Canelo Alvarez holds media workout in San Diego

Former world champion Canelo Alvarez will hold a San Diego media workout as he prepares for his upcoming fight against Erislandy Lara on Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena live on SHOWTIME PPV®.

On Tuesday, 01 July, Saul Canelo Alvarez will be in San Diego to hold a media workout for his upcoming pay-per-view fight against Erislandy Lara on 12 July. The fight dubbed "Honor and Glory" is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event, Abner Mares returns to the ring to face Puerto Rico's Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA Junior Welterweight World Title against Mauricio Herrera in a 12-round matchup. Also, Juan Manuel Lopez meets Francisco Vargas in a 10-round bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight Title.

The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). For information visit www.SHO.com/Sports. Canelo vs. Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

Tickets are still available at the $750, $500, $250, $150 and $75 price ranges, not including applicable service charges.  Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 price ranges.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Crawford stops Gamboa

Terrence Crawford stops Gamboa in Round 9 and retains the WBO lightweight title. He score three knockdowns before referee Genaro Rodriguez eventually stops the contest after the fourth knockdown.

It was just in time, when I woke up at 5:30 AM, Kuwait time (9:30 PT) HBO Boxing After Dark main event started. Hometown boy Terence Crawford of Omaha, Nebraska, and his opponent, Yuriorkis Gamboa, currently number nine in my Top Ten Pound-for-Pound Undefeated Boxers list were both inside the ring. I need to rewrite the aforementioned list as soon as I hit the publish button of this post. So, try to visit the link before I delete him forever.

Not able to read the fight preview? It's best previewed here. Now going back to the fight, Crawford started the night a little bit cautious and went through the feeling out process in the opening round. But Gamboa have something else in his mind. Gamboa was landing one-two's upstairs and couple of jabs to the body---not interested in the feeling out process.

In Round 2, Gamboa became even more confident, and he hit Crawford anytime he wanted and jumped out of the harms way even before the taller Crawford can retaliate. It's obvious that Crawford needs to adjust the quickness of Gamboa going into the third.

In the third, Crawford did adjust and became more aggressive and they went for broke before the end of the round. Both men ended up bouncing on their feet after the bell, as if they don't want that one minute break. But still, it's an easy round to score for Gamboa.

"I was warming up, getting use to his style in the first couple of rounds", Crawford answered Max Kellerman when ask about what happened in the early round.

I sensed something gonna happen in the fourth. I think adjustment must start here, if he indeed can adjust. Crawford turned to southpaw stance and landed a good right hand to the head as Gamboa crouched coming in. They exchange leather in the middle of the ring, less than a minute in the round. Crawford made the most out of it and wobbled Gamboa.

Crawford stuck to the southpaw stance the entire night starting third round.

Less than a minute in the fifth, a big left hand from Crawford sent Gamboa hard to the floor. Gamboa got up, but obviously hurt with 30 seconds left. He went for a broke in the remaining seconds, which is not the wise thing to do. But the crowd loved it! He survived the round. From here, Crawford took over the fight and was able to time Gamboa well, making him missed coming in and counter. He was able to control the distance with his jabs, which Gamboa did in the first four rounds.

"My coach tells me to keep my hands up a little bit more and catch him coming in." told Crawford about his adjustment after Round 5. "(I turned to southpaw) because I felt like I can make the adjustment with my jab, because he always jab with his left hand, and I can get my rhythm by catching him, with my jab in a southpaw stance." continued Crawford about the switch from orthodox to southpaw stance.

In eighth, Crawford while fighting on the back foot, towards the corner, landed a crisp counter right hand that forced Gamboa to take a knee. Gamboa left too open for counters when he mounts his attack. Crawford capitalizes this mistake.

In the ninth, the end is inevitable as Gamboa seemed to commit the same mistake as he's now looking to score a knockdown, because he's way down at this point on the scorecards. The more he commit to the offensive, the more he leave his guard open.

And yes! Gamboa is gunning for a knockdown as he hurt also Crawford. But Crawford catch him coming in with a left hook that puts Gamboa down for the third time. To his credit, Gamboa got up but a huge right hand again puts him down that opted the referee to stepped in stopping the contest.

"It means a lot" Crawford's answered when ask about what this fight means to him. "This is what they've been waiting on since I turned pro. It's been a long time. Everybody's been waiting on me to come back (since 2006)."

 

Marlon Tapales retains title in Lanao del Norte

Marlon "Maranding Nightmare" Tapales retains WBO Asia-Pacific bantamweight title in front of 5000 hometown fans at Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) Gymnasium in Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

Marlon Tapales retains title in Lanao del Norte, against challenger Fadhili Majiha of Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania via unanimous decision with the scores of 119-108, 117-110 and 117-110.

[Read Also: http://theboxingdiary.com/2014/06/marlon-tapales-fights-in-front-of-hometown-crowd.html]

The taller challenger, Majiha imposed himself early on the fight as he wobbled the champion in the second round with a straight right hand, exactly on the jaw of Tapales. That punch really hurt Tapales, but he was able to weather the storm in the second round and came back strong.

In the sixth round, Tapales made his turn, not just hurting the gutsy challenger, but dropping Majiha hard to the floor. Tapales landed a crisp left that took referee Danrex Tapdasan up to the count of eight before Majiha got up on his feet.

After the knockdown, Majiha, 20 years old, was never the same fighter. He became too scared to engage and looking only to survive.

The 22 year old Tapales now improved his records to 26 wins, 9 by way of knockout and with only 2 defeats. And Majiha dropped to 15 wins, 7 by stoppage, 4 defeats and 4 draws.

The crowd were truly entertained although they didn't get the desired knockout finished.

The boxing event is one of the highlights of the 55th Araw nga Lanao del Norte celebration organized by the Provincial LGU in partnership with Minoru Harada Boxing Promotions.

Three Undefeated boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. defeated

I go through the record of the undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Boxrec.com. I wanted to find out who are those undefeated boxers he fought. I found out that Floyd had fought three fellow undefeated boxers so far in his career. Unlike his rival, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao cracked eight undefeated boxers O's so far. But these three boxers that Floyd defeated, were not just good boxers---they were elite undefeated boxers---at the time Floyd beat them.

Here are the three previously undefeated boxers that Mayweather Jr. handed their first ever career defeat.

[Read Also: http://theboxingdiary.com/lists/undefeated-boxers-list]

Diego Corrales

Floyd's record was 24-0 when he stopped the late Diego Corrales in January 20, 2001. He was a couple of days short prior to his 24th birthday on the following month. Corrales was 33-0 and only 23 years old. Although he is slightly younger than Floyd, but he is obviously more experienced. Many believed Corrales might be the guy that will defeat Floyd. But Mayweather knocked him down four times before Corrales' corner threw a towel after the fifth knockdown that happen in tenth round. Corrales' "O" erased.

Ricky Hatton

The "Hitman" was 43-0 when he moved up to welterweight division to challenge Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the WBC welterweight title. Floyd was 3-0. Early in the fight, Hatton's all out aggression found success. He landed a punch that staggered Mayweather to the delight of the British crowd in attendance at MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena. But Floyd was faster, more skilled, and too accurate with his punches. In the tenth round Floyd dropped Hatton with a left hook. Hatton's face slammed to the ring post before he went down. He got up but obviously hurt. The referee allowed the fight to continue. Mayweather unleashed flurry of punches. A left hook sent Hatton down again and referee Cortez stopped the fight without bothering to count. Hatton's "O" strike-out. 

Saul Canelo Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez, 23 years old, was 42-0 when he fought Floyd on September 14, 2014 for the light middleweight unification bout. Alvarez has all what it takes to defeat the older Mayweather. He's young, much bigger, perhaps stronger. But Mayweather aged 37 once again showed that he's still the best. Mayweather dominated Canelo in over 12 rounds of tactical fighting. But the official verdict, was majority decision. Judge CJ Ross scorecard, which reads 114-114 was in question. Alvarez's "O" cracked.

Oscar De La Hoya honored by California lawmakers

Recognition follows De La Hoya's recent induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame 

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-June 26, 2014-California Assembly Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez and State Senator Kevin de León today honored Olympic gold medalist and 10-time world champion boxer Oscar De La Hoya for his many accomplishments in boxing and business, and contributions to the California community. Assembly Speaker Emeritus Pérez and Senator de León recognized De La Hoya from the senate and assembly floors during a presentation at the California State Capitol.

"I am pleased to join my colleagues in honoring Oscar De La Hoya for his many contributions to the sport of boxing, and for being a strong example of what can happen when one works hard to succeed, regardless of their background," said Assembly Speaker Emeritus John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles). "We are proud to celebrate his accomplishments, especially his recent induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, as well as an athlete, businessman, community leader, Latino and Californian."

"Oscar De La Hoya is an incredible athlete who has never forgotten where he came from," said Sen. Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles). "He has given back so much to the community in East Los Angeles, and his continued success following his athletic career serves as an inspiration for all Californians."

De La Hoya thanked his family, friends, fans, and community in brief remarks from the California State Senate and Assembly floors following the recognition presentation.

"I'm honored to receive this recognition in my home state of California," De La Hoya said during the presentation. "I'm proud to represent my hometown of East Los Angeles today. I wouldn't be standing here without the continued support of my family, friends, mentors, and amazing fans."

De La Hoya, known as "The Golden Boy," was born to Mexican immigrants in Montebello, California. Raised in a family that included amateur and professional boxers, he began boxing at the age of six. De La Hoya is one of the most popular and talented athletes in the history of boxing, having won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics at 17 years old and 10 world titles in six different weight classes. He was inducted in to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 8, 2014 in Canastota, NY as part of an All Star class that included rival Felix "Tito" Trinidad and undefeated Super Middleweight World Champion, Joe Calzaghe.

De La Hoya invested back in his community of East Los Angeles following his success in the ring. In 1995 the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation was created to bring a better quality of life to thousands of people in East Los Angeles. The Foundation supports the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School, and the Cecilia Gonzalez De La Hoya Cancer Center and Oscar De La Hoya Children's Medical Center at White Memorial Medical Center. The Foundation also supports numerous after-school programs that guide young people toward leading positive lives and away from gang violence, juvenile delinquency, and substance abuse.

In addition to boxing, De La Hoya is an accomplished businessman and singer. He established Los Angeles-based Golden Boy Promotions in 2002 and became the first Hispanic to own a national boxing promotional company. In 2000, he released his first album, in English and Spanish, which topped Latin dance charts and had a single, 'Ven a Mi,' that was nominated for a GRAMMY award.

Lopez, Vargas, Perez, Herrera conference call transcript

Kelly Swanson         

Thanks, everybody for joining us today on the call. We do have a super undercard to talk about, the undercard for Canelo vs. Lara PPV on Saturday, July 12^th.   And we have four of the fighters on that card joining us today, along with Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions.

Before I get to that just a quick program note that I just got, Showtime's All Access Canelo vs. Lara, the first segment will be Friday, June 27^th at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and Pacific Time. So just please make note of that. And for this call today we are going to start with the opening Pay-Per-View bout, which is between Johan Perez and Mauricio Herrera.

I'm going to turn it over to Oscar to make the introduction, and then when we're done with the questions for Perez and Herrera we will then move on to Juan Manuel Lopez and Francisco Vargas. So, Oscar, please.

Oscar De La Hoya   

Thank you very much, Kelly. Yes, we are getting closer to the major, major pay-per-view July 12^th. And the fighters on the call today are exceptional fighters who I'm really thrilled to be announcing, obviously the main event, you know, Canelo Alvarez vs. Erislandy Lara, which will be a 12-round junior middleweight bout, we have the coming event with the Abner Mares and Jonathan Oquendo from Puerto Rico. Also Juan Manuel Lopez vs. Francisco Vargas, another Puerto Rico- Mexico duel there, which will be really, really exciting. And the opener, which I'm thrilled to be announcing, Johan Perez vs. Mauricio Herrera, that will be a 12-rounder for the WBA Junior Welterweight title.

This event is taking place at MGM Grand, and it is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions. And I want to thank the sponsors, Corona and AT&T, thank you for all your activations and all the hard work that you do there. It's distributed by SHOWTIME PPV, and tickets are on sale. They're going really fast, obviously an indication of how great this whole card is. Tickets are still available but are going extremely fast.

And I'm really happy to announce, once again, a boxing event being shown across the country in movie theaters. If you haven't experienced that experience of watching fights on a huge screen amongst friends and other fans and family, it really is quite an experience. And you can go to Fathom Events.com, which you can check your local listings on what movie screens you can watch that event live.

Let me introduce to you right now a fighter who I'm really, really fond of. He hails out of Riverside, California. He's one of those fighters that he has that Rocky story once again, kind of like his neighbor, Josesito Lopez, he's a hard worker, we witnessed him against Danny Garcia, which a lot of people, and I think most of the people thought that he won out in Puerto Rico. He's a tremendous puncher, a great boxer. He is eager to get back in the ring. Obviously, July 12^th he'll be up against another superior boxer puncher in Johan Perez.

But let me introduce to you "El Maestro," Mauricio "Maestro" Herrera, with a record of 20-4 and 7 KOs, out of Riverside, California. Mauricio, say a few words.

Mauricio Herrera    

Hello. I want to say thank you, Oscar. And I want to say thank you to all Golden Boy Promotions, and thank you for giving me all these opportunities having come my way. We are getting ready July 12^th. I am, like you said, eager to get back in the ring and I've still got unfinished business, I've still got to show a lot, and show the fans that I am for real. So I want to thank everybody.

Oscar De La Hoya         

Gracias, Herrera. Also on the call I want to introduce to you, out of Caracas, Venezuela, he returns at 140-pound division, bouncing back from that very tough, difficult fight against Pablo Cesar Cano in 2012. He has a string of wins, including winning the WBA Junior Welterweight title in 2003 against Paul Spadafora, the undefeated Paul Spadafora at the time, also, going up against Kamegai, who is fighting this Saturday, beating Kamegai in a thrilling, exciting fashion.

Johan Perez 

Good morning everybody. Thank you for having me here. I'm very happy. I'm already here in the States, looking forward to giving a spectacular performance against Mauricio Herrera and to come out victorious come July 12^th.

Q        

Mauricio, my first question is for you. You're not known particularly as a knockout puncher; still, do you feel that you need a knockout in order to get the fights that you feel you deserve? It's hard sometimes to get the big fights, so do you feel that you need a knockout in this fight in order to get a fight that you deserve?

M. Herrera   

I think so. We've been thinking about it a lot, and we're looking for a stoppage, we want to maybe stop Johan if it's possible. We are going to look to make an exciting fight. I know I can box all day, but I think in this fight I might switch it up at times and I may try to look for a stoppage of some kind. I'm not a real power hitter, but that doesn't mean I can't stop a fighter. Anything can happen in there. And, yes, I'm looking, if it's not a stoppage or knockout, at making it an exciting fight.

Q

That's good. I heard you talking about stoppage, but what has been involved mentally in totally focusing on Herrera and in putting behind the frustrations of what would have undoubtedly been your greatest career victory had you gotten a victory over Danny Garcia, which surpassed really even the victory over Provodnikov. It would have surpassed that.

M. Herrera   

Yes, I'm not totally over it, with Danny Garcia. It was frustrating for a while. But I still think about that fight. It is still frustrating in my head. But I wasn't surprised at the decision, either. Nobody ever expected me to do that well, so I have the mentality that I just have to keep going, keep going forward and keep proving myself. I think every fight I've always had to prove myself. It's no different today. So, I have a strong mind and a strong character. As you see in my fights, I can take a good punch. I hold all that in, and I think with Johan Perez I think I might just, who knows, let it all out in that fight.

Q

In terms of saying you want to stop Perez, is that possibly kind of a layover from the way you feel about the way the Garcia fight went?

M. Herrera   

Yes, I think so. I want to put on exciting fights all the time for the people. I'm never in a boring fight. I am a boxer. I'm not a very, they say a hard puncher, so I sort of follow what my style is. But I know what I can do, and when I'm in great shape I know I can do better things and get that stoppage. So, I'm going to try really hard and give the fans what they want. 

Q

My last question for you would be, in terms of the stoppage, the caller before me referenced Perez's height. How critical is a body attack going to be in a fight like this?

M. Herrera   

That's going to be very important. Being that the people say I don't hit hard, he'll find out in there how I punch. But it doesn't take that hard of a punch when you go to the body. Anybody can go down from a punch. It doesn't have to be that hard. But a body attack is something we're working on also. But we can shoot and fire punches and get stoppage as well, so I'm working on a lot of things like that. I think I do very well with tall fighters, and you're going to see it that night.

Q        

Oscar, can you talk about Mauricio's style a little bit? It's obviously a throwback style, and I think more in the past that style was appreciated. It may not be as appreciated today. Can you just talk about what he does well, his overall ability?

O. De La Hoya         

Well, he does everything well. He can upset you. He can fight you. He can box you. But mentally he's going to beat you, no matter what it takes. And he's obviously proved it with Provodnikov, beating him, he's proved it with Danny Garcia, it was a fight where a lot of people had Herrera winning. So, he's on a mission, and his style is suited for any fight he's in, whether he wants to box, whether he wants to brawl, whether he wants to do whatever he wants to do inside that ring. He's in great shape and I think the fact that he's on a mission, it just calls for an exciting fighter and an exciting fight come July 12^th.

Q        

I've just got the one question for you. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about your preparation in training camp and what you're really working on and focusing on for the upcoming fight.

M. Herrera   

Well, we have a couple more weeks of time for this fight. We have enough time to train. What we basically do is we just refine everything, get the jabs faster and stronger, work on the defense more. Of course we're always working on power, and it's just being in shape. If I get in top shape I feel I can do anything, and that's the main part. When I feel good, my body's strong. I think you can see a little more power from me, and that's what we're expecting that night, we're expecting to be fast, strong, and I want to be right there in the space all night.

Q

Johan, how training is going and what are you really focusing on?

J. Perez         

Well, training's been really good, sparring's been good. The pads, everything's been going perfect. I'm working a lot on the jab, defense. My opponent, Mauricio, throws a lot of punches, we're aware of that, so we're working on using a lot of jab and countering.

Q

Okay, sounds great. Listen, I just had a question for Johan. Johan, really quick, your height advantage, how do you intend to use it? How do you intend to employ it during the bout? Are you going to use it to jab, or are you going to use it to keep your distance and possibly try to knock Herrera out Tommy Hearns style? What are you planning to do with, wow, what is it, I'd say five good inches of height?

J. Perez         

I'm a fighter that works round per round to see what he brings. We're going to see what he brings. I can work all three distances, in short, mid, and outside. We're going to see what he brings. But I will tell you this, I'm prepared to win and take the victory home.

Q

Mauricio, normally you are the underdog, you're always on the B side, but after the performance you had with Danny Garcia it doesn't seem to be in this case. It seems like you are the fan favorite, and the favorite for the fight. But does that add additional pressure to have you go out and look for the knockout so that you can come out victorious with this fight versus Johan?

M. Herrera   

Yes. There's no pressure, like I said, even with everybody expecting a lot of the Danny Garcia fight. But I'm ready. I'm always ready to give a great fight. I've got to fight a smart fight. But I know what the people want to see, and that's what I'm going to try to give them. But I have to be smart in there. It's an important fight and I don't want to give it away, but I do have to take some risks and give a good action fight.

Q

Did you see the fight with Mauricio and Danny? Did it surprise you on his performance? And will Mauricio, is he the fighter that's going to put you to that next level so that people know who Johan Perez really is?

J. Perez         

Well, yes, it surprised me a little bit. I saw Mauricio winning the fight. I think Danny got the decision because obviously he was the local in Puerto Rico. And a victory over him, of course it's very important because that will show the world who Johan is, and that's what we're working for. Most importantly, right now let's give the fans what they want, a great fight, may the best man win, and I'm looking forward to it.

Q

What did you learn from your fight with Pablo Cesar Cano, your only loss, in Cancun, Mexico? And how will you use that against Mauricio Herrera, who's an aggressive fighter and he's coming with a lot of hunger for victory?

J. Perez

I learned a lot. It gave me some experience. Obviously, it ended with an accidentally, the head butt, the injury, but I thought I was clearly going to win the fight. But it gave me experience, and you'll see that coming up. With Mauricio I know I'm facing a fighter that's very hungry for victory, but I'm very hungry for glory. I want to become the best 140-pounder in boxing, and that's what we're working on, to come out a victory.

O. De La Hoya         

Thank you very much. Thank you to all the press for your patience, and thank you for being on the call. The next bout that I'm really excited about to introducing at this moment will be a fight that pits Mexico vs. Puerto Rico, you know, those rivalries are just exciting rivalries that both fighters will be giving it their all. It's a high stakes match, and we're really excited to be presenting this fight to you.

He's made his mark at 130-pounds. He's coming off some great wins versus Jerry Belmontes and Abner Cotto. He's ranked No. 2 in the world by the WBO, and obviously facing his toughest fight to date. Let me introduce to you, Francisco "El Bandido" Vargas?

Francisco Vargas     

Thank you, Oscar. Thank you very much. I'm here in training camp in Mexico City, very, very focused, and very motivated for the fight. And we're getting ready.

O. De La Hoya

Thank you. Gracias. And now also I would like to introduce to you the fighting pride of Puerto Rico. He's undergoing a career reassurgence, with three wins in the last four bouts. He is a fighter who is very exciting, stopping on March 15 Daniel Ponce De Leon in the second round. He's obviously very confident about a victory come July 12^th.

Juan Manuel Lopez

Good afternoon everybody. We're very happy and motivated to be on this great card, and working really hard to take the victory back to Puerto Rico.

Q        

How are you focusing, how are you preparing for this fight for JuanMa? You're fighting an undefeated fighter. You have a lot more experience.

J. Lopez         

I'm very motivated to put on a great performance, a great fight, and obviously looking forward to winning the World Title again, to being a three-time champion. And obviously winning this fight will put me there, so that's where the focus is.

Q

The same question to Francisco, how are you focused and how are you looking forward to fighting a fighter with so much experience.

F. Vargas       

I'm working very hard here in Mexico City in the altitude. I'm very motivated. I know he has tremendous experience and I know that he's a great fighter. But that's what we're working on. We're working with the sparring partners, working very hard, because I know a victory here will get me ready for the World Title, and that's what we want.

Q

Obviously you say a victory here will put you in the world title spot, fight for the title. Puerto Rico just recently had Miguel Cotto as a champion, do you want to follow those steps and become champion again?

J. Lopez         

Yes, obviously my goal is to become world champion again. I'm very proud of what Miguel has done, gave Puerto Rico a title. And I'm looking forward to doing the same. But for me to do that I have to beat Francisco Vargas, and that's where my goal is right now, that's where my focus is, on Francisco Vargas and to beating him.

Q

Francisco, obviously there's a rivalry between fighters from Mexico and fighters from Puerto Rico. How do you take this?

F. Vargas       

Yes. No, definitely, and that gives me an additional motivation. It makes for som great fights in history, Mexico against Puerto Rico, and that gives me that extra motivation. And I know this won't be an exception. I'm coming with everything, he's coming with everything, and I'll tell you what, the fans are the ones that are going to come out very happy.

Q

What does it feel like, what does it mean to be fighting on a big card where Canelo Alvarez is the main event? JuanMa?

J. Lopez         

No, it's obviously a great opportunity. Not everyone gets it, to be on a pay-per-view card of this magnitude. And I'm just very fortunate, I'm very motivated, and I'm grateful.

F. Vargas       

Yes, it's very motivating to be on a card of this magnitude, where millions of people are going to be watching all over the world. And that gives you that extra, because we know they're going to be watching us, and want to perform.

Q

First, Francisco, how do you see this fight going? It seems as though your strengths are to box, as I don't think you want to go toe-to-toe.

F. Vargas       

I'm working for 12 rounds, working really hard. I know how dangerous he is, and I'm working for the 12 rounds. I'm working for the distance. But we're going to see what he brings, and we'll take it round by round.

Q

And a question for JuanMa. I'm trying to get a sense of the supreme satisfaction you must have felt after his last victory over Daniel Ponce De Leon, because at that point it seemed as though virtually everyone was counting you out. We did a poll where only two of 20 voters thought that you had a shot to win. So, I wanted to get a sense from you how great you felt after proving so many people wrong.

J. Lopez         

I felt very good. I felt very happy. Unfortunately, boxing is that way, you're only as good as your last fight, and I was coming off a loss to Mikey Garcia, so a lot of people didn't give me the opportunity. But I didn't listen to them. I didn't listen to any of them. I only listened to my team. And we knew what we had to do, and obviously we came out with a spectacular victory. And that's what we look forward to doing this coming fight too.

Q

And my last question for him is piggybacking what I just asked him. How rejuvenated is he in the fact that he won convincingly after being on the canvas? And what are his hopes of winning another title?

J. Lopez         

Well, obviously the victory did a lot for me in motivating me extra, it gave me that extra push that I needed to show everyone, me personally, that the hard work, yes, he dropped me, I was off balance a little bit, he dropped me, but I got up and I showed my power's still there and got the victory. And as far as winning another title, yes, of course, that is the goal. And that's what we're working on, but obviously first is Francisco Vargas.

Q

The question for JuanMa is, you're going to be fighting Francisco Vargas, who's ranked No. 2 in the WBO, and No. 1 is Salido, do you think a victory over Vargas can put you in line to fight for a third time against Salido for the World Title?

J. Lopez         

Well, obviously a champion at 130 pounds right now is Mikey Garcia, I don't know what he's going to do. It all depends on that. But I'd welcome a third fight with Salido. Salido, I feel I was dominating, I was winning, we had a little problem there, and he got it. But I'm now with a new team, we're focused, we're working hard, and, yes, I'd welcome it.

Q

The question is for JuanMa. In boxing terms we say that a lot of the fights are won obviously in the gym, but a lot as well psychologically, and how are you right now mentally, psychologically feeling after the win over Ponce De Leon?

J. Lopez         

I'm very confident. This fight, as I said, I mentioned the way it ended, the way I won gave me that extra push in my career, in my life. And I'm very focused and I feel very confident and very hungry to win the World Title once again.

Q        

Vargas, How are you preparing to fight a fighter as strong and good as Juan Manuel Lopez? What are you doing?

F. Vargas

I'm preparing myself real strong mentally, physically. I'm working really hard. And we're getting ready so we can win on the 12^th.

Q        

JuanMa, you've told us what you've done and how you felt in the win over Ponce De Leon, but what is it that you did to make that turnaround? You were looking almost at retirement and now all of a sudden there's a possibility of another world title fight.

J. Lopez         

Well, obviously we made a total change. We have a brand new team, and concentrating a lot on conditioning. But most importantly, I've matured. I know what I want, I'm working very hard, I'm focused, working hard for my family, for my wife and kids.

Q

The question is for Francisco, obviously going back to JuanMa's fight with Ponce, do you think it was just a flash that we saw, or if there's really that power in his hand and that could put you in a lot of danger come July 12^th?

F. Vargas       

We know JuanMa's a very strong fighter, he got Ponce and knocked him out. But that doesn't worry me at all. I'm working really hard. I'm working on my defense. I know what I have to do. This is a different fight, and I know what I've got to do so I can come out victorious come the 12^th.

Q

The question's for Francisco, do you see it very close, do you smell it coming up that obviously winning on the 12^th you can add your name to the list of the former Olympians that went on to become World Champions and give Mexico another world title?

F. Vargas       

Yes, definitely. We're very happy how things have been working out, how my career's going. We've been working very hard. And obviously we know what the significance of a victory would be here, and then fighting for a World Title to add my name to that list of former Mexican Olympians that went on to win the World Title.

Q

Yes, I just have a question for Oscar. Oscar, do you have any input with your brother, Joel, who manages Francisco? I was just curious when this fight was presented what his thoughts were on Francisco fighting JuanMa, and what your thoughts were on your brother bringing a fight like this to the table?

O. De La Hoya         

Well, it was very interesting, because Francisco Vargas is a fighter who has the amateur experience, he's been stepping up in competition, he's moving in the right direction, and obviously this is the fight of his career. JuanMa is a fighter who is serious about getting back on track to win that World Title, and it was a fight that he jumped on right away, because, first, the fact that it would be an exciting fight for the fans. And second, because the tradition and the rivalry that has been inside the ring, you know, Mexico, Puerto Rico, makes it that much more compelling. So, he understood the fact that all of Puerto Rico will be watching because of JuanMa, and he understood the fact that all of Mexico will be behind Francisco Vargas. And so it was easy to convince him.

Q        

Juan, I have a question for you. Given your name value it seems like any time you want a title shot at this stage of your career you could just pick your opponent and get it. Why would you go after an undefeated fighter like Francisco Vargas?

F. Vargas       

No, it's not as easy as that. Obviously, the organizations require a process. The process is being done. I leave it in the hands of my team. They bring me a fighter, they bring me an opponent, it's a great opportunity, I take it. I don't choose my opponents. I leave that to my promoter, my manager. This is a great opportunity and we're going to take it.

Q

Okay. And I have a question, Robert Diaz, maybe you can answer it, or Oscar. Is this fight actually a sanctioned eliminator, or is it on just the regional titles that are at stake?

Robert Diaz

They're both putting their titles, they both have titles that are on the stake, and obviously because of the high ranking they will become a big player to fight for the World Title. Obviously, the winner of this fight deserves it. It's not sanctioned as a title eliminator, no.

O. De La Hoya         

I think that's all, everyone. Thank you. Thank you very much to everybody. We greatly appreciate it. We'll see you at the Kamegai-Guerrero fight this weekend. If not, then we're looking forward to all the other calls and activities we have in store for July 12^th. Thank you.

"Honor & Glory: Canelo vs. Lara" a 12-round junior middleweight fight taking place Saturday, July 12 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and Canelo Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In theco-main event Abner Mares returns to face Puerto Rico's Jonathan Oquendo in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the SHOWTIME PPV opening bout, Johan Perez defends his interim WBA World Junior Welterweight Title against Mauricio Herrera in a 12-round match up. Also featured, Juan Manuel "JuanMa" Lopez meets Francisco "El Bandido" Vargas of Mexico in a 10-round bout for the WBO International Super Featherweight Title.

Tickets are still available at the $750, $500, $250, $150 and $75 price ranges, not including applicable service charges.  Tickets are limited to eighteen (18) per person with a limit of eight (8) at the $75 price ranges.  To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

The event will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). For information visit www.SHO.com/Sports. Canelo vs. Lara will be shown on the big screen in movie theaters across the country via Fathom Events. Information will be available at www.fathomevents.com.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, and www.mgmgrand.com, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, @CaneloOficial, @LaraBoxing, @abnermares00, @jonathanoquen, @juanma_lopez, @elbandido130, @elmaestro1, @mgmgrand,@SHOSports and @Swanson_Comm, follow the conversation using #CaneloLara and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing andwww.facebook.com/SHOBoxing.

Jesse James Leija hosts Belmontes vs Cotto Press Conference

Former two-time world champion Jesse James Leija will host the press conference of the upcoming fight between Jerry Belmontes and Abner Cotto in a 10-round junior lightweight bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija Battah Promotion

Belmontes vs Cotto: Jerry Belmontes, Oscar Cantu, Joseph Rios, Steve Belmontes and Ernest Reyna to host a press conference to discuss their respective fights taking place Thursday, August 7 live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Why recent boxing PPV buys not reaching 1M?

If you are going to look at the pay-per-view (PPV) sales performance from 2013 and 2014 (total of seven PPV), you will find it ALL, failed to reach the one million mark. This is of course with the exception of Mayweather-Canelo in Sept. 2013 that TOPPED all the PPVs in terms of revenue, ($150M total revenue) selling 2.2 million PPV units.

However, the remaining six boxing PPV buys for the year 2013 and 2014 were below one million buys. In my opinion, the measuring stick to consider a PPV event a HIT---if it breaks the one million mark. In the past, most of the PPV events usually cross one million buys.

Let's take a look at the last five PPV event and its corresponding units sold. And the reasons why it did not reach one million buys. In fact, two out of five, did not even generate 500,000 buys.

1. Miguel Cotto vs. Sergio Martinez (HBO) - June 7, 2014 

Cotto's upset of former middleweight king Sergio Martinez at the Madison Square Garden approximately generated 350,000 buys on HBO PPV according to Dan Rafael's report on ESPN. According to Bob Arum, the result is "terrible" but it's not "disappointing". The reason he told is that there are too many PPV fights. Yeah. I agree. Correct. 100%.

2. Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Marcos Maidana (Showtime) - May 3, 2014

Mayweather's majority decision win over Maidana was rumored that it didn't reach one million buys and generated only between 800,000 to 900,000 buys. Although, Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather Promotions CEO dismissed the notion that results were low. The reason here is that Maidana don't have the fan base to back up Floyd. And besides the fans seemed not interested of the fight. Fans again asking for Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, following Pacquiao's dominating comeback win against Brandon Rios.

3. Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley Jr. (HBO) - April 12, 2014

When Manny Pacquiao's PPV buys dropped drastically when he fought Rios in Macau, Bob Arum immediately said that Pacquiao's next fight will be back in the US. Manny re-matched Bradley but the result did not even equal those of the first fight. And only generated between 750,000 to 800,000 buys according to ESPN. The reason here is that fans don't want to cough out their hard earned money for a fight that should not even supposed to happen. Manny certainly won the first Bradley fight. Bradley fans might disagree, but it is what it is. The fans also were "sick and tired" according to Dan Rafael, for Mayweather-Pacquiao not happening.

4. Saul Canelo Alvarez vs. Alfredo Angulo (Showtime) - March 8, 2014

Alvarez's demolition of Angulo reportedly generated 350,000 PPV buys, which is good for two fighters coming from respective losses fighting in a PPV event according to the promoters. The promoters is already expecting that the result will be low, then why the heck its on PPV?

5. Manny Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios - November 24, 2013

Bob Arum before this fight said about great things and potential of the Chinese market. And he has high hopes of this fight not just in gate sales but also in PPV buys. The fight timing has been adjusted to suit the viewing time of those fans in the US, which is the main source of PPV buys. But the fight reportedly drew only about 475,000 buys. The reasons were obvious: Pacquiao is coming from a defeat and no longer exciting as he was before. And of course, the fight is outside Uncle Sam.

Where does PPV stars go from here?

I think in the recent PPVs, the problem is, it becomes more frequent---yes too many PPVs. PPV should be super-fights, not just, "good fights", it should have drama and story-lines. Second thing is that: PPV price rose drastically and reaches $69 on HD. That's too much at this point, wherein there's a lot of alternative to watch it for free. Like the internet. There are also other sports that we will satisfy our Saturday night. I think PPV stars should fight each other, and PPV'S should only be SUPER-FIGHTS. Let's say Mayweather-Pacquiao on September!

Marlon Tapales fights in front of hometown crowd

Bantamweight prospect Marlon "Maranding Nightmare" Tapales is scheduled to fight Tanzania's Fadhili Majiha for Tapales' WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight title on 28 June in front of his hometown fans at the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) Gymnasium, Tubod, Lanao del Norte, Philippines.

Tapales (25-2,9 KO's) who now trained under Wakee Salud  became the regional belt holder when he outpointed his countryman Fredirex Rodriguez in over 12 Rounds of action in Waterfront Hotel & Casino, Cebu City on 1st Aug. 2013. On Saturday, Tapales will have the chance to defend his title in front of his hometown fans. The bout is scheduled for 12 Rounds.

Tapales enjoyed a 4-fight winning streak since losing a majority on the road against David Sanchez of Mexico in February last year. According to boxing observers, the Tanzanian challenger Fadhili Majiha, is the toughest test of the 22 years old Tapales' career.

[caption id="attachment_3276" align="alignright" width="150"] Fadhili Majiha[/caption]

Majiha who boasts a record of 15 wins, 3 losses, 4 draws and 7 knock-out is a heavy-handed fighter. He is 5-1 in his last six fights.

The hometown fans are gearing up to see their boxing hero back in action in their place. Tapales is fighting outside his native Lanao del Norte since 2011. He's been fighting also outside the country and gained prominence when he fought and won in the under-card of Paquiao-Mosley fight held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here's the under-card of the Tapales-Majiha fight card:

• Reymond Dayham of Malaybalay City vs. Jerson Luzarito of Butuan City


• Belmar Plaza from Lala, Lanao del Norte vs. Jaysever Abcede of Valencia City


• Ritchie Mipranum from Sarangani Province vs. Rogen Flores of Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte

The officials of the bout are the following:

• Danrex Tapdasan - Refere


• Roel Densing - Judge


• Tony Pesons - Judge


• Salven Lagumbay - Judge


• Antonio M. Comia - Supervisor

The boxing event is one of the highlights of the 55th Araw nga Lanao del Norte celebration organized by the Provincial LGU in partnership with Minoru Harada Boxing Promotions. On July 3, Yeng Constantino holds a concert on the same venue, which is also a part of founding day celebration of the province of Lanao del Norte.

Pinoy Pride 26 results: Pagara brothers, Banal win by knockout

Brothers Jason and Albert Pagara both win by stoppage in the Pinoy Pride 26th edition at the full house Cebu City Waterfront Hotel & Casino, Barangay Lahug, Cebu City. AJ "Bazooka" Banal also wins an impressive second round knockout.

Cebu City - ALA Boxing's Jason Pagara retains WBO International light welterweight title, stopping tough-as-nails opponent, Mario Meraz of Mexico in Round 4, for the Pinoy Pride 26 series dubbed "Fist of the Future". Jason Pagara now improves his record to 34 wins, 21 by way of stoppage, with only two defeats. With the impressive win, Pagara, who currently ranks number 3 in the WBO, could be in line for the light welterweight title, any time soon.

Prior to the stoppage Pagara scored a knockdown in the opening round.

A slug-fest occurred early in Round 3, and Pagara was making the most out of the exchanges, landing crisp lefts and uppercuts.

In Round 4, Pagara landed clean five or more power left hooks to the head of Meraz. But to my surprise, Meraz was still standing. The Mexican challenger showed how big his heart is, standing in front of Pagara, absorbing left hooks after left hooks. Meraz, who now dropped his record to 20 wins, 16 by KO's and 4 defeats, even hurt Pagara with a solid counter right hand.

However, the start of an end for Meraz came in the dying seconds in Round 4. Pagara landed, yet again, another left hook that brought down Meraz to the floor. Meraz got up immediately, but obviously hurt, although he beat the count. He answered positively when ask by referee Tapdasan if he wanted to continue and raise his hands twice. But Tapdasan waived it off and stopped the fight. Meraz protested!

For me, it seemed premature to stop the contest giving the fact that the guy stood up quickly and obviously not disoriented and with only a second left in the round.

Anyway, as what Abac Cordero, sports writer at the Philippine STAR, said on his tweet "I'm not the referee" to say this things, but I'm entitled to my opinion though.

Premature stoppage to me. But im not the referee. Tapdasan knows better

— @abaccordero (@abaccordero) June 21, 2014

The official time of the stoppage 2:59 in Round 4.

Here are the other Pinoy Pride 26 results:

Albert Pagara KO1 Hugo Partida, wins junior featherweight intercontinental title

Albert Pagara (21-0, 15 KO's) remains undefeated by scoring knock down twice, and ultimately knocks out Hugo Partida (21-5-2, 15 KO's) in the very first round. Pagara landed crisp textbook one-two's to the head that made Partida two quick trips to the floor. A murderous left hook finishes Partida, and referee Bruce McTavish rightfully stops the contest 1:18 in Round 1.

AJ "Bazooka" Banal KO2 Defry Palulu

AJ Banal made a statement tonight knocking out his Indonesian opponent Defry Palulu in Round 2. A thudding left hand that seemed to be a liver-punch dropped Palulu down. The previously unbeaten Palulu now dropped to 10-1, 9 KO's stayed down several minutes. The official time of the stoppage 2:29 in Round 2.

It was indeed another night of knockouts from the Filipino pugs that delight the crowd at the venue and the to all the fans watching the fight.

Mercito Gesta returns against Luis Arceo on July 18

Golden Boy Live! Debuts in San Francisco when Mercito Gesta meets Luis Arceo On Friday, July 18 t Longshoremen's Hall Live on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes

SAN FRANCISCO (June 20, 2014) - Top lightweight contender Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta returns to the Bay Area when he headlines the Friday, July 18 edition of FOX Sports 1and FOX Deportes' Golden Boy Live! in a 10-round bout against Luis "El Vampiro" Arceoat Long Shoremen's Hall in San Francisco. In the co-main event, San Francisco's own Jonathan "El Carismatico" Chicas looks to extend his five-fight winning streak against Emanuel "Renegade" Robles and highly touted Chinese heavyweight Taishan will make his professional debut against Ronny Hale in the 4 round televised opening bout.

Gesta vs. Arceo, a 10-round lightweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions, Don Chargin Productions and Paco Presents and is sponsored by Corona and O'Reilly Auto Parts. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. with the first bell sounding at 6:30 p.m. The FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes broadcast airs live at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT.

Tickets, priced at $150, $85, $65 and $55, not including applicable service charges and taxes, are on sale now and available for purchase by visiting www.pacopresentsboxing.com, Undisputed Boxing Gym (650) 342-7408 and B Street Boxing Gym (650) 342-7408.

A Cebu, Philippines native, Mercito "No Mercy" Gesta (27-1-1, 15 KOs) started 2014 off in impressive style scoring an eight-round technical knockout win over Edgar Riovalle in his adopted hometown of San Diego in April. Now taking his gloves up north to face Arceo, the 26-year-old southpaw is ready to make a statement as he returns to San Francisco for the first time since 2011. Gesta will look to continue his way back into the lightweight title picture after a suffering the lone loss of his career in 2012 to IBF Lightweight World Champion Miguel Vazquez.

Tijuana's Luis "El Vampiro" Arceo (28-12-4, 19 KOs) is as tough as they come, a veteran of nearly 14 years, who has faced fighters such as Josesito Lopez, Anthony Peterson, Urbano Antillon and Jose Armando Santa Cruz. Showing that he still has what it takes to fight and beat the best, the 35-year-old has won five of his last six fights landing him a shot in this nationally televised bout against Gesta.

Twenty-five-year-old junior welterweight prospect Jonathan "El Carismatico" Chicas (13-1, 6 KOs) is an impressive talent with a large fan following in his hometown of San Francisco. Currently sporting a five fight-winning streak that includes wins against veterans Rogelio Castenada Jr. and Adolfo Landeros, Chicas is looking forward to introducing himself to viewers around the nation this July.

Southpaw Emanuel "Renegade" Robles (10-0-1, 3 KOs) looks to continue his undefeated streak when he faces Chicas in their eight-round July bout. Coming off of an impressive defeat over Yordenis Ugas, the slick 25-year-old Robles, a native of San Diego, hopes to upset Chicas in his own back yard. Robles seeks to summon the same patience and toughness that helped him edge out Ugas in Febuary.

Just short of seven feet tall, Chinese boxing giant Taishan will make his professional debut on July 18 as well as his United States boxing debut. Hailing from the Taishan Mountains in Southern China, Taishan is also skilled in wrestling, kung fu and kickboxing, but is excited to be making his mark on the professional boxing scene. Known by fans as "the man with the knockout punch," Taishan will look to live up to that name when he faces Ronny Hale (2-7, 2 KOs) of Montgomery, AL.

Also in action on July 18 will be some of the Bay Area's finest fighters, including San Francisco'sRicardo Pinell, a southpaw middleweight with an impressive 8-1-1, 6 KOs record; San Jose's unbeaten Andy "The Shark" Vences (7-0, 3 KOs) and Arturo Quintero (15-4-1, 9 KOs); Hayward featherweight Benjamin Briceno (3-1); as well as the pro debut of San Carlos'Fabian Melendez and Filipino phenom Joel Slapno of San Leandro.

Opponents for these fighters will be announced at a later date.

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1, follow on Twitter at @GoldenBoyBoxing, and follow the conversation using #GoldenBoyLive, become a fan on Facebook at Golden Boy Facebook Pageand visit us on Instagram @GoldenBoyBoxing. For more information on FOX Sports 1 visitwww.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1 and become a follower on @FOXSports.

Guerrero vs Kamegai final presser photos

Guerrero vs Kamegai final press conference photos. Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

Returning Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero faces Yoshihiro Kamegai, undefeated Gary Russell Jr. meets Vasyl Lomachenko for WBO title, Devon Alexander Battles Jesus Soto Karass Live on Showtime® 

LOS ANGELES (June 19, 2014) - Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions hosted the final press conference at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles Thursdayfor Saturday's stacked 10-fight card at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The first live bout is at 2 p.m. PT.

Cristian Mijares vs Sebastian Rodriguez scheduled on June 21

Cristian Mijares vs Sebastian Rodriguez Jose Salgado vs. Oscar Blanquet to be featured on Televisa and Fox Deportes on Saturday, June 21 from Hotel Grand Oasis in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico

LOS ANGELES (June 19) - On Saturday, June 21, Golden Boy Promotions is pleased to present a hard-hitting doubleheader from the Hotel Grand Oasis in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, featuring former world champion Cristian Mijares vs. Argentina's Sebastian Rodriguez, plus an NABF Junior Bantamweight Title fight between Jose Salgado and Oscar Blanquet.

Both bouts will be broadcast live on Televisa and FOX Deportes.

In non-televised action, rising junior lightweight star Adan Mares risks his perfect pro record in a six-round matchup with Alfonso Torres.

Holder of the WBA, WBC, and IBF world championships at 115 pounds over the course of his stellar career, Durango southpaw Cristian "Diamante" Mijares (49-8-2, 24 KOs) is one of Mexico's finest boxers, and at 32, he still feels that he has another title run in him. Coming off a tough loss to Leo Santa Cruz in March, Mijares is wasting no time getting back in the ring, and with a victory that will make it 14 wins in his last 16 fights.

Winner of three of his last four bouts, Sebastian Daniel "Chucky" Rodriguez (20-6-1, 7 KOs) is Argentina's latest tough contender to hit the world stage. A pro since 2008, the 30-year-old is a former South American and WBC Latino champion, and with a win over Mijares, he can make a move on the elite of the division.

Jose "Sugar" Salgado (33-2-1, 27 KOs) has been on a hot streak since 2012, going 6-0-1 with three knockouts. Along the way, the 25-year-old from Cozumel took the NABF super flyweight title, and he has since defended that belt successfully three times. On Saturday, he'll look to make it four defenses when he meets up with countryman Oscar Blanquet.

Mexico City veteran Oscar "De La Renta" Blanquet (32-7-1, 23 KOs) is an 11-year pro and a longtime WBC Continental Americas champion. Now in search of even bigger titles on the world stage, the 29-year-old knows that if he can snap his recent three-fight losing streak and take the NABF belt from Salgado, he'll be in prime position to eventually get to where he wants to go in the 115-pound division.

The brother of multiple-division world champion Abner Mares, Guadalajara's Adan "Speedy" Mares (12-0, 3 KOs) is a promising junior lightweight who expects to take his talent and determination to a world title someday. But first he must deal with Cancun's Alfonso "Dinamita" Torres (5-8, 1 KO), a spoiler looking to become the first fighter to defeat the highly-regarded Mares.

Mijares vs. Rodriguez, a 10-round super bantamweight bout, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Cancun Boxing of Pepe Gomez and sponsored by Corona. Doors open at 6pm CT and the first fight begins at 6:30pm CT. The Televisa broadcast will air on Channel 5 and begins at 11:00pm ET and the FOX Deportes broadcast will air on Sunday, June 22 at 5:00pm ET/2:00pm PT.

For more information  visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.quequi.com.mx, www.FOXDeportes.com and www.televisadeportes.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ GoldenBoyBoxing, www.twitter.com/eriodicoQuequi, www.twitter.com/TD_Deportes and www.twitter.com/FOXDeportes and visit on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/periodicoquequi and www.facebook.com/FOXDeportes

Arroyo knocks out Saludar in Round 2

McWilliams Arroyo is now in line for the title shot for the flyweight title after knocking out the unbeaten Filipino Froilan Saludar on Thursday (Friday in Manila) in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

Arroyo now improves his record to 15-1, 13 KO's, knocks out Saludar with a thunderous left that sent the Filipino down to the canvas. It was a shot that Saludar never saw it coming. He was not able to beat the count; the time of stoppage, 2:25 in Round 2.

Saludar (19-1-1, 13 KO's) to his credit was initiating the action in the opening round. Unfortunately, he left himself open for a counter left hook. He went down. No question about his heart as he tried to get up. But the mandatory ten count is just not enough to recover from that massive left hook.

The fight was broadcast live on Fox Sport 1.

Guerrero vs Kamegai media workout photos

Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME and Gene Blevins/Hogan Photos

Guererro vs Kamegai Showtime Championship Boxing® Tripleheader this Saturday, June 21, live on Showtime® (10 P.M./7 P.M.) from Stubhub Center, Carson, Calif.; Doubleheader on Showtime Extreme® begins at 8 P.M. ET/PT

In 12-rounders on Saturday's SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) from StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., former four-division world champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KOs), of Gilroy, Calif., returns from a 13-month layoff to face Japan's hard-hitting Yoshihiro Kamegai (24-1-1, 21 KOs) in a welterweight scrap and unbeaten, yet untested Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., meets perhaps the greatest amateur boxer of all-time,Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1, 1 KO), of Ukraine, for the vacant WBO Featherweight World Championship. Former two-division world champion Devon Alexander (25-2, 14 KOs), of St. Louis, battles hard-hitting Jesus Soto Karass (28-9-3, 18 KOs), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, in a 10-round super welterweight match that will kick-off the telecast.

Former light heavyweight world champion, "Bad Chad" Dawson (31-3, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of New Haven, Conn., makes his first start in 12 months when he takes onGeorge "Honey Boy" Blades (23-5, 16 KOs), of Indianapolis, Ind., in the featured bout on SHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

In a battle of U.S. Olympians in the SHOWTIME EXTREME co-feature, 2012 U.S. Olympian and undefeated heavyweight Dominic "Trouble" Breazeale (10-0, 9 KOs), of Los Angeles, makes his 10-round debut when he takes on 2004 U.S. Olympic team captain Devin "Devastatin'" Vargas (18-3, 7 KOs), of Toledo, Ohio.

In non-televised fights that begin at 2 p.m. PT: Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (8-0, 7 KOs), Los Angeles, makes his debut for GBP against Michael Gbenga (15-14, 15 KOs), Lagos, Nigeria, six-rounds, light heavyweights; Sharif Bogere (24-1, 16 KOs), Las Vegas, Nev., faces a foe to be announced, eight-rounds, lightweights; Michael Hunter (4-0, 3 KOs), Van Nuys, Calif., takes on Jerry Forrest (7-1, 6 KOs), Lafayette, La., eight-rounds, heavyweights; the brother of Marcos "Chino" Maidana, Fabian Maidana (pro debut), Santa Fe, Arg., clashes with Alejandro Arteaga (3-8, 1 KO), Bakersfield, Calif., four-rounds, welterweights; and Marcos Hernandez (1-0), Fresno, Calif., vs. Dante Spinks (0-4), San Diego, Calif., four-rounds, super welterweights.

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are available on AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777.  For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.

Arroyo vs Saludar weigh-in

Today, Wednesday June 18, 1:00 PM (AT) is the weigh in for the fight between undefeated Filipino flyweight contender Froilan 'The Sniper' Saludar and Puerto Rican Olympian McWilliams Arroyo.

Saludar, age 25, undefeated in 19 fights, will face Arroyo for the IBF title eliminator on Thursday, June 19 at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez that will be telecast starting 8:00 PM by Fox Sports 1 & Fox Deportes.

According to report it seemed that Saludar will have no problem making the flyweight limit at 112 pounds. This could be a sizzling bout. Saludar has power in both hands. He stopped 12 of his opponents in his 19 professional fights. Out of those 12 stoppages, seven happened in Round 1.

Arroyo, on the other end is sporting 14 victories with only one defeat. His lone defeat is by UD against Takashi Okada. He also stopped 12 opponents---a stunning 80 percent KO percentage.

We are rest assured that both men really packed power on their fists. The questions here are: Who has the better chin? Who will land first the game changing blow?

Alvarez-Lara fight for "Honor & Glory," live in cinemas

Fathom Events, Golden Boy Promotions and Showtime PPV® Bring This Epic Event to Select Movie Theaters Nationwide from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in

Las Vegas

Centennial, Colo. - June 16, 2014 - Fathom Events, Golden Boy Promotions and Showtime PPV are pleased to present the two best junior middleweights in the world, Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara, who will meet to decide 154-pound supremacyon Saturday, July 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CT / 7:00 p.m. MT / 6:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. AK / 3:00 p.m. HI. "HONOR & GLORY: Canelo vs. Lara"  will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to select theaters nationwide as Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez squares off against WBA Junior Middleweight World Champion Erislandy "The American Dream" Lara in a 12-round bout. The event will be produced and distributed live by Showtime PPV.
 
Tickets for "HONOR & GLORY: Canelo vs. Lara" are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change). The event will be broadcast to nearly 200 select movie theaters across the country through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network.
 
"I'm expecting one of the toughest fights of my career on July 12," said Canelo Alvarez. "So knowing that I'll have my fans cheering me on, not just in the arena but in movie theaters throughout the country, has me even more motivated to beat Erislandy Lara and give the fans a fight to remember." 

"This is the fight that the fans and I demanded and now they will get to see it on a grand scale," said Lara. "There is no better situation in boxing then to see two hungry fighters willing to put everything on the line for the honor and glory of their fans. I'll be sending a strong message to the world come July 12th, that you can count on!"
 
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico's Canelo Alvarez (43-1-1, 31 KOs) is one of the most compelling figures in the fight game today. A former world champion and still just 23-years-old, Canelo has captivated fans around the world with his exciting fighting style and charisma in and out of the ring. A professional since 2005, Canelo won the WBC Junior Middleweight Title in 2011 and successfully defended it five times before unifying the championship with a 2013 victory over Austin Trout. A mega-fight with Mayweather followed five months later. Although he lost a hard-fought decision to the pound-for-pound king last September, Canelo got back on track in March with a 10th round-technical knockout win over Alfredo Angulo.
 
Slick southpaw Erislandy "The American Dream" Lara (19-1-2, 12 KOs) graduated from the renowned Cuban amateur boxing program and migrated to the United States to pursue a professional boxing career. As a young contender on the rise, Lara suffered a controversial decision loss to Paul Williams in 2011. Since then, he has done his best to take it out of the judges' hands by knocking out Ronald Hearns and Angulo, with the latter victory earning him the WBA Junior Middleweight World Championship. In his most recent bout, Lara won a 12-round unanimous decision over Trout on Dec. 7, 2013, and now the 31-year-old, who makes his home in Houston, will attempt to give Canelo a boxing lesson on July 12.
 
"Fight fans will not want to miss this epic bout between Canelo Alvarez and Erislandy Lara," said John Rubey, CEO of Fathom Events. "Seeing this event on the big screen will be as close as you can get to a ring-side experience!" 

About AC JV, LLC

Fathom Events is owned by a newly formed entity called AC JV, LLC. Fathom is the recognized leader in the alternative entertainment industry, offering a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events in movie theaters nationwide that include live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, the performing arts, major sporting events, music concerts, comedy series, Broadway shows, original programming featuring entertainment's biggest stars, socially relevant documentaries with audience Q&A and much more. Additionally, Fathom events take audiences behind-the-scenes and offer unique extras - creating the ultimate entertainment experience for fans of all ages. Co-owned by the three largest movie theater circuits in the United States, AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), Fathom's live digital broadcast network ("DBN") is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live events to more than 750 locations in 171 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). For more information, visit www.fathomevents.com.

[Video] Gary Russell Jr.: I Am a Fighter

The highly touted Gary Russell Jr., won the 2005 National Golden Gloves Championship at the age of 16. Despite his success as an amateur, he has received a fair amount of criticism since turning pro. His doubters say that he has coasted to his perfect 24-0 record without facing any of the top opposition. On Saturday, June 21, Russell will face his toughest challenge to date in Vasyl Lomachenko, perhaps the most celebrated amateur boxer in history. Can Russell silence his critics with a victory over the Ukrainian and earn his first world title? Watch the video below to learn what inspires Russell, and don't miss This Saturday's SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING event featuring Russell vs. Lomachenko, live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME.

 

Chris Algieri upsets Ruslan Provodnikov

[caption id="attachment_3017" align="alignnone" width="688"] Chris Algieri's right eye totally swollen shut after the fight.[/caption]

Chris Algieri stayed and hung tough, with eyes swollen shut, against hard punching Ruslan Provodnikov (23-3, 16 KO's) at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York on Saturday night.

Algieri was put down twice in Round 1; first with a left hook that formed a nasty swelling on his right eye. And then flurry of punches forced him to take a knee. Algieri, still undefeated, now improved to 20-0, 8 KO's, ultimately survived an extremely rough first round and managed to go home as new light welterweight champion. The scores were 114-112, 114-112 and 109-117. I had it 114-112 as Algieri thrown more and landed more.

I re-watch Algieri’s fight with Wilfredo Acuna prior to this fight. In the Acuna fight, Algieri showed he can box. He utilized his height and jab to keep Acuna at bay.  Although, I predicted Provodnikov to win via TKO in Round 6, I feel that Algieri’s style poses several problems to a charging Provodnikov.

If Algieri survived the early onslaught he could finish the fight and ultimately go to the scorecards---but at the back of my mind---I don't think that Algieri can do so. But Algieri just did. Not just completed 12 rounds, but he snatched Provodnikov's belt in his (Provo) first title defense.

Most boxing observers favored Provo to win via knockout in their fight previews and prediction.

Algieri got up from the knockdowns he suffered in Round one and boxes well in the remainder of the fight.
He became active and outworks Provodnikov in punch output. He used the jab well; doubling it up when necessary and mixed it up from head and body. He circled around Provodnikov, moving to his left while keeping his guard up. At times Algieri clinched while on the ropes avoiding heavy shots from the champion.

Overall, Algieri used textbook tactics avoiding the most damaging punch. His long jab snapped back Provodnikov's head on several occasions that momentarily stop Provo on his track. Yet his fighting with one eye close.

In the post fight interview Algierei told that he started not able to see in round 8 and in Round 12 he’s “blind”.

Algieri showed what it takes to be a champion. He persevered in the ring with one eye against one of the hardest puncher in 140-147 pound division.

Algiere legs carried out the desired movement needed last night. He took several devastating body shots form Provodnikov. I thought that it will be a matter of few rounds Algieri's legs will betray him.

Accumulation of body punch usually puts boxers stationary.

A stationary Algieri will not last longer against the "Siberian Rocky". Provodnikov will finish the job quickly.

To Provodnikov credit he’s relatively dangerous opponent all night. Every round, it seemed to me that it’s just a matter of time when Provodnikov will land the game changing punch that will put Algieri for good. His pressure was relentless. But 12 rounds passed that time didn't come.

Provodnikov told Max Kellerman after the fight that, "I have to admit, runners are not my style. I like guys that stand there and fight with me. This is the worst style for me."

Although the ring they used for this fight is a bit smaller compared to the standard ring, which is Provo's advantage, he lacks the speed to catch the moving underdog.

"Power" (if it is the only arsenal of a fighter) it is usually overrated. Power should be combined with other qualities to be lethal. Speed and power is a deadly combination. A brawler with power and durability is lethal.

What's next for Algieri?

Top Rank boss Bob Arum said prior to the fight that the winner of Provodnikov-Algieri could be Manny Pacquiao's next opponent. Pacquiao is tentatively set to return in the ring on November 22, in Macau. Algieri believed he has chance to pull an upset against Pacquiao.

What's your take Amigo?