LONDON (9 September) – Boxing ace Amir Khan will be a BoxNation studio guest for the epic encounter between middleweight kingpins Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.

The pair meet at the T-Mobile Arena next Saturday night in a genuine ‘Fight of the Decade’ showdown between the two hottest 160-pounders in the world.

Kazakh knockout king Golovkin puts his WBC, WBA and IBF belts all on the line against two-division world champion Alvarez, who is regarded as boxing’s next pay-per-view superstar.

30-year-old Khan, who bravely moved up two-weight divisions to take on feared Mexican Canelo in his last fight, will be on the BoxNation couch to give a detailed insight into how the mouth-watering clash is likely to play out.

The former unified light-welterweight world champion believes those tuning in on BoxNation Box Office for a one-off fee of £16.95/€21.95, or watching live as subscribers to BoxNation, are going to be in for something unforgettable.

“This is going to be a very special fight,” said Khan. “It’s one which I’m really looking forward to watching because fans have been asking to see this for a long time. These are the two best middleweights in the world taking on each other. It’s the way that boxing should be – the best fighting the best.”

Khan believes that the flame-haired Canelo will come out victorious on the night following a string of impressive performances.

“Going on their past few performances I think that Canelo is only getting better and will get the win. Golovkin is an excellent fighter but his last performance against Danny Jacobs would have given Canelo a lot of encouragement,” said Khan.

“Golovkin had trouble dealing with Jacobs and Canelo has even more skills. I’ve been in the ring with him and he’s quick, has good movement and is a big puncher. I know a lot of people think Golovkin is the puncher going into this fight but Canelo’s power should not be underestimated.

“As hard as they both hit I think Canelo will take the fight on points. He is an excellent counter-puncher and likes fighters coming to him, something which Golovkin does.

“Golovkin tends to walk down fighters he is physically stronger than but he won’t have it all his own way against Canelo because he is just as imposing and won’t be bullied,” said Khan.

The Olympic silver medalist thinks the fight has the makings of an all-time classic, following in the footsteps of some of boxing’s memorable middleweight clashes.

“This fight does remind me of the great fights of the past when the middleweight division was thriving. Everyone remembers the era of Tommy Hearns, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran when they all fought each other. Even today we still talk about it. This fight has the potential to be a modern classic and I do think it will live up to the hype.”

BoxNation Box Office will bring UK and Irish fans the fight live on Sky and Virgin for just £16.95/€21.95 via their remote control, or subscribers to BoxNation will be able to get the fight as part of their monthly subscription.

For more information on Canelo v GGG and how to watch visit boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

Canelo v Golovkin on 16th September will be shown exclusively live on BoxNation Box Office (Sky Ch.490) in the UK and Ireland.

To order BoxNation Box Office for Canelo v Golovkin, press the Box Office Button on your Sky remote control, and select Sports/Events.

Canelo v Golovkin will also be available to all BoxNation active monthly subscribers on all platforms, including Sky, as part of your normal BoxNation subscription.

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo. The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV).

BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled. Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

As Amir Khan begins to wind down his decorated ring career, gifted Gants Hill teenager Hamzah Sheeraz fantasises of picking up the mantle for Britain’s sizeable and expanding Pakistani fight community, writes Glynn Evans.

They don’t tax you for dreaming!

A three time national junior finalist who has already been boxing for a decade, sharpshooter Sheeraz replicated the Bolton wonder by inking a pro deal with Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren earlier this year – amidst much fanfare – at the callow age of 18.

‘Amir was a hero so, in time, it’d be nice to pick up the reins!’ quips the Andy Ayling managed super-welter who debuts in a four rounder against 173 fight veteran Kevin McCauley on the monster bill at The Copper Box on Saturday week.

‘I signed my pro contract on my 18th birthday so it was a dual celebration with a huge turnout of family and friends. A lot of the Pakistani media channels were there and I know my community is right behind me. Hopefully, I can give them somebody to look up to and follow.

‘I was born in Slough and still help out with a bit of coaching at an Asian community centre over there when I can. So we’ve west London and east London on board. I’ve already sold 250 tickets for my debut.’

The Essex express first laced up shortly after starting junior school.

‘My uncle Humeran was a multiple national champion for the Slough and Pinewood Star clubs and he steered me to the Debden amateur gym when I was just eight,’ recalls the handsome and articulate Sheeraz who is schooled by Lennie Butcher at the thriving Five Star gym in Romford.

‘Though I was energetic, I was always a calm kid but when I began hitting the pads, the coach John Maskell told me I had natural hand speed and footwork.

‘When I was 13, I represented England schoolboys over in Denmark and made it to three national junior finals but got edged out each time. I was always extremely tall and rangy for my weight and, as a youngster, used to fly around the ring popping the jab. Not many could touch me. I only lost ten or 11 of my 80 amateur bouts.

‘But after being overlooked for the Commonwealth Youth championships, I got a bit disillusioned and took a break. I wasn’t enjoying my apprenticeship as an electrician so when Lennie offered me an opportunity to turn pro I took the plunge. Lennie’s more than a coach. I can talk to him about anything. He helps sort my problems and a happy fighter is a good fighter.’

As one on the nation’s youngest pros, the swift and stylish Sheeraz can expect an extended apprenticeship whilst his frame acclimatizes to the austere demands of the profession.

‘We’ll just take things step by step, aim for a Southern Area title then take things from there,’ he says.

‘For the pros, I’m learning to set my feet more and work inside. I do a lot of ‘in house’ sparring with Sanjeev (Singh Sahota) and Harley Benn.

‘But the best I’ve sparred would have to be (British welterweight king) Bradley Skeete over at Al Smith’s gym. Similar to me, he’s tall and rangy and possesses the best jab I’ve ever been hit with. Brad’s such a humble guy yet there’s so much I can learn from him.

‘I’m a 6ft 2in super-welter so unsurprisingly my best punch is the jab. Everything comes off that. In addition to Amir, my ring heroes are Pernell Whittaker and Tommy Hearns. Today, I study Terence Crawford. I’m big into the way he switches and changes angles.’

Expect an Asian invasion at the old Olympic venue later this month, as his community converge and provide their protégé with a rousing send-off ahead of his new venture.

‘Debuting on a world championship undercard is massive; a terrific bill to get some recognition,’ he concludes.

‘It’s great to be facing someone so experienced. I can’t help but learn from Kevin. Hopefully, I can showcase my skills and show I’ve the potential to be up among the stars myself one day.’

Billy Joe Saunders makes the second defence of his WBO Middleweight World title against Willie Monroe Jr in the evening’s main event; Ilford Light-Heavy powerhouse Anthony Yarde fights for the Vacant WBO Inter-Continental Title; teenage Heavyweight sensation Daniel Dubois takes on AJ Carter for the Vacant Southern Area strap in only his fifth contest; knockout artist Joe Pigford fights for the Vacant WBO European Super-Welterweight title.

Some of the very best up-and-coming prospects in the country including Welling Super-Featherweight Archie Sharp; Ilford Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid; Fulham Super-Middleweight Zak Chelli, New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards and Erith Flyweight Jake Pettit feature. Ilford Welterweight Hamza Sheeraz, Tamworth Light-Heavyweight Ryan Hatton and Ilford Super-Middleweight Umar Sadiq all make their highly-anticipated pro debuts.

Tickets for Saunders vs. Monroe Jr priced at £40, £50, £70, £100, £150, £200 and £250 (VIP/Hospitality) are available from:

www.eventim.co.uk

www.seetickets.com

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

ence
Errol Spence has set up camp in Amir Khan’s gym in Bolton as he prepares to challenge Kell Brook for the IBF World Welterweight title on May 27 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, live on Sky Sports.

Spence touched down in Manchester on Monday as he looks to rip the crown from the Sheffield ace in his backyard, and the unbeaten mandatory challenger will sharpen his tools in the Bolton training base of Brook’s bitter rival, Amir Khan.

Brook is finalising preparations for the fourth defence of his crown in Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands and says that there is nothing that the challenger can do to prevent him cementing his spot as the number one Welterweight in the world at the home of Sheffield United.

“That’s Amir Khan through and through,” said Brook. “He would love to see me lose this fight so he doesn’t have to fight me but that’s not going to happen.

“He can lend Errol his gym but he can’t save him on May 27 and the only thing on my mind is the fight.

“The fans know what I’m about. I’ve gone from moving up to Middleweight to fight Gennady Golovkin to coming back down to face one of the most dangerous Welterweights out there. All I want to do is give the fans what they want – that’s what they deserve.”

Brook’s clash with Spence tops a huge night of action in the steel city where George Groves faces Fedor Chudinov for the vacant WBA World Super-Middleweight title.

Jamie Cox meets Lewis Taylor for the WBA Inter-Continental Super-Middleweight title on his Matchroom Boxing debut while Dave Allen takes on with Lenroy Thomas for the vacant Commonwealth Heavyweight title.

Tickets for the night are still on general sale priced as follows: tiered seating at £40, £60 and £80 and pitch seats at £80, £100, £150 and £200 –VIP Packages are sold out.

Tickets are on sale from Sheffield United’s Box Office at http://www.sufc.co.uk/tickets/, on 0114 253 7200 and in person from the box office at Bramall Lane – all tickets purchased from Sheffield United are subject to a 10 per cent booking fee.

Face value tickets for May 27 are also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ . StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

New Delhi, April 24, 2017: Boxing in India has for many years been one of the most popular sports and with the launch of Super Boxing League (SBL) with participation from top pugilists from India and abroad, the stage is set for some exciting ring action. This unique concept was born thanks to British businessman Bill Dosanjh, also the founder and promoter of successful Super Fight League held recently in New Delhi, India.

Super Boxing League with its tag line Hit Harder will also be promoted by none other than Olympic medalist and two time world champion boxer, Amir Khan. Scheduled to be staged from July 7-Aug 12, 2017, SBL is being launched in association with AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) who will provide the boxers the right platform to showcase their talent.

The franchise-based SBL is Bill Dosanjh’s yet another innovation after the Super Fight League. The Super Fight league – world’s leading mixed martial arts league — in only its inaugural season has attracted wide fan base in the country. Now the Super Boxing League is ready to woo Indian audiences with the best of action in boxing.

One of the features of the league will be its unique point scoring system which is being introduced for the first time in the history of professional boxing wherein a boxer can claim six points on winning a bout through knock-out.

The SBL will consist of 8 franchises. Each team will comprise of six players (five male boxers and one female boxer with six back up players per team). There will be competitions in six different weight categories with bouts of 4 rounds of 3 minutes each.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Bill Dosanjh, Founder-CEO of Super Boxing League, says SBL will give wings to India’s ever-growing talent pool in boxing.

“We have witnessed the excitement and appetite for contact sports in India which has seen phenomenal growth in the past few years. Boxing is one such sport, which is encouraging professional players to make it big in the ring through international leagues,” said Mr. Dosanjh.

“India has a huge talent potential for boxing and with Super Boxing League we intend to provide a middle ground for both the average everyday player and the professional boxer. A lot of aspiring athletes wish to go professional and they all just need the right platform. With Super Boxing League, we are looking to create an ecosystem to promote Indian boxing talent and bring back boxing to where we were — in the top-10 in the world or even top-five,” added Mr. Dosanjh.

AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu said India has a natural platform for the promotion of boxing.

“It is heartening to accompany the birth of this new competition. It will further enhance Indian boxing perception on the international stage and provide yet another career pathway for AIBA boxers. I am hopeful that this league will do justice to India’s vast potential in the sport,” said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Equally excited about the initiative is Amir Khan, promoter of SBL and two-time world boxing champion. “I am very happy to introduce this unique platform for Indian boxers. With Super Boxing League, we aim to provide the right training for potential boxers which will helps in producing more professional world champions. We want to create an exciting platform where talent can fight in front of their home fans in their own country. With such a talent filled nation, I believe India can produce aplenty boxing superstars in coming years.”

The fights in the league will be held over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be live telecasted on SONY ESPN and SONY ESPN HD at prime time slot- 7-9pm. The fights will also be live streamed on SPN’s digital platform SONY LIV.

In an initiative to make the sport more accessible to fans, Super Boxing League will introduce a unique concept in fitness and training, 12 Rounds will be India’s first Pro Boxing Gym. Unlike other sports in India, the Franchise gym will enable fans and students to interact with SBL stars, train with them, learn from them. (The gyms will offer High Speed workouts of 25 minutes at 12 workstations).

Visit our website- www.superboxingleague.com

LONDON (3 March) – Amir Khan has tipped Danny Garcia to overcome Keith Thurman in their thrilling showdown to set up a riveting rematch between the pair later this year.

WBC champion Garcia and WBA champion Thurman meet in what is one of this year’s biggest and most exciting fights, exclusively live on BoxNation this Saturday night.

30-year-old Khan is the mandatory challenger for the WBC welterweight title and believes that Philadelphia fighter and two-weight world champion Garcia will see off knockout king Thurman.

“Danny is a very tough and underrated fighter even today, despite winning world titles. I think that his experience and boxing brain will see him beat Thurman. It’s a good matchup and it is a close one to call on paper,” Khan told BoxNation.

“Garcia does go into fights as the underdog and finds a way to win. I think he’s fought the better names, whereas Thurman hasn’t really been in with many top fighters. If he stops Garcia I will hold my hands up and say well done because that would be very impressive.

“It will be a close fight on the cards but I believe Danny will edge it on points. He’s grown into the welterweight division and is a better boxer than he gets credit for,” he said.

Bolton’s Khan waits in the wings for the winner and will be ringside at the Barclays Center in New York.

He suffered a fourth-round stoppage loss to Garcia in 2012, a swiftly arranged matchup following the collapse of his rematch with Lamont Peterson after the American had failed a drugs test.

28-year-old Garcia was a relative unknown at the time and Khan admits he took the fight lightly but is in no doubt that they will eventually meet again.

“I believe that me and Danny will cross paths again,” said Khan. “When we fought the first time I underestimated him and took him lightly. I had never seen him fight before. My rematch with Lamont Peterson had just been called off and I overlooked him.

“I had been in camp for so long training for Peterson and it was frustrating having to start a whole new camp again so soon after. I wanted a fight right away and he was one of the names that came up so I took it without even giving it much thought.

“But full credit to him, he has gone on to have a great career and prove that he is among the very best out there. I think eventually we will meet in the ring again.

“One fight I always get asked about by fans is the rematch with Danny and I’m sure it’s in our destiny – but this time with a different outcome,” Khan said.

The former unified light-welterweight world champion is determined to grab another title and the winner of the Garcia-Thurman fight is one route he is eyeing up.

“I’m mandatory by the WBC to face the winner of this fight so whoever it is I will be willing to take them on. It will probably be nearer the end of the year but I’ll be ready to face either guy,” said Khan.

“I want to become a world champion again and that is what drives me. If people have written me off that doesn’t faze me, it only fuels me. I have no doubt that I will get my hands on another world title. 2017 is going to be a big year for me,” he said.

Thurman v Garcia is exclusively live on BoxNation this Saturday night. Buy now at boxnation.com.

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) for just £12 a month.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.
Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.
Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.
BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.
For more information visit www.boxnation.com
*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a fight between Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan is not yet a reality.

“The point is that this is all so premature,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum told ESPN on Wednesday. “It’s all bulls—. But Manny is not going to fight in April. I don’t even know if May is feasible. I haven’t even talked to Manny. All it is right now is a discussion. It’s like somebody saying, ‘Hey, let’s build a new stadium for the Raiders in Las Vegas.’ You can say anything, but we’re a long way from it being done.”

Arum and Koncz met for dinner on Tuesday night in Las Vegas, where Arum lives, to talk about the possible deal with an unnamed investment group interesting in bringing Pacquiao to the UAE — at a site to be determined in Dubai or Abu Dhabi — to defend his welterweight world title against Khan, whose Muslim background makes him the group’s preferred opponent.

Koncz told Yahoo Sports that instead of April 23 the fight would instead take place on May 20 — meaning a rare Friday night pay-per-view in the U.S. time zones — in order to allow more time to promote the event. But Arum said that although he and Koncz talked about the new date it is not even close to being set in stone.

“We had a nice meeting, but there’s a lot of work to do before anything materializes,” Arum said. “A lot of work. As of now, other than the fact that Michael and I are on the same page as far as the fight not happening in April and that we hope to make something happen, who knows? I have absolutely nothing to report definitively and I am not f—— around.”

“After I met with Koncz I realized everything was up in the air as far as the money [in the UAE]. They punted to me and said, ‘Go find the money.’ So far it hasn’t surfaced,” Arum said, laughing. “Did I discuss a date in May with Michael? Yes. But I’ve got to talk to the people in the Middle East to see if this is real, to see if they can even go on that date in May, to see what venue would be available. Nobody has checked with them. I suggested the date to Koncz, but to say it’s done, again, it’s ridiculous.”

Corresponding tweets by Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan stated that they will fight on April 23rd.

According to Dan Rafae of espn.com, WBO Welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has turned his attention towards a fight with Amir Khan in the United Arab Emirates , thus leaving previously mentioned potential opponent Jeff Horn at the alter.

“My team and I are in negotiations with Amir Khan for our next fight. Further announcement coming soon,” Pacquiao wrote on social media.

n fact, Pacquiao, boxing’s only eight-division world titleholder who outpointed Jessie Vargas to reclaim a welterweight world title in a dominant performance on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas, had previously said he had never heard of Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs), a 2012 Australian Olympian. On Wednesday night, Bob Arum told ESPN that the deal in Australia had fallen apart because of Pacquiao’s desire to chase the money in the UAE.

“The Australian deal is not going to happen now, because Manny is trying to get a fight done in the United Arab Emirates and the people there favor him fighting Amir Khan,” Arum said.

“Whether it will happen or not, I just don’t know, because they have to come up with a large amount of money,” Arum said. “Manny seems to believe they will come up with the money. I have some reservations whether it will happen or not. If the money comes up, I will aid and abet the fight happening. But right now, I’m holding my powder. I don’t really know.”

May 20 has been the rumored date for a possible Pacquiao-Khan fight, but Arum said even if the bout happens, it won’t be then.

“May 20 is a non-starter. The senate in the Philippines [in which Pacquiao serves] is in session then,” Arum said. “Maybe in April or maybe June, but not May.”

“The Australian deal was a lot of money, but it paled in comparison to the … money they’re supposedly offering — $38 million,” Arum said derisively of the deal Pacquiao is pursuing. “I’m a practical man. The money in Australia wasn’t anywhere near $38 million. What do I know? We live in an alternative reality world. I don’t know what the story is. If the $38 million is real, it trumps the Australia deal. If it’s real, we will assist putting on the event, but I am not holding my breath and I’m not making plane reservations.

“We’ll see what we see. If the $38 million comes up, the fight will take place and we’ll all be happy. And if it doesn’t, there will be one guy who won’t be surprised.”

LONDON (4 November) – Amir Khan says it would be an ‘honour’ to fight Manny Pacquiao after the Filipino superstar said he would be open to the matchup.

Eight-weight champion Pacquiao was speaking ahead of his eagerly anticipated world title clash with Jessie Vargas this Saturday night, exclusively live on BoxNation.

And despite stating that Khan was a ‘friend’ he hinted a future clash would be something that he would be willing to make happen, prompting the Bolton boxer to state his readiness to do battle.

“Manny is great fighter and one of the best around,” Khan told BoxNation.

“It would be an honour to share the ring with him and would be a very entertaining fight for the fans. I know Manny well and he is a friend of mine but sometimes you have to put that to the side as boxers.

“It’s important for my hand to fully heal after my operation but it’s feeling good and I want to make the biggest fights possible as soon as it’s 100% – no matter who it’s against,” he said.

29-year-old Khan also believes that despite his losses to Floyd Mayweather and Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao is still a very dangerous opponent to go in against.

“Manny is still one of the top welterweights in the world. He’s got great speed, power and creates good angles. I think our two styles mix well and would make for an edge-of-the-seat sort of fight,” said Khan.

“There are definitely some things I can take advantage of against him and I believe being the younger and more youthful fighter would help.

“We’re both all-action fighters and like to attack so it would be a really intriguing fight,” he said.

37-year-old Pacquiao has put his political responsibilities on hold as a senator in the Philippines as he looks to claim another world title this weekend against WBO champion Vargas.

Khan feels that Pacquiao will have too much for the American and is tipping his old stablemate to do the business at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.

“I think Manny’s movement and style will be too much for Vargas to handle,” said Khan.

“He’s going to be too quick and elusive and I expect him to win on points. He seems very focused on this fight because he knows how important it is to win it.

“Beating Vargas and winning a world title will help set up more big fights and prove he still has a lot to give,” he said.

Pacquiao v Vargas is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/Online & App) this Saturday night. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –
About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV).

BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

September 1, 2016 – Leading up to the junior middleweight title bout between Canelo Alvarez and Liam Smith – set for Saturday, September 17 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – fans can enjoy an enlightening look at two of Canelo’s dazzling ring performances when HBO Sports presents classic back-to-back bouts of the 154-pound superstar.

On Friday, September 9 at 12:00 a.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, September 10 at 9:15 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Cotto vs. Canelo 2015 and Canelo vs. Khan 2016 back-to-back.

In the bright spotlight of Las Vegas on November 21, 2015, Canelo put on a dominating performance over sure fire future Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto to win the lineal middleweight championship.

Canelo’s reputation as slugger was solidified on May 7, 2016 with a resounding 6th round KO triumph over Amir Khan at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO NOW, HBO On Demand® and HBO GO® subscribers beginning Monday, September 5.

Canelo Alvarez challenges Britain’s Liam Smith for his junior middleweight crown when Canelo vs. Smith takes place Saturday, September 17 from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, live on pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT.

“It is extremely sad to witness the passing of boxing’s greatest fighter and icon Muhammad Ali. I would like to send my deepest condolences and thoughts to his family at this time. No fighter or sportsman will ever reach the level of Muhammad Ali, whose name will continue to echo through the ages. Inspiring, charismatic, a true legend – Ali will never be forgotten. Having the chance to meet the great man will be a memory and privilege I will always hold dear to me – an incredible human being, fighter and role model. Thank you Muhammad for inspiring us all.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, last weekend’s Canelo Alvarex – Amir Khan fight drew a reported 600,000 Pay Per View Buys.

“It looks like it will be around 600,000 buys,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “We’re extremely happy about it. If you think about it, Canelo has had the top two pay-per-views of the last four [major] pay-per-views.”

“It’s the changing of the guard,” De La Hoya said about Alvarez, the 25-year-old Mexican star many view as the face of boxing in the post Mayweather/Pacquiao era.

“The fight did way more than that,” he said. “We know that for a fact. The numbers are still coming in, and it could be over or a little under, but it will be around 600,000.”

“The future is that the sky’s the limit for Canelo,” De La Hoya said. “He is on his way to breaking Floyd’s pay-per-view records. We are extremely proud of the work we have done at Golden Boy Promotions, but when you have a special product like Canelo, the sky is the limit. And Amir did his part. A lot of people were saying it wouldn’t be a good fight, but Amir and Canelo both came to fight, both gave everything they had, and it was a good, exciting fight, and people got their money’s worth.”

“Like I promised at the [post-fight] press conference, I called Loeffler on Sunday, and we’re going to continue talks,” De La Hoya said. “We will continue our conversations and see what we come up with. But Canelo will fight in September. We just opened up the conversations. Loffler respects the fact that Canelo just got home to Guadalajara and will take a few days off. But I know we’re under the gun with the WBC situation.”

But will the fight happen?

“Canelo wants to break records,” De La Hoya said. “He wants to be a legend. He wants to take risks. He wants to dare to be great.”

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas lineal middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez wrung Amir “King” Khan’s neck with a single and singular righthand in round 6 of their mismatch. No count was needed and fortunately no stretcher either. It was another installment of contemporary boxing’s Theater of the Fully Expected, a distasteful inversion of most that once made our sport widely palatable.

Let us have no more talk of Khan’s exceptional bravery in waging a fight everyone knew he would not win, already, because if we do that we must also credit Canelo’s equal bravery, and how badly does anyone wish to do that? The 19th century military theorist Carl von Clausewitz teaches us courage requires a sort of symmetry that relies necessarily on a doubtful outcome. Rarely is there cowardice in boxing; an absence of bravery in the ring manifests itself as resignation caused by a doubtless outcome, not openwinged flight.

To be courageous in victory a winner must entertain doubt of a contest’s outcome; to be courageous in defeat a loser must also retain doubt about that outcome – when a 300-pound bouncer snatches the consciousness from a drunk 150-pound fratbro no one credits the bouncer’s courage and, quite properly, no thinking person credits the fratbro’s bravery either. Von Clausewitz’s insistence on a doubtful outcome makes courage an intensely personal quality, a thing only its bearer can certainly audit. As it should be.

There are no fans of reductionism here, so let us traffic in probabilities and possibilities. Is it possible Amir Khan, a fighter 29 of 30 experts expected to lose, did not expect at any time during the proposal and promotion and performance of his fight with Alvarez that he might possibly win and went through with the discombobulating ruse only to amass a fortune? Yes, definitely possible; no, definitely not probable. Is it possible when Alvarez felt that first underpronated right cross from Khan in round 1 Canelo thought, “This is madness, I’m in with a beast, my victory is nigh impossible, and my survival unsure!”? Again possible, not probable.

Somewhere between these poles is where most of life and all but an instant of Saturday’s match happens/ed. Whatever postsalesmanship went off during the telecast with the team’s squinting to assure buyers they’d gotten at least nine minutes of competitiveness more than feared and Harold Lederman ably ratifying their pitch, writing as one person who picked Canelo to win by knockout I can offer without equivocation there were not three seconds of the 900 that comprised the opening five rounds during which even a pinhole of doubt flashed my mind. Khan was going to sleep unless Andre Ward’s trainer mounted the apron midround.

Frankly one didn’t even need to watch Khan’s customarily jittery approach to know it; Canelo’s mien told the entire tale. Certain as I am I did not doubt Canelo would take Khan’s consciousness is how uncertain I am I watched Khan as more than a prop in the opening five rounds – like a fidgety double-end bag. It was not until the fifth round brought palpable contempt in Canelo’s bearing, though, the outcome became doubtless. Canelo got Khan with the same move with which Canelo cut James Kirkland’s lights a year ago in Houston. He even got Khan’s hopeless, unwinding left to play corkscrew and win Canelo his second consecutive knockout of the year, and congrats on that.

Canelo dishragged Khan and it was magical.

The entertainment runnerup Saturday was the contortionist’s trick of HBO broadcasters mentioning repeatedly Mexico City’s WBC and its suddenly binding resolution to make the HBO middleweight champion of the world the WBC middleweight champion, without mentioning the WBC by name. It felt born of what fantastic consequence the nearly inconsequential media assigns itself; with a new man at the helm of the WBC here’s a chance for him to get his agency’s acronym back in our throats (even if half our infomercial series and all of our introductions and postfight festivities are a voluminous WBC endorsement in highdef) but if the new guy chooses not to strip with urgency his country’s most popular fighter, why, he can say adios to a future “Real Sports” feature and an edgy “On Mauricio Sulaiman” film and even a perky journalist saying amazing things about him on “The Fight Game.”

Canelo is selfaware and arrogant enough to know HBO and the WBC need him much more than he needs them, and good luck dictating terms to him about ratifying Gennady Golovkin as the greatest middleweight champion in recent memory (an authoritative prepositional phrase we use when we’re too young to know very much or too lazy to do research more than google). Golovkin will fight Canelo on Canelo’s calendar and by Canelo’s rules or Golovkin will cost HBO increasingly more money in promotional subsidies subsidized by revenues from Canelo’s pay-per-view matches. That seemed to be the message in Canelo’s postfight use of the Spanish term “mamadas” (better even than the colorful translation it got): Your network can take the funds I raise and use them to erect and decorate another fighter at my expense but before you say any of this to my face, Max, remember who works for whom, who pays your salary and Gennady’s promotional fees.

If David Lemieux starts dieting right now there’s a good chance he can make 155 for Sept. 16.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

 

Follow all the action as Canelo Alvarez defends the Middleweight title against Amir Khan.  The action begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a 3 fight undercard with David Lemieux battling Glen Tapia; Mauricio Herrera taking on Frankie Gomez and Patrick Teixeria fighting Curtis Stevens

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Round 1 Hard right from Khan…Combination…right to body from Canelo…Hard left hook..left

Round 2 Alvarez reaches for a right to the body..1-2 from Khan..Left hook from Alvarez..

Round 3 Canelo lands a left hooks..Khan lands a 1-2

Round 4 Good right from Khan…Right to body from Canelo…Left to the body..Counter left from Khan…

Round 5 Canelo lands a right..Good right to the body

Round 6 Hard body shot and left to head from Canelo…Good right from Khan…Jab from Canelo…HUGE RIGHT AND DOWN GOES KHAN AND KHAN IS NOT MOVING FLAT ON HIS BACK

Round 1 3 punch combo from Lemieux..left hook..uppercut…

Round 2 Body shot and right from Tapia…2 rights…Left hook fro, Lemieux…right..Huge body shot hurts Tapia..2 good body shots from Tapia…

Round 3 Uppercut from Lemieux…Good jab from Tapia…

Round 4 HARD LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES TAPIA…TAPIA’S CORNER STOPS THE FIGHT

Round 1 Gomez gets in a left

Round 2 Combination from Gomez…Herrera is cut under the left eye…Good  uppercut

Round 3 Right from Gomez…Herrera lands a good body shot…Gomez lands a good right…

Round 4 Hard right from Gomez..

Round 5 Good combination from Gomez..2 good body shot…

Round 6 Gomez flurries on the ropes..Body shot…

Round 7 Gomez moving…boxing well

Round 8 Herrera flurries

Round 9 Gomez lands a right…jab…Hard right to the body

Round 10 Uppercut and combination..Counter right from Gomez

100-90 on all cards for Frankie Gomez

Round 1 Stevens coming out aggresive..Hard left hurts Texeira

Round  2:  Texeira lands 2 lefts…COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES TEXEIRA…TEXEIRA WOBBLES ON THE WAY UP AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

HBO Sports presents WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®: CANELO ALVAREZ VS. AMIR KHAN., the exclusive replay of their highly anticipated world middleweight title showdown, SATURDAY, MAY 14 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The HBO Sports team, which was ringside at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 7, called the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: May 15 (9:00 a.m.) and 16 (11:40 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: May 15 (4:00 p.m.) and 17 (11:30 p.m.)

The fight will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand.

25-year-old Canelo Alvarez has been on boxing’s fast-track rack since turning pro as a teenager and in an intriguing showdown that was originally televised on HBO Pay-Per-View he placed the lineal world middleweight championship belt on the line against Amir Khan of England.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LAS VEGAS (May 6, 2016) – On the eve of the Canelo vs. Khan showdown, Golden Boy Promotions gave back by to boxing fans by offering a day full of excitement free and open to the public. First, fans onsite were able to witness the final face-off between Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan at the new Toshiba Plaza in from of the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. Immediately after, a free three-title fight night was staged featuring Marvin Quintero vs. Petr Petrov for the NABA and NABF Lightweight Titles. Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions’Oscar De La Hoya and future hall of famer and Golden Boy Promotions business partner Bernard Hopkins were in attendance enjoying the action packed fights, along with WBC Lightweight World Champion Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares, and Golden Boy Promotions stablemates WBC Silver Featherweight Champion Ronny Rios, NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, and Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez.

Headlining the televised main event in a fight for Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero’s (28-7, 6 KOs) NABF Lightweight title, Petr “Zar” Petrov (37-4-2, 17 KOs) put his NABA Lightweight Tile on the line and gave every ounce of his strength and power to defeat his opponent. Quintero battled against Petrov’s jabs and hooks suffering from a dangerously swollen left eye starting in the fourth round. By the end of the sixth round and before the beginning of the seventh round, the doctor stopped the fight from moving forward due to the left eye swelling impairing Quintero’s vision, ultimately awarding Petrov the victory by technical knockout in the sixth round.

“This was a great fight for me, my opponent was a strong fighter and I give my respect to him and his team. I have been off for over a year and half and I did feel sluggish and slow at times, but the win is all that matters,” said Petrov of his NABF/NABA victory. “I feel honored to have fought in Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend as the first boxing event at the new Toshiba Plaza and I hope this is the first of many more fights in Las Vegas.”

“I am very disappointed with the doctor’s decision, I had been fighting like this for two rounds and physically felt strong to continue, but they made the decision and that is something that I cannot control,” said Marvin Quintero of his technical knockout. “It’s the Mexican blood in me that wills me to continue fighting and never give up. I will not stop fighting for my dream to one day become a world champion.”

In the co-main event, the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight title was on the line as, Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (29-5-1, 21 KOs) of Tlanepantla, Mexico went head to head against Fairfield, CA’s Alan Sanchez (18-3-1, 9 KOs) in scheduled 10-round welterweight fight. Going the distance, the exciting match incited cheers from boxing fans in the crowd which heavily favored Cano. The judges awarded the belt to Sanchez, via split decision who proudly displayed his new title in the ring to show off for his newfound fans.

“I’m going home with my belt! This is just the beginning, and I am excited for the doors that will be opened because of this,” said Alan Sanchez of his big victory. “I want the big title and I want to be a world champion one day–this is the first step to achieving that goal.”

“I don’t feel the decision was a good one, because I felt I was ahead in the rounds, landing more of my punches harder and more effectively,” said Pablo Cesar Cano. “I felt that my opponent was running most of the time, and I didn’t get a chance to hurt him the way I wanted to.”

In the televised swing bout of the night, rising southpaw standout star Alexis Rocha (2-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Ana, CA knocked out San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Abdel Vera (0-3) in the first round showing Rocha’s sheer strength and power punches.

“When the referee made the call, I felt so excited because I knew all of my hard work paid off. I knew I was coming in to the ring with more experience so I was able to dominate the round. I wanted to start the fight with ferocity on my terms to control the fight. Looking forward, I’m very excited for more fights.”

Opening the televised fight night was Guadalajara, Mexico’s Horacio “Violento” Garcia (30-1-1, 21 KOs) facing Erik “El Trompo” Ruiz (15-5-1, 6 KOs) of Oxnard, CA battling it out over the vacant NABF Super Bantamweight title. The crowd couldn’t get enough of the quick exchanges between both fighters eager to take a home a belt during their 10-round scrap. For every punch thrown by “Violento,” “El Trompo” effectively counterpunched. In a shocking split decision draw, the judges gave 92-98 to Ruiz and 97-93 to Garcia and 95-95.

“My opponent started out slow, and my game plan was to build out more momentum in the fight,” said Horacio Garcia of the split decision draw. “I feel that I needed more rounds to get the job done, but I respect the judge’s decision. Next time, I hope to take more chances and throw more punches when I can.”

“After this fight, I want a rematch,” said Erik Ruiz of the decision. “I want to take home my belt because I know I made cleaner and harder punches. I am extremely disappointed with the results of the fight.”

Capturing the opening victory of the night in the first boxing event to ever take place at the newly opened Toshiba Plaza was the always swift Joet Gonzalez (13-0, 6 KOs) of Glendora, CA against Chihuahua, Mexico’s own Ricardo “Cepillo” Proano (11-4, 9 KOs) in an eight round featherweight fight. With his consistent counterpunches against Proano, Gonzalez was able to corner his opponent in almost every round. Never one to back down, Proano came back with his consistent head shots to Joet who used his blocks awarding him the win by unanimous decision.

“During the fight, I was very angry because my opponent kept head-butting me,” said Joet Gonzalez of the bout. “At one point during the fight, I was unable to see from my right eye. However, I could tell he was nervous and he really made me work for the victory so I kept my distance and tried to neutralize his hits.”

Marvin Quintero vs. Petr Petrov was a 10-round fight for the NABF and NABA Lightweight title and was presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold.” The first bout began at 4:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will aired on Friday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and streamed live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 4:30 p.m. PT through 9:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @EstrellaTV, follow the conversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

LAS VEGAS (May 5, 2016) Fighters on the undercard of Canelo vs. Khan hosted a final press conference today at MGM Grand Hotel and Casino ahead of Saturday’s bouts. Co-main event fighters David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) and Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-2, 15 KOs) were joined by Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs), Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (20-0, 13 KOs), Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs), and Curtis Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs), all of whom will fight on the HBO Pay-Per-View broadcast. They were also joined by preliminary undercard fighters Diego De La Hoya (14-0, 8 KOs), Rocco Santomauro (13-0, 1 KO), Jason “El Animal” Quigley (10-0, 9 KOs), “King” James De La Rosa (23-3, 13 KOs), Lamont Roach, Jr. (10-0, 3 KOs), Rashidi Ellis (14-0, 11 KOs), and David Mijares, who will make his professional debut on Saturday at the new T-Mobile Arena.

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

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President for Golden Boy Promotions:

“We have put together a fantastic undercard bursting with talent. From the opening bout to the main event, each of these undercard fights are sure to bring the action and excitement to T-Mobile Arena leading up to the main event.

“Thank you to our broadcast partner, HBO – the best network for boxing. HBO will broadcast three of the undercard fights on Saturday evening including the co-main event between David Lemieux and Glen ‘Jersey Boy’ Tapia; the welterweight showdown between Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera and Frankie ‘Pitbull’ Gomez; and a 10-round matchup for the vacant WBC De Las Americas Middleweight Title between Brazil’s Patrick Teixeira and Brooklyn bomber Curtis ‘Cerebral Assassin’ Stevens.

“To get fight fans ready for the final four bouts of the evening, the Canelo vs. Khan preliminary undercard will present two action-packed battles starring two of the game’s top rising stars, streaming live on HBO Boxing YouTube Page. In a 10-round super bantamweight bout, Mexicali’s Diego De La Hoya will put his perfect record on the line against Shane Mosley’s Rocco Santomauro of Duarte, California, putting back life into the De La Hoya vs. Mosley rivalry.

“Plus, Donegal, Ireland’s Jason ‘El Animal’ Quigley will try to keep his impressive professional run going when he takes on Benito, Texas’ seasoned fighter ‘King’ James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Business Partner:

“I am excited to be a part of this. Undercard boxers have an opportunity to get into it. Two of the biggest months in boxing are May and September. The middleweight class is my baby and in the conversation and that makes me happy. I’m looking for better fights to come. Enjoy, sit back and write what you write, but pay attention.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:

“It’s great to be here back on the big stage and preform in from of the world again and make a good mark in Vegas. I am extremely excited to perform well. I am ready and very excited to give the fans a great show and they will not be disappointed at the end of the night. Thank you to Golden Boy. I try not to leave anything behind in the gym. We’ll see how Tapia comes with on his end, and I’m excited to see the Canelo – Khan fight.”

GLEN “JERSEY BOY” TAPIA, Middleweight Contender:

“To tell you the truth, I know most of you guys have me losing this fight but I know what I can bring to the table. I learned from all my losses and I can’t wait to show you guys what I can do. And when we look back, we can show you how wrong you were.”

MARVIN SOMODIO, Trainer for Glen Tapia:

“This fight is going to be very tough, Lemieux is ready. Tapia is ready too though. We had a very great camp under Freddie Roach.”

MAURICIO “EL MAESTRO” HERRERA, Former WBA Interim Super Light Weight World Champion:

“I never dreamed of getting this far and I am hoping to stay at this level. I’ve fought six to seven undefeated guys and I gave them hell. Fighting an undefeated fighter is nothing new. I’m a dream killer. Bring me any prospects and lets see if they are the real deal.”

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Undefeated Welterweight Contender:

“I’m really excited to be apart of this event. I know my opponent is strong, but I am ready to do my best. This is my second opportunity, and I will take advantage of it.”

PATRICK TEIXEIRA, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect:

“I’m really excited to be a part of this event. I know my opponent is strong, but I am ready to do my best. I want to take the future world title back to Brazil.”

CURITS STEVENS, Former World Title Challenger:

“I am physically ready, in great shape, and mentally prepared. Momma said to knock you out.”

JOHN DAVID JACKSON, Trainer for Curtis Stevens:

“People in the sports world have been talking, ‘Is Curtis ready? What makes this opponent great? This is the first fight. He has more experience in the ring.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion:

“If he wants to fight I will leave my life in the ring like a war. Like every great Mexican.”

ROCCO SANTOMAURO, Undefeated Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I want to thank Golden Boy and give a huge thank you Diego De La Hoya. I am here to win. Not a lot of prospects want to take on other undefeated prospects, and we are here to put on a show.”

SHANE MOSLEY, Trainer for Rocco Santomauro:

“I’m excited and it’s like I’m fighting. This will be a great fight on the undercard on Saturday night.”

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“I’d just to like to take a chance to thank everyone. A lot of Irish fans came out, and I know what I am capable of. I have sparred over 160 rounds. Not only this for this fight, but for every fight, I come at 110 percent. This is why I came from Ireland. Come Saturday night, I’m ready to take care of business.”

JAMES DE LA ROSA, Middleweight Contender:

“I’d like to thank everyone. I want to thank the man upstairs. I hope Quigley’s ready ’cause I’m ready and I’ve trained hard to leave my mark.”

LAMONT ROACH, JR, Undefeated Super Featherweight Prospect:

“Happy Cinco de Mayo! Thank you to everyone for putting me in this position. This is my second Pay-Per-View card. Bernard Hopkins told me to take full advantage of it and obviously I did. I appreciate everything and I am excited.”

RASHIDI ELLIS, Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect:

“My birthday is fight night. Thank you Golden Boy Promotions. I had the best sparring training, and I am ready to go and ready to give on a show.”

DAVID MIJARES, Super Lightweight Prospect:

“Man, this is something else and I am very fortunate to be treated like this. I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for the fight and for being on the undercard of these amazing fighters. I can’t wait to get in there and get my job done.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

Los Angeles, CA (May 5, 2016) Boxing Superstar and Unified Middleweight World Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin heads to Las Vegas this weekend to meet his legion of international fans and attend the matchup between Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night, May 7, 2016.

While in Las Vegas, Golovkin will also host two autograph signings, returning to the Field of Dreams stores at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Las Vegas and The Forum Shops in Ceasars Palace.

“I’m excited to attend the Canelo vs. Khan fight to witness this great matchup of size and power vs. speed and movement,” said Golovkin, holder of the WBA, IBF, IBO and WBC “Interim” Middleweight World Titles. Golovkin is the WBC Mandatory Challenger for the winner of the Canelo vs. Khan fight.

On Friday, Golovkin will meet his fans for autograph signings at the following locations;

Friday, May 6
3:00 to 4:30 p.m. PT
Field of Dreams
Grand Canal Shoppes/The Venetian Las Vegas
3377 South Las Vegas Boulevard Suite 2175
Las Vegas, NV

5:00 to 6:30 p.m. PT
Field of Dreams
The Forum Shops/Caesars Palace
3500 South Las Vegas Boulevard #F19
Las Vegas, NV

ABOUT GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN
Sporting a record of 35-0 with 32 knockouts, Golovkin is known as “The Most Exciting, Hardest-Hitting, Most Feared Fighter in the World.” From recently selling out arenas in New York City (Madison Square Garden) and Los Angeles (The Fabulous Forum) in consecutive fights in addition to his sponsorships with the JORDAN Brand, Apple, Samsung, and Bijan, Golovkin is one of the most marketable boxers in the world.

Golovkin’s record includes 22 straight knockouts in addition to 16 consecutive world title defenses. His 91.4% knockout ratio is the highest in boxing’s middleweight division history.

LAS VEGAS (May 4, 2016) – Fighters featured on the pay-per-view undercard of Canelo vs. Khan, held an open workout for fans at the MGM Grand Hotel & Restort today. Co-main event David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs), and Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-2, 15 KOs) who will meet in a 10-round middleweight fight; Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) who takes on East Los Angeles’ undefeated star Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (20-0, 13 KOs) in a 10-round welterweight fight; and Brazilian star Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) and Curtis Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs) who will open up the Pay-Per-View telecast in a 10-round career-defining middleweight bout. They were also joined by Jason “El Animal” Quigley and Diego De La Hoya, who will fight in respective middleweight and super bantamweight bouts on the non-televised undercard.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s undercard media workouts:

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions business partner:

“The knock against me years ago was that I didn’t go up in weight – then I showed them I was successful by jumping up two weight classes. And now Amir [Khan] is attempting to do what I did on Saturday and prove them wrong.

“I like Canelo [Alvarez] in the fight. He’ll have a bit of difficulty early, but he’ll calm Amir’s speed down and make it a fight from inside and not a fight from distance. I like a Canelo knockout in the 10th or 11th round – TKO.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:

“My fight with [Glen] Tapia is absolutely at 160 and it’s not going to be an issue making weight. It won’t be a problem dropping the week before, and our program is right on track. I feel great, and I’m very close to making my weight now.

“I’m expecting a hungry Tapia. He’s jumping up weight and wants to prove himself. But he’s going to prove it to the wrong guy. He’s going to lose.

“I’m not here to lose and I am definitely not going to give [Tapia] the chance. I’m going to be merciless on the mat.”

GLEN “JERSEY BOY” TAPIA, Middleweight Contender:

“I’m not killing myself to make this fight. I feel good, I’m full and feel energized because I don’t have to cut so much weight, and I’m happy.

“I need to be smart, use my mind and think in there more than just going in there to brawl. Like Freddie [Roach] says, it’s more about my mind than my heart.

“It’s going to be a fun fight. At the end of the day, I like to entertain but I’ve got to be smart.”

MAURICIO “EL MAESTRO” HERRERA, Former WBA Interim Super Light Weight World Champion:

“Nothing phases me at this point in my career. I’ve been through struggles in my career like all fighters. I’m hungry, I still have fire and nothing is going to get me down. I’ll fight the best and undefeated, whatever it takes.

“It pumped me up when the fight was booked by seeing [Gomez]’s undefeated record. It’s something that motivated me in the gym to work out.

“I hope this weight is a comfortable weight. I feel strong in this weight class, and we’ll see what happens Saturday.

“I want to make an exciting fight for the people, but I do want to win this fight. I have to be very conscientious because Frankie Gomez is a strong puncher – I’ve dealt with him before. I have to play to my strengths and be whom I am.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to fight at the new T-Mobile Arena.”

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Welterweight Contender:

“I’m always calm before a fight. It’s been like that since I was 5 years old. You know, going in the ring, [Herrera] is a guy just like anyone.

“People think he’s going to come out and take record away from me. I don’t really care what people think, it doesn’t really get to me. But I’m going to use it to motivate me. In the ring, I just let it go.

“On Saturday night, I’m going to show people a different Frankie Gomez.”

PATRICK TEIXEIRA, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect:

“I really prepared for this fight, I trained really hard. I actually went to Argentina for my camp, and I feel 100 percent.

“I expect a tough fight. He’s a tough fighter that throws really hard, but I’m going to throw a lot of punches and I expect to come out with the victory on Saturday.”

CURTIS STEVENS, Former World Title Challenger:

“[Teixeira] has high output numbers. But his punches are very wide, he telegraphs and it’ll really show.

“Working out in Canelo’s camp was a great experience. It really motivated me to stop doing the garbage I was doing and put another good two-to-three years to my career.

“This fight is important, to get past [Teixeira] and get back into title contention. I just gotta take this all the way.”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion:

“It’ll be a great fight between two undefeated fighters. But we’re both well-prepared and I’m coming out here to win.

“I knew that the Diaz Brothers were going to give me a hard training camp, and hard camp in general with the trainers we had.

“I don’t want to think to far ahead. I want to take care of this fight and let management worry about what comes next.”

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“This fight is a huge opportunity to showcase my talent, and I’ve trained my ass off for this fight. Diego De La Hoya is an obstacle in the path of my journey and I aim to remove him from that path.

“Boxing’s a game of surprises, but as much as it’s about surprises it’s also about patience and planning. And I’m ready to put on a master-class this Saturday.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

Photos and videos are available for download in the official Canelo vs. Khan press kit here: bit.ly/canelokhan.

Las Vegas, Nevada: This Saturday, Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs) returns to the ring with his one-punch knockout power to face the aggressive up-and-coming prospect Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) in ten rounds of action for the vacant WBC De Las Americas Middleweight Title on the HBO Pay-Per-View portion of the Canelo vs. Khan undercard in Las Vegas on May 7. Curtis has experience and power but Patrick is a younger, more aggressive southpaw. The scouting report for this exciting match-up is below:

Category
Curtis “The Cerebral Assassin” Stevens
Patrick Teixeira
Age
31
25
Record
27-5 (20 KOs)
26-0 (22 KOs)
Strength
Curtis is a power-puncher that can end the fight with any punch he throws. He is very experienced and has fought much better opposition than Teixeira thus far.
Teixeira has power in both hands and possesses pinpoint accuracy. He puts together good combinations and has an effective jab as well.
Weakness
Stevens has been inactive for over a year, so some ring rust is expected. He also has a tendency to not let his hands go, which could be costly when fighting a high-volume puncher like Teixeira.
Patrick has yet to face any top-level opposition. He also tends to throw wide, looping punches, which can lead to trouble if Stevens is able to sneak in one of his lethal left hooks.
Experience
He has fought the better opposition, including a win over top-ranked middleweight contender Tureano Johnson, and a hard-fought defeat against current middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
He will be at a disadvantage coming into this bout; he has 26 pro bouts under his belt but has yet to face any legitimate contenders. Stevens will be the biggest test of his young career.
Power
Curtis has knockout power in both hands; if he connects clean with any punch it can be a game-changer at any point in the fight.
Patrick has good power in his combinations, he throws vicious body shots and possesses a nasty right hook that has ended many fights for the undefeated southpaw.
Speed
Curtis turns it up a notch when he smells blood, he shows off his quick hands and savage combinations.
Teixeira is quick; he puts his punches together well and maintains a steady pace throughout the fight, which has proven to overwhelm his previous opposition.
Endurance
Stevens is a young veteran of the sport who has proven his endurance; he has gone 10 rounds on four separate occasions and 12 rounds twice.
The Brazilian has gone 10 rounds only twice in his career, but has shown no signs of any stamina issues, even with such a high punch output.
Accuracy
If Curtis can work his way to the inside, he may be able to utilize some accurate bodywork against his much taller opponent.
Patrick has the accuracy advantage; he has demonstrated pinpoint accuracy in his jab and uses his reach effectively in picking apart his opponents from a distance.
Defense
Curtis’s best defense has been his offense, his opponents are usually running from him rather than running towards him.
Teixeira is a rangy fighter who utilizes his reach effectively. It will be a difficult task for any fighter to get on inside on him and do some damage.
Chin
Although Curtis has been stopped in his career, he has a solid chin. He has been knocked down from some big shots by some big punchers, including GGG, and has gotten back to his feet.
Patrick’s chin is still in question. He has not been in any real danger after impressively dominating his opposition thus far.
Style
Curtis is a no-nonsense, in-your-face power puncher who is always looking to end the night early.
Teixeira is a slick and aggressive southpaw who knows how to finish fights. He has a lengthy reach, stiff jab, and throws nasty combinations.
Intangibles
In the prime of his career, Stevens does not believe in tune-up fights. His past four opponents were all former or currently ranked contenders and titleholders. With over a year out of the ring, he has decided against tune-up bouts and will attempt to get his name back in the middleweight mix by taking on a young, undefeated, and dangerous knockout artist in Patrick Teixeira. A win on May 7 instantly makes Curtis a legitimate threat in the middleweight division.
The young Brazilian has chosen to take on a tough task in hopes of moving up the middleweight rankings. Rather than take on a much lesser opponent, he will instead put his undefeated record on the line on the biggest stage of them all, against a fighter in Curtis Stevens who can close the show with any punch he throws. A win over Stevens can catapult him into the top of the middleweight rankings.
Crowd Support
Curtis has been in the bigger fights throughout his career and has a style that is appealing to the fans, so he should have the majority of the crowd in his corner.
Teixeira’s aggressive, come-forward style may earn him some fans before the night ends.
The Match-up
Will ring rust be a problem for Stevens?
Will Teixeira be able to handle Stevens’ power?
Will Curtis be able to handle Patrick’s non-stop come-forward style?
Will Teixeira be ready mentally for his toughest challenge to date?

According to 2015 NABF Matchmaker of the Year, Jolene Mizzone, “This is the type of fight I would love to see more often: the veteran who is willing to fight anyone, any time and the up-and-coming prospect that is ready to take that step up. I love that neither of these guys know what the words ‘tune-up’ mean. Both fighters have a lot to prove and that could only be a recipe for a great fight in the ring!”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August.

David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

By Norm Frauenheim-

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Amir Khan might be a big underdog against Canelo Alvarez Saturday, but he won the news conference Wednesday.

Khan scored a knockout with a punch line.

“You never know, but this could be the last fight for me and Canelo here,’’ Khan said at the MGM Grand. “That’s it, if Donald Trump becomes president.’’

Khan is Muslim, a UK fighter of Pakistani descent. Canelo is Mexican. Trump’s call to make America great again doesn’t exactly include either.

Trump, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee, has campaigned by saying he would bar Muslims. He’s also promising to build a wall, 10 feet high, along the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Oh yeah, Trump also might be at the Khan-Canelo fight Saturday night in the T-Mobile Arena’s boxing debut.

After Khan’s line, promoter Oscar De La Hoya announced that Trump would be attending the middleweight bout for Canelo’s World Boxing Council title.

“I just received confirmation that Trump will be here Saturday night,’’ De La Hoya said.

De La Hoya re-confirmed to a handful of reporters after the news conference that he had been told Trump had accepted his offer.

De La Hoya offered Trump two tickets last week during an appearance on Cavuto Coast to Coast on Fox Business News.

Tickets are still available for the fight, an HBO pay-per-view bout. The billionaire politician, who got Mike Tyson’s endorsement last weekend and was at ringside for Gennady Golovkin’s victory over David Lemieux at Madison Square Garden in October, could probably afford to spring for a couple of tickets on his own dime.

But De La Hoya wants Trump to witness a unique, international event between two accomplished athletes from backgrounds he has targeted with comments that have angered Mexicans and immigrants.

“”I have Amir Khan, a Muslim fighter from the U.K., fighting against the most popular boxer in Mexico, Canelo Alvarez, opening up the new T-Mobile Arena,” De La Hoya said when he first made an offer that he figured Trump could only refuse. “We have an opportunity to show Mr. Trump just what Mexicans and Muslims can achieve — and in a city that screams America: Las Vegas. Trump, let me invite you so that you can see what a Mexican and a Muslim can generate.”

It’s not exactly clear where Trump, a former business associate of Don King and Bob Arum, would be seated if he shows up, presumably with somebody other than Ted Cruz. At recent campaign stops in California, violence erupted among demonstrators opposed to Trump, whose name has been booed loudly by fight crowds ever since the ex-promoter became a politician.

“Not in ringside seat,’’ De La Hoya said during the news conference. “But we’ll make sure he sees the fight.’’

LONDON (May 5) – Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya has tipped Amir Khan as a ‘huge favourite’ ahead of his showdown with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez.

The Golden Boy Promotions boss believes the British ace is a genuine threat to middleweight world champion Canelo and thinks those with knowledge of the fight game would not be surprised should he prevail against the odds.

“There’s a reason Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao didn’t want to fight Amir Khan because he possesses skills like no other,” said De La Hoya.

“He may come in as the underdog, but he also comes in as a huge favourite to those who know the sport and to many of those who have seen him fight,” he said.

The six-division world champion was also quick to praise Khan’s willingness to face the very best, comparing his impending battle, exclusively live on BoxNation, to Muhammad Ali’s stunning upset over George Foreman.

“It’s great to be beside a fighter who dares to be great. Amir is a hard worker, not only an Olympic silver medallist, but here is a fighter who is a multiple weight world champion, always asking for the big fights and never getting them.

“Guess what? He’s now here facing the top fighter in the world, and he’s ready for it and excited to face him,” said De La Hoya.

“Whoever thought that Muhammad Ali could knock out George Foreman? I just talked to Foreman and people were praying he didn’t hurt Ali and look what happened there,” he said.

25-year-old Canelo, who is regarded by many as one of boxing’s pound-for-pound kings, knows that he will need to show that come fight night.

He takes on the Bolton born fighter at a catchweight of 155-pounds and says he has done a lot of work to deal with Khan’s speed.

“There’s not too much more left to say, the fight is here. I’m very happy with the work I have done.

“Khan is a very fast, very elusive, and very tricky fighter, but I am happy with the work I have done and I am ready to go in the ring and break him down.

“And again, I am much honoured to be opening the T-Mobile Arena. Come Saturday, I’m excited to yell, ‘Viva Mexico!’,” Canelo said.

Khan v Canelo is exclusively live on BoxNation (Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/Online & App) this Saturday night. Go to boxnation.com to subscribe.
– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

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LAS VEGAS (May 4, 2016) WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and British top fighter and former two-time world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) met today for one final press conference at the Kà Theater in the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their middleweight championship mega-fight showdown on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say at today’s final press conference:

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“There’s not too much more left to say, the fight is here. I just want to thank each and every one of you for your support and promotion of this fight. I’m very happy with the work I have done. Khan is a very fast, very elusive, and very tricky fighter, but I am happy with the work I have done and I am ready to go in the ring and break him down. And again, I am much honored to be opening T-Mobile Arena. Come Saturday, I’m excited to yell, ¡Viva Mexico!”

AMIR KHAN, Former Two-Time World Champion:
“On Saturday you will see the best of Amir Khan. Canelo is a great champion who is dedicated to the sport of boxing, but it is my time and I’m going to grab it with both hands. It’s been my dream to hold a great fight like this in Las Vegas. And, you never know-this could be the last fight between Canelo and I here in Vegas if Donald Trump is elected president.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions:

“It’s great to be beside a fighter who dares to be great. Amir is a hard worker, not only an Olympic silver medalist, but here is a fighter who is a multiple weight world champion, always asking for the big fights and never getting them. Guess what? He’s now here facing the top fighter in the world, and he’s ready for it and excited to face him. Whoever thought that Muhammad Ali could knock out George Foreman? I just talked to Foreman and people were praying he didn’t hurt Ali and look what happened there.

“There’s a reason Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao didn’t want to fight Amir Khan because he possesses skills like no other. He may come in as the underdog, but he also comes in as huge favorite to those who know the sport and to many of those who have seen him fight.

“Canelo is a great fighter and has accomplished so much at 25 since beginning to fight at the tender age of fifteen. This match up will be truly incredible to witness, and the fans will be in for a great night come Saturday. ”

EDDY REYNOSO, Head Trainer of Canelo Alvarez:

“The hard work has been done, the preparation has been done, and we know what we have to do on Saturday night. Canelo is a great fighter and we can tell you that we have worked very hard. On Saturday night, you will see Canelo lift and raise his hand in victory.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Trainer for Amir Khan:

“Glad to see everyone here again. It’s an honor to really be beside Amir in this situation. He has been through so much in his career with adversity but here he is willing to step up two weight classes and then some to prove he got in to this sport to show he has a legacy and fears no one. I learned this early on from him. I was amazed the first time I saw him spar, and his attitude is amazing. He will walk right in to the face of adversity and it is a pleasure to be right beside him when he walks right in to the ring on May 7. Saturday night will be a great fight.”

JOSE “CHEPO” REYNOSO, Manager of Canelo Alvarez:

“This camp was very intense, very well done, very tough and had tremendous sparring that helped us prepare for this fight. These sparring partners brought the best out of Canelo and you will see that Saturday night. The birth of my granddaughter, Eddy’s daughter, was a true inspiration for us as we trained. The great ambiance we had, the job and the hard work that was done only gives us the confidence that we will be yelling ¡Viva Mexico y Viva Canelo!”

SHAH KHAN, Father and Manager of Amir Khan:

“All the hard work has been done. This has been a dream for Amir, to get to the top and fight the best fights and be amongst MannyPacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Amir always said he wanted this fight and we worked hard towards it.

“It has been a great training camp with great sparring, and Amir looks incredible. The world is looking right at this fight. Initially, many were saying this wasn’t a right fight. This happened to Amir back in his Olympic games when he was 17 years old. As the fight went on, the media didn’t have enough seats to watch him. Now we’re back, Amir is an underdog and we’re going to prove everyone wrong. This is the fight he wants, and I think we’re going to repeat history here on May 7.”

PETER NELSON, Executive Vice President of HBO Sports:

“I want to thank T-Mobile, great venues make great fights. Thank you to Canelo Promotions and Amir Khan’s camp. Lastly, I want to thank Golden Boy Promotions and everyone on the team. When I spoke to Oscar De La Hoya earlier this year, he said he wanted to make the best fights possible. Oscar has consistently lived up to his word, and you can see this is the best fight of 2016 so far. It’s very commendable what Golden Boy Promotions has achieved. This is going to be a great fight.

“Canelo has had a spectacular year in 2015 with a great win over Cotto. For Khan, it has been four years since we’ve seen him, and we’re happy to have him back. We’ll see on Saturday night whose time it is. Both fighters are incredibly hungry. If you haven’t already, check out 24/7 to see the incredible regimens these fighters go through. We are looking forward to Saturday night for these great fights.”

MAURICIO SULAIMAN, President of WBC:

“When Oscar De La Hoya mentions Cinco de Mayo, I think of coming to Las Vegas in the past to watch the biggest boxers with my father. Today, the eyes of the world are on Las Vegas. HBO, the best network in the history of the sport, is broadcasting one of the best fights to be made today. Two elite fighters fighting each other to make sure the world gets a real boxing match.

“I think Amir has a strategy he plans on performing on Saturday, same as Canelo, backed by tremendous teams. They have worked very hard to make this a success. We have a Catholic fighter against a Muslim fighter, and both have been named as ambassadors for peace by Pope Francis. I wish Canelo and Amir the best of luck and may the best man win.”

BERNARD HOPKINS, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions business partner:

“It took a lot of people to put this fight together: HBO, Oscar De La Hoya, and the two camps of Canelo and Amir Khan. It’s a great thing to see, especially being from a middleweight champ, which is true to my DNA history. History is a very important thing to me.

“Let’s enjoy this fight before we start talking about the next fight. We want to put the best in front of the best. Oscar put the best in his career, and Amir Khan has come to make it happen. Enjoy the fight, sit back and do what you do. Either way, we’re going to keep putting together great fights.”

RICHARD STURM, President of Entertainment and Sports MGM Resorts International:

“We are thrilled to be a part of this international sporting event between Canelo and Amir Khan. This will the first of many great boxing events to be held here. T-Mobile Arena has truly changed the Las Vegas landscape in sports and entertainment arenas. Canelo is returning after a tremendous win over Cotto, and Amir returns after nearly 18 months from Las Vegas to take on this huge fighter. We will look forward to seeing everyone Saturday night.”

FELIX PALAU, Vice President at Tecate:

“We at Tecate are very excited. We have launched our biggest effort to promote this fight. Our advertising for this fight has reached more than one million consumers on TV; we have reached more than 6,000 stores to promote the fight. We have also launched our biggest digital effort, having reached more than 11 million fans. We wish Canelo, Khan and all the boxers on the card a successful fight and the best of luck.”

BOB BENNETT, Executive Director of the Nevada Athletic Commission:

“On behalf of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, we thank Golden Boy Promotions for bringing this championship fight to the fight capital of the world and to T-Mobile Arena. ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

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LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2016) -WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and British top fighter and former two-time former world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs)made their grand arrivals today at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas ahead of their middleweight championship showdown on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena, which will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

They were joined by undercard fighters David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) and Glen “Jersey Boy” Tapia (23-2, 15 KOs) who will meet in a 10-round middleweight co-main event; Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) and East Los Angeles’ undefeated star Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (20-0, 13 KOs) who will face off in a 10-round welterweight fight; and Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) and Curtis Stevens (27-5, 20 KOs) who will open up the Pay-Per-View telecast in a 10-round career-defining middleweight bout. They were also joined by Jason “El Animal” Quigley and Diego De La Hoya, who will fight in respective middleweight and super bantamweight bouts on the non-televised undercard.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s grand arrivals:

CANELO ALVAREZ, WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion:

“There is a difference between wanting and doing. On Saturday night, we will see who will give who a boxing lesson. I want to thank all of my fans for the support. I am very honored to be celebrating on Cinco de Mayo, and I hope to put on a great show on Saturday night. I’m training hard for twelve rounds, I’m ready to go all of those rounds, and if the knockout presents itself-I’m ready to take it.”

AMIR KHAN, Former Two-Time World Champion:

“All the hard work and training has been done. I have a great team, and I am conditioned and ready to fight and represent my country of England. Mentally, I have prepared by praying, being with my beautiful family, and the support from my fans. Even though Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, we are going to see a lot of British flags come Saturday night. This is a huge fight, as Canelo is a star in Mexico and America. I know I’m here as the underdog, but I’m ready to win and take this WBC belt back to my home in England. I wouldn’t have taken this fight if I didn’t think I could take it. I have trained for everything and worked on my speed and my power. A win against Canelo would be one of the biggest wins of my career because he is a superstar, especially on this Cinco de Mayo weekend in front of everyone. I have trained and worked on my speed and my power. The fans will be very happy on Saturday night. I will be the new world champion. I think it will be difficult to knock Canelo out, but I know I can give him a boxing lesson.”

DAVID LEMIEUX, Former IBF Middleweight World Champion:

“It feels great to be back here in Las Vegas, and I am excited for a great night of boxing. There is no more rest, it is all business. I am here to give a great show and win some fans. After this weekend, everyone will know the name David Lemieux. I am excited for a great night of boxing come May 7. I am here to give a great show and win some fans. I’m happy he [Glen Tapia] is confidant and 100 percent secure he’s going to win. But, that night the fans are going to be the winners. I am going to be more than ready to win. First, I know I need to take care of Glen Tapia properly. After that, I am going to be more than ready to take on Canelo or Khan.”

GLEN “JERSEY BOY” TAPIA, Middleweight Contender:

“I feel so good to be here in Las Vegas, I have trained hard, and I couldn’t feel better about this fight. I know Lemieux comes in as a great fighter, he has a better record than me, and I have a lot of respect for him. The only thing on my mind in the future is fighting David Lemieux.”

MAURICIO “EL MAESTRO” HERRERA, Former WBA Interim Super Light Weight World Champion:

“Frankie Gomez and I are going to create something very special in the ring on Saturday night. Get your tickets because nobody is going to take this fight from me. Training camp has been tough; like every camp it is the toughest part but all my training will make it an easy night for Saturday. I’m not burned out – I’m hungry to win. Frankie Gomez is undefeated and has everything going for him. He wants to take my spot and everything I have built. I respect him as a fighter, but it is my time. He will get his chance later.”

FRANKIE “PITBULL” GOMEZ, Welterweight Contender:

“I’m ready and Mauricio is a great fighter with a lot of experience but so am I. I’m going to show everyone I am not going here to lose on May 7. Training has been great, and I’ve been getting ready for 12 weeks. I’m 100 percent focused on the sport and ready to go. Herrera is very crafty with great experience and has fought many fighters, but I know I’m better.”

PATRICK TEIXEIRA, Undefeated Middleweight Prospect:

“I’m ready and prepared. Good luck to Curtis on trying to knock me out. I will put on a good show, especially for my Mexican friends.”

CURTIS STEVENS, Former World Title Challenger:

“This has been my dream all my life and the next step is to be a world champion. I’m going to keep the fans real excited on May 7!”

DIEGO DE LA HOYA, WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight Champion:

“I’m very excited to be here and see all the beautiful, Mexican people here as fans and to be here on this card. I am thankful to Golden Boy Promotions for this opportunity. There is some pressure with the De La Hoya name, but I’ve been prepared for it all my life and I’m ready to put on a show for my fans with my fight. I know my fight is going to be tough because I’m fighting an undefeated opponent. But like a well-trained, Mexican fighter, I’m going to give it all in the ring and come out with a victory.”

JASON “EL ANIMAL” QUIGLEY, Middleweight Prospect:

“It feels great to be here with all the support from the fans for my fight on May 7th. I worked very hard to get to this position, and I’m going to grab my opponent, put on my knockout gloves and take the victory.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2016) -WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) and British top fighter and former two-time former world champion Amir “King” Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) will bring every ounce of their speed and power when they meet in the ring on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

Below is what sports media reporters had to say about their picks for Canelo vs. Khan:

Gary Andrew Poole, The Guardian:

“Khan’s greatest asset is his attacking speed, and to win he will need to put his speed to work quickly because his defensive tactics and chin are seriously suspect. I see Canelo winning. Three major factors point to a Canelo knockout victory: the Mexican superstar has more power (67 percent KO rate vs. 56 percent). Of late, Alvarez, 25, has fought more quality opponents: the last three Alvarez opponents were Erislandy Lara, James Kirkland, and Miguel Cotto; Khan’s last three were Luis Collazo, Devon Alexander and Chris Algieri. And, finally, Canelo smartly set a 155-pound catch-weight because it will make his power punches more devastating. Khan, 29, is a very good lightweight who has tried to chase bigger purses in the welterweight division. Rising yet another eight pounds will be a bridge too far and Canelo-if he can withstand an early assault-will break him down and knock him out. If Canelo wins, the world hopes he will face Gennady Golovkin in the fall.”

Dan Rafael, ESPN.com:

“Canelo is bigger, stronger and younger and while I think Khan will give it a great effort and be more competitive than some think he might be, Canelo will win by knockout in the middle rounds.”

Brian Campbell, ESPN.com:

“Khan’s speed and technical skill will keep him in the fight and present interesting tactical questions for Alvarez to answer. Ultimately, however, the combination of Canelo’s power and Khan’s suspect chin will lead to a knockout finish.”

Bob Velin, USA Today:

“Canelo by knockout in round seven. Amir Khan is one on the quickest fighters in the world today, and we know what happened to Canelo Alvarez against a quick, slick fighter like Floyd Mayweather. However, Canelo has come a long way since then, has prepared and knows what to expect with Khan’s quick hands. His power will be too much for Khan, fighting at 155 for the first time. Khan will stick and move and be able to avoid the big punch through six rounds, but his suspect chin will not stand up to Canelo’s power once the lineal middleweight champ finally catches him.”

Jeff Powell, Daily Mail:

“At the early time of asking, I say Khan by decision but it’s a close call between speed and power, which some factors could affect in the coming days.”

Tim Dahlberg, Associated Press:

“Canelo is on a roll now and eager to prove the Cinco de Mayo date is really his, not Mayweather’s. He was impressive against Cotto and seems to have accepted the loss to Mayweather as normal growing pains for a young fighter. Khan is moving up in weight and in competition, and fast hands only take you so far. I like Canelo in a dominating performance, stopping Khan in the middle rounds in the first fight at T-Mobile Arena.”

Gavin Glicksman, The Sun:

“Khan has craved a super-fight for years and is determined to write his name into the history books with what will go down as one of the biggest upsets in boxing if he wins. It’s a massive ask, and there is the fear he will be stopped if Canelo lures him into a tear-up, but I believe his fast hands and footwork will see him take the champion the distance. As long as he follows Virgil Hunter’s game plan to the letter and boxes smart, Khan claims the WBC world middleweight title on points.”

Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times:

“Amir Khan has appeared to have effectively trained and analyzed properly the best way to defeat Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, but weight classes are created for a reason. So by the end of the ninth round, expect the naturally bigger middleweight champion from Mexico to have landed enough punches on former 140-pounder Khan to force the fight’s stoppage.”

Chris McKenna, Daily Star:

“I am obviously hoping that speed prevails and Amir Khan comes out on top on May 7 for Britain, but he is going to have to be very disciplined. This will be one of Khan’s best performances, but I think it will be tough to get the decision in Las Vegas. The power of Canelo may be just too much, and I believe the Mexican will win by a close decision on the cards.”

Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports:

“Canelo TKO9 Khan — I certainly don’t discount Khan’s ability to win this fight, as he has a lot of talent and a very good trainer who no doubt will come up with an excellent game plan. But Canelo is not simply a slugger. He can box, too, and he’s the far bigger, more powerful man. Khan has had issues in the past with his chin, and that’s going to be a factor in this fight. He’ll have to walk a tightrope and avoid being hit flush, which I’m not sure he can do. I expect Canelo to wear Khan down, slow him down and stop him in the latter part of the fight.”

Robby Kalland, CBSSports.com:

“Canelo over Khan by unanimous decision. I think Canelo Alvarez will come out on top with a unanimous decision victory over Amir Khan on May 7. I expect the fight to be fairly even early, but Alvarez’s power and skill will eventually wear down the speed of Khan leading to Canelo pulling away on the cards in the latter half of the bout. Alvarez showed against Miguel Cotto what he can do against a smaller fighter, walking through Cotto’s power punches. I don’t see Khan’s power bothering Canelo either, which will allow him to walk down Khan and get in range to deliver power shots of his own.”

Richard Damerell, Sky Sports:

“Amir Khan’s hand speed and also speed of foot will cause problems for Saul Alvarez from the opening bell. Alvarez’s advantage in power might even work against him, and he could be a touch too eager in his pursuit of a knockout. Khan must stay disciplined throughout, which has been a problem in the past, but I think he will overcome a few scares to claim a stunning upset win.”

Bernardo Osuna, ESPN Deportes:

“I believeCanelo will take down Khan with a TKO in round nine.”

Salvador Rodríguez, ESPNDEPORTES.com:

“I expect a Canelo knockout in the middle rounds. It should be a short fight but explosive. Khan’s chances are minimum but he has speed and a high IQ. Canelo has the moment and the timing to punish and finish him by the sixth or seventh round. So I bet absolutely for Canelo’s power on this mega-event.”

Francisco Cuevas, NBC Deportes:

“I think Canelo will win by knockout in six rounds. I think that Canelo will dominate the fight. He has the power and has shown a lot of improvement in his defense, and Amir Khan has been knocked down before several times. I think that it will be challenging for Canelo in the first and second rounds and after that he will dominate.”

Eduard Cauich, HOY Los Angeles:

“I think Canelo with catch Khan in rounds six through eight.”

Jorge Ebro, Miami Herald:

“In my opinion, Canelo will be the winner of this fight. It is true than Khan is fast, but he is no match to Canelo’s power. When Canelo starts to hurt him with his uppers, that will be the beginning of the end for the English warrior. Canelo will win in six rounds by knockout.”

George Gigney, Boxing News Magazine:

“Canelo’s power and size are huge factors in this fight, but I also think his timing will help him win. In recent fights we’ve seen Canelo display some very smart counter-punching, and he’s able to offset his opponent’s speed advantages by catching them at the right times. I think Khan will get off to a bright start, using angles and his blurring hand speed to keep Canelo quiet for a few rounds but eventually Alvarez will find his range and begin to open up. Canelo’s work to the body is also likely to play a factor and will slow Khan down in the second half of the fight, bringing down the pace to one more comfortable for Canelo. I think Khan will frustrate Canelo at times and make this fight more difficult than expected, but my pick is for Canelo to win a comfortable decision on the cards.”

Steve Carp, Las Vegas Review-Journal:

“Canelo TKO in round nine. This will be a classic case of a good big man being better than a good little man. I expect Khan to try and outbox Canelo and use his speed. But eventually, Canelo will find the range and though Khan has a better chin now than in the past, Canelo’s power will eventually do him in and force a stoppage.”

Dougie Fisher, RingTV:

“Canelo by TKO in 10 rounds. I think it’s going to take Canelo some time to catch Khan. I think he will have trouble with khan’s speed and mobility. I think in the early rounds he will be surprised by Khan’s power. I think Khan will earn respect in the early rounds. I think cannel will gradually work his way in the middle rounds.”

Ricardo López Juárez, La Opinión:

“Canelo by knockout by the seventh round. I think it’s going to be a competitive fight but eventually Canelo’s power will make a difference. There will be a size, weight and power difference.”

Steve Kim, UCNLive.com:

“The fight is a sprint, not a marathon. Even though Khan has speed, Canelo is a very sound fighter. I predict the fight ends Saul Alvarez TKO round seven.”

Miguel Maravilla, Fight News:

“I believe Canelo will win. He is a bigger fighter and a better puncher. He will stop Khan with a TKO between rounds eight and 10.”

David Avila, The Sweet Science:

“Canelo by decision. I think it will be a technical fight. I think Khan will realize he can’t exchange too freely with Canelo. I don’t think Canelo will chase him too much but he will wear him down and he will win by close decision.”

Canelo vs. Khan, a 12-round fight for Canelo’s WBC, Ring Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Championships, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold,” O’Reilly Auto Parts, Casa Mexico Tequila, DOOM® — Fight Like Hell on May 13, and HANDS OF STONE: The True Story of Roberto Duran, in theaters this August. David Lemieux vs. Glen Tapia is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye of the Tiger Management and Patrick Teixeira vs. Curtis Stevens is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600, $400, $250 and $150, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person (a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,000, $800, $600 and $400 price levels and a limit of two [2] per person at the $250 and $150 price level) are on sale now. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849). Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.t-mobilearena.com or www.axs.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @canelo, @amirkingkhan, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloKhan.

Photos and videos are available for download in the official Canelo vs. Khan press kit here: bit.ly/canelokhan.