Tag: PBC
Alvarez, Munguia faceoff in Los Angeles
Undisputed 168-pound champion Canelo Álvarez will battle Mexican super middleweight contender and undefeated former world champion Jaime Munguía on Saturday, May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas(PBC Prime Video PPV/DAZN PPV).
Canelo-Munguía is the first four-belt undisputed title fight between Mexican combatants, and according to Alvarez, he takes a lot of pride in this fight.
“This fight is a great source of pride for me, because it’s all about Mexico,” Alvarez said on Tuesday at a press conference in Los Angeles. “I’m proud to have my country featured this way in front of the whole world. The fans are going to be the biggest winners on May 4 and we invite everyone to what’s gonna be a big party for Mexico.
“Defending my undisputed title is very important for me. This is all about making history. I want my legacy to be that I made history again and again. That’s what motivates me to keep defending my belts and giving great fights to the fans.”
The 27-year-old Munguia(43-0, 34 KOs) wants an opportunity to be on top of the sport like the 33-year-old Alvarez(60-2-2, 39 KOs).
“I’m very thankful to Canelo and everyone who made this fight happen and brought us to this special day,” Munguia said. “We’ve been working really, really hard for this fight because it’s going to be such a big fight for Mexico.
“Canelo has always been a source of pride and motivation for me. I used to say when I was coming up in the sport that I want to be like him, and now we get a chance to face him and hopefully be where he is soon.”
Recently, both Alvarez and Munguia shared the ring with John Ryder. Alvarez defeated Ryder by unanimous decision while Munguia stopped him. None of that matters, according to Munguia.
“Both our fights with John Ryder are two completely different fights,” he said. “We just took advantage of the opportunity we saw. We know every fight is different so we won’t take too much from Canelo’s fight against Ryder.”
Alvarez believes Munguia will be a “hungry” fighter on May 4.
“Munguia is a disciplined fighter who hits hard,” Alvarez said. “He’s a power puncher and I like a challenge. I want to face fighters who are hungry like I am. He’s a fighter who can give the fans the show they deserve.”
Munguia thinks the best is yet to come for him.
“This is just the beginning of the best part of my career,” he said. “I’ve done a lot in my career so far, but I believe I’m just reaching my peak now.
It will be a “Mexican party” in Las Vegas, and Alvarez can’t wait for the world to see it.
“I’m really proud of how amazing fight week is going to be. The fans will be showing their pride everywhere. I can’t wait to show the world what kind of party Mexicans can throw inside and outside of the ring.”
Tim Tszyu will face Sebastian Fundora after Keith Thurman withdraws due to injury
Undefeated Tim Tszyu will take on all-action contender Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora for Tszyu’s WBO title (pending approval), and the vacant WBC 154-pound world title, headlining a PBC Pay-Per-View event available on Prime Video Saturday, March 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Tszyu had originally been scheduled to face two-time world champion Keith Thurman, who was forced to withdraw after suffering a bicep injury in training. Fundora had already been preparing to compete in the pay-per-view opener before being moved up to the main event.
The pay-per-view will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and also features WBA Super Lightweight World Champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero taking on Mexican star Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz in the co-main event, plus WBA Middleweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara duels Australia’s Michael Zerafa in a 12-round attraction. The pay-per-view opener will now see WBC Flyweight World Champion Julio César Martínez defending his world title against unbeaten contender Angelino Cordova. Martinez vs. Cordova had originally been scheduled to appear in prelims action\
TSZYU-FUNDORA
The son of International Boxing Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, the 29-year-old Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) comes off a red-hot 2023 campaign that saw him elevated to world champion at 154-pounds while defeating former world champion Tony Harrison, top contender Brian Mendoza and former title challenger Carlos Ocampo. A native of Sydney, Australia, Tszyu made his U.S debut against U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha in March 2022, earning a unanimous decision. Tszyu grew up playing soccer, but soon gravitated toward boxing. The decision led to him following in the legendary footsteps of his father, Kostya, who was an undisputed 140-pound champion.
Fundora (20-1-1, 13 KOs) rocketed to the top of the super welterweight division with a fan-friendly style and bruising toughness in the ring. His unbeaten streak came to an end in his last outing, as he got caught and was defeated by Brian Mendoza in April of last year. At nearly 6-foot-6, the 26-year-old southpaw from Coachella, Calif., towers over his opponents, but has displayed an appetite for toe-to-toe combat from short range. Fundora showed his mettle in April 2022, battling the hard-hitting Erickson Lubin in an instant 2022 Fight of the Year contender. Despite both men hitting the canvas, Fundora stood tall in the end, prompting Lubin’s corner to stop the fight at the end of the ninth round. Fundora represents a boxing family, as he is trained by his father Freddy alongside his younger sister, IBF Flyweight World Champion Gabriela.
Garcia: ‘I want everyone to see that I’m more than just a puncher’
Undefeated rising middleweight Elijah Garcia held a media workout in his native Phoenix on Thursday as he prepares to take on veteran contender Kyrone “Shut It Down” Davis topping PBC on Prime Video action beginning at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 30 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
One of boxing’s breakout stars in 2023, the 20-year-old Garcia kicked off his big year last March with a knockout of the previously unbeaten Amilcar Vidal. He followed that up with a pair of performances on the undercards of two of the biggest events of the year, first defeating Kevin Salgado on the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia pay-per-view in April before knocking out Armando Resendiz on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo pay-per-view in September.
He’ll continue to raise his level of competition, and look to put himself in world title contention, against the talented and durable Davis on March 30.
Here is what Garcia had to say Thursday from F1 Boxing Gym in Phoenix:
ELIJAH GARCIA
“I feel strong and I’m preparing really well for this fight, because I know how tough an opponent Kyrone Davis is. I’m not taking anyone lightly. He’s very experienced and he believes in his skills.
“It’s a blessing to be fighting on Amazon Prime. It’s a new generation and I get to be a part of it. It’s very exciting and it’s an opportunity I’m coming to take advantage of.
Frankie Ruiz/TGB Promotions
“I want everyone to see that I’m more than just a puncher. I know that I can go toe-to-toe with anybody. I have to look really good in this fight. I have to show the world that I’m talented and ready for the title shot.
“I want to achieve my goals and Kyrone is standing in my way. He knows that this is a fight that he needs to win to continue fighting at this level. He’s got a lot of good experience, but I’m hungry too. I train really hard to win.
“I’m proud of where I’m from. I wear 602 on the beltline of my trunks and that’s because I’m proud to represent Phoenix.”
PBC heads to Amazon
Last month, Showtime Sports, which aired boxing matches headlined by Premier Boxing Champions(PBC) fighters, announced that they had got out of boxing.
On Thursday, PBC found a new home.
Prime Video and Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) announced a landmark, multiyear rights agreement to deliver viewers the boxing industry’s most significant events, providing fans with year-round access to the best matchups featuring the biggest stars in boxing.
PBC features over 150 active fighters across various weight divisions, including top contenders and current world champions. Since its debut in 2015, PBC has presented the biggest mega-events in the sport of boxing, including 2023 blockbusters David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant, Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia, Errol Spence vs. Terence Crawford, and Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo. The addition of a world-class sports property like PBC is another one of the many benefits that come with Prime, which provides unparalleled savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership.
Prime Video will distribute PBC’s industry-leading pay-per-view (PPV) events in the U.S, with the first event anticipated for March 2024. PBC PPV fights will be available for all viewers to purchase, regardless of Prime membership.
Additionally, in the U.S. and select countries, Prime Video will exclusively stream a PBC Championship Boxing series of events, showcasing top matchups among boxing’s current and rising stars. Details on specific cards, dates, and locations will be announced at a later date. In addition to the live PBC events, Prime Video will continue to grow its Original sports content offerings, with behind-the-scenes PBC docuseries, live weigh-ins, as well as on-demand access to previous events, highlights, archival footage, and more.
“We are thrilled to join with Premier Boxing Champions to bring the best boxers in the world to Prime Video, and to give more fans than ever the chance to experience these must-see events,” said Marie Donoghue, VP, U.S. sports content & partnerships, Amazon. “With live coverage of PBC action throughout the calendar year, Prime Video continues to bring viewers in the U.S. and around the world the best in sports.”
Benavidez: ‘I just reminded everyone who the real champion at 168 is’
On Saturday night at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, David Benavídez showed why he could be the best fighter at 168 pounds.
Benavidez showed off his power and skills when he stopped former two-division world champion Demetrius Andrade after the sixth round when Andrade’s corner stopped the fight.
In possibly the best performance of his career, the 26-year-old Benavidez (28-0, 24 KOs), fighting his first southpaw in seven years, bloodied and pounded Andrade (32-1, 19 KOs).
Andrade is a fighter many believed was avoided by some of the top guys in the sport, but Benavidez, who dropped Andrade in the fourth round, was ready and able to get the job done.
“Everybody says I’m not this, I’m not that, I’m flat-footed, I have no defense,” Benavidez said. “This guy probably applied one of the best defenses. He’s really good offensively. He could barely even hit me, so I think that says a lot on its own. I just have to keep beating who they put in front of me. I’m the best. I’m going to be the best. I’m going to be a legend by the time I’m done, so whoever you keep putting in front of me, I’ll keep knocking them down.”
Courtesy: Ryan Hafey/PBC
Benavídez punctuated his performance with an embrace of Mike Tyson outside the ring following the stoppage. Tyson famously dubbed Benavídez the “Mexican Monster.”
“I just told Mike Tyson that I love him and thank you so much for the motivation he’s given me,” Benavídez said. “It’s not every day a boxing legend like Mike Tyson gives people nicknames, so I just want to live up to my name.”
The only guy left for Benavidez to beat at 168 pounds is undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez, who he called out after defeating Andrade.
“I just reminded everyone who the real champion at 168 is,” he said. Who wants to see me versus Canelo? I’m going to be super middleweight champion of the world, three-time world champion. Now, just give me the fight that we all want to see. Who wants to see Benavídez versus Canelo?”
The 35-year-old Andrade, who fought for the second time at 168 pounds, says he will return.
“I’ll be back – back to the drawing board,” he said. “I moved up in weight classes. I’ll work on my body a little more, and I’ll be right back at it. I thought overall I did everything I needed to do to get the bigger man off me. David’s definitely a hell of a fighter. Nobody was even willing to get in the ring with him. I tried to become a three-division world champion. That’s not far-fetched. David was the man tonight. Benavídez is the bigger man.”
Benavidez was not only the bigger man, but he was the better man, and hopefully, he will finally get Canelo next.
Hector Garcia: ‘A victory on November 25 will solidify my status as one of the best fighters in the world’
WBA Super Featherweight World Champion Héctor García will square off against top-rated mandatory challenger Lamont Roach in the telecast opener of a stacked SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
“I’ve had an amazing training camp in Las Vegas, training and sparring with the best in the world,” said García. “I’m in tremendous shape and everything has come together for me during this training camp. My weight is right on point and I’m feeling strong.
“This is going to be a great fight for the fans because we both have something to prove, and we are going to do whatever it takes to be victorious. Lamont Roach is very skilled in a lot of areas. He’s a technical fighter with a high ring IQ. I’ve been working extremely hard to be prepared for his style. He’s coming into this fight very hungry to become a world champion, but I’m not giving up my title. I’m going to leave everything in the ring on fight night!”
Photo Credit: MJS Entertainment
García captured his world title with a one-sided unanimous decision over Roger Gutiérrez in August 2022.
“Fighting at super featherweight is where I’m most dangerous,” continued García. “I captured the WBA title by beating the best in the division. Now, I’m ready to defend my title against the number one ranked fighter in the WBA. I’m going to show the world that I’m the best fighter at 130 pounds.”
After a tremendous 2022 in which García handed the then unbeaten Chris Colbert his first professional loss and then won his title over Gutiérrez, García will look to bounce back from his only professional loss, which came in January of this year when he was stopped by Gervonta Davis in their lightweight showdown.
“A victory on November 25 will solidify my status as one of the best fighters in the world,” concluded García. “My goal is to fight the biggest names in boxing. A win against Roach will open up a tremendous amount of opportunities for me and my team.”
Charlo on Benavidez Jr.: ‘I don’t have respect for him’
Undefeated WBC Middleweight World Champion Jermall Charlo discussed training camp and more ahead of his showdown against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr., which serves as the SHOWTIME PPV co-main event on Saturday, November 25 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Charlo will take on Benavidez in a 10-round non-title WBC special event as he looks to end an over two-year layoff with an emphatic victory.
Here is what Charlo had to say from training camp in his hometown of Houston:
JERMALL CHARLO
“I’m excited to be back – back where I belong. I’m really re-learning boxing, like in the amateurs all over again. I feel new to it. It’s a thrill at the same time. I’m putting my life on the line once again, to shock the world and let people know that I’m on top.
“A lot of people consider mental health when can’t stabilize your mind and think forward. And that’s kind of where I was at. I was in a place of not being able to explain it to anyone and kind of always shielded it and I had to fight through that through my learning experiences. The main thing I’ve learned this whole time is patience. I got ready on my own terms. I’m back in the ring on my own terms. I feel better at my own pace and I’m going to go in and face my battles on my own timing.
Andrew Hemingway/SHOWTIME
“Benavidez is just one of those guys who has to make a name for himself. Of course, talking s— to me would be the best thing you can do because you’re only amping the fight up. I mean, I guess he is trying to sell the fight, but I’m taking it personal and I’m taking it seriously. I’m not taking his words lightly.
“He wants to fight me I guess in revenge for his brother. There’s a lot of brother-brother stuff going on, you know, the Charlo brothers and the Benavidez brothers. So it’s the battle of the brothers and if you want this to be your biggest rival, let’s do it. I’m coming back after two years, no excuses. I’m here to fight.
“I don’t have respect for him. I have respect for myself to go out there and dictate the fight, be patient. Of course, if I hit him flush, I’ll knock him cold out. Walking all over him, AI (Allen Iverson) s—. I’m going crazy. I’m just trying not to let the excitement overpower me.
“I actually want to be more active next year, take on two or three fights. I’m ready to stay in the gym and stay focused and hopefully I can land one of those big fights you want to see. Maybe the winner out of the main event or maybe Canelo, YouTubers coming up. You know, I really don’t care. I just want to fight.”
Lipinets-Rivera, Mielnicki-Salazar added to undercard of Benavidez-Andrade
Two sensational matchups featuring a former world champion, exciting contenders and a rising star will highlight the SHOWTIME PPV COUNTDOWN show on Saturday, November 25 leading up to the David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade SHOWTIME PPV from Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The action is topped by former world champion Sergey Lipinets taking on exciting contender Michel Rivera in a 10-round super lightweight fight, plus sensational prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. faces Mexico’s Alexis Salazar in a 10-round super welterweight attraction.
he live stream will begin at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT and be available on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing® Facebook page.
These fights will lead into a four-fight pay-per-view telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and headlined by undefeated two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Monstruo” Benavídez defending his Interim WBC Super Middleweight Title against unbeaten two-division world champion Demetrius “Boo Boo” Andrade in one of the most intriguing matchups in the star-studded 168-pound division.
Lipinets (17-2-1, 13 KOs) will look for another statement victory on his road to re-claiming a 140-pound world title. After a decorated kickboxing career, Lipinets began boxing professionally in 2014, eventually capturing a world championship with a November 2017 unanimous decision over Akihiro Kondo. Originally from Kazakhstan and now fighting out of Southern California, Lipinets dropped the title in a 2018 clash against four-division champion Mikey Garcia on SHOWTIME® before making a run at welterweight. At 147-pounds, Lipinets stopped two-division champion Lamont Peterson and challenged current top welterweight Jaron Ennis unsuccessfully in April 2021. Most recently, Lipinets returned to 140 pounds to stop former world champion Omar Figueroa Jr. in the eighth round in August 2022 on SHOWTIME.
Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and now training out of Massachusetts, Rivera (24-1, 14 KOs) burst onto the scene in 2019, making his United States debut with a victory over Rene Tellez Giron on SHOBOX: The New Generation®. The 25-year-old continued his ascent with five more victories in 2020 and 2021, before beginning 2022 with triumphs over Joseph Adorno and Jerry Perez. Rivera’s momentum was halted in his last outing, as he dropped a showdown between then unbeaten lightweights, losing a decision to Frank Martin in December 2022 on SHOWTIME. He will now debut at 140-pounds seeking to get back on track toward a world title.
Representing Roseland, N.J., Mielnicki (15-1, 10 KOs) has shown improved power in recent outings, stopping three of his last four opponents, including a highlight-reel KO of Jose Sanchez Charles in April. This victory was Mielnicki’s second of the year, as he stopped Omar Rosales in four rounds in January. The 21-year-old first turned heads during his exceptional amateur career where he compiled a 147-22 record and was named the Most Outstanding Boxer of the 2011 Junior National Golden Gloves, amongst many accolades before turning pro.
Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and now fighting out of Norwalk, Calif., Salazar (25-5, 10 KOs) put together a 15-fight winning streak between 2015 and 2020, eventually earning a shot against top middleweight Carlos Adames that he lost in June 2021. The 28-year-old has won two out of three fights since that outing, including a decision loss to unbeaten Xander Zayas in December 2022. Most recently, Salazar stopped David Rangel in the fifth round of their June showdown.
The non-televised undercard will see Panama’s Pablo Vicente (23-1, 17 KOs) battling Tajikistan’s Muhammadkhuja Yaqubov (20-1, 11 KOs) in a 10-round WBC Super Featherweight Title Eliminator, Mayweather Promotions’ rising prospect Curmel Moton (1-0, 1 KO) in a four-round super featherweight showdown against Memphis-native Hunter Turbyfill (3-0, 1 KO), plus undefeated Milwaukee-native Daniel Blancas (7-0, 4 KOs) meets Texas’ Raiko Santana (10-3, 6 KOs) in an eight-round super middleweight bout.
Rounding out the lineup is unbeaten lightweight Jabin Chollet (8-0, 7 KOs) stepping in for an eight-round bout, a six-round super lightweight showdown pitting Israel Mercado (9-1-1, 7 KOs) against Wesley Rivers (4-3), plus welterweight prospect Alex Holley (1-0) duels Las Vegas’ Allen Medina (0-1) in a four-round fight.
