[Previous entry: "“Fight Night” in Pompano Beach"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Giant Russian’ Nikolai Valuev & Polish Stars at Allstate Arena Oct. 7th!"]
08/17/2006 Archived Entry: "Barrios-Guzman & Gonzalez-Vazquez Now on Undercard of Barrera-Juarez II!"
Barrios-Guzman & Gonzalez-Vazquez Now on Undercard of Barrera-Juarez II!
LOS ANGELES, CA August 16, 2006 - Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions, took time today to officially announce, on a worldwide teleconference, the star-studded undercard that will support the highly anticipated championship rematch between Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez on Saturday, September 16 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada and broadcast live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
"I couldn't let the rest of the summer go by without talking about this amazing card we have on September 16," said De La Hoya. "When we were putting this show together, we knew we had a great main event in the rematch between Barrera and Juarez, but we also aimed to make this a complete show for the fans that support this sport."
The undercard will be headlined by a WBO world junior lightweight title fight between champion Jorge Rodrigo Barrios (46-2-1, 33 KOs) battling undefeated challenger Joan Guzman (25-0, 17 KOs), and a WBC world super bantamweight championship bout between champion Israel Vazquez (40-3, 29 KOs) and his challenger, WBO bantamweight king Jhonny Gonzalez (33-4, 28 KOs).
"We added not only one more title fight, but two of them, and both bouts—Barrios-Guzman and Gonzalez-Vazquez—could be main events in their own right," continued the Golden Boy. "Champion after champion, champion against champion, the best fighting the best" continued De La Hoya. "This is how strong the card is and one that has the potential to produce three 'Fight of The Year' candidates."
Among the main event and two co-features, four of the combatants—Barrera, Barrios, Vazquez and Gonzalez—are reigning champions and Guzman is a former champion who only relinquished his title after moving up in weight. In addition, the four undercard fighters are in the prime of their careers and represent the best and most popular fighters today in their respective latino-based countries.
Barrios, who hails from Argentina is considered the country's #1 fighter and a significant win for him could open many doors, including a move up in weight to revenge his loss to Brazil's Acelino Freitas. For Joan Guzman, also recognized as the #1 fighter is his Dominican Republic homeland, a win would mean bigger fights and a dominant position in the junior lightweight division. The stakes are extremely high as the winner of the bout could potentially face the winner of the main event between Barrera and Juarez.
For Vazquez and Gonzalez, nothing could be more important than a win by a Mexican on Mexican Independence Day. Vazquez, who became the 100th Mexican champion with his first world title on March 25, 2004, is the Ring Magazine champion and also hailed by his countrymen as the heir apparent to the popularity throne of Marco Antonio Barrera. For Gonzalez, the bantamweight champion who is moving up in weight to face Vazquez, a victory on September 16, will make him the king of the ring and his popularity index meter will soar to new heights.
"I am extremely proud of Eric Gomez, our matchmaker, for pulling this show together when many doubted it could get done," added De La Hoya. "I am sure all of boxing will be thankful afterwards for the tremendous night of action we are about to witness. This show is the true indicator of things to come from Golden Boy Promotions."
Promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, in association with Main Events, tickets—priced at $350, $250, $175, and $75—are on sale and available at the MGM Grand Garden Arena box office and will be sold at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (Tower Records/WOW!, Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Robinsons-May stores and Ritmo Latino). Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com .
The Barrera vs. Juarez II pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST, has a suggested retail price of $44.95, will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View and will be available to more than 56 million pay-per-view homes. HBO Pay-Per-View is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For your daily Barrera vs. Juarez II fight week updates, log onto www.HBO.com.For more information on Golden Boy Promotions, please visit our website at www.goldenboypromotions.com.
DE LA HOYA AUGUST 16TH CONFERENCE CALL QUOTES
On September 16th Overall Card and Undercard Fights
"I am extremely excited about this card and I think it is one of the overall best cards we have seen in boxing in the last 20 years. Every single fight on the card, including the main event, is actually too close to call. That is how we came up with the name for the show as it is true—they are all "Too Close To Call."
"We have great television fights but there is also a bout which will air on international television, which is also extremely exciting. Undefeated Rey Bautista from the Philippines is going against a tough veteran Giovanni Andrade from Brazil. Bautista, who is being touted as the "next" Manny Pacquiao, is 19 years old, undefeated and is making a run for featherweight recognition. Andrade is a seasoned veteran and a fairly dangerous opponent for the younger, less experienced Bautista.
"In the co-feature of the undercard, this fight is going to be a very interesting fight, and definitely a candidate for fight of the year. Israel Vazquez will face Johnny Gonzalez in a 12-round super bantamweight fight for Vazquez's WBC title. Vazquez, is from West Covina, California, has already beaten Oscar Larios and proven in that fight alone that he is worthy of carrying the belt.
"He's going against Gonzales, who is moving up in weight to challenge Vazquez. Gonzalez hits extremely hard and comes forward. He's extremely happy with his new trainer Oscar Suarez and they are working on new things and focusing on having him relax more in the ring. You're going to see a real a test of styles. I guarantee both fighters will come at each other.
"In the other featured undercard bout, Jorge Barrios, facing what people consider to be the strongest puncher in Joan Guzman at 130 pounds. People call him (Guzman) little Tyson.
On Barrera vs Juarez
"When I decided not to fight again this year, we started looking for a replacement for a September fight. Obviously Barrera's name came up. We looked at the big names, Pacquiao, Morales but it was Barrera that stepped up and said he wanted the rematch with Juarez. I can understand as a fighter that if you know you were having problems and didn't feel at your best, you feel confident you can take the rematch and just come better prepared. Barrera was also concerned that people thought it was a controversial win and he wants to show his fans that he really won the fight by winning this one more convincingly."
"I don't think Barrera was 100% in the last fight, and there were rumors that he wasn't feeling well in training camp either. He told me he didn't feel well so I don't think he did have the best camp and shows me he might not have been in the best shape. I also think Barrera made it tougher for himself in the first fight.
"But I still think it is too close to call because Juarez is going to come out hungrier this time and Barrera will return as a complete fighter which is going to make for a great fight.
"I do feel Barrera might have underestimated Juarez in the last fight too. I think fighters tend to do that particularly when the fighter they are facing loses his last fight. I think fighters tend to think that way. But I also think the mouthpiece, his nose bleeding and his difficulty breathing all contributed to Barrera's performance. I think you are going to see a much readier Barrera for this one.
"I understand that Barrera couldn't breathe through his nose the last fight, Marco did mention to me that he wasn't using his original mouthpiece that he always uses. He had to keep his mouth open because the mouthpiece he was using didn't fit properly. Also, Marco started to bleed after Juarez hit him with that excellent uppercut, perfectly placed. I'm sure Marco and his camp will be much more prepared this time around."
"Considering the circumstances with the mouthpiece and breathing right, bloody nose, training camp not up to par, I wasn't too surprised with the outcome of the last fight. But I know and Marco knows that he'll come back in September 100%."
Promoters Dream
"Every under card fight on September 16, is a fight that could easily hold itself as the main event. We have a little tournament going on here with the undercard fights. It's very important for all the fighters because every single one of them could potentially face one another down the line.
"Golden Boy Promotions has been around for a short period, but our main objective is to put on great shows, and give fans their money's worth. We have a great team and I think we also have the best card in boxing in a long time.
"Fans can enjoy this one from top to bottom. Every fight holds its own weight and could actually be a main event fight. When you have Joan Guzman facing Jorge Barrios in an undercard co-feature? That's what gets fans excited. We want to make sure that the fans tune in because they are excited about the entire card.
"Every fight on September 16 carries its own weight, these are main events in the undercard position. Championship caliber that people want to watch. This is a promoters dream to promote a card like this. Let the card speak for itself. There's nothing too it. From top to bottom, people know this card is exciting. You don't have to invent anything to push this fight, it pushes itself.
Golden Boy Matchmaker Eric Gomez—Final Comments
"Putting together a great fight card like September 16 is absolutely a team effort. Actually, a lot of these ideas as to who should fight who, or who could fight come directly from Oscar. We talk about the possibilities but he comes up with a lot of the original ideas as to who should fight whom.
"Yes, it was tough to convince all camps to agree to fight each other. But they realized that in order to become a superstar, in order to get to the next level, they have to fight these tough fights. And for these great fighters, the last man standing will become a commodity in boxing for the fans. As promoters, we want the fighters to prove themselves and also to propel their careers to those next levels."
"Pampered" Promoter
When asked if he has made any decisions with regard to his future, the Golden Boy replied softly that he has not. When asked what he was doing these days, the fighter/promoter quickly turned in to his happiest role of the Dad and said, "Changing pampers!"
