The press conference and weigh-in were held today for “Shootout at Texas Station” the exciting night of professional boxing presented by Warriors Boxing, tomorrow, Friday, May 11, at Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel in Las Vegas and telecast live on ShoBox: The New Generation (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).
All fighters made weight on their first attempts.
In the ShoBox main event, former Cuban amateur standout and 2004 Olympian Yudel Jhonson (12-0, 8 KOs) of Miami, Florida, will take on Willie “The Great” Nelson (17-1-1, 11 KOs), of Youngstown, Ohio, in a 10-round junior middleweight bout.
The co-featured bout will match six-time Swedish national champion and 2008 Olympian, Badou Jack (10-0, 8 KOs), of Las Vegas and Alexander Brand (17-0, 15 KOs) of Bogota, Colombia, in an eight-
round super middleweight bout.
Off TV, headlining the undercard, undefeated Cuban American Rances “Kid
Blast” Barthelemy (15-0, 11 Kos) will now face Denmark, via Nigeria’s Robert “Super” Osiobe (11-4, 6 KOs) in an eight-round featherweight battle.
Puerto Rican super middleweight prospect Roberto Jose Acevedo (3-0, 2 KOs) will meet Martinez Sharod Porter (1-1) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in a four-round preliminary bout.
Official Weights:
vs. Carlos Reyes NAYunieski Gonzalez 178 lbs.
William Mitch Williams 183 lbs.
vs. Carlos Gaytan 180 lbs.
Roberto Jose Acevedo 163 lbs.
vs. Martinez Porter 163 lbs.
Badou Jack 167 lbs.
vs. Alexander Brand 166.5 lbs.
Yudel Jhonson 151.5 lbs.
vs. Willie Nelson 151.5 lbs.
Rances Barthelemy 131 lbs.
vs. Robert Osiobe 131 lbs.
Jesús Gutiérrez 136.5 lbs.
vs. Jimmy Jones 137 lbs.
Press Conference Quotes
Kelly McClellan, Director of Marketing, Texas Station
Thank you for coming out. Thanks to our team and to Showtime for taking the time to broadcast in our beautiful facility. See you all on fight night. Thank you.
Leon Margules, President Warriors Boxing
We’re thrilled to be back here a t Texas Station. Thanks to all the people who have helped us put this together and to the Showtime team for putting this great event on Showtime. We have a terrific show here and they will all be terrific fights.
We originally were putting on a tripleheader but then Rances Barthelemy’s opponent fell out and it was reduced to a doubleheader. We ended up finding an opponent just as good, but by then it was decided. Rances Barthelemy is fighting a guy who has never been off his feet who is 11-4. We believe he is the class of 130 lbs. He was fantastic against Hylon Williams.
Rances Barthelemy
Thanks to all the promoters and my team, Miguel Diaz is doing a great job as at trainer. This time I will put on a great show, just like last time.
Roberto Jose Acevedo
This sport is so hard and I work very hard for all my fights. I want to give my best in all my fights. I have sacrificed a lot and I will not stop until I become one of the best. Thank you.
Sampson Lewkowicz (Sampson Boxing)
As you saw three weeks ago with Javier Fortuna, you will see the same with Alexander Brand. Maybe not in the first round, but whenever you see me in any corner, the fighter is coming to fight.
My guy had 400 amateur fights. (To Badou Jack, Brand’s opponent) When you were born, my guy already had gloves on. He’s still young and doesn’t abuse himself. Tomorrow you will see what my fighter can do.
All my fighters have been trained by the best trainer money can buy, Pable Sarmiento, the same trainer as Sergio Martinez. Good luck Jack!
Pablo Sarmiento (Brand Trainer)
Every time we train, we get better. Tomorrow will be an excellent show and we will walk away with the victory.
Alexander Brand
“This is only the beginning. I will definitely be victorious tomorrow night. He talked too much before the fight. He never beat anyone, so why is he talking like a world champ?
“I’m going to shut his big mouth.”
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad (trainer of Badou Jack, to Alexander Brand and his team)
Let me tell you what’s going to happen. We’re going to tax that ass. I can’t wait. I aint gonna say no more. You better have on your best running sneakers. I wish I could speak Spanish I would tell you exactly how I feel.
Badou Jack
“Thanks to my promoters and SHOWTIME for this opportunity. I can’t wait for the fight. I wish it was today. I will win by a knockout. He’s in with a real fighter now. You could tell he was nervous.
“I’m going to beat him up tomorrow night.”
Jack Loew (Willie Nelson trainer)
I think they’ve underestimated Willie. I’ve watched Yudel fight and he’s nothing special. They brought a group of guys over form Cuba and if I had to pick one we got the best of the group to fight.
I know he was scheduled to fight somebody else, but we were supposed to fight somebody else too, so we’re in shape.
We look forward to the knocking this kid off. I think it’ll be exciting, but they have highly underestimated Willie Nelson. We’re looking forward to a big victory tomorrow night. Thank you.
Willie Nelson
“I want to thank everybody for coming to this fight. The only thing I can say is Yudel is a great fighter, but I’m better. Tomorrow night I will be the better man.
“I’m not taking anything away from him, but I will win. Watch tomorrow night.”
Luis DeCubas (Blue Wave Group)
He said of all the Cubans who came over he was the easiest one? Yudel is one of the best 154-lb fighters in the world and he’ll show it tomorrow.
I give Willie credit for taking the fight. We had to come down in weight a little.
(To Willie Nelson) We couldn’t find anyone to fight Yudel, so I’m impressed you took the fright. I’ve seen Willie fight many times and he’s a great fighter. It promises to be a great fight and a great card.
Ismael Salas
Thanks everyone for coming out. I thank Willie Nelson for taking the fight. I’m not much for talking. My fighters do their talking in the ring.
Luis DeCubas Jr. (Blue Wave Group)
He picked the wrong Cuban. Willie is in for a big surprise.
Yudel Jhonson
“Thank you to the United States for the freedom to fight professionally. Thanks to SHOWTIME for making me able to show my talents. I’m in great condition. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in and I had the best training camp of my career.
“This is a great opportunity and I won’t let it pass me by. I’m dedicating this fight to all the mothers in the world, especially my mother in Cuba.”
Tickets for “Shootout at Texas Station” are on sale now, priced at $27 and $52 and are available at Ticketmaster, any Texas Station rewards center or at SCLV.COM/CONCERTS. A few VIP seats are available at a price of $102 can be purchased by calling (954) 985-1155.
On fight night, doors open at 6:30 and the action starts at 7:00 pm.
Station Bucks may be used to purchase tickets. All ages welcome. Under 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21 or over. Show subject to change without notice. Management reserves all rights. Digital Photography and video prohibited. Tickets can be purchased at any Station Casinos Boarding Pass Rewards Center, The Fiesta’s, by logging onto stationcasinos.com/concerts or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel is located at 2101 Texas Star Lane in North Las Vegas. Telephone: (702) 631-1000 or (800) 654-8888.
{SQUARE} {SQUARE1} {SQUARE2}
{loadposition SQUARE3}
