HBO Boxing closes out 2016 with an iconic competitor taking on a determined challenger when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: BERNARD HOPKINS VS. JOE SMITH, JR. AND JOSEPH DIAZ, JR. VS. HORACIO GARCIA AND OLEKSANDR USYK VS. THABISO MCHUNU is seen SATURDAY, DEC. 17 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from The Forum in Inglewood, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Dec. 18 (9:00 a.m.) and 19 (11:15 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: Dec. 20 (12:45 a.m.)

The fight will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and affiliate portals.

For his final bout, Philadelphia’s Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) takes on rising prospect Joseph Smith, Jr. (21-1, 18 KOs) from Long Island in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight contest.

In a remarkable career that started behind prison walls and defied the odds, Hopkins, 51, has fought professionally as a middleweight and light heavyweight for 28 years. Winning seven titles and making a record 20 consecutive successful middleweight title defenses, he is widely considered a sure thing for the Hall of Fame. But age and a lack of ring activity are certain to be factors in Hopkins’ 23rd appearance on HBO, since he hasn’t fought since Nov. 2014.

With just one blemish on his record, Smith, 27, supplements his training by working construction on Long Island, and has compiled an outstanding 78% knockout-to-win ratio. He seeks to raise his standing in the division as he continues to pursue a championship fight.

In the middle bout, Joseph Diaz, Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs) of South El Monte, Cal. takes on Horacio Garcia (30-1-1, 22 KOs) from Guadalajara, Mexico in a scheduled ten-round featherweight contest. A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Diaz seeks to keep his perfect pro record intact and raise his national profile; Garcia is fighting in the U.S. for only the third time.

The tripleheader opens with a cruiserweight title contest between southpaw Oleksandr Usyk (10-0, 9 KOs) from Kiev, Ukraine and Thabiso Mchunu (17-2, 11 KOs) of Cato Ridge, South Africa. A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, title-holder Usyk, 29, will be making his U.S. debut with this scheduled 12-round matchup. The more-experienced Mchunu, 28, has fought three previous times in the U.S. The fight marks the first live cruiserweight battle on the network since 2003.

Friday night HBO LATINO will present a tripleheader from Fantasy Springs Casino starting at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) headlined by a light heavyweight attraction between Vyacheslav Shabranskyy and Sullivan Barrera.

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

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

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

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

LOS ANGELES (December 8, 2016) On December 17th, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs) will look to defend his NABF Featherweight Championship for the fourth time this year, as the former 2012 U.S. Olympian steps into the ring for a 10-round slugfest against Horacio “Violento” Garcia (30-1-1, 22 KOs) as the co-main event of Bernard Hopkins’s final fight at the “Fabulous” Forum in Inglewood, California. Golden Boy Promotions caught up with the charismatic and undefeated fighter from South El Monte, CA ahead of the biggest fight of his career in an exclusive Q&A session. Below is what “Jojo” had to say:

How big is it for you to be co-main event on the final fight of Future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins?
It’s huge, it’s a dream come true and a blessing. When I was little, I would watch Bernard Hopkins fight and I really admire his story of fighting in prison and beco
ming a professional fighter from there and later a world champion. Just knowing I’m the co-main event on such a big card with the legend of Bernard Hopkins-a future Hall of Famer, will not be something I will take for

granted and I will showcase to the world who Joseph Diaz, Jr. is. While this is the end of an era for Bernard Hopkins, it is the beginning of my career also.

What makes Horacio Garcia a dangerous opponent?
I saw his last fight at the Toshiba Plaza the night before Canelo vs. Khan with no idea I would be fighting him in the future, but my manager and I saw he was a very strong, talented fighter. He has an effective jab and throws lots of jabs to the body with a very tight defense. We know going in to this fight, he will be a dangerous opponent with a good record. I think him coming in at 126 pounds will benefit him because at his previous 122 pound weight, he was coming in weak and dehydrated and not living up to his full capabilities as far as strength. We know we have to be cautious and come in with a good game plan. I’m going to showcase to everyone that not only am I good fighter, I’m good brawler and can take shots and deliver shots.

Are you doing anything different to prepare for this opponent?
For this opponent, I’m training a lot harder because I know this is a big fight for me and will dictate where I am at and determine if I will be fighting on HBO next year again. I know if I do perform well, HBO will want me on their cards again so I need to go out there and perform. I know my opponent will be coming in very strong, but I am focusing on lots of lateral movement and my footwork, as well as my angles after my combinations and using my jab a lot whenever I’m fighting. Going in to the fight, I know I’m going to dictate my pace by using my jab.

As a local LA fighter fighting at a great venue such as the “Fabulous” Forum, do you put pressure on yourself to put on a show?
Yes, I put a lot of pressure on myself but it gives me motivation to train harder and to be more focused and to give the fight fans what they want to see. Being from LA and knowing I am fighting at the Forum, where legends have fought in that arena is a dream come true. Knowing I am going to have all my fans there supporting me from my Team Diaz, Jr. fans to my local LA fans, it’s going to be a dream come true hearing them chant my name once I’m entering the ring.
What does boxing mean to you?
Boxing means everything to me. It brings out the best in me and makes me the man I am today, and helps me keep my composure. But most of all, it benefits me by supporting my family financially, I get to support them so they don’t have to worry about struggling. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always wanted to help out my parents because we grew up poor, I knew that boxing could pay well. Once I started competing in
the amateurs, I started getting a monthly stipend and ever since then, I was hooked.

Describe yourself as a fighter.
I feel I am an elite fighter and I can do anything because I am an all-around fighter and can adjust to any opponent. If an opponent wants to box me, then I will be able to cut him off and be the aggressor. If the opponent wants to be the aggressor, I am able to create my angles and box a little bit. I feel that overall, I am the full pa
ckage and because I can move around and create my angles or bang on the inside. I have the speed and power, but I know I’m not the best fighter and still have room for improvement. That’s why I’m in the gym 24/7 to perfect my craft.

Outside of the ring, we know you as a very nice guy who’s always smiling. What happens to that once you get inside the ring?
Outside of the ring, I’m a
very nice, outgoing guy and very humble. The reason why I get so angry inside the ring is because I know that the person I am fighting is going to try to defeat me and try to take what I want to be in life and what I am providing for my family financially. If my opponent defeats me, I’m not going to be able to provide for my family or be that role model for the kids because they see me as an undefeated fighter. When I’m inside the ring,

I use that anger as motivation knowing that I have little kids looking up to me as their role model and that’s what motivates me to be a vicious beast inside the ring.

How special is it to have your father as your trainer and experience the success together?
It’s very special and it’s very touching, because ever since I was a little kid, my dad has been my best friend. We used to play baseball together and he would be my coach trying to be make sure I was the best baseball player I could be. Even though my dad would work over twelve hours a day, he would come home every day and be very energetic with me. He would always want to be there for me, and I really appreciate that. If it weren’t for my dad, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He has kept me off the streets, away from bad influences and on the right track doing my homework and at the gym. He has made me a caring family man, and I really appreciate him for that. It’s very touching and a blessing having my dad as my trainer because he sacrifices more than people could imagine. I want to take the time to thank him and let him know we are in this for the long haul.

Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. is a 12-round WBC International Light Heavyweight Championship presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. Diaz, Jr. vs. Garcia is a 10-round NABF featherweight title match presented by Golden Boy Promotions. Usyk vs. Mchunu a 12-round WBO Cruiserweight World Title battle presented by K2 Promotions in association with Main Events. The event is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on Saturday, December 17, 2016 from Inglewood, California’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Tickets for Hopkins vs. Smith, Jr. are now on sale and are priced at $25, $50, $75, $105 and $205, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00am PST to 7:00pm PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
B-roll and images of Hopkins vs. Smith are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/HopkinsSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

LOS ANGELES (November 7, 2016) –
Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. (22-0, 13 KOs) will look to defend his NABF Featherweight Championship for the fourth time this year, as the former 2012 U.S. Olympian steps into the ring for a 10-round slugfest againstHoracio “Violento” Garcia (30-1-1, 22 KOs) in the co-main event of Bernard Hopkins’s final fight on December 17 at the Forum in Inglewood, California. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for these action-packed fights are already on sale.

“A world title has always been my goal and December 17, will be an incredible experience as I continue to pursue my dream of a being featherweight champion,” Diaz said. “Garcia is an extremely tough guy, but I am hitting my peak right now, and there’s nothing that’s going to stop me.”

“Joseph Diaz may be undefeated, but he’s never faced anyone like me,” Garcia said. “I am looking forward to coming to Los Angeles December 17, defeating Diaz and continuing my rise up the Featherweight division.”

“I have had a front-row seat to watch Joseph develop from an Olympian to a world-class professional fighter, and he is getting better each and every day,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO and Chairman Oscar De La Hoya. “While JoJo will face one of his toughest challenges his in Garcia, I am confident he comes out victorious and earns a world title shot in 2017.”

Hopkins vs. Smith is a 12-round light heavyweight battle presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Star Boxing. Diaz vs. Garcia is a 10-round NABF featherweight title match up presented by Golden Boy Promotions. The event is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. The event will be televised live on Saturday December 17, 2016 from Inglewood California’s “Fabulous” Forum on HBO’s flagship series beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Tickets for Hopkins vs. Smith are now on sale and are priced at $25, $50, $75, $105 and $205, not including applicable service charges and taxes, with a total ticket limit of 12 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or the Forum Box Office (Monday through Friday 11:00am PST to 7:00pm PST) at (310) 330-7300. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.fabulousforum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.starboxing.com, www.hbo.com/boxing and www.fabulousforum.com; follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @starboxing, @HBOBoxing, @therealbhop, @beastsmithjr, @JosephDiazJr, and @TheForum; become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, https://www.facebook.com/StarBoxing/, www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing and www.facebook.com/TheForum; and visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOBoxing. Follow the conversation using #HopkinsSmith.

Follow all the action as Liam Smith defends the WBA Jr. Middleweight title against Canelo Alvarez.  The action from AT&T Stadium kicks off at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a 3 fight undercard that will start with super bantamweight’s Diego De La Hoya battling Luis Orlandito Del Valle; Joseph Diaz takes on Andrew Cancio in a featherweight bout and in the co-feature, Willie Monroe, Jr. battles Gabriel Rosado in a middleweight clash.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED…THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Round 1: Hard right from Alvarez..Jab..Double jab..body shot..jab..

Round 2 Good right from Smith..2 jabs and hook from Alvarez..Hard right to body..Alvarez bleeding over his left eye..Left from Smith..

Round 3 Alvarez lands a body shot..Hard right..right to head..body shot..left right to body.Good left fro, Smith..right..Uppercut by Alvarez..Good uppercut from Smith..

Round 4 Smith cut above his left eye..Body shots from Alvarez..

Round 5 Smith lands a body punch…jab..double uppercut and body from Alvarez..good right from Smith..Hard right

Round 6  Good right from Smith..2 hard uppercuts from Alvarez..Body shot..Great right to the body

Round 7 RIGHT TO HEAD AND DOWN GOES SMITH..Big left hook from Alvarez..Smith lands a right..

Round 8 Counter right from Alvarez..Good left from Smith..HARD BODY SHOT AND DOWN GOES SMITH..

Round 9 Body shot from Alvarez..another good body shot..HUGE LEFT TO THE BODY AND DOWN GOES SMITH…HE IS HURT AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

Round 1 Right hook from Monroe..2 jabs…

116-112, 118-110, 117-111 WILLIE MONROE JR

Round 1: Diaz lands a left..Left at end of round

Round 2  Cancio lands a left hook…Right from Diaz..Good body shot..Solid left..

Round 3 Cancio bleeding from the nose..Trading uppercuts…1-2 from Cancio

Round 4 2 straight lefts from Diaz..

Round 5 Diaz lands a combination..Jab/straight left…Good right from Cancio..Straight left from Diaz..And another 1

Round 6 Good body shot from Diaz..Good left

Round 7 8 Punch combination from Diaz

Round 8 2 rights from Cancio..Combination..Combination from Diaz,,Good left hook from Cancio..Good left from Diaz..

Round 9 REF STOPS FIGHT…TKO WIN FOR JOSEPH DIAZ JR.

Round 1 De La Hoya lands a right..

Round 2  Del Valle lands a left and right to chin..Jab from De La Hoya..Jab ..Straight right from Del Valle..Good right..Let to body from De La Hoya..

Round 3 Good exchange..Right from Del Valle..Solid right from De La Hoya…Good body shot from Del Valle..

Round 4 Del Valle lands a right..De La Hoya lands a right ..Good body shot…Good exchange

Round 5 Exchange of rights’..Hard right from De La Hoya

Round 6 Left hook to body from De La Hoya..Good left hook to body…Good right..

Round 7 Del Valle has a mouse under his right eye

Round 8 De La Hoya lands a nice right

Round 9

Round 10 Nice jab from De La Hoya..

100-90, 99-91 twice for DIEGO DE LA HOYA

Canelo Alvarez won the WBO Junior Middleweight title with a 9th round stoppage over previously undefeated Liam Smith in front of 51, 240 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alvarez came out with a fast and vicious assault for which Smith was able to withstand.  Smith got in an occasional right and uppercut.  In round four, Smith was cut over his right eye.

In round seven, Alvarez landed a hard right to the head that sent Smith to the canvas for the first time in his career.  Smith went down again in the next round from a perfectly placed left to the body.  Alvarez finished things with another left to the body that not only dropped Smith, but curled his legs in the air undoubtedly due to a quick sharp pain from the show at the fight was stopped at 2:28.

Alvarez of Guadalajara, Mexico is 48-1-1 with 34 knockouts.  Smith of Liverpool, England is now 23-1-1.

Willie Monroe, Jr. won a 12-round unanimous decision over Gabriel Rosado in a middleweight bout.

Monroe won by scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 and is now 21-2.  Rosado is 23-10.

Joseph Diaz Jr. remained undefeated as he bloodied and battered Andrew Cancio for almost nine rounds en route to a technical knockout victory.

In round three, Cancio began to bleed from his nose after eating an uppercut.  From there it was all downhill for Cancio as he ate combination after combination and the blood streamed down his nose and all over the trunks of both fighters until the fight was stopped at 2:27  of round nine.

Diaz, 125 1/2 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 22-0 with 13 knockouts.  Cancio, 126 lbs of Blyth, CA is 17-4-2.

“This is a great victory, it will open up so many doors for me moving forward,” said Joseph Diaz, Jr. “I felt very comfortable today, I was the better puncher, I was faster and was able to cut the ring more efficiently.  I knew that Cancio was going to be a strong guy, I knew he was going to be tough and try to push me around, so I had to be the better fighter tonight. I was able to display my defense and my power.”

Diego De La Hoya remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Luis Del Valle in super bantamweight bout.

De La Hoya, 121 3/4 lbs of Mexicali, MX won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice  and is now 16-0.  Del Valle, 121 3/4 lbs of Bayamon PR is 22-3-0-1.

Former world title challenger Sadam Ali won a ten round unanimous decision over Saul Corral in a welterweight bout.

In round four, Ali dropped Corral with a right to the head.

Ali of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 99-91 and 99-90 twice and is now 23-1. Corral is now 22-8.

“The plan was to get the knock out, but that didn’t happen with this victory,” said Sadam Ali. “My opponent definitely had a Mexican style to him, and I was not expecting the reach he had with his arms. I knew I hurt him in the exchange of blows in the fourth round, and other times throughout the fight. This is still the win I needed and worked hard for, and I know the next fight I am in will demonstrate my will power.”

Vergil Ortiz scored a first round stoppage over Ernesto Hernandez in a scheduled four-round super lightweight bout.

Ortiz is now 2-0. Hernandez is 1-4.

“I feel motivated with this win. Never in my dreams did I expect to be on such a stage so early in my career,” said Ortiz. “In the ring, I knew my opponent was hungry for redemption early because he kept trying to throw some overhand punches. But I kept tight and when I landed my double jab and straight right punch combination, I had a feeling that he wasn’t going to get back up. I am glad I have such a solid start to my career, and I’m looking forward to more massive fights.”

Hector Tanajara Jr won a four-round unanimous decision over Roy Garcia in a lightweight bout.

Scores were 40-36 on all cards for Garcia, 132 1/2 lbs of San Antonio, TX and is now 7-0. Garcia, 133 1/2 lbs of Alice, TX is 3-20-1.

“It’s an amazing feeling being able to fight in my home state – I could hear my family members cheering from the stands, and it’s a blessing that they were able to come out to my first Texas performance,” said Hector Tanajara, Jr. “I honestly thought I was going to be able to get the knock out, but my opponent wanted to brawl and he had a resistance in the ring that I didn’t expect. In the end, I got my victory, and back to the gym we go to begin training for the next one.”

Zachary Ochoa remained undefeated with a eight-round unanimous decision over Daniel Montoya in a junior welterweight bout.

Ochoa is now 16-0. Montoya is 11-5.

“It felt good to go all eight-rounds.” said Zachary Ochoa. “It’s a good experience for me, to make sure that all my training is working.  He was a tough guy, resilient, but I was in control the whole time. I knew my body shots were hurting him and I continued doing that to break him down. I knew going in it was going to be a tough fight, but we trained exactly for this, and we are ready to take on the next talented fighter.”

Alexis Salazar won a four round unanimous decision over Larry Smith in a super welterweight bout. The scores read 60-54 twice and 58-56 for Salazar who is now 8-3. Smith is 10-29-1.

“I felt good throughout the fight. I feel it was my technique that won this fight for me,” Alexis Salazar said. “My opponent was a tricky guy to fight and I thought it would be an easier night for me because of his loss streak on his record, but he made me work and I think it was a good experience.”

Anthony Yarde (8-0, 7KOs) scored a first round stoppage over Rayford Johnson in a scheduled four round light heavyweight bout.

Yarde of Great Britan is now 8-0 with seven knockouts. Johnson is 11-21.

LOS ANGELES (August 18, 2016) – As fans from around the world get ready to descend on the home of the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas for the world championship showdown between former two-division world champion and Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez (47-1-1, 33 KOs) and current WBO Junior Middleweight World Champion, Liam “Beefy” Smith (23-0-1,13 KOs), Golden Boy Promotions today announced the Saturday, September 17 event will also feature three non-stop action fights as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View telecast beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Hailed as one of the most entertaining fighters in boxing, former world title challenger and blood-and-guts contender, “King” Gabriel Rosado (23-9, 13 KOs, 1 NC) of Philadelphia, will attempt to re-establish himself as one of the top fighters in the middleweight division when he faces former world title challenger Willie “El Mongoose” Monroe, Jr. (20-2, 6 KOs) of Rochester, N.Y. in a 12-round, middleweight bout as the co-main event to Canelo vs. Smith. The sure-fire action fight features two of boxing’s most resilient fighters who have taken on the top fighters in the division on their rise to stardom, garnering praise and respect from boxing fans. With a final run up the middleweight ladder at stake for the winner, this 50/50 fight will feature non-stop action and two warriors desperate for a win.

Also on the televised card, 2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (21-0, 12 KOs) of So. El Monte, Calif. will make his Pay-Per-View (PPV) debut, defending his NABF Featherweight title for the second time in a 10-round fight against one of the hardest punchers and most experienced fighters in the division, Andrew “El Chango” Cancio (17-3-2, 13 KOs) of Blythe, Calif.

Opening up the pay-per-view telecast, Diego De La Hoya (15-0, 9 KOs) of Mexicali, Mexico, will face off against Luis “Orlandito” Orlando Del Valle (22-2, 16 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico in a 10-round fight.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to perform at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys,” said Gabriel Rosado. “Fernando Vargas, my trainer and I are on a winning streak and getting better as we continue to work together. We have all the confidence we’ll be victorious on September 17. Training camp is going great; despite the change in opponent, we still continue to maintain our focus. Willie Monroe, Jr. is a southpaw as well so the game plan doesn’t change much. He’s in my way of me gaining a world title so I’m working harder than ever before to get that chance again. This is going to be a great fight for all the fans, I know I am coming in with everything I got and I know Willie Monroe, Jr. will do the same. I would like to thank Golden Boy Promotions, AT&T Stadium, and HBO for having me part of such a big event, I promise all boxing fans, this is the fight to watch on September 17.”

“I am happy to be back in championship contention,” Willie Monroe, Jr. “Gabriel Rosado is a warrior and this should make a for a great fight. I am looking forward to this opportunity. It is a big venue, but I don’t care if I am fighting in front of 200 people or 2 million people. I am always focused and I plan to put on a great performance on September 17.”

“I am very Happy that Willie is getting this opportunity,” said Arthur R. Pelullo, President and CEO of Banner Promotions. “Willie has displayed that he is one of the top middleweights in the world, and he will show that on that September 17th against a quality fighter in Gabe Rosado which should be an all-action, fan-friendly fight.”

“This undercard features everything a fight fan could want — a crossroads fight between two veterans battling for a last shot at stardom, a former Olympian on the cusp of a world title and a top prospect making his debut on the biggest scene in boxing,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “With the biggest star in the sport in Canelo headlining the night and this stacked undercard providing support, fans are in a for a top-to-bottom treat on September 17.”

“Fighting on HBO pay-per-view is a dream come true,” said Joseph Diaz, Jr. “As a young fighter you always dream about being on the big stage doing what you love and I am very excited to be part of such a big event. I am very motivated and ready to take this step and perform for all the fight fans in the arena and all the fights tuning in. Andrew is a tremendous fighter, strong, aggressive; I know he bring out the best in me. I know he is going to try to take everything away from me, but I am not afraid. I am going out on September 17 in the best shape of my life, I have everything ahead of me and I am ready to defend my title and give the fight fans a fight they want to see.”

“Every fighter dreams to one day get to this level of their career and be featured on pay-per-view,” said Diego De La Hoya. “With this fight and this stage I am ready to announce that I have arrived to the elite of this division. Winning this fight will take me to the next level of my career, I am ready for it. I have what it takes to win and I am looking forward to impressing all the fans on September 17.”

“Being patient paid off,” said Luis Orlando Del Valle. “This is a great opportunity, on one of boxing’s biggest stages. Now is the time to deliver, to come out with the win at all cost for my family and for Puerto Rico. Rest assured, I will not waste this magnificent occasion. I will rise.”

Canelo vs. Smith, a 12-round fight for the WBO Junior Middleweight World Championship, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Frank Warren and Canelo Promotions. Gabriel Rosado vs. Willie Monroe, Jr. is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and Diego De La Hoya vs. Luis Orlando Del Valle is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Roc Nation Sports. The event is sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” O’Reilly’s Auto Parts, Adriana’s Insurance and Casa Mexico Tequila and will take place on Saturday, September 17 at AT&T Stadium, doors open at 2:30 p.m. CT. and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets are priced at $750, $500, $300, $200, $100, $85, $50 and $40, not including applicable service charges with a total ticket limit of 8 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase online at www.ticketmaster.com. Additionally, walk up purchases are available at the AT&T Stadium Box Office (Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. CT to 5:00 p.m. CT).

Since making his film debut in last year’s Creed,the latest installment of the internationally recognized Rocky franchise, “King” Gabe Rosado is fresh off of an exciting victory over Joshua “Grand Master” Clottey this past December 2015 and an exciting decision victory over Antonio “Tony” Gutierrez on the undercard of Fight of the Year contender Vargas vs. Salido on June 4. Rosado has established himself as one of the most entertaining fighters to watch in the sport taking on some of the toughest and elite fighters in the middleweight division. The epitome of Philadelphia toughness, Rosado has been battling the best for over a decade, including Gennady “GGG” Golovkin, David Lemieux, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, Jesus Soto “Renuente” Karass, Alfredo “Perro” Angulo, Kassim “The Dream” Ouma and Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo. But this September, Rosado, expects to leave Texas with a victory under his belt when he takes on Willie Monroe, Jr.

Willie began boxing at the age of six and comes from an acclaimed boxing family, which includes his father, Willie “The Body Rock” Monroe, who fought for the USBA and NABF titles at middleweight and super middleweight; his great uncle Willie “The Worm” Monroe (39-10-1) who was considered one of the best Middleweights of the 1970’s and holds a win over the great Marvin Hagler; his cousin Marcus Hall (6-6-1), and his late grandfather, Lee Monroe, a distinguished amateur in his fighting days. Willie had a distinguished amateur career, as well, which saw him go 128-14. He was a three-time national champion and won countless regional and state championships. He was a 2-time Empire State Games champion and 4-time State Golden Gloves champion. He lost in the quarterfinals of the 2008 Olympic trials to former IBF Welterweight champion Shawn Porter. Willie’s big breakthrough was winning the 2014 Boxcino Middleweight tournament on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Willie then took a ten-round unanimous decision win over perennial contender Bryan Vera on January 16, 2015 from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. With this impressive run of victories, Willie earned an opportunity to fight for the WBA Middleweight title of the world. On May 16, 2015, Willie took on WBA/Interim WBC Middleweight champion Gennady “GGG” Golovkin in a bout that headlined HBO Championship Boxing at The Forum in Inglewood, California. In his last bout on June 11, 2016, Willie scored two knockdowns and went on to win an impressive ten-round unanimous decision over 2015 Boxcino Junior Middleweight Champion John Thompson. The bout took place at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. has been seen as a future world champion for years, and now the NABF Featherweight Champion is closing in on that dream. Currently ranked third in the world by the WBC and ninth by the IBF and WBO, the 23-year-old southpaw from South El Monte, California has steadily moved through all opposition at 126 pounds, including Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo and Hugo “Guerrero” Partida. But it was in his March 26 win in his HBO debut over highly-regarded Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez that Diaz announced his arrival to the world stage. Diaz, Jr. was last seen in the ring against Victor “Pitufo” Proa defeating the fighter via second round knockout as the co-main event to Anotnio Orozco vs. Abner Lopez live on HBO Latino Boxing, on July 30. Now, set to face one of the hardest punchers in his division, Diaz, Jr. is ready to move up to the big leagues when he faces Andrew “El Chango” Cancio on the pay-per-view undercard of Canelo vs. Smith on September 17.

Blythe, Calif. native Andrew “El Chango” Cancio made his professional debut in 2006, remaining undefeated for ten bouts before his first loss. Cancio’s power has brought him thirteen of seventeen wins by way of knockout, a strength he brought to the ring against Nicaraguan warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado and former two-time world champion Hugo Fidel “El Increible” Cazares via knockout at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, in Indio, Calif. With these impressive victories, Cancio hopes to pursue his goal of becoming a featherweight world champion as he takes on one of the toughest challenges of his career in the decorated Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr on September 17.

The latest boxing phenomenon to emerge from Mexico, 22-year-old Diego De La Hoya has all the tools to become a global superstar, but the mature super bantamweight is keeping his focus on what’s in front of him. In 2015, De La Hoya began his move on the super bantamweight elite with five wins highlighted by back-to-back victories over former world title challengers Manuel “Suavecito” Roman and Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz, Ramiro “Zurdo” Robles, Jose “Hollywood” Estrella, and Giovanni “Lloviznas” Delgado; winning the WBC Youth World Title in the process. De La Hoya kicked off 2016 in style in February with a fourth-round body shot knockout of Arturo “Fuerte” Badillo and successfully defending it on May 7 of this year with a blistering seventh round technical knockout of Rocco Santomauro. Now his eyes are on a big win in September at AT&T Stadium.

Puerto Rican native Orlando “Orlandito” Del Valle comes from a boxing linage that includes former WBO Bantamweight World Champion Rafael Del Valle. Prior to his professional debut on April 11, 2008 at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey where he knocked out Rey Rivera in the third round, Del Valle was an Under 19 National Junior Olympic Champion for Puerto Rico, three-time New York Golden Gloves Champion, National Golden Gloves Champion, and U.S. Boxing’s number one rated junior boxer at 125 lbs. Now, Del Valle is riding a four fight win streak with two victories already notched in 2016. In his first contest of the year on April 9, Del Valle scored a second round technical knockout victory over rising prospect Josh Crespo at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire. He followed that performance with an eight-round unanimous decision victory over southpaw veteran Thomas “KO” Snow on May 13 as the nationally televised co-feature of Dustin Harrison-Hernandez vs. Mike Dallas Jr. at the DC Armory in Washington, D.C. Del Valle looks to continue his momentum for a fifth consecutive win on September 17 in Dallas, Texas at AT&T Stadium.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.frankwarren.com, www.attstadium.com or www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @WillieMonroeJr, @JosephDiazJr, @AndrewCancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya, @OscarDeLaHoya, @FrankWarren_tv, @ATTStadium and @HBOboxing, become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.Facebook.com/frankwarrenpromotions, www.Facebook.com/ATTStadium or www.Facebook.com/HBOboxing, join us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing, @Canelo, @LiamBeefySmith, @KingGabRosado, @Willie_elmongoose_monroejr, @JosephDiazJr, @Aa_Cancio, @DiegoDeLaHoya94 @ATTStadium, @OscarDeLaHoya and @HBOboxing, and follow the conversation using #CaneloSmith.

B-roll and images of the fighters are available for use and download HERE or by copying and pasting: bit.ly/CaneloSmith. Video and photo credit must be given to Golden Boy Promotions.

Oroaco, 142 lbs of San Diego, CA won by scores of 99-91 twice and 97-93 and is now 25-0. Lopez, 140 lbs is 23-6.

Joseph Diaz remained undefeated by stopping Victor Proa in round two of their featherweight bout.

Diaz dropped Proa in the 2nd round with a hard uppercut. He jumped on Proa and landed a huge barrage of punches and the bout was stopped at 1:07.

Diaz, 126 lbs of South El Monte, CA is 21-0 with 12 knockouts. Proa, 123 1/2 lbs of Monterrey, MX is 28-2-2.

SOUTH EL MONTE, Calif. (July 26, 2016) – As the summer heat hits its peak, Golden Boy Promotions fighters undefeated NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs), super featherweight prospect Nick “La Calavera” Arce (8-0-0, 6 KOs), and super bantamweight prospect Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (11-1-2, 6 KOs) held a media workout for their upcoming headlining fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino on Saturday, July 30. Jiaro Hernandez (15-9, 8 KOs) of Torreon, Mexico, who is now training out of Los Angeles, was also in attendance with former world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon ahead of his scheduled fight against Roy Tapia.

NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. will put his title and his undefeated record on the line in a 10-round fight against Victor “Pitufo” Proa (28-1-2, 21 KOs) of Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The main event of the night features number one rated contender by the WBC, “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) taking on Abner “Jaeger” Lopez (25-5, 19 KOs), of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico in a 10-round super lightweight fight. The event will be televised live by HBO Latino® Boxing beginning at 11:15 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT). Tickets are moving fast for this event, with just a limited number of tickets left available for purchase.

Below is what the fighters had to say at today’s media work out:

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ, NABF Featherweight Champion:

“I’m training a lot harder at this fight. I’m training with a lot more authority and have been working on landing my shots. While I’m a southpaw and he’s an orthodox, he’s very heavy handed and I know what I have to do to go in there to break him down.

“It’s great to be back fighting at Fantasy Springs, and see all my fans from the desert.

“I’m very excited to be on HBO Latino. It’s a dream come true and gets me a step closer to fighting on HBO Pay-Per-View.”

ROY “PITBULL” TAPIA, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I have been feeling very good for this fight. I understand the fighter I have ahead of me and have made sure to train very hard for this fight.

“I know that my opponent is going to fight to the tooth on this, and we are both going to be searching for the knock out.”

NICK “LA CALAVERA” ARCE, Super Featherweight Prospect:

“Growing up as a kid I did many tournaments at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, and I feel at home fighting there. It feels like a mini arena, it has a great vibe.

“I have prepared myself physically and mentally for the fight and my only goal is to stay focused on one thing–winning.

“I’m going to have about 200 marching skulls coming to Fantasy Springs, and I can’t wait to hear their cries and see them enjoying themselves on July 30.”

JAIRO HERNANDEZ, Super Bantamweight Prospect:

“I have come to fight with a heart, like a Mexican warrior.

“I firstly want to thank God, as well as my team for giving me this opportunity to show the boxing world what I have.

“I have trained for this spiritually, physically, and with the help of my trainer, former world champion Daniel Ponce De Leon; I know that winning this fight would make my career.”

Antonio Orozco vs. Abner Lopez is a 10-round welterweight bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD,” Casa Mexico Tequila and Carmelita Coconut Water. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. PT and the first fight begins at 5:10 p.m. PT. The HBO Latino® Boxing telecast begins at 11:10 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Limited tickets at the $25 level are still available for purchase at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com. All floor seats are now sold out.

INDIO, CALIFORNIA (July 15, 2015) – The Coachella Valley was treated to a night full of action at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, featuring the return to the ring of two of the most exciting fighters in the featherweight division live on Estrella TV’s Boxeo Estelar. With a special appearance by former five-division boxing world champion and International Boxing Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard, Metta World Peace, and Golden Boy Promotions’ fighters: Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr., Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera, Diego De La Hoya, and the newest member Virgil Ortiz, Jr.; the night kept all the fans on their feet as they watched a night of exciting boxing.

The main event of the night featured former world title challenger Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (23-3-1, 16 KOs) of Juncos, Puerto Rico, taking on the Nicaraguan warrior Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (24-7, 16 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight fight that went the distance. The evenly matched fighters consistently traded blows and it was Velez who attempted to use his boxing skills in the first few rounds. By the fifth round, both fighters began to fight from the inside as came at each other for a classic brawl with both landing effective shots. An accidental head butt in the sixth round did stun the fighters, but that did not stop them from keeping the momentum going. A close fight, the judges awarded a split decision victory to the former WBC Silver Featherweight Champion, Rene Alavardo with scores of 96-94, 96-94 and 97-93 for Velez.

“This is a very important victory for me,” said Rene Alvarado. “I have been fighting tough prospects and fighting such a notable fighter like Velez proves that I am still a force in this division. I want to keep the momentum going and come back as soon as I can. I will be back in the gym next week to stay in shape and be ready for the next fight.”

In the co-main event of the night, undefeated prospect Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis (16-0, 11 KOs) of Boston retained his undefeated record when he took on Luis “La Roca” Hernandez (12-2, 7 KOs) of Rio Pierdas, Puerto Rico. Ellis made sure to keep the pressure on Hernández but in the fourth round was caught by a solid left hook that sent him to the canvas. Hernandez saw an opportunity and aggressively came after Ellis as Ellis tried to keep his distance in what became the most exciting bout of the night. Ellis adjusted his game and began using is jab and counterpunching when Herenandez attacked. This plan proved successful as Ellis was awarded the decision with scores of 78-73 by all three judges.

“He caught me with a good shot,” said Rashidi Ellis. “But I felt that the adjustments I made to make sure he didn’t catch me again were effective. I wanted to make sure that I kept moving and continued to land clean shots. That is what gave me the victory tonight.”

Opening up the Estella TV broadcast, decorated amateur, Cesar Diaz of Palmdale, Calif. made his professional debut against Isau Duenez (1-5) of Monterey, Mexico. Diaz, was not shy in the first rounds of his scheduled four-round featherweight fight, aggressively coming at Duenez while landing hard punches to the body. The punches were effective as they continued to overwhelm Duenez and in the third round the referee called the fight awarding Diaz his first professional victory via technical knockout.

“This victory motivates me to keep going,” said Cesar Diaz. “I have a great corner and felt very comfortable and calm in my first fight as a professional. I felt that I was properly prepared for this fight, I have a team that gave me the best sparring. Fighting professionally is more fun, knowing that I can go in the ring and finish my opponent is very exciting and I am looking forward to the next fight.”

Part of the non-televised undercard and streaming on RingTVLive.com, Azat Hovanissyan (9-2, 8 KOs) of Glendale, Calif. took on Sacramento’s Mario Ayala (4-3-1, 1 KOs) in a schedule six-round super bantamweight fight. In the fifth round, Hovanissyan sent Ayala to the canvas as the crowd cheered on the fighters. Making the count, Ayala was not able to shake off Hovanissyan and the fight was called off by the referee.

“I am very excited about this victory,” said Azat Hovanissyan. “I have been off for more than a year and I am glad I was able to shake the ring rust. I am ready to fight again and ready to come back at eight to 10 rounds.”

Indio, Calif.’s Marco Magdaleno (4-0, 2 KOs) put on a great display of dominance as he faced, Hugo Padilla (3-7, 2 KOs) of Aguascalientes, Mexico in a four-round lightweight bout. In the first two rounds, Magdaleno aggressively came after Padilla, cornering him in the ropes with his quick combinations. By the third round, Magdaleno began to out-box Padilla, effectively using his jab and counter punching. In the end, the judges awarded Magdaleno the victory via unanimous decision with scores of 40-36, 40-36 and 39-37.

“Padilla was a tough fight, he came prepared,” said Marco Magdaleno. “I felt like the guy was very durable and my corner and I decided that it would be best to box him, hit him with the best and cleanest shots to secure the victory. I trust my team and Joel Diaz always knows when we have to switch it up, he brings out the best in me.”

Opening the night Jhon Leon (1-0, 1 KO) of Los Angeles made an impression in his first professional fight knocking out his opponent Jose Huerta (0-1-1) of Villahermosa, Mexico in the first round knockout of their scheduled four-round welterweight.

“Winning this fight is the prize after so much sacrifice,” said John Leon. “I have been fighting since I was 11 years old and have been on the Colombian Olympic team and now to finally start my career as a professional is a dream comes true. I can’t wait until my next fight, I am ready to keep putting in the work to become the next world champion.”

Jayson Velez vs. Rene Alvarado was a 10-round super featherweight fight presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by “Tecate, BORN BOLD”. Doors opened at 5:00 p.m. and the first bell rang at 5:30 p.m. The Boxeo Estelar broadcast will aired live on Estrella TV at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. The card will also streamed live on EstrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios. The RingTVlive.com live stream will began at approximately 5:00 p.m. PT through 7:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, http://www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing and @EstrellaTV; and follow the conversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

LOS ANGELES (July 8, 2016) – “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs), one of the most promising contenders in the division will be tested in the welterweight division as he takes on Abner “Jaeger” Lopez (25-5, 19 KOs), a tough fighter from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico known for his heavy punch and endurance in the ring. The 10-round main event will headline an exciting night of boxing from Golden Boy Promotions’ home in the Coachella Valley at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, in Indio, Calif. on Saturday, July 30 and televised on HBO Latino® Boxing beginning at 11:30 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT).

Also, featured as the televised co-main event of the night, undefeated contender, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs) will put his NABF Featherweight Title on the line in a 10-round featherweight fight against Victor “Pitufo” Proa (28-1-2, 21 KOs) of Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Rounding out the undercard on the non-televised portion of the evening, Roy “Pitbull” Tapia (11-1-2, 6 KOs) of East Los Angeles will take on Jairo “Roca” Hernandez (17-9, 9 KOs) of Torreon, Coahullia, Mexico in a scheduled eight-round super bantamweight fight. Los Angeles’ fan favorite Nick “La Calavera” Arce (8-0, 6 KOs) will fight in a six-round super featherweight event against Jesus Aguinaga (4-4-1) of Phoenix. Additionally, newly signed Golden Boy Promotions fighter Virgil Ortiz of Dallas will make his professional debut in a four-round super lightweight fight against Julio Rodas (0-2) of Flagstaff, Ariz.

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

Antonio Orozco vs. Abner Lopez is a 10-round welterweight bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

Unbeaten as a professional, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco has paid his dues on the way to the top, and now his only intention is to get the shot at a world championship that he’s craved. Winner of the NABF junior super lightweight title in 2014, the 28-year-old has since defeated former world champions Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto and Steve “2Pound” Forbes, and hot prospect Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor. In his most recent bout on March 25, Orozco made another statement with a first round knockout of Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta that thrilled the fans at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

A professional since 2011, Abner “Jaeger” Lopez has been steadily climbing the welterweight ranks. Known for his punching power and resilience in the ring, Lopez has taken on tough opposition defeating Humberto Mauro ” Cachorrito” Gutierrez, Ricardo “Pelon” Dominguez, Jose David Mosquera and Aik “The Humanoid” Shakhanazaryan. Lopez was last seen in the ring in 2015 when he fought four-times winning against Daniel Calzada via decision in July and receiving his first loss after a four win streak in November against Daniel Echeverria. Now, Lopez is looking to come back into the winners column when he faces Orozco on July 30.

A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. has been seen as a future world champion for years, and now the NABF Featherweight Champion is closing in on that dream. Currently ranked third in the world by the WBC and ninth by the IBF and WBO, the 23-year-old southpaw from South El Monte, California has steadily moved through all opposition at 126 pounds, including Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo and Hugo “Guerrero” Partida. But it was in his March 26 win in his HBO debut over highly-regarded Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez that Diaz announced his arrival to the world stage.

A tested fighter out of Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Victor “Pitufo” Proa will be looking for his second victory of 2016 when he takes on the promising Joseph Diaz, Jr. on July 30. The 31-year-old last faced Oswaldo Oziel Delgado in February via first round technical knockout after a six-year fight hiatus. Before that, Proa was a six-year professional fighter that boasted a great record with only one loss, taking on some of the most experienced fighters in the game. Now with a victory under his belt, Proa will be making his first appearance in the U.S. looking to crash the featherweight division.

East LA super bantamweight Roy “Pitbull” Tapia is a popular fighter on the California fight scene. A promising fighter, Tapia maintained busy in 2014 and 2015 taking on tough fighters: Erik Ruiz, Juan Luis “Perla Negra” Hernandez, Ali Gonzalez, Luis “Titi” Maldonado and Omar “Chacalito” Aguilar. Now fighting for the first time in 2016, Tapia will be looking for redemption after his first career loss to face Jairo Hernandez in his return to Fantasy Spring Resort Casino on July 30.

A professional fighter for over 15 years, Jairo “Roca” Hernandez of Torreon, Coahuilla, Mexico has enough experience under his belt to be a dangerous fighter against any opponent. Currently maintaining a five-fight winning streak via knockout, the heavy-handed, Hernandez will be looking to impress in his U.S. debut when he takes on Roy Tapia on July 30.

A former amateur star, Nick “La Calavera” Arce became a professional with a victory over Adalbert Valenzuela and most believe that the sky is the limit for the hard-hitting featherweight of Honduran and Salvadoran descent. In his first fight of 2016, Arce took on seasoned fighter Luiz “Lichito” Lizarraga Jr., in February and went the distance for the first time in his career winning the fight via unanimous decision. In his second fight, Arce was part of the non-televised action on the undercard of Francisco Vargas vs. Orlando Salido on June 4, at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., defeating Francisco Dominguez via unanimous decision with scores of 60-54 from all three judges.

A new fighter on the scene, Jesus Aguinaga of Phoenix, is coming off a decision loss against Justin Pauldo on June 2016. Earlier in the year, Aguinaga had a victory over Luis Bello in January and a draw against Adan Mares in April. Now, Aguinaga will be looking to be back on the winner’s column when he takes on Nick Arce on July 30.

Currently trained by the famed Joel Diaz, Virgil Ortiz of Grand Prairie, Texas is a seven-time national champion, winner of the 2013 Junior Olympics with a record of 140-20. Ortiz began his career at five years old when he was introduced to the sport by his father and began competing at eight-years old. The decorated amateur signed with Golden Boy Promotions in 2016 and is ready to begin his professional career on July 30.

In his fight of 2016 and after a four-year hiatus, Julio Rodas of Flagstaff, Ariz. will be looking to make another attempt at the fight game on July 30. With two fights already under his belt, pro-debuter, Vigril Ortiz will have a tough time going up against a more experienced fighter.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOLatino, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing.

LOS ANGELES (July 6, 2016) – The heat was turned up a notch at Golden Boy Headquarters as undefeated welterweight “Relentless” Antonio Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) and undefeated NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs) announced their upcoming televised fights on HBO Latino on July 30. Rising SoCal fan-favorite fighter, Nick “La Calavera” Arce (8-0-0, 6 KOs) fighting on the non-televised undercard portion of the night was also in attendance.

Below is what the fighters, their managers and promoter had to say at today’s press conference:

ERIC GOMEZ, Senior Vice President, Golden Boy Promotions:

“We are very proud to be partnered with Fantasy Springs for this fight, as they have been our host venues for many of Golden Boy’s events.

“Antonio Orozco reminds me of a young Julio Cesar Chavez, because he always puts on an exciting performance. He’s worked very hard to be here and this might be the fight before his shot at a world title. It’s clear he has obviously caught the eye of HBO, and this fight will be by far the toughest of his career.

“We are in an Olympic year, and our co-headliner will be ex-Olympian, Joseph Diaz, Jr. who also has a great record as a featherweight fighter. I believe the featherweight division will be the hottest division in the next few years because of all the talent we have following in the footsteps of Erik Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera.

“Nick Arce is beginning to have a huge following and his fans follow him out to Fantasy Springs. He sells a bunch of tickets, and will be the future of boxing.”

TONY WALKER, Vice President, HBO Sports and PPV:

“This fight on July 30 is another great night of boxing featuring up and coming talent with Antonio Orozco and Joseph Diaz Jr., who are sure to be future PPV stars.

“Remember even if you have HBO, you still have HBO Latino because boxing is a universal right.”

CHRIS LAVOIE Public Relations Manager at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino:

“Fantasy Springs Resort Casino is proud of its long relationship with Golden Boy Promotions. Visitors come from far and wide for a great night of boxing at Fantasy Springs, whenthey hear it is a Golden Boy Promotions card.

“We are very excited to announce that Oscar De La Hoya will be a VIP at this event, and we want to thank Golden Boy Promotions for another great card at our venue. We look forward to a great night.”

NICK “LA CALAVERA” ARCE, Super Featherweight Contender:

“I want to thank my team at Westside Boxing and Golden Boy Promotions for supporting me. I’m excited to be in the ring on July 30 and will give the fans a great show.”

JOSEPH “JOJO” DIAZ. Jr. NABF Featherweight Title Contender:

“Thank you to Golden Boy Promotions and HBO for this opportunity to showcase my talents.

“I’m excited to give everyone a great performance. I’ve been training very hard, and I want to showcase that I am at the same level as all the champions in the featherweight division. Hopefully, I can go for a world title soon.”

FRANK ESPINOZA, Manager to “Relentless” Antonio Orozco:

“Muhammad Ali once said, ‘Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, and a vision.’

“On July 30, we will witness such a fighter who has a desire, a dream, and a vision. I’d like to say Antonio Orozco has the X factor, and it’s no wonder he’s ranked number one by the WBC. He’s unstoppable and we’re happy to be a part of this event. We will put on a fight we won’t forget.”

“RELENTLESS” ANTONIO OROZCO, Super Lightweight Contender:

“I want to thank God for providing these opportunities. It’s a blessing to have the team I have around me. These are the moments that as a professional you look forward to. We’ve paid our dues and put in the hard work. This wouldn’t be possible without a team–even though as a fighter, you are alone in the ring, you don’t get ready without a team.”

“My opponent is a tremendous fighter from what I’ve seen, who can pull off an upset and has won against undefeated fighters before. We are putting together our relentless style of boxing and July 30 will be no exception. No one will be bored watching this fight.”

LOS ANGELES (June 28, 2016) – As California battles through a sizzling heat wave, the Summer of 2016 will get even hotter on Saturday, July 30, as two of SoCal’s undefeated top rising stars return to the ring. Undefeated welterweight Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (24-0, 16 KOs) of San Diego is set to participate in 10-round main event while Golden Boy Promotions stable mate and undefeated NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, Jr. (20-0, 11 KOs)of South El Monte, Calif. will be featured in the 10-round co-main event. Both fights will be televised on HBO Latino Boxing.

With Orozco ranked as number one by the WBC and in the top 10 by all major world sanctioning bodies and with Diaz crashing the WBC, IBF and WBO rankings, the stakes have never been higher as world-class boxing returns to Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. Opponents for Orozco and Diaz will be announced shortly.

“Antonio Orozco and Joseph Diaz, Jr. are two fighters quickly rising to the top in Golden Boy’s stable of talent, with both poised to become world champions in the near-future,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “This card will be action-packed, making for an exiting summer event that fans should not miss on July 30 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and HBO Latino Boxing.”

Tickets go on sale Friday, July 1, 2016 and are priced at $25, $35 and $45 and available for purchase now at the Fantasy Springs Box Office, by calling (800) 827-2946 or online at www.fantasyspringsresort.com.

The HBO Latino Boxing event headlined by Antonio Orozco is a 10-round welterweight bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, BORN BOLD and Casa Mexico Tequila. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

Unbeaten as a professional, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco has paid his dues on the way to the top, and now his only intention is to get the shot at a world championship that he’s craved. Winner of the NABF junior super lightweight title in 2014, the 28-year-old has since defeated former world champions Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto and Steve “2Pound” Forbes, and hot prospect Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor, and in his most recent bout on March 25, Orozco made another statement with a first round knockout of Miguel “Aguacerito” Acosta that thrilled the fans at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, Joseph “JoJo” Diaz, Jr. has been seen as a future world champion for years, and now the NABF Featherweight Champion is closing in on that dream. Currently ranked third in the world by the WBC and ninth by the IBF and WBO, the 23-year-old southpaw from South El Monte, California has steadily moved through all opposition at 126 pounds, including Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo and Hugo “Guerrero” Partida. But it was in his March 26 win over highly-regarded Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez that Diaz announced his arrival to the world stage.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @HBOLatino, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/hbolatino, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing.

LAS VEGAS (May 6, 2016) – On the eve of the Canelo vs. Khan showdown, Golden Boy Promotions gave back by to boxing fans by offering a day full of excitement free and open to the public. First, fans onsite were able to witness the final face-off between Canelo Alvarez and Amir Khan at the new Toshiba Plaza in from of the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. Immediately after, a free three-title fight night was staged featuring Marvin Quintero vs. Petr Petrov for the NABA and NABF Lightweight Titles. Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions’Oscar De La Hoya and future hall of famer and Golden Boy Promotions business partner Bernard Hopkins were in attendance enjoying the action packed fights, along with WBC Lightweight World Champion Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares, and Golden Boy Promotions stablemates WBC Silver Featherweight Champion Ronny Rios, NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz, and Eddie “E-Boy” Gomez.

Headlining the televised main event in a fight for Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero’s (28-7, 6 KOs) NABF Lightweight title, Petr “Zar” Petrov (37-4-2, 17 KOs) put his NABA Lightweight Tile on the line and gave every ounce of his strength and power to defeat his opponent. Quintero battled against Petrov’s jabs and hooks suffering from a dangerously swollen left eye starting in the fourth round. By the end of the sixth round and before the beginning of the seventh round, the doctor stopped the fight from moving forward due to the left eye swelling impairing Quintero’s vision, ultimately awarding Petrov the victory by technical knockout in the sixth round.

“This was a great fight for me, my opponent was a strong fighter and I give my respect to him and his team. I have been off for over a year and half and I did feel sluggish and slow at times, but the win is all that matters,” said Petrov of his NABF/NABA victory. “I feel honored to have fought in Las Vegas on Cinco de Mayo weekend as the first boxing event at the new Toshiba Plaza and I hope this is the first of many more fights in Las Vegas.”

“I am very disappointed with the doctor’s decision, I had been fighting like this for two rounds and physically felt strong to continue, but they made the decision and that is something that I cannot control,” said Marvin Quintero of his technical knockout. “It’s the Mexican blood in me that wills me to continue fighting and never give up. I will not stop fighting for my dream to one day become a world champion.”

In the co-main event, the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight title was on the line as, Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano (29-5-1, 21 KOs) of Tlanepantla, Mexico went head to head against Fairfield, CA’s Alan Sanchez (18-3-1, 9 KOs) in scheduled 10-round welterweight fight. Going the distance, the exciting match incited cheers from boxing fans in the crowd which heavily favored Cano. The judges awarded the belt to Sanchez, via split decision who proudly displayed his new title in the ring to show off for his newfound fans.

“I’m going home with my belt! This is just the beginning, and I am excited for the doors that will be opened because of this,” said Alan Sanchez of his big victory. “I want the big title and I want to be a world champion one day–this is the first step to achieving that goal.”

“I don’t feel the decision was a good one, because I felt I was ahead in the rounds, landing more of my punches harder and more effectively,” said Pablo Cesar Cano. “I felt that my opponent was running most of the time, and I didn’t get a chance to hurt him the way I wanted to.”

In the televised swing bout of the night, rising southpaw standout star Alexis Rocha (2-0, 2 KOs) of Santa Ana, CA knocked out San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Abdel Vera (0-3) in the first round showing Rocha’s sheer strength and power punches.

“When the referee made the call, I felt so excited because I knew all of my hard work paid off. I knew I was coming in to the ring with more experience so I was able to dominate the round. I wanted to start the fight with ferocity on my terms to control the fight. Looking forward, I’m very excited for more fights.”

Opening the televised fight night was Guadalajara, Mexico’s Horacio “Violento” Garcia (30-1-1, 21 KOs) facing Erik “El Trompo” Ruiz (15-5-1, 6 KOs) of Oxnard, CA battling it out over the vacant NABF Super Bantamweight title. The crowd couldn’t get enough of the quick exchanges between both fighters eager to take a home a belt during their 10-round scrap. For every punch thrown by “Violento,” “El Trompo” effectively counterpunched. In a shocking split decision draw, the judges gave 92-98 to Ruiz and 97-93 to Garcia and 95-95.

“My opponent started out slow, and my game plan was to build out more momentum in the fight,” said Horacio Garcia of the split decision draw. “I feel that I needed more rounds to get the job done, but I respect the judge’s decision. Next time, I hope to take more chances and throw more punches when I can.”

“After this fight, I want a rematch,” said Erik Ruiz of the decision. “I want to take home my belt because I know I made cleaner and harder punches. I am extremely disappointed with the results of the fight.”

Capturing the opening victory of the night in the first boxing event to ever take place at the newly opened Toshiba Plaza was the always swift Joet Gonzalez (13-0, 6 KOs) of Glendora, CA against Chihuahua, Mexico’s own Ricardo “Cepillo” Proano (11-4, 9 KOs) in an eight round featherweight fight. With his consistent counterpunches against Proano, Gonzalez was able to corner his opponent in almost every round. Never one to back down, Proano came back with his consistent head shots to Joet who used his blocks awarding him the win by unanimous decision.

“During the fight, I was very angry because my opponent kept head-butting me,” said Joet Gonzalez of the bout. “At one point during the fight, I was unable to see from my right eye. However, I could tell he was nervous and he really made me work for the victory so I kept my distance and tried to neutralize his hits.”

Marvin Quintero vs. Petr Petrov was a 10-round fight for the NABF and NABA Lightweight title and was presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Banner Promotions and sponsored by “Cerveza Tecate, Born Bold.” The first bout began at 4:30 p.m. The Estrella TV Boxeo Estelar broadcast will aired on Friday, May 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT and streamed live simultaneously on estrellaTV.com and on YouTube via Fenomeno Studios: youtube.com/FenomenoStudios. The Ring TV live stream began at approximately 4:30 p.m. PT through 9:00 p.m.

For more information visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.estrellatv.com, follow on twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @EstrellaTV and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/EstrellaTVNetwork, visit us on Instagram at @GoldenBoyBoxing, and @EstrellaTV, follow the conversation using #BoxeoEstelar.

Andre Ward won a 12-round unanimous decision over Sullivan Barrera in a Light Heavyweight bout that featured undefeated fighters at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

In round three, Ward dropped Barrera with a quick left hook to the head.

Ward was deducted a point in round eight for low blows. Ward was cut over the left eye in round ten from an accidental headbutt.

Ward used his superior handspeed and technical ability to do as he pleased and won by scores of 117-109, 119-109 and 117-108.

Ward of Oakland, CA is 29-0. Barrera of Cuba is 17-1.

Ward landed 166-463 punches. Barrera was 111-722.

2012 U.S. Olympian Joseph Diaz remained undefeatedheadbutt. by winning a 10-round unanimous decision over Jayson Velez in a Featherweight fight.

In round one, Velez cut Diaz with a solid `1-2 combination. In round two, Diaz landed some hard straight lefts that rocked Velez several times.

In round eight, Diaz was cut over the corner of his right eye, but he landed the harder punches throughout that featured more straight lefts and rights to the body.

Diaz of Almonte, CA won by scores of 100-91, 99-91 and 98-92 and is now 20-0. Velez of Puerto Rico is 23-2-1.

Diaz outlanded Velez 220-155.

OAKLAND, CA (March 23, 2015) – On Wednesday, March 23, Roc Nation Sports hosted the final press conference for Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) at Lake Merritt Amphitheater in Oakland, California in advance of their March 26 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ward and Barrera will meet in 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) and top-rated featherweight contender Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) were also in attendance on the press conference dais overlooking Lake Merritt ahead of their 10-round NABF Featherweight title fight which will open up the HBO telecast.

Ward vs. Barrera is shaping up to be a highly contested battle between two fighters who both have their sights set on a match-up against Unified Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey Kovalev.

Below is what the fighters, promoters, trainers, managers and other dais guests had to say at the press conference:

ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter:

“I want to thank everyone for coming out as usual. The Bay Area is a beautiful place. We don’t often get enough credit for the talent that comes out of here, but for the fan base, it’s tremendous. I’m just thankful for being from a place like this and thankful to have the love and support at every event that we bring here. I’m thankful that myself and guys like Marshawn Lynch, Damian Lillard and the Warriors put this place on the map and people are taking notice on the national stage. That is really important to me.

“As far as the fight itself, it’s very simple to me…anybody who knows me, they know how I work and they know how I tick. I don’t get caught up in what’s next. I don’t get caught up in what people are saying. I’m aware of what is being said. I know what my opponent has been saying and I take him at his word. I’ve done everything that I’m supposed to do, like I always do and like I’ve done the last 10 years of my career. I’ve taken on the best… if it’s not another champion then it’s a top contender… and this is no different. You guys just know that I’m focused and locked in like I always am. I’m prepared and I’m ready for war come March 26.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender:

“I wanted to say thank you for coming here. I want to say thank you HBO, thank you everyone. Thank you Andre Ward for accepting my fight. I promise everyone who comes to the arena that I have had great preparation and this is a great dream. On that night, I’ll have a great show for everyone.”

DAVID ITSKOWITCH, COO Boxing – Roc Nation Sports:

“Two of the top light heavyweights on the planet will collide on March 26. They have a combined record of 45-0 with 27 KOs and needless to say, neither has tasted defeat as a professional. While each man has a formidable opponent in front of him, they both have their eyes on Sergey Kovalev and his three world title belts, but first they have business to attend to on Saturday night.

“Whenever I come out to Oakland for an event and I’m with Andre at a function where he’s speaking to the media, it strikes me that obviously, he is a special talent athletically, but he’s also a special person and I hope everyone here in Oakland understands and appreciates that. He’s a principled family man who always tries to do the right thing and that is something that is rare in life these days, but it is especially rare in sports. I hope you guys appreciate him. Boxing careers don’t last forever. He’s not going to be fighting forever, so everyone should appreciate what you have here in Andre Ward.

“Andre captured a gold medal at the Athens Olympics and is the last U.S. boxer to have done so. His list of vanquished foes reads like a who’s who of the super middleweight division. He also dominated and knocked out former light heavyweight world champion, Chad Dawson in their 2012 showdown. In his last fight, he dominated two-time world title challenger Paul Smith on June 20 at Oracle Arena. He embarks on the next chapter of his career on March 26, returning to Oracle Arena once again, as he makes his move up to the light heavyweight division ready to do what he did in the super middleweight division…cleaning it out and dominating everyone that stands in his way.”

NICOLE DUVA, Vice President of Marketing and General Counsel – Main Events:

“I would really like to thank Andre Ward. He didn’t have to take on an undefeated fighter in his first fight at light heavyweight, but he did it and I think that is commendable.

“In his last fight, Sullivan became the mandatory contender for Sergey Kovalev’s IBF belt. He could have sat back and waited for his title fight, but instead he saw this fight against Andre Ward as an opportunity to really reach for greatness and he did that. As you all know, Main Events and Roc Nation Sports have big plans for Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev later this year and Sullivan Barrera can really upset that apple cart.

“Both of these men, Sullivan and Andre, have everything riding on the outcome of Saturday’s fight. In the climate that we have in boxing right now, it’s refreshing to see real warriors who aren’t afraid to take risks. They both deserve our respect and admiration for that. This is what our sport should be about.

“Sullivan Barrera is undefeated with a record of 17-0 with 12 wins coming by way of knockout. He just turned 34, a month ago, which you might think is a little old for this point in his career. What you might not know is that he had a successful amateur career in Cuba and then lost several years of his prime while he was defecting to the United States. He’s come a really long way to be here today for this moment and this opportunity. He is hungry, he is confident and he is ready.”

VIRGIL HUNTER, Andre Ward’s trainer:

“This is a fantastic card with fantastic athletes who are trying to make their way in the world of boxing. If this fight was taking place in any other city, it would be a huge event. What we want to do is make sure that Oakland understands, and that the surrounding Bay Area understands, the magnitude of this event so we can continue to bring world class boxing to Oakland. Oakland is a breeding ground for top fighters and we already have them. The more that you support us, the more that these fights will become visible and you will see the big time at the top.

“They say other networks make fighters, but HBO makes stars, so we are glad to be part of this. We ask you to come out and support this fight. Come on out Saturday night and enjoy yourselves for a good night of top boxing.”

BEN LIRA, Sullivan Barrera’s Trainer:

“I want to thank all of the people who put together this super event on Saturday. We are here to put on a great show and Sullivan has done everything to prepare himself for this event. He knows the challenges in front of him, but he believes in himself and he believes that this is his time to show the public and the viewing audience that this is where he is. He is there to make a statement.

“More than anything, we respect Mr. Ward for his achievements, his credibility and he is a super guy in the sport. It’s great to be part of this. We prepared well and we have done everything that we have to do come Saturday to give the viewing audience a super great show because this is what boxing is about. It is about performance and both fighters get to perform at this level at a great event. We are honored to be a part of this event. We have done everything that is possible to ensure that we will come out and put on a fabulous show.”

JAMES PRINCE, Andre Ward’s manager:

“This is a historical moment for us. We are entering the 175 pound light heavyweight division. This is a moment that the town doesn’t want to miss. This is the moment at the beginning of a movement. Barrera just happens to be the first victim and we’re going to deal with him accordingly. We’ve been hearing a lot of talk and conversation taking place where he is concerned, and we know that he believes everything that he is saying. Once again, we are excited about this opportunity and you don’t want to miss this historic moment on Saturday night.”

JOSEPH DIAZ JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“Come March 26, I know I have a really tough fight ahead of me. I know Jayson Velez is an experienced veteran in the ring. He’s a warrior. He has a six-inch reach advantage over me so it’s going to be a really great fight. I know he’s coming off of a loss, so I know he really wants to bounce back and show everybody that he’s still a world title contender.

“I had a really great training camp. I’ve been training for eight weeks. This is my first time fighting on HBO, so I really want to showcase who I truly am. I’m 110% ready. I’m ready to give fight fans a war if Jayson Velez wants to have a war. I’m ready to showcase to everybody all the abilities I have inside the ring. I’m very excited to be fighting on the Andre Ward and Sullivan Barrera card. They’re two elite athletes and I’m very honored to be the co-main event for this fight. Come March 26, I promise I’m going to give you a great show.”

JAYSON VELEZ, Top-rated featherweight contender:

“I want to thank God first, obviously he makes everything possible. I want to thank my promoters, Miguel Cotto Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and my whole team. I don’t have too much to say besides that this is a great fight. Joseph comes to fight. I come to fight. We both want to win. We both take challenges. People keep asking me why I took this dangerous fight and the answer is easy…if I want to be the best, I have to fight the best. Joseph is one of the best.

“I lost my last fight, so I need to win. I want to win. I can’t tell you who’s going to win this fight because we both are great fighters and warriors. He’s Mexican, I’m Puerto Rican, and when you have a Puerto Rican and a Mexican in the same ring, you will see a war. You will see speed, power, everything in this fight. He’s a great fighter and I’m so excited. Thank you to everyone and stay tuned this Saturday and thank you to HBO of course.”

ROBERT DIAZ, Head Matchmaker – Golden Boy Promotions:

“Obviously the main event speaks for itself. You’ve got Andre Ward versus a young undefeated guy like Sullivan Barrera, but the co-main event is going to pit two young, hungry fighters against one another in Jayson Velez and Joseph Diaz. They’re both young. They’re both willing to take on the best fights, the toughest fights and proof of that is how easy it was to make this fight.

“I’m very excited about this fight. You don’t want to miss the 10 rounds for the NABF title.

“Jayson Velez is a young, hungry lion who wants to get back up on the stage and knows how significant a victory over Joseph Diaz is. He understood the opportunity to fight on HBO and on this tremendous card. I want to remind you of the character of Jayson Velez. In a day and age where a fighter that loses wants to take maybe a comeback or tune up, or two or three, before they take a high-risk fight and Jayson Velez is doing it right after. That shows he wants to get back on top and he knows what he has to do to get there…it has to be by stopping a top-level fighter like Joseph Diaz.”

RALPH HEREDIA, Joseph Diaz’s manager:

“It’s an honor to be here, a great opportunity and privilege to be given this opportunity to showcase a talented, 2012 Olympian. To Joseph, this is what we talked about, thank you for being patient, you are ready for the opportunity. We know what a special young man and talented man you are, but now the whole world will get to see on the big stage what a talent, what a real gentleman and what a fighter should be…like Joseph Diaz.

“What can I say about Jayson Velez? He’s a gentleman who knows what’s at stake and has experience. Believe me, you don’t want to miss this. Saturday, you must tune in. It’s going to be an action-packed fight.”

JOSE “CHE CHE” SANCHEZ, Jayson Velez’s trainer:

“I see Diaz as a great fighter, but I have Jayson in very good condition and he’s ready for the fight. I know it’s going to be a good fight because they are ready, and the same thing is true for my fighter Jayson Velez. He worked very hard for this fight and I know he’s ready for the fight.”

TONY WALKER, Director, HBO Sports:

“On behalf of our Executive Vice President Peter Nelson, we are very happy to be here in the Bay Area, with a great crowd and great boxing fans, as we look to bring you this doubleheader on Saturday night.

“It’s not easy pulling together a big boxing match and these teams have pulled together a great card from top to bottom, so even though all the fights won’t be on HBO, if you want to watch some great boxing, go to Oracle Arena and if you have to be at home, check it out on HBO.

“Throughout our 43 years of programming on HBO, boxing has always been an integral part of what we do. We’ve always prided ourselves on having the best fighters and the best matches, and we feel very good that this tradition will hold again as Andre Ward makes his 2016 debut in the ring. In the boxing ring, it’s never recommended that you overlook a hungry, undefeated fighter like we have in Sullivan Barrera, so I would like to welcome Sullivan to the network and thank him for taking on this challenge.

“Opening the TV telecast will be Joseph Diaz against Jayson Velez, two up-and-coming young guys, two young guns, who think they’re ready for the big stage. All in all, it’s going to be a great telecast, 9:45 PM ET we promise you an informative and entertaining night with our broadcast team.”

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel and Visit Oakland. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

OAKLAND, CA (March 23, 2015) – On Tuesday, March 22, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) participated in a media workout at King’s Gym in Oakland, California in advance of their March 26 fight at Oracle Arena in Oakland. Ward and Barrera will meet in 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator bout televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. NABF Featherweight Champion Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) and top-rated featherweight contender Jayson “Star” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) were also in attendance during the workout ahead of their 10-round NABF Featherweight title fight which will open up the HBO telecast.

After shadowboxing in the ring and a few rounds on the punching bags, all four fighters participated in interviews with media members in attendance. Super Bowl Champion and Oakland native Marshawn Lynch, an avid Andre Ward supporter, made a special appearance during the workout in support of Ward.

Below is what the fighters had to say during the final media workout:

ANDRE WARD, Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter:

“I feel good and I am ready to go. I’m peaking at the right time. I’m just excited to get it on Saturday night.

“I used to drive by Oracle Arena on 880 as a kid on my way to King’s Gym and wonder if I could make it there one day and [trainer] Virgil [Hunter] used to say with confidence, ‘You’re going to headline there.’ As I got older, I used to go to some of the cards put on in the arena. I was still an amateur and I would just dream. Next thing you know, in 2009, I was in a sink or swim fight against Edison Miranda. If I won, there was probably a good chance that I would get a title shot and the rest is history. Here we are again, it’s my 7th time at Oracle and it’s still a blessing.

“It was the right time to move to light heavyweight. It was a combination of not having the right guys to fight or guys that didn’t want to fight me. I want to be great. These are the types of moves you have to make. I’m a student of the sport and when I study the sport, this is what greats have always done. They move up. The great ones find a way to get it done and I want to be in that conversation.

“Barrera is a big body. He’s confident. Seems to be a good puncher. We did not pick him because he’s a soft touch. We picked him because he was going to get me ready and show me what this weight class is all about. If you look at my career, there’s a place for tune-ups which I haven’t had a lot of. You want to fight the best and if you aren’t fighting the best, you want to fight the number one contender. That’s what we’re doing.

“I think I am evolving into an efficient fighter. I’m moving when I have to move. I think that’s the beauty of any athlete who doesn’t abuse his body and really takes his craft seriously. I’ve seen some articles claiming I missed my prime. It’s crazy to me. I feel that I am as good as I have ever been. I’ve been in a boxing gym without much of a break for the past 20 years. My brain thanked me for the last two years. My body thanked me. It might give me another two years in my career.

“I have to just be me. Who I am is enough. I don’t have to show up for Kovalev in the crowd on Saturday night. We just have to implement the game plan. I think that’s going to send the message it’s supposed to send and if it doesn’t, then he’ll [Kovalev] get the message when we fight.

“If I don’t win this fight, there’s nothing down the road. If I don’t win this fight, I don’t deserve to fight for the title. That’s the reality of my situation.

“Barrera has never fought a guy like me before, so they can talk a good game. They can dominate the headlines leading up to the fight. They can say all the slick stuff they want to say. We just want to dominate the headlines Sunday morning after the fight is over. That’s what I’m focused on.”

SULLIVAN BARRERA, Number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender:

“I’m stronger than Ward. I have the Cuban background and I learned a lot of skills there. More than anything, the determination to overcome anything in front of me will help me defeat Ward on March 26.

“Once I am in the ring, it’s my house.

“Whatever Ward has, I will adjust to it and overcome it.

“I have two hands. He has two hands. I have a job to do on March 26.

“I know Ward and Kovalev are very highly respected and they create a lot of money and a lot of interest, but they don’t know what Sullivan Barrera is capable of doing. I will prove that on Saturday.

“I’m not really a guy that has to look for a knockout. My boxing skills speak for themselves. I am fighting Andre Ward and fighting here in Oakland, so I don’t think a decision will be rendered in my favor.

“To all the fans, especially the Cuban fans that have supported me please know that come Saturday, I am going to do everything I have to do to come out victorious.”

JOSEPH DIAZ JR., NABF Featherweight Champion:

“I can’t expect what Jayson did to Ronny Rios during this fight. I’ve got to go in there, test him out and adjust when I am in the ring.

“If the opportunity presents itself where he’s hurt and I see that my punches are overwhelming him, then of course I’m going to get in there, be aggressive and make sure I take him out as early as possible.

“I know getting on the inside, cutting off the ring and taking it to the body right away will break him down. That’s going to make him not move as much and later on in rounds I can land vicious blows to the head. I’m going to take it to the body right away.

“Mentally I am 100% ready. This is a big stage in my career, so I’m mentally focused. I’m well prepared. I feel like this is the moment I have been waiting for my whole entire life. I feel like I’m ready for this and I can’t wait for March 26. I trained very hard for this fight and I’m well prepared for it.

“I really want to make a statement this fight. I want to show the world that Joseph Diaz could be the next big thing in boxing, so I trained very hard to put on a great fight for the fight fans, be very aggressive and make it a war in there. I hope that Jayson Velez is 110% ready because I want him to be at his best.

“If I win this fight and make a statement, I think I can move to contender status and hopefully get a world title shot by the end of this year. I want to fight tough opponents this year because I want to show the world who I am.

“I feel like a beast when I step into the ring and I can see it in sparring. Whenever I’m landing effective blows, I can tell that I am hurting my opponent.”

JAYSON VELEZ, Top-rated featherweight contender:

“At my level, every guy is a top contender. I have to train harder and improve my defense. I’ve been working on that.

“If you see my last three or four fights, you will see that I have been dominating in the first couple of rounds and then I run out of gas, I have been working on my stamina so that won’t happen on March 26.

“I have seen Diaz’s fights. We’ve sparred a couple of times. He’s got speed. He’s got a hunger. It’s his HBO debut, so he’s definitely motivated, but so am I. It’s going to be a great fight.

“I want to be champion of the word. I know he wants it too. On Saturday, we will know who wants it more. We both want to win and we are both training for a win. A fight between power and speed is a great match-up. Not to mention he’s Mexican and I’m Puerto Rican. You can expect a great fight and it’s not one you want to miss.”

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The event is sponsored by Corona Extra, Ticketmaster, Corporate Travel Management Solutions (ctms), Glad, Lyft, Zappos, BodyArmor, SAN Nutrition, Shoe Palace, The Waterfront Hotel and Visit Oakland. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com (bit.ly/WardBarreraTix) and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Follow the conversation on Twitter by using #WardBarrera.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

HBO Boxing heads to the Bay Area for an action-packed doubleheader featuring a top pound-for-pound fighter and one of the sport’s most-heralded prospects when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: ANDRE WARD VS. SULLIVAN BARRERA AND JOSEPH DIAZ JR. VS. JAYSON VELEZ is seen SATURDAY, MARCH 26 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Cal., exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.
Other HBO playdates: March 27 (9:00 a.m.) and 29 (11:30 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: March 27 (3:00 p.m.) and 28 (12:15 a.m.)
The doubleheader will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand.
Making his 2016 debut before a hometown crowd, Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) moves up to 175 pounds to battle Cuban native Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) of Miami, Fla., in a light heavyweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds. Ward, 32, has succeeded at every level, compiling a nearly perfect record as an amateur, winning a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2008 Olympic Games in Athens and enjoying a seven-year reign as super middleweight champ. This will mark Ward’s sixth fight at Oracle Arena and fifth on HBO.
Barrera, 34, is also unbeaten and holds a three-fight knockout streak. Since his 2009 pro debut following a standout amateur career in Cuba, he has fought nearly all his bouts as a light heavyweight, which should give him an advantage over the shorter Ward. Barrera will be making his HBO debut, having previously appeared on HBO Latino.
In the evening’s co-feature, Joseph Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) puts his undefeated record on the line against Jayson Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) in a featherweight contest scheduled for ten rounds. Rising prospect Diaz, 23, is coming off a busy 2015 in which he logged five impressive wins, and will be making his HBO debut. Velez, 27, looks to rebound from his first professional loss, to Ronny Rios in November. Appearing on HBO in 2014, Velez battled Evgeny Gradovich to a split draw in his first world title shot.
Immediately following the telecast, HBO will present the debut of the half-hour special “Legacy on the Line: From Bradley to Pacquiao,” previewing the April 9 pay-per-view event.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 17, 2016) – A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team and current NABF Featherweight Champion, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) has taken on anyone who has stepped up to the plate and on Saturday, March 26, he will make his HBO World Championship Boxing® debut when he faces rising Puerto Rican contender Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs) at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

The 10-round featherweight fight will open the HBO telecast, which is headlined by Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) taking on number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) in a 12-round light heavyweight clash. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT

“I am excited and very grateful about making my debut on HBO” said Joseph Diaz Jr. “HBO is known for putting on the best fights and I feel honored to defend my title for the fight time on the network. Every fighter dreams to fight on a big stage like HBO and I am grateful to my team, Golden Boy Promotions, my manager Ralph Heredia and my father and trainer for helping me get to this point in my career. I know Jayson Velez is a very tough contender, but I promise not to let my team and my fans down.”

“I am ready and focused for this fight,” said Jayson Velez. “After my loss against Ronny Rios, I had to change a lot of things in my training including my corner. I understood that I had to work harder to prove that I still have what it takes to be on the top of the featherweight division. I am very excited to have that opportunity on HBO and against a fighter like Joseph Diaz Jr. I want to challenge myself and fight the best. I know that defeating Diaz Jr. will prove that I am back.”

“These are two exciting, up-and-coming fighters, with the winner likely soon looking at a world championship battle,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “With so much at stake, fans can bank on an action-packed fight with both guys going all out for the knockout.”

“Jayson has great power and experience and has been under those lights before,” said Hector Soto, Vice President of Miguel Cotto Promotions. “This is a great fight for Jayson to be back on HBO and it will be a tough test for Diaz Jr.”

Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round fight which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California and will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. Opening the HBO telecast will be Joseph Diaz Jr. vs. Jayson Velez in a 10-round fight for the NABF Featherweight title presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Miguel Cotto Promotions. Follow the conversation using #WardBarrera.

Tickets priced at $300, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

A 23-year-old southpaw, Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. has followed up his stellar amateur career with an equally impressive professional run thus far, with several notable wins showing him to be capable of doing it all in the ring. In 2015, Diaz had his biggest year yet, winning five bouts, including victories over former WBC Silver Featherweight Champion Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado, Ruben “Canelito” Tamayo and Giovanni “Lloviznas” Delgado. In his most recent bout, the South El Monte native stopped Hugo “Olimpico” Partida in two rounds on December 18, 2015, winning the NABF featherweight title. Now he’s ready to kick off the biggest year of his career against Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez.

Hailing from Juncos, Puerto Rico, 27-year-old Jayson “La Maravilla” Velez has been a fine representative of the Caribbean’s fighting capital since turning professional in 2007, winning all but two of his 25 pro bouts. Owner of the WBC Interim Silver, WBC FECARBOX and USNBC titles over the years, Velez has made his mark with victories over the likes of Salvador “Sal II” Sanchez, Dat “Dat Be Dat” Nguyen and Daniel “Huracan” Ramirez, as well as a draw in an IBF title bout against Evgeny “El Russo Mexicano” Gradovich. On Nov. 21, 2015 Velez opened up the pay-per-view telecast of Miguel Cotto vs. Canelo Alvarez against Ronny Rios and suffered his first professional defeat via decision. A victory over Joseph “Jojo” Diaz Jr. will get Velez back into the world title race.

For more information, please visit www.rocnation.com, www.mainevents.com, www.goldenboypromotions.com, ww.promocionesmiguelcotto.com, www.hbo.com/boxing, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation, @main_events, @goldenboyboxing, @cottopromotions and @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation, www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing and www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.