LAS VEGAS (Jan. 19, 2012) Goossen Tutor Promotions presents a special world championship edition of ShoBox: The Next Generation featuring World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight world champion Rico Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs), who takes on WBA) interim champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs).
The fight will be held at the Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev. and broadcast on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Doors for the event open at 5:30 p.m. with the first bout at 6:00 p.m. and the televised portion of the card beginning at 8:00 p.m. (all times PT). Tickets for the event are priced at $54 and $29 and are available at ticketmaster.com and at the Palms box office.
RICO RAMOS 122 LBS vs. GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX 120.5 LBS
GUY ROBB 128.5 LBS vs. JOEL DIAZ JR 129 LBS
MATT VILLANUEVA 115 LBS vs. MIKE RUIZ JR. 114.5 LBS
JAVIER MOLINA 147 LBS vs. ALBERT HERRERA 147 LBS
RAZVAN COJANU 260 LBS vs. RODNEY HERNANDEZ 231 LBS
MARCUS ROBINSON 142 LBS. vs. YOSMANI ABREU 146 LBS
North Philly vs. South Philly Final Presser for Jan 21st NBC Sports Network “Fight Night”
It’s going to be a hot time in Philly on Saturday night when North Philly takes on South Philly in the main event of the inaugural edition of NBC Sports Network’s “Fight Night” Boxing Series. The final press conference was held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA today.
Heavyweights Maurice Byarm,13-0-1, 9 KO’s, of North Philly and Bryant Jennings, 11-0, 5 KO’s, of South Philly will vie for the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight Championship according to Greg Sirb, Pennsylvania Boxing Commissioner.
North Philadelphia’s Bryant Jennings took full credit for accepting the fight, “This is a great opportunity. I am actually glad I made this decision, not only for myself, but for the sport. We don’t really have what we used to have back in the day. Nowadays people have fabricated records. We have guys running around calling themselves tough, but they are not really proving themselves. I think this is the opportunity for both of us to prove ourselves. Saturday you are going to know who both of us are. Everybody’s going to be watching, I’m going to go out and give it my all.”
Maurice Byarm of South Philly was grateful for the opportunity, “This fight on Saturday is going to be a great fight for me and for Bryant. Win, lose or draw its going to catapult both of us to a higher elevation in our career. I think in this fight we are going to bring out the best in each other. Anyone who has ever been to the Blue Horizon knows that’s what we do (in Philadelphia). We give great fights, especially two Philadelphia fighters; it’s going to be great for the fans. We got this fight on a week’s notice and we are both fighting for the pride of Philadelphia. I thank NBC for putting this fight on.”
NBC Sports Network matchmaker Russell Peltz, President, Peltz Boxing, talked about the highly anticipated match between Jesus Soto-Karass, 24-6-3, 16 KO’s, and Gabriel Rosado, 18-5, 10 KO’s. , “In my mind the co-feature is just as important as the main event. It’s featuring Gabriel Rosado who after only 17 amateur fights is on the verge of making some serious money as a junior middleweight; despite the fact that today’s so-called boxing experts scoff at a record of 18 wins and 5 losses, not even having the intelligence to look at the caliber of opposition. It’s a big fight for him. Just as it’s a big fight for Jesus Soto Karass, who would probably like to shed his image as the policeman of the then welterweight division and now the junior middleweight division and step it up a bit and maybe get himself back into the big money.”
Soto Karass thanked NBC and the promoters for the opportunity to be on the card and added, “I had a good training camp in Los Angeles and we are 100% prepared, physically and mentally. I don’t have problems with my weight going to 154. It’s going to be a good show on Saturday.”
Rosado expressed his eagerness to prove himself, “I know what Soto Karass brings to the table and he is going to bring the best out of me. I am up for the challenge. This is a statement fight for me; I want to show the world and everyone in the hometown what I am all about.”
Peltz endorsed Saturday’s fights, “Number 1 do the styles blend? Number 2 is the fight important and is it going to lead anywhere? And number 3, would I buy a ticket to watch the fight? I say in both cases on Saturday night, the answer is yes. It’s a good show; it’s loaded from top to bottom!
Promoted by Main Events, Peltz Boxing Promotions and Greg Cohen Promotions. The non-televised undercard fights will begin at 7 p.m. The NBC Sports Network Fight Night broadcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET. A small amount of tickets are still available at $45 and $65 and can be purchased by calling Peltz Boxing, (215) 765-0922, or online at www.peltzboxing.com.
To find the location of the NBC Sports Network on your local cable, satellite or IPTV provider, click here: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30092015/ns/sports/
Ramos-Rigondeaux quotes
Rico “Suavecito” Ramos: 122 pounds
Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux: 120.5 pounds
Guy Robb: 128.5 pounds
Joel Diaz Jr.: 129 pounds
Matthew Villanueva: 115 pounds
Michael “El Unico” Ruiz Jr.: 114.5 pounds
NOTE: WEIGHTS (Jan. 19, 2012) – All six fighters made weight Thursday from the Key West Ballroom at Palms Casino Resort a day before an exciting special edition tripleheader on SHOWTIME® which will feature World Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion Rico Ramos defending his title for the first time against the WBA interim champion Guillermo Rigondeaux, matching two world champions and two of the sport’s rising stars.
The main event showdown and two more exciting co-features on ShoBox: The New Generation, Friday, Jan. 20, at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) originates from the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nev.
Ramos (20-0, 11 KOs) of Los Angeles weighed in at 122 pounds on Thursday while the 31-year-old Rigondeaux (8-0, 6 KOs), of Miami, Fla., by way of Cuba, tipped the scales at 120.5.
In an eight-round super featherweight attraction between two undefeated prospects, Guy Robb (7-0, 3 KOs), a 22-year-old out of Sacramento, Calif., registered a weight of 128.5 pounds and Joel Diaz Jr. (6-0, 5 KOs) of Los Angeles weighed 129 pounds.
Opening the ShoBox telecast, undefeated Matthew Villanueva (6-0-1, 6 KOs) of Burbank, Calif. will fight Mike Ruiz Jr. (8-1-1, 3 KOs) of Fresno, Calif., in an eight-round super flyweight affair. Villanueva weighed 115 pounds while Ruiz Jr. weighed 114.5 pounds.
The night of fights are being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions.
Here’s what each fighter had to say on Thursday:
RICO RAMOS:
“A lot of people are doubting me for this fight but who cares? It’s me and him in that ring. I came to keep that title. I’m the WBA champ and I will stay the champ.
“It’s hard work to stay the champion. I put a lot of hard work and dedication into this. I’m still moving, man. I’ve got my son, he’s two, that keeps me motivated. I’ve got my fans, my friends, my family, it all keeps me motivated.”
GUILLERMO RIGONDEAUX:
“Of course I should be the betting favorite. What should I expect from Ramos? He has to worry what to expect from me!
“I’m very happy for the opportunity to win a title with less than 10 pro fights. I’m ready for the challenge.”
GUY ROBB:
“Boxing came into my life at a perfect time. I was getting in a little trouble but I was on the verge of getting in big trouble. I was introduced to Ray Woods and I was intrigued by who he was (Diego Corrales’ stepfather and original trainer).
“Boxing was fun when I started. But I didn’t like getting tired and beat on so I realized I had to give it 100 percent. It took over my life.
“This fight will be action-packed. He’s aggressive but I plan to beat him up. It should be a brutal fight.”
JOEL DIAZ JR.:
“I don’t want to rely on just one punch. Yeah, I can brawl but I can box. If I have to stay in his face and throw punches all day, fine. But I’m ready for anything.
“I can’t wrong go with this opportunity. I took it on two weeks notice. I’m going to show everybody what I got. With all the people watching, you don’t want to look bad.”
MATTHEW VILLANUEVA:
“I’ve got to get this victory, that’s first. But if I can do it in big fashion, a KO, even better. I believe I can knock him out.
“I’ve sparred Ruiz before and I believe I got the best of him. It was my reach, my aggression, my power. And now, I’m even more conditioned than I was when we sparred.”
MIKE RUIZ JR.:
“This is do or die. It sucks when you don’t put your hand up at the end of a fight (like my last outing). I’ve gotta do this.
“I feel good. I feel I’m two or three times better than when we sparred the first time. The sparring sessions were pretty even but now I’m sharper.”
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