THURMAN VS. BARRIOS UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

LAS VEGAS (February 3, 2022) – Fighters competing on the Keith Thurman vs. Mario Barrios undercard previewed their respective matchups during a press conference Thursday before they enter the ring this Saturday, February 5 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

Meeting face to face were rising unbeaten Jesús “Mono” Ramos and Vladimir Hernández, plus former two-division champion Luis Nery and unbeaten Carlos Castro, as they discussed their matchups taking place on the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View telecast beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

The press conference also featured welterweight contender Abel Ramos and Luke Santamaría, plus exciting super lightweights Ryan “Cowboy” Karl and Omar “El Relámpago” Juárez, who enter the ring in PBC action of FOX and FOX Deportes beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, preceding pay-per-view action.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are available at axs.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday from Michelob ULTRA Arena:

JESUS RAMOS

“Being on the pay-per-view now, this is an even bigger opportunity for me and I’m grateful for that. I have to also thank Hernandez for giving me the fight after his victory over Julian Williams. That makes this a really important fight for me.

“This is a step in the right direction. My team handles their business and I have to handle my part in the ring. I have a tough opponent in front of me and I’m ready for what he brings.

“I love that he’s durable. It’s a challenge and I like challenges. He has a rough style and that makes an exciting fight. There’s going to be a lot of action on this card.

“He likes to come forward, so I need to keep him at a distance and control him with my jab. I also believe that I can cause damage with my left. Either way, I’m going to be ready to adapt.

“In my last two fights I’ve grown a lot. Not all fights are going to end in knockouts. I know how to adjust and how to box. If I have to do that Saturday night, I’ll be ready.

“It means a lot to be in this position. My family has worked hard for this. None of this was given to us, we’ve had to work. That makes it even sweeter.

“I think beating Hernandez would make a big statement. He just beat one of the best in the division and I’m ready to show what I’m capable of.”

VLADIMIR HERNANDEZ

“I’m going to be on the lookout for anything he brings. I’m ready to provide an exciting fight, but we’ll also be ready for whatever he brings into the ring. I’m up for this challenge.

“I’ve had great sparring with southpaws in training. I’m going to give as good as I take. This is going to be back and forth and the fans are going to enjoy it a lot.

“I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be on this stage and on a card like this. I want to thank my whole team and Ramos for giving me the chance to shine.”

LUIS NERY

“I’m very happy to be here. We are looking forward to having a great fight on Saturday night. We have studied Carlos Castro very closely and have seen specifically what he likes to do. We are ready for whatever challenges come our way.

“For this fight, I was able to prepare with more time than I had with Brandon Figueroa. It allowed me to zero in on my opponent and it’s made preparation go very smoothly.

“We shall see on Saturday if he can withstand my power or not. I have studied him closely, he’s a great fighter. It remains to be seen on Saturday what happens, but styles make fights and I think his style goes well with my style. I’m going to do whatever I can to have my hand raised on Saturday night.

“I’m here to fight the best. We are here at the top level and I’m not here to fight anyone below that level. I don’t dodge anybody. They presented Castro to me and I don’t dodge, so I accepted. I am ready. He’s actually the third straight undefeated fighter I’m going up against and that excites me.”

CARLOS CASTRO

“I’m feeling great. I want to thank God for this opportunity, along with my whole team and Luis Nery for this great chance to meet with him in the ring on Saturday night.

“These are the fights that as a little kid you always dream of. You dream of being on these stages and against fighters like Luis Nery. He’s a fighter who has been on this level, but I think it’s my time to show that I deserve to be on this stage and prove to myself and everyone else that I deserve to be in these fights.

“I learned a lot about myself against Oscar Escandon. I learned that I have to be patient and I have to be ready to roll once the bell rings. Escandon is a strong fighter and that was the first fight with my new team, plus I was coming off a layoff. Now, it’s time for me to shine.

“I think I have a lot to prove and to show that Arizona has a lot of talented fighters. I’ve known the Ramos’ for a while, since I was a little kid and I’ve known Carbajal for a while. It’s a blessing to share the same arena against different opponents on Saturday night.

“Like always, you prepare hard and prepare strong. But I think this is going to be a mental type of fight. Once the bell rings, he comes forward to knock your head off, but we’re mentally prepared for that. On Saturday night, you’re going to see an action-packed fight and may the best man win.

“Luis Nery has proved to be one of the best and I still consider him to be one of the best. I expect him to come out stronger than he ever has, so I’m really prepared for that. I believe a victory over Luis Nery should put me into a title shot.”

ABEL RAMOS

“I’m very excited. I want to thank all the media for being here. I had a great training camp. I was preparing for Josesito Lopez but it’s our job to fight. I’m glad I get to be on this undercard.

“Josesito was a come-forward pressure fighter, Santamaria has more boxing skills. At the end of the day, we’re all boxers and every time we spar, we always deal with different styles. It’s a bit of a change but the game plan remains the same.

“I’ve seen my nephew Jesus fight before me. I get more nervous when that happens. Fighting first is better because that way you’re more relaxed, you can sit back and enjoy the fight. When we both fought on the Andy Ruiz vs. Chris Arreola undercard, I was nervous watching him.

“I want to keep the momentum going. I feel I’ve hit my stride in the boxing game. My experience and all the fights I’ve had are showing in my boxing ability.

“I’ve always had boxing ability and that pressure style. I think mixing it up with both is working for me. It worked against Omar Figueroa and in training it’s worked for me. My style keeps evolving. The pressure is going to be good and, like I said, I have boxing ability as well. So I’m looking forward to doing both.”

LUKE SANTAMARIA

“I’m feeling blessed. I’m excited to be on this card with so many great fighters. When the date started getting closer, we pushed it a little more. When we got the call, we went even harder.

“I have to stay on my toes. Ramos is a fighter who pressures and doesn’t get tired of throwing punches. If we can stay on the outside, I think we’ll be okay. No matter what he brings, I just have to keep adjusting.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot of ring experience with different opponents. So the experience I’m getting is making me a better fighter. There was a time where I was struggling to get fights. All of a sudden, I started fighting tougher opponents on bigger stages, so I’m feeling blessed.”

RYAN KARL

“I feel great. There’s no other word for it. We’ve been working hard and we’ve had a long camp. I feel strong. It comes down to hard work. Skills play the bills. We’re going to come out there and we’re going to do our best. It’s going to be action-packed as usual.

“I’m very excited. It’s a big opportunity for me. As always, I’m going to take it and not waste it. It’s going to be a very fun card, exciting top to bottom. Tune in and watch us live on FOX then continue to the pay-per-view and you’re going to be thrilled.

“In the amateurs, I boxed. A lot of people don’t think I can box but I’ve got feet for days. I can do what I need to do. It’s hard for me at times because I love to fight, I love to be exciting, I love to put on a show. It’s just the thrill of it all. I can do all those things. I do think I have come back to my boxing skill but we’re focused on the ‘W’ more than anything. I guarantee that I’m still going to put on a show.

“You’re going to see a gunfight. That’s what we’ve talked about and we’ve used that word a lot. We’re going to have ice in our veins and we’re going to be ready to take care of business.”

OMAR JUAREZ

“I’m absolutely blessed to be here. I’m excited to be here back in Vegas and I’m ready to display all my hard work and dedication.

“I know my opponent is going to come and try to take everything from me. At the end of the day, we’re fighters. But I’m physically, mentally and emotionally in the best shape of my life. This camp was probably the best camp I’ve had to date.

“I’m not a one dimensional fighter, I can box and I can brawl. So whatever it is my opponent brings to the table, I’m going to be ready for it.

“It’s going to be a big Texas showdown. I’m excited. At the end of the day, I’m really blessed to have this opportunity. I’m going to take full advantage. It’s going to be action packed and very exciting. Like I said, whatever it is my opponent brings to the table, I’m going to be ready.”

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ABOUT THURMAN VS. BARRIOS
Thurman vs. Barrios will see former unified welterweight world champion Keith “One Time’’ Thurman return to the ring to take on former super lightweight world champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in a 12-round welterweight showdown that headlines a jam-packed FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View lineup on Saturday, February 5 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

In the co-feature, four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto’’ Santa Cruz will battle Keenan “Bedo’’ Carbajal in a 10-round super featherweight match, while rising unbeaten Jesus “Mono” Ramos duels Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round showdown. The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with former two-division champion Luis “Pantera” Nery battles unbeaten Carlos Castro in a 10-round super bantamweight duel.

Don’t miss this pay-per-view event! Buy now on the FOX Sports App or www.foxsports.com/ppv.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

OMAR JUAREZ TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

LAS VEGAS (February 2, 2021) – Super lightweight contender Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez previewed his upcoming showdown against Ryan “Cowboy” Karl before they square off in the co-main event of PBC action on FOX and FOX Deportes this Saturday, February 5 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The FOX broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and is headlined by welterweight contender Abel Ramos dueling against Luke Santamaria in a 10-round bout.

The FOX broadcast precedes a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and headlined by former unified welterweight world champion Keith “One Time’’ Thurman battling former super lightweight world champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are available at axs.com.

Here is what the 22-year-old Juarez (12-1, 5 KOs) had to say about training camp, facing Karl and more:

On his recent training camp:

“This training camp has been very grueling, just like others in the past. I started off in San Antonio, where I was getting back into the groove, working on a lot of fundamentals, footwork and defense. Then our team decided to head out to Las Vegas to finish off the remainder of camp. Las Vegas is the mecca of boxing and the sparring there is second to none. The best fighters train here. I’ve just finished my last day of sparring and now I’m ready for fight week. I’m feeling great and I’ll be ready to shine on fight night.”

On his matchup with Ryan Karl:

“This is a big fight for me. Ryan Karl is a big puncher who has fought at the highest level in boxing. I know he’s coming to make a statement against me, but I have other plans. This is a must win for me to get back on track to further my career, and I’m not going to let him ruin my plans. I have a great strategy in place with my trainer Rick Nunez and my dad. We see some holes in his game that we are going to capitalize on.”

On fighting in Las Vegas for the second time in his career:

“Fighting in Las Vegas is where all fighters want to be, and that is no different with me. Like I said, Vegas is the mecca of boxing, and I can’t wait to put on a great performance. I’ve gotten acclimated to the high elevation out here, so I’ll be at my best when I step in the ring.”

On fighting on FOX during a big weekend of sports.

“Fighting on February 5 on FOX is going to be incredible because it’s the weekend right before the Super Bowl. In addition, the NHL All-Star game and NFL Pro Bowl are happening in Las Vegas, so I know the electricity in the city will be lively. I’m grateful to be fighting on FOX once again, where all my fans back home in Brownsville, TX, will be able to tune in. These opportunities don’t come around for most fighters, so I’m very thankful to my team.”

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Don’t miss this pay-per-view event! Buy now on the FOX Sports App or www.foxsports.com/ppv.

Welterweight Contender Abel Ramos To Square Off Against Luke Santamaria in Showdown Headlining PBC Action Live on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, February 5 From Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (January 31, 2022) – Welterweight contender Abel Ramos will square off against Luke Santamaria in a 10-round bout that headlines PBC action live on FOX and FOX Deportes on Saturday, February 5 from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The FOX broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and features all-action super lightweight contenders Ryan “Cowboy” Karl and Omar “El Relámpago” Juarez battling in the 10-round in co-main event.

The FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by former unified welterweight world champion Keith “One Time’’ Thurman battling former super lightweight world champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios, and also features four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto’’ Santa Cruz taking on Keenan “Bedo’’ Carbajal in the co-main event. Plus, Jesus “Mono’’ Ramos clashes with Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round super welterweight match and two-division champion Luis Nery will battle unbeaten Carlos Castro in the 10-round pay-per-view opener.

Abel Ramos was originally scheduled to take on Josesito Lopez as part of the FOX Sports Pay-Per-View event, but Lopez was injured in training camp and forced to withdraw. Jesus Ramos vs. Hernandez replaces the Abel Ramos vs. Josesito Lopez bout on the pay-per-view lineup.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and are available at axs.com.

Ramos (27-4-2, 21 KOs) is part of a boxing family out of Casa Grande, Arizona, which includes his nephew, rising undefeated contender Jesus Ramos. The 30-year-old Ramos has built a reputation as a hardnosed boxer who doesn’t back down from a fight and gives as good as he gets. He turned the tables on Omar Figueroa, Jr. when he went toe-to-toe and forced Figueroa to quit on his stool in his last fight on May 1. He also owns a split decision defeat to welterweight world champion Yordenis Ugas and showed a flair for the dramatic when he scored a TKO victory over Bryant Perrella in the waning seconds of their fight in 2020.

The 24-year-old Santamaría (12-2-1, 7 KOs) steps into the ring after earning a unanimous decision over former two-division champion Devon Alexander last August. Santamaria had previously dropped a decision to top prospect Paul Kroll in October 2020, following an August 2020 triumph over veteran contender Mykal Fox that saw him drop Fox in round one of their battle. The Garden Grove, California native also owns a decision over Willie Jones and a split draw against Marquis Taylor in his 2019 contests. Santamaría was unbeaten in 10 fights since his first loss before facing Kroll, with his only other defeat coming via a four-round decision in his third pro bout in 2015.

Known for his action packed style, Karl (19-3, 12 KOs) bounced back from a 2020 defeat to former world champion Mario Barrios in August, as he bested Edgar Ramirez by unanimous decision in their eight-round bout. The 30-year-old Milano, Texas native has won four of his last five fights overall and owns a decision victory over Kareem Martin on top of a knockout over Kevin Watts to avenge one of his losses.

The 22-year-old Juarez (12-1, 5 KOs) returned to the win column in September, dropping Jairo Lopez on his way to a unanimous decision victory. Juarez bounced back after losing a narrow majority decision to All Rivera in a thrilling bout in June 2021. A native of Brownsville, Texas, Juarez was a standout amateur who made waves outside of the ring by dedicating himself to giving back to the state’s youth through motivational speaking and received recognition from the Texas State Senate and the Texas House of Representatives for his efforts.

In non-televised action unbeaten super lightweights Kent Cruz (16-0-1, 10 KOs) and Enriko Gogokhia (13-0, 8 KOs) meet in an eight-round duel, lightweight prospect Anthony Cuba (2-0-1, 1 KO) takes on fellow unbeaten Jose Gonzalez (3-0, 3 KOs) in a six-round bout and unbeaten welterweight John Rincon (5-0, 2 KOs) competes in a six-round attraction.

Rounding out the lineup will be the sons of former two-time world champion Fernando Vargas entering the ring, as Fernando Vargas Jr. (4-0, 4 KOs) steps in for a middleweight duel, while Amado Vargas (3-0, 2 KOs) competes in a four-round featherweight bout.

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In the co-feature, four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto’’ Santa Cruz will battle Keenan “Bedo’’ Carbajal in a 10-round super featherweight match, while former two-division champion Luis “Pantera” Nery battles unbeaten Carlos Castro in a 10-round super bantamweight duel. The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT with rising unbeaten Jesus “Mono” Ramos dueling Vladimir Hernandez in a 10-round showdown.

Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.

Mario Barrios Arrives in California to Start Training Camp with Virgil Hunter

HAYWARD, CA (February 10, 2021) – Undefeated WBA Super Lightweight Champion, Mario “El Azteca” Barrios (26-0, 17 KOs), has arrived in Hayward, California, to start training camp with coach Virgil Hunter. Barrios, who resides in San Antonio, TX, recently defended his title against Ryan Karl (18-3, 12 KOs) in October of 2020. Barrios is awaiting a fight date from the PBC to make his 2021 debut.

“Leaving home early to start training camp with Virgil has been the game changer in my career,” said Barrios, who has stopped nine of his last ten opponents. “It’s a sacrifice that I feel needs to be made as enter the second half of my career. All the fights from here on out will be against top level opposition, and there is no room for error. Everything is on the line each and every time I step in the ring so I’m doing everything in my power to stay on top.”

There are many big opportunities for Mario Barrios, who at 25-years old, is on the verge of super stardom.

“I know there are plenty of big names that for me to fight that the fans want to see,” Barrios continued. “After talking to my team, I’m excited about what lies ahead, and the possible names that have been presented. 2021 will be another monumental year in my career.”

Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz Replay This Saturday on SHOWTIME

Last Saturday’s blockbuster pay-per-view event featuring Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz along with the event’s co-feature, Mario Barrios vs. Ryan Karl, will air on SHOWTIME this Saturday, November 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Below are some stats, accolades and notable tweets coming out of the event.

To view the promo, please click HERE. Attached is a photo of Davis’ Knockout Of The Year candidate. Photo credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME.

Best,

SHOWTIME Sports Communications

Stats

Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz hit No. 1 on Google Trend on Saturday, October 31.
Gervonta Davis’ KO highlight has generated over 9M views, over 1M engagements and over 5M impressions across social platforms including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.
Gervonta Davis KO highlight trended at No. 1 on YouTube worldwide Sunday-Monday and trended No. 2 and No. 3 on Twitter on fight night.

Quotes

“Thousands of punches landed during a memorable weekend of boxing from all over the world—but there was only one people will be talking about for years to come.” – Bleacher Report

“Each fighter needs that notable performance to make the casual fan pay attention and catapult them to mainstream popularity. This was the moment for Tank.” – Jalen Rose of ESPN’s Jalen and Jacoby

“Exactly the sort of fight that can bring boxing to a larger base…” – ESPN

Gervonta “Tank” Davis lived up to his billing — and then some …” – CBS Sports

“… an emphatic victory over Leo Santa Cruz that is likely to garner knockout of the year honors.” – The Athletic

Notable Tweets

LeBron James: https://twitter.com/KingJames/status/1322771114158817280

Magic Johnson: https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/1322747188527554561

LL Cool J: https://twitter.com/llcoolj/status/1322787410095218691

Saquon Barkley: https://twitter.com/saquon/status/1322745062283902977

Conor McGregor: https://twitter.com/TheNotoriousMMA/status/1322746892720234501

Damian Lillard:https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard/status/1322747296094715904

Casanova: https://twitter.com/CASANOVA_2X/status/1322743039404761088

DeAndre Hopkins: https://twitter.com/DeAndreHopkins/status/1322746358491566081

Dez Bryant: https://twitter.com/DezBryant/status/1322749747313233920

Jalen Rose: https://twitter.com/JalenRose/status/1322751761875173376

AUDIO: Mario Barrios Press Conference after stopping Ryan Karl

VIDEO: Mario Barrios Press Conference after stopping Ryan Karl

Davis scores sensational 6th round KO over Santa Cruz

In his 1st Pay-Per-View Headline appearance, Geronta Davis did not disappoint as he scored a sensational 6th round stoppage over Leo Santa Cruz and is now the the WBA Super Featherweight and Lightweight champion in a bout that was in front over 9,000 fans at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The fight started out at a blistering pace with both guys throwing and landing lots of shots in the opening frame. The fight was on pretty much even terms over the next four-plus rounds with each guy taking turns being the boss in the contest.

Santa Cruz was effect with his combination punching, while Davis waiting on his left uppercut. He was not disappointed as he landed a head turnimg shot in round six that knocked Santa Cruz completely out as he plummeted into the bottom of the ring post and the fight was stopped at 2:40 of round six.

Davis, 129.8 lbs of Baltimore, MD is now 24-0 with 23 knockouts. Santa Cruz, 129.5 lbs of Los Angeles, CA is 37-2-1.

GERVONTA DAVIS

“The uppercut wasn’t the key coming into the fight, but I adapted to what he was bringing. I knew he was taller and crouching down and moving forward. Once he moved forward, I tried to jab and make him run into the shot.

“In the first couple of rounds I wasn’t really warmed up. I could tell that he was trying to counter off of me, so I just adapted to what he was doing.

“He was right there for it. He punches, but he doesn’t try to get out of the way. There was nowhere for him to go on that knockout because I got him into the corner.

“Leo is a tough warrior and a strong Mexican fighter. He came ready for me. I was just the better fighter tonight.

“I want to maintain both belts. Whatever decision me and my team comes up with, we’ll go with it. I’m not ducking or dodging anybody.

“I’m a pay-per-view star. Everybody knows I’m number one and I showed it tonight. I’m going to continue to show people all over the world that I’m the best. I don’t have to call anybody else out. I’m the top dog. Just line them up and I’ll knock them out.”

“I was just breaking him down. He’s tough and was trying to play it off, but I could tell that he was breaking down. He wanted to keep fighting back.

“He touched me with shots early that I wasn’t supposed to get touched with. I started settling down and listening to my coach and Floyd. There’s a lot of pressure early in the fight. Floyd was just telling me to stay calm. I always want to go out and get at them, but Floyd always says, I’m a 12-round fighter.

“Everyone has their opinion, but I always felt like I’m the biggest star in the sport. I don’t need to go talk about other fighters.

“This is an amazing feeling. This is just the start. I have to thank everyone who helped me get to this point.

“I saw in round one that he was countering my jab. I knew he was coming with more than one punch. I started getting out of the way after I got my shots off. Once I started going to his body, I started to break him down. He had a lot of heart, and his mind told him to keep pushing through it.

“We worked on the uppercut, but it was really me adapting to the timing of the fight. He was blocking the uppercut at first. So I started switching it up and throwing hooks when he thought the uppercut was coming.

“I didn’t get tired at any point in the fight. If he kept the pace up, I was going to box around him. I have to thank my whole team for getting me into top shape.

“I didn’t take too much punishment so I’m just going to take a week or a week and a half off and get back to Las Vegas. At this point it’s best for me to stay in the gym so I’m going to keep that up.

“It’s not up to me to say who’s on the pound-for-pound list. Me and my team believe that I’m on it. The people see what’s going on and they see what’s happening tonight.

“I knew I had the speed and power advantage coming into the fight. But he caught me a couple times. So it was more about timing than speed.

“I feel strong at 130 pounds. It’s just up to me to stay in the gym. I feel good at the weight. But if there’s a good opportunity at 135 I’m ready to make it happen.

FLOYD MAYWEATHER

“It was an amazing performance. I’m just happy for him. I know how he feels. I used to be that same kid sitting right here. It feels great to be on this side and able to give back knowledge to help him grow. If anybody can become a household name, it’s this kid right here.

“’Tank’ had a long training camp and we’re going to enjoy this victory. ‘Tank’ is the top dog. He’s on pay-per-view for a reason. We don’t want to start calling out names. We want to let him go home and enjoy himself with his family and team. He’s going to keep proving to the world that he’s the best.”

CALVIN FORD

“I thought Leo was going to box more. But that’s what makes Leo a great champion. He comes to fight. He did some things to ‘Tank’ that I didn’t like to see.

“That uppercut is a shot we’ve been working on for a while. If you listen you can hear me telling him to shoot the uppercut. Leo was pressing the issue and coming to him. He was hitting ‘Tank’ to the body a lot, but ‘Tank’ found a place to land the shot. At the end of the day, ‘Tank’ closed the show.”

Barrios Stops Karl in 6 to Retain 140 lb. Title

Mario Barrios stopped a bloody and battered Ryan Karl in round six to retain the WBA Super Lightweight title.

In round six, Barrios dropped Karl with a hard right hand. Later in the round a clash of heads opened up a nasty gash on the forehead of Karl. Karl fought with all of heart but then ate another left hand that dropped him face-first and the fight was stopped at 2:23.

Barrios, 139.5 lbs of San Antonio is now 26-0 with 17 knockouts. Karl, 140 lbs of Milanon, TX is 18-3.

Tonight’s Alamodome attendance is: 9,024

MARIO BARRIOS

“It took a minute to get used to his pressure, he was very awkward. I eventually found my rhythm as the rounds started progressing.

“I’d give myself a B. I had a little trouble finding my jab because of his pressure. I thought I was slipping his shots well and finding my shots up the middle.

“He was throwing with bad intentions. He landed some punches. But there wasn’t anything that hurt me or that threw me off.

“I’m very excited by the outcome of this fight. It’s an honor to be the first fighter from San Antonio to defend his world title.

“I’m in the sport to give fans exciting fights. A fight with Regis Prograis would be huge. That’s a fight that’s very likely to happen.

“I didn’t feel any ring rust tonight. I was just being patient and I was ready for a 12 round fight. I was just taking my time, picking my spots and avoiding his wild shots.

“I’m one of the stronger fighters at 140. I showed I carried my power for 12 rounds against Batyr Akhemdov. I think the rest of the division should take notice of that.

“Part of my style is attacking the body. I’ve always been a fan of body shots. They really pay off in the 12 round fights in the middle and late rounds. I knew Ryan’s style and I knew I had to slow him down so he wouldn’t be so rough for 12 rounds.

“This fight is for everybody who came out here in San Antonio tonight. I told them we’d get this first title defense, and I hope everyone enjoyed it.

“I’ve known Ryan a long time. I knew he was going to come hard at me, but I also knew that it was his only chance. I was just being patient and picking my shots. I started to really land them and got him out of there.

“I was ready to go a hard 12 rounds, but my patience helped me get him out of there. I listened to what Virgil was telling me in the corner. It was great to get the job done here at home

“Virgil has meant so much to me. He’s more than a coach to me. He’s a mentor and like a part of my family.”

Ryan Karl:

“I feel fine. Hard hit that I got hit with. It was a tough fight, good fight, close fight I felt like. Good headbutt, bleeding pretty good but overall I feel fine. I’m not a sore loser. I come to fight, that’s what I expected was a fight. And so congrats to Mario on the win. We’ll move on from here.

“I wish the referee never would’ve stopped it. That’s how I feel about fights. I felt like I wanted to fight, I wanted a chance to get up and continue. But it is what it is. That’s his job, he has his and I have mine. And we obviously have different mindsets, because I’m the one fighting. But of course, like I said I would always like to continue if I have a chance.

“He’s a good fighter. He beat me. I felt like if I would’ve had more rounds it could’ve been different, but he’s a very good fighter and I take nothing from him.

“Hopefully another shot is next. That’s really all I want. I’m game and I’m here to fight.”

Prograis Stops Heraldez in 3

Regis Prograis stopped previously undefeated Juan Heraldez in round three of a scheduled 10-round junior welterweight fight.

In round three, Prograis dropped Heraldez with a blistering left. Herladez never was able to get back into the fight as Prograis pounded Herladez with more left hands until the fight was stopped at 1:23.

Prograis, 141.6 lbs of Houston, TX is 25-1 with 21 knockouts. Heraldez, 139.5 lbs of Las Vegas is 16-1-1.

Photo Credit: Esther Lin / SHOWTIME

FLASH QUOTES:

Regis Prograis

“I’ve been out of the ring for a year so I think that had some effect on me not making weight. There’s no excuses, but the bubble also had some effect. Mainly it was the layoff though. My body wasn’t adjusted to making the weight again.

“My wife just told me to get this over with because she’s due to give birth any minute now. I’m living two hours away from here so I’m going home right after this.

“I still feel like I’m the best at 140. I’m going to keep proving it every time I fight. Me and Josh Taylor had a close fight, and I think if it had happened in the U.S. U would have won. We know that one day we’ll have to rematch at 140 or 147.

“It went pretty well. I congratulate Juan because he was a tough opponent for me to get back against. I’m just glad to be back. My grandpa died on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and this win is dedicated to him.

“If the Barrios thing is on the table in the future, then we’ll do that.”

Juan Heraldez

“I thought it was an early stoppage. I was just getting warm, loose. He stunned me, but I don’t think they should’ve stopped the fight. I just thought it was an early stoppage.”

Cruz Destroys Magdaleno in 53 seconds

Isaac Cruz destroyed former world title challenger Diego Magdaleno in 53 seconds of their 10-round lightweight bout.

Cruz came out and landed a heavy barrage of punches that sent Magdaleno down in the opening 30 seconds. Upon getting up, Magdaleno ate a even heavier barrage that culminated by a devastating uppercut that sent Magdaleno down and the fight was stopped.

Cruz, 132 lbs of Mexico City is 20-1-1 with 15 knockouts. Magdaleno, 134.75 lbs of Las Vegas is 32-4.

Isaac Cruz

“The new Mike Tyson from Mexico was born tonight.

“I thought it would go longer tonight, but my natural instinct is always to go for it in the first round. I have confidence that I could win the world title right now. I thought it was a statement win. From now, on hopefully everyone will know my name and I’ll get the big fights.

“I would love a Teofimo Lopez fight. I’m very motivated right now. If he’s tough enough to take it, bring it on. I’m happy to be in this position in the division.

“My team did a great job getting me ready and I knew that I had to be prepared for a big fight no matter what else is going on. I trained for three months for this fight and was happy to be able to perform in front of an audience. If I get another fight right now, I’ll take it right away and do the same thing.”

Diego Magdaleno

“I don’t want to make any excuses but I’ve been fighting some heartburn. But he came out swinging and I was trying to adjust in there. I guess I was just fighting two different things in there. You know, stung cold, and got hit. That’s it.”

FOLLOW DAVIS – SANTA CRUZ LIVE

Follow All the action as Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Junior Lightweight and Lightweight World Titles. The card begins at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT with a three fight undercard featuring Mario Barrios defending the WBA Super Lightweight title against Ryan Karl. Regis Prograis takes on Juan Heraldez; Isaac Cruz fights Diego Magdaleno.

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12 ROUNDS–WBA LIGHTWEIGHT AND JR. LIGHTWEIGHT TITLES–GERVONTA DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOS) VS LEO SANTA CRUZ (37-1-1, 19 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
DAVIS*	9	9	10	10	10	KO							48
SANTA CRUZ	10	10	9	9	9								47

Round 1: Counter uppercut from Davis..Body shot from Santa Cruz..Uppercut from Davis…Blood from the bridge of Santa Cruz nose..Trading rights..Counter right from Santa Cruz..Davis Pushed down..Right to body y Santa Cruz

Round 2 Right from Santa Cruz..Davis Throws Santa Cruz down on purpose..Santa Cruz lands a flurry on the ropes..Good counter uppercut from Davis

Round 3 Counter left from Davis..Left from Santa Cruz..Left hook..Left..2 Lefts from Davis…Body..

Round 4 Left uppercut and right hook from Davis..Left hook from Santa Cruz..Lead right hook from Davis..Jab from Santa Cruz..Double jab;eft from Davis..Left..Jab to the body

Round 5 Counter left from Davis and another…Right from Santa Cruz..Right hook from Davis

Round 6 Right t o body from Santa Cruz..Nice Right..Mouse under the right eye of Davis..Combination from Santa Cruz..Low Blow from Davis..Left from Davis…Davis landing shots…Combination back from Santa Cruz….HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES SANTA CRUZ AND HE IS KNOCKED OUT COLD

12 ROUNDS–WBA SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE–MARIO BARRIOS (25-0, 16 KOS) VS RYAN KARL (18-2, 12 KOS)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
BARRIOS	10	10	10	10	10								50
KARL	9	9	9	9	9								45

Round 1 Left to body from Barrios..Hard left hook

Round 2 Left hook to body from Barrios…Right from Karl and another right..Chopping right from Barrios…Counter left hook to the body..Bllod from Nose of Karl..Counter right and counter left

Round 3 Lead Left drives Karl back..Right and left from Karl..Body shot from Barrios…Check hook

Round 4 Nice left hook to the body from Barrios..2 left hooks..Right Uppercut..Jab staggers Karl

Round 5 Body shot from Barrios…Jab..Right from Karl

Round 6 Thudding Punches from Barrios…BIG RIGHT AND KARL DROPS TO A KNEE….Straight from Karl..Karl cut on his forehead (Clash of Heads)..Right from Karl…Blood very bad…Doctor checks Karl..Says he can go on..Big uppercut from Karl….BIG RLEFT AND DOWN GOES KARL…FIGHT OVER

10 Rounds–Super Lightweights–Regis Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) vs Juan Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Prograis*	10	10	TKO										20
Heraldez	9	9											18

Round 1: Heraldez trying to counter…Overhand left from Prograis..Straight left..Hard left
Round 2 Combination from Conceicao..Prograis lands a left
Round 3 2 left from Heraldez..COUNTER LEFT AND DOWN GOES HERALDEZ.. 4 Lefts from Prograis AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

10 Rounds–Lightweights–Isaac Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs) vs Diego Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs)
ROUND	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	TOTAL
Cruz*	KO
Magdaleno

Round 1 Cruz going right at Magdaleno AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO..HARD BARRAGE AND HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES MAGDALENO AND THE FIGHT IS OVER

DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ PPV UNDERCARD PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

SAN ANTONIO, TX – October 28, 2020 – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) undercard previewed their respective matchups at a final press conference Wednesday before they square off this Saturday, October 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The press conference featured unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl, who meet in the co-main event, plus former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez, who square off in in a 10-round showdown, and lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno, who battle in an IBF title eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Davis vs. Santa Cruz is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

Here is what the press conference participants had to say Wednesday:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I’m super excited to be back home for my first title defense. Come Saturday night, it’s going to be an explosive night of boxing throughout this whole card. I’m trying to steal the show in the co-main event.

“I don’t feel any pressure. I’m fighting at home and defending my title, so it’s just a dream come true. You have an Aztec warrior and a Texas cowboy going at it. I couldn’t imagine a better co-main event.

“We had another great camp with Virgil Hunter in California. I’m excited to continue to show everyone why I’m the best in my division.

“Ryan definitely comes to fight. He’s known for being a pressure fighter. I’ve always considered myself a boxer-puncher. I’ll try to use my jab and fight from the outside as much as I can. But I’ve been known to brawl on the inside as well. It’s going to end up being a fan-friendly fight.

“I’m a complete fighter. I have the speed and power. I also have height and length. I carry my power throughout twelve rounds. I’m a dangerous fighter from the opening bell until the very end.

“You’re going to see a completely different fighter on Saturday night. My last fight I showed the warrior that I am, and during the championship rounds, I made big things happen. Saturday night, I’m going to show everyone how I’ve improved.”

RYAN KARL

“You’re going to see a great fight on Saturday. We are going to steal the show, because I’ve come prepared. I’m at my very best and it’s going to make me victorious. We put the work in. I’m going to seize this opportunity now that I have it.

“I’m not worried about getting a knockout. I just have to be victorious and become champion. Nothing else matters.

“I’m healthy and injury free now. It’s been over two years since I could say that. It’s a new start in a way. I’m listening better and my corner is the best it’s ever been. I expect it to be a very explosive and exciting fight.

“I’ve known Barrios since the amateurs, but it never crossed my mind that we’d fight because he was much smaller than me then. He’s matured and gotten a lot bigger now, so I’m anticipating he’ll bring the fight to me on Saturday.

“I come to fight, I’m rough and ready and I’m coming to win any way possible. It doesn’t matter to me. I’ve never been in a boring fight. Win, lose or draw, you’ll always get your money’s worth.”

REGIS PROGRAIS

“I’m excited to be here. Training has been amazing. I just want to go out there and prove that I’m still the best at 140 pounds. I was number one for a long time. This is the first step toward getting my belts back. I’ve been training differently than ever before. I’m really living like a fighter right now. I just have to go out and do what I know I have to do.

“I need a stoppage or a shutout. That’s what I’m looking for. He’s an okay fighter. I don’t want to degrade him too much, because I just feel like I’m the better fighter.

“This is my first step toward proving I’m still the best. You sit and go over the fight a million times in your head and it usually never goes that way. I’m just going to do me and show the world that I’m still here. I train too hard not to be number one. I don’t want to be behind anybody.

“We’re all going to do our thing Saturday night. It’s a huge stacked card. Order SHOWTIME PPV and watch me mess Heraldez up.

“I’m just taking it one fight at a time right now. The landscape in boxing changes all the time. I’m not worried about anything else other than Juan Heraldez.”

JUAN HERALDEZ

“I’m going to go out there and show everyone what the sweet science is all about. It’s about hitting and not getting hit. That’s my game plan.

“I believe that my style is exactly what boxing is all about. I have more advantages in my game than he does. I’m going to make sure that everyone sees it on Saturday night.

“Prograis had his chance to be elite, now it’s my time. He fought Taylor and lost. I didn’t really even watch more than a couple of rounds of that fight though, because I’m a completely different fighter than him.

“Prograis is a step up on paper, but all that goes out the window once we’re in the ring. It’s about boxing skills and toughness. I’ve been boxing all my life, so I don’t think I’m stepping up to him.

“I can box and I can punch. There’s not going to be anything else that needs to be said or done. This fight is going to prove to everyone that I have great boxing skills. It’s going to put me in a position to earn respect, win belts and make more money.

“I don’t think he’s going to be able to land clean shots on me because of my defense. You’ll have to ask him afterwards how hard I punch. I know his eye was really swollen after his last fight. Plan on seeing him look the same on Saturday.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“I’m very happy to be here in San Antonio. I’ve been doing a lot of sparring for this fight, especially against southpaws. I’ve sparred over 200 rounds so I will be at my very best on Saturday night.

“I came to fight, I came to steal the show, and I came for the victory. I don’t need to talk too much. I can talk with my fists on Saturday.

“I’m very prepared to give Diego Magdaleno a great fight. I’m a classic Mexican fighter who keeps coming forward. I throw a lot of punches and I don’t break down after the early rounds. I love to give a good show.

“I’m facing a good fighter with a lot of experience. He’s had a lot of tough fights, but we came very well prepared to take the victory with us.

“After this fight, people will not be able to forget my name. I’m ready to keep giving more and more in the future.”

DIEGO MAGDALENO

“I’ve fought in Texas so many times and I love fighting in front of these real fight fans. This started back in February when I kicked off 2020 with a roar. I was one of the last fights with a crowd, and now I’m back here with a crowd again. I’m relishing in the energy of this event.

“It’s my birthday and I’ve never felt this great. The whole world is right in front of me and I just have to go out and grab it.

“I’m bringing something huge on Saturday. You’ve never seen Diego on this much ‘fuego’ before. I never stopped believing in myself and that’s why I’m here today.

“I know I have to stay focused and stick to the game plan. I’m going to be true to myself. I have to be smart and everything else will be taken care of.”

LEONARD ELLERBE, CEO of Mayweather Promotions

“Since we first started Mayweather Promotions we’ve promoted over 20 pay-per-view fights, and I have to say that from top to bottom, this is one of the most stacked undercards we’ve had. That will bring nothing but excitement for the fans come Saturday.

“The opening fight is an outstanding lightweight fight with Isaac Cruz taking on the always exciting Diego Magdaleno in a title eliminator in one of boxing’s hottest divisions.

“Then we roll into former world champion Regis Prograis, who is always in entertaining bouts, taking on Mayweather Promotions’ own unbeaten Juan Heraldez. These guys have gone back and forth during the promotion. Heraldez has told me he thinks Regis is an average fighter, and Regis has talked his trash too. They get to settle it on Saturday night. This has the potential to steal the show.

“The co-main event is an all-Texas showdown with Mario Barrios against Ryan Karl. This will definitely be an exciting bout. They both have highly respected trainers in Virgil Hunter and Ronnie Shields. So you know they will be extremely well prepared. From top to bottom we have a very entertaining undercard, so make sure to tune-in Saturday night.”

ABOUT DAVIS VS. SANTA CRUZ
Davis vs. Santa Cruz will see three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz battle for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships headlining a SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heráldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromo, @TGBPromotions, on Instagram @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @MayweatherPromotions, @TGBPromotionss or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing and https://www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions/.

AUDIO: Interview with World Title Challenger Ryan Karl

VIDEO: Interview with world title challenger Ryan Karl (18-2, 12 KOs)

RYAN “COWBOY” KARL TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

NEW YORK (October 26, 2020) – Ryan “Cowboy” Karl is determined to take full advantage of the opportunity in front of him as he prepares to battle unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios in the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event this Saturday, October 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“I’m not content just fighting for a title, I’ll be happy when I win the title,” said Karl. “This is everything that I’ve been working my whole life for. This moment is a huge opportunity for me. A lot of fighters never get this chance.”

The Milano, Texas native enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak, with all of those victories coming by stoppage. This run has come after Karl’s two losses came in a span of four fights from 2017 to 2018, an experience that provided valuable lessons for the 28-year-old.

“I learned to listen better to my corner,” said Karl. “I also learned to not take fights when you’re injured and not fully healed, as well as to not overlook people. I thought that I was so good that I could beat a good fighter when I was less than 100%. So, I’ve learned to not take my health for granted and that you have to be healthy enough to spar and prepare the right way.”

Karl’s winning streak was kicked off by him avenging one of his losses, as he scored a fifth-round knockout over Kevin Watts after suffering that same result in their first matchup. Most recently, Karl triumphed over Bergman Aguilar last November.

“I’ve always believed that I’d be a world champion,” said Karl. “We’ve had setbacks with injuries and other obstacles, but I’ve never doubted myself or thought that I couldn’t do it. I’m lucky to have strong family support as well, which has helped me keep the faith.”

In Karl’s corner is his longtime coach, the renowned Ronnie Shields, who has guided Karl throughout his pro career and during this training camp in the midst of a pandemic. Karl has been sparring with unbeaten Kent Cruz in preparation and has also been buoyed by being able to still be with his family during camp.

“Training camp is going great and we’re very happy with our progress,” said Karl. “It’s definitely different with my coaches wearing masks in the gym and being as cautious as we can be. But the fact that I’m still able to see my wife and my sons is great. My oldest son Jace is six and he’s doing online learning from home at the moment. And then I have a one-year-old son named Jack as well. So it’s great to be around them and my wife who’s due to have our daughter in December.

Karl and San Antonio’s Barrios are very familiar with each other dating back to their days competing in the same amateur tournaments in Texas. Despite their proximity, it was only in recent years, as Barrios moved up in weight, that Karl began to see him as a possible future opponent.

“Early on I didn’t think we’d ever fight because he was so small, but then I saw that he was moving up and I started thinking that he was tall enough that we might see him down the road,” said Karl. “I didn’t know him very well in the amateurs because he was a lot younger than me. Around the time that I turned pro I was 22 and Mario was only 18 then. He was just a lot smaller and younger than me.

“Mario has done a great job as a pro. His managers have built him up and gotten the right fights for him, fighting a lot of smaller guys. He has good power and he’s a good boxer. He does a lot of things well. I think that I’ll be his biggest opponent to date, but he’s handled his previous opponents well so far.”

The “Cowboy” has become known for his come forward style, one that he believes will create a memorable fight for the fans and end with him amongst the sport’s 140-pound elite on October 31.

“I’m not the type of fighter to go in there and wait a bunch of rounds to come on,” said Karl. “Everybody knows that I like to fight. I’m anticipating an exciting, competitive fight. This one definitely won’t be boring. I expect us to throw lots of punches and I’m in great shape, so that plays to my strengths.

“A win against Barrios puts me right there at the top with Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez. So hopefully this will get me a chance at them and revitalize my career for the biggest and best fights.”

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

MARIO BARRIOS TRAINING CAMP QUOTES

NEW YORK (October 23, 2020) – Unbeaten WBA Super Lightweight Champion and San Antonio-native Mario “El Azteca” Barrios will look to put on a memorable performance in front of his hometown fans when he battles Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event Saturday, October 31 from Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

“It always feels great to fight in Texas, but this fight is even sweeter because I’ll be defending my WBA title in my hometown of San Antonio,” said Barrios. “I’m expecting a huge turnout from my San Antonio and Texas fans and I promise to bring everyone at Alamodome a sensational night of action. There is a lot at stake, and I won’t be denied. I’m ready to drop some bombs and remain champion.”

For the 25-year-old Barrios, October 31 is another opportunity on a big platform to make a statement that he is one boxing’s young rising stars. Being able to take the stage on a stacked event only increases his excitement leading up to the fight.

“This is a great opportunity for me and it definitely adds to my motivation to be part of what could be a historic night for boxing,” said Barrios. “It’s a humbling experience. I’ve been getting tons of feedback from my local fans about purchasing tickets, so I encourage everyone to buy them as soon as possible. If you’re unable to be there, make sure you order it on SHOWTIME PPV, because this is not a card you will want to miss out on.”

Barrios has continued to work with renowned coach Virgil Hunter as he resumes his climb up the 140-pound rankings. Hunter has overseen Barrios as he’s compiled a record of 8-0 with seven knockouts since moving up to super lightweight in 2017. This includes Barrios’ most recent triumph, a unanimous decision over then unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov in September 2019 to capture his WBA crown.

“Training camp with Virgil has been great,” said Barrios. “We keep growing with each fight. I’m learning and adding more to my arsenal. I have full confidence in my preparation, so I know that come fight night, I’ll be ready to handle the best Karl is able to bring.”

Barrios will be opposed by the Milano, Texas-born Karl. The two Texans have known each other for years dating back to their days competing in the same amateur tournaments. Barrios expects the best from his familiar foe, but will not be holding back when they finally square off on fight night.

“Ryan Karl is an excellent fighter who is going to bring a lot of heart into the ring,” said Barrios. “He’s strong and likes to mix it up, so I’m preparing for a war. We’ve known each other since our amateur days back in Texas, but this will be the first time fighting each other. At the end of the day, business is business, I am honored to be sharing the ring with him, but my goal will be to display my boxing abilities and explosiveness. I’m not looking for a knockout, but everything I throw is with bad intentions.”

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

GERVONTA DAVIS VS. LEO SANTA CRUZ PPV UNDERCARD VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

NEW YORK – October 13, 2020 – Fighters competing on the Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) undercard previewed their respective showdowns during a virtual press conference Tuesday before they meet in the ring on Saturday, October 31 from the Alamodome in San Antonio in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.

The event featured unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl, who meet in the co-main event, plus former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis and unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez, who square off in in a 10-round showdown, and lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno, who battle in an IBF title eliminator to kick off the pay-per-view.

Here is what the fighters had to say Tuesday:

MARIO BARRIOS

“I’m super amped for this type of fight. Ryan and I have known each other forever and we know the style that the other person will bring to the ring. For the fans at Alamodome and watching on pay-per-view, they’re in for a great fight.

“I couldn’t be happier to be in one of the first fights with a crowd since the pandemic. Having my first defense be in my hometown of San Antonio is huge. The feedback I’ve been getting so far from my fans has been incredible. Onfight night that we’ll both have our fan bases there for an exceptional night of boxing.

“I know that come fight night I’ll be facing the best version of Ryan Karl that we’ve seen. He’s training the same way and expecting that from me. So it’s going to be an action-packed fight and the fans will not be disappointed.

“I don’t feel any pressure fighting at home. Every time I fight at home, the energy has been unreal. If anything, it’s more motivating.

“We’ve watched my fight against Batyr Akhmedov a couple times. I’m a warrior and I showed that in the fight. We made all the changes we needed to in this camp and I’m going to show them on October 31.

“I’m very proud of the Akhmedov fight. Every great fighter has had close fights like that. It was a learning experience.

“I know the route that Karl has had throughout his career and I know he’s taking this opportunity and coming 100% ready. I’m planning to keep the world title in San Antonio, so it’s going to be a great battle.”

RYAN KARL

“This fight is going to be a big deal. It’s really surreal, to an extent. We’re very excited and working really hard and putting in the work. It couldn’t be better that it is taking place in Texas with fans. It’s going to be a big Texas showdown.

“I’ve definitely evolved as a fighter. I’ve trained harder than I ever have before. Ronnie [Shields] has talked to me about staying calm and getting ready for the moment and what it means to be in a world title fight. It’s about just staying focused and handling business. We have to remember we are there for business and nothing else. This is no pleasure but all work, no play. And he’s keeping me focused on those things and getting me in the best shape of my life.

“I’ve known Mario forever so as far as knowing each other and styles, we’re familiar. But we’ve never been in the ring with each other so we are really just guessing what we are going to do in there. As far as how we’ll come out and fight, we really won’t know until we are in there with each other.

“I expect it to be a fan-friendly fight. A true Texas fight. As far as how it’s going to play out, I really don’t know. People make adjustments in the ring. I expect us both to come to win and do so at all costs and just make it a very, very fan-friendly fight.

“I don’t really feel any pressure for this fight at all. It really doesn’t make any difference to me that we are fighting in San Antonio, or not. It’s nice to be fighting in Texas because I’m a Texan and I’d like to fight here and never have to leave. But I don’t feel any pressure at all. I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. There’s nobody else in the ring but me and him so it doesn’t really matter in the end.”

REGIS PROGRAIS

“I’m very excited for my first fight as part of the PBC stable. I’ve been wanting to come over to this side for a long time and it’s finally happening. When something bad happens, something good usually happens off of that so this is perfect. I’m in Katy, Texas, which is a two-hour drive from San Antonio, is a big fight town. Plus, this is the first fight back where we’re having fans. Everything is working out perfectly and I’m so excited to be on such a big card and to get back in the ring.

“I still feel like I’m the best in the world at 140 pounds. In the Josh Taylor fight, I went over there to England, fought in front of over 20,000 people who were all against me and I still feel like I won the fight. I won’t say they robbed me because that’s not what happened, but I still feel like I won the fight. I feel like I’m the best in the division and I need to keep proving it. This is another step for me.

“My next move depends on what’s offered to me. But first off, I have a tough fight in front of me. I’m focused on Juan Heraldez. There are a lot of things on the table for me after this, but I have to get past him first. I do yearn to be a champion at 140 pounds again before I move up to welterweight. That is the plan. But the landscape of boxing changes so much that it’s so hard to predict. You never know what’s going to happen.

“There are a lot of people out there right now for me to fight. Adrien Broner, Josh Taylor, Jose Ramirez. Me and Josh Taylor are definitely going to fight each other again. No matter what, we have to fight. The fight was too close and it was too much of a big deal out there in the U.K. for that not to happen again. I definitely want to fight Ramirez. I feel like he’s ducked me for a little while. And the Broner fight could definitely be a huge fight. All of those names are who I’m looking for. But it’s one step at a time and it’s Juan Heraldez next.

“The Taylor fight definitely showed me that there are things I need to improve on. Going into that fight, I questioned myself if I could fight 12 hard rounds. I had only gone 12 rounds against Terry Flanagan but that was a boxing lesson, not 12 hard rounds. I fought 12 hard, hard rounds against Taylor so it was kind of a question in my head before that. Now I know that I can do it. Josh Taylor is a very big puncher and I took his punches like it was nothing. As far as things I need to work on, I guess we’ll see. But I’ve been working really hard and I’ve been in training camp since before the pandemic started. I had a lot of fights that didn’t happen so I’ve been working that whole time, working on different things and busting my ass. I’m going to do whatever it takes to get to the top spot at 140 pounds.”

JUAN HERALDEZ

“In my last fight against Argenis Mendez I learned that I have to really control of the fight. I can’t let there be 50-50 rounds and leave it in the judges’ hands. I have to take as much control as I can over the fight.

“On paper Prograis has a good resume, but when it comes to skills in the ring, it’s a totally different thing. People can say what they want, but skills pay the bills.

“I’ve only watched a couple of rounds against Josh Taylor because that was a fight against a southpaw. I don’t think I can take much from that. I’m a totally different fighter.

“I just believe in my skills and ability. Whether it’s my footwork, speed or overall ability, I don’t believe that he does anything better than me. He had his time at the top of the division, but now it’s my time. It’s my time to shine.

“After this fight I think the whole division is going to fear me. I think it’s going to be hard to find me a fight after I’m through with Regis.”

ISAAC CRUZ

“[Magdaleno] is definitely a good fighter and has a lot of experience, but me and my team are ready to take advantage of the experience we have and to use it for our purposes to be able to prevail in this fight.

“The fact that this will be the first big fight with fans in the stands in the United States just fills me with happiness. It motivates me even more to do my best at the Alamodome on October 31.

“The Mexican fans know what I’m all about. We will now head over to the United States and show the American fans what Isaac Cruz is capable of. I know I can be a contender with the likes of Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia and [Vasiliy] Lomachenko and show people that there is another Mexican fighter that can be a contender and make noise in this division.

“I’m prepared for his experience. It’s going to be a great fight from the start, but as the rounds go on, he will start to realize the fighter I am and the power that I’m capable of.”

DIEGO MAGDALENO

“This is my second fight with my trainer, Bones Adams. It’s a family affair. Boxing is family to me. Going into every fight, being a mature old man that they are calling me nowadays, it feels good because I know where my priorities are. My last win over Austin Dulay was huge because my last team that I had was pretty much saying that I was old, that I was washed up and done. I didn’t like that idea. I went back and rejuvenated my whole team. Rejuvenation over here is Bones Adams.

“You’re never too old to get better and we’re here to serve beatdowns to the young guys. My last opponent was 24 years old coming over to face an old man, and I proved the world wrong. Now everybody is believing again in ‘2FUEGO’. I’m going to start this show off with some fire. They have me opening the show on a stacked card and I’m going to get in there and give it my all.

“I’m surrounded by people who want me to progress. If I believe in myself, I want my team to believe in me and I felt that my old team didn’t believe in me. That’s why you saw what happened in that Teofimo Lopez fight. I’ve learned from my mistakes and moving forward I have positive gym vibes. I have a great coach who has been in the ring with me and knows me personally. I definitely made a huge change and look what I did against Dulay, a guy with vicious knockout power. Numbers and strategies can say one thing, but at the end of the day, when we get in the ring, it’s up to me to prove everyone wrong like I did in my last fight.

“I will be the first fight back with a crowd and I think that favors me. I fight off other people’s energy and you guys will all see that on October 31.”

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

THREE-TIME WORLD CHAMPION GERVONTA DAVIS AND FOUR-DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION LEO SANTA CRUZ TO MEET IN HALLOWEEN THRILLER AT ALAMODOME IN SAN ANTONIO HEADLINING SHOWTIME PPV® SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 IN EVENT PRESENTED BY PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS

NEW YORK – October 2, 2020 – Three-time world champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis and four-division world champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz will square off in a Halloween thriller for the WBA Super Featherweight and WBA Lightweight Championships live on SHOWTIME PPV Saturday, October 31 (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The four-fight pay-per-view card will be the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since COVID-19 forced a halt to U.S. sports in March.

The stacked undercard will feature unbeaten San Antonio native and WBA Super Lightweight Champion Mario “El Azteca” Barrios defending his title against hard-hitting Ryan “Cowboy” Karl in the co-main event and former super lightweight world champion Regis “Rougarou” Prograis will take on unbeaten contender Juan Heraldez in a 10-round showdown. In the telecast opener, lightweight contenders Isaac Cruz and Diego Magdaleno will battle in an IBF title eliminator bout.

The highly anticipated main event will be contested at 130-pounds and will be fought for both Santa Cruz’s 130-pound title and Davis’ 135-pound title, which they each won in their previous fight. Two crowd favorites with massive followings, Davis vs. Santa Cruz is an all-action style matchup, with Davis owning a .957 knockout rate, while Santa Cruz is long established as one of the busiest punchers and best pressure fighters in the sport.

Davis vs. Santa Cruz will be a rare clash in boxing history in which world titles in two weight classes will be at stake. Other notable instances in recent boxing history are the 1988 Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Donny Lalonde fight for the light heavyweight and super middleweight titles, and the 2014 Floyd Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana rematch for the super welterweight and welterweight championships.

“I’m looking forward to showing the world how hard I’ve been working in camp,” said Davis. “We are just a few weeks away, and I’m already in great shape. Headlining on pay-per-view has always been a dream of mine since I started boxing. I can’t wait to put on a spectacular performance against multiple division world champion Leo Santa Cruz. Thank you to my team, SHOWTIME, Mayweather Promotions, GTD Promotions, and all my fans worldwide. Keep supporting me and I’ll fight for you.”

“October 31 is going to be the biggest fight of my career,” said Santa Cruz. “I’m going to fight a very tough opponent, maybe the toughest opponent of my career. Two titles are going to be on the line, and this will be my first time headlining a pay-per-view. So I’m going to do everything that I can to put on a good show. Davis is known for his power. But I think with my experience and ring IQ I can break him down. He’s probably going to be very aggressive in the early rounds. But if I do what I’m supposed to, and execute our game plan, I will win.’’

The event is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, TGB Promotions, GTD Promotions and Santa Cruz Boxing Club.

“This fight between Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz is such a great fight that we had to have it with fans, which will be a first for a major boxing event since COVID-19 started,” said Floyd Mayweather, President of Mayweather Promotions and a 12-time, five-division world champion. “Tank’ Davis is a special talent, a super skilled fighter and I have been in the gym regularly to watch and help him prepare for a tough opponent in Santa Cruz, who we all know always comes in shape and ready to fight. It’s going to be a great night for Mayweather Promotions, for boxing and for sports. The best fighting the best is all we can ask for.”

“We continue with the tradition of offering boxing fans the best matchups in the hottest divisions, pitting the best versus the best,” said Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. “Tank Davis facing Leo Santa Cruz is one of the most exciting matchups of the year. You have a young, hungry star with devastating power in Davis and an experienced and absolutely relentless four-division champ looking to conquer a title in a fifth division. This is the type of matchup boxing fans have waited the entire year to watch. Two superstars in their toughest matchup to date battling for titles in two weight divisions at the same time.”

“Gervonta Davis is the most exciting fighter in the sport, and he’s set to headline his first pay-per-view card and set the world on fire,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “He’s up against an experienced, four-division world champion in Leo Santa Cruz, who is looking to take him down and hand him his first L on October 31.”

“Gervonta Davis vs. Leo Santa Cruz is one of the best matchups that can be made in boxing, with each fighter in position to score a career-defining victory,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “We’re excited to bring a historic showdown with world titles in two weight classes on the line to fans at the Alamodome. Davis vs. Santa Cruz presents a fascinating clash of styles, with Santa Cruz’s relentless pressure against Davis’ fight-changing power. Adding in three high-stakes undercard attractions, this pay-per-view is lined up to present drama in the ring from start to finish.”

Tickets will go on sale Monday, October 5 at 10 a.m. CT and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. This is the first major boxing event with fans in attendance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. in March. The Alamodome has implemented a comprehensive health and safety plan to protect against the spread of the virus. All fans attending the event will be screened upon entry and are required to wear a mask, as well as follow social distancing guidelines. Tickets will be distributed in seat blocks known as “pods” to maintain distance between groups not from the same party. For more information, visit Alamodome.com.

“The Alamodome is excited to host the Davis vs. Santa Cruz SHOWTIME PPV event and to bring these athletes to San Antonio,” said Steve Zito, General Manager, Alamodome. “Not only is this a great platform for these athletes and their fans, but the event will also spotlight San Antonio through nationally televised matches and generate economic impact for our community during these challenging times.”

Davis (23-0, 22 KOs) burst onto the scene with an explosive knockout victory over Jose Pedraza to win the IBF Junior Lightweight World Title in a star-making performance on SHOWTIME^® in January 2017. At the time, he became the youngest world champion in boxing at age 22. In the ring, Davis blends controlled aggression with blazing hand and foot speed, eye-catching power and sublime boxing skills. The dynamic combination of skills has made Davis a fan-favorite who filled arenas in Atlanta, Ga., and his hometown of Baltimore, Md., last year.

The 25-year-old began his 2019 with a knockout of Hugo Ruiz in February, before scoring a second-round stoppage of Ricardo Núñez in his homecoming fight in July. Davis closed out the year by capturing his lightweight title via 12^th round TKO of former champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in December. Davis also owns a title-winning performance in which he dominated former champion Jesus Cuellar to capture the WBA 130-pound belt in 2018. Under the guidance of Mayweather Promotions, Davis will look to further improve his impressive portfolio with another title-winning performance in his first pay-per-view main event.

Fighting out of Los Angeles, Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 KOs) made his debut at super featherweight last November by defeating Miguel Flores to capture the WBA title. Santa Cruz has made his name in the sport by engaging in numerous Fight of the Year contenders, including two thrilling featherweight title duels against four-time champion Abner Mares and two-division champion Carl Frampton each. He lost his featherweight title in his first match against Frampton in 2016, but reclaimed it in their rematch the following year.

The 32-year-old has competed in title bouts in 17 of his last 19 fights, while picking up belts at 118, 122, 126 and 130-pounds. The 130-pound title made Santa Cruz just the fifth fighter of Mexican descent to win titles in four weight classes, joining Oscar De La Hoya, Erik Morales, Jorge Arce and Mikey Garcia. Santa Cruz was introduced to the sport and trained throughout his career by his father Jose, along with his brothers Jose Armando, a former lightweight contender, and Antonio. Santa Cruz will look to become a five-division champion in his first pay-per-view headliner.

The 25-year-old Barrios (25-0, 16 KOs) will be making the first defense of his world title in his hometown of San Antonio. Barrios captured his 140-pound title in his last fight in September 2019, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision over then-unbeaten Batyr Akhmedov, dropping him twice and fighting through a cut suffered on a head butt. Barrios trains in Oakland, Calif. under the guidance of renowned coach Virgil Hunter. The five-foot ten-inch Barrios debuted as a super bantamweight in 2013, eventually moving up to 140-pounds full time in 2017 where he is 8-0 with seven knockouts.

“The long layoff is finally over and fans can expect to see me go to war with Ryan Karl, who I know is coming to bring an aggressive fight to the table,” said Barrios. “I’ve stayed in great shape during this past year, so now it’s time for me to keep giving boxing fans exciting fights. I’ll be representing my city of San Antonio and as always, everyone can expect to see me as explosive as ever. On October 31, all the fans watching on pay-per-view will watch me make a statement as I defend my title.”

Born in Milano, Texas and now trained in Houston under the tutelage of top trainer Ronnie Shields, Karl (18-2, 11 KOs) will step in for his first title opportunity on October 31. The 28-year-old enters this fight on a three-bout winning streak, with all three wins coming in 2019, including a knockout of Kevin Watts to avenge one of his losses in an immediate rematch. Karl also owns victories over Kareem Martin and then-unbeaten Jose Felix Quezada during his pro career that dates back to 2014.

“I’ve been training for this my whole life and I’m not going to let it slip away,” said Karl. “We’re working hard in training camp to put on the best performance of my career. We know what we’re up against in Mario Barrios, but I’ve come too far not to take full advantage of this opportunity on October 31.”

A staple of the 140-pound elite, Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) returns to the ring after losing his title in an exciting unification clash via majority decision last October against Josh Taylor. The 31-year-old won his title by defeating Kiryl Relikh by TKO in April 2019 and has also earned stoppage victories over former unified champion Julius Indongo, and then-unbeaten contenders Joel Diaz Jr. and Juan Jose Velasco. Prograis was born in New Orleans but lives and fights out of Houston.

“This is a huge fight and I’m very thankful to PBC for giving me this opportunity,” said Prograis. “I haven’t fought in a year and since then I’ve done a lot of self-reflection and moved from L.A. back to Texas. I’m more focused than I’ve ever been and I can’t wait to get back to my number one spot in the super lightweight division. I have to be a world champion again and I won’t stop until that happens.”

The 30-year-old Heraldez (16-0-1, 10 KOs) can vault himself into the top tier of 140-pound contenders with a career-best victory over Prograis on October 31. Born in Northridge, Cal. and training out of the Mayweather Promotions gym in Las Vegas, Heraldez most recently fought to a majority draw last May against former champion Argenis Mendez. Heraldez’s pro career has also seen him score victories over previously unbeaten Jose Miguel Borrego and tough contender Eddie Ramirez.

“It’s been a crazy year, but I took this opportunity to spend time with my family and sharpen my skills inside the ring,” said Heraldez. “There’s been a lot of great sparring happening at the Mayweather Boxing Club that I’ve taken advantage of. I have a tough opponent in front of me, and that’s my only focus right now. I trust in my ability as a fighter and I trust my team to get me over the finish line with a victory on October 31. I’m thankful to Mayweather Promotions for putting me on such a large platform for this fight.”

Fighting out of his native Mexico City, Mexico, Cruz (19-1-1, 14 KOs) is unbeaten in his last 15 fights since dropping his sixth pro fight by decision. The 22-year-old knocked out 10-of-13 opponents between 2016 and 2018, before making his U.S. debut in December 2019. That contest saw Cruz earn a unanimous decision over Miguel Perez, which he followed up in February of this year by defeating Thomas Mattice by decision on ShoBox: The New Generation.

“Since I started boxing, it has been my dream to fight on this stage in the United States,” said Cruz. “I know that Diego Magdaleno is a very tough and experienced fighter, but it’s my time on October 31. The fans will see that I have what it takes to be world champion when I beat Magdaleno and announce myself as one of the best lightweights in the world.”

Magdaleno (32-3, 13 KOs) enters this fight coming off of an impressive victory over contender Austin Dulay in February that saw him drop Dulay on his way to a unanimous decision. The 33-year-old has challenged Roman Martinez for a 130-pound title and Terry Flanagan for a lightweight crown, while also battling lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez in February 2019. A Las Vegas native, Magdaleno has won four-of-five fights entering October 31, including a 10-round decision over Artyom Hovhannisyan.

“I’ve been super eager to get back into the ring since my last performance,” said Magdaleno. “That win sparked a fire in me and got me as motivated as I’ve ever been. Now that I’m in a title eliminator, I’m even more excited to return to action. I’m facing another young lion, but he’s lacking the experience that I have. Training with Bones Adams has made a world of difference in my career. I’ve made a transition to being more composed and smarter in the ring. I’m here to make a statement and claim what’s mine. I’m never going to back down until I get that world title.”

Castano stops Omotoso due to injury

Brian Castano stopped Wale Omotoso at the end of round five in a scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Castano dominated the action and then Omotoso bailed out of the fight due to a shoulder injury in between rounds five and six.

Castano, 153 1/2 lbs of San Jusito, ARG is 16-0-1 with 12 knockouts. Omotoso, 152 lbs of Hollywood, CA is 28-5.

Javier Fortuna stopped Jesus Cuellar in round two of a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Fortuna dropped Cuellar with a right hook. In round two, it was a left that put Cuellar on the canvas. Fortuna landed a flurry of punches, and the fight was stopped at 2:01.

Fortuna, 133 1/2 lbs of Dominican Republic is 35-2-1 with 24 knockouts. Cuellar, 133 lbs of Buenos Aries, ARG is 29-4.

David Morrell Jr. remained undefeated as he stopped Quinton Rankin Jr. in round two of a scheduled eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Morrell dropped Rankin in round one with a right hook. In round two, Rankin landed a hard left that sent Rankin down face-first, and the bout was stopped at 1:01.

Rankin, 170 1/2 lbs of Santa Clara, CUB is 2-0 with two knockouts. Rankin, 170 1/2 lbs of Charlotte, NC is 15-7-1.

Despite getting dropped in the opening frame, Ryan Karl came back to stop Bergam Aguilar in round six of their scheduled eight-round junior welterweight.

In round one, Aguilar dropped Karl with a big left hook.

Aguilar was not able to answer the bell in round six due to a broken hand. The official time was 3:00 of round five.

Karl, 143 1/2 lbs of Milano, TX is 18-2 with 12 knockouts. Aguilar, 143 1/2 lbs of Costa Rica is 15-6-1.

Exciting Welterweight Ryan Karl Battles Costa Rica’s Bergman Aguilar & Unbeaten Prospect David Morrell Jr. Battles Quinton Rankin in FS1 PBC Fight Night Action on Saturday, November 2 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland

NATIONAL HARBOR (October 24, 2019) – Exciting welterweight Ryan “Cowboy” Karl will take on Costa Rica’s Berman Aguilar in a 10-round welterweight fight and highly-regarded prospect David Morrell Jr. faces Quinton Rankin in an eight-round light heavyweight as part of FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes on Saturday, November 2 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The action begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and is headlined by undefeated former champion Brian Carlos Castaño against exciting veteran contender Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso, plus former world champions Javier “El Abejón” Fortuna and Jesús Andrés Cuellar collide in the co-feature.

Preceding the fights on FS1 are FS2 PBC Fight Night Prelims featuring 2016 U.S. Olympian Gary Antuanne Russell (11-0, 11 KOs) from Capitol Heights, Maryland battling Panama’s Juan Huertas (14-2-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round super lightweight affair. Prelims begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT with unbeaten welterweight prospect Anthony Velazquez (7-0, 7 KOs) in an eight round fight against Delaware’s Michael Crain (3-3, 1 KO).

The lineup also includes undefeated featherweight Ranfis Javier Encarnacion taking on Mexico’s Emmanuel Dominguez in a 10-round attraction and unbeaten bantamweight contender Antonio Russell in a 10-round fight against Mexico’s Samuel Gutierrez.

Non-televised fights will also feature undefeated super lightweight Patrick Harris from Washington, D.C. facing Brazil’s Joaquim Carneiro for eight rounds of action, unbeaten prospect Paul Kroll of Philadelphia in a six-round super welterweight contest, and an eight-round lightweight showdown between once-beaten fighters Dravontay Rawls of Glenarden, Maryland and Newark, New Jersey’s Wanzell Ellison.

Rounding out the show is undefeated welterweight Tyrek Irby from Landover, Maryland in an eight-round duel against Los Angeles-native Joaquin Chavez, unbeaten Keeshawn Williams of District Heights, Maryland in an eight-round super welterweight fight and Kazakhstan’s Shyngyskhan Tazhibay looking to remain unbeaten in a six-round super welterweight attraction.

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting www.mgmnationalharbor.com/.

The 27-year-old Karl (17-2, 11 KOs) will enter the ring coming off of back-to-back knockout victories in 2019, most recently stopping David Morales in June. Born in Milano, Texas and fighting out of Houston, Karl won his first 13 pro fights after turning pro in 2014. Karl avenged one of his defeats by knocking Kevin Watts out in their January rematch. He will be opposed by Aguilar (15-5-1, 5 KOs), who was born in Nicaragua and now fights out of Costa Rica. He most recently defeated Eliecer Lanzas in July.

Representing his native Cuba and now fighting out of Minneapolis, Morrell (1-0, 1 KO) made his pro debut in August with a first round knockout of Yendris Valdez. The 21-year-old began his pro career after an impressive amateur career that included being named “Fighter of the Tournament” at the 2016 Youth Boxing Championships. He will be opposed by Charlotte, North Carolina’s Rankin (15-6-2, 12 KOs) who had a three-fight winning streak snapped in a decision loss to Chad Dawson in June.

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ABOUT CASTAÑO VS. OMOTOSO
Castaño vs. Omotoso pits undefeated former champion Brian Carlos Castaño against exciting veteran contender Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso in a 10-round super welterweight showdown that headlines FS1 PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, November 2 from MGM National Harbor in Maryland.

The action begins at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT and features former world champions Javier “El Abejón” Fortuna and Jesús Andrés Cuellar colliding in a 10-round super featherweight showdown in the co-feature.

Fans can live stream the fights on the FOX Sports app, available in English or Spanish through the FOX, FS1 or FOX Deportes feeds. The fights are available on desktop at FOXSports.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @MGMNatlHarbor, @TGBPromotions, and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports and www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.

Exciting Welterweight Ryan Karl & Unbeaten Leduan Barthelemy Compete in Separate Bouts Highlighting Undercard Action on Sunday, June 23 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (June 10, 2019) – Exciting welterweight Ryan “Cowboy” Karl competes in an eight-round bout while unbeaten Leduan Barthelemy will take on Mexico’s Jose Cayetano in an eight-round lightweight fight as part of an exciting undercard lineup Sunday, June 23 from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The event is headlined by former champion Jermell Charlo battling Mexico’s Jorge Cota in a super welterweight attraction that serves as the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

Tickets for the event, which is promoted by Lions Only Promotions, TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at AXS.com.

The card also includes a pair of Houston-natives as Marquis Taylor (10-1, 10 KOs) takes on Garden Grove, California’s Lucas Santa Maria (9-1, 7 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight fight and Quinton Randall (2-0, 1 KO) faces Milwaukee’s Kewone Hill (2-0, 2 KOs).

Also stepping into the ring are a pair of unbeaten welterweights as Los Angeles-native Emmanuel Medina (16-0, 9 KOs) takes on The Bronx’s Peter Dobson (10-0, 6 KOs) in an eight-round bout, plus unbeaten lightweight Julian Rodarte (16-0-1, 7 KOs) will fight in an eight-round attraction and Mexico’s Jose Valenzuela (3-0, 1 KO) will look to remain unbeaten in a four-round lightweight battle.

A 27-year-old from Houston, Karl (16-2, 10 KOs) avenged a loss to Kevin Watts in his last fight by stopping him in the fifth round of their January rematch. Karl had put together back-to-back wins before the pair of fights against Watts.

The younger brother of two-division champion Rances and Olympic gold medalist Yan, Barthelemy (14-0-1, 7 KOs) most recently out pointed Miguel Aispuro in March after a draw in September against unbeaten Eduardo Ramirez. The 29-year-old from Cuba now lives and trains in Las Vegas as he prepares to face the 32-year-old Cayetano (21-6, 10 KOs) from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

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ABOUT CHARLO VS. COTA
Charlo vs. Cota pits former super welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo against Mexico’s Jorge Cota in a super welterweight attraction that serves as the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night on FOX and FOX Deportes Sunday, June 23 from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

FOX PBC Fight Night coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and features former world champions Guillermo Rigondeaux and Julio Ceja clashing in a 12-round WBC featherweight title eliminator in the co-feature, plus sensational unbeaten prospect Joey Spencer faces Akeem Black in a six-round super welterweight bout.

Preceding that show is FOX PBC Fight Night Prelims beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and will see exciting unbeaten prospect Chris Colbert taking on Puerto Rico’s Alberto Mercado in an eight or 10-round lightweight bout and unbeaten welterweight prospect Jesús Ramos in a four-round attraction.

For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes, @TGBPromotions, @MayweatherPromo, @MandalayBay and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports, www.facebook.com/foxdeportes and www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromotions.