Author: Standing-8

Lomachenko v. Haney…Dissected…..A Deeper Look 60 Seconds At A Time

“Hey, don’t you worry, I’ve been lied to,
I’ve been here many times before..”

“But minute by minute by minute
I keep holding on..”

-Doobie Brothers

In 2017, I dissected the Manny Pacquiao v. Jeff Horn fight, minute by minute, round by round, days after the fight, due to the controversy. (Link here if interested… Pacquiao v. Horn…Dissected…..A Deeper Look 60 Seconds At A Time – Standing-8)

Not scoring it and watching it in real time, I had thought Pac did enough to win. After the dissection at a granular level, nothing changed my mind, 115-113 Pac. A few weeks ago, we had arguably the most disputed victory since Pac v. Horn, in Devin Haney UD  Vasiliy Lomachenko.  

No sooner did the ring announcer bellow the words “And still…….”, an old familiar adversary from the lexicon came calling…..ROBBED.

You could make a case to bag and tag DM’s pen that entered the 116-112 (w/the 10th to Haney) score card and place it into the police evidence room but other than that, this was far from a robbery, a very close, strongly contested, strategical fight.

The fight poster showing both pugilists on a chess board, was an extremely accurate visualization, and unlike some pre-fight posters, this was art imitating life.

Again, I did not score the fight while watching it live but believed Loma had clearly won. Did I miss something? Did the judges have it right?  I needed a second look. (Disclaimer for my fight night impressions… I had to attend my wife’s college reunion on the same night out of town, and was relegated to watching it on my cell phone, oh how the times have changed, where you can rent a PPV, and watch anywhere, amazing…)

The ground rules are the same as the last time with the Pac v. Horn dissection… In my review, I’ll decide who I believed had the advantage in each third of the round and then determine which overall body of work I favored. By body of work, I’m looking at the four criteria that are assumed to be used when scoring a fight, defense, effective aggression, clean punching, and ring generalship.

Protect yourself at all times…..

Round 1-

  • First Minute- Haney’s the aggressor to start the round, moving Loma back, active jab, lands a small left hook, three rights to the body. Loma’s footwork, and feints, force Haney to work off his back foot momentarily, and lands a jab, Advantage-Haney
  • Second Minute-Sharp jab by Loma forces Haney back, Loma lands a quick three punch combination, Loma’s movement forcing Haney to be the aggressor, Haney missing several jabs, Loma is in range momentarily, but Haney is too slow on the release of the jab. Haney is missing to the body, due to Loma’s movement. Haney throws a double jab to the head, and a straight jab towards the body. All missing. Both fighters throw a small flurry, each negating the other. Advantage-Loma
  • Third Minute, Loma working off his front foot, moving Haney back. Haney throwing his jab as a range finder but missing, Loma lands a solid jab, Haney with a solid shot to Loma’s stomach, Loma’s movement still causing Haney to work off his back foot, Haney popping shots towards Loma, all missing. Loma lands a solid left. Loma ends the round backing Haney into the ropes, and throwing a flurry, one decent shot landing. Advantage Loma

Outside of the first minute, Haney did not do much when compared to Loma. Loma controlled the distance and backed Haney up with his footwork and movement. Although not a lot of significant punches landed, only 6 each according to CompuBox I favored the shots landed by Loma, combined with Loma’s footwork, that controlled the real estate, and thus the round, all things considered.  

Round to Lomachenko, 10-9 (Judges, all 3 for Haney)

Round 2-

  • First minute- A lot of postering to start, Haney moving forward, controlling the action, lands a right to the body, and hook to the head, circling Loma again, Haney grazes a hook off Loma’s jaw, Loma moves forward and lands a left and ties up Haney who is leaning over, causing the referee to tell Loma to get off his head. Haney with a right to the body. Advantage Haney   
  • Second minute– Haney moving forward, controlling the action, a right to the body that grazes Loma, and a stiff jab to the head. Both fighters land a punch, with Haney countering with another shortly after, Haney with a pawing jab that lands, Haney with a solid right hand to the body, Loma chopping with punches, nothing landing, Haney with another shot to the body, Haney slips a punch of the charging Loma, and counters Loma with a right, and then a quick jab, Loma then lands a three-punch combination, flurries a bit and lands a solid right. Loma ended this minute strong but Haney’s body of work over the entire minute was better.  Advantage Haney
  • Third minute- Both fighters very tactical, Loma landing a shot or two, Haney missing with a few, Haney lands a shot to the body, a left by Loma, a jab lands and a body shot misses for Haney, both fighters land a body shot, and Loma lands two punches to end the round. Advantage Loma.

Round to Haney 19-19 (Judges-All 3 for Lomachenko)

Round 3-

  • First minute- Movement by both fighters trying to gain the advantage of position to start, stiff jab by Haney, Haney then misses to the body due to the slick movement of Loma to avoid the punch, Haney then lands a right to the body, and evades a counter by Loma, right hand counter by Haney, jab lands by Loma.  Advantage-Haney
  • Second minute- Misses by Haney, again due to the Loma movement, Loma parry’s away, throws a few counters that Haney defends, jab by Haney, double left lands for Loma, lead left lands for Loma, Loma backing up Haney, Haney misses an uppercut, Loma counters with a scraping left to the body, both fighters hitting on the back of the head, Loma is warned, looping right to the body by Haney, Loma responds with a jab, then ends the minute with a grazing shot off of Haney’s head, Advantage Loma  
  • Third minute- Haney begins the third minute with a right to the body, Loma walking back Haney and lands a jab, a left hook by Haney follows, big right hook by Loma, walking back Haney after the sot and lands a jab, has Haney on the ropes and lands a body shot, left uppercut, and follow by a left and a right, so fast you have to rewind the tape, Haney lands a jab, Loma counters with a slight left hook, Loma lands a solid left, Haney grazes with a right, the fighters end the round with a few grazing jabs each.. Advantage Loma

Round to Loma 29-28, Loma (Judges, 2 gave the round to Loma, 1 to Haney) (**This is a round that should have been swept by Loma on the cards, he clearly won 2/3 of the round, and was close in the other. IMO**)

Round 4- 

  • First minute- Jab by Haney lands, Haney walking Loma back, lands a right to the body, movement by both fighters, another right to the body by Haney, jab by Loma lands, he spins Haney in the direction that he wants him to go, then grazes a few quick punches off Haney’s head, jab lands for both fighters, Haney counters with a glancing right. Advantage Haney.
  • Second minute- Both fighters circling, and using the jab as finders, Loma controlling the real estate, quick short sneaky check right hook by Loma. Jab by Haney, and hook to the body, as Loma backs him up and lands a left, quick choppy glancing left/right by Haney, Advantage-Haney
  • Third Minute- Loma walking Haney back and lands a lead left, quick right jab/hook lands for Loma, Haney counters with a right, Haney misses three consecutive jabs, they get tangled up, and Loma muscles Haney to the ground, Haney lands a good hook to the body. Advantage Haney  

Round to Haney 38-38 (Judges, all 3 for Haney)

Round 5- 

  • First minute-Haney backs up Loma with a one-two, Haney with a solid right to the body, followed by another. Advantage Haney
  • Second minute-Two right uppercuts by Haney, one solid, one glancing, three lefts for Loma. Two to the head, one to the body, left scores for Haney, right scores for Loma, Advantage Loma
  • Third minute-Right hook to the body for Haney, jab lands for Haney, both fighters exchange and land punches, Loma lands a left, then a one-two, body shot for Haney. Advantage Haney

Round to Haney, 48-47-Haney (Judges, all 3 for Haney)

Round 6-  

  • First minute- Haney walking Loma back, Loma lands a straight right, two body shots for Haney, straight left for Loma. Advantage Haney
  • Second minute- Haney with a body shot and short right, Loam with a solid three punch combination, Loma with a scoring left, and then a solid right jab, two jabs from Haney, Loma with a charging combination, Advantage Loma
  • Third minute- Haney walking Loma back with jabs, right to the body for Haney, two uppercuts graze Loma, Loma scores with a slight hook, another body shot for Haney scores, solid jab by Haney, Loma flurries, with Haney responding with a flurry, nothing significant lands for either fighter, . Advantage Haney

Round to Haney-58-56, Haney (Judges 2 for Haney, 1 for Loma)

Round 7-  

  • First minute- Loma movement controlling opening thirty seconds, then he lands a quick right, and double left, another right, two jabs by Haney and a hook, another jab by Haney, and a chopping right, Haney misses a few jabs. Advantage Loma  
  • Second minute- Loma spins Haney away, then lands a jab as Haney comes in, then a left right combination, both with body shots in the clinch, chopping right by Haney, body shot by Haney, two quick lefts by Loma, double jab by Haney misses, Loma with a lead left. Advantage Loma
  • Third minute- Haney walking Loma back, lands a right, and a body shot, countered by a Loma right, body shot by Haney, Loma with a combination to the head, Haney with a solid hook, two body shots by Haney, even exchange to end the round. Advantage Haney

Round to Loma (Judges- 2 Haney, 1 Loma) Haney 67-66, the card here through 7.

Round 8-  

  • First minute- Even postering, Loma with the crisper shots, a lead jab, then moments later a right-left combo, Loma double jab, one landing, followed with a small left hook, Haney with a right to the body. Advantage Loma
  • Second minute- Haney with a right hook, Loma with a double left, Haney pop shotting and missing, Loma forcing Haney to work off his back foot, Haney moving forward now, Loma with a jab, Haney with a body shot. Not a lot in the minute, Loma’s movement controlled the majority with a slight edge in punch quality, thus- Advantage Loma
  • Third minute- Haney missing a few jabs, then Loma counters with a solid jab, looping left lands for Loma, counter by Haney, body shot for Haney, one-two by Haney, jab, and a combination for Loma to end the round. Close minute, both had moments, slight edge for Haney. Advantage Haney

Round to Loma-76-76 (Judges 2 for Loma, 1 for Haney)

Round 9-  

  • First minute- Loma landing a few jabs, and pop shotting a few punches, slightly landing, nothing significant, but scoring, Haney missing a few punches due to Loma movement, Haney with a right to the body. Advantage Haney
  • Second minute- Chopping right by Haney, solid jab by Loma, walking Haney back to the ropes, Haney counter with a left off the ropes, left by Loma, both land a shot in a close flurry, solid straight left by Loma, grazing counter right by Haney, solid right to the body by Haney, Loma land a right/left combo and pursues Haney to the ropes and lands a four-punch combination, Haney lands a few jabs. Advantage Loma
  • Third minute- Haney the aggressor, both land a shot, solid left by Loma, Haney with two body shots, jab by Haney, Loma with a two piece, straight left by Loma, close minute, edge to Loma. Advantage Loma

Round to Loma-86-85 Loma (Judges All 3 to Haney)

Round 10–  

  • First minute- Lead right by Loma, Haney misses a wild hook to the body to end the minute. Not a lot of action in the minute. A lot of postering by both. Loma’s right was the best landed punch of the round, and his movement controlled the round, not allowing Haney to execute his plan. Advantage Loma-
  • Second minute- Loma with a sweeping hook to start a flurry, landing five solid punches on a parrying Haney, Haney with a jab, and a right, both with a small exchange to end the minute. Advantage Loma.
  • Third minute- Loma with a double jab, and a straight left, Haney with a counter left, Haney, and Loma both land a punch, Loma with a solid jab to end the round. Advantage Loma

Round to Loma-96-94 Loma (Judges 2 for Loma, and a perplexing one for Haney)

Note: This is the round that sent shock waves around the sport due to DM giving the round to Haney. Outside of the 11th, this was Loma’s most dominant round, and the uproar against DM was just.

Round 11-  

  • First minute- Loma lands a left to the body, and a solid right to the jaw, sending Haney backwards, moves forward, and lands a left hook, Haney lands a wrap around shot to the body, Loma with another solid left/right, causing Haney to hold, Loma heads in and lands a jab, Loma has Haney reeling back as he lands a left. HUGE Advantage Loma
  • Second minute-  Loma is walking Haney back, Haney lands a right uppercut grazing Loma, Loma counters with a scraping right/left combo, followed by a left, Loma walking Haney back with jabs, Loma with a left/right/left combo, straight right jab forcing Haney to the ropes, follows with a scraping left, a solid lead jab by Loma, Loma left to the body, right to the head, another left ot the body, right to the head by Loma, HUGE Advantage for Loma.
  • Third minute- Popping straight left by Loma, a lot of postering by both, Haney walking forward, Loma using movement, not allowing Haney to land, Haney with a looping right to the body missing the target, Haney has Loma backed into a corner, he does nothing, allowing Loma to use his excellent movement to escape, Haney with a reaching right to the body. Advantage Loma

Round to Loma 106-103 (Judges- All 3 for Loma)

***This was the most dominant round by either competitor in the fight. Lomachenko dominated the entire three minutes, and out landed Haney 20-2. ***

Round 12  

  • First minute- Haney the aggressor, a scrapping shot to Loma’s body, both trade a punch when they come in close, left by Loma, right by Haney, solid right to the body by Haney, followed with a left hook.  Advantage Haney
  • Second minute-  Solid right by Haney, Loma flurries, mostly missing/blocked, straight left to the body by Loma, right by Loma, combo by Haney, combo by Loma. Close minute/slight edge to Haney. Advantage Haney
  • Third minute- Loma with a left uppercut, body shot, and a solid combo, Haney counter up and under to the body, body shot by Haney, left jab by Loma, a repeat, body shot by Haney, left by Loma, two body shot by Haney in close, right by Haney, Loma with a solid right, and Haney with a solid jab to end the round. Advantage Loma

Round to Haney (Judges-All 3 for Haney)

Standing-8 Final Scorecard- 115-113 for Loma.

After a thorough review, we still have Lomachenko as the winner. I had believed this was a very close fight while watching the fight on PPV, and nothing changed in my minute-by-minute review if only to reinforce that fact.

A draw or slight edge to Haney would not have been out of the question if one favored his body of work in the close rounds, of which there were many. As such, one could make a case for the 115-113 cards in Haney’s favor, not the 116-112.

There have been worse calls in boxing, and this was far from corruption. Just a lot of very, very close rounds by two skilled fighters. I had the advantage of dissecting it by stopping the tape, and being able to see what the eye may have missed, or mind did not process, sometimes, the same few seconds reviewed over, and over, and over.

As the adage goes…to take the champion’s title, you must beat the champion…. I felt that Loma’s movement, ring generalship, defense, effective aggression, and clean punching, did just that. Loma was the smaller fighter but mostly fought like the bigger fighter. Haney was supposed to be the stronger fighter, but Loma exhibited many reasons to dispute that ideology. Haney is the younger fighter, by Loma appeared more youthful, especially in the second half of the fight. Quite simply, Loma closed the show.

The Matrix Reloaded, Game Set Match…….

Lomachenko, Dance Like Nobody’s Watching…

Having watched the sport of boxing for just shy of 45 years, while never considering myself an expert: however, modestly, and self proclaimed, levels above “Boxing Twitter”, have definitely picked up a few things along the way. While drawn initially towards the brutality of the sport, as I grew older, and as some would argue, wiser, I began to see the beauty and grace of the sweetness in the science. 

I”ll bore you now with three personal case studies….

Hagler v. Leonard- Being more of a Hagler fan at the time, totally biased going in, and more importantly, not appreciating what I saw from Leonard in this fight. It was Hagler’s non-stop attack, and brutal approach that had surely won the fight, as I thought, only to be disappointed.  

Watching it many years later, again, wiser, it was the sweetness of Leonard, or sugar as you will that was the difference in the fight. I stood corrected. 

Tyson v. Holyfield-Again, loving the brutality early on, back in 1985, I became enamored with Kid Dynamite, a pugilist, my age, knocking out gown ass men for sport. (If interested in looking back at the first year of Tyson’s rise, search Standing-8.com for an article titled “Looking Back At The Rise Of The Baddest Man On The Planet”). 

I can still remember Lou Duva (RIP), chirping how his fighter would KO Tyson. Hell no, I thought, savage Iron Mike would be the difference.

Now, before you, yourself start chirping about how Holy was equally as brutal in his approach, I will stop you right there and say, I agree..absolutely; however, Evander undoubtedly had the better overall skill set. Holyfield’s gameplan in dismantling Tyson, was a thing of beauty. Holyfield’ s strategic foot placement, not allowing Mike to dig in and rotate his hips generating his fight-ending power, and allowing Holyfield to counter with precision. Go back and watch the little things in that fight and it will become clear. 

Lastly, Floyd Mayweather- Look no further than Pretty Boy Floyd, a.k.a., Money, and it all comes together. Mayweather perfected the art, hit and don’t get hit, movement, space, and finishing power with a mean streak when it presented itself. Ring generalship with a high I.Q., dominating. Say all you want about him, how he “ran”, and wouldn’t brawl, and I’d say, it’s a good thing you don’t manage and train fighters. While early on, I wanted him to get knocked on his ass, I again, grew to appreciate the brilliance of his game. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I like a great knock out just as much as the next guy; however, when it is set up with a solid gameplan, and executed at the precise moment of the blueprint, that is much more gratifying to me, then a quick KO. 

So, what does all of this have to do with Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-2 11 KO) V. Devin Haney (29-0 15KO)? Not much on the surface, but the granular….the movement of the sweet science, the dance..

Flash forward to 2014, the first time I saw Lomachenko. I had thought I had seen most of what a fighter can bring in the ring, but this was next level. The movement was like nothing I had ever seen. The footwork, oh, the footwork. As I would come to find out, the footwork was embedded in Loma at an early age by Papachenko. “You will learn Ukrainian Dance before you step in the ring”, a wise Anatoly would tell his son. 

Fight after fight, I would have to rewind the tape to see what my eyes missed, the step over move, the crossover move, punches strategically placed, as the dancer turned pugilist (no mas’d) one opponent after another. Masterclass, fight after fight, a new wrinkle each time..we had not been here before , and this was good. 

Of course, there was the Lopez fight, but that one fight, that loss, actually will be the difference in his successes against Haney. 

Additionally, leaving the sport to fight for his beloved Ukraine, said all you need to know about the man they call the Matrix. And, make no mistake, on all of those lonely nights, facing death at every turn, a fight for being undisputed is miniscule. Further, in those times in war, your thoughts are all you have, and while in the theater of operation, he no doubt drifted from time to time, back to his dream of being undisputed, and if he is ever given that opportunity again….., yes, he will not let it pass. 

If you look close enough, you can see that Loma is in Haney’s head, living rent free. Haney talks about “you should have fought me four years ago, it’ll be much worse now”, “you like to hit on the break, you are a dirty fighter”, “I’m going to retire you”, “I don’t like him”. It makes you wonder, who is Haney trying to convince? Loma or himself? 

Then yesterday at the weigh in…the push heard round the world, amateurish move, again a self convincing stimulus that is needed by Haney, because doubt is creeping in. In the post fight weigh-in interview, if you listened closely enough, you could hear the change in inflection in Haney’s voice. Something is amiss. On the surface the confidence is deafening, conversely,  those lonely quiet times when Haney is contemplating the fight, he envisions and fears a different outcome. 

Haney is correct in the fact that Loma would have benefited by fighting him four years ago. What Haney tries to hide in his self assured statement is..had that occured, Haney’s path would have been much different. He would not be undefeated, and surely not undisputed as he is today. The fight then would have been one-sided, advantage, Loma. This Saturday, all things considered, the fight is even, as much as Haney would like you to believe the fight it is just semantics.  

Loma will have many opportunities for success. Haney throws his punches wider than he should, and admires his body of work too much after throwing a punch, while not getting his guard tucked back to his chin. If you look closely, you’ll see he is open straight down the middle and severely open underneath, and wide open many times for an uppercut, as he throws his punches.  

I look for Loma to exploit Haney’s weaknesses once he overcomes the size and style of Haney. Haney will win most of the first third of the fight, at times, convincingly, but around Round 4, the tide will change. Loma will begin to find his rhythm, pick his spots, and oh, the sweet science, you beautiful game, will appear. Loma will begin to do what Loma does, dictate the terms, when and how he says. He will frustrate Haney, leading to a possible foul by the champ, but in the end the greatness of a forgotten champ will come through. 

Loma does not need to bark or push, he simply is waiting for fight night, for a chance to achieve the one & only goal that has ever mattered to him, becoming undisputed. It is not the path to undisputed that Loma would have preferred but it’s here now, and, as the underdog for arguably the first time in his career, makes him a very dangerous and live dog. 

On February 17, 1988, in a hospital in Bilhorod-Dnistrovs’kyi, Ukraine Anatoly and Tetiana Lomachenko welcomed their new baby boy into the world, and named him Vasiliy, meaning “King”. 

 Yes, undisputed was predestined. 

Boxing & The EDI Landscape…

THE boxing match, several months ago at Madison Square Garden (MSG) between two legends, as we all know now, was a thing of beauty and will be mentioned among the greatest events/fights in history. 

To a casual boxing fan, the opening line of this article, most likely would have conjured up images of male pugilists. Without taking another step into this composition, they may ponder, “Who is this writer talking about, Fury, Haney, Usyk, Inoue..?”

Most serious folks following the game, would correctly think Katie Taylor 21-0 (6) v. Amanda Serrano 42-2-1 (30), due to the MSG reference; however, there are no guarantees. 

Taylor v. Serrano was more than a highly anticipated women’s bout that did not disappoint. The first female fighters to headline a card at New York’s famous venue, unexpectedly brought boxing slugging its way back into the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), landscape. 

It’s not as if boxing hasn’t drifted into this landscape in the past, the game, historically, just can’t seem to get it right.

If you want a look back at how we got here, please take a quick read of two articles I wrote on the subject matter (links in highlight). The first, I penned back in 2017… Million Dollar Ladies- The Resurgence Of Women’s Boxing. The second, a sequel in 2019, Million Dollar Ladies-The Resurgence Of Women’s Boxing…Round 2…Breaking Glass Ceilings.

For those who choose not to hit the link….I’ll provide a brief bit of context here-

In the 2017 article, I quoted Marian “Lady Tiger” Trimiar, who back in 1987, while enduring a month-long hunger strike aimed at bringing better conditions, pay and recognition to women’s boxing, stated, “Unless women get more recognition, we will be fighting just as a novelty for the rest of our lives. There will be no future.”

Sadly, 35 years later, the first all female card only now arrives.

Additionally, it was only TEN years ago in 2012, that women first could earn Olympic gold.

In the 2019 piece, I spoke about a potential Taylor- Serrano match, advising readers to buckle up if the match ever happens, that a “Rock cracks the glass ceiling”

So, what happened? Why is there still a struggle with regards to EDI when it comes to women pugilists? I could take the easy road and blame the root of all evil… lack of interest generating money, and along with it, greed. Or maybe, the minuscule fan interest with regards to supply and demand, and lastly, not enough marketable female boxers, but that would do a disservice to all of these fighters. In fact, lesser known and talented male boxers and YouTube stars turned fighter get more pub than the top females in the game.

One would only have to look at boxing’s sister combat sport of the UFC, and see that they have supremely marketed their female fighters for many, many years. Something is amiss in the sweet science.

Although I have a deep and unwavering love for the sport of boxing, and have followed it a few years shy of 5 decades, I’m going to challenge it herein and make it uncomfortable. Elephant in the room…beware.

Look no further than unconscious bias when trying to identify why boxing cannot get this right. Ah yes, the activation of the amygdala, causing one’s brain to make quick judgments based on past experiences. The sport of women’s boxing has no doubt suffered from unconscious bias, more specifically, gender bias. Quite frankly, most of it has been “conscious bias”. There has not been a lack of negativity from many purists of the sweet science when it comes to women.

Earlier this year, legendary promoter Bob Arum stated that “fans don’t particularly pay attention to the women’s fights” and that it was “like comparing the Premier League to women’s football.”. Once again, a judgement based on past experiences. We need these types of legends supporting women’s boxing with positive statements, not negative ones. Naysayers need to continue to learn, grow and challenge their own perceptions and biases.

As a result of unconscious biases, certain people benefit and others are penalized. Historically, in the case of boxing, men benefit, women are penalized.

Say what you want about Jake Paul, but, as far as EDI goes, he’s been an unlikely champion of the cause. A vocal voice for women fighters, and equality in pay. Paul’s first client under his promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions, was Serrano. Paul believes correctly that women fighters are “being mistreated”.

Said Paul, “I think it’s a bigger question of boxing needing a ton of change and women’s boxing being one of those verticals,” Paul said. “Bringing in a new, younger audience was one vertical I identified.”

A new generation of fight fans open to EDI, and self aware of unconscious bias, could absolutely sustain the effort.

The increase in EDI efforts across all employment sectors has picked up steam over the past year. It appears that this time, boxing is primed to be in alignment, and not behind, which has always been the case. 

Flash forward to this Saturday night in London from the O2 Arena. The first major all female fight card, ever, headlined by two must see TV match ups…

Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall, 10 rounds, WBC/IBF/WBA/WBO women’s middleweight unification, & Mikaela Mayer vs. Alycia Baumgardner, 10 rounds, WBO/IBF/WBC women’s junior lightweight unification.

These two fights will no doubt pick up where Serrano v. Taylor left off, and keep the momentum moving.

The rest of the card rounds out nicely, Lauren Price vs. Timea Belik, 6 rounds, female middleweights, Karriss Artingstall vs. Marina Sakharov, 6 rounds, female featherweights, Caroline Dubois vs. Milena Koleva, 6 rounds, female lightweights, Ebonie Jones vs. Vanesa Caballero, 6 rounds, female featherweights, and Ginny Fuchs vs. Gemma Ruegg, 6 rounds, female flyweights.

These are the types of cards that will go a long way in strengthening the standing of women in the game. Quality matchups will need to be sustained. This will require quality fighters, and personalities to sell the fights, thus gaining fan interest. Further, a great marketing campaign to make some of the fighters household names, and we’re on our way. Once that happens, here come the promoters, advertisers, and networks, all of whom will never look back.

The future is bright with names like Mccaskill, Estrada, Crews-Dazurn, Kozin, Fundora, Jones, Mercado, Netisri, Daniels, and Lujan. (First names have intentionally been left off. Do some research, that’s how change begins.)

Shields is not shy on the subject saying, “My fans are going to show up for me, for sure, when you put me against a very tough opponent,” ….”The Taylor-Serrano fight proved what I’ve always said — when you give women equal pay, equal promotion, equal TV time, women’s boxing can sell.”

Shields continued, “They always try to say women can’t do this and can’t do that,” “You don’t know where women’s boxing has gotten to if you don’t give them an opportunity.” Shields criticizing all “these men who are in charge.”

Boxing must sustain this momentum. From April’s instant classic of Serrano v. Taylor, to the highly anticipated Shields v. Marshall & Mayer v. Baumgardner this Saturday, 2022 may prove to be the year that changed the path of the women, bringing EDI to the forefront.

It’s a crisp morning this Sunday the 16th. Be it on the tube in London, the Metro in D.C., or the subway in NYC, a conversation is overheard….

“What great fights last night from the O2 Arena!” states a seasoned boxing fan.

“No doubt” states a casual fan, “Claressa, Savannah, Mikaela, and Alycia, are some of the best in the game”.

All of these talented women in the game haven’t just arrived, they’ve been here all along. We just need you to notice🥊🥊🥊🥊

“It’s the magic of risking everything for a dream that nobody sees but you”

-Million Dollar Baby

 Usyk/Joshua…A Rematch of Alternate Endings…..

Prologue

It is late in a London pub this Saturday night. The sound is deafening. As a non boxing enthusiast walks by, they wonder why the noise is louder than usual…….

At that same exact moment, 1,600 miles away in an undisclosed oblast, the boisterous output of countless Ukrainian soldiers shakes the very soil they are protecting……….

The rematch between Oleksandr Usyk 19-0 (13), and Anthony Joshua, 24-2 (22) this Saturday night in Saudi Arabia will provide the conclusion to the opening herein. 

The rematch is the tale of two stories, or alternate endings, as you will. The curtain rises……

Act 1-First Ending…..USYK, The Champion…..

Usyk is a modern day Picaso, painting on the canvas of the squared circle fight after fight.  In his first fight with Joshua, Usyk performed a masterclass taking the title from the former champion. 

A former top cruiserweight champion, now wreaking havoc in the heavies, he is on a similar career path reminiscent of a legend from Atlanta. 

Back in February, this rematch was the last thing on the champion’s mind as his beloved homeland of Ukraine was senselessly invaded. The overused idiom, “fighting for something larger than yourself” can unapologetically be inserted here as Usyk left boxing to fight for his country. At the urgence of his fellow soldiers, he left to pursue the rematch with Joshua. 

As long as Usyk doesn’t get careless, which he has never shown to be, this fight will be one-sided. Usyk will be even more dominant this time around. He knows the power Joshua possesses, and he has the edge of having bested him the first time around. In fact, Usyk was close to putting Joshua in serious trouble late in the first fight, last September. 

What we know….Usyk possesses the blueprint to beat Joshua. Working from his southpaw stance, a stance that Joshua admittedly admires and credits for giving him difficulty, Usyk circles, works in and out, and lands power when the opportunity presents itself. That said, it is the active jab of Usyk that is the core of the blueprint. 

In the first fight, it was Usyk’s jab that caused Joshua to reset, over and over. The southpaw’s  jab confused Joshua, and he fought cautiously, not knowing when the left power shot would come. In fact, this caused Joshua to correctly keep his right glove sealed tightly to his face, keeping himself out of harm’s way. This is textbook; however, Joshua was so cautious, he negated his own advantage, the power of his right hand.  Joshua was trapped in the tangled web that is the genius of the Ukrainian. 

Usyk needs only to follow his game plan from last September, and improve upon it. Use his speed, which was a factor against the heavy muscled lumbering approach of Joshua, and mix in the sneaky power left like he did initially in Round 3 and then throughout the fight. The jarring effect of Usyk’s power left caused Joshua to rethink everything, and arguably had him doubting his own gameplan. 

Joshua has been almost embarrassingly complementary regarding Usyk’s southpaw style. I’m unsure if he believes he can be successful. Usyk can use this to his advantage and possibly switch stances, confusing Joshua and providing an opportunity for a huge opening.  

In the lead up to this rematch, Joshua’s energy is off, not in a physical sense, but in a mental one. His body language is off and he appears to visibly show signs that he has doubt he can actually win. Usyk’s job is half done, the other half is the easy part for a painter.   

Intermission

Act 2-Alternate Ending…..Joshua The Challenger…..

Anthony Joshua, are you all in? Have we already begun to see the decline? The oddity of the first fight with Andy Ruiz goes without saying. Even in the rematch, although one-sided, was not overly convincing in a stylistic sense, and more of a case of a lesser Ruiz, than an improved Joshua. 

Flash-forward to the first fight with Usyk, and it is clear, something is amiss. Sure he KO’d Kubrat Pulev in between; however Pulev is a tailored made-flat footed opponent who was fighting on a 13 month layoff. 

Combine all of this with the aforementioned vitality zap, and Saturday night may be the longest of his career yet, unless he focuses on the basics.

In the first fight, Joshua’s body attack was non-existent, his jab was sloppy and non committal, and his inability to fully commit to his power provided a recipe to relinquish his belts.    

If Usyk had any vulnerability in the first fight, it was his inability to fight off his back foot. If you look close enough, you can see that Joshua’s angles and movement were giving Usyk a bit of confusion. When Joshua moved Usyk back even with a lazy jab, Usyk looked uncomfortable, and he had to reset, stopping all of his beautiful movement. The problem is, Joshua could not sustain it, and he allowed Usyk to dictate the terms. Further, Joshua did not cut off the ring, and  allowed Usyk to control the space. 

If Joshua is to be successful in the rematch, he needs to fight tall, and commit to the jab, which carries a four inch reach advantage. Use the stick as a weapon, not just as a range finder. Be a big heavy against a blown up cruiser. Back Usyk up, and use combinations to set up the advantage. Work the body, and impose his will. 

That said, he must have success early and often. Heavily muscled fighters fatigue quickly. Evander Holyfield was the rare exception. Usyk appears bigger in the rematch than he was the first go; however, where Joshua’s size is more akin to a bodybuilder, Usyk’s size is more about endurance strength with speed. 

If Joshua fights tall, works behind the jab, and stays disciplined he can keep the superior boxer at bay. This will force Usyk to fight off of his back foot and not allow him to impose his will like he did in the first fight. 

Go back to the basics. Under the wise guidance of Robert Garcia this time around, Joshua may just be all in……

Epilogue

We may get a heavyweight version of Hagler v. Hearns at some point in this one, but only for a minute or so. I believe both bigs will try and make an early statement. Due to his speed, Usyk will get the better of it and will work under Joshua’s long reach, negating his power. Joshua will smartly understand that this tactic will not work, even though he is the bigger man. As such, each blueprint will have to be executed. 

There is a lot to like about Joshua’s chances after rewatching the tape and seeing that it is only the most basic components of the sweet science that he needs to execute to have success. That said, the physical piece is only half. You must have a mindset that knows no defeat. Usyk has that, Joshua has not shown that he does. 

Joshua will have more success and make things interesting; however, Usyk is just too good at this point in his career. He gets better with every fight and will be even better in the rematch. Joshua’s improved limited success will be his downfall. He will provide openings for the champion and will begin to take a beating. As the fight carries on past the middle rounds, and the heavily muscled Joshua begins to get arm weary, the speed of Usyk will become power and Joshua will find himself in trouble. His heart will say fight but his mindset will enter down that dark lonely land known as doubt. 

Joshua will show a warrior’s heart, but the referee has a job to do. Usyk’s combination punching with bad intentions are too much. 

Usyk TKO 8

As a loud patron leaves the London pub, the non boxing enthusiast  inquires of the uproar….the patron says..”Joshua was knocked out”. 

At that same exact moment, 1,600 miles away in an undisclosed oblast, the Ukrainian soldiers celebrate with pride as one of their own defends the world heavyweight championship…AND STILL!!!…….for these soldiers, and all of the Ukraine, all is right, if only for a moment…..

Curtain Closes

JERMALL CHARLO V. MACIEJ SULECKI

VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

JERMALL CHARLO V. MACIEJ SULECKI VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES  

WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo Battles Maciej Sulecki in Juneteenth Celebration in his Hometown of Houston Saturday, June 18

Live on SHOWTIME® From Toyota Center Headlining
Premier Boxing Champions Event    

HOUSTON – June 1, 2022 – Unbeaten WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and former title challenger Maciej Sulecki previewed their upcoming championship showdown during a virtual press conference Wednesday before they meet on Saturday, June 18 live on SHOWTIME from Toyota Center in Houston in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
 
Charlo will hold a Juneteenth celebration in his hometown for the second-straight year on June 18, headlining in Houston again after defeating Juan Montiel in an action-fight last year at Toyota Center. Charlo seeks a fifth successful middleweight title defense but will have to get by the veteran Sulecki, who has gone the distance with former champions Daniel Jacobs and Demetrius Andrade and has added longtime Polish contender Andrzej Fonfara to his training team ahead of this fight.  

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast will also feature undefeated top super bantamweight contender Ra’eese Aleem battling Mike Plania in the 10-round co-main event, and unbeaten lightweight contender Frank Martin facing Panama’s Ricardo Núñez in the 10-round telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT  
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at toyotacenter.com. Martin vs. Núñez is promoted in association with Man Down Promotions.  

Here is what Charlo and Sulecki had to say Wednesday:  

JERMALL CHARLO  

“Juneteenth is my day and I’m happy to be performing again on the main stage in my city at Toyota Center. It’s going to be a great night of boxing against another tough opponent. I’m ready to get in there.  

“My opponents always talk. Once they get in there with me, they see that it’s a whole different story. I wanted someone like him who will come in not scared and ready to fight. That’s what I need.  

“I’m in my prime and I’m ready for everybody. No matter who they put in front of me, I’ll make the adjustments and get the win. All those names are just names to me.  

“Sulecki is a good challenger. A lot of people might not know him but he’s been in there with top competition. This is the right timing for this fight against a strong opponent. I’m ready for whatever he brings. He says he can beat my tactics, but once he’s in there he’s going to have to survive.  

“I’m not in a rush. I’m the champion at 160 pounds. So these guys have to fight me no matter what. I have my sights set on bigger opposition. We’ll move forward when it’s time. If I have to move up to 168 to do that, let’s look at the drawing board after this fight.  

“Juneteenth is a big holiday in my city and my town. It started in Galveston only 30 miles away from Houston. It’s a holiday here and I’m the best person to represent it at this time. I’m thankful to fight Juneteenth weekend.  

“I’m very familiar with Sulecki. I’ve trained with one of his friends and he’ll be able to tell him what that heat is going to be like in the ring.  

“This is going to be another war. I’m going to be in the pocket and ready to go. Whatever he does, I’ll make the adjustments. If I hit him with something flush, I’m going to knock him out.  

“It motivated me to see my brother Jermell capture those goals that we’ve both always wanted. That’s something that I want to do. Sulecki is standing in front of that goal right now. Everyone wants to be champion, but not everyone is destined to be a champion.  

“I’m fighting to get the biggest names and get the biggest fights. I’m fighting for my legacy. I’m fighting for something way bigger than just fighting Sulecki.”  

MACIEJ SULECKI  

“I took this fight because I like to be the underdog. I like to go into the lion’s den, I’m comfortable there. I took this fight because I believe I’m the better fighter. I’m ready to take my chance. I live for that moment to fight against one of the best fighters in the world.  

“I don’t think Charlo is a better fighter than Andrade or Jacobs. I think they’re all similar fighters. Charlo is still a great fighter with an explosive punch. I’m just ready for this fight. I’m going to make it all happen on June 18 in the ring.  

“Both fights against Jacobs and Andrade have prepared me for this fight. Charlo has made mistakes before and I want to exploit those mistakes. I know what it takes at this level now.  

“Charlo is a different fighter than past opponents and I respect him for being a champion. I’m ready to face the best Charlo possible on June 18 and my only focus is on winning this fight.  

“Words don’t win fights. This is going to be a different story than my other fights against top guys. I’ve been here before and training hard and I’m just ready to show everything on June 18.  

“Since I was a child I always dreamed of that green belt. This is the fight of my life. I’ve done everything that I needed to do to get to this moment. I want to be the new champion on June 18.  

“The talking doesn’t matter, it just matters what happens in the ring. I don’t think about anything but what I have to do. We prepared very well for this fight. Charlo is strong, but I have a good right hand too.  

“I’m here because I always give my best. For the fans who are watching this fight, they’re going to see a lot of emotion and fire from me. I’m going to show everyone that I’m a great fighter and I’m not afraid of anyone. Charlo will bring the same thing and I know we’ll give the fans a great fight. I can’t wait to step into the ring on June 18. The ring will clarify everything.”  

DANNY ROMAN TRAINING CAMP QUOTES AND PHOTOS

Press Release For Immediate Release

DANNY ROMAN TRAINING CAMP QUOTES AND PHOTOS

“Every man has a weakness, and I’m going to exploit Fulton’s…I’ll be throwing a lot of punches till the final bell.”  

Former Unified Champion Roman Takes on WBC and WBO 122-Pound World Champion Stephen Fulton Jr. This Saturday, June 4 Live on SHOWTIME® from The Armory in Minneapolis Headlining Premier Boxing Champions Event  
MINNEAPOLIS – May 31, 2022 – Former unified super bantamweight world champion Danny Roman shared insight into his training camp and more as he nears his showdown to regain top billing against unified WBC and WBO 122-Pound World Champion Stephen Fulton Jr. taking place this Saturday, June 4 live on SHOWTIME from The Armory in Minneapolis headlining a Premier Boxing Champions event.  

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at the Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster. The Fulton vs. Roman fight is promoted in association with Thompson Boxing.  

The Los Angeles-native Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) first became a champion in September 2017 when he traveled to Japan to stop Shun Kubo and capture the WBA belt. After three successful defenses, Roman added the IBF title in a 2019 action fight against then unbeaten T.J. Doheny. Following a narrow split-decision loss to Murodjon Akhmadaliev in 2020, Roman bounced back with dominating victories over Juan Carlos Payano in September 2020 and Ricardo Espinoza in May 2021.  

Now, he will look to regain his unified status at 122-pounds against the fast-rising Fulton in a matchup of highly-skilled and aggressive combatants. Here is what Roman had to say ahead of Saturday’s showdown:  

On his matchup with Stephen Fulton Jr.:   “I’m up against a very skilled fighter who doesn’t have many flaws, but every man has a weakness, and I’m going to exploit Fulton’s. I believe my style will be very difficult for him to adjust to. He’s never been in the ring with an experienced fighter like me. I know what needs to be done to be victorious in this fight. The world will see a greatly improved version of myself in this fight. I’ll be throwing a lot of punches till the final bell and I’m preparing to go the distance.”  

On fighting for another world championship:   “I’ve worked my way back to this position with a lot of sacrifice, dedication and perseverance. These opportunities don’t come by for most fighters, so I’m grateful to my entire team for believing in me and sticking by my side. I’m fighting for two world titles, this time for the WBC and WBO belts, and best believe I’m going to leave everything in the ring.”  

On his recent training camp:
“I’ve added some elite strength and conditioning to my weekly workouts for this camp and I feel stronger than ever. In addition, I’m super focused on my diet and eating correctly. I’ve paced myself perfectly in this camp, and I know on fight night I’ll be peaking.”
 
On fighting once again on SHOWTIME:   “I’ve never lost a fight on Showtime, so it’s fair to say I relish the fact that I’m fighting on this network. Everyone knows that if you’ve fought on SHOWTIME, you’ve made it to the pinnacle of boxing. SHOWTIME is legendary for having shown some of the greatest fights in boxing history. I’m hoping my fight with Fulton lives up to the great fights of the past.”  

CLARESSA SHIELDS AND HANNAH RANKIN MIAMI MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

Shields Habazin Header

 

CLARESSA SHIELDS AND HANNAH RANKIN MIAMI MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES AND PHOTOS

Undisputed Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields and Former Champion Ivana Habazin Meet for WBO Junior Middleweight Title Saturday, October 5 Live On SHOWTIME® From Flint, Mich.

 Photo Credit: Julian Lajtai/SHOWTIME

 

MIAMI BEACH (September 24, 2019) – Undisputed Middleweight World Champion Claressa Shields participated in a media workout in Miami on Tuesday in preparation for her upcoming showdown with Ivana Habazin next Saturday, October 5 live on SHOWTIME from Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint, Michigan.

Shields will look to become the fastest fighter in history, male or female, to win world titles in three divisions when she faces Habazin for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title in the main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION in her hometown of Flint.

Also participating in Tuesday’s workout was IBO Super Welterweight Champion Hannah Rankin, who competes in a non-televised undercard attraction next Saturday.

Shields vs. Habazin is promoted by Salita Promotions. Tickets for the live event can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com and at the Dort Center box office.

In the televised co-feature on October 5, undefeated welterweight sensation Jaron Ennis will return to national television against once-beaten Demian Daniel Fernandez in a 10-round bout. In the SHOWTIME opener, undefeated heavyweight prospect Jermaine Franklin will face once-beaten Pavel Sour less than an hour from his hometown of Saginaw, Mich.

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Tuesday from the famed 5th Street Gym in Miami Beach:

CLARESSA SHIELDS, Undisputed Middleweight World Champion

“I love boxing and I love that I’m one of the women who is carrying the sport, making it bigger and more well known. We’re getting more respect.

“There are fighters out there who believe that they can beat me and that really motivates me. That’s why I train and put in the time that I do.

“I want to show everybody that I’m a truly great fighter. I can beat Vasiliy Lomachenko’s record of winning titles in three divisions in 10 fights instead of 12. Plus, I’m going backwards, not going up in weight, where there are better challenges for me.

“My performances will lead to bigger fights and bigger purses for me and my opponents. I’m just going to keep building my name and building my brand.

“With this fight against Habazin, I’m definitely going in looking for the knockout. If I get it in spectacular fashion, that will go viral and help push my career forward.

“It means everything to have this fight back in my hometown. I want to be the good news for Flint and make people smile. I’m happy to be bringing a fight back home while I’m still on top. I feel like Flint will be uplifted by that.

“Everyone back home is really excited for this event. It’s going to be a huge homecoming for me on October 5.

“Muhammad Ali has trained here at 5th Street Gym and every time I train here I feel like I’m in his presence. It makes me want to be even greater. He’s the GOAT and I’m going to be the GWOAT.

“Being here in Florida is great for the weight cut. I’ve been down here for nine weeks and it’s hot every day. I’m sweating and working hard and the pounds are just coming off.”

HANNAH RANKIN, IBO Super Welterweight Champion

“It’s fantastic to be in Florida training for this fight. Everything has been perfect and I’m feeling great.

“I’m really looking forward to October 5. Me and my opponent are going to put on a great show for fans for six rounds or as long as it lasts. I want to show them what women’s boxing is about.

“There are lots of exciting things in the cards for me after this fight. I’m ready to take on the top fighters and pursue world titles at 154-pounds. I can’t wait to show everyone what I can do.”

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS TO DELIVER LIVE COVERAGE OF ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. SHAWN PORTER WEEK EVENTS VIA FOX SPORTS PLATFORMS, SATELLITE & STREAMING

Spence Porter Header

 

 

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS TO DELIVER LIVE COVERAGE OF ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. SHAWN PORTER WEEK EVENTS VIA FOX SPORTS PLATFORMS, SATELLITE & STREAMING

WEDNESDAY, September 25: FOX SPORTS PBC PAY-PER-VIEW
Final Press Conference
7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT/4 p.m. PT

THURSDAY, September 26: FOX SPORTS PBC PAY-PER-VIEW &
FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS Final Press Conference
2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT/11 a.m. PT

FRIDAY, September 27: Official Weigh-In
2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT/11 a.m. PT

Welterweight Champions Errol Spence Jr. & Shawn Porter Headline
FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, September 28 from
STAPLES Center in Los Angeles

Premier Boxing Champions will deliver HD Satellite and online streaming coverage of fight week events leading up to this Saturday’s PBC on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event headlined by IBF Welterweight Champion Errol Spence Jr. and WBC Welterweight Champion Shawn Porter going toe-to-toe on Saturday, September 28 from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

Please see below for the Satellite coordinates that can be used for all three events Wednesday through Friday. You will also find a schedule of events that includes the opening and closing windows for the Satellite of each event:

Satellite Coordinates:
Satellite: Galaxy 17, 23K, Slot C; Location: 91 degrees west; Downlink Freq.: 12164.5 Horizontal; Bandwidth: 9 MHz; Modulation: DVBS-2, 8PSK; FEC Rate: 3/4; Symbol Rate: 7.2 Msym/s; Data Rate: 15.678 mbps; Pilots: On; Roll off: 25%; Video: HD 1080i / 59.94 / 16:9; Compression: MPEG-4; Chroma: 4:2:0; Delay: Low; GOP Structure: 32
Frame Structure: IBBBP; PMT & Video PID: 100 & 101; Audio Bit Rate: 384 kbits
102: Ch. 1: English Stereo Left; Ch. 2: English Stereo Right

Schedule of Events (All Events Take Place At Intercontinental Hotel – Wilshire Grand Ballroom 2):
Wednesday, September 25: FOX SPORTS PBC PAY-PER-VIEW Final Press Conference – 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT/4:00 p.m. PT

Window Opens: 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT/3:30 p.m. PT
Window Closes: 8:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. CT/5:00 p.m. PT x 30

Thursday, September 26 – FOX SPORTS PBC PAY-PER-VIEW & FS1 PBC FIGHT NIGHT PRELIMS Final Press Conference – 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT/11:00 a.m. PT

Window Opens: 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT/10:30 a.m. PT
Window Closes: 6:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. CT/3:00 p.m. PT x 30

Friday, September 27 – FOX SPORTS PBC PAY-PER-VIEW WEIGH-IN – 2:00 p.m. ET/
1:00 p.m. CT/11:00 a.m. PT

Window Opens: 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT/10:30 a.m. PT
Window Closes: 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT/12:00 p.m. PT x 30

Saturday, September 28 – Post Event Highlights will be available 15 minutes after conclusion of PPV broadcast

Satellite Coordinates for Post Fight Highlights:
Satellite: Galaxy 17, 23K Upper; Location: 91 degrees west; Downlink Freq.: 12169 MHz Horizontal; Bandwidth: 18 MHz; Modulation: DVBS-2, 8PSK; FEC Rate: 3/5; Symbol Rate: 15 Msym/s; Data Rate: 26.698 mbps; Pilots: Off; Roll off: 20%; Video: HD 1080i / 59.94 / 16:9; Compression: MPEG-2; Chroma: 4:2:2; Delay: Low; GOP Structure: 30; Frame Structure: IBBP; PMT & Video PID: 100 & 101; Audio Bit Rate: 384 kbits; 102: Ch. 1: English Stereo Left; Ch. 2: English Stereo Right

For any problems with Satellite Coordinates, please contact Victor Verno: vverno@strategictv.com ; 551-208-5738

Full live coverage of Wednesday and Friday’s events will also be available on FS1 and the FOX Sports app on the dates and times that are listed above. All fight week events, including Tuesday’s Grand Arrivals with Live Musical Performances at 5 p.m. PT, can be seen on the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube page.

The stream can be ingested via the rtmp stream below. If you are unable to connect to the primary stream, please use the alternate stream.

Primary Stream for all events:
rtmp://live.restream.io/pull/
play_725421_b02214888a27a6217302

Alternate stream:
rtmp://live.restream.io/pull/
play_725421_8393bdb58b34e9e2f689

For any problems with the streaming coordinates, please contact Jason Aron: Jason@jasonamedia.com; (201) 694-4359

CLARESSA SHIELDS VS. IVANA HABAZIN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT & AUDIO RECORDING

Shields Habazin Header

CLARESSA SHIELDS VS. IVANA HABAZIN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT & AUDIO RECORDING

Click HERE for Audio

Transcript Document

Dmitriy Salita
Thank you. I’d like to welcome all the media. We have a great night of action coming up on Saturday, October 5 live on SHOWTIME from the Dort Federal Event Center, Flint, Michigan, beginning at 9:00 pm ET/6:00 pm PT, Claressa Shields versus Ivana Habazin will headline a SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION

The main event fighters will be joining us for today’s call to preview their clash for the vacant WBO Junior Middleweight World title. The undisputed middleweight world champion Claressa Shields will look to make history once again by becoming the fastest fighter in boxing, male or female, to become a three-division world champion. She’s already a unified world champion at middleweight and super middleweight, just nine fights into her pro career.

She will have a tough challenge in the former world champion Ivana Habazin who is from Zagreb, Croatia, and she’s taking this fight very seriously and we’ll talk about her preparations in a little bit.

Tickets to the live event which is promoted by Salita Promotions can be purchased at Ticketmaster and the Dort Event Center box office.

I would now like to introduce Mr. Chris DeBlasio from SHOWTIME. The reason why we’re experiencing such a big growth on other platforms for women’s boxing and obviously on SHOWTIME is because SHOWTIME believes in Claressa and believes in women’s boxing.

It’s Claressa’s sixth fight on SHOWTIME and we are very blessed and honored to have this fight on this premium network. I’d like to introduce Mr. Chris DeBlasio to talk about the event.

Chris DeBlasio
Thank you, Dmitry. I appreciate that. So on behalf of Stephen Espinoza who is the man behind our support of the sport and of the women’s division in particular; and Gordon Hall, our executive producer who is the co-founder of ShoBox, our popular prospect-oriented series, and he’ll executive produce this SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION as well, I just want to say how proud we are to be part of the event. We know it’s going to be a special one, a homecoming in Flint, Michigan.

As you alluded to, SHOWTIME has a long history of featuring the best in women’s combat sports, from Laila Ali and Christy Martin in boxing from years ago to Gina Carano, Cris Cyborg and Ronda Rousey in mixed martial arts more recently.

Since 2017, with Claressa Shields leading the way, we have these elite women boxers; Shields, Christina Hammer, Katie Taylor has appeared on the network and Amanda Serrano in several fights. Shields versus Habazin will be our eleventh women’s boxing bout since 2017 on the network. Shields led the way. In 2017, we presented the first women’s main event in premium television history when Claressa fought against Szilvia Szabados on ShoBox.

This event, October 5, we will support with a raft of digital content, short-form content to introduce and to advance the fighters that are going to be featured in the live event. That has become a signature for our network. A series being prepared right now is called THE RISE. It’s three parts and it is on various champions and fighters coming up. This one will be about Claressa Shields and her rise to the level that she’s at today and what the future holds.

RING RESUME is a detailed analysis and highlights of Shields’ biggest bouts to date; and another very in-depth and intimate feature called THE APPROACH, an in-depth look at the mindset of the fighters. These are found on YouTube and across all SHOWTIME Boxing social platforms. It’s something we’re really proud of and we think advances the appreciation and the fandom of these fighters to the casual and hardcore boxing fans.

We’re proud. We’re honored to be in business with Claressa Shields. As you said, Dmitry, this is her seventh appearance on SHOWTIME, each a seemingly more important bout. This is another potential history-making event, but she’s fighting a very tough competitor, someone who’s looking to make a statement here on SHOWTIME.

So we’re looking forward to a terrific contest and a great main event along with some terrific co-feature bouts. Jaron Ennis and Jermaine Franklin are going to try to showcase themselves and make important statements on the network also in tough competition.

So with that, I’ll turn it back over to you. I appreciate the time and the opportunity to be part of it. Thank you.

D. Salita
Thank you, Chris. Claressa has a star team inside and outside the right. She is managed by one of the best in the boxing business, Mr. Mark Taffet who I’d like to invite to make a few comments.

Mark Taffet
Thanks, Dmitry, and thanks, Chris, for joining us today. We started a few years ago with Claressa Shields and it’s on her broad shoulders that women’s boxing is receiving the recognition, the accolades and the growth that it’s experienced over the past few years.

Every time Claressa fights, we look to make history, and October 5 will be perhaps the greatest night of her professional career to date as she attempts to win the title in her third weight division faster than any man or woman in the history of sports. And the incredible thing is that in Claressa’s case, she’s doing it upside down. She’s going down in weight from 168 to 160 and now to 154. It’s going to be a very, very special night. It’s a very, very special and memorable for women’s boxing.

We’re thrilled that the big events are happening and Claressa loves the role that she plays in the continued ascension of the sport and to all of her goals going forward. Thanks for joining us and I’ll turn it back to Dmitry.

D. Salita
Thank you, Mark. Now, I’d like to introduce Ivana Habazin who is not really known in the United States, but in the official press conference announced the fight she came here and she has made a great appearance and was very confident. She’s definitely putting that confidence into her work.

She’s 20 and 3. She’s the former Welterweight World Champion. She’s from Zagreb, Croatia, but she’s been in camp in Colombia and now in Detroit. She’s gotten the best possible training expert for this fight and she has boxed with the world champions and fighters who are the best in their regions.

So I’d like to invite Ivana to talk about her preparations and what we can expect from her. Ivana?

Ivana Habazin
Hello, everyone. Thank you for having me. So my training camp this time was really long, like four months. I’m always in training, always ready and prepared, but this training camp was the hardest ever. I feel great, I feel in shape, I’m healthy. Sparring was good.

I have Raquel Miller in the camp. I have Chris Namus and Tnaja Ovsenik, and I will have Kali Reis next week too, plus I have two teammates from Colombia, one was like five times Colombia national champion. So they really pushed me and that was really, really hard.

I’ve never sparred hard before like this and I feel ready. I’m really confident and I’m coming to win. This preparation makes me much more confident that October 5 is going to be my night.

Q
How does Claressa compare to Cecilia Braekhus?

I. Habazin
I actually can’t compare Claressa and Cecilia because they are totally different fighters and I’m a totally different fighter. And I think that Claressa is definitely a tougher fighter than Cecilia and so physically she’s stronger than Cecilia. So she’s more aggressive and I think this fight is going to be tough. But like I said, I was never prepared like I am prepared now.

So I think maybe this fight for me – I will not tell you it’s going to be easier than the fight with Cecilia, but today I am a more complete boxer than I was before. And I have James Ali Bashir as my coach and we all know that he is definitely the best coach and I learned some new stuff and I’m ready to show that.

Q
How do you expect the weight drop for Claressa to affect her?

I. Habazin
This is really hard to say for me because I never in my life lost so much weight. So that depends on the fighter, how she’s going to prepare or what she eats. She has nutrition and all this stuff. But I really hope that it’s not going to be so effective on her, but maybe it will be because that was a lot of weight to lose. So we’re going to see. I don’t think about that because she’s young, she’s hungry. She likes to fight and she likes to win, which is the most important. She has the mind of a champion. So I think even though she needs to lose the weight, I’m not going to be a problem for her.

Q
What are your thoughts on fighting Claressa in her hometown? If the fight is close and it goes to the scorecards, what are your thoughts on that?

I. Habazin
I really don’t think about that the fight is in Flint. It’s not something important for me, where the fight is. For me, the only important thing is to win, and she’s the biggest name right now in women’s boxing and I want to beat her, that’s all, because I have 10 years in boxing and it wasn’t easy. My world was really tough and right now maybe it’s the last opportunity to do something big and I take it seriously and I’m 100% ready. So I’m not a person who’s going to let other stuff affect me. I have my goals and that’s all.

Q
What’s the difference between the fighter that you are now and the fighter that you were when you fought Cecilia Braekhus?

I. Habazin
Actually, it would be stupid to say what I changed because then I will say what’s my plan, you know, so I will say you’re going to see that. I worked on totally different stuff with my coach and we’re going to show that.

Q
Where does the confidence come from in saying that you’re going to knock Claressa out when she has never even been beaten before?

I. Habazin
I think I can punch, you know, and the difference before was in some parts, I wasn’t finishing people. That was my problem. Right now it’s a different story and like I said, I made the best preparation ever. Never, ever before in my life did I do a preparation like this and I feel strong. I really feel strong and I think I have power to knock people out.

So for this fight, this is my goal. I don’t believe in the scorecards. So when you knock somebody out and especially in that big of a fight, that’s the only way how you can win. And I was really prepared for that all the time.

Q
What was your first reaction when you heard that the fight was going to be delayed for a couple of months?

I. Habazin
My first reaction was, ‘damn, I will not see my dogs for two more months.’ That’s boxing. Everything is possible. Maybe in some way, I maybe expect something like that, but you never know – everything is possible. Everybody can injure and all this stuff. So I prepared myself to stay in the camp, training more. Maybe with this, actually, she helped me because I feel I’m much better right now.

Q
When you go through a loss, what are some of the things you learned from it, and how does that strengthen you mentally having a loss on your record?

I. Habazin
Yes, that’s actually a good question. When I lost the first time, I didn’t think that I lost that fight, but it’s okay. And that was the most painful stuff ever in boxing for me because I give always a lot in boxing and when I suffered this first loss, it was like, ‘oh, my god, everything is done.’

But at that time, I was young still and I was only like three years in boxing but when I came back to train after this, I was ashamed. I came in the gym and everybody was watching me and said, ‘Oh, you lose’ and all this stuff. Nobody was supportive. So every day, almost for one month, every day I am telling myself, ‘You will come back. You will come back. You will come back.’

Even if I didn’t know when I will come back, if I even have a chance or no, but I trained more than ever. And that was actually the first time when I figured out what is professional boxing, because before that I didn’t realize all this stuff and I was focused more on my university.

And after that, I changed everything and then like a year after, I got the chance to fight for the IBF title in Belgium and I said, ‘okay, I’m going to Belgium,’ and that was the hometown of Sabrina Giuliani. So, I came. I won.

After, the fight with Cecilia actually came too early because we didn’t have a chance to make a defense. My sponsor wasn’t supportive for me, so I have two options, to fight with Cecilia for a unification fight — it was the first unification fight in the history — or I can leave the title because I didn’t have logistics for defending my title.

So when I accept that fight, in some way, I knew that I can’t beat her because I didn’t have experience. And like one and a half months before the fight, I had one surgery too, so actually I wasn’t in my best shape and I wasn’t good. So maybe that fight I didn’t take very painful like the fight against Eva Bajic when she beat me.

And the fight against Mikaela Lauren, it was like two years after Cecilia. That was my first offer for the fight after three years and this actually was very, very tough for me because I was without fights. I was without money. I was in the gym actually in the underground when there was like one room without windows and I got the offer and I said, ‘Okay, I want to fight.’ But all preparation, I was so, so bad.

When we made pad work, I couldn’t be one minute on the pad because I would get tired. My heart would start beating so fast and I was thinking, ‘okay, maybe it’s because I start training too much too early.’ But actually, it was that I was so, so sick. And when I came to the fight, I knew before I needed to step in the ring, I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be good because I knew it – I don’t have power. My body didn’t have power, nothing, and I just said, ‘Okay, god, please save me, I want to be healthy when this fight is finished.’

But after that, I took a break from boxing for like six months and I said I will never box again. So after six months, I wake up one night and it was like 2 a.m. and I go back, I don’t know why, I hear some voice that told me, ‘Go and see the BoxRec.’ And I go to BoxRec and I saw Eva Bajic and I said, ‘Who is Eva Bajic? I never fought with her.’ And then I go and I saw that Eva came back after two years or two and a half.

And I said, ‘okay, you need to go back in the gym. You need to come back.’ And when I come back in the gym, I start training and the old symptoms – what I had in preparation for Mikaela Lauren – started again. It was very bad because I had like some cardiac – you know, my heart starts beating so fast. I was sweating all the time and I didn’t have power.

When I met medical, they said, ‘You have a thyroid problem and if you want to box again, you need to go in surgery immediately.’ I didn’t think about that, I said, ‘okay, let’s go,’ because I want to come back. And in 2017, I made two easy fights then came the offer for the IBO title. I said I want to fight. Even in that fight, I wasn’t 100% healthy because it was like one, one and half year to get healthy, but I made it.

And now, I can say that right now I am really, really 100% healthy. I am prepared and I am motivated more than ever because when I come back, I said I need to be not 100%, but I need to be 500% and I want to change something. I want to change my life. So right now, I think this is the right chance.

Q
You mentioned this was maybe your last big chance. Many people will say that a fighter with nothing to lose is the most dangerous opponent and perhaps we saw that with Otto Wallin. Do you feel you’re in this position that makes you dangerous?

I. Habazin
Yes, definitely, and I said that before the fight. I don’t have nothing to lose right now. I only can change everything and if not now, then when? So I’m ready, I’m 100% ready. I’m really focused on that. Four months I was training only for that fight, so we’re going to see what’s going to happen.

Like I said, this is boxing. One punch can change everything. You can be good all fight, but you can finish on the floor in the last second. So everything is possible. Claressa is a great fighter, but I believe in myself and that’s it.

D. Salita
Thank you. This is also a time when we have two superstar trainers in both of the fighter’s corners. I think it’s the first time in women’s boxing with Ali Bashir training Ivana Habazin and John David Jackson training Claressa Shields. So that’s going to be a very interesting test of stars as well.

Ivana, would you like to finish up with any closing statements?

I. Habazin
Yes, I just want to say thank you for this opportunity. I’m really happy because of that and at the end, actually, I really want for people to enjoy a good fight. So the better [fighter] is going to win and that’s all. I hope that’s going to be me. But I wish good luck to Claressa.

D. Salita
Thank you, Ivana. Now, I’d like to introduce Claressa Shields. Claressa, in her last fight headlined the biggest fight in women’s boxing history and put on a tremendous performance.

She really could have fought anywhere she wanted. We had offers from some big venues in Las Vegas, New York, Atlantic City, elsewhere throughout the country, but Claressa made her point to come back to Flint to give this fight back to the fans and the community she grew up in.

I want to list some of her accomplishments even though I know that most of you know them. She is 9-0 with 2 KOs since turning pro three years ago and will represent her town of Flint, Michigan on October 5.

She’s the first American boxer male or female in the history of the sport to win two Olympic gold medals. She became the sixth fighter in history, male or female, to unify all four major world titles in one weight class. She defeated Christina Hammer in the previous fight in April to earn that honor.

Claressa Shields has accomplished a lot in her life in boxing and as a humanitarian, as a role model, but she will be achieving her first on October 5 because it will be the first time that she’s going to be fighting as a professional in her hometown in Flint, Michigan. So Claressa, talk about your training camp, getting down in weight and how you’re preparing for this fight?

Claressa Shields
Yes, yes. Well, weight is not a conversation that I want to have. I don’t have a problem with my weight. If I did, I wouldn’t want to go down to 154 and accept this challenge. So weight is not a problem.

This camp and every camp, we just want to be a better version of myself. So, me and Coach John David Jackson said with the Hammer fight, we just want to fix a lot of mistakes. Now I know people on here are like, “How many mistakes did you make during the Hammer fight?” A lot, even though it was a unanimous decision, I beat her almost every round, it was still that me and my team having the mentality that we want to fix everything going into the fight with Ivana.

She has faster hands than Hammer. She’s coming from a lower weight class. She’s more comfortable with 154 and of course I’m losing weight. We want to get a knock out.

So the combinations are good. The jab was good against Hammer. We’ve just been working a lot of punches, making sure that we’re throwing our straights over, making sure that we’ll be pacing with our straight and make sure that we just have more precisions for this camp.

So it’s one hard camp. My body is kind of torn apart right now two weeks from the fight, but one more hard week of training and then the last week I get to wind down. So right now I feel really great.

Q
You’ve obviously shown a tremendous chin during your career and she said she’s going to knock you out, I just wonder what you think of that?

C. Shields
She’s going to say a whole lot. I think she called me fat. Many girls in boxing say they can knock me out and I do have a healthy chin and I like to go in and test every girl’s chin and everything like that.

So I respect that she’s coming with that kind of attitude, but, no, it’s not even possible to knock me out. I may have been dropped by Hanna Gabriels, but that was a shot with me off balance. It wasn’t something that hit my chin then I went down and I was woozy or like that. I’ve never been stung by a woman nor man. So Ivana is just talking.

Q
Did you happen to see her fight with Cecilia Braekhus?

C. Shields
There was a whole bunch of bouncing around. They both were off balance throwing their shot.

Ivana likes to put her head down and just throw punches. Whenever she feels like she’s in danger, she just goes in to a straight bull mode and puts her head down and start pulling in. So you have to use a really good jab against her.

I kind of feel like towards the end of the round, Ivana kind of tries to stay in and do a whole lot of holding, and dancing and pulling itself like that. But early on she tried to stand her ground and used her combinations, but it’s nothing that I haven’t seen before. I know for a fact I’m a lot stronger than Cecilia Braekhus so Ivana is going to have a lot of problem on her hands come October 5.

Q
How satisfying would it be to get this knockout in your hometown and have another history-making performance for you?

C. Shields
I just kind of feel like it’s not so much about the knockout, it’s about improvement to me. A knockout is great, but at the same time, I want to go in there and I want to look phenomenal. I want to be sharp. I want to work on everything that I worked on in camp and be able to execute it in the fight.

So I’m not going out there looking for the knockout, but I know that it’s going to come just because of how training has been going. I’ve been hurting my sparring partners with body shots and head shots. I’m doing this coming down in weight and my body is sore too.

It’s sore too, I’m breaking my body down and it’s getting stronger as I break you down, and I can feel going there and boxing in the eighth round and be strong and safe, and be able to do everything that I want to do and let my combinations go and let my hard body shots, the hard head shots still be explosive towards the end of the round.

So just knowing that, I feel like the knockout is going to come. But I’m not going to go out there trying to rush it, I just want it come. So I want to go out there and do everything that I’ve been working on in camp, and I believe everything is going to come together.

Q
Based on what you said earlier in the call, Claressa, were you happy with your performance against Christina Hammer?

C. Shields
I’m my biggest critic. That fight I was happy I became undisputed champion. But when I went back and watched the fight, to me, I made so many mistakes. I was like, “Oh, cut it off,” like I’m just like, “I’m over it,” you know what I mean? Like, I did really well, but I was just like, “Why didn’t you get the knock-out? Why were you not sending out all your shots when you should have sent out all your shots?” and just stuff like that.

For me, it’s just I’ve always been super hard on myself. So I give myself maybe a B minus for that fight, but I want to get an A. I want to do everything right in a fight and even get a knockout, or have it so I was just destroying her in every round, destroying her, destroying her and I’ll take her confidence away from her and I’ll hurt her.

I made some mistakes and she caught me with not even a whole lot of shots, but just the fact that she caught me with a shot that I shouldn’t have gotten hit with. It feels like that. But that is just me, my biggest critic, and me wanting to get better.

So everybody else tells you like “That was the best fight that we’ve ever seen and your defense is on point.” But I’ve known how to do all that stuff. I’ve known that I had defense. I’ve known that I could jab. I know what I could do. I just want to do it the best way that I know I can.

I watched it 40, 50 times. But each time I watch it, I’m seeing a different mistake and it wasn’t something huge, but it’s still just like, “This shouldn’t happen because we worked on it at camp.” It wasn’t a whole bunch, but it was just like just stuff that I see that maybe you guys don’t see.

Q
Do you feel that maybe if they change the rounds from two minutes to three minutes, you would have about three or four knockouts?

C. Shields
Yes, absolutely. Also the refs are super hard on me and It feels like they will not call the fight when I’m hurting these girls.

I can roll back and look at the fight where I fought against Sydney LeBlanc. I put her through eight rounds of hell and they just let her take that and maybe destroyed her as a fighter. She doesn’t want to fight since I beat her. And she came into the fight – me and her, she came down from light heavyweight to fight at 168 and I mean, I destroyed her from the first bell of the first round to the last bell of the eighth.

She never even landed more than 10 punches on me the whole fight and they didn’t even call it. So it’s like with three minutes, I will have a lot more time to break the girls down and be able to get them out there because I’ve hurt every girl that I fought. So as soon as those two minutes ring and it’s the end of the round, and they get that one minute rest, they come back in recuperated and ready to go in the next round. So you have to kind of start all over again.

But would it be in two minutes, I just got to I guess pick up the pace until they actually see that women boxing needs to be the same as the men, or at least give us three minutes a round so we can have the same amount of work time.

Q
Would that be a goal of yours to possibly push to three-minute rounds for one of your future fights?

C. Shields
Yes, absolutely. Me and my team have been going over, we’re just trying to figure out what’s the best way to go to the organizations about it. We don’t know if we want to go over and tell them, “Hey, maybe we could start off with 10 three-minute rounds, or maybe we can start off with 12 two-minute rounds.”

We’re just still going to try to figure it out and try to go with the best way to where it’s safe for the other world champions and also see what they agree with. I’m going to have a talk with all the girls who are world champions to kind of like have a vote on what they want to do because this is not just about me, I want it to about the other women too what they’re comfortable with.

I think the thing to understand is that women will always get paid less than the men unless we fight the same amount of time. So with that, one of the change that got to be made is either 12 two-minute rounds or 10 three-minute rounds.

I think that one of those has to change within this year to get us on the road to equal pay and equal opportunity as far as getting the big knockouts that we can get.

Q
Have you thought someone that you thought might be using PED’s when you fought them as a pro?

C. Shields
Yes, I’m not going to do that. Honestly, I don’t know. I wanted a VADA testing for Hammer. For some reason, we didn’t have it for that fight. But I wanted VADA testing for that fight, but we didn’t get it.

I’m happy that there’s VADA testing for this fight. But I think every world champion should be doing VADA testing especially after Mia St. John came out talking about she was on PEDs her whole career and all this craziness. I think that every world champion, male and female, should be open to do VADA testing because it’s just safer for the boxers and I think that they should be clean.

I’ve always been a clean athlete and I’m not going to say who I think do PEDs, I really don’t know. I hate to have to feel it’s been out there because I don’t know. People think “I just need this,” but I’m just strong because I work my ass off.

Q
What do you think you need to accomplish in order to be deemed the best female boxer of all time?

C. Shields
I think I’ve already accomplished everything to be the best female boxer of all time. But I think that some of the fans or media people may feel like you have to have 25 and 30 fights to be compared to Laila Ali. So I’m just taking my time, I’m racking up the belts and racking up the divisions and making history.

I’ll always be the world’s best and nobody is ever going to make me feel different about that unless somebody comes and beat me, and that’s not going to happen. So I’m going to keep breaking records and doing what no other woman has done.

If I feel great on 154, maybe we’ll stay on 154 and try to become undisputed there. Then if not, maybe I’ll just be looking to that160. I’m always going to go where the best fighter is and the toughest fighters are at, and try to make the most money.

Q
Do you think the nine fights that you’ve had is a better resume than o all the other female boxers in the sport?

C. Shields
Definitely, and that’s talking about the female of boxers, but the male boxers too. Male boxers have people their record is literally padded up so that you are about 20-0, right? 20 or 15-0 and they got padded records against easy opponents.

I haven’t fought against a person who’s had a losing record ever in my pro career, I think someone did the math and it was like 125 wins and seven losses all my opponents together so they’d be able to say that is a nice fight. Well, other boxers, male or female, say fought fighters like that. I haven’t fought against a fighter who has a losing record yet.

Q
Would you like to fight a male fighter in the future if you have opportunities?

C. Shields
I feel like right now I’m just going to fight in women’s boxing right now, trying to get an equal pay. I don’t feel like I should have to fight a man in order for us to be taken as serious athletes.

I’ve gotten in the ring with plenty of men. I fought 16 rounds this week with men, four different sparring partners. I can get in there with guys and I’m going to hold my own, and I know when it comes down to handling my business, I’ve never been knocked out by someone, or dropped, or anything like that.

So I don’t think there’s a difference between women and male fighters. That feels like it’s all about preparation. If you feel like if you have to get ready to fight again, if I have to be ready to fight against the male, I would change my whole training. I think I’m training hard until now.

But to get ready for a man, I would definitely upgrade and I think I have a great team who makes sure that I’m at my strongest, that I’m explosive, that my legs are strong and my muscles are strong. I feel like men have better body endurance than women and I say that because they’ve been fighting so long for so many more rounds in men than women just throughout my whole career.

Like even in amateurs, we’ve got four two-minute rounds; and the men, they have three three-minute rounds. And now in a pro, I’ve only fought 10 two-minute rounds; and men who are world champions have fought 12 three-minute rounds, so I don’t know how long. So when you have that, they just have a better body endurance than I think women do. But I think it’s all about the preparation.

Q
What does fighting in front of your home town friends mean to you especially with all that you’ve accomplished? And did you think that you would get this homecoming fight sooner in your career or later in your career?

C. Shields
No, I feel like that the fight came at the right time. I wanted to be super accomplished when I went back home to Flint and that’s just because I want the kids to see that like I’m from Flint, Michigan and I have accomplished all this. I’m not waiting for the end of my career to come back to Flint, I’m coming back and I’m going back to Flint in the peak of my career.

I’m going back while I’m the world champion, while I’m the undisputed champion, while I’m breaking records. I’m bringing the fight back to Flint and I feel like me becoming a three- time division world champion, the best time to do so is now. I feel like that was the perfect fight to bring back to Flint while we have all these other fights that are going on. I just feel like right now is the right time to just inspire the city and inspire the kids.

Q
In this fight being your first fight at 154 pounds or really your first world title fight at that weight class, is this sort of the start of a journey to maybe try to do the same thing as you did at 160 and unified the entire division, or is this sort of a one-time deal at 154 and then move back up to middleweight?

C. Shields
I don’t really know yet. I feel like it really depends on how I feel doing the fight. I feel great right now. I’ve been doing great in camp. I’ve been eating healthy and dropping the weight the way that I’m supposed to. I’m dehydrated.

So it’s all about going into the fight, actually catching 154, getting on the scale and getting in the ring. So what I’m going to do there is going to fight.
.
Q
How does that impact your performance in the sport also having another really big visible job as a role model?

C. Shields
I’m only 24 years old and I think that women’s boxing has been quiet long enough. I feel like we haven’t got our due just because we haven’t spoken up enough about it.

I feel like there are women who did speak about it, but they’ve spoken about it in the wrong way like they just came up at people the wrong way and it’s more of like a “I’ve got the skills to pay the bill. I’ve got the power to knock people over.” And I’m not just talking to impress like I would go in there and try to do it. I’ll really just try to go in there and do whatever I say, and I feel like I’ve been putting on performances that even men aren’t putting on.

So I don’t really feel the need to have to be quiet and has to be whatever they call lady-like. Like I’m a lady and I spoke a lady, and I’m going to do what I want to do and that makes me feel good at night. The day that you can hear me not talking, something is wrong. So I’m going to do what I want to do.

As far as me being a role model, I feel like I’m a great role model like you don’t see me in the newspaper talking about like killing nobody or going to jail. I hadn’t been arrested. You don’t see me drinking so I feel like I’m a great role model and I just want to tell everybody to be who they are, and don’t try to pretend to be somebody you’re not for social media or for cameras.

You’ll never have to keep lying about who you’re not. So it’s about me being comfortable with myself and just being who I am and doing what I’m most comfortable doing. And I feel like I’m being a great role model if I’m doing that because a lot of girls look up to me and they say, “You being so confident makes me confident,” so why would I stop being confident.

ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. SHAWN PORTER GRAND ARRIVALS FEATURE EXCITING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES & FIGHTER WORKOUTS TUESDAY AT XBOX PLAZA AT L.A. LIVE

Spence Porter Header

 

ERROL SPENCE JR. VS. SHAWN PORTER GRAND ARRIVALS FEATURE EXCITING MUSICAL PERFORMANCES & FIGHTER WORKOUTS TUESDAY AT XBOX PLAZA AT L.A. LIVE

Hip-Hop Artists Casey Veggies, Young Miller Tha Don, Ohana Bam, Mariachi Band & More Kick Off Fight Week at Unique Event

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVENT BEGINS AT 5 p.m. PT

Grand arrivals and media workouts for the welterweight title unification clash between IBF Champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. and WBC Champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter will kick off fight week on Tuesday evening at Xbox Plaza at L.A. Live with a unique combination of boxing’s best and Los Angeles’ diversely vibrant music and entertainment culture.

To celebrate the blockbuster “Spence vs. Porter” event taking place Saturday, September 28 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and headlining a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View, the fighters’ grand arrivals and media workouts will begin at 5 p.m. PT and feature all pay-per-view fighters including Spence and Porter, Anthony Dirrell, David Benavidez, Mario Barrios, Batyr Akhmedov, Josesito Lopez and John Molina Jr., plus Robert Guerrero & Joey Spencer, who compete in FS1 PBC Fight Night Prelims.

In addition, and to recognize L.A.’s cultural scene, special performances by well-known L.A. hip hop artists Casey Veggies, Young Miller Tha Don and Ohana Bamwill take place. Plus, one of the area’s best Mariachi bands, Mariachi Espuelas de Jalisco, will be on-hand. The entire event will be hosted by Jason Lee from Hollywood Unlocked, who also appears on “Love and Hip Hop LA”, Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N Out” on MTV and who recently signed a lucrative contract with the iHeartRadio network for HU.

Fans who can’t attend the special event live will be able to livestream the festivities on FOXSports.com and the Premier Boxing Champions YouTube Page.

Spence vs. Porter headlines pay-per-view action beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT that will also feature WBC Super Middleweight Champion Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell against unbeaten former champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez in an explosive 168-pound showdown, unbeaten rising star Mario “El Azteca” Barrios meeting fellow unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov for the WBA Super Lightweight Title and rugged veteran Josesito López battling battle-hardened brawler John Molina Jr. in a 10-round welterweight attraction.

FIGHTER GRAND ARRIVALS & MEDIA WORKOUTS – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

When: Tuesday, September 24 beginning at 5:00 p.m. PT

Featuring: Fight week grand arrivals and media workouts for pay-per-view fighters Errol Spence Jr., Shawn Porter, Anthony Dirrell, David Benavidez, Mario Barrios, Batyr Akhmedov, Josesito Lopez and John Molina Jr., plus Robert Guerrero & Joey Spencer, who compete in FS1 PBC Fight Night Prelims.

Performances from Hip-Hop artists Casey Veggies, Young Miller Tha Don and Ohana Bam, plus Mariachi band and appearance from Jason Lee of Hollywood Unlocked.

Location: Xbox Plaza at L.A. Live, located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd.; Los Angeles, CA 90015

Los Angeles-born Casey Veggies is a renowned rapper and songwriter and a founding member of the popular hip hop collective Odd Future. As a solo artist, he has toured internationally and worked with a slew of other rap superstars including Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla Sign, Nipsey Hussle, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, YG, Dom Kennedy, Hodgy Beats, Juicy J, Kirko Bangz, Hit-Boy and Domo Genesis, among others. The 26-year-old has also performed sold-out shows with Roc Nation artist Rita Ora at SOB’s in NYC and appeared on MTV’s RapFixLive.

New Orleans native Young Miller Tha Don is a rapper, actor and humanitarian, currently living in Beverly Hills. Miller is related to hip-hop superstar Master P and has performed internationally with many of rap’s best-known artists. Under his D. Miller brand, Miller designs and distributes clothing, shoes, accessories and electronics. He is also known for providing clothing and food to the homeless at various shelters and underserved areas of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles-based Chicago native Ohana Bam is a rapper once acclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine as an “Artist You Need to Know.” Often compared to fellow Chicago native and superstar Chance the Rapper, Bam rose to prominence on the strength of his albums Tree Up and Pigeons & Planes. Bam’s work showcases impressive versatility that spans rap, pop, dancehall, rock, soul, and more.

A force in the Southern California urban community, Jason Lee is the CEO of Hollywood Unlocked, an influential pop culture blog with 1.6 million Instagram followers. Lee burst onto the scene on “Love & Hip Hop Hollywood” and was also featured on MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out”. This year he signed a deal with iHeartRadio to host a weekly radio show featured on 50 iHeartMedia Urban Contemporary stations nationwide.

Tickets for the September 28th event, which is promoted by Man Down Promotions, TGB Promotions and Shawn Porter Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.