The 12-round bout between Mares (22-0-1, 13 KO’s) and Agbeko (28-3, 22 KO’s) is a rematch of a hotly disputed fight won by Mares via a 12-round majority decision last Aug. 13 in Las Vegas on SHOWTIME.
The opening half of Saturday’s world championship doubleheader will feature the SHOWTIME and United States debuts of Panama’s Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno (31-1-1, 11 KO’s), who will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) Bantamweight Super Championship against
Two-Division World Champion Vic “The Raging Bull” Darchinyan (37-3-1, 27 KO’s).
Mares, who turned 26 on Monday, will be fighting for a fourth consecutive time on SHOWTIME, while Agbeko, 32, will be appearing on the network for a fifth time in a row. This will be Darchinyan’s 14th bout on the network.
Tickets, priced at $150, $100, $50 and $25, are available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and via charge-by-phone (800) 745-3000 and at Honda Center Box Office.
The four classy and talented bantamweights, their promoters and teams participated in Wednesday’s final press conference at Honda Center. Here’s what they had say to say about this weekend’s event:
ABNER MARES
“I can’t reveal what my key to winning is, but what I can say is that I am going to fight my fight, a smart fight. There’s obviously been a lot of controversy going into this fight, but whatever pressure I felt is gone.
“I feel I did my job last time, but I know I need to perform at my best and win again. Agbeko thinks he should have won and has trained hard and is here to win. He’ll be bringing everything’s he’s got, so I feel we are both coming in with something to prove.
“I don’t really expect him to do anything differently, but you never know once the bell rings. I just know I’ll be ready for anything and everything.
“This will be one of my hardest fights. He’s a great champion, but he never really hurt me in our first fight.
“The fans will definitely experience a great fight. The expectations for both of us to perform at the highest level are there.
“I’m the champion and he is coming into my house to try to take what I trained so hard to win, and I’m here to prove I deserve to be world champion – and I will.”
JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO
“I want to thank everyone involved, including the IBF which mandated that we fight again.
“I’ve put the first fight behind me. It is in the past and gone. My focus right now and in recent weeks of training is on Saturday and regaining my title. I expect the referee to do his job.
“I’m honored to fight Mares (in Southern California) where he lives and to challenge him in front of his home crowd. It will make me fight that much harder.
“I hope we fill the arena and give fans a lot to cheer about. On Saturday, I will prove who is the best bantamweight in the world.”
ANSELMO MORENO
“I am happy to be fighting in the United States. It was always a dream to fight here for the biggest promoter in the world.
“I’m looking forward to showing my intelligence and style of boxing to the fans at the arena and watching on television.
“I’m here to make a name for myself and to make a huge statement.”
VIC DARCHINYAN
“I want to thank everybody who helped get me on this card, including my promoter, Gary Shaw, and it is always nice to be back on SHOWTIME again.
“Moreno doesn’t come to make exciting fights. He likes to move and grab and just wants to do enough to win a round. He’s scared to get hit. I’m going to do what I do best and show my skills and fight smart, but I’m not going to mess around. I’ll jump on him and pressure him like no one he’s ever fought before and I’m going to try and knock him out in the first round.
“I will destroy him. I can’t see this fight going the distance. You’ll like what you see. I’m here to bring the excitement.
“Mares and Agbeko say they are moving up to 122 after this fight. After this fight, I would love to fight Mares at 122.’’
PROMOTER OSCAR DE LA HOYA (Golden Boy Promotions)
“Abner Mares is an honorable young man. Being the fighter and the man that he is, he called for this rematch. He could have fought another guy, but he wanted to clear up any controversy that may have surrounded their first fight and he wanted to fight Agbeko again.
“The bottom line is Abner holds the beautiful IBF belt and that we at Golden Boy are very proud of him for becoming our first home-grown world champion. On Saturday, we expect him to leave no doubt he is the best bantamweight in the world.
“I’m very excited about Saturday’s big event and thrilled to be working with so many of my good friends and fellow promoters. From top to bottom, we have put together an outstanding night of fights.
PROMOTER DON KING (Don King Promotions)
“I’m glad to be in the great state of California with Saturday night’s fight in Anaheim under the auspices of the California State Athletic Commission. Everybody who saw the first fight knows the low blows sustained by Agbeko by Mares sent the IBF world title to Mares by robbery. I am just glad that the head of the CSAC, George Dodd, has guaranteed that the rematch will be officiated fairly, and I trust it will.
“Mares didn’t win the first fight. He went into that fight at 21-0, and now he’s 21 and a question mark, not 22-0 like the record books says. A referee gave him that win, that’s why I call it a question mark. Mares should have been disqualified or the match should have been changed to no contest, but now we have a chance to clean this up, and I think it’s going to be one great fight, a Pier 6 brawl.
“If Mares wins, I’ll give him all the credit he deserves, but in a fair fight I believe Agbeko will have the upper hand. Joseph is dedicated and committed to winning but he feels he’s been wronged, that forces beyond him have conspired to deny him two victories in Nevada. It’s up to King Kong to go in there and shine against the young lion, Mares. The only one who can beat Agbeko is Agbeko. If he focuses and brings his best to the ring, nobody can beat him.”
PROMOTER GARY SHAW (Gary Shaw Productions)
“One thing about Vic Darchinyan: he fights only the best, and wants to fight only the best. He, too, has some unfinished business with Mares because of the low blows. I hope after Vic wins Saturday that fight is made again.
“Another possibility (if Darchinyan is triumphant) is that he will retire and follow in the footsteps of Kimbo Slice, and go into MMA.”
FRANK ESPINOZA (Mares’ Manager)
“I want to thank SHOWTIME, Golden Boy and Don King for making this happen. We are happy this rematch is taking place. We respect the IBF’s decision for an immediate rematch. It was the right call.
“It was the right call for Abner, who wants to set the record straight, and the right call for Agbeko, who put up a good fight and it was the right call for the sport of boxing. On Saturday, there’ll be no controversy. Abner will erase all doubts and successfully defend his title. He’ll prove once again he truly deserves to be the best bantamweight in the world and we’ll finally get to say, ‘So long, King Kong.’ ”
Amateur Standout Zachary “Kid Yamaka” Wohlman Makes Pro Debut
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30, 2011 – Under the guidance of famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach, Zachary “Kid Yamaka” Wohlman emerges out of the Wild Card Boxing gym to make his pro debut this Thursday, December 1, 2011 at Golden Boy Promotion’s Fight Night Club at Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California.
A California Golden Gloves Champion, Wohlman believes his style will be entertaining for the professional ranks as he went on to say, “I’ve been with Freddie for more than four years and have sparred some of the best fighters walking the planet. I have complete confidence that my style will be more suitable for the pros. I like to bang the body and throw a lot of power punches and in the amateurs, the judging is scored more on arm punches than anything else. I’m looking forward to my pro debut and I want to bring excitement to the fans every time I step in the ring.”
For more information on Zachary “Kid Yamaka” Wohlman please visit www.KidYamaka.com or www.bashboxing.com. Fight Night Club General Admission Floor Tickets priced $15.00 are available and can be purchased at by clicking here.
Thursday, December 1, 2011 Club Nokia @ L. A. Live
@ 07:00 PM 800 West Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
‘World Dominance: Holm vs. Mathis” press conference
“World Dominance” features the top two women’s boxers in the world, American favorite Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (30-1-3, 9 KOs) and French knockout specialist Anne Sophie Mathis (25-1, 21 KOs), in arguably the No. female fight of all-time.
“World Dominance,” presented by Fresquez Productions, will be held this Friday night (Dec. 2) at Route 66 Casino Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Holm-Mathis 10-round bout will be contested for the IBA Welterweight title and WBAN Championship Belt, as well as to determine the mythical No. 1 pound-for-pound world championship today in women’s boxing.
Go online to www.FresquezProductions.com for additional information
“FIGHT NIGHT CLUB” FINISHES 2011 SEASON THIS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1 WITH OXNARD’S UNBEATEN HUGO CENTENO JR. VS. DAVID LOPEZ IN THE MAIN EVENT AT CLUB NOKIA AT L.A. LIVE – PLUS OFFICIAL BOUT SHEET
LOS ANGELES, December 30 – The latest outstanding talent to emerge from Oxnard, California, unbeaten junior middleweight Hugo Centeno Jr., will have LA’s lights shining brightly on him this Thursday, December 1 when he headlines the 2011 season finale of Golden Boy Promotions and AEG’s “Fight Night Club” at L.A. LIVE’s Club Nokia. Former World Champions Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi and Michael Katsidis “The Great” are set to take in the boxing action tomorrow night.
Former amateur star Centeno Jr (10-0, 6 KO’s) will battle tough Idaho native David Lopez (3-6-3) in the six round main event while in the co-feature, scheduled for four rounds in the junior lightweight division, Montebello’s Santiago Guevara (1-0) faces Chula Vista’s Salvador Cifuentes (1-2). Guevara shut out Naphi Mohammad in his professional debut at Club Nokia in October and based on that performance, fans will be happy to see him back in the ring this Thursday.
Another “Fight Night Club” debutant from October 27, Los Angeles junior welterweight Luis Mora (1-0, 1 KO), took just 2:08 minutes to win his first professional fight and he’ll look to match or surpass that performance in his second fight against Las Vegas’ Cameron Krael (0-0-1) in the four round fight opening televised fight.
A California Golden Gloves champion who has been developing his boxing skills under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, Hollywood’s Zachary “Kid Yamaka” Wohlman will make his highly-anticipated professional debut this week in a four round welterweight fight against the always-tough Ricardo Malfavon (1-6-1, 1 KO) of Santa Ana.
Opening the night of boxing will be a four round middleweight matchup between debuting Orlando, Florida native Daquan Arnett and Watts’Cleven Ishe (3-3).
“Fight Night Club” is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and AEG and sponsored by DeWalt Tools, Budweiser, MetroPCS and Super A Foods. The fights will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net (FSN) and its regional sports network affiliates (check local listings) and streamed live online at www.RingTV.com at 8:00 p.m. PT/11:00 p.m. ET. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. PT and the first bell rings at 7:15 p.m. PT. The event will be hosted by HOT 92.3’s Jimmy Reyes.
Tickets, priced at $150 (VIP On-Stage Seats, which allow purchasers to sit ringside on Club Nokia’s stage near VIP’s attending the fight [De La Hoya, etc.] and grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room during the event), $100 (VIP Balcony Seats in the first two rows which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room during the event), $60 (VIP Balcony Seats which grant buyers access to the Club Nokia VIP Room during the event), $25 (General Admission Upper Balcony Seats) and $15 (General Admission Floor Standing Room) and may be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 online at www.ticketmaster.com or through any Ticketmaster outlet or the STAPLES Center box office. Group tickets are also available by calling 1-877-AEG TICKETS (1-877-234-8425).
Now in its third season, “Fight Night Club” is Golden Boy Promotions’ and AEG’s critically acclaimed live monthly boxing series, that presents boxing in a night club atmosphere, with a DJ, music, great food and a VIP room, as well as a unique setup where the ring is on Club Nokia’s stage with standing room for fans in front of the ring, as well as reserved seating in the balcony. After the boxing action ends, fans are invited to stay to hear great music played by LA’s hottest DJ’s, dance and mingle with the fighters as the venue converts back into a night club. Athletes and celebrities have flocked to Club Nokia to take in the “Fight Night Club” action including, future Hall of Famer and GBP President Oscar de la Hoya, future Hall of Famer and GBP Partner Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins, Hall of Famer Sugar Ray Leonard, current and former World Champions Amir “King” Khan, Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora, Daniel Ponce De Leon and Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, plus sports and entertainment stars Will i Am, Ron Artest, Taboo, Mario Lopez, Audrina Patridge, Baby Bash, Aubrey O’Day, Tattoo and many more.