INDIO, CALIF. (Jan. 13, 2014) – The full undercard lineup for the Jan. 24 installment of FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes’ Golden Boy Live! Series headlined by Antonio Orozco vs. Miguel Angel Huerta has been announced. The night of fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. will feature featherweight phenomenon Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez in a co-main event matchup against the always tough Derrick Wilson in an 8 round fight, as well as undefeated heavyweight prospects Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale in the televised opener against Homer Fonseca and in non-televised action, the popular and exciting Gerald Washington will also be featured in undercard action.

Plus, fans in attendance at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino have the opportunity to meet and greet special guest Abner Mares, as the former Three-Division World Champion will be on site to take photos and sign autographs on fight night from 6:00 p.m-7:00 p.m. inside the Fantasy Springs Special Events Center.

In the main event, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco puts his undefeated record on the line against fellow power-puncher Miguel Angel “El Anestesista” Huerta of Mexico City, Mexico in a 10-round welterweight fight. Plus fans in attendance will also see a special featured bout with a 12-round IBF Super Welterweight Final Elimination bout between former World Champion Cornelius “K9” Bundrage and Miami’s Joey Hernandez.

The co-main event on the Golden Boy Live! telecast features East Los Angeles’ Julian Ramirez (9-0, 6 KO’s), a 20-year-old sensation who has already drawn rave reviews for his talent in the ring and charisma outside of it. Fresh from a knockout over unbeaten Abraham Rubio, Ramirez will meet Florida veteran Derrick Wilson (10-5-2, 3 KO’s) in an eight-round featherweight bout. Owner of wins over hot prospects Braulio Santos and Charles Huerta, the 25-year-old Wilson has the talent and determination necessary to shock Ramirez on Jan. 24.

Also featured on the televised portion of the card will be Alhambra, Calif. prospect and 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale (8-0, 8 KO’s), a talented and powerful heavyweight who has knocked out all eight of his opponents since turning pro after representing the United States in the 2012 Olympic Games. The 28-year-old Breazeale faces Peirsaw, Texas’ Homer Fonseca (10-6-3, 3 KO’s) in an eight-round bout.

Hailing from Los Angeles, 31-year-old Gerald Washington (11-0, 8 KO’s) is a promising talent in the wide open heavyweight division and following five wins in 2013 that included a victory over veteran Sherman Williams in June, he’s ready for an even bigger year in 2014 beginning with his eight-round matchup against Jackson, Mississippi’s Arron Lyons (12-14-1, 9 KO’s).

In a six-round featherweight swing bout, Los Angeles’ Manny Robles Jr. (4-0, 2 KO’s) risks his unbeaten record against tough Oxnard competitor Ricky Lopez (10-2, 4 KO’s). Also in action in separate four-round bouts are Los Angeles junior lightweight Santiago Guevara (5-0, 3 KO’s), who meets an opponent to be named, Palmdale welterweight Kevin Watts (3-0, 2 KO’s), who faces Acapulco’s Julian Cruz (1-3), Watts’ twin brother , junior middleweight Tevin Watts (1-0) who takes on King City’s Gustavo Lopez (0-1) and debuting Las Vegas welterweight Kirk Bills who battles Orlando’s Jacinto Quintana (2-1, 2 KO’s)

Orozco vs. Huerta is a 10-round junior welterweight bout presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The Fantasy Springs Special Events Center doors open at 4:00 p.m. and the first fight begins at 4:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $25, $35 and $45, are on sale now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com or www.FOXSports.com follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @PuroOrozco, @K9Boxing, @JoeyHernandez, and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on Twitter at @FOXSports @FOXSports1 and @FOXSportsPR.

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. (Jan. 7, 2014) – Following a rib injury suffered in training, former three-division world champion Abner Mares has been forced to withdraw from his Saturday, Feb. 15 rematch with WBC Featherweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez, causing a postponement of the entire SHOWTIME® televised event at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles.

A new date for the rematch will be announced once Mares is cleared to resume training.

“I’d like to apologize to all of my fans, Golden Boy Promotions and Jhonny Gonzalez,” said Mares. “I was looking forward to getting back into the ring with Jhonny to avenge my loss, and once I recover from this injury, I’ll be back in the gym and ready for this rematch as soon as possible.”

“I’m disappointed of course, but I know that these things happen in boxing, and I wish Abner a speedy recovery,” said Gonzalez. “We both know that we’ll meet again and when we do, we’ll give the fans a fight to remember.”

“It’s never a good thing when injuries like this occur, and I know Abner tried to fight through it, but it’s best that we postpone this event and reschedule it so that both fighters are at their best on fight night,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “The fighters’ safety is always paramount and both Abner and Jhonny understand this completely.”

Refunds may be obtained at the point of the original purchase.

Former two division world champion Abner Mares injured a rib during sparring and his February 15th rematch with the man who took his Featherweight title Jhonny Gonzalez will have to be postponed according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I got a call from directly Abner [on Monday afternoon] and he said that he suffered a rib injury last week in sparring and that he tried to see if he could shake it off but he had to go and see the doctor and that the doctor told him he should not have any contact for several weeks,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer. “So that necessitates that we move the date of the fight and it will not happen on Feb. 15.”

Schaefer said that Golden Boy matchmaker Eric Gomez informed Gonzalez’s team of the situation. Schaefer said he also informed Showtime Sports chief Stephen Espinoza.

“I will be working next week with Stephen to see what we want to do,” Schaefer said. “I need to talk to venues and coordinate with Showtime to find a different date. Abner wants this fight and so does Jhonny, so it’s just a matter of finding a different date that works.”

Frank Espinoza, Mares’ manager — and no relations to Showtime’s Espinoza — said Mares was in training camp in Mexico City when he suffered the injury.

“He said that his ribs were very sore and when I reached out to talk to Richard [on Monday], he said there is nothing that we can do as far as rescheduling the fight until next week, after the holiday, when the Showtime people are back in the office,” Espinoza said. “Of course, Abner is disappointed. He was ready to go in and win the world title again.

“This is boxing and accidents happen in sparring. Unfortunately, he got hurt. So now we will wait and talk to Golden Boy about a new date.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, WBC Featherweight champion Jhonny Gonzalez will defend against the man he won it from, Abner Mares on February 15th at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Gonzalez stopped Mares in the 1st round on August 24th.

“We did get an email confirmation from Jhonny Gonzalez’s promoter, Oswaldo Kuchle, saying that they accepted the terms,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “We were going back and forth and they have accepted the terms, and they also confirmed it to the WBC. I like signed contracts but for all intents and purposes this fight will happen Feb. 15 at the Staples Center.”

“They reneged on the deal but Richard was ready to get him stripped if he didn’t comply with the contract they signed,” said Mares manager Frank Espinoza told ESPN.com. “There was a rematch clause in the contract and [Gonzalez] would have been violating it if he didn’t do the rematch.

“Abner is looking forward to fighting Feb. 15. We work well with Golden Boy and Richard and we’ll work out the rest of our deal this week. We should have it all done this week.”

“He just got caught and he got stopped,” Espinoza said. “You can’t judge a fight on less than one round. It’s not like Abner went in there and lost after seven or eight rounds and was getting beat up. He got caught. It’s boxing. Abner is looking forward to coming back. He’s looking for redemption.”

Said Schaefer, “I remember back in the day when I was working with [Top Rank’s] Bob [Arum] and I would have these conversations with (Hall of Fame matchmaker) Bruce Trampler and he always said to me that when a guy gets knocked out in the first round it’s almost like it doesn’t count because you can’t read too much into it. Abner was winning the first round and he got caught. I take nothing away from Jhonny. But Abner had some (undisclosed) issues in his training camp. He never brought it up or complained about it or used it as an excuse, but I know for a fact he had issues in camp.

“He will be refocused and knows what he has to do. I think it will be a very interesting fight. It’s a very dangerous fight. Jhonny’s will cannot be underestimated and he will come in with a lot of momentum having won the first fight by a knockout. I do believe Abner is the more skilled fighter but Jhonny is dangerous as hell. He has that game changer — one-punch knockout power that can come at any time.”

Schaefer said he has not worked out the undercard fights but said that if junior featherweight titlist Leo Santa Cruz (25-0-1, 15 KOs) retains his title against Cesar Seda (25-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio on a Showtime-televised card featuring four world title fights that he could return Feb. 15.

“We’re hoping to do a tripleheader,” Schaefer said. “I want to see what happens this weekend and see how everything goes. If Leo looks good and doesn’t get cut we might have him back. I have a lot of ideas but I’m not ready to talk about them all yet.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former three division world champion Abner Mares will invoke his rematch clause and will face Jhonny Gonzalez next despite being knocked out in the first round last Saturday night.

“When we prepared the contract with Golden Boy, I made sure we had a rematch clause,” Frank Espinoza, Mares’ manager, told ESPN.com on Thursday.

Espinoza said he hopes that the bout can take place in December and is talking to Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer about a deal.

“Abner wants the rematch,” Schaefer said. “He has a rematch clause and wants to do it before the end of the year. Abner called me himself and said, ‘I want to set the record straight and exercise my rematch option. This was nothing, it wasn’t a fight. I want to fight the guy again and I want to take care of it this year.'”

“Abner just wants to get right back in the ring with this guy,” Espinoza said. “You can’t judge that fight by one punch. It wasn’t even a fight. But Abner came out healthy. It was one punch and it happens to the best in boxing.”

“The way Abner is, he wants to come back and avenge his loss and prove himself,” Espinoza said. “Abner has always wanted to fight the best. After the fight, he called me and said, ‘Frank, I want to come back and I want to fight him again this year.’ Abner said he’s ready to go. He’s not afraid to fight anyone. So I said, ‘Let’s do it,’ and I reached out to Richard Schaefer. He said he would work on it for December.”

“Richard’s going to work on it for December, but if we can’t get it done then we may have to wait until January, but my understanding is that December looks good,” Espinoza said.

“But Abner was very clear that he wants the fight next,” Schaefer said. “I don’t know if I can do it this year because it’s a pretty big fight and those kind of fights are expensive, but I will work on it and I will talk to Showtime about it.”

Saturday in Carson, Calif., Jhonny Gonzalez floored Abner Mares with a left-hook lead in the third minute of their featherweight title match then stopped Mares at 2:55 of round 1, scoring the sort of delightful upset that makes prizefighting a dasher of corporate plans and the corporate-minded folks that plan them.

Saturday’s plan was to continue a coronation of Mares, the 126-pound Mexican titlist who, in light of Nonito Donaire’s recently razed stature and Guillermo Rigondeaux’s impossible style (he’d handle Mares more easily than he handled Donaire), has run out of what opponents might attract large crowds, and fees from Showtime, a network long supportive of Mares for the good reason that he won its 2011 bantamweight tournament. Mares was valuable to Showtime though more important to Golden Boy because he was a first prizefighter developed by the outfit into a world champion, an accomplishment disproving, in small part, what was rightfully said of the promoter – handsome figurehead, good salesmen, no eye for talent.

There is, in other words, no chance Golden Boy expected its first homegrown world champion to get stretched in fewer than three minutes by a stalking-horse Mexican they promoted in an inaugural Boxing World Cup nearly eight years ago, when Gonzalez stopped Ratanachai Sor Vorapin to win the WBO’s bantamweight title, one Gonzalez defended seven months later against Fernando Montiel, in a rainstorm of boos at a venue then named Home Depot Center. Four months after that Gonzalez made the best fight any American saw live in 2006, a super bantamweight donnybrook with Israel Vazquez, a fight Vazquez won by 10th-round knockout, a fight that, were it not for YouTube, would have won 2006’s fight-of-the-year honors.

A 2007 knockout loss, on a body shot from a southpaw, a nifty bit of crossed-over footwork by one of the two best Filipino fighters Americans have seen, Gerry Penalosa, marked Gonzalez as the sort of man who did not win his biggest fights, which in its way made him pleasantly predictable, pleasant for being predictable, to any matchmaker looking to sell his network a genuine test, from a fabled and ubiquitous “tough Mexican” challenger, for any great young fighter. But Jhonny “Jhonny” Gonzalez did not see his career the way others do.

Gonzalez does not show the same self-deprecation about his craft he does about his name; in a number of interviews at Desert Diamond Casino, just south of Tucson, Ariz., in 2008 and 2007 and 2005, Gonzalez proved himself serious to a point of surliness, a man who believed he was cut from elite cloth and did not cotton to insinuations that first-round knockouts of unremarkable opponents like Leivi Brea were about burnishing a resume bright enough to get him beaten by more talented men on pay television.

The plan for Saturday was to have Showtime commentators walk a circular tightrope like this: While it would be an insult to Jhonny Gonzalez’s legacy to say he’s now what he was in his prime, it would also be an insult, an outrage even, to imply he is anything but the sternest possible test for Mares – a true superstar who just proved himself such by knocking out a man, in Gonzalez, many of us believed had a chance to beat him. That loop, repeated and reversed and reiterated thrice more, is how Saturday was scripted to go when Mares, the young superstar who once ate out of garbage cans and reminds himself he once ate out of garbage cans whenever he considers throwing money away (in garbage cans, one presumes), either scored a remarkable stoppage after round 8 or an incredible stoppage before then.

Instead of another Mares coronation, though, Showtime and Golden Boy must presently put together a rematch their young star must win – or else do it the HBO way, pretending Gonzalez no more beat Mares than Timothy Bradley beat Manny Pacquiao or Rigondeaux beat Donaire, and risk looking equally ridiculous. Writing of HBO, a child of Time Warner, a company that wisely divested itself of Time Warner Cable a few years back, there is Time Warner Cable’s ongoing contractual dispute with CBS, the parent company of Showtime. A goodish number of subscribers who pay Time Warner Cable to watch Showtime programming were sent scrambling for pirated online streams of Saturday’s fight because Time Warner Cable now blocks Showtime channels with a script that begins “The outrageous demands from CBS . . .”

It is the verbiage of businesschildren, not businessmen. Raised in a garishly self-interested generation to believe compromise is ever a synonym for weakness, the leaders of these companies, politicians more than entrepreneurs, and grotesquely overcompensated more than anything, now fail at one thing they are good at, if they are objectively good at something: Making a deal. They interrupt their customers’ service for the good of their customers, they say, and this is true, because their customers are not the witling Americans who purchase their products, but rather what computers daytrade their stocks, an army of machines collectively and absurdly called “shareholders” that sets executive compensation via the ticker symbols TWC and CBS. Any Time Warner employee of any kind itching to defend this system might first answer a simple question – “Why are we no longer called ‘AOL Time Warner’?” – and then familiarize himself with the historical omniscience of this free-market system that once openly guffawed at his company’s expense, and expenses.

Look elsewhere, then, for character, and find Jhonny Gonzalez and Abner Mares’ interaction on Twitter 38 days before their title match. While in training to render one another unconscious on Aug. 24, they had this exchange in their native Spanish on July 17:

Mares: A greeting to my great friend and proximate rival @JOGLEZ who is training hard, the same as I am, to give you all a great fight. #mexico

Gonzalez: @abnermares00 equally, a hug (for you), champion, and we’ll see each other in the ring. Encouragement!

That is what character looks like.

Bart Barry can be reached at bart.barrys.email (at) gmail.com

Jhonny Gonzalez scored a shocking 1st round knockout over previously undefeated Abner Mares to recapture the WBC Featherweight title at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Gonzalez landed a crushing left hook to the jaw that sent Mares sprawling on his back. Mares was clarly hurt but tried to fight back instead of holding until he got caught with another left hook that was followed by a straight right that sent Mares down and the fight was stopped at 2:55 of the opening round.

Gonzalez, 125 lbs of Mexico City is now 55-8 with 47 knockouts. Mares, 125 1/2 lbs of Hawaiian Gardens, CA is now 26-1-1.

“This moment right now is the single greatest and most glorious moment of my life,” said an elated Gonzalez, who reclaimed the 126-pound belt he once held and breathed new life into his career with the win over his former training partner. “When I came to the United States for this fight no one gave me any credit. All they talked about was Mares fighting Santa Cruz. I didn’t say anything but I knew I was getting disrespected.”

“I knew I had him badly hurt after the first knockdown,” Gonzalez said.

“I’m good,” said Mares, who held titles at 118 and 122 pounds before claiming the featherweight belt last May. He was making his eighth consecutive appearance on SHOWTIME. “You have to win and you have to learn how to lose in this sport. I’m not in the sport to remain undefeated, but I’m here to fight the best.

“I was alright with the ref’s decision. He did his job and I respect it. But I thought I could go on,” he added. “Now I’m going to take a break and enjoy my family.”

Leo Santa Cruz became a two division world champion as he stopped Victor Terrazas in round three to win the WBC Super Bantamweight title.

Santa Cruz was effective if not relentless in drubbing the now former champion as he landed some hard shots to the body. The shots started to form bad swelling around the right eye. Santa Cruz came out in round three and landed hard flush punches that sent Terrazas to the canvas from a left hook. Santa Cruz finished the fight as he was all over Terrazas and landed a right that sent the native of Guadalajara, Mexico to a knee. When he got to his feet, Terrazas told referee Lou Moret that he could not see and the fight was stopped at 2:09 of round three.

Santa Cruz, 121 3/4 lbs of Los Angeles is now 25-0-1 with 15 knockouts. Terrazas, 121 lbs is now 37-3-1.

“This is a dream come true,” said Santa Cruz, 25, who had fought 106 fewer rounds in his career than Terrazas, who is 30. “I’ve wanted the green belt my entire life. Once I saw the eye start to swell I knew I had to go after him and put the pressure on him.”

Terrazas said, “The eye was not a problem. This was a good fight. He was tough like I expected. He just caught me. I wanted to continue the fight.”

Antonio Orozco scored a three round beatdown over Ivan Hernandez in a Jr. Welterweight bout.

Not much happened in round one but then Orozco got things rolling in round two as he pounded Hernandez with shots that swelled up the right eye of Hernandez. Orozco wasted no tim in round three as he scored two quick knockdowns from relentless pressure that overwhelmed Hernandez. Orozco landed two more thudding lefts that sent Hernandez down for a third and final time that forced the referee to stop the bout at 1:39 of round three.

Orozco, 141 1/2 lbs of San Diego is now 18-0 with 14 knockouts. Hernandez, 141 1/2 lbs of Barranquilla, COL is now 29-4.

Joseph Diaz Jr. scored 3rd round stoppage over Noel Mendoza in a scheduled six round Bantamweight bout.

Diaz showed a tremendous offensive repertoire as he worked the body and the head with austhority.

Diaz dropped Mendoza twice from hard and furious combinations with the second coming from a hard left – right that forced the referee to stop the bout at 1:54 of round three.

Diaz, 123 lbs of South El Monte, CA is now 8-1 with five knockouts. Mendoza, 121 1/2 lbs of Phoenix, AZ is now 6-3-1.

2012 Olympic Heavyweight Dominic Breazeale scored a fourth round stoppage over Lenroy Thomas.

Thomas came and won the first round as Breazeale used it as a feeling out round. With each round, Breazeale picked up the pace and in ronund three he started working the body. In round four, Breazeale landed a flurry that was finished up with a right to the body that sent Thomas down for referee at 2:29 of round four.

Breazeale, 251 lbs of Alhambra, CA is now 6-0 with all wins coming Early. Thomas, 246 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is now 16-3.

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Abner Mares defies traditional categories, perhaps because he’s nimble enough to switch from one to the other quickly and sometimes seamlessly. Within a single fight, he moves from skill to skill, category to category, like an actor changing costumes.

From brawler to boxer, from puncher to careful tactician, Mares has a variety of roles he employs for every situation. His resourceful versatility isn’t exactly a secret anymore, but that doesn’t make it any less problematic for an opponent who can never be quite sure who and what he is facing from round to round.

That leaves experienced and tough Jhonny Gonzalez with a difficult task Saturday at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., in the main event of a Showtime-televised card. Facing Mares is a little bit like playing Russian Roullette. At some point, Mares will find a skill that exploits a weakness.

“You can’t really compare Jhonny to my last opponent,’’ said Mares, who beat Daniel Ponce De Leon in May on the undercard of Floyd Maywetaher Jr.’s victory over Robert Guerrero. “Jhonny is more of a thinker than Ponce, who just came to brawl. I know I have to fight him in a very smart way.’’

If there’s one word that best describes Mares (26-0-1,14 KOs), it’s opportunistic. Sure enough, an intriguing opportunity is on the line for him in a featherweight fight against Gonzalez (54-8, 46 KOs). His promoter, Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, grabbed it and introduced it by arguing that Mares should be ranked No. 2 in the pound-for-pound ratings behind Mayweather.

The pound-for-pound debate is a little bit like a video game. It’s a collection of talking points and not much more. But it matters in terms of public perception. It’s Schaefer’s job to campaign for his fighters. In arguing for Mares, Schaefer has managed to get his name into the debate in a way that that figures to generate interest. Translation: A potential boost in television ratings.

The rest is up to Mares, who has held titles at three weights – 118 pounds, 122 and 126. He figures to beat Gonzalez, but now there’s some pressure on him to win impressively in a bid to further enhance his pound-for-pound credentials.

The opportunity is there because of mounting questions about the presumptive No. 2, super-middleweight Andre Ward, whose position has eroded because of inactivity brought on in part by injuries. Of late, most of the news about Ward has come from an arbitration hearing won by his promoter, Dan Goossen.

Meanwhile, another contender, middleweight champion Sergio Martinez, is on the shelf until next year because of knee and hand injures aggravated in difficult decision over Martin Murray in April. Juan Manuel Marquez is scheduled to resume his career on Oct. 12 against Timothy Bradley in his first bout since his December stoppage of Manny Pacquiao. Inactivity isn’t a loss, but it isn’t much of an argument for any fighter trying to hold onto his pound-for-pound status either.

Contrast that to Mares, who beat Eric Morel and Anselmo Moreno in 2012. If he can follow up his ninth-round TKO of Ponce De Leon with a definitive victory over Gonzalez, he can punctuate his pound-for-pound argument in a way that could be hard to counter.

CARSON, CALIF. (Aug. 22, 2013) – Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions hosted the final press conference Thursday for the outstanding fight card that will take place this Saturday, Aug. 24, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo) and SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.

In Saturday’s main event of an explosive world championship doubleheader on SHOWTIME, undefeated three-time and three-division World Champion Abner Mares (26-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Downey, Calif., by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will defend his WBC Featherweight World Championship against former Two-Division World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (54-8, 46 KO’s), of Mexico City.

Unbeaten former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (24-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, will challenge WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas (37-2-1, 21 KO’s), of Guadalajara, in the opening bout of the telecast.

Scheduled for SHOWTIME EXTREME: Antonio Orozco (17-0, 13 KO’s), San Diego, Calif., vs. Ivan Hernandez (23-9, 22 KO’s), Miami, Fla., 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Joseph “Jo Jo’’ Diaz Jr. (6-0, 4 KO’s), South El Monte, Calif., vs. Noel Mendoza (6-2-1, 1 KO), Phoenix, Ariz., 6 rounds, featherweights; and Dominic Breazeale (5-0, 5 KO’s), Los Angeles, vs. Lenroy Thomas (16-2, 8 KO’s), St. Catherine, Jamaica, 8 rounds, heavyweights.

This will be the eighth consecutive appearance on SHOWTIME for Mares (including last May 4 when he dethroned Daniel Ponce De Leon via a ninth-round TKO to capture the WBC 126-pound crown on SHOWTIME PPV) dating back to his SHOWTIME debut on May 22, 2010. Five of Santa Cruz’s six fights since June 2, 2012, have been on SHOWTIME. The other came on The CBS Television Network.

Tickets for an event with a distinct Southern California flavor are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, and are available now at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425. Doors open at 2 p.m. PT and the first live fight is at 2:20 p.m.

What De La Hoya and the boxers said Thursday from StubHub Center (all the SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME EXTREME fighters except Mendoza were in attendance):

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President Golden Boy Promotions

“Jhonny Gonzalez brings a lot to the table and is fighting one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world in Abner Mares. I believe they have Abner at No. 5, but I have to disagree with that. I put him up there at No. 3, if not No. 2. Jhonny knows he’s in for a tough fight. Abner knows he’s in for a tough fight. It’s going to be fireworks on Saturday night.

”For the boxing fans in L.A., this is what boxing is all about and this is what they deserve. Abner Mares is a special talent that we are witnessing in our era. He’s a talent that doesn’t come around very often. He’s fought nothing but the best. We all know Gonzalez. He’s a machine who is a tough puncher and a very calculated puncher. Jhonny knows this is his opportunity. Everybody knows that.

“When I first saw Abner fighting in the Olympics for Mexico in 2004 I just knew instinctively that he had that something that all champions have. There is no quit in his game and he has a long career ahead of him. And I wasn’t wrong about him. He’s already great and he keeps on proving it by wanting to only fight the best. And that’s what it takes to become great.”

ABNER MARES, WBC Featherweight World Champion

“I want to thank the entire Golden Boy staff for making this possible. I know them all, from the guy who cleans the office to the head honchos like Oscar and Richard (Schaefer). And I want to thank SHOWTIME. I’ve been a headliner like eight times and it’s just a huge blessing. I won’t disappoint. I promise you a great fight like I always do.

“This is another tough fight, but I want to fight nothing but the best. Champion, ex-world champion, whoever you bring, whoever the fans want me to fight, you know I’ll fight. I like and admire Jhonny Gonzalez. I like his style of fighting and know his camp because (Ignacio) ‘Nacho’ Beristain was my trainer for three years. I know the style and it’s nothing but finesse and nothing but pureness.

“I’ve seen my share of fights from StubHub in the stands, but now I’m ready to experience coming out and putting on a real show for the fans.’’

JHONNY GONZALEZ, Former Two-Division World Champion

“I want to thank Golden Boy and everyone involved for making this fight happen. I am very prepared. A fighter always wants to fight the best and I am fighting the best in Abner Mares.

“The question I’ve been asked the most is if I am looking at this as my last chance at the bigtime. Well, I am not. One way to stop getting this question from the media is to win on Saturday.

“Every fighter wants to get a shot at the world title, and then to win it, but my body feels good and I still feel I have a lot of fight left in me. I’m not looking ahead, but I can see a possible move to super featherweight in the future.

“I may have more knockouts than he has fights (actually, almost twice as many), but he had such a great amateur career than I think we are tied when it comes to experience.

“I am sure the biggest winners will be the fans and the sport of boxing because this fight is going to be a total war.’’

LEO SANTA CRUZ, Former IBF Bantamweight World Champion

“I’d like to thank Golden Boy, SHOWTIME, my manager, Al Haymon and everyone else. I’m 100 percent ready. I’m ready for war. I know that Terrazas is very tough and this will be the hardest fight of my career. I know that he’s been through as much as I have to get to this point. The good thing is that the belt will stay with a Mexican no matter who wins. May the best man win.

“We’ve trained really hard for this and we’re ready. My career depends on this so I have to just leave it all in the ring.’’

VICTOR TERRAZAS, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion

“I think it is great to have so many Mexican fans behind me even though this fight is in his backyard. The support I am getting really makes me feel good.

“We’re going to give the fans what they come out to see: a real fight with toe-to-toe, non-stop action.

“As world champion, you have to defend against any and all comers. Every fight I’ve had, or he’s had, has been a war, and this will not be an exception. This is a great matchup, a fans’ fight. If I was a fan, I know for sure that I’d be watching.

“I’ve studied a lot of tape on Santa Cruz. We’ll see on Saturday how it plays out. Fighters can change from fight to fight, but I know I am prepared and ready for anything. I think one of my best advantages is that I am shorter than he is and because of that I will be able to get inside.’’

ANTONIO OROZCO, Unbeaten Junior Welterweight

“This is my second time on SHOWTIME EXTREME and I am really thankful to SHOWTIME for bringing me back. I am ready to do what I do.

“I don’t know much about Hernandez except that he probably packs a punch, so I know I have to be cautious and not just go out winging shots. But I had a great camp and the work is done

“I don’t just go out looking to be impressive; that’s not in my mindset. Winning is the important thing. I always want to put on a great performance and entertain the fans, but I know I have to stay focused.’’

IVAN HERNANDEZ, Hard-Hitting Junior Welterweight

“I’m looking forward to Saturday. This will be a great fight. Orozco is undefeated, but I don’t think he’s ever faced a fighter like me.’’

JOSEPH “JO JO’’ DIAZ JR., 2012 U.S. Olympian and Undefeated Featherweight

“I just fought last month so I’m right back at it. I had a taste of the StubHub Center before and just knowing it’s my backyard and that the two headliners are in my weight class is just a huge blessing to me.

“I’m expecting my opponent to come out and try to pull off the upset. I’m going to give my all and give everybody a great show. I’m going to be aggressive and I’m going to be alert, and just very powerful.

“I’m working on sitting down my punches more often. And landing more shots. In the amateurs you’re just landing punches and just trying to rack up points. But in the pros I’m trying to be more relaxed and pick the better shots.’’

DOMINIC BREAZEALE, 2012 U.S. Olympian and Unbeaten Heavyweight

“It’s an honor to be on TV and fighting in front of the entire nation. I’m a hometown kid and I’ll have all my friends and family out.

“This is a stepping-stone fight and I have to come out and prove myself and show what I’ve got. I have to impose my will.

“I started my amateur career just down the road at ‘The Rock’ so to be a Southern California kid I couldn’t ask for more to make my television debut. I’m here to gain some fans and I hope to get more and more.”

LENROY THOMAS, Heavyweight

“I know I am coming an as the ‘opponent’ and as basically a stepping stone for him, but if you step on a stepping stone you are going to slide. I haven’t fought in a long time because of personal problems and having to take care of things with my family, but I am looking forward to coming back and proving myself.

“To return to the ring in this kind of fight is a great opportunity for me. I had a great camp. We’ll see who’s best on Saturday.’’

ABOUT “MARES VS. GONZALEZ”:
Mares vs. Gonzalez, a 12-round fight for Mares’ WBC Featherweight World Championship, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Also featured will be a 12-round world championship showdown between WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor Terrazas and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz. SHOWTIMECHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Mares vs. Gonzalez is presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com
and www.stubhubcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter,
www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/leosantacruz2, follow the conversation using #MaresGonzalez or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.

CARSON, CALIF. (Aug. 21, 2013) – Six of the fighters who’ll compete this Saturday, Aug. 24, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, Immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo) and SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT) worked out for the media Tuesday at a jam-packed Fabela Chavez Boxing Center in Carson, Calif.

In Saturday’smainevent on SHOWTIME, undefeated three-time and three-division World Champion Abner Mares (26-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Downey, Calif., by way of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, will defend his WBC Featherweight World Championship against former Two-Division World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (54-8, 46 KO’s), of Mexico City.

Unbeaten former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (24-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Los Angeles, by way of Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, will challenge WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas (37-2-1, 21 KO’s), of Guadalajara, in the opener of a world championship doubleheader.

Scheduled for SHOWTIME EXTREME: Antonio Orozco (17-0, 13 KO’s), San Diego, Calif., vs. Ivan Hernandez (23-9, 22 KO’s), Miami, Fla., 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (6-0, 4 KO’s), South El Monte, Calif., vs. Noel Mendoza (6-2-1, 1 KO), Phoenix, Ariz., 6 rounds, featherweights; and Dominic Breazeale (5-0, 5 KO’s), Los Angeles, vs. Lenroy Thomas (16-2, 8 KO’s), St. Catherine, Jamaica, 8 rounds, heavyweights.

Two of boxing’s most exciting and popular practitioners, Mares and Santa Cruz have become SHOWTIME mainstays in recent years. This will be the eighth consecutive appearance on SHOWTIME for Mares (including last May 4 when he dethroned Daniel Ponce De Leon via a ninth-round technical knockout to capture the WBC 126-pound crown on SHOWTIME PPV) dating back to his SHOWTIME debut on May 22, 2010. Five of Santa Cruz’s six fights since June 2, 2012, have been on SHOWTIME. The other came on The CBS Television Network.

Tickets for an event with a distinct Southern California flavor are priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, and are available now at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425. Doors open at 2 p.m. PT and the first live fight is at 2:20 p.m.

What the boxers said Tuesday:

ABNER MARES, WBC Featherweight World Champion

“My preparation is done and I’m ready to perform and put on a great show. I’ve got a hard fight ahead of me. Jhonny Gonzalez is a tremendous fighter, tough, and very skilled. But I’m here to fight.

“Jhonny may well be thinking that this is his last shot in a big fight, so I know he’ll be bringing his ‘A’ game, which is why I know I need to bring my ‘A-plus’ game on Saturday. I always train like a contender anyway. When I’m getting ready for a fight, I don’t think of myself as a champion. I don’t want to lose my edge, my hunger. There’s no way I will ever become complacent.

“You can’t really compare Jhonny to my last opponent (Daniel ‘Ponce’ de Leon). Jhonny is more of a thinker than Ponce, who just came to brawl. I know I have to fight him in a very smart way.

“I’m very happy and proud to be fighting the main event. This card features a bunch of us Los Angeles guys, and is really an old-school card, like ones they used to put on at the Forum. The undercard is filled with a lot of up-and-comers. Any of those fights could serve as the televised co-main event.

“I know they’re talking about me fighting Santa Cruz. It would be a spectacular fight between two Southern California fighters. If you know me you know I’ll fight anybody. But I have a tough fight in front of me.

“I’m feeling really strong at this weight class, but who knows? Maybe someday I’ll make a decision to move up a weight class to 130 pounds and win a fourth world title in my fourth weight class. But that’s down the road. For now, all my focus is on Jhonny Gonzalez and putting on a great fight for the fans.

“Saturday is going to be a very exciting night of fights. You won’t want to miss it.”

JHONNY GONZALEZ, Former Two-Division World Champion

“I have fought at StubHub before so I am very comfortable being at that venue. A lot of fight fans will recognize me from the past fights that I have fought there.

“On Saturday night my fight with Mares is going to be a war. Mares built his career with hard-earned fights and he wants to defend his title. I am motivated to claim the title. At this point in my career I feel that this could be one of my last opportunities to take that title.

“I invite all fight fans to witness what will be a battle for the ages. Abner Mares is youthful and strong but I have experience and will come well prepared with my own arsenal of weapons.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ, Former IBF Bantamweight World Champion

“‘I’m very excited and happy for the opportunity to be fighting for a world title for a second time, and now I have to take advantage of it. I’ve been training 100 percent in the gym and I’m really motivated. This card has so many great fighters on it, and they are all going to do their best to put on a great show. I just want to do my part.

“I feel great. I think when I took that break it did my body a lot of good. I know I felt more rested. But working as hard as I do doesn’t give you much time to rest. A week after my last fight I was right back in the gym. My Dad told me I had to be ready for whenever they called again.

“I think Terrazas is going to be toughest fighter I’ve fought in my career. He’s a great champion. He likes to come forward and throw a lot of punches. He’s a true Mexican warrior, very brave, but those are the kinds of fighters I like to fight.

“Some guys are like wildfires, they get crazy and throw a lot of wild punches. He’s not like that. Terrazas also has great technique. But he doesn’t run, and those types of guys are easier for me. I know he’s going to give it his best and leave it all in the ring. I expect a very hard fight. Both of us have trained really hard to give a great fight, and the better fighter is going to win.

“It’s an honor for me to be fighting on SHOWTIME as often as I have. It’s been a great experience for me. I still can’t believe I’ve accomplished this much in so short of time, and it’s still like a dream for me.

“But thanks to my Dad, who’s always pushing me in the gym, Al Haymon, Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME, I’m where I’m at right now.”

VICTOR TERRAZAS, WBC Super Bantamweight Champion

“This is going to be a very active (busy) fight. Going in we know that Leo Santa Cruz is the favorite in his hometown, but I’m champion of the world and I’m here to show you why I’m the champion. I’m really excited about fighting in his backyard, and I’m confident I’ll be successful. I am ready.

“I do believe I’m getting overlooked in this fight, but that doesn’t take away my desire or my will to win. Being overlooked also doesn’t give me any more motivation, but that’s only because I’m already motivated. There’s a reason why I’m champion.

“Fighting in Los Angeles and SHOWTIME is a great opportunity for me to get more exposure and for more fans to know who I am. I absolutely know the importance of getting great exposure and know what a victory on Saturday will mean for me.

“More than anything the added exposure gives you more notoriety and opens more doors for you, not only in boxing but everything else. I am looking forward to this fight very much.”

DOMINIC BREAZEALE, Unbeaten Heavyweight

“I think this is probably the biggest step-up in my career and the toughest opponent so far in my career. Lenroy Thomas has a ton of experience and ring generalship compared to me. He’s a 6-foot-1 southpaw, and I haven’t fought a lefty since the amateurs.

“But I am definitely prepared and way anxious to get in there. I can’t wait to fight. The only way to build character as a boxer is to take it a step at a time and fight the best fighters you can. This is what I’ve been doing and on Saturday I’m taking the next step.”

JOSEPH “JO JO” DIAZ JR., Undefeated Featherweight

“This is my seventh fight this year and I’m well-prepared and definitely ready to go. I had a really great training camp. I know my opponent is a pretty sound guy with good ability, but I’m ready to give everybody a great show.

“I’m very excited to be fighting on this undercard because it’s all local fighters. It’s really going to be a great night of boxing.

“I think this is a step-up fight for me, which is what I want. I always want to be stepping up and fighting good fighters just to prove to everybody that I’m improving. This will be a great fight. .If all goes well on Saturday – there’s no injuries or cuts or anything — I’m looking to maybe fight again next month.”

ABOUT “MARES VS. GONZALEZ”:
Mares vs. Gonzalez, a 12-round fight for Mares’ WBC Featherweight World Championship, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Also featured will be a 12-round world championship showdown between WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor Terrazas and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz. SHOWTIMECHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Mares vs. Gonzalez is presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com
and www.stubhubcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter,
www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/leosantacruz2, follow the conversation using #MaresGonzalez or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.

CARSON, CALIF. (Aug. 21, 2013) – Rising junior welterweight star Antonio “Relentless” Orozco and two highly regarded members of the Olympic class of 2012, Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. and Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale will get a glimpse of the national spotlight this Saturday, Aug. 24 when they step into the ring at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., live on SHOWTIME EXTREME (8 p.m. ET/PT), followed by the live SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®(10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo) doubleheader featuring two world championship matches.

In an eight-round heavyweight bout, Los Angeles’ unbeaten Breazeale faces St. Catherine, Jamaica’s Lenroy “TNT” Thomas. Plus, Diaz, of South El Monte, Calif., looks to keep his perfect record intact in a six-round featherweight bout against Phoenix’s Noel Mendoza and in a 10-round junior welterweight attraction, San Diego’s Orozco faces seasoned opponent Ivan Hernandez.

“A great card just got even better with the addition of the SHOWTIME EXTREME fights featuring three of the top young stars in the sport,” said President of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya. “2012 Olympians Dominic Breazeale and Joseph Diaz Jr. have made great strides since the London Games and Antonio Orozco is on the verge of big things at junior welterweight. They’re all in tough this weekend, making for some exciting fights.”

2012 United States Olympian Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale (5-0, 5 KO’s) has the size, style and personality to become a superstar in the heavyweight division and thus far in his young pro career, the 27-year-old has also shown the power, knocking out each of his opponents in two rounds or less. On Saturday, he will face his toughest test yet in seasoned southpaw Lenroy “TNT” Thomas (16-2, 8 KO’s), who has won 16 of his last 17 bouts.

Showing rapid improvement with each fight, 25-year-old Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (17-0, 13 KO’s) has reached the point in his career where fight fans are starting to talk about his prospects when fighting the best 140-pounders in the world. That’s exactly where Orozco wants to be and he doesn’t plan on letting his growing base of followers down Saturday when he faces Miami, Florida’s hard-hitting Ivan Hernandez (29-3, 22 KO’s).

Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (6-0, 4 KO’s) has stayed busy since his pro debut following the 2012 Olympics and despite such a hectic schedule, he’s handled each challenge with poise and maturity. Coming off a body shot knockout of Luis Cosme in July, the 20-year-old Diaz relishes the opportunity to perform in front of his Southern California fans. Looking to spoil the homecoming will be Phoenix’ Noel Mendoza (6-2, 1 KO’s).

East L.A.’s phenom Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez puts his 8-0 (5 KO’s) record on the line in a featherweight six rounder, Mexican super bantamweight contender Rey Vargas (14-0, 13 KO’s) looks for another knockout in an eight-round contest, and Nogales’s Jesus Ruiz (28-5-5, 21 KO’s) takes on Los Angeles’ Enrique Quevedo (14-5-1, 9 KO’s) in an eight-round meeting of super bantamweight veterans. Plus, undefeated promising prospects Las Vegas’ Ronald Gavril (5-0 (4 KO’s) and Kansas City’s Lanell Bellows (4-0-1,4 KO’s) will be featured in non-televised bouts.

Mares vs. Gonzalez, a 12-round fight for Mares’ WBC Featherweight World Championship, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Also featured will be a 12-round world championship showdown between WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor Terrazas and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Mares vs. Gonzalez is presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT)

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. PT to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com
and www.stubhubcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter,
www.twitter.com/AbnerMares00, www.twitter.com/leosantacruz2, follow the conversation using #MaresGonzalez or become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,
www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.

Richard Schaefer
Thank you very much and thank you all media members to be on the call, thank you to both fighters to be on the call. I remember a couple years ago we did a card called Action Heroes and then we, of course, just had another one a few weeks ago, Knockout Kings 2 and I think this card here from the Stub Hub Center would certainly fit perfectly into either one of those cards. Because one thing, which is for sure, that night, on Saturday night the 24th of August from Stub Hub Center, fists will fly, it will be heavy action and it’s going to be a tremendous night of boxing again. It’s exactly these kinds of match ups, which Oscar and I discussed with our matchmakers, Eric Gomez and with Roberto Diaz. It’s these kind of match ups we like to bring to the fight fans.

First, we are going to go with the main event of the night, which is going to be pound-for-pound star Abner Mares defending his world title against Jhonny González.

Jhonny González doesn’t need much introduction with a record of (58 -8, 46 KO’s). I think that record speaks for itself. He’s one of the most exciting fighters with devastating power in his fists. He wants to win that world title back. He is already a former two-division world champion and really an amazing warrior. I know he’s been training hard, I know he’s going to be ready and it is a pleasure now for me to introduce to you the former two-division world champion Johnny González.

Jhonny González
Now, first of all, I want to say good morning to all of you. Thank you very much for being here. It’s a great honor and pleasure for me to be on this call. What can I say? The moment is near; the moment of the fight is near and I’m very excited.

Schaefer
Thank you, Jhonny. I’m going to now introduce Abner and then we can open it up for questions for both fighters.

Whoever you put in front of Abner he beats and not only beats but he looks sensational doing it. He clearly marched through all of these divisions and is finally now recognized as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. He is the reigning and defending WBC Featherweight World Champion. His background goes back to the 2004 Olympics and then, of course, winning Showtime’s Bantamweight Championship series clearly put him in a place now where he is one of the best and one of the most exciting fighters in the sport.

There’s a handful of fighters that you know when you see them fight you know it’s going to be all action and you know it’s never going to be a boring fight and in that group, in that very elite group, Abner Mares certainly belongs. He fought Daniel Ponce de Leon for the WBC Featherweight Championship on May 4th in Las Vegas to now become a three time and three-division world champion and instead of going and taking an easy fight, a little breather, he’s going in against the always dangerous, as I mentioned before, Jhonny González. It is a pleasure and an honor for me to introduce to you the WBC World Champion and pound-for-pound star, Abner Mares.

Abner Mares
Richard, thank you for the kind words. Everyone, good morning. Happy to be here, happy to be on another press conference call and ready to give you guys another exciting fight come August 24th at the Stub Hub Center. I’m blessed, I can’t wait and it’s going to be really a magnificent night for the sport of boxing.

Schaefer
Thank you very much, Abner. I want to add that this fight is presented in association with Promociones del Pueblo, which is the promoter for Jhonny González. I like to open it up now for those two fighters for the media if you have any questions for Jhonny or for Abner please.

Q
I wanted to ask you how to do you feel physically and do you think it’s going to be easier for you this time around making weight? And also you talked about how you felt stronger and how your power carried, so if you can talk a little bit about that, too.

Mares
Well, good morning, first of all. I feel it’s going to be a lot more comfortable making weight, yes, because I’m moving up on weight. This is the second time fighting at this weight class. But then again, I am gaining muscle, so it’s not as easy, but then again it’s not as complicated making weight. I’m not struggling and I’m going to be strong, I’m going to be strong come August 24th. I can’t wait. Jhonny González is a tough fighter that I have in front of me and again, I feel strong physically and mentally.

Q
My question is for Abner and Jhonny González. Hey, guys. Do you feel coming into this fight it might be a little bit easier since you guys used to be sparring partners years ago? Is that going to affect the fight?

Mares
I’ll answer that question first. I don’t think so. Not at all. I think I proved that last fight when I fought Daniel Ponce de León. We had sparred many times. We were gym partners, we sparred many times, like I said, and it didn’t affect me or it did not affect him. I saw a different Ponce de León that night. I was able to win things out, but, again, you can’t expect the same type of fighter when you spar them come fight night. So I’m not looking for that. I know Jhonny comes with his A game, so I got to expect a tough Jhonny.

Gonzalez
No, not at all. That was many years ago; that was at the beginning of Abner’s pro career when he was just getting started. I think he’s demonstrated to the world and everybody that he’s a three-division world champion and the class that he has. He’s a tremendous fighter and one of the best in the division, so that, the sparring, has nothing to do with what we’ll see on Saturday night.

Q
Would there be an affect from the sparring in the past, that they know each other’s styles?

Mares
No, not at all. I expect the best Jhonny González. He’s going to come with his A game. That was many years ago we sparred. I appreciate my past sparring experience, because I learned a lot and gained some experience. But the winners will be the fans that are present and the fans in Mexico on Saturday the August 24th because they are going to see a great fight.

Q
What do you expect going into this fight with Abner? How has the preparation been? How has training been?”

Mares
Like all my other training camps; I always prepare 100%, especially for the most important fights. I added even more on this training camp because I’ve said it in the past, I’ve said it in weeks past, Abner is the best featherweight in the planet right now and for me to take his place I have to be very well prepared. What I can assure you is we’re going to give the public a great fight.

Q
Jhonny do you think this is your last big fight and are you close to retirement?”

Gonzalez
No, not at all. My body still feels great. My body’s still responding in the gym and the trainings. I definitely think this is a very important fight at this moment and we are looking forward to it and then going up another division to the super featherweight and then at that point fight even bigger fights there.

Q
There’s been fighters in the past that in the early stages of the career have had tough fight after tough fight and there has been an affect on them. Do you think you’re taking these fights at the right time or it’s been premature?”

Mares
No, I’m not. I’d say they happen at the precise time. I’ve learned from every fight. I’ve gained experience and I haven’t been beat up in any of my fights. I’ve learned a lot, gained experience and continue getting better and better and it’s been at the right age.

Q
Jhonny, how has it affected you now that you’ve been without your title for over a year?” What did you see in that fight between Abner and Ponce De Leon? Did you see any weaknesses or strengths or something that you saw when Abner won seeing that you lost your title to Ponce?

Gonzalez
In that fight with Ponce De Leon I wasn’t 100 percent mentally and physically there and that’s apparent. You have to see the difference. Styles makes fights. Ponce De Leon is a southpaw. Abner’s not a southpaw. He’s a clean fighter. I can’t say the same about Ponce De Leon. So I am coming in 100% prepared mentally and physically prepared and I think you’re going to see it on fight night.

Q
Jhonny, how frustrating was it to lose the way that you lost to Ponce De Leon after having established such a run in the division and successful title defenses?

Gonzalez
I was not frustrated at all. I was prepared physically very well, but mentally I wasn’t. I had some outside issues that affected me, some personal problems. I learned a lot experience wise. I went in there knowing that mentally I wasn’t there and then the head butt just broke my concentration even more. But now I learned from that experience to not go in there that way and this time I’m physically and mentally prepared.

Q
Can you shed light on any of the personal problems that you had?

Gonzalez
It was personal. Family issues.

Q
Given that you lost to Ponce De Leon and Abner beat him, and not only that Abner is ranked by The Ring as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, how rewarding and how easy is it to focus on a fight that could take you right back into the top level if you beat him?

Gonzalez
You pretty much answered your own question. It’s definitely motivating for the same reasons you said. He’s the best fighter, I’ve been saying it, at 126 pounds and that’s why we prepared 100% knowing that if we beat him we didn’t just beat anybody, we beat the best. We’ve trained very hard in the gym. We’ve prepared ourselves very well, as we know he did. So what I can tell you is come fight night it’s going to be a great fight for the public, the fans. Just like everybody’s expecting it to be that’s what we’re going to give them.”

Q
In every fight probably up until now, even the Ponce De Leon fight, there’s been an element of you have something to prove. The last fight you were looking for pound-for-pound performance, which you in fact turned in and were able to be ranked in the top 10 pound-for-pound. Now you’re probably perceived as the favorite because of everything you’ve done and the fact that he lost to a guy that you just beat. How do you motivate yourself for a fight like this and is there any extra pressure now that you’re the absolute favorite in this fight?

Mares
Well, first of all, no pressure at all, because I’m training the same way I train for all of my fights, all my previous fights, so I’m with the same hunger, the same desire to win every fight and to give a great show come fight night. I’m really glad and I’m blessed that people are seeing what I’ve been saying, that I’m one of the best fighters out there and I’m proving it fight after fight, fighting all these tough opponents. But as each fight comes to me, as each fighter keeps getting tougher and tougher there’s always something to prove. With Jhonny what do I have to prove? I have to prove that I am now one of the best, I’m one of the elite and I have to beat Jhonny. I can’t lose and I just have to win. It’s a fight where I can’t lose. And again, I’m fighting a tough fighter, an experienced fighter, close to 60 fights, 48 knockouts, great puncher, an experienced fighter. So his fight does not take anything away from me. I gain a lot.

Q
Do you think, either from you or your fans, that they want to see something sensational? Your last fight you had a knockout against a guy that was coming to beat you. Is there an element of “I have to top what I did the last fight” given your status now?

Mares
Well, yes, there’s always that. Well, I mean me, personally, there’s always that room for improvement or for learning. I go in the gym wanting to learn something new, as I have been doing it fight from fight, because I’ve been taking all these different opponents, different styles, and now I’m fighting a different style, a unique style in Jhonny; a clean fighter, really finesse boxer/puncher. So I have to go in there and just be better, show a different Abner Mares. And I can’t wait. Believe me, I trained hard, I trained differently for a different style, and you will see a different Abner Mares.

Come August 24th; a week from now you guys will see a different Abner Mares. You guys will see a tremendous fight from Jhonny and myself; a great fight. Boxing world wins. Can’t wait to prove again that I’m one of the elite. And I want to thank Showtime, I want to thank Golden Boy for always giving me good fights, for putting me on great defense, and this is another great fight for boxing. Thank you so much to all the press and come join us August 24th and if you can’t watch it on Showtime. It will be a tremendous fight. Thank you, Jhonny. Let’s give the fans a great fight.

Gonzalez
I want to thank everybody for calling in and for participating. I want to thank Showtime. I want to thank Golden Boy. I want to thank my promoter, Promociones del Pueblo, for having the confidence in me. I want to thank a great friend, a great fighter, a great champion, Abner Mares, for giving me this opportunity. And I also want to tell the public they’re going to enjoy a great type of fight that only happens when two Mexicans fight. Thank you, all. Thank you very much.”

Schaefer
I want to say something to Abner and I want to say something to all the media. First of all, this is going to be one of those fights, as I said in my opening remarks, you just don’t want to miss.
But I want to make another statement. Abner Mares is a pound-for-pound star. When I look at these pound-for-pound lists, and I know that different people have different opinions, I believe that Abner Mares, in my opinion, without any question, belongs in the number two spot on that pound-for-pound list. We have Andre Ward there, a fighter I respect, who has had tremendous accomplishments. He won the super six tournament. Abner Mares won the Bantamweight Tournament. Both of them fought the best in their division. Look what Abner Mares has done since then, since winning the bantamweight tournament? Look at what Ward has done since then. No question, in my opinion, that Abner belongs in the number two spot.

You look at Juan Manuel Marquez, who I believe is in the number three spot. He got dominated, and I mean dominated every second of every round, by Floyd Mayweather, who in my opinion is the clear number one pound-for-pound star.

But there’s no question, in my opinion, that Abner belongs there. Presently, Abner Mares is unquestionably one of the best fighters in the world; pound-for-pound. Make sure you tune into Showtime and if you are in Los Angeles or in Southern California make sure you show up at the Stub Hub Center, because it is a treat to see Abner Mares in action.

Now thank you, Abner. Thank you, Jhonny. I can’t wait to see you guys in a week here in Los Angeles at the press conference, and then, of course, weigh in and fight night. It’s going to be an exciting week. We can’t wait.

Schaefer
Before I’m going to introduce Victor Terrazas I just want to make another quick comment.
The card is sponsored by Corona and AT&T and it will be televised live on Showtime Championship Boxing. The preliminary fights are airing live on Showtime Extreme at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Pacific. The Showtime Championship Boxing telecast double-header will be immediately following the premier of All Access: Mayweather versus Canelo, which will begin at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific, and the event can be heard as well in Spanish using Secondary Audio Programming, SAP.

Tickets are still available, are starting at $25, $50, $75, $150, and the way it’s looking is we are on track to have an other sellout event just like we did for Maidana and Lopez. In fact, current ticket sales are ahead of where we were with a little more than a week to go for Maidana and Lopez. So it’s going to be another tremendous night at the Stub Hub Center, formerly known as Home Depot Center, in Carson, California.

Now Victor Terrazas is defending his world title against one of the most exciting punchers and action fighters in the sport, irrespective of weight class. Leo Santa Cruz is certainly going to be opening up the Showtime telecast with a lot of fireworks.

Victor Terrazas, with a record of 37-2-1, 46 KO’s, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, is the current WBC Super Bantamweight world champion. He’s a patient warrior whose time has come now. He’s 30-years old. Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas has only lost once since 2003, so he is coming off a tremendous run here. He’s on an 11 fight winning streak coming off a 12-round win over Cristian Mijares on April the 20th that earned him his first world championship, the WBC Super Bantamweight title. He obviously has no intentions to give up that hard earned title, which he worked for his entire career, his entire life and he will defend it against the rising star, Leo Santa Cruz. So it’s a pleasure now for me to introduce to you Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas.

Victor Terrazas
I can assure you all that it’s going to be a great fight. Leo Santa Cruz is a strong fighter; he comes forward. He started from the bottom and he’s been chipping at winning, getting wins, just like we all do. I now have the title and I’m going to go in there to defend it with all I have so that we can give the public a great fight. And the best man, the best prepared fighter will win that night.

Schaefer
Thank you Victor. Leo “Teremoto” Santa Cruz, with a record of (24-0-1,14 KO’s), of Huetamo, Mexico, now lives here in Los Angeles, is, as I said, an action puncher, a volume puncher. A guy if I could see only one guy fighting for the rest of my life, I can tell you it would be Leo Santa Cruz.

And for Leo Santa Cruz to go back to Carson has a lot of good memories, because this is the place where he won his first IBF Bantamweight World Championship with a 12-round decision win over Vusi Malinga back in 2012. So this is, in a way, a homecoming and he wants to duplicate what he did back in June 2012. Here he is a little over a year later, and going for his next world championship, second world title, moving up fighting in the super bantamweight weight class.

He has defended his belt three times in 2012 with very exciting victories over Eric Morel, Victor Zaleto and Alberto Guevara. He appeared as well on CBS last December, where he generated over 1.7 million viewers making it one of the most watched, if not the most watched, boxing telecast of any platform, of any network last year. So, clearly, Leo Santa Cruz is another fighter which is marching towards that top 10, cracking that top 10 pound-for-pound list.

It’s a pleasure and an honor for me now to introduce to you the former world champion, Leo Santa Cruz.

Leo Santa Cruz
Thank you very much for the words; I really appreciate it. I want to say greetings to everybody, and I’m very happy and excited for August 24th. I want to say that I’m ready. I’m training 100% and with my family over here, with my brother, my dad, and my whole team, I’m really ready. I know that with Terrazas it’s going to be a great fight. He’s a warrior. He’s a Mexican fighter; he comes forward with pressure in the ring. I’m going to do the same, because I want that title. I know he wants to defend the title. I know how we are, that when we win something we don’t want to lose it and I know he had struggled a lot for to win that title and that he’s going to come 100% prepared too. But I’m the same; I want that title. I want to win the same title for the same fight and I’m going to go give everything and give the fans what they want, a great show and a great fight.

Q
Is there anyone in your career that you have fought in the past that you believe that resembles Victor Terrazas fighting style?

Santa Cruz
I think he’s like all great Mexicans warriors, maybe like Guevara, he’ll fight as he comes forward. He has great techniques and great ring experience. He comes forward, attacking, working the body and working a few different techniques… But we’re going to work that in the gym, we’re working very hard, and we’re going to fight.

Q
How much of a difference has it been for the past two training camps, for the fight with Munoz and then fight for this, to train to fight at 122 as opposed to trying to make the bantamweight limit?

Santa Cruz
It hasn’t even been the same. There’s a difference, I mean the fighting with the weight class, before I’d have to go down to 118; it was a little bit more trouble. But we’ve been training the same, I think and doing the same. We have been doing different techniques that my dad’s been teaching me with my brother, and we are learning different things with style, because he kind of drops his jab, so we’re going to work on those things, like little mistakes we’ve seen on him on video we seen, and that’s what we have been doing. So everything else is the same; we train 100 percent for every fight, we don’t take any fight easy, we just we train hard.

Q
On Leo Santa Cruz on the same fight card as Abner Mares on this card and on past cards.
What’s the relationship between you two and do you see him as a potential future opponent, without looking past Victor Terrazas, of course.

Santa Cruz
No, if everything goes good I will win the title and hope to defend it. If the fans want the fight, I would want that fight. He’s my friend, we talk good and everything. I wouldn’t want to fight him, but if the fans want it we’d have to give it to them, because we have to give want the fans want and if they want that fight we will make it happen.

Schaefer
Yes, I can only echo that. If that’s the biggest fight, which has an opportunity, which the fans want, the network wants, and has an opportunity to make a substantial amount of money for both fighters, then let’s do it. And I know that Abner and Leo are the kind of fighters that never turn down anyone, they’re always up for a challenge. Both of them, as I said, are just tremendous fighters and both of them are really super nice guys outside of the ring as well. They respect each other and they are both a pleasure to promote. So we at Golden Boy believe in the best fighting the best, and if it’s going to happen with both of those guys, who are considered the best in these weight classes, we certainly won’t be standing in the way.

Q
Victor, how does Leo rank to the opponents you faced and what do you see as the most difficult aspect of his style?

Terrazas
No, I see him as very strong, obviously he’s a young strong fighter, and stronger than my past opponents. And I’ve been saying it; it’s a great honor to be on this mega card underneath Jhonny González, underneath Abner Mares. I’m very, very motivated. I’m very grateful and looking forward to it.

Q
Leo, how does he rank to your past opponents and what are his most difficult aspects of his style?

Santa Cruz
Oh, I think out of my entire career he’s the one with most experience, he is better than anyone I have fought in the past, he comes forward pressuring a lot. I think that his best attribute is the pressure in terms of punches, because he’s like a Mexican warrior coming forward and I think he’s going to come forward non-stop. If he’s always going to be right there in front of me we’re going to have a war. And, like he said, the better fighter is going to win the match, whoever trains hardest and whoever deserves it better is going to win the match.

Q
Leo, how is your brother?

Santa Cruz
He’s really good. Right now he is already gaining weight. He’s been around. He’s in the gym with me; he helps me out, give me water and things, like gloves and stuff like that. He’s doing really good. Thank you.

Q
How is that having him there? How is that for you emotionally? Does it add to your motivation?

Santa Cruz
Yes, it does. Before when I used to come train for my other fights he always used to stay home because his body was hurting and I was thinking maybe he was going to have to go to the hospital. He went to the hospital and then he came back, and then in a couple days he had to go back to the hospital so that really made me worry and I was not concentrating so much on the fight or on training. But now that I know that he’s right here and his body doesn’t hurt or he doesn’t have something wrong with him it gives me more confidence, more … and I am able to concentrate here in the gym. I am more relaxed and focused.

Q
People have been the talking about the potential for a Mares/Santa Cruz fight for quite a while. How far away is a fight like that right now and potentially what venues do you see, or locations, Mexico, United States?

Schaefer
Well, I really don’t want to talk about it, because, first of all, you have Leo Santa Cruz in a very, very difficult fight challenging for the world title, so I know that he has his work cut out for him. I know that Victor Terrazas is going to do whatever he can to defend his title. He waited all his life to get that title, so this is going to be one of those toe-to-toe fights and it’s going to be a great battle.

So the same goes for Jhonny González. Jhonny González was world champion. He was mentally, physically not all there when he fought Ponce de León, he lost the title, and ever since that night he and his promoter have been waiting for a potential opportunity at the world title again and here with Abner Mares he gets it. So he is going to be wanting that title back and Abner is going to want to show why he is pound-for-pound one of the best.

So I think it’s totally premature to discuss a potential fight between Abner and Leo. Let’s see what happens August the 24th. I think both fighters should have maybe a couple or so title defenses and then we’ll see, assuming everything goes well. But let’s do first things first. In boxing people have that thing always like you do one great fight and before it’s over people already talk about the next one. Let’s enjoy what we have. Let’s enjoy, let’s kick back, and this is what that night, August the 24th is, it’s about enjoying the sport of boxing. These are four Mexicans, these are four champions, and it’s going to be one night in Carson where we can sit back and enjoy as fight fans, as sports fans, because those four guys are going to do our sport proud. So let’s talk about that before we start talking about what’s next.

Q
The question is for Leo Santa Cruz. He hasn’t had this much rest between fights in a while, so my question is did it help more physically or mentally? And also all this time off, even though it’s only four and a half months, what did it allow him to prepare? How did he prepare differently having a little bit more time?

Santa Cruz
Well, yes, the timing it helped me a little bit, because I had more time to work on things that I had to work on. My dad has been watching videos and he has learned from my mistakes and things I need to improve on, and we’ve been working on those things. So I have had more time to work on those things and more time to prepare, like more conditioning and strength, stuff like that. But at the same time I think I prefer fighting more sooner. I know when I’m not fighting I feel uncomfortable; I want to keep on fighting. But the promoters and the managers know what they’re doing, and I think my body needed to rest. I think that’s a good decision they made. In my down time I learned a lot of new things and that helped me a lot.

Terrazas
Well, once again I want to thank everybody for having me on this call. I’m very excited, very happy to have been here. And also I want to remind everyone that when you get two Mexicans in the ring you can expect the best, and the best you will get on Saturday the 24th and the best will be the winner. Thank you very much.

Santa Cruz
I want to say thank you to WBC for this opportunity. I want to thank my manager, Al Haymon, Golden Boy, Richard, Showtime for this opportunity. On August 24th I’m going to go out there and give my best. I’m going to give it 100 percent to show the fans who I am and that I’ve come 100 percent prepared to give a good fight, same as Terrazas. I know he’s coming prepared too, because he doesn’t want to lose his title. And we both have struggled a lot to get to this point, so we both going to give a war out there and we’re going to leave everything in the ring. I am very excited and happy for August 24th.

Schaefer
Thank you, Victor. Thank you, Leo. One thing I know, August the 24th it’s going to be “show time” on SHOWTIME, baby! This is exactly continuing the trend SHOWTIME has established. No tune-ups, no lay offs, no nothing, just the best fighting the best.

And if you’re not going to watch it live on SHOWTIME that Saturday night make sure, if you have an opportunity, to be there in Carson for a great summer night. And I don’t think I have ever said this, but for $25 to see those two fights, it is the deal of the century. For $25 make sure you make it there. If you have never seen boxing come and see it, come and be part of it. The Stub Hub Center in Carson is one of the premier venues in the world when it comes to boxing, so make sure to be there, be part of it, and cheer these four warriors, these four champions on.

Thank you all for being on the call, and I can’t wait for fight time for the first bell to ring a week from Saturday. All the best. Thank you. Good-bye.

END OF CALL

Mares vs. Gonzalez, a 12-round fight for Mares’ WBC Featherweight World Championship, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® immediately following the series premiere of ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Canelo at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Also featured will be a 12-round world championship showdown between WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor Terrazas and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Mares vs. Gonzalez is presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are available now at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. PT to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

LOS ANGELES (July 11, 2013) – On the verge of becoming boxing’s next superstar, Three-Time, Three-Division World Champion and current WBC Featherweight World Champion Abner Mares has remarkably won three divisional world titles in less than two years. On Saturday, August 24, he will return home to Southern California to defend his title against a man hungry to take that belt back, former Two-Division World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez at StubHub Center in Carson in a fight which will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®(10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

In the co-featured bout, another of the sport’s most exciting competitors, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, will look to win his second world championship when he challenges WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas.

“I’m looking forward to fighting in front of my hometown fans on August 24 at StubHub Center,” said Mares. “Jhonny Gonzalez and I have a lot of respect for each other, but we know what’s at stake. I’m confident that we’re going to put on an explosive fight that fans will want to see.”

“The belt belongs to me,” said Gonzalez. “It’s time it returns to my waist. I will give it everything I’ve got on August 24.”

“I’ve made many sacrifices throughout my career to win this belt and I’m not about to give it away,” said Terrazas. “It’s obvious that Leo Santa Cruz is a talented fighter, but it’s going to take more than that for me to go back to Mexico without the belt.”

“I’m very honored to be fighting for the WBC world championship and I’m extremely motivated to train hard to take this belt home,” said Santa Cruz. “I will not let this opportunity get away from me. I will become world champion once again.”

“This doubleheader reminds me of great Los Angeles fight nights when you would see great Mexican fighters battling it out in the ring while the crowd went crazy,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “That’s what we have with Mares vs. Gonzalez and Terrazas vs. Santa Cruz…four Mexican warriors fighting not only for a world championship, but for pride.”

“Abner Mares and Leo Santa Cruz are two of the most exciting and fan-friendly fighters in the sport today,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “Mares’ fight against the crafty veteran Jhonny Gonzalez is sure to be explosive, as both fighters are known for their warriors’ mentalities. This will be Santa Cruz’s first world title shot in the super bantamweight division, and he has certainly earned it after dynamic performances in his last few fights. This doubleheader makes it a night not to be missed.”

“We’re thrilled to once again play host to some of Southern California’s top boxing talent,” said Katie Pandolfo, General Manager of StubHub Center. “Fight nights at StubHub Center are unlike any other venue and we’re proud that we have become a home to some of the best that boxing has to offer. We started the summer off with a record breaking evening of boxing in June and look forward to closing out the season with a bang on August 24.”

Mares vs. Gonzalez, a 12-round fight for Mares’ WBC Featherweight World Championship, will take place on Saturday, August 24 at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Also featured will be a 12-round world championship showdown between WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Victor Terrazas and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Mares vs. Gonzalez is presented in association with Promociones Del Pueblo. Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME®.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, go on sale on Saturday, July 13 at 10:00 a.m. PT and will be available for purchase online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. PT to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

The newest member of boxing’s pound for pound fraternity, Hawaiian Gardens, California’s Abner Mares (26-0-1, 14 KO’s) earned his spot there the hard way, battling through adversity and some of the best fighters in the world over the last eight years. A member of the 2004 Mexican Olympic team who originally hails from Guadalajara, Mares won his first world title in 2011 when he defeated Joseph Agbeko for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship. Mares won the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship against Eric Morel less than a year later and, in May of 2013, the 27-year-old knocked out Daniel Ponce De Leon, capturing the WBC Featherweight World Championship. On August 24, he will look to add to his already stellar resume by defending his belt against Gonzalez.

A knockout puncher who has struck fear into the hearts of opponents for years, Mexico City’s Jhonny Gonzalez (54-8, 46 KO’s) is a fan favorite who has won world championships at bantamweight and featherweight while beating the likes of Mark Johnson, Fernando Montiel, Irene Pacheco and Mauricio Pastrana. Since moving to featherweight full-time in 2009, Gonzalez has gone 14-1 with 12 knockouts, with his only loss in the form of a technical decision to Ponce De Leon in September of last year. The winner of two straight who most recently scored a fourth round technical knockout win over Akihiko Katagiri, the 31-year-old veteran plans on testing Mares’ chin this August when he attempts to get the title which he lost to Ponce De Leon back.

Unbeaten in his last 11 bouts, Guadalajara’s Victor “Vikingo” Terrazas (37-2-1, 21 KO’s) is one of Mexico’s most underrated fighters, but with a win over Santa Cruz this August, the world will know his name. The owner of a 2011 win over Fernando Montiel, Terrazas won the WBC Super Bantamweight World Championship this past April by decisioning Cristian Mijares. On August 24, he makes his first defense.

Boxing’s latest action hero, 24-year-old Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (24-0-1, 14 KO’s), of Los Angeles, made quite the impression in his super bantamweight debut in May, stopping Alexander Munoz in five rounds. It was a great start at 122 pounds for the former bantamweight king originally from Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, who successfully defended his belt three times over the span of three months before seeking bigger game at super bantamweight.

A full undercard will be announced shortly.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com an intriguing August 24th title doubleheader is in the works that will pit WBC Featherweight champion Abner Mares against former champion Jhonny Gonzalez and Leo Santa Cruz battling Victor Terrazas for the latter’s Bantamweight crown in Carson, California that will be broadcasted on Showtime.

“There are no particular outstanding issues with Mares and Gonzalez. Both fighters want to fight and I’m just trying to finalize everything. It’s a helluva fight,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. “I expect it to be done in the next few days. I just need to sit down with Stephen and get it all finalized, but Showtime loves the card. I love the card. I think fight fans will love the card.”

“This is the perfect sport for the show,” Schaefer said. “It’s exactly these kind of events which are going to attract a crowd. You have four exciting Mexican fighters and the crowd will get what it expects — exciting fights, so I think we’re going to have another sellout, and we will do what we did (on June 8), which is to price the tickets very attractively.”

“Jhonny Gonzalez is a former world champion and a seasoned fighter,” Espinoza said. “We’re still negotiating the fight, so it’s not a done deal yet, but Abner will fight anybody. Of course, we have to work out certain things but we’re on board with fighting Jhonny Gonzalez. It’s a tough fight but every fight is a tough fight when you’re at this level.”

“This is still a new weight class for Abner and Jhonny has been a featherweight for awhile,” Schaefer said. “There will be Mexican pride at stake. I expect a really exciting battle because you know when you see a Jhonny Gonzalez fight that it won’t be boring and the same can be said and more of Abner Mares, who is on most pound-for-pound lists as well as being one of the most entertaining fighters in the sport.”

“Terrazas beat a good fighter to win a world title and with Leo you have one of the highest volume punchers in the sport, who has developed a fan following and a crowd pleasing style,” Schaefer said. “He is going to bring the fans to their feet.”

NEW YORK (May 7, 2013) – This past Saturday, undefeated boxing superstar and undisputed No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world Floyd “Money” Mayweather produced a magnificent performance en route to winning a 12-round unanimous decision over Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero on SHOWTIME PPV® before nearly 16,000 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

This Saturday, May 11, SHOWTIME will air the fight, along with unbeaten Abner Mares’ exciting ninth-round technical knockout victory over defending WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in the co-featured bout at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Making his first start in a year, a dominant Mayweather (44-0, 26 KO’s) showed no signs of ring rust while displaying the trademark speed and quickness, ring generalship, accuracy, intelligence and defensive mastery that he’s been known for since his pro debut 17 years ago.

“Money” received rave reviews. Here’s a sampling:
From Tim Dahlberg of Associated Press, “On the canvas where he does his best work, Mayweather painted a boxing masterpiece only he could produce.”

“…once he found his groove, the multi-division champion put on a bravura boxing clinic. By the end of the night, no one could have any doubts that the pugilist from Grand Rapids, Mich., is the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet,” wrote Gordon Marino in the Wall Street Journal.

Said Greg Bishop of the New York Times, “When it ended, Mayweather hardly celebrated. He thumped his chest and hugged his father… He made it look easy, and it had been. He had landed a staggering 60 percent of his power punches.”

“The countdown to the end of Floyd Mayweather legendary career began with a brilliant performance in a victory over Robert Guerrero. Mayweather rolled his record to 44-0 and kept alive a dream to end his career with a perfect mark,” wrote Kevin Iole on Yahoo! Sports.

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, was promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event took place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and was produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®. Also featured was WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship.

LAS VEGAS (May 3, 2013) – The six fighters who will compete on the pay-per-view undercard portion of “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” this Saturday, May 4 on SHOWTIME PPV from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. participated in their final press conference on Thursday in front of a packed media center at MGM Grand.

Undefeated Eight-Time and Five-Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather (43-0, 26 KO’s), of Grand Rapids, Mich., defends his WBC Welterweight World Championship against Six-Time and Four-Division Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s), of Gilroy, Calif., in a 12-round bout that will also be for the vacant RING Magazine World Championship in the eagerly awaited main event.

On a stacked undercard preceding Mayweather vs. Guerrero on pay-per-view, Daniel “Ponce” De Leon (44-4, 35 KO’s), of Cuauhtemoc, Mex., risks his WBC World Featherweight World Championship against Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO’s) of Guadalajara, Mexico; Leo Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s), of Los Angeles, opposes Alexander Munoz (36-4, 28 KOs), of Caracas, Ven., in a 10-round bout for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship; and J’Leon Love (15-0, 8 KOs), of Las Vegas, faces Gabriel Rosado (21-6, 13 KOs), of Philadelphia, in a 10-round fight for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

See below what the fighters and executives said Thursday:

PONCE DE LEON, WBC Featherweight Champion

“First of all I want to thank God, Frank Espinoza, my manager, Golden Boy, Mayweather Promotions, MGM, SHOWTIME, my team and everyone involved for making this fight possible.

“This is going to be a great fight. I’m very prepared. I’ve fought many times at MGM. Everyone wants to see a battle and that’s what I’m ready for. Don’t miss it.”

ABNER MARES

“I want to thank Golden Boy, Mayweather Promotions and SHOWTIME. My last five or six fights have been on SHOWTIME. People know me because of SHOWTIME. What can I tell you; this fight alone is a main event so, really, you have two main events on one card. It’s going to be a tremendous fight.

“I want to thank Ponce for this opportunity. You guys know me. I’m ready. I’ll fight anyone as long as we give fans a good fight, I’m with it.

“I’ve dedicated this fight to my dad, who suffered a stroke a month ago.

“I’ve trained hard and I’m ready. I actually added something to my training; I call it Mexican judo: ‘ju’ don’t know if I’m going to box and ‘ju’ don’t know if I’m going slug, but ‘ju’ know I’m going to win.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“First of all I want to give thanks to Golden Boy, Richard (Schaefer), Mayweather Promotions and especially Al Haymon, my manager. Ever since I signed with him, everything changed for me. He has helped me a lot and is always there for me.

“Thanks to him, I was able to get my mom her first house. I owe it all to him and I’m going to repay him by giving him my best. I’m going to show the world who Leo Santa Cruz is.

“I’m very excited to be on this undercard. I know Munoz is an extremely strong fighter who comes forward. I’ve trained hard and worked hard. It’s going to be a war and I’m going to try and finish him before the 10th round.”

ALEXANDER MUNOZ

“I’d like to thank all of you for being here. They’ve put together a very good fight. We know Santa Cruz is tough. I’m prepared for this and I want to make all the fans in Venezuela proud.

“I’m excited about this fight and this opportunity.”

J’LEON LOVE

“I want to thank everyone involved for this opportunity…Al Haymon, my fight team and Mayweather Promotions. This will be a good fight. We have much love for Team Rosado. There is no bad blood.

“Both of us have a lot to prove. He came up a little short in his last fight, but he’s a tough guy. A lot of people are also saying this is a big step up for me, but I’m a fighter and this is what I do.

“It’s going to be a very good fight. We’re going to both put it on the line, but I will be victorious.”

GABRIEL ROSADO

“I want to thank God, Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions for making this fight happen. I’m excited for this opportunity. I fell a little short in my shot at a world title, but I got a taste of the big stage.

“I don’t think he has the experience I have and I’m hungry and determined. I had a great camp and I’m prepared to leave it all in the ring.

“I expect to have a lot of Philadelphia fans on hand here. I can’t wait to open the show and give the fans a great fight.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“On behalf of Mayweather Promotions, we would like to thank you all for coming out. We have a great main event and a great undercard. Ponce De Leon-Mares is a main event in itself. We have what fans want to see…a strong lineup of fights.

“In the first fight on pay-per-view we have two guys who will put it all on the line. J’Leon Love told me he wanted this fight, that he wanted to fight Rosado and then asked if I could go out and make it. I said ‘sure.’ Personally, I think this is a tremendous fight to open the show.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“What’s better on Cinco de Mayo weekend than ‘MAY DAY?’ This is the week for boxing. Mayweather is back with a vengeance, facing a very difficult, tough, young, hungry Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. The main event is a highlight but the undercard is just as important.

“Match Mares against Ponce and you’ve got a real fight, a war. Mares is a smart guy, intelligent with great boxing skills and a big heart who goes forward with a passion. He’s fighting a guy, Ponce, the champion, who is known for his punching power and is ready for the fight of his life. Neither guy wants to hear this, but I can see a trilogy.

“We have a tremendous fight with Leo Santa Cruz, who when we think of him, we instantly think about action, excitement and fighting with passion against Munoz, who a lot of people don’t know, but who’s here to win. I’m really looking forward to this one. There’ll be guaranteed action and fireworks.

“In my eyes, the first fight on pay-per-view is another interesting match, one you don’t want to miss, between Love and Rosado. Both have an opportunity to seize. It’s there for both of them.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports

“When we, Richard, Oscar, Floyd, Al and Leonard, first started talking about this event, we immediately came to the conclusion that a world-class main event deserved a world-class undercard, and that’s what we put together. These aren’t filler fights. These aren’t no-name fighters. These are ‘name’ fighters in tough, meaningful fights. Top to bottom, this is the highest-quality undercard for any event I can remember.

“I’m extremely excited and extremely proud to be involved with these three fights. I’m especially proud because several of the fighters have been groomed and developed on SHOWTIME. J’Leon Love was featured twice on SHOWTIME EXTREME, Leo Santa Cruz actually hit the trifecta last year: he fought on SHOWTIME EXTREME, SHOWTIME and CBS and Abner Mares has fought on SHOWTIME his whole career and is a staple of the network.

“The weigh-in on Friday will be televised live on CBS Sports Network and SHOWTIME. Also, for the first time in recent history there will be a live post-fight show, thanks to CBS Sports Network, on Saturday night. We are pulling out all the stops with the newest technology. There will be 16 cameras, the most ever used in the history of network.

“As you can tell, I’m very excited. See you on Saturday.”
# # #
ABOUT “MAYDAY: MAYWEATHER VS. GUERRERO”:
“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

David Itskowitch
We’re on the home stretch now for the big one. Again, May 4th, MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, live on Showtime pay-per-view beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m. PT. Our main event is, of course, Floyd “Money” Mayweather against Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the Vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship.

Also, we have on today’s call, Daniel Ponce De Leon vs. Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce De Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship. We also have Leo Santa Cruz vs. Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and opening the pay-per-view broadcast is J’Leon Love vs. Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight bout for the vacant NADF Middleweight Championship.

We’re sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. We still have some tickets remaining for the event. They can be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the MGM Grand. We also have closed circuit tickets available for $50. Closed circuit telecast will happen at the ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo, and New York- New York. We urge everybody if you’re in town, you can’t get a ticket to be at MGM Grand, come out and see it with other fight fans on closed circuit. It’s a great experience.

So now without any further ado, I’d like to introduce our first fighter we have on the call today. He’s a young man who broke on the international scene in 2012. In June, he won the IBF Bantamweight World Championship with a 12-round decision win over Vusi Malinga. He went on to defend his belt an unprecedented three times in 2012 with victories over Eric Laurel, Victor Zaleta and Alberto Guevara.

He will look to keep his undefeated record intact when he faces Munoz this Saturday night. He has a record of 23-0-1 with 13 KO’s; from Los Angeles, California, Leo Santa Cruz.

Leo Santa Cruz
Hello, everybody. I’m very happy to be here and I’m very excited and I’m ready.

Itskowitch
All right, Leo. Thank you. We’ll now turn over to Q&A for Leo.

Q
Your last fight was on CBS and made a big splash. Now, you’re on a major card with Floyd Mayweather and Abner Mares, who there have been mention of you fighting him at some point. How big is this for you in terms of making an impression in the big lime light?

Santa Cruz
It’s a big pressure for me because being with Ponce de Leon and Mares and Mayweather, they know that they give good fights. They’re going to steal the show. So, for me to be on that card, it’s telling me that people are expecting a lot from me too. So, I will be training really hard in the gym and we’ll be giving it all we got so we could come out there May 4th and impress other people and give it all we got. That’s what we got to do, show the people and the fans what they want, what they like.

And I have big pressure, but I’m very motivated. I’m very happy and excited to be on this big undercard.

Q
Can you talk about the rise in weight? Is that beneficial to you? Were you having any weight issues, and also, the notion of your power going into the next weight class? Can you address all of those issues?

Santa Cruz
Yes. The bigger names are in 122 and that’s what we want to fight. Before, I thought earlier in my career, once I fight 122, and they said that I look stronger in 122, that I look stronger. I look much better. So, that’s why we move up to 122. So, I think it’s now official. We’re going to move 122.

We’re going to try to win this fight. We have to go out there and try our best and hopefully it goes good and then the next fight, or a couple of fights, we’re going to try to go for the world title again.

Q
When you say you want to look good and you’re on this big card, would a decision in your mind be palatable, or do you need to be spectacular and really kind of score a knockout in an impressive fashion?

Santa Cruz
Yes. That’s what we’re going to try to do. We’re going to try to go out there and we’re going to try to work the body and try to stop it because we’re going to try to be the first one to stop him because nobody has ever stopped him. So, we’re going to try to go out and try to impress with a knock-out and be the first one to stop him. If not, we’re going to try to do a good, good decision that I could impress all the fans and they could keep on following me and be impressed.

Q
What objectives do you have? You’re moving up in division. You’re moving up obviously from 118 to 122. Why are you doing that, and what are your plans?

Santa Cruz
Obviously a lot of the better fighters are at 122. A lot of the big names are there and at 126 as well. So, my objective is to fight at 122 a couple of times, hopefully be able to fight for world title. If I’m able to win a world title, defend it a few times, and then I can very easily move up to 126.

Q
What’s the difference in the gym? What have you been doing differently in the gym? What have you been working on? How do you feel at 122, fighting at a bigger weight?

Santa Cruz
I’ve been working on many things. First of all, I feel really good. I feel a lot stronger at 122 and I’ve been working a little bit on my defense with my father and my brother. We’ve been working on lateral movement, a lot of waste movement, bobbing and weaving and everything is going great.

Q
How important is it for you to be fighting on May 4 underneath these huge names – Mayweather, Guerrero, Daniel Ponce de Leon, Mares? How important is it for you and how do you feel about fighting on this date?

Santa Cruz
It’s very important. It’s an important fight. It’s an important date. It’s a pay-per-view. It’s probably one of the most important fights of my career. It’s almost like fighting for a world title. I got to take advantage of it. I got to steal the spotlight. I got to make fans. There’s going to be so many people watching this show that I have to make a name for myself.

Obviously, Mayweather’s going to put a good fight like he always does. Daniel Ponce de Leon, Abner Mares are going to put on a good fight. I want to stay too far behind. I got to put up a good fight as well so I can be able to steal some fans, have people follow me. It’s important for my career. It’s important for the future.

Q
You fought five times in 2012. You’re fighting for the first time this Saturday this year. Were there plans by you or your team to slow things down a bit for this year?

Santa Cruz
They told me that they had something good for me, to just be patient and wait and the patience was worth it because I’m not on this big undercard. Anybody would like to be on this card. Thank God and thank the promoter and my manager that they pick me to be on this undercard. So, I’m very happy.

Monica Sears
Leo, if you want to make any closing comments.

Santa Cruz
Yes, I want to say to all my fans, thank you for all the support. They’re the ones that are keeping me out here, training really hard. They’re the ones that give me the motivation to keep on fighting because it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. So, I say thank you and on May 4th, I’m going to go out there and give it my all. I’m going to give it my best because I’m going to give what the fans want.

I’m going to go out there and give it my all. I’m not going to give up and I’m going to try my best to impress them and to give them what they want. So, I say thank you.

Itskowitch
Okay. I’ll first say a few remarks. I’d like to introduce a young man who turned professional in 2005 after representing Mexico in the 2004 Olympics. He won his first world championship in 2011 when he defeated Joseph Agbeko for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship in Showtime’s Bantamweight Championship Series. After defending his title against Agbeko in a rematch later that year, Mares moved up to 122 pounds in 2012 and beat Eric Morel for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight belt.

In his most recent fight, he made a major statement with an exciting win over WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion, Anselmo Moreno last November and now, he’s ready to face Daniel Ponce De Leon for the WBC Featherweight World Championship and possibly become the three times Three-Division World Champion. He’s got a record of 25-0-1 with 13 KO’s, originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, now fighting out of Hawaiian Gardens, California, Abner Mares. Abner?

Mares
Hello. Hi. I’m happy to be on this card. I can’t wait to put on the show May 4th and I’m excited to be fighting Daniel Ponce de Leon, another warrior.

Itskowitch
Thank you, Abner. Now, to say a few words; he was a 2000 Olympian, has won world titles in the Junior Featherweight and Featherweight divisions. In 2005, he won the vacant WBO title at 122 pounds and went on to defend the belt six times. He’s 32-years-old and on a 3-0 winning streak right now, including his September 2012 win over Johnny Gonzales. He captured the WBC Featherweight World Championship, making him the two time world champion. He’s now looking to make it four in a row when he defends his title against Mares on Saturday night.

He has a record of 44-4 with 35 KO’s from Cuauhtémoc, Mexico, now fighting out of Los Angeles, California, Daniel Ponce de Leon. Ponce?

Ponce de Leon
Good afternoon. Thank you for being here, everybody and enjoy the fight May 4th.

Itskowitch
Okay. I guess we can now turn over to the media for questions for Abner and Ponce.

Q
I’d like to ask you about when this fight came about, it really came about because of the fact that you were not able to get the fight that you had told all of us for a long time that you really wanted, which was the fight against Donaire to unify your title at 122 pounds.

Can you just talk about going from thinking that maybe you might have a chance to get that fight, there was an offer extended, it didn’t work out. He went and was doing his other fight that he ended up losing to Guillermo Rigondeaux and now you’re taking the opportunity to go up in weight and in your first fight at the weight; you’re getting a chance to fight for the world title. Sort of your feelings about how that all sort of played out.

Mares
I think it just played out great. I mean things started falling into place. It went from wanting to get that big fight against Nonito Donaire and pressuring for that fight. Obviously, … weren’t comfortable with the contract and then it went to Ponce having a fight against Menes and that fight falling through and myself getting the opportunity to fight Ponce.

So, I think everything happens for a reason. Everything’s fell into place and I think it was meant to be. Thank God, I thank Golden Boy and everybody in my whole team for making this possible to give me an opportunity to fight for another world title with the opportunity of becoming three time world champion. I’m excited for this weekend.

Q
Abner, when you gave up the title after you didn’t get the fight against Donaire and you made the decision to go to featherweight, had you given up the title and made that announcement knowing that you were going to get Ponce, or just taking the opportunity, not knowing if this would be your fight and it just ended up working out that way? In other words, did you know that you were getting a big fight when you left the weight class without the Donaire fight in your back pocket, or did it come along after you had already made that decision to give up the belt and to move up in weight?

Mares
It actually came along. I mean, again, it fell into place. I think any other fighter, and I myself was thinking of taking-getting my feet wet first at 126, a featherweight. We were trying to get a fight in Mexico, something comfortable. But again, things have started happening, started falling into place and I got this opportunity.

I like to take advantage of the opportunities and this fight was presented. It’s a tough fight. It’s a hard fight to start with at 126. But again, I think it’s a great opportunity and I’m going to take full advantage of it.

Q
Okay, but just to be clear, when you gave up the title, you didn’t know that this was going to be taking place.

Mares
No. No, no, no. I gave up my title thinking I was just moving up to 126 and looking for the opportunity. But again, this opportunity was presented for the reason his fight fell through. I was looking for a fight at 126 and things just happened.

Q
Okay, and I want to ask Ponce the same question when Abner’s done answering. It is an unusual situation that both of you guys, two top fighters, champions, both managed by the same manager. Frank Espinoza’s obviously done a good job to get you guys to where you are, but it’s not a normal thing that managers have their fighters face each other. I’m wondering if either of you have an opinion on that happening and how that has in any way either been a problem, or worked out well or if you’re happy with the way things are split up.

I know Frank has talked to me about making sure that he does everything 50 percent down the line that doesn’t try to favor either one of you guys, whether it’s everything from the ring walks to how things are done in the dress room ahead of time; all the different things that go into taking care of a fight. What are your thoughts on that aspect of this matchup that is a little unusual, Abner?

Mares
Okay, no, I mean Frank has kept it really professional in that sense. I mean I really, really appreciate and want to let it be known that Frank has been nothing by professional in that sense. He’s been-it was hard. It must be hard for him.

He’s away from my camp. He hasn’t stepped a foot in my gym since I started camp out of respect to me and out of respect to Ponce. I’m sure he hasn’t been to his camp either. He just calls me on a professional sense, for interviews, but nothing regarding my training.

Again, it’s tough for him to make this fight happen and I just thank him for making this fight happen and at the same time, I’m sure it’s hard for him. I mean I’m comfortable as far as giving me the opportunity and, as well, keeping it fifty-fifty for me and Ponce.

Ponce De Leon
No, everything’s fine. It’s actually kind of easy because it was easy to make the fight. Golden Boy, Frank, represent both fighters. So, it was kind of easy to make the fight. There’s no controversy whatsoever. Golden Boy, you guys have been neutral. Everything has been neutral with Golden Boy and with Frank as well. He’s been neutral. So, everything’s been fine.

Q
Obviously, this is a difficult fight. Abner’s a very good fighter. He’s a smaller guy coming up though, but at the same time, he’s a very good boxer. How do you see the fight coming out this Saturday?

Ponce De Leon
I’m a tough fighter. I’m a pressure fighter. I like to come forward and make fights, which is good and it’s going to be a very difficult fight, but I trained hard. I trained very, very hard and I’m going to be ready for the fight.

Q
How important is it for you fight a big fight card like this one underneath Mayweather? How important is it for you, and how do you feel fighting on the fight card?

Ponce De Leon
Well, it’s very important. Fighting underneath Mayweather, it’s a big show and not only that, but also fighting on Cinco de Mayo. That’s a big fiesta for Mexico, tradition. I’m excited to be fighting there. Mexico’s, they’re warriors. They’re warriors. They’ve been at war. It was actually May 5th is about a war. So, it’s very good.

I’m just happy also that the U.S. recognizes it, that it’s an important holiday for all Mexicans. So, I’m very, very excited.

Mares
It’s great. I’m very, very excited. Obviously, when you fight underneath Mayweather, the fans come out. People pay attention. It gets everybody to tune in. So, it’s very, very good. It’s going to be important for me to try to steal the spotlight. It’s going to be a very, very good fight and I just feel that hopefully on Sunday after the fight, nobody’s really talking about Mayweather. I hope everybody’s talking about the great that the two Mexicans put on, Abner Mares and Ponce De Leon.

Q
Abner, you fought your last six fights against who’s who – Perez, Darchinyan, Agbeko twice, Morel, Moreno. I think the boxing public appreciates your ability. Do you feel generally appreciated in a relation to guys like say Tim Bradley and Adrien Broner?

Mares
This year I’m not quite yet to that level where I think I deserve it. I know Bradley fought a lot of great fights and it only took him that one fight against Pacquiao to really get him recognized. I am looking for that big fight and I think I have been doing it 5:30 p.m. and keep on going. I don’t plan on stopping here after Ponce. I plan on fighting any other top elite fighter.

I just hope that I do get direct relation after this fight that I’m going to put in on May 4th in this great, great performance.

Q
You fought guys like Gamboa and Broner. There are some people who have already beat Broner and obviously we fought Lopez and lost that fight. Do you feel that those fights could be a barometer for you maybe winning spectacular and in comparison, you want to do better than those guys did against?

Mares
Definitely. I think I’ve proven myself already to some point by just fighting all these elite fighters and pretty much letting people know that I’m … face anyone. And those names that you brought up I mean just are big, elite names, big names and I will definitely and anybody that knows boxing knows that I will definitely fight them any given day.

Of course, I got this big fight, this tough fight against Ponce De Leon and God willing, getting past this fight with a victory I will most definitely look into those things as well.

Q
Okay, last question for you. You’re moving up in weight. He does hit very hard. In relation to the guys that you’ve fought and the fact that you’re moving up, how big a factor-can you characterize the factor that Ponce De Leon’s power is and how that factors into your strategy?

Mares
I mean it’s a big factor knowing that I’m stepping in a different weight class, heavier weight class and already going in against a heavy puncher. It’s hard, but I think it’s all mental. I think it’s all mental. I’m going in weighing the same. He’s weighing the same that same night and after, I know I’m going to recuperate and I’m going to be at least six to ten pounds heavy the next day.

I think that night, I want to let it be known that skills and smartness skills power and power and pressure any day. So, I think that’s going to be my key and I plan to put it to work on May 4th.

Q
Okay. Same question that I left on with Abner; given the fact that he’s moving up in weight, how much do you think your size and your power relative to what he has seen, how much do you think that will be a factor in this fight?

Ponce de Leon
Basically that is going to be a difference. It is going to be somewhat of a difference and you do have to take it into account. I’ve done it before in my career. I fought as high as 130 and I noticed a difference in size and in power. So, I’m sure that he’s going to feel the difference as well. It’s hard to just jump up all of a sudden to another weight class and be fighting for the world title. It’s very, very tough.

But, even though I say that, I’m not going to take it. I’m going to be very, very careful, obviously. I’m going to still think about my game plan and I’m preparing myself as if I’m fighting a solid 126 pounder featherweight in my division.

Q
Okay. My last question for you; you fought, as I mentioned, Gamboa, Broner, Lopez and you’re coming off that big win over Gonzales. How does he compare to Gonzales first of all? Are you looking at him as a more difficult opponent or about the same? And then, how did the fights with Gamboa and Broner who are both boxers, you fought Broner at a higher weight class, how will those fights prepare you for this one?

Ponce De Leon
Well, Abner is very similar to them. He’s very similar. He’s a good technician. He’s got a very, very good style, but the difference is that he’s smaller. I fought both Gamboa and Broner at 130. They were bigger guys and I fought Johnny Gonzales at 126. He’s a good technician. It was a tough fight as well. It wasn’t that easy, but the difference is that Abner’s a smaller guy.

But, nevertheless, I know it’s going to be a tough fight. It’s going to be a hard, tough fight and that’s what I prepared myself for. I prepared myself for a tough fight and the most important thing is to make a good fight.

Q
Okay, real quick, since you touched on it, you talked about what it was like for you to move up and fight Gamboa and Broner. You just mentioned that he’s smaller. Again, I want to ask you are you planning on emphasizing at all your size and your power to a degree that maybe he hasn’t seen in his past?

Ponce De Leon
I’m going to come out and fight. I’m going to come out and fight. I have my strategy and I’m going to come out and fight. Obviously, depending on how the fight goes, if I feel that there’s a big advantage in using my size and my power, then I’m going to take advantage of it. I’m going to take advantage of it. I’m going to feed off of that and use it to my power and to my advantage.

But, at the same time, since he is a smaller guy, he can very well be faster. So, I got to be careful with that as well. So, it all depends. I’m going to come out with my strategy. If feel that I can utilize my size and power, then I’m going to use that and use it to my advantage.

Q
You’re moving up. You’re moving up to a different weight division. How’s your preparation been? What have you been doing in the gym? How do you feel?

Mares
I feel very good. I feel very strong. That’s the difference. Believe it or not, those four little pounds make a difference. I’m not dehydrated. I don’t have to struggle to make the weight. So, I feel very, very strong and my sparring, I’ve been sparring guys that are bigger, lightweight, junior welterweights.

But, I’ll know fight night what I have to do to be successful. I’m going to know fight night what it’s going to feel like. It’s different moving up in weight. But right now, I feel very good and I feel very strong.

Q
Abner, you’ve been moving up in weight. You’re going to move up again. Do you think this is too fast, it’s too early in your career to be moving up to this weight class, or do you think it’s good timing?

Mares
Look, the most important thing for me is to make good fights. I want to make good fights. I want to make my fans happy, all the boxing fans. I want them to be happy and coming out to my fights. So, that’s the most important thing for me.

This is going to be a good fight and moving up a weight or whatever, I look for the biggest possible fight at 122. There was one fight and that fight wasn’t able to be made. So, the next biggest thing was to move up and to fight for this title, and that’s what I’m doing.

But, the most important thing, again, are the fans, the boxing fans, and I want to make them happy. And if I make them happy I’m doing my job.

Q
You’ve been studying Abner. Do you see any weaknesses, anything that you can take advantage of?

Ponce De Leon
Well, I’m not going to give away any secrets, but I do have my strategy and I’m going to stick to my game plan, but I will say this; Abner has a big heart. I know that. He’s a very, very good fighter. He’s a pressure fighter. He knows how to pressure when he needs to and again, it’s going to be a good fight. And I’ll know fight night whether I have to box a little more or I have to put on pressure as well. And I’m going to know fight night what happens.

Q
Ponce, if you’re victorious on Saturday, what’s ahead? What can you tell us? What are your plans? What would you like to do?

Ponce De Leon
Well, I still feel that I have a lot to give to the sport. I feel a lot better now, a lot more confident, a lot stronger than I did when I was champion before at 122. Believe it or not, it’s a lot easier now I feel fighting because I have a lot more experience. But look, I’ll do whatever. I’ll fight anybody. I’ll do whatever my promoter says and I’ll be ready for anything, anything that comes ahead.

Q
How important is it for you to win your third world title and as many divisions?

Mares
It’s very motivating. It’s very, very motivating to me that I’m able to do it. I’m still very young. I’m 26-years-old and I’m able to do that in such a short period of time. Obviously, Julio Cesar Chavez did it. He was able to do it and to be able to do that, to be the next person to do it, it just feels great. It’s a motivating factor for me.

Q
Most of your career, all your career has been fights in the United States. Is this fight important to help boost your name and your fans in Mexico?

Mares
No, not really. I mean obviously people do know me in Mexico. This is a good fight against a tough champion, a very good champion in Ponce De Leon, Mexican champion people know. But, little by little, people are starting to know me. They’re starting to get to know me in Mexico because of the great fights I made in the past, the great opponents I’ve had. I think that the real switchover is going to be when I eventually fight in Mexico, which is something that’s a dream of mine, something I’ve been wanting to do, something I’ve talked to my promoter about.

And when I do that I feel that people-I’ll be able to win them over finally and they’ll see me fighting in the country of Mexico.

Q
Obviously, this is a historical fight. You said it itself, winning a third title in the Third-Division. How important is it for you to become a Mexican idol? Do you think this is going to do it for you?

Mares
Look, I don’t think about that. I don’t plan for it. I don’t think about that. Again, the most important thing for me is to make good fights, make great fights, let the people put me where they want to put me. Let them decide whether I’m an idol or not. I don’t worry about that.

I train hard to make good fights. I think that this is going to be a very good fight with Daniel Ponce De Leon and that’s the most important thing for is to make good fights and for the people to be happy. So, I don’t worry about that, or I don’t plan for it, to try to be an idol.

Q
I’d like to ask both fighters for their analysis of the Mayweather-Guerrero main event and who they both think will win and why, and then I have a follow-up question for Abner.

Mares
That fight-I don’t know. I’m just thinking about my fight. I don’t know. I just hope that it’s a good fight, but not as good as our fight. That’s it.

Ponce de Leon
Hey, it’s difficult to pick somebody. Mayweather is a very good fighter. He’s a difficult fighter, best defense, good fighter and Robert Guerrero too. Robert Guerrero is a very, very good fighter, worthy of this challenge. I just think that it’s up in the air. It’s a 50-50 fight. It’s up in the air and I just think it’s going to be a very, very good fight.

Q
Thanks and for Abner; Abner, regarding Guillermo Rigondeaux’s recent performance against Nonito Donaire, I was wondering if you were disappointed in the loss of a potential super fight opponent, or do you see it differently?

Mares
No. I was definitely not disappointed. If anything, I was more in shock, not shock, but I was like-I was one of the many people that thought Nonito was going to take it. I’m obviously going to back that up because I’ve said that Nonito was going to win and he didn’t. Rigondeaux gave him a hell of a fight, just a boxing clinic. He just out boxed him and did whatever he did with him on that fight.

I’m not disappointed at all. Everybody knew I wanted to fight Nonito. Rigondeaux exposed him. I wanted to be the one to do that, but he beat me to it. And now, I would love to fight any of them, either Rigondeaux or Nonito.

I saw Rigondeaux already in the amateurs in the Pan American Games. He beat me. Yes, it was a controversial fight and I would love to fight him again. But again, I have a fight less than a week away from now and I plan on seeing that fight first and then let’s see what happens.

Q
Of course. With regard to Rigondeaux performance, were you more surprised by how effective Rigondeaux was or by how ineffective Donaire was?

Mares
I think a little bit of both. I mean I already knew how Rigondeaux fought because he hasn’t changed at all – same style at the amateurs, really more as a defense fighter. I think I was a little bit shocked too, surprised that Nonito seemed like he didn’t train. He seemed like he was out of gas and didn’t know what to do.

But again, I blame that on his last four or five fights that he had. No fighter level to what Rigondeaux’s style and performance. I think that was a big major thing why he didn’t look that impressive.

Sears
Thanks, everyone, for being on the phone. Thanks to both Daniel and Abner. Do you guys want to make any last comments before we conclude the call?

Mares
Yes, just make sure you watch May 4th.. It’s going to be a great night of fights. Its Cinco de Mayo – a Mexican weekend and I plan to keep it that way, a Mexican weekend. Thank you so much.

Ponce de Leon
Thank you all. Thank you for all the support, especially Golden Boy Promotions, Frank Espinoza, the fans. I’ll wait for you guys. I’ll see you guys hopefully on May 4th, wait for a great fight and God bless everybody.

END OF CALL

ABOUT “MAYDAY: MAYWEATHER VS. GUERRERO”:
“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are still available for purchase with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online atwww.ticketmaster.com.

LOS ANGELES, April 18 – With the Super Welterweight World Championship Unification fight between Canelo Alvarez and Austin Trout coming up this weekend on Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, followed by the Unified Super Lightweight World Championship between Danny Garcia and Zab Judah at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, April 27 and the culmination of the back-to-back-to-back championship fight weekends, “MAY DAY: Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero” on Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, predictions are swirling around on the internet, in newspapers and on television from boxing scribes and fans doing their best to make their calls on what will happen in the upcoming fights.

Yet perhaps the predictions that hold the most weight are those of the pugilists themselves set to fight in the coming weeks.

Below are fight predictions from WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez,Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift Garcia,Middleweight Contender Fernando Guerrero,Six-Time and Four Division World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero,Middleweight Rising Star J’Leon Love, Two Division World Champion Abner Mares,WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon, WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa CruzandWBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Austin Trout – Saturday, April 20 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®

“I am going with Austin Trout, but he has to go in there and box. He can’t let Canelo Alvarez warm up too early. If he drops hard punches, he’ll pull it off.”

– Danny Garcia

“Gotta go with Canelo Alvarez. He’s young and he’s a mentally and physically strong person. Also, the people (fans) make him better.”

– Fernando Guerrero

“Canelo Alvarez is very hungry to prove all the doubters wrong. Both fighters have tremendous heart and will give fans a night to remember. Canelo has developed nicely and I’m giving him the edge in this fight based on pure desire. His body attack will be the difference. Canelo wins by mid-fight knockout.”

– Robert Guerrero

“I think Austin Trout will win because he has a better skill set and he’s a better boxer.”

– J’Leon Love

“That’s going to be a really exciting fight being that Canelo Alvarez has never faced a champion in his prime. Austin Trout is a difficult fighter that just beat (Miguel) Cotto, but I think Canelo should win because he’s younger and has a statement to make to let the world know that he is the real thing as a younger and hungrier fighter.”

– Abner Mares

“I’m going with Canelo Alvarez because he’s more powerful. I think Canelo can win by knockout if Austin Trout is willing to exchange shots.”

– Daniel Ponce de Leon

“This is a good matchup for boxing. You can’t go wrong with either fighter. Its two top fighters at the top of their game. I’m in the gym with Canelo Alvarez, and Austin Trout is my friend, so it is hard to pick.”

– Peter Quillin

“I think Canelo Alvarez is going to win. He comes forward. It’s going to be hard for Austin Trout to take Canelo’s pressure and handle his strength. Trout will make it difficult for Canelo, but I think he will win.”

– Leo Santa Cruz

Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah – Saturday, April 27 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®

“This is a great fight. I don’t have a favorite. The best fighter will win.”

– Canelo

“Danny Garcia will win. Zab Judah had his time. I think its Garcia’s time now.”

– F. Guerrero

“Zab Judah will make the proper adjustments in this fight, which will tame the young lion Garcia. Danny’s youth and punching power will even out Zab’s experience. This fight ends in draw.”

– R. Guerrero

“I pick Danny Garcia because he is younger and stronger.”

– Love

“This is another interesting fight. I’m 100 percent sure that Danny Garcia is going to win. No doubt the power punch is there. I know that isn’t everything for everyone, but that’s everything for Garcia. Zab Judah is an older guy. He’s an older fighter. I think he’s coming in with everything he has, but that isn’t enough. Youth and power trump age. I pick Garcia by knockout.”

– Mares

“Danny Garcia has power in his fists and will win by knockout. He is young and full of energy.”

– Ponce de Leon

“I think that in the first rounds Zab Judah will be a problem for Danny Garcia, but he will get tired in the later rounds. Danny will take advantage of that and knock him out.”

– Santa Cruz

“Danny Garcia will win with his consistency and power.”

– Trout

Peter Quillin vs. Fernando Guerrero – Saturday, April 20 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®

“I cannot give a prediction since I’ve never seen Fernando Guerrero fight. However, Peter Quillin is the champion and has the advantage.”

– Canelo

“Peter Quillin all the way. He has the street in him and the heart. That’s the making of a great fighter.”

– Garcia

“This is going to be a competitive fight. I’m going with Peter Quillin to win by knockout because I feel he has the better punching power and will catch Guerrero with a punch he doesn’t see coming.”

– R. Guerrero

“Peter Quillin is a bigger puncher, but it will be a hard fight. I think Quillin will pull it off though.”

– Love

“That is a really tough fight. I know a lot of people see it toward Peter Quillin, but I think he’s going to have a hard time. Guerrero takes everything and more and gives as much back. It’s going to be an even fight.”

– Mares

“I think Peter Quillin has the advantage and can win in any way. He’s the better boxer and is the champion.”

– Ponce de Leon

“I haven’t seen much of Fernando Guerrero, but what I have seen from Peter Quillin, he’s a really good, strong fighter. I think he’s going to win by decision, but I think he is going to take a few punches along the way.”

– Santa Cruz

“Peter Quillin showed his heart and determination to win the belt. I’m sure he will go above and beyond to keep it. I am picking Kid Chocolate.”

– Trout

Floyd Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero – Saturday, May 4 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®

“Robert Guerrero has a great opportunity to win. He’s hungry for glory and will try everything to get the victory. I am picking Guerrero.”

– Canelo

“Floyd Mayweather all the way. Robert Guerrero is a good fighter. He earned his shot, but Mayweather is the star.”

– Garcia

“You can never bet against Floyd Mayweather. He’s just overall one of the best fighters ever. Gotta go with Mayweather.”

– F. Guerrero

“Floyd Mayweather is too intelligent of a fighter.”

– Love

“Floyd Mayweather is such a talented fighter and he backs it up. He talks a lot, but he backs it up. I know Robert Guerrero is hungry and determined, but wanting to win doesn’t get you a win. It’s about what you can do inside the ring, and that’s why Mayweather will win.”

– Mares

“I think Robert Guerrero can win if he fights the same way he fought Andre Berto, pressing the action like Jose Luis Castillo did against Floyd Mayweather. However, Mayweather is a great fighter and so difficult because his style, but I think Guerrero will win.”

– Ponce de Leon

“I never count Floyd Mayweather out. He’s the best pound-for-pound fighter. He’s who every fighter looks up to. I call it the Floyd Mayweather era of boxing. Robert Guerrero wanted this for a long time. He’s a multi-division champion and he deserves it. They both have something to prove. I don’t know who to pick here.”

– Quillin

“That is going to be another hard fight. I think Floyd Mayweather has more experience and he’s smarter. He knows what he has to do to win. Guerrero is a good, smart fighter, but I think Mayweather is going to take it by decision.”

– Santa Cruz

“I’m picking Floyd Mayweather, but this fight is not as easy as everyone thinks it’ll be. Robert Guerrero is hungry and has the ability to make it a tough fight.”

– Trout

Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Abner Mares – Saturday, May 4 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®

“I’m taking Daniel Ponce de Leon. I don’t really see Abner Mares pulling it off at 126 pounds. That’s a tough fight.”

– Garcia

“Abner Mares just has the youth and the will. When guys are winning, they want to keep at it.”

– F. Guerrero

“Both Daniel Ponce de Leon and Abner Mares are great Mexican warriors. Mares is going to come forward with pressure and Ponce de Leon will counter. I’m picking Ponce de Leon to win by a close split decision.”

– R. Guerrero

“Abner Mares has much better skills.”

– Love

“A lot of people don’t give Abner Mares the credit he deserves. Daniel Ponce de Leon has a rough, rugged style. I see Mares putting on a great performance against a guy like Ponce de Leon who gives people trouble, and coming out with the win.”

– Quillin

“That is going to be another hard fight. They are both Mexican warriors. It can go either way, but if it goes to decision, Abner Mares will win. However, if Daniel Ponce de Leon catches him with a good punch, he will win by knockout.”

– Santa Cruz

“Abner Mares takes this one. His youth and toughness can outdo the super tough Daniel Ponce de Leon.”

– Trout

Leo Santa Cruz vs. Alexander Munoz – Saturday, May 4 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®

“Leo Santa Cruz should win. He’s younger and full of talent.”

– Canelo

“Leo Santa Cruz is a tough guy and he is on a hot streak. I’m going with him.”

– Garcia

“Leo Santa Cruz is going to grind out a tough hard fought victory with pressure and a nice body attack. Santa Cruz wins by unanimous decision.”

– R. Guerrero

“Leo Santa Cruz is a much busier and better fighter.”

– Love

“That fight is hard to call. I think Santa Cruz is a strong up-and-comer. I think Alexander Munoz is an tough opponent for Santa Cruz to go up against, but he will go in there, look good and come out with a win.”

– Mares

“Leo Santa Cruz is the favorite to win because is young and powerful, and I think he will win.”

– Ponce de Leon

“I love watching Leo Santa Cruz. He’s a fan-friendly fighter and I think he will win.”

– Quillin

J’Leon Love vs. Gabriel Rosado – Saturday, May 4 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV

“Gabriel Rosado is a Philly guy, so I have to go for the hometown fighter.”

– Garcia

“J’Leon Love is the man. We’ve fought on the same card several times. I fought Gabriel Rosado. That is a pretty tight fight. He’s a tough opponent. That one is a question mark for me.”

– F. Guerrero

“J’Leon Love is a good prospect, but I think Gabriel Rosado is going to pull off the upset. Experience will be the key factor in a Rosado split decision.”

– R. Guerrero

“Flip a coin on that one.”

– Mares

“This is J’Leon Love’s biggest fight. He’s in camp with the pound-for-pound champion. He has a controversial win on his record. Gabriel Rosado is rough and rugged. He puts it all on the line. We’ll see. I don’t know who will win this one.”

– Quillin

“I have heard that J’Leon Love is a really good fighter. He should be able to take it. He has more to lose. I think he’s going to go out there and win by decision.”

– Santa Cruz

“This is a toss up. J’Leon Love is looking to prove himself. Gabriel Rosado is proven in my mind at 154, so we will see if weight is an issue.”

– Trout

# # #

About Canelo vs. Trout:

Canelo vs. Trout, a 12-round Super Welterweight World Championship Unification fight for Canelo’s WBC title, Trout’s WBA title and the vacant Ring Magazine title, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, Canelo Promotions and Leija & Battah Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. The co-main event will be a 10-round fight between undefeated prospects Omar Figueroa Jr. of Weslaco, Texas and Abner Cotto of Caguas, Puerto Rico which is presented in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions and will be a WBC lightweight semi-final elimination bout for the vacant NABA Lightweight Championship and Cotto’s WBC FECARBOX Lightweight Championship. The fights will air live on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with Canelo vs. Trout being presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Newly released tickets priced at $100, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale now and only available for purchase at the Alamodome box office.

About Garcia vs. Judah:

Garcia vs. Judah, a 12-round bout for Garcia’s Unified Super Lightweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona and AT&T. In the co-featured attraction, WBO Middleweight World Champion Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin puts his title on the line against hard-hitting Fernando Guerrero in a 12-round fight. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP).

Remaining tickets priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are on sale at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.

About “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero”:

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero”
priced at $1,500, $1,250, $800 and $600, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now with a ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com
or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts at ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York, are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

LOS ANGELES (April 12, 2013) – WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon, Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares and former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz participated in a media workout Thursday in Los Angeles in preparation for their upcoming bouts on the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” pay-per-view mega-event on Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. which will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV®.

A 2000 Olympian, Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico’s Daniel Ponce de Leon (44-4, 35 KO’s) will make the first defense of his WBC Featherweight World Championship against Two-Division World Champion Mares. Ponce de Leon, who won the title in 2012 with a victory over then-champion Jhonny Gonzalez, has won world titles in the junior featherweight and featherweight divisions while establishing himself as one of boxing’s most popular knockout artists. He made six consecutive defenses of his 122-pound title and has knocked out almost 75 percent of his opponents.

The undefeated Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO’s) is one of the newest members of boxing’s pound-for-pound best list. The 2004 Mexican Olympian who lives in Hawaiian Gardens, Calif. dominated the bantamweight division with four consecutive world title wins over the best boxers in the weight class. In 2012, Mares moved up to 122 pounds and won the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight belt in his first fight in the division against Eric Morel in April. He retained the title against Anselmo Moreno in November. Mares will challenge Ponce de Leon at 126 pounds for a chance at a world title in a third division.

Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s) was one of boxing’s most active world champions in 2012. After winning the IBF Bantamweight World Championship in June, the Los Angeles resident by way of Huetamo, Mexico, defended the title three times with two knockouts and a commanding unanimous decision. After wiping out the bantamweight division, the undefeated Santa Cruz relinquished his title to move up to 122 pounds. On May 4, Santa Cruz will face veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round junior featherweight bout for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship.

Here’s what the fighters and Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya had to say on Thursday:

DANIEL PONCE DE LEON:

“Great fight. Two Mexican warriors. We’re expecting a great fight on May 4.

“We know each other. We’ve been training in the same gym and that’s why I’m expecting a great fight, because we’ve known each other for so many years.

“It doesn’t matter, if it’s a decision or if it’s a knockout. Obviously, a knockout would be best. That’s what I’m working for. If the fight goes all 12 rounds, I’m going to win. I feel that I’m going to win the fight.

“I was WBO champion at 122 pounds and I kept it for so many years. Now I have this one, the WBC at 126 pounds, and I don’t expect to let it go in my next fight. I expect to keep it for a long, long time.

“I’m used to [fighting] on those [Mexican holiday] dates. Last year, I fought May 4. Now I’m coming back on the same date. I can feel the energy is there. It was a very special moment for Mexico because it was at war at that time, and now I’m going to have another war against Abner Mares on that same day. I’m going to be celebrating my victory with my friends and everybody, and also with SHOWTIME.

“I have only one style – go forward, so I’m going to throw punches down and up, head and everywhere once the bell rings until the fight ends.

“I think the advantage is with me. I was very solid at 122 and now I’ve been fighting at 126 for many years, so I don’t think he’ll have that advantage because he’s jumping from one division to another division. When he feels my power, he won’t know what’s going on. I’m going to throw as many punches as I can against him.

“I’ve had some good, difficult fights, so I don’t see this one as the most difficult [of my career]. I’ve had so many great wars, so this one won’t be the most difficult. It’s going to be a very interesting fight. I think I am very solid at 126 and I know for a fact that it’s difficult when you jump divisions. It’s difficult to get power. You have to establish it with some fights in order to get it. I’ve fought 130-pound fighters, 145-pound fighters, so I know that power. It’s kind of difficult for Abner because he doesn’t know that power.

“I’m not thinking about who’s stronger. I know Mares. He’s coming. He’s jumping divisions and I don’t want to think that he’s weak. I want to be focused on me.

“If he wants to get into a brawl, we’re going to do it. If he wants to run around, wants to box, then we’re going to fight him. I have my plan and I want to stick with my plan. I don’t care what he brings or what he doesn’t bring. I’m going to be there. I have the experience and, like I said, if he wants to exchange, I’m happy just waiting for him.

“Mayweather is a very solid fighter, a very skillful fighter. However, in boxing, anything can happen. Robert Guerrero might give fans a surprise. I hope Guerrero wins, but you never know because Mayweather is such a good fighter.”

ABNER MARES:

“It’s going be a great fight – a fight that a lot of fans are looking forward to. It’s going to be a difficult fight being that I’m stepping up to a different weight class, a weight class that I’m not familiar with. At the same time, I’m excited to capture my third world title. I plan to steal the show May 4.

“I know a lot about my opponent. I’ve known this guy for many years. We kind of grew up in the boxing industry, since we were amateurs. He’s a good guy, a good friend, but he’s got a style that I’m kind of unfamiliar with. I sparred with him before, but I haven’t trained or sparred with him in the past three years. I know he’s changed, but I’ve changed too and it’s going to be a whole different fight.

(On his friendship with de Leon) “I’ve forgotten him already. He’s not my friend at all right now. He’s my opponent. I see him like that. Once I step in the ring, it’s just win, win, win, man. I’m going try to tear him up and win this fight because it’s a big fight for me. It’s going to put me in a great position.

“I have to be straight-forward. He’ll be my friend after the fight but now he’s just my opponent. He’s trying to take away my undefeated record and I can’t let that happen.

(On his manager Frank Espinoza who also manages Ponce de Leon) “He’s not stepping into my training camp. I don’t know if he’s going to Ponce’s training camp, but he’s not coming into my training camp. We stay in touch, but when it comes to the fight, he’s not going to be in the dressing room. He’s just going to be like any other fan. He’s going to go there and just enjoy the fight.

“It’s really important to get a knockout and just get a win, no matter what. It’s going to be my third world title. I could become one of the youngest Mexican fighters to become a three-time world champion in three different weight classes, so I’m excited.

“Anyone can knock out anybody. I have power. It’s not like I have three knockouts. I’ve got 13 knockouts and if you go back to my last fight, I knocked down Moreno. I’ve always hurt guys or knocked them down. Going into a different weight class, who knows, with that extra weight, it might give me an extra heavy punch. I do plan on making a statement. If it comes by knockout, so be it. I’m ready. I’ve been working on my power punches.

“Being a Mexican, I’m from Guadalajara, Jalisco, I can’t wait to be in a good fight. Cinco de Mayo, a lot of Mexican flags, a lot of Mexican people, and I’m going to make it my night.

(On fighting on SHOWTIME PPV) “Man, it’s everything. I think it’s any fighter’s dream coming up now, to fight on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather. We know he brings great people, a great number of fans and I can’t wait. With that said, I’m more excited to steal the show and make it my night. Not Mayweather’s night, my night. I know I’m going to win and I know it’s going to put me on a whole different level because millions of people are going to be watching. I’m going to be showcasing my talent.”

LEO SANTA CRUZ:

“He’s going come and try and knock me out. He’s an explosive fighter. He likes to knock out people and I think I heard that he said that he’s going to come out and knock me out. We’re ready. We’re training for everything. We’ve been practicing in the gym how to move and not to stay there to get hit by his jabs.

“He said that his experience is going to beat me, but I don’t think so. A lot of fighters have said that and nobody has done it.

“It’s not important to get a knockout. I want to get the win and please the people. I want to give fans a good show. That’s what I want to do — please the fans. We’ve been training really hard in the gym and if the knockout comes, it comes. We’ve been practicing with going for body shots and to the head, too.

“I just know that he’s a very strong fighter. He comes forward. He throws his punches, but we’re working in the gym on that and my dad (Jose) is teaching me not to stay there for when he throws his uppercut. We’ve been studying his punches and we think we’re going in good shape. He’s explosive. He could finish a fight with one punch, but we’ve really prepared for him. We’re not going to stay there and take his punches. We’re going to box him. We’re going to be right there pressuring and pressuring. If he’s not hurting me, we’re going to be inside.

“Yeah, my body feels a little fresher. I wanted to fight earlier, but I’ve always been in the gym. Since my last fight, I took a month off and that was the longest I have ever taken off , but I didn’t feel very good. I wanted to go back to the gym and start training.

“I’m very excited because I want to give fans a good show. That’s why I’ve been training really hard. Hopefully they like how I fight and they come out and enjoy the show.

“What you guys can expect from me is a war. I’m going to give all I got. I’m going to go out there and work my butt off for the fans, for all the Mexicans, all the people that are watching. They’re going to be pleased. That’s what I’m here for, to give fans what they want, and I think I’m going to give them what they want.

“As a Mexican, it’s a great, great, great day to fight near Cinco de Mayo because it’s a day of Mexicans. It’s even more motivation for me to go out there, try my best and give it all I’ve got. I can’t let the people down.

“I learned a lot from him [brother, Antonio, a former world champion], from the mistakes and from the good things. You learn from everything. He works with me in my corner. He tells me what punches to throw. He comes to the gym when he can.

“I think people already kind of know me more. The more active I can be, the better for me. That’s why I like to fight a lot.

“I’m done with 118. I’m going to 122 and will see how it goes there. If everything goes well, and I win a world title, I’ll probably move to 126.

“I feel stronger, and people have said I look stronger at 122.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA:

“We’re just making fights happen and putting boxing back on the map. We have exciting projects coming up. We have exciting fights coming up. We’re working closely with SHOWTIME and making sure that we just bring the best fights possible.

“The fourth of May is a celebration of a Cinco de Mayo weekend. A lot of Mexicans and Mexican Americans are going to be celebrating that weekend. Everybody is going to be celebrating in Vegas that weekend.

(On Leo Santa Cruz) “When (Golden Boy Matchmaker Eric) Gomez brought him to my attention, I thought he was good. I thought he was a fighter who was going to go far, but he’s exceeded everybody’s expectations. This guy is not only going to go far, but he’s going to accomplish many great things in the sport of boxing. He’s a very disciplined, exciting fighter. Now in speaking to his father, he’s telling me that he’s just looking incredible. A lot of energy. He’s motivated. He’s going to be quite a champion for many years to come.

”For the viewing audience, we want to give them exciting fights, and you can’t go wrong with Leo Santa Cruz because he’s a very, very exciting fighter to watch and he gets the job done.

(On Ponce de Leon-Mares fight): “They’re very professional. They both respect each other. You don’t have the trash-talking. You don’t have the back and forth bickering with one another. It’s all about getting in there and fighting. Abner Mares knows he’s in a tough fight. Ponce de Leon knows he’s in a tough fight. It’s two L.A. kids that are going to bring back those memories of the Olympic Auditorium when we used to watch those Tuesday night fights every single week. You would see a war, and that’s what we’re going to have with Abner Mares and Ponce de Leon. It’s all business and they know that. They know that they’re going to come out of the fight cut and bruised, and maybe knocked down a few times. They knew that right from the start, right from when they signed the contracts. They know they’re going to get beat up, but they respect that and that’s the beauty of it.

“May 4, obviously, topping it all off with Mayweather-Guerrero, it’s going to be historic. I believe it’s going to be a very tough, rugged fight for Mayweather. I’m going to predict that it’s probably going to be the toughest fight for Mayweather. Not because he’s diminished in his skills. He’s still obviously a great fighter. He has the talent and the skills, but he’s 36 years old. Remember that. He’s facing a young guy who’s going to be in his face. Mayweather is going to come out to fight. He has said it all along. He’s going to walk him down with his style. He’s not going to run from him. I think it’s going to be a very tough, physical fight for both guys.

“It’s always a privilege, it’s always an honor, to promote an event on Cinco de Mayo weekend, especially when you have Mayweather and Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. Then you talk about Abner Mares against Ponce de Leon. You have Leo Santa Cruz on the card. It’s going to be a spectacular night for boxing and for SHOWTIME.

“The great thing about this fight card is that I’m looking forward to all the fights. That’s now the trend, that’s now the motto within Golden Boy Promotions, is you have to make great fights. You have to make competitive fights. You have to make fights where there is no loser. If you fight hard and you lose a decision in a great fight, you’re going to come back for one more. You’re going to come back for another day. You’re going to make an impression on everybody and people are going to demand you. So just fight hard. This is what this card is all about – fighting hard and giving the fans a great fight. This (card) is going to be action, action, action! It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be incredible.

“Boxing is in a revival and it obviously starts with April 20 (in San Antonio) and then moves on past May 4, but May 4 everybody’s excited about.”

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” priced at $1,500, $1,250, $800 and $600, not including applicable service charges, are now on sale with a ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts at ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

LAS VEGAS (April 2, 2012) – The Saturday, May 4 “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” SHOWTIME PPV telecast fight line-up is complete with the addition of former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round junior featherweight fight and rising middleweight star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round battle. These bouts, in addition to the already announced Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Abner Mares 12-round title fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, will set the stage for the world title clash between Eight-Time and Five Division World Champion Floyd Mayweather and Six-Time and Four-Division World Champion Robert Guerrero at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.

“I’m so excited to be fighting on this card on such the big Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend,” said Santa Cruz. “I have been very fortunate to have fought on great events so far in my career, but this is the biggest stage yet. I plan to make my fans happy on May 4 and show the world that I am here to stay.”

“I am so looking forward to getting back in the ring on May 4 and taking the young Leo Santa Cruz to school,” said Munoz. “My experience is going to trump his youth and I plan on handing him his first loss in front of the world on SHOWTIME PPV.”

“This is what every fighter dreams of,” said Love. “Thanks to Floyd Mayweather, Leonard Ellerbe and Mayweather Promotions I have been blessed with the opportunity to fight on SHOWTIME PPV in front of the whole world and on the undercard of one of the greatest fighters to ever lace up a pair of gloves [Floyd Mayweather]. Gabriel Rosado is a big name in the sport and a very good fighter, but on May 4, I plan on making a big statement by beating him and letting the entire world know my name. This is it and I can’t wait.”

“I have had my ups and downs, but I am confident that May 4 is going to be my time to shine,” said Rosado. “J’Leon Love is a tough, good fighter who has learned from some of the best, but I know what I am capable of. I am going to come out on top and show boxing fans across the country and around the world what I am made of.”

“Both of these fights are excellent additions to ‘MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero’ and we are especially excited to see J’Leon Love make his SHOWTIME PPV debut,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Fighting on a Floyd Mayweather undercard presents a platform unlike any other in the sport of boxing and we know that these rising stars will take full advantage of the opportunity.”

“Santa Cruz vs. Munoz and Love vs. Rosado add even more incentive for fans to buy this SHOWTIME PPV extravaganza,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We could not be more impressed or happy with the path that Leo Santa Cruz is on and can’t wait for his skills to be tested further against Munoz in front of a worldwide audience on May 4. J’Leon Love has his toughest test to date when he faces Gabriel Rosado. I can’t think of a better way to kick-off this exciting night.”

Boxing’s latest action hero, 24-year-old Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (23-0-1, 13 KO’s) broke onto the international boxing scene in 2012 when he won the IBF Bantamweight World Champion with a 12 round decision win over Vusi Malinga last June. Following that, the punch-a-second native of Huetamo, Mexico went on to defend his belt three times in 2012 with exciting victories over Eric Morel (TKO 5) in September, Victor Zaleta (TKO 9) in November and Alberto Guevara (W 12) in December, establishing himself as a future star. Now making his home in Los Angeles, Santa Cruz returns to the site of his big win over Morel in the hopes of keeping his unbeaten record intact.

Venezuelan veteran Alexander Munoz (36-4, 28 KO’s) lives up to his nickname of “El Explosivo” with each outing thanks to the devastating punching power that has garnered 19 knockout wins in three rounds or less. A rugged competitor who has never been stopped, the 34-year-old from San Felix has won eight of his last 10 bouts, with his only losses coming against World Champions Cristian Mijares and Koki Kameda. On May 4, Munoz will look hand Santa Cruz his first defeat with the entire world watching.

With the talent he exhibits each time he steps between the ropes, Detroit, Michigan’s J’Leon Love (15-0, 8 KO’s) may very well be the future of the middleweight division. Just 25-years-old, Love has been very impressive in the 160-pound division, most recently stepping up to the test against 28-fight veteran Derrick Findley with a near shutout decision on February 23 in front of his hometown crowd in Detroit. On May 4, he hopes to take another step forward on his trek toward a world title shot by defeating the very tough Gabriel Rosado.

No nonsense Gabriel “King” Rosado (21-6, 13 KO’s) epitomizes the relentless attitude of a Philadelphia fighter and, after a rocky start to his pro career, the 27-year-old has run off wins in seven of his last eight bouts, including knockout victories over Jesus Soto Karass, Sechew Powell and Charles Whittaker. In January, he gave a courageous effort in a WBA Middleweight World title bout against Gennady Golovkin before being stopped in the seventh round. Now, his comeback begins in Las Vegas on May 4.

“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon defending his title against former Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round junior featherweight bout and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle.

Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” priced at $1,500, $1,250, $800 and $600, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts at ARIA, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York, are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and go on sale Wednesday, April 3 at 10:00 a.m. PT at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.floydmayweather.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @FloydMayweather, @GHOSTBOXING, @DanielPonceDel1, @abnermares00, @leosantacruz2, @jleonlove, @KingGabRosado, @MayweatherPromo, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #MayDay or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/GhostFans and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Centennial, Colo. – March 26, 2013 – Giving fans nationwide ring-side seats from the comfort of their local movie theaters, NCM Fathom Events, Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions, SHOWTIME Sports and O’Reilly Auto Parts bring undefeated, Eight-Time and Five Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather to the big screen once again as he takes on Six-Time and Four Division World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. Mayweather, boxing’s pound-for-pound and pay-per-view king, will defend his WBC Welterweight World Championship against Guerrero in an action-packed live broadcast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. on Saturday, May 4. “May Day: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” will be simulcast to select theaters nationwide at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. AK / 3:00 p.m. HI. Also featured on the Cinco de Mayo weekend blockbuster line-up will be another explosive match-up featuring WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon making his first title defense against Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight. Two additional featured bouts will be announced shortly.

Tickets for “May Day: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to more than 400 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.

“This is Floyd’s fifth fight that will be shown in movie theaters,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “Watching Floyd Mayweather fight is a larger-than life experience and the opportunity for fans to see him on the big screen is truly extraordinary. He has a tough test in Robert Guerrero, and we hope that fans take advantage of the opportunity to watch this amazing match-up with fellow boxing fans at movie theaters across the country.”

Undefeated Floyd “Money” Mayweather (43-0, 26 KO’s), an eight-time world champion in five divisions, remains boxing’s biggest attraction and the world’s highest paid athlete, wowing crowds each time he steps into the ring. During Mayweather’s extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over former world champions such as Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz and, most recently, then WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto, marking the 43rd win of his storied career.

The pride of Gilroy, Calif., Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) is a six-time and four-division world champion who got the attention of the boxing world when he defeated former Two-Time World Champion Andre Berto in November 2012. Now the 29-year-old southpaw has the chance of a lifetime as he prepares to step into the ring with one of the sport’s all-time greatest fighters. With wins over former World Champions Joel Casamayor and Michael Katsidis and former world title challenger Vicente Escobedo, Guerrero is ready to shine on an international stage in this main event.

“We are very excited to once again partner with NCM Fathom Events and have the opportunity to showcase an amazing night of fights in the movie theaters,” said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “The entire ‘MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero’ fight card will be an incredible lineup of talent and as we strive to bring this caliber of talent to fans everywhere, the unique experience of watching championship boxing on the big screen is something that is not to be missed.”

NCM Fathom Events, Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions first teamed up in September of 2009 to bring the highly successful presentation of Floyd Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez fight to theaters, followed by Mayweather vs. Mosley Fight LIVE – Who R U Picking? in 2010 and Star Power: Mayweather vs. Ortiz during Mexican Independence Day weekend in 2011. In May 2012, Ring Kings: Mayweather vs. Cotto drew a record-breaking number of viewers for Mayweather’s 43rd career win.

“Floyd Mayweather’s bouts against some of the best fighters in the world have consistently drawn enthusiastic audiences across the United States to their local movie theaters,” said Dan Diamond, senior vice president of NCM Fathom Events. “Ever since Mayweather first appeared on the big screen in 2009, it has just gotten more exciting with every fight, and this championship bout with Guerrero will be no exception.”

About National CineMedia (NCM)

National CineMedia (NCM) operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom Events present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 183 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 19,300 screens (approximately 18,500 digital). During 2012, approximately 710 million patrons attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 740 locations in 172 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 41 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 46.7% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com. (NCMI-E)

About “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero”:

MAY DAY: “Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T and Star Trek Into Darkness. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Also featured will be Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Abner Mares, a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship.

For more information, visit www.floydmayweather.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @FloydMayweather, @GHOSTBOXING, @DanielPonceDel1, @abnermares00, @MayweatherPromo, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #MayDay or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.facebook.com/GhostFans and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

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For artwork/photos related to “May Day: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” click here.

Download NCM’s mobile app CinemaSYNC for enhanced Fathom Events content and information.

LOS ANGELES, March 22 – It’s a back-to-back weekend of boxing classics on March 23 and 30 when some of the sport’s greats including Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins, Abner Mares, Ricky Hatton and Victor Ortiz are featured on FOX Deportes Classics.

On Saturday, March 23, it’s a hard-hitting classic doubleheader, when the battle between Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares and former World Champion Vic Darchinyan from 2010 airs at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT, then the memorable 2004 showdown between future Hall of Famers Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins follows at 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT.

Then, on Saturday, March 30, two more action-packed fights will be featured starting with former World Champion Victor Ortiz’s 2010 battle against Hector Alatorre at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT followed by the memorable 2007 mega fight between then both undefeated fighters Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton at 11:00 p.m. ET/8:00 p.m. PT.

2004 Mexican Olympian Abner Mares scored the biggest victory of his career on December 11, 2010 when he rose from the canvas to knock down Vic Darchinyan and go on to win a hard fought split decision victory that kicked off his run to two divisional world championships.

It was one of boxing’s biggest fights in years when Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins met for the Undisputed Middleweight World Championship on September 18, 2004, and after an evenly-matched battle, Hopkins scored a ninth round knockout victory over “The Golden Boy.”

Currently competing on ABC’s hit reality show “Dancing With The Stars,” former World Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz wasn’t dancing against Hector Alatorre in their February 25, 2010 bout at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE where he dropped and then stopped the rugged veteran in the 10th round, kicking off his run towards a world title.

Following up his mega-fight win over Oscar De La Hoya in May of 2007, current Eight Time and Five-Division World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather finished off that year on December 8 by stopping British superstar Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton in the 10th round to retain his WBC Welterweight World Championship and improve to 38-0 as a pro.

For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, visit www.goldenboypromotions.comand www.FOXDeportes.com, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes and visit us on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Page and www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes.

It’s hard to imagine how many more times the deck chairs on the Titanic can be re-arranged, but boxing did it ad nauseam this week when Home Box Office slammed the door on doing any more business with Golden Boy Promotions.

If it has really changed anything, please wake me up.

It’s not as if Golden Boy and Top Rank were sending each other cards with best wishes during the Holidays, any holiday. It was a balkanized business before HBO told Golden Boy to drop dead. It still is. But there are a couple of losers, who can’t be too encouraged by a move that seems to harden each side of a feud with no apparent end.

Fans don’t like it. But they get over it. If it’s a good fight, they’ll watch if it on HBO, Showtime or in a parking lot. We’re not talking about Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, either. They had their chances and each, in their own way, managed to back away from the money, or the risk, or the demands for drug testing, or all-of-the-above.

But Nonito Donaire, of Top Rank, and Abner Mares, of Golden Boy, haven’t fought for wages that even approach the kind of money banked by Mayweather and Pacquiao. Unlike fans, they also don’t have a lifetime time to wait around for an opportunity at a career-defining fight.

They’ve been fighting at weights ranging from 116 through 122 pounds. If history is any guide, that adds up to a short shelf life. Mares (25-0-1, 13 KOs) is 27. Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) is 30.

They want to fight each other. They, more than any other fighter in today generation, have asked their promoters to get it done. But the promoters seem to have put their own egos and agendas ahead of their best interests. Who is working for whom here?

Mares and Donaire could, perhaps should, shout a little louder about what they want, what their careers demand. But would Showtime, HBO, Golden Boy or Top Rank even listen? They’re too busy shouting at each other.

Anybody for the parking lot?

LAS VEGAS (March 11, 2013)…Boxing’s mega-star, undefeated, Eight-Time, Five-Division and current WBC Welterweight World Champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather will return to the ring on Saturday, May 4 to defend his title against Six-Time and Four-Division World Champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero in “MAYDAY: MAYWEATHER VS. GUERRERO” in a Cinco de Mayo boxing weekend blockbuster. The championship showdown will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

Sharing the card, on what will be boxing’s biggest night of 2013, will be an explosive match-up featuring WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon making his first title defense against Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares.

“MAYDAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, AT&T and O’Reilly Auto Parts. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Also featured will be Daniel Ponce de Leon vs. Abner Mares, a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship.

Tickets for “MAYDAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” priced at $1,500, $1,250, $800, $600, $300 and $200, not including applicable service charges, go on sale tomorrow, Tuesday, March 12 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. There will be a total ticket limit of 12 per person with a limit of 10 per person at the $1,500, $1,250, $800, $600 and $300 price levels and limit of two per person at the $200 price level. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Mayweather, who recently announced a unique, groundbreaking revenue-sharing arrangement with Showtime Networks Inc. and its parent company, CBS Corporation, is excited to get back to business in his ring return against Guerrero.

“My new deal with Showtime and its parent CBS is very thrilling for me and a motivation to fight more often starting with my May 4 fight against Robert Guerrero,” said Mayweather. “I know Guerrero has been campaigning to fight me for quite a while now and I am happy to give him his opportunity. His name is mentioned among the other great champions in boxing today and that means he has proven himself in the ring. He will now have to prove himself against me, which is a whole other story. I’m excited for the challenge and fully expect a good, tough fight from him. However, I do expect the same outcome for him as all of the others who have challenged me before…42 have tried, 42 have failed. He will be number 43.”

Guerrero, coming off of a sensational win against Andre Berto on November 24, 2012, further entrenching himself as a formidable and tested world champion, has called out Mayweather for over two years. He will now have the opportunity to dethrone the undefeated pound for pound king when they meet May 4.

“First, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the opportunities he has blessed me and my family with, said Guerrero. “All of the trials and tribulations that have occurred in my life have made me a better person as well as a better fighter and the results are undeniable. Nothing has ever come easy to me and that mental fortitude has prepared me to defeat the one fighter everyone perceives to be the pound for pound king in Floyd Mayweather. When we lock eyes across the ring on fight night he’s going to feel the presence of a man preordained for greatness. The time is now to show the world why I’m destined to dethrone Floyd and when I come out victorious on May 4th, the whole world will know I’m a man who willed his way to victory by putting God first in his life.”

“Floyd is a superstar in boxing and his record-breaking deal with Showtime and its parent CBS reinforces his role in the sport as the face and driving force behind boxing today,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO, Mayweather Promotions. “Robert Guerrero deserves this opportunity and I commend him for stepping up and feeling so confident against someone as talented as Floyd, but its Floyd’s night to return to the ring on this Cinco de Mayo boxing weekend and give fans another performance that makes him the champion he is today. Boxing and sports fans are in for the thrill of a lifetime on May 4 with such a great night of boxing talent and competition on display. There is so much to look forward to that evening.”

“I am extremely proud to help bring fight fans these match-ups with Mayweather vs. Guerrero and Ponce de Leon vs. Mares that feature amazing champions who perform at the highest level every time they step in the ring” said Richard Schaefer, CEO, Golden Boy Promotions. “The return of Floyd Mayweather is always exciting and Robert Guerrero, who has aggressively campaigned for this bout for over two years, will be in the fight of his life now that his dream has come true. Ponce de Leon vs. Mares is a highly competitive bout featuring two worthy champions that could stand on its own as a main event. This will be a great night of boxing on another tremendous Cinco de Mayo weekend and I expect the fans in the arena and the pay-per-view audience will enjoy and appreciate these championship mega-bouts in one night on what will be the biggest weekend for boxing this year.”

“Not only is Floyd Mayweather the undisputed number one draw in boxing, he is far and away the number one draw in all of pay-per-view,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “The fact that for his first fight under our new agreement, Floyd selected Robert Guerrero, a dangerous and talented fighter in the prime of his career, as his opponent, shows Floyd’s willingness to challenge himself and his strong commitment to staging the biggest and most exciting events in the sport. SHOWTIME PPV has a long history of staging many of the most significant pay-per-view events in history featuring boxing legends Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Julio Cesar Chavez. We are thrilled to add Floyd Mayweather to this amazing list.”

“Hosting Floyd Mayweather’s return to MGM Grand is a great way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo weekend,” said Richard Sturm, president of Sports and Entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “We look forward to the championship fight in May and know both Mayweather and Robert Guerrero are true champions who will certainly bring an electric atmosphere to the fans inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena and those watching on Showtime PPV.”

“I will get into the ring with a warrior’s mentality and in a very positive frame of mind to assure that we have a great fight and obviously for me to come out victorious,” said Daniel Ponce de Leon. “This fight is very important for my career and I have every intention of staying the WBC Featherweight World Champion for a long time because even though I’m 32 years old, I feel like I’m 20 years old.”

“First of all I’d like to thank Ponce de Leon for giving me the opportunity to fight for his world title,” said Mares, who will attempt to write another chapter for himself in the history books by winning a world title in a third weight division. “Because I don’t like to waste opportunities, I have every confidence that come May 4, I will be the new WBC Featherweight World Champion. My dream was to become a world champion and I did it, not once, but twice, and now I have the chance to become a world champion a third time in a third weight division. I can’t wait to get in the ring.”

Undefeated Floyd “Money” Mayweather, (43-0, 26 KO’s), an eight-time world champion in five divisions, remains boxing’s biggest attraction, wowing crowds and generating massive pay-per-view numbers each time he steps into the ring. During Mayweather’s already extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over world champions such as Genaro Hernandez, Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Juan Manuel Marquez, Shane Mosley, Victor Ortiz and, most recently, then WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Miguel Cotto, marking the 43rd win of his storied career. Over the course of his participation in pay-per-view events Mayweather has generated 9.6 million buys and $543 million in revenue. He averages more than 1 million pay-per-view buys per event which is the highest pay-per-view buy average of any boxer in history. Mayweather has appeared in the four biggest non-heavyweight pay-per-view events in the sport’s history, bringing boxing excellence and a tremendous amount of excitement to his worldwide fan-base each time he fights.

The pride of Gilroy, California, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO’s) is a Six-Time and Four-Division World Champion who got the attention of the boxing world when he defeated former Two-Time World Champion Andre Berto in November 2012 in thrilling fashion. The exciting 12-round unanimous decision further gave Guerrero the confidence to step up and face Mayweather. Now the 29-year-old southpaw has the chance of a lifetime as he prepares to step into the ring with one of the sport’s all-time greatest fighters. With wins over former World Champions Joel Casamayor and Michael Katsidis and former world title challenger Vicente Escobedo, Guerrero is ready to shine on an international stage in his pay-per-view main event debut. Not only a star in the ring, he is also an inspiring young man out of the ring who notably gave up his junior lightweight crown in early 2010 to care for his then ill wife, Casey who has since fully recovered from her battle with leukemia.

A 2000 Olympian, Cuauhtemoc Chihuahua, Mexico’s Daniel Ponce de Leon (44-4, 35 KO’s) found even greater success as a professional, having won world titles in the junior featherweight and featherweight divisions while establishing himself as a popular knockout artist with fans around the globe. In 2005, he won the vacant WBO title at 122 pounds with a 12-round unanimous decision win over then unbeaten Sod Looknongyangtoy and then went on to defend his belt six times before losing it to Juan Manuel Lopez in 2008. Undeterred by the defeat, he went on to win seven straight before a controversial loss to current Lightweight World Champion Adrien Broner and a setback against Yuriorkis Gamboa in 2011. Since those bouts, the 32-year-old southpaw is 3-0, including a September 2012 win over countryman and then WBC Featherweight World Champion Jhonny Gonzalez making him a two-time world champion. He will defend his new title for the first time against Mares this May.

One of the newest members of boxing’s pound-for-pound best list, Abner Mares (25-0-1, 13 KO’s) has proven himself the hard way since turning pro in 2005 after representing Mexico in the 2004 Olympics. In 2010, the Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico native, who now fights out of Hawaiian Gardens, California, began making his mark on the international boxing scene with a draw against Yonnhy Perez in 2010 and a win over Vic Darchinyan in 2011, setting the stage for him to win his first world title in 2011 when he defeated Joseph Agbeko for the IBF Bantamweight World Championship. After defending his title against Agbeko in a rematch later that year, Mares moved up to 122 pounds in 2012 and beat Eric Morel for the vacant WBC Super Bantamweight belt. In his most recent fight, the 27-year-old Mares made a major statement with his exciting win over WBA Bantamweight Super World Champion Anselmo Moreno last November. Now, he’s eager to show the boxing world how good he is once again on May 4 when he attempts to win his third world title in a third weight division.

The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather and George Foreman and Michael Moorer, as well as concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, ‘N Sync, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, FLIX ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

For more information, visit www.floydmayweather.com, www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @FloydMayweather, @GHOSTBOXING, @DanielPonceDel1, @abnermares00, @MayweatherPromo, @GoldenBoyBoxing, @mgmgrand and @SHOSports, follow the conversation using #MayDay or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/GhostFans and www.facebook.com/SHOsports.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Featherweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon will defend his crown against Abner Mares as part of the Floyd Mayweatherf – Robert Guerrero card on May 4th in Las Vegas.

“We got it worked and both fighters are excited, we are excited,” Golden Boy chief executive Richard Schaefer told ESPN.com. “It’s a great platform for Abner and Ponce to be on. They will be on the biggest pay-per-view and it is on Cinco De Mayo weekend, which is big for them as Mexican stars.”

“Once it became known that Canelo was not going to be on card, Floyd called me himself and said, ‘Please go get the best fight you can for the card,’ and I discussed with him the possibility of Ponce and Mares, and he was excited about it. He said, ‘Go out and get it done,’ and that’s what I did,” Schaefer said.

“I had numerous conversations with (Mares and De Leon Manager) Frank (Espinoza) ,” Schaefer said. “I told him to look at some of the great fighters who had big fights — George Foreman, Oscar (De La Hoya), Manny Pacquiao, Floyd. Those cards all had young fighters gain tremendous exposure on their undercards. So I told him this was a great opportunity for his guys to be in high-profile card.

“He realized that and was excited about it and then couldn’t wait to talk to the fighters. He did a great job to look out for Ponce and Abner. Frank’s a smart guy, a great poker player. He knows the benefits of them being on this card, so what he did was he negotiated for more money. He did a good job.”

“We’re very excited about appearing on the May 4 card,” Espinoza told ESPN.com. “The addition of Abner and Ponce De Leon will make an explosive night for boxing fans all around the world. We know it’s big. There’s no question. To be showcasing both of their talents on a worldwide platform, to have worldwide media and fans from around the world seeing them, it’s just the greatest exposure for both of them, and they can’t wait.

“Being on Cinco De Mayo and you have two of the finest Mexican fighters, it’s perfect. People were already excited about this fight happening on April 20, and now it just adds more being on Cinco De Mayo.”

“We finalized the fight and it’s the kind of fight you know can be a fight of the year candidate because of how these two guys fight,” Schaefer said.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, featherweight beltholder Daniel Ponce De Leon will defend against fomrwe Bantamweight and Super Bantamweight champion Abner Mares on April 20th at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California and will be televised on Showtime.

“Ponce De Leon versus Mares is signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, who promotes both fighters. “That’s a big-time fight. It’s a big opportunity for Ponce De Leon to fight against one of the best young fighters in boxing and a great opportunity for Abner to move up to yet another weight class to challenge for the world title.

“Ponce De Leon versus Mares is signed, sealed and delivered,” said Schaefer, who promotes both fighters. “That’s a big-time fight. It’s a big opportunity for Ponce De Leon to fight against one of the best young fighters in boxing and a great opportunity for Abner to move up to yet another weight class to challenge for the world title.

“It’s funny how things work out sometimes,” Schaefer said. “We’ve had some fights fall out and some are being rescheduled and some aren’t, but everything happens for a reason. With this fight, once [the Velez fight] dropped out, and with Abner moving up, it made sense. It’s definitely a great fight, a great showdown. Abner is very excited and loves the challenge and Ponce De Leon can’t wait. You will see two highly motivated guys.”

What made the fight more delicate to put together than most was the fact that Ponce De Leon and Mares are both managed by Frank Espinoza. Managers usually don’t want to match their fighters with each other, not to mention the complicating factor of it being illegal to take full percentages from both purses.

“Everything was worked out,” Espinoza told ESPN.com.

“Abner’s goal has been to win a third world championship and this is that opportunity and Ponce, as well, knows fighting Abner can only benefit his career.”

Said Schaefer, “We talked to Frank and explained to him that it was the right thing to do for both of his fighters and that he has to look at it like that, that he has to represent each one of them, but it was the right fight to make. It’s the biggest challenge for them so why stand in the way? Frank was immediately on board. He said, ‘Let me talk to the fighters and see if we can get it done.’ Frank did a terrific job getting it done with each one of them.”

Espinoza said he will keep everything even between the two in the lead up to the fight.

“It’s a difficult situation for a manager to be involved with both fighters, but I plan to be neutral,” he said. “I respect both fighters. I will not be in either corner at the fight. I won’t walk with either fighter to the ring and I won’t be in the ring. I’m just going to have a seat and watch and enjoy the fight. This is a great fight for the fans. Adrenaline will be flowing at the Home Depot Center.”

The proposed co-feature could be a Welterweight clash between Marcos Maidana and Josesito Lopez