Chantelle Cameron won a 10-round majority decision over undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor to retain her undisputed super lightweight title at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

Cameron, 139.7 lbs of Northampton, ENG won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95 and is now 18-0. Taylor, 139.7 lbs of Bray, IRE is 22-1.

Jose Felix Jr. shocked previously undefeated hot prospect Gary Cully in round three of their 10-round lightweight bout.

In round three, Felix dropped Cully with a bug right. Felix sent Cully down again with a big flurry of punches. Felix landed some vicious left hooks and rights to the chin before Cully’s corner threw in the towel at 2:34.

Felix, 137.2 lbs of Los Mochis, MEX is 40-6-1 with 31 knockouts. Cully, 137.25 lbs of Naas, IRE is 16-1.

James Metcalf scored a 12-round unanimous decision Dennis Hogan in a super welterweight fight.

In round 12, Hogan was deducted a point for spitting out his mouthpiece. He also had a cut around his right eye.

Metcalf, 153.1 lbs of Liverpool, ENG won by scores of 117-110 twice and 115-112 and is now 25-2. Hogan, 163.3 lbs of Kilders, IRE is 31-5-1.

Caoimhin Agyarko remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Grant Dennis in a middleweight contest.

Agyarko, 159.3 lbs of Belfast, NI won by scores of 100-90 on all cards and is now 13-0. Dennis, 159.3 lbs of Chatham, ENG is now 18-5.

Thomas Carty stopped Jay McFarlane in round three of a scheduled eight-round heavyweight fight.

In round two, Carty dropped McFarlane with a left hand down the middle. In round three, Carty sent McFarlane to the canvas with a right hand followed by another left down the middle. Seconds later, it was another left that sent McFarlane down again, and the fight was stopped at 2:58.

Carty, 258.6 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 6-0 with five knockouts. McFarlane, 283.7 lbs of Glasgow, SCO is 14-8.

Paddy Donovan stopped Sam O’Maison in round six of their eight-round welterweight bout.

In round six, Donovan landed some heavy shots and then dropped him with a left hand, the corner of O’Maison threw in the towel at 2:13.

Donovan, 148.1 lbs of Limerick, IRE is now 11-0 with eight knockouts. O’Maison, 149.3 lbs of Sheffield, ENG is 17-5-1.

Maisey Rose Courtney won a six-round decision over Kate Radomska in a flyweight bout.

Courtney, 112.1 lbs of Eltham, ENG won by a 58-57 score and is now 3-0. Radomska, 109.7 lbs of Waterford, IRE and is now 3-2.

Dennis Hogan will defend his IBO Super-Welterweight World Title against James Metcalf on the undercard of Katie Taylor’s huge homecoming undisputed clash with Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday May 20, live worldwide on DAZN.
 
The Irishman, who is based in Newstead, Australia, returns home to fight in Ireland for the first time in his professional career and heads into his maiden defence of the IBO 154lbs Title on a three-fight winning streak, most recently outpointing Sam Eggington over 12 rounds at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre last October.
 
‘Hurricane’ (31-4-1, 7 KOs), who was born in Kildare, Ireland, controversially lost out on points to Mexico’s Jaime Munguia in a challenge for the WBO Super-Welterweight World Title in April 2019. He jumped up to Middleweight to take on WBC World Champion Jermall Charlo in his next fight but was stopped in seven rounds by the undefeated Texas fighter.
 
Liverpool’s Metcalf (24-2, 15 KOs) halted Brooklyn’s Carl Pennington in six rounds at the First Direct Arena in Leeds last time out in December in what was the first defence of his WBA Continental Super-Welterweight Title. That win followed on from his impressive career-best showing against Kerman Lejarraga at the Bilbao Arena in Spain last summer.
 
The former Commonwealth and WBC International Super-Welterweight Champion, son of Liverpool fight legend Shea ‘Shamrock Express’ Neary, rejuvenated his career by outpointing hometown hero Lejarraga, a two-weight European Champion, in an excellent display of patience and boxing IQ.
 
Metcalf’s only defeats in the professional ranks have come at the hands of Bermondsey’s Ted Cheeseman in a jaw dropping battle for the vacant British Title in Gibraltar in March 2021 and Northampton’s Kieron Conway at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool in October 2021.
 
“Firstly, thank you to Eddie Hearn and everyone at Matchroom for having me on this iconic card on May 20,” said Hogan. “I’m excited to be returning to Ireland to defend my World Title against JJ Metcalf. This is a truly special moment for me, not only to be on the card with Katie Taylor who is an Irish superstar, but it will be the first time I will be fighting as a professional in Ireland. See you soon Dublin!
 
“I’ve always wanted to box in Ireland and never quite got the chance, so to be boxing on one of the biggest boxing events in Irish history for a World Title is a dream come true,” said Metcalf.
 
“Dennis Hogan is a really good fighter and a genuine world top 10 in my opinion – you only have to look at some of his previous opponents to see that. I believe he was robbed for the WBO World Title against Munguia.
 
“I’m expecting the fight to be a tough fight, cagey at times, but it will catch fire and hopefully the fans get to see a great fight. A win for my career here will mean everything to me. Everything I’ve done since my first amateur fight at the age of 11 would have all been worth it, it also lines me up for some massive fights.”
 
“Dennis Hogan against JJ Metcalf for the IBO Super-Welterweight World Title is another fantastic war for our monster May 20 event in Dublin,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Eddie Hearn. “We’ve seen Dennis in with the likes of Jaime Munguia, Jermall Charlo and Tim Tszyu and he comes to fight every time. He returns home to fight in Ireland for the first time in his career in what will be a truly special night.
 
“JJ deserves this huge opportunity after bouncing back from his two defeats in brilliant fashion. He’s looked a real force since he teamed up with Joe McNally and they want all the big fights out there. Fighters that have continually stepped up and taken the challenges put in front of them deserve these big opportunities and I can’t wait to see these two go at it on May 20, live around the world on DAZN.”
 
An announcement on tickets will be made soon.

BROOKLYN, NY–Jermall “Hit Man” Charlo (30-0, 22KO) recorded a seventh round stoppage over Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan (28-3-1, 7KO) to retain his WBC World Middleweight Title in a Showtime main event from the Barclays Center.  

It was a one sided affair that saw the bigger Charlo have his way with the smaller-framed Hogan, who moved up a weight class to take this fight.  

Houston’s Charlo, 29,  asserted himself early, spraying jabs and letting his right hand fly so Hogan could taste his power.  Ultimately, though, it would be the left hook that proved to be the punch that the Irish-born Aussie, Hogan, should have feared most.  

Hogan’s best punch came early in the third with a big right that momentarily halted Charlo’s forward momentum.  But the bigger man quickly re-assumed his position as the bigger fighter and continued to stalk his smaller foe.  

In the fourth, Charlo upped the tempo, taking the fight to the 34 year-old Hogan.  During an exchange early in the round, Charlo unleashed a left hook/uppercut that generated from his hip that caught Hogan flush on the chin that sent the challenger tumbling to the mat where he performed a backwards somersault before coming to a stop on his gloved hands and knees.  A buzzed Hogan w beat referee Charlie Fitch’s ensuing ten-count, and with a mix of grit and skill, was able to navigate his way through the remainder of the round.

Less than three rounds later, Charlo, who is trained by Ronnie Shields, again landed a huge left hook that sent Hogan crashing back to the ropes and ultimately, canvas.  A woozy Hogan again beat Fitch’s ten count, but was clearly dazed, prompting Fitch to stop the contest at the :28 second mark of round seven.  

It was the first time in his career that the Glen Rushton-trained Hogan was stopped inside the distance and the first win via stoppage for Charlo since he stopping Hugo Centeno Jr. at the Barclays Center in April 2018. 

Unfortunately for Hogan, tonight marks the third time Hogan unsuccessfully challenged for a world title.  Most recently, he found himself on the wrong end of a controversial majority decision against WBO World Junior Middleweight champion Jamie Mungia in Mexico in April, and he also dropped a 2015 unanimous decision to German Jack Culcay in a bout for an interim WBA World Junior Middleweight title.  

“I made it through 2019 and we’re going to 2020 with 20/20 vision,” said Charlo.  “Shout out to Dennis Hogan for giving me real competition and for coming up to fight me.”

He added, “The middleweight division is wide open.  I’m the WBC Champion. I’m going to enjoy this and spend time with my team.  I’m here to fight whoever. You have to make the right decisions and do it at the right time.  That’s what it’s all about.”

A disappointed Hogan also spoke post-fight, saying, “”I didn’t see the punch coming on the second knockdown. I was trying to keep boxing him but then all of a sudden I was on the ground and the fight was over.”  He continued, “I wanted to keep going but the decision was fair enough by the referee.”

Eubank Awarded WBA Interim Middleweight Title After Korobov Shoulder Injury

In his highly anticipated US debut, the United Kingdom’s Chris Eubank, Jr. (29-2, 22KO) was awarded the WBA World Interim Middleweight Title when Matvey Korobov (28-3-1, 14KO) was unable to continue fighting after suffering a left shoulder injury early in the second round. 

Korobov, 36, dominated the first round as he continually landed straight lefts that were sent as return-fire each time Eubank Jr. flailed a half-committed jab his way.  

In the opening moments of the second, the southpaw Korobov picked up where he left off and again scored with straight lefts.  But it all came to a sudden halt just :34 seconds into the round when the Russian-born Florida fighter grimaced in pain, grabbed his left shoulder and asked referee Steve Willis to pause the contest.  Willis walked Korobov back to his corner where a timeout was issued and New York State Athletic Commission doctors tended to Korobov. After about a minute or so of inspection, NYSAC Chief Medical Officer Nitin Sethi informed Willis that Korobov could no longer continue.  On paper, the result adds another TKO win to Eubank, Jr.’s record and a loss to Korobov’s.  

It’s the third straight win for the 30 year-old Eubank, Jr., who moved down a weight class and was fighting at middleweight for the first time in roughly three years.  

“I felt like I was about to get my swagger on,” Eubank, Jr. said.  “He just turned around and stopped I was going to go jump on him. I guess something happened with his shoulder.”

Eubank Jr., who trains under the tutelage of Nate Vasquez at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, added, “I’m the winner, I’m going to move forward and challenge for these belts.  This wasn’t my dream. My dream was to come here to America and make a statement.” 

Iwasa Wins WBA Featherweight Title, Stops Tapales In 11

Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa (27-3, 17KO) is a world champion once again as scored an impressive eleventh round TKO over Filipino Marlon “Maranding Nightmare” Tapales (33-3, 16KO) to claim the vacant WBA interim featherweight title.  

The end came definitively and seemingly out of nowhere roughly a third of the way through the eleventh when Iwasa fired a straight left over a lazy Tapales jab that sent Tapales back to the mat.  He was on his feet before referee Shada Murdaugh reached ten, but failed to follow his commands, forcing Murdaugh to wave the bout off at the 1:09 mark of round eleven.  

In the third round, with action in full swing, both southpaws simultaneously stepped forward to throw lefts, and while both landed, a clash of heads briefly dropped the former world bantamweight champion Tapales to a knee.  Murdaugh missed the headbutt and incorrectly scored a knockdown for Iwasa.

Throughout the contest, the lengthier Iwasa did well to pepper Tapales from the outside and land big when the Filipino rushed inside, often attempting to land looping overhand lefts or sweeping body shots. 

By the seventh round, Tapales’ face began to tell the tale of the fight as it began to assume a reddish hue, while a mouse formed under his right eye.  

The 27 year-old Filipino mounted a final surge early in the eighth, as he rocked Iwasa with a huge right hand.  By the time the round commenced, however, Iwasa was back in the driver’s seat.  

It was the second time in Tapales’ career he was stopped inside the distance.  The other time came a decade ago — in 2009 — when he was stopped by fellow Filipino Brix Ray.  

For the 29 year-old Iwasa, tonight marked his second career fight in the US and second win inside the distance.  He retired Cesar Juarez in Los Angeles in February.  

Ronald Ellis Earns Hard Fought MD Over Immanuel Aleem 

Ronald Ellis (17-1-2, 11KO) rebounded from his lone career defeat, scoring a ten round majority decision (95-95, 98-92, 97-93) over fellow super middleweight Immanuwel “The Chosen One” Aleem (18-2-2, 11KO).

It was a back and forth affair in which both fighters were willing to eat a shot to land one of their own.  Aleem, 26, tried to bring the fight to Ellis, but Ellis popped a sharp jab all fight long that helped keep his smaller opponent at safe distance.  When Aleem did make his way inside Ellis’ reach, the Massachusetts native made sure to make Aleem pay.  

While most rounds were close and competitive, Ellis continually landed the cleaner, crisper, more effective shots.

It was a nice bounce back fight for Ellis, who dropped a close split decision loss to DeAndre Ware in February.  

Prior to tonight, Aleem’s last fight was a draw against Matvey Korobov in May.  His only other loss came via KO courtesy of Hugo Centeno Jr.  

Hawton Overcomes Knockdown To UD Villalobos, Win WBC Atomweight Title

In an all action affair, Australia’s Louisa “Bang Bang Lulu” Hawton (10-2, 5KO) overcame a sixth round knockdown to win the vacant WBC interim World Female Atomweight Title, scoring a ten round unanimous decision (95-94×3) over familiar foe Lorraine Villalobos (4-3, 2KO).  The two previously met last December when Hawton retired Villalobos in five.  

The matchup presented stylistic contrasts, as the 34 year-old Hawton is a pedal-to-the-metal – let your hands fly type of a fighter, while Villalobos is comfortable fighting off her back look, constantly looking to time Hawton and use her aggression against her.

In the early rounds, Hawton’s pressure style seemed to give Villalobos some problems.  Although both fighters had their share of offensive success, it seemed Hawton’s relentlessness was wearing on Villalobos.  

After nonstop back-and-forth action, the 23 year-old Villalobos broke through late in the sixth she uncorked a wicked left hook that landed square on Hawton’s chin, sending her to the canvas.  A foggy Hawton was able to beat referee Sparkle Lee’s ten count just as the round came to an end.  

Undeterred, Hawton returned to her high-octane offense the following round, but was peppered with more and more Villalobos shots.

Save for the sixth, all rounds were competitive and close and the judges scorecards reflect that, as all three shaded it to Hawton six rounds to four.  

Heavyweight Steven Torres Dominates Daniel Felix Franco In Pro Debut  

In his pro debut, heavyweight Steven Torres (1-0, 1KO) scored a first round stoppage, as he battered Mexico’s Daniel Felix Franco (2-3, 2KO) into submission. 

Torres, a 6’7” Puerto Rico fighting out of Reading, PA, dropped Franco early with a short left that clipped the chin of Franco and planted him on the canvas.  Moments later, Torres, who is trained by Anibal Adorno – father of prospects Joseph & Jeremy — continued to rain down punches on Franco until the big Mexican took a seat on the ropes, prompting the referee to jump in and stop the contest at the 2:09 mark of the first round.  

Duke Micah Earns Eight Round UD Over Janiel Rivera

Undefeated Ghanaian Duke Micah (24-0, 20 KO) sent fellow bantamweight Janiel “Pototo” Rivera (18-6-3, 11KO) to the mat twice, en route to a wide eight round unanimous decision (79-72, 78-73, 77-74). 

Micah started quick and before the first round commenced, had already sent his Puerto Rican counterpart to the mat courtesy of a straight right. The 28 year-old “Baby Faced Terminator”, continued to control the contest until midway through the third round when a Rivera right planted Micah on his backside.  Just seconds later though, during an exchange of wild punches, Micah returned the favor, landing another straight right that exploded on Sanchez’s chin, sending him the Puerto Rican crashing to the canvas. 

The two continued to exchange throughout the remainder of the contest, with Micah continually getting the better of Rivera.  Credit, the 28 year-old “Pototo” — who has only been stopped once in his career — for taking everything Micah threw at him, remaining undeterred until the final bell.  

In the second contest from New York, welterweights Amon Rashidi (7-1-1, 5KO) and Antonio Sanchez (6-8-3, 3KO) fought to a six round split draw.  Judges scorecards read 59-55 for each fighter, along with a 57-57 card.  

Rashidi, 27, was hoping to get back into the win column after suffering his first career defeat in September, but met a stubborn Sanchez who fought fire with fire.  

For the 33 year-old Puerto Rican, Sanchez, tonight’s result snaps a three-fight losing streak.  However, he remains winless on US soil (seven fights).  

Arnold Gonzalez Easily Outpoints Gregory Young, Jr. In 4 Round Welterweight Scrap 

New York City’s Arnold Gonzalez improved to 3-0, earning a four round unanimous decision (40-36×3) against fellow welterweight Gregory Young, Jr. (4-3, 1KO).  Gonzalez, who is trained by the Wild Card Boxing Club’s Julian Chua, did well to consistently work past Young Jr.’s jab to land his punches.  

Burley Brooks Decisions Nathan Sharp To Open BK Fight Card

In the opening fight of the evening from the Barclays Center, Texas super middleweight Burley Brooks upped his perfect record to 5-0, 4KO, scoring a six round unanimous decision (58-56×3) over Nathan Davis Sharp (4-2, 4KO).  It was the first time that the 23 year-old Brooks, who is trained by Derrick James, has gone the distance.

Follow all the action Live as Jermall Charlo defends the WBC Middleweight title against Dennis Hogan.  The action Kicks off at 7 PM ET with three world title bouts as Louisa Hawton & Lorraine Villalobos battle for the WBC Interim Atomweight Title…Marlon Taples and Ryosuke Iwasa fight foe the IBF Jr. Featherweight Title and Chris Eubank Jr. takes on Matt Korobov WBA Interim Middleweight Title.

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Round 1 Left hook from Hogan.Chopping right..double left..

Round 2 Hogan jabs to body.Hard Jab from Charlo..Right

Round 3 Left hook by Hogan..Left hook by Charlo..Jab from Hogan..Right to body from Charlo..Jab..head shots

Round 4  HUGE LEFT UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES HOGAN…Big right..left to body.right uppercut..Big right..Chopping right

Round 5 Good left hook from Charlo..Hogan lands a right..left from Charlo..Flush right..Right

Round 6 Right from Hogan..jab to body from Charlo..Right uppercut..Nice right..Sharp Jab..

Round 7…BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES HOGAN AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1 Left from Korobov..Double left

Round 2 KOROBOV HURTS HIS SHOULDER..KOROBOV CANT CONTINUE

Round 2 Jab from Iwasa..Sharp right and nice left from Tapales..Lead left..Sweeping left from Iwasa

Round 3 Both landing power shots…right from Tapales..LEFT AND DOWN GOES TAPALES..Left from Tapales..Jab..Brusing around left eye of Tapales

Round 4 Jab from Iwasa..Straight left..Combination..Combination..1-2..Sweeping right hook

Round 5 Left to body from Tapales..right hook to body..Lead uppercut..straight left..Straight left..left

Round 6 Tapales lands a solid left..1-2 from Iwasa…right hook..left uppercut..

Round 7 Tapales lands a right..Lead left..Left from Iwasa…body..1-2..Short right hook from Tapales..Good left

Round 8 Good right from Tapales..Right hook to body from Iwasa..3 punch combination..Iwasa backing up Tapales..Left hook to the body…Sweeping right hook from Tapales..

Round 9  Sweeping right hook from Iwasa..Chopping right from Tapales..Right uppercut..

Round 10  Right hook from Tapales…Swelling under left eye of Iwasa/.Triple right from Tapales

Round 11 Iwasa lands a left…BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES TAPALES..TAPALES STUMBLES AND FIGHT IS OVER

Round 1 Double Jab from Aleem..Jab
Round 2 Good right by Aleem..Good left from Ellis..Right to Body..Right
Round 3 Right from Ellis..Good right..Right..4 Punch combination
Round 4 Right from Ellis
Round 5 Right from Ellis..Good left hook from Aleem..1-2 from Ellis
Round 6 Ellis Body shot and right hand..left hook..left hook on the inside..Aleem coming back
Round 7 Ellis Jabbing
Round 8 Nice Right from Aleem..Right from Ellis..Right
Round 9 Combination from Ellis
Round 10 Body shot from Aleem..2 Good rights

95-95;  97-93;  98-92 ELLIS

Round 1
Round 2
Round 3 Combination from Villalobos..Left hook to Body from Hawton..Right uppercut..Left hook and right and left hook from Villalobos
Round 4 Left hook from Villalobos..Right..2 rights from Hawton
Round 5 Left hook from Villalobos..Triple left hook to body from Hawton..Left hook and right cross..Big Right from Villalobos
round 6 2 lefts and right from Hawton..Left hook and uppercut..Left from Villalobos..Left hook…BIG LEFT AND DOWN GOES HAWTON
Round 7 Left hook from Villalobos..Hawton bleeding from the nose..Right from Villalobos
Round 8  Right from Hawton..Left hook..Hawton lands a hard right to the body
Round 9 Body work from Hawton
Round 10 Left hook/Right cross from Villalobos

95-94 on all cards for Hawton

WBC Middleweight World Championship

Jermall Charlo – 159 ¾ lbs.

Dennis Hogan – 158 ½ lbs.

Referee: Charlie Fitch; Judges: Mark Lyson (U.K.), John McKaie (N.Y.), Don Trella (Conn.)

WBA Interim Middleweight World Championship

Chris Eubank Jr. – 159 ½ lbs.

Matt Korobov – 159 lbs.

Referee: Steve Willis; Judges: Julie Lederman (N.Y.), Kevin Morgan (N.Y); Tony Paolillo (N.Y.)

IBF Interim Junior Featherweight World Championship

Marlon Tapales – 121 ½ lbs.

Ryosuke Iwasa – 121 ½ lbs.

Referee: Shada Murdaugh; Judges: Frank Lombardi (Conn.), Robin Taylor (N.Y.), Steve Weisfeld (N.J.)

FLASH QUOTES:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I fight for my family. I fight for my life. He’s going to be fighting for his life tomorrow. It’s Lions Only forever!”

DENNIS HOGAN

“It’s all about me and my destiny. This is about me being world champion. The rest is all noise. I showed up. I’m here. I’m ready to go. Who cares what anyone else says? I’m here and I’m ready. Let’s do it!

“To win, I’ll just have to bring something that no one else has brought before, and that’s exactly what I intend to do. We will win.”

CHRIS EUBANK JR.

“I feel great at this weight. I was eating all throughout the night last night, I was sipping on water all day today. This is my natural weight. I’m not fighting a guy that’s 20 pounds heavier than me on the night, now I’m fighting a guy that’s my size and it’s going to show. I’m going to go out there and I’m going to stop this kid.

“I was just letting him know what’s coming. I’m not out here to play. This is my first fight in the U.S., my first fight in New York. It’s a dream come true. I’m going to come out here and make an explosive statement to the middleweight division. And then I’m coming for all the belts after that.”

MATT KOROBOV

“Yes, of course it’s added motivation that it feels like Eubank is looking past me. But the big motivation is that this is a title fight. I’m really happy to be here again and I’m ready to show and prove that I’m ready to be the next WBA Champion.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN Live Streaming Online – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

Super Middleweight Bout – 10-Rounds

Immanuwel Aleem – 163 ¾ lbs.

Ronald Ellis – 163 ½ lbs.

WBC Interim Atomweight Championship

Louisa Hawton – 101 ½ lbs.

Lorraine Villalobos – 100 ½ lbs.

#

ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN

Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title plus former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BROOKLYN (December 5, 2019) – WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo and highly rated contender Dennis Hogan went face to face Thursday at a final press conference to preview their world title showdown taking place this Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The final press conference also featured middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov, who battle for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title in the co-main event, and former champions Marlon Tapales and Ryosuke Iwasa, who square off for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title in the televised opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from the Grand Ballroom at the Tillary Hotel Brooklyn:

JERMALL CHARLO

“I’m ready and I’m back like never before. I have a tough opponent in Dennis Hogan who’s real confident and he’s bringing Ireland and Australia with him. It’s going to be a show. If he can’t take my shot, I’m going to hit him flush and put him out.

“I believe I have something to deliver that Hogan has never seen before. I’m back to my most explosive days in boxing. I feel great about my training and the way I prepared myself to get this victory. I think it’s going to be tougher than he thinks it is.

“My daughter’s birth has given me even more motivation to knock this guy out and when you come to Brooklyn, you’re coming to my house. There’s nothing he can do and nothing he can say. They all say the same thing until they have to get in there with me.

“If Hogan says he’s more powerful at middleweight, than he’s going to come to fight and stay in the pocket. If he comes to box, I’ll come to fight, and if he comes to fight I’ll be able to box him. Regardless, we’re going to make adjustments in the fight.

“I’m going to come with a vicious attack. If he can hold it, then I’m going to try again later in the night. However the game plan plays out, I’m going to stop him.

“Dennis Hogan, I’ll see you Saturday night. We’re going to give everyone a great night of boxing. I’m going to deliver something explosive and give Hogan a nice little Christmas gift.

“The birth of my daughter has given me a whole new level of motivation, but I’ve always been fighting for my family. It’s just a new blessing and taking the inspiration to another level.

“I still have time to make Knockout of the Year, so hopefully this guy’s power is what he thinks it is and he comes to fight. I’m ready to shut him down.

“When you’re the champ, people are coming for you. When people know you’re great, they want to challenge you. I’m okay with that. I was on that road and now I’m here. In due time, you will see me get all of the biggest fights.

“I love Brooklyn and the energy I get from the crowd. It reminds me of Houston because the food is good and all my fans and family are here. I love Brooklyn.”

DENNIS HOGAN

“I just want to thank my team and Jermall’s team and everyone for making this fight and giving me this opportunity. It’s been a quick four weeks since our first press conference and I’ve gone to a whole new level of what I can accomplish and achieve in my training. I’ve left no stone unturned and I can’t wait to get out there on Saturday night and make my dreams come true

“I’ve always said that when you have a great atmosphere in the arena, it’s like a third guy in the ring. It gets me motivated and it’s always been a big thing for me. I’m going to feel like I’m fighting in front of my home crowd Saturday night.

“Every opponent that I’ve had thinks they’re going to knock me out. It’s not about how hard you throw a punch, it’s about how hard can you land a punch and that’s the difficulty people have with me. That’s one of my best attributes. When I land clean, they tend to realize I mean business and don’t want to come forward. I feel 20% more powerful and he’s going to feel my punches.

“We’re both professional athletes and we’re going to give the fans a great fight. One of us is going to walk away with the WBC belt and I truly believe it will be me.

“You’re going to see something explosive Saturday night. It’s two fighters who truly believe they’re going to win. That makes for brilliant viewing and I’m excited to deliver that to the public.

“I like fighting against taller fighters. It gives me more target and more opportunity to be elusive and show variations. I’m going to use my size to my advantage. You don’t really know what you’re up against with me until you’re actually in there.

“After the last press conference, I expected him to react and crack once I spoke, so I’m not surprised with what he said. It doesn’t matter either way, the talking has nothing to do with what goes on in the ring. He shouldn’t care what I have to say if he truly thinks that he’s going to win the fight. I think that’s a good sign for me, but either way I’m prepared for what happens in the ring.

“I’ve got an extra snap on my punches right now. The power is there, I’m strong, I’m not having to dehydrate as much and that’s going to make all the difference. I’m really excited. We built some extra muscle in certain areas for this fight and I feel a lot stronger because of that. My coach is brilliant at spotting weaknesses in opponents. Charlo doesn’t have many weaknesses but there are things that I can capitalize on with the right game plan. Even Muhammad Ali had these areas, so everybody has them and it’s about capitalizing on them.”

CHRIS EUBANK JR.

“My pro debut here in the U.S. has been a long time coming. It’s been a dream of mine to come out here and perform for you guys. Korobov is talking about decisions, but he will be stopped before the 12th round.

“I’m going to come for all the middleweight belts after this fight. I want all the big names. I’m 30-years-old and in my prime right now. Korobov is a great introductory fight for me in the U.S., then after that, it’s open season.

“There’s going to be a new kingpin in town after Saturday night. I’ve been fighting guys 20 pounds heavier than me. Now you put me in with guys my own weight, it’s going to be devastating.

“I’m at middleweight, so I’m the best in the division. Korobov is a great fighter and I respect him. He’s done a lot in the sport, but this is my time. I’ve worked too hard to come out here and not go through him.

“I’ve had a lot of big fights in the U.K., but now is the perfect time to introduce myself to the American public. Korobov is just standing in my way.

“I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I was a kid and started boxing. To finally be here after all this time is a great feeling. Especially to be able to perform here in New York. So many great champions were born here and fought here. I haven’t come all this way to have a flat performance. I’m going to dominate this fight.

“There were a lot of good opportunities and money to be made at super middleweight so I did what I had to do. Now I’m in a position where there are great middleweight fights in the states so I can be back to my natural weight and takeover.

“I’m not playing around. I’m not here to fight nobodies and coast. I want the big fights and the toughest guys out here so everyone knows I’m the man. Korobov fits that bill as a world class opponent.”

MATT KOROBOV

“I’m so glad to be here in Brooklyn one year after I fought here against Charlo. I’m so prepared and ready to give everyone a good show and leave the fans happy. I’m going to give the fans what they want to see.

“Looking to my future, this is a really important fight. What’s happened in this past is in the past. I’ve prepared for this fight really well and I’ll be ready Saturday night to win this title.

“Everybody works hard in this sport and goes through things inside and outside of the ring. It’s our job to be prepared. Whatever it takes to win this fight, I’m ready. He’s overlooking me and it’s going to be his mistake.

“We’ve done our research on Eubank. I’ve only watched a little but my team knows him very well. We’ve known him for a long time and known he’s a great fighter, just like his father.

“I’m glad that Eubank accepted the fight against me. It’s another opportunity for me to fight the best in the division and prove that I’m right up there and as good as anyone at middleweight.

“I just have to go in there Saturday night and take this belt home. Any way that I can with any strategy that works best. Whatever it takes, I will win this fight.

“I loved fighting at Barclays Center and it was a great experience for me last year. I think having that experience will definitely help me in this fight. There are a lot of Russians in Brooklyn and I’m excited for them to come out and support me.

“I’m really happy to be back here, especially on the undercard to Jermall Charlo. It makes sense for us because if we both go in and take care of business, we can make the rematch happen easily.”

MARLON TAPALES

“I have trained so much and worked so hard to get here today. We’re going to put on a great show for you Saturday night, and the best man will win.

“I’m going to make this my fourth knockout in the U.S. I’ve worked really hard to make sure that happens and we give all the fans a lot of excitement.

“The training camp that I had was definitely one of the best of my career. I’m strong and ready to show off everything we’ve worked on.

“I’m very motivated for this fight. Every day we focus on becoming world champion again. It is up to me and my team to fight the right way and make sure do everything we can Saturday night.”

RYOSUKE IWASA

“My opponent has very good skills and is a tough fighter. But I also have good skills and a lot of experience. I will give everyone a great fight on Saturday night.

“I’ve been training very hard for a tough southpaw. I’m going to show you the adjustments I’ve made for southpaws on Saturday night. I won’t have any problems with his style.

“I think that my experience will definitely help me in this fight. I’ve fought all over and against every different style throughout my career. Not just in fights, but in sparring too. There won’t be anything we can’t handle.

“We definitely want to steal the show. We work hard so that we can leave it all in the ring and I know that Tapales will bring the same mentality to fight night. It’s going to make the fans the winners and the best man will have his hand raised.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“This is our 20th event at Barclays Center, and 22nd if you count CBS, which is far more than any other network. We’ve been to Barclays Center more than any other venue since it opened. Anybody who is a fan of boxing knows what Barclays Center has done for the sport and we are looking forward to getting back there again.

“This is Jermall’s 10th fight on SHOWTIME. He is a graduate of ShoBox and this is his fourth fight at Barclays Center. We are proud of our history with Jermell and Jermall and bringing you what we feel is a very intriguing card.

“In our co-main event we have the U.S. debut of Chris Eubank Jr. and we are thrilled that it is with SHOWTIME. Of course his father, Chris Eubank Sr., has a history with SHOWTIME and we were proud to be a part of his career and now with Chris Eubank Jr. Chris’ last few fights were at super middleweight and now he returns to his more natural weight of 160. And all six of his victories at 160 were by knockout. So he is certainly someone who should be reckoned with at 160 or 168.

“As for Matt Korobov, he is certainly someone no one wants to fight. We have heard the dialogue around this fight and people question Chris on why he would do this fight – ‘It’s too tough a fight, too risky a fight. It makes no sense.’ Well, it does make sense if you are fighting for your legacy. If you are fighting for meaningful fights. If you’re trying to elevate the sport, these are exactly the fights that make sense and I give much credit to Chris Eubank Jr. and Matt Korobov for taking this very entertaining fight.

“In our main event, what can you say about Jermall Charlo. He is entertaining, he’s charismatic. He’s certainly, undoubtedly, one of the top middleweights in the world. And you can make a good argument, at least in my book, that’s he’s the very best middleweight in the world. I think the most effective think you can say about Jermall is that you never hear him called out. You never hear, or almost rarely, do you hear another middleweight call out Jermall Charlo. When it’s time to set up fights all of the sudden there’s a lot of amnesia going around. And the name Jermall Charlo doesn’t get mentioned, and for good reason. He is the boogieman of the division. When he put a call out for this fight, there are a lot of guys who did not answer and I can testify to that.

“I give much credit to Dennis Hogan because he did step up to a fight that many others did not. We are expecting to see a better Dennis Hogan than we’ve ever seen before, and he will tell you that himself. He’s fighting at a heavier weight of 160 and feeling much stronger.”

#

ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN
Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title plus former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

WHAT: SHOWTIME Sports will provide live streaming coverage of fight week events as undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo defends his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan this Saturday, December 7, live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Each event will stream live on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page. YouTube embed codes and links are listed below. 

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. making his U.S. debut against top contender Matt Korobov for the WBA Interim Middleweight Title and former world champions Marlon Tapales and Ryosuke Iwasa clashing for the Interim IBF 122-pound title.

SHOWTIME Sports will also provide live undercard streaming coverage and pre-fight analysis on social platforms beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.  In action on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page, once-beaten middleweight contenders Immanuwel Aleem and Ronald Ellis face off in a 10-round fight while Louisa Hawton battles Lorraine Villalobos in a rematch for the women’s Interim WBC Atomweight Championship (102 pounds).

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5 – 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT

Final Press Conference – The Tillery Hotel Brooklyn

SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Event Page: https://s.sho.com/2OHR9DE

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/nHRduI5HnwQ” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 – 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT

Official Weigh-In – The Tillery Hotel Brooklyn

SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Event Page: https://s.sho.com/2OMDOKp

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/p3kHwSG6FRE” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 – 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Countdown – Barclays Center

SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Event Page: https://s.sho.com/2RhKzp8

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/vgSTFuXP5o4” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7

Post-Fight Press Conference – Barclays Center

SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Event Page: https://s.sho.com/2P8DvbN  

Embed Code: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/TxXaeC3kAKM” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture” allowfullscreen></iframe>

BROOKLYN (December 4, 2019) – Fighters stepping into the ring this Saturday, December 7 showed off their skills at a media workout in Brooklyn Wednesday before they compete live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Headlining Wednesday’s workout was highly rated contender Dennis Hogan,who battles WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING.

The event also featured middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov, who battle for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title in the co-main event, and former champions Marlon Tapales and Ryosuke Iwasa, who meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title in the televised opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

The workout also featured Australia’s Louisa Hawton, who takes on Lorraine Villalobos in a rematch for the Interim WBC Strawweight Championship in SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN action on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Also working out for media on Wednesday was Ghana’s Duke Micah, who trains in Brooklyn and will compete in non-televised action Saturday at Barclays Center.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

DENNIS HOGAN

“It means the absolute world to me to win this title on Saturday night. I’m very conscious of that and I’ve worked so hard for it. This is my opportunity to make all of my dreams come true and raise that belt over my head.

“I showed in the fight against Jaime Munguia that I’m willing to do whatever it takes inside that ring. I’m so persistent and I want to achieve my goals more than anything. Losing the fight just made me want to go even harder and that led right into my training. It’s made me twice the fighter I was before and everyone will see that on Saturday night.

“This is 100 percent the best version of myself. I’ve worked so hard after the last fight and here I am now. I’m proud of the levels that I reached in training and how hard I pushed to become champion of the world.

“We’re prepared for absolutely everything. It’s really all come together perfectly. I believe that in life, if you work hard and want something, it will come. This time we really put the intent into making sure we take full advantage of any opportunity that presents itself in this fight.

“Everyone who’s seen me fight fully knows that I can win this and I have 100 percent confidence that I will get it done. If you know how determined I am, you know that I can win this fight.

“I’ve been training in Miami where it’s very humid and we arrived here last night. I like the cold weather here and I love this air. It’s crisp and clean. This is the atmosphere where I do my best work. On top of that, being in New York has real prestige to it. Just being here makes me feel like I’m truly living my dreams.

“I’ve gained power because of the extra carbohydrates that I’ve been able to have in camp. I have more back muscle, leg muscle and I can feel the power. It’s an extra 10 to 15% snap on my punches.

“We sparred with Jeison Rosario in Miami and he was exactly what I needed for this fight. He’s prepared me and gotten me ready for anything that Charlo can bring on Saturday.”

CHRIS EUBANK JR.

“I’ve been dreaming about coming here and fighting in the U.S. since I was a kid. You dream about fighting where all your favorite fighters came to perform on the big stage. To do it here in New York is special. It’s an iconic place and so many great world champions have come from here.

“I’m not a true super middleweight so I’m excited to be fighting at 160-pounds. I’m going to be a beast. I’m going to be an absolute savage. The power and the speed is going to really shine through against guys my own size.

“Anyone with a belt in the middleweight division, I’m coming for them. If that means Charlo, I’ll be more than happy to get in there with him.

“This is an iconic place to fight, right here in Brooklyn. We’re aiming to make our own history. I’ve done so much in England and I feel like this is the right time to expose myself to the American public.

“My goal is to make a name for myself in the U.S. and broaden our horizons. The fight fans here have known me for a while, but I want to break out past that. This is a great starting fight for me in the U.S. After this, it’s 2020 and I’m going to be very active fighting all of the champions.

“I’ve got a lot of fights left in me. I’ve got years ahead of me where I’m going to do a lot of damage. My career is on track and I’m very happy with where I am. I’m ready to go.

“This is not the time to go in there and coast. I’m here to make a statement. I’ve always been the type of fighter who looks to stop my opponent in spectacular fashion. This is my time to shine. Nobody is going to be able to stop me.”

MATT KOROBOV

“I’m really happy with how my training camp was. I had no injuries and everything was very smooth. Training camp definitely went to plan so that we can get this win on Saturday night.

“I’m excited to be back in Brooklyn one year later after I fought Jermall Charlo at Barclays Center. There’s definitely some de ja vu for me. It’s the same gym and the same time and same people I saw last year. I’m really happy about it and focusing on being able to show my best on Saturday night.

“The Charlo fight put me on another level as a fighter. They’re all going to have to start looking at me as one of the best in the division. I’m excited to take advantage of my opportunity Saturday and get another big fight.

“It’s Eubank’s problem if he’s focused on getting the Jermall Charlo fight. I’m just focused on doing my job and doing my best. I’m very confident for this fight.

“It makes sense to me that I’d fight Charlo next if I win. I’m definitely hoping to get that fight in 2020 but first I have to take care of Eubank.

“We’ll see what Eubank can do Saturday night. It’s hard to say what he’ll fight like until then. It’s boxing. Any of us could have a bad night or the night of our life.

“Eubank looked very good when he beat James DeGale. It surprised a lot of people but I know that he’s a strong fighter. I wasn’t that surprised. DeGale might not have been ready, but I’m always 100 percent prepared.”

MARLON TAPALES

“I’m very excited for this fight. I trained hard very hard so I’m hoping that Iwasa can hold up for the whole 12 rounds. I’m proud to continue representing for the Philippines.

“I’m in great shape and I’m coming to be at my best on Saturday night. I’m going to leave it all in the ring like I always do. I’m definitely ready for this fight.

“First I have to win this fight against Iwasa. He’s not an easy fight at all, especially considering he’s a former world champion. All of my concentration is on that, but when I win, I’ll be ready to fight the champions.

“It’s very inspiring to me that my teammate John Riel Casimero just won a world title recently. It makes me want to give my all even more when the bell rings on Saturday night.

“Iwasa is a very good boxer. He’s proved a lot in winning a world title. I have to be focused and 100 percent ready, that’s why I trained so hard for this fight.

“I want to be world champion again. The first step is winning this fight against Iwasa. I can’t say whether I’ll get the knockout, but I’m going to try my best to give a great fight.”

RYOSUKE IWASA

“I’m going to fight my own style. The opponent doesn’t matter. I will be ready and be at my very best once we get in the ring Saturday.

“I know that I’m facing a very skilled opponent with good power but I’m not worried about what he does in the ring. I’m going to make him miss and land my best shots.

“I want the biggest fights against the best champions. That’s why I have to win on Saturday night. Nothing else can happen until then. I’m really focused on Marlon Tapales.

“I’m very comfortable at this weight and I feel like my power has definitely improved. This helps me have the best training camp possible and I believe it will have me at my best on fight night.

“I definitely want the knockout, but only if it comes to me naturally. I believe in my boxing skills and I know that I can win a 12 round fight if that’s what it comes to.”

LOUISA HAWTON

“I think people enjoyed our first fight and saw that it had a lot of action. The opportunity came up to get the rematch and I was happy to do it. To have it here in Brooklyn is incredible. It’s my first time here so I’m really pumped for Saturday.

“As a fighter I’m always looking to entertain the crowd and light up the arena. I’ll definitely be ready to take the knockout if the opportunity comes.

“I like to fight at a fast pace. I can battle on the inside or box on the outside. I believe I can do it all and we worked hard to show off every part of our game.

“I’m looking to keep moving forward and get better and better fights. My job is to take care of business in the ring and that’s what we’re here to do Saturday.”

DUKE MICAH

“I feel great. My training camp was flawless. I can’t wait to prove to the world that I’m the best bantamweight in the world Saturday night.

“Fans should expect a really good show from me. That’s what the people came to see. People from Africa know me and I’m here to show the rest of the world what I can do.

“We trained hard. I’m going to show off my boxing skills and when the opportunity comes, I’m going for the finish and a spectacular knockout.

“I work in training camp so that the fans can enjoy my fights. Everyone brings their own style and I have things that I can bring to the ring that are going to impress a lot of people. This is a chance to show it on the big stage.”

#

ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN
Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title plus former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

Ray Flores
Thank you very much, operator. We want to thank the media for joining us wherever they are around the world. For those of them here in the United States, we hope all of you had a happy Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

We are looking forward to this Saturday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the home of Brooklyn Boxing, for an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions. We have the undefeated WBC Middleweight Champion of the world Jermall Charlo putting his title on the line against the highly ranked contender Dennis Hogan. This Saturday we go live on SHOWTIME starting at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

We also have a tremendous supporting undercard. We have the British star Chris Eubank Jr. making his United States debut as he battles Matt Korobov for the interim WBA Middleweight Championship. Also, to begin the night we will have Marlon Tapales going head-to-head against Ryosuke Iwasa for the interim IBF Super Bantamweight Championship.

Tickets for the event at Barclays Center are going quickly promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions. They are on sale now and you can get them at Ticketmaster.com or Barclayscenter.com. Or if you are in the Brooklyn area you can go to the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.

Now, let’s meet some of the luminaries that are on the call today as we have a man who has been a part of some of the biggest names and the biggest events in the history of combat sports. He is the President of Sport and Event Programming for Showtime Championship Boxing, here is Mr. Stephen Espinoza.

Stephen Espinoza
Thanks very much Ray. We are very much looking forward to this weekend as the Middleweight Division takes center stage. Two high stakes, 160-pound fights on SHOWTIME as part of the three-fight televised card opening up with an intriguing matchup between two former world champions.

Our main event must-see attraction is undefeated Jermall Charlo, the star of the 160-pound division, defends his WBC Middleweight Title against highly ranked contender Dennis Hogan.

This will be Jermall’s 10th appearance on SHOWTIME from ShoBox through ShoExtreme, through SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. This will now be his second consecutive SHOWTIME headline fight of 2019. And whenever he is on SHOWTIME or anywhere else for that matter Jermall is most definitely must-see TV. One of the most impressive and athletic fighters in any division.

Dennis Hogan for his part, he is coming off a controversial majority decision loss to Jaime Munguia that I think most people who were looking at it objectively believed that he won. Certainly, I believe that he won. He is a very aggressive fighter with a strong chin.

As he will tell you himself he believes that a move up in weight is going to benefit him greatly and make him stronger. In other words, we’ve got the makings of a great match up, stylistically and personally and we are looking forward to a great fight this Saturday.

R. Flores
Thank you very much Stephen. Greatly appreciate that. And yes, as Stephen mentioned, Dennis Hogan originally from Ireland and now fighting out of Queensland, Australia having come off a, you know, highly controversial loss against Jaime Munguia back in April.

Before that he came into the fight riding a 6 fight win streak. He has fought – I mean, this is a guy who takes on any and all combats he has spotted. Super Welterweight, Middleweight, Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight during the course of his career. And also for the media if you want to know we actually have Glenn Rushton his trainer also on the call as well.

But ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the rising contender, 28 wins, 2 losses, one draw, 7 wins coming by way of knock out. Here is Dennis Hogan. Dennis, opening comment.

Dennis Hogan
Hi guys. I want to thank everybody for making this possible. Very happy to be speaking with you guys and very, very excited to be a main event with Charlo at Barclays Center in Brooklyn this weekend.

Training is going on very well and I just can’t wait to get in there and put on a show for everybody. So thank you very much.

Q
What were your options for your next fight after Munguia? Did you try to see if you can get a title fight against any of the other champions at 154 or was the move to middleweight always there after what happened?

D. Hogan
Yes. I mean, we did chase the rematch and then we found out that was a dead end. So we actually had someone locked in for a title eliminator fight but that fight fell through. And we were lucky enough then that Jermall Charlo being the champion that he is offered me to fight for the WBC.

So it was a tough couple of months trying to make that fight happen and then having another fight fall apart but again, you know, we kept our head down, kept the faith and luckily my team was able to pull off this fight. And big credit to the team, Jermall Charlo also and to everybody for making this fight and I have certainly put my hand up to take it and here we are now ready for a cracking fight.

Q
Is the loss to Jaime Munguia still sort of fresh on your mind? Do you use it as motivation or have you sort of just moved past it and found it is what it is and you are focused now solely on Jermall Charlo?

D. Hogan
Yes. Look, I mean, I put it in the past. But again as everybody says, you know, it was a controversial decision. When I left there I really genuinely felt like I won. So it’s not like, you know, I have had a loss before and, you know, I had to do some soul searching and all the rest. But from this I genuinely felt like I won so my chin and my head was held high and I said okay, I can come back up and I can make it. I can do better than that.

And so I got back into training. I had a couple of weeks off. When I got back into training we worked hard to become a better fighter all around and now this opportunity is showing up. So I mean, that’s in the past. I have no resentments with all of that. It is what it is. It just set me up for a bigger success story for the future.

Q
Is there a sort of something different that’s being done to sort of get accustomed back to 160-pound compared to when you were just solely focused on being at 154?

D. Hogan
Look, it’s not a big difference. In terms of strengths we have been able to keep my muscle build. My strength stays a little bit longer. But we had a lot of time for this fight so we actually were able to keep that going and gained another kilo of muscle.

I mean, that’s all I need because now it’s really about not having to dehydrate so much. I’m very good at doing this and I can still perform very well. But I have always wondered, do I punch as hard as I used to when I was middle welter-super middleweight before? On Saturday night we are going to find out. I’m excited.

Q
Is it more difficult to get past a loss that everybody believed that you won or is it easier to take a loss that you felt like, okay, I can go back to the drawing board and I can get better?

D. Hogan
Yes. I mean, it’s a good question. But the thing about me is that I’m very goal oriented and my goal was always to be world champion. And even when they announced it, I’m still in the ring. Even then my head was booming with just a lot of positives that can come from this because, you know, my goal is to being world champion. For me I felt like this may actually, even though I didn’t get the decision, this may actually set me up for bigger and better.

I always have faith and a belief when following goals and so I was right. I mean, after that, you know, the whole world took notice. The boxing world took notice of what went down and what happened and then here we are.

For me right now if you ask me what your idea was to win your first world title, I would have told you in New York. I would have said, you know, Barclays Center, Madison Square Garden. One or the other. I would have stayed with all my family and friends there, you know, from a six-hour flight from Ireland. I would have stayed with a good team around me like I have got.

Everything around me is exactly as I would have wanted it to be. So you know what, a little bump in the road down in Mexico set me up for something greater. You watch Saturday night and you will see that I will be taking this with everything I have got.

Q
Do you see any similarities with Charlo and Munguia or are they just like two completely different sorts of fighters?

D. Hogan
There are similarities. Me and my coach here Glenn have certainly spoken about them and in great detail and I can see there is. So there are little things that we can utilize but overall I mean there is a few good similarities but we have changed a lot up and not a whole lot. I mean, we changed a bit up. We have changed a bit up and that we will be utilizing that but there are a few little differences there for sure.

Q
Do you kind of feel with the way that you were treated in the Munguia fight that you kind of have to probably be a little bit more aggressive than you naturally are or do you feel that you will get a fair shake in terms of a decision over here?

D. Hogan
Well, I mean, after the Munguia fight in training we actually pumped up a lot so and you can see that I will be actually twice as fitter as I was for the Munguia fight and I have made all the changes to become a much more rounded fighter.

This is hurricane 3.0 right now. I have put so much work into it to even to get to this point right now, till we finish all the hard work and it being title week I’m actually proud of myself and I have never said that before. The amount of work that I have put into this through sweat and tears to become a better fighter, I’m already proud of myself. So going in there on Saturday night it’s going to be good for me.

But again, you know, with the Munguia fight I put it behind me. You know, I still get tagged and polished like all the time about how they reckon I had won. It’s a little bit heart breaking every now and again. I have to put that to rest in my mind.

But you know what, that has just made me train harder every time that happens so it’s brought something in me every time I get tied in those things and I channel that energy into my training. So on Saturday night you will see that difference in me. No doubt.

Q
After the Munguia fight did it kind of change your perception of like how you need to approach each fight knowing that an opportunity like this is always going to come?

D. Hogan
Yes. You know I certainly have. You know what I mean? Again I was fighting a fighter with a six-fight win streak and, you know, I was just so used to being in there and winning. But we have added a lot more ferocity and fearlessness to what I’m doing there. So you will see that and, you know, obviously that will help.

And also the way we train up and try to change for the best to become a lot more competitive up there and in terms of winning rounds and, you know, not just getting worked on. So we have certainly seen that come inside me also to help me be a better fighter and more aggressive in terms of hitting and not being hit. So you will see that on Saturday.

Q
Do you see this as like the pathway to even bigger opportunities and therefore reason to stay at middleweight?

D. Hogan:
I didn’t really think about it but to be honest right with the power I’m getting in my shorts I think that we are going to make a big statement here on Saturday night and that’s going to be my way. You know, that’s really how I’m feeling right now. You know, for me there is no plan B until that opportunity comes along.

So right now plan A is go out there Saturday night and put on a great fight, become the WBC Middleweight Champion of the world and go on from there. And again my goal is always to be unified world champion. So there are some big fights in that division and right now that’s all I’m focused on. But first and foremost I’m focused on Jermall Charlo only.

Q
Can you tell us about the response you are expecting on Saturday at Barclays Center when you make your ring walk trying to make, you know, your dream become a reality?

D. Hogan
I mean, if you look at what happened in Monterrey. It was a 16,000 stadium and you could hear at least 15,000 Mexicans there, you know, shouting and I got, you know, 30 to 50 Irish-Australian that were there was just so loud. You know, they were closer to the ring obviously but any time I landed a shot, you would know about it. And that was down in Mexico.

Right now there is friends that I had in play school that have been hitting me up on Twitter that they are all going and flying over. And wait you’ll see it. You will be able to hear the atmosphere on the TV and I can guarantee you it will sound like I’m the A side fighter on Saturday night. It’s something incredible but it truly is something magnificent and it makes me rise to the occasion every single time.

R. Flores
Well Dennis, we know that you have been – we appreciate you being so generous with your time as you get set for your world championship opportunity on Saturday Live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Dennis, if you have any final comments as you get set for your match up on Saturday evening against Jermall Charlo?

D. Hogan
Again, you know, I’m about to make a dream come true so I want to thank everybody involved, my team, all you guys, everybody that makes this possible I want to thank everybody. I’m very grateful and I’m going to put on a big performance for everybody and walk away with the world title. I want to thank SHOWTIME also Stephen Espinoza, PBC and Tom Brown, Charlo’s team and everybody. But you know what, I’m going to win the world title Saturday night.

R. Flores
Thank you very much to Dennis Hogan. We appreciate it. We look forward to seeing him as fight week progresses.

Now let’s meet his adversary, the champion who is trained by renowned trainer Ronnie Shields, 29 years of age was a world champion first at 154 pounds before coming up to the middleweight division. As you heard on the call here he is no stranger to Barclays Center and he actually won the Interim Middleweight Championship with the highlight real knock out over Hugo Centeno Jr. last year.

After being made the actual the full middleweight champion he defended his championship down in his hometown of Houston live on SHOWTIME against Brandon Adams where he looked tremendous.

This man, undefeated 29 by 29 victories, 21 of those coming by way of knock out. He loves the City of Houston. He represents it everywhere he goes and he is making Barclays Center a second home. Please welcome the World Champion Jermall Charlo. Jermall?

Jermall Charlo
I’m ready December 7. I’m going to deliver something explosive. Something that Dennis Hogan is going to remember for the rest of his life. I promise to give my fans a better Jermall Charlo, the best Jermall Charlo that there is. I have been working hard at my camp.

I want to thank my whole team. I want to thank SHOWTIME for doing this, Ronnie Shields and everyone in camp. Anybody who has been involved in Jermall Charlo from this point on, it means so much to me and for everyone that stayed on my side and hoed me down I want to give you all the biggest hug and the biggest thank you.

Q
In your eyes why does Dennis Hogan standout against any other contenders that may or may not have been on the table when looking at this upcoming title defense?

J. Charlo
Dennis Hogan, possesses a lot of skills and a lot of natural attributes that we can exploit and he makes a great opponent for me as far as he wants to fight me and he is a tough guy who wants to be in that fight. I think he makes for a great fight.

Q
Do you feel like you getting this title is being overshadowed because of the whole Canelo Alvarez franchise situation that you pretty much had no control of?

J. Charlo
No. Real fans and real boxing fans not the casual or just people who don’t know boxing, they understand and they know that I had nothing to do with it. The WBC calls its own shot and makes their own rules and they have been doing that for years.

I absolutely had nothing to do with Canelo moving up to the franchise but if you think about it – if they say hey, you won a lottery you are like, I forgot I played the lottery. You are not going to like not take the money, right? So think about it like it’s just a world title trophy to me. My legacy means more than me just having a belt.

Everyone in boxing they understand, so for anyone who don’t, they will understand later.

Q
Do you feel like you are now fully integrated as a middleweight fighter and your body is at the best it could possibly be fighting at this division?

Jermall Charlo
I’m one of the biggest middleweights out there. I’m the best middleweight out there and that’s why I’m the WBC Champ. I have things that these other middleweights haven’t been able to show in years. So yes, I’m getting acclimated to the weight.

Of course I have been making 160 pounds for quite some time now because when I was at 154 that wasn’t my natural weight. That’s why I moved up in weight. You only get older and stronger and grow and I have grown to the middleweight division. Me and my team have executed a great game plan to get down to the weight division and we are going to compete at the highest level.

Q
What are the specific challenges that Dennis Hogan presents to you?

J. Charlo
Every fighter trains to become the world champion so he is going to be there to fight me. He is going to give his all. I know he is going to be in shape so what does the world champion do? We learn how to keep them off and we learn how to fight to the best of our ability. Don’t worry. I’ll get in there and I will be the best Jermall Charlo and no one dare to beat Jermall Charlo.

Q
What do you think you need to do to further cement that legacy?

J. Charlo
As I grow you guys are going to be saying what a legacy I have and what it means to me. I’m young. I’m still learning. I’m still having fun. I’m enjoying my job and I’m continuing to win. So it’s obvious when I say legacy that I mean my whole career and to make a statement in my career is to get to the biggest fights and to capture the world titles that I’m presented with.

Q
We all know that you really want to get the stoppage but isn’t it a good thing to continue to build a full program just to build on that experience? Or would you rather just get in and get out?

J. Charlo
I don’t know. I guess that that’s a question for Dennis Hogan. Do you want to stand in there and try to fight with a Jermall Charlo or do you want to try to box and survive? I’m here to deliver the most explosive shots that I have. I’m going to be at my fastest. I’m going to be on my feet.

Me and my team have done a great job in camp to exploit the mistakes that Hogan makes. If you can take the shots then I’m here for 12 rounds and if you can’t, you know I’m one of the best finishers in boxing and I will get the job done and I will get him out of there.

Q
How would you say your relationship with the fans in New York is?

J. Charlo
I love Brooklyn. Brooklyn is almost my second home now. Lately I have been fighting here in some big fights in Brooklyn. I had some explosive knockout nights in Brooklyn. I have been 12 rounds in Brooklyn, it’s been a journey.

I’m from Houston so I’m bringing something to Brooklyn that I don’t think, they have seen in a while since the Mike Tyson days, something really explosive. TGB Promotions and SHOWTIME have done a great job of bringing some amazing fights to Brooklyn and I just happen to be a part of it. I like to call it Brooklyn, Texas.

Q
Do you feel that you get the recognition that you should deserve and do you even care at this point as long as you just keep getting the wins?

J. Charlo
Not really but I care about it because you care about it. I care about it because you are asking me about it. I’m one of the best fighters in the division. I’m the WBC champ. I’m 29 and 0 with 21 knockouts. I have had my share of greatness. I feel good about where I’m at. I’m avoided.

This is not something that’s overnight, so like throughout the term of my career I’m enjoying the fact that you can get your ups and your downs and I can’t knock everybody out. Some people have got great game plans.

You have seen in my last fight. Brandon Adams really didn’t want to sit there and trade shots with me. This fight is different. I have somebody that wants to sit there and trade shots with me and he is going to want to fight different. Every fight is different. Some of them at the top of the division are fighters and some of them are boxers. I have to be able to do what Jermall Charlo does best and that’s to make the best adjustment.

Q
Talk about how you keep your focus on looking at Dennis Hogan first as you have other bigger fights that are looming with your division?

J. Charlo
I don’t want you all to think that I’m overlooking Dennis Hogan. He has been on the calendar for a while now. I haven’t looked at any other fighter outside of Dennis Hogan. My job is to break Dennis Hogan down completely and take him out completely.

Like I said, when I’m the best Jermall Charlo, some of my best fights that you have seen, guess where they end in, knockouts. Dennis Hogan can talk the good game about wanting to be a world champion because that’s what you are supposed to do when you are hungry and you want to be the world champion.

You want to fight against the world champion but you have to make sure the mistakes that you make aren’t the same mistakes that you have been making.

He is not going to be a different fighter than he was in his last fight. He could be the A side, B side it doesn’t matter. I can fight on any side. It’s my ability that will not let him win and will not let me get touched in that ring and make sure that I do what I’m best at.

So don’t think I’m overlooking Dennis Hogan, I’m just looking for the best Jermall Charlo there is.

Q
How did it feel for you and your brother to promote your own show on October and just take ownership of like a real promotional company?

J. Charlo
Lions Only is going worldwide. Lions Only is everywhere. When you hear Lions Only you think of some ferocious boxers who stand up and they want it all. So to be underneath that banner, to put on our own show, it means a lot to see other fighters coming up from beneath us.

Me and my team have done a great job of letting the world know what Lions Only meant to us so we have a great following outside of us being the competitors.

Q
Something like this where you have ownership of a company, is that a key reason why you are able to stay put where you are, since this is an opportunity that other platforms can’t present to you?

J. Charlo
No. It’s not about our platform. It’s not about any of that. I’m the WBC champ. I’m supposed to be able to call some shots and make my moves the way I make my moves. I have got the best team behind me. My manager has done a great job up to this point. I’m loyal so I’m going to continue to keep my loyalty and I’m going to continue to win and I’m going to prosper.

Q
Do you kind of like having that next opportunity up close and personal, with Chris Eubank Jr. on this card, where you can kind of weigh your options or moving forward?

J. Charlo
Yes. I see him talking and saying everything that he was saying. It doesn’t matter. He wanted to talk himself into a fight with me or someone bigger because he is running out of time. Like he ran out of gas, he is going to run out of time and before you know it, I’m going to be right there in his face.

When I get in his face they don’t ever say any of that. They all talk over the Internet and they say these things but they know what’s really up. It’s Jermall Charlo. I’m not one of those fighters who’s going to do the bumping and grabbing and stuff like that. We are going to fight. So let him talk. I’m not from the U.K. I’m from Houston, Texas. You have got to do your research.

They can say whatever they want to say but when it’s time to fight I want to see them talk that same game. Everybody that’s been saying this and that about Jermall Charlo, they have got to live up to it.

R. Flores
All right. Jermall, we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule as you are ready for fight week as you defend your championship on Saturday night against Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Jermall, if you have any final comments for the media that are on the call.

J. Charlo
Thank you all for tuning in. December 7 on SHOWTIME is going to be an explosive night. I promise to give Dennis Hogan something he will remember for the rest of his life and that’s it.

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ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN
Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title plus former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

NEW YORK (November 26, 2019) – SHOWTIME Sports will live stream two undercard bouts on Saturday, December 7 from Barclays Center leading up to undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo defending his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan.

Once-beaten middleweight contenders Immanuwel Aleem and Ronald Ellis face off in a 10-round fight, while Australia’s Louisa Hawton battles Los Angeles-native Lorraine Villalobos in a rematch for the women’s Interim WBC Strawweight Championship on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN. The digital offering begins live at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook page leading into the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by the undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Charlo defending his title against Hogan. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast also features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off in the co-main event for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title. In the telecast opener, former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING COUNTDOWN is hosted by Brian Campbell and Luke Thomas providing preview and analysis of that evening’s SHOWTIME telecast. Ray Flores will call the live undercard play-by-play action from ringside alongside Hall of Fame analyst Steve Farhood. 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

In SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP COUNTDOWN streaming coverage, the 26-year-old Aleem (18-1-2, 11 KOs) from Richmond, Va., takes on ShoBox: The New Generation alum Ellis (16-1-2, 11 KOs), now 30-years-old and from Lynn, Mass. Nicknamed “The Chosen One”, Aleem scored a career-best win in an upset of levgen Khytrov, a sixth-round TKO in a Fight of the Year contender at Barclays Center in 2017 on SHOWTIME EXTREME on the Badou Jack vs. James DeGale undercard. Aleem’s last fight resulted in a draw against Matt Korobov at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Va., last May. Ellis suffered his first and only professional loss via decision on ShoBox against DeAndre Ware in February of 2019.

The 34-year-old Hawton (9-2, 5 KOs) from Perth, Western Australia, faces Los Angeles’ 23-year-old Villalobos(4-2, 2 KOs) in her first fight since she beat Villalobos in December of 2018 in Carson, Calif., when Villalobos’ corner ended the fight after the fifth round. Villalobos has rebounded with back-to-back wins, with her most recent being a TKO victory over Leanna Martinez in Albuquerque, N.M., back in August.

#          #          #

ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN

Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

HOUSTON (November 25, 2019) – WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo received extra motivation last Tuesday with the birth of his daughter Journi, as he nears his title defense against Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME Saturday, December 7 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, as he headlines a Premier Boxing Champions event.

“It’s really all about family these days,” said Charlo. “I’m fighting even harder for my family now. I feel like I’m on cloud nine and on top of the world right now. We’ve been ready for the arrival of my daughter and I’m so happy she’s here in time to see her father fight on December 7.”

For Charlo, he will be making the second defense of his title, looking to get back to his knockout ways after winning back-to-back unanimous decisions that snapped his string of knockouts in five of his last six fights.

“You hear fighters say that they’re not going for the knockout, but I am,” said Charlo. “If I hit Hogan with something flush, he’s going to sleep. I’m in shape. I’m strong. I’m going for the knockout if it’s there. If he thinks he can bully me, then I’ll show him he made a big mistake. I’m back where I want to be. It took me a little while to fill out into a true middleweight, but I’m here now.”

In Hogan, Charlo will be up against a fighter who has competed everywhere from super welterweight to light heavyweight, and most recently made a splash in dropping a controversial decision in a 154-pound title fight against Jaime Munguia in April.

“I know everything about Hogan,” said Charlo. “I know he’s been in Florida thinking that he’s getting ready for me. He has no idea. He’s a small slugger who’s got to worry about his weight, but I’m going sit right there and fight with Hogan. I’m not going anywhere. My mind is sharper than his also, but if he wants to make it a brawl, I’m ready.”

This will be Charlo’s fourth appearance in the ring at Barclays Center in his last five fights, with the exception being his homecoming defense in Houston that he made last time out in June. His first two fights in Brooklyn saw him deliver devastating knockouts of Hugo Centeno Jr. and Jorge Sebastián Heiland, before he won a unanimous decision over Matt Korobov in December.

“Everybody in Brooklyn knows when we come there, we come to shut it down,” said Charlo. “We’re bringing the heat! I love Barclays Center and I’m glad to be back fighting where I’m extremely comfortable. That’s my house in Brooklyn and everyone there is going to get a chance to see that I’m back for real.”

Despite this Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday, Charlo has no plans to slow down his preparations and is well accustomed to training this time of year. Charlo has fought seven of the last eight years either in December or after Thanksgiving in November, including a holiday weekend knockout of Wilky Campfort November 28, 2015.

“I haven’t had a fight away from Thanksgiving in years, so I’m just totally used to it at this point,” said Charlo. “My personal chef is going to cook me exactly what I need to enjoy the holidays with my family.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

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ABOUT CHARLO VS. HOGAN
Charlo vs. Hogan will see WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title plus former world champions clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa meet for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BROOKLYN (November 13, 2019) – Former world champions and top-rated contenders clash when the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales and Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa go toe-to-toe for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title on Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo defending his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and also features middleweight star Chris Eubank, Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov squaring off in the co-main event for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title.

The non-televised undercard will feature a clash between once-beaten middleweight contenders as Immanuwel Aleem (18-1-2, 11 KOs) takes on Ronald Ellis (16-1-2, 11 KOs) in a 10-round fight, unbeaten Ghanaian bantamweight Duke Micah (23-0, 19 KOs) in a 10-round duel against the Philippines’ Joseph Ambo (9-2-1, 6 KOs) and Australia’s Louisa Hawton (9-2, 5 KOs) battling Los Angeles-native Lorraine Villalobos (4-2, 2 KOs) for the Interim WBC Strawweight Championship.

Rounding out the lineup is Harlem’s Arnold González (2-0, 2 KOs) in a four-round welterweight fight, the pro debut of heavyweight Steven Torres in a four-round showdown against Mexico’s Daniel Franco (2-2, 2 KOs), plus a pair of Dallas-natives in action as unbeaten super middleweight Burley Brooks (4-0, 4 KOs) steps in for a six-round attraction while Amon Rashidi (7-1, 5 KOs) competes in a six-round bout.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Fighting out of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippines, Tapales (33-2, 16 KOs) captured a bantamweight world title in 2016 with a comeback knockout victory over Panya Uthok while down on the scorecards. The 27-year-old has fought professionally since 2008, and rides a 12-fight winning streak into this bout. This will be his third consecutive appearance in the U.S. after scoring knockout victories over Fernando Vargas and Roberto Castañeda so far this year.

The 29-year-old Iwasa (26-3, 16 KOs) made his U.S debut in February with a technical decision victory over veteran contender César Juárez, rebounding from losing his 122-pound title to T.J. Doheny last year. Fighting out of Kashiwa, Japan, Iwasa won the title in 2017 by stopping Yukinori Oguni and defended it successfully against Ernesto Saulong. Iwasa enters December 7 the winner of seven of his last eight fights.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BROOKLYN (October 23, 2019) – Middleweight star Chris Eubank Jr. and top contender Matt Korobov will square off in the co-main event on Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Eubank and Korobov will meet for the Interim WBA Middleweight Title.

The middleweight division will take center stage on the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) that is headlined by undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo defending his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan.

Eubank is coming off a career-best win over British super middleweight rival James DeGale in February on SHOWTIME and will go down to the 160-pound class to take on Korobov, a southpaw who gave Charlo a tougher than expected test as a late replacement last December at Barclays Center.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

“Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Matt Korobov is a high stakes showdown that makes Saturday, December 7 a tremendous night of championship middleweight action live on SHOWTIME at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Chris Eubank Jr. is already a star in the U.K. and is poised to make a big splash in his U.S. debut, while Matt Korobov is eager to build on his impressive performance in a loss to Jermall Charlo last year. Expect fireworks as Eubank and Korobov look to steal the show and walk away the title on December 7.”

This will be the first time that Eubank (28-2, 21 KOs) has fought in the U.S. as a professional. Although he has competed at super middleweight, the 29-year-old from Brighton, Sussex in the United Kingdom will meet Korobov at his more natural weight of 160 pounds for the interim title. Since losing to George Groves in 2018, the son of British legend Chris Eubank Sr. has put together two victories, including the decisive unanimous decision over former super middleweight champion DeGale in his last fight in London.

“I’m ready to take the United States and the middleweight division by storm,” said Eubank. “I’m excited to come down to 160 pounds where I naturally belong, and I don’t see anybody being able to touch me at this weight class. America is where I learned how to fight as an amateur in Las Vegas and 13 years later I’m finally going to make my U.S. professional debut. I can’t wait to show the fans in the U.S. that I’m the best middleweight in the world.”

The 36-year-old Korobov (28-2-1, 14 KOs) is coming off a majority draw against Immanuwel Aleem in his last fight in May, after serving notice to the middleweight division that he would be a threat when he lost a hard-fought decision to Jermall Charlo in December. Born in Orotukan, Russia and now living in St. Petersburg, Florida, Korobov was a late replacement and gave Charlo a tougher fight than many experts expected. Korobov had been riding a four-fight win streak before the Charlo fight, having previously lost a middleweight title fight to Andy Lee in 2014.

“I am more motivated for this fight than any other so far in my career,” said Korobov. “Against Jermall Charlo, I didn’t get the decision. In my mind, I won that fight at Barclays Center. This time around, I will leave no doubt against Eubank. This opportunity gives me a chance to right a wrong. Fans will see the best Matt Korobov on December 7.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

NEW YORK (October 17, 2019) – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo and highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan went face to face for the first time Thursday at a press conference to preview their showdown taking place Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will see Charlo look to make the second defense of his middleweight title against the Irish Hogan, who fights out of Australia and nearly captured a 154-pound crown earlier this year.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Thursday from the Dream Hotel Downtown in Manhattan:

JERMALL CHARLO

“Brooklyn, we’re back. It’s been a while since we’ve fought here but Barclays is home for Lions Only. Barclays Center is the spot where everyone wants to fight. It feels like a new home.

“I want to thank Dennis Hogan for accepting my challenge. This belt isn’t going anywhere. I’m making a home for it at Barclays Center.

“Hogan has some big hopes. Middleweight is my division. I want the biggest fights at 160. That’s not on the menu right now, so I’m going to take care of what’s here.

“I am the best fighter at 160-pounds. In due time, the world will get a chance to see me reveal the best version of myself.

“I’m not worried about Hogan’s confidence. He is just number 30 to me. We’re going to get in there well prepared. I could fight tomorrow. Hogan is going to get a chance to see what he can do against my speed and my skills.

“This is going to be a knockout on December 7. I’m going to walk him straight into it. I’m going to give him exactly what he wants.

“This training camp has gone really smooth so far. I’m focused on being relaxed in the ring, so that when it’s time to explode, I’m ready. I want to go in there and have fun and keep working towards that next level.

“We’ve watched what we need to of Hogan. He’s not on my level. It’s time to get back to where I’ve always been. Barclays Center and SHOWTIME is my comfort zone. I’m on fire and I’m ready. I’m back where I want to be.

“I’m coming to Barclays Center to beat Hogan down. That’s what I’m going to do. I’m one of the best finishers in the world and I’m going to get a chance to show everyone on December 7.”

DENNIS HOGAN

“I’m very happy to be here in New York. I’ve fought here before and it’s always a great time. I’m looking forward to getting back in there again and being part of the rich boxing history of this city.

“I’m looking forward to becoming the next Irish fighter to come to New York and become a world champion.

“I believe that me taking this fight speaks volumes on what kind of fighter I am. I’m on record that I feel like the champion in my heart, and it’s only a matter of time before the belt is on my wait. It’s destiny. It’s time for me to become world champion.

“I’m one of the hardest workers in the sport. Anyone who trains with me, knows that. I have laser focus on that belt and I believe that it’s mine.

“Five years ago I was told super welterweight was the weight to campaign at. At that point I was the light heavyweight champion of Ireland. But as I went down in weight, that knockout power seemed to leave me. That last bit that I won’t need to drain for this fight will be all the difference and all I need on December 7.

“I’ve always been heavy-handed, but I think the power will be back. I have the speed of a welterweight, the agility of a 154-pounder and the chin of a heavyweight. When you put it all together, this is going to be a great fight.

“I’ve visualized myself wrapping the WBC title around my waist for years, and that dream has become manifest. I will wear that belt around my waist and paint the town green afterwards.

“I know that I’ll have big support at the fight, but I don’t rely on it. I know Charlo is a great fighter. But for me, this has nothing to do with him. This is about my destiny and my dream.

RONNIE SHIELDS, Charlo’s Trainer

“Jermall is really excited as always to fight on SHOWTIME. When he fights in Brooklyn, he’s extra motivated to make Barclays Center his home. There are great fighters here in New York, but he’s put on great shows in the past and he’s looking forward to putting on an even bigger show next time.

“I’ve been studying Hogan on video. He’s a very determined fighter. He comes to fight. I thought he won the fight against Jaime Munguia. I can understand how he feels right now. But we have to show him something different.

“We’re not planning to make this go the distance and have this be a close fight. We’re working on speed and combinations more than anything. I think you’re going to see a little bit different Jermall than from his last fight.

“We all have dreams, Dennis Hogan has dreams, but Jermall turns dreams into nightmares.”

PAUL KEEGAN, CEO of DDP Sports & Hogan’s Promoter

“We’re extremely excited to be here in New York with Dennis. We want to thank Jermall for this opportunity. We’re confident coming into this fight.

“We took this opportunity because not one 154-pounder would fight Hogan. After his last fight, our options were limited. Once we saw the fight was offered, we said yes.

“We believe we have the uncrowned world champion in our camp. He’ll be strong moving up to middleweight. We’re excited to bring out the Irish contingent in New York and can’t wait to see them come out for this fight.

“We’re not coming here for a holiday. This is destiny. An Irishman is going to become middleweight champion in New York City and that’s our goal.”

STEPHEN ESPINOZA, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

“We are thrilled to have Jermall Charlo back to where he belongs here on SHOWTIME. Jermall’s first appearance on SHOWTIME was on ShoBox back in 2013 at just 23 years old, a second-round knockout of Antwone Smith. He’s now an undefeated, two-division world champion and on December 7 he will be making his tenth appearance on SHOWTIME.

“As a fighter, Jermall is the complete package. Power, speed, athleticism and obviously an elite skill level. It’s no surprise that he’s one of, if not the most, avoided fighters in his division.

“Dennis Hogan deserves a lot of credit for stepping up to this challenge that many other fighters have not or would not. This is a tough, aggressive fighter. Many people believe he should be a world champion himself right now. If you look closely at Hogan’s two losses, he lost a decision to a German fighter in Germany and he lost a decision to a Mexican fighter in Mexico. Personally, I don’t believe he lost that fight in Mexico. He’s not afraid of a challenge or to go into somebody else’s home turf. He says that moving up from super welterweight to middleweight is going to make him much stronger than he’s been in the past and there’s no doubt he will be bringing a very vocal contingent of Irish fans with him.

“This is a very intriguing mix of styles and personalities here and we will have a very strong, very interesting co-feature which we will be announcing in the coming days. December 7 is a night not to miss.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BROOKLYN (October 17, 2019) – Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan Saturday, December 7 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by unbeaten middleweight star Charlo making the second defense of his 160-pound title against Hogan, a tough former world title challenger who has campaigned from super welterweight through light heavyweight.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.comand barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

“Jermall Charlo is a can’t miss attraction and one of the brightest stars in boxing,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “He’ll look to make the second defense of his WBC Middleweight Championship in his fourth appearance at Barclays Center on December 7. He’ll have his hands full with the hard-charging Dennis Hogan, who many believe should be a 154-pound champion and should have earned the decision over junior middleweight champion Jaime Mungia. That performance has put him right back in a position to fight for a title and there’s no doubt that him and Jermall are going to leave it all in the ring and give fans a great fight live on SHOWTIME.”

“Jermall Charlo is one of those rare athletes who creates a spectacle every time he steps in the ring, and December 7 will be no different,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports & Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Jermall is the complete package – speed, power, athleticism and elite talent – so it is no surprise that he is one of the most avoided boxers in his division. Dennis Hogan deserves credit for stepping up to a challenge which many other middleweights wouldn’t. Hogan is a tough, aggressive fighter who many believe should already be a world champion. This is an intriguing clash of styles and personalities.”

“We’re looking forward to hosting another great night of Brooklyn Boxing and to welcoming Jermall Charlo back into our ring for the fourth time,” said Keith Sheldon, EVP of Programming and Development for BSE Global. “December’s matchup against Dennis Hogan exemplifies our ongoing commitment to bringing world class fights to Barclays Center featuring the sport’s most exciting stars.”

The undefeated Charlo (29-0, 21 KOs) is one of the most exciting young champions in the sport. He and his twin brother, Jermell, were super welterweight champions simultaneously between 2015-17 before Jermall decided to move up to middleweight. Charlo won the IBF Junior Middleweight title with a thrilling TKO victory over Cornelius Bundrage in 2015. He made three successful defenses, including a victory over current unified champion Julian Williams, before moving up to middleweight.

The 29-year-old has proven to be just as dominant at 160 pounds as he was at 154, with three convincing performances since moving up in weight. Charlo will be making his second defense of the WBC middleweight title and fighting for the fourth time at Barclays Center. In a homecoming defense in June on SHOWTIME, he successfully defended the title against Brandon Adams with a unanimous decision in his first bout since being elevated to full champion. In his last fight at Barclays Center he shared the card with his twin brother, Jermell, and came away with a hard-fought unanimous decision over tough veteran Matt Korobov last December.

“Nobody knows Dennis Hogan like I know Dennis Hogan,” said Charlo. “He likes to come straight forward with that ‘Mexican’ style. I’m going to exploit that. He’s a tough fighter and he deserves a shot at the world championship because he competed well at the championship level already.

“I’m going on two consecutive 12-rounders and I don’t feel good about that. I’m ready to get back to my thing, which is knocking them out and getting them out of there. This is a big fight for me because it’s my 30th fight and I’m about to turn 30.”

Hogan (28-2-1, 7 KOs) is coming off a razor-thin majority decision loss to Jaime Munguia in a super welterweight world championship match on April 13 in which many thought Hogan did enough to pull off the victory. The 34-year-old, who was born in Ireland and now lives in Queensland, Australia, is looking for a clear-cut victory over Charlo in his first U.S. fight since 2016. Hogan put together a six fight winning streak before the title fight against Munguia.

“I am excited for the opportunity to challenge for the most prestigious belt in boxing, the WBC Middleweight world title against Jermall Charlo at Barclays Center,” said Hogan. “It doesn’t get any bigger than fighting in Brooklyn on SHOWTIME against the undefeated middleweight champion. After the disappointment I faced in April in Mexico, having been cheated out of the WBO Junior Middleweight world title that I strongly feel I earned, I am extremely grateful to have another opportunity to become a world champion.

“As an Irishman, I feel right at home in New York and have no issue traveling abroad once again to achieve my dream. I have successfully competed at light heavyweight and middleweight as a professional and I will feel stronger with the extra six pounds on December 7. I’m thankful to Jermall and his team for working with my team to provide this opportunity. I will be prepared and ready to shine.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @BrooklynBoxing, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing

BROOKLYN, NY (October 11, 2019) – On Saturday, December 7, undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo will defend his title against highly-ranked contender Dennis Hogan live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™, in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions and TGB Promotions, are on-sale Monday, October 14 at 10 a.m. ET and can be purchased at ticketmaster.comand barclayscenter.com. Tickets also can be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, starting Tuesday, October 15 at 12 p.m. ET. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

More information on the event will be announced in the coming days.

Jaime Munguia barely kept his WBO Junior Middleweight Title with a 12-round majority decision over mandatory challenger Dennis Hogan at The Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.

Hogan pressed the action and landed the harder shots. As the fight went on Munguia tried to get back into the fight, and landed some nice body shots. Hogan was deprived of all that hard work as the judges ruled 16-112, 115-113 and 114-114 for Munguia.

Munguiaa, 154 lbs of Tijuana, MEX is 33-0. Hogan, 154 lbs of Kildare, IRE is 28-2-1.

Patrick Teixeira won a 10-round majority decision over Mario Lozano in a super welterweight bout

In round six, Teixeira was cut around the left eye from an elbow.

Teixeria won by scores of 96-94 twice and 95-95. Teixeira, 154 lbs of Sao Paulo, BRA is now 30-1. Lozano, 154 lbs of Chihuahua, MEX is 33-9.

Diego De La Hoya and Enrique Bernache fought to a no-contest when a cut opened up on Bernache in round two of their scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

A headbutt opened up a deep gash in the middle of Bernache’s forehead at 2:25 of round two.

De La Joya, 126 lbs of Mexicali, MEX is 21-0-1. Bernache, 126 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 24-12-1.

MONTERREY, MEXICO (April 11, 2019): WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Jaime Munguia (32-0, 26 KOs) and mandatory 154-pound challenger Dennis Hurricane” Hogan (28-1-1, 7 KOs) hosted their final press conference today ahead of their 12-round fight for Munguia’s title. They were joined by Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy, along with Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions, among others.The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Below is what today’s participants had to say at the press conference:

JAIME MUNGUIA, WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion:

“I feel very happy and proud to be here. We have been advancing, little by little. had four very tough world title fights. We’ve been learning a lot, and we’ve been gaining a lot of experience during the past year. I also want to say that I will leave everything in the ring this Saturday. I want you all to see a different Jaime Munguia, a better version with better abilities. I want to tell Dennis Hogan that this world title will stay in Mexico. He is not a better fighter than me. This fight is dedicated to all of Mexico!”

DENNIS HOGAN, WBO Number 1 Contender:

“I’m happy to be now as my chance to become world champion gets closer. I want to say that as an Irish man living in Australia who is fighting a Mexican in his own land, I am honored. I know that Ireland, Australia and Mexico are great boxing nations with people who always fight with determination and will. So, I know this will be an excellent fight for everyone in the world. I’m happy and proud to be part of it. To put the icing on the cake, I will be going out there to take that world championship. I’m winning on April 13.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy:

“Golden Boy has been here before in this great city of Monterrey back in September 2008 when Antonio Pitalua and Jose Armando Santa Cruz fought in the main event. Monterrey, the land of great fighters such as Lauro “El Tigre” Salas and Clemente Sánchez, will be in for a show on Saturday when knockout artist Jaime Munguia faces the tough Australian contender, Dennis Hogan.”

“Munguia became known to the world by beating Sadam Ali by knockout in May 2018 when he was crowned WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion. Since then, this powerful Mexican warrior has defended his crown three times. Now, he has a very difficult test against Dennis Hogan, WBO No. 1 contender. We know it will be a great battle between two of the best 154-pound fighters in the world.”

“Also, the co-main event will feature Diego de la Hoya against Enrique Bernache in his featherweight debut. We are also going to present to the local fans the strong Brazilian contender Patrick Teixeira, who will face Mario Lozano in a match for the WBO Latino Junior Middleweight Title. At Golden Boy, we are committed to offering the best fights in boxing.”

FERNANDO BELTRAN, CEO of Zanfer Promotions:

“When I talk about Jaime Munguia, I talk about a young man who I have had the pleasure of knowing since he was a boy. He was a young boy with a lot of dreams. His father, Jaime Munguia Sr., would go to the office and say, ‘My kid, he’s good!’ He will be someone important!”

“We helped him with what we could. We helped him during his amateur career. Logically, he debuted with us and he had a great run in different parts of Mexico. We debuted him in Las Vegas where he won by knockout. Then, Golde Boy called us, and gave us the great opportunity with Sadam Ali. We fought him, and then began a co-promotion with Golden Boy. That initiated his jump toward international fame.”

Munguia vs. Hogan is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World
Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Hogan can be purchased online at www.ArenaMonterrey.com or by clicking here.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaHogan

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/MunguiaHogan into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

LOS ANGELES (March 28, 2019): WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion Jaime
Munguia (32-0, 26 KOs) and mandatory 154-pound contender Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan (28-1-1, 7 KOs) hosted an international media conference call today to discuss their upcoming 12-round battle. They were joined by Roberto Alcazar, trainer of Munguia, along with Robert Gasparri, Chief Operating Officer of Golden Boy. The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Hi, everyone. Thank you all for dialing in today for the Jaime Munguia versus Dennis Hogan international conference call ahead of their showdown for the WBO Junior Middleweight world title. This event will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, México, and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN. Munguia will be making his long-awaited return to México as he looks to make his fourth defense of his Junior Middleweight world title. Hogan on the other hand is an Irish-born resident of Australia and he is the No. 1 contender for the title Munguia holds. He is looking to fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion.

This battle will be streamed live on DAZN. We want to thank all our partners at DAZN for providing Golden Boy with the best platform in boxing.

For those of you who will make the trip to México, tickets for Munguia/Hogan can still be purchased online atwww.ArenaMonterrey.com.

We also want to thank our friends at Zanfer Promotions, who co-promote Jaime Munguia with us. They will be hosting this spectacular event in México with Golden Boy, so we greatly appreciate all their support and friendship.

We will now introduce today’s participants on the conference call and then follow up with some questions and answers. At this point, we want to hear from the challenger himself. Please welcome Dennis Hogan, the No. 1 challenger for the WBO Junior Middleweight world title to make some comments. Dennis?

DENNIS HOGAN: Yeah, how you doing? I just want to say thank you very much for the call. I appreciate everyone dialing in, and I want to let everyone know, as he said, my dream of becoming a world champion is very strong, and I’ve been doing everything in training, ticking all the boxes and doing everything right to make that happen. Training has been going extremely well. I’ve got laser focus and I see myself lifting that title on April 13th in México. I appreciate everyone’s support that I’ve had so far, and I’m looking forward to getting even more after this point. Thank you.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Dennis, thank you so much. Now we want to introduce the trainer, who is recognized for having trained some of the best fighters in boxing. He also trained our chairman and CEO at Golden Boy Promotions Oscar de la Hoya. Now he is training Jaime Munguia as he prepares him to make his exciting fight for this young star. Please welcome Robert Alcazar to make some comments. Robert?

ROBERT ALCAZAR: Hi, yes, thank you. How are you, everybody? We’re working hard with Jaime Munguia every day. Jaime Munguia is ready, and Jaime Munguia is going to be ready for the 13th. We’re just basically waiting for the day, and everything is going well for us.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Last but not least, let’s hear a few comments from the WBO World Champion himself. Please welcome rising Mexican star Jaime Munguia to say a few words. Jaime?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Good morning, everyone. I’m very happy and I feel ready. I’m prepared for this next fight, and thank you all for joining on this conference call.

ROBERT GASPARRI: We’re going to now open it up for some questions from the media. Media, can you please address your question, and Gabe will translate for English and Spanish.

Q. Good morning, everybody. My question is to Jaime. Where do you see yourself or where would you rank yourself among the Junior Middleweight belt holders that include Jarrett Hurd and Tony Harrison?

JAIME MUNGUIA: I would consider myself No. 1. The truth is, and with all due respect, and I’m saying it with as much humility as possible, that I feel like I consider myself No. 1.

Q. So if you beat Dennis Hogan on April 13th, what fight would you like next afterwards?

JAIME MUNGUIA: I have no one in mind right now. I’m simply going to keep fighting, keep fighting good opponents like Dennis Hogan, but that’s a question for my promoter Fernando Beltran.

Q. Jaime, last year you nearly got the Gennady Golovkin fight. How do you think that fight would have gone last year as opposed to now?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Look, I don’t know. I can say that I have the mentality of going forward and always feeling that I will get my hand raised in victory, so I feel I would have won, but nobody really knows what would have happened.

Q. How does it feel to fight in México, now returning as a superstar there, and knowing full well that Monterrey is going to be paralyzed that night? It’s going to be at a standstill to expect you as a star.

JAIME MUNGUIA: It’s good to talk to you. The truth is I’m very happy to be coming back to México as a world champion. This is the last place where I fought before I became a world champion and made all of my defenses. So it’s very exciting to be coming back to México, coming back to Monterrey. It’s great. I love — the city has a great love for boxing, and I’ll be coming with all the desire to not disappoint the fans and give a good fight.

Q. Now the same for Robert Alcazar; how does it feel to be taking Munguia back to México?

ROBERT ALCAZAR: I’m excited to have this opportunity to be back in our home country. What better way than with a world champion in this city, Monterrey. It’s a city that’s very nice and has a great love for boxing, and we’re going to make sure that we give the best of us. We’re going to make sure that we give a great show and a great fight, and there’s lots of emotion involved. I’m very happy for the opportunity, and our promoters are giving us to be taking us to this country, to Monterrey, where it is very nice, and I want to say it’s an extra motivation and that we will not disappoint.

Q. It’s often asked to GGG, being on DAZN, if you had had a good offer, would you have fought Munguia, and he says, yeah. So would you guys if you had the opportunity to fight someone like GGG if given the opportunity?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Yes, we would be interested in that fight with GGG now that he is on DAZN. The truth is it would be a good fight for us and for the people. One year ago it couldn’t happen, but now obviously it’s a possibility, and if a year ago I felt ready, now I feel even more ready. So with pleasure we would accept the fight, but right now I’m focused on the fight that I have on April 13th, but after that with pleasure we would take this fight.

ROBERT ALCAZAR: There are plans. There are plans to have this fight, but first we have to go through this fight. But there are future fights. It will be one of those future fights. Of course you would like to have the biggest fights out there, and if GGG is the next fight, then it’s the next fight. But my part is to have Munguia ready so that when the promoter calls and asks him to fight somebody that he is ready to take on any challenge that the promoter decides is best for him.

Q. Jaime, I wanted to know, I see that you added a new trainer to your team with Fernando Fernandez and a nutritionist. I know in the past you’ve spoken about moving up to 160 pounds rather soon, so with this addition, I’m wondering if you’re going to be planning on staying at 154 a bit longer than you were thinking just a few months ago?

JAIME MUNGUIA: I do have plans to move up to 160 pounds, maybe next year or for the next fight or maybe by the end of the year. The truth is we are still saying that, but I feel good, and I feel good making 154 for this fight that I have on April 13th. But we are considering a move up to 160.

Q. Dennis, I’d like to get your thoughts on this great opportunity that you have in hand of becoming the next world champion. What would it mean to you?

DENNIS HOGAN: Obviously it’s a dream of mine my whole life, but the last eight years I’ve just narrowed down and I’ve been doing everything possible to make this a reality. The last couple of years I’ve really gave everything, I’ve given my heart and soul in my training to make this a reality, and I do believe in a couple of weeks I will make that happen.

I’m just — the hunger I have for this World Championship belt is like nothing I’ve ever known before, and when I’ve found narrowed in focused on something I really want, I can achieve anything, so I know I can achieve this and get the win. I have as good a team around me, we’re ticking all the boxes, and I have nothing but supreme confidence. It means the world to me and my family and my team to lift that belt for them and for myself.

Q. When you look at Jaime Munguia and you study his past few fights, for example, against Takeshi Inoue, do you see any weaknesses in his game that you feel like you can exploit on fight night?

DENNIS HOGAN: You know, every single fighter will do little things here and there that you can exploit. I mean, even a fighter that doesn’t make many mistakes, there’s still a game plan you can work out to beat that fighter. So without saying too much about whatever holes Munguia may be making, we certainly have developed a game plan to be able to defeat his style, and whatever it is that anyone brings to the table. I’m always supremely confident in my ability, and the game plan we worked out after Smith has — we’ve been working on that since then, and everything that we’ve seen since correlates with that plan that we’ve made. I’ve been ticking the boxes in training and making sure I can execute that plan, and that’s why right now I’m supremely confident I’ll be world champion April 13th.

Q. My question is for Dennis Hogan. I wanted to know, there’s a lot of attention placed on Munguia everywhere he goes or everywhere both you guys go, but it seems like a lot of attention is on him. A ton of the questions go to him. Even a ton of people on this line are really talking about a matchup with him against GGG. Do you in any way feel disrespected or do you feel like everybody including Munguia is overlooking you?

DENNIS HOGAN: To be honest, no. I’ve been the underdog a lot in my career. I understand where it’s at, and I know that — I understand that all the pressure will be on Munguia going back to México and having to fight there.

You know, whatever way he deals with that, I don’t believe that that’s a major strength in my game plan anyway. My game plan is set, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes.

But you know, that’s boxing; it’s a business as much as a sport, and everyone is looking to see what the biggest fights can be made, so I understand it is what it is. But I am here to make an upset, and with that I have a lot of confidence. So I enjoy people asking who he’d like to fight next because when other names are being mentioned, they’re probably the names I’ll be fighting next.

Q. Dennis, kind of piggy-backing off what I just said, there’s probably going to be a ton of pressure on Munguia to perform, especially with things being in Mexico City. You on the other hand could probably come in, be a little bit more relaxed. You only have one loss on your record. Do you feel that that added pressure on him can probably affect him negatively in the fight, and since you pretty much feel that you probably don’t have any pressure at all, it’ll probably just give you the opportunity to go out there, do what you want to do and just box?

DENNIS HOGAN: Yeah, you know, you’re correct in that. I will just get out there and be relaxed in that sense. But I will start hard and fast, also, but ultimately I will be relaxed.

Look, I was first mentioning, I know what it’s like to have that pressure, and whether or not Munguia can deal with that is all good, but that’s not something that we’re relying on. But you know, it’s a big stadium. There’s a lot of people there, and it will be interesting to see what way that makes Munguia fight or what way it goes, but again, we’ve got all the boxes ticked. So either way, it is what it is.

Q. Jaime, you’re becoming a really good star ever since you were mentioned with GGG. You’ve just gained a lot of traction and a lot of fans and you’ve performed really, really well. I wanted to know, you’re pretty big for 54. Do you see yourself continuing at that weight? Are there any issues making 54, or do you see yourself moving up to 60 within the next year or so, or do you not plan on moving up until you collect all of the belts essentially?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Yes, you have seen I’m big for 154 pounds. It does take some work to do it, but I’ve figured it out pretty well and gotten used to it, but it’s inevitable. I don’t know if it’s going to be for my next fight or by the end of the year, but I will be moving to 160 pounds.

Q. This is kind of a two-parter. Since you acknowledged that you will be moving up to 160 fairly soon into the future, I think a ton of people would love to know in your next fight, not overlooking Dennis at all, but in your next fight, would you want to face someone like a Jarrett Hurd or a Tony Harrison or even a Jermall Charlo? And my second question would be since you’re going to be performing in front of so many of your fans, you’re a great fighter, you’ve knocked out a lot of people, but is there going to be any little bit of added pressure to try to get that knockout in front of the people that came to see you?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Yes, it’s a big pressure because everyone wants to see me win by knockout. But the truth is I need to stay calm. Sometimes I can’t get the knockout, so I have to maintain my calmness, and to answer the other question, whether it’s at 154 or 160 pounds, yes, I would like to fight a Jarrett Hurd or a Tony Harrison.

Q. Dennis, I see you’re training in Australia, you’re from Ireland, so you’re obviously well-traveled. But going to Monterrey, México, fighting in México, but with so many Mexican boxing fans also in Ireland, are you excited for the opportunity to fight in México?

DENNIS HOGAN: Yeah, I mean, I think the Mexicans are very like the Irish in terms of getting in and giving it everything they’ve got. I believe it’s kind of the same mentality the Irish and the Mexicans have. I know it’s a great passion in Ireland and in México, and I believe an Irish versus a Mexican for the World Championship, I think it doesn’t get bigger than that in terms of heart and passion and the supporters getting behind it, and no doubt I’m very excited.

Q. Jaime, it’s about to be one year since you knocked out Sadam Ali to be a world champion. In the last year how has your life changed away from the ring and in the ring? Is it something you can kind of pinpoint how much your life has changed in the last year?

JAIME MUNGUIA: I think everything has changed for the better, and thank God. We have a better life now. There are more opportunities, and more than anything, it’s a big responsibility because I’m fighting often. I’m staying in the gym, and I’m fighting one fight after another. So it’s been a big change. It’s been an excellent change, and the truth is I’m very happy for this change.

Q. Dennis, I don’t think there will be a whole lot of Irish flags flying down in Monterrey, so knowing that you’re going to have a very aggressive crowd down there, not perhaps in your corner, how do you handle that?

DENNIS HOGAN: As long as there’s one flag that’s flying, I’ll be happy, and that’s all I need. We will have a few, and I believe we’ll have a very vocal crowd there between the Irish and Australians of support. Even if there wasn’t, I’ll give them my laser focus. I’ll just be cool, calm, collected, eyes on the prize and all I need to do, and that’s all that matters. But there will be a few there anyway, so that’s going to be good either way. But again, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll just stay focused.

Q. Robert or anyone with Golden Boy, how are ticket sales doing?

ROBERT GASPARRI: Ticket sales are doing very robustly. We predict a sellout in this fight. Ticket sales are strong. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but from what I hear, it’s really going well. I would think that the arena is going to be totally sold out in Jaime’s hometown.

Q. Jaime, how does that make you feel hearing from Robert that you may have a sellout down there?

JAIME MUNGUIA: It’s very exciting to know that we could have a full house. It’s a big motivation. It’s a great arena. It’s grandiose, it’s huge, down in Monterrey. So to be able to see it full would be very exciting for me, and I’m going to have all the desire and the will to make sure that we have a great fight for everyone there.

Q. Jaime, how many people pestered you to get tickets?

JAIME MUNGUIA: Haha, a lot of people.

Q. Robert, what are the plans for Jaime Munguia? Do you see him continuing to defend his title? Do you have him perhaps making big fights in another division in the future? What are the plans for Jaime Munguia?

ROBERT GASPARRI: The plan — I can speak as the CEO from Golden Boy, but Oscar and Eric and Fernando and Zanfer, we have great plans for Jaime. We’re going to sit together with everybody. We’re going to get him to the biggest fights. We’ll put him on the DAZN platform, which is the No. 1 platform for boxing. We just have — all the way to the top. He’ll fight the best, and we’ll put him in bigger arenas, and we have a lot, a lot of big plans for Jaime. And he has what it takes, so he’s exciting in the ring, and he’s able to — the fans love his style, and we’re proud to be working with him and with Zanfer, and the sky’s the limit.

Q. This question is for Dennis Hogan. How do you prepare yourself mentally, especially when there are a lot of people who perhaps don’t see you winning this fight, they’re already asking questions about Golovkin, Canelo? How do you prepare mentally for a fight when you’re maybe the underdog?

DENNIS HOGAN: Again, I’m just always about the bigger picture. I have a dream, it’s just about following it. All these outside little — what may be a distraction to other people, they don’t even come into my brain, into my head. I don’t care. It’s only just noise. It’s just talk from other people.

My dream is very real, and I can feel it, and it’s with me. That’s all I need to do. It inspires me every day, and I go with that feeling and I give everything I have. I have a belief and a faith of what’s to come. Everything that goes on around me just means nothing. It’s just noise to me.

Q. Robert Alcazar, you’ve worked with quality level fighters such as Oscar de la Hoya and Valerio. Where would you classify Jaime Munguia among the other fighters that you have worked with?

ROBERT ALCAZAR: Without a doubt, Munguia belongs to that group of fighters you just mentioned. He’s different. No doubt he keeps working, and if he keeps working, he will accomplish whatever he wants in this sport, and I have no doubt that he belongs to that elite list. He just has to accommodate himself and we have to give him a little bit of time to be in that list, but he belongs in that list.

Q. Would you have him fight someone like a GGG?

ROBERT ALCAZAR: The decision is up to the promoter. My responsibility is to have the fighter ready so that when the promoter asks, he can deliver and he’s focused on this fight. But right now he’s focused on the task he has ahead of him, and after that we’ll think in the future about fights, but whatever names you mentioned, no doubt he can fight them.

Q. This question is for Dennis. You’re going into the lion’s den, so to speak, down in México. Do you feel a little bit of pressure or added pressure to maybe having to go for the knockout, considering that you’re going in the backyard of your opponent?

DENNIS HOGAN: To be honest, it doesn’t faze me. For me, first and foremost, it’s about winning every exchange, winning every round, and then after that, whatever happens happens. I don’t feel any pressure at all whatsoever. As I said, I have a faith and belief that my hand will be raised. I will get in there and give it everything I have, as I have in camp, and whatever will be will be. I’ve come this far on this faith and belief and my hard work, and I believe it will deliver on April 13th.

Q. We have some fans from our site that are from Australia, and they’ve mentioned something about DAZN maybe not being offered over there just yet. I don’t know how true that is or not. If so, how are your friends and family going to try to follow the fight if possible or if there is an option out there for them to watch?

DENNIS HOGAN: Well, so GBP has organized Epicenter TV. Epicenter.tv, it’s an online streaming and great quality, so that’s going to be something that everyone in Australia can watch. And I believe there’s one, maybe two stations in Ireland that’s going to show it live on TV. I believe, I’m not sure if it’s locked in 100 percent, but I believe Eir Sport will show it, and I think BoxNation may be interested, also. Just that needs to be confirmed a hundred percent. Go to the GBP Facebook page, and if you’re looking from either end, and the confirmation will be there for sure by the fight.

Q. At this level of being a world champion, how important is it to stay busy?

JAIME MUNGUIA: It is very important. We are in the big leagues now, to stay busy, to be concentrated. When you’re the world champion you have to think more. You have to do things that you didn’t do before, be more intelligent. So it’s important to stay calm and be training, so it’s very important to do that now at this level of fighting.

Q. How important is it to be the kind of world champion who’s always with the people? When I see you, you always do the most possible to be with the people, to treat them nicely, to talk to them. Not many world champions do that. Where does that come from?

JAIME MUNGUIA: It’s very important, very important for any athlete, for any person to give the adequate attention to the people, and I thank everyone. I thank all of them because it’s because of them that I am here. Without the people, we would be nothing. So I try to talk to all of them. I try to dedicate them my fights and treat them nicely because most importantly, it’s always good to be a champion who’s with the people.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Everybody, thank you so much for that. At this point, I want to thank everybody for the conference call. Let’s go over some final comments. Dennis, any final comments?

DENNIS HOGAN: Not really. You know, I just — I’d just like to express again how much I’m really looking forward to this fight, how much excitement I believe it’s going to bring to the fans for boxing and how good it’s going to be. I’m looking forward to hearing the atmosphere in México, passionate country for boxing, same as the Irish, same as the Australians, and bring it all together and we will have one great night. For that I’m really looking forward to it, and thank you to everyone for all of this. It’s much appreciated.

ROBERT GASPARRI: Jaime Munguia, would you like to make any final comments?

JAIME MUNGUIA: I’m very happy to be coming back to México. I have a great opponent in front of me, and it’s an extra motivation. So I just want to dedicate this to all the people, all the people who support me, the media that’s present here, and I want to tell everyone that I’m going to give him a great fight this April 13 at Arena Monterrey.

Munguia vs. Hogan is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World
Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Hogan can be purchased online at www.ArenaMonterrey.com or by clicking here.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/. Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaHogan

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/MunguiaHogan into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

LOS ANGELES (March 14, 2019): Jaime Munguia (32-0, 26 KOs) will make the fourth defense of his WBO Junior Middleweight World Title when he takes on mandatory challenger Dennis “Hurricane” Hogan (28-1-1, 7 KOS) in a 12-round battle. The event will take place on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico and will be streamed live on DAZN .

Munguia is a 22-year-old champion of Tijuana, Mexico who catapulted to the highest levels of the 154-pound division by knocking out Sadam “World Kid” Ali in May to capture the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title. Since then, Munguia has defended his title against the likes of Liam “Beefy” Smith, Brandon “Bad Boy” Cook, and Takeshi Inoue. Munguia will return to Mexico after not having fought there since March 2018 in tough challenge in Hogan.

“I feel happy to be returning to Mexico,” said Jaime Munguia.”The last time I fought in Mexico was right here in Monterrey, so I’m excited to be here again. I’m ready to come back and deliver a great show to my Mexican people. It’s also very important to be fighting on this new platform, DAZN. It’s an honor for me to be fighting on this platform. It’s new, but it’s very important. It is the future of boxing.”

Hogan is an Irish contender who calls Queensland, Australia his home. The 34-year-old fighter had his first world title opportunity against “Golden” Jack Culcay in 2015. Though unsuccessful, he would come back from his only loss to win six times in a row, earning him a mandatory shot at Munguia.

“I am looking forward to facing Jaime Munguia on April 13 in Monterrey, Mexico,” said Dennis Hogan. “Mexico’s culture has a rich history in boxing, and I can’t wait to show Mexico and the rest of the world that I am ready to dethrone Munguia. I am not concerned with his power, as I have fought bigger and stronger opponents. My pressure and style are going to give Munguia trouble. I have been fighting for this opportunity since I was eight years old. I’m going to make it count. My team at DDP Sports and Peter Kahn worked hard to get this fight done, and I’m looking forward to bringing the WBO Junior Middleweight title back to Australia.”

“It’s about time that Golden Boy returned to Mexico with one of its most dominant world champions in Jaime Munguia,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. “We’re excited for this endeavor with our partners and co-promoters at Zanfer Promotions as we work hard to make Munguia an international star. I have no doubts that Munguia will sell out Arena Monterrey as people from all over the country come to see him fight. Munguia has also proven to be a fan favorite for fans watching at home, so I expect many fans to tune in on the best platform in boxing, DAZN.”

“This will be Jaime Munguia’s return to Mexican territory after a great campaign in the United States,” said Fernando Beltran, CEO of Zanfer Promotions. “And above all it will take place on a great platform, one that has really changed the sport. It is the platform that has eliminated pay-per-view, and that’s DAZN. He’ll be continuing the strategic alliance that we have with our great friends at Golden Boy. I’m very happy that we will be here together, promoting a great fighter and Mexican star in Jaime Munguia.”

In the co-main event, Brazilian contender Patrick Teixeira (29-1, 22 KOs) will return against Dormedes Potes (11-1-1, 8 KOs)of Barranquilla, Colombia in a 10-round fight for the WBO Latino Super Welterweight Title.

Daniel Valladares (19-1, 11 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will fight in a six-round light flyweight battle.

Diego De La Hoya (21-0, 10 KOS) of Mexicali, Mexico will face Enrique Bernache (24-12, 12 KOs) of Guadalajara, Mexico in a 10-round featherweight fight.

Arely Mucino (27-3-2, 10 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will return in a 10-round flyweight fight.

Irving Turrubiates (18-0, 12 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico will participate in an eight-round featherweight clash.

Javier Gonzalez (13-0, 10 KOs) will fight in a six-round lightweight battle.

Alex Rincon (6-0, 6 KOs) of Dallas, Texas will participate in a six-round super welterweight fight against Isaac Mireles (7-6, 3 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Opponents for Valladares, Mucino, Turrubiates and Gonzalez will be announced shortly.

Munguia vs. Hogan is a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Title presented by Golden Boy in association with Zanfer Promotions. The event is sponsored by Tecate, “THE OFFICIAL BEER OF BOXING” and Hennessy “Never Stop. Never Settle.” The event will take place Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Arena Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and will be streamed live exclusively on DAZN.

Tickets for Munguia vs. Hogan be purchased online at www.ArenaMonterrey.com or by clicking here.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com and DAZN.com. Follow on Twitter @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/DAZNUSA/.
Follow on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZN_USA. Follow the conversation using #MunguiaHogan

Photos and videos are available for download by clicking here or copying and pasting the link http://bit.ly/MunguiaHogan into a browser. Credit must be provided to Golden Boy for any photo and/or video usage.

Jaime Munguia will defend the WBO Junior Middleweight title against mandatory challenger Dennis Hogan on April 13 in Monterrey, Mexico, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“He’s a very tough fighter and it’s going to make for a good fight because he is a pressure fighter who likes to come forward and be aggressive like Munguia does,” Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez said.

Munguia is very big for the division and Gomez said he is close to moving up to middleweight.

“We’ve talked about it and he thinks he can finish out the year at 154,” Gomez said. “He’ll fight four times this year and this will be his second fight. So after this fight we will discuss it again with our [promotional] partner Fernando [Beltran of Zanfer Promotions] and with Munguia, but he says he can still make the weight and he seems good making it. But he’ll move up to middleweight in the future.”

Gomez said the undercard will feature the return of Diego De La Hoya, who will move up to featherweight from junior featherweight, where he has badly struggled to make weight and seen fights canceled because of it.

De La Hoya (21-0, 10 KOs), 24, of Mexico, who is the first cousin of Golden Boy CEO and International Boxing Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya, will face an opponent to be determined in a 10-round bout.

“He had trouble with the weight. All young fighters go through that,” Gomez said. “They think they can still make weight and their body is growing and they can’t. So we all got together and talked about it and we agreed it was time for him to go to featherweight.”