Carl Froch and Darren Barker own some of the best wins on away territory by British fighters, and the duo talk about fighting on the road with Chris Algieri on the latest episode of ‘The Rounds’.
WATCH EPISODE TWO OF ‘THE ROUNDS’ AS CARL FROCH AND DARREN BARKER JOIN CHRIS ALGIERI
Froch began life as WBC World Super-Middleweight champion with a thrilling final round win over Jermain Taylor in Connecticut in April 2009, and then in 2010-11, ‘The Cobra’ went on the road during the Super Six series to face Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, Glen Johnson and Andre Ward.

Barker’s first World title action saw him face the formidable Middleweight king Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City in October 2011 and then returned to the same city in August 2013 to achieve his World title dreams in dramatic fashion against IBF king Daniel Geale.

Both men open up on those trips and more, including great stories on their sparring sessions together.

Carl Froch: “I enjoyed being on the road. When we boxed for England we were going to hostile environments and fighting top fighters back-to-back in nations tournaments, but I was always a nervous fighter. So, when I defended my title against Jermain Taylor in Connecticut, I was nervous about it all. 

“Not so much boxing abroad, but more that it was Taylor, a former undisputed Middleweight World champion. I saw him get out of this limousine for the press conference in NYC and he just looked like the don, he had this nice suit on and looked crisp and clean. I was just there with a hoodie and t-shirt and I was thinking ‘do I belong here?’ It was quite a daunting thing for me, and I was always quite nervous and apprehensive as a fighter, I was unsure of myself, and I was a new World champion and making my first defense. I didn’t really know if I belonged at World level and here I was fighting Taylor in America. I look back at that fight now and think how naive I was at that level and I just had to put all my trust in Rob McCracken and my fitness, my refusal to quit and my competitive nature, I like to win.

“[Kessler and the volcanic ash cloud] On Tuesday of fight week we had Sky News on and they were saying all the flights we grounded so I am thinking I am definitely not going, the US broadcasters aren’t going to be able to make it over, so it’s definitely off. We had a barbecue in the garden, I had a couple of cans of Guinness; I don’t drink much, and I had a couple of them in fight week! The next day my promoter rang me and said that the Sauerlands’s were sending a private jet and the flight was at 2pm. Private jet sounds glamorous but it wasn’t, it was a five-seater, it was bumpy all the way and Rob doesn’t like heights so he was white all the way and didn’t say a word, hanging onto the seat and looking at me, and I was winding him up saying ‘I think we’re bang in trouble here this plane is all over the place!’ 

“I crashed the weight which I never do, and at the weigh-in I felt weak. It’s the first and only time I ever did that, but I don’t want people to think I’m making an excuse, I felt good to fight and had a great 12 rounds against a brilliant fighter and I just didn’t quite do enough. But going over on the Wednesday under that ash cloud in fight week and being overweight, switching off, it was horrible. I believe that things happen for a reason though and in boxing you don’t win or lose, you win or learn. I learnt how to come back and in my next fight I fought Arthur Abraham and the WBC title was back up for grabs, that boosted my spirits and that loss then didn’t feel as bad. 

“The loss with Andre Ward felt worse. Andre is a fantastic fighter, very skillful, fast, hard to hit, good with his jab. I remember getting out of the fight thinking, I had a decent rounds in 10, 11 and 12, and I was getting into it and I thought, why didn’t I start earlier, why didn’t I get into it, why didn’t I believe in myself? But that’s what we do when we lose, we look for reasons.”

Darren Barker: “I never felt more nervous or under pressure in the States and I think a big part of that was the experience of fighting all over the world as an amateur.

“I flew into New York with Eddie Hearn and we were in and out for the Martinez press conference, I remember the American’s almost laughing at me for showing any confidence, even though I was undefeated and European champion, I just hadn’t fought anybody. I was confident in my ability, but it was the unknown, I had sparred hundreds of rounds with Carl, an elite level fighter, but it’s still sparring. I knew I was capable of being in there with elite fighters, but I didn’t quite understand where I was at the time. 

“I don’t have any regrets looking back at my career, but I have a slight one looking back at that fight because I think if I had believed in myself a little more, been more aggressive and forced the action more, then potentially I could have caused a huge upset. I’m not saying that it would have happened, I just wished I gave it a bit more. But the whole unbuild up was just the reason I chose boxing, I was on top of a huge skyscraper in New York for the presser and thinking, ‘this is it, I’ve made it’. I was walking up fifth avenue with Eddie and we walked past a shop with bright green trousers in the window and Eddie said: ‘you should buy them and wear them at the press conference for a laugh!’ I said: ‘no chance, I wouldn’t be seen dead in them!’ We got to the press conference and Sergio was wearing that exact pair of trousers! 

“The Repton club had a knack of churning out top quality Southpaws so I was never fazed at fighting them, I knew I would be able to compete with him and it was a great experience for me and one that was massively valuable going onto the Geale fight.

“I’d been to Atlantic City for the Martinez fight, so it wasn’t alien to me and I was driven to right that wrong. We had a similar game plan, to be aggressive but smart, on the front-foot and hold center of the ring. It wasn’t until I got in there that I realized how awkward he was, he had a knack of getting out of range, I was falling short and adopted a different plan to get on his chest and outwork him. 

“The moment I got put down in the sixth round, a lot of people know my brother Gary passed away, he was a very good fighter and if I had have lost that fight I would never have fought again, it would have been a box that hadn’t been ticked and it would have eaten away. So, I was just so prepared to leave everything in the ring that night that a body shot was never going to keep me down, fast-forward to the 12th round and hearing Michael Buffer say, ‘and the new’, I still can’t believe it. I achieved what I set out to do. 

“There were a lot of question marks over my toughness, but I always knew I was tough. You don’t do 12 rounds of sparring with Carl and not be tough! I always knew there was a fight out there to show everyone I was mentally and physically tough.”

Froch and Barker star in the second episode of ‘The Rounds’ and the first episode, featuring Mikey Garcia, Devin Haney and Daniel Jacobs talking about the highs and lows of boxing, can be found on Matchroom Boxing’s YouTube channel.

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Nov. 9, 2015 – Leading up to the highly anticipated world middleweight title showdown between Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez – set for Saturday, November 21 and presented live by HBO Pay-Per-View® – HBO Sports will present the exclusive replay of two hard-hitting encounters that highlight the remarkable skill and power of these ring warriors.

On Friday, Nov. 13 at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) and Saturday, Nov. 14 at 10:00 a.m. (ET/PT), HBO2 will replay Cotto vs. Geale 2015 and Canelo vs. Kirkland 2015 back-to-back. This past June, Miguel Cotto displayed his Hall of Famer caliber ring skills against Daniel Geale with a 4th round knockout at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This past May, Canelo Alvarez stopped James Kirkland in the 3rd round in an all-out slugfest at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Both fights will also be available 24 hours a day to HBO On Demand®, HBO NOW® and HBO GO® subscribers.

Cotto vs. Canelo takes place Saturday, November 21 at The Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Oct. 14, 2015) – When undefeated middleweight titleholder Gennady Golovkin stepped into the ring at Madison Square Garden last May and knocked out Daniel Geale – logging what was at the time his 17th-straight TKO victory – many New Yorkers took notice of the Kazakh boxing champion for the first time.

Now, when GGG tilts with David Lemieux this coming Saturday at “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” he brings with him a global following. And for at least two of his Kazakh countryman and boxing colleagues who now make their homes and train in the Borough of Brooklyn, instead of saying, “I told you so,” or “He’s all ours, we knew him first,” they’ll simply be beaming with pride among the thousands of spectators at “The Mecca of Boxing” this weekend.

Undefeated junior lightweight contender Dimash Niyazov of Bensonhurst – a Brooklyn police officer whose story was chronicled by the Wall Street Journal this past August, and whose next Brooklyn Brawl fight is Oct. 29 at the Aviator Sports and Events Complex in South Brooklyn – was born in Kazakhstan and came to New York when he was 13 years old. Like many, Niyazov believes that as big as luminary as Golovkin currently is, as he continues to amass world titles, add to his incredible 33-0 record and increase his stunning 30 KO total, his star can continue to rise to the highest apex of boxing today.

“Right now he’s one of the biggest things in boxing,” said Niyazov, who himself is undefeated as a pro at 8-0-3 (5 KOs). “Boxing people talk about him like he might replace Floyd Mayweather at the top. He’s at least in that neighborhood. I’m very proud because he’s from my country, he’s from my homeland. I’m very proud when someone from my country succeeds in any sport, but especially because it’s boxing and I’m a boxer. It inspires me because I see him and I think I can be the same thing.”

For Bakhtiyar Eyubov – Niyazov’s friend and training partner at Fight Factory Gym in Gravesend, Brooklyn, and a native of Aktobe, Kazakhstan – the connection to GGG runs even deeper. The power-puncher, who improved to 8-0 with eight pro KOs this past Aug. 25 in Coney Island, is considered by many to be the second-hardest Kazakh hitter in contemporary boxing, ranked only behind Golovkin. In a nation with many amateur champions who oftentimes struggle to make the leap into the pro ranks, the boxing squared circle is particularly tight.

“I am certainly a fan of GGG, I was in camp with him when we were amateurs. On BoxRec I am rated second behind him in Kazakhstan,” said Eyubov. “He is a great fighter, I am seven years younger and will carry the knockout torch. I am honored to follow in the Golovkin path. He set the stage for us, a great fighter!”

Perhaps summing up the emotions of a nation, Niyazov concluded, “Whenever he fights, I feel like the whole country of Kazakhstan and everyone with ties to that country is in his corner. GGG is at a level right now where everyone is looking up to him, he carries a whole country on his back. When he wins, I win. We all win.”

“With Golovkin and Wladimir Klitschko dominating boxing right now, many of the fighters in our Brooklyn Brawl series are trying to follow in their footsteps. Dimash and Bakhtiyar are no exceptions,” said boxing champion-turned-promoter Dmitriy Salita. “Many Brooklyn Brawl participants are from former Soviet countries and made their homes in New York City to make a name for themselves in the world center for professional boxing.”

On Thursday, Oct. 29, the Aviator Sports and Events Center in South Brooklyn will serve as the proving ground for many New York City-based rising stars. Niyazov will have his mettle tested once again after improving his record with a six-round Aug. 25 Boxing At The Beach unanimous decision victory over local fighter Ariel “Fuego” Duran in a Brooklyn-Queens crosstown rivalry bout.

Photos by Claudia Bocanegra

Follow all the action Live from Barclays Center as Miguel Cotto defends the WBC Middleweight title against former two-time champion Daniel Geale. The action begins at 10:30 PM ET.

12 ROUNDS–WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP–MIGUEL COTTO (39-4, 32 KO’S) VS DANIEL GEALE (31-3, 16 KO’S)

Round 1 Cotto lands to the body..left to body..jab..jab..Geale lands a right…10-9 Cotto

Round 2 Cotto lands a right..quick jab..body combo…Geale lands a jab…quick combination…20-18 Cotto

Round 3 Jab snaps Geales head back..jab..left to body…Right from geale…Hard right from Cotto drives Geale into the ropes….30-27 Cotto

Round 4 HUGE LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GEALE..Huge FLURRY AND DOWN GOES GEALE AGAIN…FIGHT STOPPED

BROOKLYN–Miguel Cotto made an emphatic statement that was heard from Brooklyn to Guadalajara, Mexico as he defended the WBC Middleweight title with a fourth round stoppage over Daniel Geale at Barclays Center. The win now clears the way for a mega showdown in the fall with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez.

Cotto was impressive with his jab early in the fight and started mixing the his vaunted left hook to the body. Cotto clearly won the first three rounds.

In round four, Cotto landed a massive left hook to the head that sent Geale sprawling on his back. Geale was clearly shaken up but tried to fight back. Cotto jumped on his hurt prey and landed a huge flurry of punches. Geale tried to fight back but a straight right to the top of the head put Geale down for a 2nd time. Geale got to his feet but referee Harvey Dock stopped the fight at 1:28 of round four.

Zhang Zhilei scored three knockdowns en route to a 4-round unanimous decision beatdown of Glen Thomas.

Zhilei dominated and scored knockdowns in rounds one, three and four (where Thomas took a knee on his own).

Zhilei, 262.4 lbs of Henan, China is now 4-0 with 3 knockdowns. Thomas, 215 lbs of East Stroudsburg, PA is now 1-4.

Junior Younan scored a 2nd round stoppage over Mike Sawyer in a scheduled 4-round Light Heavyweight bout.

Younan dropped Sawyer in the opening seconds with a big flurry that was finished off with 3 hard lefts. The continued hard hooks caused swelling under his right eye. In round two, Younan scored a 2nd knockdown from a left to the top of the head. Younan was relantless with a follow up barrage and the fight was stopped at 2:29

Younan, 172.4 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 7-0 with 6 knockouts. Sawyer, 178 lbs of Orlando, FL is now 6-4.

Dustin Fleischer needed just 66 seconds to take out Kareem Miller in their scheduled 4-round Welterweight bout.

Fleischer landed a huge combination and the fight was stopped.

Fleischer, 142.6 lbs of Monmouth Beach, Nj is now 2-0 with 2 knockouts. Miller, 140.8 lbs of Eden, NC is now 1-2.

Angel Luna scored a mild upset by scoring a 6-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Jose Lopez in a Jr. Lightweight bout.

Luna dropped Lopez in round’s two and five but was deducted a point in round four for hitting behind the head.

Luna. 125.8 lbs of New York, NY won by scores of 57-54 and 58-53 twice and is now 11-1-1. Lopez, 126 lbs of Carolina, PR is now 15-1-1.

Shawn Simpson worked hard to get the stoppage in his pro debut and he did at 2:05 of the 4th and final round of his Jr. Featherweight bout with Damon Simon.

Simpson unloaded some heavy shots that finally put Simon down to the canvas and the fight was stopped.

Simpson, 119.6 lbs of Chicago is 1-0 with 1 knockout. Simon, 119.6 lbs of Beaumont, TX is 0-2.

LONDON (5 June) – Middleweight world champion Miguel Cotto believes he would have too much for either Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin if they were to share the ring.

The WBC champion makes the first defence of his title this weekend against Australian Geale from the Barclays Center in New York, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Much talk prior to the Geale showdown has circled around potential clashes with Mexican idol Canelo and rising pound-for-pound star Golovkin, but four-weight world champion Cotto believes he would be at an advantage if he was to face either man.

“Canelo had his moment to shine against [Floyd] Mayweather and everyone knows what happened there,” he said.

“Golovkin is a guy who never faced in my opinion ‘Class A’ opponents and people are still asking for those kinds of fights. Miguel Cotto has been here for 14 years facing everybody. After Saturday, we’ll see what happens in my career,” Cotto said.

The Puerto Rican star hasn’t fought in a year since capturing the 160-pound title from slick Argentine Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden last June.

Cotto, however, says he is refreshed and ready to go following his layoff and is unfazed at the prospect of having to look as spectacular as Kazakh assassin Golovkin who stopped Geale inside three rounds.

“All I did was rest every part of my body. It’s healed. I’m fresh, I’m new, and everybody is going to see it this Saturday. I feel better. I feel rejuvenated. I feel I can beat anyone in boxing,” said Cotto.

“I don’t have any pressure on me. It doesn’t matter to me how Golovkin did with Geale and how I do – it’s two different fights. Golovkin has his own style and I have my own,” he said.

The 34-year-old Geale thinks that Cotto is overlooking him ahead of their 157-pound catchweight bout, with the former champion looking to cause a major upset.

“I definitely believe Miguel and his camp are looking past me. I think they’ve chosen me because they think I’m not one of the super strong middleweights at the moment and by bringing me down a few pounds they think they’re going to weaken me even more,” he said.

“They’re definitely looking past me and looking at big money fights which is exciting for me,” said Geale.

The number four ranked middleweight in the world by Ring Magazine doesn’t think the fact Cotto has been out of action for a year will play any significant role in the fight and will be looking to use his physical advantages to gain a foothold in the clash.

“I’m not taking too much into the fact he’s been out of the ring for a while. Miguel is a seasoned professional and whether he’s been out of the ring 2 months, 12 months or 18 months he’s still going to be in good condition.

“Rather, I’m just going to look to make use of my height and reach advantage and it’s important I use them right,” said Geale.

Cotto vs Geale is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-
About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Miguel Cotto 153.6 – Daniel Geale 157
(WBC Middleweight championship)
Fernando Vargas 124.4 – Wilfredo Vasquez Jr.

LONDON (4 June) – WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto and his opponent Daniel Geale are both ready to do battle this Saturday night despite issues over their catchweight limit.

The build up to their world title clash this weekend has been marred with discontent from Geale’s promoter Gary Shaw over the 157-pound limit that was set despite the fact they are competing for Puerto Rican legend Cotto’s 160-pound middleweight crown.

Shaw has been vocal in his criticism of catchweights ahead of the fight, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

“I have a personal problem with catchweights. We accepted the catchweight of 157 and I’m not here to complain about the catchweight. We’re going to make the weight. It’s going to be tough.

“I believe that if a fighter wants to fight at any weight that he wants to fight at, he has that opportunity, but he shouldn’t stop the opponent from fighting at the sanctioned weight which in this case is 160,” said Shaw.

Four-weight world champion Cotto has had to fight at a catchweight himself in the past, notably against Manny Pacquiao in 2009, when the Filipino’s trainer Freddie Roach insisted on the 145-pound limit.

34-year-old Cotto is now trained by Hall of Famer Roach and is just looking forward to doing the business when he steps into the ring.

“I think that people are making a big issue where there does not need to be a big issue with catchweights. Freddie, back in 2009, made me go down from 147 to 145,” said Cotto.

“Did anyone hear anything about Miguel Cotto disagreeing with the catchweights? No, I was a gentleman the whole way. Catchweights were our main point to make this fight happen.

“Daniel and his team agreed to going down to 157 and I hope he can make weight on Friday. I hope to see everyone there on Saturday night,” he said.

Speaking on his growing relationship with Roach, who he joined forces with in 2013 after two back-to-back defeats, the skilled Cotto feels the 55-year-old is getting the best out of him.

“Freddie brings the confidence back to Miguel. He comes every day no matter what he feels and gives his best to me,” said Cotto.

“When you have this kind of person in front of you giving you his best and making sure that you are going to do your best, the only way you can pay him back is bringing your best too.

“We only talk about boxing when we are in the gym. He’s my trainer there, but as soon as we finish our training session, he’s my friend,” he said.

It will be no easy task for Cotto when he steps in against Australian Geale who is a former two-time world champion and looking to bounce back to the top in spectacular fashion following his defeat to Kazakh hitman Gennady Golovkin last year.

“This is a huge opportunity and I’m very excited. We’re so excited as a team that this fight is taking place. We’ve put a great training camp in for this fight and I’m feeling as good as I ever have,” said Geale.

“There’s no excuses. I’m going in as the best fighter I can possibly be. I’m hoping Miguel Cotto is the best fighter he can be as well. I want the fans to enjoy a great fight and I believe it will be a great fight.

“I can’t wait to walk away with another title. I’m going in very confident and I know a lot of people aren’t giving me much of a chance, but I have a huge amount of confidence in myself knowing I’ve completed a great training camp.”

Cotto vs Geale is live and exclusive on BoxNation (Sky437/490HD, Virgin 525, TalkTalk 415) this Saturday night. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.

-Ends-

About BoxNation
BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence. Buy LUTA (www.luta.co.uk) clothing and support Fight for Peace.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), online at Livesport.tv and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.

Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wednesday, June 3, 2015) – Uprising Promotions super featherweight Angel Luna (10-1-1, 6 KOs) returns to action on Saturday night, where he will compete on the undercard of the WBC Middleweight Championship Bout between titleholder Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale at Barclays Center. A tough task awaits the Dominican prospect in Brooklyn, facing undefeated Puerto Rican Jose Lopez (15-0-1, 11 KOs).

“Angel has a tough fight in front of him, but I am expecting him to put on a really good performance,” said promoter Ronson Frank, who will also be working Luna’s corner with trainer Mateo De La Cruz. “We have been working on adding a few new components to his game that will make him a more polished fighter. Both mentally and physically, Angel is ready for the task he is facing on Saturday night, and it should be a really good match-up.”

Luna returns to the ring on Saturday night for the third time in 2015, with his last bout occurring on an episode of ESPN Friday Night Fights against tactical Philadelphia fighter Tevin Farmer. In that fight, Luna looked to apply pressure to the elusive and more experienced Farmer, but the end result was a decision defeat. Despite the loss, it served a great learning experience for the young Dominican.

Prior to the bout with Farmer, Luna fought on a February 13th Uprising Promotions card in Long Island City, Queens. In that contest, Luna dropped Jhovanny Collado twice in the opening round before cruising to landslide victory on the cards.

Undefeated Jose Lopez will be fighting outside of the Dominican Republic and his native Puerto Rico for just the second time of his professional career on Saturday night. His only other bout in the United States occurred on the undercard to Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez at Madison Square Garden, where Cotto defeated Martinez to earn the WBC crown he defends against Geale in this weekend’s main event.

Uprising Promotions is currently planning its next fight card for July, with details regarding that announcement being unveiled in the coming weeks.

For more information on Uprising Promotions and to keep up with all of the latest news, make sure to follow us on social media: @UprisingNYC
UPRISING PROMOTIONS MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to grow interest in the sport of boxing in New York City by showcasing entertaining and evenly matched fights. We are focused on providing opportunities to local New York City area fighters.

NEW YORK (June 2, 2015) – Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions hosted the final press conference for the June 6 showdown between WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion Miguel Cotto and former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale on Tuesday, June 2 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. Along with the main event participants, undercard fighters Junior Younan and Zhang Zhilei were also in attendance. Other speakers included Michael Yormark (President & Chief of Branding and Strategy of Roc Nation), Hector Soto (Miguel Cotto Promotions), Freddie Roach (Cotto’s Trainer), Gary Shaw (Gary Shaw Productions), Graham Shaw (Geale’s Trainer), Brett Yormark (CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets), Peter Nelson (VP HBO Sports Programming), David Berlin (Executive Director of the New York State Athletic Commission) and Ululy Martinez (Vice Chairman of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Board of Directors). The press conference was emceed by Brooklyn Nets Public Address Announcer David Diamante.

PHOTOS:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zghog55phfcebgl/AADdHvtxcpbR-JVk2zOI54qPa?dl=0
PHOTO CREDIT: Rich Kane – Hoganphotos/Roc Nation Sports

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wzeqxzlc7s79fev/AAAZBtNFUxTp3M_WOX65_pvNa?dl=0
PHOTO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

VIDEO:
https://afcdmc.wetransfer.com/downloads/3f23a9e586626a96ca1668595cf3bd9a20150602192446/289ecc8fa6501bef51b475409c0db45d20150602192446/45c282
VIDEO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

Here’s what press conference participants had to say:

Michael Yormark – President & Chief of Branding and Strategy of Roc Nation

“Led by our Chairman JAY Z and his partners, Roc Nation was founded to work with artists and entertainers to guide them and help them build their careers even beyond the boundaries of the music industry. It is fitting then, that today we stand in a setting named for the legendary BB King – may he rest in peace – an artist and a man that knew no boundaries during a career that transcended his art. In a few short years, Roc Nation itself has expanded beyond the world of music, diversifying in a way that many never thought possible. Today we begin to celebrate a landmark in that expansion, as another legend, World Champion Miguel Cotto, prepares to headline Roc Nation’s first major fight on Saturday night against Daniel Geale, live at Barclays Center and on HBO.”

“When Roc Nation founded its boxing division less than a year ago, we committed to doing things differently, and what you will see on Saturday night will be different. The eyes of the boxing world will be fixed on Barclays Center on Saturday, with celebrities and VIP’s lining the ring and a captivated audience watching at home. They will watch with anticipation, awaiting not only a masterful performance from the champion Miguel Cotto against a formidable opponent, but also an electric appearance from Roc Nation artist and hip-hop superstar Big Sean, as well as the voice of New York Angie Martinez, and a host of other surprises that will make this live boxing experience different from anything you’ve ever seen before.”

“Saturday is the start of something new and fresh for the boxing industry. It is a chance for all of us to show boxing fans, and sports and entertainment fans around the world, that the action on fight night can and will live up to the hype.”

Hector Soto – Miguel Cotto Promotions

“It has been several months of hard work and dedication. Puerto Rico will shine again on the night of June 6 when Miguel Cotto defends his titles successfully.”

Ululy Rafael Martinez – Puerto Rican Day Parade

“We’re really happy this year to formalize a relationship with Miguel Cotto thanks to Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions. I also want to thank Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions for contributing to our scholarship fund. They are helping us empower young high school students and college students we provide scholarships to so they can further their education. I’m encouraging everyone planning on coming to the Parade on June 14 to support our man Miguel Cotto On Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center for the boxing match of the year.”

David Berlin – New York Athletic Commission

“Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale represent the best in boxing. These are men that carry themselves with dignity both inside and outside the ring. Men who can be respectful because they don’t have to prove themselves with words. Where they prove themselves each and every time they fight is inside that ring.”

“Now that I am with the commission, I no longer root for fighters. I’m in a neutral role, but I do root for fights. I root for fights when fighters come into the ring and they fight hard but they leave the ring safely. I root for fights that satisfy the fans and fights where the right man has his hand raised at the end. That of course is where the New York State Athletic Commission comes in.

“This promises to be a competitive fight. Obviously a competitive fight means it’s a hard night for judges, but what I’m committing to the fighters and fans is that we are going to have competent, qualified and neutral officials in place and the right man is going to have his hand raised at the end of the fight. I wish both men good luck on Saturday night.”

Brett Yormark – CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets

“We’re expecting a great night on Saturday night. So, hopefully we see all of you. Tickets are still on sale. Saturday night represents our 13th night of championship boxing at Barclays Center since we opened the building 32 months ago and boxing plays a huge role in what we do in Brooklyn.”

Peter Nelson – Vice President of Programming HBO Sports Programming

“We look forward to two fighters who have always rose to every challenge that has been put in front of them. Daniel Geale had a lucrative opportunity at one point in time to make his HBO debut and he actually decided instead to go to Germany, to Felix Sturm’s backyard, fight him for his world titles and ended up lifting the titles away from him. He is naturally the largest opponent that Miguel Cotto has ever fought and he’s stepped up to every challenge that’s ever been put in front of him.”

“Miguel Cotto…the last time he stepped into the ring, he entered it an underdog and he ended up leaving it the lineal middleweight champion. He joined just a handful of fighters ever to win four world titles in four separate divisions and he was the first man from Puerto Rico ever to do so. He performed what I saw as one of the strangest punches ever in boxing when he touched a man on the temple and it caused his knee to twist into a knot. I’ve never seen that happen. It was an extraordinary performance.”

“We look to see in this fight, fighters who are going to give us moments of great bravery and great courage. These are the kind of men we want to have on the network. That’s what makes great fights.”

Gary Shaw – Gary Shaw Productions

“I have a personal problem with catch weights. We accepted the catch weight of 157 and I’m not here to complain about the catch weight. We’re going to make the weight. It’s going to be tough. I believe that if a fighter wants to fight at any weight that he wants to fight at, he has that opportunity, but he shouldn’t stop the opponent from fighting at the sanctioned weight which in this case is 160.”

“I believe Daniel Geale is going to win the fight. I believe that Miguel and his team made a mistake. If they were looking at the Golovkin fight, thinking that’s the Daniel that is going to come into the ring…it will not be that same Daniel Geale.”

“It’s truly an honor to represent Daniel Geale because he’s a different young man. The first time I met him, I flew to Germany. I looked around and I couldn’t identify Daniel Geale. Little did I know, he was standing against the back wall. After taking my seat at the dais, Daniel Geale walked up. I looked at him and I said “we’re in trouble! This kid looks like a choir boy not a fighter,” but he gave it all he got and he won the fight. He’s a family man. Doesn’t travel with an entourage. Always on time. Trains hard. Does everything that a true champion has to do.”

Daniel Geale – Former Two-Time World Champion

“This is a huge opportunity and I’m very excited. We’re so excited as a team that this fight is taking place. We’ve put a great training camp in for this fight and I’m feeling as good as I ever have. There’s no excuses. I’m going in as the best fighter I can possibly be. I’m hoping Miguel Cotto is the best fighter he can be as well. I want the fans to enjoy a great fight and I believe it will be a great fight. I can’t wait to walk away with another title. I’m going in very confident and I know a lot of people aren’t giving me much of a chance, but I have a huge amount of confidence in myself knowing I’ve completed a great training camp. Knowing that I have put everything that I possibly can into it and knowing that I have such a great team. I look forward to Saturday night.”

Freddie Roach – Cotto’s Trainer

“We’ve had a great training camp. Miguel is in great shape. Our sparring partners on our team have been great. And we’re ready for this fight. Gary’s been making a big deal about catch weights, but they have been around for a long time and he knows how to read a contract and he’s had that contract for a long time now, so I don’t think that’s an issue. We look forward to seeing you at the fight.”

Miguel Cotto – WBC & Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion

“I want to thank my lovely family for being here with my. My kids, my wife, my lovely mom. Thank you for always supporting my career no matter how hard it seems or looks to you. I love you.”

“I think that people are making a big issue where there does not need to be a big issue with catch weights. Freddie, back in 2009, made me go down from 147 to 145. Did anyone hear anything about Miguel Cotto disagreeing with the catch weights? No, I was a gentlemen the whole way. Catch weights were our main point to make this fight happen. Daniel and his team agreed to going down to 157 and I hope he can make weight on Friday. I hope to see everyone there on Saturday night.”

“Freddie brings the confidence back to Miguel. He comes every day no matter what he feels and gives his best to me. When you have this kind of person in front of you giving you his best and making sure that you are going to do your best, the only way you can pay him back is bringing your best too. We only talk about boxing when we are in the gym. He’s my trainer there, but as soon as we finish our training session, he’s my friend.”

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight, which is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions, will be the official kick-off event of the 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade Week and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Jaybird, TapouT, Tequila Cazadores, Venue Kings and Nüe Resource. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $250, $200, $150, $100, $80, $50, $35 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

A superstar makes his 2015 debut when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: MIGUEL COTTO VS. DANIEL GEALE is seen SATURDAY, JUNE 6 at 10:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will be ringside to call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: June 7 (9:45 a.m.) and 8 (11:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: June 7 (3:30 p.m.)

Returning to the ring for the first time in nearly a year, Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs) defends his middleweight title against former champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round contest. Cotto, 34, is coming off a knockout victory over middleweight titleholder Sergio Martinez, which ended his opponent’s nearly five-year reign as middleweight champ. The June 6 bout, Cotto’s first at Barclays Center, marks his 21st appearance on HBO. Since debuting on the network, he’s amassed titles in four different weight divisions, making him the first Puerto Rican to do so.

Australia’s Daniel Geale, 34, most recently scored a unanimous decision victory over fellow countryman Jarrod Fletcher last December. Known more for tactical precision than knockout power, he enjoyed a two-fight span as middleweight champ in 2012, and has challenged for two titles in the U.S. in recent years. The fight marks Geale’s third HBO appearance.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA (June 2, 2015) Boxing Superstar GENNADY “GGG” GOLOVKIN will travel to New York City this weekend to watch Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale fight for the WBC middleweight title at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York this Saturday night, June 6.

Universally recognized as the best middleweight in the world, Golovkin is the mandatory challenger for the World Boxing Council’s Middleweight Title, which Cotto will be defending.

“I want to watch this fight in person and look forward to fighting the winner to show who the real WBC middleweight champion is,” said Golovkin, holder of the WBA and IBO Middleweight Titles. “A unification fight with the winner is very important to me.”

With an extraordinary record of 33-0 with 30 knockouts, Golovkin has the highest KO% in middleweight history and has become one of the most marketable international stars in boxing.

On May 16, Golovkin filled the legendary Forum in Los Angeles with over 12,000 fight fans as he stopped #2 ranked challenger Willie Monroe Jr. in the sixth round. In keeping with his outstanding international television ratings, the fight reached 1.5 million viewers on HBO in the United States and was shown in over 120 countries worldwide.

“His two most recent US fights have sold over 21,000 tickets, making him the highest ticket seller in the State of California. This coupled with his continued growth in TV ratings, has made Gennady one of the sport’s most watched fighters,” said TOM LOEFFLER of K2 PROMOTIONS.

His all-action style and dominance of his division has Golovkin ranked # 4 Pound For Pound by ESPN.com and Ring Magazine, riding a knockout streak of 20 KOs in a row.

“Three of Gennady’s most dominant KO performances have come in front of his huge fan base in New York City and he looks forward to returning this weekend. As the mandated WBC challenger to the winner of the Miguel Cotto-Daniel Geale bout, he has a very strong interest in the fight.”

On July 26, 2014, Golovkin stopped Geale at Madison Square Garden with a stunning third round knockout featured on numerous “Knockout of the Year” year-end lists.

For more information on Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, follow him on Twitter @GGGBoxing, Facebook @GGGBoxing and visit his website at www.GGGBoxing.com

Los Angeles (May 26, 2015) – Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes, will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a 12-round fight that will be televised live on HBO. Cotto hosted a Los Angeles media workout Tuesday afternoon at Wild Card Boxing Club in preparation for his title defense against Geale.

PHOTOS:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fqjvnl11t2q1xbb/AAAOImxUmohGdl5fC1fp2Fnka?dl=0
PHOTO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

VIDEO:
https://afcdmc.wetransfer.com/downloads/1397cb7b30b42decabe83c7b48c48f9520150526232502/c178d18b36986aea786b9c36c0ccae4120150526232502/526528
VIDEO CREDIT: Miguel Cotto Promotions/Roc Nation Sports

Here’s what Cotto and his trainer, Freddie Roach, had to say:

Miguel Cotto – WBC & Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion

“I feel good and in the best shape possible. I just feel ready. I know Geale is a tough opponent and he is going to bring his best on June 6, but I trust in the work we have done here in Los Angeles and I’m going to bring my best too.”

“After 14 years in boxing, the best decision I could have made was to take the last year off. My mind was not in boxing, but since I got here with Freddie, everything is working perfectly again. Boxing is all I know. Boxing is my life. Through boxing, I raised my family and I work to provide the best future for them. They are the reason I love boxing.”

“Boxing at this point in my career is a battle with myself. Everyday I need to bring my best in the gym from morning to evening. Next week has to be better than last week. I need to ask myself to be better every day. I know that if I bring my best to the gym every day, I can bring my best the night of June 6 against Geale.”
“Freddie comes here every day with the best attitude and he knows how to get the best out of me.”

“It will have been 364 days to the day on June 6 since I have been in the ring. It’s not difficult to get back in after this long stretch. I’ve been focused on my work. I have gained more knowledge during my time off in order to get myself ready to fight again.”

“Daniel Geale is the next chapter in my career. After I get through him, I can talk about what comes next.”

Freddie Roach – Cotto’s Trainer

“Miguel’s sparring has been great. His movement has been very good. It’s hard on me in the ring! His body shots are very effective and the head shots come with it. I think we are going to get a late round knockout. Geale is tough enough to go some rounds, but a knockout in a late round…that’s my call.”

“One of Miguel’s greatest strength against Geale will be his body shots, but Miguel’s knowledge in the ring will be Geale’s ultimate undoing.”

“He has found a new home here at Wild Card and I’m glad I provided that for him. He loves this gym. He loves the atmosphere. He’s thrived in this environment and when a fighter is in a good mood and happy, he performs at the highest level.”

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight, which is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions, will be the official kick-off event of the 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade Week and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Jaybird, TapouT, Tequila Cazadores and Venue Kings. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $100, $80, $50, $35 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

NEW JERSEY (May 26, 2015) – Gary Shaw Productions middleweight contender, Tureano Johnson (18-1, 13 KOs), is now the chief sparring partner for Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KOs) as he prepares him for his upcoming WBC title clash with Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KOs). Johnson, who captured the WBA International and WBC Silver middleweight titles in his last bout, is currently ranked WBC #2, WBA #5, IBF #8 and WBO #13. He gives his thought on sparring with Geale.

“Daniel Geale is a special fighter who possesses a lot of boxing skills,” said Tuerano Johnson. “He’s looking real sharp in the gym and his power is there. I can feel the snap on his punches and I think Miguel Cotto is in for a big surprise. Everyone is counting Geale out but not me. Gary Shaw brought me in to test Geale’s skills and after a few days of sparring, I believe Daniel will be crowned champion.”

“I brought Tureano to the gym to spar with Geale because he’s a good look to emulate Cotto and he’s one of the top fighters in the middleweight division,” Gary Shaw said. “The feedback I got from Johnson about sparring Geale is very positive. I’m confident that Daniel will use everything in his playbook to come out victorious.”

Tureano Johnson is currently riding a 4-fight winning streak, three of which came by stoppage. Highly ranked across the board of all sanctioning organizations, Johnson is on the cusp of landing a big fight.

NEW YORK (May 26, 2015) – The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) today announced that its 2015 Parade, scheduled for Sunday, June 14 on New York’s Fifth Avenue, will officially kick off a week of festivities with the WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championship fight between Miguel Cotto and Daniel Geale on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It was also announced that Miguel Cotto, Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions will be making a contribution to the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship Fund.

“Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions are thrilled to be aligned with the National Puerto Rican Day Parade and to kick off their week of festivities with our event on June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,” said David Itskowitch, COO of Boxing for Roc Nation Sports. “New York’s Puerto Rican community has supported Miguel throughout his career and we look forward to mirroring that support through our scholarship fund contribution and association with the Parade’s mission to promote education and empowerment.”

In addition, to honor Cotto’s impressive athletic accomplishments spanning over a decade which include him becoming Puerto Rico’s first and only Four Division World Champion, the NPRDP has bestowed upon him the honorary title of “Athlete of the Year.”

“It’s a privilege for my June 6 fight against Daniel Geale at Barclays Center in Brooklyn to be named the official kick-off event of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Week and I want to express my deepest gratitude for being honored me as Athlete of the Year,” said Cotto. “New York is truly my second home because I have been embraced by its Puerto Rican community. I’m looking forward to seeing my New York fans at Barclays Center on June 6.”

The NPRDP established the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship Awards Program to help promote the pursuit of higher education within the community. In 2015, the organization will double the total dollar figure and number of scholarships awarded from the previous year to 30 scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each. In celebration of the 2015 class of scholarship winners, Miguel Cotto, Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions will be contributing $5,000 to the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Scholarship Fund in support of helping other high school and college students pay for their educations.

“The mission of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade is to create an awareness and appreciation of Puerto Rican contributions to the United States by holding an annual parade that displays the culture and diverse achievements of the Puerto Rican community and by supporting the higher education of our youth through our scholarship program,” said Ululy Rafael Martinez, Vice-Chair of NPRDP. “We are proud to honor Miguel Cotto as Athlete of the Year and express our deepest gratitude to Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Productions for contributing to our scholarship fund.”

The 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade will take place on Sunday, June 14, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on New York’s Fifth Avenue. The Parade’s overall theme will be a continuation of “Un Pueblo Muchas Voces” (One Community, Many Voices) with a special commemorative theme “Celebrating Afro-Boricua Heritage,” meant to coincide with the designation of the next decade as the “International Decade for People of African Descent” by the United Nations. Spectators can watch the Parade from any designated areas between E. 44th and E. 79th Streets. NPRDP 2015 official events include the following:

May 27 – Education Leadership Awards
May 30 – 152nd Street Festival in the Bronx
June 6 – Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale at Barclays Center in Brooklyn
June 6 – Rising Stars Challenge
June 7 – Annual Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral
June 12 – Annual Gala of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade
June 14 – 58th National Puerto Rican Day Parade

For more information please visit www.nprdpinc.org. Follow NPRDP on Twitter: @PRparadeNYC, Instagram: NPRDP, #PRparade, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NationalPuertoRicanParade.

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight, which is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions, will be the official kick-off event of the 2015 National Puerto Rican Day Parade Week and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Jaybird, TapouT, Tequila Cazadores and Venue Kings. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

About Roc Nation Sports
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar, Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein and Frances Tiafoe.

About Miguel Cotto Promotions
Miguel Cotto Promotions is the leading promotional company in Puerto Rico founded by the five-time and four-division world champion Miguel Cotto and entrepreneur Hector Soto in 2005. Miguel Cotto Promotions has the vision of developing the best talent in Puerto Rico and Latin America, while searching for the best partnerships in the business to present the best quality shows in the industry. In 2015, Miguel Cotto Promotions launched their most recent project named “Boxeo Al Maximo” in partnership with Univision Puerto Rico network, capturing great ratings results on the new Saturday night fights’ platform.

About Gary Shaw Productions
Based out of New Jersey, Gary Shaw Productions was founded in 2002 by President and Chief Executive Officer, Gary Shaw, a former NJ regulator. Having promoted boxing shows in China, Australia, Mexico and the U.K., GSP is known as an international enterprise, whose main objective is to bring excitement to boxing with competitive fights. Partaking in some of the biggest events in boxing history, which include Felix Trinidad vs. Fernando Vargas, Lennox Lewis vs. Vitali Klitschko, Winky Wright vs. Felix Trinidad, Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo, Shane Mosley vs. Winky Wright and Marquez vs Vasquez I, II & III, GSP has solidified its self as one of the top promotional companies in the sport.

About Barclays Center
Barclays Center opened on September 28, 2012, and is a major sports and entertainment venue in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. One of the most intimate seating configurations ever designed into a modern multi-purpose arena, Barclays Center offers 17,732 seats for basketball, 15,795 for hockey, and up to 19,000 seats for concerts, and has 101 luxury suites, four bars/lounges, four clubs, and 40/40 CLUB & Restaurant by American Express.

Barclays Center hosts an extensive variety of events, including premier concerts, major professional boxing cards, top college basketball, family shows, the Brooklyn Nets and soon the New York Islanders.
Barclays Center has redefined the arena customer service and culinary experience. Its more than 2,000 employees are trained by Disney Institute, the business advisory arm of The Walt Disney Company, and its BrooklynTaste™ food program features selections from 55 well-known restaurants and vendors in the borough.

Barclays Center engages the customer with state-of-the-art technology to enhance the fan experience. As the first arena in the world to utilize Cisco StadiumVision mobile multicast streaming technology, Barclays Center allows fans to watch live video and instant replays from their mobile phones while connected to the arena’s free Wi-Fi.

Located atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City, Barclays Center is accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines.

22
June 6: Miguel Cotto vs. Daniel Geale – Live on HBO at 10:30 p.m.

June 13: Nicholas Walters vs. Miguel Marriaga & Felix Verdejo vs. Ivan Najera – Live on HBO at 10 p.m.

June 27: Timothy Bradley Jr. vs. Jessie Vargas – Live on HBO at 9:45 p.m.

July 25: Sergey Kovalev vs. Nadjib Mohammedi – Live on HBO at 10 p.m.

All times are ET/PT.

New York (May 19, 2015) – Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia on June 6, 2015 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a 12-round fight that will be televised live on HBO. Geale hosted a New York City media workout this afternoon at Mendez Boxing Gym in preparation for his title challenge against Cotto. Here’s what Geale, and his American promoter Gary Shaw, had to say:

Daniel Geale – Former Two-Time World Champion

“Cotto has trouble in stages against guys that move and use their reach. He knows that’s what I’m going to be doing and he’s going to be trying to counter that with aggression and coming forward. I’m going to use my abilities and not get caught up in his game plan.”

“The game plan is to go in and fight my fight. It’s not to get sucked in. It’s not to get caught up in what he [Cotto] is doing. It’s to do what I do best.”

“This is going to be a huge fight for me. Fighting a guy like Miguel who’s fought some of the greatest fighters is going to be a great test. We’re going in very confident.”

“I want this one badly. It’s something that we have wanted for a while and I’m extremely excited. I’ve got guys like Gary Shaw and my team at the Grange from Australia and they are working very hard behind the scenes. I’m just going to worry about my job and they do their job greatly. I just worry about getting myself in perfect condition.”

Gary Shaw – President of Gary Shaw Productions

“If Daniel wins, Cotto has a rematch clause, so if Cotto wants the immediate rematch then that’s what he gets. If not, according to WBC, it would be GGG again, but it doesn’t make a difference. Daniel will fight anybody, anywhere. We went to Germany and fought Strum on his territory. He’s coming to New York which is Cotto’s town. It just doesn’t make a difference when you have a great fighter.”

“It’s going to be a great show and the fans are going to get what they want. Tune in for a great fight on June 6. It’s going to be a great night of boxing.”

PHOTOS: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z79x0xvv00sz9ry/AABaWoy8ok7_iOGswn3K0t85a?dl=0

PHOTO CREDIT: Ed Mulholland/Roc Nation Sports www.edmulholland.photoshelter.com

Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association with Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and Venue Kings. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the event will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including Roc Nation and Grammy nominated artist Big Sean taking to the ring for a special performance prior to the main event. The event will be hosted by notable emcee “The Voice of New York” Angie Martinez and will also feature hit master DJ Lobo who will serve alongside Martinez throughout the night. Tickets priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $120, $100, $80, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the first fight begins at 6:15 PM and the HBO telecast begins at 10:30 PM ET/PT.

For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

For more information, visit www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on Twitter and Instagram at @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

LONDON (May 13) – BoxNation will air the return of Puerto Rican legend and reigning WBC middleweight champion Miguel Cotto live and exclusive on June 6 as he steps in against former two-time world champion Daniel Geale.

The 34-year-old superstar Cotto will return to New York, where he has enjoyed much success, as he fights for the first time at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn having fought 11- times previously in ‘The Big Apple’.

Against the skilled Geale, however, the Freddie Roach trained Cotto will have to be at his best if he hopes to continue the impressive revival that has been witnessed under the Hall of Fame trainer.

Cotto is regarded as one of boxing’s elite stars and is ready to impress once again, live on BoxNation.

“I am happy and excited to be back in New York and fighting at Barclays Center,” said Cotto. “This is another chapter in my career and I’m committed to train as hard as always and bring a big victory. I’m looking forward to seeing all the Puerto Rican fans on June 6 and to being part of another exciting boxing night in Brooklyn.”

Australian Geale is back in New York following his 3rd round loss to Kazakh assassin Gennady Golovkin but is confident he can reign as champion once again.

“Thanks to Miguel Cotto for the opportunity to become a world champion once again,” said Geale. “I have total respect for Miguel and his achievements, but I can win this fight and that is exactly what I intend to do come June 6 in Brooklyn at Barclays Center.”

Further great news for BoxNation subscribers is that the channel will be bringing two further thrilling cards in June starting with Nicholas Walters versus Miguel Marriaga on June 13 and welterweight ace Tim Bradley facing the crafty Jessie Vargas on June 27.

Known as ‘The Axe Man’, Walters burst onto the scene late last year when the undefeated Jamaican, who has a record of 25 wins with 21 knockouts, stopped 2012 ‘Fighter of the Year’ Nonito Donaire inside six rounds.

The WBA featherweight world champion is ready to get revenge on the unbeaten Marriaga at the fabled Madison Square Garden, with the Colombian holding a win over him in the amateurs having defeated him during the Olympic trials.

“Headlining at Madison Square Garden is every fighter’s dream. I have unfinished business with Miguel Marriaga,” said Walters. “He kept me out of the 2008 Olympics when he beat me in the Americas Olympic Qualifier and I am ready to pay him back. I am going to chop him with the axe.”

“I am happy to be fighting at the legendary Madison Square Garden,” said Marriaga. “I was born to be world champion and come June 13 I will be victorious.”

The card will also feature the golden Puerto Rican lightweight talent Felix Verdejo who takes on an unbeaten prospect like himself in Ivan Najera.

“I know that the fight against Ivan Najera will not be easy,” said Verdejo. “I will prepare myself to the maximum and sacrifice everything in the gym so that on fight night I will be at my best. I am very thankful to Top Rank for giving me these types of opportunities.”

This exciting bill is quickly followed by Bradley’s 12-round matchup with the undefeated Vargas at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, where the victor will be looking to cement themselves as one of the very best in the stacked 147-pound division.

Jim McMunn, Managing Director of BoxNation, said: “After enjoying some amazing nights of boxing in recent weeks live on BoxNation we are delighted to fill our summer schedule with further great matchups. Miguel Cotto is one of boxing’s true superstars so we are very pleased to feature him on the channel once again. The further two cards on June 13 with Nicholas Walters against Miguel Marriaga, and Tim Bradley taking on Jessie Vargas on June 27, ensures that BoxNation continues to deliver the very best fights for boxing fans at a truly exceptional price of just £12 a month.”

To subscribe to BoxNation (Sky 437/490HD, Virgin 546, TalkTalk525) for just £12 a month please visit boxnation.com.

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About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated subscription boxing channel. For £12* a month and no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

BoxNation is proud to support Fight for Peace, a charity that uses boxing and martial arts combined with education and personal development to realise the potential of young people in communities that suffer from crime and violence.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Khan vs Collazo and Mayweather vs Maidana.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.437), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.525), online at Livesport.tv and via iPhone, iPad or Android. BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV and new Livesport.tv customers.