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By Jeff Zimmerman –
Credit:  Photos by Mikey Williams / Top Rank –

Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight champion and the Boxing Writers Association of America’s (BWAA) Fighter of the Year Terence “Bud” Crawford (25-0, 17 KOs), from Omaha, NE, hosted a workout and spoke to the media today at the Irving PAL Boxing Gym in his final days of training for his WBO junior welterweight world title rumble against Puerto Rican buzz saw Thomas “Thunder” Dulorme (22-1, 14 KOs), the #2 world-rated contender.

The Crawford-Dulorme world title fight will take place this Saturday at College Park Center, located on the campus of the University of Texas Arlington in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The world championship fight will be televised as part of a split site doubleheader live on HBO Boxing After Dark, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

Crawford spoke to Fightnews and other media prior to his workout at the Irving PAL Boxing Gym.

On the recent HBO broadcast – 2 Days: Terence Crawford – where it showed how grueling it was to make weight, how has it been for this fight? 

This is a piece of a cake, a walk in the park – as you can see I don’t have any problems doing anything. 

What are your thoughts on guys that don’t make weight, such as Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin this past weekend against Andy Lee?

I just think it’s unprofessional. You know, I just feel like if you know deep down in your heart that you can’t make the weight, then don’t fight at that weight.

Do you think the belts don’t matter as much anymore?

I don’t think so, because you can get walked into a title and fight somebody that is not even worthy enough to fight for the title instead of fighting a champion. Like there are so many titles out here, who knows who the champion is. You got the interim, you got the champion, you got the super champion. You know I’m just into one champion. If you got the WBO Belt, you’re the champ. If you’re the WBA you’re the champ, not the WBA Interim Champion, not the WBA Super Champion, IBF this or IBF that. I just feel like it’s uncalled for to have so many belts out there.

So the belt does matter to you still?

It does. The belts always going to matter, but I just feel like there are a lot of belts out there. You know, anybody can be a champion if you have a good record, a good promotional team behind him, and a good manager behind him.

With the chance to become 2 division weight champ – what’s that mean for you to win multiple titles at this stage of your career since you are still on the rise?

It means a lot. There is no telling where I am going to end up in my career. You know I feel like it is all beginning and it starts Saturday. I got to get the job done.

With all the 140-pounders fighting lately and it being a stacked division, do you feel like you have to make a statement in this fight.

Well every time I step foot in the ring I like to make a statement – that’s nothing new. I like to put on a good show and great performance every time I step foot in the ring that way I leave something with the fans every single time.

Did you add anything new in training?

Not really. You know we got little secrets but you know we are going to show that Saturday.

What do you expect from Dulorme Saturday?

Well I expect him to come hard and try and knock me out, boxing whatever he wants to do, but I am going to be prepared for whatever – so that’s what training is for – to be prepared for whatever you don’t just prepare for one thing. He (Dulorme) likes to throw a looping right hand, a straight right hand, more than just one punch. We are going to have to capitalize on a lot of mistakes that he makes in there too.

How does it feel to be fighting in Omaha recently and now back on the road in Dallas?

It feels normal. It feels normal. At the end of the day, we are still going to have to get in that square, no matter if we are in Omaha or Dallas.

How was the atmosphere in your last fight in Dallas?

It was a great atmosphere. I like it, the support that I got from the fans here and the fans that came from Omaha coming to support me – it was great.

What are the challenges that Dulorme poses since he is a bigger, tougher guy?

See a lot of people think he’s bigger and tougher until you get in the ring you don’t know that.

You might see a fighter on video but may be different in the ring?

That’s correct. You might think one thing but when you get in the ring you might see something else. So I don’t prepare for what I have seen in his last fight, I prepare for me. I worry about myself, what I am going to do when I get in there, that way I don’t get any surprises.

Do you feel stronger at 140?

Of course.

In what way?

In every way – you know – come Saturday you’re going to see.

What are the differences from fighting a lightweight to fighting at 140?

There’s really no difference. You are just fighting a stronger lightweight. Beltran was a strong lightweight. I don’t know how strong Dulorme is. I have never been in the ring with him, but Saturday we will all see how strong he is.

In years past, a fighter of your caliber would have all the attention in boxing, but with Mayweather vs Pacquiao out there and you are also fighting on a HBO Doubleheader, do you feel like you’re getting lost in the shuffle with all the skill you bring to the table?

Not really. I feel like everybody is still excited about the fight, they still take notice, but you know Mayweather and Pacquiao, come on (laughing). No fight out there is going to get even close to comparing to that fight. That’s the fight that people have been wanting to see for many, many years, you know now that it’s here; it is going to take the big chunk of any fight that’s put together.

What about the chance of fighting Pacquiao down the road after getting through this fight?

That has never been run across me.

Would you like to fight him at some point?

If that’s the fight my manager, promoter, everybody agree upon so be it.

What do you think about the new PBC series on regular TV?

I think it’s good for boxing. You know you have the people that can’t afford cable to watch great, championship boxing on regular TV and that causes boxing to get bigger, more people to tune into it. You know, you see the UFC on Spike TV and that’s huge and I feel like it’s great for boxing that it’s back on regular TV.

Did you watch the Garcia vs Peterson fight? What were your thoughts?

Yes, I thought it was kind of iffy, because I felt some of the early rounds they could have gave to Peterson and Peterson took the later rounds so in my eyes I would have gave Peterson the edge, but in a way I would have gave Garcia the edge. It was kind of hard to say who really won because I am not a judge.

How about fighting Garcia or Peterson one day?

If that fight presents itself, so be it. I am up to fighting anybody as you can see; I never turn down any fight. If my manager comes to me to say this is the fight that we are going to fight, that’s fight we are going to fight.

At 140, not 143 (like the catch weight for Garcia vs Peterson)?

At 140!

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http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/interview-terence-crawford-286664

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Photos: Chris Farina / Top Rank –

WBO Lightweight champion Terence Crawford “the Pride of Omaha” and #1 contender and mandatory challenger Ray Beltran of Mexico worked out on Monday during “media day” in advance of their upcoming world title clash in Omaha, Nebraska.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Tecate, Crawford vs. Beltran will take place during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend on Saturday, November 29, at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha,NE. It will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

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http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/crawford-update-271211

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By Bill Green/BG Sports Entertainment
Photo: Chris Farina/Top Rank

Fight week has arrived and WBO lightweight world champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (23-0, 16 KOs), of Omaha, Nebraska, took time out of his busy training routine to discuss his much talked about world title defense against fellow undefeated former champion and Olympic gold medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa (23-0, 16 KOs) live on HBO Boxing After Dark this Saturday night at the CenturyLink Center located in Omaha, Nebraska. The event is being promoted by Top Rank, in association with SMS Promotions, PS4 and Tecate.

Hello champ, thank you for taking time out of your schedule and supporting the #1 boxing website, www.fightnews.com. How is training camp going?

Camp went real well as always. I have a great team. They have been there since day one. We put in the work necessary to compete at this level. Colorado Springs is perfect for conditioning and we had great sparring as well. We did everything we normally do but just more of it. We are taking things to the next level.

On June 28th, Omaha, Nebraska and Terence Crawford will be making new history in the boxing world. For instance, first televised HBO Boxing After Dark card in Nebraska, Top Rank’s first appearance in Nebraska, and the first major boxing card at the CenturyLink Center. How does it feel to be part of Nebraska history?

Wow, I mean it’s a real honor. This is home. This is where it all started. I’m truly blessed and thankful to all my supporters.

Champ, your popularity has soared since becoming a household name and capturing the WBO lightweight title. You received the key to the city, appeared on several sports talk shows and gave back to the community by talking to students throughout the Omaha Public Schools district. How has the fame changed you inside and outside the ring?

I feel like it hasn’t really changed me in terms of who I am. I feel like this is my responsibility as a champion. Before the Burns fight, I promised the kids/students that I would be back but that I would be bringing the belt with me. If anything, the added attention makes me train even harder. I love my city and on June 28th, I will fight my heart out.

Since you mentioned the Burns fight, how would you rate your performance?

It was a great night, we got the job done and that’s what counts. However, I felt like I could have done better. I give my performance a B. I adjusted and took control of the fight after a few rounds but made a few mistakes that I will correct heading into this fight with Gamboa.

At the press conference to announce the fight, most boxing insiders were surprised to see you be more vocal and outspoken. I believe it started after hearing Gamboa boast about his accomplishments, including being a former Olympic Gold Medalist, and three-time world champion. Any bad blood with Team Gamboa or is this simply a champion coming out of his shadow?

Crawford: No, there is no bad blood at least on our end. I just want him to know that this is my city, he’s the challenger. Also, this isn’t the amateurs and everyone else he beat in the pros weren’t Terence Crawford.

I have noticed some back and forth comments from both camps on social media. SMS Promotions, aka a 50 Cent, Promoter of Gamboa, boldy predicted that his fighter will stop you in four rounds, while Gamboa himself stated that he faced the better opposition in his career and that his combination of power/speed will be the deciding factor. How would you like to respond to Team Gamboa’s somewhat stern statements?

They can say all they want it doesn’t faze me. We will see what he can or can’t do. I know that I’m well prepared and I assume he will be as well. All that talk won’t matter, we are going to settle things in the ring.

You competed as an amateur at 132lbs and typically campaign between 135-140 lbs. However, Gamboa won gold as a flyweight and most of his key victories as a pro were at 126. Do you believe that your size and strength will be your biggest advantage?

We shall see. I mean… we have never fought before so we prepared for whatever he might bring to the table. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get that “W.”

The old cliché in boxing is “styles make fights.” Why will Crawford vs Gamboa be a great fight?

Crawford: The fight is going to be explosive. It will be great because we are both undefeated as pro’s, both stellar amateur careers, and I truly believe both of us are elite fighters in the sport. Find the best-fitting & stylish women’s swim tops, bottoms & bikinis available in plus sizes. Shop women’s plus size swimwear & bathing suits online at Swimwearlux.com. Discover women’s plus size swimwear and beachwear at Swimwearlux – Pick from a range of tummy control swimwear and swimsuits styles and colors. What kind of plus-size bathing suit are you looking for? Since swim styles and patterns are always changing with each season, you’ll always find new styles. #1 selection of plus size Bikinis & Tankinis at Swimwearlux. #plus #size #swimwear #swimwearlux

Ok champ, we are almost finished and then you can get back to training. At a sold crowd, live on HBO boxing, Omaha Nebraska fans are on their feet in complete anticipation chants of BUD… BUD… BUD… begin to surface, the stage is set, Michael Buffer grabs the mic as his voice blisters’ the air with “Omaha? Are you ready? Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!!!” Please finish the ending to the story.

You will hear the words “and STILL,” followed by “WBO LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, TERENCE “BUD” CRAWFORD.”

 

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/crawford-you-will-hear-the-words-and-still-250386

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OMAHA, NEB. – Undefeated world champions TERENCE CRAWFORD, the Pride of Omaha, and Cuban sensation YURIORKIS GAMBOA, who share identical 23-0 (16 KOs) professional ring records, will battle for Crawford’s newly-won World Boxing Organization (WBO) lightweight title, Saturday, June 28, at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha.  This will be the first world championship fight Omaha has hosted in 42 years, when Joe Frazier successfully defended his heavyweight title against Nebraska’s-own Ron Stander in 1972.  It is also a professional homecoming for Crawford, who has not fought in his home state since 2011.  The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, in its first-ever visit to Omaha, beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

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http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=77615

 

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Photos by Rich Graessle/Main Events –

Atlantic City, NJ: Today amidst all the press about a potential fight with Adonis Stevenson, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (23-0-1, 21 KOs) faced the media and his opponent Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew (26-0-0, 13 KOs) at Caesars to discuss the fight in front of them Saturday night at the Ballroom at Boardwalk Hall and live on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Main Events’ CEO Kathy Duva started things off reminiscing about her experiences at Boardwalk Hall with the late great Arturo Gatti, “We are very pleased to be back here in Atlantic City, NJ. The last time we were at Boardwalk Hall was seven years ago when Arturo Gatti last fought at Boardwalk Hall against Alfonso Gomez. If these walls could talk… Now we have a fight worthy of the house that Gatti built. Ken Condon is the reason that boxing is in Atlantic City and it is wonderful to be here.”

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Ken Condon, entertainment and sports consultant to Caesars AC said, “It is a pleasure to have Kathy and Main Events back in Atlantic City. It brings back a lot of great memories. She continues her commitment to Atlantic City boxing and so does Caesars. We are looking forward to a great weekend in Atlantic City. We are looking forward to welcoming Sergey and Cedric to Atlantic City. We have very few tickets left so I wouldn’t wait until Saturday to try to get them because they will probably be sold out by then. We look forward to creating a great relationship with Sergey Kovalev and HBO going forward.”

Duva also addressed questions about why Kovalev is fighting on HBO. She said, “Sergey Kovalev is fighting on HBO because it is the network of champions. HBO is the network that built each and every legendary fighter in the last 30 years. In the United States during the last 30 years no superstar has been built on any other network. Sergey’s plan is to become a legend. That is why he is fighting on HBO.”

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Peter Nelson, director of programming, HBO Sports said, “We are very excited to have this event on HBO. We are always pleased to be back in Atlantic City. Boardwalk Hall is the home of many storied fights and Saturday we plan add another fight to that collection. These are the types of fighters HBO loves. It isn’t easy to find people who will step up and fight Sergey. This is Sergey’s debut on the network in a main event. We believe there is going to be a lot of action which will lead to big things down the road.”

Kathy Duva said it is usually difficult to find opponents for Sergey but it was not difficult with Cedric Agnew. She said, “On Saturday, Sergey will fight an undefeated fighter who asked for this fight. Clearly he has a lot of courage. I have always respected a fighter with that attitude.”

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Cedric’s promoter Malcolm Garrett of Garrett Promotions said, “We are ecstatic to be here. This is a fight this kid wanted. This is a fight he plans to win. We are glad that everyone in the media, and hopefully Kovalev, have overlooked him. I know Cedric can’t wait for the fight to begin. Cedric has trained hard and is the hardest working fighter I have ever worked with.”

Cedric “L.O.W.” Agnew said, “Everyone who knows me knows I am very quiet. I would like to thank HBO for this opportunity and my team for helping me prepare for this fight. I am ready to go out there and show the world what I am capable of. And show the naysayers what I am capable of. There are always going to be naysayers out there and people who overlook me. I say nothing to them and I will keep doing what I am doing. Saturday I need to fight smart and always be the smartest fighter in the ring. Sergey is a pretty good fighter. He is a tough guy. He is a world champion. He earned that spot. Come Saturday night I will earn mine.”

Kovalev’s manager Egis Klimas reminisced about the path he took with Sergey to get here, “Sergey and I have been down a very long road and it wasn’t easy. When Sergey came from Russia he didn’t speak a word of English. Our relationship is more than just manager-fighter. He is like my son. I took him all over the country to get him any fight we could. At that time nobody wanted him. Then I brought him to Main Events and they took the opportunity. Since then we have had a good relationship with Main Events. They did a very good job to get us here. This is our first main event on HBO. I wanted to thank Cedric’s team for taking this opportunity. I wanted to thank Sergey who trusted in me for all those years when I told him to be patient and that one day we would get here. Finally we are here with Main Events on HBO in Atlantic City. Saturday night do not reach for the popcorn or go for a beer during this fight because you can miss it.”

Krusher’s trainer, John David Jackson, kept Sergey focused these last few months while he trained for this fight. He said, “I want to thank everyone at Main Events, they are a first class company. It is great to be back here at Caesars. I appreciate all that they are doing for us. This is an intriguing fight. I take my hat off to Cedric for taking the fight because a lot of fighters talk a big game but when it comes down to it they don’t want to fight Sergey. We are not overlooking him at all. He is the present and we are not looking over him. We have to get passed him to get to the next phase in Sergey’s career. Sergey has great boxing skills but we won’t know if he will ever get to use them. Sergey is one of the hardest working guys I have ever worked with. It is a great night of boxing. Expect a great evening of boxing all around.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev said, “I am not a talker but I just want to say stay tuned and don’t miss HBO Saturday night. I will try to make a good fight. Thank you to Cedric Agnew for agreeing to fight with me. Thank you to Kathy Duva and HBO. I don’t have any predictions for this fight. He is an undefeated guy and so am I. He has big motivation. He is on HBO and it is a title fight. I am going to do my job. Short fights are the result of my job and my work in the gym. I am only boxing. I go into the ring to show good boxing. I want to show the people what they want to see in the ring from me.”

When asked about the Adonis Stevenson situation, Sergey laughed and said, “I never go into the ring thinking about someone else. I want to say good luck to Adonis is in his career but someday he will meet my punch. We will talk about it after the fight.”

Finally, Duva discussed the undercard fights, “The undercard is loaded with tremendous fights if you can make it to Boardwalk Hall. We are going to have a group of fighters whose combined records are: 91-11 (64 KOs) vs. 76-5 (42 KOs). I would also like to thank our sponsors Caesars AC, Do AC and Khortitsia Vodka.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-kovalev-agnew-face-face-final-presser–76086

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New York, NY   — “GARCIA READY TO GO” —  Undefeated WBO Jr. Lightweight champion and 2013 Fighter of the Year nominee Mikey Garcia shadow boxes during media day in New York City for his first defense of his new world title against  two-time world title challenger and current No. 1 contender Juan Carlos Burgos of Tijuana,Mexico.  Garcia vs  Burgos will take place on Saturday, January 25 and will be televised live from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, on HBO Boxing After Dark®. The Garcia – Burgos world championship event will be promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Banner Promotions, Thompson Boxing Promotions, Gary Shaw Productions, Warriors Boxing Promotions, Madison Square Garden and Tecate. Remaining tickets, priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online atwww.ticketmaster.comandwww.thegarden.com. Photos by Chris Farina/Top Rank.

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 http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-mikey-garcia-juan-carlos-burgos-media-day–73863

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DALLAS (May 9, 2013) — Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion MIKEY GARCIA will make his first title defense, against former two-division world champion JUAN MANUEL “Juanma” LOPEZ, Saturday, June 15, at the American Airlines Center (2500 Victory Ave., Dallas, TX 75219). The fight will be televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark®, beginning at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT. This will be the first time HBO has televised a boxing event from the American Airlines Center. Making their Dallas debut, Garcia and Lopez boast a combined record of 64-2 (56 KOs) — a winning percentage of 97% and a victory by knockout ratio of 87.5%.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with PR Best Boxing, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate, tickets, priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, plus additional service fees, will go on sale This Saturday! May 11 at 10:00 a.m. CT. Tickets can be purchased at the American Airlines Center box office (Monday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT), online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet (Fiesta Foods, Macy’s Wal-Mart and The Shops at Willowbend.)

“Mikey proved in his last fight that he is a world champion. Now he has to prove he can remain a world champion when he faces one of the toughest men in the division in two-time world champion Juanma,” said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank. “This caps off an incredible run for boxing during the first half of 2013.”

“Mikey Garcia versus Juan Manuel Lopez is a can’t miss attraction,” says Kery Davis, senior vice president, HBO Sports. “Dallas is a first-class sports destination and we’re thrilled to be going to the American Airlines Center. June 15 is a date fight fans need to circle on their boxing calendar.”

Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs), of Oxnard Calif., a 2010 graduate of California’s Ventura County Police and Sheriff’s Reserve Officer Academy, returns to the ring having won 14 of his past 16 bouts by knockout. In his last fight, on January 19, he dethroned two-time featherweight champion Orlando Salido at Madison Square Garden via an eight-round technical win that had Garcia winning virtually every round against the seasoned veteran. Garcia, 25, had a career-best year in 2011, knocking out previously undefeated contender Matt Remillard in the 10th round in March to capture his NABF and NABO title belts. He followed that with four-round knockout title defense victories of Rafael Guzman and Juan Carlos Martinez in June and October, respectively. Guzman and Martinez had a combined record of 47-14-1 when they fought Garcia. Last year, he continued his winning ways, knocking out one-time world title challenger Bernabe Concepcion and former world champion Mauricio Pastrana, in the seventh and second rounds, respectively. He ended his 2012 campaign by knocking out former WBA featherweight champion Jonathan Barros in the eighth round on November 10, 2012. Garcia is trained by his father Eduardo Garcia and co-managed and trained by his brother, 2012 Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia, the former IBF junior lightweight champion.

Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs), from Caguas, Puerto Rico, returns to the ring for the third time this year, with 21 of his past 22 victories coming by way of knockout. The latest victims were Aldimar Santos and Eugenio Lopez on February 2 and April 20, respectively. The pride of Puerto Rico’s only blemishes on his sterling record have come from Salido, who scored world title victories over Lopez in 2011 and 2012. Lopez earned his first world title by knocking out defending WBO junior featherweight champion Daniel Ponce De Leon in the first round of their June 2008 fight. After five successful title defenses – four by knockout – he vacated the title and successfully challenged WBO featherweight champion Steven Luevano, stopping him in the seventh round, on January 28, 2010, at Madison Square Garden. He successfully defended his featherweight crown twice during his 15-month reign with an exciting second-round TKO of Bernabe Concepcion and an eighth-round TKO of two division world champion Rafael Márquez.

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2013/mikey-garcia-vs-juan-manuel-lopez-set-for-saturday-june-15-live-on-hbo/

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Undefeated World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion Mikey Garcia (31-0, 26 KOs) of Oxnard, Calif., former WBO junior featherweight and WBO featherweight champion Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez (33-2, 30 KOs), of Caguas, Puerto Rico will be squaring off in a title fight which will take place on Saturday, June 15 and will be televised live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on HBO Boxing After Dark.

Garcia and JuanMa will be hosting a press conference this Thursday,  May 9, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT,  at the American Airlines Center (2500 Victory Ave., Dallas, TX 75219) to officially announce the fight. Two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman and Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum will also be in attendance.

This will mark the first time HBO has ever broadcast a fight from the American Airlines Center.  The Garcia – Lopez world championship event will be promoted by Top Rank®, in association with PR Best Boxing, Foreman Boys Promotions and Tecate.

Garcia vs. Lopez would have been a real mouth-watering fight a couple of years ago. Of course, Top Rank took its time giving Garcia his shot, and since then, we all know what’s happened to JuanMa, being knocked out twice. Garcia now holds JuanMa’s former belt, which he lost to Orlando Salido.

This almost feels as if they’re feeding their once cash-cow to their next up and coming star. But we don’t really know how Mikey will respond to the offense and power of Lopez, so there’s definitely still some intrigue and excitement here. Their two styles should mesh well to produce a fun fight, too.

http://www.proboxing-fans.com/mikey-garcia-vs-juan-manuel-lopez-set-for-june-15-on-hbo_050613/