Posts tagged SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Thursday, February 4, 2010,

Museo del Acero horno

“SHOWTIME Championship Boxing”
Saturday, February 6
LIVE On SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The always-exciting Edwin Valero will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title against undefeated, once-beaten WBC 135-pound interim titleholder Antonio DeMarco in the main event this Saturday, Feb. 6, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

The undefeated knockout artist and two-time world champion Valero (26-0, 26 KOs), of Merida, Venezuela will be making the second defense of his WBC title against Tijuana’s Demarco (23-1-1, 17 KOs), the WBC Interim Champion at the Arena Monterrey located in Mexico.

In the 10-round co-feature, Luis Carlos Abregu (28-0, 23 KOs), of Salta, Argentina will meet Richard Gutierrez (24-3, 14 KO’s), of Miami, Florida, via Arjona, Colombia, in a welterweight bout.

The event is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC and will take place during the celebration of the bicentennial of Mexico’s Independence.

What the fighters and their respective promoters had to say at Wednesday’s final press conference.

EDWIN VALERO

“I’m looking forward to Saturday night with great anticipation. It’s going to be a great fight.  I am very focused and have put in my work by training extremely hard as I do in all of my fights.”“I have sacrificed a lot by being out of my country and away from my family for so long.  Because I have made the

sacrifice to be away from them I have nothing more to do than to dedicate myself to my training 100 percent.  I give myself completely to my training because I want to make sure that my sacrifice was worth the while.”

“I am positive that I am in a key moment of my career.  I want to be a solid champion and continue to rise.  I know it won’t be easy and I have to be cautious because the opponents are tough.”

“There was one time that I was overly confident and felt that a fight against my opponent would be easy.  I found out only when I was in the ring just how difficult he was.  But, that won’t happen again in my career because I learned my lesson not to take anyone lightly.”

“I know that Antonio DeMarco is a fighter to be reckoned with and I’m prepared.  I’m going to give it my all.”

ANTONIO DEMARCO

“I want to thank God, Gary Shaw, my team and family for their support. Specifically I would like to thank my trainer Romulo, who to me, I value more than gold.”

“I give a sincere thank you to the people of Monterrey, Mexico and to Mauricio Sulaiman.  I want to assure them that I am going to work hard on Saturday.  Everything will be OK in the end.  I know what I need to be prepared for because I am facing a great champion.

“I feel privileged to be able to take on the best champion.  I want to give Valero, his team and his promoter all the thanks in the world for accepting this challenge.”

“I put 100 percent of myself into my training.”

“All of my fights are different in their own right but one thing remains consistent with me, I like to hit and I don’t mind taking the punches.  It’s part of the sport.  It’s boxing.”

“My height should give me some advantage in winning the fight, but the true story about what happens in Saturday’s fight will be told in the ring.”

“I don’t like to think beyond Saturday.  I am only focused on my fight against the great champion Edwin Valero.”

RICHARD GUTIERREZ

“Thank god to be here with everyone in Monterrey.  I am very thankful for the hard workers of Monterrey especially the ones that did so much hard work here at the steel mill.”

“I thank SHOWTIME and Gary Shaw for the opportunity; I will put on a good show!”

LUIS CARLOS ABREGU

“It is really great to be here in Monterrey.  I am in great condition for the fight; this fight will definitely help to carry me towards my goal of a world championship fight”.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will call the action with Steve Farhood reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr. with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and Strikeforce mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.

Six Questions with Streaking WBC Interim Champion,
Who Challenges WBC Lightweight Titlist Edwin Valero
This Saturday, Feb. 6, Live on SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (Feb. 3, 2010) — A winner of 12 in a row and unbeaten in his last 16 (15-0-1) dating to May 2006, World Boxing Council (WB) interim champion Antonio DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico, will challenge devastating Venezuelan and WBC lightweight belt-holder, Edwin Valero (26-0, 26 KOs), in the main event this Saturday, Feb. 6, on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The event at Arena Monterrey will mark the first time a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING broadcast has aired from Mexico since March 7, 1998, when Julio Cesar Chavez boxed a draw with Miguel Angel Gonzalez. It’s the first card on SHOWTIME from Monterrey in more than 15 years, or since Chavez stopped Tony Lopez on Dec. 10, 1994.

SHOWTIME caught up with DeMarco for his thoughts on this Saturday’s 12-round bout.

SHOWTIME: Have you ever met Edwin Valero?

DeMarco: “I’ve never had the privilege of meeting Valero personally, but I have respect for him as a person and as a boxer.  Respect aside, once I get in the ring, I will do my job and that is to challenge him like he has never been challenged before and, of course, to exit the ring as champion.”

SHOWTIME: Do you feel comfortable knowing that you will be fighting a southpaw?

DeMarco: “He’s a fighter, period.  I’m aware he is a southpaw but that doesn’t faze me. I’ve been in the ring with four other southpaws and did really well against them. I feel that when I fight against a southpaw I react especially well since I‘m a southpaw, too.  I know what to expect. That’s not to say that I only expect him to come in fighting southpaw. I know he may change his style so I will make my own adjustments.”

SHOWTIME: Do you think Valero is a tough fighter?

DeMarco: “I know Valero is a tough fighter and that he has taken on quality opponents. I give him much respect.  There is a reason why he is the champion and he deserves all the accolades he has received.  That said, Valero is no different than the opponents that I have faced. They were tough too and so we will see how this fight turns out and who wins.  I’m certain it will be me.”

SHOWTIME: Would you say that Valero mirrors any of your past opponents?

DeMarco: “Every fighter is different and each has his own talent and technique. Like I said, there is a reason that he is a champion. He has that talent so I give him the respect he‘s earned.  All fighters are talented in their own right so I can’t compare him to anyone I have fought in the past.”

SHOWTIME: Do you feel like the challenger is this fight?

DeMarco:  “I do feel like the challenger is this fight and I am OK with feeling that way.  The way I see it, he is the absolute champion of the world, and I am stepping into the ring challenging him for that so when I walk out I will be world champion.”

SHOWTIME: Are you approaching this fight with the steadfast mentality that you did your last fight?

DeMarco: “Absolutely.  No question about it. I have the same mentality as I did my last.  I am walking into the ring knowing that there is no other option than to win. No one is going to keep me from my destiny.”

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will call the action with Steve Farhood reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr. with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and Strikeforce mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.

LIVE On SHOWTIME® at 9 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK (Feb. 1, 2010) – SHOWTIME Sports® will present a fight card from Mexico for the first time in nearly 12 years when devastating, undefeated knockout artist and two-time world champion Edwin Valero (26-0, 26 KOs), of Las Vegas, Nev., by way of Merida, Venezuela, defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown against streaking, once-beaten WBC 135-pound interim titleholder  Antonio DeMarco (23-1-1, 17 KOs) of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, on Saturday, Feb. 6.

In the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING co-feature, unbeaten, world-ranked Luis Carlos Abregu (28-0, 23 KOs) of Salta, Argentina, will be opposed by Richard Gutierrez (24-3, 14 KOs), of Miami, Fla., via Arjona, Colombia, in a 10-round welterweight bout. The doubleheader will be shown live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

The event at Arena Monterrey is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and will take place during the celebration of the bicentennial of Mexico’s Independence.

The last time a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING broadcast aired from Mexico was March 7, 1998, when Julio Cesar Chavez boxed a draw with Miguel Angel Gonzalez. It’s the first card on SHOWTIME from Monterrey in more than 15 years, or since Chavez stopped Tony Lopez on Dec. 10, 1994.

The 5-foot-7 ½-inch, 28-year- old Valero was victorious by first-round knockout in his initial 17 starts after turning professional on July 9, 2002. He has 18 opening-round KOs overall.

“There was pressure on me when I was winning all those fights in the first round, but once that ended so did the pressure,’’ said Valero, who’ll be making his debut on SHOWTIME. “Now, I take it round by round and let the knockout come. I don’t go into any fight looking for a quick knockout.

“I try and measure my opponent and get my timing down and go from there. I’m in there to do a job, which is to win and stay undefeated and keep my title. If this goes the distance and I win, I’ll be just as happy as if I win by knockout. I am a pressure fighter, but I know I have to also fight smart.’’

Valero captured the World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight championship in his 20^th outing, and made four successful defenses of the 130-pound belt before stepping up a notch in weight and winning the-then vacant WBC title with a second-round TKO over Anthony Pitula on April 4, 2009.

In his lone WBC defense and most recent start, Valero registered a seventh-round TKO over Hector Velazquez on Dec. 19, 2009.

“I’m very excited about this fight and thrilled to be fighting on SHOWTIME,’’ Valero said. “DeMarco is a good young fighter who has great aspirations, like most young fighters, and I respect him a lot. But I believe my experience will be an important key. He hasn’t fought the kinds of fighters I have and he hasn’t fought in world title fights. I’m very confident that once I connect with one of my power punches, he will feel it.’’

Valero is a world traveler who has fought in many countries, including the United States, Venezuela, Panama, France, Argentina and Japan. This will be his second world title fight in Mexico. On Dec.15, 2007, he scored a third-round TKO over Zaid Zaveleta in Cancun, Mexico, to retain his WBA belt.

“Fighting in Mexico is actually a benefit for me and I look forward to it,’’ Valero said. “Mexican fans are great fans and they know this sport very well.’’

Valero, who doesn’t watch tapes, will be spotting DeMarco a few inches in height and reach.

“I like to make adjustments in real time, in the ring,’’ Valero said. “Fighters give you tapes but then they fight differently. I’ve fought a tall lefty once before and won so I expect to be comfortable in the ring.  If I’m patient and fight my fight, I’ll get inside and land my shots.’’

DeMarco will be making his seventh appearance on SHOWTIME. He’s fought thrice on both SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and ShoBox: The New Generation. If triumphant, DeMarco will become the 41^st ShoBox alum to earn a world title belt.

“I’m sincerely thankful to SHOWTIME for the support they’ve given me,’’ said the son-in-law of former WBC 122-pound champion Raul “Jibaro’’ Perez. “I am going to do everything possible and use everything I can — my reach, height, you name it – to win. This is a huge privilege to fight in my country. Words cannot describe how very honored I am to have this fight in my backyard and in my territory.

“This is going to be a very emotional night not only for me but for my family, who have given me unconditional support, and to my countrymen, who have supported me in that same manner.’’

The Valero-DeMarco clash of southpaws is a classic puncher-boxer matchup, although the 5-foot-10, 24-year-old DeMarco is anything but a runner.

“Valero’s a great champion of the world and it’s an honor to get into the ring with him,’’ he said. “I have a lot of respect for him as a person and for what he’s accomplished. There’s a reason he’s champ and he deserves all the accolades. But, for me, once I get in ring, it is my job to win and walk away victorious.

“That means I have to not only box and move but also to fight and earn his respect. I know what kind of fighter he is, I know his record and that he hits hard. But I’ve been working on several strategies with my team. In the event one doesn’t work, you have to switch it up and make the proper adjustments to win.’’

A winner of 12 and a row and unbeaten in his last 16 (15-0-1) dating to May 2006, DeMarco is coming off a superlative 10^th round TKO over former world champion Jose Alfaro to secure the WBC interim title last Oct. 31 on SHOWTIME.

“I will absolutely have the same mentality on Feb. 6 as I had last time,’’ DeMarco said. “I’ll walk into the ring knowing I have to win and that nobody is going to keep me from my destiny. Winning this fight would be the highest honor. Nothing can compare and I can’t describe it in words. But it will be every emotional.

“I will have many motivations when I enter the ring. In order, they are (1), my daughter, (2) my wife and (3) my parents and family, and when I say my family I also mean my adoptive family in Tijuana. They were ones who gave me a blanket to cover myself and food to eat when I came to Tijuana.

“A win would be so incredibly significant for all of us. Every win I get is a step in the right direction but this would be the absolute best. This is not just another fight, it is everything. The way I see it, I’m the challenger and he’s the absolute champion. I win and I walk out of the ring as champion of the world.’’

The five-foot-10-inch, 27-year-old Abregu registered a fourth-round knockout over Diego Gallardo in his last start on Aug. 4, 2009. Two outings back, on ShoBox, Abregu got floored twice (in the first and fourth) before bouncing back to score a fourth-round KO over Irving Garcia in a wildly entertaining affair on May 1, 2009. Abregu is ranked sixth in the WBC and ninth in the International Boxing Federation (IBF).

Gutierrez went 21-0 at the outset of a career that began in December 2001. The five-foot-nine-inch, 31 year old has fought some good ones, including Joshua Clottey and Alfredo Angulo.  He is coming off a close 10-round decision loss to Antwone Smith on May 22, 2009.

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING announcers Gus Johnson and Al Bernstein will call the action with Steve Farhood reporting from ringside. The executive producer of SHOWTIME Sports is David Dinkins Jr. with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive video, photos and news links on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING and Strikeforce mixed martial arts telecasts, along with access to the SHOWTIME Sports Facebook® and Twitter® pages, please go to http://Sports.Sho.com.