Charles Conwell would jump at the chance to fight Danny Garcia if it opened the door for a world title shot in 2023.
‘Bad News’ faces the experienced Juan Carlos Abreu in California on Saturday night, in a semi-final eliminator for the WBC world super welterweight title.
The unbeaten Conwell, who is ranked No5 by the sanctioning body, knows he could be just two wins away from landing a shot at the belt, which is currently held by Jermell Charlo.
Sitting above the American in the ratings are fighters including Sebastien Fundora, Liam Smith and former two-weight world champion Garcia.
And 2016 Olympian Conwell says he would be happy to face any of those names in a final eliminator – especially Garcia – to keep him on track for ‘superstardom’.
“Those are the types of fights I want,” Conwell told Probellum.com.
“I want those ex-world champions, people with experience who have been there before, who’ve done it. And I know Danny Garcia’s a great champion, he’s done his thing at two different weight classes, at 140 and 147 and now he’s bringing his skills up to 154.
“But I feel like it’s a new time and a new era. A lot of young fighters out there are starting to pop out, around my age group. It’s the right time for me to be the next superstar of the super welterweight division and if Danny Garcia is the name I need on my record, then I’ll go there and take that.”
But 25-year-old Conwell(17-0, 13 KOs) insists his focus is on Abreu, whom he meets at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson this weekend, on the undercard of the Jose Zepeda vs Regis Prograis world title clash.
“Saturday night, I’m going to leave the ring with a new record of 18-0 with 14 knockouts,” Conwell declared.
“Just know that I’m going to bring the action. I’m looking to finish this fight in style. No boxing, no dancing around, I’m looking to go out there and dominate every round. For however long it lasts.
“I possess the speed, the skill, the power, the slickness and everything else that I need to win and get the knockout. It’s just a matter of when.
“I’m looking to put on the best performance of my career so far and really going out there and making a statement. I can’t allow this to be fight close; I must dominate every round and make sure that when people talk about the super welterweight division that my name is brought up and brought up as one of the best too.”
“The Danny Garcia Show” returned to Barclays Center in Brooklyn Saturday night, and it was a smashing success. The two-division world champion, making his debut at 154 pounds, dominated and defeated Jose Benavidez Jr. by majority decision.
After 12 rounds, Garcia had done enough to earn the decision by scores of 117-11, 116-112, and an odd 114-114.
The last time we saw Garcia was 20 months ago when he lost to Errol Spence Jr. by unanimous decision.
Photo: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
Garcia headlined the first card at Barclays Center in 2012 and has been a fan favorite at that arena ever since. The 34-year-old did a great job going to Benavidez’s body, which he attacked early and often. Garcia would land a career-high of 153 body shots, according to CompuBox. Overall, Garcia ran up a 233 to 117 edge in punches landed and owned a 31% connect rate.
After the dominating performance, the focus was on Garcia’s battle with depression and anxiety, which he discussed with Showtime’s Jim Gray.
“I did take a break going through mental things; things went dark, I went through anxiety, deep depression, just trying to be strong,” said an emotional Garcia. “It was the pressure of life, being a good dad, just letting it out right now because it was all stuck inside. It rained on me for a year and a half, and the only way to do better was to fight again. I’m a fighter. If you battle anxiety and depression, you can get out of it; that’s what I did today. I fought.”
Garcia also lauded his father and trainer, Angel Garcia.
“Angel(Garcia) was there with me the whole way,” said Garcia. “I’m nothing without this man. I thank him every day. People ask me all the time why do I fight? I make a lot of money. Why does Warren Buffett still make money? I’m a fighter. This is what I do, what I love to do.”
Solid performance by Garcia, and he got the expected victory. Not sure if he can make some noise at 154, but he does have a name, so Garcia should be able to find a decent fight at 154.
Following the fight, Garcia did call out Erislandy Lara at 155 pounds for his WBA(regular) middleweight title and Keith Thurman, who defeated Garcia in 2017. Both fights would be intriguing. In addition, Tony Harrison was at ringside, and he has an interest in fighting Garcia as well. Again, Garcia has a name; we’ll see where that name and skills will take him at 154.
Two-division world champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. went face-to-face at a final press conference on Thursday and gave verbal clues of the explosive action they plan to dish out in a super welterweight clash set for this Saturday, July 30 headlining live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Also squaring off on Thursday at the press conference were Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki and Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen, who battle in the heavyweight co-main event, plus unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell and former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy, who duel in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Thursday’s event also featured rising prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr., who faces tough veteran Jimmy Williams as part of the SHOWTIME BOXING COUNTDOWN show streaming live on the SHOWTIME SPORTS YouTube channel and SHOWTIME Boxing Facebook beginning at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
Here is what the press conference Garcia and Benavidez had to say Thursday from Barclays Center:
DANNY GARCIA
Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
“It’s been 19 months since I’ve been in the ring and I’ve been enjoying my life in and out of the ring. I’ve spent time with my family, but I’ve still been staying in the gym the whole time. I trained with young guns Chris Colbert and Stephen Fulton Jr. To be honest, it feels like I never left.
“We had a tremendous training camp in Philly. We’ve done everything we were supposed to do and my body feels great. I knew that I was coming up to 154 pounds, so I built more muscle. But most importantly I feel good mentally.
“Once Danny Garcia is mentally and physically strong, no one can touch him. I’ve proved that before. I’m just excited to be back at Barclays Center.
“I’m excited to be on this card with a lot of young fighters. It’s tremendous and I can’t wait. The ‘Danny Garcia Show’ is back. I definitely feel good and come Saturday night you better make sure you get your tickets or tune in on SHOWTIME.
“It feels good to be back. I’m back because I love to fight. I’m a fighter and I love boxing. I knew once I took that break, that I’d come back at 154 pounds. A lot of people don’t know how I’ve been squeezing my body down. I think people will be surprised about how strong I am.
“I want to chase a new dream. I want to be a three-division champion. I have the skill and I have the will and I’m not going to let anyone take it away from me.
“Nothing ever comes easy against Danny Garcia. Don’t try too hard, because you might knock yourself out (to Jose Benavidez Jr.).
“I’m going to go out there and have fun and do what I do best. I’m going to find a way. It’s going to be the same thing you always see. I’m going to get this ‘W’.”
JOSE BENAVIDEZ JR.
“I’m ready. I feel strong and I’m happy to be here. It’s exciting to be fighting in this big arena. I’m ready to show the world that I’m the one at 154 pounds.
“I’m the bigger guy at this weight. I’m confident, I’m strong and I’m ready. This is a new and improved me. Nobody is going to touch me.
“I don’t have to look impressive. I’m going to show what I am. I’m a beast. I know where my talent is and I’m going to make it look easy.
“This is going to be a good fight. It’s going to be fireworks. I respect Danny Garcia, but his dad talks too much. I’m thankful for the opportunity, but we’re going to let the fists talk.
“I’m done with the trash talk. I’m happy and I’m excited. I can’t wait to get it on Saturday night.
“They can think what they want to think. I know what I’m capable of and I’m going to prove it on Saturday. I’m only focused on my work ethic and I’ve been training hard for this fight.
“To me, the talk is just a game. I respect everyone. I’m more mature now. I’ve grown and I only care about what I’m going to do on Saturday.
“This is going to be the end of the ‘Danny Garcia Show’.”
Two-division world champion and Philadelphia’s own Danny “Swift” Garcia held a media workout in his hometown on Wednesday as he prepares to make his 154-pound debut against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. on Saturday, July 30 headlining live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Garcia will headline a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and features Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki taking on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in the co-main event, plus unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell dueling former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy in the telecast opener.
A world champion at 140 and 147 pounds, Garcia will return to the friendly confines of Barclays Center in Brooklyn for his super welterweight debut. Garcia will fight at Barclays Center for the ninth time, which includes a 2012 knockout victory over Erik Morales in the arena’s first boxing main event.
Here is what Garcia had to say Wednesday from the DSG Boxing Gym:
DANNY GARCIA
Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
“Training has been going great. We’ve been in the gym for three months straight so we’re towards the end now and we feel fantastic.
“The time off was very important. After you’ve been fighting for a long time, I’ve been fighting world champions for the last ten years, I realized that my body felt great, but my mind felt foggy. It felt tired. It didn’t feel sharp. I knew that I needed my mind to rest, have some fun, and spend some time with my family. I needed time to enjoy everything that I worked so hard for, start to miss the game of boxing and then come back strong. I think that’s what I’ve done.
“Benavidez is a tough fighter. He has some skills. Obviously, he’s 27-1-1 and he’s fought some good fighters. I expect the best of him.
“I want to knock him out but if the knockout doesn’t come, then we’re ready for 12 rounds. I just want to go in there and give the fans a great show.
“I always knew that 154 was my walkaround weight. A lot of people think I’m naturally small because I used to fight at 140 and 147. But I was squeezing myself down to get to those weights. Now I’m a little bit older, a little bit wiser. I don’t think that’s the right thing for me to do to lose all that weight.
“2020 was a good and bad year for me. I fought twice and made a lot of money, but at the same time, there was the pandemic. It was a tough year for me outside of the ring. It was stressful for everybody. I just needed a break. I was tired. I trained hard at the beginning of the year and then we went through the pandemic. I had to wake myself up to train hard again for one of the biggest fights of my career. It just took a mental toll on me. I was mentally tired. I banged it out with Spence. He got the decision, but I was still able to go in there and scrap for 12 rounds. I knew if I just took a break and came back, nobody could touch me.
“I would definitely want to revisit the Spence fight at 154 pounds. We have history already. Once I start looking good at 154, there’s going to be a lot of great fights for me.
“You know what’s crazy? You miss the smell of the gym. When you haven’t been in the gym in a while and you walk in the gym, it’s like your mom’s homecooked food. I missed this.”
Unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell held a media workout in his hometown of Capitol Heights, Md. on Monday, as he prepares to take on former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy in the telecast opener live on SHOWTIME Saturday, July 30 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by two-division champion ., as they look to build on the legacy left by their late father Gary Sr., the patriarch of one of the sport’s preeminent fighting families.
Here is what the workout participants had to say Monday from The Enigma Boxing Gym:
GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL
Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
“I’m up against a fighting style that I believe is similar to Viktor Postol’s. Postol is a little more defensive, but they’re both long and rangy opponents.
“It’s of course a plus that I was able to be the first person to stop Postol. But at our gym and with our family, we don’t magnify fights like these. We pay attention to our credentials, and don’t really worry about what our opponents bring. The way we train, we’re not going to run into styles that we’re not accustomed to.
“With this sport, you have to have diversity in your style. Because you never really know what kind of opponent you’re going to be facing. They might change up their fighting style based on yours. We just strive for excellence and execution.
“In the Postol fight he tried to use his length to keep me at bay. But we executed our game plan. It wasn’t about overanalyzing our opponent, but we saw that we could exploit his flaws. He pulled back a lot and he didn’t want to fight on the inside. We tried to keep ourselves in comfortable positions.
“We train for perfection every day. We know that execution is what wins fights. If our opponent can’t make the necessary adjustments to keep us off them, then that’s on them. This sport is a battle of wits. My will versus your will and my intelligence versus yours.
“My brothers have always been in my corner. We all now are so tunnel-visioned on what’s important. Our motto in the gym is that the ultimate revenge is success.
“If we come out unscathed from July 30, we’ll start working on the next opponent and get another fighter with great credentials in there. We’ll be looking at fighting for the titles. Our goal was to clean out the division. That’s the first goal, then we’ll start moving up to other weight classes eventually.”
GARY RUSSELL JR., Gary Antuanne’s Brother and Trainer
“Our father was not just a magnificent father, but a teacher and a mentor. He molded not just men, but soldiers. He gave us the tools, the skills and the wit to properly maneuver through this jungle that we’re in.
“The biggest thing that our father taught us was versatility. That’s the biggest key with anything you do in life. I’m a great fighter because I’m versatile. A lot of these fighters are just really good at one thing. I don’t want to see someone who’s only good at fighting one style.
“I was always side-by-side working with my father when it came to working with my younger brothers. Even before I was going to fight, if they were on my undercard, I would work their corners as well. I think my father was somewhat always preparing me for this.
“Rances is a great opponent. Whoever wins this fight is getting a big leg up in their career. My brother is looking to take over the division. I don’t think there’s any fighter in the division who he couldn’t beat. He can run through these guys. All he has to do is listen, that’s it.
“Your corner is your last line of defense. As a fellow fighter, I understand that. My brother is still learning to adjust on the fly. He’s learning, but there’s still things left to tweak.
“My father touched so many people in the sport of boxing and played some role in where so many people have gotten in their careers. Whether it’s fighters or coaches, he was never shy about passing along jewels and information.”
Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki and top middleweight contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko showed off their skills at a media workout in Brooklyn Wednesday before their respective showdowns on Saturday, July 30 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
Kownacki will return to fight at Barclays Center for the 11th time in his career, as he takes on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in the co-main event live on SHOWTIME. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader is headlined by two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia making his 154-pound debut against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr.
Derevyanchenko, who trains in Brooklyn, will meet Joshua Conley in a 10-round bout that highlights a stacked undercard lineup.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from world famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn:
ADAM KOWNACKI
Photos: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
“It’s amazing to be back at Barclays Center. I can’t wait to be back in there. I’m ready to get back in line for a championship fight.
“I just have had to work on my footwork and keeping my hands up. I have to be smart. One shot can change everything. It was some bad luck getting caught in each fight. I tried to make the best out of it and leave everything in the ring. It was a life lesson.
“I’m coming back stronger. I’ve been sparring with no issues to the broken orbital bone. I’m feeling great and I can’t wait to return.
“I want to be active again. I’m focused on this win, and then we can talk about getting back in the ring early next year. It’s tunnel-vision on July 30.
“I really appreciate the fans who have been there to support me. Barclays Center is going to be red and white. I’m excited to feel that atmosphere. Those fans keep me motivated mentally.
“Right now I’m just focused on Demirezen. That’s the man in front of me. I have to tear down that wall that’s in front of me. That’s all I’m focused on.
“I’m facing a strong Olympian who’s got good size, so I’m expecting a great fight. It’s going to be a good test for me, but I’m looking to ace it and move on to better things. Right now, Demirezen has all of my attention.”
SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO
“I want to fight any of the champions at middleweight. Jaime Munguia would be a great fight. There’s a lot of strong fighters in the division and I want to face any of them.
“I still feel strong at middleweight. I’m going to keep working and facing the best challengers I can get so that I’m back in title contention.
“I want to come back stronger and I’m ready to show it. I’m always fighting for Ukraine. I represent my country every time I step into the ring.
“It’s always fun to fight at Barclays Center. It’s a big arena and they have amazing crowds. I can’t wait to be back in the ring.
“I feel strong physically. I still have the desire mentally and my body is still responding and able to perform. That’s all I can ask for.
“Everyone will see my improvements on fight night. I’m facing an opponent who can jab and move. He’s not going to be very busy in there, but I know that I have to be ready for his counters.
“This is a big event and I’m excited to be a part of it. I’m very happy to be a part of it and motivated to deliver for the fans.”
Two-division world champion Danny Garcia(36-3, 21 KOs) has spent his whole career between 140-147 pounds, but on July 30 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Garcia will make his debut at 154 pounds as he battles Jose Benavidez Jr.(27-1-1, 18 KOs).
The 34-year-old Garcia headlined the first show at Barclays Center in 2012, and 10 years later, he’s doing it again.
“I felt the atmosphere at Barclays Center at the Gervonta Davis fight and I felt what I was missing,” he said at a virtual press conference on Tuesday. “I went there to feel that motivation and it was great. We’re going to give everyone a great night just like at that last fight.
“I was in the first main event at Barclays Center and I’ve been building a fanbase there over the last 10 years. Brooklyn is the perfect place to build a fanbase and I’m honored to be a part of Barclays Center’s history.”
Garcia, who is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Errol Spence Jr. in December 2020, says he feels stronger at 154.
“I’ve been fighting at 140 and 147 since the amateurs for 13 years,” Garcia said. “I always felt my natural weight was bigger, and I was squeezing down. I feel like this weight fits me good. I feel young and fresh. I’m strong and with a lot more stamina.”
Garcia’s trainer and father, Angel Garcia, agrees that his son will be stronger at 154.
“Danny is perfect for 154 pounds,” Angel Garcia said. “It’s a new era for him, and it’s time. There’s a time for everything, and our time is now. We have a perfect opponent who’s going to come bring the fight to us.”
After the loss to Spence, Garcia said he needed time away from the sport, which, according to Garcia, has motivated him.
“I’ve been fighting at the highest level for the last 10 years,” he said. “It’s only right as a human that you would get a little mentally tired,’ he said. “I needed a break so that I could miss boxing. I knew that once I came back in the gym motivated and missing the sport, that nobody could beat Danny Garcia
“I’m going to go in there and fight my fight. I’m not putting any extra pressure on myself. I’m going to fight the Danny Garcia fight. I have to use all my tools and all my skills and get the win.”
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also see Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki returning to the ring to take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in a 10-round heavyweight attraction, while unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell faces former two-division champion Rances Barthelemy in a 10-round showdown to kick off the telecast.
Two-division world champion and Brooklyn fan-favorite Danny “Swift” Garcia will make his super welterweight debut against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr. in a 12-round showdown that headlines a stacked tripleheader Saturday, July 30 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in Brooklyn in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and will also see Polish star and Brooklyn’s all-action Adam Kownacki returning to the ring to take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in a 10-round heavyweight attraction, while unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell faces two-division champion Rances Barthelemy in a 10-round showdown to kick off the telecast.
A world champion at 140 and 147 pounds, Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs) owns one of the sports’ most impressive resumes as he now seeks to add a 154-pound title to his list of accomplishments. He returns to fight at Barclays Center for the ninth time, where he headlined the first ever boxing show at the arena in 2012 in his SHOWTIME debut. The Philadelphia native’s run through the super lightweight division saw him defeat a string of champions including Erik Morales, Amir Khan, Zab Judah, Lucas Matthysse, Nate Campbell and Kendall Holt. As a welterweight, the 34-year-old added triumphs over Lamont Peterson, Paulie Malignaggi, and Robert Guerrero, defeating Guerrero for a vacant title in 2016. Garcia’s campaign at welterweight included narrow defeats to some of the sport’s most talented and rugged fighters –Keith Thurman, Shawn Porter, and unbeaten unified champion Errol Spence Jr.
“I feel blessed,” said Garcia. “I’m back like I never left. I can’t wait to return to the ring in front of the fans at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, who have always supported me, and for all my fans across the country watching on SHOWTIME. The ‘Danny Garcia Show’ returns July 30 and you don’t want to miss it!”
The 30-year-old Benavídez (27-1-1, 18 KOs) is the older brother of unbeaten two-time world champion David Benavídez and is trained by his father Jose Sr. A long-established contender, Benavídez moved up to super welterweight in his last fight after dropping a 147-pound title showdown to Terence Crawford in October 2018. Benavídez fought Francisco Emanuel Torres to a draw last November, his first action in just over three years. The Phoenix-native had previously earned wins over contenders such as Mauricio Herrera, Francisco Santana and Frank Rojas on his way to that world title opportunity against Crawford.
“This is a Mexico vs. Puerto Rico matchup and both of us have something to prove,” said Benavídez. “It’s going to be a great fight for the fans. I feel strong and I know I will end this one on fight night. I’m bigger and stronger than he is and come July 30, he will see the difference in power between us.”
The 33-year-old Kownacki (20-2, 15 KOs) returns to the friendly confines of Barclays Center where he has previously fought 10 times, compiling a 9-1 record with five knockouts. Born in Lomza, Poland before moving to Brooklyn when he was seven, Kownacki will step back into the ring after dropping a pair of explosive, fan-friendly fights to Robert Helenius. He owns victories over former world champion Charles Martin and former title challengers Gerald Washington and Chris Arreola. His August 2019 battle against Arreola set CompuBox records for heavyweights in combined power punches thrown and landed.
“I’m very excited to be back in the ring, especially back home in Brooklyn at Barclays Center,” said Kownacki. “I’m ready to show the world that Robert Helenius just caught me at a complicated time in my life, where juggling being a new father and a fighter was a new experience and learning how to manage both was something I needed to learn how to do. For this fight, my family went away to Poland while I’m in camp so I could only focus on boxing. It was a difficult decision to make, but the right one. Demirezen is coming off a couple big wins, so I know he will bring his ‘A’ game, but I need to beat him to be back in the heavyweight mix. Our fight on July 30 will be action-packed with my hand being raised in victory.”
A 2016 Olympian for Turkey, Demirezen (16-1, 12 KOs) has fought out of Hamburg, Germany in the professional ranks since turning pro in late 2016. The 32-year-old won his first 11 pro fights, including a second-round stoppage of Rad Rashid to capture a European heavyweight title in 2018. Demirezen’s first U.S. outing came in 2019, when he became the first person to go the distance against Efe Ajagba, losing by decision. Since that defeat, Demirezen has scored five-straight victories, including defeating former title challengers Gerald Washington in January and Kevin Johnson in May.
“I’m very happy to fight in the U.S. again on July 30,” said Demirezen. “After my big win in Miami [in January], I’m very confident I’m going to give everyone a great fight in Brooklyn. I’m ready for anything Adam Kownacki brings to the ring and I want to make a big statement with a win over him.”
A native of Capitol Heights, Md., Russell (15-0, 15 KOs) will be continuing on the legacy left by his late father Gary Sr., as he belongs to one of the sport’s preeminent fighting families and trains alongside his older brothers, former WBC Featherweight Champion Gary Jr. and bantamweight contender Gary Antonio. The 25-year-old Russell has yet to allow an opponent to make it to the final bell since turning pro in 2017 following his run representing the U.S. at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Most recently, Russell added the most impressive professional victory of his career thus far, as he became the first person to stop former champion Viktor Postol in their February clash on SHOWTIME.
When asked about his fight against Barthelemy, Russell cryptically said, “Deforestation is just a phase that shows there’s more space for growth and conquer,’’ and then stated that he would explain what he means after winning this fight.
A native of Havana, Cuba now fighting out of Las Vegas, Barthelemy (29-1-1, 15 KOs) added two victories in 2021, winning a unanimous decision over All Rivera in January before stopping Gustavo David Vittori in two rounds in November. A world champion at 130 and 135 pounds, Barthelemy owns notable victories over Argenis Mendez, Antonio DeMarco, Mickey Bey and Denis Shafikov. His only professional loss came in a 2018 140-pound championship rematch against Kiryl Relikh, with the only other blemish on his record coming via a draw versus former champion Robert Easter Jr. in 2019. Barthelemy also comes from a fighting family, as he is the middle brother between the younger Leduan and the older Yan, who won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics.
“I’m thrilled to be competing on SHOWTIME, especially against an undefeated young lion like Gary Antuanne Russell,” said Barthelemy. “He’s knocked out every opponent he’s faced, but he’s going to find out real quick that I’m on another level. I’m more determined than ever to take this young kid to school. Don’t be surprised if I take him out, as I’ve been working on my power and explosiveness. The new and improved version of myself will be on display July 30 in Brooklyn.”
After coming off a horrific car accident, unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. made a triumphant return to the ring with a unanimous decision victory over Danny Garcia in front of a sold-out crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night.
It was an impressive win for Spence after being out of the ring for over a year. Last October, Spence was involved in a single-car accident in Dallas, where he was ejected from his vehicle. Fortunately for Spence, he survived, and on Saturday, the DeSoto, Texas native, proved that he’s still one the best at 147.
“I give my performance a B,” Spence said after the fight. “I think I had a little bit of ring rust. But I was in such great shape and took everything seriously in training so that I would not be discouraged by that. I worked my jab and used my angles because that was my best move.”
The 30-year-old Spence expects to return to the ring next summer, and it should be interesting to see who is next. The one guy many want to be next is WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford, who was in attendance last night to watch Spence.
After the fight, Spence discussed Crawford being at his fight against Garcia.
‘He’s gotta live up to his words,” Spence said. “If he said he’s not worried about me, then, what was he doing here? I probably wouldn’t go to none of his fights, so I’m not worried about Terence Crawford.”
It was surprising to see Crawford at the fight on Saturday night, and you wonder if this is a hint at future events. According to reports, Crawford, who is signed to Top Rank, can become a promotional free agent in October 2021. Once a free agent, the 33-year-old Crawford can sign with PBC, which means the fight between him and Spence can easily be made. However, at this point, Crawford is still with Top Rank, and Spence is still with PBC, so a fight might be difficult to make. Therefore, if the two sides can’t come together, we will not get to see this fight until the end of next year or sometime in 2022.
Let’s hope we can get the politics out the way and get this fight sooner than later!
Unified welterweight world champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. defeated two-division champion Danny “Swift” Garcia by unanimous decision Saturday night in the main event of a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“The moment is surreal,” said Spence. “Coming back from the accident, I feel like I looked pretty good tonight. All training camp I felt good. I told people I didn’t want a tune-up fight. I proved to everyone that I’m the best 147-pound fighter in the world.”
Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) retained his WBC and IBF titles with an impressive performance in his hometown that saw him own a 187 to 117 advantage in punches landed, according to CompuBox. Spence controlled much of the action with his jab, landing 84 of them to slowly damage the left eye of his opponent.
“His jab was rangy and threw my timing off a bit,” said Garcia. “That was the key to the fight. Everything else I feel like I adapted to. The jab was the only thing that was better than expected.”
Garcia (36-3, 21 KOs), known as a supreme counter puncher, picked his spots against the unrelenting attack from Spence, having occasional success with his counter right hook and body shots. However, Spence was the more accurate fighter, connecting on 26% of his shots to 17% for Garcia.
“Danny Garcia pushed me to the limit, especially in training camp,” said Spence. “I’ve watched him fight since he was an amateur. I knew he was a great champion and I had to be 100% ready.”
“I was trying to be more active,” said Garcia. “He did a good job taking away what I wanted to do. Everyone is looking for my left hook, so I thought my right hand could be the difference. I had some success going to the body with it. When two champions fight, one guy is going to be better on the night.”
The two welterweight elites continued to fight hard and throw big punches to the last bell, but it was Spence out landing Garcia in each of the last six rounds. After 12 rounds, the judges scored the fight 117-111 and 116-112 twice, all for Spence.
“I had a little bit of ring rust, but I was in such great shape and took everything seriously in training so that I would not be discouraged by that,” said Spence. “I worked my jab and used my angles because that was my best move.”
