ROBERT GUERRERO REFLECTS ON WHAT COULD BE 2014 "FIGHT OF THE YEAR"

Photo By Ping Nepo - CrossFit

GILORY, CA (June 26, 2014) - In one of the most exciting fights in boxing history, 6-time and 4-division world champion, Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs), reflects on his tantalizing  war with Yosihiro Kamegai (24-2-1, 21 KOs), which is on its way to being 2014 "Fight of The Year".

"I hope the fans enjoyed the fight as much as I did," said Guerrero. "I know I could have made the fight easier by boxing, but then the fans would have not gotten their money's worth.  I love to fight, it's in my blood, and it's what I do...I'm a fighter. One thing you can take to the bank is when you tune into watch me, or pay for a ticket to any of my fights, you're going to get excitement. There's nothing better than a toe to toe battle!" 

"My name stands for Warrior in Spanish so that's what I like to do...go to War," Guerrero continued. "To my future opponents I can't wait to get in there and bang it out!"

Guerrero, who won his first title at featherweight, has crossed over several weight classes, winning numerous world championships along the way.   Guerrero has established himself as one of the elite fighters in boxing. 

In closing Guerrero says, "I love to fight, it's all about pleasing the fans!"

SHOWTIME TO REPLAY "GUERRERO VS. KAMEGAI" TRIPLEHEADER TONIGHT AT 10 P.M. ET/PT ON SHO: EXTREME

"It was as brutal a fight as you'll ever see." - The Ring

Last Saturday's thrilling SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader was action-packed from top to bottom featuring a breakout performance by Devon Alexander; the arrival of renowned amateur champion Vasyl Lomachenko as a professional world titlist; and, of course, a brutal Fight of the Year candidate between Robert Guerrero and Yoshihiro Kamegai.  The pace of the main event was so furious that Guerrero and Kamegai set several new records for punch statistics. Complete details below.   

"...A memorable slugfest...one of 2014's finest." - Yahoo! Sports

Catch the replay tonight/Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME^® or watch now on SHOWTIME ON DEMAND^® or via mobile device with SHOWTIME ANYTIME^®.

SHOSTATS® provided by CompuBox, Inc. highlight the incredible action of Guerrero vs. Kamegai:

* Guerrero and Kamegai combined to land 777 total punches, the most combined landed punches in a 2014 fight tracked by CompuBox

* Guerrero and Kamegai combined to land 689 power punches, the most combinedlanded power punches in a 2014 fight tracked by CompuBox

* 89% of Guerrero and Kamegai's landed punches were power shots.

More statistics from the bout, including individual punch stats from Guerrero and Kamegai, plus 2014 records set, visit TheBoxingBlog.SHO.com.  http://theboxingblog.sho.com/2014/06/23/guerrero-vs-kamegai-breaks-records-for-shostats-punch-data/

ROBERT GUERRERO WINS BRUTAL SLUGFEST OVER YOSHIHIRO KAMEGAI, VASYL LOMACHENKO OUTPOINTS GARY RUSSELL IN THRILLER FOR WBO TITLE, AND DEVON ALEXANDER WINS HARD-FOUGHT, EXCITING DECISION OVER JESUS SOTO KARASS AT STUBHUB CENTER IN CARSON, CALIF.

SHOWTIME^® SLUGFESTS AT STUBHUB!

“Bad” Chad Dawson Returns With First-Round Knockout,

Heavyweight Dominic Breazeale Remains Unbeaten
 With Third-Round KO on SHOWTIME EXTREME

Catch Replay Tomorrow/Sunday at 9 a.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME,
Tuesday, June 24, at 10 p.m. ET/PT On SHO EXTREME^®

Click HERE To Download Photos

Photo Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

CARSON, Calif. (June 22, 2014) – Former four-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs), of Gilroy, Calif., capped a spectacularly exciting night of ferocious non-stop action where each fight was better than the last with a Fight Of The Year candidate 12-round unanimous decision over Yoshihiro Kamegai (24-2-1, 21 KOs), of Sapporo, Japan,Saturday on SHOWTIME^®.

In a collision of two highly-skilled, exciting southpaw featherweights in the co-feature onSHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, international amateur standout Vasyl Lomachenko(2-1, 1 KO), of Ukraine, won a hard-fought 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated yet untested Gary Russell Jr. (24-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., to capture the vacant WBO world 126-pound crown.

The telecast opened with former two-division world champion Devon Alexander (26-2, 14 KOs), of St. Louis, winning a hard-fought unanimous 10-round decision in a terrific, fast-paced scrap over determined Jesus Soto Karass (28-10-3, 18 KOs), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

"Golden Boy Promotions is accustomed to putting on tremendous fights at the StubHub Center, and tonight was no exception,’’ Golden Boy President Oscar De La Hoya said afterward. "Each and every fight was fast-paced and action-packed, and all the fans who turned out to watch boxing at its best went home fully entertained. We look forward to the July 12 (SHOWTIME PPV) and Aug. 9 fights on SHOWTIME and to many more in the future."

Guerrero, making his first start in 13 months, won by the scores 117-111 twice and 116-112. There were no knockdowns but both warriors pounded on each other and were battered and bruised at the finish at which time they were given a standing ovation by the 5,711 in attendance.

“It was a rough fight,’' Guerrero, whose left eye was cut and swollen shut, said. “I didn’t want to get caught into his style, but right out of the gate I did. I’m not a runner, I will fight. He is a tough, great fighter. I want to give the fans what they want. I was in great shape. I took the shots very well because of the shape I am in because of CrossFit.”

“I wanted to get on my toes but I fell right back into banging with him. I have been out for a year and it’s time to get back to work again. I am getting back in the gym right away. He hit me with a great shot to the left eye and I had to get right back up and keep fighting. There’s no backing down.

“There are a lot of fighters out there. We will enjoy this win and then get back to seeing who is out there. My opponent came in 110 percent better than what you see on TV because it was his opportunity to shine in the SHOWTIME main event. This was his opportunity and he came to fight."

The gamest of the game, Kamegai, said his motivation was propelled by the fact that he flew all the way from Japan for this chance.

“I’m OK with the decision,’’ Kamegai said. “My fighting spirit stems from the fact I flew all this way to win. All through the fight I kept thinking I am here to win, I felt he shook me a couple of times and weakened my legs, but I hurt him a few times, too. But he recovered quickly.’’

There were no knockdowns in the epic showdown between Lomachenko and Russell for the vacant WBO title that Lomachenko won by the scores of 116-112 twice and 114-114. Lomachenko, 396-1 as an amateur, was a two-time Olympic Games gold medalist (2008, 2012) who fought and lost for a world title in his pro debut.

“I am very happy and excited to be a world champion,’’ the physically strong and talented Lomachenko   said. “I want to thank all the fans that came here to support me from Ukraine. To join the Klitschkos as a champion from Ukraine, I would like to thank them.

“The plan built by our team was great, I was trying to land the punches and I did. I landed punches very well. I started from the body and went to the head.’’

Said Russell following his first pro defeat. “It was a fair decision. It’s disappointing to lose, but we’re warriors and we will go back to the drawing board.

“He had real good lateral movement, we tried to close the distance with the jab but he was moving well. I tip my hat to him.

“My past opponents have no bearing on this fight. I need to execute better going forward. I don’t think he’s better than me, we knew he was going to use the lateral movement. Honestly we didn’t execute the game plan. We wanted to close the distance between the double and triple jabs but I couldn’t get to him as easily as I wanted to.

“I would definitely fight him again, anytime, anyplace.’’

The southpaw Alexander, in his first fight since losing to Shawn Porter in December, was satisfied afterward.

“Overall I’m happy with my performance,’’ he said. “I’m my own worst critique, I wanted to shut him out. But he was a tough, tough competitor. I want to thank God, Al Haymon, my family and coach. We got it done St.  Louis.

“Soto Karass keeps coming, he's a tough competitor. I wanted to pace myself and see my punches more, instead of going out there and missing shots.

“I’m a good fighter with skills and I will be the best one day, I promise you.”

Offered Soto Karass: “I was trying to focus on the body, that was the plan, but I hurt my hand in the fifth round. Alexander was very fast. He was hard to hit and he has good skills. I was surprised he decided to hang in there with me and exchange.’’

Former light heavyweight world champion “Bad Chad” Dawson (31-3, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas, ended his first start in 12 months quickly, knocking out George “Honey Boy” Blades (23-5, 16 KOs), of Indianapolis, Ind., in the first round. Dawson dropped Blades twice. Blades was counted out at 2:35 after the second knockdown.

In a one-sided give-and-take battle in the SHOWTIME EXTREME co-feature, 2012 U.S. Olympian and undefeated heavyweight Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale (11-0, 10 KOs), of Los Angeles, registered a third-round knockout over hard-trying but outclassed 2004 U.S. Olympic team captain Devin “Devastatin’” Vargas (18-4, 7 KOs), of Toledo, Ohio.

“I was just starting to boil, just starting to get warmed up,’’ said Breazeale, who dropped Vargas once in the second and once in the third before it was stopped at 2:26. “After I hit him good with a couple of good right uppercuts I knew it was just a matter of time.

“He hit me a few times but I thought that was great. I finally got hit by a guy who came to fight. It’s always an honor to fight a fellow Olympian, so I’m definitely feeling happy about this performance.

“This was my first scheduled 10-rounder and I was prepared to go 10 rounds, but I knew I had to pace myself without holding back.’’

De La Hoya and Canelo Alvarez (via satellite), who faces Erislandy Lara on SHOWTIME PPV on Saturday, July 12, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, were interviewed by SHOWTIME before the main event.

 The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader will re-air this week as follows:

            DAY                                                                 CHANNEL

Tomorrow, Sunday, June 22, 9 a.m. ET/PT   SHOWTIME

Tuesday, June 24, at 10 p.m. ET/PT              SHO Extreme

Saturday’s three-fight telecast will be available at SHOWTIME ON DEMAND beginning Sunday, June 22.

Brian Kenny hosted the SHOWTIME telecast, with Mauro Ranallo calling the action, Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former world champion Paulie Malignaggi commentating and Jim Gray reporting. In Spanish, Alejandro Luna called the blow-by-blow with former world champion Raul Marquez serving as color commentator. The executive producer of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is David Dinkins Jr. with Bob Dunphy directing.

# # #

Guerrero vs. Kamegai was a 12-round fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and

sponsored by Corona and AT&T.  In the co-main event Gary Russell Jr. took on Ukrainian star

Vasyl Lomachenko in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBO World Featherweight Title and

in the opener Devon Alexander met Jesus Soto Karass in a 10-round super welterweight match

up.  It took place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and aired as the SHOWTIME

CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event live on SHOWTIME  (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be

available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com andwww.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter, www.twitter.com/GhostBoxing,www.twitter.com/MrGaryRussellJr,  www.twitter.com/VasylLomachenko andwww.twitter.com/TheRealDevonA, follow the conversation using #GuerreroKamegai or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOBoxingand www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.

Robert Guerrero: Pre-Fight Feature - SHOWTIME Boxing

Robert Guerrero: Pre-Fight Feature - SHOWTIME Boxing

Guerrero vs. Kamegai is a 12-round fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event Gary Russell Jr. faces Ukrainian star Vasyl Lomachenko in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBO World Featherweight Title and in the opener Devon Alexander will face off against Jesus Soto Karass in a 10-round super welterweight match up. It will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air as the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP).

Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, and are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT).  VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604-8777.  For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425.                

              

For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com, www.sports.sho.com  andwww.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter,www.twitter.com/Swanson_Comm,  www.twitter.com/GhostBoxing, www.twitter.com/MrGaryRussellJr,  www.twitter.com/VasylLomachenko andwww.twitter.com/TheRealDevonA, follow the conversation using #GuerreroKamegai or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and www.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.

IT'S ALMOST SHOWTIME FOR SATURDAY'S STUBHUB FIGHTERS

Returning Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero Faces Yoshihiro Kamegai, Undefeated Gary Russell Jr. Meets Vasyl Lomachenko for WBO Title, Devon Alexander Battles Jesus Soto Karass Live on SHOWTIME® Former Light Heavyweight Kingpin, "Bad" Chad Dawson, Promising Unbeaten Heavyweight Dominic Breazeale in Co-Features on SHOWTIME EXTREME® FIRST LIVE PRELIMINARY FIGHT IS 2 P.M. PT; TICKETS STILL ON SALE! CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PHOTOS Credit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME LOS ANGELES (June 19, 2014) - Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotionshosted the final press conference at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles Thursdayfor Saturday's stacked 10-fight card at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. The first live bout is at 2 p.m. PT. In the main event of a tripleheader live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT), former four-division world champion Robert "The Ghost" Guerrero (31-2-1, 18 KOs), of Gilroy, Calif., returns from a 13-month layoff to face offensive-minded, hard-hitting Yoshihiro Kamegai (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Sapporo, Japan, in a 12-round welterweight bout. The co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a clash of exciting southpaws, undefeated yet untested Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., against perhaps the most prolific amateur boxer of all-time, Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1, 1 KO), of Ukraine, in a 12-rounder for the vacant WBO Featherweight World Championship. The telecast will open with former two-division world champion Devon Alexander (25-2, 14 KOs), of St. Louis, facing the always-dangerous Jesus Soto Karass(28-9-3, 18 KOs), of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, in a 10-round super welterweight match. Former light heavyweight world champion, "Bad Chad" Dawson (31-3, 17 KOs), of Las Vegas by way of New Haven, Conn., makes his first start in 12 months when he takes onGeorge "Honey Boy" Blades (23-5, 16 KOs), of Indianapolis, Ind., in the featured bout onSHOWTIME EXTREME® (8 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast). In a battle of U.S. Olympians in the SHOWTIME EXTREME co-feature, 2012 U.S. Olympian and undefeated heavyweight Dominic "Trouble" Breazeale (10-0, 9 KOs), of Los Angeles, makes his 10-round debut when he takes on 2004 U.S. Olympic team captain Devin "Devastatin'" Vargas (18-3, 7 KOs), of Toledo, Ohio. In non-televised fights: Vyacheslav Shabranskyy (8-0, 7 KOs), Los Angeles, makes his debut for GBP against Michael Grenga (15-14, 15 KOs), Lagos, Nigeria, 6 rounds, light heavyweights; Sharif Bogere (24-1, 16 KOs), Las Vegas, Nev., faces a foe to be announced, 8 rounds, lightweights; Michael Hunter (4-0, 3 KOs), Van Nuys, Calif., takes on Jerry Forrest (7-1, 6 KOs), Lafayette, La., 8 rounds, heavyweights; the brother ofMarcos "Chino" Maidana, Fabian Maidana (pro debut), Santa Fe, Arg., clashes withAlejandro Arteaga (3-8, 1 KO), Bakersfield, Calif., 4 rounds, welterweights; and Marcos Hernandez (1-0), Fresno, Calif., vs. Dante Spinks (0-4), San Diego, Calif., 4 rounds, super welterweights. Tickets priced at $150, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes, fees and services charges, are available online at AXS.com, by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849) and at StubHub Center Box Office (Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available by calling 877-604- 8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 877-234-8425. Below is what the fighters and Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions, said at Thursday's press conference: ROBERT GUERRERO "I want to thank God for the blessings he's blessed me with and my entire management team. It's been a year and it's time to get back in the ring. Since teaming with CrossFit, I've been doing so many different types of exercise and I feel great. "I want to thank Kamegai for coming out here from Japan. I've seen film on him and he likes to brawl and bang it out and I am the same type of fighter so it will be a very exciting match for both me and the fans who will be watching. I can't wait for Saturday." YOSHIHRO KAMEGAI "My weight is no problem and I'm ready to go. I'm here to make a name for myself. I know that people have problems pronouncing my name ("kah may guy") so I want to make a great impact in this fight so they will learn to say it. "Outside the ring I have the utmost respect for Guerrero. But inside, it's all business. This is will be a good fight, a hard fight and my opportunity to become a mainstay in the fight game. "I plan on putting on a very exciting show on Saturday." GARY RUSSELL JR. "It's actually a little funny standing here getting ready to compete for a world title based on the fact that I was never a fighter that said I wanted to be a world champion until I was on the U.S. Olympic team. "I was one of the favorites to medal (in the Olympics) and to not be able to compete was devastating. The only way that I could make it up to my fans and family was to become a world champion, plain and simple. "In this situation I get the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. My competitor fought in the Olympics and I can also become a world champion on this card. I can become a world champion on Saturday as well as beating an Olympian. It's the best of both worlds.'' VASYL LOMACHENKO "I want to thank everyone in my training camp and everyone who helped prepare me for the fight and my friends and family who are in Ukraine supporting me. "I think it will be a very good fight on Saturday and I am looking forward to proving that I can win the featherweight title.'' DEVON ALEXANDER "I want to thank my creator, without him I wouldn't be here. I would also like to thank Golden Boy, Oscar, everyone involved. "This is a statement fight for me. I belong on top and I want to be on top. I have beaten some tough guys out there and on Saturday night I want to prove to you that I am the best. I plan on making a statement in the welterweight division and I look forward to the opportunity to show the world what I am capable of.'' JESUS SOTO KARASS "Los Angeles is my second home. Coming off a loss against (interim WBA welterweight world champion) Keith Thurman, I want to come back and be impressive against Devon Alexander. He is fast, strong and has good foot speed, but I am ready to go. "I am already at the contracted weight and I want to show the fans that I can come back and win. I have a mentality that I don't care and that I just want to win and show that I am capable of getting the victory.'' DOMINIC BREAZEALE "I definitely feel that I am improving and prepared to fight my first 10-round fight. In camp, we picked up the cardio and conditioning, but we really haven't changed a whole lot. "My last fight went eight rounds and it was the first time I'd gone the distance. But I always prepare to go the distance and for this fight I'm ready to go 10 hard rounds. But I'm really determined and always looking for the knockout. "It's an honor fighting a fellow U.S. Olympian, but at the end there is only one winner and I want the referee to raise my hand. I look forward to exposing him and proving no doubt that I am better.'' DEVIN VARGAS "I'm looking forward to this fight and want to thank all those involved for making it happen. This is a big fight for me, for both of us. He may be undefeated but he hasn't faced anyone like me. "We'll find out who is best on Saturday. But I'm confident and ready to go all-out to win.'' VYACHESLAV SHABRANSKYY "I don't change for my opponents so I will keep my same style. I was able to get into the gym right after my last fight because it only lasted for 23 seconds. "I was able to watch a few videos on my opponent but I don't know much about him. I won't give anything away on my style of fighting, but I will fight to the best of my abilities. "I am ready for all six rounds for this fight if it goes that long, but at this time I won't know what the outcome will be. All I can do is prepare to the best of my ability.'' OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions "Our SHOWTIME EXTREME fights have always been highly competitive. It is one thing we at Golden Boy and SHOWTIME pride ourselves on. We want to consistently present the most competitive fights in the boxing business today. "Chad Dawson is a great fighter who is back with a vengeance, looking to make a statement against a tough fighter in George Blades. For us, we look at this fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME as a great appetizer to the main course, which will also be very exciting. "Guerrero is back, he's stronger, he's faster. The new team that he is working with at CrossFit will make a huge difference coming off the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather. "That type of fight will elevate your game to a new level. We are looking forward to Saturdayand witnessing a very much new and improved Robert Guerrero. "All our matchups Saturday are exciting from top to bottom. We have an unbelievable history of staging fight-of-the-year candidates at StubHub. If you're a boxing fan and you love action-packed, competitive fights, the StubHub Center on Saturday will be a good place to be.'' # # # Guerrero vs. Kamegai is a 12-round fight promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T. In the co-main event Gary Russell Jr. faces Ukrainian star Vasyl Lomachenko in a 12-round showdown for the vacant WBO World Featherweight Title and in the opener Devon Alexander will face off against Jesus Soto Karass in a 10-round super welterweight match up. It will take place at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will air as the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® main event live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) and will be available in Spanish via secondary audio programming (SAP). For more information, visit www.goldenboypromotions.com,www.sports.sho.com andwww.homedepotcenter.com, follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoldenBoyBoxing,www.twitter.com/shosports, www.twitter.com/StubHubCenter,www.twitter.com/GhostBoxing, www.twitter.com/MrGaryRussellJr, www.twitter.com/VasylLomachenko and www.twitter.com/TheRealDevonA, follow the conversation using #GuerreroKamegai or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoldenBoyBoxing, www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing andwww.facebook.com/StubHubCenter.