NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (May 17, 2018) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. and unbeaten top contender Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference two days before they enter the ring May 19 live on SHOWTIME (10:05 p.m. ET/PT) in the main event from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The battle between the 2008 U.S. Olympian Russell Jr. and the 2012 U.S. Olympian Diaz Jr. is part of a split-site SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that will feature WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson defending his title against two-division world champion Badou Jack in a main event from Toronto.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visitinghttp://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Both fighters were joined on stage by their fathers who also train them, with Gary Russell Sr. and Joseph Diaz Sr. sitting by their sons ahead of Saturday’s matchup. Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from MGM National Harbor:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“We’re 120 percent ready for fight night. We’re hungry. As long as I have this strap, nobody is walking in here and taking it. I know Diaz is going to bring his best to the table, but we’re ready. The strap is staying at home.

“Me and my little brothers Gary Antuanne and Gary Antonio are on the undercard and they’re going to show the work they’ve been doing. Our dad’s birthday is the day after the fight so you know we have to make it special for him.

“It’s cool that both me and ‘JoJo’ are trained by our fathers. Because at the end of the day, when you look at your coach, that’s your last line of defense. When everything else goes wrong, you have to go the corner. You have to have a level of trust and belief in your corner, so who better to have than a parent there?

“It’s difficult for me to know if ‘JoJo’ is my toughest opponent since Vasyl Lomachenko because I never train with a lot of worry about my opponents. I think that the biggest thing is preparing myself to the best of my ability and being the best that I can possibly be.

“I believe in my ability to make the necessary adjustments, no matter what my opponent brings to the ring. If he wants to come in and box, we are equally as comfortable boxing long ranged as we are making the fight rugged. In order to be great at anything, you have to have a level of versatility. That’s something I bring to the table that a lot of fighters don’t bring.

“Diaz worked his way up the ranks to get this fight. He did everything you have to do to get in position to fight for a world title. He’s already mentioned that I’m the best fighter in the division and he knows that all the other champions in the division are afraid to step up and compete against me.

“Any fighter who has two months or more to prepare for one opponent is definitely dangerous. We never overlook anyone. I believe in my hand speed, my punching power, my ring generalship and in my ability to make adjustments.

“If we can get through this bout, I would love to get in the ring and unify with any of the other featherweight champions. The timing is perfect right now for any of these unification fights. If they still don’t want it, I’m willing to move up in weight to meet any of the guys who have a name. It’s time to make it happen.

“I take my hat off to him and to his team for having the guts to step into the ring. There are only certain people who can be made for this sport and it speaks volumes about him as an individual. I don’t expect anything less than a worthy opponent.

“It’s a pleasure being here for this fight right near my hometown. We had a very long training camp and everything is feeling good heading into the fight.”

JOSEPH DIAZ JR.

“It’s right here and around the corner. I’m very excited for the moment to be here. I’ve been waiting for this my whole entire life and I’m not going to take anything for granted. I trained extremely hard for this fight.

“I absolutely think Gary is overlooking me. I think he underestimated me. I’ve trained for this my whole entire life. This opportunity has been presented to me by my hard work and it’s really the opportunity of a lifetime. I can’t wait to show everybody my skills and what I’m truly about.

“It’s all about timing. Gary has the fastest hands in boxing but we’ve watched a lot of tape and we see a lot of flaws. Every fighter has flaws. We’re just going to capitalize on what we see and take full advantage on Saturday night.

“I don’t think Gary having not fought since last year will be any kind of advantage. I want Gary Russell Jr. to be at his best come fight night. I know that I’m at my best and the best man should win on fight night. There shouldn’t be any excuses after this fight and after I win the title.

“I believe after I win this title on Saturday night that I’ll be on top of the throne in the featherweight division. Hopefully I can get some big fights soon after that.

“I’m prepared for everything he’s going to offer. He’s going to come out and box a little bit and look to use his jab, create angles and use his speed to keep me out of range. It’s going to come to the point where he’s not going to want to move as much and he’ll starting fighting on the inside. That’s where I want to be. We’re going to deliver some great blows and may the best man win.

“I know what Gary Russell Jr. brings to the table. I know he’s the toughest fighter in the division but I’m ready to go out there and bring back the WBC title. I’m ready to fight the best and unify all the titles.

“It’s going to be fireworks on Saturday night. I’ve had a perfect training camp and I’m on weight. Everything feels great and I can’t wait to step into the ring.

“I’m ready for anything. If it stops early or goes the distance, I’m going to keep pushing each round more than the last.

“It would mean everything to win this world title. Not just for myself, but for my whole family. All the hard work and struggles that we’ve been through, it’s finally here. I’m going to do everything I can to come out victorious. Our lives are going to change and I’m going to inspire the youth and the people around me. I want people to know that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible.”

GARY RUSSELL SR., Russell’s Father & Trainer

“The reason for the inactivity is just politics. We always have the intention on fighting but we want to find the best opponent for Gary. ‘JoJo’ is the mandatory so we’re going to fight him and after we get this win, we’re looking at Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Carl Frampton. We want to unify.

“Before Gary retires from the sport, he’ll move up and do whatever it takes to get a rematch with Lomachenko.

“We like to say that this is just Gary’s occupation. He gets paid to fight and he’s able to support his family because of that. All of the accolades don’t really mean anything to him or to us. The WBC belt is definitely the most prestigious, but like Gary said, we’re not really into the little trinkets. He would take it to the pawn shop if he could. We’re not really into those type of accolades. We just want to conduct ourselves as gentlemen, set an example and get paid.”

JOSEPH DIAZ SR., Diaz’s Father & Trainer

“It’s a blessing to be in this position. I really believe that god didn’t bring us this far only to bring us this far. I really think the journey is going to continue. I’m very proud of my son. He has worked really hard and has shown a lot of will and determination. It means the world to me that he’s pursuing his career and is doing something that he loves doing.

“It’s exciting to finally have a fight on the east coast. It’s beautiful out here. Joseph has been wanting to fight out here and now he has that opportunity to meet some of the fans he has out here that he hasn’t had the chance to meet.

“Russell Jr. is a fast fighter. He’s skilled and he’s smart in there. We’ve been working on Joseph’s timing. Joseph’s a little deceiving because he kind of moves a little slow but he’s actually much faster than people think he is. The speed of Russell doesn’t affect us at all. Joseph has sparred and fought fast fighters especially in the amateurs.

“The plan is to go in there and beat Gary Russell up. And we’re hoping this win sets up bigger and better fights with the Santa Cruz and the Selby’s of the world. All of the champions. We’re hoping to get some of those opportunities because it will bring a lot of attention to the boxing world. Joseph will be a very good ambassador for the sport of boxing.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Events Programming, Showtime Network Inc.

“We’re thrilled to be here at MGM National Harbor. MGM is an incredible brand that means a lot in boxing. It is a brand that is known throughout the sport at the highest level and we appreciate the entire MGM organization and their support for the sport.

“Gary Russell Jr. vs. ‘JoJo’ Diaz which is an outstanding matchup. Gary is without questions one of the most skilled-if not the most skilled fighter in any division. He’s known for having the fastest hands in the sport. ‘JoJo’ Diaz is a young rising star who I’ve known personally since he turned pro. These are two action fighters. They’re fan-friendly fighters who will deliver an action packed night.

“It’s been an interesting couple of weeks in boxing. A lot of announcements, new ventures and big promises. But here at SHOWTIME we just keep doing what we’ve been doing, and what we’ve been doing is delivering the best fighters, the biggest fights, week after week and month after month.

“SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is the home of more world champions and more world championship fights than anywhere on any other network. Speaking of title fights, we’re going to have three of them, from three different countries. At 5 p.m. ET streaming on the SHOWTIME Facebook and Social Media platforms, we have IBF Featherweight Champion Lee Selby against challenger Josh Warrington. At 10:05 p.m. ET, we will have Russell Jr. vs. Diaz Jr. for the WBC Featherweight title, and immediately following that we’ll take you to Toronto for a light heavyweight world title fight between Adonis Stevenson and Badou Jack.

“All six of these fighters competing in Saturday’s world title fights are ranked in the top 10 of their division and have a combined record of 157 wins with only four losses.”

PETE BRASCIA, Senior VP of Marketing & Operations, MGM National Harbor

“We’re very excited to welcome these fighters and everyone involved in this event, back to MGM National Harbor. One year ago I was on a similar stage as we prepared for Gary Russell Jr. to defend his world title, and he did not disappoint his fans.

“The fans here in Prince George’s County and the whole region love a good show and a good fight. They love it even more when they can root on their hometown hero. Saturday night, will be no different.

“This will be an incredible show between Gary Russell Jr. and the undefeated Olympian ‘JoJo’ Diaz. I’m hoping for good weather Saturday night, but I’m certain we’re going to get a good show.”

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, , @MrGaryRussellJr, @JosephDiazJr, @TGBPromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NEW YORK (May 17, 2018) – SHOWTIME Boxing will deliver three world championship fights from three countries this Saturday across two different platforms in the latest of an industry-leading offering of world class championship boxing.

Saturday’s world title bouts feature six fighters ranked in the consensus top-10 in their respective divisions. May 19 will be the seventh SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast of 2018. Through Saturday, the network will have delivered 13 world championship fights through the first five months of the year. There are an additional four world title fights scheduled for June, as SHOWTIME continues an unrivaled and unprecedented run of world class boxing.

As with all of the network’s award-winning programming, Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will stream live online and on mobile devices via the network streaming service and SHOWTIME ANYTIME.

The live boxing begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME Sports social media platforms as IBF Featherweight World Champion Lee Selby (26-1, 9 KOs) defends his 126-pound title against Josh Warrington (26-0, 6 KOs) from Elland Road in Leeds, U.K. The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL social media offering will stream live in the U.S. on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook Page

The action continues at 10:05 p.m. ET/PT live on SHOWTIME® as a split-site doubleheader begins at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Hometown favorite Gary Russell Jr. will make the third defense of his WBC Featherweight World Championship against undefeated No. 1 ranked challenger Joseph Diaz Jr. in what will be the third of four high-stakes featherweight fights in 2018 on SHOWTIME Sports platforms. The four fights – Frampton vs. Donaire, Selby vs. Warrington, Russell vs. Diaz, Santa Cruz vs. Mares II – feature seven of the consensus top-10 ranked fighters at 126 pounds.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING coverage then shifts to Canada at approximately 11 p.m. ET/PT as Adonis Stevenson defends his WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship against former two-division champion Badou Jack at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Stevenson will make the ninth defense of his title against Jack in the biggest and most meaningful fight in the 175-pound division in 2018.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing. To become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (May 10, 2018): Undefeated featherweight contender and former U.S. Olympian Joseph”JoJo” Diaz Jr. (26-0, 14 KOs) hosted a media workout in Los Angeles at Azteca Boxing Club. Diaz, Jr. will challenge Gary Russell, Jr. (28-1, 17 KOs) for the WBC World Featherweight World Title on Saturday, May 19 in a clash televised live on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Here’s what Joseph Diaz, Jr. had to say at today’s workout:

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, JR, Current NABF and NABO Featherweight Champion:

“I have no hostility toward Gary Russell Jr. I respect Gary Russell Jr., and I know what he brings to the table. Ever since I was brought up as a professional fighter I was always humble and I was always down to earth. Now that I have the opportunity to become the champion that I know I can be I feel like I’m more outspoken because I know that the opportunity is finally here, and I know what I’m capable of doing.

“I want to fight the best at 126 pounds and I want to show all the fans that I’m the real deal. By fighting and bringing on the toughest 126 pounders like Gary Russell Jr., and defeating him, that’s going to showcase to the whole boxing world that I am the real deal and I will be the king at 126 pounds.

“He’s been inactive and used to fighting just once a year now. But what makes him so dangerous is he’s very, very speedy and has great hand speed. And not only that but he knows how to use his hand speed and counter when guys are opening up. My father and I know what we are bringing to the table, and I’m fast, as well. I have a very high boxing IQ and I’m very powerful in there. I know how to land sneaky body shots and I’m a big 126-pound fighter, and that will be the key to victory. He will try and land his power shots, but they’re not going to be effective because I’m the bigger fighter.

“I need to bring this WBC belt back to L.A. and to South El Monte. I’ll be the first champion coming out of there and I’m a role model to a lot of youth. That’s what makes me hungry and I’m one hundred percent confident I’ll be the champion and we will have a big parade in South El Monte, and you’re all invited!

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime, fighting for a world title against Gary Russell Jr., is a dream come true. I feel like I’m so much better a fighter now than I was at the Olympics. If feel like if I fought that kid who was in the Olympics now I’d stop him in the first round. My management and trainers have groomed me for this fight on May 19. I fought some undefeated fighters, some experienced fighters and some real live dogs. I just feel like all the experience I’ve gained in the past will serve me well.”

(ABOVE: Oscar Duarte, Romero Duno and Raymond Muratalla pose for the media ahead of their fights on the May 17 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino)

Click HERE for Additional Photos
Photo Credit: Lina Baker/SeeYouRingside Photography

Fighters from the May 17 edition of Golden Boy Boxing on ESPN also participated in the workout. In the main event, Romero “Ruthless” Duno (16-1, 14 KOs) of General Santos City, Philippines will take on Mexico City’s Gilberto “Flaco” Gonzalez (27-4, 22 KOs) in a 10-round lightweight fight. The co-main event will feature Oscar Duarte (13-0-1, 9 KOs) of Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico against Rey Perez (22-9, 6 KOs) in a lightweight bout scheduled for 10 rounds of action. Raymond Muratalla will make his professional debut in a four-round lightweight battle.

ROMERO “RUTHLESS” DUNO, Lightweight Contender:

“I want this victory to prove to Golden Boy Promotions that they made no mistake in putting me in the main event. In 2016, no one knew who I was. But then I jumped at the opportunity and now I’m in the biggest fight of my career. I’m ready to impress everyone and give a great victory.”

OSCAR DUARTE, Lightweight Prospect:

“I feel really motivated. I get to be co-main event on an ESPN card! I’m ready to go out there and win without a doubt. I know after this, only good things wait for me. I love training in the Coachella desert with Joel Diaz — making weight is so easy when it’s so hot out there! I’m excited for the next door to open after this.”

RAYMOND MURATALLA, Lightweight Prospect:

“I’m making my pro debut. I hope I impress the boxing fans and let them know that I’m someone to watch. I have a really good amateur record with 74 wins and only six losses. I’m currently training with Joel Diaz in Indio and it’s been a great experience. I’m ready to leave an impression.”

(ABOVE: Rafael Gramajo, Javier Molina and Jessie Roman pose for the media ahead of the June 1 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB at Belasco Theater and televised on EstrellaTV)

Fighters from the June 1 edition of LA FIGHT CLUB also participated in the workout. Super lightweight contender Javier “El Intocable” Molina (17-2, 8 KOs) will return to the ring to face Jessie Roman (22-3, 11 KOs) in an eight-round 140-pound battle. Rafael “El Alikin” Gramajo (9-1-2, 2 KOs) will return in an eight-round super bantamweight fight.

JAVIER “EL INTOCABLE” MOLINA, Super Lightweight Contender

“I’m not nervous to be in the main event. This is my town, and at the end of the day Jessie Roman and I are still going to be able to shake hands because we have a solid friendship that is years in the making. This is a tough business, but at the end of the day that’s all it is.”

JESSIE ROMAN, Super Lightweight Contender

“We had a really tough camp this time around because I wanted to be ready. At the end of the day it’s just business, but we’re still friends.

“We were in the amateurs together and even though he was a couple years older and a little heavier, we still had the opportunity to spar against each other for a couple rounds. I’m fully aware of what I’m facing. This is my opportunity to show everyone what I’ve got.”

RAFAEL “EL ALIKIN” GRAMAJO, Super Bantamweight Prospect

“Unfortunately, things didn’t work out with my opponent [Pablo Rubio Jr.], but I was ready catch some sharks. I’m ready to face whoever and wherever. I’ve been training hard, so I’m ready to fight anyone that night.”

Russell, Jr. vs. Diaz, Jr.is a 12-round World Championship fight for Russell, Jr.’s WBC’s Featherweight Belt presented by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions. The fight will take place on Saturday, May 19 in a clash live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Tickets for the MGM National Harbor show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visiting http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Duno vs. Gonzalez is a 10-round lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy, “Never Stop, Never Settle.” The fights will take place on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Doors to the Special Events Center will open at 4:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 4:30 pm PT. ESPN2 will air the fights beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT, and stream live on ESPN3 starting at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT. ESPN Deportes will air the fights on Friday, May 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the event are on sale and start at $25. Tickets will be available at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino box office, by calling 1-800-827-2946, or by purchasing online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

Molina vs. Roman is an eight-round super lightweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Casa Mexico Tequila. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will air live on EstrellaTV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also stream live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via LBI Media, Inc.’s Fenomeno Studios. Mark your calendars and buy your tickets for the upcoming shows on July 6, Aug. 10, and Oct. 12.

Tickets for LA FIGHT CLUB start at the fan-friendly price of $25 and are available for purchase now at www.goldenboytickets.com and the Golden Boy Promotions Facebook page.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: Russell, Jr. vs. Diaz, Jr.:
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MrGaryRussellJr, @JosephDiazJr, @TGBPromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or
become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by
Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

GBP on ESPN on May 17:
For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and http://www.espn.com/boxing/; follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing, @OscarDeLaHoya, @ESPN, and @ESPNBoxeo; become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing; and follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @OscarDeLaHoya. Follow the
conversation using #GBPonESPN.

LA FIGHT CLUB on June 1:
For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,
www.thebelasco.com and www.estrellatv.com. Follow on Twitter at
@GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/TheBelascoLA and
www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork. Visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @belascola and @EstrellaTV. Follow the conversation using #LAFIGHTCLUB and #BoxeoEstelar.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on May 19:
Past-fights and workout footage available for review and download. All footage must be credit SHOWTIME. https://cbs.box.com/v/StevensonJackandRussellDiaz

GBP on ESPN on May 17:
Photos and videos are available to download by clicking here or copying and pasting link: http://bit.ly/DunoGonzalez into a browser. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for photos and videos used.

LA FIGHT CLUB on June 1:
Videos and images are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link: http://bit.ly/MolinaRoman. Credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions for any photos/video.

NATIONAL HARBOR (May 7, 2018) – The Russells of Capitol Heights, Maryland will team up again for an exciting night of boxing for their hometown fans. Three of the five boxing brothers, all trained by their father, Gary, Sr., will compete on the same card for the second time in their careers at MGM National Harbor in Maryland on Saturday, May 19.

The event is headlined by Gary Russell, Jr. defending his featherweight world title against mandatory challenger Joseph Diaz Jr. live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT). His brothers, super lightweight Gary Antuanne Russell and bantamweight Gary Antonio Russell will compete in separate non-televised bouts on the undercard.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visiting http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

The 21-year-old Gary Antuanne (5-0, 5 KOs) will take on Wilmer Rodriguez (9-2, 7 KOs) in an eight round 140-pound match. Russell was a member of the U.S. boxing team at the 2016 Olympic games. He made his professional debut fighting on the same card as his other two brothers at MGM National Harbor last May 20 when he scored a TKO victory over Josh Ross. With his brothers and father working his corner at his last fight, he scored a stoppage victory over Andrew Rodgers in Brooklyn on April 21.

Gary Antonio (10-0, 8 KOs) will battle Esteban Aquino (12-4, 7 KOs) in an eight-round bantamweight match. Russell scored a knockout victory over Marco Antonio Mendoza Chico in his last fight on Nov. 21 and the card with his brothers last May 20, the 25-year-old Russell stopped Jovany Fuentes for a TKO victory.

In additional undercard action, Cobia Breedy (10-0, 4 KOs) will fight in an eight-round featherweight match and Immanuel Aleem (17-1-1, 10 KOs) steps into the ring for a 10-round middleweight match. Plus, Moshea Aleem (4-1-2, 2 KOs) battles Rayton Okwiri (2-0, 1 KO) in a six-round super welterweight match and Brandon Quarles (18-4-1, 9 KOs) clashes with Fred Jenkins, Jr. (10-5, 3 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout.

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For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, , @MrGaryRussellJr, @JosephDiazJr, @TGBPromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NATIONAL HARBOR (April 24, 2018) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. (28-1, 17 KOs) and unbeaten No. 1 contender Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (26-0, 14 KOs) hosted a press conference and faced off for the first time Tuesday before their championship showdown Saturday, May 19 live on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visitinghttp://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

The Russell vs. Diaz fight is part of a split-site SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that will feature WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson defending his title against two-division world champion Badou Jack in a main event from Toronto presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Russell Jr., a 2008 U.S. Olympian and 126-pound titleholder since 2015, will defend against his mandatory challenger in the 25-year-old Diaz, who represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic games and will be competing in his first title bout.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday from TAP Sports Bar at MGM National Harbor:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“It’s amazing to be fighting at home. It’s cool to know that the people I see around all the time will be able to get in the car and drive 15 minutes to come watch this massacre. I can’t wait.

“I appreciate JoJo for being honest and saying that he feels I’m the best featherweight in the world. That speaks volumes.

“We stay focused in the gym. The inactivity doesn’t mean anything. It’s no issue. I’ve had hand issues in the past but I’m able to preserve my body and stay sharp, stay focused. I’m a fighter that’s always in shape. I never take a day off. You can ask my wife. On anniversaries, we’re in the gym. On birthdays, we’re in the gym.

“Regardless of what the situation is, you want a sense of financial stability for yourself and your family. I’m at the point of my career where I have maybe six more fights in me. We want to maximize everything. We want to maximize our revenue and it’s been irritating because a lot of the champions don’t want to get in the ring with me. I appreciate JoJo for giving me the opportunity to sharpen my teeth a little bit more. At least he’ll have the opportunity to say he got in the ring with Mr. Gary Russell Jr.

“I’m one of the most dangerous fighters on the planet. Speed, power, ring IQ, we can get ugly if we need to. I don’t plan on going 12 rounds. I’m not going the distance with anybody for the remainder of my career. Mark my words.

“When you have guys that fight and move around a lot, it makes it difficult to get to them the way you want to. When you have a guy that is straightforward and will be in your face, it makes it much easier for me and they’re much more susceptible to get hit.

“A lot of fighters win with pure athleticism because they’re faster, stronger or in better shape. They’re not winning because they have the ability to make the necessary adjustments based on what goes on in the ring. I tell people all the time that boxing is intellect manifested on a physical form. In most cases, the more intelligent fighter wins.

“My father says that whenever you see a fight that is an all-out, knockdown war, it’s just two stupid fighters that didn’t have a plan B or the ability to make the adjustments to make the fight easier. If that’s JoJo’s game plan, it’s going to make this fight a lot easier for me. It’s not going 12 rounds.

“As far as a hit list of my next opponents goes, we are first going to take care of JoJo. I would love to get a unification bout with Leo Santa Cruz after that. If we don’t get that, I plan on moving up in weight and challenging whoever has the title in that division. You want to know who I really want, though? I want Mikey Garcia.

“My last fight will be against (Vasyl) Lomachenko. I want to conclude my career with breaking my foot off of him. That will be the conclusion of it. I’m willing to wait, though. Right now, we’re good.

“Of course I would entertain a fight with Gervonta Davis. We’re cool. He’s somebody that I actually watched grow up and develop as a fighter, but you have to stay in your lane. When I move up in weight, he’s got to get out of the way or he’s going to get ran over too.

“I didn’t want to come home to fight until I had a world title. That’s the reason I didn’t fight at home for so long. Now we have the title, and I wanted to fight at least one more time here.

“I want to maximize our revenue because I don’t plan on fighting for too much longer. I had my first fight at seven years old. I’m 29 now. That’s a long time competing and a lot of wear and tear on your body. I’m a guy that doesn’t cut corners, so it takes away from the time I could be spending with my family and friends. I’m ready to spend time with my family and children and live out the fruits of our labor. But in the meantime, everybody else is in my way. They’re trying to take food off my baby’s plate.”

JOSEPH DIAZ JR.

“I don’t think the fact that I’ve been more active will give me any advantage. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to be doing and getting the experience I need inside the ring before facing an elite fighter like Gary Russell Jr. My preparation has been good. I’ve fought tremendous opponents and I have all the experience to come out victorious May 19.

“It doesn’t affect me at all fighting in his hometown. I’m happy to fight in his backyard. He’s the champion and that’s what champions get to do. I know what he’s capable of doing. He says I don’t have the boxing IQ or the power and speed that he has, but he’s going to be in for a rude awakening come fight night. He’s going to see that I have all the tools.

“It’s a dream come true to be fighting on this stage. Ever since I roomed with Errol Spence at the Olympics, we always promised each other that once we became pro we were going to fight all the elite athletes and the best champions. Gary Russell Jr. is the best at 126 pounds. I’m not scared to fight him and that’s what Errol Spence did, too. He beat Kell Brook in his hometown.

“Gary Russell Jr. is by far the best featherweight in the world. Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares, Lee Selby, none of these guys want to fight Russell. They’re afraid of the speed and the counter shots. But I know what I’m capable of doing and I’ll showcase it May 19.

“A win would mean everything for me. It would be a dream come true realizing all of the hard work I’ve put in since I was 13 years old. It would mean that I’m the champion and I’d be the shot caller.

“I think his speed is an obstacle; he’s very fast. But that’s the thing about me, I’m good at adapting to any style that I fight. Come fight night I know that his speed is going to be fast, but it’s nothing that I won’t be able to take, or nothing that will shock me. I’m going to be able to adapt to that speed and make sure I’m able to land my shots when he’s opening up.

“I’m very confident; 100 percent confident I’ll beat him. I know that this is an opportunity that is presented to me and I’ll be victorious. I’ve always prayed to God that I could fight on SHOWTIME and for a WBC title. And now that I am it feels like it’s all settling in and it’s all coming true. I’m working hard every single day, and once I get my hand raised in victory I’m going to go from there.

“If he gets a little bit over confident like he did against [Oscar] Escandon, he’s going to be in for a rude awakening. He’s going to be shocked with not only my punching power, but also with my combinations and with my speed. I’m not like a Jhonny Gonzalez where I’m just throwing one shot, or slow combinations. I’m pretty fast with my punches and you won’t see my punches coming because I throw them very elusive and I punch from different angles. He’s going to be very shocked if he fights the way he fought Oscar Escandon.

“I don’t think it’s going to go the distance. Gary Russell is going to go out there and not back down and give the fight fans a good show, but I’m going to go out there and give a good show and not back down. So I think we’re both not going to back down and we’re going to brawl it out, and let the best man win.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MrGaryRussellJr, @JosephDiazJr, @TGBPromotions, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

TORONTO (April 24, 2018) – Undefeated knockout artist Adonis Stevenson, the longest reigning light heavyweight world champion, will defend his title against two-division champion Badou Jack on Saturday, May 19 live on SHOWTIME from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The showdown between Stevenson and Jack is one of the most intriguing matches in the light heavyweight division as Jack, a former 168-pound and 175-pound champion, has relinquished his title for the chance to challenge one of the hardest hitters in the sport. Both men are looking to make their claim as the class of the division.

Stevenson vs. Jack is part of a split-site SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT with featherweight champion Gary Russell, Jr. defending his title against mandatory title challenger Joseph Diaz from the MGM National Harbor in Maryland on Saturday, May 19.

Tickets for the Toronto show, which is promoted by Groupe Yvon Michel, Lee Baxter Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale Friday, April 27 and will be available at www.ticketmaster.ca.

“It is the second time that we will come to Toronto to promote a WBC world championship fight with Adonis Stevenson,” said Yvon Michel, President of Groupe Yvon Michel. “If you found the first event to be spectacular, be sure not to miss the second one as it will be a real firework! Badou Jack is a two-division world champion and an Olympian. He is dangerous and by far the biggest challenge for Adonis since he won the title against Chad Dawson in 2013. We are confident that ‘Superman’ has what it takes to defend his title successfully for the ninth time.

“I would also like to give thanks to our co-promoter Lee Baxter. This event would not have been possible without his collaboration. In addition, I am grateful for Lee and Wayne Zronik from MLSE, who are providing great support for this event and has opened the doors of the Air Canada Centre to us.”

“Mayweather Promotions is looking forward to partnering with Groupe Yvon Michel to pull off this highly anticipated matchup,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Adonis Stevenson has been a reigning champion in this division since 2013. Badou Jack has risen to every challenge he’s faced in his career. Now, he has an opportunity to become a three-time world champion and that raises the stakes for him. I predict two confident, hard-punching and highly skilled fighters will enter the ring at Air Canada Centre on May 19, both determined to walk away a champion.”

“We are looking forward to hosting this spectacular event at Air Canada Centre,” said Wayne Zronik, Senior Vice President, Music and Live Events at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. “It is the first title fight that the venue will host. We’ve worked with this group before to bring world class boxing to the city and are excited for the return of championship boxing to Toronto, and to Air Canada Centre in particular.”

Stevenson (29-1, 24 KOs) owns one of the most powerful left hands in boxing and goes by the ring moniker “Superman”. The 40-year-old Stevenson has made eight successful defenses of his title since winning it with a knockout victory over Chad Dawson in 2013. The lineal 175-pound champion most recently defended his title with a second-round stoppage of Andrzej Fonfara last June and delivered a third round TKO over Tommy Karpency in his most recent defense in Toronto in 2015.

“I’m definitely excited and hungry to get into the ring and perform,” said Stevenson. “I’ve trained very hard for this fight against Badou Jack. I’m looking forward to winning this fight by knockout. I’m from the Kronk Gym and we always look for the knockout. Jack is a good, technical boxer. He was a world champion and he has done very well. He’s tough and I won’t underestimate him. I’ll be prepared for anything he brings in the ring.

“I’m fighting him at home in Canada, so I’m looking to give the fans a good show. I’ve got power and I’ve got the best left hook in boxing. I’ve got 12 rounds and I just need to touch you once to end it. It’s not complicated. I don’t need three or four shots. I just need one shot and you’re not going to recover. I’m going to finish you.”

The 34-year-old Jack (22-1-2, 13 KOs) relinquished his 168-pound world championship following a majority draw against James DeGale in 2017 to move up to light heavyweight. He made a successful debut at 175 pounds by knocking out Nathan Cleverly for the light heavyweight championship last August. Jack then relinquished that title to seek out this challenge against the division’s heaviest hitter. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, a 2008 Olympian for his father’s native Gambia and now residing in Las Vegas, Jack is looking to become a three-time world champion on his opponent’s home turf on May 19.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to fight for my third world title against one of the division’s best, Adonis Stevenson,” said Jack. “I’ve been asking for this fight for a long time and was willing to fight him anywhere, including his backyard. I know he’s good and very dangerous and that’s the reason I want to fight him. I’m all about the best fighting the best and come May 19th, I’m bringing the WBC belt back to Las Vegas. My newborn son, Malik was born just before training camp so now I have two children to fight for, which gives me all the motivation I need to get this win.”

# # #

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, mayweatherpromotions.com and www.groupeyvonmichel.ca follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @AdonisSuperman, @BadouJack, @MayweatherPromo, or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, , www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotionsand www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NATIONAL HARBOR (April 20, 2018) – Two exciting main events will be presented on the same night, Saturday, May 19 live on SHOWTIME as part of a split-site doubleheader telecast.

Featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr. will defend his WBC title against undefeated mandatory challenger Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. on Saturday, May 19 in a clash live on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The other half of the split-site SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will feature WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion Adonis Stevenson defending his title against two-division world champion Badou Jack in a main event from Canada presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Tickets for the MGM National Harbor show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Golden Boy Promotions, are on sale now and are available by visitinghttp://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Russell Jr. and Diaz Jr. have both had sensational professional and amateur careers, including representing the U.S. at two different Olympic Games – Russell in 2008 and Diaz in 2012. Russell is noted for having some of the fastest hands in boxing but will be tested by a young, hungry contender in his first world title fight.

“The featherweight division is one of the most talent laden in boxing and Gary Russell, Jr. is at the head of a class of terrific boxers at 126 pounds,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Joseph Diaz Jr. is young, hungry and undefeated and he’s coming for the title and he’s going to have to beat Russell in front of his hometown crowd to take it. It has the makings of an instant classic. Boxing fans will be the real winners on May 19.”

“SHOWTIME continues to deliver the most meaningful and action-packed fights in boxing, week after week,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming for SHOWTIME. “On May 19, we have two events that demand top-billing, with world champions facing their toughest challengers in an international split-site doubleheader. Gary Russell and JoJo Diaz will meet in the latest of what has become a de facto featherweight tournament this spring on SHOWTIME. Over the next two months, SHOWTIME will deliver four pivotal matchups featuring three world champions and seven of the consensus top-10 featherweights in the world. Adonis Stevenson vs. Badou Jack is by far the biggest fight at light heavyweight in 2018, fellow 175-pound champs facing off in what has the makings of a lasting rivalry.”

The 29-year-old Russell (28-1, 17 KOs), who was born in Washington, D.C. and now lives in Capitol Heights, Maryland, will be defending his title before a hometown crowd. This will be Russell’s second straight fight at MGM National Harbor following his knock-out win over Oscar Escondon in his first title defense there on May 20, and second defense overall. It was his third straight knockout victory in a world title fight since dropping a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko in his first world title shot in 2014.

Russell, who is trained by his father, Gary, Sr., is part of a boxing family. Two of his younger brothers, Gary Antonio and Gary Antuanne, are currently unbeaten professionals, are also trained by their father and will be fighting on their older brother’s undercard on May 19.

“I don’t see this being a long night,” said Russell Jr. “If he gets reckless, it might end early. I don’t plan on going the distance with anyone I step in the ring with. I know he’s in for a rude awakening. I don’t feel as though he has the punching power, the hand speed or the ring IQ to do anything to me. At the end of the day he’ll have the opportunity to say he got in the ring with Mr. Gary Russell, Jr.

“It will be an early birthday gift for my Dad. Last year I fought on his birthday, May 20. That’s pretty cool. I love fighting at the MGM. I love the convenience. I love that all my friends and fans, and the people who honk at me from their cars when I’m running can hop in their cars rather get on a plane to come and see me fight.”

Diaz Jr., who is also trained by his father, Joseph, Sr., was a two-time amateur national champion in the bantamweight division. He represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic games in London. Immediately after, Diaz Jr. signed with Golden Boy Promotions and began a stellar career that has earned him a spot at the pinnacle of the featherweight division.

“I’m happy to be fighting for my first world title against the best 126-pound world champion,” said Diaz Jr. “I’ll prove to everyone that I belong on that featherweight throne come May 19.”

“I will be the bigger man come fight night, and I will break him down physically and mentally. He just better give me the credit I deserve once I beat him, and not blame his inactivity for being a factor in his loss.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MrGaryRussellJr, @JosephDiazJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NATIONAL HARBOR (May 18, 2017) – Featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr. and top challenger Oscar Escandon went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they square-off in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING this Saturday, May 20 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Also in attendance at Thursday’s press conference and competing in action on SHOWTIME were super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui, who battle for the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship, plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy and former title challenger Kiryl Relikh, who meet in a 140-pound title eliminator. The telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT with Gervonta Davis putting his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh from Copper Box Arena in London.

Tickets for the live event at MGM National Harbor, promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Russell Jr. was joined by his brothers, 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell and unbeaten prospect Gary Antonio Russell, as the trio of brothers look to pick up a hat trick of victories in their hometown Saturday night and on the birthday of their father and trainer, Gary Russell Sr.

Here is what the participants had to say Thursday from MGM National Harbor:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“I never magnify an event, even though it’s at home. The end objective is still the same. But I think it’s cool that everyone in our neighborhood has the opportunity to be in the arena and see what we do.

“I’m 100 percent physically and mentally ready for the challenge and I’m on top of everything I can be.

“When you get caught up in the hype, it’s a deficiency in yourself. You have to be able to focus on the objective over everything else.

“I believe in my ability but also the ability of my brothers. So I’m not nervous for them. I know what they’ve been taught. They conduct themselves like young men in and out of the ring.

“I want a unification bout after this. I’m ready for any of the other world champions. We can line them all up in the same night if you want. If I can’t get those fights, I’m going to move up in weight and bully around these bigger guys.

“I look at each fighter as their own individual. We don’t prepare the same way for every opponent. He’s a tough fighter who comes forward. He’s very physical and I expect him to be at his best on Saturday. It’s up to me to counteract what he does.

“I love this sport. I love what I do. I love being able to prepare for no one else, but the person across the ring and then dismantling him.

“We worked on versatility most. We believe in the sweet science. A lot of these guys just win because they’re stronger and faster. We want to be more technically sound too.”

OSCAR ESCANDON

“This is a very important fight for my career. This is going to elevate me to where I want to be and give me the platform to do anything in the sport. I’m very well prepared for this.

“I feel strong and healthy at 126-pounds. I’m focused on this fight Saturday night. I’ll fight anyone but right now I have to get past Gary Russell Jr.

“In my last fight I was the underdog. People counted me out. Same thing applies here. I’ve done the work and I’m confident that I’m going to win.

“I didn’t have complete training camps with my past trainers, but now I’m with Ruben Guerrero. I’m learning so much. You can look at me in my previous fights and you’ll see a vast improvement now.

“I want that green (WBC) belt a lot. Green is my favorite color. I want to be the best and to me, winning that title signifies that I am the best. To do that I have to beat the best, and that is Gary Russell Jr.

“I don’t like to talk much but I will say that I’m coming to bring this world title back to Colombia. I respect Gary but my mindset is that I’m taking this title home.”

ANDRE DIRRELL

“It’s been a long hard journey for me. But I’ve always managed to climb back on top. The hard work that I’ve put in will make Saturday night easy work.

“My opponent is a fantastic fighter. If anyone should be in line for a title it’s this guy. He has the the power and he has the skill. I just believe he’s up against a better and tougher opponent.

“I’m going to get in the ring and display all of my abilities. I’m very confident and ready. It’s time for Andre to get on top and stay on top.

“I’ve been out of the ring for a while but most importantly, I’ve stayed in the gym in training the whole time. I’ve kept positive mentally as well. Everything is going upward right now and I’m going to take advantage.

“Uzcategui has everything a world champion needs to get to that title, but he’s facing a more skilled competitor on May 20. He’s deserving of the opportunity and that’s why I trained so hard for this fight.

“The title means the world to me. We fight for the titles first. We’re all coming from the amateurs where we got trophies. My love will always be here with the sport until the day I retire.”

JOSE UZCATEGUI

“You won’t want to miss any of these fights on Saturday night. It’s a great card and I’m planning to steal the show.

“I like when my opponent talks a lot. None of the stuff my opponent says can help him in the ring. It’s just me, him and our fists.

“It’s a lot of responsibility to be the top contender for the belt. I have to make it clear that we deserve this so that I can move on to bigger and better things.

“People are going to get to see my power on display Saturday night, but also my other skills. I can do it all in the ring and I’m going to prove it.

“After this I want to take on James DeGale and Gilberto Ramirez. I’m coming to clean out this whole division and be undisputed. It starts on Saturday.”

RANCES BARTHELEMY

“I’m living a dream right now that I myself never in a million years imagined. Every time I get to speak with my mother in Cuba, I tell her of this dream that I am currently living and how it is still surreal to me. To be able to fight on these big cards in the U.S. after the long journey, after all the setbacks, I could not be any more grateful.

“Being a world champion in two different weight divisions is something still unreal to me after people doubted whether I would even become a world champion one day. But this journey does not stop here for me. I have the urge to keep on going, make history for my people, and fight the big names in boxing.

“Everyone in my team supports and motivates each other because we know we as Cubans have to work twice as hard as everybody else. There is an unfair representation of Cuban boxers among the press and fans here in America. We are misconstrued as being boring fighters therefore we are determined to erase that stigma and prove to everyone that we can brawl and put on a good show just as much as we can box.

“I have been working on some new and different things to add to my arsenal this training camp. My whole team has been incredible and pushed me every day.

“Don’t miss this fight on Saturday night. It’s going to be eventful and exciting. I’m coming to get a spectacular win.”

KIRYL RELIKH

“I’m very happy to be here and be a part of this great show. I will do my best to give a great fight on Saturday.

“Camp was perfect. I have a great team and I’m ready for anything. We worked hard and it’s going to be a great performance.

“I’m ready for any style that that Rances Barthelemy can bring into the ring. We thought that we got the win in Scotland against Ricky Burns, but it is very hard to win on points on the road.

“I always fight in different countries so this is just another one on my list. It’s normal for me. I’m very ready for the challenge and I’m expecting a great fight.

“I hope that people like my style. I’m going to entertain the fans and get a victory over Rances Barthelemy on Saturday night.”

GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL

“I get to pick up right where I left off after the Olympics. I’m fighting on the same night with my brothers for the first time in so long. It was one of my first amateur fights when we last did it.

“I’m feeling really good. We’re making a statement and we’re making history. What’s not to be excited about?

“Mentally and emotionally the Olympics really helped me for the pros. You have to develop over time. We’re constantly training and sharpening our tools. This is a different stage, that’s all.

“I hope everyone is ready for Saturday night. There were some mishaps at the Olympics. Life is going to throw you bumps to get over, and that’s what I’m going to do. Everyone better keep their eyes open Saturday, because it might be quick.”

GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL

“I’m really excited about this fight and competing alongside my brothers. It feels good to come home and fight. My family and friends will be in the building.

“I can’t wait to get in the ring and show what we’ve been working so hard on. All the hours in the gym with my dad and brothers is going to pay off on fight night.

“I’ve seen some video of my opponent. I know his weaknesses and strengths. We’re going to come exploit it on fight night.”

GARY RUSSELL SR., Father and Trainer of the Russells

“We work hard in the gym. Everybody has a plan until they get hit. We know that he’s going to bring pressure and we’ll be ready for it.

“I’m really happy about this opportunity. We can get it all done in one night and put on a great show for everyone.

“I’m definitely in fight mode. There are no extra nerves at all. I just want to get this done and get it done right.

“I can’t really put Escandon in the same category with the top guys we’ve faced. He’s a short fighter. Most people in these weight classes are taller than Gary. At that size, the only way you can fight is straight forward. He’s not going to out box us.”

RUBEN GUERRERO, Escandon’s Trainer

“We’re ready over here. We’re going to do what it takes. We know what we’re up against. He’s one of the best. We’ll prove who is the best on Saturday. This is going to come down to a war. Gary knows what he’s going against.

“I helped Escandon set up a camp in Las Vegas for this fight because this was a huge opportunity. We were up in the mountains and that’s where I wanted him. He’s going to be great on fight night. He’ll be ready to go. It’s not easy to train in Vegas.

“We’re coming to win. We can’t control the judges but we know they’re fair. We’re expecting a fair shake. We’re going to control what we can.”

# # #

ABOUT RUSSELL JR. vs. ESCANDON

Gary Russell Jr. vs. Oscar Escandon is a featherweight world championship showdown that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, May 20 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland. Televised coverage begins on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui in a matchup for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in a WBA 140-pound world title eliminator against Kiryl Relikh. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LAS VEGAS (May 17, 2017) – Let the boxing binge watching begin this Saturday, May 20 when separate shows on SHOWTIME and FS1 deliver six matches running over six consecutive hours. This boxing extravaganza will present a unique opportunity for fans to watch boxing starting at 6 p.m. ET and continue throughout the evening.

“It’s not unusual to spend all day Sunday watching the NFL or to spend the day watching the NBA playoffs,” said Tim Smith, Vice President of Communications for Haymon Boxing. “But it’s rare for boxing fans to be able to turn on the television in the early evening and binge watch great action until late at night. The slate of shows on May 20 will provide that opportunity for boxing fans.”

Kicking off the day will be an action-packed 130-pound championship match with undefeated young star Gervonta Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) defending his title against No. 1 contender Liam Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) from Copper Box Arena in London, England with coverage beginning on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

The 22-year-old Davis is the youngest reigning American world champion in boxing and he will travel to England for his first title defense against Walsh, an undefeated southpaw fighting in his hometown of London.

Immediately following the Davis-Walsh bout, things kick into high gear with three matches originating from MGM National Harbor outside of Washington, D.C. Gary Russell, Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) defends his 126-pound world title against Oscar Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) in the main event.

A pair of world title eliminators round out the televised portion of the card. Andre Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) and Jose Uzcategui (26-1, 22 KOs) meet in a 168-pound match with the winner set to fight for the interim IBF title and a shot at current champion James DeGale. Two-division champion Rances Barthelemy (25-0, 16 KOs) takes on Kiryl Relikh (21-1, 19 KOs) in a 140-pound title eliminator with the winner earning an opportunity to fight for a world championship.

Rounding out the night is a pair of Premier Boxing Champions matches on FS1 and FOX Deportes from Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas that start at 10 p.m. ET.

David Benavidez (17-0, 16 KOs), an ascending star, will meet former world title challenger Rogelio “Porky” Medina (37-7, 31 KOs) in a 168-pound title eliminator in the main event. Benavidez will face the toughest test of his career against Medina, a veteran who gave DeGale all he could handle last year. The winner will get a shot at the 168-pound world championship.

Unbeaten 126-pound contender Jorge Lara (28-0-2, 20 KOs) takes on hard-hitting brawler Mario Briones (28-5-2, 22 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight match in the co-feature.

Binge Away!

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (May 15, 2017) – Top 126-pound challenger Oscar Escandon shares his thoughts on training camp and more ahead of his first world title opportunity against WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. Saturday, May 20 on SHOWTIME from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Coverage on SHOWTIME begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui battling for the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy taking on Kiryl Relikh in a 140-pound world title eliminator. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

Tickets for the live event at MGM National Harbor, promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

Here is what Escandon had to say from Las Vegas before he wraps camp and heads east to headline at MGM National Harbor in Maryland:

On his recent training camp:

“Training camp started off in Gilroy, California where we got a lot of good sparring in the Bay Area. But then we moved camp to Las Vegas where we are training in high elevation. We are running up at Mt. Charleston where the elevation is 8400 feet. All in all, it has been a fantastic camp.”

On fighting in his first main event on SHOWTIME:

“It’s a dream come true to be fighting on SHOWTIME, especially in the main event for a world title. I believe the fans watching will enjoy my fighting style. I always bring excitement to the ring. This will be a fan-friendly fight to watch.”

On facing his opponent, champion Gary Russell Jr:

“Gary Russell Jr. is one of the best fighters in the division. I know it’s not going to be an easy task to defeat him but I’m confident in my ability to come out victorious. I will dig deep and impose my will on him.”

On training with head coach Ruben Guerrero:

“Together Ruben and I get along very well. He’s always there for me when I need him. We are doing everything to get better and we’ll be ready to go. We have a nice game plan that we will display on fight night.”

On what a victory will do for his career:

“This is the biggest fight of my career and a win will lead to bigger and better things, like unification bouts. To capture the WBC world title will be an honor for my team and my people of Colombia. I need to win this fight and capture that WBC title. I can see myself in major fights with a victory.”

# # #

ABOUT RUSSELL JR. vs. ESCANDON

Gary Russell Jr. vs. Oscar Escandon is a featherweight world championship showdown that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, May 20 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland. Televised coverage begins on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui in a matchup for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in a WBA 140-pound world title eliminator against Kiryl Relikh. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday the world’s best junior welterweight, Nebraska’s Terence Crawford, will fight on HBO at Madison Square Garden against a 33-year-old Dominican named Felix Diaz. Saturday the world’s second best featherweight, Maryland’s Gary Russell Jr., will fight on Showtime against a Colombian named Oscar Escandon. These are important fights, one supposes, featuring very good fighters, one of whom may even prove great.

And yet Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is more fun to write about than both of them, and maybe that’s the point of his popularity, a magnetism everyone wishes attribute to Canelo in his assignment of credit for what appears a post-Mayweather-Pacquiao pay-per-view record, but Canelo just sold more with Chavez than he vended in a combination of Amir Khan and Liam Smith, which indicates his opponent’s ethnicity and charisma make more of a difference than his opponent’s resume and Gennady “160,000 buys” Golovkin may not actually make any more dollars for Canelo come September than he makes sense.

Canelo was marketed better than this weekend’s main event fighters and marketed to a better demographic, too, and luck is luck, but as a prizefighter he appears to’ve been developed somewhere between the two men, with Crawford obviously in the front and Russell behind. Russell’s handlers knew from the moment they signed him he was the future of boxing, which, it turns out, is a problem when those handlers don’t know what they’re looking at and have much less an idea how to develop it. Crawford’s promoter, meanwhile, treated Crawford’s talent with the same skepticism Top Rank and its ace matchmakers treat every prospect they sign:

Can he sell tickets in his hometown? However fast his hands or feet, does he hit hard enough to keep world-class competitors off him? How pesky are his parents and manager? Is his childhood trainer a benefactor or beneficiary? How are his whiskers in a shootout? And most importantly, how does he comport himself afterwards – or in Bob Arum’s actual words, “Does he dissipate between fights?”

Whatever criteria PBC uses it is not that criteria and probably comes closer to a criterion like: How many people say he reminds them of Floyd Mayweather, or at least Sugar Ray Leonard?

Russell and Crawford are about the same age and have about the same number of fights, and yet Crawford is multiples more accomplished than Russell, and it wasn’t that way six years ago when HBO, as Al Haymon’s pre-PBC affiliate, began to shine Russell highlights and matches at its viewers. The details of what happened to Russell after that aren’t important, though surely there were contract issues and a dearth of opponents for a man of such otherworldly handspeed, the usual “nobody will fight him” gambit used by cheap or incompetent managers and promoters everywhere. Then Russell met Vasyl Lomachenko three years ago and got conclusively outclassed, which was not shameful but an indictment of all things said about him before that match.

Too, it was an indictment of what development happened to Russell before his match with Lomachenko: Russell’s two preceding opponents shared 20 losses in their 60-fight collective. It was the usual Haymon-managed concern with building an attraction rather than a fighter, and it went the way things with Haymon-managed prospects usually do when a return-on-investment alarm rings somewhere and their competition gets improved by a few hundred percent overnight. His unblemished record now blemished, a mortal sin in the Haymon stable, Russell went back to whupping guys who, for one reason or another, hadn’t much chance against him. One suspects the same ideal’ll be in play Saturday against Escandon; PBC’d not risk another Russell loss on Showtime when CBS and HBO are willing to pay substantially more to broadcast PBC superstars being beaten.

Terence Crawford, while more accomplished than Russell, now risks being considered a box office dud outside Nebraska if he doesn’t sell a respectable number of tickets at Madison Square Garden against Felix Diaz the same way he didn’t sell a respectable number of pay-per-views against Viktor Postol in July. According to Madison Square Garden’s website Diaz (19-1, 9 KOs) is a “hard hitting southpaw” with an Olympic gold medal, but when one sees a gold medal round the neck of a fighter with less than a 50-percent knockout ratio as a pro, well . . .

Know what? This is dull. Watch the fights or don’t, but nothing historic will happen Saturday, so let’s go back to Chavez Jr.

A video leaked online last week that besmirched Chavez’s spotless character by depicting the fallen champ enjoying his loss a bit too much. Someone, it seems, believed a wedge might be driven between Chavez and his fans. But no. Chavez is a circus act no one can stop from plying his craft to a ripe older age. He doesn’t appeal to slackers and potheads the way his detractors insist he must. Rather he appeals to anyone who’s ever been told to do something he didn’t want to do and then done it well enough to be mistaken for someone capable of doing it before ecstatically sabotaging the whole damn thing in a flurry of shrugs. Chavez neither called in sick nor told his boss to go pound sand; Chavez continued showing up at a job for which he was illsuited, played videogames on the clock, took extended breaks and giggled his way through quarterly evaluations; Chavez didn’t shout “I quit” but sat in his cube wondering “When are they going to fire me?”

If there are Mexicans actually enraged by Chavez, I’ve not found them. Mostly my interviews have gone like this.

Bart: “Did you see the Chavez fight?”
Mexican aficionado: (Laughing) “Yes.”
Bart: (Laughing harder)
Mexican Aficionado: (Laughing harder still)
Bart: “Think he’ll retire?”
Mexican aficionado: “No.”
Bart: (Laughing)
Mexican aficionado: (Laughing harder)

Remember this when the hyperbole reaches a boil on HBO and Showtime this weekend: To date Chavez has sold about 1.5 million more pay-per-views than Crawford and Russell combined. It is kind of funny.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (May 11, 2017) – Featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr. hosted a media workout Thursday along with his brothers and rising prospects Gary Antuanne Russell and Gary Antonio Russell before all three brothers enter the ring on Saturday, May 20 live from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

Coverage on SHOWTIME is headlined by Russell Jr. defending his featherweight world title against top challenger Oscar Escandon. The telecast begins at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui battling for the IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy taking on Kiryl Relikh in a 140-pound world title eliminator. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

Tickets for the live event at MGM National Harbor, promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/.

The 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne and unbeaten bantamweight prospect Antonio Russell (7-0, 5 KOs) will compete in separate undercard attractions on May 20 as the three brothers will fight on the same card for the first time as pros.

Here is what the participants had to say Thursday from the Enigma Gym in Capitol Heights, Maryland:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

“My weight is perfect. We did a 30-day weigh-in and I was about 132. I’m about 128 right now. I feel comfortable. If we can’t get a unification bout, I’ll move up in weight though. I understand why people haven’t wanted to fight me. It’s a business and I understand that.

“The postponement didn’t bother me. I can’t get upset about stuff that I can’t control. When you have two elite athletes pushing themselves to the limit, injuries occur. It gave me more time to rest my body properly. We’re definitely ready now.

“I haven’t fought anyone as short as him, but that’s the purpose of training camp. We bring people in who have a similar style to Escandon. We’ve gotten great work in and I feel prepared.

“It’s easier against a more aggressive guy. It’s hard to go after someone who is retreating. He’s going to bring it right into my face.

“We come to the gym and grind every day so we can be the best we possibly can. On fight night, it’ll all come to fruition.

“It’s going to be history in the making. We’re in familiar territory with making history. We were the first set of four brothers to win the National Golden Gloves and I don’t see anyone breaking our record any time soon. I believe in a dynasty and I’m excited for my dad to see all of his hard work come together on fight night.

“When you focus on the magnitude of an event you take away from the true focus that we’re supposed to have. My goal is to become victorious. But it’s definitely cool that the people from my hometown will be able to be a part of the event.”

GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL

“We plan on giving our father a gift that he can’t buy on his birthday May 20. There’s been a lot of sets of two brothers but there’s never been three as far as I know. There have been the Klitschkos, the Dirrells and the Charlos, but those are just two. We’re breaking new ground.

“This sport is brutal. Anyone who steps into that ring has to have a certain amount of intelligence, heart and character. It takes a different kind of individual to get in there alone knowing the other person is trying to take your head off.

“Gary Jr. is my vision. I needed a role model and there he is. I needed someone to keep my humble and keep me out of trouble.

“Me and my whole family talk a lot and about everything. Not just about the sport of boxing. Boxing is what I do, but it’s not who I am. I’m a class valedictorian and I graduated with the highest GPA in Prince George’s County. Don’t just look at me as a jock. That’s what we tell anybody.

“Real estate is in my future. We’re going to own our own properties and be the shot callers. I’ve been getting educated from my brother and my father.

“It’s amazing what my dad did, but you can’t forget about my mom. Behind every king is a strong queen. My mom is the most important woman in my life. Other than that, it’s tunnel vision. Tunnel vision in school and in the gym or anything else I do in my life.

“I want to give back to my brother. A lot of families leave their children with nothing. We’re all working to leave something with substance for our families.

“What makes the Russell brothers different is that we’re all equal and we get our energy from each other. It’s never about being better at something than your brother, we all want to get through every obstacle together.

“I’d say I should be on the world title level in the next five years. This is a business. We’re going to do this well. That’s what my team talks about.

“We’re looking to build a dynasty and I believe that May 20 will be a memento to our dynasty building. I hope I’m at the championship level in the next five years. We’re going to run this thing correctly.”

GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL

“It means a lot but it was all expected. We put in hard work in the gym so I expected us to reach these levels.

“It’s even better to be able to come home and compete. Not all of our fans could make it to our other fights. But being at MGM in Maryland, it’s all coming together.

“I watch everything that my older brother does and I learn from his mistakes. He makes sure that I don’t make those same mistakes. He critiques me every way, through life and in the gym.

“My career is going up. I know my father has my best interest at heart. He’s going to get me the right fights and put me in good positions.

“There is a sense of order in our house. Iron sharpens iron. We all help each other no matter what. We’ll all be victorious on May 20 and it’s going to be a wonderful birthday present for our dad.”

GARY RUSSELL SR., Father and Trainer for the Russell brothers

“The D.C. and Maryland area has always produced great boxers. Right now it’s their time. With Gary, Jarrett Hurd and Gervonta Davis, this is as good as it’s ever been. They represent the sport as gentlemen.

“Gary Antuanne is coming in fresh off of the Olympics. We know he won that fight in Rio, but politics got him. He’s not a normal young fighter. He was a class valedictorian which I don’t think a lot of boxers can say. Antonio has a lot of talent as well and he’s on the rise. It’s going to be a great opportunity to show their skills.

“I’m really excited. It’s unique to have all of these guys from the area showcasing their talent at the same time. I’ve known Jarrett and Tank since they were kids and I’m proud of how far they’ve come.”

# # #

ABOUT RUSSELL JR. vs. ESCANDON

Gary Russell Jr. vs. Oscar Escandon is a featherweight world championship showdown that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, May 20 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland. Televised coverage begins on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and features super middleweight contenders Andre Dirrell and Jose Uzcategui in a matchup for the Interim IBF Super Middleweight World Championship plus two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in a WBA 140-pound world title eliminator against Kiryl Relikh. In the telecast opener, from Copper Box Arena in London, Gervonta Davis puts his IBF Jr. Lightweight Title on the line against Liam Walsh.

For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. (April 7, 2017) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. will make the second defense of his title when he faces top challenger Oscar Escandon Saturday, May 20 in themain event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from the recently opened MGM National Harbor in Maryland live on SHOWTIME.

The Maryland-native Russell Jr. (27-1, 16 KOs) and the WBC Interim Featherweight Champion Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) will battle in one of boxing’s most talented divisions that continues to deliver exciting action fight after fight. A lineup of exciting co-featured attractions will be announced next week.

“I’m a gladiator getting ready for a tough battle,” said Russell Jr. “This is going to be a huge night for my family and I’m glad that the time is here. This will be the first time as pros that I get to fight on the same card as both of my little brothers, (unbeaten bantamweight) Gary Antonio and (2016 U.S. Olympian) Gary Antuanne, plus my brother Gary Allan will work all of our corners. We’re excited to get in the ring and show the fans what we’re capable of doing in the ring.”

“I’ve had to wait for this opportunity to face Gary Russell Jr. and I’m going to take full advantage of it,” said Escandon. “It’s going to be a great fight and I know the fans are going to get their money’s worth. I feel 100 percent healthy and now that the fight is here I am ready to knock him out.”

Tickets for the live event promoted by TGB Promotions are priced at $200, $150, $100 and $50, and are now on sale. To purchase tickets go to http://mgmnationalharbor.com/. The main event is co-promoted by Sampson Boxing. This bout was originally scheduled to take place on March 11 but was rescheduled after Escandon suffered a back injury in training camp. Fans who bought tickets for the March 11 show will have their tickets honored on May 20.

“This is going to be a great night of boxing,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “The featherweight division is very hot right now with the recent wins by Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares. There is something very special going on in the division and this will be another memorable fight. Escandon is a tough warrior who has proven time and again that he doesn’t care about going on the road or where he fights. There are great boxing fans in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region and they are in-store for an exciting night on May 20.”

A speedy and supremely talented boxer, Russell Jr., was impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of the battle-tested Jhonny Gonzalez that earned him the title in March 2015. The 2008 U.S. Olympian had scored important victories over Vyacheslav Gusev, Juan Ruiz and Miguel Tamayo before losing a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO 126-pound title in June 2014. The southpaw, of Capitol Heights, Md., most recently scored a dominant second-round TKO victory over Patrick Hyland in his first title defense in April 2016.

Fighting out of Ibague, Colombia, Escandon turned pro in 2008 and was undefeated in his first 22 professional bouts. Escandon won an interim world title at super bantamweight in 2014 when he defeated Tyson Cave in his U.S. debut. He earned his shot at Russell Jr. last March when he survived an early knockdown to score a knockout victory over Robinson Castellanos in the seventh round of their showdown in Washington, D.C.

For more information, follow on Twitter @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @MGMNatlHarbor and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.Facebook.com/MGMNationalHarbor. The event is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

LAS VEGAS (February 28, 2017) – The featherweight championship match between Gary Russell Jr. and Oscar Escandon, scheduled for Saturday, March 11 at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland, has been postponed after Escandon was injured in training, according to Escandon’s promoter Sampson Lewkowicz.

“Oscar suffered an injury to his back in training and he’ll be ready to go in April,” Lewkowicz said. “He’s very sorry for the delay in the fight, but these things happen in boxing. He’s really looking forward to facing Gary Russell, Jr., but he wants to be completely healthy when they do meet.”

Escandon, a 32-year-old Colombian with a record of 25-2 with 17 KOs, is the mandatory challenger for Russell’s featherweight championship. Jermell Charlo defending his 154-pound title against Charles Hatley will be the co-feature on the rescheduled card.

“It’s definitely irritating,” Russell said. “But injuries happen especially when you have somebody pushing their body to the limit for a fight that is potentially life changing. It’s disappointing. It might not work out for him because I have a little more time to get ready.”

“We’re working with the venue and the network to find the earliest date that we can reschedule the show,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “I feel terrible for the fighters who have been training so hard and now have to wait. Gary is really disappointed, but he understands that injuries are all a part of the sport. But Gary will be ready to go on the rescheduled date.”

A new date for the fight will be announced shortly.

WBC FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Gary Russell Jr. – 126 Pounds

Patrick Hyland – 126 Pounds

IBF JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Jose Pedraza – 129 Pounds
Stephen Smith – 129 Pounds

Here is what the fighters had to say Friday:

GARY RUSSELL JR.

(On how he feels)

“I feel good. I can eat, I can drink, I feel a lot better.”

(On what fans should expect tomorrow)

“The same as always. I’m just going to go in like a genuine gentleman, pushing with everything I have to the line.”

(On his prediction)

“Hopefully we can get this guy up out of here early with no ill intent, no injuries or anything like that. We’re not going in there looking for the knockout. If it happens, it happens.”

PATRICK HYLAND

(On how he’s feeling before the fight)

“I feel great. Nice and strong and I’m ready for tomorrow night.”

(On what his fans should expect tomorrow)

“Hey, I just want everyone to come follow me, have fun and be a part of me bringing the belt back to Ireland.”

JOSE PEDRAZA

(On how he feels after making weight)

“I feel good, really good, we made weight which was the most important thing for today. We’re happy and ready fight.”

(On what fans should expect)

“A grand fight. One more challenge that we will overcome. It will be a big challenge but we’ve done great work and I know we will come out on top.”

STEPHEN SMITH

(On how he felt after the weigh-in)

“You know, it’s always nice to get the weigh-in out of the way and now be fully focused on the fight. I’m feeling good.”

(On what fans should expect)
“A good fight. We’re two very competitive fighters. Two fighters who believe that the training has gone as well as possible. We will put everything on the line tomorrow night and we are very confident that I’ve got what it takes. I will do anything that it takes to win this fight and bring the world title back to the UK.”

# # #

Russell Jr. vs. Hyland, a 12-round bout for Russell’s Jr.’s WBC Featherweight Title taking place on Saturday, April 16 at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn., is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jose Pedraza and Stephen Smith will meet in a junior lightweight world title bout for the IBF belt. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader will air live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

NEW YORK (April 13, 2016) – WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., and Irish contender Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs), of Dublin, faced off at the final press conference Wednesday at Highline Ballroom in New York, as they approach this Saturday’s Featherweight World Title fight live on SHOWTIME® from the Fox Theater in Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins live at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME with IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship clash between unbeaten Puerto Rican Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) and mandatory challenger Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), of Liverpool, England.

Here’s what the fighters had to say at Wednesday’s final press conference.

GARY RUSSELL JR.

(On Patrick Hyland…)

“First and foremost, I gotta tip my hat off to him. I heard him say he was being trained by his father. Me and my younger brothers are also trained by my dad. My father is my favorite superhero, so it is very hard to deal with a situation like this and to bounce back and to grind and put all the hard work and effort into it after all the heartache and loss, I gotta tip my hat off to him for that.

I know that anytime you have a fighter that trains for six to eight weeks and prepares for no one else but you, is a dangerous fight. He’s tall, he’s long, but we can take him. We’re going to handle it.”

(On returning from injury…)

“I feel good. I’m ready; I put the work in at the gym. Like I said earlier, I got cussed out several times and sometimes I left the gym feeling like the worst fighter ever. But, right now, we’re ready and we’re prepared to invest in my ability.”

(On what it means to have his brother Antonio on the card he’s headlining…)

“It means a lot. I’m looking forward to it. I’m actually more looking forward to watching my brother compete than my own fight. I will definitely be working his corner in that fight. It means a lot for us to be able to pass this information down from generation to generation and watch it grow and watch us build as a family and as a unit. It’s amazing.

“He definitely has the potential to be the best. Him as well as Antuanne, who is now on the 2016 Olympic team. It’s all information passed down from generation to generation. I feel as though they definitely have the ability to be better than me. I would want them to be anyway.”

(On what he needs to win the fight…)

“I need to maintain control of the fight, close the distance and maintain the jab. Complete dominance; I want to touch the body early. He likes to move a lot, so we’re going to cut all that down.”

(On potential future opponents…)

“God willing, everything goes right come April 16, we would love to unify with Lee Selby. If I had my choice, I would go with Lee Selby first to unify. Immediately after that, I want Leo Santa Cruz and after that I need Lomachenko.

“I don’t care where [Lomachenko] moves. He can lose his next 10 fights, but before my career’s done he has to see me.”

PATRICK HYLAND

(On what gives him the sense of satisfaction in boxing…)

“To fight for the WBC title is everything I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid and all of the hard work that I have put in to get to this position to fight for it. I am happy and I am just living for it now for Saturday night.”

(On being the first Irish boxer since Barry McGuigan to hold a featherweight world title…)

“It’s a whirlwind and it’s great. I’m just a local lad from Johnstown in Dublin and to be fighting on the big stage and to be fighting for a major world title, and again to be named the second featherweight ever to win a world title would be just amazing; a real dream come true for myself.”

(On Gary Russell…)

“I know he’s got fast hands. He’s a great southpaw and a great boxer so I have to be at the best of my ability on Saturday night for that. I worked on a game plan in the gym to counter his hand speed and it all has to come together on fight night. I can do all this and say all that, but I just have to perform on Saturday night and put it in by doing everything I’ve worked on to become champion.”

JOSE PEDRAZA

(On training camp…)

“I am feeling really good, we’re in the last stretch of conditioning. It was a very long and intense training camp but we saw improvements in my abilities. I have been waiting a long time for this day to come and we are going to demonstrate to Smith that I am a weapon.

(On Stephen Smith…)

“Smith is a very good boxer, he has a lot of abilities and intelligence. He’s a boxer with very good defense, but we already utilize a variety of strategies to be able to neutralize all of his abilities.”

(On what he plans to demonstrate on Saturday…)

“With my abilities, come Saturday, I will demonstrate that I am above Smith and that I am at the level of what I am, a champion. Overall, I just want to put on a show and I hope that the fan base will enjoy this great card.”

(On what he learned from fighting Edner Cherry…)

“I learned what I have always said and what I have always done to this very day, which is never watching. I never watch too many videos of my opponent because on the day of the fight he could be a completely different fighter and I think that is what occurred then. Aside from that, he utilized a great strategy.”

(On his thoughts on other Puerto Rican boxers…)

“Actually I am a world champion just like Rocky Martinez; there are many Puerto Rican prospects. Like [Felix] Verdejo but I don’t consider him as a world title contender just yet. He hasn’t fought with a boxer of championship caliber but he is currently among the top fighters in Puerto Rico.”

(On other fights he may be interested in at 130 pounds…)

“I have always said that the less Puerto Ricans I fight, the better. If it is the last option, I will fight with Puerto Ricans too but aside from that Rocky [Martinez] the world champ, there’s Francisco Vargas, [Javier] Fortuna, to name a few that are at the top of my list.”

STEPHEN SMITH

(On his first time fighting in the U.S….)

“I’m excited. If you want to make a name in boxing, then you’re going to do it in the states and that’s what I plan on doing by becoming a world champion Saturday.”

(On what he knows about Pedraza…)

“Well, not quite a lot. I know his name from the amateur days. He’s well established, he’s an Olympian and he’s a talented man. To fight somebody consists of winning or not, it goes beyond tactics, beyond style and beyond skillset really. I believe I have what it takes to fight anyone and nothing will keep me from becoming a world champion.”

(On what he needs to do to get the victory…)

“It can be a different type of fight; we know he likes to switch it up and box from different stances. He’s obviously talented so it’s going to take a different set from each way but we know what to expect. I’ve gone over everything with my trainer Joe Gallagher and we’re ready to go.”

(On his brothers Liam and Callum being hampions and what it could mean to potentially join them…)

“It’s special. Two weeks ago Liam and Callum won a European world title and it just gives me the confidence, the spirit to hike. I’m in a really good place mentally and I couldn’t be feeling better going into it. After my boot camp going successfully, it just makes you feel better going ahead to become a world champion.”

(On UK champions on the rise in the past year…)

“There’s a lot of history there and for myself and my family, so we do what we’ve always wanted to do and we’re looking to just keep moving forward.”

TRAINER JOE GALLAGHER

(On training camp…)

“It was good. Obviously it boiled up to Callum’s win. There’s a good momentum. Callum and then Stephen has his world title opportunity. It’s been a slow burning rise with Stephen but he’s got, as I call it ‘his World Cup final’ — something that is going to take heart and strength. His strength is going very well. Pedraza is a very good fighter, good orthodox, good southpaw, he can mix it up and we’re prepared for whatever style he wants to bring on Saturday.”

(On the process of preparing for a fighter like Pedraza…)

“It’s a nightmare. It’s hard enough when you’re fighting a quality orthodox or a quality southpaw, of which he is, but not only that. He can also box on the back foot and on the front foot so we’re varying sparring partners, we’re mixing up the sparring in between the rounds, switching stances, and whichever way Pedraza wants to fight at the end of the night, I’m sure we’ll have an answer for.”

(On how he feels the fight will play out…)

“I think that’s all up to Pedraza, looking back at a few of his fights, he boxes slow and gets off to a good start but then he seems to lose his way a little in rounds. When you watch him against [Andrey] Klimov, he started out very well, put him under manners very quickly and had him nearly beat by the fourth round but [Andrey] managed to stay in very well and boxed really well. He got to the middle rounds, lost his way a little bit, switched southpaw, so either way it’s going to be fascinating. We’ve just got to make sure we don’t get caught to early when he’s quick and he’s sharp and he’s trying to put manners in Stephen Smith and then take him into the deep waters like Edner Cherry.”

(His prediction…)

“Stephen Smith. Possibly by knockout. No, definitely by knockout.”

# # #

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

NEW YORK (April 7, 2016) – The boxers who will be fighting Saturday, April 16 on a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® world title doubleheader are deep into their respective training camps as they continue preparation for their bouts at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

In the main event, live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT), the talented and speedy southpaw Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) makes the first defense of his WBC Featherweight World Title against Irish contender Patrick Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs). In the SHOWTIME co-feature, unbeaten sniper Jose Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) risks his IBF 130-pound world title as he defends his title for the second time against a mandatory challenger, Stephen Smith (23-1, 13 KOs).

Russell, who won the 126-pound title with a fourth-round knockout over defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez on March 28, 2015, trains in Washington, D.C.

Hyland, whose only loss suffered was to WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Javier Fortuna, has been training at a gym in Dublin, Ireland, owned and operated by his trainer, Paschal Collins, whose older brother Steve was a former two-time WBO world champion. Paschal Collins also boxed as a pro but is best known for being Irish heavyweight Kevin McBride’s head trainer during his shocking knockout of Mike Tyson.

The switch-hitting Pedraza, a 2012 Puerto Rican Olympian, has been working out in his native Puerto Rico. Smith, of Liverpool, England, has been training in the UK.

Below is what the confident boxers had to say with less than two weeks to go before their major fights:

GARY RUSSELL JR., WBC Featherweight World Champion
(On Training Camp)
“I’ve been in camp in Washington, D.C. for about eight weeks. I suffered the head butt before my November fight but I have been able to train this whole time and returned to sparring eight weeks ago. It’s been a really long training camp but I’m ready to go. This is the hardest part. Fighting is easy, but the preparation before the fight is where the hard work comes in. Being out of the ring so long is difficult, but it’s part of the business. Everything happens for a reason and I’m just really keyed in mentally.”

(On fighting Patrick Hyland)
“Hyland is going to come in there to win. You have to have that confidence to get in the ring. He’s preparing himself, but the question is, will it be good enough? I highly doubt it. We don’t take anyone lightly and we prepare to the best of our abilities. Everyone in the ring can pull off the upset. That’s why I have to be prepared to the fullest.”

“He’s not really a pressure fighter so I might have to take the fight to him. He’s long and rangy and he tries to keep his distance. He’s not a big puncher but he definitely has the ability to steal a fight.”

(On the fighting Russell family)
“My brother Antuanne made the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in the 141-pound division and he has a chance soon to qualify for the games with a tournament in Azerbaijan. My other brother Antonio is going to be on my undercard as well. Within my family we’re actually the first set of four brothers to all win the National Golden Gloves. That just goes to show the level of coaching we get from our dad, to have a world champion, two Olympians and four National Golden Gloves winners. We’re trying to leave a legacy in this sport. We’re all very similar in temperament and attitude. We all want to be world champions.”

(On dealing with injuries)
“I’ve never had a fight where I was 100 percent. There’s always been something going on. I have had hand injuries since the beginning of my career but we have creative ways to handle that and preserve my hands. Right now, I feel great. I just have to pick my shots more, but that’s where the speed becomes a factor.”

(On possible future opponents)
“If I can get by Hyland, I want to fight the winner of the Lee Selby vs. Eric Hunter fight and unify titles. After that I’d like to see Leo Santa Cruz and take care of that. Then I want another crack at Vasyl Lomachenko. I don’t care what weight Lomachenko is at, I’ll follow him. He has to see me.”

PATRICK HYLAND, Featherweight Contender

(On Training Camp)
“I’ve been training at Celtic Warriors Gym in Dublin since before Christmas because I had a fight here (Ireland) on Feb. 6 but pulled out when I got word that I was fighting on March 12 (at Mohegan Sun). When that fight was postponed, I took it easy for two weeks until the April 16 show was announced. That’s when I started picking up training again. I’ve been training really hard and putting everything on the line to become WBC champ. We plan to arrive in the U.S. a week prior to the fight.”

(On fighting Gary Russell Jr.)
“To challenge a great champion, Gary Russell, Jr., is an honor for me. I think Gary is an awesome fighter with great hand speed and boxing ability. I’ve been working with Jono Carroll, an unbeaten Irish southpaw with good hand speed and good movement, who is ideal for what I have to work on to beat Russell.”

(On fighting again in the U.S.)
“I love fighting in the U.S. because there’s always a great atmosphere at the fights and it’s the real home of boxing. I’ve met friends for life who I consider family from the Marlboro area (Hyland lived in Marlboro, N.Y., for a couple of years). They’ll be at this fight, as always.”

(On the fighting Hyland brothers)
“My brothers are no longer fighting. Their last fights were on the same show, Jan. 28, 2012 in Atlantic City, which I headlined in (against Emmanuel Lucero). My older brother, Edward (“Pride of Tallaght”) fought at super featherweight. He runs his own Boxing Club in Dublin. My other brother, Paulie, was a former European and Irish super bantamweight champion. He is back doing a bit of training. No other members of our Hyland family were in professional boxing. I’m hoping we’re not the last, though, as I’ve got a few nephews and my own son now. One day they might lace up the gloves.”

JOSE PEDRAZA, IBF Super Featherweight World Champion

(On Training Camp)
“I am currently training in the Municipal gym in Cidra, P.R., where I took my first steps in boxing. I decided to train here because it feels like home and I can feel the warmth of my people and I am able to set an example for those who are starting out in boxing as well.”

“My training started in December and it is divided into two sections (morning and evening). During the morning portion we work on all of the specifics of boxing, including gloving up in addition to physical training lasting about three and a half hours. For the evening portion of the training I run. Two days a week it is track training and four days of the week it is distance running for about two hours in the evening, making it a total of about five and a half to six hours of work daily.’’

(On his diet)
“Actually, thank God, I do not have a strict diet and can eat all varieties of foods. I am doing really well with weight and I just reduce portions in the evenings during the final stages of the camp to meet the required 130 pounds. That’s why I do not miss any foods. My favorite foods are steak and other grilled foods. After the weigh-in I prefer the pastas my mom makes. She always prepares three different kinds for me.’’

(On his team)
“My team is composed of Mr. Luis Espada (trainer-manager), Francisco Flores (conditioning and track trainer), Andres Melendez (strength and conditioning) and Dr. Hector Santos (cutman and spiritual director). I’ve been with my trainer, who is my father, for 14 years ever since I threw my first punch. I haven’t made any major changes since I became champion. I’ve remained the same humble young man from a small town. I just push myself more to reach the bigger fights in the five categories from 130 to 154.”

(On his challenger Stephen Smith)
“I have seen some videos with my team of his fights and I can see that he is a boxer with a lot of resources who utilizes hooks to the body just as much as to the head. He is strong but something that works in my favor is that he is a come-forward fighter. He can handle 12 rounds comfortably. I hope on fight night I can neutralize all of his abilities and get the victory. I wouldn’t doubt if the win came by a KO anywhere from the sixth through the eighth round.’’

(Plans for his future in boxing)
“There are conversations about going up to 135. I’ve been at this weight since 2007; my body is demanding for me to go up to 135. Eventually my aspirations as a boxer are to be able to make boxing history not just in Puerto Rico but in the world. I want to go up and be the champion in five categories.”

“First and foremost I would like to face Francisco Vargas; he’s a seasoned boxer and is strong with a lot of rage. He went to the Olympics like I did in 2008 and he became a champion in what could be considered the fight of the year for 2015, very dramatic. It would be the Mexico vs. Puerto Rico rivalry. Another fighter who I would like to face is the champion Javier Fortuna. He is simply just a loud mouth with a poor memory (or selective memory) but I’ll send him a note to look up what happened in boxing history during the Roman Cup 2006 in the Dominican Republic. I’ll leave it to him as an assignment.’’

(On his inspiration and role models)
“My biggest inspiration is my family. It is they who always, day after day, are there supporting me as my No. 1 fan. I am a pro-family man and my family is my engine with God as my strength. Together they inspire me to carry the responsibility on my shoulders of doing my best in and out of the ring.’’

“Floyd Mayweather. He is an intelligent boxer and his abilities distinguish himself. He also works and trains very hard and puts in the gym time. He’s a man of his word and he invests 100 percent to each in his training camps and knows how to manage his fans as well. So many fans would like to see him win and just as many like to see him lose, but people just want to see him.’’

STEPHEN SMITH, IBF No. 1 Super Featherweight Contender

(On the significance of this matchup)
“All fights are important but this one is especially very important for me to win so that I can get back to where I was in the division.’’

(On finally getting a crack at the world title)
“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, but the timing couldn’t be better. I’m excited to get the opportunity to win the world title live on Sky Sports in the UK and on SHOWTIME in America.’’

(His views of the defending champion)
“Pedraza is a good fighter with a good amateur background and he’s not a world champion for nothing. He can box from either stance but I am confident of winning. I wouldn’t expect it to be an easy fight. It’s a world title fight, it’s meant to be tough. I’m preparing for the best of him; I don’t think he was at his best last time out against (Edner) Cherry.

“He could have lost that fight, but he got the win and he’s going to look to show he’s better than that. We’ve covered all bases as far as sparring for whatever way he comes out, and I think I have the game plan to beat him.

“It’s not like he’s looked at me and thought ‘he’s an easy fight’ – he has no choice if he wants to keep his title. I think this fight has happened at the right time for me. It’s dragged out a bit but I’ve got a good head on my shoulders and I think that everything happens for a reason. My last outing was a career-best performance and I think that this has come at the right time.’’

(On his strategy)
“(Trainer) Joe Gallagher is as meticulous as anyone when it comes to preparing to face someone. Pedraza’s a lot more aggressive from the orthodox stance, but we’ve studied everything and we’re really confident. The gym is still going strong; we were gutted for Scott Quigg as we know how much he gives in the gym for each fight. Spirits were down for a bit but big fights keep coming round, and now I have my fight.”

(On answering the critics who said he’d never fight for a title after his 2011 defeat to Selby)
“Because I had such a successful amateur career, I think that big things were expected of me. I had a bit of bad luck with injury, the loss to Selby set me back, but that was more from people writing me off. Lee is world champion now so there’s no disgrace in that, but people were saying after that fight that I wouldn’t fight for a world title. It can be a fickle sport at times but I’ve come back stronger and I think I will prove a lot of people wrong in America.’’

(On his fighting brothers, Paul, Liam and Callum)
“The family is doing great things, but it’s just something that we all set out to do when we started boxing so it’s not really come as a surprise to us. We work hard every day and we’ve hit the goals we’ve set ourselves; Liam is world champion, Paul has boxed for the world title twice, Callum is on the verge and I box for a world title soon. Four brothers fighting for world titles is a massive achievement but for us, it’s not enough — we want to win them. I think it’s very achievable for us, Paul is back tonight and he’s looking for another shot, so it’s realistic to say that three of us will box for world titles this year.’’

(On making his U.S. debut)
“The training is the same but there’s more pressure and more media attention on this one as it’s the big one. I’ve never boxed in the states myself but I’ve been over there with Paul and Callum, and anyone who has brothers that box will tell you it is worse when they are fighting than when it’s your own fight. I know what to expect over there and I’m going to embrace it and soak it all up.”

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

The event is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. The bout featuring Pedraza and Smith is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. (April 4, 2016) – Always tough Patrick “Punisher” Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs) will be fighting for Irish boxing history Saturday, April 16 as he challenges WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) in the 12-round main event, airing live on SHOWTIME from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast kicks off at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT with undefeated IBF Super Lightweight World Champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs), of Cidra, Puerto Rico, defending against mandatory challenger Stephen “Swifty” Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), fighting out of the United Kingdom.

Hyland is on the verge of joining a pair of exclusive Irish boxing clubs. The 32-year-old from Dublin is attempting to become the first Irishman to be world featherweight champion in 30 years, since Hall-of-Famer Barry “The Clones Cyclone” McGuigan, in addition to being only the second Irishman – Wayne “The Pocket Rocket” McCullough stands alone right now– to ever wear the coveted green WBC world title belt.

McGuigan (32-3, 28 KOs), fighting out of Clones, captured the WBA Featherweight Title in 1985, taking a 12-round decision from Eusebio Pedroza, and he successfully defended his crown twice against Bernard Taylor and Danilio Cabrera before losing by decision to Steve Cruz in 1986.

The only other Ireland-born world featherweight titlist was Dave Sullivan (27-12-7, 18 KOs), who was born in Knocknanaff, County Cork, Ireland, but fought professionally out of Boston, Mass. In 1898, Sullivan stopped Solly Smith in the fifth round to become world featherweight champion.

Belfast, Northern Ireland-product McCullough (27-7, 18 KOs), who was the WBC Bantamweight Champion in 1995-97, is the lone Irishman to ever be WBC World Champion in any weight class.

“Just to be fighting for this title is an honor for me and to challenge a great champion in Gary Russell, Jr. is also an honor,” Hyland said from his training camp at Celtic Warrior Gym in Dublin. “To join great Irish boxing names is a dream come true for me. It will also mean the world to me to win this belt for my and family and, most importantly, for my (late) dad, for all the hard work he put into me and my two brothers since I was eight years old. To look up and say, ‘Dad, we did it,’ will be the best feeling in the world.”

Hyland has fought 10 times in the United States, including a 12-round loss to interim WBA featherweight champion Javier Fortuna in 2012. Hyland lived in Marlboro, New York for a few years when he was promoted by a company headed by thenreality television star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.

“I love fighting in the United States,” Hyland added. “There’s always a great atmosphere at fights there and the US is the real home of boxing. Snooki Boxing didn’t work out as planned, but they did a great job getting me the WBA title shot which was a great achievement in their first year in boxing. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out after that fight, but I do have great respect for them. I met friends for life from Marlboro who I consider family and they’ll be at my fight as always.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $90 and $45, not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. The Pedraza vs. Smith bout is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

MASHANTUCKET, CT (March 17, 2016) – Patrick “The Punisher” Hyland spent St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland with his family, trading green beer for his son’s green bib, as he prepares for his featherweight world championship showdown against Gary Russell Jr. on Saturday, April 16 live on SHOWTIME® from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

“I spent St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends,” said Hyland. “We just got back from dinner after bringing my son up to the parade in Rathcoole.

“It was a lovely, sunny day for the beer garden, but none for me. I’ll have to celebrate April 17. I’m looking to bring that title back to Ireland.”

The Irish born and raised Hyland has won four fights in a row as he prepares for his world title opportunity stateside with the expectations of his nation on his shoulders.

“This win would be massive for the Irish boxing community,” said Hyland. “I want to become a world champion like Carl Frampton and Andy Lee and this is a prime chance. I’m going to proudly represent the Irish people and leave everything in the ring.”

Hyland has extra motivation, along with fighting for his wife, Lorna, and newborn son, Callum, he will be honoring the memory of his late father and longtime trainer who passed away recently.

“This fight means the world to me and it’s why I got into boxing,” Hyland said. “I’m dedicating this to my late father and after I win I’ll look up and say ‘Dad, we did it!’ ”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT with undefeated IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Jose Pedraza defending against mandatory challenger Stephen Smith.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $90 and $45 not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. The Pedraza vs. Smith bout is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

MASHANTUCKET, CT (March 15, 2016) – Gary Russell Jr. will return to the ring to defend his WBC Featherweight World Title against Irish contender Patrick Hyland on Saturday, April 16, live on SHOWTIME® (11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT) from Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, undefeated IBF Super Featherweight World Champion Jose Pedraza will defend against mandatory challenger Stephen Smith.

Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) will be making the first defense of his featherweight world title that he earned after stopping defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez in the fourth-round last March. He was set to defend last November, but was forced to withdraw due to a training injury. If he can get by the extremely motivated Hyland (31-1, 15 KOs), Russell Jr. is in line for big fights with fellow champions and top contenders such as Leo Santa Cruz, Lee Selby, Abner Mares and Carl Frampton.

“I’m excited about being back in the ring,” said Russell. “It’s been a year because of an injury, but I’m feeling great and more ready than ever. I’ll be prepared for anything. I’m looking forward to meeting Mr. Hyland on the 16th and I’m ready to prove I’m the best featherweight in the world.”

“This is a fantastic opportunity to fight for the WBC title, one of the belts that I’ve always wanted to hold,” said Hyland. “It means the world to me to be fighting for this title against a real champion like Gary Russell Jr. I think he’s a great fighter who does everything well so I have to be at my best on fight night. But I know I can beat him and take that belt home to Ireland. I’m just a lad from Jobstown in Tallaght who works hard and loves the fight game. I’ve been trained all my life by my father, may God rest him, and to win a world title will make all of his hard work and effort worthwhile.”

Pedraza (21-0, 12 KOs) won his 130-pound world title last June when he dominated Andrey Klimov to capture the vacant belt, and he successfully defended it last October in an exciting battle against Edner Cherry. Both bouts aired on SHOWTIME. Now he faces the mandatory challenger in Smith (23-1, 13 KOs), who has won 11 straight bouts and may present the toughest challenge of Pedraza’s burgeoning career.

“I am in excellent condition, had an extraordinary training camp and am anxious to demonstrate my skills in the ring on April 16,” said Pedraza. “I am truly looking forward to entertaining the fans in attendance and remaining undefeated as I defense my crown against Smith. I am determined to become the next big star out of Puerto Rico.”

“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, but the timing couldn’t be better,” said Smith. “I’m excited to get the opportunity to win the world title live on Sky Sports in the UK and on SHOWTIME in America. Pedraza is a quality fighter but I know I will do whatever is needed to become world champion on April 16 and I can’t wait.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, are priced at $150, $90 and $45 not including applicable service charges and taxes and are on sale now. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com and www.foxwoods.com or by visiting the Foxwoods’ Box Office. To charge by phone call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. The Pedraza vs. Smith bout is promoted in association with Gary Shaw Productions, Universal Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.

“This SHOWTIME doubleheader is a can’t-miss event,” said Lou DiBella, Presidentof DiBella Entertainment. “In Russell-Hyland, you have one of the most gifted fighters in all of boxing defending his title against a hungry and tough-as-nails Irishman in the biggest fight of his career. Pedraza is looking to make a statement against Smith, Britain’s number one contender, and to follow in the footsteps of past Puerto Rican superstars.”

A speedy and supremely talented boxer, Russell Jr., was impressive in his fourth-round stoppage of the battle-tested Gonzalez last March. The 2008 U.S. Olympian had scored important victories over Vyacheslav Gusev, Juan Ruiz, and Miguel Tamayo before losing a majority decision to Vasyl Lomachenko for the WBO 126-pound title in June 2014. The southpaw, of Capitol Heights, Md., was able to return to his winning ways with a unanimous decision over Christopher Martin that December prior to his coronation against Gonzalez, whom he dropped three times en route to capturing the title.

Leading into his last fight on Oct. 10, in Lowell, Mass., Ireland’s Hyland was dealing with heavy emotions following the death of his beloved father and longtime trainer, and the birth of his first son. The 32-year-old remained steadfast, fighting in memory of his father to stop David Martinez in the eighth round. It was his fourth consecutive victory since suffering his lone defeat, a close and competitive loss to the unbeaten Javier Fortuna for the interim WBA World Featherweight Title in December 2012. Now, presented with another world title opportunity, Hyland seeks to honor his father’s legacy by bringing the championship back home.

The switch-hitting former Puerto Rican Olympian Pedraza backed up his “The Sniper” moniker against Klimov as he picked apart the Russian with superior speed and accuracy on his way to a world title. Pedraza earned a shot at the title in his previous bout with a career-best win over former world title challenger Michael Farenas. The 26-year-old will have title unification on his mind if he can conquer his mandatory opponent on April 16.

Part of a fighting family, Smith’s brothers Callum, Liam and Paul all fight professionally at a high level and he hopes to join Liam as a fellow world champion on April 16. The 30-year-old has fought professionally since 2008 and his only blemish came against featherweight world champion Lee Selby in 2011. Smith earned his title shot with a sixth-round stoppage of Devis Boschiero in September 2015 and will be making his U.S. debut at Foxwoods.

For more information, visit www.SHO.com/Sports, follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @PajPunisher, @Sniper_Pedraza, @SwiftySmith, @LouDiBella, @FoxwoodsCT and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment.

NEW YORK (Nov. 5, 2015) – In light of the injury Gary Russell Jr. suffered while training, SHOWTIME Sports® will present a ShoBox: The New Generation telecast on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The previously announced matchup between undefeated super welterweights Frank Galarza (17-0-2, 11 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Jarrett Hurd (16-0, 10 KOs), of Accokeek, Md., will serve as the 10-round ShoBox main event.

Additional details on the fight card and telecast are forthcoming.

The ShoBox telecast will air live on SHOWTIME®, the SHOWTIME streaming service and SHOWTIME ANYTIME at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

# # #

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $155, $105, $80, $55 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at Hard Rock Hotel box office, by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX, or online at www.axs.com.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @TGBPromotions, @HardRockHotelLV and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

Featherweight title holder Gary Russell Jr. suffered a cut in training that will prevent him from making a title defense of November 14 against Oscar Escandon on Showtime, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“The network was informed earlier [Monday] that Gary sustained a cut in training and is unable to fight,” Showtime spokesman Chris DeBlasio told ESPN.com. “Of course we are sorry to hear this and we are evaluating our options for the Nov. 14 show. We expect to have an announcement in the next couple of days.”

LAS VEGAS (November 02, 2015) – As he nears his Saturday, Nov. 14 showdown against WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs), featherweight contender Oscar Escandón (24-2, 16 KOs) is primed and ready for the challenge. The 12-round SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main-event will be televised live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast), from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The co-main event of the evening will see undefeated super welterweights Frank “Notorious” Galarza (17-0-2, 11 KOs) and Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (16-0, 10 KOs) in a 10-round clash.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $155, $105, $80, $55 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX, or online at www.axs.com.

Less than one month after Russell Jr. and Escandon square off, SHOWTIME Sports® will present another high-profile matchup between elite 126-pound fighters as WBA Featherweight World Champion Jesus Cuellar defends against Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo on Dec. 5 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

While working out in Las Vegas with Coach Ruben Guerrero, Escandón gave his thoughts on training camp, fighting Gary Russell Jr., and his quest to become a world champion.

On his matchup with Gary Russell Jr.:

“Gary Russell Jr. is a very skilled fighter but he doesn’t know what it’s like to be in a rugged fight. Everyone knows I come to fight and Russell is going to find out firsthand what it’s like to be in a war. He better be ready to take some lumps.”

On training in Las Vegas:

“Running in the high elevation here in Las Vegas has been great for my stamina. I’ve adjusted to the atmosphere and my body feels extremely strong. I’ve gotten some great sparring with a lot of different looks, guys that move like Russell. I couldn’t be more prepared then I’ll be for this fight.”

On working with Ruben Guerrero:

“Ruben and I have been working great together. His knowledge of fighting southpaws is excellent and we have a great game plan going into this fight. Everyone can expect to see me throw a lot of punches.”

On his quest to become a world champion:

“Becoming a world champion is something I’ve wanted my whole life. I’ve been close a couple of times. In those fights I made the mistake of leaving the decision in the judges’ hands. This time around, I’m going for the knockout, to assure myself victory.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @TGBPromotions, @HardRockHotelLV and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

CONTACTS:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (Oct. 28, 2015) – Beltway-area natives Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) and Antoine Douglas (18-0-1, 12 KOs) held a media workout at The Enigma Boxing on Tuesday as they prepare for their separate bouts in November on SHOWTIME.

Russell Jr. will make the first defense of his WBC Featherweight World Championship against Colombia’s Oscar Escandón (24-2, 16 KOs) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, Nov. 14, live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT) from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Douglas, a world-ranked rising middleweight prospect, will put his undefeated record on the line against veteran Les Sherrington (35-7, 20 KOs) in the main event of the prospect-oriented series ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, Nov. 6, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT) from the D Las Vegas.

Here’s what Russell Jr., Douglas, Gary Russell Sr. (Gary’s father and trainer) and Gary Antonio Russell (Gary’s younger brother and undefeated boxing prospect) had to say on Tuesday:

GARY RUSSELL JR.:
“Training camp is going great, we’re right on course. There was a minor hiccup in the camp because I was supposed to fight on Oct. 24. I started sparring, but once the fight got pushed back to November 14 I cut the sparring off. I didn’t want to peak too early.

“Today (Tuesday) was my first day back sparring again. I’m working on my timing, ring generalship and lateral movement. We’re right on course.

“Oscar Escandon is strong and durable. He comes straight forward. If his corner was smart they would try to take away my hand speed which will be a big factor in the fight. He’ll need to close the distance, smother my punches so speed isn’t a factor.

“We are working on becoming just as comfortable fighting on the outside as I am fighting on the inside.

“A lot of fighters are one-dimensional. We are trying to make that diamond shine on all sides.

“I know that I will be victorious without a doubt. Anyone that you get in the ring with these small, 8-ounce gloves always has a possibility of creating an upset whether he’s a big puncher or not. It only takes one shot. It’s the fighters’ job to take away that opportunity.

“I’m excited to fight, period. I don’t even think about this fight being a title defense. It takes a certain type of mental toughness and psychological strength to get in the ring and perform. Anyone who gets in the ring against me is a champion in my eyes.

“It’s been about seven months since I fought. I’m always anxious to get back in the ring.

“If I get past Escandon I would love to fight Leo Santa Cruz, we fought in the amateurs. But we never underestimate any opponent and we are focused on getting this fight out of the way first. Lee Selby is another guy that we’re looking at. Of course Abner Mares, even though he lost, would be a great fight. These are the type of guys that we’d like to fight.

“Having my family with me during training camp means everything to me. It’s where I get my energy from. A lot of guys feel like they have to get away for training camp, but I don’t have to leave home. My family is the driving force behind my training camp and where I find my power and motivation. At the end of the day, I box for my family.

“If my brother ends up fighting on my undercard it would be very cool for me. It will be funny because if he does compete, you will definitely see me work his corner before my title fight.”

ANTOINE DOUGLAS:
“I know my opponent is a tall southpaw. He likes to fight on the inside and smother his opponents with his punches. It’s a good matchup. I can adjust to any boxer face.

“I’m satisfied with the way that my career has progressed, taking steps up with each opponent along the way. We’re ready to take that next step, more toward a title shot.

“If all goes well with my fight against Les Sherrington I hope to start fighting on Saturday, make that move from ShoBox to SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

“I see myself fighting for a world title in the near future. There are plenty names in the division that I look at, but only a few guys that hold the titles. I look at Daniel Jacobs and Peter Quillin as guys that I would like to fight.

“The Jacobs vs. Quillin fight could go either way. I think I’m leaning more towards Quillin.

“I was born prematurely. Doctors told my family that I wouldn’t be able to walk or see, but look at me now. My mom is always screaming at my fights because she’s so proud of the fact that I’ve overcome so much.

“I grew up with my siblings bouncing around at different foster homes from the age of 5. I was running the streets because I didn’t know any better.

“My cousin adopted us and he first introduced us to boxing.

“Boxing provided me with a family, structure and disciple. It has made me the person I am today and has brought me success so I can live a better life in the future.

“My upbringing in the streets prepared me for my career in the ring. I have already been through the battle and if something was to stop me it would’ve already happened.

“My mom battled addiction when I was younger and she wasn’t in my life. She’s now back in my life and it means a lot to me to have her supporting me with my career. I am also able to provide structure in her life.

“It would mean everything to me to have my mom and I celebrate a world title.”

GARY RUSSELL SR.:
“I know it’s a championship fight, but we go into every fight like it’s a title fight. We don’t know a ton about his opponent, we just train like champions.

“I have six sons, all of them are fighters. They all have different attributes as people that translate differently into who they are as people and in the ring.

“Antonio Russell is 4-0, he’s worked really hard all of his life. Outside of the gym, he can fix anything. Antoine, who just qualified for the Olympic trials, is brilliant. I’m very proud of him because he just graduated valedictorian of his class with the highest GPA of anyone in Prince George’s county. Then you have Gary, who is so hard working, he’s the future patriarch of the family, he has an old spirit.

“I’m proud of all of my kids and I’m proud that we’re a strong family unit. We learned a lot from Gary’s loss to Vasyl Lomachenko. We have a motto at the gym that hangs from a banner, it says ‘Success is the Ultimate Revenge’ and we’ve lived by that ever since the loss. We learned an important lesson from that fight and have moved on.

“Boxing is a fleeting thing, you don’t do it forever. We’re doing our own thing. I’m not worried about what other people have done.

“As a father, your paternal instinct kicks in because in this sport, anything can happen. You don’t want to see your son end up hurt. So we train for any circumstance. Because of that instinct, I’ve been strict and hard on my sons in order to keep them safe.”

GARY ANTONIO RUSSELL (Fighting on the Friday, Oct. 30 non-televised Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce TV undercard and potentially the November 14 undercard.):
“With the way we train and fight, our defense sets up our offense and our offense sets up our defense.

“My job is to go in there and win fights. I know my opponent is a tall guy, but I also know that he is not going to win. He doesn’t have the punching power or ring generalship that I have.

“Once I win, I’m on to the next. I’m trained to fight consistently. I hope I get this guy out early, if it comes and presents itself. Then I’d love to fight on my older brother’s card two weeks after.”

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 21, 2015) – Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) will make the first defense of his WBC Featherweight World Title when he takes on Oscar Escandón (24-2, 16 KOs) in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event on Saturday, Nov. 14 from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, live on SHOWTIME (10:45 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $155, $105, $80, $55 and $30, not including applicable fees, and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino box office, by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX, or online at www.axs.com.

“It’s going to take all of my skills and my whole arsenal to defend my belt on November 14,” said Russell Jr. “Escandón is a strong, durable fighter with a lot of power. I will have to be on my A-game and I believe I will be able to showcase my skills when I get in the ring.”

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to fight Gary Russell Jr. for his world title,” said Oscar Escandón. “I feel strong going into this fight. Moving up to featherweight has given me the added weight to be at my full strength. I’ve been training hard with Ruben Guerrero, who’s been doing a great job preparing me for Russell’s southpaw attack. I guarantee that I’m going to make it a rough fight.”

“Gary Russell Jr. is one of the sports brightest young stars,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Winning the featherweight world title against Jhonny Gonzalez was an outstanding feat and he’s chosen a very tough initial defense against the heavy handed Oscar Escandón. We’re very excited to work with the great teams at SHOWTIME and
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on this terrific event.”

The evening’s co-main event will be announced shortly, as will the full undercard of action.

Russell Jr., of Capitol Heights, Md., makes his first start since dethroning defending champion Jhonny Gonzalez via fourth round TKO in March in Las Vegas. The talented and quick-fisted southpaw dropped the veteran Gonzalez three times en route to capturing his first world title. The only blemish on the record of the 2008 U.S. Olympian is a close majority decision loss to Vasyl Lomachenko in a bout for a vacant world championship in June of 2014 on SHOWTIME.

Escandón, of Ibague, Colombia, is a former interim WBA World Super Bantamweight titlist – he lost the belt in April in a close, split decision to Moises Flores at StubHub Center but complained after the loss that a broken finger in his right hand prevented him from throwing any meaningful punches. A former amateur standout who represented his native Colombia in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Escandón won his U.S. debut and the interim WBA belt with a 12-round split decision over Tyson Cave last December. He has knocked out 10 of his last 14 opponents and is trained by Ruben Guerrero, father of long-time welterweight contender Robert Guerrero.

Escandón, who holds a career-best seventh-round TKO over then-undefeated Jesus Cuellar in 2011, will be making his third consecutive start in the U.S. as he moves up in weight to 126 pounds to challenge Russell Jr.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @MrGaryRussellJr, @Escandonbox; @TGBPromotions, @HardRockHotelLV and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports.

NEW YORK (Oct. 3, 2015) – SHOWTIME Sports® will present seven live boxing telecasts in a span of just eight weeks to close out 2015, including three presentations of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, a SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast and three installments of ShoBox: The New Generation.

The seven telecasts will air live on SHOWTIME® and will feature at least 16 fights, several world championship bouts and more than 10 matchups on the prospect developmental series ShoBox.

The action will kick off with a ShoBox quadrupleheader on Friday, Oct. 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME from the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Ariz. In the 10-round middleweight main event, undefeated Rob Brant (17-0, 11 KOs, 0-3 in World Series of Boxing) will square off with Louis Rose (13-2-1, 5 KOs). In eight-rounders, unbeaten Filipino prospect Harmonito Dela Torre (16-0, 11 KOs) meets Wanzell Ellison (10-1-1, 5 KOs) in a junior lightweight scrap, Jarrell Miller (14-0-1) takes on Akhror Muralimov (16-1, 13 KOs) in a heavyweight bout and Lavarn Harvell (15-1, 8 KOs) will meet southpaw Samuel Clarkson (16-3, 10 KOs) in a light heavyweight scrap.

The following day, Saturday, Oct. 24, undefeated Kell Brook (35-0, 24 KOs) will make the third defense of his IBF Welterweight World title against Diego Chaves (23-2-1, 19 KOs) at Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England. The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast will be presented via Sky Sports in the UK and will air live on SHOWTIME in the afternoon with an encore presentation later that evening (SHO, 9 p.m. ET/PT).

ShoBox: The New Generation returns Friday, Nov. 6 from D Hotel in Las Vegas with a four-fight telecast: Up-and-coming unbeaten middleweight Antoine Douglas (18-0-1, 12 KOs) will battle Les Sherrington (35-7, 20 KOs) in the main event. In the co-feature, Taras Shelestyuk (12-0, 8 KOs) will be opposed by an opponent to be determined. Rounding out the card are eight-round scraps between Keenan Smith (7-0, 2 KOs) and Benjamin Whitaker (10-1, 2 KOs) and O’Shanique Foster (8-0, 5 KOs) and Samuel Teah (7-1, 5 KOs) in super lightweight and lightweight fights, respectively.

On Saturday, Nov. 14 quick-fisted Gary Russell Jr. (26-1, 15 KOs) will risk his WBC Featherweight World Championship against Oscar Escandon (24-2, 16 KOs) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

Just two weeks later, on Saturday, Nov. 28, in a can’t miss match-up newly crowned IBF Super Middleweight World Championship James DeGale (21-1, 14 KOs) will face former world champion Lucian Bute (32-2, 25 KOs) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING from the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, live on SHOWTIME. In the co-feature, undefeated knockout artist and former Russian amateur champion Artur Beterbiev (9-0, 9 KOs) will face an opponent to be announced in a light heavyweight world championship title eliminator.

Brooklyn Bragging Rights and the WBA Middleweight World Championship will be on the line on Saturday, Dec. 5 when defending champion Daniel Jacobs (30-1, 27 KOs) takes on former champion Peter Quillin (32-0-1, 23 KOs) in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The marquee main event will be preceded by a co-feature fight with additional bouts on the card airing live on SHOWTIME EXTREME.

Closing out the boxing year for SHOWTIME Sports will be a ShoBox two or three-fight card airing live on Friday, Dec. 11.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

Baltimore, MD (July 14, 2015) – WBC featherweight champion Gary “Mr.” Russell Jr., undefeated prospect Antonio Russell and former welterweight titlist Vincent Pettway will all be in attendance for Baltimore Boxing’s “Road to the Worlds” Thursday evening at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, MD.
Individual tickets starting at $25, reserve tables of 10 for $350 and VIP tables of 10 for $500 are on sale via the web at Baltimoreboxing.com or by calling 410-375-9175. Doors open at 6:30 and the first fight takes place at 8.

More than eight Olympic style bouts are scheduled for “Road to the Worlds” including fighters from various weight classes. Competing Thursday evening will be popular knockout king Sam Crossed, 2009 Ringside World champion Joey Veazey, fast rising Donald Wallace, Ernie Hall, Rick Foxwell and Sean Veazey amongst others.

With the Ringside World Championships scheduled August 5-8 in Missouri, Baltimore Boxing is donating 100% of the proceeds from “Road to the Worlds” to help the fighters pay for the tournament and various expenses that come with attending. This includes but is not limited to flights, ground transportation, lodging and food. To further assist with the fundraising efforts, a 50/50 raffle will take place during the evening.

An elite talent who many consider to have the fastest hands in boxing, Russell Jr. captured the WBC featherweight title following a career best performance where he knocked out Jhonny Gonzalez in the fourth round. The Washington, DC native won countless national amateur championships prior to turning pro and was a favorite to capture gold during the 2008 Olympics. Unfortunately, he passed out trying to make weight and never got to compete. At 26-1 with 15 knockouts, Russell Jr. looks to be a force for years to come and is a face that fans will become accustomed to seeing on TV.

Like his older brother, Antonio Russell came into the pro ranks following an impressive amateur career. The winner of the 2013 National Golden Gloves, Russell won medals three of the five years he competed in the nationals, capturing silver in 2010 and 2014. As a professional, Russell fights in the bantamweight division and is 3-0 with 2 wins by knockout.

The fighting pride of Charm City, Pettway stopped Gianfranco Rossi in 1994 to become the IBF junior middleweight champion. His next match however earned Pettway permanent fame in the boxing community. On April 29, 1995, Pettway scored a dynamic one punch knockout of Simon Brown. When Brown crashed to the canvas, the force of Pettway’s punch discombobulated him to the point that he literally threw punches at the air. The knockout has been viewed millions of times on the internet and remains one of the best in boxing history.

“I’m really looking forward to having the Russell Brothers and Vincent at my show,” said Smith. “Gary fought on my show when he was an amateur and I literally had goose bumps watching him fight. He was the most talented amateur I’ve ever seen and his brother was a heck of a fighter too. Their father has been a friend of mine for years and it’s amazing how many talented fighters came from that household. Vincent’s been a great supporter of Baltimore Boxing and the city as long as I could remember. Having him on fight night is always a pleasure and the fans show him a lot of love. Between the fighters on hand, boxers scheduled to compete and cause this card is supporting, Thursday will be a great all around evening.”

The Russell Brothers and Pettway will be available to meet with all ticketholders.

Baltimore Boxing kindly ask those who can’t attend to donate by going to http://www.gofundme.com/x4cyjqc.

By Bart Barry–

Saturday, Showtime’s preternaturally gifted Gary Russell Jr., an Al Haymon fighter, knocked-out the hardest puncher in Mexican history, Jhonny Gonzalez, on Showtime, a Haymon-affiliated network, to seize from Gonzalez the Showtime featherweight title Gonzalez took from Showtime’s Abner Mares a few years back. Whatever the depth of boxing’s featherweight division, and whatever Russell’s postfight protestations, Showtime’s featherweight division now finds itself bereft of fitting challengers for Russell’s crown – and Showtime viewers are admonished, therefore, to raise Russell’s fragile left hand against every hypothetical opponent from here to Nicholas Walters.

Unfortunately there is nothing new or more hyperbolic to say of Showtime’s Gary Russell Jr. than was already said by HBO’s crew 4 1/2 years and nine fights ago. Back then Russell’s membership on USA Boxing’s woeful 2008 Olympic team was viewed with greater skepticism than it is today; time and Deontay Wilder’s semisuccess, and the still-worse showing by USA Boxing in 2012, all, made shouting “2008 Olympian” somehow more positive Saturday on Showtime than it did when Russell began underachieving on HBO, who honored what remained, then, of its journalistic integrity by noting Russell did not even compete in the 2008 Olympic Games.

While it would be impossible to mark the day on which HBO completed its transition from broadcaster to promoter, historians might find riches worth mining in a review of a Boxing After Dark telecast on Sept. 3, 2011, one that featured an Andre Berto-rehab assignment in its main event and Gary Russell Jr.’s HBO debut in an eight-rounder on its undercard:

“Gary Russell Jr. is an ex-cep-tional talent!” cheered Max Kellerman before the opening bell even rang. “I think, Roy (Jones), he’s a gold-medal-caliber talent.”

“I hear his hands are almost as fast as mine used to be,” Jones answered, rhetorically, with what autobiographical modesty marked his every broadcast. “He’s got to be a gold-medal talent.”

In round 2 Kellerman strayed dangerously close to insubordination when, in an attempt to define Russell as both a supreme offensive force and a supreme defensive one, he ran afoul of Jones’ definition of a “boxer” – which Jones promptly made indistinguishable from other styles, specifically the difference between a “boxer” and a “boxer!”

“Signs of a great fighter, son,” added Jones in round 4. “Great hand-speed. Great power. Great defense. (Russell) has the total package.”

Comically, Kellerman then explained the hardest challenge to come for Russell’s people would be resisting temptations to move Russell too fast – since he was so outclassing the guys a lesser prospect would face at this point in his career. Caught under the spell of his own salesmanship, then, Kellerman asked Jones if room even remained for Russell to improve.

As the end of the fight neared, and Russell had failed even marginally to imperil someone named Leonilo Miranda, Kellerman looked ahead rosily:

“It’s not so much of a stretch to imagine (Russell) and Nonito Donaire in the winners bracket of a super fight at 130 pounds – two, three years down the line.”

Almost.

Four and a half years down the line, Russell finally won a title from an ancient Jhonny Gonzalez on the same day Donaire steamrolled someone named William Prado, off-television, somewhere in the Philippines.

While Russell seems like a good guy with talent, and certainly his managerial shop has produced lesser items in recent years, the fact remains no one should be excited about Russell, and excepting only those who are paid to act excited about Russell, no one genuinely is. Russell landed one great punch Saturday, a counter whose power derived mostly from Gonzalez’s sloppy aggression in the closing instants of round 3, and the rest of the stoppage came via Russell’s venomous flailing in round 4, Gonzalez’s despondency, and referee Tony Weeks’ mercy.

When Russell lacks power, generally, it is because he is afflicted with something like front-foot-itis, a condition that plagued the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Russell often loads weight on his front foot as an anxious habit more than a strategic consideration, in a vestigial tick from his time in USA Boxing, when all the sweet science was reduced to reflexes and conditioning. Trained by men who idolized Roy Jones Jr., in 2008 Team USA believed in leaning forward, triggering an opponent’s jab, and then yanking back on one’s chin and weight while snapping a counter hook at one’s trapped opponent. Of course, when these counter hooks did not land, or got simply blocked, there was nothing for the American Olympian to do but retreat, bounce, and reset his weight over his front foot.

The medal count that year confirmed the approach’s sagacity.

Saturday’s most interesting revelation, though, came in the celebration of Jhonny Gonzalez’s now-extraordinary power, a concussive force he did not have until his first-round elimination of Showtime’s Abner Mares in 2013. Before then, Gonzalez was another sturdy Mexican, whose career and life, likely, were shortened by Israel Vazquez in 2006.

I was ringside for five Gonzalez fights, in Jhonny’s actual prime, and not once do I recall anyone talking about his historic power. He had good technique and made entertaining fights, and had a great nickname, “Jhonny”, but if anyone had said at the time Gonzalez packed more relative power than, say, Rafael Marquez – an assertion Showtime implied by implying trainer Nacho Beristain labeled Gonzalez as Beristain’s hardest-hitting champion ever – he’d have been laughed right off the writers’ table at Desert Diamond Casino.

The game certainly has changed. Back then, a cable network like Showtime would call an advisor like Al Haymon a “power broker.” Today, they call him “Boss.”

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Gary Russell Jr. won the WBC Featherweight title with a fourth round stoppage over Jhonny Gonzalez at the Palms in Las Vegas.

Russell dropped Gonzalez in the closing seconds of round two from a perfect right hook to the jaw. Russell scored a second knockdown in round four with a right hook to the head. Russell finished thins as he landed a huge flurry that put Gonzalez on the deck for a third and final time and the fight was called at 37 seconds of round four.

Russell, 125 3/4 lbs of Capitol Heights, MD is now 26-1 with 15 knockouts. Gonzalez, 125 lbs of Mexico City, MX is now 57-9.

Jermell Charlo remained undefeated by scoring a 10-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Vanes Martirosyan in a jr. middleweight bout.

In round eight, Martirsyan was cut above the left eye from a headbutt.

Charlo, 154 3/4 lbs of Houston, TX won by scores of 97-93 and 96-94 twice and is now 26-0. Martirosyan, 153 lbs of Glendale, CA is now 35-2-1,

LAS VEGAS (March 26, 2015) – Two days before their important fights live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), this Saturday, March 28, hard-hitting WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez, 2008 U.S. Olympian and former world title challenger Gary Russell Jr., undefeated super welterweight Jermell Charlo and once-beaten super welterweight Vanes Martirosyan participated in the final press conference at The Pearl Theater at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
In the second half of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® doubleheader, the hard-hitting Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs), of Mexico City, will defend his WBC Featherweight World Title against talented once-beaten Russell (25-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md.

The telecast opener will match undefeated rising star Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs), of Houston, against the battle-tested Martirosyan (35-1-1, 21 KOs), of Glendale, Calif., in a 10-rounder for the WBO Intercontinental 154-pound championship.

Earlier on Saturday, SHOWTIME Sports® will present the Sky Sports telecast of the IBF Welterweight World Championship between defending champion and hometown favorite Kell Brook and No. 1 challenger Jo Jo Dan live on SHOWTIME at 6:15 p.m. ET/3:15 p.m. PT from the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, England. Sky Sports’ Jim Watt and Nick Halling will call the action from ringside.

Tickets for this Saturday’s stacked DiBella Entertainment fight card are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable fees are on sale. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Here’s what the boxers and the other participants said Thursday at Palms Resort Casino Lounge.

JHONNY GONZALEZ, WBC Featherweight World Champion

“I am well aware of the history of the prestigious WBC featherweight title and the many great Mexican fighters before me who held it. It is an honor and a privilege and actually very exciting for me to be mentioned with those names.

“I definitely know that more people have been watching me since I knocked out Abner Mares. Knowing that more people are paying attention keeps me motivated, keeps me going strong.

“I feel I am getting better with every fight. Every victory only makes me work that much harder.

“I am very excited about fighting Gary Russell. He is a great fighter and this is going to be a great fight. I am totally prepared for anything. Everyone says it is my power against his speed, but anything can happen in a fight.

“The media thinks I’m done. They say Russell is too fast for me. I’m an underdog in this fight. While I don’t let any of the talk bother me, it does give me more motivation to prove to the people that I am for real and that I am a good fighter fight in and fight out.

“I enjoy being champion, putting in all the hard work and proving people wrong. I had a great training camp and prepared myself well in Mexico City for this fight. I’m known for knockouts but I never go into a fight looking for knockouts. I am ready to fight 12 hard rounds. If the knockout comes, it comes.

“I want to win and take the belt home to Mexico. You’ll see on Saturday what I have in store. You can see my strategy then. I hope to see you all there.

“I want to thank everyone for helping make this fight possible.’’

GARY RUSSELL JR., 2008 U.S. Olympian and former world title challenger

“I’m ready and in shape. In the ring I’m omnipresent. I’m going to change all those pictures on that belt.

“I feel the same going into this fight as I always do, and I expect the outcome to be the same as always, that I will come out on top.

“I respect Jhonny Gonzalez like I respect all my opponents. He worked hard to win the title. I have studied tape of him. I know he is going to come right after me. Gonzalez is a puncher. But I’m a good puncher too. He’s been knocked out before, maybe he’ll get knocked out again.

“I can do a lot of things in the ring. Of course, my youth and speed will be keys but I have other attributes, too, like boxing acumen, ring generalship and what I call controlled chaos. I can move and punch and I’m thinking all the time in there.

“Gonzalez and Lomachenko are totally different fighters with completely different styles. Lomachenko may be a bit better overall, but Gonzalez is more of a pure puncher with power. I know Gonzalez has a dangerous left hook. But I’m totally prepared for that and everything else.

“In my fight with Lomachenko I was flat. A lot of things went wrong in camp before that fight. I allowed my conditioning coach at that time to change up all sorts of little things with me, and they wound up working against me.

“For this camp, we went back to basics with the same people I’ve always had. It was a great camp. You know, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and that’s the philosophy all of us have again.

“I never dreamed growing up of being a world champion. My goal was to become a U.S. Olympian and win a gold medal. When I didn’t, I felt I let so many people down. It was then I started dreaming of becoming a world champion.

“I get another chance on Saturday. I’m ready for it.’’

JERMELL CHARLO, Undefeated Super Welterweight Contender

“It’s been an awesome camp, we enjoyed it. It’s been an awesome six or seven weeks. One thing you can never forget is — being a Charlo, being a lion — we stay on our game for weeks. Always training, always in shape.

“We know who is around us in the division, and which fighters to pay attention to. We know how far up we are. Vanes is a great fighter – I grew up with him a little bit. We trained with him back in ’08. His father is great. His father knows my father. We made it to a level where we both carried ourselves to the top. Carried ourselves to rank No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 … and when you’re in that position you fight the best.

“Of course, I’m not going out without a fight. I know neither is Vanes. You guys are going to get a fight Saturday night. As simple as this — I come to roar, I come to take over, I come to show guys that you can’t figure us out.

“There’s so many different things that have been said … ‘you’re basic,’ ‘you’re a boy vs. a man.’ Impossible. I wouldn’t be here if I was a boy. So, Saturday you all will see. I’m going to work.

“There are several weaknesses that I plan on exploiting. He’s got 35 wins but you have to look at who he fought. I would argue some of those guys don’t have the resume of the guys I have fought.

“I’ve fought tougher fighters than Vanes, stronger guys. A lot of people avoid Charlie Ota because it’s a rugged fight, but I’ll take those fights. You have to get in there and adjust, which is something I do.

“Vanes has a good right hand that you have to watch out for. There are certain punches that we have to throw to neutralize it.

“This can open up bigger doors for fights with top guys at 154 and even some other guys we can make catch-weight fights with. I consider myself and my brother (Jermall) both top five fighters in the division.”

VANES MARTIROSYAN, World-Ranked 154-pound Contender

“I’ve been here before. I love the lights.

“To all the fighters, I wish them the best. We’re ready to go. There’s not much to say right now. I do all the talking in the ring. I’ll let my fists do the talking.

“We’re 100 percent ready. I want to thank my trainers Roma, Coach D, my brother, my father. We’re ready to go. On Saturday I guarantee a victory by knockout. I promise that.

“It’s been a great two month camp, but we’re always ready. I’m always doing something athletic even if I don’t have a fight.

“Jermell is a good fighter, a good boxer. I would say he’s basic and I really do believe that. You can’t change a fighter overnight — that takes time. We’ll see what he brings to the table and be ready for anything.

“I’ve been in situations before where I knew even bigger fights were ahead of me and I got kind of used to the lights. I know what to do now and I’m ready. After this fight there are bigger things to come but to get to those bigger things you have to focus on this task.

“I don’t look at myself as the B-side, I think he is. I’ve been in this situation before and I’ve fought a lot of big names. Maybe there’s hype around him that makes him the A-side but it is all hype. I’ve been in there with guys who have a lot of experience so I’ll be ready.’’

NACHO BERISTRAIN, Gonzalez’ Hall Of Fame Trainer

“I expect a very difficult fight against southpaw who is very fast. Gary Russell is a great fighter, I like him.

“Jhonny knows what he has to do. He has to throw punches, maintain constant pressure and cut off the ring. That’s the way to help overcome Russell’s speed.

“Since beating Mares, Jhonny has definitely become stronger and more confident and more ambitious. It’s not about money, however, he just wants to prove to all the people that he is a good champion.

“Jhonny was always dedicated but now he is even more dedicated. We expect a victory by a big margin on points, but if the knockout comes, it comes.’’

GARY RUSSELL SR., Russell’s Trainer/Father

“Gary’s speed is going to be the difference. Speed kills.

“After the camp we’ve had, we expect Gary to come out and do what he knows how to do. They talk a lot about Gonzalez’ punching power, but Gary can whack too, along with his overall hand- and foot-speed and overall ability.

“We went back to our old routine in training and I can tell you Gary feels a whole lot better now. He’s primed for a big effort on Saturday. We all are.’’

RON RIZZO, Vice President of DiBella Entertainment

“Seems to be that this fight has been lost a little been in the shuffle recently. I’m not sure why. We have a lot of big things happening within the boxing industry — just as the University of Kentucky is dominating with their undefeated season, there’s a lot of other great matchups that are involved in boxing, and this is one of them.

“This is one I’m really excited about, and all the matchmakers I’ve been talking to are excited as well.

“I think this is a bout that’s really going to stand out. I don’t want people to miss it. This is a really good fight. There’s also another good fight with Charlo vs. Martirosyan as well.

“I really feel the main event is an unbelievable fight that just got lost in the shuffle of big fights that are happening on network television. For me, all the matchmakers that I’m talking to… it’s just one of those perfect kind of style bouts that are very intriguing. Of course Jhonny Gonzalez always makes for exciting bouts. Gary Russell is another guy who wants that title. He’s ready to take it this time.”

JAIME QUINTANA, Promociones Del Pueblo

“On behalf of Promociones Del Pueblo who represents Jhonny Gonzalez, the World Champion, we would like to let you know that we are happy to be here in Las Vegas defending the title.

“Jhonny Gonzalez has put up pretty good fights before – you all know. You have followed the steps in his career. We appreciate that. Thanks to the media, it’s them that makes a great fighter a great champion.”

BILLY CONN, Vice President of Entertainment and Special Events for The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort

“On behalf of everyone here at the Palms Casino and our 2,000 employees, we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to cover this great event.

“We’re excited to work again with SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and DiBella Entertainment. Our crew at The Pearl has been working feverishly to make this intimate venue for everybody.

“You’ll really enjoy seeing fights here. Tickets are still available here at the Pearl Box Office, Ticketmaster, on our website, etc. Tickets start at $25. We look forward to hosting everybody here.”

BOB BENNETT, Executive Director of Nevada State Athletic Commission

“I feel privileged for the Nevada State Athletic Commission to go ahead and regulate this great Championship fight. We want to thank DiBella Entertainment and Goossen Promotions for bringing this fight to the fight capital of the world and to SHOWTIME for broadcasting the fight. Last but not least, and most importantly, I want to thank the fighters. Without the fighters, none of us would be here.”

# # #

“Gonzalez vs. Russell Jr.”, a 12-round world championship bout for Gonzalez’s WBC Featherweight World Title, is promoted by DiBella Entertainment. In the co-feature, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The event will take place at The Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). The telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

Kelly Swanson
Thank you, operator. Thanks, everyone, for calling in. We have a great call this morning and this afternoon actually here on the East Coast to talk about the March 28 SHOWTIME show, CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Show, featuring Jhonny Gonzalez, Gary Russell, Jr. and Jermell Charlo against Vanes Martirosyan. We have all the fighters joining us today on the call. We will start with Jermell and Vanes. But, before we get to the fighters, I’d like to introduce Chris DeBlasio, Vice President of Communications for SHOWTIME Sports to fill you in a little bit about the fight. Chris?

Chris DeBlasio
Thanks so much, Kelly. I just want to take a quick moment to thank the fighters for being on this call, thank the press for being here, and just say on behalf of Stephen Espinoza, the EVP and General Manager for SHOWTIME Sports, and all of us at SHOWTIME, we’re really excited to get back into it with a nice live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event this Saturday. As you may have seen in the boxing press, it was about two weeks ago that we announced the addition of a new platform called SHOWTIME Boxing International. The first fight will be this Saturday, March 28; it’s an international fight on the SHOWTIME network live to our subscribers. So, the first instance is a nice way to kick off our Saturday March 28 boxing coverage, and that’s gonna be the Kell Brook versus Jo Jo Dan IBF Welterweight World Championship fight that’s taking place in Sheffield, England. SHOWTIME is going to carry that fight live at 6:15 Eastern, 3:15 Pacific. And then, we will take a break during the afternoon hours and then go live at 10 p.m ET./7 p.m. PT SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event with Jermell Charlo, Vanes Martirosyan, Jhonny Gonzalez and Gary Russell. So, it’s sort of a two- part platform on Saturday with three live fights coming to you, which we’re really excited about. And we appreciate the opportunity to be in business with the guys on the phone here today. So, without anything further, let’s get it started. We welcome you guys.

Kelly Swanson
Okay. And one quick note — or rather, media, one quick note — we have just sent out the Fight Week Media Schedule, so please look for that in your inboxes, and it will give you the details of what is going on this week for the fight. Thank you. Okay, let’s go ahead and open it up. Actually, let me go ahead and introduce the two guys that are on the call right now. They want to say a couple words. First, we have Vanes Martirosyan. He’s a world-ranked 154 pound contender. Vanes, you want to say a couple words, tell us how training is going and how you’re getting ready for the fight?

Vanes Martirosyan
Training is going great, everything is going good. We can’t wait to fight. You know, I’m sure everybody says that before they fight, but we really are ready to go. We just can’t wait to go.

Kelly Swanson
Okay, great. Thanks so much. And where are you training?

V. Martirosyan
I’m training here in California at Main Event Sports Club. There’s been a couple of locations we’ve been training, but the major has been Main Event Sports Club, which the media will be at today.

K. Swanson
Now, I’m going to move to Jermell Charlo. He’s an undefeated super welterweight contender. Jermell why don’t you tell us a little bit about what’s happening in your training camp and how you’re feeling heading into the fight.

Jermell Charlo
Training’s been great. Every time I step in the ring, every time I get ready for a fight, I feel like just there’s never been a time where I repeat myself or do something the same. I’ve been learning from all my past mistakes. Every win I’m still learning from. So, training camp has been good. Trainer Ronnie Shields, Danny Arnold. I opened my own gym, so I get a little late night extra hours in when I want to. And, I want to fight with my twin brother. We’re pushing to fight. I can’t wait to fight. Just like Vanes, he’s hungry, he’s ready. I’m I’m ready.

Q
Given both of your positions, as considered as top 10 contenders in the 154 pound weight class, in your mind, do you consider this an elimination fight? Vanes, what are your thoughts about that?

V. Martirosyan
I think every fight right now at this point in my career and Jermell’s career should be considered a title fight. It is — I think it is — an eliminator fight. I’m looking at this as a championship fight. Jermell is tougher than any of the champions, so to me, this is a championship fight, and that’s what we got ready for. And it should be an eliminator fight. I don’t know if it is or not, but that’s how we’re taking it as, and we’re taking this as a world title fight.

Q
Jermell, your thoughts on that – is it an official eliminator or a de facto one?

J. Charlo
Same thing with me. I feel that this is a tough fight. Every fight is a fight for my life. And I step in the ring and make sure that I fight with that on the back of my mind. Vanes is a great fighter — grew up with him. I know what I bring to the table. And this fight is a fight for manhood, it’s a fight to show who the real tycoon of the sport is in the 154 pound weight division. There’s a lot at stake, so it’s more than a title fight to me.

Q
Jermell, did you say that you grew up with him a little bit?

J. Charlo
Yeah, I grew up with him, at least two or three years with Vanes, you know, and his family, his people, you know? So, I know — we know each other well.

Q
Have you guys ever sparred with each other?

J. Charlo
Yeah, we’ve sparred with each other several times.

Q
How often, would you say? And how long ago?

J. Charlo
I can’t really say how often. I know it was back when we were a little bit younger. I was younger, still a little boy growing up into a man. So, right now, I don’t even think about how it was, what it was about, or how training was when we were training together. Wasn’t even 19 — I was 17, 16, 17, 18, I mean, those ages. Here, we face each other because we’re both at the top, and that’s what happens when you’re in the same division. Never had anything personal or different to say about him. It’s just work.

Q
Vanes, you feel the same way about your times in the ring with him?

V. Martirosyan
Yeah, I remember when we used to train. It was good training. We were always in competition — me, him and his brother. We used to go running at Memorial Park every day, and we’d try to see who’d finish the lap first. It was always competition between us — running and training or what-not. But it was nothing but love and I respect him, his father, and his trainer, Ronnie Shields. They’ve been good people to me. But Saturday night, he’s going to be my enemy in the ring. For now, outside the ring, I respect everybody. Once we step in the ring, it’s a totally different story.

Q
Your fight that took place in October was a big win for you against Willie Nelson. You harnessed a lot of the emotion going into that fight because it had taken place just after your promoter Dan Goossen had passed away and you had his brother Joe in your corner. It was a lot of heavy emotion that night, and you really came through in a big way that night. Is it gonna be difficult in any way to sort of get that same emotion behind you?

V. Martirosyan
No, because at that fight, we had to forget about a lot of things. Dan passed away. We were all sad, and we didn’t know what to do. And we actually thought — ‘should we fight’ or I don’t know if Joe (Goossen’s) going to be there. I didn’t know what was going on. There was too much emotion going into that fight. We kind of got away from the fight a little bit. But we used it as motivation for our fight. This fight to me is big. When I lost to Andrade, I didn’t step into the ring 100 percent, and when I came home — when you come home a loser, it’s a bad feeling. I can’t look at my wife, my kids. I feel like I let them down. So, right now, I’m just in that mode where I’d rather die than see that again.

Q
If you were to win this fight, obviously, you’d be in position for a major world title fight. Are you comfortable with waiting for one of those, figuring those fighters only fight maybe twice a year, or would you want to stay active and take more fights between them?

J. Charlo
You know, winning this fight to me — a world title would be ideal. A world title is important. I want to fight for a world title. I want the world title. That’s every boxer’s dream and envision whenever they’re young. Fighting for the world title matters and all this extra stuff, but if I’m here building my name and building my brand, that’s just as important. Being a household name throughout the World Boxing Council, everything. That matters to me.

V. Martirosyan
The fight, this fight — I’d say like a lot of the champions that are champions right now in our weight class, most of them just run their mouth, starting with Andrade. A fight like this for me and Jermell, it’s such a big fight for me, you know, but it’s not only for us. I mean, it’s for the fans. The fans are in, and it’s great. I mean, you rarely get to see contenders like me and Jermell wanting to step up and fight each other. You know, usually, people will get up to the rankings like we are, they just want to just talk a lot of bad stuff about the champions to get the world title fight. But, you know, you rarely get to see contenders like that, you know, No. 1 and No. 2 fighting each other when, you know they really want to fight each other and they both said yes to the fight. So, it’s a big fight, but I feel like, you know, we’re all gonna be — we’re gonna do our best, and I feel like the fans are gonna be the winners for this fight.

K Swanson
Okay, great. You guys, I think that was your last question, and so we appreciate you taking the time out of your training. And Vanes, we look forward to seeing you later for your open workout. And, Jermell, we will see you in Las Vegas later this week.

J. Charlo
No problem. See you, guys.

V. Martirosyan – Thank you. Take care.

Kelly Swanson
We’re going to switch the call over to Gary Russell, Jr.

K. Swanson
Gary Russell, Jr. will be facing Jhonny Gonzalez for Gonzalez’s 126 pound title, the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Gary, if you want to tell us a little bit about how training is going, your anticipation to be fighting Jhonny Gonzalez for this world title and what you think about the whole fight in general?

Gary Russell Jr.
We had a great training camp. Everything has been perfect, no excuses, no cutting corners. We’re 120 percent ready for this fight. We can’t wait be able to call ourself the new WBC World Champion.

K. Swanson
Are you doing anything in camp in preparation for this that’s different from your other fights?

G. Russell Jr.
No, we’re not doing anything that’s different in preparation for any of the fights. I think the only difference is, depending on the fight, you want to prepare depending on the opponent that you’re competing against. So, I think the only difference is the difference in sparring. You want to bring in guys that have a similar style to who it is you’re gonna be competing against etc. That’s the only change that we’ve made so far. Besides that — basic fundamentals, ring generalship, hand speed, punching power, strength and conditioning, all of that stuff is the same.

Q
Gary, were you surprised to get another shot at the title?

G. Russell, Jr.
No, I’m not surprised. I got the same Al Haymon Promotions, just Al Haymon in general when it comes to that. He’s my manager, and we know that he did everything in his power to try to make things happen for us, and give us another shot at a world title. I’m extremely grateful and thankful for this opportunity.

Q
When you fought the fight against Lomachenko for one of the titles, do you take anything out of that defeat? Whether it’s the experience, or being on that level of the stage that you bring towards this next championship opportunity?

G. Russell Jr.
Of course. One of the main things that we took out of it is, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. In that particular fight with Lomachenko, we did a lot of things completely different in that fight that we normally wouldn’t do. We brought other people in. We let other people take the reigns and be in control of our conditioning. We’ve seen the outcome of that and the side effects of it. We don’t take losses easy, by far. So we’re back on pace. We have the same team around us that have been here from the beginning of my career all the way up until now. We had the same team way back in motion. We’re ready, we’re focused, we’re determined, we’re driven and we’re just looking to give a good show.

Q
Do you see Gonzalez as a much better fighter than Lomachenko, or perhaps a bit of a more vulnerable fighter than Lomachenko or similar? How do you stack up the two title holders?

G. Russell Jr.
They’re two very different fighters. Lomachenko has a little bit more hand speed than Jhonny Gonzalez. Gonzalez is more of a puncher. Jhonny Gonzalez is more of a dangerous fighter than Lomachenko just because of his punching ability and just him being a seasoned professional, being able to get all these rounds in as a professional. Lomachenko definitely is a good fighter. We take every fight serious. You take no one for granted. We definitely said, oh, this is a dangerous fight taking with Jhonny Gonzalez, but we feel as though what we bring to the table will be superior in the end.

Q
What specifically did you do differently to prepare for Lomachenko that you wish you hadn’t?

G. Russell, Jr.
We brought someone in for our strength and conditioning. We’ve known our strength and conditioning was completely different. Even when it came to the way that we cut weight, it was different. Leading up to the fight, we were in a sauna for the past two, maybe three days leading all the way up into the fight. That’s what my strength and conditioning coach wanted me to do.
Anyone that’s seen that fight, whether it was Lomachenko or anyone else, they’ve seen the difference in my punching ability, my endurance, my speed, just me as a person. People knew that that wasn’t the Gary Russell, Jr. that they’d seen the previous 24 fights. And that was some of the things that came up in the Lomachenko fight. I was completely tired and fatigued in the first round, you know?

Q
About Jhonny Gonzalez — he obviously is a guy who is a volume puncher, he’s not afraid to stand in and trade. How does this fight work to your advantage if he does fight a typical Gonzalez fight in your mind?

G. Russell, Jr.
I don’t think that he’s going to be able to deal with, once again, my speed. I think we’ll be able to do it with my speed. He’s always been slow in the speed. Even though he’s been a puncher, a lot of punchers have to really sit to actually apply these punches efficiently. I think he lacks the ring generalship as far as the footwork goes that he would need — the foot quickness. And a lot of his shots are a little wide. So, I’ll be about to outpunch him and be able to punch him between his shots.

Q
What did you think of the decision in the Lomachenko fight?

G. Russell Jr.
I didn’t think anything of it. The only thing that registered in my mind was the fact that I didn’t have the ability to perform the way that I normally would have. I never really looked at a decision. I never looked at how the referee was going about the fight or any of these things. The only thing that came to my mind was the fact that I just lost my first professional fight, and I sort of saw the reason why I lost — it was because I wasn’t able to do what it was that I normally do.

Q
So, you feel that you lost the fight then?

G. Russell Jr.
Certainly. I’d definitely say that I lost the fight.

Q
You touched on Al Haymon earlier. Can you explain what his impact is in your career? And we’ve all seen the moves that he’s been making. How is that gonna help you moving forward?

G. Russell, Jr.
I feel as though the fire is under these managers and promoters. There’s a team effort. You’ll be able to tell your manager or your promoter, ’Hey, this is my game plan, this is what it is that I want to accomplish this year.’ I wanted to at least be able to contend for a world title. I want to have maybe four fights this year, maybe six fights this year, etc. Your manager and promoter, where they come in at, they should be able to meet you halfway with their game plan. If you want to have six fights within a year, etc., your manager and promoter should be able to get it done for you. We feel as though that Al Haymon is very efficient in doing exactly what it is that we want from him. It’s about who you know, I guess.

Q
Heading into this fight, do you feel like you have to give a certain quality of fight to really make fans relate to you and make you a household name? Now that there’s so many platforms for boxing, do you feel like there’s added pressure to put on an exciting fight, or do you feel like you can still just, methodically box and gain fans from that?

G. Russell Jr.
I honestly don’t feel as though that we have to do anything out of the ordinary. You’re going to see the typical Gary Russell, Jr. that you’ve seen the previous 24 fights — hand speed, punching ability, ring generalship and etc. ,A lot of fighters get caught up in the hype, and they feel as though they have to do things a little more to win the fans over, etc. That’s never one of my things. I’m always to be exciting without being reckless. And I’m going to do what it is that I’m comfortable doing.

K. Swanson
Okay, Gary, thank you so much for being available to answer those questions, and we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day, and we look forward to seeing you fight this Saturday, March 28, at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Thanks, Gary.

* * *

Tickets for the live event are priced at $200, $100, $75, $50, and $25, plus applicable
fees are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or by clicking HERE. Tickets are also available online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Gonzalez vs. Russell takes place at The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and will air on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT). In the co-main event, Jermell Charlo takes on Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will also be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.sports.sho.com, follow on Twitter at @SHOSports, @jhonnygbox, @mrgaryrusselljr, @TwinCharlo, @LouDiBella and @PearlAtPalms, follow the conversation using #GonzalezRussell, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.