Check out my thoughts on Saturday night’s 154-pound title tripleheader.
Erislandy Lara, Jermell Charlo, and Jarrett Hurd all defended their titles and hopefully will fight each other to unify titles.
On the horizon are Julian Williams, Demetrius Andrade (if a deal to come back to 154 is enticing enough), Vanes Martirosyan, Kanat Islam, Tony Harrison, K9 Bundrage, and Miguel Cotto if he chooses to fight on.
Check it out:
Story: Rahmon Ford:
StubHub Center – Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares each fought like they were on a mission Saturday afternoon. While each combatant utilized a different game plan to achieve their mission, the destination was the same- Santa Cruz/Mares II.
Santa Cruz, (34-1-1, 19 KOs), retained his WBA World featherweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Chris Avalos (27-6, 20 KOs). Scores at the time of stoppage were 69-64, 69-64, and 70-63. All cards were in favor of Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz begin to feel Avalos out in the first frame and landed a nice right hand. In the next few rounds, Santa Cruz began to press the action, at times trying to make the fight rough in close instead of distance.
In the fourth, a left hook by Santa Cruz wobbled Avalos and Leo went in for the finish. Santa Cruz was upset that the fight wasn’t stopped at that point, as Avalos survived until the bell.
Santa Cruz continued coming forward, and began to apply a body attack hoping to break Avalos down. He found pay dirt in the eighth as referee Thomas Taylor stopped the assault at 1:34 into the round.
Santa Cruz on Avalos
“He did great, he was moving, but I saw little mistakes I can take advantage of,” said Santa Cruz (34-1-1, 19 KOs), who upended Carl Frampton in a January rematch to regain his title. “Let’s bring on the rematch. He paces himself more, he doesn’t go wild, he doesn’t try to knock you out. More speed and movement.
“I think it’s going to be more easy for me. Fighters that create distance make it more easy.”
“I thought I had him in the fourth round. I gassed out a little bit but I got my air back later. I thought the ref was going to jump in during that round but he let him continue.
“I want Abner Mares. I said if we both win, we’re going to fight. I’m ready to fight him in Los Angeles in the beginning of next year.”
“I’m very upset with the stoppage. We were fighting the whole time. There was no reason to stop this fight. I wasn’t hurt like the referee thought. I want to fight for the title again.”
In the co-feature, Abner Mares (31-2-1, 15 KOs) laid an absolute tallywacking on Andres Gutierrez (35-2-1, 25 KOs) over 10 rounds before referee Jack Reiss stepped in. The official stoppage was due to a bad cut suffered by Gutierrez. Mares was ahead 99-91, 99-91, and 100-90 at the time of stoppage.
Although speculation was the cut came from a clash of heads, a punch seemed to be the culprit in this affair. I thought Gutierrez was going to bring more to the table in this fight. Credit Mares with bringing his A-Game in this one.
Mares went on the attack early and blood began flowing from Gutierrez as early as the third. Mares worked the jab and boxed in ways I didn’t imagine, for sure.
As with Santa Cruz, Mares landed a big shot in the fourth round that would’ve discouraged most fights. However, Gutierrez was game as he came out in the next round, eating power shot after power shot. Nevertheless, Gutierrez pressed forward as if Mares’s shots were kisses on his cheeks.
Mares continued to attack the eye, which by then was bleeding abundantly. The referee had no choice but to stop it on the doctor’s advice.
Mares appears to be a completely different fighter under the tutelage of Robert Garcia. He’s changed his style to the point where Santa Cruz may need to make adjustments in the rematch. Leo knows what that takes as he did the same in a rematch with Carl Frampton.
Santa Cruz, who watched the fight:
“He did great, but I saw little mistakes that I can take advantage of … the rematch, I want it.”
“He won, he looked great. Hopefully, the fans liked how I did. Now that we both got these wins, I think people want to see the rematch.”
“I told everyone that I was here to make a statement. I had a tough opponent and he showed how good he is. It took a lot of punches and a lot of big punches. It was just a matter of time before I stopped him.
“I thought they could have stopped it earlier. He’s a young guy who was too brave for his own good. I was happy with the decision. I deserved the stoppage but I’m happy I got the win.
“I’m a totally different fighter now since I started working with Robert Garcia. We’re going to keep showing that when we fight Leo Santa Cruz.”
“I didn’t feel like the fight should have been stopped. I was hurting him as much as he was hurting me. My cuts did not bother me.
“I want to fight him again or have another shot at the title. I was prepared to fight to the final bell.”
In other action, Antonio DeMarco won by first-round TKO over an aggressive Eddie Ramirez. DeMarco, with his back to the ropes caught Ramirez with a short counter uppercut. Ramirez retreated all the way to the other side of the ring and DeMarco staggered Ramirez.
Ramirez stumbled and his head briefly went between the ropes but he got out just as quick and into defensive position. Not quick enough for referee Gerard White as he stopped the fight at 1:56 into the opening round.
Ramirez thought the stoppage was premature and so did I. Here’s a video below. You be the judge.
“I think it was a good decision from the referee. He was taking a lot of solid punches.
“I’m very thankful to Ramirez for taking the fight. I think big things are coming for me. I’m going to talk to my team and see what is next. I think this performance will erase a lot of doubts about me.
“I’m an experienced fighter and I stayed patient. I had great preparation and waited for the right moment. I feel great right now.”
Scorecard
CARSON, CALIF. (October 14, 2017) – Featherweight world champions Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares were both victorious in their Premier Boxing Champions on FOX and FOX Deportes fights Saturday night from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. and officially set up a world championship rematch between the two popular southern California champions in early 2018.
“I want Abner Mares,” said Santa Cruz. “I said if we both win; we’re going to fight. I’m ready to fight him in Los Angeles in the beginning of next year.”
“I’m a totally different fighter now since I started working with Robert Garcia,” said Mares. “We’re going to keep showing that when we fight Leo Santa Cruz.”
In the main event, Santa Cruz (34-1-1, 19 KOs) took care of business and defended his title by stopping Chris Avalos (27-6, 20 KOs) in the eighth round.
“He was very tough and I was fighting the wrong fight,” said Santa Cruz. “I wanted to please the fans and give them a brawl. Once my dad told me how I could stop him easily, I boxed him more and got the stoppage.”
Santa Cruz used his length effectively and set up his jab while firing straight right hands to Avalos’ head. Avalos stayed tough, but was in trouble in round four when Santa Cruz connected with a left hook that stunned Avalos in the corner.
Avalos originally retreated but as Santa Cruz came forward he was forced to brawl through the remainder of the round and took a great deal of punishment. Always game, Avalos continued to fight back and landed punches as Santa Cruz attempted to walk down his opponent.
“I thought I had him in the fourth round,” said Santa Cruz. “I gassed out a little bit but I got my air back later. I thought the ref was going to jump in during that round but he let him continue.”
Finally, in the eighth round, after several more flurries of punishment, referee Thomas Taylor jumped in and stopped the bout 1:34 into the round. Although he was out landed 282-169, Avalos believed he could have continued in the fight.
“I’m very upset with the stoppage,” said Avalos. “We were fighting the whole time. There was no reason to stop this fight. I wasn’t hurt like the referee thought. I want to fight for the title again.”
The co-main event saw Mares (31-2-1, 15 KOs)make the first defense of his title by wearing down and eventually earning a technical decision over Andres Gutierrez (35-2-1, 25 KOs).
Referee Jack Reiss called on the advice of the ringside physician midway through the 10th round, who determined that Gutierrez was unable to continue due to a cut. Although the cut was originally opened by a punch, the commission determined that a series of accidental fouls caused the cut to worsen to the point that the fight was ended, and a final verdict would be decided by the scorecards.
Mares was sharp from the outset, using the jab to get to Gutierrez and teeing off with combinations. The right hand was a weapon all night long and in the second round he connected with the shot that opened up the cut under Gutierrez’s left eye.
“I told everyone that I was here to make a statement,” said Mares. “I had a tough opponent and he showed how good he is. It took a lot of punches and a lot of big punches. It was just a matter of time before I stopped him.”
Gutierrez continued to put up a strong effort and never stopped throwing punches, using his jab to try to keep Mares at bay. However, as the cut worsened throughout the fight, Mares had an easier time landing thudding right hands to Gutierrez’s face.
“I didn’t feel like the fight should have been stopped,” said Gutierrez. “I was hurting him as much as he was hurting me. My cuts did not bother me. I want to fight him again or have another shot at the title. I was prepared to fight to the final bell.” (more…)
BROOKLYN (Oct. 14, 2017) – Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder and Welterweight World Champions Keith Thurman and Errol Spence Jr. met with the media on Saturday at Barclays Center to discuss their upcoming bouts and expected 2018 campaigns.
Wilder will defend his WBC belt on Nov. 4 against mandatory challenger Bermane Stiverne live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in a Premier Boxing Champions event. Thurman announced he expects to return in early 2018 in his first bout since unifying the division and subsequent surgery.
In news on Saturday, IBF Welterweight Champion Spence announced that he will make the first defense of his belt against former world champion Lamont Peterson in January 2018 on SHOWTIME on a date and site to be determined.
Below are flash quotes from the three fighters:
Deontay Wilder
“What other heavyweight is doing what I do? What other heavyweight has power like me? I don’t have to put you out in punches in bunches. I don’t have to do that. One punch. Goodnight.
“I’m happy that I’ve had time to calm down and think about things. I’m happy that I’m fighting Stiverne because he’s my mandatory. I can finally get him out the way so I’ll be a free man.
“This is the story of my life. Every situation that I’m put in, I try to be optimistic about. It’s easy to appreciate the good. But when the bad comes, some people don’t know how to manage that.
“I’m the most frustrated guy around. I don’t understand. The best are supposed to fight the best, right? I’ve always done that. I called (Wladimir) Klitschko out years ago.
“People make so many excuses for my career. The one who is actually trying to make a legacy out of their career, he’s the only one that’s not complaining. The people who don’t have to get in the ring and endure this suffering are the ones that complaining.”
Keith Thurman
“I’m in the bounce-back stage. It won’t be long before I get back into the ring and hopefully my arm will be better than ever. We’re estimating I’ll be ready for a fight the first quarter of next year.
“I look forward to continuing my legacy and dominating the welterweight division.
“Everything happens for a reason. I’m 28-years-old and it doesn’t feel good to not be an active fighter while you’re in your prime.
“I don’t think that I will take that level of a fight [against Shawn Porter] coming off my injury. I think we’re going to just get a welcome back fight. Throw the arm around, test it out, have an injury-free camp, take the momentum from that and we can possibly get in the ring with Shawn after that.
“I look forward to that [potential] fight against Errol. I look forward to great competition and Errol is that. This is a fight that you guys have been talking about, you won’t stop talking about, and you should keep talking about it because when it goes down it will be one of the best fights of this generation.
“Everybody knows there’s no Floyd Mayweather. There’s no Manny Pacquiao. Everybody thinks they know who the real champion is. But real talk is that the king of the welterweight division will manifest within one to two years.
“[Terence] Crawford has whacked up a lot of people, but he hasn’t whacked up a welterweight yet. He still needs to make himself relevant in this division. He’s a 140 undisputed champion. He can come up to this weight division and fight anybody in the top 10 and he deserves that. But we are so flooded with talent he is going to have to make himself relevant at 147 before he gets his hands on us.”
Errol Spence Jr.
“I’m happy to be here, it’s been awhile. It’s finally time to defend my title, capture more titles and become the undisputed welterweight champion of the world. That’s what I’m ready to do next year.
“[Peterson] is somebody that I looked up to as an amateur. I sparred with him as an amateur and learned a lot from him. He’s one of my favorite fighters and is a guy that will fight anybody. I’ve never known him to duck a fight.
“Lamont is a tricky fighter. He’s been around the block. He does a lot of cagey, veteran things. I’m looking to get experience in this fight. I’m still a young fighter.
“Since I was 5-0, I’ve said I’d fight Keith Thurman or anybody in the top 5. He’s got to go through rehab, but I’m ready when he is. I’m always ready to fight the best.”
VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/2yoXIU6
The weights are in for the super welterweight (junior middleweight) card in Brooklyn tomorrow night.
All three fights are World title fights and today’s weights are as follows:
Erislandy Lara 153.6, Terrell Gausha 153.2
(for Lara’s WBA World junior middleweight title)
Jermell Charlo 153.6, Erickson Lubin 153.4
(for Charlo’s WBC junior middleweight title)
Jarrett Hurd 153.4, Austin Trout 153
(for Hurd’s IBF junior middleweight title)
The televised fight card will begin at 10:00pm eastern on Showtime.
Earlier on Fox, at 7:30pm eastern, check out Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares in separate title bouts.
Check out the predictions for Saturday night’s big card in Brooklyn, as three 154-pound titles will be up for grabs.
LARA vs GAUSHA
CHARLO vs LUBIN
HURD vs TROUT
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Top Heavyweight Contender Dominic Breazeale Will Take on Eric Molina
on the Undercard of the Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne Heavyweight
Championship Showdown at Barclays Center on Nov. 4
Plus! Five-Division World Champion, Top Pound-for-Pound Fighter Amanda Serrano Battles Marilyn Hernandez; Long Island’s Seanie Monaghan Returns; Undefeated Prospects Chris Colbert and Titus Williams Clash In Featherweight Battle
New Ticket Pricing Set for the Live Event
BROOKLYN (October 12, 2017) – Top heavyweight title contender Dominic Breazeale will take on Eric Molina in a 12-round WBC title elimination match on the undercard of the showdown between WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne live on SHOWTIME on Saturday, Nov. 4. The event is presented by Premier Boxing Champions from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
The stacked card will also feature former welterweight champion Shawn Porter taking on Adrian Granados and Sergey Lipinets battling Akihiro Kondo for the vacant junior welterweight title in televised bouts. The live three-fight SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Plus, five-time world champion Amanda Serrano of Brooklyn takes on Marilyn Hernandez, Long Island’s Seanie Monaghan (28-1-0, 17 KOs) makes his ring return to face Evert Bravo (23-6-1, 17 KOs), from Arboletes, Colombia, and Brooklyn’s Chris Colbert (6-0, 2 KOs) battles Long Island’s Titus Williams (7-0, 2 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight bout.
New prices have been set for tickets to see the event live at Barclays Center, giving fans an unprecedented opportunity to see the heavyweight champion of the world in a rematch against the only contender who has taken him a full 12 rounds.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and TGB Promotions, are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
“We’ve recognized that Deontay’s opponent has changed, and we’ve restructured ticket prices to encourage as many fans as possible to attend a great night of fights, and the Heavyweight Championship of the world,” said Lou DiBella of DiBella Entertainment, the promoter of the card. “Stiverne is thrilled for this second chance and he has nothing to lose. Bermane Stiverne is the only opponent that Deontay hasn’t knocked out among his professional opponents. Deontay wants to fix that and Stiverne is looking to throw a wrench into Wilder’s dream of heavyweight unification.”
Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) dethroned defending champion Stiverne in January 2015 via unanimous decision in what was the promising challenger’s toughest fight to date. With the win, Wilder became the first American heavyweight champion in nearly a decade and he has gone on to defend the title five times. Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs) remains the only Wilder opponent to go the distance with the hard-hitting Tuscaloosa, Ala., native who has knocked out every other professional opponent on his long resume.
Dominic Breazeale (18-1, 16 KOs), who lives in Eastvale, California, is coming off a KO victory over Izu Ugonoh on Feb. 25. The 32-year-old Breazeale suffered the only loss of career in a heavyweight championship match against Anthony Joshua in London on June 25, 2016.
Eric Molina (26-4, 19 KOs) has twice fought for the heavyweight world championship. In his first title shot the 35-year-old from Weslaco, Texas was knocked out by Deontay Wilder on June 13, 2015. Molina lost via TKO to Anthony Joshua in his next opportunity on Dec. 10, 2016. Molina bounced back with a majority decision victory against Jamal Woods in his last fight on Sept. 2.
Five-division world champion Amanda Serrano (33-1-1, 25 KOs) will be making her fourth appearance at Barclays Center when she defends her super bantamweight world title against Marilyn Hernandez (26-10, 17 KOs). (more…)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Stouffer Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017 john.stouffer@fox.com
Los Angeles – Today, FOX Sports announces multi-division and current 135-pound world champion Mikey Garcia (@mikeygarcia) and former multiple division world champion Robert Guerrero (@GHOSTBOXING) join the broadcast team as analysts for PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS: SANTA CRUZ VS. AVALOS live on FOX and FOX Deportes Saturday, Oct. 14 (7:30 PM ET), from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. Garcia and Guerrero team with blow-by-blow announcer Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) calling the fights. Brian Kenny (@MrBrianKenny) hosts the broadcast.
On FOX Deportes, Jaime Motta (@MottaJaime) joins blow-by-blow announcer Jesse Losada to call the action in Spanish.
The sixth installment of PBC ON FOX and FOX Deportes is headlined by sensational three-division champion Leo “El Terremoto” Santa Cruz (33-1-1, 18 KOs), who defends his featherweight world title against Chris Avalos (27-5, 20 KOs). The co-main event features four-time world champion Abner Mares (30-2-1, 15 KOs) defending his 126-pound championship against once-beaten Andres Gutierrez (35-1-1, 25 KOs).
The television broadcast opens with an exciting 10-round match featuring undefeated rising junior welterweight contender Eddie Ramirez (17-0, 11 KOs) versus former world champion Antonio DeMarco (32-6-1, 23 KOs).
Fans can live stream the fights on FOX Sports GO, available in English or Spanish through the FOX or FOX Deportes feeds. The fight is available on desktop at FOXSportsGO.com and through the app store, or connected devices including Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Xbox One and Roku. In addition, fights are also available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more, visit FOX Sports Press Pass, http://www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.ringstar.com, http://www.tgbpromotions.com, and http://www.foxdeportes.com. Follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @Ringstar, @TGBPromotions, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @Swanson_Comm and on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, http://www.facebook.com/foxsports, http://www.facebook.com/RingstarSports and http://www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
-FOX SPORTS
