SAN ANTONIO, TX (December 3, 2020) – Undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion, Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs), who is fresh of his impressive knockout victory over Ryan “Cowboy” Karl (18-3, 12 KOs), will be eyeing the winner of Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) vs Danny “Swift” Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs), as he contemplates making the move to welterweight.

Spence vs. Garcia is one of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View this Saturday, December 5, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Barrios, who stands 5’11”, is out growing the Super Lightweight division, hence him contemplating moving up to welterweight. The San Antonio native feels the move is inevitable, just a matter of time. Barrios says a fight with Spence or Garcia will be a mega fight for the fans.

“Everyone knows I’ll be moving up to welterweight at some point,” said Barrios. “I feel I still have a few more fights at super lightweight, but it’s getting harder to make the weight at this stage in my career. When I do move up to 147, I want to fight all the big names, that includes Spence and Garcia. I know a fight with either of them will be huge in every aspect, in addition to every other big name at welterweight.”

Barrios believes Spence vs. Garcia will be one of the most exciting action-packed fights of the year and encourages everyone to order the PPV.

“This is going to be a fight where both Spence and Garcia are going to give the fans an all-out war,” Barrios continued. “Garcia is never in a boring fight and we know he’s going to bring it. Spence is exciting in every way and they will both be leaving it in the ring.”

As far as who Barrios thinks is going to win, he’s leaning toward a Spence knockout.

“Although Garcia has never been stopped, he’s never been in the ring with a powerful puncher like Spence,” Barrios concluded. “It’s going to be a great fight and I’m picking Spence to win by late round knockout.”

ARLINGTON, TX. (December 3, 2020) – Fighters competing on this Saturday’s FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard faced off and discussed their respective showdowns at a final press conference Thursday before they enter the ring in an event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on former title challenger Habib Ahmed in a 154-pound title eliminator in the co-main event, all-action brawlers Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana meeting in a 10-round welterweight match and Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez and Texas contender Miguel Flores battling in a featherweight title eliminator to open the pay-per-view.

Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

SEBASTIAN FUNDORA

“I’m going to give everyone a great fight on Saturday. I’m not worried about the change of opponent, because we prepared for everything that we could possibly see in the ring.

“We trained for everything, not just Jorge Cota. The switch in opponent is no problem. Ahmed is also an aggressive right handed fighter.

“I don’t take breaks. You can’t take breaks in this sport. In a regular job, if you take too long of a break, you get fired. This is a normal job for us, so we treat it like that by putting the work in day by day.

“Growing up we always had shorter fighters rushing us, so we had to learn how to fight inside and get stronger. We ended up doing both. Fighting on the inside is what I love to do.

“The timing has been right so far in my career so I’ve just been going with the flow. If I have the chance to keep taking opportunities like this, I’m going to keep doing it.

“We’ve both trained very hard to give everyone a great show. It could definitely steal the show. I’m going to do what I always do, which is go in there and win.”

HABIB AHMED

“I came into this fight as a replacement, but I was training hard for this opportunity. Now my time is here. I have to show the world who Habib Ahmed is. Everyone watching is going to see that on Saturday night.

“I’ve been training for half a year looking for an opportunity like this. My coach just kept pushing me every day telling me that the opportunity would come.

“I prepared myself with top sparring partners in the gym. So I’m very prepared to show the world what I’m able to do on Saturday.

“I think the experience that I have will help me in this fight. Fundora is a tall southpaw. I’ve been sparring guys who give me that look in the gym and that’s really important. Fundora is a good boxer who knows how to throw his hands, but we have a plan that I’m going to follow to get the win.

“Everything has its time. Sometimes you only get one chance and I have to make the most of it. I came to the U.S. for this chance. I have the will to make this happen for my career.

“If I listen to my coach, I can win this fight. We’re going to take it moment by moment, but I know for sure that I will end with a win Saturday.”

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“I’m thankful to be in this position and back in the ring this year. I’m prepared and ready for anything that happens on Saturday. I know Santana is going to bring the fight, so it’s definitely going to be exciting.

“The preparation is done in the gym. We’ve prepared for months for a tough fight. We had great sparring partners to prepare us. When I’m not fighting the best, I’m fighting the toughest guys out there. I’m ready to execute my game plan on Saturday night.

“I like fighting aggressive fighters, but I can adapt to anything. I’ve seen every type of fighter in the ring. I can use whatever game plan is necessary.

“Having a fighter like Santana makes for an exciting action packed fight. That’s’ what we’re fully expecting on Saturday night. This could easily be the fight of the night.

“Size has never been an issue for me fighting at welterweight. It’s about skill and how you use it. It’s about your timing and speed. I’ve worked on a lot of different game plans and styles with Robert Garcia. He’s gotten me back to the top level and I’m ready to perform.

“I’m a natural fighter. Sometimes those natural instincts come out and I make it a war. In the last few years I’ve improved so many parts of my game that I used to lack. We’ve upped every aspect of my game. I’m prepared for any top level fighter.”

FRANCISCO SANTANA

“Everybody tuning in, I’d suggest you don’t miss our fight. If you liked Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward, expect nothing less than that. This is the west coast Gatti vs. Ward. Josesito and me are all-action fighters.

“I always work hard in the gym. That’s always been my goal. But you also have to prepare yourself mentally for what is going to be a really hard fight. With our styles, it’s like fighting a reflection of yourself in the mirror.

“We’ve both faced tough opposition and high level fighters. We’ve also come up short some times, but we never give up. We both keep coming forward.

“At the end of the day, this is what we signed up for. Giving the fans a great fight. Our fighting styles are how we take life in general. No matter what life throws at us, we keep coming forward and never give up. That’s what you’re going to see Saturday.

“I’ve faced practically all the best fighters around my weight. I think that this is a fight where it’s go big or go home. I can show to the world, but also to myself, that I’m not just a solid fighter. I want to show that I’m an ‘A’ level fighter.

“We both have the opportunity to show everyone where we stand in this division. Every fighter’s dream is to be a world champion. This fight is one step closer to that goal. I’m facing a phenomenal fighter, so this is a great test.”

EDUARDO RAMIREZ

“I’m very happy and excited to be a part of this big show on Saturday. I can’t wait to get in the ring and put on a great performance.

“I’ve prepared well even with the change in opponent. I’m ready for anything that Miguel can bring to the ring because of that strong preparation.

“I’m very motivated for this fight and this opportunity. I want to become a world champion and I have to show that I’m ready for that level against Miguel Flores.

“Inside the ring, I love to fight the Mexican style. Even though we also work on our defense a lot. Most of all, I’m excited to bring this victory home to Mexico.

“I am excited for the atmosphere Saturday, but regardless of whether there are fans, I’m 100 percent prepared and motivated for this fight. The only thing on my mind is getting the victory Saturday night.”

MIGUEL FLORES

“It’s great to be part of another pay-per-view event. This was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Ramirez is a tough fighter, so I’m ready for war. Saturday you’re in for a treat. We’re going to warm up the ring for Spence and Garcia.

“We took this opportunity on head first. If you don’t risk, you don’t win. I know Ramirez is tough, but we’re up for the challenge. The reward from this win is going to be a lot bigger than what we initially had set up.

“I learned a lot fighting Leo Santa Cruz. He just went toe-to-toe with one of the best pound for pound fighters in the sport in Gervonta Davis. I learned that I belong at that level. Hanging with one of the greats shows how strong I am mentally.

“I have a lot of respect for Eduardo Ramirez and what he can do. But in the end, I believe my skill set is much stronger than his.

“I think I’ve always been a featherweight. I couldn’t pass up the 130-pound title fight against Santa Cruz. I’ve always felt best at this weight. We couldn’t let this opportunity pass us by. We’re fighters, we always train hard. Once you’re in the ring, you have to tell yourself you’re able to do it, and you’ll be able to accomplish it.”

#

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Catch replays of “PBC FIGHT CAMP: Spence vs. Garcia” all fight week on FS1 at the following times:

Part 1: Thursday 12/3 at 6:30 p.m. ET & Friday 12/4 at at 3:30 a.m. ET
Part 2: Friday 12/4 at 6 p.m. ET & 4 a.m. ET
Part 3: Friday 12/4 at 6:30 p.m. ET & 4:30 a.m. ET

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez faces Texas contender Miguel Flores in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (December 2, 2020) – Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia previewed their highly anticipated FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event during the final press conference Wednesday before they step into the ring this Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Spence was joined by his trainer Derrick James, while Garcia was accompanied by his father and trainer Angel Garcia to discuss training camp, Saturday’s showdown and more. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“Fighting in my hometown is a lifelong dream. To have my comeback fight at home means the world to me. I won’t let this moment go to waste.

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work and showed the discipline I had to in order to get back to this position. Seeing my kids every day, it motivated me to give back to them and train hard in the gym. I made sure there were no outside distractions stopping me.

“We’ve been in the gym since February grinding hard and now we’re back. I’m ready. My coach has watched me closely and he’s seen that everything is on point and back to where it was. Everyone is going to see the same Errol Spence Jr. on Saturday night.

“I have a renewed focus. I’m back focused on the things that got me to the top of the mountain. That’s really about being back in the gym every day no matter what. I’m not just going to be in the gym when it’s fight time. We’re grinding hard every day. That’s what got me to being unified champion in the first place.

“Nobody forced me to fight Danny Garcia. But I wanted to face someone dangerous who would keep me focused and in the gym training hard. Fighting someone who’s a great fighter like Danny pushes me to another level. That’s the level I’m supposed to be at.

“I’m sharper than I’ve ever been and making weight easier than I ever did before. The focus is there just like it was in the start of my career. It’s a renewed focus and everything is clicking.

“I’m going to prove that I’m still the same Errol Spence Jr. I know that people have a lot of questions. Those questions need to be answered. I don’t think I would have answered them against lighter competition. People who haven’t been in the gym are going to see those answers on Saturday.

“This fight is ending with me winning. Life has taught me that this world isn’t perfect. It might not be perfect, but I’m going to get the victory.”

DANNY GARCIA

“Texas has always been great to me. I fought in the state a lot as a prospect. In 2012 I won my first world title in Houston. I have a lot of fans in the state and I feel like it’s a home away from home. It’s a special place for me. I don’t look at it like I’m on the road. I just see it as being here to handle business.

“I called Errol out a year ago and we were going to fight in January. But boxing is a sport of timing and the time is now. I feel great and had a tremendous camp. I did everything I was supposed to do. I just have to go out there Saturday night and do what I do best.

“I’m not worried about being the underdog. I know that I’m a great champion and a great fighter. That’s why I’m here today. I’m going to prove it again on Saturday night.

“This is a great opportunity. There’s no feeling like winning, and winning a world title is the best feeling in the world. I’ve taken it for granted before, but in this world you learn off of your mistakes and become a better man.

“We definitely know what’s at stake. We pushed ourselves to the limit every day. This is a big stage, but I’ve been here before. I’ve been headlining fights on the championship level for eight years. I’ve always been a top level fighter.

“We’ve worked on all kinds of things in the gym. We can box or bang on the inside. We can move around or walk him down. At this level, you have to be able to do everything. We had a lot of different sparring partners so that we’re prepared for Saturday night.

“You can say what you want to say at this point. I’m here for the fight of my life. Come Saturday night, I will be victorious.”

DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer

“The respect that Danny and Angel want, I give it to them, because I’ve seen what they’ve done throughout Danny’s career. Angel is supposed to believe in what he thinks his son is going to do. I feel the exact same way about what Errol is going to do. In the end, we will be victorious.

“You can’t make it to this level without believing in yourself. We don’t have to talk. Errol and I are quiet. If you believe in yourself, you don’t have to talk about it.

“Our respect for Danny makes us train harder and makes Errol focus even more. He’s focused on his task and that’s constantly proving he’s the best welterweight in the world.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Garcia’s Father & Trainer

“We had a great camp. We left everything in the gym. The job is done and we’re here now. Danny is going to go out there and show the world what a true champion is made of.

“We’ve been on pay-per-view before, it wasn’t our card, but to us it was. Nothing is going to phase Danny heading into this fight. It doesn’t matter what anyone on the outside is saying.

“Danny doesn’t just know how to win. He knows how to kick your ass.”

#

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Catch replays of “PBC FIGHT CAMP: Spence vs. Garcia” all fight week on FS1 at the following times:

Part 1: Thursday 12/3 at 6:30 p.m. ET & Friday 12/4 at at 3:30 a.m. ET
Part 2: Friday 12/4 at 6 p.m. ET & 4 a.m. ET
Part 3: Friday 12/4 at 6:30 p.m. ET & 4:30 a.m. ET

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus Texas contender Miguel Flores faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (December 2, 2020) – Super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora will face former title challenger Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator on the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia this Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair while featherweight contender Miguel Flores will meet Mexico’s Eduardo Ramirez in a Featherweight Title Eliminator to open the pay-per-view.

Ahmed replaces Jorge Cota and Flores replaces Julio Ceja, after Cota and Ceja tested positive for COVID-19. Flores had already been preparing to face Isaac Avelar on December 5 and Ahmed had been in training as a potential replacement on this card.

Buy the pay-per-view now on www.foxsports.com/ppv and watch on any screen.

Mexico’s Avelar will take on the unbeaten Sakaria Lukas in a 10-round super featherweight showdown headlining FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Prelims on FS2 and FOX Deportes. Prelims begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will also feature top prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. taking on Steven Pulluaim in a six-round welterweight bout, plus unbeaten super middleweight prospect Burley Brooks facing Marco Delgado in a six-round attraction.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Non-televised action will see Dallas-native Fernando Garcia (13-2, 8 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight fight against Brownsville, Texas’ Juan Tapia (9-3, 3 KOs) and unbeaten Indianapolis native Frank Martin (11-0, 8 KOs) dueling New Jersey’s Tyrone Lucky (12-12-4, 8 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout.

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old owns two victories in 2020, beating then unbeaten Daniel Lewis by decision in February, before most recently becoming the first fighter to knock out Nathaniel Gallimore with his August triumph on FOX. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, plus an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

A native of Accra, Ghana, Ahmed (27-1-1, 18 KOs) steps into the ring after his August fight with Alantez Fox ended with a no-contest after three rounds. Prior to that, Ahmed scored a dominant unanimous decision over Juan De Angel in May 2019. The 29-year-old has won back-to-back fights since dropping a 2018 world title contest against Gilbert Ramirez. Ahmed was unbeaten in his first 26 pro fights since his 2011 debut, leading up to the Ramirez fight.

Lopez (37-8, 20 KOs) has long established himself as a fiery competitor and top contender in multiple weight classes and has compiled an impressive resume. He owns victories over Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cruz and Mike Dallas Jr., having given the last two the first defeat of their careers. Additionally, he has squared off against Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. In 2019 the Riverside, California native lost a majority decision to Keith Thurman, before most recently knocking out John Molina Jr. last September.

Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 147 and 154 pounds and has made his name with his action style throughout a long career as a contender. Santana returns to the ring after losing to former unified champion Jarrett Hurd in January. The Santa Barbara, California native owns a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018 and has faced unified champion Jermell Charlo and former champion Sadam Ali, while also fighting to a six-round draw against former unified champion Julian Williams in 2011.

The 28-year-old Flores (24-3, 12 KOs) will return to action for the first time since dropping a decision to four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz in their 130-pound title fight last November. Born in Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico and fighting out of Houston, Texas, Flores scored stoppage wins over Luis May and Raul Chirino heading into that title fight. A pro since 2009, Flores won his first 22 pro fights.

Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with wins in three of his last four fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. The 27-year-old Ramirez most recently gave Leduan Barthelemy his first career loss via a fourth-round stoppage in their rematch last November, following up on their split-draw the first time they faced off. Overall, Ramirez has won 14 of his last 17 outings.

The 23-year-old Avelar (16-2, 10 KOs) lost a narrow split decision to Miguel Tique in December after being stopped by unbeaten top super bantamweight Stephen Fulton in August 2019. The Auguascalientes, Mexico native was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights, including a 2019 triumph over Juan Antonio Lopez in his U.S. debut. He will be opposed by the undefeated Lucas (23-0, 16 KOs), who will make his U.S. debut on December 5 after victories in 2019 over Raston Kayira and Ndodana Ncube.

A Roseland, New Jersey native Mielnicki (6-0, 4 KOs) steps into the ring under the guidance of renowned coach Joe Goossen for the first time on December 5 as he looks to continue to show the skillset of a future champion. The 18-year-old Mielnicki has scored three victories in 2020, including most recently stopping Chris Rollins in August. He will take on the 30-year-old Pulluaim (5-2, 1 KO) who defeated Emeka Ifekandu in his last fight in October 2019. The Riverside, Missouri native Pulluaim has fought professionally since 2018.

The 24-year-old Brooks (6-0, 5 KOs) trains alongside Errol Spence Jr. and under the guidance of top trainer Derrick James. A Dallas native, Brooks made his 2020 debut in February, scoring a first round stoppage of Melvin Russell. He will face Anaheim, California’s Delgado (6-1, 5 KOs), a 29-year-old who has fought professionally since 2016 and who most recently stopped Joseph Ward in October 2019.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Habib Ahmed in a Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus Texas contender Miguel Flores faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

PHILADELPHIA (November 24, 2020) – Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia showed off his skills and previewed his upcoming showdown against unified welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. during a virtual media workout on Monday before they headline a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event on Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Training in his hometown of Philadelphia alongside his father and coach Angel Garcia, Danny Garcia will look to become a unified 147-pound champion with a victory on December 5, matching the accomplishment he achieved in becoming a unified 140-pound champion. The 32-year-old owns one of the most impressive resumes in boxing with wins over Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Lamont Peterson, Robert Guerrero and Paulie Malignaggi throughout his storied career.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

The full workout can be watched HERE on the PBC on FOX YouTube page. Here is what the workout participants had to say Monday:

DANNY GARCIA

“I feel great. It’s been a long and tremendous camp. We’ve put in a lot of hard work. My body looks and feels like I’m 21-years-old again.

“I’m thankful for this big fight and for my family. I’m also thankful that my weight is good so I can eat a little bit on Thursday.

“This is another chapter in my career. This is my chance to have a beautiful moment to add to what I’ve already accomplished. This is a big fight for me to get back to where I want to be in my career.

“This is definitely a legacy fight. I feel like it’s a legacy fight every time I get into the ring. There’s been a lot of hard work put into this one and I’m just feeling ready to go.

“I’ve been the underdog my whole career. I’m in my comfort zone being an underdog and it’s the energy I like to have. I just have to keep proving myself again and again. That’s what keeps me going.

“I’ve fought some wizards in the ring. Facing guys like Zab Judah and Erik Morales are experiences that I went to school off of. Everything I’ve learned in my career has led me to this fight.

“If I wasn’t from Philadelphia, I wouldn’t be Danny Garcia. This city has made me what I am today. I grew up in that old school boxing mind set since I was a kid. I think it’s served me well mentally and physically. Plus, my Puerto Rican heritage is another arsenal that I have in my repertoire and it really gives me the best of all worlds.

“There’s no doubt I’m the hardest puncher Spence faced. I’m one of the hardest hitters in this sport. Almost anyone who steps in there against me is facing the biggest puncher they’ve seen.

“I can’t say whether Spence is going to have ring rust because of his layoff. That’s something that he has to figure out. I know that I’m ready to go. I can’t worry about what he brings to the table. I just have to be the best Danny Garcia.

“This is the fight I have to win. This fight is for my legacy. There’s only one goal, and that’s to win on December 5.”

ANGEL GARCIA, Garcia’s Father & Trainer

“We’ve had a great camp and we can’t wait to get in the ring. There’s never been a fight that we’ve taken lightly. We’ve always taken everybody seriously, and of course that’s the same for this fight. We don’t change things, we just multiply fight by fight.

“Danny has always been the underdog. Whether it was Amir Khan or Lucas Matthysse, it doesn’t matter. He’s only the underdog because Spence is undefeated, but that doesn’t mean anything when we get in the ring.

“What really matters is that once Danny lands his shots, will Spence be able to handle it? I’m not worried about anything else that’s being said on the outside.

“If Danny throws a straight right and hits him flush, Spence isn’t getting up. Spence hasn’t really been hit yet. I respect every fighter, but Spence has only really fought three guys that people know. Just look at all the fighters Danny has fought. That resume matters.”

#

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (November 20, 2020) – Former world champion Julio Ceja shared insight into his training camp and previewed his upcoming showdown against contender Eduardo Ramirez before they kick off the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) event headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia on Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

This training camp was the second for Ceja with Ismael Salas in Las Vegas, a highly-regarded trainer who has worked with Erislandy Lara, plus Rances and Leduan Barthelemy, amongst many others.

“We’ve been in training for two months with coach Salas and we’ve been really focused on my strength work,” said Ceja. “We’ve been going over every detail because we know that Ramirez is a strong and dangerous fighter. Salas is familiar with him from when Leduan fought him, so we’re going to have a perfect game plan for December 5.”

In his most recent fight, the 28-year-old Ceja challenged unbeaten WBA Super Bantamweight Champion Brandon Figueroa last November. Although Ceja gave Figueroa his toughest test to date in battling Figueroa to a split draw, Ceja was not able to win the title due to missing weight the day before. Now officially moving up to 126 pounds, Ceja expects the extra weight to benefit him against Ramirez.

“We’ve had some trouble making 122-pounds for the last few fights, so that’s why we decided it was time to move up to featherweight,” said Ceja. “I’m working really hard and I feel stronger than ever. There are no concerns about making weight. We are about to finish our sparring and I can’t wait to show off my improvements in the ring.”

The Tlalnepantla, Mexico native will be facing another Mexican fighter in Ramirez, opening up the pay-per-view undercard that features two other fights with Mexican or Mexican-American fighters squaring off in the Sebastian Fundora vs. Jorge Cota and Josesito Lopez vs. Francisco Santana matchups. With these styles in tow, Ceja predicts another classic Mexican battle.

“This is a fight with two Mexican warriors, so it’s going to be spectacular,” said Ceja. “Boxing fans know that when two Mexican fighters meet, especially in the U.S., there are going to be fireworks. Ramirez is smart and strong, but we’re planning to out think and out work him. This fight is definitely going to steal the show and be a match that people will be talking about afterward.”

In this WBC title eliminator, Ceja will be able to put himself into a position to potentially face current WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. in the near future. While Ceja plans to be ready for anyone he ends up facing for the title, Ceja believes his performance in defeat against Guillermo Rigondeaux showed that he can match up well with highly skilled fighters such as Russell.

“This fight on December 5 is an amazing opportunity to fight for a world title,” said Ceja. “We’re only focused on Ramirez, but after this fight, whoever the champion is, that’s who I’m going to be ready to face. I’ll say yes right away. People saw what I did to Rigondeaux and that I was beating him before the referee stopped the fight too early. I showed my strength in that fight and I showed how I would give Gary Russell Jr. problems.”

#

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

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

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (November 19, 2020) – Unified WBC and IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. brought fans and media into his training camp Thursday during a virtual media workout as he prepares to take on two-division champion Danny ‘Swift” Garcia in the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View main event on Saturday, December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.

The Desoto, TX native Spence will return to the ring after two impressive performances on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-Views in 2019. In March, he defeated four-division champion Mikey Garcia at AT&T Stadium by unanimous decision, before going to Los Angeles to unify welterweight titles in September by defeating Shawn Porter in one of the year’s best fights.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale now, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium.

Spence was joined at the workout by his longtime trainer Derrick James. Here is what the workout participants had to say Thursday:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“I’m feeling great right now. I’m in shape and ready to go. We’ve been training hard and we’re 100% percent focused. I’m ready to put on a great show for my hometown fans.

“I’m not concerned about ring rust. We have a game plan and I’m working with my coach every day on it. I’m going to stick to the plan and use it December 5. I can’t wait.

“I picked Danny Garcia because he’s a tough opponent with a granite chin. He’s always in tough close fights. He’s going to bring the best out of me.

“If I took a tune-up fight, I wouldn’t be as focused or dedicated as I am right now. I know Danny’s dad is pushing him to take my belts in my hometown. So I’ staying focused to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“This is as good as I’ve ever felt. You can see I’m sweating today and I’m not dried out. There’s no struggle to make weight. I’m just feeling good.

“I don’t know if Danny is the hardest puncher I’ve faced. We’ll see when I get into the ring against him. But I know that I’m not Amir Khan or Adrian Granados or anyone else that he’s knocked out.

“I’m just going to feel him out. If I can press him early, I’m going to press and do what I do. We have a great game plan. Everyone has to tune in and watch what I’m going to do because this is guaranteed to be an exciting fight.

“There was a lot of uncertainty after my accident, but I knew that I wanted to keep training and make sure that I’m 100% ready to get into the ring. The doctors gave me the okay and said everything is fine, so I’m ready to go.

“It’s a blessing to have my son born during training camp. Seeing his face just pushes me to work harder. Along with my two daughters, I want to give all of them a great future. The only way I can do that is by training hard, staying focused and getting this victory on December 5.

“I want to make an impactful statement. I guarantee there’s going to be highlights everywhere from this one. It’s going to be a great performance.

“My message to the rest of the division is just, line ’em up. Everyone knows who to talk to. All the other top welterweights, anyone else in my way, can come and try to get it.”

DERRICK JAMES, Spence’s Trainer

“Errol has been working hard. The dedication and determination are there. He’s pushing himself as hard or harder than ever. You can tell there’s a competition within himself so that he can push himself to be the best he’s ever been.

“Danny is a very smart fighter. He’s one of the most decorated fighters in the sport and he’s got a great resume. He’s definitely a threat. So me and Errol both need to be on our ‘A’ game to be able to beat him.

“We don’t worry about what Angel Garcia is saying. On this level, you have to have that confidence that Angel has in Danny. We always believe we’re going to win. If it’s the Dallas vs. Philadelphia rivalry inspires them, then that’s fine. We have our own motivations that inspire.

“The key to Errol’s power is his body. He’s punching with his whole body. He’s really focused on his technique and putting all 147 pounds of pressure into a shot. It could lead to a knockout at any point in the fight.”

#

ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

Ray Flores
On today’s call, we’re going to be hearing from some of the fighters that will be competing on the Errol Spence Jr. vs Danny Garcia on FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View undercard. It all comes your way on Saturday December 5 from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Fans will be allowed to attend. COVID restrictions will be in place. You can get tickets and they are available at SeatGeek.com. We come to you live at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with three exciting matchups featuring all Mexican and Mexican-American fighters.

We will kick off the pay-per-view with a former champion Julio Ceja going head to head against contender and Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC featherweight title eliminator.

This fight coming up is one that I have my eye set on. It is going to be pure pandemonium and it features all action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana in a 10 round welterweight showdown.

The co-main event Sebastian Fundora, fresh off of a win topping Nate Gallimore back in August. He’s in action as he matches up against Jorge Cota in in a WBC super welterweight title eliminator matchup. The event all brought to you by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions.

And now, let me introduce the President of TGB Promotions. This man will no doubt go down as probably the best matchmaker in all of boxing history, my dear friend, Mr. Tom Brown.

Tom Brown
Good afternoon and welcome everyone. And thanks for joining us for this conference call for what I believe is going to be an extremely exciting night of boxing. We have a spectacular undercard.

There’s going to be non-stop action leading up to the highly anticipated Errol Spence Jr. versus Danny Garcia welterweight unification bout. Sampson Boxing’s unbeaten super welterweight contender, Sebastian Fundora. He put the boxing world on notice with his exciting performance against Nate Gallimore back in August and will be taking on Jorge Cota.

And then we have the all action veteran Josesito Lopez and Francisco Santana squaring off in a 10 round welterweight bout. And this is the type of fight that we could just go put in a phone booth.

I just can’t wait for the opening bell for them to say go for this fight. Really any one of these fights could steal the whole show. So, I’m really looking forward to this card and Ray said, tickets are on sale now which is so great to be able to say.

We’re looking forward to having a live audience and exciting event. And now, I’ll send it back to Ray to get things started. Thanks.

Flores
Thank you very much, Tom. And yes, we have a stellar undercard. Let’s meet one of the principals involved in one of these thrilling matchups. This man, his record 25 wins, 8 losses, 1 draw, 12 come by way of knockout.

He hasn’t shied away from anybody, fighting top competition at welterweight and super welterweight throughout the course of his career. He challenged Jermell Charlo, fought Julian Williams to a draw and most recently lost a decision to Jarett Hurd, he also pulled off a notable upset over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in a welterweight fight back in 2018.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the always exciting and entertaining Francisco “Chia” Santana.

Francisco Santana
I’m excited and I’m very, very thankful and grateful for another great opportunity to be able to fight once again and in an all action fight. People that know boxing know that Josesito and myself, it’s like it’s another version of the Arturo Gatti and Mickey Ward type of style fight. You know, we both come forward. It’s the same versions of each other. So, I think the fans are in for a good treat.

Q
I know you guys are both California guys who’ve been around the sport for a long time. Do you guys know each other at all?

Santana
No, obviously we know of each other but I’ve never necessarily met him or introduced myself. We both at one we both started out back in the days with Mr. Dan Goossen, may he rest in peace, that was my original promoter back in the days.

So we would see each other a lot on different cards. But other than that, no, I’ve never had the privilege to meet him.

Q
How many similarities are there between you two?

Santana
I let people compare us. Essentially, it is that we do have a similar record, similar type of style. We both come forward, all action.

When they mention my name or they mention his name, I think that boxing fans know that they’re in for a good fight, because I don’t think either him or I have ever been in a dull fight. So, I feel like that’s definitely a big similarity with each other.

Outside of boxing, I don’t know. I don’t know how he is outside of boxing. I’m just a low-key family man. I’m actually here at work right now. So, I’m in my office away kind of secluded myself for this interview.

So, I don’t know what he’s like outside of work but inside the ring, I think that we are very similar.

Q
Looking back, and maybe your last couple losses, what have you feel that you’ve needed to change or what have you learned from those experiences?

Santana
I still haven’t stopped learning. So, a lot of it has to do with that, and just being able to have confidence in myself to be able to just go out there and display it all out there, put it all out there.

This is like do or die type of fight. So, I got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I’m just going to go out there and just basically just leave it all out there.

Like I said I’ve got everything to gain, nothing to lose. This is my go big or go home type of fight. So, as far as past experiences, it’s always a learning experience. I just fought the biggest super welterweight out there.

And that’s not necessarily, my weight class, even though I used to campaign at that weight class back in the days, but not necessarily my best weight. I was just doing it because I didn’t have the proper training or proper coaches back in the days but nonetheless, I don’t dwell on the past. I live in the future and live in the present and just want to be a better person every single day. So, I can be a better man tomorrow.

Q
How are you feeling coming into this particular bout seeing as it will be at 147 pounds coming off your fight against Jarrett Hurd?

Santana
I’m naturally a 147. I’m not at 154 like when I fought Jarrett Hurd. I didn’t really have to make weight practically. I think I hydrated a couple pounds or not even hydrated, I just went and ate.

This is my natural weight class. So, I just have to make the best of it, like I said this is go big or go home.

Q
Do you think that you’ll have to be I will say like a lot tougher then Lopez going into this fight?

Santana
At this point, I just have to prepare for whatever he brings. I have to be prepared for the best of Lopez out there. So, if he is tough, I have to be tougher. If he wants to be clever, I have to be more clever.

If he wants to display certain skills, I have to display even better skills. So, I just got to bring everything up, no matter what he brings to the table.

Q
How do you think being in a lot of tough fights that went the distance builds you going into this particular fight against Josesito Lopez, who is a tough fighter like yourself?

Santana
To me, it’s just another day. It’s another day of boxing. It’s something that I’ve trained for moments like this to be able to test myself once again.

And what better way to test myself than with someone like Josesito Lopez, who is another version of myself, basically. So, I’m testing myself with another version of myself.
Q
How will having fans in attendance play a factor into feeding off the energy of the crowd while you’re in the ring there?

Santana
Well once you get hit, you don’t even realize if there’s a crowd or not. Your blood kind of boils up a little bit and you just go.

So, I’m sure that once that bell rings and we start throwing punches it’ll be the same as always. Him and I, we can probably fight in a garage, with no people there and it will still be a hell of a fight.

As far as the crowd, I’m sure every fighter learns to just tune it out. It is what it is and we’re going to go out there and let our hands go.

Q
What did you take away from that fight with Hurd that you think you can bring into this fight coming up?

Santana
Well, it will first of all, I fought the biggest super welterweight out there. I do have a good chin right? I showed that being able to hang in there with such a big boy like himself and a great fighter.

So, coming into this fight, I was able to realize that I am a little sturdier and little stronger than what I thought.

Flores
Francisco do you have any final thoughts as you get ready for your December 5 showdown against Josesito Lopez?

Santana
Everybody just tune in. You’re in for a real treat. Everybody, obviously like myself included, we’re looking forward for the main event. But also, this is an all action packed undercard and especially Josesito Lopez versus myself.

So, you guys don’t want to miss it because when you guys think of Josesito and myself, you guys know that we never disappoint and we’re not going to start now.

Flores
Thank you very much Francisco. Now, let’s talk with the man who will be standing across the rings from you on December 5 as he has beaten the likes of Victor Ortiz, faced Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana, Jessie Vargas narrowly came up short at the hands of Keith Thurman back in January of 2019 in a world title fight.

Most recently having knocked out John Molina Jr. last September at STAPLES Center. He’s trained under the guidance of renowned coach Robert Garcia. He comes to us from Riverside, California. 37 wins, 20 of those by knockout against 8 losses.

Ladies and gentlemen, anytime he’s inside the ring, he produces fireworks. Please welcome “The Riverside Rocky” Josesito Lopez. Josesito?

Josesito Lopez
Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for having me. I’m thankful and glad to be fighting December 5 and I’m healthy. Training camp has been going great. And I’m excited for this fight with just a couple more weeks to go.

Ray Flores: Now, we’ll turn it over to the operator for questions from the media for Josesito Lopez.

Q
First question is as far as your time working with Robert Garcia, describe some of the changes that you’ve seen in your boxing style in your fighting over the last year or two that you guys have been together.

Lopez
He’s helped me become a smart technician. And then we have one of the best gyms in the entire world with the most amount of quality fighters.

So, as far as experience, I bring the experience but quality fighters in sparring helps and they have the best of the best here. No shortage of sparring, and good work and we all push each other. So it’s been all good since I made the move.

Q
As far as personal improvements that you’ve seen in your own boxing game, what are the one or two things that you feel that you’ve really tightened up as far as your performances?

Lopez
Well, when it comes to the top level of boxing, it’s just the smallest of mistakes that can cost a lot. And I’ve made those mistakes in the past and I’ve managed to correct them.

And then Robert helped me to tweak small things that have made a big change in my boxing. So those small changes can – it goes a long way for me.

Q
Do you feel a sense of that you have not as much time as you used to in order to try to get that championship?

Lopez
Yeah, I’m a little higher in age. I feel that and I know that. But I feel very, very good with Robert right now. And I’m at a good time in my life where I’m balancing experience with strength and quality work with Robert.

There has been nothing but good things, positive things throughout with him. So, I’m excited.

Q
How do you see this fight playing out, ideally, what would you like to see occur?

Lopez
Well, obviously, ideally, I would like to come out with a victory, but I’m prepared for a war. I’m prepared for anything that Francisco comes to bring to the ring. He’s a tough, gritty fighter that always comes to fight and I expect that. I expect fireworks, I expect quite possibly the fight of the night. So I’m ready for anything.

Q
In terms of your mentality, how do you get to that level mentally, of knowing you’re going to be in for what many considered to be a war on December 5?

Lopez
Well, mindset wise, every fight is the most important fight of my career. This one, no less. So, I come into the table as if it could possibly be my last fight and I bring everything. I trained hard. I focused. I’ve been away from home.

Q
Do you think that after not fighting for roughly about a year or so, has it been good for you or has it refreshed you?

Lopez
Well you got to make the most of it. I wish I could have fought a little sooner but I make the most of it. I stayed active in the gym. I’m constantly training, working with other guys. I’ve had a few camp right before the shutdown. I was helping Mikey Garcia prepare for Jessie Vargas.

So I’ve been training. I think for the most part, I’m just thankful and happy to be able to be fighting in this year, really a time where some fighters won’t even get to fight this year. So, I’m glad I can.

Q
Have you seen Francisco fight? What is it that you see in his game that you think that you may be able to exploit?

Lopez
Well, it’s not necessarily what I see in him. I just think I’m a better fighter than I was before. And we both bring grit and determination to the fight, I think that’s been clear.

I just feel like I’ve been quite a bit smarter in my boxing throughout my last few fights. And I’m able to have that ring IQ that’s necessary for a fight like this.

Q
Can you talk about how your time with Robert Garcia helped you particularly in your last fight?

Lopez
Well, my time with Robert Garcia has been great. He’s a good mentor and he has helped me with game plans. Intelligent ring generalship and that showed against John Molina where I did knock him down early.

We stayed patient. I didn’t make little mistakes and I still finished the job. So, all that is basically where the work that Robert Garcia has shown. It made me a little bit smarter in many ways.

He says you work smarter not harder. Even though I’m still working just as hard, I’m just getting a little smarter.

Q
What have you learned from the pandemic of overall?

Lopez
What I’ve learned is that with the shutting down and everything there, it gets tough for everyone and my heart goes out to definitely all the people that are struggling and hurting. You know, everyone is struggling in some type of way.

But you also got to make the most of your time. I’ve definitely sat down and made the most of my time. I was able to do things that that are important to me.

I started my own trucking company and the things that you put aside and procrastinate on doing, it was a good time to really realize the important things in life and then work hard for what you want.

So although it’s been a tough, tough time for myself and everyone else you make the most of this bad time.

Flores
Josesito, if you have any final comments before you get ready for December 5?

Lopez
Well, I want to say that I’m very thankful to be fighting on PBC and with FOX. They know a fight with myself is never a boring fight. So, I’ll definitely bring that action. I’m excited to be on the card with another exciting fighter that will bring fireworks.

So, this is a fight that you can’t miss. And you can’t blink because the fight could be over anytime. I feel great and I’m excited to get out in there and then show everybody what I got.

Flores
Thank you very much, Josesito. We look forward to seeing you during fight week in Dallas.

Now, let’s transition to our co-main event. This man is a longtime contender who has put himself back into world title contention by defeating Thomas LaManna back in January.

He bounced back with two straight wins after back to back losses to top super welterweights Jeison Rosario and Jermall Charlo. His record 30 wins, 27 of those coming by way of knockout against four losses. He comes to us from Sinaloa, Mexico.

He is the hard hitting, Jorge Cota. Jorge, if you have any opening comments.

Jorge Cota
I’m very excited to be a part of this amazing fight. And I’m excited to show the fans what we’re able to offer in this outstanding fight that we’re going to have.

Q
How are you planning to get inside of his reach? And do you think that those things are going to give you problems in this fight?

Cota
You hit the nail on the head because that’s going to be the challenge and what makes the fight so attractive. The fact that he’s so tall and that his reach is so stunningly large made me work a lot on my movement, my lateral movement and in making my hips be able to rotate efficiently to be able to get inside and make it a close contact fight.

Q
Do you feel that your power is going to be the difference maker in this fight?

Cota
Again, I can’t emphasize enough. The hips are going to be huge. And the fact that I need to be able to make it a close range fight. And that way I can take advantage of my power.

If I can get close and make it a blow-by-blow kind of fight where we are exchanging blows with our bodies close together, then I can take advantage of my power, but everything is on the hips.

Q
How big of a win was that for you over Thomas LaManna which essentially led you to this opportunity on December 5 against Sebastian Fundora?

Cota
That win gave me my confidence back. That was everything, because after winning the fight, I was able to believe in my power, in my endurance, in my ability to be a winning boxer once again.

LaManna was an outstanding opponent, someone that fought very well and I was really happy to see my hand raised in the end by the referee. But the most important takeaway for me was that I regained the belief in myself to win with my power once again.

Q
What did you learn in the fights against Charlo and Rosario that you feel that you are now more experienced?

Cota
Those two fights provided me with the experience I need to know where I stood. Especially, the Rosario one, that was my barometer. That was a fight that allowed me to know where I stood against an outstanding world champion who unfortunately after that bumped into Charlo, who is also a champion in his own right.

So, after that I know where I stood. And it provided me with the experience that I needed to move forward in my career.

Q
Also when it comes to this fight being on an undercard that is full of Mexican fighters and Mexican-American fighters. We all know history of great Mexican battles, the names of Barrera and Morales come to mind.

What does it signify for you to be able to fight a fellow Mexican on a card of this magnitude?
Cota
Thank you for that comparison with the Barrera – Morales clashes. And I’m also thinking about Juan Manuel Marquez as well where he left his mark. I’m just out here trying to leave my mark as well.

The fact that I’m going to go out there to the ring and try to give my best and make everybody proud. That’s all I can do is to try to live up to the legacy that those fighters, like, Barrera, like, Morales, like, Marquez left behind and for me to continue on.

Flores
Finally, do you have any closing comments as you prepare for your co-main event showdown against Sebastian Fundora?

Cota
My message to the fans is, don’t you dare miss this fight. It’s going to be awesome. It has the potential to be the best fight of the night. Sebastian is going to be an outstanding opponent. It’s going to be a war from start to finish. We are going to beat each other up. And it’s going to be really fun for the fans to witness.

So, I am going to go out there try and do my best and not only win but to provide the fans a show they will never forget and make both Mexican and American fans everywhere happy and proud to have seen me fight.

Flores
Thank you very much to Jorge Cota. We greatly appreciate the time. What stands out about what Jorge Cota said was, the word “Guerra” meaning war. All of these undercard fights can no doubt be wars.

Now let’s meet his adversary on December 5, most recently have been knocked out Nate Gallimore back in August on FOX. He became the first and only man to finish off Nate Gallimore, looking to put himself in position to battle current WBC and WBA Super Welterweight champion of the world, Jermall Charlo or another top WBC contender, such as Erickson Lubin.

He stands 6’6″ tall, uses his height and his reach to his advantage. But he also likes to fight with power and aggressiveness. And I’ll be honest with you when it comes to his fighting style, he loves to mix it up on the inside. He comes to us from Coachella, California.

He has an undefeated record, 15 wins, no losses, one draw, 10 wins come in by way of knockout. A high volume puncher who always brings forth punches in bunches. Here “The Towering Inferno” Sebastian Fundora. Sebastian.

Sebastian Fundora
I’m feeling strong. I’m feeling strong, we had a nice camp. After the last fight, we went straight back into camp for this fight. So, I’m just excited to put a great show for the fans.

Q
What is the added time in camp this time around done for you and how much more prepared do you feel?

Fundora
I feel very prepared for this fight. It’s done a lot especially in terms of sparring we had, especially because they change the date too. It just gives me more time to work and to prepare for this fight I plan to show it for this one too.

Q
In your last performance, you did something that no one’s ever done. You stopped Nathaniel Gallimore and you did in fantastic fashion. How much did that give you as far as confidence? What has that done for you in your mindset?

Fundora
That’s something me and my team always knew. It’s just showing the crowd that we can step it up, showing the fans that we’re not here to play, we’re actually here to do something in this division.

Q
Describe the changes that you’ve seen in yourself either physically, mentally as a boxer over just maybe the last year or two. What changes have you noticed?

Fundora
I feel myself getting more muscular and stuff like that. Just physical changes, getting faster and smarter in the ring. I’m learning to place punches in different places and to always have a smart mindset coming into the fight.

Q
Are you weary about fighting inside against someone with this type of power or is that the way you fight and you’re not changing it?

Fundora
I welcome it. I welcome it. I fought power punchers before. This last guy, Gallimore, was a power puncher. So, I welcome all the power. On December 5, we’ll see who hits harder.

Q
What type of message are you trying to send here in this matchup against Jorge Cota given that you’ve had a bout in February 22 against Daniel Lewis and then the KO over Nathaniel Gallimore?

Fundora
It’s just the work that we’re trying to display that, like I said, for the last fight, for the fight before that, we’re just trying to make a place in the division and hopefully become a champion.

Q
Are you trying to direct yourself or position yourself to have like a title shot with Charlo or maybe something against Erislandy Lara in the future?

Fundora
Of course. That’s every boxer’s dream. That’s the main goal of every fighter and that’s what we’re moving toward fight by fight.

Q
Would you be interested in a rematch against Jamontay Clark?

Fundora
I have to talk to my coach about that one. But winning on December 5 will definitely happen. I have no doubts like that in my mind. So, we’re just going up from there.

Q
I see for the past couple years you’ve been fighting three times a year. Going into 2021, is that something you would like to do as well?

Fundora
Yes. More fights, even more fights. I felt like this year was a slow down because of everything going on. But if I could do more than three fights, I’d love to.

Q
Was there anybody that you fought previously whose style resembles Jorge’s or that that you feel as though has prepared you to fight Jorge Cota?

Fundora
I don’t think so. Jorge is a whole different boxer. I never fought Jorge, so I can’t compare him to anybody else.

Q
On the 5th, will you be looking to knock him out coming off another good knockout win?

Fundora
Of course, of course that’s the main goal, that’s the main goal. But if it has to go to the decision, I’ll box him too.

Q
How are you looking forward to on December 5, being back into a fight with fans in the stands?

Fundora
All I’m worried about is the guy in front of me, which will be Jorge Cota. But it’s pretty exciting to have fans back in the building. I’m pretty excited about that. It’s a better feeling.

Q
We’ve heard from several fighters during all year long, how pretty much feels like a sparring session in the ring where you hear nothing but your coaches without fans. Is that kind of what you felt in the ring against Nat Gallimore?

Fundora
Not really. I mean it’s obviously different because you still have the pressure of the TV and everything on you. But, yes, I heard my coach, I heard the commentators, that’s how close everything was.

It wasn’t that bad. I can’t complain. It’s still a fight. I still kept everything prepared for that fight and the fans not being there didn’t really change that.

Q
Have you seen anything Cota’s past fights that you were able to pick up on?

Fundora
Of course. Yes, but it’s the competition, we’re not going to really say anything right now. You’ll have to see on fight night.

Q
Do you feel any added pressure heading into December 5 on a card of this magnitude against Jorge Cota?

Fundora
Definitely not. I felt like I really fought one of the biggest cards of this year with Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. This card will be the same. I feel like I’m born for this. So, when December 5 comes, I’m ready to put on a great fight and maybe steal the show.

Flores
Do you have any closing comments as you continue your preparation for your matchup against Jorge Cota?

Fundora
Like I said, I plan to make this fight an exciting one. I’m sure Jorge Cota will come in prepared and ready to bring an exciting fight and a healthy fight. December 5, be ready.

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. GARCIA
Spence vs. Garcia will see unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

ARLINGTON, TX. (October 8, 2020) – Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will duel two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia in the blockbuster main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, December 5 with fans in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features unbeaten super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Jorge Cota in a WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator in the co-main event. The lineup will also see all-action contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and Francisco “Chia” Santana squaring-off in a 10-round welterweight affair, plus former champion Julio Ceja faces featherweight contender Eduardo Ramirez in a WBC Featherweight Title Eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, Man Down Promotions and DSG Promotions, are on sale Wednesday, October 14 at 10 a.m. CT, and can be purchased at SeatGeek.com, the Official Ticketing Provider of AT&T Stadium. Spence vs. Garcia was originally scheduled for November 21.

AT&T Stadium, which has hosted NFL fans during the 2020 Dallas Cowboys season, will be following guidelines from the CDC with protocols regarding COVID-19 safeguards and cleaning procedures. All fans attending the event will be required to wear a mask. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups who are not known to one another. For more information on AT&T Stadium’s Safe Stadium Policy, please visit the site here: https://attstadium.com/safestadium/.

The hometown hero Spence will return to fight at AT&T Stadium after putting on a masterful performance in front of an enormous crowd at the Dallas Cowboys’ home last March, when he dominated four-division champion Mikey Garcia on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Possessing dangerous one-punch knockout power, two-division champion Danny Garcia was an indomitable force in the 140-pound division and has been equally powerful at welterweight, winning the WBC title in 2016. He will be looking to regain his 147-pound world title against Spence.

“In the tradition of memorable PBC welterweight clashes, Errol Spence Jr. vs. Danny Garcia will pit two fighters with elite skills and heavy hands against each other in a high-stakes showdown on December 5,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Every time Spence fights in front of his hometown fans it is an unforgettable and energetic evening. We’re excited to be able to bring those fans this great matchup with Spence going up against an elite and always dangerous two-division champion in Danny Garcia. With three all-Mexican wars on the undercard, this FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View is lined up to deliver action fights all night long.”

“We’re thrilled to deliver fans a blockbuster night of boxing headlined by Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr. battling Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia in an exclusive FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View special event,” said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming and Scheduling for FOX Sports. “This should be an epic evening of must-see fights, and we’re excited to deliver viewers the next best things to front row seats.”

“What an exciting event to look forward to as we welcome yet another championship fight to AT&T Stadium,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “We are honored to once again partner with TGB Promotions and Premier Boxing Champions and provide a top flight boxing match between Errol Spence Jr. and Danny Garcia on December 5.”

This will be the third FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View headlined by Spence (26-0, 21 KOs), whounified welterweight titles in September by besting Shawn Porter in one of the best fights of the year. Spence was launched into stardom when the 30-year-old first captured a welterweight crown by traveling to the U.K. to stop Kell Brook in front of his hometown fans in 2017. He followed up his title-winning victory with triumphs over Lamont Peterson and Carlos Ocampo in 2018.

Fighting out of his native Desoto, Texas, Spence will return to the ring for the first time since miraculously surviving a car accident last October where he was thrown from the vehicle before it crashed. Spence represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympics before turning pro later that year and scoring knockouts in 10 of his first 12 fights, showing the promise that he would eventually fulfill on the biggest stages of the sport.

“Having my comeback fight be in front of my hometown fans at AT&T Stadium is added motivation and a dream come true,” said Spence. “It means even more because I’m going up against a great champion in Danny Garcia. I know people are looking out to see if I’ve lost a step or won’t be at my best, but I’m 100% focused and everything is on point in training camp. I just can’t wait to go out there on December 5 and put on a show.”

Garcia (36-2, 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, Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Nate Campbell and Kendall Holt. Garcia also has been equally impressive at welterweight, defeating former world champions Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi, and Robert Guerrero.

After dominating the super lightweight division, the 32-year-old Garcia moved up to welterweight where he won the vacant WBC title with a unanimous decision over 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. Many observers and fans thought he deserved the decision in those matches. He bounced back from the Porter fight to score a spectacular knockout victory over Adrian Granados in 2019 and most recently dominated Ivan Redkach on his way to a unanimous decision in January.

“I’m very excited to get back in the ring,” said Garcia. “This is going to be my second fight of 2020, even though it’s been a crazy year with the pandemic and everything. I’m glad we’re finally getting back to where we were and that we’ll be able to bring this fight to the fans. This matchup is a mega-fight unification bout. It’s my opportunity to reclaim my spot at the top in this division and become a five-time world champion. Training and sparring has been going really well. I’m extremely prepared for this already and it can’t get here soon enough. Come December 5, I will be crowned unified champion!”

Towering at nearly six-feet six-inches, Fundora (15-0-1, 10 KOs) has used his height and length, combined with power and aggressiveness, to rack up an unbeaten record since turning pro in 2016. The 22-year-old owns two victories in 2020, beating then unbeaten Daniel Lewis by decision in February, before most recently becoming the first fighter to knock out Nathaniel Gallimore with his August triumph on FOX. Fighting out of Coachella, California, Fundora entered the ring three times in 2019, including TKO victories over then unbeaten fighters Donnie Marshall and Hector Manuel Zepeda, plus an exciting split-draw against fellow contender Jamontay Clark.

“I’m thrilled to be back in action on a card of this magnitude to finish the year off,” said Fundora. “We’ll be facing a very experienced opponent in Jorge Cota, who’s someone that always comes to fight and give the fans a great show, just like me. We’re going to train hard to go up against this challenge. I’m certain Cota is doing the same, which is going to make this a great fight on December 5.”

Representing his native Sinaloa, Mexico, Cota (30-4, 27 KOs) bested 154-pound contender Thomas LaManna in his last fight, battering LaManna before stopping him in the fifth-round. The 32-year-old has bounced back from a loss to unified 154-pound champion Jermell Charlo with back-to-back stoppage victories. Cota had won 12 of 14 fights prior to facing Charlo, with his only defeats coming to former unified champion Jeison Rosario and top contender Erickson Lubin.

“I’ve been fighting professionally for 11 years and I know that this fight is do-or-die for me,” said Cota. “I know that if I lose, that could be my last chance to fight for a world title. I will be prepared to retire. So I’m training like everything in my life depends on beating Fundora and that’s how I’m going to fight him on December 5.”

Lopez (37-8, 20 KOs) has long established himself as a fiery competitor and top contender in multiple weight classes and has compiled an impressive resume. He owns victories over Victor Ortiz, Miguel Cruz and Mike Dallas Jr., having given the last two the first defeat of their careers. Additionally, he has squared off against Canelo Alvarez, Andre Berto, Marcos Maidana and Jessie Vargas. In 2019 the Riverside, California native lost a majority decision to Keith Thurman, before most recently knocking out John Molina Jr. last September.

“I’m ready to get back to fighting,” said Lopez. “This is an all-action card, so it’s only right that I’m included on it. I’m expecting a great fight against an excellent fighter in Santana. I’m just working hard to put on the best performance that I possibly can on December 5. This is going to be a fun, tactical fight, but we’re also going to be very aggressive. This type of fight belongs on a huge pay-per-view event like this one. My training camp has gone really well and I can’t wait to steal the show on what I think will be the card of the year.”

Santana (25-8-1, 12 KOs) has taken on the toughest challenges at 147 and 154 pounds and has made his name with his action style throughout a long career as a contender. Santana returns to the ring after losing to former unified champion Jarrett Hurd in January. The Santa Barbara, California native owns a victory over Olympic gold medalist Felix Diaz in April 2018 and has faced unified champion Jermell Charlo and former champion Sadam Ali, while also fighting to a six-round draw against former unified champion Julian Williams in 2011.

“Me and Josesito are both throwback blood and guts gladiators,” said Santana. “I have nothing but respect for Josesito. We’re both fighters who have been underdogs throughout our careers and caused problems for the best fighters in the world. That combination is going to make this all all-out war and an instant classic. My motto is train, fight, win. On December 5, there is no other option.”

A former super bantamweight champion, Ceja (32-4-1, 28 KOs) will move up to featherweight as he seeks an opportunity to capture a championship in a second division. Ceja’s 2019 saw him engage in two action-packed battles, dropping a June contest to former champion Guillermo Rigondeaux and most recently fighting unbeaten super bantamweight champion Brandon Figueroa to a draw in November. The 27-year-old captured his 122-pound title with a stoppage of Hugo Ruiz in 2015, and has also challenged for a bantamweight title throughout his career.

“I’m very excited for this upcoming war between two Mexican fighters,” said Ceja. “I’m in Las Vegas and training hard every day. Camp is going perfectly and I will be 100% on December 5 so I can get one step closer to becoming world champion again.”

The 27-year-old Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with wins in three of his last four fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramirez most recently gave Leduan Barthelemy his first career loss via a fourth-round stoppage in their rematch last November, following up on their split-draw the first time they faced off. Overall, Ramirez has won 14 of his last 17 outings.

“I am in fantastic shape for this fight and I’m looking forward to showing off my improved skills once again,” said Ramirez. “I learned a lot in my loss against Claudio Marrero. I believe that I displayed those improvements when I beat Leduan Barthelemy. It was a big statement knocking him out and I can’t wait to make another statement in this fight against Ceja.”

#

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

About AT&T Stadium:
AT&T Stadium is one of the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the Home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, the 2015 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and the annual Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights, international soccer matches, and other special events. For more information, go to www.attstadium.com.

LOS ANGELES (August 8, 2020) – FOX Sports and Premier Boxing Champions announced today an exciting slate of boxing shows that will include action in some of the sports’ hottest divisions and is highlighted by the highly anticipated showdown between unified welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr. and two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia headlining the first in a series of FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-Views on Saturday, November 21.

The FOX PBC Fight Night return schedule kicked off tonight with Jamal “Shango” James taking on Thomas Dulorme for the WBA Interim Welterweight title from AEG’s Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The schedule includes six events that will be broadcast on FOX, one FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View and 11 shows on FS1, running from August 8 through the end of the year. Initially the live events will be held without fans in attendance at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

“The PBC back on FOX Sports is what we’ve all been working towards,” said Bill Wanger, Executive Vice President, Head of Programming and Scheduling, FOX Sports. “We’re looking forward to showcasing some of the top boxers in the sport on FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes and PPV throughout the rest of the year.”

See below for the FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX PPV Schedule for the remainder of 2020.

SHOWS ON FOX & FOX DEPORTES:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Jamal James vs. Thomas Dulorme – Interim WBA Welterweight Title
David Morrell Jr. vs. Lennox Allen – Interim WBA Super Middleweight Title
Omar Juarez vs. Willie Shaw – Super Lightweight Special Attraction

Top welterweight contender Jamal “Shango” James (26-1, 12 KOs) meets Thomas Dulorme (25-3-1, 16 KOs) for the Interim WBA Welterweight Title headlining a broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. James of Minneapolis has battled his way through a string of tough opponents to get to the threshold of a welterweight championship and will have to defeat Dulorme of Puerto Rico to take that last big step. In just his third pro fight, David Morrell (2-0, 2 KOs), who had an outstanding amateur career in the Cuban system, will meet Lennox Allen (22-0-1, 14 KOs) of Brooklyn for the Interim WBA Super Middleweight championship in the co-feature. Exciting super lightweight prospect Omar Juarez (7-0, 4 KOs) clashes with Oakland’s Willie Shaw (12-1, 8 KOs).

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
Shawn Porter vs Sebastian Formella – WBC/IBF Welterweight Title Eliminator
Sebastian Fundora vs. Nathaniel Gallimore – Super Welterweight Co-Main Event
Joey Spencer in a Six-Round Super Welterweight Special Attraction

Two-time welterweight champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) will take on Germany’s Sebastian Formella (22-0, 10 KOs) in a WBC/IBF eliminator headlining a broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Porter, who was born in Akron, Ohio and lives in Las Vegas, is coming off a 2019 Fight of the Year contender against Errol Spence, Jr., where he dropped a narrow split decision for the WBC and IBF titles. The undefeated Formella of Lauenburg, Germany will be making his U.S. debut. In the co-feature undefeated super welterweight sensation Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora (14-0-1, 9 KOs) takes on Nathaniel Gallimore (21-4-1, 17 KOs) in a major step up fight. Sensational super welterweight prospect Joey Spencer (10-0, 7 KOs) will also appear on the card in a six-round special attraction.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Erislandy Lara vs. Greg Vendetti – WBA Super Welterweight Title
Alfredo Angulo vs. Caleb Truax – IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator

Former super welterweight champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (26-3-3, 15 KOs) battles Greg Vendetti (22-3-1, 12 KOs) for the WBA Super Welterweight Title headlining a broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Lara, a former Cuban amateur standout, has fought all of the top 154-pound boxers in the sport, including Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Vendetti of Stoneham, Mass., will be looking to earn his first world championship. The co-feature will see battle-tested veteran Alfredo Angulo (26-7, 21 KOs) take on former super middleweight champion Caleb Truax (31-4-2, 19 KOs) in a 168-pound title eliminator. A special six-round attraction will also be announced for the broadcast.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
Yordenis Ugas vs. Abel Ramos – WBA Welterweight Title
Rances Barthelemy vs. Alberto Puello – Interim WBA Super Lightweight Title
Jesus Ramos in an Eight-Round Super Lightweight Special Attraction

Top welterweight contender Yordenis Ugas (25-4, 12 KOs) takes on Abel Ramos (26-3-2, 20 KOs) for the WBA Welterweight Title headlining a broadcast that begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Ugas, who was born in Cuba but now lives and trains in Las Vegas, has been one of the most active welterweights in the sport the last three years and will look to capture a welterweight title in his second attempt. The only man standing in his way is Ramos, who scored a stunning victory with a TKO stoppage that came with one second left in his fight against Bryant Perrella on FOX in February. In the co-feature, former two-division champion and super lightweight contender Rances Barthelemy (27-1, 14 KOs) clashes with unbeaten Alberto Puello (17-0, 9 KOs) for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim title. Hard-hitting, undefeated prospect Jesus Ramos (12-0, 11 KOs) will also appear in an eight-round super lightweight special attraction.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SHOW ON FOX SPORTS PBC PPV

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 on FOX SPORTS PBC PPV
Errol Spence, Jr. vs. Danny Garcia – WBC & IBF Welterweight World Titles

Undefeated unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence, Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) returns to defend his titles against two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia (36-2, 21 KOs) in one of the most anticipated boxing matches of the year headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Spence of Desoto, Texas will be entering the ring for the first time since being involved in a horrendous single-car accident where he was thrown from the vehicle before it crashed in Dallas last October. Philadelphia’s Garcia, a former unified super lightweight champion and a welterweight champion, aims to reclaim the WBC title he lost in a disputed decision to Shawn Porter and also pick up the IBF belt

SHOWS ON FS1 & FOX DEPORTES

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
The FS1 broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT after the FOX PBC Fight Night broadcast and features welterweight Mykal Fox (22-1, 5 KOs) taking on Lucas Santamaría (10-1-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round fight, sensational 18-year-old prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. (5-0, 3 KOs) battling Chris Rollins (3-1, 2 KOs) in a six-round super welterweight bout, and in an eight-round clash of unbeaten heavyweight prospects, Luis Peña (6-0, 6 KOs) faces Michael Coffie (9-0, 6 KOs) to kick off the action.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
The FS1 telecast is set to begin at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT following FOX PBC Fight Night.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
The FS1 telecast is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT preceding FOX PBC Fight Night.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
The FS1 telecast is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT preceding FOX PBC Fight Night.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21
The FS1 telecast is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT preceding FOX Sports PBC PPV.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT SHOW TO BE ANNOUNCED

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26
The FS1 telecast is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT preceding FOX PBC Fight Night.

NEW YORK – April 28, 2020 – SHOWTIME Sports will continue to present classic bouts from its vast archive of world championship fights every Friday night at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME throughout the month of May. SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS will also be available via the SHOWTIME streaming service and SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®.

The May SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS line-up highlights some of the biggest names in boxing in a slew of signature fights, including the 2017 blockbuster pay-per-view event Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor. Every Friday night, viewers will be able to relive classic encounters from all-time greats such as Mayweather, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and more, as well as the stars of today including Premier Boxing Champions fighters Errol Spence Jr., Leo Santa Cruz, Keith Thurman and more.

The scheduled is as follows.

• Friday, May 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • Kell Brook vs. Errol Spence Jr.
  • Spence vs. Lamont Peterson

Friday, May 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

• Keith Thurman vs. Shawn Porter
• Thurman vs. Danny Garcia
• Friday, May 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana I
  • Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor
• Friday, May 22 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • Kostya Tszyu vs. Ricky Hatton
  • Joe Calzaghe vs. Jeff Lacy
• Friday, May 29 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
  • Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton II
  • Santa Cruz vs. Abner Mares II

Combat sports analysts Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell will host live companion episodes of their digital talk show MORNING KOMBAT on the Morning Kombat YouTube Channel for select SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS telecasts. They will watch the fights along with viewers, give their real-time reactions and take questions from fans throughout the replay. Viewers can follow along and participate in the discussion by using the hashtag #FightFromHome.

A synopsis of the bouts featured on SHOWTIME BOXING CLASSICS is listed below.

Brook-Spence(May 27, 2017, Spence KO 11) – Spence goes into enemy territory and takes the IBF Welterweight Title away from Sheffield, England’s own Brook in an all-action affair at Bramall Lane in Sheffield. Brook’s left eye is badly damaged from Spence’s powerful punches and that proves to be the deciding factor in the bout. By the end of round nine, Brook’s left eye is grotesquely swollen and in round 10, Spence drops Brook with a flurry of punches. The 27-year-old Spence pours on the pressure in round 11 and with Brook’s eye in serious condition, he takes a knee on his own accord. Brook gets up at the count of 9 but referee Howard Foster waves it off, much to the disappointment of the 27,000 fans in attendance.

Spence-Peterson (January 20, 2018, Spence TKO 7) – Undefeated welterweight world champion Spence retains his IBF title with an impressive stoppage of former two-division champion Peterson. In his first defense since dethroning Brook, Spence outboxes a tough Peterson from start to finish, showcasing a wide array of skills, speed and power. The fight is ends prior to the start of the eighth round after Peterson’s trainer, Barry Hunter, calls for the stoppage.

Thurman-Porter (June 25, 2016, Thurman W 12) – In an old-fashioned Fight of the Year candidate, undefeated welterweight world champion Thurman defends his title and edges out former world champion Porter in a close but unanimous decision scored 115-113 by all three ringside judges at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The two fighters throw over 1200 punches combined in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING^® on CBS event.

Thurman-Garcia (March 4, 2017, Thurman W 12) – Thurman unifies boxing’s glamour division with a split-decision victory over Garcia, defending his WBA belt and picking up the WBC crown on boxing’s biggest stage in primetime on CBS. The close affair, which was only the third time undefeated fighters met to unify the 147-pound division, is scored 116-112 Thurman, 115-113 Thurman and 115-113 Garcia. Thurman comes out swinging and is the busier and more accurate fighter in nine-of-the-12 rounds. Garcia picks up the pace in the final rounds, but it’s too little too late for the previously undefeated Philadelphia native.

Mayweather-Maidana I (May 3, 2014, Mayweather W 12) – Mayweather prevails with a hard-fought majority decision victory over Maidana to become the WBA and WBC Welterweight Champion in front of over 16,000 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. For a moment, it seems like Maidana could do the unthinkable and hand pound-for-pound champion Mayweather the first loss of his brilliant career with his suffocating and blazing style. Instead, Mayweather’s defense and punching accuracy allow him to pick up his 46^th consecutive win with scores of 114-114, 117-111 and 116-112.

Mayweather-McGregor (August 26, 2017, Mayweather TKO 10) – Floyd Mayweather ends his historic career in style with a convincing technical knockout victory over UFC mega-star Conor McGregor in an unprecedented global sporting event that delivers 4.4 million domestic pay-per-view buys, second only to Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao in 2015. The 40-year-old Mayweather, fighting for the first time in 714 days, punishes McGregor with a series of blows to end the fight in the 10^th round. Mayweather goes out on top, becoming the first boxer to finish his career at 50-0, eclipsing the record he had previously shared with the legendary Rocky Marciano.

Tszyu-Hatton (June 4, 2005, Hatton TKO 11) – In front of 22,000 screaming fans, a largely unproven but hungry Ricky Hatton announces his entry to the upper echelons of the world boxing scene by recording an 11^th-round TKO over one of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxers to win the IBF Junior Welterweight World Title. After 11 rounds of boxing marked by Hatton’s signature stamina, aggression and heart, Tszyu’s corner decides to retire before answering the bell for the final stanza in one of the most memorable upsets British boxing has ever seen.

Calzaghe-Lacy (March 4, 2006, Calzaghe W 12) – In the most anticipated super middleweight match since Roy Jones defeated James Toney 12 years prior, Calzaghe produces a masterpiece win over the heavy pre-fight favorite Lacy to earn the WBO and IBF Super Middleweight titles. Calzaghe dominates throughout the fight, with the British fight fans chanting “Over-rated” at the American Lacy during the last three rounds. Calzaghe cuts Lacy over both eyes and causes blood to flow from Lacy’s nose midway through a fight that could have been stopped several times, and floors him in the 12^th. It is the 17^th time that Calzaghe defends his WBO 168-pound belt since outpointing Chris Eubank for the vacant title in October 1997.

Santa Cruz-Frampton II (January 28, 2017, Santa Cruz W 12) – Leo Santa Cruz executes his game plan brilliantly to reclaim the WBA Featherweight Championship in a rematch of his epic first fight with Frampton on July of 2016. Frampton is the more aggressive fighter in the second half of the encounter, but his aggression opens him up to effective counter shots from Santa Cruz, who wins with scores of 114-114 and 115-113 twice.

Santa Cruz-Mares II (June 9 2018, Santa Cruz W 12) – In an electrifying war that has the STAPLES Center crowd on its feet chanting for more, Santa Cruz defends his WBA Featherweight Championship by winning a unanimous decision in a rematch against four-division world champion Abner Mares. In a near statistical replica of the first fight that Santa Cruz won by majority decision in 2015, the three-division world champion Santa Cruz wins on all three of the judges’ scorecards by scores of 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111.

Last month, SHOWTIME announced that new customers who sign up before May 3 can take advantage of a 30-day free trial for the SHOWTIME streaming service, available on SHOWTIME.com and the SHOWTIME app on all supported devices.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Fights we want to see.
Fights we won’t see. It’s that time of the year. Old is supposed to give way to
the new. But boxing is a business that has seen it all, or almost all.  We still haven’t seen Terence
Crawford-versus-Errol Spence Jr. and I have a hunch we won’t see it in 2020
either. Hope springs eternal, but old habits make the world go ‘round.

Bob
Arum, who has seen it all, told The Athletic that boxing is poised for a terrific
year. All the fundamentals are there.

“It’s
going to be off the charts,’’ Arum said.

But
then there was the caveat. The if.

“If,’’
Arum said, “everybody doesn’t bleep it up.’’

Bleep
is a boxing habit. For whatever reason, it won’t stay in the spit bucket. It
always seems to be there just when you begin to think the battered game is
about to get up and off the canvas. Let’s face it, 2019 was forgettable.

Sure,
there were some moments. Canelo won at a fourth weight, winning a
light-heavyweight title in a 10^th-round knockout of Sergey Kovalev.
But did anybody really think that wasn’t going to happen?

It’ll
be a night remembered more for the delay in the opening bell. In a misguided
attempt to boost the DAZN audience, the logistics around a good Las Vegas fight
featuring boxing’s biggest draw waited until a UFC card in New York ended. It
was embarrassing and a sure sign that boxing’s place in the market and the
public imagination had further eroded.

That
slide will continue this year without a serious attempt at breaking out of the
same old bleep. The Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch on Feb. 22 looks as if it
could be a pretty good beginning, a launching pad to what Arum hopes will be an
off-the-charts year. I’d settle for a year that puts 2019 in the rear view
mirror.

Here
are a few predictions, all with the caveat in mind and the tongue in cheek.

• Wilder knocks out Fury. Fury, already a
  betting favorite, promises that Wilder won’t touch him. But the real question
  is this: Can Fury hurt Wilder? Fury is clever, yet he lacks power. Wilder lacks
  skill, but he is tough. He can withstand punishment. The longer the fight, the
  more likely it is that Wilder’s lethal right lands. This time, Fury doesn’t get
  up.
• Canelo, who gave up his light-heavyweight
  belt, fights Gennadiy Golovkin for a third time. DAZN’s investment mandates the
  bout. Canelo agrees, knowing it will generate significant income. There’s no
  debate about the result this time. Canelo wins a dominant decision.
• Mikey Garcia is again reminded of why there
  are weight classes. Garcia faces welterweight Jessie Vargas on Feb. 28, nearly
  a year after Spence easily beat him in a performance that said –round-to-round
  – that Garcia should have stayed at 135. Vargas keeps it close. But Garcia wins
  a narrow decision in a performance that suggests he’s vulnerable. Manny
  Pacquiao sees the fight—and the vulnerability. Pacquiao and Garcia agree to fight
  later in the year.
• Gervonta Davis fights for the second time at 135
  pounds. Misses weight for a second time, too.
• Jose Ramirez blows away Viktor Postol in China
  on Feb. 2 in a junior-welterweight bout. That sets up a unification title fight
  with Josh Taylor in either the UK or Las Vegas. Ramirez shows he can win
  anywhere, unifying the title and then looking to move up the scale to
  welterweight in a fight with Crawford.
• Anthony Joshua talks, talks and talks about
  Wilder-Fury, yet struggles against Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory defense of one
  of his titles in a spring bout. A bout with Wilder gets delayed until early
  2021.
• Emanuel Navarrete defends his
  junior-featherweight title two more times and moves up the scale to 126 pounds.
  But none of the featherweights will fight him. They’re afraid of him.
• Naoya
  Inoue comes back from eye-socket fracture sustained in Fight of the Year
  victory over Nonito Donaire. Inoue re-asserts his pound-for-pound credentials
  and adds another bantamweight belt against either Nordine Oubaali of France or Filipino Johnriel Casimero sometime in
  mid-year in either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

• Fury fights MMA,
  wrestles, writes another book and gets a television series, The Furys, A Kardashian Look at a Boxing
  Family.

• Floyd Mayweather Jr. says
  he’s coming back. Then says he’s not coming back. Throughout the next year,
  there will be as many rumors about Mayweather-Pacquiao 2 as there are pages in a
  calendar.

• Teofimo Lopez finally
  gets a shot at Vasiliy Lomachenko late in the year. He pulls off a stunner. He
  fights to a controversial draw with Lomachenko, the pound-for-pound No.1 in
  most ratings. But a rematch dictated by the draw never happens. Lomachenko is
  injured in the fight. Then, he decides to move back down the scale to a more
  natural eight, 130 or 126

• Bleep happens. That’s
  the only sure thing in this year or any other year.

LOS ANGELES – Today, FOX Sports announces Unified Welterweight Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. will have an interview during the broadcast of FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT: TONY HARRISON VS. JERMELL CHARLO II live on FOX Saturday, Dec. 21 (8:00 PM ET). This will mark the first interview that Spence Jr. has made since his horrific car accident that took place on October 10, 2019.

Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs) unified the IBF and WBC Welterweight World Titles against two-time champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter (30-3-1,17 KOs) in an action-packed fight of the year candidate at the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Tomorrow’s FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT features the highly anticipated rematch between WBC Super Welterweight Champion Tony “Superbad” Harrison and former world champion Jermell Charlo. Boxing begins with the two-hour FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT at 6:00 PM ET, headlined by top middleweight contender Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr. facing Mexico’s Juan Macías Montiel in a 10-round clash.

Below is programming information, the week’s on-air broadcaster roster and fight card lineup:

FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT: TONY HARRISON VS. JERMELL CHARLO II
Date: Saturday, Dec. 21
Network/Time: FOX, 8:00 PM ET
Fight Announcers: Brian Kenny, analysts Lennox Lewis and Joe Goossen
Bouts:
Tony Harrison (28-2, 21 KOs) vs. Jermell Charlo (32-1, 16 KOs) – 12 Rounds, WBC World Super Welterweight Championship
Efe Ajagba (11-0, 9 KOs) vs. Iago Kiladze (26-4-1, 18 KOs) – 10 Rounds, Heavyweight
Karlos Balderas (9-0, 8 KOs) vs. René Téllez Giron (13-1, 7 KOs) – 8 Rounds, Lightweight

For more information, visit FOX Sports Press Pass.

–FOX SPORTS–

About FOX Sports
FOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing Fox Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports arm of the FOX Network as well as FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Additionally, FOX Sports and social broadcasting platform, Caffeine, jointly own Caffeine Studios which creates exclusive eSports, sports and live entertainment content. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and BTN 2Go, as well as a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.

Unified Welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. was charged with DWI following his crash last week in Dallas, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

been charged with driving while intoxicated, a class B misdemeanor, a Dallas police spokesman said Wednesday evening. The Athletic first reported the DWI charge against Spence.

“Mr. Spence has been released from the hospital and will need to address those charges,” the Dallas police spokesman said. “As for getting a speed of the vehicle, we will not be getting one. It was a single-car accident with no other criminal charges. Therefore, no reason to get a warrant to pull the [black box] of the vehicle.”

By Norm Frauenheim-

It is as unforgiving a business as any. Boxing moves on, always moves on from tragedy. But the game stopped early Thursday morning in Dallas, on a road during the lonely hours after midnight and in the twisted wreckage of what was once a beautiful car.

A beautiful fighter survived just a few weeks after he looked immortal.

Pray for Errol Spence Jr.

He had emerged as a face of a resilient game and it looks as if he might need every bit of that trademark resiliency now. He is coming off the biggest fight of his career into what looks to be the biggest fight of his life. We cheered for him against Shawn Porter throughout 12 rounds of welterweight drama on Sept. 28.

We pray for him now in a collective cry of tweets and thoughts. Porter prays for him. Terence Crawford prays for him.

The news is hopeful. Premier Boxing Champions released a statement, an updated report on his condition fewer than 24 hours after he was rushed to Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

“Spence is awake and responding and his condition is listed as stable,” the PBC statement said. “He did not sustain any broken bones or fractures but has some facial lacerations. He is expected to make a full recovery.

“He is currently resting with his family by his side. They want to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes and are extremely grateful to the Dallas first responders who rushed to the scene to attend to Errol after the accident and the doctors who are taking care of him at the hospital.”

Exactly what happened is still being pieced together. According to a Dallas police report, Spence, of nearby Desoto, Tex., was driving his white Ferrari at a high speed when the vehicle hit the median and flipped wildly at about 3 a.m, Central Standard Time.

Spence, who reportedly was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the car. He was not a boxer then. He was everyman, caught in the cross hairs of time and place, simple physics and scary consequences.

It could’ve been you. Could’ve been me. His fight, our fight, is just starting. Pray that he wins this one.

Errol Spence Jr., IBF/WBC unified welterweight world champion, was involved in a serious, single-car accident in Dallas early Thursday morning and is being treated at a Dallas-area hospital. Spence is awake and responding and his condition is listed as stable. He did not sustain any broken bones or fractures, but has some facial lacerations. He is expected to make a full recovery.

He is currently resting with his family by his side. They want to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes and are extremely grateful to the Dallas first responders who rushed to the scene to attend to Errol after the accident and the doctors who are taking care of him at the hospital.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday at Staples Center welterweight titlist
Errol “The Truth” Spence split-decisioned “Showtime” Shawn Porter and unified
the WBC and IBF titles in an entertaining tilt that exceeded expectations by a
margin that was not small.  In Saturday’s
comain former super middleweight titlist David “La Bandera Roja” Benavidez
sliced up WBC beltholder Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell, proving once more how
emphatically class tells over time.

If Benavidez indeed proved the most intriguing
talent on the card, Spence-Porter nevertheless exceeded expectations at least wildly
and maybe more than that.

Here’s the main criterion for such an assertion:
When the mainevent began my eyes were fixed on the favorite, but by round 3 my
eyes were fixed on the underdog, on whom they stayed for most of the next 27
minutes of combat.  That is attributable
almost wholly to Porter’s professionalism and savvy but partially, too, to what
matchmaking woes rendered Spence so vulnerable to a fellow welterweight who
knew how to fight.

For large parts of many rounds Spence didn’t have
much of an idea what the hell Porter would do next and was offended by such
unpredictability.  Most of Spence’s recent
foes were predictable or if not predictable so impotent their capricious attacks
meant nil to the champ.  Not Porter.  Showtime Shawn was big enough and committed
enough and schooled enough – in the crucible of meaningful competition – to
discomfit The Truth quite a lot.

Spence did every technical thing better than
Porter and probably hit harder, too, but he did not set the conditions of the
confrontation the way weak opposition recently accustomed him to doing.  Frankly Porter walked through nearly all
Spence’s best shots and was flashed to the canvas by a fully leveraged Spence left
in round 11 but never imperiled.

Spence did not look invincible Saturday.  Most of us predicted a lopsided, dull affair,
and most of us were wrong.  No, Spence is
not great as we thought; yes, Porter is better than we thought.  A blessing upon both men for being
professional enough to show us these things.

The comain went about as planned, with a result
most predicted, but showed David Benavidez, however-youngest and
however-many-timesest champion, remains a work in progress.

Before I go further, let me confess Benavidez
enchants me like no other prizefighter currently.  He doesn’t know how good he is or how bad he
is.  He’s cocksure more than confident;
he’s pretty sure, where men like Hi-Tech and Bud and Canelo are certain.  Sometimes his smile is not congruent to his
mood.  From his physique to his chief
second’s urban-combat-outfitters attire, everything about Benavidez is
fragile.  To watch him closely is to know
the entire Benavidez train could derail at any moment (it may have derailed
even as you read this, or just before, or just after, or just now) with a drug
test or arrest or worse.

But damn, is he fun to watch.  Such nonchalance, such patience, such willingness.  He didn’t do things all that technically well
against Dirrell, Saturday, in part because he never thought he needed to.  He saw Dirrell as a chatty victim from the
bell’s first tone.  He liked the idea of
Dirrell’s courage and loved giving Dirrell a chance to exhibit it: Go on and
show us how brave you are, Dog, while I go smirky sadist on your right eye.

Benavidez is a natural because you cannot teach
his level of relaxation in a prizefight. 
If you doubt this, go back and watch videos of Oscar De La Hoya’s
greatest hits.  Few fighters of the last
generation had De La Hoya’s natural gifts, but the dude never learned to
relax.  There he is, even in his very
best moments, jaw bulging like a cheeky walnut. 
Which is why the worst moments of De La Hoya’s prime were marked by late-rounds
fading.

Which is also why Benavidez, a guy with all the
upperbody musculature of a prepubescent gamer, doesn’t get tired of punching his
statuesque opponents till well after they tire of punching him. 

Then there’s Sampson Lewkowicz – whose presence in
the Benavidez stable is the main thing allowing a weathered, withered observer
like me to dare stake his afición on a project with future heartbreak’s every
hallmark.  Lewkowicz has had his misses,
sure, but he’s also had Manny Pacquiao and Sergio Martinez when no one else
wanted them.  Benavidez already has tried
to break Lewkowicz’s heart a twopair or better, but Lewkowicz was there in Saturday’s
ring, one of few Red Flaggers without a vest on, and it made you hope reason
might continue to prevail upon Benavidez.

Capitalistic sensibilities, on the other hand,
will continue to prevail upon Errol Spence. 
Saturday’s postfight weirdness proves it.  Danny Garcia – seriously?  A year removed from his loss to Shawn Porter
(yes, that Shawn Porter) Swift came down from grooming One Time to challenge The
Truth before our disbelieving eyes. 
Whose idea was this? is Spence that covetous of Garcia’s WBC silver
title?

Spence is an excellent prizefighter who wants to
prove it.  PBC ought to let him.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Norm Frauenheim-

LOS ANGELES — Only the judges disagreed.

There was no debate about the drama that began early and lasted throughout 12 rounds Saturday night in a split decision won by Earl Spence Jr. over Shawn Porter for two pieces of the welterweight title in front of roaring crowd of 16,709 at Staples Center.

Judges Rey Denescon of California and Steve Weisfeld of New Jersey scored it 116-111 for Spence. Larry Hazard, Jr., also of New Jersey saw it different. Hazard scored 115-112 for Porter.

The crowd? It was unanimous. There was no dissent about what a terrific fight was. There was a little bit of everything. Porter made it rough and repeatedly forced Spence to show he had some grit to go along with his reach, power and speed. Spence had poise, a jab and the wherewithal to control the center of the ring at exactly the moments he had to. In the end, Spence also had one quick counter, a left, perfectly timed and placed, to score a knockdown of Porter. It was the key to the fight.

It knocked Porter off balance in the closing moments of the eleventh round. Porter grazed the canvas with a glove. But the touch was like a torch to his chances at an upset.

“I think that knockdown was the difference,” Porter (30-3-1, 17 KOs) said “I couldn’t come back to the corner with my head down after that.”

No, he didn’t. He pursued throughout the 12th round, the bout’s final three minutes. He rocked Spence with a couple of lefts. But there was no way to knock victory out of the bigger man’s powerful grasp.

“Porter was throwing a lot,” said Spence, still unbeaten at 26-0 with 21 KOs. “I wanted to show I was the bigger and stronger welterweight.”

Bigger and stronger, however, doesn’t necessarily mean the best. That’s still up for debate. Spence hopes to further cement his claim at being No. 1 at 147 pounds against Manny Pacquiao. But that still leaves the unresolved question about when or if he’ll ever face the Top Rank-promoted Terence Crawford, who celebrated a birthday Saturday. He’s 32. There are stiil no signs that a Crawford-Spence fight will happen before his next birthday.

“if I can’t get Pacquiao and nothing happens with Terence, maybe Danny Garcia,” said Spence, who collected a $2 million guarantee and could wind with more depending on the pay-pe-view numbers for the Fox telecast..

A sign of what might happen next, perhaps, was there among those who rushed into the ring to congratulate Spence. Danny Garcia was there, perhaps the most prominent face in Spence’s future.

“I’ve told my team, you line them up, I’ll knock them down,” Spence said.

Meanwhile, there was little talk of a rematch, despite a split card scorecards that seemed to dictate a sequel. Porter had no argument with the scoring.

“For me to say it was robbery, no, that ain’t coming form me,” Porter said. “Did you all like the fight?”

Oh, yeah.

In the co-main event, 22-year-old super-middleweight David Benavidez (22-0, 19 KOs) became boxing’s youngest two-time champion, scoring a ninth-roundd soppage of bloodied Anthony Dirrell (33-2-1, 24 KOs). Benvidez claimed the 168-pound title that was stripped from him when he tested positive for cocaine last year

“There are so many emotions coming at me at once, said Benavidez, whose $1 million purse is the biggest collected by an Arizona fighter since Hall of Famer Michael Carbajal, also of Phoenix, cashed a $1 million paycheck for his rematch loss to Humberto “Chiquita” Gonzalez in 1994. “We put so much hard work into this training camp. We left home and were away from everything. But I had the dream to become the youngest two-time super middleweight world champion and I made my dreams come true.

“Everything just fell in place perfectly. From the suspension to all the big fights I’ve been in. All of that helped me out in this fight. I did not make a mistake or open myself up more than I needed to. I worked behind my jab and got the stoppage. Things are going to get better and get tougher and I’m ready for the challenge.”

Errol Spence Jr. meets Shawn Porter in a Welterweight Unification Title bout.  There will be two world title bouts that highlight the undercard.  Anthony Dirrell defends the  Super Middleweight Title against former champion David Benavidez.  Mario Barrios and Batyr Akhmedov meet for the WBA Super Lightweight Title.  Josesito Lopez takes on John Molina Jr.

THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.  NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED

Round 1: Porter trying to work on the inside..Left from Porter..Left from Spence..Combination..

Round 2 Good right from Porter…Counter from Spence…Right from Porter..Right..Left from Spence..

Round 3 Left to body from Spence…Jab..Good right from Porter..Left from Spence..Spence warned for low blow…left from Spence

Round 4  2 hard rights from Porter..Good body shot from Spence..Good left..2 lefts from Porter..Bog left…Porter being aggressive..Left hook..Combination..Left from Spence..

Round 5 Counter left from Spence..Counter from Porter..Good left from Spence..Counter..Counter from Porter..Left from Spence..Left..

Round 6 Spence landing hard shots on the ropes..Nice right from Porter..

Round 7 Porter lands a jab..Right..Left to the body..Good left to body from Spence..left uppercut to body..Body shot and combination from Porter..Hard right to the body

Round 8 Good left from Spence..Nice right from Porter…Counter left and right from Spence..

Round 9 Hard uppercut from Porter…Hard right inside…

Round 10  Good body shot from Spence..Hard flurry on the ropes..Good action on the ropes..Spence cut on right eyebrow from accidental Headbutt

Round 11 Good right hook from Spence…LEFT AND DOWN GOES PORTER..Toe to Toe action…Good right from Porter

Round 12 Right from Porter..Left hook from Porter..Big right from Porter..Good right…Both guys standing and throwing in the middle of the ring

221-172 Punches in favor of Spence

116-111 Spence…115-112 Porter….116-111 Spence

Round 1 Right from Benavidez..Right to body from Dirrell

Round 2 Right to body from Dirrell..Right from Benavidez..Straight right from Dirrell..Right…Jab from Benavidez..3 punch combination

Round 3 Counter right from Benavidez…Body/Head combination..Right on the ropes..Hard left

Round 4 Right from Dirrell..Hard combination on the ropes

Round 5 Benavidez lands a 5 punch combination..

Round 6 Body shot from Dirrell..Dirrell cut around his right eye…CUT FROM A PUNCH

Round 7 Doctor looking at the cut…Right from Benavidez..

Round 8 Body shot from Benavidez…2 lefts..left to body..2 hard head shots

Round 9 Jab from Benavidez..4 punch combination…Body shot..Benavidez battering DIRRELL AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1:Right from Akhmedov..Left uppercut from Barios..

Round 2 Right from Barrios…Left to body from Akhmedov..

Round 3 Right hook from Akhmedov..2 rights from Barrios..Body

Round 4 Barrios lands a straight right…DOUBLE HOOK AND DOWN GOES AKHMEDOV…Right from Barrios..Left from Akhmedov

Round 5 Right from Barrios…Left from Akhmedov..And another

Round 6 Body shot from Akhmedov..Counter right from Barrios..Left

Round 7 Left from Akhmedov..Right to body…Jab…Barrios cut over the left eye

Round 8 Right hook from Akhmedov…Jab from, Barrios..Jab to the body..Jab.Counter right

Round 9 Akhmedov comes forward…Left..Good right from Barrios..

Round 10 Counter left and combination from Akhmedov…left..Good Jab..God straight left..Big left drives Barrios back

Round 11 Double left from Akhmedov…left…Akhmedov pressuring..Another left..

Round 12 INSIDE RIGHT..DOWN GOES AKHMEDOV

114-112, 115-111, 116-111 FOR BARRIOS

Round 1 LOPEZ LANDS A RIGHT AND DOWN GOES MOLINA…Right fr4om Molina..Overhand right staggers Molina….BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES MOLINA..Big right

Round 2 Lopez lands a flush right..2 Rights…Left from Molina..Big right from Lopez..

Round 3 Right from Lopez..

Round 4 Left from Lopez..Hard jab..

Round 5 Right from Molina.Right hand…Right Hand/Left Hook..Right..

Round 6 Hard shots by both guys…Good right from Lopez..

Round 7 Left from Molina..Right from Lopez..DOUBLE LEFT AND RIGHT AND DOWN GOES MOLINA..

Round 8 Big right from Lopez…REFEREE STOPS THE BOUT

Round 1  Guerrero working

Round 4 combination from Thomas  Jab from Guerrero

Round 5  Jab from Guerrero  body combination left to the body  uppercut

Round 6 Guerrero lands a left

Round 7 Body work from Guerrero..Straight left..Guerrero outlanding Thomas 74-29

Round 8 Combination from Guerrero…1-2..Straight left..Inside left

Round 9 Thomas pushing the action..Has Guerrero on the ropes

Round 10 Inside right hook from Guerrero..3 Punch combination…Lett from Guerrero

Round 1 Spencer lands a left hook..BIG RIGHT DOWN GOES GANBERDELLA…BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES GAMBERDELLA AGAIN

Round 2  HUGE COMBINATION..LEFT TO BODY AND DOWN GOES GAMBERDELLA..Big live shot…Huge Barrage from Spencer.

Round 3 BIG BARRAGE OF PUNCHES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Errol Spence Jr. and Shawn Porter thrilled the crowd at Staples Center in Los Angeles in a unification bout that saw Spence walk away with both the IBF/WBC Welterweight titles via thrilling split decision in a terrific action contest.

The fight did not lack action as Porter pushed the fight, but that left him open for some great body work from Spence. Porter was able to get inside and throw and occasionally land some hard overhand rights that would land flush on the side of the head of Spence. Spence’s work was made up mostly of solid counters and good work along the ropes.

The two took turns being the boss and taking rounds. The fight seemed to be sealed in round 11 when Spence landed a short left hand that sent Porter to a knee. The two pleased the crowd one more time as the fought at a furious pace for the last three minutes of the bout.

Spence, 147 of Dallas, TX took two cards 116-111 while Porter won on a card by a 115-112 tally.

Spence is 26-0. Porter, 147 lbs of Akron, OH is 30-3-1.

“It feels good to win,” said Spence. “This is a lifetime dream. It shows hard work pays off. Thanks Shawn Porter, my whole team and all my Texas people for coming out.”

“Shawn Porter is a rough and awkward fighter,” said Spence. “I didn’t get off what I wanted to. He’s a true champion. He made it tough.”

“He’s a strong kid,” said Porter. “We both came in to do the job. I think I had a little more than what he expected, but he handled it. Congratulations to him and his team. We’re proud of what we did.”

“I think that knockdown was the difference,” said Porter. “I couldn’t come back to the corner with my head down after that.”

“All my punches have bad intentions,” said Spence. “By boxing Mikey Garcia, I wanted to show people I could do it with that style. Porter was throwing a lot. I wanted to show I was the bigger and stronger welterweight.”

It looks like Spence will now defend against Danny Garcia.

“It was a top dog fight tonight,” said Garcia. “I want you next Errol. It was a tough rugged fight. Shawn Porter is a tough fighter. I’m here to say I want next.” “My how the tables have turned,” said Spence. “I’ve told my team, you line them up, I’ll knock them down.”

David Benavidez regained the WBC Super Middleweight title with a 9th round stoppage over Anthony Dirrell.

In round six, Dirrell was cut over the right eyelid from a straight right hand from Benavidez.

The opened up the floodgates for Benavidez as he started to slowly breakdown and eventually batter Dirrell in the 9th frame until the bout was stopped at 1:39.

Benavidez, 167.6 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is 22-0 with 19 knockouts. Dirrell, 167.6 of Flint, MI is 33-2-1.

“Everything just fell in place perfectly,” said Benavidez. “From the suspension to all the big fights I’ve been in. All of that helped me out in this fight. I did not make a mistake or open myself up more than I needed to. I worked behind my jab and got the stoppage. Things are going to get better and get tougher and I’m ready for the challenge.”

“He hit me with a clean shot,” said Dirrell. “That’s my first time ever being cut by a punch. It opened up. There was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t see the whole fight after that. My corner did a good job on it, but I really couldn’t see.”

“There are so many emotions coming at me at once,” said Benavidez. “We put so much hard work into this training camp. We left home and were away from everything. But I had the dream to become the youngest two-time super middleweight world champion and I made my dreams come true.”

“I would have kept going in there,” said Dirrell. “I’m not quitting against anybody. Everyone saw I didn’t go down. My legs were still strong, but I couldn’t do anything about it.  “We’re going back to the drawing board. I’m still fighting. We won’t end on a loss. You can put anybody in there with me.”

Mario Barrios captured the WBA Super Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Batyr Akhmedov.

Mario Barrios captured the WBA Super Lightweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Batyr Akhmedov.

In round four, Barrios dropped Akhmedov with a double left that was followed by a right. Akhmedov made a hard charge over the next several rounds, and wound up outlanding Barrios by over 100 punches.

Barrios sealed the fight with a hard right hand in round 12 that sent Akhmedov to the canvas.

Barrios, 140 lbs of San Antonio, TX won by scores of 116-111, 115-111 and 114-112 to go to 25-0. Akhmedov of Uzbekistan is 7-1.

“I knew this was going to be a war,” said Barrios. “He was getting dirty in there but the Mexican warrior in me was not going to let this opportunity pass me by. I dug deep and got the victory.” 

“The plan was to gradually grow the activity,” said Akhmedov. “I knew that I had to win by a wide margin. After the first knockdown, I knew that I had to add activity more quickly than I had planned. So I started being more aggressive. I did everything I could to try to stop him.”

“I promised my city of San Antonio that I would bring this title back home and I did it,” said Barrios. “The judges see better than I can from the ring,” said Akhmedov. “I did everything I could. I thought I won the fight. They decided that he won the fight. When I watch the fight I’ll be able to tell you what it looked like. My job is to do everything to win. The judges are supposed to judge correctly. “I tried to do everything I could. I was told that I wouldn’t be able to handle his experience, but he was on the ropes most of the fight. I beat him up and I thought I won the fight.”

Josesito Lopez stopped John Molina Jr. in round eight of a scheduled 10-round welterweight bout,

In round one, Lopez dropped Molina twice. 1st with a right and then seconds later with a body shot. Lopez won most of the rounds, but Molina was dangerous at times as he landed hard rights from time to time.

In round seven, Lopez landed a double left that was followed by a right that sent Molina down for a 3rd time. In the eighth, Lopez landed a couple more hard shots, and the bout was stopped.

Lopez, 146.6 lbs of Riverside, CA is now 37-8 with 20 knockouts. Molina, 146.2 lbs of Covina, CA 30-9.

“We both carry power in our hands so it wasn’t a surprise someone went down,” said Lopez. “It easily could have happened to me with the power he has. I was able to catch him early, find openings and get the finish.”

“You can never take the fight out of a fighter,” said Molina. “I have a never say die attitude and I have my whole career. It was a tough fight, but the better man won tonight.”

 “I knew he wasn’t going to quit,” said Lopez. “He’s a warrior. I had to keep on the pressure. I was thinking that hopefully the ref and the team made the right call to finish it at the right time.”

“I wanted to keep going at the end,” said Molina. “I thought I was still coherent and could still move well. But you can’t go against what the referees say.”

“There’s a lot more ‘Riverside Rocky’ left,” said Lopez. “Robert Garcia has turned my career around. I’m a race car and like NASCAR, I’ve got a whole team behind me. I’m a top 10-level fighter. I’m going to give any fighter and any world champion a run for their money. I want memorable fights and I want the best.”

Former world champion Robert Guerrero won a lackluster 10-round unanimous decision over Jerry Thomas in a welterweight bout.

Guerrero146.8 lbs of Gilroy, CA is now 36-6-1. Thomas, 146.6 lbs of St. Marys, KS is 14-2-1.

“I want to get back into those bigger fights,” said Guerrero. “I moved around and stayed smart in there tonight. The goal was to stick to the game plan and I did until the end of the fight, but then I got right back on it. You just have to keep working out the kinks and that’s what I’m going to keep doing.”

Joey Spencer remained undefeated by stopping Travis Gamberdella in round three of their welterweight bout.

In round one, Spencer was dominant, and dropped Gambderlla twice. In round two, Spencer came out like gangbusters and dropped Gamberdella with a big left to the body.

In round three, Spencer landed a huge combination, and the bout was stopped at 53 seconds.

Spencer, 155.8 lbs of Linden, MI is now 9-0 with seven knockouts. Gamberdella, 155 lbs of Revere, MA is 5-1-2.

“The body shots weren’t really the plan going in,” said Spencer. “I started off with head shots and he was taking those well. I put one downstairs and I instantly saw it affect him badly. I knew it was a wrap. I was going to keep going to the body.”

“I thought the referee was going to stop it in the second round,” said Spencer. “When he let him go I took a deep breath and made sure not to punch myself out. I stuck to my jab and let the rest take care of itself.”

“I’m so happy with the improvements that I was able to show tonight on the big stage,” said Spencer. “I’m really excited for what’s to come.”

Fabian Maidana dismantled Ramses Agaton with a 1st round stoppage in a scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

Maidana floored Agaton in the opening seconds with a hard right hand. Maidana sent Agaton down again the opening frame with a body shot. Maidana finished the deal with another body shot that put Agaton down, and the fight was stopped at

Maidana, 146 lbs of Margarita, ARG is 17-1 with 13 knockouts. Agaton, 147 lbs of Mexico is 21-11-3

Leon Lawson III stopped Alan Zavala in round three of a scheduled eight-round super welterweigt bout.

Lawson dropped Zavala hard with a right hand in the corner, and Zavala stayed on the seat of his pants for the 10-count at 2:27.

Lawson, 157.4 lbs of Flint, MI is 12-0 with five knockouts. Zavala, 157 lbs of Tijuana, MX is 15-7.

Alfonso Olvera scored an upset by winning a eight-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Amon Rashidi in a welterweight bout.

Olvera, 147 lbs of Nogales, MX won by scores of 79-73 twice and 78-74, and is now 14-6-3. Rashidi, 146.3 lbs of Dallas, TX is 7-1.

In a battle of Dallas based featherweights, Juan Antonio Lopez decisioned Fernando Garcia.

Lopez is 15-7. Garcia is 12-2.

By Norm Frauenheim-

Shawn Porter is good with a microphone. He uses it to analyze. He uses it to comment. Predict and argue, too. He also uses it to deliver a few opening salvos in the opening rounds of the fight before the fight. Psychology always precedes the punches, and that’s where Porter appears to have gained a slight edge over the favored Errol Spence in their welterweight unification fight Saturday night at Los Angeles’ Center.

Porter, a Fox studio analyst when he isn’t in the gym, has spun all the rhetorical angles at Spence, who delivers more ounches from angles than one liners.

It’s been entertaining. It’s also been something of a diversion. It’s hard to tell if any of the talk has had any impact on Spence. He’s tough to read. Tougher to beat. Just ask Mikey Garcia, who came up in weight and appeared to be winning all of the news conference and media appearances. At opening bell in a ring at about the 50 yard line on the Dallas Cowboys home field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., last March, however, Garcia never had a chance in losing a one-sided decision. Porter, of course, has an explanation for that. He has said repeatedly that Garcia was a lightweight making a futile jump to welterweight.

“Truth is,” Porter said in repeated play on Spence’s nickname, “is that I’m a real 147-pounder.”

But, truth is, Porter rarely mentions a common foe who sums up the difference between the two: Kell Brook. Porter (30-2-1, 17 KOs) lost to Brook. Spence (25-0, 21 KOs) beat him.

Spence knocked him out in in 2017, scoring an 11th-round stoppage in an eye-opening upset in Sheffield, Brook’s hometown in the UK. Brook was coming off a loss, a fifth-round stoppage, to Gennadiy Golovkin at middleweight at a time when GGG was in his prime. The two-division jump up the scale was too much for Brook. He returned to his natural weight, which he had dominated. But he had no answer for Spence.

About three years earlier in 2014, Porter, a heavy favorite, lost a majority decision to Brook in Carson, Calif. The victory over Porter did for Brook what the victory over Brook did for Spence. Each went from interesting to the most feared welterweights of their day. In terms measured by physical dimensions, Porter will see and then encounter a fighter built a lot like Brook Saturday on Fox PPV. At 5- foot 9, Brook was a big welterweight. At 5-10, Spence is even bigger. Spence also has three more inches in his reach than Brook, 72 to 69.

Truth is, all of those numbers add up to tougher task for Porter, who is listed at 5-7 with a 69 1/2-inch reach. Porter’s argument is that Spence has never had to face the kind of adversity Spence has. Porter has had to fight his way out of trouble. Spence never has. But there’s a reason for that, one as simple of that tale on the tape and a common foe, Brook.

Prediction: Spence wins a unanimous decision.

LOS ANGELES (September 26, 2019) – Fighters competing in FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View and Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes action went face-to-face Thursday at a final press conference before they compete in action this Saturday, September 28 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by the highly-anticipated welterweight title unification between IBF Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBC Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter. Facing off Thursday and entering the ring in pay-per-view action were Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and Batyr Akhmedov, who compete for the vacant WBA Super Lightweight Title, and all-action veteran contenders Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and John Molina Jr., who meet in a welterweight attraction.

Thursday’s press conference also featured former three-time world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and Jerry Thomas, who square-off in a welterweight fight, and top prospect Joey Spencer and unbeaten Travis Gambardella, who go toe-to-toe in a super welterweight bout, all part of FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Prelims on FS1 and FOX Deportes beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TGB Promotions and Shawn Porter Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from the Wilshire Grand Ballroom II at the Intercontinental Hotel:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I appreciate everyone who made this fight happen. This is the biggest opportunity of my career and I’m excited. I had a great training camp and I’m prepared to put on a show for everyone watching.

“Winning this fight would mean everything to me. This has been a long road and I’ve been very patient. My opportunity is finally here and I’m not letting it slip by.

“His team pas put Akhemdov on the fast track to a world title, but it’s going to end up being their biggest mistake.

“I feel great at 140-pounds. This is the strongest I’ve felt in my career, which is why I have eight straight stoppages. I’m going in there with bad intentions for Saturday.

“I see myself right there with the champions at 140-pounds. I’m going to put them all on notice and the whole boxing world will have to take notice as well.

“The opportunity is in front of me right now. All I have to do is go out there Saturday night to take advantage.

“I have the ability to box or bang on the inside. I have speed, power and the size for this weight to be a problem. I’ve been ready for any of the top fighters.

“It’s been a long time since San Antonio had a world champion and having this chance to be the first in a while, makes it that much better. I promised my city a title when I turned pro, and it’s here now. No way I’m going home without that title.”

BATYR AKHMEDOV

“I’m not here to talk too much. I’m going to talk in the ring on Saturday night and have my hand raised.

“This was a long road for me. Since my first day in boxing, I wanted to fight for the title. Now I’m one step away. I believe in myself and I believe that on Saturday I’m going to bring the belt home.

“I don’t know much about Barrios and I haven’t watched his fights. My team has studied him and will come up with a great game plan. My opponent will only fight the style that I allow him to fight.

“I have been doubted my whole career. People have always said that I was moving too fast in the pros. Now we’re on the eighth fight and I’ll prove everyone wrong again.

“Being in the desert in Southern California for training is great for me. The sparring is great and combined with the coaching from Joel and Antonio Diaz, it’s a perfect complete package.”

JOSESITO LOPEZ

“I’m really excited to be here. This is a great event. I can’t wait for this fight. Make sure you tune in early because this fight is going to be all action. I’m prepared for everything that’s going to happen on Saturday.

“I’m really pumped up to get it on Saturday. Right now I’m just laid back and relaxing. All the hard work is done. Weigh-in next then we’re ready to head into Saturday.

“I’ve been known for my left hook but I think I’ve made a lot of improvements in how I throw my right hand. It’s going to be a lethal combo.

“It’s going to be action and violence on Saturday night. I’m excited for it. I’m in this sport to be in marquee fights like this. This is going to be a fight everyone remembers.

“STAPLES Center is a place where I really got the opportunity to make a name for myself. Ever since then, I’ve been putting it all on the line, time and time again. By having a never give up attitude, anything is possible.”

JOHN MOLINA JR.

“I believe Lopez and myself are going to set the bar really high on fight night. It’s an all action fight. As a fan of the sport, I’d love to sit back and watch. We’re prepared and ready to go give everyone a great show.

“This fight has been a long time coming. We came up in this sport around the same time and I always thought he would be a great challenge. If you want to look for someone who has a resume close to mine, it would be Josesito.

“I’m excited because this is a challenge. I know this is no easy fight. It’s going to be spontaneous combustion. It’s instant fight, just add water.

“It’s going to be all action. The butterflies are starting to kick in and that means I’m ready to go now. The hard work is done, the weight is good, and we’re ready to go to work.

“We sparred back in the day but the only thing I’ll say is, that if that session is what you’ll see on Saturday, you’re going to really enjoy it.”

ROBERT GUERRERO

“This is a huge event to be on. I’m blessed to be in this position. I’m ready to go and I’m in great shape. I can’t wait to go out there and make it happen.

“I just love this sport. When you’re a junkyard dog that’s what you are. You want to go out and fight. I’ve been feeling great and I can’t wait to go make it happen.

“I’ve had a great camp in Las Vegas. In past years, I wasn’t even having a strong training camp like this. When you’re at this top level, you can’t leave any stone unturned, and I was leaving them unturned. Now, it’s time to take care of business on Saturday.

“I want to jump right back into these big fights. There’s a stacked welterweight division and it continues on Saturday night. This fight puts me right back in line.”

JERRY THOMAS

“I’m grateful to be here with an opportunity to fight Guerrero and show everyone what I’ve got. I’m expected to lose, but I’m not going to. I’m here to win and I expect to win.

“It’s a little surreal to be in a fight against Roert Guerrero. He’s a warrior, so this is going to be a great fight. But I think his career is coming to an end and I have an opportunity to make that happen.

“I really didn’t think my career would ever be here, but I’ve been ready for this forever. Now is my opportunity to put on a show, and it’s going to be a good one.”

JOEY SPENCER

“It’s an honor to be a part of an event like this. I can’t wait to go out there and perform my best. My opponent is coming to fight and I’m excited to show everyone my skills.

“People have expectations from me having this exposure at a young age, but I like it. It’s going to prepare me for the pressure of future fights better than others might be. I’m happy with the way I’m progressing.

“In a perfect world, I’ll be a top contender by this time next year. Hopefully, I’ll be talked about with the other champions. That’s the dream and that’s what I’m working for.”

TRAVIS GAMBARDELLA

“I can’t express how excited I am to be here. This is the biggest stage I’ve competed on and I’m very thankful for the opportunity.

“This is a dream come true. I got this fight because of what I’ve done in my career so far. This is the biggest moment of my life. Everything I’ve worked for the last 15 years comes into this.

“I’ve been through every bit of adversity that you could fathom to get to this moment. It’s a blessing and it’s been a long time coming.”

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. PORTER
Spence vs. Porter pits unbeaten IBF Welterweight Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. against WBC Welterweight Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter in a 147-pound title unification that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event on Saturday, September 28 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view event begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell facing unbeaten former champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez in the co-main event, unbeaten contenders Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and Batyr Akhmedov battling for the WBA Super Lightweight title, and rugged veteran Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and brawler John Molina Jr. competing in a 10-round welterweight fight.

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

LOS ANGELES (September 25, 2019) – IBF Welterweight World Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBC Welterweight Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter had an intense faceoff at Wednesday’s final press conference before they headline a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View this Saturday, September 28 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The press conference also featured WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell and former world champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez exchanging words before they clash in the co-main event of pay-per-view action that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TGB Promotions and Shawn Porter Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from the Wilshire Grand Ballroom II at the Intercontinental Hotel:

ERROL SPENCE JR.

“I feel like all of my fights prepared me for this moment. Porter is not like Mikey Garcia. They have different styles and different mentalities. But there are a lot of distractions fighting at home and I feel like I overcame that to lead me to this point.

“I don’t make anything of the words he’s saying. We train hard and we’re focused and prepared for anything he brings Saturday night.

He’s been talking a lot, his dad’s been talking a lot and I’m going to shut him up. They’re going to call me the “show stopper’ after Saturday night.

“I’ve prepared for everything. It’s all about adjustments. I make them fast in the ring. People thought Kell Brook’s experience would help him but it didn’t at all. I can adjust to my opponent’s style and we will show it Saturday.

“I’m ready to go. I never missed weight and I’m always professional. It’s just hard work and dedication. I’m going to be even more ripped and ready than I was against Mikey Garcia.

“This is going to be an amazing event come Saturday night. I will be the unified champion of the world. Shawn comes to fight and I embrace that. I can’t wait because I promise this is going to be one for the history books.

“I just have to do what I’ve been doing. I don’t care about the rounds as long as it doesn’t go 12.
I’m going to win and do it in dominating fashion.

“It’s important to me to get the knockout. It’s a goal of mine to stop him and I hope to get it done. If can’t get it done, then I’m just going to be comfortable with the victory. But you know I’m looking for the stoppage.”

SHAWN PORTER

“It’s the competitor in me to get at him any way I can. Until that bell rings, we’ll do whatever we need to do to let him know we’re really here to fight him.

“When you’re in there with a top level opponent, it’s supposed to be a close action packed fight. I have everything it takes to make each fight exciting when I step into the ring.

“Everyone has seen everything what I’ve done in my career. Everyone knows I can take a punch and I’ll be there from the first round to the last round. We’ll see what happens to Errol as the fight goes on.

“This is the best camp I’ve ever had. The nutrition and everything has been spot on. I’m ahead of schedule and that’s where I plan to stay. I expect to be eating Friday morning.

“I’m aggressive and I’m strong and guys can’t handle it. There are things that happen in the ring and you just have to move with it. I’m always ready to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

“I expected it to get heated today. I know that if I fire at Errol, he’s going to fire back. That’s how the fights going to be as well. Everyone got a good taste of what you’ll see Saturday.

“Being in the underdog position is literally where I come from. Northeast Ohio is always an underdog. Everybody works where I come from. We always do the best we can.

“The resume is for everyone else to compare and contrast. For me, it’s all about who’s in front of me. I believe I have the right recipe to be the person to get the job done Saturday. I have the style to challenge him physically and mentally.

“We didn’t change too much of our program heading into this fight. For the second time we went down to Washington, D.C. for part of our camp.”

ANTHONY DIRRELL

“The underdog or the favorite I’m always going to ”The Dog’ no matter what. People can have their opinion on the odds, but it doesn’t play into my mentality at all for this fight.

“This is a fight that could very well steal the show on this pay-per-view. It’s an honor to be in this position. It’s a dream to be on a card like this defending my title.

“I have to see how it plays out, but age is just a number. You see Manny Pacquiao and fighters like that who went out and beat younger opponents. You have to be determined and still focused on the game.

“Experience is definitely a big key in this fight. I think that he has holes in his game and I’m going to expose it on Saturday night.

“The cut from my last fight won’t be an issue for this one. That fight was over six months ago, so if it’s going to heal, it should be healed. It doesn’t affect anything I’m doing in the ring.

“My training camp in Las Vegas was spectacular. It’s all about taking yourself out of your comfort zone and push yourself to the max to be successful at this elite level.

“I don’t think this fight is going the distance and I know I’m having my hand raised at the end. He got dropped with a jab and I hit harder than Ronald Gavril.”

DAVID BENAVIDEZ

“I’m very motivated for this fight. I feel like I have another opportunity to not just get a title, but take it from a champion. I’ve worked very hard for this fight. Dirrell has never been knocked out and I’m taking the challenge to be the man who does it.

“This is the perfect time for this fight. I’m getting stronger every day. Dirrell feels like he has a lot to prove to the fans. So it’s going to be a war as long as it lasts.

This is going to be an amazing card. It’s a stacked card from beginning to end. I want to make a statement and steal the show.

“Dirrell is a great fighter and we’re both ready for what we’re going to do. There’s a respect between us, but I’m going for the knockout. If I don’t, he’s going to get a beating.

“I’m definitely going to make this weight class my home. I have no problem at all making weight. There’s a lot of great fights to be made at super middleweight and we’re going to stay here as long as we can get those fights done.

“As of right now, all of my attention is on Anthony Dirrell. We give him the respect he deserves because he’s a champion at the end of the day. It’s going to take my best to beat him and we’re looking forward to doing it.

“Dirrell has experience, plus some speed and power. He can change from orthodox to southpaw and has a lot of tricks in his book. He’s been in there with some good fighters. But what motivates me the most is that he’s never really been hurt and I want to be the first. I know when I put my hands on somebody, I can hurt them.”

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ABOUT SPENCE VS. PORTER
Spence vs. Porter pits unbeaten IBF Welterweight Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. against WBC Welterweight Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter in a 147-pound title unification that headlines a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event on Saturday, September 28 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

The pay-per-view event begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell facing unbeaten former champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez in the co-main event, unbeaten contenders Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and Batyr Akhmedov battling for the WBA Super Lightweight title, and rugged veteran Josesito “The Riverside Rocky” Lopez and brawler John Molina Jr. competing in a 10-round welterweight fight.

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

LOS ANGELES, CA (September 25, 2019) – Undefeated super lightweight prospect, Justin “The Stallion” Cardona (3-0, 2 KOs), who hails from Salinas, CA, will be making his Staples Center debut this Saturday, September 28, 2019, on the Errol Spence vs. Shawn Porter card. Cardona is excited about fighting on the big stage as he gives his thoughts on his upcoming four-round bout against Archie Weah (3-13, 1 KO).

“It’s always been a dream of mine to fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles” said Cardona, who is trained by Ruben Guerrero Sr., father of multiple division world champion, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. “As a kid growing up, I remember all the big fights that happened there with guys like Sugar Shane Mosley and Oscar De La Hoya. For this to be a reality now is unbelievable. I’m very grateful for this opportunity and I’m going to give the fans a very memorable performance.”

In preparation for this fight, Cardona spent camp with Robert Guerrero in Las Vegas, getting world class sparring with some of the best fighters in boxing. Cardona feels he’s more prepared going into this fight then any other in his career.

“Training in Las Vegas was a new, but exciting experience for me,” Cardona continued. “I learned a lot about how to take care of my body and what it takes to get to the championship level. This training camp was no joke. The sparring I got was incredible and the high-altitude training was grueling. The Guerrero family has been a tremendous blessing to my career, and everyone will see me at my best come fight night.”

“Justin works very hard in the gym and he’s learning what it takes to be a good pro in boxing,” said Ruben Guerrero, who’s been training Cardona since he turned pro. “This was his first camp in Las Vegas and he now knows what it takes to become a world champion. I see a bright future for this kid and he has all the tools to go to the top”