LAS VEGAS (Aug. 28, 2014) – The three talented Mayweather Promotions’ fighters who will highlight this Saturday’s Special Presentation of ShoBox: The New Generation on SHOWTIME (airs live immediately following the premiere of “ALL ACCESS: Mayweather vs. Maidana 2” at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT) took part in an Open Media Workout Wednesday at the Mayweather Boxing Club.
Mayweather Promotions super middleweights J’Leon Love, Badou Jack and Ronald Gavril will be showcased in separate bouts from The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The undefeated Love (18-0, 10 KOs), of Inkster, Mich., will meet Rogelio Medina (32-6, 26 KOs), of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, in the 10-round main event. The once-beaten Jack (16-1-1, 11 KOs), of Stockholm, Sweden, will try and regain his winning ways when he meets Jason Escalera (15-2-1, 12 KOs) of Union City, N.J., in the 10-round co-feature while Romanian Ronald “Thrill” Gavril (9-0, 7 KOs), who is making his ShoBox debut, will be opposed by Thomas Falowo (12-2, 8 KOs) of Pawtucket, R.I., in the telecast’s opening match.
In scheduled non-televised fights: Andrew Tabiti (6-0, 6 KOs), Chicago, Ill., vs. Eric Cason, (2-1, 2 KOs), Davenport, Iowa, six rounds, cruiserweights; Luis Arias (9-0, 4 KOs), Milwaukee, Wis., vs. Angel Martinez (6-6-3, 1 KO), Miami, Fla., eight rounds, middleweights; Ashley Theophane (35-6-1, 11 KOs), Paddington, UK, vs. Daniel Calzada (10-10-2, 1 KO), Dona Ana, N.M., eight rounds, junior welterweights; Lanell Bellows (8-1-1, 6 KOs) vs. Codale Ford (4-3, 2 KOs), Fort Gibson, Okla., six rounds, super middleweights; Ladarius Miller (3-0, 1 KO), Memphis, Tenn., vs. Eddie Diaz (0-1), Torrance, Calif., four rounds, welterweights; and Cortez Bey (9-1-1, 4 KOs), Cleveland, Ohio, vs. Jacinto Quintana ((2-3, 2 KOs), Fort Myers, Fla., six rounds, welterweights.
Here is what the ShoBox fighters, their Mayweather Promotions stable mates and Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions had to say Wednesday:
J’LEON LOVE
“My last opponent [Marco Antonio Periban] was a title contender, one of the best out of Mexico. He was very elusive and threw a lot of punches. I faced adversity and I was able to bounce back, not everyone can do that. I got hurt in the sixth round, he caught me with a right hand and it hurt me but I got back up and did what I had to do. It was definitely a learning experience for me because I had to fight under a lot of pressure, but I came out with the victory which shows that I can handle adversity. Periban was just another test in my career that I passed.
“Medina [upcoming opponent] is no walk in the park. I just have to be J’Leon Love and never look past any fighter. He is going to bring it for however long he has to, but I know that I am in great shape and I have the ability and skill, so I’m not really worried about it.
“I fight guys all the time with boxing power, but at the end of the day your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see. If I’m not standing in front of him then I’m not really worried about it.
“People say that my progress in my career has been questionable, but at the end of the day tell those critics to get in my shoes. I don’t try to prove a critic wrong. To me, a critic is a hater because they obviously had to sit down and talk about me.
“I am fortunate enough in my career where I’m in a position I can provide financially for my family. That’s a blessing. This gym [Mayweather Boxing Club] is also my family and if anyone needs anything here, they can ask me and I’ll be there for them, That’s the way it’s supposed to be.
“Here at Mayweather [Promotions], we are all a team. It doesn’t matter if you’re fighting four rounds or 12. At the end of the day we all get in that squared circle and lay it on the line. This sport can kill you and we’re a team that sticks together for a common goal.’’
BADOU JACK
“My last fight was a wakeup call for me. I learned that you can’t ever throw a lazy jab. It’s boxing and stuff happens. I am excited to be back in the ring.
“The only thing I wanted since the day I lost was to have a rematch with Derek Edwards for my pride to show to myself that he’s not on my level. That was an extremely lucky punch that he threw. He timed it right, but I’m back now.
“It’s very important for me to get back on the winning track. I have to look good and be smart. I don’t have to win by knockout, I just need to get the victory.
“My opponent is coming to fight. He’s very strong. I will be ready for war and be smart this time around.
“We worked a lot on defense in training camp in preparation for this fight. I worked on my range; you will see a much smarter fighter on Saturday.
“I really appreciate all that Floyd has done for my career. Even though I lost my most recent fight, Floyd still stood behind me and told me that he wants to still support me which means a lot to me.
“Being on SHOWTIME is a complete blessing. All the exposure that this fight will give me will put my career back on track for a world title.’’
RONALD GAVRIL
“Coming from Romania, this is exactly what I envisioned when I came to America. I wanted to be a part of the strongest boxing team in the world.
“Being around Floyd and seeing him work out and manage his business has given me a lot of strength to one day become world champion.
“Training camp has been great, I am in perfect shape and everything is as it should be.
“Fighting on SHOWTIME is a great honor for me. Being on television is a great thing and the exposure that it will give me will help me further my career.
“I know that I am a huge inspiration to all the boxers in Romania; pretty much every boxing fan from Romania has watched each step of my career and I know that there are many people back home who look up to me. There is no pressure for me to live up to the huge expectations they might have because this is exactly what I wanted when I came here.’’
LEONARD ELLERBE
“I am so excited for Saturday; my guys are going to get a chance to show what they got. All the guys have put in a lot of hard work and we’re expecting a great turnout. Floyd’s excited as well and I can’t wait to give my guys a great opportunity on SHOWTIME.
“All of my guys bring something different to the table. Each one is in different phases of their career; some of them moved a little faster than others but that’s just how the sport of boxing is.
“The main event will be a barnburner. The co-main event should be great as well: Badou Jack versus Jason Escalera. Escalera is coming off a couple great wins, so Badou is going to have his hands full. He is trying to rebound from his last fight and I think he will come out and showcase his skills and do what he needs to do to win.
“In the opening bout, we have Ronald Gavril, who is a very exciting fighter. This is his first opportunity to showcase his talents on ShoBox live and I think it’s going to be very exciting for the fans to get the chance to see him. He’s extremely popular in Romania and he’s looking forward to the fight on Saturday.
“I don’t believe that J’Leon Love needs a knockout to take his career to the next level. All of that additional pressure that is put on fighters is unnecessary. This game is about winning and being impressive, but you don’t need to get the knockout to be impressive. Love will do what he needs to do and I believe the knockout will come at some point. I can’t wait for Saturday.”
ANDREW TABITI
“Training here in Las Vegas has been a great opportunity for me. I am blessed to be in this position to work with these guys, it’s a wonderful team. Being able to train here has turned my life around.
“Floyd and Floyd Sr. have been great for my career. Floyd Sr. has pushed my career to the next level and has taught me a lot. Floyd Jr. has blessed me so much outside the gym, so it’s all been a wonderful experience.
“Although I have knocked out all my opponents since I turned pro, I never look for the knockout, I just want to win. That’s the main thing.
“I don’t know much about my opponent besides his name, but if I do come out with the win then hopefully my next fight will be on Floyd’s next card. ’’
LUIS ARIAS
“I came to Las Vegas from Milwaukee without a contract from Floyd. Through a mutual friend it was set up for me to box Floyd, and that’s how it happened that I am with his team now. Floyd liked what he saw and he told me he wanted to help me out with my career, and the rest is history.
“Being with Floyd has given me a lot of attention and buzz. It has helped me advance quickly in my career and ask for certain things that I want so that I can get to the limelight faster. Case in point is the fight on Saturday on SHOWTIME. You can never go wrong being connected to the best.
“There has been a lot of adversity that I have overcome throughout my life. Growing up it was just my mom and I, and she taught me about hard work. It was tough at times, but we made it through.
“I am not overlooking my opponent. I take every opponent serious, each fighter brings something different to the table and their record doesn’t mean anything to me. This is boxing and I know that all it takes is one punch. I must stay focused and sharp and bring the fight to him; I can’t worry about the rest.
“Hopefully I keep the ball rolling and come out with the win. I feel like I need to be on television soon and keep being an exciting fighter. My goal is to keep winning and become a fan favorite. I feel like I am past the prospect stage, I know that I am a legit contender. I know I haven’t proven that yet, but it is coming. I have full confidence in my ability and have a great team behind me; I see myself fighting for a title within a year and a half.
“This fight card is great. Given the whole Mayweather vs. Maidana 2, there will be a lot of hype surrounding this fight and all the eyes will be on Saturday. I am so excited to get into that ring.’’
ASHLEY THEOPHANE
“The transition here from the UK has been a dream come true for me. This is the pinnacle of the sport here in Las Vegas and to be able to fight here with Floyd Mayweather is everything for me. He has helped me become the professional that I want to be.
“The biggest thing I’ve learned from being here is to work hard and be smart. Floyd tells me you must be a smart boxer to last long. You can’t just stand there and trade punches, you must be able to move around. Floyd is a great mentor to have.
“I don’t know much about my opponent, but his team thinks he can come cause an upset, but I don’t think that’s going to happen, I beat guys like him 10 years ago. For me, it is just about staying focused in the ring and get the win no matter what so I can stay on track to get those big fights again.
“The training camp here has been great, great sparring, the running and weight loss has been on point and come Saturday we will bring it all together.’’
LANELL BELLOWS
“I’ve been beating people up and knocking people out since I was younger and it just carried over to my boxing life, so that’s how I got the name ‘Mr. Knock Out.’
“Being a part of such a great atmosphere here makes you want to strive for greatness. You see everyone working very hard here, so you naturally want to follow suit and join the hard-working movement.
“I’m always looking for the knockout; I’m not going to overdo it but we want to finish the fight and try not to leave it in the judges’ hands. The one time I left it in their hands I received my only loss of my professional career.
“My loss was a great learning experience for me. I learned that you can always do more, no matter what. I can never been satisfied, there is always more to be done.
“I don’t know much about my opponent, other than his name and that he’s going to lose. I do know he has only been stopped once, but we’re going to go ahead and add one more to that and have a successful night on Saturday. I’m very focused on this fight, not overlooking him at all. It’s all about preparation, and I know that I am properly prepared to make any necessary adjustments while in the ring. We’re ready to work.
“Whatever Mayweather Promotions has in store for me going forward, I will take it in stride. This team has my best interests in mind and I will fight whoever they tell me to.’’
LADARIUS MILLER
“This is the best training camp I’ve had in a while because everyone is here training and sparring together. Everyone who isn’t on the card is still supporting us while we train. Everyone pushes us while we’re inside the ring and motivates us when we’re outside the ring.
“Training here with these guys has bettered me in so many different ways. Being around someone like Floyd motivates you to want to work hard and be successful. When I see the best fighter in the world train like he doesn’t have a dollar, it motivates me to want to hit the bag harder and run that extra mile. I am able to see what it takes to be world champion and that is invaluable for me.
“My opponent seems like a tough fighter who likes to come forward, but I’m more of a boxer than he is. But I can’t underestimate him, every fight for me is like a title fight and I don’t want to lose. Come this Saturday, I will take care of business and come out the victor.’’
CORTEZ BEY
“It’s very important for me to win this fight. Floyd [Mayweather] told me to get four good fights in and we’ll get you a big fight, preferably for a title. This is my second fight of the four. I can’t wait to get these four fights in. After this fight I can’t wait to get right back in the ring and fight again next month [September].
“Although this is my first fight in eight months, I’m not rusty at all. Before that I had almost a four-year layoff, and thus far I have had a tough career, so eight months is nothing. I am back now. This is the new Cortez Bey. This sport can take a toll on you mentally and I took a lot of time off to regroup and be the best that I can be in the ring.
“It doesn’t matter to me who my opponent is. My last fight was against a pretty tough guy, but it doesn’t matter for me, I have a lot of amateur experience.
“My last fight taught me to be cautious at all times. I had a five-second lapse and he came at me with a big left hook that put me down, so I must stay cautious at all times.’’
Tickets for the event, sponsored by Corona Extra, are priced at $25, $50, $75 and $100, plus applicable taxes, fees and service are on sale now by clicking HERE. The first live preliminary fight starts at 3 p.m. PT.
For more information, visit www.mayweatherpromotions.com and follow on Twitter with @mayweatherpromo, @coronaboxing, @PearlatPalms, @ShoSports, @Swanson_Comm. And become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MayweatherPromo and www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing and follow the conversation using #desertshowdown.
Photo Credit:
: Stephanie Trapp/SHOWTIME