Notes & Quotes From “Premier Boxing Champions” On NBC

By NBC Sports - 12/12/2015 - Comments

Dec 12, 2015, PBC on NBC, San Antonio

“I always appreciate guys that are in good shape, but this pace is unbelievable.”– “Sugar” Ray Leonard on Figueroa, Jr.-DeMarco

“We may set all kinds of records for punches thrown in a fight in modern times.” – Marv Albert after Round 8 of Figueroa, Jr.-DeMarco

“Those are flyweight numbers, not 151-pound junior middleweight numbers.” – B.J. Flores on the number of punches thrown by Figueroa, Jr.

“Is Areola fighting for his career?” – Albert heading into 12th round of Arreola-Kauffman

“That’s the question. This is do or die. This is it.” – “Sugar” Ray Leonard responding to Albert

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – December 12, 2015 – Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on NBC returned to primetime tonight from AT&T Arena in San Antonio, Texas. Blow-by-blow announcer Marv Albert and analysts “Sugar” Ray Leonard and BJ Flores called the action, Liam McHugh hosted, and Kenny Rice and Paul Burmeister reported from ring-side. Live boxing continues on NBCSN.

Tonight’s PBC on NBC broadcast featured Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Jr.’s unanimous decision over Antonio DeMarco, and Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola’s split decision win over Travis “My Time” Kauffman (114-113, 113-114, 114-113).

Following are notes and quotes from tonight’s telecast:

ON FIGUEROA, JR.-DEMARCO

B.J. Flores on Figueroa, Jr. in Round 1: “Figueroa doesn’t give you a chance to digest anything – he’s smothering, he’s charging you and always throwing different punches.”

Marv Albert in Round 2: “Wow, look at those numbers, 72 total punches landed by Figueroa, 17 by DeMarco.”

Flores on Figueroa, Jr. in Round 2: “He’s really not giving DeMarco any time to figure out his strategy.”

“Sugar” Ray Leonard in Round 3: “DeMarco doesn’t use his height to his advantage – or his reach.”

Albert: “You know what amazed me at the fighter meetings with Figueroa is that he does not watch tapes of his opponents…I would think you’d want to see who you’re going up against.”

Leonard on whether he’d want to see tapes of his opponents: “Always. It gives you such an advantage, such a helpful tool to get to know your opponents.”

Flores on Figueroa, Jr. not wanting to see tapes of his opponent: “I understand the fact that they’re not going to fight the exact same way against you, but you can see tendencies, you can see habits, you can see things they don’t do correctly to use to your advantage.”

Albert in Round 5: “DeMarco has been really tough with recent fights…he’s had a shaky defense [tonight] and obviously the strategy of Figueroa is to continue going at it, it’s been non-stop.”

Albert on Figueroa, Jr. in Round 6: “It’s amazing to see him throwing this many punches. He just keeps coming.”

Flores on Figueroa, Jr. in Round 7: “He’s breaking his own records if you look at the punches by round landed – not even just thrown. Those are flyweight numbers, not 151-pound junior middleweight numbers.”

Flores as DeMarco returns punches in Round 7: “Figueroa is doing a lot of work in there but his punches are not landing as clean as DeMarco’s are.”

Leonard in Round 8: “I always appreciate guys that are in good shape, but this pace is unbelievable.”

Albert: “Overall 1,000 punches have been thrown in the ring in the first seven rounds and change…we may set all kinds of records for most punches thrown in a fight in modern times.”

Flores on Figueroa, Jr. in Round 9: “I would tell him, ‘Hey, listen, let’s not shoot so many punches and let’s make the ones we do shoot count a little more.’”

Leonard in Round 10: “DeMarco has been against the ropes for many rounds, gave away those rounds, and now he’s faced with having to come on strong.”

Albert on DeMarco’s performance in Round 10: “One thing is for certain, no matter how this bout concludes, Antonio DeMarco will sleep very well tonight.”

Flores in Round 11: “DeMarco landed so many clean punches and really did a lot of damage in those shots…the way you can tell is Figueroa has slowed down…a huge round for DeMarco.”

Flores on delay caused prior to Round 12 by ice in ring in Figueroa, Jr.’s corner: “Maybe that was a tactic by Figueroa’s corner to give him an extra 15 or 20 seconds of rest.”

Albert to Flores: “You sound like you have some experience with that.”

Leonard in Round 12: “This is where DeMarco needs to let it all go – both hands, middle of the ring.”

Flores in Round 12: “All the clean and sharp punching has come from DeMarco…there’s not much zip in [Figueroa’s] punches.”

Albert in Round 12: “DeMarco continues to get stronger as this fight continues.”

Flores on DeMarco hitting single punches in Round 12: “Sometimes when you’re in there and you land one, it’s so pretty to watch you don’t want to hit the second one – but you need to hit the second one.”

Albert in Round 12: “What a fight! They go the distance.”

Albert on number of punches thrown in Figueroa, Jr.-DeMarco bout: “I think the computer is broken after that fight.”

ON ARREOLA-KAUFFMAN

Albert: “Arreola does have tremendous power.”

Leonard in Round 1: “Arreola told me yesterday that he wants to redeem himself (following his most recent fights), and in the first round he’s trying to take advantage.”

Flores in Round 1: “First rounds are important…Arreola told me he wants to let Kauffman know early who he is dealing with.”

Leonard Round 2: “When Arreola goes to the body, with his power and his strength, it makes a difference…he’s so physically strong.”

Flores in Round 2: “It’s very important in a fight like this where the guys are friends. When they’re back in the ring, it’s all business. They have to keep their cool and stick to their game plan.”

Albert as Kauffman knocked Arreola down in Round 3: “So much for the better shape of Chris Arreola! Kauffman to the body.”

Flores in Round 5: “Both guys have different reflexes for heavyweights. We’ve seen great counterpunching by both.”

Flores in Round 6: “Every punch doesn’t have to be a home run. Sometimes singles and doubles get you the game.”

Flores in Round 7: “Chris Arreola isn’t really doing anything to force Travis Kauffman out of his comfort zone – he needs to.”

Albert in Round 7: “What was a slugfest has really slowed down.”

Flores in Round 8: “Arreola is not giving him anything to look at, he’s just letting Kauffman walk in and deliver punches to the body.”

Albert in Round 8: “A minute remaining in this eighth round and the fresher fighter appears to be Travis Kauffman.”

Leonard in Round 9: “You see the momentum has really changed. Kauffman is being a lot more aggressive…a variation of punches, that’s how he wins the round.”

Flores in Round 11: “Combination punching is the key here.”

Albert in Round 11: “Arreola coming to life here in this 11th round…you get the feeling he’s been told he needs a knockout because he’s trying to land a bomb here.”

Albert: “Is Areola fighting for his career?”

Leonard: “That’s the question. This is do or die. This is it.”

Leonard in Round 12: “This is when it’s all about heart. Who wants it the most?”

Leonard on Arreola’s split decision win: “A close fight – but I had Kauffman squeaking out with the decision.”

Flores on Arreola’s split decision win: “I would have had to score every round individually and added it up. It seemed like Kauffman was in control, but Arreola closed the fight up.”