JONATHAN MAICELO RETURNS TO THE RING THIS FRIDAY IN NEW YORK

NEW YORK (November 20, 2014) - Tomorrow November 21, 2014 at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York, Gary Shaw Productions lightweight contender, Jonathan Maicelo (21-1, 12 KOs) returns to the ring to face hard hitting veteran Hector Velasquez (56-23-3, 38 KOs).  The 10-round bout promoted by New Legend Boxing Promotions will serve as the main event of the evening.

Rated WBA #7, WBO #11 and WBC #22, Maicelo looks to keep the momentum going after his hard fought victory against previously once beaten contender, Art Hovhannisyan (17-2-2, 9 KOs), a fight that took place on July 11, 2014.

Known for having great boxing skills, Maicelo feels confident in his ability to outbox Velasquez, who is notorious for having heavy hands. 

"After I suffered my first loss a few fights back, I realized I needed to dedicate more on my conditioning," said Maicelo. "With a new workout regimen implemented into my training, I feel I can go twelve rounds with ease.  I'm learning how to relax more in the ring which will help me be an all around better fighter.  Velasquez is a big puncher so I will have to be on my toes and do my best to outbox him.  I know I'm the better fighter and I'm ready to prove it this Friday."

"Maicelo is making a nice comeback and I can see the improvement in his stamina," said Gary Shaw. "He was in tough with Hovhannisyan and came out on top.  So I know he can continue marching up the lightweight rankings.  He's still top fifteen in two of the sanctioning organizations.  He's right there ready to challenge any of the top contenders in the division."

ESPN "FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS:" JOHNSON AND MAICELO VICTORIOUS

SHELTON, WA (July 12, 2014) - Gary Shaw Productions presented another great night of boxing on ESPN "Friday Night Fights" at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA.

In the main event Tureano Johnson (15-1, 10 KOs) handed Mike Gavronski (14-1-1, 10 KOs) his first defeat, as they battled in a 10-round middleweight showdown for the WBC Continental Americas Middleweight title. Johnson started off slow, but kept the pressure on Gavronski, wearing him down as the fight went into the later rounds.  Johnson used a pressure style to break down Gavronski, who seemed to wilt when the going got tough.  With the win, Johnson gets back into world title contention.  Scorecards read 99-91 across the board in favor of Tureano Johnson.

"I wanted to get back in the win column," said Johnson, "Gavronski is a good fighter with a lot of heart so I take my hat off to him for going the distance with me.  I learned a lot it this fight and I feel I still have room to grow as a fighter.  My goal is to become a champion one day and I'm not going to stop until I accomplish it.  My promoter Gary Shaw says he'll get me a big fight so I'm just going to keep working hard in the gym.  I'll be back in the ring before you know it." 

In the 10-round co-feature, lightweights, Art Hovhannisyan (17-2-2, 9 KOs) and Jonathan Maicelo (21-1, 12 KOs) went the distance in an exciting action packed bout. Both fighters had their moments, but is was Maicelo who took control of the fight from the start. Maicelo used his superior boxing skills to outwork Hovahannisyan, landing the cleaner shots throughout the bout.  Every time Hovahannisyan looked to take control, Maicelo would come back with some hard shots to halt his momentum. When it was all said and done, Maicelo won a split decision to capture the WBC International Silver Title. Scorecards read 100-90 Maicelo, 96-94 Hovahannisyan, and 97-93 Maicelo.

"I trained really hard for this fight and my conditioning made a positive difference," said Maicelo. "I knew Hovhannisyan was going to be tough and he brought the fight to me.  My timing was on tonight and I was landing some clean shots.  I'm looking forward to what Gary Shaw has planned for me in the future."

Undercard Results

Kenneth Simms Jr. defeated Evan Woolsey via third round knockout.

Eduardo Martinez won a unanimous decision against Lavale Wilson.

Fatlum Zhuta vs. Shariff Woo Johnson ended in a majority draw.

Jennifer Hamann defeated Ariel Beck via unanimous decision

ESPN Friday Night Fights heats Up

SHELTON, WA (July 8, 2014) - Gary Shaw Productions, ESPN "Friday Night Fights" is heating up when main event fighters Tureano Johnson (14-1, 10 KOs) and Mike Gavronski (14-0-1, 10 KOs) battle in a 10-round middleweight showdown for the Continental Americas USNBC Title. Also, in the 10-round co-feature, lightweights, Art Hovhannisyan (17-1-2, 9 KOs) and Jonathan Maicelo (20-1, 12 KOs) will go to war for WBC International Silver Title. The ESPN "Friday Night Fights" telecast begins this Friday July 11 at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST from the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA. Johnson vows to make a statement in this fight being that he his last bout against Curtis Stevens was stopped early. "I can't let this fight go the distance," said Johnson, "I don't want to leave this fight in the judges hands. The goal is to throw hard shots all night and take him out. Gary Shaw said this is a big opportunity for me to get back into the mix at middleweight so I'm coming to put on a show. Everyone should be tuning in this Friday." Mike Gavronski knows he's in a tough fight and promises to be victorious agains Johnson. "Johnson is a good fighter, but I don't think he has the talent to be," said Gavronski. "I'll be fighting in front of my home town fans and I'm not going to let them down. I will be victorious on Friday night." In a crossroads bout, Jonathan Maicelo and Art Hovhannisyan will put everything on the line to advance their careers. "The time is now for me to step up my game," said Maicelo, "Shaw said the winner this fight will move on to bigger and better things, so I must win. I will do whatever it takes to get the victory." "I'm at a point in my career where I can't look back, said Art Hovhannisyan. "There is no room for error and on Fridaynight I'm coming to win. I will break the will of Maicelo to come out on top." "The main event and co-main event fighters are at a crossroads in their career," said Gary Shaw. "I can guarantee the fans watching in attendance and all around the world will see an amazing night of boxing. Whoever comes out on top will be rewarded with the big fight. All the fighters understand the significance of what's on the line, so I expect to see a tremendous effort from everyone." "I also want to thank Brian Kweeder for giving GSP the opportunity to present another night of great ESPN fights," Shaw continued. "These are real fighters that come to fight in the ring." Tickets priced $100, $50, $35 and $20 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Little Creek Casino at 1-800-667-7711, onsite at the Little Creek Casino Box Office, or online at www.little-creek.com.

GSP HOT PROSPECTS KENNETH SIMS JR. & EDUARDO MARTINEZ TO FIGHT ON JULY 11 AT LITTLE CREEK CASINO

 Photo By Paul Gallegos

NEW JERSEY (July 1, 2014) - Gary Shaw Productions and Antonio Leonard Promotions are happy to announce the return of their highly touted prospects,Kenneth "Bossman" Sims Jr. (2-0, 1 KO) and Eduardo Martinez (2-0, 1 KO).  Both fighters hail from Chicago and will fight July 11, 2014 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA.

Headlining the ESPN "Friday Night Fights" card will be middleweights Tureano Johnson (14-1, 10 KOs) and Mike Gavronski (14-0-1, 10 KOs) who'll battle in a 10-round middleweight showdown for the Continental Americas USNBC Title.  In the co-feature, lightweights, Art Hovhannisyan (17-1-2, 9 KOs) and Jonathan Maicelo(20-1, 12 KOs) will square off for the WBC International Silver Title.  The ESPN "Friday Night Fights" telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST.

Simms Jr. will fight Evan Woolsey (2-2) in a 4-round Welterweight bout.  The fight will be the TV swing bout of the night.  Sims Jr. is coming off an impressive first round KO in his last fight and will look to continue the momentum.

"It felt real good to get that knockout in my last fight," said Sims Jr. "I'm going to come out strong again and see what happens.  If I can get the knockout then that would be great.  I'm not going to be headhunting but I'll be throwing hard shots for every angle. I really want to thank my promoters Gary Shaw and Antonio Leonard for keeping me busy. If I get a chance to make an appearance on ESPN I'll make the most of my opportunity."

Martinez battles Lavale Wilson (1-3) 4-round Featherweight bout.  Martinez also recorded a first round knockout in his last bout, the first of his career. 

"Shaw and Leonard are doing a great job keeping us busy," said Martinez. "I'm a pressure fighter so I'm always looking to wear down my opponent and get the knockout.  I'll be aggressive in this fight and will be doing my best to please the fans with a great exciting fight."

"This is going to be a great card with a lot of exciting fights," said Gary Shaw. "Sims and Martinez are hungry and I know they are going to bring a ton of action to the Little Creek Casino.  The main and co-main will open up doors for the winners so I'm expecting to see something special from each fighter." 

Rounding out the undercard will be Jared Torgeson (0-1) vs. Marquise Weston (2-0, 1 KO) in a 4-round Cruiserweight bout, Guillermo Delgadillo (4-6-1) vs. Ricardo Maldonado (3-1) in a 4-round Lightweight bout, Fatlum Zhuta (Pro Debut) vs. Woo Johnson (Pro Debut) and Jennifer Hamann (Pro Debut) vs. Ariel Beck (3-0). 

Tickets priced $100, $50, $35 and $20 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Little Creek Casino at 1-800-667-7711, onsite at the Little Creek Casino Box Office, or online at www.little-creek.com.

ESPN 'FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS' HOVHANNISYAN VS. MAICELO JOHNSON vs. GAVRONSKI JULY 11 FROM THE LITTLE CREEK CASINO

NEW JERSEY (June 11, 2014) - Gary Shaw Productions presents, ESPN "Friday Night Fights"July 11, 2014 at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, WA.  The 10-round main event will feature lightweights, Art Hovhannisyan (17-1-2, 9 KOs) vs. Jonathan Maicelo (20-1, 12 KOs) for the WBC International Silver Title.  In the co-feature, middleweights Tureano Johnson (14-1, 10 KOs) and Mike Gavronski (14-0-1, 10 KOs) will battle in a 10-round middleweight showdown for the Continental Americas USNBC Title.  The ESPN "Friday Night Fights" telecast begins at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST.

Hovhannisiyan, who resides in Glendale, California, is coming off two impressive victories after suffering his first professional loss, a close unanimous defeat to Alejandro Perez.  With momentum mounting, Hovhannisiyan, will look to get back into world title contention with a victory.

"As a fighter, I've come to realize you learn most about yourself after a defeat," said Hovhannisiyan. "I've rededicated myself to training smarter, and my drive to be a world champion is greater than ever. Shaw knows I'm hungry to get back on top.  Maicelo will have his hands full when we step in the ring on July 11th."

Peruvian born Maicelo is also seeking to get back into title contention with a win. He vows to bring the fight to Hovhannisiyan and realizes a victory will get him closer to a world title shot. 

"I feel like my back is against the wall," said Maicelo. "I'm coming to make a statement and I'll be going for the knockout.  Hovhannisiyan is a good boxer, but he's not better than me.  I know I can win this fight and continue marching toward a world title. The fans can expect to see me bring the fight to Hovhannisiyan. Gary Shaw is the best promoter in boxing"

Tureano Johnson, who hails from the Bahamas, is eager to get back into the ring after a controversial loss to Curtis Stevens, in which he was winning on all scorecards, but had the bout stopped prematurely by the referee. 

"In my last bout, the referee stopped the bout early, and I suffered my first loss," said Johnson. "It was a very disappointing moment in my career but I'm ready to move on and show the world I'm one of the best fighters in the middleweight division.  I'm coming back stronger than ever and I can't wait to mix it up with Gavronski.  Nothing is going to stop me from getting this victory.  I want to thank my promoter Gary Shaw for getting back in the ring, especially on ESPN."

Known for having power in both hands, hometown hero Mike Gavronski, has a perfect record and looks to continue his winning ways against Johnson.

"I'm happy to be fighting at home in front of all my family and friends." Gavronski said, "Johnson is a very tough fighter coming off a tough loss to Stevens so he's going to bring it when we step in the ring. I look forward to the challenge and I'm confident I can defeat him. It's going to be a great fight and I'm coming to put on a show for everyone."

"This is another great ESPN "Friday Night Fights" event," said Gary Shaw. "All the fighters on this card bring a crowd pleasing style and The Little Creek Casino will be loaded with fireworks on fight night. There is a lot on the line for the Main and Co-Main event fighters.  The winners will set themselves up for a big fight, so fans can anticipate a night filled with ferocious action."   

"We're excited to bring ESPN 'Friday Night Fights' back to Little Creek Casino Resort," said resort CEO Michael Starr. "The past events have provided great drama and excitement, and these fights promise to provide another thrilling night for our visitors and guests.

Tickets priced $100, $50, $35 and $20 are on sale now and can be purchased by calling the Little Creek Casino at 1-800-667-7711, onsite at the Little Creek Casino Box Office, or online atwww.little-creek.com.

ESPN Friday Night Fights Coming to West Orange, New Jersey

Usmanee vs. Hovhannisyan and Ortiz vs. Kaufmann Top Stacked Night of World-Class Boxing at Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain On Friday, June 14, Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions and Greg Cohen of Greg Cohen Promotions (CGP), in association with First Round Promotions, will proudly present an exciting night of world-class professional boxing, live from the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain in West Orange, New Jersey and broadcast worldwide on ESPN Friday Night Fights. In the 10-round main event, IBF #14-rated featherweight Arash Usmanee (20-1, 10 KOs) of Montreal, Canada (via Afghanistan) will face once-beaten contender Art "Lionheart" Hovhannisyan (15-1-2, 8 KOs) of Glendale, California (via Armenia). And in the exciting 10-round heavyweight co-feature, WBA #2-rated Luis "El Mercedez" Ortiz (19-0, 16 KOs) of Miami, Florida (via Cuba), will take on WBA #11-rated Travis "The Truth" Kaufmann (24-1, 18 KOs) of Reading, Pennsylvania in a WBA Heavyweight Elimination Bout with the winner positioning himself for a title shot. Tickets are priced at $35, $50, $75, and $100 Ringside (Rows 1-2). VIP Tables for 10 are also available that include dinner. To purchase, please call212.851.6425. 31-year-old Usmanee has already won the NABA and WBC Continental Americas Championships as a professional. As an amateur he was a five-time National Canadian Champion. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, Usmanee and his family moved to Alberta, Canada, when he was three years old. He now resides in Montreal. Usmanee's only career defeat was a highly controversial 12-round decision to fellow contender Rances "Kid Blast" Barthelemy on January 4 of this year. As an amateur, 31-year-old Hovhannisyan gained extensive international experience and was a four-time Armenian National Champion, going 163-12. He moved to the United States in 2007. He is coming off the only loss of his promising career, a very close decision to Alejandro Perez last February. Hovhannisyan has served a sparring partner for former pound-for-pound #1 Manny Pacquiao. 34-year-old southpaw Ortiz was an accomplished amateur, finishing with a record of 343-19. He was a long-time member of the Cuban National Team and competed internationally. Ortiz won the Cuban National "Playa Giron" in 2006 and won the Pan-American Championships, took silver at the World Cup (Team Competition) in Russia, was a quarter-finalist at the world championships and won several medals at the Cuban Championships. As a professional, he has already held the WBO Latino, WBA Fedelatin and WBC FECARBOX Heavyweight Titles. 27-year-old Kauffman is the World Boxing Federation Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion and a former Number-One Ranked American Amateur Heavyweight. He received a full scholarship to Northern Michigan University for boxing, but elected to focus on fighting professionally. Kauffman's promising career has been hampered by injuries in the past, but he has picked up his activity rate since signing with GCP. "I am extremely happy to bring ESPN to my hometown of West Orange," said co-promoter Greg Cohen, CEO of Greg Cohen Promotions. "Vito and I are committed to bringing world-class boxing events to New Jersey and this spectacular event is a testament to that. It will truly be a great night for boxing in my home state." "We also have a number of local hot prospects on the undercard," said Vito Mielnicki of GH3 Promotions. "This show will be an important showcase for the four televised fighters as each will be looking to line up world-title shots in the immediate future with a victory. But it will also shine a light on the up-and-coming young fighters about to make waves on the world scene. I am very proud to be a part of such an amazing night of boxing." Undercard match-ups will be announced soon. For more information, visit gcpboxing.com. On fight night, doors open at 6:00 pm and the action starts at 7:30. The Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain is located at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange, New Jersey. For more information, call 973.731.3828.

ALEJANDRO PEREZ WINS UNANIMOUS DECISION, DEALS ART HOVHANNISYAN HIS FIRST LOSS IN MAIN EVENT ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION FROM MORONGO CASINO RESORT IN CABAZON, CALIF.

 Undefeated Tureano Johnson Whips Willie Fortune in Co-Feature;

 Replay Is Thursday, Feb. 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME EXTREME

CABAZON, Calif. (Feb. 23, 2013) – For the 102^nd and 103^rd times in its 10½-year history, a previously unbeaten fighter suffered the first loss of his career on ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME^®.

The latest was Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan, of Glendale, Calif., who dropped a close, unanimous 10-round decision to Alejandro “El Alacran” Perez, ofSalinas, Calif., in an action-packed main event Friday night at Morongo Casino Resort.

Perez (17-3-1, 11 KOs) outpointed the naturally bigger Hovhannisyan (15-1-2, 8KOs) by the scores of 96-93 twice and 95-94. There were no knockdowns.

Earlier, Tureano “Reno” Johnson (14-0, 10 KOs), of the Bahamas, dealtDetroit’s Willie Fortune (15-1, 7 KOs) his initial setback on a lopsided eight-round decision. Johnson won the opening bout of the telecast by 80-72 on the three judges’ scorecards.

The victory in a scrap for the vacant NABO junior lightweight championship was Perez’ first in three starts on ShoBox.

“Over the years on ShoBox, the series has been very liberal about bringing back fighters coming off losses or, in this case, two losses,’’ said ShoBox expert analyst and boxing historian Steve Farhood. “So our belief in Perez as a viable opponent was justified.’’

Perez and Hovhannisyan are quite familiar with each other, having sparred as many as 80 rounds in the past. They are pals. But they didn’t perform like it, treating the fans to an entertaining, fast-paced, hard-fought fight that featured numerous heated exchanges.

“What made the main event so entertaining was that these two friends didn’t fight like friends,’’ Farhood said. “What was surprising was that both were most effective when they were boxing and picking their spots, which is an uncharacteristic style for both of them. The difference turned out to be Perez’ body work and a slightly superior work rate.’’

Farhood and ShoBox blow-by-blow announcer Barry Tompkins had Perez up by one point at the finish, while the third man at ringside, expert analyst and former world champion, Raul Marquez, had Perez winning by three.

The crowd-pleasing Perez lost his previous ShoBox fights to then-highly regarded prospects Diego Magdaleno and Rico Ramos. Magdaleno is still perfect as a pro; Ramos went on to become a world champion.

“It’s a great relief to finally win one on ShoBox, but I definitely felt I had it,’’ said Perez, who was triumphant despite getting docked a point for a low blow in the fifth.  “All the hard work paid off for me. Although this was my first fight in a year, I never stopped training and never quit going to the gym.

“I think I surprised Art with my straight right hands down the middle. I don’t think he expected that. It was something we worked on specifically for this fight. I train hard to please the fans and give them a great show, and I think we gave them a great fight tonight.’’

A bitterly disappointed Hovhannisyan didn’t seem as upset with the decision as he was with himself. “It was a close fight,’’ he said. “I didn’t throw enough punches.’’

That wasn’t the case with Johnson, who landed countless shots with both hands against Fortune, but couldn’t drop him.

“Johnson was obviously the stronger, busier fighter,’’ Farhood said. “While his technique was often lacking, he still dominated.’’

Johnson may have been victorious by a landslide, but it wasn’t the kind of performance he wanted or expected from himself. “This was really a frustrating fight for me because I really wanted to win it by knockout,’’ he said. “I am mad at myself for making so many amateur mistakes.

“Fortune is a tough, tough guy and I hit him with all kinds of solid shots that most fighters would go down from. But when he didn’t, I didn’t alter my attack. I didn’t show patience. I didn’t listen to my corner, who wanted me to move more and fight a more technical fight. At the end of the day, this was a good learning experience for me. I know, though, that I can fight much better.’’

Willie’s fortune never turned for the better, although he says he thought he’d won at least two or three rounds. “I just had no springs in my legs,’’ he said. “Maybe I was still on Detroit time, I don’t know. Overall, I just didn’t have it. But I think we put on a good show, so at least I can be happy about that.’’

Fortune’s cousin, Cornelius “K9” Bundrage, will look to get the family back on the winning track when he defends his IBF junior middleweight world title against Ishe Smith in the main event today/Saturday, Feb. 23, live on SHOWTIME at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) from Masonic Temple Theatre inDetroit.

The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

Friday’s Gary Shaw Productions-promoted doubleheader will re-air this week as follows:

            DAY                                                                 CHANNEL

           Thursday, Feb. 28, at 10 p.m. ET/PT             SHOWTIME EXTREME

The twinbill will be available ON DEMAND beginning today, Saturday, Feb. 23.

SHOBOX FINAL QUOTES & WEIGHTS: ART HOVHANNISYAN & ALEJANDRO PEREZ, TUREANO JOHNSON & WILLIE FORTUNE

ShoBox: The New Generation Doubleheader

Tomorrow/Friday, Feb. 22, Live on SHOWTIME^®  at 11 p.m. ET/PT

From Morongo Casino Resort in Cabazon, Calif.

CABAZON, Calif. (Feb. 21, 2013) – The boxers who will fight on a terrific doubleheader on ShoBox: The New Generation tomorrow/Friday, Feb. 22, live on SHOWTIME^® (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) made weight on their first attempts Thursday at Morongo Casino Resort.

Main eventers Art “Lionheart” Hovhannisyan (15-0-2, 8 KOs), of Glendale,Calif., and Alejandro “El Alacran” Perez (16-3-1, 11 KOs), of Salinas, Calif., each tipped the scale at 130 pounds.

In an eight-round collision of unbeatens in the co-feature that opens the telecast, Tureano “Reno” Johnson (13-0, 10 KOs), who represented the Bahamas in the 2008 Olympic Games, faces Willie Fortune (15-0, 7 KOs), of Detroit, Mich., in a middleweight match. Johnson weighed 159 pounds, Fortune 157.

Tickets for the Gary Shaw Productions event are priced $35 and $55 and are on sale at the Morongo Casino Box Office or by calling the Box Office hotline at (951) 755-5391. They are also available by calling Ticketmaster (800) 745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com. Doors open on fight night at 5 p.m. The first fight starts at 5:30 p.m. The Morongo Casino Resort and Spa is located at 49500 Seminole Dr. in Cabazon, 92230.

Barry Tompkins will call the action from ringside with Steve Farhood and former World Champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts.  The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillipsdirecting.

What the fighters said Thursday:

ART HOVHANNISYAN

“We’ve sparred a lot, we know each other well and we’re friends. But business is business and once the bell sounds, the fight is on. I know what Alejandro is capable of so there’s no way I underestimate him. He’s going to give it everything he has. So am I. I expect him to come right at me and try and outhustle me

“I want to fight for a world title this year, and it doesn’t matter which champion I fight. Alejandro has fought some good guys like Diego Magdaleno and Rico Ramos, so this fight should show me where I’m at. This is obviously a very important fight for me.

“I thought going 10 hard rounds in my last fight (against former world champion Miguel Acosta) was good for me. He was a strong, tough guy. I felt in order to win I had to pick it up in the last two or three rounds, which I did. I’m hoping to be very active this year.’’

ALEJANDRO PEREZ

“There’s no way this won’t be an all-action fight. We both come to fight, and there’s a lot on the line.

“I’ve always been patient between fights looking for the right opportunity, and I never quit training or stayed out of the gym. So even though this is my first fight in a year, I’m in great shape and ready to go. My training camp was excellent. This is a great opportunity for me.

“I feel I’ve grown into a strong 130-pounder. My dieting and conditioning is different so making the weight is no problem and I feel stronger.

“When we sparred we both got in our fair share of good shots. I feel I know what to expect from Art. Art isn’t just a puncher, he can box. But for sure he comes to fight. My job is to try and stay a couple steps ahead of him. I’ve got some new stuff I’m bringing into this fight so I’m well-prepared.’’

TUREANO JOHNSON

“There’s been only one world champion from the Bahamas, Olisha Obed (former WBC 154-pound titlist). I want to be the next. I’m going to be the greatest champion of all time.

“My last two fights were at 168, but I have no trouble making 160 pounds. I just took those fights to see how my power was affected at the higher weights. But I feel my immediate future is fighting middleweight, or maybe even at 154.

“When I heard I had the opportunity to fight Forture, I jumped at the chance. Honestly, I can’t believe they took the fight. But it’s here and I’m treating it as the most important fight of my career.

“I feel I should have already fought for a world title. I was very discouraged when I had the long layoff (July 2010 to January 2012), but I fought nine times last year and I enjoyed all nine fights. I’m back on track to get to where I want to be.

“Sometimes I feel pity for the guys in the ring I hit. But I’m not just a power guy and I hope to show I can be a more complete fighter. I know what I can do, but I want to show the world. I want to be the best.’’

WILLIE FORTUNE

“This guy talks a lot. I’m from Detroit, so I just show and take care of business. I let my fists do the talking. The key to this fight, and all fights, is to hit and not be hit, to make him miss and then make him pay for his mistakes.

“I love the fact I’m fighting on SHOWTIME. This is the network that features the next generation of top fighters, the next crop of rising stars. I’m confident I can take advantage of this huge opportunity.”