JACK CATTERALL BACKS LIAM WALSH TO DETHRONE IBF KING GERVONTA DAVIS

Undefeated WBO Inter-Continental Super-Lightweight Champion Jack Catterall is backing Liam Walsh to dethrone IBF King Gervonta Davis when the pair clash in a blockbuster World Title showdown at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

‘El Gato’ has been been sparring with Cromer hero Walsh at the Club Boxeo Povedano De Arona gym in Tenerife. The Chorley man believes British Champion Walsh will be able to defeat Floyd Mayweather protege Davis by using his superior boxing brain.

“I’ve been sparring Liam in Tenerife and he’s looking really, really good,” said Catterall. “His timing and footwork are brilliant. I was very impressed. I’ve also sparred Gervonta’s brother Malik Hawkins at the Mayweather gym.

“Gervonta looked really good when he dealt with Pedraza. He clearly packs a big punch so Liam needs to stay switched on, use his feet and brains, and avoid getting involved. If he can do that, Walsh wins by points decision.”

An action-packed undercard features Light-Heavyweight knockout artist Anthony Yarde taking on Southern Area Champion Chris Hobbs for his first professional title; teenage Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois goes in search of another big knockout; plus Southampton’s Joe Pigford and Barking’s Aaron Morgan put their unbeaten records on the line in a potential barn burner.

Local talent including Harrow’s Mitchell Smith; Hornchurch Super-Welterweight ‘Hammer’ Sammy McNess; Sikh sensation Sanjeev Singh Sahota; Chingford Super-Featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Ilford Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid; New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards; Welling Super-Featherweight Archie Sharp; Chelmsford Super-Middleweight Billy Long; Croydon Flyweight Sunny Edwards; and Wycombe Ben Smith complete an unmissable card.

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk




GERVONTA DAVIS AND RYAN WALSH EMBROILED IN TWITTER ROW

With less than four weeks until the IBF World Super-Featherweight Title fight between Floyd Mayweather protege Gervonta Davis and challenger Liam Walsh, the tension is beginning to build.

On May 20th, ‘Tank’ Davis makes the first defence of his strap at the Copper Box Arena, where the Mayweather hype train will roll into London.

Mandatory challenger Liam Walsh is unbeaten in 21 contests, and will fancy his chances of upsetting the man billed as America’s next big star.

Ryan Walsh, brother of the Cromer hero, responded to a BoxNation tweet on Monday showing the immense speed of Davis, mocking the Baltimore man.

Walsh, who makes the third defence of his British Featherweight strap against Marco McCullough on the undercard, Tweeted: “The #speed he leaves England when my brother exposes him!!”

Davis, replied later that day, stating that he’ll beat Ryan after he becomes the first man to defeat Liam, Tweeting: “You can get in there next after I whip ya brother’s ass. Flat!”

“I’ll give you a comeback whooping if you’re still interested after Liam deals with you,” fired back 30-year-old Walsh, who also labelled the American as “chubby”.

An action-packed undercard features Light-Heavyweight knockout artist Anthony Yarde taking on Southern Area Champion Chris Hobbs for his first professional title; teenage Heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois goes in search of another big knockout; plus Southampton’s Joe Pigford and Barking’s Aaron Morgan put their unbeaten records on the line in a potential barn burner.

Local talent including Harrow’s Mitchell Smith; Hornchurch Super-Welterweight ‘Hammer’ Sammy McNess; Sikh sensation Sanjeev Singh Sahota; Chingford Super-Featherweight Boy Jones Jnr; Ilford Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid; New Malden Super-Middleweight Lerrone Richards; Welling Super-Featherweight Archie Sharp; Chelmsford Super-Middleweight Billy Long; Croydon Flyweight Sunny Edwards; and Wycombe Ben Smith complete an unmissable card.

All floor seating at the Copper Box Arena has SOLD OUT.

Remaining tickets priced £40 and £50 are available from www.seetickets.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk




YARDE CHALLENGES FOR HIS FIRST TITLE ON DAVIS – WALSH UNDERCARD

Dynamite-punching Light-Heavyweight talent Anthony Yarde will fight for his first professional title when he takes on Chris Hobbs for the Southern Area Light-Heavyweight strap at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

The Ilford demolition man has made an explosive start to life in the paid ranks, blasting out eight of his nine opponents via devastating knockouts – five of those coming inside the opening round.

Hackney-born knockout menace Yarde is fast emerging as one of the most exciting Light-Heavyweight prospects in the UK and is promising to impress on the undercard of Gervonta Davis’ blockbuster IBF Super-Featherweight World Title showdown with Liam Walsh.

“I am delighted to be fighting for my first pro title on the undercard of such a huge show,” said Yarde. “Everything is timing and things always fall into place. I grew up in Stratford so it is fitting that I’ll be returning there to win my first belt. I’ve heard tickets are flying out for this one so the atmosphere should be something special.

“I don’t look at any of my opponents; that’s my trainer’s job. I hit people clean and when you’re boxing at this weight you’re usually going to knock them out or drop them if you catch them well. Getting that first belt around my waist is the main priority and if the knockout comes, it comes.

“Like most boxers my main aspiration is to become a World Champion so if you’re in my weight class then eventually I’m going to beat you to get to where I want to be. The Southern Arena belt is going to be the first of many on my journey to the top.”

Hobbs said: “I don’t believe in taking easy fights, especially easy title defences! I’m in this game to fight the best and Anthony Yarde is highly-rated by a lot of people in boxing. Beating him will give me a huge boost and put me in line for a British title shot.”

Remaining tickets for May 20 priced £40 and £50 are available from See Tickets at www.seetickets.com




Video: BEFORE THE BELL: GERVONTA DAVIS V LIAM WALSH




BOXING’S BEST FEATURE IN JAM-PACKED BOXNATION SCHEDULE INCLUDING GOLOVKIN V JACOBS, CANELO V CHAVEZ JR, FLANAGAN V PETROV AND DAVIS V WALSH!

— Photo Credit : Chris Farina – K2 Promotions
April 22, 2016 , Los Angeles, Ca. — Boxing Superstar and Unified World Middleweight Champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, 34-0 (31KO’s) and Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic Wade, 18-0 (12KO’s) weigh in Friday in Los Angeles, California.
Boxing Superstar and Undefeated, Unified World Middleweight Champion Gennady, “GGG” Golovkin, 34-0 (31KO’s) will defend his titles (WBA, IBF, IBO and WBC “Interim’) against Undefeated Mandatory Challenger Dominic Wade, 18-0 (12KO’s) on Saturday, April 23 at the Fabulous Forum in the main event at UNDEFEATED.
Co-featured will be Consensus #1 Pound-For-Pound Fighter and WBC Flyweight World Champion Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, 44-0 (38KO’s) battling World Ranked Contender McWilliams Arroyo, 16-2 (14KO’s) of Puerto Rico.
Both bouts will be televised Live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.
Tickets for UNDEFEATED, priced at $400, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, are now on sale through Ticketmaster (Ticketmaster.com, 1-800-745-3000) and the Forum Box Office.
Golovkin vs. Wade is promoted by K2 Promotions, GGG Promotions and in association with TGB Promotions. Gonzalez vs. McWilliams is presented by K2 Promotions in association with Teiken Promotions and PR Best Boxing Promotions.

LONDON (10 March) – BoxNation will air some of the very best fighters around as part of a jam-packed schedule over the coming weeks which sees Gennady Golovkin v Daniel Jacobs, Canelo Alvarez v Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, a stacked April 8th show headlined by lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan facing Petr Petrov and much, much more.

From top to bottom the BoxNation calendar is filled with a host of edge-of-the-seat thrillers with the world’s finest boxers set to do battle starting tonight at 7pm as undefeated warrior Jamie Conlan faces former world title challenger Yader Cardoza for the vacant WBC International Silver super-flyweight championship at The Waterfront in Belfast.

This kick-starts even more great fights on the channel with knockout king David Lemieux going up against middleweight foe, and an equally impressive banger, Curtis Stevens this Saturday night from Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.

This fight promises to produce all-action, with Canadian Lemieux and Brownsville boxer Stevens looking to rise back to the top of the 160-pound weight class.

Next week, on Friday March 17th, BoxNation will stay in New York as Irish Olympic sensation Michael Conlan makes his professional debut on St Patrick’s Day as he takes on Tim Ibarra from the iconic Madison Square Garden.

It will no doubt be a very special night for the Belfast super-bantamweight who will be looking to get his career off to the best of starts against 26-year-old Ibarra.

Then, the following night on Saturday March 18th, exclusively live once again from the ‘Mecca of Boxing’, Madison Square Garden, pound-for-pound star Golovkin will defend his WBC, WBA Super and IBF world titles against the gifted Jacobs.

The Kazakh fighter has captivated the boxing world, racking up a staggering 36-0 record, with 33 of those coming by way of knockout.

Despite being the sport’s most feared fighter Golovkin will have his hands full against 30-year-old Jacobs who has shown he too has dynamite in his fists with a record of 32 wins and just one loss, with 29 knockouts.

This mammoth clash will pit together two of the greatest middleweights in the world, with the victor rightfully able to call themselves the best fighter in 160-pound division.

The card on the night will also feature another pound-for-pound ace in the undefeated WBC super flyweight world champion Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez who meets the hard-hitting Wisaksil Wangek.

Gonzalez has a flawless 46-0 record, with 38 KOs, and is regarded by many as the best boxer on the planet.

Wangek will be looking to test him, and his 38 KOs in 41 wins shows he is no slouch and has real pop in his punches.

‘The Channel of Champions’ will be back on British soil on April 8th to air one of the best fight cards this year, headlined by lightweight world champion Flanagan as he defends his title from the Manchester Arena against Russian assassin Petrov.

The undefeated Flanagan will be looking to do the business in front of his home fans and prove why he is so highly-rated against the tricky and well-schooled Petrov.

There is nothing but top class fights on this card with former light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith facing the undefeated and rising Liam Williams in a showdown that could be a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

Smith, who has taken on the very best including Mexican star Canelo, will be eyeing another shot at a world title down the road but Welshman Williams has other ideas as he looks to derail those plans and throw his hat into the world title mix.

This bout will certainly be a clash not to be missed, with British Olympic hero Nicola Adams making her debut on a card that also sees South African Zolani Tete facing Arthur Villanueva in a final eliminator for the WBO world bantamweight belt.

Exciting heavyweight monster Daniel Dubois is another debutant on a great night of boxing from Manchester.

The month of May isn’t going to start so merry for one Mexican when Latin rivals Canelo and Chavez Jr clash in a megafight from Las Vegas.

Taking place from a sold-out T-Mobile Arena the long-time rivals will finally get to settle an old feud on May 6th with the flame-haired Canelo looking to prove why he is one of boxing’s elite fighters.

The 26-year-old is the biggest pay-per-view draw around but a rejuvenated Chavez Jr is looking to follow in the footsteps of his illustrious father and upset the odds in a must-watch matchup.

This is followed on May 20th when the supremely talented and Floyd Mayweather protégé Gervonta Davis struts his stuff for UK fans when he makes the first defence of his IBF super-featherweight world title against the unbeaten Liam Walsh.

Live from the Copper Box Arena in London, BoxNation will be the only place to see a clash which pits together two of the very best at 130-pounds.

The BoxNation calendar will no doubt have fight fans licking their lips, with back-to-back world class fights available for just £12 a month. Find out more at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.
Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Khan vs Canelo.
The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.
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For more information visit www.boxnation.com
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FLOYD MAYWEATHER HOSTS LONDON PRESS CONFERENCE ALONGSIDE FRANK WARREN TO ANNOUNCE GERVONTA DAVIS VS. LIAM WALSH BLOCKBUSTER


Baltimore’s Gervonta Davis will make the first defence of his IBF Super-Featherweight crown against undefeated Cromer hero Liam Walsh at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday 20th May, live on BT Sport and BoxNation.

Davis, known as simply ‘The Tank’ for his brutal knockout power, spectacularly announced himself as boxing’s next superstar with an unforgettable seventh round stoppage win over former Champion Jose Pedraza in January and is relishing making the first defence of his crown on foreign soil.

“I always wanted to come to the UK and fight,” said Davis. “Many of my fans are based there, so I’m just excited that they will be able to come see me fight in their own backyard.

“Liam Walsh is a tough contender, and I’m hoping he brings it. I will be well prepared for whatever he does, and believe me when I say that I will put on a great show.

“That IBF belt is very happy at home with me and it will be staying with me for a long, long time. To all the people that have been messaging me positive things on my social media, thank you. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”

Slick southpaw Walsh outclassed Andrey Klimov back in October to confirm his mandatory status as the number one contender and has not put a foot wrong in his career to date, winning the British, Commonwealth and WBO European belts along his 21-0 journey.

“This is a serious fight,” said Walsh. “He is going to bring his best on May 20th and I’m going to bring mine. He is a very good fighter and I’m a very good fighter. May the best man win! I 100% believe that is going to be me.

“I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity and I’m ready to seize my moment and win a World Title. Years of hard work in the gym has got me to where I am today and I’m not going to waste this golden opportunity. The Farmy Army will be out in full force to push me on to glory.”

Tickets for this unmissable showdown are available NOW from:

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

www.eventim.co.uk
0844 249 1000

www.seetickets.com




Video: Gervonta Davis Defeats Jose Pedraza with a Vicious Right Hook | SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING




Jack and DeGale fight to draw in thrilling super middleweight unification bout

Badou Jack and James DeGale fought to a thrilling draw in front of 10, 128 enthusiastic fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York in a IBF/WBC Super Middleweight unification bout.

DeGale dropped Jack in the 1st round from a pushing straight left hand.  DeGale out boxed Jack over the 1st half of the fight as he landed quick combinations, where Jack was loading up and landing an occasional big shot on the ropes.  The effects of those punches started to show on DeGale as his face started to mark up around the 8th round.

Behind on the cards, Jack went after DeGale and landed a huge counter right hand that sent DeGale to the canvas.  DeGale was clearly hurt and it was in doubt the he would see the final bell.  Jack landed a huge combination that hurt a now very bloody DeGale.  DeGale did wise to hold on and even land a big left at the bell.

When the scores were read, it became clear that Jack needed that late knockdown as DeGale took a card 114-112, while 2 cards were even at 113-113.

Jack, 167.2 lbs of Stockholm, SWE is 20-1-3.  DeGale, 166.5 lbs of Harlesdon, UK is 23-1-1.

BADOU JACK

“He was doing a lot of running, he was throwing a lot of shit at my guard.  I thought I won the fight. I finished stronger.  His knockdown was a flash knockdown. I won the fight.

 

“Let’s do it again at light heavyweight. It’s time to move to light heavyweight. 

“I had to dig down deep and try to knock him out and finish strong. I definitely finished strong. If it wasn’t for the flash knockdown, it’s a different result.
“I was never hurt on the knockdown. My feet got tangled a little bit but I need to watch it again.
“I had him before the knockdown even happened. I knocked his tooth out. He couldn’t keep his mouthpiece in after that.
“It’s the third time now I’ve had a draw I didn’t agree with. I’m the so-called home fighter and it still happened.
“Next time I have to knock him out. That’s it.”

 

JAMES DEGALE

“I’ve got huge respect for this man, but I thought I won that.  I landed the cleanest shots.  

 

“Let’s do it again.  Let’s do it again in London. 

 

“He hit me (in the 12th), but I was more off balance.  I respect him.  He’s a good, round fighter.  Let’s go again.”

 

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

“Badou Jack has got too big for 168 pounds.  We had plans after this fight to move up to light heavyweight. This is the second time in a row Badou has gotten a bad decision.  James DeGale is a hell of a fighter, but tonight he didn’t win.  At the end of the day, I don’t know what the judges are looking at.”

Gervonta Davis won the IBF Junior Lightweight championship with a 7th round stoppage over Jose Pedraza.

Davis came out landing quick and hard shots.  He mixed up between single and hard combinations that had Pedraza’s nose bleeding by the 3rd round.

Pedraza made a brief comeback in round 4 s he landed a heavy combination to the head.  That was short lived as Davis started to turn back the tide in round five.  In round six, he started landing more heavy shots to the point that Pedraza was thoroughly examined by ringside doctors before the 7th frame.  It did not last long after that as a hard body shot doubled over Pedraza, which left him oipen for a wicked uppercut that was followed by a left that dumped the champion on his backside.  Pedraza gamely got to his feet, but the bout was stopped at 2:36.

Davis, 129 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 17-0 with 16 knockouts.  Pedraza, 129.5 lbs of Caguas, PR is 22-1.\

GERVONTA DAVIS
“It felt great to go in there in front of my fans and take boxing more seriously. I want to thank Floyd Mayweather, Leonard Ellerbe, Al Haymon, my hometown support and my team.
“It means a lot [to win this world title]. I put in hard work. My team put in hard work. We came out on top. I have a great promoter and a great boxer backing me and it felt great.
“I had experience. I told you all that. In this camp I studied Pretty Boy Floyd. Just to stay composed. He caught me with a lot of good shots. I took it and I dished it back out. That’s how you know I’m a real dog.”
FLOYD MAYWEATHER
“For this training camp, I didn’t want to be around him. I didn’t want to talk to him. I wanted him to focus so he could out there and be the best and that’s what he did tonight. Is this the future of boxing? Absa-f***-lutely.”
JOSE PEDRAZA
“I am okay. My strategy was to fight him from a distance and try to fight him inside to lose some of the power and it didn’t work that way.
“At the end, I was trying to put on too much pressure and it didn’t work.
“There was a moment that I adjusted to the game plan and something was telling me to come out and fight him and it didn’t work.
“There is no excuse, I was at 135 and coming down to accept the fight wasn’t the right move.”

Amanda Serrano won a 10-round unanimous decision over Yazmin Rivas to retain the WBO Junior Featherweight championship.

Serrano, 1208 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 97-93, 98-92  and 99-91  and is now 31-1-1.  Rivas, 121.5 lb so Torreon, MX is 35-10-1.

AMANDA SERRANO
 
“We knew she was going to come to fight. She’s a Mexican fighter who’s very tough and experienced. I had to show her my power and my skills.
“She’s definitely a really good fighter. I was glad to get 10-rounds in and I hope the fans enjoyed the fight.
“We wanted the knockout but I was ready for 10-rounds. People who think I’m just a brawler saw that I’m a great boxer today.
“We picked a tough opponent because we wanted to showcase that I can beat good fighters and take a punch if I have to. I can do everything in the ring. We wanted the toughest fighter out there and she came to fight.
“She hit hard but I hit her harder. I could hear her breathing in between rounds and I knew I had her. It was a great night for women’s boxing and I hope it keeps getting bigger and bigger.
“We want the best. My goal is to drop to 118 and win a title in my fifth division. I want to fight other champions. My goal is to be the first Puerto Rican to hold world titles in five weight classes.”
YAZMIN RIVAS
 
“It was an excellent fight. I followed all of the instructions from my corner and I believe that I won. I think the last round was very close, but I think I did well in all the rounds.
“My face is clean the only mark is from a head butt. It happened early in the fight.
“I knew everything was against me and to win I had to knock her out. Unfortunately it didn’t happen today.
“I believe that after this fight, women will have more opportunities to show their skills on television.”

Immanuwel Aleem scored a stunning 6th round stoppage over Ievgen Khytrov in a scheduled 10-round middleweight bout.

Aleem dropped Khytrov in round’s three and six with powerful left hooks, and then finished him off with hard flurry on the ropes.

Aleem, 158.5 lbs of Richmond, VA is 17-0-1 with 10 knockouts.  Khytrov, 159.5 lbs of Brooklyn is 14-1.

“I stayed focused in there. They told us that he would throw a lot of punches. My power was strong early, but I let him gain some confidence after the first round, said Aleem.
“It took a little while to get into a rhythm. We wanted to touch him and move before we started to sneak something in. He started relaxing a little bit so I wanted to take advantage.
“He caught me a little bit, but only because I allowed him. Once I saw the opportunity, I caught him and knew he was going down.
“With a fighter who has a resume like that, I knew I couldn’t give him a second chance. I had to finish him off for sure.
“I’m not scared of any fighter. We want the best out there. Facing the best will only bring the best out of me.”

Thomas Dulorme stopped Brian Jones in the 6th round of their scheduled 8-round welterweight bout.

Dulorme, 145.8 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 24-2 with 16 knockouts.  Jones, 144.5 lbs of Los Angeles is now 13-7.

Adam Kownacki stopped Joshua Tufte in the 2nd round of their scheduled 8-round heavyweight bout.

Kownacki, 257.8 lbs of New York, NU is 15-0 with 12 knockouts.  Tufte, 265.8 lbs of Kernerville, NC is 19-2.

Noel Murphy remained perfect with a 6-round unanimous decision over Maxito Sainvil in a welterweight bout.

Murphy, 146.4 lbs of Woodlawn. NY won by scores of 60-54 twice and 59-55 and is now 8-0.  Sainvil, 148.8 lbs of Nyack, NY is 4-1-1.

Kenny Robles made a successful pro debut with a 4-round unanimous decision over Latorie Woodberry in a welterweight bout.

Robles, 144 lbs of Staten Island, NY won by scores of 40-36 and 39-37 twice and is now 1-0.  Woodberry, 141.6 lbs of Roanoke, VA 1-3-1.




Video: Gervonta Davis Training with Shakur Stevenson | SHOWTIME Boxing




GERVONTA “TANK” DAVIS: TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

BALTIMORE (Jan. 4, 2017) – Highly regarded Mayweather Promotions rising star Gervonta “Tank” Davis (16-0, 15 KOs) is wrapping up training for his challenge of super featherweight world champion Jose “The Sniper Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) in the opener of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING world championship doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 14, from Barclays Center in Brooklyn live on SHOWTIME (9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT).

The 12-rounder between the unbeaten challenger (Davis) and world champion (Pedraza) will precede an eagerly awaited 168-pound world title unification showdown between WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs)andIBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs).
Tickets for the event promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. They can be purchased online (www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com) or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Davis, 22, overcame a childhood filled with hardships to become a prolific amateur and has been virtually unstoppable as a professional. As an amateur (between 2006-2012), he entered nine tournaments and came away with gold medals in all but one. He won gold in his last four tourneys, including the 2012 National Golden Gloves Championship at 123 pounds.

Since going pro in February 2013, the strong, aggressive-minded southpaw has played smash-mouth against mostly outclassed opponents, winning 13 of his 15 knockouts inside four rounds. To many, Davis resembles a young, smaller version of Mike Tyson in the way he walks down foes, gets on the inside and unloads lethal hooks and uppercuts. He’s gone into the ninth round once and into the sixth round twice. A winner of six straight by knockout, Davis’ lone fight to go the distance came in his ninth outing, a six-round nod over German Meraz, who went down twice, in October 2014. Davis is coming off a 0:41, first-round KO over Mario Macias last June 3.

Although powerful, very fast and determined, the talented Davis is taking a significant leap in class and he may enter the ring as a slight underdog to Puerto Rico’s Pedraza, 27, a solid switch-hitter with first-rate skills, movement and punching power. This will be Pedraza’s third defense of the IBF 130-pound title. He’s gone the 12-round distance four times in a row and five times since his pro debut in February 2011. At 5-feet-8½, he is two-and-a-half inches taller than Davis.

Davis, the IBF’s No. 8-ranked super featherweight, who was born and resides in Baltimore, shared thoughts on his upcoming fight from the Uptown Boxing Center in Baltimore:
You’ve been a professional for less than three years, yet you’re less than two weeks away from getting a crack at a world title. What are your thoughts about that?

“It’s been my goal to fight for a world title. I’m very confident. I’ve worked hard in the gym for over two months for this fight. I’ve put in the hours. I’ve had a great camp with great sparring. I’m not surprised the fight is almost here. This is perfect timing for me.”

Have you done anything differently in this camp?

“Maybe some little things, but not really. We take training seriously. We take all our opponents very seriously. But I have to treat it as just another fight, against another opponent. We know Pedraza is a world champion, a great fighter that comes to fight and we give him his respect as a world-class fighter. I know he’s going to be ready. He’s always ready when it’s time to get in there and do his job. But I’m prepared for him. He doesn’t know what we bring to the table.”

Are you surprised you’re not favored? When was the last time you were an underdog?

“I’m the underdog because he’s the world champion, that’s the reason. Other than that, I feel deep inside that he’s the underdog, but that’s just my assessment. He won’t be showing me anything I haven’t already seen before.

“I’ve never been the underdog in a fight, so this is a first for me.”

When’s the last time you lost a fight?

“I’m competitive all around and don’t like losing. I can’t remember exactly the last time I lost a fight, maybe it was three years ago. All I know for sure is that my mind entering this fight is all about winning.”

Critics talk of your level of competition, or lack of. What’s your opinion of the fighters Pedraza’s successfully defended against lately?

“I’m not taking anything away from Pedraza; he’s beat Stephen Smith and Edner Cherry but those guys don’t bring the power, speed, elusiveness and angles that I do. I’m not downgrading anybody, but they’re mostly average.”

Are you looking at this as an opportunity to showcase your overall skills, durability, etc.?

“A lot of people don’t realize the skills and talent that I have. They see me just going in there like a little Tyson or someone like that. But I have all the tools. I know how to box, how to move my feet. I have good hand speed. I work my angles and things like that. I’m an overall sound fighter, a boxer-puncher.

“I think this will be a wakeup call for boxing, a chance to show that I’m the one. But I’m not coming to be just the top guy. I want to be a superstar and bring joy and entertainment to the sport. Pedraza will bring out the best in me and I will steal the show.”

How do you manage to stay in the moment, and not look back, or can you?

“I’m so thankful that I am part of a strong team, and that I have such a great team. I believe we have the greatest team in boxing. They keep me grounded, focused. They keep me from getting distracted. We all know what the main goal is. I can’t do it all myself, my coach can’t do it all himself, my manager can’t do it all himself. We believe totally in each other as a team. I listen to everything they say.”

How much is your past a motivation, or is it? When you look back at your life do you have memories or nightmares?

“I believe I’ve accomplished a lot. Me just being alive today, me not being in jail or in trouble outside the ring, it’s hard from where I come from. But it’s all helped me handle situations well. I’m so used to dealing with situations. I’m older and know what’s right from wrong. There’s never any pressure when I fight. I’ve won so many fights already I know what to do when I get in the ring.”

How long have you known Floyd? When did you meet him and how would you describe your relationship? What does it mean for Floyd to be your promoter?

“The first time I talked to Floyd (at length) was at the Adrien Broner-Shawn Porter fight (June 20, 2015). Me and Adrien, we’re friends and he flew me out to Las Vegas for the fight. I worked out at the Mayweather gym and Floyd liked the way I fought, my heart. But the first time I actually met and talked to him came when one of Floyd’s press tours came to Washington, D.C.

“Floyd has always had a major impact on me and my career. I grew up around him. All of us wanted to be like him. Like Tyson and Ali were to the generations of boxers before me, Floyd was our superstar. For him to bring me under his wing, to fight for him, is unbelievably great.”

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotionswww.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.




HUGE BLACK FRIDAY AND CYBER MONDAY SALE ON TICKETS TO JANUARY 14 JACK-DEGALE

Badou Jack
BROOKLYN (November 23, 2016) – As a special Thanksgiving gift to boxing fans, there will be a HUGE Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale on tickets to the January 14 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, NY, featuring the WBC/IBF Super Middleweight Unification between Badou Jack and James DeGale, as well as IBF Junior Lightweight Champion Jose Pedraza defending his world title against Gervonta Davis.

Click on this link for the sale. Use the Offer Code: JAB

WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) and IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs) will look to stake their claim as the best 168-pound fighter in the world when they meet in a title unification clash on Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME as boxing returns to New York for the first time in five months.

The telecast will also feature undefeated junior lightweight world champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (22-0, 12 KOs) defending his title against up-and-coming Mayweather Promotions’ undefeated contender Gervonta “The One” Davis (16-0, 15 KOs).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @SHOSports, @SHOWTIMEBOXING @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.




Boxing Stars Badou Jack, James DeGale, Jose Pedraza & Gervonta Davis Give Back Before Thanksgiving Holiday & January 14 Showdowns

Badou Jack
BROOKLYN (November 21, 2016) – In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, super middleweight world champions Badou Jack and James DeGale,plus junior lightweight world champion Jose Pedraza and unbeaten challenger Gervonta Davis, donated and distributed Thanksgiving meals at the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger in Brooklyn before their press conference last Wednesday to discuss their respective January 14 showdowns taking place at Barclays Center and live on SHOWTIME.

(Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)

The fighters handed out 100 turkeys along with other Thanksgiving foods to help aid the organization that has provided millions of meals for people in the area. Hailing from countries all around the world, the fighters got together to give back in the borough that they will be competing in come January. To learn more about the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger visit www.bedstuyagainsthunger.org.

(Photo Credit: Tom Casino/Mayweather Promotions/DiBella Entertainment)

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

(Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME)

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @BadouJack, @JamesDegale1, @Sniper_Pedraza, @Gervontaa, @ShowtimeBoxing @SHOSports, @MayweatherPromo, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotionswww.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. This event is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.