OXNARD, Calif. (Aug. 26, 2014) – Marcos “El Chino” Maidana, the former welterweight world champion who gets his eagerly awaited rematch with Floyd “Money” Mayweather in the main event of “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday, Sept. 13 live on SHOWTIME PPV, world champions Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (WBC Super Bantamweight), Miguel “Títere” Vazquez (IBF Lightweight), junior welterweight contender John Molina, Maidana’s trainer Robert Garcia and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe participated in a Media Workout Tuesday at Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Oxnard.

In world title fights on Sept. 13, Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs), of Los Angeles, will defend his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship against Mexico’s Manuel “Suavecito” Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) in the “MAYHEM” co-featured bout and Miguel “Títere” Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs), of Tijuana, will risk his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mickey “The Spirit” Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs), a Mayweather Promotions’ rising star from Las Vegas. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) will move up to middleweight to face James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Preceding the pay per view telecast, SHOWTIME® will present a live 10-round junior welterweight bout between John Molina (27-4, 22 KOs) of Covina, Calif., and Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME ).

The boxers did brief workouts as dozens of reporters and TV camera crews looked on during a media workout that was streamed live via satellite, YouTube, Ustream and online at Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions’ websites.

Undefeated 11-time world champion and perennial pound-for-pound kingpin Mayweather (46-0, 26 KOs) was, like always, the main focus of the questions directed at Maidana (35-4, 32 KOs) on Saturday.

Here’s what the fighters said during Tuesday’s workout:

MARCOS MAIDANA, Former Two-Time World Champion

“Looking back at my first fight, I think I can improve my punching accuracy, but my attack overall was very good and effective. I felt I surprised Mayweather. You could see it on his face.

“Personally, I found it much easier to face up against Floyd this time. When we first fought, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to see him, but I found him in the ring many times.

“I always come out looking for the knockout, but I like the way I fought in the first fight. Maybe the biggest adjustment for me going into this next fight is to keep more of a distance between the two of us. But there is no doubt that I am coming out looking for the win and getting that knockout.

“With this rematch, I don’t know if this fight will be any easier or harder. Mayweather has many skills and I am getting ready for the best that he has to offer.

“There has definitely been more notoriety for me since our first fight. Many things have changed and I have many more fans. But, I have had many big fights in the past including my fights with Adrien Broner and Amir Khan that have given me a lot of recognition.

“Going into training camp for the rematch, much of it has been the same, but we have been doing a lot more sparring. We have worked more on my distance, but besides that everything has been the same.

“I thought at times that I was too aggressive in the first fight and I was able to let Mayweather move around a little bit too much. I will be much more careful in the ring for the rematch. I won’t load up so much, but instead fight fresher and with more distance.

“I honestly didn’t have any disappointments in the first fight. Besides a few minor adjustments, I liked our overall gameplan.

“Right after the fight, I felt that I had won. I was the aggressor and the one looking to attack. But, the judges saw it differently. I am still happy with the way I fought. I absolutely thought I won the first fight, and I will win again on Sept. 13.

“When I first heard about the rematch I was relaxing at home with my family and my first thought was that I had to start training again and I had mixed feelings about that. . That being said, I am happy to get this rematch and I am going to make the most out of my opportunity.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion

“I feel as if I have a target on my back. There is added pressure for me in all of my fights because I am becoming a household name. At the same time though, it means that I am doing something right and my hard work is paying off. People want to fight me and take away my title. It keeps me mentally and physically strong at all times. Before, I was the one looking for them, now they are looking for me.

“Going into this fight, I will go out there and try my best. I know a lot of people are saying that the opponent is not up to my caliber, but I just go out there and fight who they tell me to fight.

“My body is rested and hopefully I will perform to the best of my abilities for this fight. I have been training really hard, I am always in the gym, even if I don’t have a fight coming up. I like to be ready just in case.

“I have a strong desire to put on a great fight for the fans since I have this opportunity because of them. If I give the fans a boring fight, then they won’t want to see me on TV again.

“I feel like I learned a lot from the [Cristian] Mijares fight. He moved around a lot and kept me on my toes. My plan was to go out there and break him down, but he was very experienced and knew what to do to survive. I feel like I learned more in that fight than I did in any other fight because I was able to figure out how to chase around my opponent.

“The health of my brother has been both a motivation and a distraction for me. In the past, when I would be getting ready for fights he would be in the hospital and I would go and visit him at the same time. I am constantly worried about his health, but at the same time I use it as motivation because I want to be able to support him financially and the only way I am able to do this is if I keep on winning my fights. I told him that if he keeps fighting for his life then I will keep fighting for world titles.

“My opponent [ Manuel Roman] is a great fighter and has many of the same qualities of my past opponents. The only difference with him is that he hasn’t received the exposure that some of my past opponents received, so many don’t know much about him. We know each other very well, we have sparred in the gym together before and he knows how to fight me.

“I am not looking at this as an easy fight no matter what anyone says. He wasn’t an easy sparring partner; we would go at it back and forth. I didn’t beat him up easily as I have with other partners. We have a lot of respect for one another and we are friends, but once I get into the ring there is no playing nice. This is a business and I have to do whatever it takes to come out with a victory.’’

MIGUEL VAZQUEZ, IBF Lightweight Champion

“Everyone wants to take the title away from me, but I train very hard with my team and I prepare every day to make sure no one takes away my title.

“Although I am on the card for the biggest fight of the year, there is no added pressure for me- if anything it’s a great honor. I’m ready to fight and show that I’m ready for the big leagues.

“I feel great physically, mentally and spiritually. I am more prepared for this fight than ever before.

“I know that Mickey Bey is strong and fast. There’s a reason why Mayweather has him on his team. But I feel ready for him and it’s an opportunity to show my fans and the world what I am capable of.

“At times I honestly don’t feel like I get the respect from Mexican fans and I do feel like they owe me a little bit. But that is also because of the lack of publicity from my old company and the lack of high profile fights. This is not only a great opportunity for me to make a big breakthrough in the United States, but also to get the Mexican people behind me fully. I will prove to the world that I am ready.

“I feel that I beat Canelo Alvarez in my pro debut. The second time I fought Canelo was a mistake on my part because I fought at 150 pounds and that’s not where I should be, but the first fight against Canelo I definitely dispute. Those previous fights, including the loss to Timothy Bradley, motivate me very much going into this fight.

“People may complain about my style, but I base my style off the fact that I don’t want to get hit. Thank God that my style has worked for me so far in my career.

“I have a lot of experience going into to this fight against Mickey Bey, but you always have to work hard. It doesn’t matter to me that we are fighting in Bey’s backyard; I have fought in many different places and overcome various obstacles. I always come out on top.”

JOHN MOLINA, Super Lightweight Contender

“To me, each fight is just like the last fight no matter if I am a huge favorite or a big underdog; I always train the exact same. I take all my opponents seriously and [Humberto] Soto is definitely not someone to take lightly. He is a crafty veteran that has been in the ring with the best fighters and has won some and lost some. I go in to each fight with 100 percent focus and I am not looking past him in the least.

“My last fight with Matthysse was definitely a great fight. Matthysse was looked at as this monster in the division and I was this newcomer coming into the division. Although I’ve been in the boxing game for a while, my name has barely reached the accolades of such fighters as Matthysse.

“What I was able to take away from that fight is that I am one of the strongest guys at 140 pounds. He fought a hell of a fight and won because he was more experienced than me. But, looking back at the fight, I made the mistake of stepping off the gas pedal a bit when I had him hurt and I should’ve gone in for the kill. I know that the fans want the fight to happen again and I am looking forward to the fight if it does happen again.

“I like the things that my new trainer has implemented going into this fight. I am going to utilize my jab and use my reach to my advantage. I am a lot bigger to many of the fighters at 140 and I think this will work in my favor.

“When I changed trainers it wasn’t because I didn’t get along with Joe Goosen, as he is a very good friend of mine. The reason I changed was because of location. I have a one-year-old at home and having to drive 100 miles round trip to train was wear and tear on my body.

“I have seen many of Soto’s previous fights. He is a seasoned veteran and a hell of a fighter. Believe it or not, when I first turned pro he was already at the top tier of the game and was the main event at a fight of mine. When I walked into the room I was like ‘wow that’s Humberto Soto’, but it shows that I have paid my dues and to me he is like any other fighter once I step into the ring.

“I haven’t felt any ill effects from the [Matthysse] fight except for the bad taste in my mouth. The competitor in me wants to come out victorious in each fight. Physically, I feel very strong and prepared going into this next fight. The stage is set for this fight and we will be a great appetizer for everyone to enjoy leading up to the main event.

“I never look at an opponent as someone that I need to knock out or beat impressively. All I can control is how I perform and what I do best is to fight a good fight. Whether I win decisively or by knockout, as long as I get the victory and give the fans what they want to see is all I care about.’’

ROBERT GARCIA, Maidana’s Trainer and 2012 Trainer of the Year

“Training camp has been going great. We have been doing more sparring and working on keeping a distance between him and Floyd. I think that was the biggest thing that we needed to work on after seeing film of the first fight. He needed to not be so aggressive to ensure that he is fresh for all 12 rounds.

“I don’t like the way that Floyd talks about my fighter. On the media tour he was telling everyone that my fighter fights like an MMA fighter and was constantly disrespecting him and I didn’t appreciate that.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“I am very excited for September 13th. The first fight was such a great fight and I think that the work that Chino has put in, he is coming into this fight with a tremendous amount of confidence. In the first fight, Chino was touch and go. He was able to be effective against Floyd in the early rounds and I know the fans loved watching it. Floyd is a mastermind and a warrior when it comes to being in that ring.

“Although the first fight was very close between Floyd and Chino, there are no nerves for me, mainly because I don’t have to step inside the ring. Floyd is very prepared for this fight and is extremely motivated in his preparation. He has some added incentive because Chino has been talking a lot of trash and Floyd finds that very disrespectful. Chino has said that Floyd isn’t the great boxer that everyone thinks he is because he has been in the ring with him already. Come September 13th, Chino has to confront all the things he has been saying about Floyd head on.

“I think this fight will start at the 13th round versus going back to the first round. Floyd is very determined to stop Chino. Floyd wants to stop him to make a point that he doesn’t want his ability to be second-guessed. Floyd feels in his mind that he absolutely won the first fight and some of the fans thought that Maidana had won the fight. Floyd has vowed that he will pick up right where he left off and make the fight as exciting as possible to prove to the fans that the first victory was warranted.

“I truly believe that this fight will be much more exciting than the first fight because you will see much more action.

“Floyd knows what Chino brings to the table and Marcos has made a great argument for a rematch. In all honesty, the fans are the ones who made this rematch happen. The first fight was such a great fight that he fans wanted to see this fight again. Chino was the best opponent that Floyd has ever faced; he came out and was very aggressive from the opening bell. Floyd was able to make the adjustments as the fight went on because he’s the best in the business at doing that, but this rematch will be non-stop action.”

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s WBA Welterweight Belt and WBC Welterweight and Super Welterweight World Titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters Sept. 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT) and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc. In the co-main event, Leo Santa Cruz defends his WBC Super Bantamweight Title against Manuel Roman in a 12-round bout and Miguel Vazquez faces Mickey Bey in a 12-round bout for the IBF Lightweight World Championship. In the PPV opener, Alfredo Angulo squares against James De La Rosa in a 10-round middleweight bout(162 lbs.). The event will be available in Spanish through secondary audio programming (SAP).
Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 will be shown on the big screen in over 500 movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. For more information visit www.FathomEvents.com

LAS VEGAS (August 14, 2014) – In keeping with Mexican Independence Day tradition, Mayweather Promotions has assembled a stellar undercard featuring some of this era’s most exciting boxers to co-feature on “MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” on Saturday,September 13 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV.

Featured on the four-fight pay-per-view telecast, fan favorite Leo “Terremoto”
Santa Cruz will put his WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship on the line in a 12-round championship bout against Mexican contender Manuel “Suavecito” Roman, plus Tijuana-Baja’s pride Miguel “Títere” Vazquez defends his IBF Lightweight World Championship against Mayweather Promotions’ rising star Mickey “The Spirit” Bey. In the opening bout on pay per view, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo returns to the ring against James De La Rosa in a 10-round bout.

Rounding out a sensational night of televised fights, SHOWTIME will present a live 10-round Jr. welterweight bout between John Molina Jr. and Humberto “La Zorrita”
Soto on “COUNTDOWN LIVE” (SHO, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT) immediately preceding the SHOWTIME PPV telecast.

“This is my second time fighting on a Floyd Mayweather pay-per-view undercard and I know that there is no bigger stage than this,” said Santa Cruz. “Manuel Roman is a tough customer. I know he’s going to come prepared and try to take my title. He has nothing to lose and everything to gain, but I plan on leaving the ring with my hand raised.”

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the top guys not only in the super bantamweight division, but in all of boxing,” said Roman. “I’ve never been intimidated in the ring before and I don’t plan on starting on September 13. Santa Cruz better be ready because I know I will be.”

“I’m looking forward to fighting at MGM Grand again and on this amazing Floyd Mayweather card,” said Vazquez. “It’s time to get to business and get in the best shape ever so I’m ready to put on a show. I respect Mickey Bey, but I plan on winning convincingly to show that I’m one of the best in the lightweight division.

“I want to thank God for helping me persevere through the tough times and helping me overcome obstacles in my life,” said Bey. “I also want to thank my team for believing in me and helping me get to this opportunity. I plan on seizing the moment and becoming a world champion on September 13.”

“I’ve been anxious to get back in the ring ever since the end of the Canelo fight,” said Angulo. “I’m ready to get back on the winning track and this is a great opportunity for me to do that in front of the world on Mexican Independence Day weekend. This fight could not be more critical for my future in this sport and I want to put on a great show for the fans.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me to make my name on a huge stage against a fellow Mexican-warrior in Alfredo Angulo,” said De La Rosa. “On September 13 I’m going to teach an old dog some new tricks.”

“Floyd always wants to ensure the paying fans get their monies worth by delivering a strong night of boxing action through compelling televised undercard bouts,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO Mayweather Promotions. “This fight night will be no different from the rest as Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Vazquez will defend their world titles valiantly, electrifying Mickey Bey will seek to win that title from Vazquez and fan favorite Alfredo Angulo will look to revitalize his career in what will amount to a sensational night of boxing.”

“From top to bottom, the September 13th fight card is going to get fans out of their seats whether they are among the thousands in attendance at MGM Grand or hundreds of thousands watching from home,” said Oscar De La Hoya, president and founder of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy is proud to promote the most crowd-pleasing fighters in the sport and with Marcos Maidana, Leo Santa Cruz and Alfredo Angulo, all in action under the same roof, it’s sure to be a night that no one will forget.”

One of the most successful and exciting fighters in the sport, Leo Santa Cruz (27-0-1, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of superstardom. Widely recognized as one of the highest volume punchers in the game, the 25-year-old, two-division world champion who fights out of Los Angeles by way of Huetamo, Michoacan de Ocampo, Mexico will be making his third defense of the WBC 122-pound title he won last August. His exciting work rate and significant power have made Santa Cruz a mainstay on SHOWTIME as he prepares for his second consecutive PPV bout after defeating Cristian Mijares in March on the “TOE TO TOE: Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo” PPV card.

Tijuana-Baja, Mexico native fighting out of Paramount, Calif., Manuel Roman (17-2, 6 KOs) is ready for the spotlight. The hard-hitting 26-year-old is coming off of a two-fight winning streak. An underdog ready to upset bantamweight favorite on the biggest stage of his career could pull off the upset of the year.

A respected veteran and the current IBF Lightweight World Champion, Miguel Vazquez (34-3, 13 KOs) looks to make himself a household name on September 13 when he puts his title on the line against Mickey Bey. The 27-year-old from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico is riding an impressive 13-fight win streak dating all the way back to a 2008 loss against Canelo Alvarez. Vazquez won his lightweight world title in 2010 against Ji-Hoon Kim and has gone on to defeat undefeated fighters Leonardo Zappavigna, Mercito Gesta and, most recently, Denis Shafikov this past Feb. 22.

His opponent, Mickey Bey (20-1-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top rising stars in the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. The 31-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio was an amateur standout who defeated Brandon Rios at the 2004 Olympic Trials but was forced to miss the Olympics because of a bout with pneumonia. Since then, Bey has put together an exceptional professional career, with only one loss at the hands of John Molina Jr. last July, and has risen to contender status in the lightweight division. The winner of his last two fights, including a dominating decision victory against Alan Herrera in his last fight, Bey is ready to fight on the biggest stage of his career.

Despite losing his last two fights, Alfredo Angulo (22-4, 18 KOs) remains a popular and extremely dangerous fighter, who is no doubt looking to take out his recent frustrations on his next opponent. The 31-year-old from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico always produces exciting fights, as evidenced by knockouts of Gabriel Rosado, Joel Julio and Joachim Alcine, as well as his classic 2011 showdown with James Kirkland. Angulo’s last two defeats came at the hands of the top fighters in the 154-pound division in Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara. Both fighters controversially stopped Angulo in the 10th round, but on Sept. 13 it is Angulo who plans on inflicting pain and walking out victorious.

Angulo’s opponent, James De La Rosa (22-2, 13 KOs) is looking to make his name in the sport with an explosive win on September 13. The 26-year-old Mexican fighting out of San Benito, Texas is fresh off of an August 2 technical knockout victory over Fabian Reyes. This win adds to a list of solid triumphs that includes Tyrone Brunson, Lenin Arroyo and Tim Coleman. Now he looks for his biggest victory and to be able to say he has arrived as one of the sport’s elite.

The two fighters kicking off the night on Mayweather vs. Maidana 2: COUNTDOWN LIVE are sure to make sparks fly in the ring as both look to rise in their divisional rankings. John Molina Jr. (27-4, 22 KOs) from Covina, Calif., is looking to bounce back from his loss to Lucas Matthysse in a fight that immediately jumped to the top of the Fight of the Year list. The 31-year-old owns an impressive knockout victory over Mickey Bey that proved you can never count the powerful puncher out of a fight.

Humberto Soto (64-8-2, 35 KOs) is riding a six-fight winning streak since a 2012 loss to Matthysse. A former titlist in three divisions, the 34-year-old from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico looks to stay hot and earn himself another shot at a world title with a big televised victory on Sept. 13.

# # #

“MAYHEM: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2,” a 12-round world championship bout for Mayweather’s 147-pound world titles takes place Saturday, Sept. 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona Extra, O’Reilly Auto Parts and “The Equalizer” in theaters September 26. The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® and is the fourth fight of a six-fight deal between Mayweather and Showtime Networks Inc.

Tickets for the live event are on sale now and are priced at $1,600, $1,200, $850, $600 and $350, not including applicable service charges and taxes. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per person with a limit of four (4) at the $350 price range. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit www.mayhemfight.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com, and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @chinomaidana, @mayweatherpromo, @goldenboyboxing, @ShoSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #Mayhem and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/chinomaidanaoficial, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

NEW YORK (April 29, 2014) – SHOWTIME Sports® will offer a blitz of live and documentary programming across multiple platforms this week in advance of the SHOWTIME PPV® presentation of “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” – a four-fight telecast headlined by boxing superstar and No. 1 pound-for-pound titlist Floyd “Money” Mayweather against Marcos Maidana in a 12-round welterweight world championship unification fight this Saturday, May 3 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The lineup features live events and exclusive content including live coverage of fight week, the premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana Episode 3, classic fights, and COUNTDOWN LIVE, a one-hour show on SHOWTIME preceding the pay-per-view event.

The excitement begins tonight, April 29, on SHO EXTREME and continues with five consecutive days of daily fistic programming in support of “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana.’’ The schedule:

Tonight, April 29
Last Saturday’s terrific SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader, highlighted by the universally lauded Fight Of The Year candidate, Matthysse vs. Molina, delivered it all – drama, brutal action, and unrelenting intensity. Don’t miss the replay of the instant classic tonight/Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHO EXTREME.

Wednesday, April 30
SHOWTIME Sports Press Pass Live will stream the MAIN EVENT FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE live at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on www.sho.com/sports. The live program is available to simulcast on your network and website.

ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana EPISODE 3 premieres on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

CLASSIC FIGHTS – An encore presentation of Marcos Maidana vs. Victor Ortiz will air on SHO EXTREME at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT.

THURSDAY, MAY 1
SHOWTIME Sports Press Pass Live will stream the UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE featuring Amir Khan, Adrien Broner and all the undercard fighters at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT on www.sho.com/sports. The live program is available to simulcast on your network and website.

CLASSIC FIGHTS – Marcos Maidana vs. Jesus Soto Karass will air on SHO EXTREME at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Floyd Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto will air on SHO EXTREME at 11:05 p.m. ET/PT.

FRIDAY, MAY 2
WEIGH-IN LIVE: Mayweather vs. Maidana, a one-hour live program, will air on SHOWTIME at 6 p.m. ET/ 3 p.m. PT and include coverage the official weigh-in, plus a special ALL ACCESS LIVE segment highlighted by an unedited, unscripted, live face-to-face meeting between the main event combatants a mere 24 hours before they square off in the ring. This program will be fed live via satellite, and stream on YouTube, Ustream and www.sho.com/sports. WEIGH-IN LIVE is available to simulcast on your network and website.

SHO EXTREME MARATHON will air five continuous hours of content related to “THE MOMENT,” including a replay of the WEIGH-IN at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana at 11 p.m. ET/PT and an ALL ACCESS marathon of all three episodes beginning at midnight ET/PT.

SATURDAY, MAY 3
SHO EXTREME MARATHON will continue with more than three hours of non-stop programming Saturday morning. ALL ACCESS Episodes 1, 2 and 3 will air consecutively beginning at 10 a.m. ET/PT. SHO EXTREME will air Mayweather’s record breaking pay-per-view event from last September vs. Canelo Alvarez at 11:30 a.m. ET/PT and Maidana’s hard-earned upset decision over Adrien Broner last December at 12:30 p.m. ET/PT.

COUNTDOWN LIVE: Mayweather vs. Maidana, a one-hour preview show on SHOWTIME that leads directly into the pay-per-view begins at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT and will be fed via satellite, and stream via YouTube, Ustream and sho.com/sports. The live program is available to simulcast on your network and website.

Keith Thurman retained the WBA Interim Welterweight title when Julio Diaz could not continue after 3 rounds at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California.

Thurman controlled the action for most of the bout and hurt Diaz in the 1st round. He boxed well in the 2nd round and scored a knockdown when he landed a left to the head and Diaz took a knee. Ironically Diaz made a nice stand at the end of the 3rd round when he landed a solid combination. In between round’s three and four, Diaz’s corner pulled the pug on the fight.

Thurman, 145 1/2 lbs of Clearwater, FL is now 23-0 with 21 knockouts. Diaz, 146 3/4 lbs of Cochella, CA is now 40-10-1.

Said Thurman, “I felt the body shot (to Diaz). I felt he was going to go down. I wondered if I hadn’t landed it clean enough. He’s a tough guy. He showed up to fight. You saw what he was doing in the ring. His rib… he had eight more rounds to go so he did what he had to do.

“I landed a clean left hook to the temple (in the second). He felt it. So, he thought it would be better to take a knee, rather than take another shot to the head. I train to do that. If you feel that your legs aren’t right and you are in with a dangerous puncher, you take a knee. It was a wise decision.

“Everybody shoots for the Mayweather sweepstakes. I am here to entertain, to dominate the welterweight division. I love the sport of boxing. I love knockouts. I am going to keep giving them to you.

“Shawn Porter is a terrific fighter. He’s a great friend of mine. He’s a devastating boxer-puncher like myself. Whenever they’re ready, I am ready.

Diaz, who took a knee after getting hit, had no excuses. “I got caught with a good body shot, in the rib,’’ he said. “I had trouble breathing. After the punch, I couldn’t breathe. I am human. I got hurt. The guy had some power. But I am a two-time champion. I have never quit in a fight. I didn’t have anything to prove. I took a knee to recuperate from a shot to the back of my head. And the rib shot really got me. I ain’t 18 years old anymore. I wanted to give a war, but I had to know when it was my time.’’

Lucas Matthysse was dropped twice but came back to stop gritty John Molina in a scheduled 12-round Jr. Welterweight bout.

The power punches were early and often in round one as Matthysse landed a couple of left hooks while Molina landed a hard overhand right. In round two, Molina landed a perfect overhand right that sent Matthysse to the canvas for the 2nd consecutive fight. The drama continued in round three when the two clashed heads and a cut was opened up over the left eye of Matthysse. Matthysse fought back in round four as he landed some hard shots that were set up behind a strong jab. Molina began to bleed from behind his right ear. Just as Matthysse was showing his dominance, Molina sent Matthysse to the canvas in round five.

The two continued to trade shots at close range with Matthysse landing the harder blows that were set up from his jab. In round eight, Matthysse landed a big flurry of punches that wobbled Molina and ultimately he was pushed down but referee Pat Russell ruled a knockdown. Matthysse started to take control and began to batter Molina and dropped him in round ten after a flurry of hard punches. Molina was seen by the doctors between rounds. When the 11th round began, Matthysse was all over Molina and dropped him to the canvas and the bout was stopped just 22 seconds into the frame.

Matthysse, 140 lbs of Argentina is now 35-3 with 33 knockouts. Molina, 139 1/4 lbs of Covina, Ca is now 27-4.

“It was a war,’’ said Matthysse, who improved his record to 35-3 with 33 KOs. “And it got complicated for me at the beginning, but we trained for this and we got the knockout. He hit me in the back of the head (in the second) and I crumbled a bit but I was waiting to find my distance and I was able to finish a tough fight.

“Molina is a tough fighter. He took some big blows (14 unanswered at the end of the 10th). I was a bit surprised he came back out for the 11th.”

Regarding his loss last September to unified 140-pound world champion Danny Garcia, Matthysse said, “I want the rematch. I feel that he had very good luck that night. I want the rematch.”

Offered the game but proud Molina (27-4, 22 KOs) afterward: “I am very disappointed. We gave the fans a good fight and I’m happy about that. I wasn’t well-known before this fight but I feel like I am now. I’m disappointed I didn’t finish Lucas. I had him hurt, but this is a learning experience. I only had a few amateur fights, so I’m learning from every experience.

“Trainer) Joe Goossen had a great game plan and we were sticking to it. Lucas Matthysse is the real deal. Even though he lost to Garcia, he still is the No. 1 rated fighter. I’d love to fight him again. I wanted to continue but the referee and judges have their jobs to do.

“It was a helluva fight. This was the fight of the year. I’d like to do it again

Omar Figueroa retained the WBC Lightweight title with a split decision over Jerry Belmontes.

Belmontes got off to a good start as he landed quick combinations and surprisingly matched Figueroa punch for punch on the inside. Figueroa surged back with busier volume punching in the middle rounds. The pace actually slowed down in the championship rounds and the fight seemed close on the score cards.

Figueroa, 134 3/4 lbs of Walesco, TX won by scores of 118-110, 116-112 while Belmontes took a card 115-113.

Figueroa, is now 23-0-1. Belmontes, 134 3/4 lbs of Corpus Christi, TX is now 19-4.

“He gave me more than trouble,’’ Figueroa said. “He wouldn’t make a fight out of it. I’m sorry to the fans. It was more of a sparring match than a fight. I prepared so much and this was the outcome.

“He almost made me cry again but of laughter saying he was going to beat me. I prepared well. I came 100 percent. I knew he was going to run. My hands are a little sore but nothing bad, nothing crazy. Now take my time off. I have been training since January. But it is up to Al Haymon.”

Said Belmontes: “Honestly, I thought I won the fight. I thought I landed the clearer more effective shots. I don’t fight like that (running) but sometimes I pay attention to the fans when they are booing so I went inside and fought like a Mexican warrior. He couldn’t handle my jab. He couldn’t’ handle me on the outside. I thought I won the fight.”

Jermall Charlo remained undefeated by scoring a stoppage at the end of four rounds when Hector Munoz was deemed unable to continue in their scheduled 10-round Middleweight fight.

Charlo beat, battered and bloodied Munoz until the referee stopped the fight in the corner on advice from the ringside doctor.

Charlo landed a hard right uppercut in the 1st round.

“I just tried very hard,’’ said Charlo after the one-sided proceedings were stopped. “Two camps in, I was hungrier than ever. I am hungrier than any fighter. I want to go on to bigger thing so badly. I credit Munoz for taking the fight. He showed a lot of spirit. But I had him. I’m so ready for the next level. I need it.’’

Terrell Gausha scored an 8-round unanimous decision over veteran Charles Whittaker in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Guasha started to get things going in round two. Gausha continued to win rounds and then he dropped Whitaker in round six from a right hand. Gausha jumped on Whitaker and landed a flurry of punches.

Gausha was never threatened and by scores of 80-71 on all cards.

Gausha, 154 3/4 lbs of Carson, CA is now 9-0. Whittaker, 155 3/4 lbs of the Cayman Island is now 40-15-2.

Joseph Diaz scored a 6-round unanimous decision over veteran Luis Maldonado in a Super Bantamweight bout.

Diaz, 122 3/4 lbs won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 10-0. Maldonado, 121 1/3 lbs is now 36-13-1.

LOS ANGELES (March 26, 2014) – StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., has rapidly become known amongst boxing aficionados as the place to be to see world-class fights and fighters. On Saturday, April 26, that reputation continues to grow as Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME Sports® team up for an all-action tripleheader featuring some of the top fighters in the sport today. In the 12-round main event, Florida power-puncher Keith “One Time” Thurman defends his interim WBA World Welterweight Championship against former World Lightweight titleholder Julio “The Kidd” Diaz.

In other televised bouts on SHOWTIME, Argentine knockout king Lucas “The Machine” Matthysse returns in a 10-round matchup against hard-hitting Californian John Molina and Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. defends his WBC Lightweight World Championship against fellow Texan Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes.

“To headline a show like this against a former world champion is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and that day is here,” said Thurman. “I respect Julio Diaz and I will not underestimate him. He knows that this may be his last shot, and I expect the best from him, but I’ll be the one leaving with the victory.”

“This is a big opportunity for me to face a fighter that is feared by many, but not by me,” said Diaz. “I have been in the ring with far more dangerous and experienced fighters in the past, and everyone knows that I come to fight. My previous opponents Amir Khan and Shawn Porter will tell you that. ”

“Molina is the kind of fighter I respect and always want to compete against,” said Matthysse. “He shows up to fight and we’re going to give the fans the kind of show they want to see. I don’t think it will last long, but it will be something to see while it does.”

“I’m excited to showcase myself against someone that I consider to be one of the best fighters in the world at 140 pounds,” said Molina. “I am very well prepared to come in on fight night and do what I do best, and that is to be victorious.”

“I am especially excited about this fight because I have wanted to get payback against Belmontes for longer than a decade,” said Figueroa. “I fought him in the amateurs and he always beat me because I was always shorter than him. Now I am taller, stronger and bigger than him and I am looking to beat him the way he beat me in the amateurs.”

“I beat Omar 5 times in the amateurs but it was just that, the amateurs, we were young,” said Belmontes. “We have taken different paths as professionals and finally they cross and we meet again… on April 26, he’ll be beaten… for the 6th time”.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale tomorrow/Thursday, March 27 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

A supreme knockout artist whose power continues to captivate more and more fans with each bout, Clearwater, Florida’s Keith “One Time” Thurman (22-0, 20 KOs) skyrocketed from prospect to contender to champion with three wins over Jan Zaveck, Diego Chaves and Jesus Soto Karass in 2013, earning the interim WBA Welterweight World title with the victory over Chaves. On April 26, the 25-year-old makes the second defense of his crown.

A respected veteran who has earned his stripes in the boxing world, Julio “The Kidd” Diaz (40-9-1, 29 KOs) found new life in his career with a move to the welterweight division in 2012. Since making the move, Diaz is 2-2-1, including a 10-round split draw to Shawn Porter and a hard-fought loss to world renowned Amir Khan. The 34-year-old former world lightweight champion from Coachella, Calif., would like nothing more than to win another title on April 26.

Popular Trelew, Chubut, Argentina native Lucas “The Machine” Matthysse (34-3, 32 KOs) has been knocking opponents out for nearly 10 years, becoming one of boxing’s most feared competitors in the process. The former interim WBC Junior Welterweight World Champion, Matthysse’s last 11 wins have ended before the final bell, and after a 12-round decision loss to Danny Garcia in a terrific championship bout last September, the 31-year-old is more determined than ever to take matters out of the judges’ hands.

Covina, California’s John Molina (27-3, 22 KOs) has plenty of dynamite in his fists as well, earning him a reputation as an exciting fighter ever since he turned pro in 2006. In July 2013, the 31-year-old added to his legend with a dramatic come-from-behind last-round knockout of previously unbeaten Mickey Bey, Jr. In his most recent bout last November, the hard-hitting Molina halted Jorge Pimentel in two rounds.

Seen for years as the future of boxing, the time for Omar “Panterita” Figueroa Jr. (22-0-1, 17 KOs) is now. In his last fight, an epic win over Nihito Arakawa last July, Figueroa won the WBC Lightweight World title in a Fight of the Year candidate. The 24-year-old of Weslaco, Texas, was scheduled to face Ricardo Alvarez on the March 8 Canelo vs. Angulo PPV event but sustained an injury in training that forced him to withdraw. On April 26, the fiery competitor returns to defend his crown for the first time against Jerry Belmontes.

Jerry “The Corpus Christi Kid” Belmontes (19-3, 5 KOs) proudly represents his hometown in and out of the ring, but it was his effort in the ring in March 2014 that earned him a shot at Figueroa. In that fight he won a dominant 10-round unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Australian contender Will Tomlinson. Now, more confident than ever, the 25-year-old plans on delivering another upset win on April 26.

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

Thurman vs. Diaz, a 12-round fight for Thurman’s Interim WBA Welterweight World Championship on Saturday, April 26, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and Casamigos Tequila. It will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air as the main event of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). In the co-feature, Argentine knockout artist Lucas Matthysse faces hard-hitting John Molina in a 10-round junior welterweight bout that is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions. In the opening bout of the telecast, Omar Figueroa Jr. defends his WBC Lightweight title against fellow Texan Jerry Belmontes. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME®.

A triple header featuring three of the more exciting fighters will consummate a triple header on April 26 at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California as Keith Thurman will defend his welterweight belt against Julio Diaz, Omar Figueroa will take on Jerry Belmontes in a Lightweight title fight while Lucas Matthysse will take on John Molina Jr. in a Jr. Welterweight bout according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

The card will be broadcast on Showtime.

“When you can see Thurman, Matthysse and Figueroa all on one night, it’s pretty exciting I think,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer.

“Julio Diaz will get up for this kind of fight,” Schaefer said. “You saw how he looked in England against Amir Khan. Julio Diaz always comes to fight, and he we’ll see what happens. All of the other top 147-pounders are fighting, so Keith is going to do this fight. We’ll give Julio Diaz one last chance and see what he can make of it. But for Keith, this is about him getting back in the ring without having to wait for some of those other guys while they are getting their fights done.

“Being on air and fighting is the formula. You look at [middleweight titlist] Gennady Golovkin. He’s not fighting King Kong but he has stayed busy, and that is a key in this sport. If you stay busy, you stay relevant. If you wait for that big fight and sit out like some of these fighters have done, you become irrelevant. Keith is going to stay relevant. And one thing we all know about Julio Diaz is that this guy does not just come to pick up a paycheck. He comes to fight and he knows it’s a must-win fight.”

“Matthysse wants to see how he still feels at 140 pounds. He might move up to 147 and try to inject himself into the Mayweather sweepstakes, but he’ll fight this fight and then make that decision,” Schaefer said. “In the meantime, we were looking for an opponent who comes to fight and with Molina we found that.”

However, Figueroa reinjured his left hand a week before the fight and had to withdraw. According to Schaefer, the injury was not serious, only requiring a few weeks of rest.

“Everything is OK with his hand,” Schaefer said. “He had it checked out. He is ready to go and excited to come back.”

Belmontes, who had lost three out of four fights, is getting the title opportunity because he pulled an upset in his last fight, easily outpointing previously unbeaten contender Will Tomlinson of Australia in a 10-rounder on the Alvarez-Angulo card.

“That was a great win for Belmontes,” Schaefer said. “Tomlinson was undefeated and ranked in the organizations and Belmontes beat him. That was a big win for him, and this is his reward.”

SHERMAN OAKS, CA (October 24, 2013) – In his last fight against unbeaten Cleveland native Mickey Bey back in July of this year, Covina, Calif. lightweight John Molina Jr. looked like he may have trouble with the faster and accurate punching Bey. That presumption became more evident as the rounds went by.

Although Molina was able to land one hellacious shot after another. Bey was just as able to withstand them through the first nine rounds. It wasn’t until the 10th and final round Molina unleashed a series of these dangerous blows that put Bey into another hemisphere and provided Molina with the win and a “Knockout of the Year” candidate.

In a non-televised bout, Molina now has been added to fight in a 8-round bout underneath Andre “S.O.G.” Ward who will put his world titles on the line against the undefeated Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (24-0, 16 Kos) in a scheduled 12-round World Championship main event on November 16 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, which will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

Molina (26-3, 21 KOs) has an extraordinary ability to hurt men with his fists. Fans, trainers, promoters, networks and virtually every other living creature walking the earth crave the same thing from their fighters, big knockouts. He possesses something most men do not and as Bey found out, he will use every last second to do harm to you with his fists. Molina is now looking for redemption earning another shot at the championship knowing he carries natural destruction in his hands to achieve the title.

In baseball, the great equalizer is a home run. In football, the touchdown pass does it. In boxing, it’s the knockout. It can turn the worse case scenario in a blink of an eye.

Joe Goossen, Molina’s trainer, believes the confidence and experience, combined with Molina’s extraordinary large size for a lightweight, will bode well for Molina as he uses his willpower and heavy hands to reach the world championship pinnacle.

The superb non-televised companion bout to the Ward-Rodriguez main event will be Ward stablemate, world rated super middleweight Brandon Gonzales (17-0-1, 10 KOs) of Sacramento, CA who will bring his undefeated record to Ontario in a 10-round bout against another undefeated fighter in Jonathan “Country Boy” Nelson (19-0, 9 KOs) from Little Rock, Ark. Trained by Virgil Hunter, Brandon’s last bout televised by HBO, and first scheduled 10-round fight, against Thomas Oosthuizen (21-0-2, 13 KOs), Gonzales had to settle for a disputed draw against the heavily favored South African world contender, although Gonzales was the aggressor from the outset and appeared to be the clear winner at the end of the bout.

Nelson’s uncle and trainer Ozell Nelson who guided the career of Nelson’s friend and mentor, former world champion Jermain Taylor and the one responsible for his nephew’s entry into boxing believes Jonathan has the ability to become a world champion. Said Jonathan, “I know that a lot of people – since Jermain Taylor and I have the same trainer – like to say there’s a lot of similarities in our fighting styles. If I see an opening, I take it.”

After falling short of qualifying for the Olympics, one of the amateur distinctions Nelson has going into this bout with Gonzales is he holds a points win (13-6) over Brandon in a 2006 contest.

As for the other Molina on the non-televised card, no relation to John, the 2012 Mexican Olympic boxer Oscar Molina, who made his professional debut back in January — and has won all six of his bouts to date, five by KO — will add to his busy inaugural year as a pro by fighting in a 6-round bout against Carlos Sanchez (5-4, 1KO).

Currently, the 23-year old native of Chihuahua, Mexico who grew up in Norwalk, CA, is preparing at the Maywood Boxing Club for his bout. Oscar Molina and twin brother Javier Molina (14-1, 6 KOs) are both former Olympians in boxing; though four years apart and for different countries. Javier represented Team USA in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, whereas Oscar represented Mexico in the 2012 Olympics in London.

Oscar made his professional debut on January 26, 2013 in Chihuahua, Mexico, where he won a four-round unanimous decision over Hector Mendoza. Since then, Oscar has been extremely active, stopping all five of his next opponents.

In a 6-round Jr. Lighweight bout, Paramount’s favorite son, Charles Huerta, takes on Ontario’s Jonathon Arellano (13-2-2, 3 KOs). Plus, the fast-rising Ten Goose Boxing prospect, featherweight Juan Funez (2-1, 1 KO) of Reseda, CA, battles Carlos Gonzalez (1-3) of Bell, CA. There will be three other companion bouts to be announced shortly.

The event is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with S.O.G. Promotions. The Ward-Rodriguez bout is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and the event is sponsored by Toyota, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa and the City of Ontario.

John Molina scored a stunning come from behind stoppage over previously undefeated Mickey Bey in the final scheduled round of their Lightweight bout at the Joint at The Hard Rock in Las Vegas.

Bey boxed slickly in round one. Molina started to walk Bey down in the second and started to get closer. Bey’s work produced a mouse under the left eye of Molina in the second frame. Molina started to get through with power shots in round three. The action started to get heated as Bey would land the straighter but Molina was landing the harder. Bey took the hard punches well and steadied himself by backing up and taking advantage of his hand speed.

Bey mixed up his punches well using lead rights, quick left hooks and uppercuts. It got to the point where Molina was following Bey and looking for the big shot.

It was actually Bey who looked like he would maybe get a stoppage as he was ripping shots off the face of Molina in the final frame. Molina then landed a left hook that froze and hurt Bey. With Bey clearly hurt, Molina jumped all over Bey and landed about fifteen unanswered blows with many of them being flush in the face until referee Vic Drachulich rescued Bey at 2:01 of the final round.

The finish with reminiscent to Molina’s come from behind stoppage over Hank Lundy as Molina was down 90-81, 89-82 and 88-83 to Bey heading into the final round.

Molina, 134 1/2 lbs of Covina, CA will now look for a second title opportunity with a record of 26-3 with 21 knockouts. Bey of Las Vegas via Cleveland is now 18-1-1.

Molina knew the score entering the final session. “I knew I was fighting an uphill battle and that I was definitely behind on the scorecards, but I always felt I was in the fight,’’ he said. “This is how we do it. This is why we do boxing. I seized the moment and got the job done. When my back was up against the wall, I came back stronger.

“Bey was a strong-armed guy who was difficult to get inside against. But I knew I’d hurt him early with a body shot because he let out a moan. I wanted him to get a little confidence as the fight went on so he would stand more. I think he wanted to try and discourage me at times but it didn’t work. When I connected in the 10th, I saw his eyes roll back. The beauty of boxing is possessing knockout power in both hands.’’

The event was presented by Mayweather Promotions. Boxing superstar and pound-for-pound kingpin, Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr., promotes both Bey and Jack. He also promoted four other boxers on Friday’s card. Mayweather, who was seated at ringside in time for the evening’s first bout at 5:30 p.m., got into the ring and congratulated Molina afterward.

“That meant a hell of a lot to me,’’ Molina said. “It says a lot about Floyd.’’

“I don’t want to take any credit away from Molina but I felt I was fighting two or three people in there,’’ Bey said. “The ref was warning me for one thing or another the whole fight. He nit-picked me for everything, pretty much took 80 percent of my arsenal away. It became a distraction, and then it took me out of my game plan. He definitely affected my performance.’’

According to ShoStats provided by CompuBox, Bey threw more punches (531-432) and landed more punches (253-145).

“This is a major disappointment,’’ Bey said. “I felt I did what I had to do. I knew I was way ahead on points. I wasn’t trying to finish him in the last round, I was just fighting my fight. I landed a lot of hard shots, too. We’ll have to see where we go from here.’’

Badou Jack scored the best win of his young career as he scored a ten round unanimous decision over Farah Ennis in a Super Middleweight bout.

Jack continuously pushed Ennis back with the jab and mixed in an occasional right hand behind it. Ennis sat back and would try to jab with Jack but it was few and far between and barely used his right hand. Despite being urged on by his corner, Ennis continued to fight at a measured pace and Jack was never threatened during the fight.

Jack, 167 1/2 lbs of Stockholm, SWE won by scores of 100-90; 98-92 and 98-92 and is now 15-0. Ennis, 166 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 21-2.

LAS VEGAS (July 18, 2013) – The boxers who will compete on a terrific doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow, Friday, July 19, live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Joint At Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas participated in a media workout Wednesday at the Mayweather Boxing Club.

In Friday’s ShoBox 10-round main event, undefeated lightweight Mickey “The Spirit” Bey (18-0-1, 9 KO’s), of Las Vegas by way of Cleveland, takes on former world title challenger John “The Gladiator” Molina (25-3, 20 KO’s), of Covina, Calif. The co-feature, also scheduled for 10 rounds, will match unbeaten, world-rated Badou Jack (14-0, 10 KO’s), of Las Vegas by way of Stockholm, Sweden, against Farah “Quiet Storm’’ Ennis (21-2, 12 KO’s), of Philadelphia, in a super middleweight bout.

Tickets for the stacked event, which is presented by Mayweather Promotions and sponsored by Corona, are priced at $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, and are on sale at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 5:25 p.m. PT on fight night and the first fight begins at 5:30 p.m.

The slate of non-televised undercard bout includes Luis Arias (5-0, 3 KO’s), of Las Vegas by way of Milwaukee, vs. Lateef Mundy (10-6, 4 KO’s), Philadelphia, six rounds, super middleweights; Lanell Bellows (4-0-1, 4 KO’s), Las Vegas, vs. TBA, 4 rounds, light heavyweights; Justin DeLoach (3-0, 2 KO’s), Augusta, Ga., vs. Kelvin Medley (1-0), Chicago, junior middleweights, 4 rounds; Ronald Gavril (4-0, 3 KO’s), Las Vegas by way of Bacau, Romania, vs. Jas Phipps (4-0, 1 KO), New Orleans, six rounds, super middleweights; Willie Jones (1-0, 1 KO), Chapel Hill, N.C., vs. Douglas Rosales (pro debut), four rounds, welterweights; Chris Pearson (10-0, 7 KO’s), Trotwood, Ohio, vs. Arturo Crespin (10-2-1, 4 KO’s), Las Vegas, N.M., six rounds, middleweights and Andrew Tabiti (pro debut), of Las Vegas by way of Chicago, vs. Andrew Howk (0-1), Scatal, Wash., cruiserweights, 4 rounds.

All four ShoBox boxers as well as members of the Mayweather Promotions roster who also worked out Wednesday in preparation for their non-televised scraps on Friday proclaimed themselves fit, confident and excited about their upcoming fights.

What the fighters said Wednesday:

MICKEY BEY

“Any way you look at it, this is a great fight for TV, a great fight for the fans, a great fight for everybody and I’m excited to be part of it.

“I’m definitely in with a good opponent. A top, solid fighter who has a lot of good wins. We know he’s going to bring it, which will only bring out the best in me.

“I’m totally focused on Friday. This is a major fight because there are huge plans ahead for me after this. There is no way I am taking Molina, or anybody, lightly.

“When things weren’t going great for me, I stayed focused and just kept getting better. It’s been a long time coming and all the hard work is going to pay off, but first I have to win on Friday.

“Being with Floyd and Mayweather Promotions has really gotten me back on track. Knowing you are in good hands with people who care really makes a big difference. It’s still a lot of hard work, but now my profession is fun for me.

“Training went great. I feel sharp. Friday is going to be a good night.”

JOHN MOLINA

“Perception-wise, this is a very important fight for me and it’s certainly in my best interests to get a victory. I know what’s ahead of me with a win. A win puts me right back in the thick of things. Mickey Bey is a hell of a fighter and a hell of a boxer. Our styles will make for an explosive fight.

“I was really looking for this kind of opportunity. Actually, I was chomping at the bit for this kind of fight to come along and I really want to thank all the promoters and everyone involved for making this fight happen.

“I think for them to put in a guy against me who’s had just one fight in a year and a half shows a lot of guts on their part. I applaud them for that, but I’m not sure they are getting who they think they’re getting. They see a guy who’s lost a couple of times, but there is more to me than that.

“I feel great, I feel confident and I’m probably as excited and calm before a fight as I’ve ever been. I’m going to go right after Bey on Friday and will pressure him like he’s never been pressured before.”

BADOU JACK

“I’m ready and really looking forward to fighting on Friday and fighting again on ShoBox. This is a great opportunity for me.

“The first time I fought on ShoBox (against Alexander Brand in May 2012), I was dealing with a lot of problems outside the ring and I didn’t come in focused, but now that I’m with Floyd, I’m able to focus totally on boxing. He takes care of everything. Anyone can have a bad night, but Brand was a tough guy.

“I feel like I’m improving all the time. I know working with (trainer and former world champion) Eddie Mustapha Muhammad has been great. I feel good and I’m set to go. There’s no way I’ll look past this guy.

“I know on paper he is going to be tough, but just because a fighter looks tough on paper doesn’t mean you’re going to have a tough fight. I fought a guy, Don Mouton who did not look good on paper, yet it was a tough fight. I fought Brand who had no skills on paper and he gave me a tough fight.

“So we’ll see on Friday. I just know I’m prepared and anxious to go.”

FARAH ENNIS

“This is my first time in Las Vegas. I got here on Tuesday, but I’m here to work. This isn’t a vacation, it’s a creation.

“I’m really looking forward to the fight. This is my opportunity to show the world who I am, to grab some people and to get the attention of the fans.

“I know Badou Jack is coming to fight. I feel he’s the toughest fighter I’ve fought, but I plan to expose his weaknesses. I’ve fought undefeated fighters before. I just fought five weeks ago, so I’m in the best shape of my life.

“This is my chance on a big stage in Las Vegas to display all my skills. Win this and I’m in the mix with all the top guys in the division.”

LUIS ARIAS

“I’m really looking forward to fighting on Friday. The guy I’m fighting is more of an experienced guy, but I’m totally ready to fight.

“I’ve been with Mayweather Promotions since November 2012. I came here from Milwaukee to spar with Floyd before the Cotto fight. It was like an audition for me after a friend of mine who knew Floyd told him about me.

“Floyd told me during his camp that as soon as his fight with Cotto was over, he wanted me. I told him it would be an honor to sign with him.

“Between Floyd and Leonard Ellerbe, my career has gone perfectly so far. They have moved me expertly. They are truly hands-on promoters who have my best interests in mind all the time, but what makes it even better for me is that I have a say on what goes on. They ask my opinion.

“I’m the one who asked for this kind of fight. I’m the one who asked to be brought along quickly. I’ve already fought on one pay-per-view card and hopefully I’ll be fighting others, but first things first. I can’t wait for Friday.”

LANEL BELLOWS

“This is my sixth pro fight. I’ve been with Floyd since after my third. He signed me after watching me work out one day. He said he liked my work ethic and that one day I would become a champion. That was quite an accolade and it only made me work that much harder. I helped him get ready for the Cotto fight.

“Signing with Floyd has been a total blessing. It’s an incredible honor to be part of his team. This is beyond a dream come true for a guy like me who grew up in Compton, Calif. and didn’t even start to fight until he was in his 20’s.

“As for Friday, I’ve put in the hard work. I just wish Friday was already here. I’m ready to fight and I’m ready to be victorious.”

RONALD GAVRIL

“This is a huge opportunity for me to be fighting on the same card as so many fighters on The Money Team. I don’t want to miss out on any of the steps and this fight is a big step for me. With Floyd as your promoter, if you continue to win, lots of good things can happen.

“I’m honored to be part of The Money Team. It’s a big responsibility every time you step inside the ring, but I work hard and I’m ready. I’ve been working with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad since May 2012. It was Eddie who brought me to the Mayweather gym to spar.

“Floyd saw me spar and he signed me. This is my second fight since I signed with Mayweather Promotions. I expect a good fight on Friday and look forward to showing my skills and what I have learned.”

ANDREW TABITI

“I’m a little nervous because this is my pro debut, but winning is the only thing on my mind.

“I’ve officially been with Mayweather Promotions for about two months. I was discovered by Floyd who saw me shadow boxing and liked what he saw. I sparred with him before his fight with Miguel Cotto.

“I had a good amateur career, but I think the pro style fits me fine. I’ve been training in a pro style since the 2011 Olympic Trials.

“Friday is a big night. It’s my pro debut. I’m anxious and excited and I’ll be ready.”

Mauro Ranallo will call the action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For more information, visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com and follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MayweatherPromo, www.twitter.com/MickeyBeyTMT, www.twitter.com/badoujack, www.twitter.com/TheJointLV, www.twitter.com/hardrockhotellv and www.twitter.com/SHOsports, follow the conversation using #BeyMolina and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromo and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

HERMAN OAKS, CA (July 16, 2013) – One is now a veteran member of the Goossen Tutor Promotions stable; the other is a newcomer. One is from the West Coast; the other from the east. But while they differ in those aspects of their lives, John Molina, Jr. and Farah Ennis share at least three similar qualities: both are hitting their prime boxing years at age 30; neither one lacks in confidence and they both come to fight.

Molina (25-3, 20 KOs), from Covina, California and Philadelphia native Ennis (21-1, 12 KOs) will take on undefeated opponents from Floyd Mayweather’s promotional company in this Friday night’s “ShoBox: The New Generation” doubleheader from The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The SHOWTIME telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Opposing the hard-hitting Molina in the scheduled 10-round lightweight main event will be Mickey Bey, Jr. (18-0-1, 9 KOs). The co-feature will be a scheduled 10-round super middleweight bout pitting Ennis against Swedish-born Badou Jack (14-0, 10 KOs).

“I am looking to get back on track,” Molina, who recently switched back to his longtime former trainer Joe Goossen, said. “My last fight (a questionable majority decision loss to undefeated Russian Andrey Klimov last month) was a setback. I still think I did enough to win and I know I’m in phenomenal shape and I plan to go out and dominate this fight. All the ducks are in order; the engines are firing on all cylinders. I think it’s going to be a great night this Fridayand I am very excited to be fighting again on SHOWTIME on their ‘ShoBox’ series.”

“Mickey Bey is undefeated, a good boxer and he fights out of the Mayweather camp,” Goossen acknowledged. “Being with ‘Money,’ he’s got everything anyone could have at a camp. Obviously, nobody that’s been put in front of him has been able to solve the puzzle. It’s our job to do that. It’s going to be tough; he’s a tough kid. But I have every belief in my fighter that he is going to win the fight. John has been training very hard. He’s strong right now. He’s looking a lot like you would expect John Molina to look, and that bodes well. He’s very confident that this is going to be a fight that people are going to be talking about afterwards, and so am I.”

“Simply put, John is a very dangerous fighter which translates into havng a television friendly style,” promoter Dan Goossen pointed out. “And if he can come out and beat the undefeated Bey in spectacular fashion, I believe it puts him right back into the thick of the world championship pool.” Goossen continued, “As for Ennis, this is his opportunity to show he belongs with the other highly regarded super middleweights.”

Ennis, who is trained by his father Derek “Bozy” Ennis, will be appearing in his second fight since signing on with Goossen Tutor. He registered a unanimous decision victory over highly regarded veteran Anthony Hanshaw on the ESPN televised Molina-Klimov undercard last month. His only loss was five fights ago by controversial majority decision to 10-0 Alexander Johnson. In going up against the 29-year old Badou, a 2008 Olympian representing Gambia, who knocked out Michael Gbenga on the Mayweather-Robert Guerrero undercard, and traveling west to fight under the big spotlight in Las Vegas on SHOWTIME, the ever-stoic Ennis sees this as nothing more than business as usual.

“It’s just another fight. I keep my emotions on an even keel,” said Ennis, dubbed “The Quiet Storm” because as his co-manager Eddie Woods says: “When he lets those guns go, it’s like thunder and lightning.”

Moz Gonzalez, Ennis’ other co-manager added, “We’re coming out to win, not just as an opponent. They say they are going to use Farah as a steppingstone, but that is what we are planning to use Badou Jack for.”

“What motivates me is that winning this fight leads to the next fight; a bigger fight. More money. And just keep on moving up the ladder toward a world title,” Ennis explained.

NEW YORK (July 16, 2013) — Two of Mayweather Promotions’ most talented boxers, lightweight Mickey “The Spirit” Bey Jr. and world-rated super middleweight Badou Jack, will try to keep their unbeaten records intact when they face John “The Gladiator” Molina Jr. and Farah “Quiet Storm’’ Ennis, respectively, in co-featured fights on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME® this Friday, July 19 (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from The Joint At Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Bey, a former amateur standout from Las Vegas by way of Cleveland, is 18-0-1 with 9 KO’s. Molina (25-3, 20 KO’s) is a former world title challenger from Covina, Calif. Sweden’s Jack, a 2008 Olympian for Gambia who also resides in Las Vegas, is 14-0 with 10 KO’s. Philadelphia born-and-raised Ennis (21-2, 12 KO’s) is a former NABF champion who’s won four in a row. Both bouts are scheduled for 10 rounds.

Tickets for the event, which is presented by Mayweather Promotions and sponsored by Corona, are priced at $125, $100, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, and are on sale at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 5:25 p.m. PT on fight night and the first fight begins at 5:30 p.m.

Typical of ShoBox, both Bey and Jack will be facing their toughest foes to date.

“I think in the case of Mickey Bey, he’s a little bit different than other prospects featured on ShoBox and the reason for that is that he was a legitimate and heavily hyped prospect when we first had him on six years ago,” noted ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian, Steve Farhood. “But his career has stalled because of injuries and promotional issues. One thing that hasn’t changed since 2007 is that even at the age of 30, Bey still has the profile of a top prospect. He’s taking a big step up in class against power-puncher John Molina.

“Badou Jack has been looking better and better and showing good boxing skills to go along with his signature body-punching style and he too is stepping up against a veteran, yet still a prospect himself, in Farah Ennis. It’ll be interesting to see whether Jack can break down Ennis over 10 rounds.”

The 5-foot-9 Bey was a sensational amateur, a four-time national champion and a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. He was unable to complete in the Olympic Qualifiers or Olympic Games, however, after he became ill with pneumonia after winning the Olympic Box-Offs.

Expectations were extremely high when Bey turned pro in April 2005, but his career has sputtered. Now, under the Mayweather Promotions banner, the eight-year pro seems primed for his best. A terrific boxer-puncher, he was sharp and dominant in his debut as a member of The Money Team last Feb. 2, winning his first fight in 15 months by impressive third-round knockout over Robert Rodriguez in Las Vegas.

However, the fight was later ruled a no-contest because Bey tested positive for elevated testosterone levels. It was a bitter setback for Bey, who maintains his innocence. While it is easy to look back, Bey has moved on and his focus is now totally on Molina. A convincing victory, he knows, will get him on track to the top.

“I should have been champion many years ago,” said Bey, who’s been reunited with his original trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr. “When I’m on point, there isn’t anybody who can hang in there with me. It’s just a relief to be signed with Mayweather Promotions, who’s got my best interest in mind on every level. You’re going to see better performances out of me just because of that.

“I think John Molina is a good fighter, tough and strong. He’s got a lot of punching power and he’s got a lot of knockouts. I think he’s a real solid opponent. He’s not the best technically, skill-wise, but he’s got experience and a lot of power. That’s always dangerous, although I’ve got a great defense. People fought him thinking they would beat him and left with a KO on their record. That’s one thing I’m aware of.

“I think it’s a great matchup. We went through a lot of tough opponents who wouldn’t take the fight, so I’m just glad he took it.”

For all his natural talent, Bey knows that dedication and work ethic are major keys to getting to where he wants to be. “I’m always in the gym. I work out all year round, even if it’s not actually boxing,” he said. “I don’t really do too much but train. Ninety percent of the time, everything I do involves some kind of working out. I’m a fitness freak and an all-around athlete. I’ve been preparing for this fight for (almost two months).”

The older brother of pro fighter Cortez Bey, Mickey Bey possesses good skills, speed, and movement. The sharp, accurate puncher will be making his third appearance on ShoBox and first since February 2008. He says he doesn’t study a lot of tape on upcoming opponents, but likes to watch videos of old fighters.

“I’m always watching tapes of guys like Ray Robinson,” he said. “I like Sugar Ray Leonard, Salvador Sanchez, Muhammad Ali, Jersey Joe Walcott and Willie Pep. I get a lot of different things from different fighters just by watching a lot. Tommy Hearns, too.

“It has a whole lot of influence on my style because I see a lot of things that they did back then that fighters don’t do today. I think that boxing is a lost art now, where a lot of fighters really don’t study the game. They can’t even name a lot of old fighters.

“I feel that if this is the sport that you’re in, then you should know a lot about the history of boxing. I think Ray Robinson has influenced my style more than the others because I stay glued to him. I’ve been watching him since even before I started boxing. I watched his tapes for months straight every day and I still do. I’ll watch his tapes at least eight days a month because I’ve got his whole DVD collection.”

Molina will be making his fourth start on ShoBox. The 5-foot-10 ½-inch, 30-year-old turned pro in March 2006 and won his first 18 fights before losing a 10-round decision to Martin Honorio in his last appearance on ShoBox on Nov. 28, 2009. He’s gone 7-2 since and registered a couple of impressive victories (TKO 11 over Hank Lundy in July 2010 and KO 4 over Dannie Williams on Jan. 11, 2013).

The aggressive-minded, hard-punching Molina has registered 15 victories inside three rounds, but he’s lost two out of his last three, including an upset, majority 10-round decision defeat to Andrey Klimov in his last outing this past June 7. Molina’s other defeat came in a world title fight, a 44-second, first-round KO loss to then-WBC Lightweight World Champion Antonio DeMarco on Sept. 8, 2012.

“Molina was really disappointed after his last fight,” said matchmaker Tom Brown of Molina’s promoter Goossen Tutor Promotions. “He said he was going right back to the gym the following Monday, which he did. Right after the loss, he decided to go back to trainer Joe Goossen. John kept asking us to please find him something immediately. He wanted to get right back in there and try to get a victory.

“His back’s up against the wall. He knows he needs a victory. This is a tough, dangerous fight, but it’s what John asked for – to put him into something meaningful. Now he’s got to do his job.”

Jack trains at the Mayweather Boxing Club under the watchful eye of former WBA world light heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. He’s steadily ascended the 168-pound world ratings in the last year-and-a-half and is currently rated No. 6 by the WBA and No. 13 by the WBC. This will be his second ShoBox start and third on the network. He is coming off of a dominant third-round knockout win over Michael Gbenga on the Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero undercard last May 4 in a preliminary fight that was featured on SHOWTIME from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Vegas.

On May 11, 2012, Jack won his ShoBox debut with an eight-round split decision over previously undefeated Alexander Brand (17-0). In his bout after Brand, Jack flattened Jonuel Tapia in the first round on Feb. 2, 2013 and followed that with an eight-round unanimous decision over Don Mouton on Feb. 22. Next, he overpowered Gbenga.

“I always expect a tough fight,” he said. “I don’t know much about Ennis, but I saw about one minute of a fight of his. He seems to be a good boxer. It’s going to be a good fight. I’m not worried about his style. I had 150 amateur fights so I’ve seen a lot of different styles. I can adapt to anything.”

Jack became a member of Mayweather Promotions stable in late 2012. “I went back home to Sweden a month after the Brand fight and I stayed there for six months,” he said. “I had some management problems, but Floyd helped me out. That’s when I signed with Mayweather Promotions. He basically saved my career. I came back in December 2012.”

The 6-foot-1, 29-year-old Jack was a European amateur standout, compiling an outstanding record of 122-28. He represented his father’s country, Gambia, in the Olympics and is the only boxer ever to represent Gambia in any Olympic Games. He turned pro in June 2009, fought his first five fights in Sweden and Finland, but has fought exclusively in the United States since.

Ennis is a 6-foot-tall, 30-year-old who’ll be making his ShoBox debut. In his last fight, and his first in 11 months, he scored a knockdown in the final round to secure a close, 10-round unanimous decision win over former world-rated contender Anthony Hanshaw (96-93 twice and 95-94) on June 7 in Shelton, Wash.

A natural counter-puncher who is proven at the 10-round distance, Ennis has a strong boxing background. His brother Derek fights professionally and his father/trainer Bozie, was also a fighter. Farah feels he will benefit from the quick turnaround between bouts. “I took a week off and got right back in the gym after my last fight,” he said. “I think I got the call (right after that). I want to stay busy. I don’t want any long layoffs like before. That probably had a little effect on my performance.”

Ennis only had a handful of amateur fights, and he hasn’t exactly been highly hyped in a pro career that began when he was 23. He’ll be the underdog in this one, but don’t look for the boxer-puncher with good skills and movement to be in awe of the surroundings or his opponent.

“I’m training hard,” said Ennis, whose lone defeat in a seven-year pro career came on a 10-round majority decision loss to southpaw Alexander Johnson on April 2, 2011. “I’m patient in the ring, but if I hurt you I’m going to get you out of there. I’m ready to go.”

Mauro Ranallo will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Andrey Klimov scored a ten round majority decision over former world title challenger John Molina Jr. in a Lightweight bout at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Washington.

Not much happened over the first couple rounds. Klimov started to bleed over the left eye in round three. Molina punctuated that round with a hard right. Molina rocked Klimov in round four with hard a hard left hook that sent Klimov’s mouthpiece flying. Klimov started jabbing well in round five.

Molina upped the pressure to begin round six. Klimov continued to peck with shots while Molina landed some hard rights like he did in round eight But it was the activity of Klimov that won out as he was able to win the majority decision by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95.

Klimob of Russia is now 16-0. Molina, 137 ½ lbs of Covina, CA is now 25-3.

Farah Ennis scored a ten round unanimous decision over Anthony Hanshaw in a Super Middleweight bout.
Ennis looked decent early as he featured his right hand. Hanshaw started to control the middle rounds as he became busier while Ennis only punched in inconsistent spurts. Ennis took over in round nine as he hurt Hanshaw with a couple of right hands. Hanshaw seemed to be losing his legs and it was proven as he was dropped with a left hook as the final round began. Ennis had Hanshaw hurt several times before the end of the fight but was unable to score a knockout.

Ennis, 168.8 lbs of Philadelphia won by scored of 96-93, 96-93 and 95-94 and is now 21-1. Hanshaw is now 23-3-2.

The June 7 edition of ESPN’s Friday Night Fights presented by Corona Extra will feature former Lightweight world- title challenger “The Gladiator” John Molina Jr. (25-2, 20 KOs) and undefeated Lightweight Andrey Klimov (15-0, 8 KOs) in the 10-round main event. Friday’s show from the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, Wash., will air live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2 HD, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN. Friday’s card is promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.

Commentators:
Joe Tessitore and Teddy Atlas will be ringside describing the action for ESPN2 HD, while studio host Todd Grisham (@GrishamESPN) will provide the latest boxing news and look back at the best of Friday Night Fights from the month of May. Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodriguez will call this week’s fights for ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates (Friday Night Fights) with Claudia Trejos and Leopoldo Gonzalez in the studio. Bilingual reporter Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) will present live interviews and reports for both shows.

Main Event:
California’s Molina, who is trained by former Jr. Lightweight titlist Robert Garcia, is coming off a January fourth-round knockout win over Dannie Williams.

“We took care of Dannie Williams now we’ve got to take care of Klimov,” Molina said. “I’ve done my studying of him. He’s a tough cat, undefeated. We’re going to have to take it from him, and we’re training for such. Klimov has a very European style, herky-jerky. But I’ve watched him on several occasions and the one punch he throws very well – he sneaks that right uppercut underneath you where you don’t see it. I’ve got to watch that, because I’ve been caught by that punch before. But now that I’ve got it in my head that he’ll be throwing that punch, I’ll be watching out for it.”

Russia’s Klimov scored a March seventh-round technical decision win over Matias Gomez in his last fight.

Klimov said through an interpreter, “I’m a technical boxer. Molina is a fighter with a lot of professional experience, with very hard punching power, but I’m probably the best guy he’s ever fought.”

Co-Feature:
Friday’s 10-round co-feature will pit Super Middleweights Farah “Quiet Storm” Ennis (20-1, 12 KOs) of Philadelphia against North Carolina’s Tony “The Tyger” Hanshaw (23-2-2, 14 KOs). Ennis scored a 10-round unanimous win over Richard Pierson in his last fight, while Hanshaw will look to get back to his winning ways following a 10-round draw against Derek Edwards.

Upcoming Schedule:

Date
Time (ET)
Main Event
Location

Networks
Fri., Jun 14
9 p.m.
Juan Carlos Payano (13-0, 7 KOs) vs. Jundy Maraon (15-0-1, 12 KOs)—12-rounds, Bantamweight
Richard J. Codey Arena, West Orange, N.J.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes WatchESPN
Fri., Jun 21
10 p.m.
Rances Barthelemy (18-0, 11 KOs) vs. Fahsai Sakkreerin (39-3-1, 21 KOs)—12-rounds, Junior Lightweight
Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minn.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes WatchESPN
Fri., Jun 28
9 p.m.
Grzegorz Proska (29-2, 21 KOs) vs. Sergio Mora (23-3-2, 7 KOs)—10-rounds, Middleweight
Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Fla.
ESPN2, ESPN Deportes WatchESPN
*Schedule subject to change

Follow ESPN’s Friday Night Fights on Twitter @ESPNFNF or like it on Facebook. Follow ESPN Deportes’ Viernes de Combates on Twitter @ESPNBoxeo. Also score the fights round-by-round with the “Live Friday Night Fights Facebook Voting App,” an application on the ESPN FNF Facebook page that allows viewers to score the fight round-by-round.

Sherman Oaks, CA (June 4, 1013) – Kicking off a big month of June for Goossen Tutor boxers, John Molina, Jr. will start things off this Friday trying to fight for his right to challenge for the world championship.

Friday, June 7 – ESPN “Friday Night Fights”
The Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA
will play host for California’s John Molina Jr., 25-2, with 20 KO’s, challenging up-and-coming Andrey Klimov, 15-0, 8 KO’s from Klimovsk, Russia in a very intriguing lightweight match-up. The semi-main event bout features Farah Ennis, 21-1, 12 KO’s of Philadelphia, PA getting his big opportunity to move up in stature in the very hot super middleweight division against the once highly regarded prospect, Anthony Hanshaw, 23-2-2, 14 KO’s of High Point, NC, who is trying to prove he’s back to reclaim his world-class tag. Two big fights, with world championship implications on the line in both.

John Molina, Jr. in the final stage of training before departing tomorrow to Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA
Saturday, June 8 – SHOWTIME
Carson, California’s Home Depot Center will be center stage when local hero, Riverside’s Josesito Lopez, 30-5, 18 KO’s takes on the dangerous former WBA light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana, 33-3, 30 KO’s of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Lopez is co-promoted by Thompson Boxing and knows a victory in front of his hometown fans will place him right back into the 147 pound title picture.

Friday, June 14 – NBC Sports Network
Houston’s determined and underestimated Cornelius “Da Beast” White, 21-1, 16 KO’s will travel to Pennsylvania where the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem will host this battle of light heavyweights also featuring Main Events very respected and talented Sergey Kovalev, 20-0-1, 18 KO’s from Chelyabinsk, Russia. This truly will be a fight that will be held in the center of the ring with both sides throwing knockout power bombs for as long as it lasts.

Saturday, June 29 – HBO
At the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut, both Brandon Gonzales (17-0, 10 KO’s) of Sacramento and his challenger from South Africa, Thomas Oosthuizen (21-0-1, 13 KO’s) will each try to emerge to the world-class level in the super middleweight division with an impressive victory. The experts are calling it a fifty-fifty fight.

Five big fights for ten hungry fighters! Don’t miss the “June Boom” action.