definitely. I know a lot of people see me as the underdog, but man, little do they know that we’re going to shock everybody on that night. Like I said, we’re training extremely hard. We’re going to be called the Sea Biscuit after this fight. We’re going to come out of nowhere and shock the world.

Q

How do you see this fight playing out with Amir?

C. Molina

I know Amir, he’s a fast fighter and I know he likes using his jab a lot, so I know we’re going to have to be working in there and I see it going 12 hard rounds and if it ends early, even better for me. But I just see this as being a great all action fight. It’s going to be great for the fans because there’s no way he’s going to put me down and I know he needs this win bad and he needs a little practice, so I know he’s going to go in there and like I said, we’re going to go to war.

Q

Thanks, Carlos. For Amir, you’ve lost two in a row coming into this fight. Do you feel a lot of pressure to go out there and really perform well, or would you just be happy with a win?

A. Khan

We just got to go in there and we’re going to do what we do best, really. It’s been a tough road. We fought some big names and so far I think coming into this fight against Carlos, it’s going to be another tough fight. We know it’s going to be tough and we’re just going to go in there and do what we do best. A win is a win and we’re just going to be sticking to the game plan and sticking to the instructions from the corner. Instead of me getting too wild and stuff, I’m just going to be the best I can be. We’re working on a great game plan for this fight, so I’m going to be just sticking to that.

Q

Just one more question for you, after what happened in the Lamont Peterson fight, were you a little bit apprehensive about fighting another guy in his backyard?

A. Khan

I’ve been spending a lot of time in Los Angeles as well, so it’s kind of a second home for me over here because we’ve trained over here for like four years, so I think it’s going to be perfect. It’s always tough when you fight someone is his backyard, but we know we have to maybe that’s the reason we’ve been working even harder, because we know we have to win even more convincingly when you come to someone’s backyard and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to be working harder.

Q

I wanted to know in your opening statement you talked about making corrections to mistakes that you made against Garcia. I’m wondering if you could tell me when you talk about fixing mistakes, in your mind what were those mistakes that you believe that you made in that fight.

A. Khan

We made mistakes when we usually go in there and it’s like there’s no defense and jumping into a war when we don’t need to have a war and the game plan going out the window and me getting over confident and just whereas if I just stick to the game plan more. I start to forget the things that got me far in my career and start to focus more on the power of speed or aggression or however in the work that I have.

We know about the boxing arena, we’re going to stick with that and we’re going to stick to the skills and be smart of everything because that’s what’s got me this far. So that’s why I’ve been working with Virgil and Virgil is a great trainer defensively as well. We’ve been working on a lot of new defenses, which I think will help me in this fight.

Q

Amir, do you get a little, I guess, maybe mad at yourself because, like you said, you maybe got a little reckless against Garcia. You were winning that fight easily, we know that. We were watching it. Garcia was able to finish the fight, but when you go back and have looked at it, do you just shake your head and say I can’t believe I got, like you said, out of control? How are you going to prevent yourself from doing that, because it seems to me, I’ve followed your whole career, that’s your nature, which is why we like watching you so much because you are on the edge of sometimes and trying to go for the knockout, which leaves you open a little bit?

A. Khan

Yes, definitely. I think it’s when you’re in a gym with other fighters, who have a similar style. I was in the gym with Manny Pacquiao he had a very similar style to me offensively a great fighter, and defensively we’re both not the best. We did a couple tough, tough sparring in there where we have to prove a point. There used to guys coming from all over the place all over the country to spar with, and we do spar that way. The way we spar is the way that we used to fight.

Then I’m gone because I’m a clever fighter. I’m a wild fighter. I should use my skills instead of jumping in there and getting into wars. I think it’s what you do in the gym; not you do in the ring. This comes from being very mentally and thinking about a lot of things and doing a lot of things different and that’s what I’m going to take into the ring.

Q

Just one more question for you, Amir, can you talk about what specifically Virgil has brought to you? You did well with Freddie for a while, won some world titles and such. Now you’re going with Virgil. We know he’s a good trainer, but what is different about him, say, than Freddie, or what do you believe he brings to you that will help you in the fight, or not just this fight, but in your career in general?

A. Khan

Yes, I think in my career, I think he’ll help me because he’s a great corner man. He will tell you straight if you’re doing something wrong. And also he sees a fight the way it should go and if you’re making mistakes, he’ll pull you up on them, and tell you how to change your style and stuff and also when we’re working in the gym together, we’ve changed a lot of stuff, which is the defense, working a lot on the defensive side, something I’ve always wanted to work on with a trainer.

I have offensively, that’s always going to be there because that’s just the nature of the fighter I am. I’m that type of fighter who likes to fight and get into a tear up, but at the same time defensive as well, Virgil has added to my fighting style I think is going to help me big time. It will take me to a different level seeing things better and also defending a lot of shots where I was normally just move and whereas now I can block them. I know exactly what to do, and like I said, come the fight, you will see the Amir Khan and you’ll see a very settled and very mature fighter.

Q

Are you saying the other trainers didn’t do those types of things, didn’t talk about defense, didn’t talk well in the corner between rounds, which you haven’t had a real fight with Virgil just yet, or are you just satisfied with how he does it also and then your other trainers have done the same thing?

A. Khan

Yes, the other trainers have been great, the ones I’ve worked with, but with Virgil, I think it’s just a little different. He tells you straight how it is. He will shout at you in the corner and also he’ll teach you more defense. With the other trainers it was mainly a lot of offense and the defense a little bit of defense, but with Virgil, there’s a lot of defense at the same time, because maybe that’s something I wanted to work on as well, so that’s why he has me working on the defensive side because offense is always going to be there.

But if it’s defensive, you think after that combination what position you should be in, what position you’re going to be in way before you throw a shot. I think it’s all about positioning and balance as well. He’s helped me on a lot as well, I’ve tried all this stuff as well, all this stuff he’s been teaching me. It’s made my sparring so much easier and so much cleaner and I’m a better fighter this way. But don’t get me wrong, the excitement is still going to be there. People want to see Amir Khan is very exciting and they will still see that, but a very more mature fighter.

Q

December is usually a pretty good month for you. Obviously the Peterson fight notwithstanding. Is there anything about this time of year that brings out good things in you, the McDonagh fight, I think the Barrera fight maybe.

A. Khan

Yes, December is always a nice time to have a fight because it’s coming towards end of year and it’s great to finish a year off strong. I’ve had a nice break coming to the December fight and it’s nice and relaxed and me changing a lot of things might count as well and being a lot more serious than ever, really. Even though I have to train hard for my previous fight for this fight, especially I know it’s a make or break fight for me. That’s why I’m taking it so seriously.

We can be more than ready in this fight. I will be in the best condition ever. Conditioning wise, boxing wise and everything is going hopefully come together on Friday and we’re going to win this fight and finish the year off strong and then put us in a good position coming into next year.

Q

Virgil Hunter, I spoke to him recently and he said a number of things, but one of the things that I’ve always thought with your fights, and I’ve always thought that this thing about your chin was overblown. What he said was it’s two things that cost you in the fights that you ended up being knocked out in. One he says you didn’t think when you got up. He said people are talking about his chin, but what they’re not looking at is it’s what he does when he gets up, because you got up from a heck of a punch.

I think what he’s talking about is you go right back into the fray. You didn’t gather yourself. What does it mean to you and how has he conveyed that to you?

A. Khan

Yes, we’ve seen the fight numerous times and two previous fights of mine and I tend to get to ballsy at times and where I should be more smart. I think he made me think more in that sense where why I get up from a knockdown and the shot that Garcia caught me with, I don’t think many lightweights would have got up off that fight. He’s a very big punisher and he hits very hard, but I got up the first time, got up the second time, but I don’t think I was thinking what was in my mind and what I was doing in the sparring.

On the wild card, I was in the wild card and going to wars. When someone hurts you in the sparring and you want to knock their head off, you want to go into a war with them. That’s totally got in my system of taking that in my system of where now if you do get caught with a shot, you regroup yourself. It’s all about thinking instead of jumping, rushing and making mistakes because when you’re not thinking enough you do start making more mistakes and you do start getting caught more.

I started realizing that with Virgil where he made me, when I do get caught with a good shot in sparring, he first couple of times it’s hard for me to slow myself down, but then I start slowing myself down and say okay, fine, you caught me one time. That’s fine. I start working on the, again, I start working on technique and then my time will come. This is boxing, a 12 round fight. It’s not a split where you go in there and try knocking your opponent out. And that’s what Virgil has taught me and put into my head where it’s a boxing fight.

You have to use your skills and if you’ve got 12 rounds to do it in, so take your time and be smart about everything and think about everything that you do. That’s why we’re doing more, the more thinking I’ve been doing is the more easier I’ve been working with Virgil and I’ve been enjoying it more as well.

Q

Manny Stewart once told me that Tommy Hearns was so concerned about the crowd, pleasing the crowd, that he never liked to hold guys when he got hurt. I wonder if there’s a part of you that that you get so excited, you really want to entertain, that you just didn’t think about holding, clinching, doing whatever it takes just to get out of jeopardy. Would that be accurate or is that not-

A. Khan

Yes, maybe that’s what it is. Maybe that’s what it is, you want to show how brave you are, how strong you are to everyone. I think that’s the wrong way of going about it. This time we’ve been working a lot with heavier guys and guys that have been holding me. We’ve been doing a lot of holding work as well like teaching me when you are hurt, what you have to do if you’re holding, using these things.

But we’ve also got a lot of other things that we’ve been working on when you are hurt in a fight what you should do to avoid getting into a fight. So we’ve been-Virgil is very smart that way. He’s been helping me do a lot of different things; not only just holding, but different things we’ve been working on.

Q

Hey Carlos. In fighters, great fighters who have had to transition from one trainer to a next or another, a lot of times they get caught in that transition and that’s a vulnerable time in their career, Jermain Taylor, Kelly Pavlik, guys like that. What are your thoughts about the vulnerability factor in terms of maybe catching Amir in transition?

C. Molina

Yes, I think he’s going to go out there with that game plan to be more defensive, but like Mike Tyson says, nobody has a game plan until you get punched in the face. I know Amir kind of loves to fight, so I think once we start putting those shots on him, I think he’s going to be in there. Like I said, we’re going to go to war.

Q

But he is a good boxer, and one thing that Virgil Hunter said is that if you’re going to get to Amir’s chin, you’re going to have to take a lot of punishment. Danny Garcia took a lot of punishment, Lamont Peterson really had to take some shots, and of course, he dropped McDonagh in the first round with a wicked body shot, so he’s a very capable fighter and I don’t think that’s something you can overlook.

What do you see in his arsenal and how much are you willing to walk through fire to get to his chin?

C. Molina

Yes, I’m willing to walk through hell and back, man. This is my shot. This is my opportunity, so I know I got to be smart about it. I just can’t run there and just attack a tiger. I’ve got to be smart about it and I know he’s a good boxer, so we have a great game plan for him. We’re going to execute it on Saturday.

Q

I know you have a fighter’s mentality and I’m not denigrating any of your opponents, but how big of a step up in quality and intensity and in marquee value is this fight for your career, and how much does it mean to you?

C. Molina

It’s a huge step. This fight right here is me beating Khan is going to catapult me to that level where everybody is going to know who I am. That’s why this fight means so much to me. Like I said, Amir is a world class fighter and me being in with a fighter at his level, it’s only going to make my boxing ability even greater, and everybody is going to know who I am.

Q

Okay, Amir, my question for you is what do you think about the work of Freddie Roach in Pacquiao’s corner last weekend?

A. Khan

Manny Pacquiao is a great friend and a good friend of mine. We worked together for such a long time and also Freddie is a great trainer. It’s a shame to see a friend like that get beat because it shows that’s boxing for you, and in boxing one punch can change a fight.

No matter who you are, and Manny is such a great fighter going into the fight I was probably the favorite to win the fight, but one punch can of change a fight and that’s boxing for you. We’ve been training very hard because we’ve been in that position where we were beaten and got caught with a shot. That’s boxing for you, so it’s like with my new trainer we’ve been working on the defense a lot and we’ve been working on a lot of new things.

Q

But in your personal opinion, Freddie Roach didn’t use the right strategy against Marquez?

A. Khan

Well, you don’t know because it is hard to point fingers and so if Freddie fought, like Manny fought., etc. You can’t really say anything, when the fight is so exciting with fighters like Marquez and Pacquiao who are very exciting. One punch can change a fight because they’re very experienced, so you can’t really blame no trainer or anyone. It was just that Marquez was very clever and very smart and he hit Manny Pacquiao with a good, clean shot.

Q

My first question is for Carlos Molina. Carlos, with only seven knockouts, you have a great record, 17 and 7 knockouts. By moving up in weight in your training are you doing anything different to win this fight?

C. Molina

Yes, I think we’re moving up five pounds and I think those five pounds are going to benefit me. It’s was never easy for me to make the 135 pounds and I think being 140 pounds I think I’ll be a lot more comfortable. We’ve been working a lot doing a lot of agility work and a lot of sand work and we’ve been doing a lot of cross-training just various types of training that is going to make me more explosive in the fight. I think I’m going to be stronger at this weight.

Q

Right, and what is the motivation going into this fight with a fighter like Amir “King” Khan, with a hard puncher, what are your goals when you fight him?

C. Molina

This is something I always dreamed of, something like I said I’ve always dreamed this since I was a little kid, having a big, huge fight right here, right here in the city where I’m from, the city of LA. I’m just so motivated and so excited for my opportunity. This is my time. It’s my time to show the world who I am and I’m ready to become a world champion.

Q

Right, and if you do win against Khan, would you fight your next fighter, would it be a junior welterweight Danny Garcia, or would you move back down to your weight to Adrien Broner in order to help you win the title?

C. Molina

Yes, right now I’m just focused directly on Amir Khan. Whatever happens after that, if it’s Broner, if it’s Garcia, it doesn’t matter. I just want to fight Amir Khan right now and whatever opportunity comes next and I’m going to be thankful for that.

A. Khan

I just want to thank everyone for coming onto this conference call and we’ve got training to go to as well, but yes, it’s going to be great. I hope you all come to the fight and we’ll see you all at the press conference waiting, but yes, we’re ready. We can’t wait to get into the ring and show you the new Amir Kahn and I just want to thank you all for coming, thank you.

C. Molina

Thank you guys for your questions. We’re ready. We’re ready to put on the show come December 15th.

END OF CALL

Khan vs. Molina is a 12 round fight for the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Title and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, charismatic unbeaten knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder squares off against undefeated Kelvin Price in a 10-round heavyweight clash for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico faces Jorge Silva in a 10-round bout. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with a ten round welterweight fight featuring rising star Shawn Porter vs. former World Champion Julio Diaz airing live on SHOWTIME EXTREME beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The Sky Sports 1HD telecast begins live at 2:00 a.m. GMT on Sunday, December 16.

Santa Cruz vs. Guevara is a 12-round fight for Santa Cruz’s IBF Bantamweight World Championship and is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The CBS broadcast, which airs live from 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT until 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT, will also feature the professional debut of 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz Jr. as he faces Vicente Alfaro in a four-round junior featherweight fight.

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 12, 2012) – Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya, former Unified Super Lightweight Champion Amir “King” Khan, his opponent, unbeaten Carlos Molina and the four other pugilists fighting this Saturday, December 15, live on SHOWTIME® (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena participated in a media workout Tuesday at the jam-packed Ponce De Leon Boxing Gym in Montebello, Calif.

Khan meets Molina in the main event in a 12-round bout for the vacant WBC Silver Super Lightweight Championship. In co-featured 10-rounders on SHOWTIME, knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder (25-0, 25 KO’s), of Tuscaloosa, Ala., takes on Kelvin Price (13-0, 6 KO’s), of Pensacola, Fla., in a collision of 6-foot-7 unbeatens for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship and Alfredo “Perro” Angulo (21-2, 18 KO’s), of Los Angeles, battles Jorge Silva (18-2-2, 14 KO’s), of Chula Vista, Calif., in a junior middleweight match.

The evening event will also be televised live on Sky Sports 1HD in the United Kingdom at 2:00 a.m. GMT on Sunday, December 16.

The tripleheader on SHOWTIME concludes an unprecedented day-night boxing marathon that begins with fights on CBS Television Network in the afternoon and is followed later by one fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Undefeated IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (22-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, will defend his title against Alberto Guevara (16-0, 6 KO’s) of San Diego, Calif., in the main event on CBS while talented 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz, of South El Monte, Calif., will make his pro debut against Vicente Alfaro (5-2, 1 KO), of Northfield, Minn., in the opening bout.

The live 90-minute broadcast on CBS, its first since Bernard Hopkins knocked out Glen Johnson in the 11th round on Jan. 20, 1997, will begin at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

Admission is free to the afternoon event that begins at 1:00 p.m. PT and will include three of Diaz’s U.S. Olympic teammates who were all victorious in their professional debuts on Nov. 9 on SHOWTIME’S ShoBox: The New Generation: Errol Spence Jr. of Brentwood, N.Y., Marcus Browne of Staten Island, N.Y. and Dominic Breazeale of Alhambra, Calif., all in four-round bouts. Junior middleweight Spence will face Richard Andrews (5-2-3, 2 KO’s), of Charlottesville, Va., light heavyweight Browne is matched against Ritchie Cherry (3-5, 1 KO), of Oklahoma City, Okla., and heavyweight Breazeale faces Michael Dennis (0-1), of Glendale, Calif.

Welterweight Shawn “Showtime” Porter (20-0, 14 KO’s), of Cleveland, Ohio, will put his unbeaten record on the line against surging former World Champion Julio Diaz (40-7, 29 KO’s), of Indio, Calif., in a 10-round bout on SHOWTIME EXTREME (9:00 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the evening boxing session (SHOWTIME-televised fight card) are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, and are on sale at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Non-televised fights on the undercard (first fight is 4:00 p.m. PT): Frankie Gomez (13-0, 10 KO’s), East Los Angeles, vs. Pavel Miranda (19-8-1, 10 KO’s), Tijuana, Mex., 8 rounds, welterweights; Hugo Centeno (16-0, 8 KO’s), Oxnard, Calif., vs. Allen Conyers (12-7, 9 KO’s), Bronx, N.Y., 8 rounds, junior middleweights; Chris Pearson (6-0, 5 KO’s), Trotwood, Ohio, vs. Dashon Johnson (13-9-3, 4 KO’s), Escondido, Calif., 6 rounds, middleweights; and Jerren Cochran (6-0, 3 KO’s), Houston, Texas, vs. TBA, 4 rounds, featherweights.

Tickets for the afternoon boxing session (CBS broadcast) will be free of charge as part of the Golden Boy Promotions Holiday Fanfest and can be acquired at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena box office.

Fans who present ticket stubs from the CBS event when purchasing tickets for the SHOWTIME event will receive a 20 percent discount. There is a limit of one discounted purchased ticket per ticket redeemed while supplies last.

Saturday’s mega-event will also feature Golden Boy’s Holiday Fanfest on the grounds of the Sports Arena that will include music, autograph sessions with boxing’s biggest stars, games, boxing memorabilia, a visit by Santa Claus at an Oscar De La Hoya Foundation-sponsored toy give-away (10:00 a.m.), and much more.

Khan vs. Molina is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Santa Cruz vs. Guevara is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T.

Below please find quotes from Tuesday’s workout:

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

“Saturday is a special day for all of us – the fighters, fans, everybody. Because of the toy drive, there will be lots of gifts to give away, lots of gifts for us to disperse to the kids. That makes it a win-win for everybody.

“The turnout today is wonderful. The fights on Saturday will be exceptional. We’re very proud to be teaming up with CBS and SHOWTIME for what will be a memorable day and night of exciting fights.

“The main event on SHOWTIME has attracted international attention and is very intriguing. The big questions are: who is Carlos Molina and what is he bringing to the table? And what does Amir Khan have left? A strong contingent of press are here from England, which is always the case whenever and wherever Amir fights. There is a huge amount of interest in his return to the ring. As a fan, I can’t wait for Saturday.”

AMIR KHAN

“Obviously, this fight means a lot to me and is very important. I can’t afford to get beat. Yes, I want to fight the biggest names, but to do that, I first have to win on Saturday. I think it’s equally important for me that I win and that I win impressively.

“I never treat a fight as a tune-up or go in underestimating my opponent because all opponents are dangerous. I am certainly not taking Molina lightly. I’ve seen a little of him. I expect a good fight and for him to come at me. I appreciate the fact he took this fight.

“My sparring has been brilliant. The switch in trainers has been a positive change. I feel great and I’m in a great state of mind. You’re going to see a smarter, much more mature fighter, a mistake-free, precise puncher who’ll make every punch count and won’t make any mistakes.”

CARLOS MOLINA

“I grew up in tough neighborhoods with tough neighbors, so one thing I won’t be is intimidated by him, or by his reputation. I’ll be ready for anything.

“We got the call for this fight in September and I’ve been running and training hard ever since. My trainers have really pushed me. I’m in tip-top shape and feel stronger at 147 pounds than I ever have. I believe we have a great game plan.

“I’ve seen all his fights and know what he brings into the ring. There have been a lot of great fights this year and a lot of upsets. This is going to be a great fight, too, and I’m confident I can win it.’’

DEONTAY WILDER

“I’ve won all my fights by knockout, but I never go into a fight thinking I’ll win that way. I still have too much to prove to think that way.

“I’m thrilled and very happy to be part of a great fight card like this. I like pressure, so that is never a factor, but I know this is going to be a good fight. Both of us are hungry and are coming to win.

“People criticize me all the time. They look at my record, see all the knockouts and say I haven’t fought anybody, but we set out with a game plan when I turned pro and we continue to follow that game plan.

“The next step is Saturday night. I’m not saying it will be my toughest fight, but it could be my hardest. Both of us dream of becoming heavyweight world champion one day. Both of us want to impress on SHOWTIME. I’ve had a great camp with really great sparring. To the fans, all I’ll say is…buckle up.”

KELVIN PRICE

“It’s great to be back on SHOWTIME and to get this kind of opportunity. Finally, after years of missing out on big fights for one reason or another, I get the chance for my coming out party. I am beyond excited.

“Despite a late start in boxing after switching over after playing pro basketball for years in Europe, I should have many more fights than I do. But the fact is I’ve been turned down by almost all the young heavyweights, including Tyson Fury, David Price and Chris Arreola. They may agree to fight, but once they do their research on me the fight is scrapped.

“I consider myself the best unknown fighter in the world, but now I’m finally getting my chance. I’m like a diamond in the rough, still learning every day, but this is the kind of fight I’ve been waiting for. I’m ready to show my stuff. I’m hungry like you wouldn’t believe.’’

ALFREDO ANGULO

“I’m really excited to be coming back so quickly and fighting again in Los Angeles. Like I always do for any opponent, I’ve trained very hard and am ready to go 10 rounds. You never know what’s going to happen once the bell rings. I’ll take early knockouts all the time, but you can never count on them.

“Silva is a really good fighter, and he’s Mexican. So we have a Mexico versus Mexico fight, which is always a war.

“You may not be familiar with Silva or know his name, but those are the fighters who are the most dangerous. They’re very eager to change that and make a name for themselves.

“No one’s paid a lot of attention to Silva, but I have. I know that hunger he has, his ambition to be somebody and make himself a name. This is going to be a hard fight. No way I’m taking him lightly.’’

JORGE SILVA

“This is my second fight in the United States and first on SHOWTIME, so I have a lot to prove, but I’ve waited a long time for this kind of opportunity and I’m ready to take advantage of it.

“I’m really excited and motivated to finally be fighting a quality opponent, and I most definitely feel I will win and get the recognition that goes with it. I look at this as not only the biggest fight of my career, but the most difficult. I think I a lot of the guys Angulo has knocked out were intimidated by him before they even got in the ring. I’m not intimidated by anything or anybody.

“I’m in great shape and confident of a victory. I look forward to showing SHOWTIME and all the fans exactly who I am.’’

###

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AmirKingKhan, www.twitter.com/CarlosMolina562, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/BronzeBomber, www.twitter.com/teampriceboxing, www.ShowtimeSHAWNP, www.JosephDiazJr, www.twitter.com/ErrolSpenceJr, www.twitter.com/Marcus_Browne, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #KhanMolina or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

LOS ANGELES, December 6 – Before British superstar Amir “King” Khan makes his ring return against Carlos Molina at the legendary Los Angeles Sports Arena on Saturday, December 15 live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, LA’s own IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz will face unbeaten Alberto “Metro” Guevara in a 12-round bout that will air as a special boxing feature live on SHOWTIME BOXING on CBS beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jo-Jo” Diaz’s bout against an opponent to be named will also be broadcast live on CBS, the first live fight on CBS Television in 15 years. Rounding out the early portion of the fight card will be Olympians Errol Spence and Marcus Browne, who made their pro debuts one month ago on November 9, in separate bouts also against opponents to be named.

Also featured on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast (10:30 p.m. ET/PT, SHO) will be a 10-round junior middleweight clash between Alfredo “Perro” Angulo and Jorge “Pantera” Silva as well as a 10-round heavyweight bout featuring charismatic unbeaten knockout artist and 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist Deontay “Bronze Bomber” Wilder in a tough test against undefeated Kelvin Price.

But that’s not all, as SHOWTIME EXTREME will kick-off the evening action at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with unbeaten welterweight Shawn “Showtime” Porter stepping up to the plate against surging former World Champion Julio “The Kidd” Diaz. Also slated for undercard action will unbeaten East Los Angeles prospect Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez taking on Pavel Miranda.

Khan vs. Molina is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Khan Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) with preliminary fights live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). The Sky Sports 1HD telecast begins live at 2:00 a.m. GMT on Sunday, December 16.

Santa Cruz vs. Guevara is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The CBS telecast air live from 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT until 6:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the SHOWTIME televised fight card are priced at $150, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are on sale now and available for purchase at the Los Angeles Sports Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets for fans traveling from the United Kingdom are available for purchase online at www.sportscorporation.com or by calling +44 (0)845 163 0845.

Tickets for the CBS televised fight card will be free of charge as part of a Golden Boy Promotions Holiday Fanfest and can be acquired at Los Angeles Sports Arena box office.

Perhaps boxing’s most exciting fighter, IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (22-0-1, 13 KO’s) is a thrill machine with a warrior’s heart, making him a fan favorite wherever he goes. In the midst of a breakout year, the 24-year-old from Los Angeles won his first world title in June, beating Vusi Malinga, and he has since defended it with knockout victories of Eric Morel and Victor Zaleta, making him the perfect candidate to be aired on network television.

Unbeaten in 16 professional fights, Mazatlan, Mexico’s Alberto Guevara (16-0, 6 KO’s) is expected to give Santa Cruz a tough battle in their 12-round clash and with the high stakes involved, expect “Metro” to come out with guns blazing on December 15. A three-year pro, Guevara is taking a big step up against the world champion, but is ready for the fight of his life.

A proud native of South El Monte, California, 20-year-old southpaw Joseph Diaz Jr. was a 2011 U.S. National Champion at featherweight and winner of his opening bout at the London Olympics earlier this year, garnering him a devoted fan following. Now ready to take the next step in what is expected to be a spectacular professional career, Diaz makes his pro debut on December 15 in a4-round fight against an opponent to be determined.

A native of Mexicali, Mexico now making his home in Los Angeles, Alfredo Angulo (21-2, 18 KOs) made his long awaited return in November after an emotional year out of the ring, but “Perro” delivered on the promise he has shown over the years as he took just 56 seconds to knock out Raul Casarez. Now determined to make up for lost time, the 30-year-old power puncher is back again and looking for another knockout win, this one over 20-year-old Tijuana product Jorge Silva. Silva (19-2-2, 15 KO’s) has some dynamite in his gloves as well, and after two straight wins and a draw with Japan’s Yoshihiro Kamegai, he’s got all the momentum he needs to score the biggest victory of his career.

The hottest prospect in the heavyweight division, Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s Deontay Wilder (25-0, 25 KO’s) has left no one in his path standing after winning a Bronze Medal at the 2008 Olympics. Standing at 6-foot-7, the “Bronze Bomber” has not only shown power in his victories over Damon McCreary, Owen Beck, and Kertson Manswell, but his charisma and personality have captured a huge fanbase for the 27-year-old that he hopes to grow even bigger on December 15.

One of the few heavyweights that match Wilder with not only an unbeaten record, but also in size, Pensacola, Florida’s 6-foot-7 Kelvin “Price is Right” Price (13-0, 6 KO’s) will present some difficulties for the former Olympian that he has yet to see in his pro career. A six year veteran who got a late start in the sport, the 37-year old is best known for spoiling the perfect record of hot prospect Tor Hamer in 2010. He’s ready to play that spoiler role again when he faces Wilder.

Akron, Ohio’s Shawn Porter (20-0, 14 KO’s) is an exciting welterweight who is beginning to make his move on the elite in his division and is doing it with a two-fisted, aggressive attack that none of his opponents have been able to handle. A decorated amateur and 2008 U.S. Olympic team alternate, the 25-year-old Porter won the NABF welterweight title by beating Hector Munoz in 2010 and he added the NABO crown in July with his hard fought win over the respected Alfonso Gomez.

The fighting pride of Coachella, California, Julio “The Kidd” Diaz (40-7, 29 KO’s) is a former world lightweight champion who has fought it out with Jose Luis Castillo, Angel Manfredy, Jesus Chavez, Juan Diaz and Herman Ngoudjo. After a year-long break and a move up to welterweight, the 32-year-old Diaz has looked better than ever in knocking out Henry Aurad and Hector Sanchez in 2012. With a win over Porter, he can move back into title contention.

Unbeaten as a professional, former amateur star Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (13-0, 10 KO’s) made a triumphant return to the squared circle after nearly a year off when he stopped veteran Manuel Leyva in three rounds on November 3. Now looking to stay busy and pile up some more wins on the way to a welterweight title shot, the East LA battler will meet up with Tijuana veteran Pavel Miranda (17-8-1, 8 KOs) on December 15.

Winner of two bouts in the 2012 Olympics as a member of Team USA, 22-year-old Dallas native Errol Spence Jr. (1-0, 1 KO) may have been the most impressive of his fellow teammates in his pro debut on November 9, as he showed off a wide variety of skills and poise before dispatching Jonathan Garcia in the third round. Now he’ll look to repeat that feat in another four round affair against an opponent to be named later this month.

22-year-old Marcus Browne (1-0, 1 KO) fought with a heavy heart during his pro debut on November 9 after his native Staten Island, New York was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. Despite the devastation back home, with the heart and resolve that took him to a National Amateur Championship, three Golden Gloves titles and a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, Browne took out unbeaten Codale Ford in three rounds to earn his first professional win. On December 15, he looks for win number two against an opponent to be determined in a four round bout.

The evening session of boxing will begin with Houston, Texas’ Jerren Cochran (6-0, 3 KO’s) against an opponent to be named in a four round feather fight followed by an eight-round junior middleweight battle between Oxnard, California’s Hugo “The Boss” Centeno (16-0, 8 KO’s) and Allen Conyers (12-7, 9 KO’s) of the Bronx, New York.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, follow us on Twitter at, www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AmirKingKhan, www.twitter.com/CarlosMolina562, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/BronzeBomber, www.twitter.com/teampriceboxing, www.ShowtimeSHAWNP, www.JosephDiazJr, www.twitter.com/ErrolSpenceJr, www.twitter.com/Marcus_Browne, www.twitter.com/HugoBoss805, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #KhanMolina or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

ABNER MARES – 121.8 Pounds
ANSELMO MORENO – 120.8 Pounds

LEO SANTA CRUZ – 117.6 Pounds

VICTOR ZALETA – 117 Pounds

ALFREDO ANGULO – 154 Pounds

RAUL CASAREZ – 153.8 Pounds

SHOWTIME EXTREME – 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast)

NATHAN CLEVERLY – 174.4 Pounds

SHAWN HAWK – 173.8 Pounds

ANTONIO OROZCO – 141 Pounds

DANNY ESCOBAR – 141.4 Pounds

FACTS:

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 7, 2012) – All six fighters squaring off in Saturday’s tripleheader at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles participated in a final press conference on Wednesday to discuss the highly anticipated SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

In a battle of world champions, Abner Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., will risk his WBC Super Bantamweight World Title against WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, in the main event. Unbeaten IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KO’s), of Los Angeles, will defend against Victor Zaleta (20-2-1, 10 KO’s), of El Paso, Texas, in the co-feature, while hard-hitting junior middleweight contender Alfred Angulo (20-1, 17 KOs), of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico, and the upset-minded junior middleweight contender Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KO’s), of Edinburg, Texas, will clash in the telecast’s opening match.

Also featured as part of the SHOWTIME Extreme broadcast, live at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), will be WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Nathan Cleverly (24-0, 11 KO’s), of Cfen Fforest, Wales, defending his title against light heavyweight contender Shawn Hawk (22-2-1, 16 KO’s), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 2:35 p.m.

OSCAR DE LA HOYA:

“We don’t just want to put on a main event; we want to stack our cards from top to bottom. That’s what boxing should be and that’s what boxing is all about. We have great prospects and world champions fighting together on one night.

“Moreno is stepping up to fight the best to be the best in the 122 pound division. That just shows you what type of fighter Moreno is.

“One thing we’re most proud of at Golden Boy is that Abner is the first world champion that we’ve brought up from the beginning. Fans have the opportunity to see him fight here in his home. Fans love him for his fan-friendly style. People keep saying, it’s tough fight – well, it’s a fight. The best fighting the best. That’s what you’ll see Saturday night.”

ABNER MARES:

“I’m ready for Saturday. I’m ready to give you guys another great fight. My team has done a tremendous job with me.

“SHOWTIME has really gotten my name out there. Now fans know I come to fight. I leave everything in the ring and they now know I don’t leave the ring without giving them everything they paid for.

“I came to this country when I was seven years old and to see me fighting at STAPLES throws me off a bit. I will not disappoint on November 10th. I’ll give you guys the fight of the year.”

ANSELMO MORENO:

“I’m in perfect condition for Saturday. I’m very happy that they gave me this great opportunity to fight Mares. The only thing we’re waiting for is the weigh-in and then its fight night. He’s tough and I need to stay smart and stick to my game plan.”

LEO STANTA CRUZ:

“I trained really hard. I dedicate this fight to my fans and the people of Mexico. Victor is strong, he comes forward like me, so it will be a great fight. The better man will win on Saturday night. I’m excited to fight here in Los Angeles in front of my hometown fans. I can’t wait to get in there on Saturday night.”

VICTOR ZALETA:

“This is my first fight here and I’m excited about the opportunity. Hopefully, it will not be my last time here. I’m ready to face Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday. He’s a really good fighter and I know I need to bring my best to beat him.”

ALFREDO ANGULO:

“I’m back in my town and it feels great. I’ve worked hard for this and I’m ready to get back in the ring. This is going to be a really good fight for the fans. I’m just grateful to get this opportunity after everything I’ve been through.”

RAUL CASAREZ:

“I’m excited, I’m grateful for the opportunity. I trained really hard with my team to make the most of this night. Angulo is a great fighter and I know he’ll be ready after his long layoff. But I’m focused and need to do my job in the ring.”

NATHAN CLEVERLY:

“This is a great opportunity to come to the United States and showcase my talent. I’m looking to make a statement and take my career to the next level. I trained at Wild Card Gym and it’s been a great experience. I’m looking forward to showing my exciting style and making the most of this.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA:

“If you’ve been watching SHOWTIME recently, you’ve seen an incredible run of dramatic, exciting fights. In just the last couple of months we’ve had some huge events. On September 15th, SHOWTIME brought you “Knockout Kings” – four fights on SHOWTIME, that delivered four incredible stoppages. On October 20th, SHOWTIME delivered fight fans the first fights from the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. with four world title fights on one telecast.

“This Saturday, I have no doubt we keep our streak of action-packed fights alive. We have another stacked card. We have the return of “El Perro” – Alfredo Angulo – one of the most feared fighters in the junior middleweight division. We have rising star and world champ Leo Santa Cruz – one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing.

“As for the main event, if you’re a boxing fan – a real boxing fan – it doesn’t get any better than this. Abner Mares, who grew up on SHOWTIME, is a world champion with a rare combination of toughness and skill. Anselmo Moreno, a world champ as well, is one of the most skilled fighters in any division.”

ABOUT “MARES vs. MORENO”:

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

LOS ANGELES (Nov. 6, 2012) – Six of the talented and exciting fighters who will compete this Saturday live on SHOWTIME® and SHOWTIME EXTREME® from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. participated in a public media workout Monday in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles.

On hand for the outdoor event were undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Abner Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, unbeaten IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KO’s), of Los Angeles, hard-hitting junior middleweight contender Alfred Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico, the upset-minded junior middleweight contender Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KO’s) of Edinburg, Texas and undefeated WBO Light Heavyweight World Champion Nathan Cleverly (24-0, 11 KO’s) of Cefn Fforest, Wales.

In a battle of world champions, Mares will risk his title against Moreno in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Santa Cruz will defend against Victor Zaleta (20-2-1, 10 KO’s) in the co-feature while Angulo and Casarez will clash in the telecast’s opening match.

Cleverly will put his unblemished record and world title belt on the line against Shawn Hawk (22-2-1, 16 KO’s), of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). Also featured on SHOWTIME EXTREME will be a junior welterweight scrap between promising unbeaten Antonio Orozco (15-0, 11 KO’s) of San Diego, Calif. and Danny Escobar (8-1, 5 KO’s) of Riverside, Calif.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 3:00 p.m.

What the fighters said Monday:

ABNER MARES

“You can expect a more mature, focused and ready Abner than you ever have seen before. I’m ready to fight. I’ve been through the most aggressive, best training camp ever. I feel great, I probably could have taken this whole week off and just concentrated on my weight.

“This will be a very good fight, a very tough one that will bring out the best in me and the best in both of us. This is the kind of fight the fans want, a pretty even fight you could say, between two world champions going at it from the opening bell.

“I think this could be a more mentally exhausting fight than a physically exhausting one for me. I know I have to be mentally sharp. With Moreno’s style, if you miss, you cannot become frustrated. You have to keep working and that is one of the biggest keys for me.”

ANSELMO “CHEMITO” MORENO

“My style is what it is. I’m an elusive fighter, the kind of fighter that hits and doesn’t get hit. My style is one that makes you watch at all times.

“I’ve fought the same way since I was younger. I learned that lesson when I was fighting in the streets when you need to stay smart all the time and not just brawl.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I was pretty happy with my performance when I became the first to knock out Eric Morel, but I really didn’t think it was that big a deal. I was really surprised at how excited fans and the media were after watching it. I remember reading what they had to say about me and the fight.

“I guess I left a pretty good impression, but now I need to do it again. All the nice words only serve to give me more motivation. The Morel fight was a good start, but I want to do this for a long, long time.

“I know Zaleta is a really good pressure fighter who likes to come forward and punch. This is going to be a really good fight. I can’t wait.”

ALFREDO “PERRO’’ ANGULO

“No words can describe how excited I am to be able to fight again and to be able to do it in my hometown is even better.

“I always knew that one day I would be free to fight again, the question was always when.”

(On why he decided to grow his hair long for Locks Of Love)

“I’ve always believed that for every bad thing that happens in life, something good would come out of it. My hair was getting long anyway and one day I got on the internet and did some research and found out about Locks Of Love.

“I never planned to do anything for charity until I read about it. You need to donate at least 10 inches of your hair. I haven’t had a real haircut in a while and I still have a little ways to go, but once it is long enough, that’s where my hair is going.’’

RAUL CASAREZ

“I’m excited. This is as big as it gets for me. I’ve worked very hard for this opportunity and now that it’s here I have to take advantage of it.

“I most definitely feel they are making a mistake by fighting me. There are a lot of 154-pounders who were willing to take this fight, but they chose the wrong guy and they can’t change their minds now.

“I’m hungry like you wouldn’t believe. I want it like you wouldn’t believe. It’s Showtime! Angulo had his time, but now it’s my turn.”

NATHAN CLEVERLY

“I’m very excited for Saturday and fans can look forward to a good fight and a good performance by me.

“It’s fantastic to be fighting on SHOWTIME EXTREME and I thank everyone involved for making it happen.

“I’m definitely relieved that I finally have an opponent. Now, I can relax. The downside, if you want to call it that, is that I trained 10 weeks for a southpaw, but I’m just happy we have a fight.

“I’m sure my opponent is going to give it everything. He’s a colorful, a come-forward type of fighter who can bang. I expect it to be tough. He’ll be fighting me with nothing to lose.”

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

Monica Sears
Thank you, everyone for taking the time out to join today’s call. We’re going to get straight to the fighters. On the first half we’ll have Alfredo Angulo and Leo Santa Cruz and then later we will be joined by Anselmo Moreno and Abner Mares. So at this time I’m going to turn the call over to the President of Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya. Oscar?

Oscar De La Hoya

Thank you, Monica. We are getting close. Thank you guys, all the media; I appreciate you being on the call. This is definitely one of the Golden Boy’s more exciting and anticipated cards of the year.

We obviously have Anselmo Moreno versus Abner Mares, which will be and should be a terrific card. Also on the card we have Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz versus Victor Zaleta. That will also be for a world title fight, and Alfredo Angulo versus Raul “El Tigre” Casarez, which is a 12-round junior middleweight fight.

This event will be taking place right around the corner, Saturday, November 10th at the Staples Center promoted by Golden Boy Promotions. I want to thank the sponsors Corona and AT&T.

If you cannot be there live, which I urge you, you should, because these are action packed fights, you can watch it on Showtime Championship Boxing and the telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time and it’s delayed here on the West Coast. But you can also watch the preliminary fights, which will air live on Showtime Extreme beginning at 8:00 Eastern.

There are tickets still available. Tickets are priced reasonably for these three terrific, terrific fights on TV. We obviously have more preliminary fights that will be taking place that night. Tickets start at $25 and you can get your ringside tickets for $200, and in between you have $100 and $50.

I am extremely, extremely proud to be introducing to you this next gentleman who has gone through a lot in life. He hails out of Baja California, Mexico and is now fighting out of Los Angeles, California. We obviously know him for his exciting style, his devastating punching power, his relentlessness up inside that squared circle.

He’s making his first appearance since having that fight of the year war against James Kirkland in 2011. He has been away for a while and he is now back, back with a vengeance, facing Raul Casarez. A fighter who is coming an 11 fight unbeaten streak. His last fight took place in March beating JC Candelo.

So he wanted a tough opponent. He wanted a guy who was coming at him who is going to make a fan-friendly fight and that’s who this next guy is. Let me introduce to you. He has a record of 20-2 with 17 knockouts, Alfredo Angulo.

Alfredo Angulo

How are you, everybody? Thank you so much for the call. I appreciate it.

De La Hoya

And also I have the pleasure to introduce to you a fighter who is making a great name for himself. He is the IBF bantamweight world champion. He’s making the second title defense. He’s a young Mexican-American phenom who is one of boxing’s bright young stars and he’s knocked out ten of his last eleven opponents.

He’s coming off a career-defining win over former world champion Eric Morel on September 15th, which he handed Morel’s first ever knockout loss. Obviously he’s now looking to continue his momentum and close out 2012 with a big bang.

He’s facing Victor Zaleta. He has a record of 20-2 with 10 knockouts, hailing out of El Paso, Texas, and he’s coming off four consecutive victories and he’s getting ready for his first world title shot. So let me introduce to you the champion, the IBF world champion, Leo Santa Cruz.

Leo Santa Cruz

I want to tell everybody thank you and I’m real happy to be on this interview and I’m ready. I’m training really hard and I’m going to be ready to give all you guys a good show on November 10th.

Q

Alfredo, obviously you’ve been out of the ring for a long time. Can you talk about your hunger to get back in the ring after having that disappointing loss?

Angulo

I’m really, really hungry, more excited to get back to L.A. and fight at Staples Center. I’m more hungry and I am ready for November 10.

Q

Who are you training with and who is your trainer? And also how is it getting the rust off from having not been in the ring? How long have you been training and how is the rust coming off?

Angulo

Yes, everything is good. I’m working for Darryl Hudson, my conditioning coach and two weeks after we were working very hard. I’ve been training for two and a half months.

Q

My last question for you is what do you know about your opponent?

Angulo

I really don’t know too much about my opponent but I do know he’s good. I know he’s been on an 11-fight win streak and it doesn’t matter what he does, if he’s going to run or if he’s going to stand and fight, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’m focused and I can fight any way. I’m concentrating on making a good fight.

Q

I don’t know if you appreciate the magnitude of what you’ve accomplished. I know you’ve heard it’s the first time Morel has been stopped, but it wasn’t just the knockout, it was the way you did it. This is a guy who did not quit. You made him quit. Can you talk about since that fight have you really gained an appreciation for the magnitude of what you accomplished and how you accomplished it, snuffing him out like that?

Santa Cruz

Yeah, I appreciate it. I’ve been hearing a lot of people that they like that it was a great performance and everything that that. It gives me more motivation. It gives me more strength to train, to come to the gym and work harder. It feels good hearing that from people and for people to tell me that. It gives me more strength to train in the gym and I want to do even better so I can hear more of that and have the people tell me other stuff.

Q

What, in your mind, what was the difference between-were you a better fighter in just that one fight than the previous fight against Malinga, or was it just the function of styles and intensity that led to your performance against Morel?

Santa Cruz

I think it was a little of both because I did have more time to train for this fight, for Morel. For the Malinga fight, I didn’t really have that much time and for this one I did. With my strength and conditioning coach, we did, I think it was like two months of preparation and for the Malinga we only had like six weeks. So I think it was a little of both.

Q

How big a part of your arsenal is the body punches? Was that something we’re going to see continuously? I mean there was a guy named Mike McCallum who was known as the body puncher. Was that a function of what happened that night or is that something you’re going to make a regular part of your arsenal?

Santa Cruz

I keep working on that because it’s natural. It comes natural for me and if we practice it more it’s going to come even better. My dad has always been teaching me that body jab in the gym. He’s always been telling me, “Work that. Work that.” If he don’t see me … he’s always telling me, “Oh, you have to throw it. Don’t be lazy and throw it because with that punch once you hit them good, little by little they’ll be dropping. And no matter how strong they are you’re going to drop them anytime.”

Q

You know, you’ve gone through a difficult time, Alfredo Angulo, being detained and all that. Do you think that this a very tough opponent that you’re fighting?

Angulo

Yes, I did go through a very difficult period, but I’ve proven to myself and I’ve proven to everybody that I’m ready for anything. I know that Casarez is a very good fighter. I’ve never asked for easy opponents. So if anything, I’m going to be ready and I’m going to give the fans what they deserve.

Q

What does it mean to you that you’re becoming quickly the best action fighter in this sport, well the young action fighter I should say?

Santa Cruz

It’s an honor for me. I get excited to hear all that and all the people saying that. It shows all the hard work I have been doing and all the hard work and sacrifices. I’m dedicated to the gym. I’m always in the gym. I don’t go out. I don’t go partying. I’m always in the gym, go home, rest, eat and then back to the gym. Like that’s all I do.

Q

The list of names that you mentioned before of guys you want to fight in the future, is that an indication that you’re probably moving up to 122? Because I’m looking at the bantamweight and it seems like all the best names have left and they’re moving up. I just want to know if that’s in your future and if you’re even still able to make the weight comfortably?

Santa Cruz

My plans for the future and my trainer plan to move me up in weight, 122. I think I will feel a lot stronger at that weight, because all the good fighters are moving up to 122 and they’re right there right now, and for me to be a good champion and to be the best I want to beat the best. Mares and Moreno are the best right now. So I would like to fight them so I could try to beat ….

Q

Alfredo, while you were detained did you have any idea when you would be getting out or were you hopeless during that situation and then what were you going through while you were detained in the immigration situation?

Angulo

I had no idea. I had no idea when I was going to get out. I was told it was going to be a short time and obviously that didn’t happen. So I just kept focusing on staying strong, just to get out of there.

I kept thinking about my daughter, which is very important to me. And also I kept thinking about helping other detainees, that were in the same situation as I was, get out and making a difference in helping them out. And obviously the last thing was being able to get back in the ring and fighting in the United States again.

Q

Alfredo, were you able to stay in any kind of condition while you were there? Were you allowed to workout or was it just a matter of you couldn’t really do anything and so when you did finally come out you kind of had to start scratch to get yourself into boxing shape?

Angulo

No, the reality is they didn’t let me train in there. A simple thing like having tennis shoes, it took me two months. They didn’t allow me to use or have tennis shoes for two months. The rules stipulate that it’s a three-day process, but for some reason it took me two months to get tennis shoes. The only thing I ever did to stay physically fit and in shape was play handball and I did that every day for two hours a day.

Q

With other people or by yourself?

Angulo

Yeah, no, it was team play, two on two or four.

Q

Alfredo, how long were you actually in this detention center? How many months or how many weeks? How long was it from the time that you were put there ’til the time they let you out?

Angulo

Seven months.

Q

And is everything with your immigration situation now handled? You are able to legally be in America? You are able to fight in America? Are you able to go back and forth to Mexico and see your family and friends and it’s all taken care of or are there still other issues that are overshadowing this whole situation?

Angulo

I’m here legally. Everything is fine. The process is behind me. All I have to do now is just think about the future and move forward.

Q

Okay, very good, thank you, Alfredo, I wish you the best of luck next week.

Q

Alfredo, how’s training camp coming along so far?

Angulo

Honestly, it’s going very, very good, very good with the addition of Virgil Hunter. I’m working very, very good with him. He’s doing a great job, my fitness-conditioning trainer. I think that people are going to see the difference in me. They’re going to see that I have a great team behind me now and I’ve got so much more to give and that’s what was lacking before. So I’m very excited and it’s going to be very good.

Q

All right, with the addition of Virgil Hunter have you made any changes in your arsenal going into this fight?

Angulo

Basically, it’s the same style, the thing that Virgil has done is he’s added to my style. He’s enhanced it. He’s picked up on things that I already knew about but I forget through time, through different fights. So he’s picked up on some of the things that I wasn’t doing and he’s incorporated that through repetition and training.

So it’s the same style and nothing really has changed, but I’m ready for the fight. I’m ready. How am I ready? I’m sure everybody’s going to be able to tell because just alone with the weigh in you can a fighter’s ready or not and when you guys see me at the weigh in you’ll know that I’m ready.

Q

Okay. And not to look ahead, Alfredo, but do you see yourself fighting a rematch with James Kirkland in the future?

Angulo

Yes, no problem, no problem whatsoever. If the fight presents itself in the future, no problem, I’ll do it. I think that I owe it to my fans to come and see that fight and see the rematch. So I’ll do the rematch. I don’t have any problem fighting anybody, whoever it is.

Q

Leo, each one of your fights is more exciting than the previous one. How important is it to you not only to win but look impressive?

Santa Cruz

It is very important for me to win this fight because it’s what we’ve been training for. We’ve been getting ready here in the gym. We’ve been sparring hard. We’ve been training really hard with my conditioning coach and my dad. We have been working the body, and I think it’s very important. I always train hard and train my best to give the fans and all my people a good show.

Sears

Thank you very much, Leo and Alfredo. We’re done with questions on your side. If you’d like to jump off the call now we will look forward to seeing you guys next week. Then, Oscar, I’d like to turn the call back to you to introduce our main event for November 10th with Abner and Anselmo.

De La Hoya

Thank you very much, Leo, Alfredo. Great job.

So now I would like to introduce to you guys the main event. I believe this fight will be who the best super bantamweight is in the world. You have first Anselmo Moreno. He has a record of 33-1 with 12 knockouts. He’s been unstoppable since his lone loss in his eighth professional fight in, I believe, 2002. He captured the WBA world championship title in 2008.

He’s coming off an incredible winning streak of 27 fights. In his last fight in April he stopped David De La Mora in nine rounds and now he’s moving up in weight, moving up in weight and facing the best out there in Abner Mares. A very good fight, a very good match up, it could be a tremendous, tremendous, exciting fight. Anselmo Moreno.

Anselmo Moreno

The hour’s upon us. I can’t wait. I think that a lot of fans can’t wait for this fight. It’s a fight that has been talked about before. I think that I’m ready and it’s going to be a very, very good fight. I can’t wait.

De La Hoya

Thank you very much. I would also like to introduce to you the champion. He hails out of Guadalajara Jalisco, Mexico. Now fighting out of Hawaiian Gardens.

He is the former IBF bantamweight world champion, moved up in weight to capture the WBC super bantamweight world title. He’s Golden Boy’s first homegrown world champion. He won an exciting split decision over Vic Darchinyan.

Also, he went on to win Showtime’s bantamweight tournament and we all know the great fight he had against Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko, winning the IBF bantamweight title and defending his WBC bantamweight title. Then he went on to have a rematch with him once again in December 2011 where he won his second divisional world title, also against “Little Hands of Steel” Morel, which earned him the WBC world title. So he’s a two time, two-divisional world champion.

November 10th he will be facing another terrific and great champion in Anselmo Moreno. You have two of the best bantamweights out there in the world today, in the one squared circle. So this should be a terrific, terrific fight, so without any further ado, the champion, Abner Mares.

Abner Mares

Hi. Good afternoon to everyone. I just want to say I can’t wait. November 10th, it’s also my favorite month because it’s also the month of my birthday. And I can’t wait. I’m really excited to see fans excited for this fight. I can’t wait to give a show. I’m sure Anselmo trained really hard. I trained hard as well and I can’t wait for fight night.

Q

Abner, you and Anselmo Moreno, you fought on the same cards a couple of times already. You were in the main event and he was fighting on your under cards. This was when you were bantamweight champion and also since you won your title of junior featherweight. When that was going on did you sort of anticipate that at some point this would be the fight you would have?

Mares

To be honest, yes, I did actually. Obviously we’re in the same weight class, bantamweight. When he first started fighting in my under cards he was a current champion as well. So I definitely saw myself fighting him in the future. Like I say, here we are. It’s made. People were asking, then asking, for this fight and I can’t wait to give the people what they want.

Q

Were you paying attention to-I know you were fighting in the main event so you were warming up for fights when he was fighting in your cards, but were you trying at least a little bit in the dressing room to pay attention to what was going on with his fights?

Were you watching the monitor out of the corner of your eye and thinking in the future or were you just focused on your own fight that night and if this got made in the future then you’d go back and look at the videos and talk to your trainer about all that stuff? What was that like knowing that you might fight him?

Mares

Well definitely I was not looking at his fights while I was warming up. I was mainly concentrating on my fight. I was warming up, you know, and just thinking about my opponent that night. Like I’ve always said, I don’t like looking at opponents’ fights. I’ve seen him fight, yes. I’m not going to lie; I’ve seen him fight a couple of times, not many rounds. Like I say he’s a really technical, elusive fighter. I leave that for my trainer. But again, for some reason I always thought this fight would come, the day would come and we’re only ten days away.

Q

So he hasn’t lost a fight since 2002, and I think if I’m not mistaken that was a four-round fight. So it’s been a long time. It’s been almost a decade since he’s had a loss. He’s won a bantamweight title and fought a lot of good opponents. He’s long. He’s a southpaw. He’s a tricky fighter. Let’s be honest about that.

How do you deal with that with your style? You’re a good boxer, a good puncher, but he’s a real slick, kind of an annoying kind of guy to fight I would imagine, just watching the way he fights. How in the world do you go about trying to break that tough style down?

Mares

Well first of all, he hasn’t fought anyone like me. Yes, he has over 30 fights. His last two fights were against good fighters. Those are the only two fighters that have been in the U.S. The rest have been in Panama. I don’t know who he’s been fighting.

Q

Well he fought good guys. He fought guys like Sidorenko and Sermeno and Parra, you know, good opponents.

Mares

He hasn’t fought me. He hasn’t fought my style, I’m just going to go in there and figure him out really. I mean the training is done already. We got the proper sparring partners that really kind of imitated him in some way and we felt good in sparring.

I can’t wait to get in the ring. Again, I like to figure out the opponent once we get in the ring, but I think with Anselmo it’s just a matter of getting him out of his game plan and making it a really uncomfortable fight for him.

Q

Okay great, I’m curious to know when you first came to America and had signed with Golden Boy and then started to fight on Abner’s under cards, if, like I asked Abner, if you thought was that at some point, whether it was in a bantamweight title fight or even a junior featherweight, that this would be the fight that would happen? What were his thoughts about that?

Moreno

Yes, you know what, obviously yes. I mean I’ve always wanted to fight good fighters like Abner, and it crossed my mind, obviously yes, fighting him. He’s a very, very good fighter. It did cross my mind and I felt that someday it should happen or it will happen and I just thank God that it finally happened.

Q

How closely to Abner’s fights then did you pay attention when you would finish your fight with winning and then Abner was on next. Did you scout him out and pay close attention or not?

Moreno

The first couple of times I didn’t really pay too much attention. I didn’t really pay too much attention. But it wasn’t until the Eric Morel fight that I paid very, very close attention because I felt that there was a good chance that I would be fighting him. So I took a lot of notes and I paid attention to that fight from round one all the way to round 12.

Q

Mares, are you feeling comfortable with the superstar role that Golden Boys’ kind of grooming you towards or do you get nervous leading up to this fight? How do you feel with that superstar role that you’re heading towards?

Mares

Well, I don’t feel any different. I don’t feel like I’m a superstar yet. I just do my job really, fight the best and that’s pretty much it. I mean I am excited to be fighting here in L.A. in the Staples Center. I grew up here. I’ve got family here, friends, and the first time headlining Staples Center or the Lakers’ Place. That’s it for me. I’m taking that really in a positive way. I’m excited and just can’t wait.

Q

The Lakers haven’t had that much success this year, but hopefully we’ll see some success from you.

My next question is for Moreno. Now that Abner is kind of being groomed for the next superstar, if he’s not superstar yet, leading up to that are you looking to kind of steal the show at Staples Center, like you said, under the spotlight and kind of take his rhythm away from him going into that fight?

Moreno

Obviously we both want to steal the night and we both want to be in the limelight. This is going to be a very, very, very tough fight for me. It’s not going to be an easy fight. I understand this. He’s the world champion. So, all I can say is that I’m very, very well prepared for this fight. I’m sure we both are. It’s going to be a great night and I think I have what it takes.

Q

My next question would be, if Oscar De La Hoya’s still on the line, for the Showtime Extreme bouts, is there anything confirmed for those fights yet?

De La Hoya

Well that would be a question for Eric Gomez, the matchmaker.

E. Gomez

Yes, actually we’re working on finalizing Nathan Cleverly’s world title defense with the WBO light heavyweight world champion. So he will be on the Showtime Extreme. And we also have Antonio Orozco of San Diego, who’s a hot prospect, that we signed, undefeated, a very exciting fighter and he’ll be on the Showtime Extreme as well.

Q

Eric, what did you just say? Do you know who Cleverly and Orozco’s opponents are going to be?

Gomez

We do have an opponent currently for Orozco. His opponent is Danny Escobar out of Riverside, California. And for Nathan Cleverly, we’re close. I’ve been working very closely with Dean Powell, who’s the matchmaker for Frank Warren. We’ve zeroed in on a couple of guys. There’s an opponent that fell out. So it’ll come out shortly.

Q

Abner, you fought what 60 championship rounds against topnotch guys. You’ve had to grow up on television in front of your public. All of your mistakes were right there. This is a guy who has obviously watched you a little bit. For you personally, can you talk about the challenge of facing him? You’ve obviously proven yourself. How does he rank in terms of the challenges you’ve already faced in 60 rounds?

Mares

It’s a big challenge, believe me, and they keep getting bigger and bigger as I keep fighting. I want it to continue. Obviously I fought nothing but world champions, current world champions, ex-world champions in my last four or five fights.

Definitely everybody’s good in their own style and Anselmo Moreno brings in a different style. A unique style you could say, a great style that works for him. He’s obviously a really defensive fighter, smart fighter type of a fighter. But again, we train hard and this is what we train for.

You don’t pick your opponent now days. I don’t like to pick opponents. Whoever is there to fight, whoever is the best, I’ll fight them no matter what style he brings and I just have to get accustomed to it and figure him out.

And that’s what this beautiful sport is about. It’s about figuring out the opponent. It’s being like a chess game inside the ring. November 10th people are going to see a different Abner, as they always see every single fight, and I can’t wait to face this new style that I’ve never faced.

Q

You and him have one common opponent that you fought within a year of each other. You beat Darchinyan in 2010. He beat him a year later in December, this past December. Do you gain anything from comparing the way he fought him to the way you fought him?

Mares

Not really. I mean they’re totally different styles. He’s a southpaw. I mean both of them were southpaws. I was fighting a southpaw. There’s no way you can compare being that he’s a different fighter, different style. I’m a different style. I have no comparison. I can’t compare that fight.

Q

Do you feel like you’re getting the respect that you deserve? Not just in this fight, because he’s already, I think, gotten votes for being in the top ten pound for pound and you haven’t. You’ve been in the public eye and you fought big name guys. What are your thoughts on that? Do you concern yourself with any of that?

Mares

It’s not a concern. It’s a little bit of frustration you could say. I mean being that you just said I faced all these tough opponents back to back. Really, I mean, thank God there are some good fans out there that give me the recognition and know who I am and obviously thank you to Showtime for showcasing my fights. But obviously there are other fighters out there that don’t have, the recognition I have. I’m really known out there. But again, I know my time will come. I’ve just got to be patient. Everything happens for a reason and I’ve just got to keep pushing myself and keep going.

Q

Abner, I just want to know how well you’ve grown into the super bantamweight division? You only had one fight there so far and that was with Morel. I just want to know if you feel like you’re full fledged to the bantamweight now.

Mares

No doubt, I’m really familiar with the weight class. I started at the weight class actuall super bantamweight. So it’s not new to me. And if anything, I think I’ve gotten stronger, really, bigger, stronger, and I could tell you I’ve adapted to it really, really well. I’m sparing 140 pounders right now, 135-140 pounders, and they say they feel my power.

Q

You mentioned your power. I was going to bring that up next. I think five fights have gone the distance. So do you think the weight is going to make a difference in this fight or do you think it’s going to be a matter of figuring out Moreno’s style first and then leading to a whole full knockout I guess?

Mares

Well yes, again no doubt figuring his style out first. He is a very hard, difficult fighter, you know, hard fighter to hit. Obviously figure him out first and if the chance is there, go for it. I don’t know how my power’s going to be in that weight class. I hope and I believe that it’s going to be great. Again, I feel really strong and we’ll see. We’ll see if KO comes. If not, I’m ready for a full 12 rounds.

Q

All right, Abner, you’re facing Moreno, a southpaw with a great counter punching style. What do you feel you need to do in this fight in order to impose your will on him?

Mares

Again, he is a really technical fighter, counter puncher all that. I just have to go in there and make it a difficult fight for him. Not make it an easy fight, a comfortable fight, meaning staying at his distance, giving him the chance to just counter me or do whatever he wants from him distance. I’ve got to be up close and I’ve just got to make it my fight. If I have to make it an ugly fight, so be it, but as long as it’s my fight and he gets uncomfortable in it.

Q

Okay. There are some good fights for you up in junior lightweight. How long do you plan to campaign as a junior featherweight?

Mares

Well I’m really comfortable now here at this weight. It’s all a matter of who they can get for me next, God willing everything goes well with this fight really, and we’ll take it from there. But I mean this weight class right now there’s a lot of talent. There are a lot of good fighters, a lot of good fighters in this weight. So I could stick around for maybe another year.

Q

Okay, so it seems like you’re pretty comfortable where you’re at right now. Okay, and I know you don’t want to look past Moreno, but what are your thoughts on Nonito Donaire and how do you feel about the possibility of that fight happening in the future?

Mares

That’s actually the fight I wanted before the Anselmo Moreno fight, but it didn’t work out. I got this fight, which is also as tough and as great for the fans. All I can say, Nonito, he’s a great fighter. He’s really, really explosive, really great fighter.

His last performance against Nishioka, I mean the fight was a little bit, you could say boring at the beginning, but being that Nishioka wasn’t throwing that much, he wasn’t giving that much, but Nonito found a way and took his time and got that knockout. He looked good.

If I were to fight him, obviously I’d fight him different and it would be a great fight. I know and I’ve seen that people want that fight. They’ve been asking for that fight and they know that I could give them a hell of a fight and definitely beat him as well. But again, that’s in the future, first things first.

Q

I just want to say best of luck to you, Abner. I look forward to seeing you fight next week. Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez, I just want to commend you guys for the excellent cards you guys have put on this year. I just want to thank you for thinking of the fans first.

De La Hoya

Thank you very much. It’s appreciated and it’s a team effort, all of us at Golden Boy.

Q

I’ve got to ask though, the only blemish on your record is that draw with Yonny Perez. Do you feel that inspired you to level where you’re at?

Mares

Yes, definitely, that was my first world title shot. I lost. Well, I drew, but pretty much it was a loss for myself because I took it that way. I went to the gym and trained even harder and got myself back in rhythm, back on my toes, and obviously with the help of my promotion and Showtime for putting me on that bantamweight tournament.

Q

And your fights with Agbeko, that first fight, I guess they felt like they dealt with some controversy and then you guys had the rematch. How do you feel about that first fight and then the second fight?

Mares

I mean the first fight obviously is just something that happened in that fight. His style, the way he was leaning down, pushing me down, I mean just numerous things that just happened that night, but it happened.

I gave him the rematch right away. I didn’t want to continue my career with people talking about that controversial fight. I just wanted to get it over with. I wanted to prove to people that that was not just a fluke. I didn’t just win because of what happened, and clearly not.

We fought him again. I felt really good. I think I out boxed him. I was a better fighter that night and against a great fighter because Joseph was a super, super fighter and he hits really hard. Again, a great fight and from both of the fights I learned a lot.

Q

And now you’re getting ready to fight Moreno. Moreno is good at keeping fighters off of him, but now he’s fighting a guy that has a vicious body attack. Do you think he’s going to be able to weather that?

Mares

I don’t know. I hope not. I don’t know. I mean obviously that’s one of the games plans, but there are many things we could go in there and do. Whatever it is, whatever he brings, we have to counter attack that. I know he’s a boxer in that ring that night. It looks that way. It looks like he’s going to be the boxer that night. He’s going to be the technical fighter, but who knows. It might be me. So expect anything from Abner and it’ll be a great fight.

Q

Thank you. Hey, Abner, I had a follow up question. I drew, a couple minutes ago in talking about your desire in the future to fight a guy like Donaire, which I guess to most people, assuming you were able to win the fight next week would crown the true champion at 122 pounds.

You both have championships. You’re obviously both topnotch guys. Would you have liked to have that fight now instead of thinking about in the future, just because Donaire, as good as Moreno has been, Donaire’s got a bit of a bigger name and you guys are probably the two biggest names in the weight class?

Mares

Yeah, without a doubt. I mean I’ve said it that I thought that was going to be my next fight after the Morel fight, but obviously for some reason the fight didn’t happen. It didn’t get made.

Again, you know, this fight came through and it’s just as exciting. Again, a fight the fans were asking for. But without a doubt, I mean, I’ll take, hands down, the Nonito fight. All I have to say is this fight is done already I’m fighting Moreno and keep going. This is a tough fight and God willing winning this fight I hope, I really hope that we get the Nonito fight after.

Q

My question for Anselmo is I just wonder how he feels about taking this fight at 122 pounds and if he feels like it’s a weight class that he plans on staying at win, lose or draw?

Moreno

I feel very good at 122. Right now I’m actually-I feel very strong, very fast. I’m almost at the weight limit already. So I’m feeling very, very good. And as far as staying at 122, it really depends on the outcome of the fight. I’ll see how it goes in the fight and I’ll make a determination with my wife and manager and we’ll go from there.

Q

Okay, and then I had a question regarding, it’s a totally separate matter, Chris Pearson, I just want to know if an opponent was decided for him and if he will be on the Showtime Extreme portion of the card as well?

Gomez

Chris Pearson is going to be a swing bout. So there’s a chance he might get some airtime on Extreme. We’re close on finalizing an opponent.

Q

My question is Abner has said that he hasn’t faced an opponent like Anselmo and you haven’t faced an opponent like Abner, and I wanted to get his thoughts on where Abner ranks, as far as difficulty, among the guys you have fought?

Moreno

My biggest or toughest opponent is always my work in the gym. Whatever Abner said, that’s his opinion, but my training and preparation is always very tough, very intense. So for me, as long as my training and preparation goes well, then I go into every fight as it’s just another opponent. So I know what I go through in my training camps and they’re very, very tough, intense, and those are my toughest opponents, my training camps.

Q

Abner said that he is going to try to make it uncomfortable for you. Meaning he’s going to bring the fight to you. If he has to make it an ugly fight he will. How do you see Abner’s style and how he can, I guess, neutralize it or handle it?

Moreno

I think that Abner’s style is-he’s a classic Mexican warrior that’s going to come to battle. That’s the style that he has. My style is no secret. I like to hit and not get hit. But I feel that I’m very, very confident in my conditioning; that I’m going to be able to overcome anything. I’m very anxious and hungry for this fight and that’s what’s going to lift me to victory.

Q

Do you draw any comparisons from how tough Darchinyan was for Abner Mares and how relatively easy Darchinyan was for you? Are there any comparisons to be made or is that just two different fights?

Moreno

The answer was his distinctly different styles. The style that he has and the style that I have are very, very different. They’re distinct styles. So obviously I don’t take into account the Darchinyan fight because I have a style that’s very complicated.

Darchinyan has a style that’s very complicated and they’re very distinct. Every fight is an individual fight and they’re very distinct. So I don’t really take that into consideration, but I know that I’m going to be ready. I have a style that can complicate anybody.

Q

My last question for you is Abner has had to fight 60 rounds against quality opposition and had to really put out pretty much everything he’s had in those fights and I wanted to know if you have seen those fights, if you’ve learned anything from watching those fights and if you think Abner improved during the course of those fights?

Moreno

The fights that I’ve really watched of Abner, they’re just the last couple of fights, the ones that I’ve been in where I’ve participated on the under cards. I can’t really say if he’s gotten better or if he’s learned anything in those last fights because I haven’t seen all those 60 rounds you’re talking about. But what I do know is that I’m very ready for this fight and I’ve done my work.

Q

Abner, how do you feel about the fight. This fight, you know, it’s a very difficult fight. How have you prepared for the fight? How do you feel going into this fight with Anselmo Moreno?

Mares

You know what? I’ve prepared very, very well for this fight. I’m ready for the fight. Obviously I’ve trained harder than I’ve ever trained before for any fight because it’s going to be a tough fight. I can’t really talk too much about Anselmo. I don’t know what he’s doing, but I know that he’s going to be ready for this fight because it’s a big fight. So obviously I’m ready for this fight and I’m ready to go, ready to win.

Q

Have you seen videos of Anselmo? Have you seen his fights? What do you think about his style?

Mares

Yeah, you know, about his style, obviously it’s a different kind of style. It’s a style that you don’t really see too often. He’s a good fighter. I’m not a person that likes to look at video too much. I leave that up to my trainers. They set up my training camp and sparring partners, but I can say that I know he’s a good fighter. He’s a very good fighter and I’m a very good fighter as well and I’ve got my own style as well so we’ll see who’s style works out the best at night and it’s going to be a good fight.

Sears

All right, thanks, everyone, so much for taking the time to be on this call. I know it was a long one, but we’re really looking forward to next week having you guys both out at the Staples Center November 10th. If you’re not in L.A. or in the area you can watch it live on Showtime.

END OF CALL

Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

ABNER MARES, ANSELMO MORENO, LEO SANTA CRUZ, VICTOR ZALETA, ALFREDO ANGULO AND RAUL CASAREZ TO HOLD OPEN-TO-THE-PUBLIC MEDIA WORKOUT IN ADVANCE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FIGHTS TAKING PLACE ON NOVEMBER 10 AT STAPLES CENTER IN LOS ANGELES WHICH WILL BE TELEVISED LIVE ON SHOWTIME®

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5 AT 12:00 P.M. PT

WHO: ABNER MARES, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion

ANSELMO MORENO, WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion

LEO “TERREMOTO” SANTA CRUZ, IBF Bantamweight World Champion

VICTOR ZALETA, IBF Bantamweight Title Contender

ALFREDO “EL PERRO” ANGULO, Junior Middleweight Contender

RAUL CASAREZ, Junior Middleweight Contender

PAUL RODRIGUEZ,Latin King of Comedy & Workout Emcee

WHAT: WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Abner Mares, WBA Bantamweight

Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno, IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, IBF Bantamweight Title Contender Victor Zaleta, and Junior Middleweight Contenders Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and Raul Casarez will host a public media workout as they prepare for their respective bouts taking place Saturday, November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles which will be televised live on SHOWTIME.

WHEN: Monday, November 5

12:00 p.m. – Abner Mares

12:20 p.m. – Raul Casarez

12:40 p.m. – Anselmo Moreno

1:00 p.m. – Leo Santa Cruz

1:20 p.m. – Alfredo Angulo

1:40 p.m. – Victor Zaleta

WHERE: MacArthur Park Boathouse Parking Lot

(Located on Alvarado St. between Wilshire Blvd. & 7th St. 90057)

FACTS: Mares vs. Moreno, a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Los Angeles’ own Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz puts his IBF Bantamweight World Championship on the line against Victor “Nene” Zaleta and hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Mexico makes his highly anticipated return against Raul Casarez in a 12-round bout. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

TICKETS: Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service

charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

There are all kinds of symbols on the road to freedom. Some are as grand as the Statue of Liberty. Some are as simple as a pair of shoes.

“Tennis shoes,’’ Alfredo Angulo said.

For a while, they were as elusive as Angulo’s release from a detention center in El Centro, Calif., where the Mexican junior-middleweight sat, waited and worried during a seven-month stretch for what was reported to be an expired visa.

Angulo couldn’t train. It was hard enough to jog.

“No, the reality is that they didn’t let me train in there,’’ Angulo said Thursday in a conference call for his Nov. 10 appearance on the undercard of the Abner Mares-Anselmo Moreno super-bantamweight clash at Los Angeles’ Staples Center in his first fight since his release in mid-August. “It was a simple thing. They didn’t let me have tennis shoes.

“For some reason, they didn’t let me have the shoes for two months.’’

When he finally got them, tennis wasn’t on the agenda. There are no clay courts in the detention center’s yard. Then again, there isn’t a ring, either. But there was handball, Angulo’s only physical outlet while waiting for his case to be resolved and his hopes restored.

“I’m here legally,’’ said Angulo (20-2, 17 KOs), a former 154-pound champion who faces unknown Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KOs) of Edinburg, Tex. “Everything is fine. I’m ready to move forward.’’

After a nightmarish year, that’s a victory in its own right. A year ago, Angulo lost a wild sixth-round TKO to James Kirkland in Cancun. About five months later, he says he turned himself into immigration authorities in an effort to clear up questions about his legal right to live and work in the U.S. Angulo, who grew up in the border town of Mexicali, says he wanted to pursue his boxing career in America. More important, he wanted to spend time with his daughter, wherever and whenever he wanted to. She was born in the U.S.

There are unanswered questions as to why Angulo was held for so long. He has no reported criminal record.

“I had no idea when I was going to get out,’’ said Angulo, who held an interim version of the World Boxing Organization’s junior-middleweight title. “I was told it was going to be a short time. Obviously, that didn’t happen.’’

The best guess is that he got caught in delays inevitable throughout the web of immigration politics and bureaucracy. Like so many, he was just another face among the many with lives by a border. Unlike many, however, Angulo was lucky. He had Golden Boy Promotions. He had Oscar De La Hoya, who visited him in El Centro, just 14 miles north of the Mexican border.

Golden Boy’s resources and Angulo’s potential were factors that finally led to his release. It’s another question as to whether that will lead to a realization of the early promise he displayed. Incarceration of any kind has proven to be hazardous to a ring career. Maybe, it’s the idle time. Maybe, it’s the diet. Maybe, it’s the handball instead of sparring. Maybe, it’s all three and much more.

For Angulo, that lesson was in front of him in his last fight. Kirkland, who overcame a first-round knockdown before stopping Angulo last November, spent 18 months in a Texas prison on a 2009 weapons charge. After his release, Kirkland easily won two tune-ups before suffering a stunning first-round stoppage against unknown Nobuhiro Ishida.

Angulo re-enters the ring for the first time in a year predictably confident. He has new trainer in Andre Ward’s corner man, Virgil Hunter, who moves into a job once occupied by Nacho Beristain.

“I’m still Alfredo ‘El Perro’ Angulo,’’ he said in a reference to his nickname, Dog. “There’s no change in style. It’s just that Virgil Hunter has added things.’’

But no addition is quite as valuable as what Angulo re-acquired. Hopefully, he’s also kept those tennis shoes. They are a well-worn symbol of what freedom means.

LOS ANGELES (Oct. 3, 2012) – Oscar De La Hoya formally announced yesterday at ESPN Zone L.A. Live that undefeated Abner Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., would defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship against WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KO’s), of Panama City, Panama, in the main event on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, Nov. 10, at STAPLES Center live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In other televised fights, exciting, hard-hitting junior middleweight Alfred Angulo (20-2, 17 KO’s), of Los Angeles by way of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, will make his highly anticipated return in his initial start under trainer Virgil Hunter and first fight in a year against Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KO’s) of Edinburg, Texas. Undefeated IBF Bantamweight Champion Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KO’s), of Lincoln Heights, Calif., who is coming off an eye-opening fifth-round TKO win over former world champ Eric Morel, will make his second defense against an opponent to be determined. A fourth bout will be announced soon.

Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

Mares vs. Moreno is a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions taking place on November 10 at STAPLESCenter in Los Angeles. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

What Mares, Moreno, Santa Cruz, Angulo and De La Hoya said yesterday:

ABNER MARES

“It’s an honor to be headlining at STAPLESCenter, but I really don’t think about it. I’m just excited to be fighting a guy like Chemito, who people say is a pound-for-pound fighter, which he is. The fans have been asking for a fight like this for a long time. I think they’re happy that it is going to happen.

“I’m also excited for my hometown fans and friends, who’ll get the chance to see this fight live, but I know I can’t get caught up with stuff like that. This is a big fight for me, for both of us, and a great opportunity to showcase my talents.

“Chemito hasn’t lost in 10 years. He is a very difficult fighter, very talented, a technical, defensive fighter who knows his way around a ring. This is a tremendously hard fight for me, but one I wanted. I’ve been training very hard.

“I don’t want people to like me; I want them to respect me. I want to fight the best. The big winners on Nov. 10 will be the fans.

“I’d like to thank everyone responsible for making it happen. I look forward to defending my title and giving it all I have.”

ANSELMO “CHEMITO” MORENO

“After I beat Vic Darchinyan (Dec. 3, 2011, on SHOWTIME), I made a challenge to all the top fighters at 118 and 122. I got this offer and I took it. I am moving up to 122 pounds because that’s where the money and the big names are.

“I wanted a challenge at 122 pounds and this is a big one. This is a great opportunity. Abner Mares is a great champion. I’m looking forward to Nov. 10 and fighting a fellow champion of the world.

“After this fight I will sit down with my team to see what I want to do next – whether I want to stay at 122 or move back down to 118.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I think people really started noticing me after my last fight against Morel (Sept. 15). I go places now and people recognize me more than ever before.

“It’s great to be fighting again so soon and I thank everyone involved for keeping me busy. I’ve been training really hard, and I think I’m getting better with each fight. It doesn’t matter who I fight because I train the same for all of them and will never underestimate any opponent.

“This will be my first fight at STAPLES so it is very exciting for me. I hope a lot of people come out.”

ALFRED “PERRO” ANGULO

“I really want to thank my lawyers, everybody really, who helped clear up all my visa issues so that I could fight again. Without them, there is no way I would be in L.A. today and getting ready for a fight.

“I also want to thank Golden Boy and SHOWTIME. I’m working now with Virgil Hunter and will be very prepared to go at it on Nov. 10.

“It’s really great to be back in business, doing what I really want to do.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA

“I’m extremely proud to put this type of show together for the fans. We have a tremendous card once again, a quadruple-header that is showcasing some of the best fighters in the world. Whether you are at STAPLESCenter on Nov. 10 or watching on SHOWTIME, this will be an exciting night of boxing.

“I’d like to thank everyone responsible for making this event a reality, especially those at STAPLESCenter and Stephen Espinoza of SHOWTIME.

LOS ANGELES, October 2 – Sporting a combined record of 57-1-2 with 25 knockouts with three world championships in two weight classes, WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Abner Mares and former WBA Bantamweight Super Champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno prove that great fighters come in small packages. On Saturday, November 10 the fight true boxing fans have been waiting for is here, as Mares looks to defend his crown against a hungry Moreno who is stepping up in weight class in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING main event at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Also featured will be IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz defending his title against opponent to be determined in a 12-round bout as well as Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo and Raul Casarez squaring off in a 12-round junior middleweight battle.

“I feel faster and stronger at 122 pounds and now that I’m used to this weight class, I’m going to be more dangerous than ever for anyone who steps in the ring with me,” said Mares. “I love this fight with Moreno. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, but I know I’ll get the win on November 10 with the help of my hometown fans in Los Angeles.”

“I’d like to thank Mares for taking this fight as this is the type of moment every fighter waits for and dreams about,” said Moreno. “I’m ready to show the world what I can do. I promise my fans that I will put on a great show like always and leave the ring with the belt.”

“You always hear boxers saying that they want to fight the best competition,” said Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya. “Mares and Moreno are not just talking the talk, they are walking the walk. These two are the best of the best and to see them in the ring together on November 10 is going to be a special night for the sport. We are continuing our promise to put on the best fight cards top to bottom and with Mares-Moreno, bantamweight champ Leo Santa Cruz defending his title and the highly anticipated return of Alfredo Angulo in a brawl against Raul Casarez, fans will be on their feet cheering all night long.”

“STAPLES Center is incredibly excited to host this much anticipated fight between Mares and Moreno,” Lee Zeidman, STAPLES Center General Manager. “Los Angeles is home to true boxing fans and this fight will definitely be one they will not want to miss.”

“This fall, with world-class championship fights from marquee venues around the country, we have assembled perhaps the strongest SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING run in our 25 year history,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “With upcoming fights at the Barclay’s Center and Madison Square Garden, this telecast from STAPLES Center solidifies the network’s commitment to premiere boxing. Abner Mares has come of age on this network as he has consistently challenged himself against the toughest men in his division. November 10 will be no different, as Abner takes on one of the most skilled fighters in boxing, the current bantamweight world champion, Anselmo Moreno. I expect an explosive fight to cap off yet another big night of fights on SHOWTIME.”

“I’m looking forward to defending my title in front of my hometown fans,” said Santa Cruz. “It’s always very motivating to have my friends and family support me and I’m excited for November 10.”

“It’s very exciting to have my comeback fight in my second home of Los Angeles,” said Angulo. “I have been working really hard to give the fans a good show like they are used to because I am here thanks to their support. ‘El Perro’ is back!

“This is the opportunity I have been looking for and I will train hard to make the best of it,” said Casarez.

Mares vs. Moreno is a 12-round battle for Mares’ WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship promoted by Golden Boy Promotions taking place on November 10 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The event is sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME.

Tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or at the STAPLES Center Box Office.

A representative of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team, Guadalajara native Abner Mares (24-0-1, 13 KO’s) now makes his home in the Los Angeles area in Hawaiian Gardens, where he has become one of the most popular fighters to emerge from the area in years. That’s no surprise given his affable personality, willingness to take on all comers and warrior-like style in the ring, but most important to his fans is the character he’s shown in navigating the ups and downs of life in the fight game. In 2010, he began to make his move on the big-time boxing scene with a hard-fought and controversial draw against Yonnhy Perez and an exciting win over Vic Darchniyan. However, it was his win over Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko for the IBF Bantamweight World Title in August of 2011 that made him a champion and catapulted him into the spotlight. After a successful defense against Agbeko in their December 2011 rematch, the 26-year-old Mares won his second divisional world title in April with a 12-round victory over former Two-Time World Champion Eric “Little Hands Of Steel” Morel that earned him the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship belt. He now looks to defend against another tough customer in Moreno.

Fighting out of Panama City, Panama, 27-year-old Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (33-1-1, 12 KO’s) had been one of boxing’s best kept secrets for years, but the man with the amazing 27-fight winning streak is unknown no longer thanks to his remarkable skill set and willingness to fight anyone. A professional since 2003, Moreno won the WBA Bantamweight World Championship title in May of 2008 with a 12-round decision win over Volodymyr Sydorenko. After that, eight successful defenses followed before Moreno made his United States debut with another defense of his crown, this one a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision win over former World Champion Vic Darchinyan. Firmly established as one of the best young champions in boxing, Moreno stopped David De La Mora in nine rounds on April 21, 2012. Now he will step up in weight to challenge Mares in one of the biggest fights of 2012.

Coming off of a career-defining win over Eric Morel on September 15 in which he handed the former world champion his first ever knockout loss, IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (21-0-1, 12 KO’s) of Lincoln Heights, Calif. will jump right back into the ring on November 10 eager to keep the momentum going. Just 24 years old, “Teremoto” went from prospect to champion in 2012, when he stopped veteran Alejandro Hernandez in January and then won his first world title in June with a dominant win over Vusi Malinga. Now with the fifth round stoppage over Morel under his belt, the sky’s the limit for this young Mexican-American phenom.

A devastating puncher with a pressure-filled style that has broken down many of the junior middleweight division’s top contenders, Alfredo Angulo’s (20-2, 17 KO’s) only goal left is to win world championship gold. Originally from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, but now fighting out of Los Angeles, Calif., the 30-year-old contender has been chomping at the bit to return to the ring for the first time since his candidate for “Fight of the Year” war with James Kirkland in 2011. With the immigration issues that kept him out of the ring since that fight cleared up, he is ready to return and prepared to show that he still has the exciting form that saw him finish Joachim Alcine, Gabriel Rosado, Harry Joe Yorgey and Joel Julio.

Nicknamed “El Tigre” for his ferocious attacking style in the ring, Edinburg, Texas’ Raul Casarez (19-2, 9 KO’s) is unbeaten since 2006, and on November 10 he has the opportunity he has been waiting his entire career for, to fight on SHOWTIME against a highly-rated contender. For the 25-year-old, a win over Angulo will not only extend his 11-fight unbeaten streak, which includes a March win over J.C. Candelo, but it will place him among the top contenders in the division and put him on the fast track to a world title shot.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and www.staplescenter.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/ChemitoMoreno, www.twitter.com/ElPerro82, www.twitter.com/STAPLESCenterLA, www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #MaresMoreno or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

In what will go down as one of the top fights of 2011, James Kirkland stopped Alfredo Angulo in round six of a scheduled twelve round Jr. Middleweight bout in Cancun, Mexico.

It started off good for Angulo as the two came out and and just threw bombs from the opening bell. Kirkland backed Angulo against the ropes but Angulo landed a short right hand that deposited Kirkland on the canvas. The only seemed to wake up Kirkland as he came back to bludgeon Angulo for the rest of the round and event scoring a knockdown with a hard accumulation of punches just before the end of the opening stanza.

It was pretty much all Kirkland for the rest of the fight but Angulo was able to land some hard shots that momentarily gave him hope but Kirkland just kept coming and coming by landing some thudding shots.

In round six, Kirkalnd backed Angulo up and landed hard shots that had the referee stop the fight.

Kirkland, 153 1/2 lbs of Austin, TX is now 29-1 with twenty-sevn knockouts. Angulo, 154 lbs of Mexico is now 20-2.

Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin threw his name into the Middleweight contender ship ring as he stopped Craig McEwan in round six of a scheduled ten round Bout.

Quillin boxed decently early until he gained control by landing some good shots in round four the reddened the eyes of McEwan. In round six, Quillin landed a big over hand right and left that hurt McEwan and the fight was suddenly stopped by the referee at 2:23 of round six.

Quillin, 159 3/4 lbs of Grand rapids, MI is now 26-0 with twenty knockouts. McEwan, 160 lbs of Edinburgh, Scotland is now 19-2

LOS ANGELES, September 29 – Known for its dazzling beaches and as a vacation destination for millions, Cancun, Mexico will be turned into a fight town on Saturday, November 5, when Golden Boy Promotions and Periodico QueQui (Pepe Gomez) will bring one of the most anticipated bouts in recent years to the Cancun Center, where junior middleweight sluggers Alfredo “Perro” Angulo and James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland will engage in what is already anticipated to be a 2011 Fight of the Year candidate live on HBO’s Boxing After Dark. Also on tap for this boxing extravaganza is a middleweight clash between two fighters battling for a spot in the top ten, undefeated rising star Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin and the always tough contender Craig McEwan.

“This is a fight that fans have been looking forward to for years and now we are finally going to see Angulo vs. Kirkland, and the word ‘explosive’ won’t do it justice,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “There’s no mystery as to what either fighter wants to do on November 5. James and Alfredo are both going to be looking for the knockout and I can’t wait to see it.”

“This is the kind of fight boxing needs and I respect James Kirkland for stepping up and taking it,” said Angulo. “We’re not going to dance or hug in there on November 5th; we’re going to fight, and I can’t wait.”

“Angulo has been on my radar for a long time and I’m happy that we’re finally going to get a chance to fight each other,” said Kirkland. “He’s a good fighter, I like his style and I know we’re going to make for a great fight.”

“I’m very excited and blessed to have this opportunity,” said Quillin. “I know Craig is a solid fighter with tons of fight in him because we used to train together in the same gym, but he has to prove that he has what it takes to give me my first loss. He has tons of heart, but so do I, and if he wants to make a good fight, then he can meet me right in the middle of the ring on November 5th.”

“I don’t think I can just beat Quillin, I know I’m going to knock him out,” McEwan said.

Angulo vs. Kirkland, a 12 round junior middleweight bout and Quillin vs. McEwan, a 10-round middleweight fight are presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Periodico QueQui (Pepe Gomez) and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate. The HBO Boxing After Dark broadcast will air at 10:15pm ET/PT.

While James Kirkland can knock you out with a single blow, Mexicali’s Alfredo “Perro” Angulo (20-1, 17 KO’s) is a punishing puncher who can make you beg for a one punch knockout. A professional since 2005, Angulo became a fan favorite for his aggressive style while he piled up win after win, with his only loss coming via decision to Kermit Cintron in 2009. The winner of five in a row since then, including victories over Harry Joe Yorgey, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, Angulo returned from a year long layoff in August with a first round knockout over Joseph Gomez. He will look to make a big statement against the concussive punching Kirkland.

One of the hardest punchers in boxing today, James “Mandingo Warrior” Kirkland (29-1, 26 KO’s) has been responsible for some of the most devastating knockouts seen in recent years. A longtime junior middleweight contender who owns victories over Eromosele Albert, Ricardo Cortes, Brian Vera and Joel Julio, the 27-year-old southpaw from Austin, Texas returned to the ring in 2011 after two years away, and he has won four of five bouts, with all four victories coming by knockout in two rounds or less.

Undefeated as a professional, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (25-0, 19 KO’s) has become a much avoided contender in the middleweight division in the past year. That’s not a shock considering his series of crushing knockout wins over Dennis Sharpe, Jesse Brinkley, and Jason LeHoullier in 2011. Now ready to take the next step in his career, the popular 28-year-old will look to take his career to the next level with a win over McEwanin his HBO Boxing After Dark debut.

Also looking to make a big impression on fight fans this November is Scotland native Craig McEwan (19-1, 10 KO’s). Coming off of the first loss of his professional career, which was a thrilling 10 round battle with Andy Lee in March, the 29-year-old southpaw knows that the only way to erase the sour taste of defeat is by replacing it with a big win. In his fight against Peter Quillin, he has the opportunity to take out a top level opponent and get back in the victory circle in front of a worldwide television audience.

Promoter Gary Shaw talks about the March 12 battle between Sergiy Dzinzurak and Sergio Martinez as well as Tim Bradley, Alfredo Angulo and Chad Dawson

Widely regarded as the best 140-pound fighter in the world, Timothy Bradley jumped into the Welterweight division with a twelve round unanimous decision over Luis Carlos Abregu in a batt;e of undefeated fighters at the Agua Caliente Hote and Resort in Palm Springs, California

In round one, Bradley suffered a cut over his right eye from an accidental headbutt. Bradley got things going in round two as landed a pair of flush rights on the chin. In round four, Abregu was cut over his right eye from a punch.

In round seven, Bradley bent down to throw a hook to the body but again clashed heads with Abregu and the fighter from Argentina slumped to one knee for just a moment. Sensing that his opponent was hurt, Bradley jumped all over Abregu by landing a furious combination. In round nine, Bradley upped the temp as he landed flush with a a pair of lefts and a good right. After a few rounds that was void of action, the two stood toe to toe which excited the near capacity crowd in the ballroom which saw their man coast to the victory by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112.

Bradley, 147 lbs of Palm Springs, CA is now 26-0. Abregu, 146 1/2 lbs of Argentina is now 29-1.

Alfredo Angulo continued his positive momentum as he scored a first round stoppage over former WBA Super Welterweight champion Joachim Alcine in a bout scheduled for twelve rounds.

Midway through the round Angulo and Alcine got tangled up which left Angulo’s right hand free. Angulo pounded on Alcine that got him hurt. Late in the round Angulo landed a left and a flush right hand that had Alcine out on his feet. Angulo landed three hard punched that was cluminated by a huge left hook and big right which forced referee Lou Moret to stop the bout just one second before the end of the opening frame.

Angulo, 153 1/2 lbs of Mexicali, Mexico is now 19-1 with sixteen knockouts. Alcine, 153 1/2 lbs of Montreal is now 32-2