BROOKLYN (June 28, 2016) – Undefeated former two-division world champion Mikey Garcia will return to the ring after a two-and-a-half-year layoff on Saturday, July 30 in an exciting night of boxing on SHOWTIME and SHOWTIME EXTREME that is one of the strongest cards ever assembled at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Garcia, who won world titles at featherweight and super featherweight, will fight former world champion Elio Rojas in a 10-round bout in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature of the Leo Santa Cruz vs. Carl Frampton event presented by Premier Boxing Champions (PBC).

In the opening bout of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, once-beaten 154-pound contenders Tony Harrison and Sergey Rabchenko will meet in a 12-round IBF Junior Middleweight Eliminator. Harrison and Rabchenko will square off for the No. 2 mandatory challenger spot to IBF titlist Jermall Charlo, who successfully defended his crown on May 21, and undefeated contender Julian Williams, who earned the No. 1 mandatory position on March 5, both on SHOWTIME. Harrison vs. Rabchenko is the sixth matchup in 2016 between top 154-pound fighters, a lineup showcasing three world title fights and three title eliminators in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.

The combined record of the six fighters on the SHOWTIME telecast is an impressive 162-4-1 with 113 knockouts.

An all-Brooklyn showdown between welterweight technicians Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Gabriel “Tito” Bracero highlights the undercard action on SHOWTIME BOXING on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The 10-round welterweight bout is a matchup between a former two-division world champion, Malignaggi, and a fellow Brooklyn native, Bracero, coming off the biggest win of his career when he knocked out Danny O’Connor last October.

A 10-round matchup between once-beaten lightweight Ivan Redkach and streaking Tevin Farmer, a winner of 14 straight, will open the SHOWTIME EXTREME telecast live at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

The July 30 event at Barclays Center comes on the heels of last Saturday’s potential Fight of the Year thriller between Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, a back-and-forth slugfest at a that generated the top grossing live gate and second-highest attended boxing event in venue history.

“This is the strongest card from top to bottom, that I have promoted at Barclays Center,” said DiBella Entertainment President Lou DiBella. “Every single fight is significant and competitive, and this is a great follow up from the tremendous success that boxing had with Thurman-Porter this past weekend.”

“This will be our 19th boxing event, but from top to bottom it’s arguably our best card yet,” said Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment CEO Brett Yormark. “We are excited to welcome undefeated Santa Cruz and Frampton to Brooklyn for the first time, a fight that could rival Barclays Center’s epic Thurman-Porter bout for Fight of the Year. It’s also a pleasure to welcome Brooklyn’s own Paulie Malignaggi back to Barclays Center for the fifth time and to host the return of Mikey Garcia after a two and a half year hiatus. July 30 is going to be another big night for BROOKLYN BOXING.”

“We are excited to be part of Mikey Garcia’s return to the ring. Before the layoff he was among the top-10 pound-for-pound and among the most popular fighters in boxing. We know he is determined to reclaim his place among the elite,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “SHOWTIME has distinguished itself by delivering the most compelling matchups and, hands down, the most important events in boxing all year long. There is no other network as committed to the sport and the July 30 event, from top-to-bottom, is a prime example.”

MIKEY GARCIA vs. ELIO ROJAS
“I expect to pick up right where I left off,” Garcia told SHOWTIME Sports reporter Jim Gray last Saturday on CBS. “I was a world champion, I was undefeated, and I still am. I didn’t leave because I was injured. I think I’ll come back even better. I’m hungrier now than I was before.

“I just have to get one fight in. This first fight with Elio (Rojas) will be somewhere between 135 and 140 pounds, but I want to fight at 135 and win a title there. I want to win a title there and keep going after champion after champion. Now that all that (uncertainty) is behind me I look forward to the next stage of my career. This next stage of my career will be what people remember me for.”

“Mikey Garcia is a great fighter,” Rojas said. “I want to thank him for this opportunity. We are both former WBC World Champions and I expect a great fight. However, all of the talk surrounding this fight has been about Mikey’s comeback and his future plans. I am no tune-up. This is also about me coming back and fighting again. He may be looking past me, but I am fully focused on him and securing the victory. I will do whatever I have to do to win, so I can move on and regain my world championship.”

Garcia (34-0, 28 KOs), of Ventura, Calif., is 28-years-old and in the prime of his career. Once considered one of the top young boxers pound-for-pound in the world, he will make his first ring appearance since he retained the WBO 130-pound title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Juan Carlos Burgos on Jan. 25, 2014. Garcia, the brother of renowned trainer Robert Garcia, has been victorious by knockout in 10 of his last 12 fights and holds impressive victories over Roman “Rocky” Martinez, Juan Manuel Lopez, Orlando Salido and Bernabe Concepcion.

Rojas (24-2, 14 KOs), of San Francisco de Macoris, Dominican Republic, won the WBC featherweight world championship in 2009 with a 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Takahiro Ao in Japan. The 33-year-old successfully defended the title against Guty Espadas Jr. in 2010, before losing the belt via unanimous decision to Jhonny Gonzalez in April of 2012. Since the loss to Gonzalez, Rojas moved up to lightweight, where he defeated Robert Osiobe in August 2014.

TONY HARRISON vs. SERGEY RABCHENKO:
“I’m thrilled to return to the ring on this big stage for my first fight in Brooklyn, and I’m ready to put on a show,” said Harrison. “Fighting for a world title is my dream and I know that I have a challenge in front of me. I’m working hard in camp to get another knockout and to make my mark on the division.”

“This is the start of realizing my dream,” Rabchenko said. “America is the Mecca of boxing so it is a huge privilege for me to be asked to fight there. American fans like to see knockouts and I like to knock people out, so I think they will like what they see. I think I can build a fan base there. I am hungrier than ever. I have not seen much of Harrison, but I am ready for anyone. People say he is a very good fighter with good power. I’m not worried. I have good power as well and I think I will have too much for him.”

At just 25-years-old, Harrison (23-1, 19 KOs) has showed tremendous promise. He manufactured a 10-fight knockout streak from 2013 to 2015 and proved he could recover from a loss when he dominated Cecil McCalla for 10 rounds in October 2015 and stopped Fernando Guerrero in impressive fashion in March.

Fighting out of Belaraus, Rabchenko (27-1, 20 KOs) is looking to put himself squarely into world title contention when he makes his U.S. debut on July 30. The 30-year-old is coming off of stoppage victories over Walter Calvo in May 2015 and a Miguel Aguilar in February.

SHOWTIME EXTREME:

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI vs. GABRIEL BRACERO:
“I feel truly blessed to have yet another opportunity to fight in Brooklyn,” Malignaggi said. “I have known Tito a long time and I know he always comes to fight. We will give the Brooklyn fans a great appetizer before the terrific main event later that night in Barclays Center.”

“I’m looking to make a statement by winning this fight,” said Bracero. “Paulie and I have been friends since the amateurs and I’m thankful to have this opportunity, but he’s had his run. Now it’s time for me to have mine. This fight is going to change my life.”

A former world champion at 140 and 147-pounds, the 35-year-old Malignaggi (35-7, 7 KOs) will return to the ring to fight at Barclays Center for the fifth timel. He has faced a slew of big names throughout his career and has been victorious over the likes of Zab Judah, Vyacheslav Senchenko and Pablo Cesar Cano. Born and raised in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn, “The Magic Man” was victorious twice fighting in his birth country of Italy last year after unsuccessfully challenging unbeaten Danny Garcia in August.

Another Brooklyn-native, Bracero (24-2, 5 KOs) comes off of a sensational one-punch knockout of rival Danny O’Connor in their rematch last October. The 35-year-old owns victories over Dmitry Salita and Pavel Miranda in addition to his first triumph over the previously unbeaten O’Connor in 2011.

IVAN REDKACH vs. TEVIN FARMER:
“I am extremely happy to be back in the ring on a big show in New York,” Redkach said. “There are so many Ukrainian fans in New York and I am thrilled to have their support and will put on a great show for them. I want to thank Leo Santa Cruz and his team for having me in their camp as we both prepare ourselves to put on tremendous performances come July 30.

“I couldn’t be more excited about this fight,” Farmer said. “This is my Barclays Center debut and it is going to be a spectacular performance. I have called out anyone and everyone in the 130 pound division to no avail, so now I’m moving up to 135 to take on Redkach, one of the most feared punchers in the division. Redkach is an aggressive guy and I know he is coming to fight, but there is no way I leave that ring without my hand being raised. This is a fight where I can and I will make a major statement. I’m willing to fight whoever they put in front of me to inch closer to a world title opportunity and July 30 is another step in that direction. I tip my hat off to Redkach for giving me this fight, but this is my time to shine.”

Born in Ukraine but fighting out of Los Angeles, Redkach (19-1-1, 15 KOs) began boxing at the age of six and has put together an impressive career since turning pro in 2009. The 30-year-old owns victories over Tony Luis, Sergey Gulyakevich and Yakubu Amidu. Mostrecently, Redkach knocked out Erick Daniel Martinez in October 2015 and fought to a draw with Luis Cruz in April.

Representing the fighting city of Philadelphia, Farmer (24-1-1, 5 KOs) has won 14 bouts in a row since dropping a contest to unbeaten world champion Jose Pedraza in 2012. The 25-year-old has come on strong in recent years, upsetting previously unbeaten fighters such as Emmanuel Gonzalez, Angel Luna and Camilo Perez. Farmer dominated veteran Gamaliel Diaz in March and will make his Barclays Center debut on July 30.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions, start at $38 and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

BROOKLYN (June 14, 2016) – Undefeated featherweight world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (32-0-1, 18 KOs) and fellow unbeaten Irish star Carl “The Jackal” Frampton (22-0, 14 KOs) will meet with a world title and two perfect records at stake on Saturday, July 30 in the main event of a Premier Boxing Champions event from Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins live on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Cyclone Promotions, start at $38 and go on sale tomorrow, June 15 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Santa Cruz and Frampton collide in a battle of world champions who mix dizzying speed with incredible output that produces exciting fight after exciting fight. This fight will be the fifth featherweight world title fight presented by SHOWTIME in 2016. Frampton, a unified world champion at 122 pounds, a weight class Santa Cruz previously held a title at, will move up a notch in weight and challenge at 126 pounds.

“I’ve never been to New York before and I’m looking forward to this big opportunity to put on a show for new fans in a new city,” said Santa Cruz. “I always fight for the fans and I’m excited to be able to do that somewhere I haven’t been before. Frampton is a good fighter. He has power and skills and he moves when he has to, but he has a weak chin. When he gets caught with a good punch, he goes down. He doesn’t like pressure and I have that. I’m looking forward to putting on an exciting show at Barclays Center and I hope I leave with lots of new fans.”

“I am in terrific shape, I feel fantastic in the gym and I am ready for the biggest fight of my career,” said Frampton. “On July 30 I will become a two weight world champion. I respect Leo Santa Cruz, he is a great fighter and person, but I am preparing meticulously to overcome any challenge he brings on July 30. I cannot wait to hear the crowd at Barclays Center. It is my first time boxing in New York, where some of the greatest fights have taken place. I know there will be a large number of fans traveling from the UK and Ireland but there is also a huge Irish-American audience and I am eager to show them all what I can do. Get your tickets now, it’s going to be a great fight!”

“Santa Cruz vs. Frampton is not only the best fight that can be made in the featherweight division, it truly is one of the most anticipated fights in all of boxing,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Boxing fans can expect nonstop action in this can’t-miss matchup of aggressive styles. There’s no better way for Santa Cruz and Frampton to make their New York debuts than at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, against each other.”

“The competitive matchup of Santa Cruz vs. Frampton shines an international spotlight on BROOKLYN BOXING at Barclays Center,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “We’re especially excited to host two of the best featherweight boxers in the sport today as they fight in New York for the first time.”

The popular Mexican-American Santa Cruz fights out of Los Angeles and won the 126-pound title in a “Fight of the Year” candidate against former three-division champ Abner Mares last August at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. It was just the third fight in the featherweight division for Santa Cruz, who has won belts at 118 and 122 pounds while earning a reputation as one of boxing’s most active and exciting fighters. The 27-year-old also holds victories over Cristian Mijares and Eric Morel. He has competed in world title bouts in 11 of his last 13 fights since 2012. After stopping former world champion Kiko Martinez in the fifth round last Feb. 27, Santa Cruz makes his second world title defense in his East Coast debut.

After defeating rival Scott Quigg in their 122-pound unification bout last Feb. 27, Frampton will attempt to capture a world title in a second weight class. Fighting out of Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Irish national amateur champion in 2005 and 2009 expects to bring some of his rabid fans stateside come July 30. The 29-year-old became a world champion in 2014 when he defeated Kiko Martinez to earn a super bantamweight title. He made his U.S. debut in July 2015 when he defeated Alejandro “Cobrita” Gonzalez Jr. in Texas before unifying the title against Quigg.

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Barclays Center’s BROOKLYN BOXING™ programming platform is presented by AARP. For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @RealCFrampton, @BarclaysCenter, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports, www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Leo Santa Cruz made the first defense of the WBA Feathweight title with a fifth round stoppage over former champion Kiko Martinez at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

Santa Cruz dumped Martinez just seconds into the fight with a right hand. Later in the round, it was an uppercut that sent Martinez to the canvas.

In round five, Santa Cruz landed a fuselage of punches on the ropes with Martinez punching sparingly and the fight was stopped at 2:09.

Santa Cruz, 125 lbs of Los Angeles is 32-0-1 with 18 knockouts. Martinez, 125 1/2 lbs of Spain is 35-7.

Hugo Ruiz evened up the score by scoring a first round stoppage over Julio Ceja to win the WBC Super Bantamweight title.

In the first 15 seconds, Ruiz dropped Ceja with a huge right hand. Seconds later a huge barrage on the ropes forced the referee to stop the fight at 51 seconds.

Ruiz, 122 lbs of Los Mochis, MX is now 36-3 with 31 knockouts. Ceja, 121 1/2 lbs of Altizpen, MX is now 30-2.

WBA FEATHERWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Leo Santa Cruz – 125 Pounds
Kiko Martinez – 125 ½ Pounds

WBC SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Julio Ceja 121 ½ Pounds
Hugo Ruiz 122 Pounds

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Santa Cruz vs. Martinez, a 12-round bout for Santa Cruz’s WBA Featherweight Title taking place on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Sampson Boxing Promotions. In the co-feature, Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz will meet in super bantamweight world title rematch for the WBC belt. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader will air live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 25, 2016) – Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz and Kiko “Sensacion” Martinez went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before their featherweight world title showdown on Saturday, Feb. 27 live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Also in attendance Thursday were Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz, who will enter the ring in a super bantamweight world title rematch as part of the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

The previously announced opening bout between undefeated heavyweights Gerald Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) and Oscar Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs) has been cancelled due to Rivas being unable to pass a mandatory eye-exam.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations, by calling 800-745-3000 of by stopping by the Honda Center Box Office.

All of the televised fighters in the now doubleheader have promised to live up to their all-action styles and will provide great drama for fans on Saturday night at Honda Center. Santa Cruz will be making the first defense of his featherweight world title while Ceja puts his 122-pound title on the line after earning the vacant belt with a fifth round stoppage of Ruiz in an exciting back-and-forth fight in August.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“Headlining a televised card has been my childhood dream. I could have never imagined I was going to get this far. And Here I am, on my second main event, defending my title on a premium network. I’m so psyched. I cannot believe it.

“The first time I put the gloves on, I knew that I had found my craft, and I also knew that it was not going to be an easy road. I knew that I had to work hard to become a champion. So, I trained the hardest and I fought the hardest, and with my father by my side I got here, where I’m at today. I owe him everything.

“I remember watching all the great Mexican Champions and day dreaming about being like them one day. It felt unreachable. I thought it was impossible to get where they were. But I worked hard, really hard from the beginning.

“The most important thing is that the fans leave happy and get their money’s worth. I’m glad that Kiko has come prepared because we’re ready for a great fight.

“People are saying that I should walk through Kiko Martinez, but I don’t listen to that. I look at Kiko the same way I look at any other opponent. When we step inside the ring, we are equals.

“At the end of the day, the winner will be the fighter who has prepared more and who has imposed his will on the other man.

KIKO MARTINEZ

“I have faced much stronger boxers than Leo and come Saturday, all of those who did bet on me for this fight, I am going to make you a lot of money.

“I am excited and proud to know that Sergio Martinez will be present on Saturday supporting me. His guidance and presence

“My trainer could not be here, but we have not taken one day off in training camp and I have been pushed to my limit to prepare me for this fight. I’m thankful to Robert Garcia for being in my corner on Saturday.

“I know this is a great opportunity to fight Leo Santa Cruz and I will make the most of it. I’m going to leave everything inside the ring so that the fight fans enjoy a great championship matchup.

“I feel that Leo Santa Cruz is a great fighter, he has beat some incredible fighters. He’s a great athlete and boxer. Sometimes people will try to make him out to be more than he actually is but they are mistaken with what they see in me. I am not to be mistaken as the underdog here.

JULIO CEJA

“As Hugo mentioned, we have both trained even harder than last time and we’re more prepared physically and mentally.

“I’m going to give everybody a great fight just like last time. I’m walking into the ring knowing my opponent very well. We’ve been to war. I know what to expect from him. I know about his punch and I know how to counter it.

“I’m going to be alert and ready. I’ll be a little more intelligent, because I know that he’s coming well prepared and he’s coming for the world title, but he’s not going to get it.
“There are going to be no surprises in this fight. Hugo Ruiz said that he was training harder this time. But I am too. I’ve trained very hard.

“The key for me to win this fight is to keep my hands up and to not give him one inch. I cannot be careless. I’ll be strategic and use my wisdom. I cannot come in with my hands down because I know I’ll pay for it. But nothing to worry about, we have rectified those issues in training camp. I’m ready. He’s not taking my belt away from me.

“I’m glad that he says he is better prepared this time because I am better than ever. My team has been instrumental in preparing me for this matchup.

“The winner will be the man who is more prepared physically and mentally. But the real winner will be the fans at Honda Center because this is an amazing card and we’re going to put on an amazing fight.”

HUGO RUIZ

“If you liked the first fight between us, then you are going to love this one.

“I’m excited to be fighting once again in Southern California. I’ve trained very hard and I have prepared myself for this world title opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to putting on a grand show for all my fans on Saturday night.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’ Father & Trainer

“I hear Kiko has a great trainer on his corner. Robert Garcia is really good, but I have news for Kiko, his trainer is not going to fight for him.

“Once a fighter steps into the ring, he’s alone in there. There are no trainers and no great promoters that can fight for him.”

“Kiko speaks about this prestigious trainer and thinks that by mentioning him, he is going to intimidate us. He has something else coming. The trainer won’t fight for Kiko. Roberto Garcia has trained my son and knows Leo very well but that does not give Kiko the upper hand.”

TOM BROWN, Head of TGB Promotions

“Southern California favorite Leo Santa Cruz returns to bring his action style to the ring. He will be opposed by a tough former world champion in Kiko Martinez who is sure to make this a tremendous fight.

“The first fight between Ceja and Ruiz was a true back and forth war. Should this pick up right where it left off, we will have a great fight to start the telecast.

“I’m looking forward to a great night on Saturday night in front of the fantastic Southern California boxing fans.”

TIM RYAN, CEO & President of Honda Center

“I’m so thankful to everyone for helping to bring boxing back to Orange County. It’s hard to believe that Julio Cesar Chavez fought here in 1996, because it seems like yesterday.

“We have a great arena and a great fan base that loves boxing here in Orange County. The card on Saturday is wonderful. I know these guys will be ready and I’m looking forward to an action-packed night on the 27th.

CHRIS DEBLASIO, Vice President, Sports Communication Showtime Networks

“This is a fight fan’s fight card and we are looking forward to some explosive action. I think everyone knows that the lighter weight classes, especially at the championship level, produce exciting fights. My favorite examples include the epic series between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez, which are available on SHOWTIME platforms and should wet your appetite for what we will see on Saturday night.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 24, 2016) – Former world champion Kiko “Sensacion” Martinez (35-6-0, 26 KOs) participated in a media workout Wednesday at the City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles as he prepares to face undefeated WBA Featherweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday, Feb. 27 live on SHOWTIME® (7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET) from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

In the co-feature Mexican warrior Julio Ceja (30-1, 27 KOs) meets Hugo Ruiz 35-3, 31 KOs) in a long-awaited Super Bantamweight World Title rematch and undefeated heavyweight Gerald Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) will face unbeaten Oscar Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs). Both Ceja and Washington joined Martinez to give the media a preview of what’s to come on Saturday.

Martinez spoke about the adjustments he’s made as his trainer Gabriel Sarmiento was unable to obtain a Visa in time to travel to the United States and will not be able to serve in his corner come Saturday. Martinez is confident that renowned Southern California trainer Robert García will be able to lead him to a world title on Saturday night.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations, by calling 800-745-3000 of by stopping by the Honda Center Box Office.

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:

KIKO MARTINEZ
“I’m very happy to have Robert Garcia in my corner. He has led so many fighters to world titles. I’m excited and I’m anxious to get things going. I’m ready to collaborate and I think we’ll do great things Saturday.

“The people who doubt that I will take this title only make me stronger and more dangerous.

“Training camp has been extremely tough with lots of demands due to facing a champion like Leo Santa Cruz because he’s an excellent boxer who I admire. I have completely devoted myself to training for this fight.

“On Saturday everyone will get to see the best Kiko Martinez. I am going to be bringing the pressure and giving you all a great fight with power punches to disarm Santa Cruz and take the title.

“I hope that fans will change their mindset of seeing me as the underdog and support me because I am here to show something else.

“I am very happy to be here and have the opportunity to fight in the United States again.

“I love this California weather, it reminds me of the weather of El Canario where I was training and I am feeling great.

“I am ready. Now all there is left is to wait. We’ve got the weigh-in ahead of us and I’ve already made weight. I will be working up a sweat just to remain active and distracted because I am ready to jump in the ring and start the best fight of my life.

“I have won a world title in the United States and became a world champ here and I am expecting to become the world champ here once again. That fight was how I became known here, now this fight will be the biggest fight of my career.

“I’ve been studying [Santa Cruz] for quite some time now, since I’ve been waiting to fight him previously, now it has come to this point in this time of my life. I have grown and learned so much since then that I truly feel that I have learned from my mistakes and grown to the best of my life yet.”

“Luckily [trainer Gabriel Sarmiento] has been training me up until this point. We’re on the same team and we have each other’s backs and he is still fully supportive. I have him in my heart and I know that he will be supporting me all the way.

“I am not worried about what anyone is saying. All I want is to get in the ring come Saturday and demonstrate that Leo and I will put on a huge fight and the audience will not be bored for a single minute.”

JULIO CEJA
“We have had a long and very intense camp. We are prepared and know what is on the line here because we know that Hugo comes at it with everything he’s got. This is a prestigious opportunity that I have been presented with and we can forecast that it will be an all-or-nothing fight.

“This will be a toe-to-toe fight because we both know each other’s strengths and having fought before we know this rematch will be explosive.

“From the second we knew there would be a rematch, we immediately started training. We knew going in to this again that it will be a tough fight and this one will be better than the first. It will be more dangerous and more of a fight than the last because of what the rematch represents.

“I have trained very hard because I know what is on the line and I am not going to allow Ruiz to take that title from be so easily. It is going to be an all-out battle.

“Hugo has reach and height on me but all I know is that once I hear that bell, none of that matters. There’s a reason why they call me the champ and I am confident in my skill to show that.

“I am looking to show up and give the fans an entertaining show. I will be looking for a fight all throughout and keep it exciting for the fans who are coming out to see a good fight.

“I devoted my life to becoming the champion and my life dream was always to be a champ, so this is something that I will fight to the end for.

“I became a champ here in the United States and now that I am blessed with the opportunity to get a rematch here. I’m ready to take full advantage of this chance to give it 100 percent.”

GERALD WASHINGTON

“I grew up boxing and boxing was always my passion as a kid. I used to go to the local Boys & Girls Club as a kid and I’ve been in love with it since. It’s always been a part of me and I’m glad I can do it again and take over this division.

“There are lot’s similarities in football and boxing. You watch film, break your opponent down. We take everything from sparring and practice and take them out to the game.

“This is going to be a great fight. It’s always a good battle when you have two undefeated fighters. It’s going to be a night full of action. I look forward to the action. I love stepping up and facing top-flight competition.

“Rivas has an extensive amateur background. He’s a big, strong guy who likes the knockout. He’s going to go for it. I’m prepared for a fight like that. I know the pressure is coming. We’ve worked hard since my last fight.

“The jab is the key for everything. It opens up all the other shots and keeps the opponent off balance. I’m going to hammer him with it. It’s a major tool.

“It’s a great honor to be fighting here in Los Angeles. My whole life has taken place in this state and everyone who has supported me is coming together on Saturday to see it all in action.

“Heavyweight boxing is always exciting. We’re the hardest hitters in the game. I can’t wait to show everyone the hard work I’ve put in and give a great performance.

“I’m going to be smart and disciplined in the ring. But you also have to have a strong will and have the determination to keep moving forward. You have to step to the guy and apply the pressure.

“My height and reach is always to my advantage but it’s not that. It’s the legs, the mind, the combinations. It’s everything.

“You will see a smart and aggressive style from me on Saturday and I’m going to take that into the next level of my career.”

# # #

Santa Cruz vs. Martinez, a 12-round bout for Santa Cruz’s WBA Featherweight Title taking place on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., is promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Sampson Boxing Promotions. In the co-feature, Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz will meet in super bantamweight world title rematch for the WBC belt and opening the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast, Gerald Washington will face Oscar Rivas in a 10-round heavyweight bout. The tripleheader will air live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

Ray Flores
Ladies and gentlemen, we are very excited to have on the phone today, Leo Santa Cruz and Kiko Martinez, before fight week in Anaheim kicks off.

This Saturday we have the undefeated Featherweight World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz putting his undefeated record on the line as he defends his world title against the former World Champion Kiko “La Sensacion” Martinez, who is a veteran of 41 bouts with a record of 35-6 coming to you this Saturday, live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

You can watch it live SHOWTIME, 10 p.m. ET/7 PT. It is being promoted by TGB Promotions in association with Sampson Boxing Promotions. Tickets, what a deal we have. They start at $27, still available. You can get them on ticketmaster.com or the Honda Center Box Office.

It now gives me great honor and pleasure to introduce the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sports and Event Programming at SHOWTIME. A man who loves boxing and who’s about putting on quality fights, Stephen Espinoza.

Stephen Espinoza
As has become common for SHOWTIME, this telecast of course will be a tripleheader. It’s part of a Saturday of boxing programs that’s going to include three world title fights being telecast from two separate continents. And I think with that introduction right now, they’re right on the head.

We’ve got, in the SHOWTIME telecast, three all-action and fan-friendly competitive matchups, opening the night with a matchup of two young, undefeated heavyweights. We all know how much interest there has been in the heavyweight division lately. We go to co-feature with the rematch of Ceja- Ruiz. It was a fight that, until Leo [Santa Cruz] and Abner [Mares] stepped up in the main event, it was a flight that, on the undercard, really threatened to steal the show.

When you’ve got two guys who between them have 58 KOs, you know it is going to be exciting. The main event is a matchup of a three-division world champion and a former champion. Two very active, aggressive fighters. And, you throw in the Frampton-Quigg fight, which will be broadcast on SHOWTIME EXTREME early that evening and re-broadcast after the SHOWTIME live event.

In the evening, you’ve got essentially four fan-friendly, all action fights. Really, an entire day of great action. Looking forward to it very much. Thank you all.

Brittany Goossen-Brown
Hello. On behalf of TGB Promotions, we are honored to be working once again with one of the biggest stars in boxing, Leo Santa Cruz. It has been nothing short of exciting watching his rise to the top, especially after that epic win over Abner Mares in a sold out STAPLES Center this past August.

We know that Leo’s fight this Saturday against Kiko Martinez will bring the action that Southern California boxing fans have come to expect and enjoy. We look forward to seeing all of the Southern California boxing fans Saturday night in Anaheim.

R. Flores
The fans in Southern California really come out for quality fights. We all believe that this Saturday is no exception, as Leo Santa Cruz and Kiko Martinez enter the ring..

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz.

Leo Santa Cruz
Hello everyone and good afternoon.

I’m just very happy and excited to go back in the ring. I’ve trained very hard for this fight. I know that it’s going to be a hard fight because Kiko is a fighter that comes to fight. He always comes ready. This could be a great opportunity because I know he has everything to win, everything to lose. So I know he’s going to come with everything. But I’m here ready for him. I’m just ready to give the fans a great show.

R. Flores
We will go ahead now and we want to bring in the adversary for Leo Santa Cruz. We are going to go ahead and bring up a man who has been a former world champion with 35 wins, 6 defeats and 27 victories coming by way of knock-outs. Boy, he can hit hard.

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing Kiko “La Sensacion” Martinez.

Kiko Martinez
I come in with one of the best trainers. I train very hard for this fight. I’m doing it for my family, for myself, for my daughter. I definitely come for a great victory. I will go back with a victory on the 27th. I am very motivated for this particular fight.

Sampson Lewkowicz
I really know and I like Leo Santa Cruz and all his family. We worked together in the past. I promise that I will give him the rematch. We’re coming to win.

Ray Flores
At this time, we’d like to have the operator open it up for questions.

Q
Do you think it’s important for you to not only to defeat Kiko, but do it in a kind of style that will make people say, “Wow, you know, he got him better even then Carl Frampton or Scott Quigg did?”

L. Santa Cruz
Yes, I told you very it’s important to look spectacular against Kiko Martinez and try to beat him better than Scott Quigg and Frampton did. So I could show that I’m at their level or even better.

I’m going to be smart. I’m just going to out there and as the fight goes, just do what I have to do. But if not, I’m going to be smart to try to make the fight one-sided and get the victory. People can compare our fights and compare who we’ve beaten. I hope to go out there and just make a great fight.

Q
Are you going to pay attention to the Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg fight? If you’re successful on Saturday, are you interested in the winner?

L. Santa Cruz
Yes I would be interested in the fight. I’m going to work at this. I would I love to fight any of the winner of that fight. Hopefully I get the win that night. I would definitely like to fight the winner of Frampton and Quigg.

Q
Kiko how much do you feel that you’re being overlooked in this fight against Leo, now that he is fighting another top name. In addition to that what are your thoughts on fighting in the heavier weight division?

K. Martinez
I know a lot of people are doubting me. I have put in the time and training. I’ve worked very hard preparing for this matchup. I’m going to change the opinion of the public.

I know Leo Santa Cruz is a terrific fighter but when I get the victory over him, it will take me to the world title. It will continue to allow me to provide a good life for my family and everybody around me. My performance on Saturday is going to change the opinion of the public.

Q
Why are you taking the fight where you have everything to lose and nothing to gain as you mentioned?

L. Santa Cruz
When we get inside the ring, we’re the same. So I’m not looking at him in any way, shape, or form. He’s an opponent. I have to go out there and have to perform. At the end of the day, this is a great opportunity for Kiko Martinez. I know he’s going to come prepared.

But I myself have spent the time in the gym bracing for this matchup. We’re going to step inside the ring, we’re going to collide, and we’re going put on an exciting show for the fans. When fans come to watch this fight and tune in on SHOWTIME, I want them to leave satisfied.

I’m going to go out there and get the victory and really put in the time in and put on a fantastic show for all the fans. Because I know Kiko Martinez is a very formidable opponent.

Q
Leo Santa Cruz hasn’t lost in 10 years. Why does Kiko Martinez believe he’s going to be able to change that on Saturday.

K. Martinez
I know that Leo Santa Cruz is a fantastic fighter. But at the end of the day, when guys have come in to fight him, they’ve already been defeated before they stepped inside the ring with Leo Santa Cruz. I don’t think anyone he’s fought is as strong as me or has the kind of desire that I have.

I’m coming here to the United States to get the victory. I’m very hungry. I’ve spent two months in training camp. I think that my power is going to be the difference. Here on Saturday night against Santa Cruz, I have the opportunity of my life. I’ve spent time away from my family and I’m coming here to get the victory. It’s going to be an exciting fight. I respect Leo Santa Cruz, but I’m doing to get the win on Saturday.

How are you going to be able to handle turmoil like Kiko Martinez who is extremely hungry and has a desire to get the victoru?

L. Santa Cruz
I know I train the same way against Kiko Martinez, working for Martinez, as I did against Abner Mares and all my other adversaries and my opponents. I know he’s coming to try to get the win over me and better the life of his family.

But I myself have that same mindset. I understand Kiko Martinez is a very strong fighter. He has a powerful punch. We are going to use our intelligence. We are going to put on a show for all the fans on Saturday. I myself go and any time I step inside it the ring, I fight for my family.

This is a huge opportunity for him. But I put in the time in the gym to be victorious. I look forward to putting on a fantastic event on Saturday.

Q
I want to ask him does he feel that he’s in the same situation that he was in a few years ago back in 2013 in Atlantic City, when he first came to the United States versus Jonathan Romero, where he was the heavy underdog. But he was able to pull the upset, basically being the bully. Is that the game plan for this fight?

K. Martinez
I’m going to surprise a lot of people as I did I did against Romero. I’m coming into this fight with the same hunger that I did against Romero.

But I’m a lot smarter. My training habits are better. I have put in and learned so much since that fight on August in 2013. But I think that Santa Cruz is a stronger fighter than Romero. But I’m, at the end of the day, I’m going to surprise people just as I did against Jonathan Romero and I will win on Saturday.

Q
How do you deal with that pressure to out-do the Frampton and Quigg performances or to just get the win, which is most important?

L. Santa Cruz
There is a little bit of pressure. Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton, they knocked him out. I want the same. I wanted to get in there in the program.

I’m going to be smart. I’m going to patient. My main goal is to go out there and win the fight. I want to go out there and get the victory because that’s more important. I’m going to be relaxed, stay focused and I’m going to be calm. I’m going to be calm and go out there and get the win.

So if I get the win that night, I want to face the winner of Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton then. I’m going to out there and I know I can beat anybody.

R. Flores
Now it’s opened up for closing comments.

First of all, we’ll let Leo go ahead and end the call with closing comments. Then we’ll move over to also Kiko and then Sampson.

Leo, go ahead.

L. Santa Cruz
I just want to say I want to invite all the fans to come February 27 to the Honda Center and they’re not going to want to miss this fight. I always come to fight, I always come to give the fans a great show. This night is not going to be an exception. I come really 100 percent prepared and I’m going to go out there and do everything in the ring.

They’re going to know I’m fighting for my family, I’m fighting for our fans. All I want to do give a great show for the fans. So you guys don’t want to miss this fight. Go out there and support us. And I’m 100 percent sure you guys are not going to be disappointed.

So thank you very much and have a great day.

K. Martinez
I want to thank my entire team. I’m excited about this fight with Leo Santa Cruz. I think I’m going to come on Saturday, this upcoming Saturday, February 27th, at the Honda Center in Anaheim and I will be triumphant and win the title. We’re going to put on a great show for the fans. I’m going to change the opinion of the public that at the end of the day, it’s going to be an exciting fight.

S. Lewkowicz
I want to say thank you to Stephen Espinoza and SHOWTIME. Because it really, it’s a great, great night of fights, three fights, starting with the heavyweights and then with my other fighter, Hugo Ruiz, that is fighting in the rematch. This is an exceptional night of fights.

R. Flores
That concludes the call. We appreciate the media for partaking in this. Tickets start at $27. You can get them now at ticketmaster.com or the Honda Center Box Office.

It’s a can’t miss event this Saturday, February 27th, at the Honda Center in Anaheim. We will see you in Anaheim for a fight we cannot wait to get to the West Coast for a big weekend in boxing only on SHOWTIME.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 18, 2016) – Undefeated featherweight world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz held an open media workout Thursday at Who’s Next Boxing Academy in La Puente, Calif., as he prepares for his first title defense against Kiko “Sensación” Martinez Saturday, February 27 live on SHOWTIME from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Santa Cruz vs. Martinez headlines a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader that features Mexican warriors Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz meeting in an awaited super bantamweight world title rematch plus heavyweights Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington and Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas will put their unblemished records on the line in a 10-round matchup. The action begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

Santa Cruz worked out alongside his father and trainer, Jose Santa Cruz, for the media in attendance and spoke about his upcoming bout and more. The workout also featured a surprise performance from Martin Castillo and a five-piece band that included a tuba and an accordion. Santa Cruz jumped rope and went through drills while traditional Mexican folk music called Corrido filled the Southern California gym.

Here is what Santa Cruz and his father had to say Thursday:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I always train to make a statement. I want to go out there and show everyone that I’m really good and I deserve to be considered one of the best.

“I fight for my family. Since I was small, this is what I’ve wanted to do to help my family. I wanted to work hard and give my family a better future.

“Martinez is a strong fighter who comes forward and always puts pressure on you. He never backs down and always comes to fight. That’s what we like about this matchup — it makes for a more intense fight.

“We’re going to give the fans an entertaining show. The fans are the ones who are going to win at the end of the night. I’m going to go out there and try to knock him out by the end of the third round.

“I think he’s going to be the aggressor because he’s shorter and has to fight that way. But I’m going to go forward and be the aggressor too. If that’s not working, I’ll box him. We’re going to do what we need to do to win the fight.

“I see Carl Frampton vs. Scott Quigg as a 50-50 fight. It’s a tough fight for both of them. I think whoever catches the other guy first will get the victory. They both can hit and they both have great skills. It could go either way.

“It’s a very interesting fight between Frampton and Quigg. They’ve both been possible opponents for me and I hope that I do well that night and face the winner of that fight. I don’t care who it is, I want to fight them.

“I’m willing to fight whoever. I want the winner of Frampton-Quigg. If not then Lee Selby, Gary Russell Jr., Jesus Cuellar or anyone in the division. Hopefully next it will be one of those fighters.

“My fighting style is to always go forward and throw a lot of punches. I just want to entertain the fans. I fight for them and I try to send them home happy. I want to go in there and fight in a war.

“I’m going to fight all of the top guys. I’m still young and I know if I keep working hard and taking care of the guy in front of me, I’ll get all of those fights.

“We’re working on our distance and learning new things every day in camp. I don’t want to change too much, since I’m undefeated. I’m going to be prepared mentally and physically to get the win.

“We’re working hard all the time. We know what we have to do in the ring to win the fight. My last fight our strategy was to brawl but we adjusted it and moved more and we were able to get the victory.

On his recent foray into boxing promotion: “Being a promoter is difficult. It’s very hard. You’re always busy, so right now I’m focused on my boxing career. I’m letting my brothers and my family take care of it now. I’m not there 100 percent yet but I like to give my opinion. It’s something I’d like to do after I retire.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ

“Leo is very well prepared as he always is. We always train 100 percent and we are ready.

“The team is ready to fight. We have one week left to rest and put some finishing touches on this camp.

“We’re going to fight Martinez with our style. We’re going to do whatever we need to do to win the fight. Leo is going to take the fight to him and try to counteract whatever style Martinez brings.

“It’s going to be a good fight. Whichever style Martinez brings, we’re going to out-maneuver him and make it a good fight. I see Leo winning a decision at least if not a knockout.”

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2016) – Spain’s Kiko “Sensación” Martinez is a soft-spoken, hard-hitting former IBF Super Bantamweight World Champion and a three-time European champion at 122 pounds. He’s a come-forward, comes-to-win, aggressive-minded slugger who makes for exciting fights and has been in with excellent opposition.

The ultimate road warrior, the 5-foot-5, 29-year-old Martinez has fought more than one-third of his fights outside his native Spain, where he has tussled 26 times. He’s also fought four times in Ireland, three times in England, three times in Northern Ireland and one time each in Japan, Argentina, France and South Africa.

So don’t expect Martinez (35-6, 26 KOs) to be in awe of the surroundings in his second start in the United States when he challenges unbeaten, defending featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday, Feb. 27, in the main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Martinez won his U.S. debut and the IBF 122-pound crown with a sixth-round TKO over Jhonatan Romero on Aug. 17, 2013. “That was a great night for me,’’ Martinez said. “I’m confident of another great performance on Feb. 27.’’

A winner of three in a row in his homeland, including a fourth-round TKO over Miguel Gonzalez last Dec. 12, Martinez aims to make amends after losing three high-profile fights in recent years to super bantamweight world champions – twice to Carl Frampton (IBF) and once to Scott Quigg (WBA).

Martinez gets an opportunity against Santa Cruz in a fight he never saw coming.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting Leo Santa Cruz, but getting this fight was a total surprise because I already had a fight scheduled,’’ said Martinez, who trains at his friend and manager, former world super middleweight champion Sergio Martinez’ gym in Spain. “I had been scheduled to fight for the European title. When this opportunity came up, I decided to give up the European title to come to America.

“I was very happy and very emotional when I heard about this fight. It was one of the best days of my life when I agreed to fight Santa Cruz. Now, more boxing fans will get to see me. I will not take one step back. I will come forward the whole fight.

“I’m thankful to SHOWTIME and I’m excited for the challenge. It’s a huge fight in the United States and a great opportunity. Some people don’t think I can fight because I lost to those guys [Frampton and Quigg], but they are wrong. I am as determined as ever. I’m going to fight a great fight and come out with a victory.’’

While respectful of the champion, Martinez is no stranger to fighting on foreign soil and is poised to pull off a stunner.

“I will surprise many people who don’t believe in me,’’ he said. “I’m working so hard for this fight. People doubting me has me even more motivated. They will see on Feb. 27 and everyone will change their minds.

“I love fighting in my opponent’s backyard. That is not a problem for me at all. People who know boxing know I will give everything to this sport. I want to give great shows and entertain people. I’m coming forward and throwing punches and I don’t give up.

“I’m going to give 100 percent and it’s going to be a tremendous fight. I have a ton of respect for Leo Santa Cruz. He’s a world champion and a great fighter who’s clearly one of the very best featherweights in the world and a Top 10 pound-for-pound fighter. I am very conscious of that point.

“Leo and I are true warriors so this will be a brutal war. But I have what it takes. I’ve been working very hard with my longtime trainer, Gaby Sarmiento, and I will be victorious.’’

A lifelong resident of Spain, Martinez was born in Granada, Spain, and resides in Alicante. He has two sisters and two brothers but is the only one in the family who boxes professionally. He turned to boxing as a young teenager.

“I started in boxing because when I was about 13 I was smaller and other kids bullied me all the time. So I began looking for a way to learn to defend myself,’’ he said. “Once I decided to start boxing and dedicated myself to it I fell in love with the sport.’’

As an amateur, Martinez went 47-2 and won a Spanish national amateur championship, but he had no international amateur experience. “I had a good amateur career but never thought about the Olympics,’’ he said. “My mind was always on being a pro fighter.’’

A dangerous puncher who’s at his best when he pressures his opponents and wears them down, Martinez turned pro in June 2004. He was victorious in his initial 17 fights, winning all but three by knockout.

Martinez met Sergio Martinez [no relation] about nine years ago. “I met Sergio in the gym in Spain that he used to train himself in and we became good friends. When I started boxing I looked up to Julio Cesar Chavez and I am now a big fan of Marcos Maidana. I like to fight like him.

“But I’ve always had a special relationship with Sergio, who inspired me because he came from poverty like me. He has taught me so much. It’s like looking into a mirror because he knows where I came from. He’s taught me so much inside and outside the ring. We were very poor growing up and my father worked very hard.’’

If triumphant, Kiko Martinez says “I would like to stay at this weight because I feel much stronger. But I would definitely love a rematch with Frampton or Quigg.’’

Regarding the Frampton-Quigg 122-pound world title unification that also takes place on Feb. 27 (in Manchester, England, live on SHOWTIME EXTREME®), Martinez didn’t hesitate when picking a winner.

“Frampton will win against Quigg,’’ Martinez said. “He’s the more complete boxer. He is stronger as well.”

In the Feb. 27 co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, hard-hitting Mexican warriors Julio Ceja (30-1, 27 KOs) and Hugo Ruiz (35-3, 31 KOs) will box in a rematch of an exciting, two-way slugfest for the WBC 122-pound world title that Ceja won from Ruiz on a fifth-round knockout last August

Rounding out the televised tripleheader is a 10-round fight between undefeated heavyweights Gerald Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) of Vallejo, Calif., and Montreal-based Colombian Oscar Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 12, 2016) – Unbeaten 2012 U.S. Olympian Michael Hunter (10-0, 7 KOs), middleweight contender Paul Mendez (20-2-2, 10 KOs) and exciting featherweight contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero (19-1, 14 KOs) will compete in separate bouts that highlight undercard action on Saturday, February 27 from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The event is headlined by a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader featuring undefeated three-division world champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz making his first featherweight world title defense against former world champion Kiko Martinez.In the co-feature bout, Mexican warriors Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz will meet again in an awaited super bantamweight world title rematch and opening the telecast, heavyweights Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington and Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas will put their unblemished records on the line in a 10-round matchup. The telecast will air live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming (SAP).

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

Hunter will compete in an eight-round cruiserweight bout while Mendez will enter the ring in a 10-round middleweight affair against Joshua Okine (22-4, 15 KOs). Marrero takes on Jonathan Arellano (16-6-2, 4 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight attraction.

The action continues with 27-year-old Ceferino Rodriguez (20-1, 11 KOs) of Spain in an eight-round welterweight bout against Mexico’s Ernesto Ortiz (10-3, 7 KOs) plus 29-year-old South Korean brawler Min Wook Kim (14-1, 11 KOs) in a super lightweight contest against Mexico’s Jose Luis Rodriguez (14-6, 9 KOs).

Rounding out the night of fights is unbeaten 25-year-old Los Angeles-native Anthony Flores (9-0, 5 KOs) in an eight-round super lightweight bout against Daniel Nava (7-3-2, 3 KOs) while Leo Santa Cruz’s cousin, Antonio Santa Cruz (1-2, 1 KO) enters the ring in a four-round bantamweight fight against California’s Jorge Perez (2-0, 1 KO) and undefeated Mexican Rey Vargas (25-0, 20 KOs) in featherweight action.

Since turning professional in early 2013 following the London Olympic Games, the 27-year-old Hunter, fighting out of Las Vegas, NV, has continued to shine. With four victories in 2015, the last three by knockout, he will be looking to march again into the win column to kick off his 2016 campaign.

Fighting out of Delano, California, the 26-year-old Mendez looks for his seventh straight victory when he gets in the ring on February 27. He comes into this fight off of victories over David Alonso Lopez, Santiago Perez, Raul Casarez, Andrik Saralegui and Ernesto Berrospe twice. He takes on the experienced Okine, who was born in Ghana but who fights out of Silver Spring, Maryland.

After winning a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games, in addition to several other amateur accolades, the Dominican Republic’s Marrero won the first 14 outings of his pro career. The 26-year-old brings a five-fight winning streak to the ring and in his most recent bout he delivered a sensational one-punch knockout victory over former world champion Rico Ramos. Marrero takes on the 28-year-old Arrellano out of Commerce, California.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, Calif. (February 9, 2016) – Hard-hitting Mexican warriors Julio Ceja (30-1, 27 KOs) and Hugo Ruiz (35-3, 31 KOs) engaged in a memorable back-and-forth battle for the WBC 122-pound world title last August and they are eager to meet in the ring again to deliver another explosive fight. The rematch is part of a tripleheader on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Headlining the event is undefeated featherweight world champion Leo Santa Cruz in his first title defense against former champ Kiko Martinez. Rounding out the televised tripleheader is a 10-round fight between undefeated heavyweights Gerald Washington and Oscar Rivas.

Ceja recovered from a third-round knockdown to claim world title glory with a fifth-round stoppage of Ruiz, and he has promised once again to leave the fans thrilled.

“One thing I can tell you, is that this fight will be as exciting as the first one,” said Ceja. “You don’t want to miss it. War is coming.”

When Ceja and Ruiz clashed in Los Angeles last August, it was the U.S. debut for both and was also on a card headlined by Santa Cruz.

“I knew it was a big step up in my career to get a fight in the U.S.,” said Ruiz, “It was very emotional to be fighting in front of so many Mexican fans on such an important card.”

In an excellent two-way matchup contested in the middle of the ring, Ceja and Ruiz combined to throw 373 power punches in just five rounds, with Ceja benefiting from a 96-67 advantage in power punches landed. It was the sharp-shooting Ruiz who struck the first big blow of the match however, as he caught a lunging Ceja with a perfect left hook that put him down with just under a minute left in the third round.

“He definitely hurt me with that punch,” said Ceja. “I went straight into his hand and to the floor. But thanks to my great conditioning, I recovered fast. I train in the altitude in Mexico and that gives me the strength to fight 15 rounds. I’m working just as hard this camp.”

“I feel like I have the advantage in speed and power,” said Ruiz. “I was looking for the knockout from the beginning and I will do that again on February 27.”

Showing little effect from the knockdown, Ceja made it through the third and had a solid fourth round against the lanky Ruiz. He began to work effectively inside the long reach of Ruiz and buzz him with left hooks and uppercuts. It was a perfectly timed left hook with 58 seconds remaining in the fifth round that put Ruiz down. Ruiz made it to his feet, but Ceja continued to batter him with both hands until the referee, Raul Caiz Sr., stepped in and stopped the fight at 2:34 into the round.

“Ceja came into the fight very aggressively and he put just the right amount of pressure on me,” said Ruiz. “This defeat is behind me now, but I did gain experience from the defeat that I will take into this fight.”

Both men know that there is plenty of work to be done in training camp.

“There is no way to get into a comfort zone against Ruiz,” said Ceja. “Just because I beat him, it doesn’t make this fight easier. He’s smart, experienced and he won’t make the same mistakes again. He’s a guy who works distances perfectly and knows when to attack. We made mistakes in the first fight that we’re going to fix.”

“I’m working on my defense and on putting more pressure on him throughout this fight,” said Ruiz. “I have to be aware of his left hand. The hook hurt me last time so I have been working on getting my right hand up to block it. I have to use my skills to be victorious.”

With a world title on the line once again, expect similar fireworks when these two proud Mexican sluggers share the ring in Anaheim.

“I want all my Mexican fans to come out and watch this fight, you will not regret it,” said Ceja. “I want to keep my belt for a long time and I want the fans to remember my name.”

“This is going to be another very explosive fight,” said Ruiz. “Expect a lot of punches, but this time I will be walking out a world champion.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports. Santa Cruz vs. Martinez is sponsored by Corona Extra, La Cerveza Mas Fina.

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (February 2, 2016) – Unbeaten brawlers Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washington (16-0-1, 11 KOs) and Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas (18-0, 13 KOs) will meet in a 10-round showdown of rising heavyweights on Saturday, February 27, in the opening bout of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The telecast features two world title fights. In the main event, undefeated three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will make the first defense of his Featherweight World Championship against former world champion Kiko Martinez. Televised coverage begins live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) with the exciting super bantamweight world title rematch between Mexican power-punchers Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz.

“I’m thrilled to be fighting so close to home in front of all my friends and family,” said Washington. “Oscar Rivas is a hard puncher but he’s never faced anyone as big and strong as I am. I’m anxious to get in the ring and continue to prove myself on my way to a world title opportunity.”

“I’m very excited to be fighting Gerald Washington in my first fight in Southern California,” said Rivas. “I know that he is a very tough, strong fighter. I will be prepared to come out victorious and stay undefeated as I head towards my goal of becoming a world champion.”

“The heavyweight division has been revived and Gerald Washington and Oscar Rivas are two guys to keep your eyes on,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Both are undefeated and hungry to earn their shot at a world title.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

A two-way player (tight end and defensive end) at the University of Southern California, Washington spent time with the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills practice squads on his unconventional path that led him to boxing. The 33-year-old also worked in the Navy as a helicopter mechanic before going to USC and did not get his start in professional boxing until 2012. Fighting out of San Jose, California, he is yet to lose in his latest endeavor after fighting to a draw with Amir Mansour in October and defeating Jason Gavern in March last year.

Rivas, who represented Columbia at the 2008 Olympics, fought exclusively as a pro in his adopted hometown of Montreal before making his U.S. debut with a first-round knockout of Jason Pettaway in June 2015. The 28-year-old is riding a seven-fight knockout streak and most recently took down Joey Abell in the second round of a November 2015 fight. He will be looking to impress against the toughest opponent of his career on February 27.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

ANAHEIM, CALIF. (Jan. 27, 2016) – Mexican warriors Julio Ceja and Hugo Ruiz will compete in a rematch of their exciting 2015 super bantamweight world title fight on Saturday, February 27, live on SHOWTIME® from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will be headlined by undefeated three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz, who’ll be making the first defense of his Featherweight World Championship against former world champion Kiko Martinez.

“I’m very happy to fight again in Southern California on such a fantastic card,” said Ceja. “In the first fight with Hugo Ruiz we had a sensational battle which ended with me coming out victorious and I’m very confident that I will win again. I look forward to putting on another great show on February 27.”

“I’m excited for the immediate rematch with Julio Ceja,” said Ruiz. “I know that I had him badly hurt during our first fight and that I will be victorious on February 27. I’d like to thank everyone involved for this great opportunity to avenge my loss.”

Ceja (30-1, 27 KOs) and Ruiz (35-3, 31 KOs) met on August 29, 2015, in Los Angeles, with Ceja winning the WBC 122-pound world title via a fifth-round stoppage in a wild back-and-forth brawl. Ruiz struck the first big blow in round three when he connected with a sharp left hand that floored Ceja. The fireworks continued into round five when Ceja unloaded a powerful left hook that put Ruiz on the mat. Ceja saw his opening and used a flurry of punches to close the show and take home the world title.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

The 23-year-old Ceja has won six fights in a row and is looking to prove that his victory over Ruiz was no fluke. The native of Atizapan de Zaragoza, Mexico will be fighting in the U.S. for the second time since turning pro in 2009 at just 16 years old. The power-puncher owns victories over experienced veterans Henry Maldonado, Jesus Acosta, Alejandro Morales and Genaro Camargo.

A 29-year-old fighting out of Sinaloa Mexico, Ruiz entered the first fight against Ceja on a four-fight win streak and as winner of 26 of his last 27 fights. He’s defeated the likes of Jean Sampson, Yonfrez Parejo and Francisco Arce throughout a pro career that began in 2006. His bout with Ceja was his U.S. debut and his exciting style has earned him another shot at the world title.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSpo

NEW YORK (Jan. 20, 2015) – Undefeated three-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will make the first defense of his Featherweight World Championship against former world champion Kiko Martinez on Saturday, Feb. 27, live on SHOWTIME® from Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

“I’m excited to have another opportunity to fight in front of my L.A. friends,” said Santa Cruz. “I’ve been in the gym and staying ready for anyone that’s put in front of me. I’m going to be 100 percent ready for this fight and I plan to go out there and look great.”

“I’m thrilled for the opportunity to face off against Leo Santa Cruz on February 27,” said Martinez. “Santa Cruz is clearly one of the very best featherweights in the world but I have what it takes. I’ve already begun working very hard with my longtime trainer Gaby Sarmiento and I will be victorious.”

“It’s always great to be able to bring quality fights to the Southern California fight fans,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “The Leo Santa Cruz vs. Kiko Martinez battle couldn’t be in a better venue or town and it will provide non-stop action from the opening bell. TGB Promotions is honored to once again work with SHOWTIME and the team at the Honda Center on another great event.”

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $27, $54, $104 and $199 and are on sale now via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster retail locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the Honda Center Box Office.

The popular Mexican-American Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs), fighting out of Los Angeles, won the 126-pound title in a “Fight of the Year” candidate against former three-division champ Abner Mares last August at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. It was just the second fight in the featherweight division for Santa Cruz, who has won belts at 118 and 122 pounds while earning a reputation as one of boxing’s most active and exciting fighters. The 27-year-old also holds victories over Cristian Mijares and Eric Morel and has fought in world title bouts in 10 of his last 12 fights since 2012.

Martinez (35-6-0, 26 KOs), of Valenciana, Spain, is a former super bantamweight world champion who won the IBF belt with a sixth-round knockout of Jhonatan Romero in 2013. The 29-year-old made two successful title defenses against Jeffrey Mathebula and long-time titlist Hozumi Hasegawa before losing a decision in 2014 in a rematch against Carl Frampton. Martinez challenged Scott Quigg for the 122-pound belt in July of 2015 before moving up to 126 pounds, where he bounced back to record knockouts in two of his three fights in just two months. A world traveler who frequently fights on his opponent’s home turf, Martinez will now challenge Santa Cruz in just his second fight in the U.S. with his sights set on becoming a two-division world champion.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @SHOSports, @LeoSantaCruz2, @MartinezKiko, @TGBPromotions, @HondaCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOSports

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 20, 2016) – Golden Boy Promotions has a great reputation in the sport as one of the leading promoters as well as a skill for creating and promoting world champions and boxing superstars. Having worked and promoted multi-divisional world champions including: Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Erik “Terrible” Morales, Juan Manuel “Dinaminta” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco Antonio “Baby Face Assassin” Barrera, Sugar Shane Mosley, Canelo Alvarez, Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse, Jorge “El Nino De Oro” Linares, Randy “El Matador” Caballero, Abner Mares, Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, Danny “Swift” Garcias, Keith “One Time” Thurman, Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs, Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, and Adrien “The Problem” Broner. In 2016, Golden Boy Promotions is looking to the future to usher in the New Era of Boxing spearheaded by current WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs).

For 2015, Golden Boy Promotions received extraordinary media acclaim for exciting fights year-round and was awarded the honors of Promoter of the Year, Event of the Year, Fight Cards of the Year, Fight of the Year, Fighter of the Year, and Knockout of the Year. Also, top prospects Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs), Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), Jason “El Animal” Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs), and Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs) not only graduated into contender territory, but also received honorable mentions for Prospect of the Year while Shabranskyy debuted at number nine on the light heavyweight pound-for-pound list.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs), also debuted on the pound-for-pound list at number five in the heavyweight division after defeating former world champion challenger Bryant “By-By” Jennings via seventh-round technical knockout. Other fighters on the divisional pound-for-pound list include Canelo Alvarez, Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-1, 17 KOs), Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares (40-3, 27 KOs), Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs), Lucas “La Maquina” Matthysse (37-4, 34 KOs), Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs), Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs), Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs), Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs), Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs), David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs), Sergio “Yeyo” Thompson (30-4, 26 KOs), and Jayson “Star” Velez (23-1-1, 16 KOs).

Golden Boy Promotions’ top picks for “Fighters to Watch in 2016” include (in alphabetical order):

WORLD TITLE CONTENDERS:

WBA International Welterweight Champion, Sadam “World Kid” Ali

Sadam “World Kid” Ali: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team fighting out of Brooklyn, New York, Sadam “World Kid” Ali (22-0, 13 KOs) impressed boxing fans with his unanimous decision victory over Francisco “Chia” Santana in April, 2015 that earned him the WBA International Welterweight Title and also made him the mandatory challenger for the WBO Welterweight World Championship.

Randy “El Matador” Caballero: Indio star Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) hit the heights of the boxing world in 2014 when he defeated Stuart “Stuey” Hall for the vacant IBF Bantamweight World Championship. In 2015, forced Caballero to vacate the title, however, 2016 looks promising for the fighter as he prepares his big return to the ring on February 5 against Ruben Garcia at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino.

Pablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano: Already a respected welterweight contender after bouts against the likes of Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and “Sugar” Shane Mosley, Mexico’s Pablo “El Demoledor” Cesar Cano (29-4-1, 21 KOs) kept his march to a world title going in 2015, as he went unbeaten in three bouts against Jorge “Pantera” Silva, Juan Carlos “Merengue” Abreu and Silverio “Chamaco III” Ortiz.

Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos: The mandatory

WBC Featherweight World Championship Mandatory Challenger, Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos

challenger for the WBC featherweight world title, Celaya, Mexico’s Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (23-11, 13 KOs) started his journey to become a champion very differently in 2014. Coming off a loss to Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado in February 2014, Castellanos followed it up with a dominant victory over Ronny Rios in October 2014, stopping the then-unbeaten prospect in the fifth round. Castellanos continued to show his power in January of 2015 facing the warrior Rocky Juarez for the chance to win the WBC Silver Featherweight title and become the mandatory challenger for the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Both fighters showed a lot of heart and put on one of the bloodiest fights of 2015, but it was Castellanos’ dominance that was on display as his powerful jabs, brutal uppercuts and well-timed counter-punching knocked down Juarez in the fifth and twice in the 10th round to win via unanimous decision with scores of 118-106, 118-106 and 118-107. Now, Castellanos is the WBC Feather World Championship mandatory challenger.

Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera: One of the truest warriors in the sport today, Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (22-5, 7 KOs) continued to show his supreme boxing skills and heart in a decision win over “Hammerin'” Hank Lundy in July to win the vacant NABF Super Lightweight title, and in 2016, big things are expected from Riverside’s “El Maestro” once more.

Tureano Johnson: A native of Nassau in the Bahamas, 31-year-old Tureano Johnson (19-1, 13 KOs) proudly represented his nation in the 2008 Olympics, making it to the quarterfinals in Beijing. In 2010, he turned professional and soared up the middleweight ladder before a controversial 2014 loss to Curtis Stevens. Undeterred, Johnson has since won five fights, four by knockout, and is one of the newest members of the Golden Boy Promotions roster. In his first fight since signing with Golden Boy Promotions, Johnson gave the fans a thrilling performance in the undercard of Gennaday Golovkin vs. David

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco

Lemieux at Madison Square Garden on October 17, 2015. Johnson faced Ireland’s Emmon O’Kane for the IBF Middleweight Title Eliminator, knocking down O’Kane twice in the first round and winning the fight via unanimous decision with scores of 118-108, 117-109, 119-107. Now the Nassau native is next in line for a shot at the unified middleweight championship in 2016.

Antonio “Relentless” Orozco: Unbeaten as a professional, San Diego’s Antonio “Relentless” Orozco (23-0, 15 KOs) made his move to the elite level of the super lightweight division in 2015. In May, Orozco defeated fellow rising star Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor in Phoenix, but the best was yet to come, as he decisioned multi-division world champion Humberto “La Zorrita” Soto in their October bout at StubHub Center.

Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz: On Dec. 19, at Turing Stone Resort Casino inVerona,New York, Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz (24-0, 21 KOs) defended his WBA Interim Heavyweight World Championship against one of the toughest fighters in the division, Bryant “By – By” Jennings in a fantastic display of boxing skill with a dramatic seventh round knockout of the former world champion challenger Jennings. Ortiz, dominated the fight early on with powerful hooks, uppercuts and jabs that kept him in

WBA Interim Heavyweight World Champion,
Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz

control of the pace throughout the 12-round heavyweight brawl. The victory allowed Ortiz to keep his undefeated status but also made a loud announcement to the boxing community that a new heavyweight threat had arrived to the division. This fight catapulted Ortiz on the heavyweight pound-for-pound list debuting at number five.

Michael “The Artist” Perez: Undefeated since 2012, exciting New Jersey native Michael “The Artist” Perez (23-1-2, 11 KOs) had one of the biggest years of his career in 2015, as he decisioned always toughMiguel “Aguacerito” Acosta in January and then knocked out Luis “Chespi” Sanchez in six rounds in July to win the vacant NABO lightweight title.

Ronny Rios: After suffering the first loss of his career to Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos in 2014, Santa Ana, California’s Ronny Rios (25-1, 10 KOs) came back more determined than ever in 2015, and his performances in defeating Sergio “El Frio” Frias and previously unbeaten Jayson “Star” Velez proved that this 25-year-old was ready for prime time again.

USNBC Light Heavyweight Champion, Vyacheslav “Lion Heart-Chingonsky” Shabranskyy

Vyacheslav “Lion Heart – Chingonsky” Shabranskyy: People might have troublespelling the name of Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (15-0, 12 KOs), but among boxing fans, his name spells action, and he continued to deliver the goods in 2015, moving to 15-0 with wins against Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson, Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena, Paul “Pay Per View” Parker and Yunieski “El Monstro” Gonzalez, the latter three foes owning a combined 34-1-1 record and breaking him into the top 10 light heavyweight rankings on USA Today’s Boxing Junkie and ranking number 12 on the WBC’s rankings.

Patrick Teixeira: Brazil’s best boxing import since beloved former champion Acelino Freitas, unbeaten southpaw Patrick Teixeira (26-0, 22 KOs) fought twice in the United States in 2015, impressing fans in New York and California with knockouts of Patrick Allotey and Don Mouton that sent a warning to his fellow 154-pound fighters that he was here to stay.

CONTENDERS TO WATCH:

Manuel “Tino” Avila: Fairfield, California’s Manuel “Tino” Avila (19-0, 8 KOs) has long been one of the most exciting prospects on the local scene, and in 2015, he made his name on the national scene with wins over Erik Ruiz, Yoandris “El Nino” Salinas and Jose Angel “Pepe” Beranza, the Salinas fight earning him the interim NABF super bantamweight title.

WBC Youth Super Bantamweight Champion,
Diego De La Hoya

Diego De La Hoya: Highly-touted super bantamweight Diego De La Hoya (13-0, 7 KOs)made the jump to eight and ten-round bouts in 2015 and he continued to impress every step of the way en route to five more victories. In September, De La Hoya won his first pro title, decisioning against former world title challenger Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz for the vacant WBC Youth World Super Bantamweight belt.

Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr.: A member of the 2008 United States Olympic team, South El Monte, California’s Joseph “JoJo” Diaz Jr. (19-0, 11 KOs) won his first professional title in his fifth victory of 2015, as he impressively stopped Hugo “Olimpico” Partida in December to win the vacant NABF featherweight title and an honorable mention as one of ESPN.com’s 2015 Top 20 Rising Stars.

KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson: 24-year-old welterweight undefeated fighter, KeAndre “Black Magic” Gibson (14-0-1, 6 KOs), who now makes his home in Las Vegas, has become quite popular with impressive victories over John Nater, Jose Hernandez and Nelson Lara. In his second fight of 2015, Gibson faced Jorge Ramos in an eight round fight winning the bout via unanimous decision in the undercard of Canelo-Kirkland on May 9.

Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez: East LA’s Frankie “Pitbull” Gomez (19-0, 13 KOs) is known for his exciting style and powerful punches. He is the owner of 13 knockouts in three rounds or fewer and can also box, as shown in his near-shutout victories over longtime contenders Vernon “Ice Man” Paris in July of 2014 and Jorge “Pantera” Silva in October of 2015. A decorated amateur who won the 2009 United States Championship and earned a Silver medal in the 2009 World Championships, Gomez is ready to face the top opposition in the division and chase his dreams of a world championship in 2016.

Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez: A former WBC Youth World Lightweight champion,

Abraham “Chamaco” Lop
Gilberto “El Flaco” Gonzalez (25-3, 21 KOs) picked up two early knockout wins in 2015, halting David “Nene” Rangel and Hevinson Herrera to set up a big 2016 for the Mexico City native.

Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez: Featherweight standout Abraham “Chamaco” Lopez (19-0-1, 14 KOs) returned from three years away from the sport in 2015 and the El Puente product picked up where he left off with knockout victories over former Ghana Olympian Alfred “The Stinging Bee” Tetteh and Jorge “King” Diaz and a draw against Juan “El Pez” Carlos Martinez.

Marcelino “Nino” Lopez: The latest star to emerge from the boxing hotbed of Argentina, Buenos Aires’ Marcelino “Nino” Lorenz (32-1-1, 17 KOs) continued dominating the local scene in his home country, but in October of 2015, he finally got the chance to introduce himself to United States fans when he knocked out David Rodela in three rounds at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.

Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez: Los Mochis, Mexico native Roberto “Tito” Manzanarez (32-1, 26 KOs) continued romping through the lightweight division in 2015, adding to his stellar record with a decision over Edgar “Lupillo” Ramirez and knockouts of Daniel “El Mulato” Valenzuela and Cristian “Veneno” Lopez.

NABF Lightweight Champion, Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero

Marvin “Cachorro” Quintero: Born in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, but now making hishome in Tijuana, Marvin Quintero is a former world title challenger whose first title fight was a razor-thin split decision loss to Miguel Vazquez in 2012. Since then, the 29-year-old southpaw has won two fights by knockout over Carlos Sanchez and Cesar De la Mora. In September of 2015 the veteran fighter proved he still had what it takes to chase championship gold when he defeated Puerto Rico’s Jeffery Fontanez via fifth-round knockout to gain the NABF Lightweight Title.

PROSPECTS TO WATCH:

Damon Allen: 23-year-old Philadelphian Damon Allen (8-0, 3 KOs) stepped through the ropes twice in 2015, stopping Luis “Yeye” Rodriguez in three rounds at home in Philly before making his Los Angeles debut in November with a decision victory over Oscar Santana.

Nick Arce: Hard-hitting 19-year-old Nick Arce (6-0, 6 KOs) didn’t stick around long for his five wins in 2015, as he knocked out each of his opponents before the final bell. This power and finishing ability has made this featherweight a must see for California fight fans, and the rest of the country should get introduced to him in the coming year.

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard

D’Mitrius “Big Meech” Ballard: 2015 was a pivotal year for Maryland supermiddleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (11-0, 7 KOs), and he passed his tests with flying colors, showing that he could box as well as bang in decision victories over Josue “Chiquilin” Ovando, Juan Carlos “Chiflado” Rojas and Fabiano “Pit Bull” Pena.

Ivan “Striker” Delgado: Keeping a steady pace throughout 2015, 25-year-old lightweight prospect Ivan “Striker” Delgado (8-0-1, 2 KOs) won five more bouts, and with fans packing the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles to see him fight on the LA Fight Club events, the future is bright for this up and comer.

Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez: 20-year-old Christian “Chimpa” Gonzalez (12-0, 11 KOs) added four more wins to his perfect pro record in 2015, and while he went the distance for the first time against Darryl Hayes in June, he closed out the year with a pair of second-round knockouts of Luis “Lichito” Lizarraga Jr. and Alejandro Ochoa.

Joet Gonzalez: Former amateur standout Joet Gonzalez (12-0, 6 KOs) is finding his way onto many hot prospect lists after a 2015 campaign that saw him go 4-0 with three knockouts. Included on that slate is a third-round KO of 12-0-1 prospect Marcos Rios in November.

Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis: A swift and ferocious striker, the undefeated Rashidi “Speedy”

WBA Fedecentro & WBC Interim Latin Welterweight Champion,
Rashidi “Speedy” Ellis

Ellis (14-0, 11 KOs) has repeatedly showcased his skills to audiences, most recently with a fourth-round technical knockout victory in Puerto Rico over Victor “Pambele” Gonzalez in March 2015 to claim the vacant WBA Fedecentro and the WBC Interim Latin Welterweight titles. Ellis won his three previous fights via technical knockout, defeating Joseph De los Santos and Joanthony Vazquez in Puerto Rico and Jose Martinez in the Dominican Republic. Later in 2015, Ellis played a key part in the training camp of Golden Boy Promotions fighter and now WBC, RING Magazine and Lineal Middleweight World Champion Canelo Alvarez. The 22-year-old Ellis trained with Canelo as a sparring partner in preparation for Alvarez’s November 21 super fight against Miguel Cotto. After “Speedy” put Alvarez to the test with his notoriously fast fists in training camp, Alvarez defeated Cotto via unanimous decision.

Travell “Black Magic” Mazion: 20-year-old Travell “Black Magic” Mazion (10-1, 10 KOs) is one of the top prospects in boxing, a fact evidenced by his a perfect professional record and knockout ratio, ending six fights in the first round. Now ready for his biggest year yet, Mazion is looking forward to start off the year strong in 2016.

Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete: Now making his home in Los Angeles, 27-year-old Colombia native Oscar “El Jaguar” Negrete (12-0, 5 KOs) was a stellar amateur before turning professional on May 24, 2013 with a four-round decision victory over Cristian Ciciliano. Two more wins would follow in 2013 for Negrete, but it was in 2014 that he began to get noticed in his adopted home state of California, as he stepped up to the plate four times and hit it out of the park with each appearance, decisioning unbeaten Carlos

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa

Medina and stopping Pablo Cupul, Gabriel Braxton, Salvador Perez. 2015 proved to be a
busy year for Negrete as he fought five times winning all his bouts via decision excluding the most recent in December, where he defeated Ernesto Guerro via third-round technical knockout.

Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa: After winning the first nine fights of his professional career onthe east coast, Brooklyn’s Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa (13-0, 6 KOs) took his show on the road in 2015 and he continued to show off the skills that have made him a top prospect as he picked up four wins, including a big victory in Los Angeles over David Rodela and Alejandro “Soma” Rodriguez.

Jason “El Animal” Quigley: Former Irish amateur star Jason Quigley (9-0, 8 KOs) began his professional career in the United States in 2014, and he never left, learning his craft in Southern California. In 2015, Quigley scored five more wins by knockout before decisioning Marchristopher Adkins on November 20 and earning an honorary mention by Boxing News Magazine UK as one of the top prospects in the sport.

Julian “El Camaron” Ramirez: 22-year-old southpaw sensation Julian Ramirez (15-0, 8 KOs) kept piling the wins on in 2015, with his victories over seasoned veterans Raul “Bule” Hidalgo and Hugo “Olimpico” Partida setting Los Angeles’ “El Camaron” up for even bigger bouts when 2016 rolls around.

Lamont Roach Jr.

Lamont Roach Jr.: Washington D.C.’s Lamont Roach Jr. (9-0, 3 KOs) nearly doubled his
professional experience in 2015 with four victories that proved this 20-year-old super featherweight prospect is the real deal and a fighter to watch in 2016 and beyond.

Emilio Sanchez: Popular 21-year-old featherweight Emilio Sanchez (10-0, 7 KOs) had a busy year fighting in Golden Boy Promotions’ LA Fight Club series, going 5-0 with three knockouts at downtown Los Angeles’ Belasco Theater. The wins helped build Sanchez’ following and set the stage for another big year in 2016.

Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr.: Hailing from San Antonio, Hector “El Finito” Tanajara Jr. (4-0, 3 KOs) has been fighting since 2007 and during that time has won eight national championships. In 2012, he qualified to attend the Veles Cup in Kurgan, Russia and took the gold medal in his weight class and was selected as one of seven to go to the 2016 Olympic trails. Decinding instead to become a professional boxer and sign with Golden Boy Promotions in 2014, Tanajar Jr. is now the owner of an undefeated record of 4-0 with three knockouts. Tanajara will look to continue his winning streak in 2015 when he fights on Feb.5.

ABOUT GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions was established in 2002 by 10-time world champion in six divisions Oscar De La Hoya, the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. Golden Boy Promotions is one of boxing’s most active and respected promoters, presenting shows in packed venues around the world and has worked with networks such as HBO, HBO Latino, Estrella TV, ESPN, TeleFutura, FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes, Televisa and TV Azteca. The company has also promoted some of the top boxing events in the history of the sport including De La Hoya vs. Mayweather, Mayweather vs. Canelo and other notable pay-per-view fights featuring fan-favorites Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins, Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Marco “Baby Faced Assassin” Antonio Barrera, Erik “El Terrible” Morales and Sugar Shane Mosley. For more information, visit www.GoldenBoyPromotions.com, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @GoldenBoyBoxing.

NEW YORK (Jan. 16, 2016) – SHOWTIME® will televise the eagerly anticipated 122-pound world title unification showdown between undefeated super bantamweight world champions Carl Frampton (IBF) and Scott Quigg (WBA), on Saturday, Feb. 27, live on SHOWTIME from Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

The SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast will air live (precise time to be announced) with an encore presentation later that evening immediately following SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast featuring the featherweight world championship main event pitting Leo Santa Cruz against Kiko Martinez.

Frampton (21-0, 14 KOs), of Belfast, Northern Ireland, won the IBF Super Bantamweight World Championship with a unanimous decision over Kiko Martinez in 2014. The 28-year-old, who is promoted by International Boxing Hall of Famer Barry McGuigan, made two successful defenses of the title in 2015 – a fifth-round knockout of Chris Avalos last February in England and a 12-round unanimous decision over Alejandro Gonzalez Jr., on PBC on CBS last July. An accomplished amateur, Frampton won Irish national championships in 2005 and 2009, plus a European Union Juniors silver medal in 2007.

The undefeated Quigg (32-0-2, 23 KOs), of Lancashire, United Kingdom, has been a staple at 122 pounds since 2012. He won the Interim WBA Super Bantamweight Title in a rematch against Rendall Munroe in 2012 before being named the full champion in October 2013. Quigg has made six defenses of the title, including three by knockout inside of four rounds. The 27-year-old floored Kiko Martinez twice en route to a second-round TKO last July 18 in Manchester, England, the same day Frampton defeated Gonzalez Jr. The powerful Quigg has fought just 29 total rounds in his last five fights, but he’ll be facing his toughest test to date in a fellow champion with an unblemished record.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon and Google. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Prime Video. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.

The third edition of ESPN’s Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN presented by Corona Extra (PBC on ESPN) series—headlined by Leo Santa Cruz’s majority decision win over Abner Mares—on Saturday, Aug. 29, delivered the largest boxing audience on ESPN since February 1998 (02/22/98 Mark Johnson vs. Arthur Johnson).

The telecast was seen by an average of 1,217,000 viewers (P2+)—up 30 percent from the average of the previous two PBC telecasts on ESPN. The telecast peaked from 12:00-12:15am with 1,641,000 viewers (P2+) according to Nielsen.

ESPN’s Spanish-language telecast of the event on ESPN Deportes averaged a 1.3 Hispanic HH US Rtg and 355,000 Hispanic viewers—making it the highest-rated and most-watched boxing telecast to ever air on ESPN Deportes. The telecast peaked from 11:15-11:30 p.m. with 453,000 viewers.

ESPN Classic will reair the fight tonight at 7 p.m. ET as an Instant Classic. In addition, ESPN Deportes will re-air the entire card on Saturday, September 5, at 7 p.m.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on ESPN in a PBC main event that happened at Staples Center, Leo Santa Cruz decisioned Abner Mares. The fight was heavy with volume and light with quality, as the fighters winged blows in a blur of shoulder striking, head clashing and guard peppering. It was not a great fight but easily the PBC’s greatest fight.

There was an immediate association that happened in my mind as the bell rang on Saturday’s main event – an association strained through the Battle of Los Angeles idiocy and fact nether Mares nor Santa Cruz is very good – and it was one of small Mexican pugilists plying their wares before a gritty, blue-collar-Mexican crowd in Southern California. Where did I feel this before? It was ringside in Carson, Calif., 7 1/2 years ago, when Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez made the third fight of what might be called a “natural trilogy” the way a natural hat trick happens when a hockey player scores three goals in a row without another puck from another stick going in the net; Vazquez and Marquez fought each other three times in 12 months, finishing their trilogy with their very best fight. Saturday’s match did not suffer the comparison gladly.

There is something second-rate about our sport now. There has not been a better or more justifiably anticipated main event broadcasted by the PBC yet, and yet. From the opening bell of a fight that felt more like 114-114 than 117-111, the scorecard two judges and the PBC’s Teddy Atlas happened to have, Mares demonstrated he was the fighter of greater range, while Santa Cruz proved he was taller. That was it, really. Santa Cruz, the telecast told our lying eyes, was much busier and more accurate, and yet it did not feel that way. Perhaps it was expectations rendering us victims yet again.

Years ago, if any PBC viewer remembers, Santa Cruz was our next Antonio Margarito. What Shane Mosley discovered about Margarito no one before him quite had was this: Margarito could not fight going backwards and wasn’t particularly astute, either, with an opponent on his chest, in his kitchen, smoking, as the late Joe Frazier perfectly had it, where he lived. Margarito had a crossover move, bringing his right foot along with his right hand along with his right foot, closing his opponent’s front shoulder, then opening him up with a fully leveraged left hook. One who waits for Santa Cruz to perform a similar feat of footwork will grow old with anticipation.

Santa Cruz is tall and busy. He might learn to do something with his right uppercut – a few more of those Saturday might’ve shortened Mares’ evening considerably – but he has not yet, and he has not improved at all, much as the PBC telecast assured us he has. Atlas, despite his dogged repetition of every insight six and seven times, detected immediately the bizarre habit Santa Cruz has of shaking his right hand like it’s broken. He telegraphs punches, somewhat, but expresses anxiety more so. It’s the sort of habit a fighter can form in the boredom of padwork or bagwork, and it’s not Santa Cruz’s fault. But where the hell are his trainers? Do they think it’s charming or marketable or a habit they might monetize like Canelo’s fiery coif?

Atlas’ insistence Mares should be doing something with Santa Cruz’s tell, though, was a bit misplaced. Santa Cruz still had his twitching hand in a position from which he might block a left hook, especially one hurled by a fighter having to cross as much terrain to his chin as Mares did. Mares used Santa Cruz’s nervousness properly; don’t get hit with the hand he’s shaking at me.

Mares fought a better match, altogether, than two judges believed. That Santa Cruz walked to the ring accompanied by the son of manager Al Haymon’s henchbuffoon indicated Mares would need a knockout to win, and Mares, to his credit, went looking for one, insisting from the opening second of the match Santa Cruz was not in his class as a fighter. That was true, yes, but Mares, at 126 pounds, is eight pounds from his best division, and he didn’t have a punch, left hook or righthand counter, that much as dented Santa Cruz.

Just because Mares can no longer make bantamweight by no means makes him a featherweight. But Mares was the gamer man Saturday. He fired back when fired upon, he reacted better to being struck, he did not retreat unless strategy, as opposed to doubt, mandated it. Mares was much better at 118, too, than Santa Cruz is at 126.

Which was still not that good. Mares won a close but fair decision over Vic Darchinyan three years after Nonito Donaire iced the Armenian and a year after Joseph Agbeko decisioned him. Darchinyan, past his prime and a weightclass or two too heavy, nevertheless gave Mares a stern test. Mares then sneaked past Agbeko, fouling him repeatedly, and when he won their rematch, and Showtime needed a house fighter from Golden Boy Promotions to anoint, Mares was launched as a shooting duper superstar. Which he was not fit to be. Soon enough, an ancient Jhonny Gonzalez put the lie to the Mares machine, and if Gonzalez’s left hand didn’t do it, Mares’ shameless avoidance of a rematch with the belligerent old Mexican sure has.

People boo Mares, and they’re right to, but thinking lowly of Mares does not, through some law of transitivity, consign one to opining highly of Santa Cruz. That’s the bad news. The worse news is, able now to abscond with a reputation, if not a particularly meaningful piece of WBA hardware, Santa Cruz has no incentive to do anything more than make semiannual PBC defenses of his new title, his skillset deteriorating steadily until the day Al Haymon signs Guillermo Rigondeaux and harsh reality, wearing dark Cuban knuckles, raps upon Santa Cruz’s hardly won Los Angeles door.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

By Norm Frauenheim–

LOS ANGELES – Leo Santa Cruz is always smiling.

Now more than ever.

Santa Cruz overcame some doubters and Abner Mares Saturday night, winning over nearly everyone but a judge in a majority decision for the WBA version of the featherweight title.

But there was more than just an acronym-sanctioned belt at stake. It was about turf, friendship and rivalry. It was about Los Angeles. It was about a couple of fighters who had once sparred, had moved down different career paths and came back together in a long-awaited confrontation.

It was personal. It was dramatic. It was a crowd pleaser. In the end, it belonged to Santa Cruz (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who in the middle rounds began to capitalize on a three-inch advantage in reach with a jab that forced Mares (29-2-1, 15 KOs) to back pedal out of victory and into defeat.

“I stayed outside with the jab,’’ Santa Cruz said. “We were able to take control.

“My dad told me that we could beat him by boxing. We want to be aggressive but tonight we had to box him too and that’s how we got it done.’’

Mares started fast, perhaps because of nervous energy or a sense that he couldn’t let Santa Cruz develop a rhythm that would allow him to use his long jab. With his early aggression, Mares led on the scorecards after two rounds.

“It was a close fight, but I thought I won the fight,’’ Mares said. “I thought I pulled it off.

“My plan was to box him, but I started out really fast. I felt good but my corner told me to box more, so I did that. It was a good fight.’’

At times, it also was hard to score. One card reflected that. Respected Max Deluca scored it a draw, 114-114. Jesse Reyes and Steve Morrow had it 117-111, each for Santa Cruz. Deluca’s card opens the door for a rematch.

“If he wants the rematch I’ll give him the rematch,’’ Santa Cruz said. “I want to fight the best. I want the big fights.”

It’s no surprise that Mares is interested in a sequel.

“I’m more than willing to have a rematch,’’ he said. “It was a close fight. I knew he had never faced a fighter like me and he proved today he’s a great fighter.”

The bout, an epic LA showdown, began with sound. Then, fury. The crowd of 13,109 roared when Mares appeared on the PBC stage with a black bandana covering his lower face and a red bandanna on his left arm. He wore trunks that said “This Is My Town’’ and looked like a man determined to prove exactly that.

Then, it was Santa Cruz’ turn. He stepped off the same stage and walked toward the ring with a smile impossible to hide.

Through the first three to four rounds, Santa Cruz didn’t have much time to smile. Mares, bloodied at the top of his head in a butt during the third, repeatedly rushed him, trying to draw him into a withering inside battle, By the fifth, however Santa Cruz’ smile was more evident than ever, mostly because he knew his jab was beginning to work.

In the end, there was only that smile. His smile.

His town, too.

Best Of The Undercard
Mexican super-bantamweight Julio Cesar Ceja was down on the canvas. Down on the scorecards, too. But he celebrated in the end.

Ceja (29-1, 27 KOs) was on the brink of defeat when he unleashed a lethal left that leveled fellow Mexican Hugo Ruiz (35-3, 30 KOs) in the fifth round of a 122-pound bout for the WBC’s interim version of the title.

Somehow, Ruiz, who floored Ceja in the third, got up. But it didn’t take long to see that he was badly hurt. Referee ended Raul Caiz ended at 2:34 of the round.

The Rest

Lightweight Alejandro Luna (19-0, 14 KOs) stayed unbeaten and near the front of the line for a title shot by overwhelming Sergio Lopez (18-10, 12 KOs) in a bout stopped at 34 seconds of the fourth by Lou Moret.

Former junior-middleweight contender Alfredo Angulo (24-5, 20 KOs) put a buzz into the Staples crowd with a performance that has made him popular. He spilled blood, most of it belonging to Hector Munoz, an Albuquerque fighter who was finished after five rounds of a scheduled 10 at super-middleweight.. Angulo, 2-1 since a 2014 loss to Canelo Alvarez, battered Munoz (22-16-1, 14 KOs), 4-16 over his last 20 fights, from start to finish, from pillar to post.

Welterweight Jessie Roman (20-2, 10 KOs) knocked around fellow Californian Hector Serrano (17-5, 5 KOs) for six rounds, knocked him down in the seventh and was declared a unanimous decision winner after eight.

A foul-filled fight ended appropriately: In a disqualification. Middleweight Jonathan Batista (14-7, 7KOs) of the Dominican Republic threw low blows at Argentine Brian Castano (13-0, 9 KOs) until the referee wouldn’t let him throw another one. In the fifth, he threw his last one in fight that ened in a DQ at 5:15 of the round.

Buenos Aires middleweight Alan Castano (9-0, 6 KOs) overwhelmed Thomas Howard (8-5, 4 KOs) of Trenton, Mich., with power and punches, prompting a stoppage referee Pat Russell at 4:11 of the fourth round.

Los Angeles junior-welterweight Anthony Flores (9-0, 5 KOs) threw punches at what sometimes looked to be an uninterrupted rate, out-working and out-scoring Curtis Morton (3-5-3) of New York for majority decision.

Super-middleweight Paul Mendez (20-2-2, 10 KOs) of Delano, Calif., had an easy afternoon of work, forcing Mexican Andrik Saralegui (19-3, 15 KOs) to quit after two rounds.

Bantamweight Isaiah Najera (1-1) of Yakima, Wash., got roacked early, yet celebrated in the end with a four-round majority decision that spoiled Antonio Santa Cruz’ debut.

In an empty arena, Los Angeles junior-featherweight Jose Gomez (3-0) opened the show with a matinee bout, scoring a unanimous decision over Mexican Manuel Rubalcava, who might have trouble getting licensed the next time he applies. He’s 2-14.

Follow all the action as Featherweights Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares engage in long awaited 12-round bout for the WBA Featherweight Super Championship. The action begins at 10 PM ET / 7 PM PT with a Interim WBC Super Bantamweight title bout between Hugo Ruiz and Julio Ceja.

NO NEED TO REFRESH…WILL UPDATE EVERY 60 SECONDS

12 ROUNDS–WBA FEATHERWEIGHT SUPER TITLE–LEO SANTA CRUZ (30-0-1, 17 KO’S) VS ABNER MARES (29-1-1, 15 KO’S)

Round 1 Mares lands a uppercut…Mares coming out hard..Good right..left to body…santa Cruz lands a body shot…Mares to the body..lead right..chopping right..left to body and right uppercut..10-9 Mares

Round 2 Great exchange om the ropes..Great exchange on the inside…20-19 Mares

Round 3 Mares lands a combination..Santa Cruz lands a right..Mares cut on the forehead due to an accidental headbutt..30-28 Mares

Round 4 Santa Cruz bleeding from around left eye…40-37 Mares

Round 5 Right from Santa Cruz..Short right...49-47 Mares

Round 6 1-2 from Santa Cruz…combination..58-57 Mares

Round 7 Left from Santa Cruz..Good exchange..another great exchange..Santa Cruz lands a lead right..Good right from Mares..another great flurry at the end of the round..67-67

Round 8 Lead right from Santa Cruz..Right uppercut…uppercut and left..77-76 Santa Cruz

Round 9 Swelling around left eye of Santa Cruz..Tremendous action at the end of the round..86-86

Round 10 Blood around the right eye of Mares..2 good rights from Santa Cruz..Left from Mares..Long right from Santa Cruz..96-95 Santa Cruz

Round 11 Right from Santa Cruz..Good combination…106-104 Santa Cruz

Round 12 Santa Cruz lands a right on the ropes..uppercut..right as Mares comes in..Good exhange in last 29 seconds…116-113 Santa Cruz

117-111 Santa Cruz….114-114….117-111 Santa Cruz

12 ROUNDS–WBC INTERIM SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE–HUGO RUIZ (35-2, 31 KO’S) VS JULIO CEJA (29-1, 26 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Ceja gets in a left hook..Good uppercut from Ruiz…10-9 Ruiz

Round 2 20-19 Ruiz

Round 3 Ruiz lands a right uppercut…Ceja gets in a chopping right…left to body..left..left to body…Ruiz lands a left…BIG LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES CEJA.. 2 huge rights from Ruiz..30-27 Ruiz

Round 4 Right from Ruiz..40-36 Ruiz

Round 5 CEJA LANDS A HUGE LEFT HOOK AND DOWN GOES RUIZ….RUIZ IN TROUBLE..TAKING HUGE SHOTS ON THE ROPES AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED TKO 5 FOR JULIO CEJA

Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN (PBC on ESPN) presented by Corona Extra will feature live coverage on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN on Saturday, August 29 at 10 p.m. ET from Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center of a 12-round featherweight bout between Southern California-based superstars: undefeated Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) and former three-division world champion Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 Kos).

Host Marysol Castro, blow-by-blow commentator Joe Tessitore, Teddy Atlas and reporters Todd Grisham and Bernardo Osuna comprise ESPN’s commentary team. In addition, Hall of Fame boxing writer and ESPN boxing contributor Nigel Collins will provide social media content, insight and analysis.

Pablo Viruega and Delvin Rodríguez will call the fights on ESPN Deportes, while Leopoldo Gonzalez and Claudia Trejos will co-host. Joe Cortez will also provide analysis. In addition, ESPN Deportes’ and Mexican boxing legends, Juan Manuel Marquez and Julio Cesar Chavez join coverage with analysis across a variety of shows, including special editions of Golpe a Golpe on Friday for the weigh-in, and on Saturday in anticipation of the event.

Fighter backgrounds:
A two-division world champion with a fan-friendly style, the 26-year-old Santa Cruz won his first world title in 2012 before adding another belt in 2013, which he defended four times. Unbeaten as a pro, Santa Cruz moved up in weight in his last fight and handily defeated Jose Cayetano on the pay-per-view undercard of the record-breaking Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight. Born and raised in Los Angeles to Mexican parents, Santa Cruz faces the toughest challenge of his career when he squares off against the Mexican warrior Mares.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares first tasted world championship gold in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight world title. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight respectively. The 29-year-old has won three straight fights including his first PBC appearance in a victory over Arturo Reyes in March. He will look to add another career milestone and take hometown bragging rights by defeating the unbeaten Santa Cruz.

Additional Highlights:
ESPN will provide live coverage of Friday’s weigh-in the 6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter, with Tessitore and Atlas providing commentary. ESPN3 will stream live coverage of Friday’s weigh-in and a live undercard fight featuring Mexican favorite Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo taking on Hector “The Hurricane” Munoz at 9 p.m, on the Saturday of the fight.

ESPN.com will present comprehensive coverage, including pre- and post-fight features, videos and blogs from ESPN’s Dan Rafael, Brian Campbell, and Nigel Collins and ESPN.com’s boxing program “Making the Rounds”.

ESPN Deportes will dedicate more than five hours of live, on-site programming around PBC, beginning Friday, August 28 with live segments, interviews and analysis during the following shows: Los Capitanes (3 p.m.), Golpe a Golpe Weigh-In Show (6 p.m.), Cronometro (7 p.m.) and SportsCenter (7:30 p.m.)

A special edition of Golpe a Golpe will air at 9 p.m. on Saturday, leading up to the fight, followed by post event SportsCenter (12 a.m.), all telecast live.

Coverage around the bout will be led by ESPN Deportes experts Jorge Eduardo Sanchez and David Faitelson alongside Marquez and Chavez.

This is the third installment of Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN which debuted July 11. The August 1 bout that featured a doubleheader: Garcia vs. Malignaggi and Jacobs vs. Mora, delivered the largest boxing audience on ESPN since 1998 (5/22/98 Bronco McKart vs Ronald Weaver). An average audience of 1,073,000 viewers (P2+) watched the event.

LOS ANGELES (August 4, 2015) – Due to unprecedented ticket demand, additional sections will be opened up at STAPLES Center for the highly anticipated featherweight clash between Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) and Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) taking place on Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN Saturday, August 29 in Los Angeles.

Additional seats will be available today at 4:00 p.m. PT. Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $25, $50, $75, $150 and $300, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at STAPLES Center.

The 12-round battle will pit the undefeated two-division world champion Santa Cruz against the former three-division world champion Mares. Both fighters currently live and train out of Los Angeles and will be looking to take home local bragging rights on August 29.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeoSantaCruz2 @AbnerMares, @ESPNBoxing, @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN.

LOS ANGELES (July 14, 2015) – Mexican boxing stars Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) and Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) met today at Plaza Mexico to officially announce their Saturday, August 29 Premier Boxing Champions on ESPN showdown taking place at STAPLES Center.

The fighters hosted an open-to-the-public press conference and fan rally to discuss their upcoming bout with media members and met with fans to sign autographs and take pictures.

Hundreds of fans attended the event at Plaza Mexico in Linwood and the fighters stayed to sign autographs for over two hours afterwards.

Here’s what the two fighters and their trainers had to say:

LEO SANTA CRUZ

“I want to thank all of the fans who are here and I appreciate the support. We always train 100 percent like we’re fighting for a championship.

“I think the fans are the ones who are going to win on August 29th. They are going to get a great fight out there. It’s going to be a war.

“I don’t care what he said about my competition. I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time, this going to be a great fight.

“He likes to talk about different things. I’m not going to talk as much. I’m going to be prepared on August 29th and I’m going to be victorious.

“No one wants to lose and may the best man win.”

ABNER MARES

“I want to thank everybody who made this fight possible.

“Leo Santa Cruz is a fighter who has fought nothing but C-level fighters. Now he’s fighting an A-level fighter. I’m going to show him what an A-level fighter does and that’s win.

“I pushed for this fight, he never really wanted to face me. I’ve wanted to fight him for a while. We fought on the same card at Stapes Center and I’ve wanted to fight him since then.

“We sparred a while back, about 30 rounds, but I don’t put much into the sparring. We’re both different fighters now.

“This is a great fight for the fans and I look forward to the whole world being able to watch.

“I’m going to beat Leo Santa Cruz come August 29th, don’t miss the fight.”

JOSE SANTA CRUZ, Santa Cruz’s Father & Trainer

“Team Santa Cruz doesn’t speak much. Mares and his team can talk and say all that they want but we’re going to demonstrate our talent on Saturday, August 29th at the Staples Center.”

CLEMENTE MEDINA, Mares Trainer

“I’m so glad everyone could be out here to support these fighters. This is a fight that has been discussed for two years and we are ready.

“I appreciate Leo Santa Cruz taking this fight. We’re going to be prepared, we’re focused. On Saturday, August 29th, team Mares is going out for the victory.”

TOM BROWN, President of TGB Promotions
“Leo and Abner are two of boxing’s toughest warriors. They’re both Southern California based and having watched both of them since they turned pro it is an honor to promote this Southern California matchup.”

The 12-round featherweight bout will take place Saturday, August 29 live in primetime on ESPN from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. Televised coverage for the highly-anticipate event begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $25, $50, $75, $150 and $200, not including applicable fees and service charges, and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, by phone at 888-929-7849 or at the STAPLES Center.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeoSantaCruz2 @AbnerMares, @ESPNBoxing, @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN.

LOS ANGELES (July 9, 2015) – The highly anticipated showdown between undefeated star Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (30-0-1, 17 KOs) and former three-division world champion Abner Mares (29-1-1, 15 KOs) is official as the two beloved stars that call Southern California home will fight in their own backyard at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles onSaturday, August 29 live in primetime on ESPN. Televised coverage for this long awaited event begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

To kick things off, an open-to-the-public fan rally and press conference will be held next Tuesday, July 14 at 4:30 p.m. PT at Plaza Mexico in Los Angeles. Both Santa Cruz and Mares will be in attendance. Fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Tickets for the August 29th event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $25, $50, $75, $150 and $200, not including applicable fees and service charges, go on sale tomorrow Friday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m. (PST) at AXS.com or by phone at 888-929-7849 or at the STAPLES Center starting Saturday, July 11 at 10:00 am (PST).

“I’m really excited for this fight, it’s a fight the fans have been asking for and I’m ready to give them what they want – a great show and a great victory,” said Mares. “L.A. is my home, I train here, grew up here and I’m ready to show this city and the world that I am the champ. I’m proud to be part of this great event on ESPN at Staples Centers. Boxing is bigger than ever. Whatever you do, don’t miss this fight.

Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of Downey, Calif., Mares first tasted world championship gold in 2011 when he beat Joseph Agbeko to win the bantamweight world title. He continued his rise up the pound-for-pound list with wins over Anselmo Moreno and Daniel Ponce De Leon to win world titles at super bantamweight and featherweight respectively. The 29-year-old has won three straight fights including his first PBC appearance in a victory over Arturo Reyes in March. He will look to add another career milestone and take hometown bragging rights by defeating the unbeaten Santa Cruz.

“This fight means so much to me because I know it is what the fans have been waiting for,” said Santa Cruz. “The opportunity to fight at STAPLES Center against a Mexican warrior and great fighter in Abner Mares is one that I plan on taking very seriously. We have been preparing for this moment for a very long time and I’m so glad it’s finally here. A win is going to take one of us to the next level.”

A two-division world champion with a fan-friendly style, the 26-year-old Santa Cruz won his first world title in 2012 before adding another belt in 2013, which he defended four times. Unbeaten as a pro, Santa Cruz moved up in weight in his last fight and handedly defeated Jose Cayetano on the pay-per-view undercard of the record-breaking Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight. Born and raised in Los Angeles to Mexican parents, Santa Cruz faces the toughest challenge of his career when he squares off against the Mexican warrior Mares.

This explosive fight comes to primetime on ESPN in one of the most revered venues in Los Angeles in the STAPLES Center. Santa Cruz vs. Mares continues a longstanding history of top local fighters competing in front of rabid Los Angeles boxing fans and marks the first fight at STAPLES Center in nearly three years. The last fight at the famed arena took place on November 10, 2012 and featured both Santa Cruz and Mares in the main and co-main events.

“All of us here at STAPLES Center could not be more excited to host this incredible fight in downtown Los Angeles,” Lee Zeidman, President, STAPLES Center. “It is an honor to have these two talented fighters in Mares and Santa Cruz bring this bout to their hometown and to all their fans here in Southern California, it will undoubtedly be a historic night for boxing.”

“We’re honored to bring this highly anticipated showdown between Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares to the great Southern California boxing fans,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Leo and Abner have risen to the top of the sport and this much talked about battle at the STAPLES Center is a fight not to be missed.”

In addition to the evening’s main event and co-main event, which will be announced shortly, select undercard bouts will be carried live on ESPN3. ESPN Deportes will also televise the fight live as part of its Noche de Combates series and ESPN International will present live coverage across its networks in Latin America, Brazil, the Caribbean and the Pacific Rim. Live coverage will also be available through WatchESPN on computers, smartphones, tablets, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One via an affiliated video provider.

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, www.staplescenter.com and www.TGBPromotions.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @LeoSantaCruz2 @AbnerMares, @ESPNBoxing, @STAPLESCenter, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/STAPLESCenter and www.facebook.com/ESPN. Follow the conversation using #PBConESPN.

LAS VEGAS–Leo Santa Cruz scored a lopsided unanimous decision over Jose Cayetano in a 10-round Featherweight bout.

Every round was basically one and the same with Santa Cruz landed hard shots and outalanding Cayetano basically 3 to 1 and he crused to the victory by scores of 100-90 on all cards.

Santa Cruz, 124 1/2 lbs of Rosemead, CA is now 30-0-1. Cayetano, 125 lbs of Tijuana, MX is now 17-4.

Phenom Vasyl Lomachenko made the 2nd defense of the WBO Featherweight title with a 9th round stoppage over mandatory challenger Gamalier Rodriguez.

Lomachenko got going in round four with hard combinations which caused a cut over the right eye of Rodriguez. In round five, Rodriguez was docked a point for a low blow.

In round seven, Lomachenko landed a three-punch combination that sent Rodriguez to the canvas. In the next round, Rodriguez was once against deducted a point for a low blow. In round nine, Lomachenko landed a perfect right hook that sent Rodriguez down to a knee and he did not even bother to try to beat referee Robert Byrd’s ten count and the bout was over at

Lomachenko, 125 1/2 lbs of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskui, Ukraine is now 4-1 with 2 knockouts. Rodriguez, 126 lbs of Bayamon, PR is now 25-3-3.

Chris Pearson remained undefeated with a 10-round unanimous decision over Said El Harrak in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

In round four, Pearson was cut around the left eye due to an accidental headbutt.

Pearson, 154 lbs of Dayton, OH won by scores of 99-91 twice and 98-92 to go to 12-0. Harrak, 154 lbs of Henderson, NV is now 12-3.

Pearson landed 97-343 punches while Harrak was 71-297.

In a battle of undefeated Super Middleweights, Jesse Hart scored a 6th round stoppage over Mike Jimenez.

Hart won every round and was dominating when he landed a hard flurry of shots and the bout was stopped at 2:13 of round 6.

Hart, 166 lbs of Philadelphia is now 17-0 with 14 knockouts. Jimenez, 168 lbs of Chicago is now 17-1.

Brad Solomon won a remained perfect as he won a 10-round split decision over Adrian Granados in a Welterweight bout.

Solomon, 146 lbs of Lafayette, LA won two cards by 9-94 tallies while Grandados took a card 96-94.

Solomon is now 25-0. Granados is 13-4.

LAS VEGAS (April 30, 2015) – Undefeated WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz, WBO Featherweight World Champion Vasyl Lomachenko, their opponents and non-televised fighters participated Thursday in the undercard final press conference before their respective fights taking place this Saturday, May 2, live on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

In pay-per-view fights before Floyd “Money” Mayweather meets Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao in their epic welterweight championship unificiation showdown, the Mexican star Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) will take on fellow Mexican countryman Jose Cayetano (17-3, 8 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight contest and Ukraine’s Lomachenko (3-1, 1 KO) will defend against Puerto Rico’s Gamalier Rodriguez (25-2-3, 17 KOs).

The pay-per-view telecast will be co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME PPV® and HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

Also appearing at the press conference were boxers fighting on the non-televised portion of the card: Promising unbeaten Chris “Young King” Pearson (11-0, 9 KOs), who meets Said El Harrak (12-2, 7 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout; hard-hitting Jesse Hart (16-0, 13 KOs), who’ll face fellow unbeaten Mike Jimenez (17-0, 11 KOs) in a 10-rounder for the NABO, USBA and NABF Super Middleweight titles, power-punching Andrew “The Beast” Tabiti (9-0, 9 KOs), who will be opposed by Anthony Caputo Smith (15-4, 10 KOs) in a cruiserweight eight-rounder and undefeated super middleweight Brad Solomon (24-0, 9 KOs), who meets Adrian Rene Granados (13-3, 9 KOs) in a 10-round scrap.

Here is what the fighters and executives said Thursday at the Copperfield Theater at the MGM Grand:

LEO SANTA CRUZ
“I’m more than excited to be on this undercard. This is the biggest card I could have been on. I want to show the whole world who I am.

“I prepared very hard for this fight, like I always do. It’s going to be a historic night and I’m happy to be a part of that history.

“I know that everybody is here for Mayweather and Pacquiao but there will still be millions seeing me fight and I want to show them who Leo Santa Cruz is so that I can get a lot more fans.

“”I’m still young and there are many more fights to come. The fights the fans want, we’re going to give it to them. I know those fights are going to happen.

“I want to look spectacular and I want to get Cayetano out of there really fast. Sometimes these kind of fighters are the ones who give you the hardest fights because they come hungrier and have nothing to lose.

“Seeing my family here and having them in the arena on fight night is a huge motivation for me. I feel happier and more relaxed and I’m ready.

“I never underestimate a fighter. Any fighter in the ring is dangerous. I hope that Cayetano is ready so that we can give the fans a great show.”

JOSE CAYETANO
“I know that Leo Santa Cruz is a strong, difficult fighter but he also has weaknesses and that is what we prepared for, to give him a surprise.

“I’m a man that takes challenges and I’ve been preparing very hard, I’m always prepared for these types of fights. I’m very prepared and I feel very strongly that I will win.

“I came here for the opportunity to beat Leo Santa Cruz and for the opportunity to participate in such a grand event that is Mayweather vs. Pacquiao.

“I’m very happy and very grateful and very excited to get into the ring. It’s a huge commitment, the entire world will be watching me but that is why I accepted the fight, I know that if I beat him, bigger and better opportunities will come my way.

“I’m not nervous because it’s not the first time that I’ve faced a tough opponent. I’ve never faced a world champion but I’ve faced opponents that throw hard punches, so I’m not nervous, I’m excited.”

VASYL LOMACHENKO
“This is an opportunity to show everyone what I’m capable of doing and for millions of viewers to see that I can do it.

“The best fighters get the best opportunities in the ring, there are a lot of great fighters getting those opportunities including myself.

“It’s always a good feeling when people are saying good things about you.

“I’m very excited to be involved in a bout such as this one, May 2 will be a big show shown around the world. I’m very happy to be in the opening bout for this huge fight.”

GAMALIER RODRIGUEZ
“I’m looking forward to this big fight on Saturday. It’s a blessing to participate in this type of press conference and come Saturday, I will win! I’m sure of it. I will be champion.

“All of the attention toward Vasyl Lomachenko gives me motivation. I’ve been a fighter and a boxer since I was young and it’s added motivation to come out on top this weekend.

“I know that Lomachenko is a good and technical fighter but it doesn’t compare to my hunger and drive to be world champion.

“I wanted to take the opportunity during my speech at the press conference to let everyone know that I can here to fight. It’s going to be a hard fought battle and I’m very confident that I’ll win and become the champion this Saturday.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions
“I am so excited to be here today to discuss the great undercard which will be the lead-in to our long awaited, history making event taking place this Saturday night.

“The lead-in fight for Mayweather vs. Pacquiao will be a very exciting fight featuring Leo Santa Cruz and Jose Cayetano.

“Leo Santa Cruz is one of the classiest gentleman in the sport. He’s a very fan-friendly fighter and a Mexican warrior. He represents Mexico very well.”

BOB ARUM, Hall of Fame Promoter, Top Rank
“I know that every fighter deems it a tremendous honor to be part of this great event. We hope and believe that we will be presenting to the public through Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank, the best of boxing and the best fighters.

“Vasyl Lomachenko is considered to be the greatest amateur fighter of all time. Now, he looks for the same type of success he had as an amateur in the professional ranks. But this will be a very competitive fight, because Gamalier Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican who comes to fight and believes that he can upset Vasyl.

“A lot of the young men up here believe they are the next big thing in boxing, and many will be. But I know that Vasyl Lomachenko will be a big superstar in the sport of boxing.”
* * *

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is a 12-round welterweight world championship unification bout promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank Inc., and is sponsored by Tecate con caracter, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions –Terminator Genisys, in theaters July 1st, Paramount Pictures & Skydance Productions present MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION, in theaters & IMAX July 31st, The Weinstein Company and the new movie Southpaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, in theaters everywhere July 24 and Mexico, Live it to Believe it.

For more information visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com, www.toprank.com, www.SHO.com/Sports,www.hbo.com/boxing and www.mgmgrand.com and follow on Twitter at @floydmayweather, @MannyPacquiao @mayweatherpromo, @TRBoxing, @SHOSports, @HBOboxing and @Swanson_Comm, and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FloydMayweather, www.facebook.com/TopRankMannyPacquiao www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions, www.facebook.com/TRBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOsports andwww.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

ORANGE, Calif. (April 21, 2015) – Super bantamweight Danny Roman (12-2-1, 5 KOs) recently took in a world-class boxing lesson, courtesy of three, intense sparring sessions totaling sixteen rounds against none other than two-division world champion Leo Santa Cruz.

“Defensively, Leo was spectacular,” said Roman, who fights the veteran Giovanni Caro in Friday’s 8-round “Locked n’ Loaded” co-main event from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif. “Half way through our first sparring session, it finally hit me. I’m going at it with a world champion.

“I was excited, but not anxious. I learned how to keep my distance, but still be active. Leo can pour it on basically whenever he wants. I learned a lot and it definitely was a confidence booster.”

The 24-year-old Roman lives and trains in Los Angeles and has been feverishly preparing for his toughest fight to date. Caro (23-14-4, 19 KOs) is far more experienced than Roman, and has a frustrating style to adjust to.

“Caro likes to charge at you,” said Roman, who signed with Thompson Boxing earlier this year. “We won’t be standing in the same place for very long. The key is to move into areas that we like and go from there. It’s going to be a tough fight, but one that I can win.”

Roman is coming off an 8-round unanimous decision win in March in which he dropped Miguel Tamayo in rounds four and six. He likes to work off his jab and hit the body early and often. Trained and managed by Eddie Gonzalez, Roman is beginning to hit his stride as a professional.

“Roman is starting to learn how to control the pace of a fight,” Gonzalez said. “It’s something that we’ve been working on. He knows how to time opponents now better than before, and he’s starting to change the complexion of a fight by landing more combinations.”

Roman-Caro precedes the “Locked n’ Loaded” main event, which features lightweight standout Jose Roman (19-1-1, 13 KOs) against Martin Cardona (18-4, 13 KOs).

Tickets for “Locked n’ Loaded” are priced at $40, $60, & $100 and can be purchased by calling (714) 935-0900, or online at www.ThompsonBoxing.com.

Save the Date

After “Locked n’ Loaded,” Thompson Boxing celebrates its Fifteenth Year Anniversary with a star-studded event on Friday, May 29, from the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario, Calif.

Leading the show is the fast-rising, undefeated junior welterweight stud Giovani Santillan. Also, all-action super bantamweights Efrain Esquivias, Juan Reyes, Danny Roman, and Jonathan Arellano, plus the veteran Chris Martin returns. A formal announcement will be released soon.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m, and the first bell rings at 7:45 p.m. The Doubletree Hotel is located at 222 N Vineyard Ave, Ontario, CA 91764 and can be reached at (909) 937-0900.

“Locked n’ Loaded” is presented by Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by Lucas Oil, in association with LATV Networks.

For additional information please visit ThompsonBoxing.com. For regular updates on our fighters, events, and promotions, please check our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ThompsonBoxing. To follow the conversation on social media, please use hash tags #ThompsonBoxing & #LockednLoaded.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, jr. featherweight beltholder Leon Santa Cruz has been added to mega card that will be headlined by Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao that will take place on May 2 in Las Vegas.

“I’m so honored to be the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do so on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Santa Cruz said. “This will be a huge night for boxing and I plan on showing everybody that I’m all about action-packed fights. I’m grateful to Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions for giving me this opportunity and giving the Mexican fight fans another reason to cheer on May 2.”

“I’m extremely excited to put one of the most popular and exciting Mexican fighters in the world on the pay-per-view undercard of this historic event on Cinco de Mayo weekend,” Mayweather said. “I’m all about giving my loyal fans what they want. All the fans watching on fight night will be in for a great show when Leo Santa Cruz enters the ring.”

Mayweather Promotions also announced it has added cruiserweight prospect Andrew Tabiti (9-0, 9 KOs), 25, a Chicago native living in Las Vegas, to face an opponent to be determined in an eight-round bout in one of the two untelevised bouts it is responsible for.

“I can’t wait for this opportunity to get in the ring and show off my power on May 2,” Tabiti said. “I’m always ready to put on a show for the fans and I hope they’re ready to see a big knockout.”

“Chris Pearson and Andrew Tabiti are future world champions who will have a chance to perform on the biggest stage in all of boxing on May 2, and I can’t say enough about how excited we are to have Leo Santa Cruz on the card as the lead-in for Mayweather versus Pacquiao,” said Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe.

MIAMI (Jan. 28, 2015) – World Boxing Association (WBA) Super, World Boxing Organization (WBO) and The Ring Magazine super bantamweight champion Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux (15-0, 10 KOs) is encouraged by reports that World Boxing Council (WBC) title-holder Leo Santa Cruz’ promoter, Oscar de la Hoya, believes a Rigondeaux-Santa Cruz unification fight has to happen.

The 34-year-old Rigondeaux, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has been restricted to Asia for his last two fights, subsequently in low-profile matches, due to the lack of desire by any world-class super bantamweight to challenge the Cuban star.

Rigondeaux stopped WBO No. 6 rated challenger Hisashi Amagasa (28-4-2, 19 KOs) after 11 rounds in Osaka, Japan this past New Year’s Eve. Last July, “Rigo” knocked out Sod Kokietgym (62-2-1) in the opening round of their fight in Macao, China.

“It’s good to know that Santa Cruz’ promoter has stated that our unification fight has to happen,” an ecstatic Rigondeaux said. “I want to add his (WBC) green belt to my WBA and WBO championship collection. I’ve wanted this fight for some time. Let’s hope this is not just idle talk. Let’s do it!”

Rigondeaux vs. Santa Cruz (29-0-1, 17 KOs) would be a classic showdown between ethnic boxing arch-rivals, respectively, Cuban and Mexican fighters who now live in Miami and southern California.

“I have contacted Golden Boy Promotions many times to ask about making a fight between ‘Rigo’ and Santa Cruz,” Rigondeaux’ manager Gary Hyde added. “They always answered by saying they were interested in making this fight but not at that time. Yesterday, after learning Oscar said this fight has to happen, I reached out to Golden Boy and can confirm that negotiations have commenced. Myself and Caribe Promotions, ‘Rigo’s’ promoter, will endeavor to make this fight happen as soon as possible.

“Once ‘Rigo’ beats Santa Cruz for his third world title belt – fourth if you count The Ring Magazine – a fight against International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Carl Frampton (19-0, 13 KOs) would have to happen in order to determine the undisputed super bantamweight champion of the world.”

Follow Rigondeaux and Hyde on Twitter at @RigoElChacal305 and @NoWhere2Hyde, friend them at www.facebook.com/GuillermoRigondeaux and www.facebook.com/gary.hyde.50?fref=ts.