LIVE FIGHTS: Garcia vs. Redkach Undercard

VIDEO: Garcia vs. Redkach: Weigh-In

DANNY GARCÍA VS. IVAN REDKACH FINAL WEIGHTS

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® – 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME

WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator – 12-Rounds

Danny Garcia – 147 lbs.

Ivan Redkach – 146 ¾ lbs.

Referee: Benjy Esteves; Judges: Glenn Feldman (Connecticut), Tony Paolillo (New York), Don Trella (Connecticut)

Super Welterweight Bout – 10-Rounds

Jarrett Hurd – 154 ½ lbs.

Francisco Santana – 155 lbs.

Referee: Arthur Mercante; Judges: Larry Hazzard, Jr. (New Jersey), Julie Lederman (New York); Kevin Morgan (New York)

WBO Junior Featherweight Title Eliminator – 12-Rounds

Stephen Fulton, Jr. – 122 lbs.

Arnold Khegai – 121 ¾ lbs.

Referee: Steve Willis; Judges: Frank Lombardi (Connecticut), John McKaie (New York), Waleska Roldan (New York)

FLASH QUOTES:

DANNY GARCIA

“We’re going to go in there and fight the Danny Garcia fight. If he wants to brawl, he can do his thing, but just don’t get too excited because I’ve got two hammers waiting for him. Don’t try too hard because you might knock yourself out.

“I love the Barclays Center. Brooklyn, New York has always shown me a lot of love, all my fans from Philly, all my fans from all around the world show me love. The atmosphere is going to be crazy tomorrow, I can’t wait.”

IVAN REDKACH

“This training camp, I didn’t have to work at losing weight, I just had to work at beating Danny. I believe in my game plan, I believe in the training camp that we had, that’s why I’m going to knock him out. I’ve already visualized it.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN Live Streaming Online – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Super Lightweight Bout – 8-Rounds

Patrick Harris – 140 ¾ lbs.

Clay Burns – 139 ½ lbs.

Welterweight Bout – 8-Rounds

Keeshawn Williams – 150 lbs.

Gaku Takahashi – 147 ¼ lbs.

Middleweight Bout – 6-Rounds

Lorenzo Simpson – 159 ½ lbs.

Antonio Hernandez – 159 lbs.

The digital offering will be streamed live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page leading into the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast.

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ABOUT GARCIA VS. REDKACH

Garcia vs. Redkach will see two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia take on hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, January 25 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd battling Francisco “Chia” Santana in the 10-round co-feature, and unbeaten sensation Stephen Fulton facing fellow unbeaten Arnold Khegai in a Super Bantamweight Title eliminator. The Fulton vs. Khegai bout is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

QUOTES FROM DANNY GARCIA VS. IVAN REDKACH, JARRETT HURD VS. FRANCISCO SANTANA & STEPHEN FULTON JR. VS. ARNOLD KHEGAI FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE IN BROOKLYN

BROOKLYN (January 23, 2020) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” García and hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach went face-to-face at the final press conference Thursday before they battle in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator that headlines action this Saturday, January 25 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The press conference also featured former unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring off before they compete in the 10-round super welterweight co-feature, plus unbeaten sensation “Cool Boy Steph” Stephen Fulton Jr. and fellow unbeaten Arnold Khegai previewed their super bantamweight title eliminator that opens SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the Tillary Hotel in Brooklyn:

DANNY GARCIA

“It’s been a long, 10-week training camp putting in the hard work. We did everything we were supposed to do. We covered everything we needed and we’re ready to go. I’m glad I had a safe camp with no injuries, because you should see the best Danny Garcia on Saturday night.

“It feels great to be back at Barclays Center. This feels like my home away from home. My fans from all over will be here and I’m excited to show my skills for them. I feel like I have unfinished business in Brooklyn. On Saturday, we’re going to get the job done.

“Every fight from now on is a fight for my legacy. I’m a young veteran now. I feel great and I know that I’m one of the best fighters in the world. I’m here by popular demand. The rankings are what they are, so I just go in and do the fighting. I’m focused on showing the world that I’m a force to be reckoned with.

“I’m not Devon Alexander and I’m not any of the people that Redkach has knocked out. Don’t try too hard in there because you might knock yourself out.

“There’s no pressure on me. I just have to go in there and get this victory. Whatever the future brings I’m ready, whether it’s Errol Spence Jr. or Manny Pacquiao. None of it happens without a win on Saturday.

“My mind is fully focused on Saturday night. I trained 10 weeks for this fight and I can’t overlook him. He wants to have a breakout fight, but I’m prepared for what he brings to the table. After that, I’m ready for whoever wants to fight me.

“I think fighting Zab Judah in Brooklyn was my favorite at Barclays Center. He was from Brooklyn and we had a lot of bad blood, it was a crazy atmosphere. Every fight at Barclays Center has been a great experience though.

“I just have to stay locked in mentally, while also enjoying every minute of the buildup. You have to embrace every minute and make the most of it.

“It doesn’t matter who I beat or who I lost to, come Saturday night, Redkach is going down. I’ve worked too hard not to leave Saturday with this win.”

IVAN REDKACH

“I want to thank my team and everyone who was with me during training. This Saturday night I’m going to give everyone a great fight. Thank you to Danny for taking this fight, we’re going to put on a great show. You don’t want to miss it.

I had a very long camp for this fight. It was a really good camp. We had a routine that we worked on and we’re going to use it in the ring on Saturday night.

“Danny García is a good fighter, but I have a game plan. That game plan is going to end with me knocking him out. You’re all going to see it on January 25.

“I respect Danny García and what he’s done, but what I’m bringing to the ring will be the best performance of my career.

“It’s going to be a very exciting fight for the fans. Danny García has lost in the arena before and I’m going to make it happen again. This is going to be a very interesting fight.

“Fighting at welterweight lets me work on my skills and my strategy even more during training. I have more power and I feel like a smarter and more prepared fighter at this weight.

“I know that he picked me because I’m a southpaw, but I’m ready to give Danny a rude wake up. If he’s not 100% and focused mentally, he’s going to be in trouble when the bell rings.”

JARRETT HURD

“This is the second time I’m on a card with Danny García. We have two ‘Swifts’ on same card. I like to call it ‘Swift’ squared. We’re both bringing excitement and I’m sure it’ll be a great turnout. There’s definitely going to be a storm coming on Saturday, because I always bring it.

“I always come ready to fight. I know that Francisco Santana is going to bring his A-game and I can’t wait to get in there and compete.

“Julian Williams losing didn’t affect my motivation. I still have that same motivation no matter what. I’m focused on this fight and I wasn’t worrying about Julian’s fight. I’m sure he’ll bounce back again. We still have this task on Saturday and we haven’t thought about anything past it.

“I definitely want to get hit less, that’s first and foremost. I’m in a lot of Fight of the Year candidates, but I don’t want more of those back and forth fights. I want to control the fight and give a dominant performance Saturday and for the rest of my career.

“I’ve been working on using my height and reach in a different way. I usually use my size to pressure and walk guys down. I think now I can be the taller and rangier fighter in the ring. But at the same time I still have that pressure style in my back pocket.

“We still don’t know who’s the best at 154 pounds. I know in my heart that I’m number one and just had a bad night. I still want to stake my claim to that title.

“Even if I say I will be more defensive, I’m always going to bring the storm. I just have it in my heart to be an action packed exciting fighter.”

FRANCISCO SANTANA

“I want to thank Jarrett Hurd for giving me this opportunity. It’s going to be an honor to step foot in the ring with an elite fighter and a former unified champion.

“I said at the last press conference that no one gives me a shot to win. I was checking the betting spread and I’m a big underdog. They think I should just stay home, but everybody knows I come to fight. Regardless of whether I’m the underdog or not, I’m going to bring it.

“I love to fight. That’s what I come to do. I’m excited to be in a position to perform again on Saturday night. I’m going to give everyone a great fight when that bell rings.

“This is the biggest fight of my career. Like he said before, just because he lost, doesn’t mean that he’s out. He’s still an elite fighter in this division. Once you’re in the elite division, you have to have respect for every single person that steps foot in that ring. It just takes one punch to end the fight.

My motivation has always been there, because of who I’m facing in this fight. This is the biggest opportunity of my life. I get my motivation from my family and from my kids. It’s been a long sacrifice, but there are always great rewards after the sacrifice.

“You have to tune-in Saturday. The people have only seen a small portion of what I can do. I’m known as a guy who just comes forward. But I’ve been doing this for a long time and I think my experience will speak for itself on fight night. It’s going to be a hard task, but I’m prepared and ready.”

STEPHEN FULTON JR.

“I’m ready. There’s no secret why I’m here. They know everything about me. They know my style. So I know their game plan. Opponents always think they’re going to come in there and rough me up. But I can take care of everything he brings and I’m going to show it again on Saturday.

“It’s going to be the same as every other undefeated fighter I fought before. They lack the knowledge of fighting me and what that’s really like. They all try to fight me the same way, but no matter how they fight me, I find a way to win.

“I plan on being myself. I’m going to put on a great performance against another good fighter. When I’m cool, calm and collected, I cannot be stopped. It just naturally happens.

“Like he’s said, we’ll see it all in the ring on Saturday. We’re just talking now, but I can’t wait to get in there on this big stage and continue to make a name for myself.”

ARNOLD KHEGAI

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity and for everyone who helped to make this fight happen. You guys will get a great fight on Saturday night. I came here for the belt and we’ll decide it all in the ring on Saturday night.

“We will see what happens Saturday night. He can talk about his style and his competition, but none of it matters when we’re standing across from each other.

“This is a big opportunity for me. This is a step in my career to where I want to go. I’m going to give everything in the ring against a very good opponent.

“I will be the first fighter to defeat Stephen Fulton. It’s what we’ve worked on during training camp. I know that I have exactly what I need to take care of business in the ring.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Senior Vice President of Communications, SHOWTIME Sports

“SHOWTIME is in the midst of an excellent run, with eight live boxing shows across 10 weeks, featuring the biggest names in the sport. It began with Gervonta Davis, Jean Pascal and Badou Jack. It also includes Gary Russell Jr. and Guillermo Rigondeaux coming up, plus the men seated up here today.

“On Saturday we have a great mix of bouts. There’s three young prospect on our SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN show, featured globally on Facebook and YouTube. Then at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, we have three high stakes bouts. For different reasons each of these men up here today are in a must-win situation.

“For Fulton and Khegai, this is more than a chance to shine under the bright lights. This is a chance to earn a fight for a world title next. For Danny Garcia and Jarrett Hurd, these are two men in the top-five of the two deepest divisions in boxing. They need strong performances on Saturday night to maintain their status and regain their titles.

“Ivan and Francisco have the chance to break into the ranks of the elite on Saturday, and with a strong performance, win, lose or draw, they too can stay into the hunt for a world title. We have high stakes, intriguing fights up and down the card and we look forward to a great night on Saturday.”

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ABOUT GARCIA VS. REDKACH
Garcia vs. Redkach will see two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia take on hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, January 25 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and featured unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd battling Francisco “Chia” Santana in the 10-round co-feature, and unbeaten sensation Stephen Fulton facing fellow unbeaten Arnold Khegai in a Super Bantamweight Title eliminator. The Fulton vs. Khegai bout is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

VIDEO: Garcia vs. Redkach: Press Conference

DANNY GARCIA VS. IVAN REDKACH, JARRETT HURD VS. FRANCISCO SANTANA & STEPHEN FULTON VS. ARNOLD KHEGAI MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

BROOKLYN (January 22, 2020) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach showed off their skills at a media workout Wednesday before they battle in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator headlining action this Saturday, January 25 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The workout also featured former unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd and Francisco “Chia” Santana, who battle in the 10-round super welterweight co-feature, plus unbeaten sensation Stephen Fulton and fellow unbeaten Arnold Khegai, who compete in a super bantamweight title eliminator to open SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn:

DANNY GARCIA

“Everything in training camp has been very smooth. Sparring, the diet and running, it’s all gone perfectly. We’re on weight and ready to put on a great performance Saturday.

“As a veteran, you learn during every fight that you have. I’ve been the underdog and won, I’ve been the top dog and won, and I’ve been in the biggest magnitude of fights. You have to fight every fight like it’s your last, because it could be. You never know what’s going to happen. You have to be 100% physically and mentally.

“This is a very important fight for me and my future. My future starts on Saturday night. I’ve already been in a lot of big fights in my career, so it’s nothing new to me. I know Redkach is hungry, but I know what it takes to win on this level and I’m hungry.

“I feel like I have unfinished business here in Brooklyn. This is my house and I plan on making a statement in front of my fans on Saturday.

“I’ve been boxing for 21 years. All of the big fights and all of the pressure, sometimes you get tired of it. Sometimes it takes something happening to wake you back up. I’ve fallen in love with the sport of boxing again. Sometimes you forget what made you love the sport in the first place. Fighting is what makes me happy though.

“My last camp before the Adrian Granados fight, I felt really good. I was happy again in this training camp. At this point in my career, I’ve been through it all already. I have to count my blessings and give my fans a great fight.

“My mind was set on a southpaw so after we couldn’t have the Errol Spence Jr. fight, I wanted the next tough southpaw. We’re not looking past Redkach at all, but we wanted the southpaw work for that fight or a Pacquiao fight. We’ll be all ready when those fights come up.”

IVAN REDKACH

“The biggest weakness I see in Danny is that he’s not taking this seriously. He’s counting on this as a tune-up fight, and that’s a big mistake. This is not going to be a tune-up fight for him.

“Like a lot of fighters, I’m usually in training camp focusing on cutting weight. Fighting at welterweight, I don’t have to do that. I feel strong and I’m going to put on a strong performance.

“Danny is already looking ahead to a fight with Errol Spence Jr. or Manny Pacquiao, but before he gets to them, he picked me. I know it’s because I’m a southpaw. But he’s going to get a rude wake up on fight night.

“This win will change my life and I’ve already worked my whole life to get to this moment. I want to win this fight and then the biggest fights at welterweight will be open to me. Right now I’m only focused on my fight Saturday night.

“I’m going to knock him out. That’s how I see this fight going. We’re going to leave it all in the ring and I’m going to come out victorious.”

JARRETT HURD

“I’m so focused on taking care of Francisco Santana. I can’t look past him. He’s a guy who comes forward. This is a fight where I want to see how things work out with my new trainer Kay Koroma, but Santana comes to fight just like Jeison Rosario did. I have to be on my toes.

“People say this is the new Jarrett, but I feel like it’s the old me and I’m just getting back to it. I used my defense and my height against Frank Galarza and other earlier fights. But when I was training for Erislandy Lara, I was developing this pressure style and we didn’t have enough of the fundamentals set behind it.

“I look back at my fights and it kind of scares me all the hits I was taking. I had back to back Fight of the Year battles. Those were back and forth fights. I don’t want those each and every year. I want to win in one-sided fashion.

“I was close to becoming undisputed champion at 154-pounds and that’s still a goal of mine. I want to accomplish that feat in this division before we move up. I know I had a bad night against Julian Williams, but it was just a small hiccup. I’m coming back for my number one spot.

“I’m not worried about the Julian Williams fight last weekend. I have to focus on January 25 or the same thing can happen to me. It just wasn’t his night that night. But he’s bounced back before and I’d count on him bouncing back again.

“There’s not too much of a difference for my training, other than being away from home. We’ve worked a lot on fundamentals with my new trainer. It’s not that we didn’t have them before, but we’ve focused on them much more. It’s not all about heart and will in a fight. Sometimes you have to get back to the basics.”

FRANCISCO SANTANA

“I always rise to the occasion before any training camp and we’ve had a great camp because we know what we’re up against. I’m about as big of an underdog for this one as I was before I beat Felix Diaz, so I have that same mentality. It’s not my first rodeo.

“You can never count out the underdog. You saw what happened last week in the Julian Williams vs. Jeison Rosario fight. I have the utmost respect for Julian, but if you have two good hands, anything is possible.

“When the opportunity presented itself to fight someone like Jarrett Hurd, I couldn’t turn it down. I’ve faced a lot of elite fighters, but I know they chose me for a reason. But I also picked him for a reason. I’m trying to display a side that no one has ever seen from me before.

“I think Julian Williams was just the better man when he got in there against Hurd. I’ve seen some stuff on film about Hurd that I can take advantage of, but he also has a lot of strengths. You’ll just have to tune-in on Saturday.

“I’m fighting the biggest 154-pounder out there, but we prepared with intense sparring. That’s the key because it’s the closest thing to a fight. I sparred with tall fighters and big guys who could push me around. I needed to get comfortable with that.”

STEPHEN FULTON

“A win on Saturday means everything to me. This is another undefeated fighter that I’m going up against. This is going to be the start of my stardom and this is going to boost my level all the way up.

“I’m going to end his winning streak on Saturday. I’m going to get the win for Philadelphia on Saturday. You’re going to see a little bit of everything Saturday. I’m going to put on a show and perform.

“People think they can pressure me and take me out of the fight. But I’m a mentally strong fighter first. I know that my opponent will bring a lot of aggression, but that alone will not beat me. He needs to show more if he wants to beat me.

“I’m knocking on everyone’s door. The whole super bantamweight division can come out and play. I’m putting them all in time out.

“This is the first time I really brought my weight down well ahead of a fight. I feel great and I have a lot of energy left to do everything I need. That aspect of my camp has been great.

“Philadelphia boxing is coming in full effect. I feel like we’re all working together in our own ways to lift each other up. We’re always in the gym and Saturday is another great opportunity to display our talents.”

ARNOLD KHEGAI

“I believe that I can land my power shots against Fulton. I can land the punch that will change the fight and I can do it in any moment. We’ll find out if he can stand up to the power on Saturday night.

“Fulton is a good fighter, but so am I. We’re both undefeated and very hungry. I think it should make this a great fight for the fans.

“I might be considered the underdog, but this is boxing. Anything can happen. We’re going to fight. It’s just the two of us in the ring, man vs. man. No one’s opinion matters.

“I trained for the first time in California with Marvin Somodio ahead of this fight. It was a great training camp and I learned a lot. I’ve been following all of his instructions and learned about the strategy it takes to win a 12 round fight.”

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Undefeated Prospects Patrick Harris, Keeshawn Williams & Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson To Be Featured On Live Streaming Undercard Fights This Saturday, January 25 On SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN

NEW YORK (January 22, 2020) – SHOWTIME Sports will live stream three undercard bouts featuring a trio of undefeated up-and-coming prospects as part of exciting undercard action on Saturday, January 25, from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event headlined by two-division world champion Danny “Swift” García.

Prior to the SHOWTIME telecast, undefeated super lightweight prospect Patrick Harris (18-0, 9 KOs), of Washington, D.C., will take on Clay Burns (8-6-2, 4 KOs) of Alexandria, La., in the live stream offering on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. In another eight-round attraction, Keeshawn Williams (6-0-1, 2 KOs) of District Heights, Md., will face Gaku Takahashi (16-10-1, 8 KOs) of Yuburi, Japan. In a six-round opening bout of the streaming coverage, Baltimore native and Calvin Ford-trained undefeated middleweight prospect Lorenzo “Truck” Simpson will take on Kansas City’s Antonio Louis Hernandez.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN streams live online on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page leading into the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME.

The event is headlined by two-division world champion Garcia as he returns to the ring to take on hard-hitting slugger Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach in a 12-round WBC welterweight title eliminator. In the co-feature, former unified 154-pound champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd returns against all-action Francisco “Chia” Santana in a 10-round super welterweight contest, plus sensational super bantamweight Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton will face undefeated Arnold Khegai in a 12-round WBO Super Bantamweight title eliminator to open the telecast.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN is hosted by Brian Campbell and Luke Thomas providing preview and analysis of that evening’s SHOWTIME telecast. Ray Flores will call the live undercard play-by-play action from ringside alongside Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood.

The 25-year-old Harris turned professional after a highly-successfully amateur career in 2014 and has steadily increased his level of opposition while building his undefeated resume. The nephew of former two-division world champion Lamont Peterson and his brother Anthony, Harris comes from a boxing family. His father, Patrice “Boogie” Harris., is a well-known trainer at Headbangers Gym in Washington, D.C. The slick southpaw was active in 2019, fighting four times. He is coming off a TKO victory over Joaquim Carneiro in November and in March, he won via shutout decision in an event that was headlined by his uncles.

Williams, a 22-year-old rising prospect out of Maryland, has won five consecutive bouts since a split draw in just his second pro fight. Williams will return to Barclays Center for his second straight fight, after he dismantled Mario Alberto Perez Navarro in a first-round TKO on the undercard of Adam Kownacki vs. Chris Arreola in August.

The 19-year-old southpaw Simpson has been an active young pro since his debut in December of 2018 as he picked up five victories in 2019. A stablemate of undefeated two-time super featherweight and current WBA Lightweight Title holder Gervonta Davis, Simpson was a 12-time National Champion and six-time Silver Glove Champion as an amateur. He honed his skills at the Upton Boxing Center in West Baltimore under the watchful eye of his trainer Ford.

Rounding out the undercard attractions are Staten Island’s Kenny Robles (7-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight fight against Patterson, New Jersey’s Rickey Edwards (12-4, 3 KOs), heavyweight prospect Steven Torres (1-0, 1 KO) from Reading, Pennsylvania taking on Williamsville, New York’s Dakota Witkopf (1-1, 1 KO) in a four-round bout and the pro debut of East Orange, New Jersey’s Rajon Chance in a four-round super bantamweight duel versus Rockville, Maryland’s Akihiro Nakamura (1-0).

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DANNY GARCIA TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

PHILADELPHIA (January 15, 2020) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia is eager for another crack at returning to the championship ranks, but knows that he can’t look past the hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach when they face off in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator Saturday, January 25 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

“I’m just taking it one fight at a time,” said Garcia. “I’ve been that way my whole career. I know that you can’t overlook anyone. I’m totally locked in on Ivan, and that’s it.

“We’re just working hard and working smart. We’re making the necessary adjustments for Redkach specifically, but this is just another fighter in front of us. I noticed that he’s really hungry. He obviously wants to win, and he’s coming off of three solid victories. He has his confidence back now. I just have to be ready for whatever he brings to the table on January 25.”

Redkach is coming off a career-best victory in June, when he knocked out former two-division champion Devon Alexander in his first fight campaigning at welterweight. It was Redkach’s third straight victory since losing to John Molina Jr. in a memorable 2017 firefight that saw both men hit the canvas.

“I caught some highlights of his fight against Devon, but not the whole fight,” said Garcia. “I saw the full Molina fight though, and I know what I’m up against. Molina caught him, but before that, Ivan was doing well. He just got careless. So I just have to be on my A-game and make no mistakes.”

Garcia’s last outing was a victory in April over veteran contender Adrian Granados that was notable in that Garcia flashed impressive power in becoming the first person to ever knock out the durable Granados.

“I feel like my new conditioning coach has really been able to help me with different kinds of strength training,” said Garcia. “We’re hitting different muscle groups and it definitely showed against Granados.”

With his return to Barclays Center on January 25, Garcia makes his eighth headlining appearance at the venue, the most of any fighter. Garcia also holds the arena’s single event boxing attendance record, for his 2017 welterweight title unification showdown against Keith Thurman. The Philadelphia-native has made a boxing home just a couple of hours up I-95 from his hometown, starting with headlining the venue’s first boxing event in 2012.

“It’s just a great atmosphere in Brooklyn and at Barclays Center,” said Garcia. “The fans there have gotten to know me really well, and all my fans in Philly can make the quick drive up. They love to watch me fight there and they know when Danny Garcia comes to New York, it’s going to be a great night of boxing.”

With a win in this title eliminator, Garcia would put himself in line for the WBC welterweight title held by unified champion Errol Spence Jr. Garcia has also been rumored as a possible next opponent for WBA Welterweight Champion Manny Pacquiao. If one of those two opponents are next for Garcia, he is confident in his abilities to become world champion again.

“I feel like my style is dangerous for both Spence and Pacquiao,” said Garcia. “For Errol, I see he likes to stand in front of his opponents and he isn’t the hardest guy to hit. With Manny, I feel like my counter punching and style would also be hard for him. So, I like my chances against both of them.”

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SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and featured unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd battling Francisco “Chia” Santana in the 10-round co-feature, and unbeaten sensation Stephen Fulton facing fellow unbeaten Arnold Khegai in a WBC Super Bantamweight Title eliminator. The Fulton vs. Khegai bout is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

VIDEO: Garcia vs. Redkach: Press Conference

DANNY GARCIA VS. IVAN REDKACH, JARRETT HURD VS. FRANCISCO SANTANA, PLUS STEPHEN FULTON PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

BROOKLYN (December 18, 2019) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and hard-hitting Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach went face to face for the first time at a press conference on Wednesday as they previewed their WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator headlining action live on SHOWTIME Saturday, January 25 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

The press conference also featured former unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd and Francisco “Chia” Santana, who will battle in the co-feature, and unbeaten sensation Stephen Fulton, who takes on undefeated Arnold Khegai in a WBC Super Bantamweight Title eliminator.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.comand barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP. The Fulton vs. Khegai bout is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday from Barclays Center:

DANNY GARCIA

“This is my eighth fight at Barclays Center and I’m excited to be back. I’ve fought in a quarter of the events here at Barclays Center, so you could say this is my house. I’ve had some historic fights in here. I love walking in the tunnels and seeing my pictures next to Jay-Z, DMX and Rihanna.

“Come January 25, this is going to be another great night of boxing. I know Ivan is coming to fight. We’ve followed each other’s careers. I know he’s hungry and he wants to show the fans that he belongs on this level.

“I’m excited to share the card with my Philadelphia brother Stephen Fulton, who I’ve known since he was a kid. Plus, Jarrett Hurd, who’s journey I’ve been watching. It’s been great and he’s going to show everyone that a loss doesn’t mean anything. Just like I have.

“I just think the culture here in Brooklyn is great and I fit right in with it. Lots of hip-hop and Puerto Ricans. It’s the perfect market and we just go together.

“If the top welterweights want to fight me, I’ll be ready whenever. Redkach makes a lot of sense because he’s a southpaw and that would have me ready for Errol Spence Jr. or Manny Pacquiao.

“We picked Redkach because he’s dangerous and we knew he’d be tough. I’m definitely not overlooking him. I’m training hard for this fight. For me, this is a big fight. If I overlook him, it could ruin everything. I want to show everyone I’m still one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world.

“Redkach has a big heart and he’s going to come forward. I think it’s going to be a really entertaining fight. I can’t overlook him.

“I always feel like I’m the best. They need me, I don’t need them. I’m one of the best fighters in the world and I’m going to be here for a while.”

IVAN REDKACH

“I want to give thanks to my team and everyone involved in making this fight and for believing in me, which give me the belief that gives me the strength to go in the ring and give it my all.

“This opportunity fighting at Barclays Center is huge for me. I accept the opportunity with honor and I want to thank Danny Garcia for taking the fight.

“My friends and family provide me with the will to win. That support, along with my experience, is what I’ll need to win this fight.

“I want Danny Garcia’s fans to all come out on January 25 because you’re going to see a great fight and you’re going to be welcomed into the Ivan Redkach family.

“The victory over Devon Alexander was important because he was a well-known opponent. Winning in the fashion that I did catapulted me to where I am right now.

“Danny made a mistake if he thinks this is a tune-up. I’m going to give everyone a great fight and we’ll see what happens on January 25.

“Training alongside Leo Santa Cruz was great motivation. I’m going to knock Danny Garcia out. That’s the plan. Simple.

“I’m training very hard because this fight is extremely important to me. I have to give the best performance of my professional career.

“The energy in the building on January 25 is going to give me the extra motivation to not only put up a great performance, but to leave Brooklyn with the victory.”

JARRETT HURD

“This is my first time doing interviews since I fought Julian Williams. Last time I was up here I was an undefeated fighter and then I suffered my first loss.

“We had the rematch set up for this December, but with me going through a switch in trainers and still in the process of searching, I wasn’t in condition for it. It was the hardest thing possible to not take the rematch, much harder than taking it.

“I’ve been training in Colorado with Kay Koroma and getting away from everything. We’re focused strictly on boxing. I cut the hair off too because I was just ready for a change. The work so far is showing me how much work I have left to do and how much room I have to grow.

“I will stay at 154-pounds and fight for my titles again. I’m not looking past Francisco Santana because he’s a great fighter. I’m working hard to get back to the old me.

“This is the fighter who was put in front of me. He has the style that we were looking for with my having my first fight with my new trainer. I had some time out of a gym after the Williams fight but now we’re going strong toward January 25.

“I would never say I overlooked Julian Williams. There’s no excuses. Julian was the better man that night. When I look back there were probably some things that could have affected me, but Julian deserved to win the fight.

“I don’t know if I’m a better fighter now, but the loss opened my eyes to some things. My new coach has really opened my eyes to some things that I need to work on. Using my jab more and my footwork specifically.

“I’m not thinking about anyone but Francisco Santana. I look back at my fights and realize that I won those fights on pure heart and determination. We’re doing things different this time and working behind strategy and skills.”

FRANCISCO SANTANA

“Jarrett Hurd is a good solid fighter who’s accomplished a lot. This is my Super Bowl. When someone calls and presents an opportunity like this, you can’t turn it down.

“To fight against one of the biggest names in the division, that’s hard to say no to. Of course I’m going to step up to the plate and on January 25 I’m going to show everyone the definition of never giving up on a dream.

“I’ve had setbacks like Jarrett and I’ve picked myself up and rose to the occasion time and time again. On January 25 I’m going to fight with every ounce of spirit that I have in me so I can go on and become a world champion.

“Jarrett has himself with a new team and when a fighter feels refreshed, you know he’s going to come out strong. I expect nothing less.

“I know that everyone is giving me zero chance come fight night. But that’s okay. I read the comments and what people say. It’s all good. My team believes in me and I believe in myself.

“I’m a big welterweight and people tend to forget that I started my career as a super welterweight, but back then I was self-trained. I used to fight on a couple weeks’ notice and was bouncing from gym to gym. When I met coach Joseph Janik, it all changed and we’ve been together about a decade now. He was the missing piece to my puzzle.

“I’ve often said it’s not how you start a race but how you finish it. I know it’s not an easy task, but I look forward to these big challenges. It will test me as a fighter and a human being. I want to show the whole world my definition of never giving up.

“The minute I stop learning, that would be the time I need to hang them up. I’m still learning and we’re still getting better at our craft. It’s a big challenge. He’s the monster of the division, but this is a great opportunity for me. Sometimes you have to face the monster head on.”

STEPHEN FULTON

“I’m from Philadelphia and Khegai used to live there, but I truly live in Philadelphia. It runs through my blood. That’s how I’m going to carry on and go about this fight.

“This is not the first undefeated fighter I’ve fought. It will be the seventh that I’ve fought and beat. Six have already fell and I don’t know why these guys keep taking these fights. You’ll see what I’m talking about on January 25

“This means a lot to me, but I’m not a rookie. I don’t look at this like something that will bring my nerves up. This is normal to me. I always get things the hard way.

“People like me have been working hard our whole lives. This opponent is no different than anyone I see walking the streets of Philadelphia. I’m always ready.

“Fans should expect a wonderful and intelligent boxing game plan. Khegai is coming to rumble. He thinks he’s stronger than me, but he’s not stronger or smarter than me. No one in my weight class will out think me.”

DMITRIY SALITA, President of Salita Promotions, Khegai’s Promoter

“Arnold is taking this fight very seriously and he’s going to be arriving in training camp today with Joe Goossen.

“Arnold made his us debut in Philadelphia and I know there will be a lot of fans from Philadelphia here. There’s also a great community in Brooklyn with people from the Ukraine and Russia who will be supporting him on fight night.

“We’re excited for this opportunity and we’re looking forward to making this a great night on January 25.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Senior Vice President of Communications, SHOWTIME Sports

“Next week, we will begin a run of eight live boxing events in 10 weeks on SHOWTIME featuring many of the biggest stars in the sport. In Atlanta, on Saturday, December 28, Gervonta Davis, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Badou Jack and Jean Pascal will compete in two world title fights. On January 10, Claressa Shields, the No. 1 star in women’s boxing, faces Christina Habazin for a unified 154-pound world title. Rising star, Jaron “Boots” Ennis will also be on that card. And, of course, on January 25, we are excited to present two of the biggest stars in the sport, Danny Garcia and Jarrett Hurd, both former unified world champions, both fighting in important, must-win fights to begin a new chapter in their careers.

“SHOWTIME is proud to continue our tradition of televising important, competitive and meaningful world championship boxing in 2020, our 34th year in the business, with these excellent fights and this great series of events.”

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Two-Division World Champion Danny García Takes on Hard-Hitting Ivan Redkach in WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator Live on SHOWTIME® Saturday, January 25 in Premier Boxing Champions Event at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

BROOKLYN (December 16, 2019) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” García returns to the ring to take on hard-hitting slugger Ivan “El Terrible” Redkach in a 12-round WBC welterweight title eliminator Saturday, January 25 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event.

In the co-feature, former unified 154-pound champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd will return to battle all-action Francisco “Chia” Santana in a 10-round super welterweight contest, plussensational super bantamweight Stephen “Cool Boy Steph” Fulton will face undefeated Arnold Khegai in a 12-round WBO Super Bantamweight title eliminator to open SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING action at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

García’s blend of power and sublime boxing skills has made him one of the most popular boxers of the last decade and secured him as a box-office fixture at Barclays Center, where he holds the record for the largest crowd for a boxing event. He set the benchmark when 16,533 attended his welterweight title unification match against Keith Thurman on March 4, 2017 in a bout that aired in primetime on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS. The fight against Redkach will be Garcia’s eighth appearance at Barclays Center.

“Barclays Center fan-favorite Danny García is back in Brooklyn as he continues his quest for the top spot in the welterweight division,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Danny has been in the biggest fights at Barclays Center and on January 25 there are sure to be fireworks when hard-hitting Ivan Redkach looks for a career-defining win. Redkach has upset the odds before and there’s no doubt he’ll leave it all in the ring with this opportunity to move closer to a world title fight. Combined with a former unified champion known for action fights in Jarrett Hurd, plus a rising star in Stephen Fulton, this card is loaded with intrigue from top to bottom.”

“Danny García and Jarrett Hurd are two of the biggest stars in the sport because they have consistently taken on the toughest challenges and they are always in all-action, exciting fights,” said Stephen Espinoza, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “On January 25, both men are fighting to maintain their place at the top of two of boxing’s deepest divisions in important, must-win fights. Add in two undefeated, promising contenders in the opener and we have the recipe for an explosive night of fights on SHOWTIME.”

“We’re thrilled to host our first boxing event of 2020 by welcoming Danny García back for his eighth fight at Barclays Center and have Jarrett Hurd return to the arena where he’s had some memorable victories,” said Keith Sheldon, EVP of Programming and Development for BSE Global. “Danny specifically has built an enthusiastic fan base in the borough, becoming one of the most popular fighters in our arena, and we can’t wait to see his supporters out in full force as he steps back into our ring against Ivan Redkach.”

García (35-2, 21 KOs) is the latest in a long line of great boxers from Philadelphia who have made their mark on the sport. His run through the super lightweight division and two-year reign as a unified champion is one of the most impressive in modern history as he defeated a string of champions, including Nate Campbell, Kendall Holt, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah and Lucas Matthysse.

After dominating the super lightweight division, the 31-year-old García moved up to welterweight where he won the vacant WBC title with a unanimous decision over Robert Guerrero in 2016. He lost a split decision to Thurman in a unification match in 2017 and dropped a narrow unanimous decision to Shawn Porter for the WBC title in 2018. García and many pundits thought he won both those matches. In his last fight, García scored a spectacular knockout victory over Adrian Granados on April 20 to get back into position to regain the welterweight crown.

“I’m very excited to be headlining another SHOWTIME card and to go back to Barclays Center, my home away from home,” said García. “I can’t wait to step in the ring in Brooklyn and give fans the Danny García show. I watched a few of Redkach’s recent fights and he had a great knockout win over two-time champion Devon Alexander. So, I know he’s a tough fighter and competitor who I expect to bring the best out of me, and he’s someone who deserves this opportunity. But January 25 is tax season, so I’m going to have to tax him and pay him with a reality check.”

Redkach (23-4-1, 18 KOs) has his sights set on winning a welterweight title and will face the toughest challenge of his career when he steps in against Garcia. The 33-year-old Redkach, who was born in Shostka, Ukraine and now lives in Los Angeles, is accustomed to stern tests. He started boxing as an amateur in Ukraine where he had over 300 fights. When he turned professional he traveled to Mexico to train and develop the “Mexican Style” – a style that emphasis standing in the pocket and throwing hard shots to the body.

Things started out slowly for Redkach, but soon he began to hold his own in Mexico and prevailed, earning the nickname “El Terrible” from his training partners. Redkach won 14 of his first 18 professional fights by stoppage and has won three in a row, including most recently knocking out former world champion Devon Alexander in June.

“I’m very motivated to take a massive step in my career and get closer to becoming world champion against a strong and accomplished fighter like Danny García,” said Redkach. “I have been to a lot of Danny’s fights and now I get the chance to test myself against him. I am training very hard so that I am the best that I have ever been on January 25. I’m going to shock the boxing world just like I did against Devon Alexander. I’ve never been this hungry before and I’m confident I will win this fight.”

The former WBA and IBF champion at 154-pounds, Hurd (23-1, 16 KOs) returns to action for the first time since losing his belts via decision against Julian Williams in one of 2019’s best fights. The 29-year-old from Accokeek, Maryland captured his first title by stopping current WBC titlist Tony Harrison in 2017 and then added the WBA belt by defeating Erislandy Lara in 2018’s consensus Fight of the Year. Hurd earned his title opportunity by going on a run of knocking off unbeaten fighters including Frank Galarza and Oscar Molina, and also owns a successful title defense against Austin Trout at Barclays Center in 2017.

“Just because I fell back, doesn’t mean I fell off,” said Hurd. “I’m back and excited to fight at Barclays Center for the third time. I’m bringing the storm back on January and I’m going to make a statement everyone is going to see. You’re not going to want to miss this fight and the best Jarrett Hurd anyone’s seen.”

Santana (25-7-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 154 and 147 pounds and has made his name with an all-action action style throughout a long career as a contender. The 33-year-old will look to bounce back from a close decision loss to Abel Ramos in March, in a fight where Santana dropped Ramos in the second round. Prior to the setback against Ramos, the Santa Barbara, California native was coming off of a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018. Santana has faced former champions Jermell Charlo and Sadam Ali while also owning a six-round draw against Julian Williams in 2011.

“This is a great opportunity for me against a fighter like Jarrett Hurd,” said Santana. “When you get an opportunity like this, it’s hard to turn it down. My job is to rise to the occasion and have the best moment of my career on fight night. This is my Super Bowl. When I last fought at 154-pounds, I was basically self-trained. Now I have my coach Joseph Janik training me and I really think he’s the missing piece of the puzzle for me. I’m going to go in there and leave it all in the ring January 25.”

The 25-year-old Fulton (17-0, 8 KOs) has made a rapid rise through the super bantamweight ranks with superb boxing skills, befitting a slick fighter from Philadelphia. Lately Fulton has shown flashes of power that have caught his opponents off guard. In his last fight he stopped Isaac Avelar with a body shot to end their fight in the fifth round on August 24.

Fighting out of Odessa, Ukraine and training for this fight in Los Angeles, Khegai (16-0-1, 10 KOs) will make his third start in the U.S. on January 25, after a successful U.S. debut in in May 2018 when he defeated Adam Lopez on the prospect developmental series ShoBox: The New Generation. The 27-year-old has already been victorious twice in 2019, stopping Haidari Mchanjo in March and most recently winning a unanimous decision over Vladimir Tikhonov in August on ShoBox.

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DANNY GARCIA VS. ADRIAN GRANADOS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (April 18, 2019) – Former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and welterweight contender Adrian “El Tigre” Granados went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before the square-off this Saturday night in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Also squaring-off Thursday were heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. and Alexander Dimitrenko, who meet in a 10-round bout, and unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa and Venezuela’s Yonfrez Parejo, who meet in a 12-round match for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title that kicks off the broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, in association with DSG Promotions, are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com or at the Dignity Health Sports Park box office from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from the Grand Ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel Gateway:

DANNY GARCIA

“Motivation is no problem for me because I’ve always loved competing. I love to fight and I love boxing. I want to give my fans around the world a great show. This is all for my legacy right now.

“It’s fight time, it’s on. The talking is done, the hard work has been put in and I’m confident. I’m going to show the world what I’m about on Saturday night. This is nothing new to me, it’s another day at work.

“I’ve been shining for a long time. I’m going to show why I’ve been around on Saturday and leave no doubt about this win.

“This is a big fight for me. I have to go in there and show the world I’m one of the best in the sport. I need to look good.

“We worked harder and worked smarter in training camp. My body is bigger and stronger now. I’ve grown into a true welterweight. I feel great.

“At the end of the day, styles make fights. We’ll see who the better fighter is on Saturday night.”

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“This win would mean a lot to me. It’s a huge fight and a big opportunity. A win against Danny can catapult me to where I belong. That’s what I’m coming to do in this fight.

“It’s going to be an exciting fight. The preparation is done. Camp went great. I’m ready for war on Saturday night.

“I want a dominating and exciting victory. I’m here to show I’m a real player in the welterweight division.

“I think the Puerto Rico vs. Mexico rivalry makes it a great fight. Plus, we both come from tough neighborhoods in Chicago and Philadelphia. I’m proud of who I am and where I’m from and we’re both going to represent for we’re from.

“I’m not underestimating Danny because I know we both had to go through a lot to get here. But we made it here through hard circumstances and we’ve turned those circumstances into positives.

“I think Danny is my toughest opponent. He’s accomplished a lot in the sport and he’s taken advantage of the opportunities he’s gotten. This would be the biggest win of my career and I’m looking forward to doing that on Saturday night.”

ANDY RUIZ JR.

“I’m really happy to be here in this position. Everything in my past is behind me and I’m so happy to be in this fight and position for even more after Saturday.

“I’m just hungrier and more motivated than ever now. With Manny Robles training me, I’m taking camp more seriously and I’m more dedicated to accomplishing my dreams. My dream is to be the first Mexican heavyweight champion. I’m going to make history.

“We’ll see how fast he is and who’s faster on Saturday. He has a longer reach but I believe I have the faster movements. He’s trying to take money from my family and I can’t let that happen.

“I just need stick to my game plan and chop him down. The combinations and body shots will be key. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

“I’ve come a long way to get in this shape. I just have to stay disciplined and put in the hard work and I’ll be fighting for a world title soon.”

ALEXANDER DIMITRENKO

“I’m glad to be here and I’m looking to make a war. It was the best training camp that I’ve had. I’m fit and ready to win. I will give not just my best, but everything to win this fight.

“This is nothing new for me. I know have to fight against smaller guys. It’s no problem for me and I’m very comfortable.

“I’m looking forward to fighting here in Southern California and show the fans all over what I’m about.

“I know people say he’s fast but I’m not slow either. I’m ready to prove what I can do on Saturday night.”

BRANDON FIGUEROA

“I’ve been preparing every fight for a big fight. I’m thankful for this opportunity and everyone who is behind me and has supported me. I’m here for a reason and I’m going to prove it on Saturday night.

“The pressure, the inside game, the body shots and my relentlessness will be too much him. I don’t think he can handle it for 12 rounds.

“I think that everything I do well, is going to become a problem for him. I’m prepared for a tough fight but I’m ready to put on a show.

“It feels amazing to be on this stage and fighting at this venue. I’m representing for my hometown, but also for my Mexican culture. On Saturday they’re going to see that I’m another great Mexican fighter.

“This was definitely one of my stronger training camps. We did a lot of work on my legs and strengthening them. It puts a little more pop in my punches. The conditioning was important too because I know this guy isn’t going to go down easy.”

YONFREZ PAREJO

“I’m very happy to be in this fight. We had a great training camp. We know Brandon is a very tough fighter, but he’s not going to get in the way of my dream of being world champion.

“I worked very hard in training camp because I know Figueroa likes to bring pressure. I don’t think he’s faced an opponent like me and I’m going to show everyone what level I’m on.

“I expect a very hard fight, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m always prepared for any challenge and this is no different. I have everything it takes to become champion of the world.

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“These fighters had tremendous camps and they’re ready to go. Both of these guys look ready to handle their business. These guys are in their primes and that should make it a great fight.

“I see this fight ending in a knockout. Danny knows what’s at stake and he wants to put on an impressive performance. He has a big stage to do it. Stylistically he’s facing a young hungry guy in Granados who is going to press and come forward. It’s going to mesh very well and it’s a fantastic fight that’s not going the distance.

“There’s nothing easy about this fight. Danny has to go in there and establish respect from the beginning and dictate the pace. Granados is a young, exciting fighter, but Danny has to have the mentality that he’s on a different level than Granados.

“These guys need to stay in the moment and make sure they don’t look towards future fights. I don’t believe they will. Granados has nothing to lose, but Danny has a lot of motivation himself. Both of these guys want even bigger and better things in the near future.”

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ABOUT GARCIA VS. GRANADOS
Garcia vs. Granados will see former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia battling rugged veteran Adrian Granados in a 12-round welterweight bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, April 20 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park, formerly StubHub Center, in Carson, California.

Heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. takes on Alexander Dimitrenko in a 10-round bout in the co-feature and unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa battles Venezuela’s Yonfrez Parejo in a 12-round match for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title that opens the primetime FOX broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

DANNY GARCIA VS. ADRIAN GRANADOS FIGHT WEEK MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

SANTA MONICA, CA. (April 17, 2019) – Former two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and welterweight contender Adrian Granados took part in a media workout Wednesday as they near their main event showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday night from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The workout also featured heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. and Alexander Dimitrenko, who meet in a 10-round bout, and unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa, who faces Venezuela’s Yonfrez Parejo in a 12-round match for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title that kicks off the broadcast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Churchill Boxing Club in Santa Monica:

DANNY GARCIA

“I fought in this arena when I was 6-0 so it’s exciting to be back. I also won the welterweight title against Robert Guerrero in Los Angeles. L.A. has always been good to me. There’s a great atmosphere and I love fighting here.

“I’m ready for anybody, but I’m also not looking past Granados. At the end of the day, I have to focus on Saturday night. I have to get this victory.

“There’s a lot at stake, so I know Granados will be ready. I trained hard and I think I’m in the best shape of my life. I think I’m in better shape now than my last two fights. I can’t wait to show it on Saturday night.

“You watch Danny Garcia fights you know I’m always swinging trying to knock people out. Expect another can’t-miss fight on Saturday.

“I know what Granados brings to the table, but I believe in my skills and the hard work we put into camp. The plan is of course to get a knockout and look spectacular, but I’m more than ready to go 12 hard rounds.”

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“This is a classic in a making. We’re going to put on a show. I feel great. We’ve closed out camp just right and we’re ready to rock and roll on Saturday.

“There are a lot of challenges in this fight. I have to go out there to dominate and take the fight away from him. Danny is a great fighter and there’s a reason he’s a big name in the sport. This is an opportunity that I’m going to take advantage of.

“I wasn’t surprised that Shawn Porter said I was a tougher fight than Danny Garcia. I watched both fights and you could see at the end that I had Shawn running for survival. He did what he had to do to escape, but for this fight I’m taking it out of anybody else’s hands.

“I don’t think Danny is looking past me, but I know he has bigger plans. I’m here to interrupt those plans. I have my own plans. I’m going to catapult myself to where I belong and where I should have always been.

“My parents worked so hard to put me on the right path. I got involved with sports as a kid and never looked back. I always stayed focus on my sports and studies. The temptations were there in Chicago. I stayed true to myself and now I’m in a place where a lot of people look up to me. If I win on Saturday it can show that anything is possible.”

ANDY RUIZ JR.

“This is going to be my fourth fight at this venue. I’ve gotten a knockout every time, so I think it’s a good luck arena for me. I’ve had setbacks, but I’m ready for my comeback.

“I’ve been training hard for this fight to make a statement. I’m excited to get this win and do it emphatically.

“Dimitrenko is a veteran fighter and I know I can’t take him lightly. We’re going to be ready and may the best man win. I’m ready to take on all challengers.

“I just need to stay loose and let my hands go. I’m going to show the kind of fighter that I am. My speed and the way I use the ring will be a key.

“I’ve watched Dimitrenko’s fights, and I know I just have to do what I have to do. I think it’s harder for him to fight a smaller guy like me, especially one with speed and who throws combinations.”

ALEXANDER DIMITRENKO

“This is an important fight for me and I’m here to win. This is nothing new to me. My job is to come here put on a great performance. I’ve been a pro for a long time and I’m ready for Saturday.

“I have more experience in big fights than Ruiz. I’m going to give my best in this fight. There’s no pressure on me and I’m feeling relaxed and ready for war.

“My last fight against Bryant Jennings ended with a bad stoppage and I’m looking to erase that memory. A win on Saturday is important to me and I’m not looking past it. I have to do my job and we’ll see what happens after that.

“This is my first time in Los Angeles, I’ve gotten to enjoy the weather a little bit but it’s all business. I’m focused on fighting on Saturday, that’s been the goal all camp and we’re leading up to a great show on Saturday.”

BRANDON FIGUEROA

“This is a moment I’ve been waiting for since I was a little kid. The opportunity is here, I’m ready and I can’t wait to take it.

“I had a really good training camp. My body is ready physically and mentally. I know that Parejo is a really good fighter who’s going to try to box me. I feel like once I put the pressure on him, I’m going to be able to dominate him.

“I think Parejo has weaknesses on his inside game, which is something I’m really good at. I feel like for my past few fights I’ve used that to dominate my opponents.

“This is my time to shine. I had a really good training camp and I’m here to take advantage of this opportunity. I’m only 22-years-old and I’ve worked really hard to get where I’m at right now.”

# # #

DANNY GARCIA VS. ADRIAN GRANADOS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

Ray Flores
Thank you very much, Operator. First of all I want to thank the media for joining us all around the world as we get set for PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes this upcoming Saturday from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. What a venue for a tremendous night of boxing.

Our main event, the two division world champion, Danny “Swift” Garcia, goes head to head against the ultra-competitive and always entertaining, Adrian “El Tigre” Granados.

The broadcast begins at 8 o’clock Eastern, 5 Pacific Time. Also on the main card — what a card that we have — as we have heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. going head to head against Alexander Dimitrenko in a 10-round matchup. That is the co-main event.

To open up the broadcast, a young man who is quickly making his way up the ranks, the brother of Omar Figueroa, unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa goes head to head against Venezuela’s own Yonfrez Parejo in a 10-round matchup for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight Championship.

Tickets are going quickly as Saturday night’s event is brought to you by TGB Promotion and Mayweather Promotions in association with DSG Promotions. You can purchase them at axs.com or the Dignity Health Sports Box Office.

The first fight gets rolling at 3 o’clock. So all the fights end in Southern California — get there early — and then we go live with PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes at 8 Eastern, 5 local time.

After the FOX broadcast, we have plenty more action PBC FIGHT NIGHT – EXTRA on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 10:30 Eastern, 7:30 Pacific time.

It’ll feature a matchup between Jeison Rosario and Jorge Cota plus Karlos Balderas, Alfredo Angulo and more. You do not want to miss it as we go wall to wall on FOX, FOX Deportes, and FS1 this upcoming Saturday.

Right now without further ado it gives me great honor and pleasure to introduce the man who no-doubt will be a part of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He has promoted events all over the world and he understands how to find talent, takes someone from 0 and 0 to being the World Champion and subsequently a Hall of Famer.

Please welcome my dear friend, the President of TGB Promotion, Mr. Tom Brown.

Tom Brown
Well, thank you, Ray, and thanks everyone for joining us in this conference call for what will be an amazing time presented by Premier Boxing Champions on Saturday nights, and as Ray said the Garcia-Granados fight will be televised live on primetime network television by FOX and FOX Deportes.

The Dignity Health Sports Park has been home to some modern classics in Southern California to replace the famous Olympic Auditorium, and the main event with Danny Garcia vs at Adrian Granados is a sensational fight, incredible matchup, and tough styles, and really one of the best non-World Title fights you can make in the welterweight division.

The late great Hall of Fame matchmaker, Teddy Brenner, said about matchmaking t’s not simply a matter of putting the number one and number two guys in the ring. Anybody could do that. It’s a matter of first determining whether the styles of the two fighters blend and in this fight that’s a hell yes.

Then you have to decide if it’s an important fight. In other words, will the winner move on to a bigger fight, absolutely and, thirdly, he said as a fan is it a fight that I would want to see because the fans want the best fight, and that’s another hell yes.

So I can’t wait for Saturday night. Now I’ll toss this back to Ray. Thank you very much everyone for joining the call.

R. Flores
Thank you very much to Tom Brown and, look, I’ll tell you this, when Tom Brown gets excited for a fight you know it’s something special. And speaking of special, this man I’m getting ready to introduce has been a part of some of the most special and some of the biggest events in combat sports history. Talk about been there done that, he’s promoted the biggest event in the history of the sport of boxing. Please welcome the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, Mr. Leonard Ellerbe.

Leonard Ellerbe
Thank you, Ray. I’m really excited about this Saturday night. We have a terrific fight. We got two guys who are really never in a boring fight and their styles really mesh well, so we can really expect a hell of a fight this Saturday night. Both guys come to the fight with something to prove in my opinion.

I think when you look at Danny, Danny wants to really look spectacular because he really wants to show the world he’s still one of the best welterweights in the world and a scintillating performance this Saturday night will do just that.

On the other hand with Adrian Granados, never ever have we seen Adrian in a boring fight. He’ll be looking to get that career defining win that will immediately catapult him in the mix with all the other big money fighters that are out there in the welterweight division.

So both guys will be looking to make a statement come this Saturday night and the fans can expect a great fight. Back to you, Ray.

R. Flores
Thank you very much. Thank you so much Leonard. I really appreciate it.

Right now, as we get set to meet the main event combatants, it gives me a great honor and pleasure to welcome in a guy who has a record of 20 wins, 6 losses, 2 draws, from Chicago, Illinois, been involved as a professional for a decade.

He’s won two straight. He has stepped inside the ring with the likes of Shawn Porter, Adrien Broner, Javier Fortuna. When it comes to classifying this guy, I have to look at him as a throwback fighter because he will fight anybody and everybody and he’s constantly bringing you pressure.

He’s of Mexican descent, and he’ so emblematic of what a Mexican fighter is all about, and no doubt he will be in his best condition and ready to put on the performance of a lifetime. Please welcome Adrian “El Tigre” Granados.

Adrian Granados
Hey, how’s it going everybody. Thank for having me. I’m excited for this Saturday. It’s going to be a good fight. I know me and Danny both got a lot to prove in this fight and I know that our styles mesh well.

I know, you know, Dignity Sports Park is known for giving good fights and I feel like we’re going to give a classic. I’m coming for the win.

It’s going to be a great fight, and may the best man win and in this case I feel like I’m the best man. I’m not going to back down from a fire fight and I’m going to do whatever I got to do to win this fight.

I can guarantee a great fight and may God bless us both and take care of us and yeah, man. Let’s get it on.

R. Flores
Thank you very much, Adrian, greatly appreciate it. And also, it gives me a great honor and pleasure to introduce his opponent.

So we have Adrian Granados who is of Mexican descent, and this man is of Puerto Rican descent. So you have the Mexico against Puerto Rico rivalry that’ll be on display on Saturday night, but this man is a two division World Champion, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 31 years of age from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 11-year Pro. He’s been in the ring with the likes of Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, defeated the likes of Lucas Matthysse, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Paulie Malignaggi, trained by his father Angel. He’s also a throwback fighter, bites down in his mouthpiece, comes forward, and always puts on a sensational show for all the boxing fans around the world.

Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Danny “Swift” Garcia.

Danny Garcia
How you guys doing? Thanks for having me on. I can’t wait. It’s been a long camp. It’s been a long hard camp. I put in a lot of hard work. Now it’s time to go in there this Saturday and handle business and give my fans another great entertaining fight.

Q
Which fight do you think is going to be more entertaining as you guys go head to head with this Crawford-Khan?

D. Garcia
Oh definitely my fight. You know what I bring to the table. I always bring fireworks, speed, power, entertainment, blood, and guts. So I prepare myself for a classic fight. I train hard for 10 weeks straight and I’m ready to go in there and show the world who’s one of the best and why this fight’s a fight to watch.

Q
Adrian, do you have a feeling that basically this is kind of, like, your moment?
A. Granados
Yeah, most definitely. I know that I’m known for putting on great fights and just coming up short. Whether it is over a controversial decision or any other controversy. So yeah, I mentioned it to Leonard Ellerbe, I’m tired of it. So I’m definitely going out there to put on a dominating performance, and I know I have a hard work ahead of me so definitely I’m ready for the task at hand.

Q
How do you feel about the skills of Danny Garcia?

A. Granados
I’m expecting the best Danny Garcia. He’s made it clear. He’s trained very hard for this fight and that he’s not overlooking me, and that’s definitely what I want and that’s how it should be.

I always want to fight the best and I’m never going to back down from the best either. So it’s going to make for a great fight and we’ll be putting on a classic this Saturday.

Q
Adrian, what can you really do to make sure that you don’t come up on the short end of another very close decision?

A. Granados
Well, just plain and simple, I got to take it out of the judge’s hands. If I get Danny hurt then I’m definitely going to step on the gas and try to get them out and if not I’ll just have to put on a dominating performance.

I know it’s going to be hard. I know it’s going to be a tough fight but I’ve also trained very hard and I’m ready to deliver.

Q
Adrian, one of the greatest assets Danny’s shown in his career is his chin. Do you feel you can get him out of there?

A. Granados
Yeah anybody could get anyone out of there. I respect to who’s he’s been in there with and he has showed a great chin but anything’s possible in that ring and anybody can be stopped at any time

Q
Adrian, what did you think of his performance against Shawn Porter and how might you maybe compare how you fought against Shawn Porter?

A. Granados
He fought a tough fight, it was a close fight but I had Porter just out pressuring him and out working him and there’s some things that I guess I could take from that fight but I’m going to win my fight Adrian Granados style.

Q
Danny, what do you think about Adrian saying that he would be able to get you out of there?

D. Garcia
As a fighter, he has to be confident but in reality I faced the biggest punchers in the game, I faced the most – the fastest and strongest, some of the best fighters in the game and I’ve never been down in my career, and that’s just to show you how hard I work in the gym.

I’m always in great – I’m always in tip top shape. I’m a high-level fighter. I’ve faced a lot of adversity in my career and I highly doubt that he can stop me. I got a lot of skills. I’m in great shape so if anybody’s going down this fight, it’s definitely going to be him, not me.

Q
Danny, how much do you feel going into this fight coming off a loss in what was a close fight against Shawn Porter but a loss. How much do you feel people are kind of doubting you at this point?

D. Garcia
I don’t know nothing about that. I feel really good. I think this camp right here was better than my last two camps, the Porter camp, and the Rios camp. I feel like this is one of my best training camps and I am in great physical shape for this fight and I’m going to come and prove that and show that Saturday night.

Q
Danny, why was this training camp better than the last couple of camps in your opinion?

D. Garcia
I was a lot more disciplined. I gave it the extra grit. I worked on new things.

I was more discipline on my diet, I got a new conditioning coach who worked on learning a lot of things. So you know, it just felt new. It felt good.

I got great sparring and I think everything we did – I know everything we did in this camp was perfect and it’s going to show Saturday night.

Q
After your last couple of fights, Danny, did you consciously make that decision that I need to add a nutritionist or whatever you added to your team to help what is the way to go for you for your next fight?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely. I felt like I needed to work on things as far as conditioning. My other skills are always there, the stamina is over there and the road work was over there. We just needed to work on different muscles and things to help me improve and make me a stronger fighter, and I felt like we did that this camp.

Q
When you’re fighting a guy whose record isn’t what the other guys you fought is, how challenging is that sometimes or is it just that you know Adrian is such a tough guy that you couldn’t do that?

D. Garcia
No. At the end of the day, I don’t look at it like that because you can’t overlook nobody in this sport. In this sport, if you’re better than him, you got to go in there and just be better than him. I can’t go in there, train easy, and make it harder than making it supposed to be.

So that’s why I train really hard because I’m going to go in there and show the world that I’m simply just better than him.
Q
You’ve been in the ring with Amir Khan. You’ve knocked Amir Khan out. You’re well aware of how good Terence Crawford is. Do you give him any chance in a fight at all?

D. Garcia
Khan is not an easy style to prepare for. He has fast hands and he has quick feet. So it’s definitely going to be an entertaining fight.

Terence Crawford is not a really a pressure fighter. He’ll try to knock you out one punch or try to break you down and take you out of the lead.

I honestly believe it’s a 50/50 fight. I think Terence Crawford has more momentum going into the fight then Khan, but I honestly think it’s a 50/50 fight.

Q
How do you compare the mindset heading into this bounce back fight compared to the fight that you had against Brandon Rios last year?

D. Garcia
I’m a winner. So it’s always tough when a fight doesn’t go your way, but I try not to think about that. I know there’s a great fight and the future is now, so I can’t worry about what happened in the past.

My mind set is just simply winning on Saturday night and everything else it just doesn’t matter to me.

Q
How much do you kind of think about a potential rematch against Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter given how close both of those fights were on the scorecards?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely. Those are definitely fights I want to avenge. I want to avenge on those fights because I obviously feel like I did enough to win both of those fights but I can’t worry about that right now.

I feel like those fights will always be there in the future, in the near future. So I just have to make sure I go in there Saturday night and handle business, first.

Q
Adrian do you kind of look at this fight and think to yourself that this is maybe not your last chance but maybe a great chance to sort of prove anybody that may that would win you this fight?

A. Granados
Yeah, most definitely. I’m coming to win this fight. I’m tired of the controversy. I’m tired of them finding any way to not give me the win.

I definitely got to come in and really just take the fight, they’re not going to give me the fight ever. So I’m going to go out there and have to take it.

Q
You’ve got this fight ahead of you this Saturday against Adrian and this one is looking to be fantastic but a lot of buzzing about Manny Pacquiao potentially being in your future. How do you handle that kind of speculation heading into a big fight?

D. Garcia
It’s definitely exciting when a legend like Many Pacquiao says he wants to fight you. It’s always been a dream of mine to fight Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao, two World Champ great legends and just him saying my name definitely motivates me to make sure I handle business Saturday night.

So that’s why I took the fight very serious and I know it’s a big fight for me. So I have to go in there and make sure that I win this fight hands down.

Q
What does it feel like right now as boxing continues to get deeper and deeper? What do you think that means for your division?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely, I’ve been in there with most of the other top guys and I’ve been in there with Amir Khan already, Porter, Thurman. I’ve been in there were a lot of guys at 140, 147 already so it definitely interesting. There’s a lot of great matchups to makes so whatever fight you make at 147 is going to be interesting, especially with so many styles in Mega fights and I’ve been a part of a lot of mega fights and I love the training so I can go handle business Saturday, because that set me up for those big fights.

A. Granados
Yeah, this is a big fight. This is my big fight and I know that Danny knows that this is a big fight for him too. I could definitely knock him out of all those plans.

I understand that he’s a bigger name than me and they have a lot of things set up for him, you know, but I come out on Saturday and upset him, as they would name it an upset, that throws my name into the hat with all those fights.

I myself would like a fight with Manny Pacquiao. I would fight anybody and boxing knows that and that’s why this Saturday is a huge fight for me. It’s a must win opportunity for me because winning this fight definitely change the landscape for my career.

Win or lose, most definitely, I’m going to put on a hell of a show and I know that but definitely, I’m not trying to leave without a victory.

Q
On Saturday night will you be satisfied to go the distance in other competitive fights, or you determined to come away with the win at all costs and those fights decision didn’t go your way, are you really fighting to get the win this time?

A. Granados
Most definitely coming out with a win. That’s what I’m focused on. That’s what I got my mind set on and that’s what’s going to happen.

I know that it’s going to be a good fight and I know I’m going to put on the show and I’ll be there, the whole fight but I definitely need this one and I’m coming out for it.

Q
Is it exciting to be back on network television again? Are you motivated to get back on to pay per view after this fight?

D. Garcia
I think this is great for boxing. I definitely think just fighting on regular TV is great for boxing. I think that’s what made a lot of great fighters like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, all those guys were on regular TV so I think this gives us a bigger platform, it intertwines boxing with all the other sports that come on that channel. Like football, basketball, baseball, so I think anytime you mix up boxing with all the big sports on a regular TV channel is great for boxing. So I definitely love being on FOX and regular TV.

Q
You think you’ve been unfairly left out of those conversations at welterweight? Is it frustrating for you to see that he might get a fight with Errol Spence next or do you feel like this is just kind of how boxing works, that you need to take this fight with Adrian first?

D. Garcia
No, I mean, I feel like it’s all about timing. One thing I learned about boxing it’s really all about timing because if you look at it like that, you’ll be frustrated. You’ll always question like why am I not the man; wow, how did he get it before me and I’ve been here longer. I’ve been in the game for longer.

So I know how things work. Boxing is all about timing. I have to make sure I handle this business first and then we’ll definitely get some pay per view fight in. Not the end of the year or maybe next year for sure.

Q
Mr. Granados, can you talk to us and share with us what Ed Brown means to you and how much of him will come into the ring with you on Saturday?

A. Granados
Ed Brown means a lot to me, that’s my little bro. Definitely I was raised through the boxing ranks with him. I went to a lot of amateur tournaments together. We used to always represent the Great Lakes in the Midwest.

He’s always there with me. He’s like a guardian angel. I feel like his life came up short because of the gang violence in Chicago, and the gun violence. Yeah, no, I carry him around with me all the time in my heart and I definitely I miss him, and I know he’s looking out for me.

Q
What would a win this weekend over Garcia mean to you, controversy or otherwise?

A. Granados
It would mean a lot. I need it. I’m tired of the controversy, I’m tired of the drama in my career. I had to go out and get a dominating win and a satisfying win it would be.

Q
Why do you believe you’re the best man to win this fight against Garcia?

A. Granados
I think just overall that I’m a better fighter. I think there’s a lot more that I could do in the ring and Saturday night I’m going to show that.

Q
Will you talk about the addition of your new strength coach, and then how do you feel these tactics have made you stronger. Can you feel that strength? And if so, how?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely work on new things, a lot of explosions, working on explosiveness and a lot of twitch muscles, working on different things and I definitely feel like there is going to be another show come Saturday night.

Q
What are the goals that you set? Will you share those with us?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely, well I’m going to go in there and win this fight. I’m going to go in there and dominate this fight and show the world why I’m one of the best fighters in the world and I trained hard and I’m hundred percent sure that I’m going to go in there and do that.

Q
What does it mean for both of you guys to be the main event at this venue?

D. Garcia
I feel great. It feels great to be in there. I actually fought at the StubHub when it was the Home Depot Center I believe on Oscar De La Hoya versus Stevie Forbes. So I fought there one time already. It was a great atmosphere. So I’m definitely looking forward to going back in there and show out so.

I won the welterweight title in LA too in 2016. So California has always been good to me so it’s definitely a great atmosphere for me, and I can’t wait to go in there and perform.

A. Granados
Yeah, no, I’m excited. I’m excited for the fight. I know it’s going to be a great atmosphere. I’ve watched plenty of good fights there over the years.

I’m excited that it’s in LA. There’s going to be a high Mexican population. So I know they’re going to come out to support and it’s just it’s known for a great atmosphere for fights and I feel like that’s what’s going to happen to Saturday. It’s going to be a great show and definitely going to be a great fight between me and Danny.

Q
Would you guys like to see yourself more active moving forward once the result comes in on Saturday? At least fighting, trying to not make three or four times a year, just to stay sharp.

D. Garcia
Preparing for high level fights is a lot of hard work. I got a daughter now. I have a family so, I’m happy if I can get three times that would be great, but I think two times is great for me, especially at a high level, give my body sometime kind of rest.

This will be my 37th fight of my career come Saturday night, and I definitely take my body to the extreme and push myself to the limit every time I’m in training camp. So I definitely consider two times – I’m happy with two times. If I get three, that’s a blessing but two times is good for me.

A. Granados
Yeah, no, I’m fine with fighting busy or fighting when the fights come to me. Definitely I’d like to stay busier but I got to take whatever God gives me and I’m very appreciative of it.

I’m happy and I live a good life and I’m thankful for everything I get. So yeah, I know it just basically, I’ll take them how I can get one.

Q
What do you expect from Adrian that’s a little bit different from Brandon Rios in terms of the fact that maybe he’s a fresher fighter?

D. Garcia
Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I compare our styles to a couple of people I fought. He’s kind of like a Robert Guerrero type fighter, he’s a durable guy. He likes to come forward. He’s just not southpaw.

They seem like they have same type of speed, same type of power. Definitely more like Brandon Rios where he comes forward, just a little fresher.

So I know what I’m up against and I prepare myself. I spar with guys like this, I fought a guy that gets me answers, and I know what I’m up against, so I’m prepared for this fight and I know what I got to go in there to do to win this fight.

Q
Do you see that as something that you can build off of being the pressure fighter that Rios was?

A. Granados
Yeah every fight is going to be different. So, I’m not going to completely compare myself with Brandon Rios.

It was an exciting fight for as long as it lasted. Definitely, I was surprised with how much success Brandon had against Danny but Danny broke him down and caught him with a good shot but I definitely see myself doing a lot more than what Brandon did and all respects to Brandon Rios who’s a great fighter but I’m Adrian Granados.

R. Flores
Excellent. Well, thank you very much Operator for that and before we let both Danny Garcia and Adrian Granados still want to once again remind the media PBC on FOX and FOX Deportes, we go live from Dignity Health Sports Park, 8 o’clock Eastern, 5 o’clock local time. Tickets still available axs.com. I’m going to open up the floor to Adrian Granados and Danny Garcia with closing comments.

A. Granados
Yeah, no just definitely excited for a great fight. It’s going to be a war and I’m coming with everything and I’m definitely coming for a win.

I’m coming for a dominating win and I’m coming to just turn some heads. You know people are writing me off in this fight and definitely that’s not what’s going to happen, and I plan on delivering Saturday night

D. Garcia
Well, I want to thank the media for taking the time out to ask questions and make the fight the biggest fight.

All the talking is done, all the hard work is done. It’s the final stretch, the last couple days till weigh-in and then fight night. I’ve been here plenty of times, and I can’t wait to go in there and show my fans why I’m one of the best fighters in the world, and I put the work in, and I can’t wait.

All the fans buy your tickets. Make sure you tune in, record it on FOX because it’s going to be a great night of boxing and a legendary night for Danny Garcia.

# # #

ABOUT GARCIA VS. GRANADOS
Garcia vs. Granados will see former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia battling rugged veteran Adrian Granados in a 12-round welterweight bout that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, April 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park, formerly StubHub Center, in Carson, California.

DANNY GARCIA TO RECEIVE “KO OF THE YEAR” HONOR AT BRISCOE AWARDS

PHILADELPHIA – Former two-time world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia scored the “2018 Knockout of the Year” with his ninth round stoppage of Brandon Rios, in February 2018.

Garcia, rebounding from his first-ever defeat as a professional, wore Rios down with his heavy artillery before blasting out the former champ with two knockdowns in round nine. The second knockdown was a picture-perfect overhand right to the jaw that sent Rios crashing to the floor, and ultimately ended the fight.

After a five year drought at the Briscoe Awards, Garcia’s KO of Rios earned him his fifth overall Briscoe Award, and his first for the best knockout.

The awards, named after Philly middleweight boxing legend Bennie Briscoe, have been recognizing the best achievements of the Philly boxing scene since 2007.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Xfinity Live! in South Philadelphia (1100 Pattison Avenue), 1-4 PM.

Tickets for the Briscoe Awards cost $10 each, and can be purchased in advance at BriscoeAwards.com, or by calling 609-377-6413.

The Briscoe Awards are presented by Philly Boxing History Inc., a 501c3 Non-Profit organization, dedicated to preserving and honoring the great legacy of boxing in and around the city of Philadelphia. For more information, call John DiSanto at 609-377-6413.

DANNY GARCIA VS. ADRIAN GRANADOS LOS ANGELES PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LOS ANGELES (March 19, 2019) – Former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and veteran contender Adrian Granados previewed their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes main event showdown at a press conference in Los Angeles Tuesday as they prepare to square-off Saturday, April 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

The April 20 broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features heavyweight contender Andy Ruiz Jr. taking on Alexander Dimitrenko in a 10-round bout in the co-feature and unbeaten contender Brandon Figueroa battling Venezuela’s Yonfrez Parejo in a 12-round match for the WBA Interim Super Bantamweight title.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Tuesday from the Palms Restaurant Downtown L.A.:

DANNY GARCIA

“I’ve been training hard. I’ve seen Granados fight a few times and I know what he can do. I’m excited to be back in Los Angeles, because this is where the stars fight. This is another fight that can get me to where I want to go in my career.

“My mentality is that I have to stop Granados. Nobody has stopped him and I have to do that to make a statement. He’s never fought a counter puncher like me and I’m definitely the hardest puncher he’s faced. I’m going to showcase everything to get the stoppage.

“This is another fight for my legacy. There have been a lot of great fights in my career and this is another important one for me. I know he’s coming to fight, but I’m looking to make this one of my easiest wins.

“He’s a tough and aggressive fighter who likes to throw a lot of punches. He’s hungry, and that’s the type of guy that you have to watch out for. I’ve got to handle my business against Granados before I look to any bigger fights.

“This is a big platform for me to perform on. I’m going to show the world why I’m one of the best fighters in the world.

“I plan on winning with style. I’m going to bring a lot of skill, a lot of will, a lot of power and I’m going to entertain my fans. April 20 will be the ‘Danny Garcia Show.'”

ADRIAN GRANADOS

“This is going to be a great fight. We’re two fighters who bring it. I’m coming for a victory in dominating fashion. This is the fight that I’ve wanted for a while now.

“I haven’t had the easiest road and that’s why I’m looking to get my respect in this fight. I’m looking forward to this. It’s going to be a barnburner. May the best man win.

“If he’s underestimating me it will definitely be a big mistake on his part. I don’t think he will though. I think he realizes now he’s in for a fight. If he didn’t know me before, he does now. I’m going to give him a piece of my mind April 20.

“I was never taken care of coming up. I always had to work harder to get to where I’m at. Danny and I basically had the same accolades in the amateurs, and I always gave him kudos for what he’s done in his whole career, but he doesn’t know what I’ve gotten through to get here.

“I’m coming to get my respect in this fight. I’m going to make Danny fight and see what he’s made of. I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder but being able to take out a fighter like Danny is motivating me to another level.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions

“Premier Boxing Champions has made a major commitment to bringing some of the best and biggest fights to Southern California. We started with the Wilder vs. Fury heavyweight title fight downtown in December and we’re back again in April at the Dignity Health Sports Park. This is the premier outdoor boxing venue in the United States and we have a great show there on April 20.

“Danny Garcia is a throwback fighter. A first-ballot Hall of Famer in my opinion. At 140-pounds he took on the best in the division and never backed down from a challenge. Danny was a 2-1 underdog when he fought Lucas Matthysse, and we knew what happened after, he proved the doubters wrong. I’m so excited to have him back in California on this great card.

“Adrian Granados could arguably be sitting up here with a record of 27-1, since all but one of his losses have been by split or majority decision, and usually it’s in his opponent’s backyard. He’s a battle-tested veteran who’s made a name for himself bringing action-packed fights to the fans. When we announced all the PBC on FOX fights, this is the one that I circled.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of President of Mayweather Promotions

“This is going to be a terrific fight. I’ve really been looking forward to this fight because I’ve known these guys for a long time. Styles make fights and in this particular matchup, we have two fighters who are all action.

“Danny has shown that he’s an elite fighter, because he’s beaten a number of great world champions. Adrian Granados always comes to fight. He’s never ever in a boring fight. The styles mesh so well, with Danny being a world class counter-puncher and also being a superb boxer. Granados is going to force Danny to fight on the inside a lot more than usual.

“I think this fight is going to bring the best out of both Danny and Adrian. They’ve both fought a number of very good fighters and been in involved in numerous debatable decisions. They’re going to have to leave it all in the ring come April 20.”

# # #

Former Two-Division Champion Danny Garcia Battles All-Action Adrian Granados on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes on Saturday, April 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California

CARSON, CALIF. (March 7, 2019) – Former two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia will battle hard-hitting veteran Adrian Granados in a 12-round welterweight bout that will headline the live prime time event presented by Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes on Saturday, April 20 from Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center) in Carson, California.

“Danny Garcia is one of the preeminent boxers of this generation,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He’s a champion through and through. His resume is a veritable ‘Who’s Who?’ of the best at 140 and 147 pounds over the last 10 years. He’s hungry to get his title back and he’s willing to go through anyone to do that. Adrian Granados is a tough competitor looking to join the championship ranks and Danny represents the most direct route. It’s the kind of clash that makes for entertaining matches. The fans at Dignity Health Sports Park and watching on FOX and FOX Deportes on April 20 are in for a treat.”

“Danny Garcia knows that he¹s going to have to be on his A-game, as a victory over Adrian Granados puts him back in position to regain his welterweight championship,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Adrian Granados is a fighter thatalways comes to put on exciting fights and holds nothing back against his opponents. The action leading up to the main event is sure to be crowd pleasers. I expect the fans in attendance to bring the energy to Dignity Health Sports Park and those tuning in on FOX and FOX Deportes will be fully entertained as well.”

Garcia (34-2, 20 KOs) has fought and defeated many of the most formidable opponents at 140 and 147-pounds spanning two generations-Erik Morales, Zab Judah, Kendall Holt, Amir Khan, Lucas Matthysse, Paulie Malignaggi and Lamont Peterson among them. Six of his seven opponents in the welterweight division were former or current world champions and 12 of his last 16 opponents overall carried the same distinction. Included in that run was a headlining performance live on FOX in January 2016, when he defeated Robert Guerrero to capture his welterweight title in Los Angeles. Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, the 30-year-old most recently lost an exciting and narrow decision to Shawn Porter in their September title fight.

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and put on the Danny Garcia show once again,” said Garcia. “Granados was talking a big game when we first announced the fight and I plan on proving him wrong on April 20. The Southern California fans have always treated me right and I’m excited to give them a great fight.”

Fighting out of Cicero, Ilinois, Granados (20-6-2, 14 KOs) has made a name for himself by delivering tough, action-packed fights against top fighters in the sport, including Shawn Porter and Adrien Broner. The 29-year-old burst onto the scene by shocking then unbeaten Amir Imam via a stoppage victory in their 2015 clash. After a fight last June against Javier Fortuna that ended in a no contest, Granados picked up two-straight knockout wins heading into this matchup.

“This is a huge fight for me and definitely one of the most important in my career,” said Granados. “I’m looking to dominate, look impressive and control the fight. I’ve fought in Southern California before and I’m looking to take advantage of the great Mexican crowd. This is Mexico versus Puerto Rico and Chicago vs. Philadelphia. It’s territorial on a lot of levels and you can expect us to leave it all in the ring.”

Fighting out of Imperial, California, Ruiz (31-1, 20 KOs) was a two-time Mexican national champion at super heavyweight as an amateur, before embarking on a pro career that saw him win his first 29 fights. The 29-year-old lost a close majority decision against Joseph Parker in their 2016 world title fight and rebounded with victories over Kevin Johnson and Devin Vargas last year.

The 36-year-old Dimitrenko (41-4, 26 KOs) is a longtime heavyweight contender who has challenged top fighters throughout his career. Born in Russia but fighting out of Hamburg, Germany, he most recently lost to Bryant Jennings in a back and forth fight in August and owns wins over Derric Rossy, Adrian Granat and Miljan Rovcanin.

The 22-year-old Figueroa (18-0, 13 KOs) most recently delivered a dominant performance in knocking out Moises Flores in the third-round of their January fight on FS1. Representing Weslaco, Texas, the younger brother of former world champion Omar has a five-fight knockout streak that he brings into the ring on April 20.

A former interim champion and title challenger at bantamweight, Parejo (22-3-1, 11 KOs) will look to make his mark at 122-pounds when he battles Figueroa on April 20. The 32-year-old from Venezuela lost a bantamweight world title fight to Ryan Burnett last March, but rebounded to most recently defeat Benjamin Mendoza in February. He won an interim title by stopping Luis Hinojosa in 2014 before losing a split-decision the following year to former champion Zhanat Zhakiyanov.

Video: FIGHT NIGHT: Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter

ENCORE PRESENTATION OF SHAWN PORTER vs. DANNY GARCIA THRILLER TO AIR TONIGHT AT 10 P.M. ET/PT ON SHOWTIME EXTREME® & AVAILABLE VIA SHOWTIME ANYTIME® & ON DEMAND PLATFORMS

An encore presentation of last Saturday’s “highly competitive and exciting” (ESPN) battle between Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia will air tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME and is available on SHOWTIME ANYTIME and SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® platforms.

Porter and Garcia combined to throw more than 1,200 punches in the showdown of top-5 welterweights with Porter narrowly edging Garcia via “thrilling unanimous decision” (CBS) in front of 13,058 fans at Barclays Center. (VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: https://s.sho.com/2MWXfRj)

Tonight’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® replay also features a heavyweight slugfest between Adam Kownacki and Charles Martin that featured a “final rousing round” (ESPN) and a welterweight eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo.

Saturday’s event was the 12th SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast of 2018 and the eighth time consensus top-5 fighters have faced off on the network this year.

Late blood, no knockdowns: Porter decisions Garcia effortfully

By Bart Barry-

Saturday in Brooklyn welterweight “Showtime” Shawn Porter outworked Philadelphia’s Danny “Swift” Garcia for the WBC’s suddenly coveted iteration of a 147-pound title. The scorecards were fair, and the fight was even enough a draw wouldn’t have outraged anyone who wasn’t already outraged by other goingson. But the fight otherwise adhered to Premier Boxing Champions’ strange template of abundant drama followed by little suspense but Jimmy Lennon Jr.’s cardreading.

Until the final halfminute when a bang of heads caused an abrasion halfahead from Garcia’s chin and some blood meandered its way to Garcia’s cheek in time for the final bell it had been another miraculously bloodless and upright championship match for PBC. Were the manners reversed – were prizefighters unable to break smoke rings suddenly starching fellow champions – conspiratorial thoughts would bubble. But this PBC conspiracy is something else entirely (and counterintuitively): Howsoever do so many competitive 12-round fights with men who can crack end so anticlimactically with their fighters no more scarred, severed or swollen than chiefseconds?

There has long been suspicion PBC’s founder is a pacifist – so drawn he is by defensive specialists and quicktwitch feinters. But even so, how does he get contracted agents to comply? Perhaps by the sublime oddity of his request.

A thought like this happened between one of the 12 selfsame rounds of Saturday’s comain, when Cuban Yordenis “Yawn” Ugas got beseeched by his corner not to be such a nice guy to Argentine Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo.

Anyone else find this curious?

OK, anyone else make it through half the comain?

Men by their 23rd prizefights may have adopted all type of bad habits, but excessive sympathy is a rare one. Maybe Ugas’ tenure on La Finca taught him boxing’s only point was points, and his knockout record does betray this, but how did anyone rub the bad intentions off Garcia’s and Porter’s gloves before Saturday’s main?

By moving one up in weight, is the likeliest answer. Porter has never struck hard or accurate as champions do, but Garcia sure as hell once did.

Oh, good point: Not at welterweight. Garcia’s greatest gambles and payoffs happened at 140 pounds, where if he wasn’t an A fighter he at least never let anyone prove it publicly. He’s been a B- since scaling those seven pounds. He hits hard enough to stand pocketwise and torque the right shoulder backwards but he barely dissuades other titlists now and chloroforms nary a contender and never a champion, which is altogether too bad.

I find myself pulling for Garcia for the purest of reasons. We have nothing in common, not age or ethnicity or home decor; gravity makes Tyson Fury a more weight-appropriate avatar for me than a guy at 147; and frankly the Puerto Ricans with whom I often watch fights make only nominally more claims on Garcia than Kermit Cintron. But I verily love Garcia’s composure when blitzed. It enchants me how he stands and fixates on cocking his left shoulder and another man’s chin even while that other man helicopters right at him. If it’s not the opposite what life’s conditioned me expect from a man in animal prints, it’s at least refreshingly different. It’s an irregular type of fearlessness but it’s certainly fearless more than cerebral.

Garcia, it bears repetition, fights nothing like a six-toed weirdo in a Phantom mask – he plants and preys. He’s a faith if he can get you to throw your best punch at the moment he throws his best punch his will snatch your consciousness and often gives the impression he doesn’t much care what befalls his own consciousness in the offing. The rest of the time, admittedly, he’s quite average. He’s not bad, of course; he’s contender-level in his other facets but nowhere near so special as when he wings the lefthook, and admittedly admittedly, he no longer wings it gorgeous recklessly as once he did. Another unfortunate consequence of his outgrowing 140.

Let this not detract from Showtime Shawn. He is a coach’s overachieving fantasy and the nearest thing we’ve had to Timothy Bradley since Manny Pacquiao ankled Desert Storm in 2012. Saturday Porter wanted it more than Garcia enough to overcome Garcia’s palpable pride and more-palpable delta of talent above Porter’s.

But a confession: I didn’t watch Porter much. There was a string of rounds, latemiddle, when you couldn’t watch the combat and set your eyes elsewhere from Porter, but most of the rest of the match’s 25 minutes it was easier to watch Garcia loadspring his traps. Which Porter navigated expertly. It appeared Porter took Garcia more seriously, as an adversary, than Garcia took Porter. Some of that is style much as temperament – Porter must prepare himself for a specific opponent where Garcia needn’t – but some of it is mean will. Porter bounced in Saturday’s ring imploring the boxing gods like: Let all other things be equal, tonight, and I’ll do the rest with desire. Garcia slid through the ropes like: All other things aren’t going to be equal, Shawn.

Both men fought best they could and executed about as expected, Porter busier, Garcia sharper. Both men had their frustrations, Porter neutralized, Garcia unconcussive. In a fair if close accounting, though, Porter’s evening won the quotient; slightly more execution, slightly fewer frustrations.

For purposes of forecasting, too, one sensed Porter thought his evening might’ve gone even better whereas Garcia was complacent about his work if not the judges’. Garcia might yet jinx some overrated prospect as he hardens in his welter-gatekeeper role, à la Robert Guerrero or Luis Collazo, but he’d need a titlist’s offnight to win another belt at 147 pounds. Porter, meanwhile, promises to make a fun scrap with anyone but especially Errol Spence whose canned postfight callout Saturday suffered in equal parts from his decency and Porter’s. Spence should win that fight with Porter, since they’re effectively the same fighter and Spence is better, and it, too, should prove surprisingly bloodless.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

LIVE FIGHTS: GARCIA – PORTER UNDERCARD

Porter Edges Garcia, Wins Vacant WBC Welterweight Title

BROOKLYN, NY — “Showtime” Shawn Porter earned a hardfought 12 round unanimous decision over Danny “Swift” Garcia to capture the vacant WBC Welterweight World Title in front of 13,058 paid fans at the Barclay’s Center. It was a war of attrition between the two 30 year-old former champions, but it was ultimately Porter’s bulldog style in the ring that proved to be too much for Garcia to handle. At the end of the championship rounds, the judges scorecards read 116-112 and 115-113, twice, in favor of Porter.

In the early goings, Philadelphia’s Garcia, who is trained by his father Angel, continuously popped Porter with solitary shots, keeping the normally over-aggressive Porter at bay. There were certain times over the course of the first 9 minutes of action that it looked as if it were Porter’s strategy to not to rush Garcia, and instead, sit back and force the counter-puncher to come to him. However, as that plan — if it even was his plan — was clearly not working, Porter reverted back to his old aggressive style and began to march forward and take the fight to his counterpart.

From the fourth round on, it became the fight that Porter wanted. Time and time again, each round played out in a similar fashion, with Porter, who is trained by his father Kenny, charging forward, and Garcia doing his best to pepper in counters to fend off the Ohio-native. However, more often than not, Porter landed shots on his way in, and then once inside, attacked the body.

It was workrate, and effective aggression that ultimately carried the day for the new champion, Porter.

Judge Don Ackerman scored the contest 116-112, while judges Julie Lederman and Eric Marlinski had it 115-113, all for Porter. 15rounds.com scored the contest 115-113, Garcia.

The defeat marks the second loss for Garcia, who lost his WBC title to Keith Thurman in March of last year.

This was the third straight win for Porter, all coming at the Barclay’s Center, since also losing to Thurman in 2016. Porter’s only other blemish on his record is a majority decision loss to Kell Brook in 2014.

“I tell people all the time I don’t make predictions. I made a prediction and a hard one to live up to,” Porter said after the contest. “I said I wasn’t leaving New York without this belt and I’m not leaving New York without this belt.

“I knew he was going to be accurate. The game plan for me was to be accurate from the outside and show we could beat him without roughing him up on the ropes.

“He tried to outhustle me, mostly at the end of the rounds. He did a tremendous job.”

Garcia, who also spoke afterward, thought he he deserved the nod. “I thought I did enough to win,” he said. “It was close fight. The judges didn’t give it to me.

“He was throwing a lot. I had my defense tight so it wasn’t effective. I thought I landed the clearer shots. I thought I won this fight.”

During the post-fight Showtime interviews, IBF World Welterweight Champion, Errol Spence, Jr. hopped in the ring and had a few words of his own to say to Porter.

“The same way that you called Danny out, I’m going to call you out,” Spence said.

“I think I’m the best welterweight in the division. I’m the truth and I guarantee you I come home as unified champion. I definitely want that fight against Porter.”

Ugas Has Easy Night Against Barrionuevo

Yordenis Ugas (23-3, 11KO) outclassed Cesar Barrionuevo (34-4-2, 24KO) en route to an easy 12 round unanimous decision victory in a WBC welterweight title eliminator.

In fairness, having to follow the action-packed Kownacki-Martin brawl wouldn’t be easy for any pair of prize fighters, but this particular contest and stylistic matchup made for minimal excitement.

Over the course of twelve rounds, the 32 year-old Cuban was the slicker fighter, keeping his Argentinian counterpart on the outside, seemingly popping and landing shots at will, while also countering nicely with lefts to the body.

The southpaw, Barrionuevo, who was fighting for the first time on US soil, couldn’t seem to solve Ugas and failed to land anything of significance over the course of twelve rounds.

In the end, all three judges scored the contest for the Cuban, with Kevin Morgan and John McKai agreeing on a shutout 120-108, and Tom Schreck seeing it 119-109.

The result hands Barrionuevo his 4th career defeat, all of which have come via the judges’ scorecards.

The win extends Ugas’ win streak to 8, an undefeated run that dates back to 2014, and will slot him in to be the mandatory challenger to face the night’s main event winner, Danny Garcia or Shawn Porter.

“I want the winner of Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter,” Ugas said afterward. “I’m here to compete with the top level guys in the sport.

“I have had some difficulties in my life. I’m back and I’m moving forward. I’m ready for whoever comes my way. I’m ready for a title.“

Bombs Away, Kownacki Outslugs Martin, Earns UD

In front of hundreds of his rowdy Polish fans decked out in red and white, Polish-born Brooklyn heavyweight Adam Kownacki (18-0, 14KO) scored the biggest win of his career, earning a narrow unanimous decision over former IBF World Champion “Prince” Charles Martin (25-2-1, 23 KO) in a ruthless ten round slugfest. All three judges scored the fight 96-94 for the 29 year-old Kownacki.

Early on, Kownacki brought nothing but pressure and straight rights, and Martin had no answer for it. The 32 year-old former titlist was unable to slow down the 263-pound freight train that is Kownacki. When Kownacki was in tight, the more chiseled 246-pound southpaw Martin began finding a home for his left hand, throwing them time and again to Kownacki’s soft, exposed midsection. It was a punch that would eventually pay off and show its impact a few rounds later.

In the fourth round, Kownacki turned up the heat, and unleashed a series of rights and lefts that found their unopposed target. Upon receiving the blows, Martin’s head whipped straight back, and left, and right, but he was ultimately able to outlast Kownacki’s barrage, tie up, and reset.

In the fifth, Martin seemed to gain some momentum, and started to land his left with more regularity, both to the head and body.

In the sixth, though, Kownacki came right back, unleashing his missile-like stiff jabs and straight rights from the sound of the bell. Midway through the sixth, the fight witnessed the best exchange of the contest to date when Kownacki landed a monster right hand, that Martin somehow ate, and then moments later, the former champ uncorked what might have been his best left of the night, that Kownacki somehow ate.

As the fight progressed into the late rounds, the better conditioned Martin began to impose himself on Kownacki, who was noticeably tiring. As round 8 drew to a close, Martin landed a monster left to Kownacki’s body, followed by an unobstructed left to the head that left Kownacki dazed. If it wasn’t for the ensuing bell, Kownacki would have been in a ton of trouble.

In the 9th, perhaps feeding off the hometown crowd’s energy, Kownacki again came of his stool firing. Midway through the round, however, he began to tire, and once again Martin was able to do good work, getting the better of the round’s remaining exchanges.

In the 10th and final round, operating on what had to be pure crowd-fueled adrenaline, Kownacki came off his stool and looked he like he did in round 3, rushing forward to meet Martin and unleash those heavy gloved fists. As had become pattern the few previous rounds, Kownacki tired considerably and was hurt badly by a Martin left to the body. The left stopped Kownacki in his tracks and Martin began to tee off. What followed that left to the body was :15 seconds of target practice as Kownacki was unable to defend himself or elude any blows. But seemingly out of nowhere, about :30 seconds after absorbing the best Martin had to offer, Kownacki caught Martin with a straight right that started his own flurry of unblocked blows that had Martin reeling until he was able to clinch and regroup.

The battle continued on to the final bell and in the end all three judges, Carlos Ortiz, John Stewart, and Joseph Pasquale scored it the same, 96-94 for Kownacki.

For Kownacki, who also has a TKO4 over former world title challenger Artur Szpilka on his resume, the win against Martin tonight is undoubtedly his biggest achievement.

Martin, who won the IBF World Championship in 2016 in a bout against Vyacheslav Glazkov who tore his knee in the 3rd round, will wake up tomorrow with regret, but no shame. The Missouri native waited just a round or two too late to get going and fought too many of the early rounds strictly on the defensive.

Martin’s only other defeat came via KO2 at the O2 Arena in England against Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight unifier.

“The Polish fans were awesome tonight,” Kownacki said afterward. “It definitely gave me a boost. It’s a blessing, they’re the best in the world.

“Charles Martin gave it all in the ring tonight. He put up a good fight….I thought I won the decision a little wider than the cards, but Charles came to fight all night. He was in shape and coming forward and I had to dig deep”

Martin also spoke after the bout. “I believed I got the win,” he said. “I did work on the inside and no one saw that. I did really good work on the inside.

“I will get back in the gym. I’ll keep on going. Looks are very deceiving. I put up a hell of a fight and I came up just short.”

Serrano Makes History, Becomes First Female Six Division Champ

Brooklyn’s Amanda Serrano (35-1-1, 26KO) again made history at the Barclay’s Center, becoming the first female fighter to win titles in six divisions, capturing the WBO Junior Welterweight Championship when she scored a controversially wide ten round unanimous decision against Yamila Esther Reynoso (11-5-3, 8KO).

In the first round, it looked like Serrano would outclass her Argentinian counterpart. But after a rough first two minutes in which she tasted some of the best shots Serrano had to offer, Reynoso calmed down and settled in. The tough 22-year old started to fight coming forward, willingly exchanging with her 29 year-old Puerto Rican-born southpaw counterpart. By the third round, the momentum had completely swung in the favor of Reynoso, who ever more confidently was willing to eat one of Serrano’s punches to land one of her own.

But like a veteran former titleist should, Serrano adapted to the punches and the pressure. By the middle rounds, Serrano began timing her opponent and successfully started to slip and counter Reynoso’s offerings. Midway through the contest, both fighter’s faces began to swell, and blood eventually began to trickle from Reynoso’s nostrils.

Serrano continued to be on the receiving end of some of Reynoso’s best shots, but she always able to land her own leather whenever they exchanged.

At the end of ten hard-fought championship rounds, all three judges, Larry Hazard, Joseph Pasquale, and Waleska Roldan scored the contest 99-91 for Serrano. 15rounds.com also scored the contest for Serrano, but had it much closer, 96-94.

The win makes it 21 in a row for Serrano, who was fighting for the first time since stopping Marilyn Hernandez inside 1 round last November.

Serrano’s lone defeat remains a 2012 unanimous decision loss against Frida Walberg in 2012 in Sweden.

The result makes it four losses in her last seven bouts for Reynoso, who was fighting outside Argentina for the just the second time, and making her US debut.

“This means everything to me,” Serrano said after the contest. “I work so hard and I hope this fight shows the fans that girls can fight and we can give it our all just like the men do. We deserve to have this platform and we deserve to be shown.

“She was tough and she came to win. I give her a lot of credit for pushing forward and engaging. I’m hoping to be on SHOWTIME next time. I’m a six-division world champion and I’m ready for anything next.”

Colbert Remains Perfect, Scores Wide UD Over Fassinou

Another Brooklyn-native and Atlas Cops & Kids fighter, Chris “The Golden Child/Lil B-Hopp” Colbert (9-0, 4KO) remained perfect in front of his hometown crowd, scoring a unanimous shutout decision against Maryland’s Fatiou Fassinou (28-11-3, 15KO) in an 8 round featherweight contest. All three judges turned in scores of 80-72. Colbert applied pressure throughout the scrap, forcing Fassinou onto his back foot, making him throw punches going backward. It was effective, and when Colbert, who came to the ring sporting a sombrero and to the tune of the Mexican national anthem, let his hands fly, he did so will ill intent. The 21-year old shined in spurts, but didn’t seem find the final gear to finish of his hard-nosed Ghanaian counterpart. The result makes it 4 straight losses for Fassinou and 7 in his last 8 bouts.

Hitchins Knocks Down Valenzuela En Route To UD Win

In his sixth professional fight, all of which have been fought at the Barclay’s Center, former Haitian Olympian and Brooklyn-native, Richardson Hitchins (6-0, 3KO) cruised to a six round unanimous decision against Mexico’s Cesar Valenzuela (7-3, 2KO). The judges cards at the end of the super lightweight bout read 60-53×2 and 60-52, all for the 20 year-old Mayweather Promotions prospect. Hitchins, who fights out of Atlas Cops & Kids Boxing Gym in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, scored a first round knockdown, which set the tone early in the fight. In the third round, Hitchins continued to batter Valenzuela, who was able to weather the storm and live to see out the remainder of the contest. This is the second straight loss to a blue chip prospect for the 32 year-old Valenzuela. His last defeat came courtesy of TKO via the fists of Golden Boy Promotions prospect, Vergil Ortiz, Jr., on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez last September.

Price Cruises To UD Win Vs. Enjani

Super flyweight Dylan “The Real Deal” Price (7-0, 5KO) made it 2-for-2 for Philadelphia fighters on the night, earning a wide unanimous decision against Rwandan Mulapi “The African Mexican” Enjani (3-6-2, 1KO). Two judges scored the six round contest a shutout for Price, 60-54, while the third had it 59-55. The fight marked Price’s fourth straight at the Barclay’s Center, where he seems to have found a second home, enjoying vocal support from the early arriving crowd. Coming into the bought, Enjani was looking to build on back to back victories, albeit against foes with combined records of 0-7-1. Price had other plans, adn easily outpointed his counterpart. To his credit, Enjani has still yet to be stopped in any of his defeats.

Wilder Unloads On Williams, Stops Him Inside One

Cruiserweight Marsellos Wilder (2-0, 2KO), the 29 year-old younger brother of WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder, needed just 2:12 of a scheduled 4 round bout to blast out his opponent, Ryan Williams (0-2), earning his second straight stoppage victory to start his career. Wilder overwhelmed his foe, constantly applying pressure and backing Williams. Eventually, the 6’3” Wilder backed Williams into the red corner, where he unleashed a left to the body, followed by a right that wrapped around the ear. That final combination was enough for referee Michael Griffin to jump between fighters and call a halt to the contest at the 2:34 mark of the first round.

Quarles Earns Hard-Earned SD Over Willis

In an 8 round middleweight scrap, Brandon Quarles (20-4-1, 10KO) earned his 20th professional victory via split decision over fellow veteran Marcus Willis (18-6-2, 5KO). Judges scores read 78-74 for Willis, and 77-75 and 78-74 for the Virginia-native, Quarles. The win makes it two wins in two tries in 2018 for Quarles, while Willis loses for the second time in the calendar year, and for the second time in the last three fights.

Lopez Wins Tough UD Vs. Luna

Colorado featherweight Ricky Lopez improved his record to 20-4, 6KO, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Texas-native Ramsey Luna (14-6, 6KO). Scores for Lopez were 77-75 and 78-74, twice. The result makes it seven wins in a row for the 31 year-old Lopez, while also marking Luna’s fourth defeat in his last seven bouts.

Torres Kicks Off Night With Early TKO Over Valadez

In the opening contest from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, 21 year-old Philadelphian Jeffrey Torres (5-0, 3KO) kept his record spotless and scored a first round stoppage against fellow super lightweight Emmanuel Valadez (5-6, 4KO). The bout, which was scheduled for 4 rounds, marked the first time Torres’ stepped inside the ropes since last September when he stopped Latorie Woodberry. For the 30 year-old Mexican, Valadez, the bout resulted in his sixth professional defeat, all of which have come inside the distance.

Video: The Approach: Danny Garcia

DANNY GARCIA vs. SHAWN PORTER FINAL WEIGHTS,

DANNY GARCIA vs. SHAWN PORTER – WBC Welterweight World Championship

Danny Garcia – 146 ¾ pounds

Shawn Porter – 147 pounds

Referee: Steve Willis; Judges: Don Ackerman (N.Y.), Julie Lederman (N.Y.), Eric Marlinski (N.Y.)

YORDENIS UGAS vs. CESAR MIGUEL BARRIONUEVO – WBC Welterweight World Title Eliminator

Yordenis Ugas – 146 ¾ pounds

Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo – 146 pounds

Referee: Ricky Gonzalez; Judges: John McKaie (N.Y.), Kevin Morgan (N.Y.), Tom Schreck (N.Y.)

ADAM KOWNACKI vs. CHARLES MARTIN – 10-Round Heavyweight Bout

Adam Kownacki – 263 ¼ pounds

Charles Martin – 246 pounds

Referee and judges for Kownacki-Martin are not yet determined and will be provided on Saturday

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT Streaming Live On SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel & SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page

AMANDA SERRANO vs. YAMILA REYNOSO – WBO Junior Welterweight World Championship

Amanda Serrano – 138 ½ pounds

Yamila Esther Reynoso – 138 ¾ pounds

Referee: Eddie Claudio (N.Y.); Judges: Joseph Pasquale (N.J.), Larry Hazzard Jr. (N.J.), Waleska Roldan (N.Y.)

FLASH QUOTES

Danny Garcia:

“It’s a matter of time before I fight everybody. It’s how the sport is. It’s all about timing and the time is now. I’m ready to go in there and reclaim what is mine. I’m excited for all my fights. This is another fight for my legacy. I plan on going in there and giving 150 percent and giving my all, my blood, sweat and my tears and make my family and my friends proud. Danny Garcia, baby. Win by under 9.”

Shawn Porter:

“It’s hard to put it into words how bad I want this. The best way I can describe it in words is that I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. To some, it’s just a belt, but for me it’s my world. Like I said, I’m not leaving Brooklyn without this belt. Shawn Porter will be victorious tomorrow night.”

Yordenis Ugas:

“I’m a tough fighter and I like to fight the best. They say he’s a big puncher and that’s what I like. I like guys that can stand in there and fight. Hopefully it’s going to be a war and a great fight for the fans.”

Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo:

“Tomorrow for sure, everyone will know my name. I’m ready to give a great show to everybody.”

Adam Kownacki:

“I’m from Brooklyn, man, so I’m not afraid of anything. He ain’t got no heart, so I’m going to get in there early and hurt him.”

Charles Martin:

“He’s been saying the same [stuff], but we’ll see tomorrow. This is everything. I’m coming. That’s all I have to say.”

Amanda Serrano:

“I feel great. I love fighting at Barclays and once again I’m going to make history. I’ve won all my titles by knockout so I’m looking to do it again. Brooklyn’s my second home – my home away from home. I’m excited to do this in Brooklyn at Barclays Center and hopefully there’s more to come.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION KEITH THURMAN JOINS SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN AS GUEST ANALYST SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8 FROM BARCLAYS CENTER

NEW YORK – September 7 – Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman will serve as a guest analyst this Saturday on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN, providing insight and analysis during undercard streaming fights in advance of this Saturday’s Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter WBC Welterweight World Championship. Live streaming coverage from Barclays Center begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page and features multiple live fights and analysis preceding the evening’s three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT).

In the featured bout of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN, Amanda Serrano (34-1-1, 26 KOs) will attempt to make women’s boxing history as the five-division world champion faces Yamila Esther Reynoso (11-4-3, 8 KOs) the vacant WBO Junior Welterweight World Title. A win will place Serrano in elite company alongside Manny Pacquiao and Oscar De La Hoya as boxing’s only six-division world champions.

Thurman will join host Ray Flores and analyst Chris Mannix to call the streaming action Saturday from Brooklyn. The reigning WBA Welterweight Champion, Thurman has previously defeated both of Saturday’s headliners. “One Time” edged Porter in a 2016 Fight of The Year Candidate, and narrowly defeated Garcia in a split-decision win to unify the division in 2017.

Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN will feature multiple bouts in what will be the seventh digital presentation of live fights from SHOWTIME Sports in 2018. For the third straight year, the network continues to deliver industry-leading livestream coverage of boxing free to all U.S. consumers with internet access.

Polish slugger Adam Kownacki and former heavyweight champion Charles Martin will open up Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast with a 10-round heavyweight attraction. In the co-feature, 147-pound contender Yordenis Ugas will battle against Argentinian favorite Cesar Barrionuevo in a welterweight world-title eliminator showdown.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, subscribe to the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LIVE VIDEO: GARCIA – PORTER WEIGH IN

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS STARS TO BE OUT IN FULL FORCE FOR DANNY GARCIA VS. SHAWN PORTER WELTERWEIGHT SHOWDOWN SATURDAY NIGHT AT BARCLAYS CENTER

BROOKLYN (September 6, 2018) – Coming on the heels of Premier Boxing Champions’ (PBC) groundbreaking deals with both FOX Sports and SHOWTIME Sports, many of the brightest stars in the PBC galaxy will be ringside Saturday night to see one of the biggest fights of the year live and in person as Danny Garcia takes on Shawn Porter in a welterweight world title fight. Expected to be seated ringside at Barclays Center will be several current or former world champions in a variety of weight classes.

“Ringside will be well represented Saturday night with PBC champions,” said Tim Smith, VP of Communications for PBC. “It is great that so many of our fighters will be supporting Danny and Shawn for this tremendous welterweight championship. This is just another reason that Garcia vs. Porter will be one to remember.”

Some of the biggest names, all of whom have fought on SHOWTIME in the past, include the below (in alphabetical order by first name):

– Adrien Broner – (33-3-1, 24 KOs), Former Four-division world champion
– Andre Berto – (32-5, 24 KOs), Former welterweight champion
– Errol Spence Jr. – (24-0, 21 KOs), IBF Welterweight Champion
– Gervonta Davis – (20-0, 19 KOs), WBA Super Featherweight Champion
– Jarrett Hurd – (22-0, 15 KOs), Unified 154-Pound Champion (IBF/WBA)
– Jermall Charlo – (27-0, 21 KOs), Former junior middleweight champion
– Jermell Charlo – (31-0, 15 KOs), WBC Super Welterweight Champion
– Keith Thurman – (28-0, 22 KOs), WBA Welterweight Champion and Former Unified Welterweight Champion

In addition to the pugilists, several celebrities can be expected including star of Black Panther Chadwick Boseman as well as two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields and others.

ABOUT GARCIA vs. PORTER
Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter pits elite welterweight stars against each other in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBC 147-pound World Championship. The Premier Boxing Champions event takes place Saturday, September 8 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and headlines action live on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight world title eliminator betweenCuba’s Yordenis Ugas and Argentina’s Cesar Barrionuevo, plus heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin.

Tickets for the September 8 event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with DSG Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP

Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter Final Press Conference Quotes

BROOKLYN (September 6, 2018) – Welterweight stars Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they battle for the vacant WBC Welterweight World Championship this Saturday, September 8 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight title eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and Cesar Barrionuevo and heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Polish slugger Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin, all of whom participated in Thursday’s press conference.

The press conference also featured fighters competing in streaming action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) as five-division world champion Amanda Serrano attempts to win a world title in her record sixth weight class when she faces Yamila Esther Reynoso for the WBO 140-pound title. The social media offering will be available on SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and on the SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, in association with DSG Promotions, start at $50 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from Dream Hotel Downtown in Manhattan:

DANNY GARCIA

“I know I’m the better all-around fighter. I can just do more in the ring than Shawn Porter, period. I’m going to prove it on Saturday.

“It means the world to me to get this belt back. This is a new chapter in my career. I’ve been in a lot of great fights. I’m a seasoned champion. This is a chance to regain something that was mine. This is one of the moments where I have to just go out there and prove myself.

“My style is totally different than Keith Thurman, so I hope Shawn isn’t going off of that fight. I know I’m a better boxer than Shawn Porter and I’m going to make sure everyone else knows it too.

“I absolutely want to unify with Errol Spence Jr. after I win. I want the biggest fights. This would be my fourth world title. All I’ve ever done is face everyone they put in front me and I’ve earned those huge fights.

“This is nothing new to me. I’ve performed at this level for a long time. I’ve put in the hard work. Come Saturday night I’m going to get this victory because I’m the better fighter and a true champion.

“I’m incredibly motivated, but I know that sometimes in life if you want something too much, you don’t get it. I’ve achieved a lot in this sport. This will just add more hardware to my collection.

“I didn’t take any punishment in the Thurman fight. I could have come back two months later. I know that I could have started earlier and been more relentless, but I’m just going to take that into this fight and make the best of it.”

SHAWN PORTER

“The way I’m going to win this fight will change the conversation at welterweight. You’re going to have to wonder whether Errol Spence Jr. and Terrence Crawford have what it takes to beat me. I’m here to put on a great show, win this title and do it in spectacular fashion

“I’m used to being the underdog. I’ve upset people before. I’m looking forward to doing what it takes to be that one to pull it off.

“Styles make fights. One way or another, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win this fight. There’s nothing I’ve ever wanted in my entire life more than this. I’m out here to take it.

“Anything Danny is coming with, I’m taking it. It’s mine. Whatever it takes, I will not be stopped on Saturday night.

“This means the world to me. This is my goal. I’m a goal-oriented person. I didn’t know when I was going to be fighting for this WBC title, I knew this was my time. This title has so much lineage and history to go along with it and I want to be a part of it.

“I’m setting the tone now for what Danny should expect from fight night. He’s had this before, but this is my goal and this world title is mine to take.

“Danny has to know that he’s getting in the ring with a bull. This isn’t going to be an easy 12 rounds. I’m going to make him earn every inch.”

YORDENIS UGAS

“It’s an honor to be a part of such a big card at Barclays Center. I’m going to do what I need to do. I’m going to put on a great performance, and the rest will take care of itself.

“I think I’ve been the most consistent fighter at welterweight for the last two years. If I take care of business on Saturday, a world title shot will be next.

“My opponent is going to try to make a big name for himself, but it’s my job to study him and make adjustments in the ring to get him out of there.”

CESAR BARRIONUEVO

“I’m very happy to be in this position. It’s going to be a great fight and it’s going to be my announcement to the U.S. I’m very ready to perform on that stage.

“I know that my power and my relentlessness will make this an exciting fight for the fans. I hope that Ugas is not underestimating me, because I want him to be at his very best.

“Fighting in Brooklyn is exciting. I could not be on a more exciting or perfect stage for this fight. Saturday will become the night that everyone remembers for my arrival.”

ADAM KOWNACKI

“After Saturday night, everybody will know my name. I’m the next great heavyweight here in America. I want to make my splash on the national scene.

“Last year against Artur Szpilka was an appetizer and this is my main course for really making myself known as a threat to everyone at heavyweight.

“I can’t wait to hear the Polish fans and see the red and white. It’s going to be another awesome atmosphere and I’m definitely coming to send those fans home happy.

“I feel like I’ve been getting better and better as I get more recognition. A world title fight is not that far in my future. I’m focused on beating Charles Martin first and letting my performance speak for itself.”

CHARLES MARTIN

“I’m going to go in there and put on a show. I’m going to get myself back to the position I want to be. That’s at the top of the heavyweight division.

“I’m in phenomenal shape. I’ve been working hard for two and a half months. We’re back to where we need to be and you’ll see it on Saturday.

“Training in the altitude in California is rough, but it’s great once you get here and feel great. That’s why you work so hard to get in shape, so you can be twice as good on fight night.

“There are a lot of great heavyweight out there. I’m glad that people are giving it the acclaim they deserve. I think all of those guys are beatable and I look forward for my chance to prove it.”

AMANDA SERRANO

“I’m so thankful to have this great opportunity to make history again. I’m going to put on a tremendous show like I always do and give my hometown fans something to cheer for.

“Come Saturday night, I’m super excited to grab this title in a sixth division. It puts me up there with two of the best fighters of all time in Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao. I’ve won all of my titles by knockout and I have to keep that streak going on Saturday night.

“Winning this fight is everything. I hope that I’m doing something great for young Latinas coming up in the sport. I’m going to continue to break down these barriers and one day cement my legacy in the Hall of Fame.”

LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment

“This is going to be a sensational show this Saturday night at Barclays Center. This is about as good as it gets. I’ve said that a number of times over recent years, and that’s a good thing. This is another show loaded with talent and has a sensational main event between two of the best fighters in the world, with styles that will mesh really well.

“Garcia vs. Porter is a can’t miss fight. The winner will establish themselves as one of the best in the welterweight division and all of boxing. There will really be no loser, because there’s no way this isn’t an action-packed clash that lifts up both men in the eyes of fans.

“There is really a terrific undercard on this show including amazing talent off of television. We always have a strong representation from Brooklyn and this show is no different with unbeaten rising prospects Chris Colbert, Richardson Hitchins and Chordale Booker. Plus, Brooklyn’s own Amanda Serrano looking to make history once again.”

CHRIS DEBLASIO, SVP Sports Communications, Showtime Networks Inc.

“We have established ourselves as an industry leader during an incredible time for boxing. We’ve delivered the largest slate of live boxing, with the best fighters in the most pivotal matchups. Our commitment will continue to be second to none.

“In 2018, we have delivered 26 live boxing events and 22 world title fights, far more than anyone else. It’s not just the quantity, but the quality. We’ve had several of the best fights of 2018 and have presented three world title unifications and four women’s world title fights so far.

“Saturday’s main event is a 50-50 matchup that everyone from Sugar Ray Leonard and Manny Pacquaio to Errol Spence Jr. and Keith Thurman have seen as an all-action fight where it’s hard to pick a winner. Danny and Shawn have been presented by our SHOWTIME team 20 times. We’ve seen them come of age, achieve stardom and even navigate setbacks. It all leads up to this fight on Saturday night.”

BRETT YORMARK, CEO of BSE Global

“It’s been six years since we’ve been in Brooklyn. We’ve hosted 260 bouts, 46 title fights and on September 8, our 30th big night of BROOKLYN BOXING™. From the start we wanted to make a commitment to the sport and we’ve done that.

“Fights like Saturday help us standout from other venues in the marketplace. We have two of the best and brightest stars in the sport Saturday night and we can’t wait for them to enter the ring. We welcome back those who are returning to our ring such as Amanda Serrano, Adam Kownacki and Charles Martin, and we also welcome Ugas and Barrionuevo, for their first fights in Brooklyn.

“This is truly an exciting time for the entire sport of boxing. We’re going to continue to reach the masses and provide unprecedented support for our boxing events. Tickets are moving fast and it should be another electric night. That’s what BROOKLYN BOXING™ is all about.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LIVE VIDEO: GARCIA – PORTER FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE

DANNY GARCIA VS. SHAWN PORTER FIGHT WEEK MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES

BROOKLYN (September 5, 2018) – Welterweight stars Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter kicked off fight week in Brooklyn Wednesday with media workouts ahead of their showdown for the vacant WBC Welterweight World Championship taking place this Saturday, September 8 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™ and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The media workout also featured fighters competing in streaming action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) as five-division world champion Amanda Serrano attempts to win a world title in her record sixth weight class when she faces Yamila Esther Reynoso for the WBO 140-pound title.

Here is what the fighters had to say from world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn:

DANNY GARCIA

“This is a very important fight for me. This fight is an opportunity to prove that I’m still one of the best fighters in the world. I’m coming to get my belt back.

“Shawn’s style is exactly what I like to go up against. I want him to come forward and walk into my counter punching. I have power in both hands and I’m going to make him feel it.

“If he comes and opens up, I’m going to land a clean shot early. If he can’t recover, then I’m going to have a chance to finish him. I’m going to dictate the pace and fight my fight.

“I’m ready for anything. I’m prepared to fight backwards, forwards or whatever I need to do. I have to set the tempo and dominate. Shawn is very hungry, so it’s important for me to be smart and pick my spots.

“I know he’s going to try to jab his way in. Shorter guys like him tend to go to the body too. He has skills but I’ve had great preparation to be ready for any of it. We have some stuff up our sleeve.

“We’re just working smarter not harder this camp. We’ve worked on our agility a lot and we tried some different things to keep my legs strong.

“I’m really excited for the Barclays Center crowd. It’s great to be back in the ring and I’m blessed to have another world title fight. I’m grateful and I’m going to make the most of it.”

SHAWN PORTER

“This is a huge fight. It’s the biggest fight of my career and my life. I’ve been doing this since I was eight and I can’t think of an opportunity that I’ve wanted more in my life. This is my Super Bowl.

“I’m not looking for any surprises on Saturday. I’m very familiar with his game plan and what he does well. I expect to use my speed, box from the outside, be aggressive and win the fight.

“I think that my ability to mix it up is going to create a problem for him. The variance in my styles and punches is going to be too much for him. I’m going to keep him on his toes, keep him guessing and keep him off balance. That’s the key to winning Saturday.

“The Kell Brook fight is only on my mind because I know that’s a fight someone will watch to try to figure out how to stop me. He’s going to try and hold like in that fight and do it even more than Brook did. Other than that, he has no chance of catching me coming in.

“It’s going to be everything I do that will help me get this win. It’s the work rate, power and a different level of speed than he’s used to. Nobody has my combination of that power and speed.

“I just don’t think Danny can handle me. He says I’m tailor-made for him, but we’ll see on Saturday night.

“Brooklyn is like a second home for me. I’m very comfortable here and I’m excited to perform in front of these great fans yet again.”

YORDENIS UGAS

“I’m very proud and happy to be a top contender at welterweight. I’m ready to fight any champion who is willing to get in the ring with me. I’ll be ready for each of them and we know it’s just a matter of time.

“I want all of the big fights. I want to build my legacy and I’m prepared to go through any of them. I think I could give Errol Spence Jr., Danny Garcia or Shawn Porter a great fight and beat any of them if they step up to the plate.

“I know that I have a tough opponent in front of me. I take him very seriously, but I also know that I have the skills to beat him and make it an exciting fight.

“I want to dominate and make a statement. Barrionuevo is just standing in my way. I know my destiny is to become welterweight champion of the world.”

CESAR BARRIONUEVO

“My goal is to bring my best possible fight and get the victory on Saturday. From there I’m going right for the WBC title.

“Ugas is a strong fighter who has worked his way to the top of the division. I know that this will be a great fight for both of us. May the best man win.

“I have to leave a good impression in this fight so that I can continue to get big fights here in the U.S. I’m going to show everyone what kind of fighter I am.

“I’m very happy to be in this position, but now it is my job to prove to everyone that I deserve to be right here. We’ve watched some of Ugas, but the most important thing is that I am at my absolute best.”

ADAM KOWNACKI

“I’ve had fantastic sparring and feel great. I’ve trained so hard for this fight. I feel like I’ve taken my game to the next level.

“I love fighting at Barclays Center. It’s a great atmosphere. This is a chance to be my breakout fight on Saturday night. I can’t wait to get in the ring.

“I’ve grown a lot as a fighter. I’ve gotten better as my competition has gotten better. It’s a steady rise and I’m happy with where I’m at.

“Martin used to be a world champion and that’s what I eventually want to be. I’m 100 percent focused on him. I have to focus on doing everything to win this fight.

“My trainer Keith Trimble is one of the most underrated trainers in the sport. He’s done a fantastic job teaching me fundamentals. It’s been a tough road for us but this fight is going to bring us a step closer to our goal.

“Martin is a big strong fighter who’s a very good counter puncher. He kind of mixes different styles, but I’ll be prepared for everything he can bring to the ring.”

CHARLES MARTIN

“I’m here to work towards getting my belts back. I’m going to keep working and grind until I’m holding the gold.

“I have the advantage everywhere over Kownacki. I’m just a better fighter but I’m also bigger and stronger.

“We’re just getting everything perfect right now. My team has done a great job getting me here and I feel great. Everything is leading up to fight night in Brooklyn.

“I feel strong and ready. I’m older and wiser now and I’m really taking into consideration what it takes to be a champion. I got a taste of it but next time I’m coming to stay.

“Kownacki is a good fighter. He’s very tough. There are some things we’ve worked on in the gym and we feel prepared for whatever he brings on Saturday.

“When I’m at my best, nobody can beat me. There’s no one in the world who can beat the best version of Charles Martin. I’m the only one that can beat me.”

AMANDA SERRANO

“I’m excited and honored to have a chance to join Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao as six-division world champions. I’m going to go out and perform and give the fans some excitement.

“It’s one step at a time for female boxing but this is a very important fight. Things are on the rise but there is still a lot of room to rise up. This fight is another way to show people how many talented female fighters there are out there.

“Moving up in weight has been great. I’ve been able to eat and I feel stronger than ever. I think it’s going to lead to one of my best performances.

“Fighting in Brooklyn is always a great thrill. Barclays Center is right around the corner from house and it’s great to have a lot of supporters out there cheering me on. I love Brooklyn and I’m going to give them another night to remember.

“I want to fight all of the champions out there and continue to do great things in this sport. The sky is the limit and I’m going to keep pushing it.”

YAMILLA REYNOSO

“I’m very proud to be in this position. I feel relaxed because I know my team has worked hard to get me to this big fight in the U.S.

“I can box or brawl. I like to keep my options open and see what the fight calls for. I’m here to put on a good show.

“I have studied Amanda Serrano and I feel like I know her well. She’s a great world champion with a lot of experience, but I’m ready for anything she brings.”

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Welterweight Legends, Champions & Contenders Predict Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter Welterweight World Title Showdown

BROOKLYN (September 5, 2018) – Top welterweight stars of the past, present and future have weighed in with their thoughts on the highly anticipated matchup that pits former welterweight champions Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter against each other for the vacant WBC Welterweight World Title Saturday, September 8 in the main event live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight title eliminator between Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas and Argentina’s Cesar Barrionuevo and heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Polish slugger Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin.

Here is what a group of current and former welterweight fighters had to say about the Garcia vs. Porter world title showdown:

SUGAR RAY LEONARD, Hall of Famer & Former Unified Welterweight World Champion

“I feel the Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter fight has the makings of an exciting fight from what I’ve seen of both of these talented fighters. So here is my prediction based on what I feel both fighters bring into the ring

Garcia will win if he uses his jab to keep Porter at bay and off balance, but Porter gains a victory if he connects and hurts Garcia early and makes him abandon his boxing ability and fight like a slugger — as I did with my first fight vs Roberto Duran.

This is how I see this matchup which should be an exciting fight!”

ERROL SPENCE JR., Unbeaten IBF Welterweight World Champion

“I definitely want to fight the winner of Danny Garcia vs. Shawn Porter. That’s a close fight. I always picked against Danny Garcia in the past, and he always proved me wrong. Shawn Porter’s always a tough fight, because he’s going to come forward and give it his all. He’s basically trying to mug you. But for this fight, it’s hard to go against Danny Garcia. I pick Danny Garcia to win a split decision.”

KEITH THURMAN, WBA Welterweight World Champion; Former Unified Champion

“I honestly love this fight, and I consider it a tremendous battle and one of the best matchups of the year. For me, having fought both of them, I do believe that each is capable of hurting the other and getting one another out of there.

“I know most fans are going to lean toward Danny Garcia with his knockout power and the potential for that. Then there is Shawn, who’s got a decent punch, even though he focuses on his output more than his one-punch solid blow and has it in his arsenal to hurt Danny Garcia.

“I wouldn’t bet on Shawn getting the knockout, but I would on Shawn getting the victory, simply because of his output. I think Danny’s only chance of winning is by knockout, but even as a gambling man, I can’t put my money on Danny getting it. I’m taking Shawn Porter by decision.”

MANNY PACQUIAO, Multiple-Time Welterweight World Champion

“I’m going to give the edge to Danny Garcia. They’re both gritty fighters, but I think Garcia is a little more technical with a little more ring generalship. It should be a great fight, and there’s a possibility of me fighting the winner, but we’ll have to see what happens.”

MIKEY GARCIA, Four-Division World Champion

“I think this is a very good matchup. Shawn Porter is the kind of athlete who is always bringing the fight to you with pressure and volume punching. They both come to fight and they can both take it and dish it out.

“Danny Garcia can use his skills to box on the outside and work from a distance. I think Danny will be able to box a little more and win more of the tight rounds in a very close fight. I’m not sure if it will be a split-decision or a unanimous decision. I believe that Danny will use more of those tactics to win an exciting decision.”

YORDENIS UGAS, Top Welterweight Contender

“I have much respect for Shawn Porter, and I think it will be a great fight. ,
Danny Garcia has more technique and he’s also faced and beaten better opponents than Porter. I am leaning toward Danny Garcia to pull off the victory.”

ROBERT GUERRERO, Former Multiple Division World Champion

“This will be a very entertaining fight for the fans. I can see Danny putting up a good fight, but Porter is going to make the fight rough, and Garcia doesn’t like those type of fights. I’m going with Porter to win by split decision.”

VICTOR ORTIZ, Former Welterweight World Champion

“I think it’s going to be a fast-paced fight. Shawn will be pushing forward, making it rough on Danny, and Danny will be trying to control the distance. I’m going with Danny, giving him the slight edge and saying he wins by a decision.”

JAMAL JAMES, Welterweight Contender

“It’s a good one. Shawn is busier than Danny, more active and carries a lot of momentum when he fights. But that’s not always a good thing because Garcia has power with his timing, he might be able to catch Porter coming in. I’m thinking that Shawn Porter pulls it off. ”

BRANDON RIOS, Former World Champion & Welterweight Title Challenger

“That’s a really tough fight to predict. If Danny can counter really well and keep Shawn Porter off of him while Porter’s coming in, then I see Danny stopping him.

But if Shawn Porter is able to pressure Danny like he usually does, I don’t see Shawn Porter stopping Danny, or anything, but I see him winning by split-decision if he can be in his chest all night long. But if Porter gets nailed with one of those left hooks or a straight right hand, I say Porter goes down. I’m going to go with Danny because he knocked me out.”

BRYANT PERRELLA, Welterweight Prospect

“It could come down to how well Shawn Porter can take Danny Garcia’s punches in a fight that’s really hard to predict, and how well Danny can move, given that he’s not known for having fast feet similar to a guy like Keith Thurman.

But if Shawn can get close and smother Danny’s punches, he will make it a difficult fight. But Danny’s got really heavy hands and sits on his shots well, timing and counter-punching guys, so Porter could play into his hands.

Based off of clean, effective hard shots and giving him the edge in the close, competitive rounds, I’m leaning toward Danny Garcia. Shawn is tough as nails, so I see it going the distance, but just the slight edge to Danny.”

SAMMY VASQUEZ JR., Welterweight Contender

“I’m going with Shawn Porter. Not by stoppage, but Shawn creates too much pressure and Danny Garcia doesn’t throw enough punches and doesn’t deal with pressure. You saw that when he fought Guerrero, who wasn’t looking too bad in that fight.

“Danny can win by knockout if he catches Shawn with that hook, but Shawn’s a workhorse and he puts forth far more pressure than I think Danny’s ever seen in a fight. Shawn may not be susceptible to it if he doesn’t have the proper head movement, but I believe that he will.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

WELTERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION KEITH THURMAN BREAKS DOWN CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHUP OF FORMER FOES DANNY GARCIA & SHAWN PORTER

NEW YORK (September 4, 2018) – Welterweight World Champion Keith Thurman has an acute understanding of what it takes to beat Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter. The undefeated, former unified champion edged both fighters in blockbuster matchups and will be watching intently from ringside at Barclays Center as the two face off for the WBC Welterweight World Championship Thurman vacated due to injury.

The reigning WBA 147-pound champion, Thurman defeated Porter via unanimous decision in a 2016 Fight of the Year candidate (FULL FIGHT VIDEO: https://s.sho.com/2MAUoNH), and narrowly beat Garcia via majority decision in 2017 (FULL FIGHT VIDEO: https://s.sho.com/2MZB6kA). The matchups were so closely contested that both fights would have been ruled draws if a single round were scored differently.

Thurman spoke with SHOWTIME Sports® Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood to break down what he calls “one of the best matchups of the year” in seven key categories – punching power, physical strength, defense, speed, boxing ability, ring IQ and chin.

See below for Thurman’s analysis of the showdown of consensus top-5 welterweights, which airs this Saturday live on SHOWTIME.

PUNCHING POWER: Edge GARCIA: “Danny can punch with both hands. He does load up, so you can’t be right there in front of him.”

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: Edge PORTER: “Shawn is clearly the more physical fighter.”

DEFENSE: Edge GARCIA: “Porter’s defense is his offense. With Danny, I’ve never seen anyone so willing to just stare at me without throwing a punch. He’s committed to being second, a pure counterpuncher.”

SPEED: Edge PORTER: “Shawn is faster and a little more athletic. He’ll triple on the jab to get inside and use stutter-steps. Danny’s real relaxed, but that doesn’t necessarily come through in his hand speed.”

BOXING ABILITY: Edge GARCIA: “Neither one is known for boxing. Danny’s a counterpuncher, and Shawn outworks you. Danny has nice boxing movement when he wants to be evasive. He’s underrated when on his back foot. We saw that against (Lucas) Matthysse and (Brandon) Rios.”

RING IQ: EVEN: “Hard to judge. These are two world champions with tremendous amateur pedigrees.”

CHIN: EVEN: “In my fights, Porter took more big punches than Garcia did. I had to hit hard to keep Porter off me. They both have enough power to hurt each other.”

PREDICTION: “This is one of the best matchups of the year. I try not to overthink it. It’s Porter by decision or Garcia only by KO. I lean toward PORTER.”

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features a welterweight title eliminator between Yordenis Ugas and Cesar Barrionuevo and heavyweight action that pits unbeaten Polish slugger Adam Kownacki against former heavyweight champion Charles Martin.

Undercard streaming coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN as five-division world champion Amanda Serrano attempts to win a world title in her record sixth weight class when she faces Yamila Esther Reynoso for the WBO 140-pound title.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @DannySwift, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Undefeated Super Flyweight Dylan “The Real Dyl” Price back in action this Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn

PHILADELPHIA (September 4, 2018)–This Saturday night, September 8th. Dylan “The Real Dyl” Price from Sicklerville NJ steps into the ring once again on the undercard of the Danny Garcia vs Shawn Porter bout at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn NY.

Price, who is signed to Mayweather Promotions, and has perfect with a record of 6-0 with five knockouts, is scheduled to fight Mulapi Enjani (4-5-2, 2 KOs) of San Diego, California in a scheduled 6 round super flyweight bout

“I’m really excited to get back into the ring and to do so against a worthy opponent. Don’t let the record fool you. Enjani can fight. He puts a lot of punches together, but you can’t hit what you can’t see. I’m going to do what’s necessary on September 8th to get the win, and to continue my quest to become a world champion. My father and I have an excellent game plan, and I will execute that, and then enjoy the main event”.

Price is managed by D and D Management and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions.

AUDIO: Shawn Porter is ready to take the fight to Danny Garcia on September 8th

Video: Danny Garcia vs. Keith Thurman | Full Fight

Courtesy / SHOWTIME