Tag: PBConFOX Deportes

Featherweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz Defends Title Against Exciting Challenger Miguel Flores

Featherweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz Defends Title Against Exciting Challenger Miguel Flores Saturday, February 16 in Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes Main Event Live from Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles

Plus! Undefeated Former World Champion Omar Figueroa Takes on Hard-Hitting John Molina Jr. in Clash of High-Octane Styles Telecast Starts at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT

Tickets on Sale Now!

LOS ANGELES (January 3, 2019) – Featherweight world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will defend his WBA title against Houston’s Miguel Flores in a showdown that headlines Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, February 16 from Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features an exciting 12-round junior welterweight clash between unbeaten former champion Omar Figueroa and hard-hitting John Molina Jr.

Tickets for the show, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Ringstar Sports are on sale now, and can be purchased at AXS.com.

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the most dynamic boxers in a deep division that features outstanding boxers,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Santa Cruz is never in a boring fight. His high volume punching is highlighted by its accuracy and efficiency, making him a master ring tactician. Miguel Flores always comes to battle and has caught a couple tough breaks. But a victory over Santa Cruz could reverse his ring fortunes. Omar Figueroa vs. John Molina Jr. Enough said. You know what they do.”

“Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Flores were both born in Michoacán and they have the blood of the proud Aztec warriors flowing through them,” said Richard Schaefer, Chairman and CEO of Ringstar Sports. “Between them they have 61 fights and 58 wins! For them, February 16 is not just going to be another fight, for them it is about pride and country. The huge audience on FOX and FOX Deportes will be in for a treat and so will be the thousands in attendance at the Microsoft Theatre at L.A. Live in Los Angeles. What a way to start the New Year!”

A three-division world champion fighting out of Los Angeles, Santa Cruz (35-1-1, 19 KOs) enters this fight after completing a second exciting duel against Abner Mares that again saw Santa Cruz edge his rival on the scorecards. The 30-year-old will make the third defense of his title after he claimed the 126-pound belt from Carl Frampton in 2017, avenging the defeat he suffered to Frampton the year before. Santa Cruz has competed in title bouts in 15 of his last 17 fights, while picking up belts at 118, 122 and 126-pounds.

“I trained really hard for this fight like I do all my fights and I’m really focused and determined to get the win, because I know that after this one, I want to clean up the division,” said Santa Cruz. “I’m not overlooking my opponent at all. The main thing is I have to get this win and look great against Miguel Flores. I want to beat Flores and continue to show the world that I’m one of the best. After defeating Flores, I’ll be ready to clean up the division. I just have to be smart and not be too wild because I want to get the knockout and look spectacular. I know if I can be calm, I can do what I have to do.”

Flores (23-2, 11 KOs) was born in Mexico, but was raised and fights out of Houston. The 26-year-old rose up the rankings with victories over Ryan Kielczweski, Ruben Tamayo and Mario Briones. After suffering a setback defeat to Dat Nguyen, Flores was ahead on the scorecards against Chris Avalos in a fight on FS1 when the contest was stopped due to a cut on Flores’ eyebrow that was controversially ruled to have come from a punch. Flores bounced back in his last fight to stop Raul Chirino in April.

“We’re taking this fight very seriously and we understand that we’re going against the top featherweight in the division,” said Flores. “We know he’s looking to unify, but he has to first worry about me on February 16. We have to stay focused and smart. We know Leo likes to have brawls and he likes to throw a lot of punches. We have to be smart and box when we want to box and fight when we want to fight. We have to stick to our game plan.”

Figueroa (27-0-1, 19 KOs) made a name for himself with his relentless style that led to him capturing a lightweight title against Nihito Arakawa in a memorable 2013 clash. Representing Weslaco, Texas, Figueroa went on to defend his title twice before defeating former multiple-division champion Ricky Burns in 2015. The 29-year-old followed that up with a victory over Antonio DeMarco and after an injury layoff, came back in 2017 to drop Robert Guerrero five times on his way to a stoppage victory on FOX.

“I’m approaching this fight as something huge, and as a catalyst to even bigger things,” said Figueroa. “This is like the last leg of my career considering I just turned 29 a few weeks ago. I know it’s cliché to say it’s a crossroads, career-defining fight, but it is. I’m using this as building my case to take over the boxing world. I don’t think there’s any secret to my strategy. We all know how I fight. I plan to steam roll over him and get him out of there as quickly as possible. The thing that kills my opponents is they know what’s coming and they can’t stop it.”

Molina (30-7, 24 KOs) has never backed down from a challenge and has been in the ring with some of the best boxers from lightweight to welterweight during his career. The 35-year-old from Covina, California beat a fierce Ruslan Provodnikov by unanimous decision in 2016. Another standout battle from Molina’s career saw him drop former welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse twice before losing on an 11th round knockout. In his last fight he scored a fourth round TKO victory over Ivan Redkach in a back-and-forth bout from last December on FS1.

“This fight has been a long time coming, I’ve personally asked for it for three or four years now and it’s finally here,” said Molina. “I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas day to open my gifts. I’m crazily excited to open this gift. I have to be myself and I believe it will be a victory for me. Omar is no slouch. It’s tough to beat a guy who doesn’t like to lose and doesn’t know how to lose. He’s got that zero on his record for a reason. It’s going to a very entertaining fight. I believe this is the fight of the night and we’re going to steal the show.”

Undefeated Welterweight Champion Keith Thurman Makes Long Awaited Ring Return…

Undefeated Welterweight Champion Keith Thurman Makes Long Awaited Ring Return to Defend His Title Against Battle-Hardened Veteran Josesito Lopez Live in Primetime on Premier Boxing Champions on FOX & FOX Deportes Saturday, January 26
From Barclays Center in Brooklyn. 

Featured Picture Credit- Lionel Hahn-Fox Picture Group

Also in Action! Unbeaten Adam Kownacki Faces Gerald Washington in Heavyweight Attraction. Tickets on Sale Now!

BROOKLYN (December 12, 2018) – Undefeated WBA Welterweight World Champion Keith “One Time” Thurman returns to the ring after a lengthy injury layoff to defend his title against veteran Josesito Lopez on Saturday, January 26 live in primetime in the main event of Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will see a co-feature featuring fast-rising unbeaten Polish heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki as he clashes with former title challenger Gerald Washington in a 10-round battle.

Tickets for the show begin at $50 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

“There is a high level of anticipation and intrigue surrounding the ring return of welterweight champion Keith Thurman, and Josesito Lopez will certainly provide some answers about where Thurman is after nearly two years out of the ring,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Adam Kownacki and Gerald Washington have the opportunity to show exactly where they stand in the resurgent heavyweight division. Both of them are big heavyweights who love to throw power shots. It’s the kind of night that will have fans on the edge of their seats.”

“I speak for boxing fans everywhere when I say we are eagerly anticipating Keith Thurman’s return to the ring,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global. “He has experienced great success at Barclays Center, so it’s fitting that he will lead off a strong year of BROOKLYN BOXING programming in 2019. I also look forward to seeing local favorite Adam Kownacki, who always comes with a strong contingent of loud fans.”

Thurman (28-0, 22 KOs) made a steady rise through the welterweight ranks and reached the pinnacle with hard-fought victories over Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia at Barclays Center, the latter of which earned him a WBC crown in addition to his WBA title. But a string of injuries, including surgery and rehabilitation on his elbow, has sidelined him for nearly two years, calling into question his place amongst the 147-pound elites. The 30-year-old Thurman, who is still the reigning WBA welterweight champion, is looking to regain his top-tier status in the division starting with Lopez. Thurman, who lives and trains in Clearwater, Florida, enters the ring for the first time since a split decision victory Garcia on March 4, 2017.

“I’m extremely excited to step back into the ring,” said Thurman. “It’s a little nerve wracking considering the time off and because I want to have a tremendous performance. I want to speak more with my hands more than my words and quiet the naysayers who think that Keith Thurman has lost his passion and skills in boxing. I believe I’m the best welterweight in the division and in the world and I hope to showcase that on January 26 with a knockout. The best fights in the welterweight division have involved Keith Thurman and that will continue to be the case. I’m looking forward to having a tremendous year and showing why I’m number one.”

The 34-year-old Lopez (36-7, 19 KOs) is looking to thwart Thurman’s plans to regain his lofty position in the 147-pound division. Nicknamed “The Riverside Rocky” because of his all-action style, the Riverside, California-native has stepped into the ring against some of the best boxers of this generation. He has rattled off three straight victories since suffering a TKO loss to former welterweight champion Andre Berto in 2015. Lopez is coming off a unanimous decision victory over previously unbeaten Miguel Cruz on April 28 live on FOX.

“I’m approaching this fight as leaving no stone unturned as I prepare to take that world championship,” Lopez said. “I’ve set up training camp with altitude, chasing chickens, chopping wood – really into putting in the work. Overall the layoff will affect him and there could be a little hesitation, but we’ll see come fight night. The improvements that I’ve made with Robert Garcia the last couple of years will come into play. They’ve strengthened my qualities and I can’t wait to show it to the world.”

Kownacki (18-0, 14 KOs) has risen through the heavyweight ranks with a tough-as-nails brawling style that produced a string of knockout victories and exciting showdowns. His knockout streak ended at four in his last fight when he scored a unanimous decision victory over former heavyweight champion Charles Martin on Sepember. 8. Kownacki, who was born in Lomza, Poland and now lives in Brooklyn, will be fighting at Barclays Center for a third straight time and the eighth time overall.

“Living in Brooklyn this is like a home game for me,” said Kownacki.” I’ve had some of my best performances at Barclays Center and I can’t wait to step into the ring against Gerald Washington and showcase myself on PBC on FOX. There is nothing better to start off the year than with a knockout and that’s what I plan on doing on January 26 at Barclays Center. I hope all my fans will come out like they always do and have the arena in white and red.”

Washington (19-2-1, 12 KOs) is a 6-foot-6 heavyweight who has been able to use his athletic ability to power his way past most of the opponents he faces. That athleticism will pose a challenge to Kownacki, who could be facing the toughest fight of his career. The 36-year-old Washington of Vallejo, California is a former college football standout at the University of Southern California and a U.S. Navy veteran who has challenged Deontay Wilder for his championship. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over John Wesley Nofire in his last fight on June 10.

“I can’t wait to show everything I’ve been working on,” said Washington, “Boxing is a sport of truth. It brings the truth to light and it exposed my truth and what I needed to work on. You have to be able to adjust and be comfortable in every situation. You have to be ready for what’s to come. I’m expecting a hard fight from him. He’s a bruiser. He’s tough and he loves to fight. He’s in his hometown and he’s ready and he’s going to bring it, but I’m ready to position myself to fight again for a world title.”