Golden Boy Promotions weathered early storms to find its roar back and retain its title as the premier promoter in boxing as proven by the acclaim company President and Founder Oscar De La Hoya received this past year.
In June, De La Hoya was honored with an induction to the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF). He won Olympic Gold at the 1992 Olympics, starred in the professional game, winning 10 world titles in six different weight classes. It was no surprise that in his first appearance on the ballot for the IBHOF, De La Hoya was enshrined with the greats of the sport in Canastota, New York.
Recently, Sports Illustrated named De La Hoya ‘Promoter of The Year’ citing him as a “force on the promotional landscape” and praising this past year’s accomplishments, repairing relationships with HBO and Top Rank and continuing to “build junior middleweight Canelo Alvarez into one of the biggest stars in boxing…his best days as a promoter lie ahead.
In addition, Yahoo! Sports named De La Hoya ‘Boxing’s Man of The Year’ for “campaigning for the best fights to be made, fights his customers demanded,” something which, Golden Boy Promotions always keeps in mind when making fights.
“2014 was an important year for Golden Boy Promotions, and I’ve got to say that this may have been my most enjoyable year yet,” said De La Hoya. “We had great fights, great performances, and most importantly, we opened the door to working with all promoters in boxing to put on the best fights possible for the fans of this sport.”
And as we look back to the year to look at the successes, Golden Boy Promotions also looks forward to what 2015 could bring.
“I’m excited for 2015 and what Golden Boy Promotions has in store for the fans,” said Oscar De La Hoya, founder and president of Golden Boy Promotions. “I will not stop until the fans get to see the best versus the best fight in 2015. That will continue to be my mantra in the new year.”
JANUARY 17: BERMANE STIVERNE TO DEFEND WBC HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD TITLE AGAINST UNBEATEN MANDATORY CHALLENGER DEONTAY WILDER
Hard-hitting WBC Heavyweight World Champion Bermane Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, is set to defend his title against unbeaten knockout specialist and mandatory challenger Deontay Wilder (32-0, 32 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday, January 17 in the most significant heavyweight title fight in recent memory. The potentially explosive bout between the two big-punching heavyweights will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The event is co-promoted by Don King Productions and Golden Boy Promotions and will feature undefeated IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) defending his belt against Jesus Ruiz (33-5-5, 22 KOs)
JANUARY 20: GOLDEN BOY LIVE! CELEBRATES “THE ALIEN” WITH STELLAR FIGHT CARD FROM THE 2300 ARENA IN PHILADELPHIA
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, Golden Boy Promotions will celebrate Bernard Hopkins’ 50th birthday with a night of boxing fit for a legend.
In the main event, Philly’s own Eric “The Outlaw” Hunter (19-3, 10 KOs) faces highly regarded Nicaraguan junior lightweight contender Rene “Gemelo” Alvarado (21-3, 14 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout. In the super lightweight co-main event, rising junior welterweight star Michael “The Artist” Perez (21-1, 10 KOs) will go up against Miguel Acosta (29-7-2, 23 KOs) and looks to extend his current unbeaten streak to eight fights. Plus, opening the televised action is undefeated fighter Lamont Roach Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) in a six-round junior lightweight battle against an opponent yet to be named.
JANUARY 26: ROCKY JUAREZ VS. ROBINSON CASTELLANOS TO HEADLINE GOLDEN BOY LIVE! CARD AT COWBOYS DANCEHALL IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
Golden Boy Live! welcomes the new year with a return to Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, January 26, 2015 with a main event that true boxing fans won’t want to miss.
Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Leija Battah Promotions, the WBC Silver Featherweight Champion Rocky Juarez(30-10-1, 21 KOs) defends his title against Robinson “Robin Hood” Castellanos (20-10, 13 KOs), in a 12-round brawl. The bout will also serve as a final title eliminator for Jhonny Gonzalez’s (57-8, 48 KOs) WBC featherweight title. For tickets please contact Leija-Battah Promotions at (210) 979-3302, m@leijabattahpromo.com or text “Tickets” to 210-556-7390.
FEBRUARY 27: ‘THE HOMECOMING’ RANDY CABALLERO DEFENDS IBF BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD TITLE
After piling up 12 wins in 12 fights at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif.,hometown hero Randy “El Matador
Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) went on the road in search of a world championship. On October 25, it was mission accomplished for “El Matador” after he defeated England’s Stuart Hall in Monte Carlo. On Friday, February 27, the conquering hero returns to Indio’s Fantasy Springs Resort Casino to defend his IBF Bantamweight World Championship for the first time against Alberto “Metro” Guevara (18-2, 6 KOs) in a 12-round homecoming bout, presented by Golden Boy Promotions and televised by FOX Sports 1and FOX Deportes.
FIGHTERS TO WATCH IN 2015: DIEGO DE LA HOYA, JULIAN RAMIREZ, JOSEPH DIAZ JR., MANUEL AVILA
The future of boxing is bright and with fighters like the undefeated Diego De La Hoya (8-0, 6 KOs), who is one of the top ranked featherweights in Mexico and was a Mexican National Olympics Silver Medalist, is impressive sporting eight wins in a little over a year as a professional.
Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez (13-0, 8 KOs), a featherweight from East Los Angeles, also undefeated, has boxing in his blood. His late uncle was the former WBA and WBC Super Featherweight World Champion Genaro “El Chicanito” Hernandez. Ramirez has been on the fast track ever since he turned professional in 2012. A dynamic fighter with all of the tools to succeed, Ramirez is coming off of his fourth win of 2014 when he faced Pedro Melo.
A member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, South El Monte’s Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr. (14-0, 9 KOs) is rapidly displaying the skill and poise to not just match his amateur successes, but surpass them. Just 21-years-old, has had impressive victories over Ramiro Robles, Raul Hidalgo, Roberto Castaneda and Jose Angel Beranza.
Manuel “Tino” Avila (16-0, 7 KOs) another rising star, has also had a stand-out year, defeating David De La Mora and Sergio “Finito” Frias. A 22-year-old rising star with a huge California following that is growing nationwide is showing clear improvement with each fight, Avila expects to be at his best ever in 2015.
Also undefeated, Jermell Charlo (25-0, 11 KOs) currently ranked third in the world by the WBC, fourth by IBF and first in the WBO, is set to make a bid for a world title. His strength was displayed on Dec 12th when he didn’t lose a round in a unanimous decision victory over Mario Lozano (28-6, 22 KOs). His twin brother, Jermall Charlo (20-0, 16 KOs) is not far behind after he spoiled the U.S. debut of Lenny Bottai (22-3, 9 KOs), defeating the Italian via technical knockout at :38 of the third round in an IBF Junior Middleweight Title Eliminator on Dec. 12th.
GOLDEN BOY LIVE! ALIVE AND WELL ON FOX SPORTS 1 AND FOX DEPORTES
Popular Series Turns ‘One’ and Continues To Build Steam
Golden Boy Promotions’ Golden Boy Live! series grew exponentially during 2014 with over two dozen fight cards taking place across the country televised live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes. From Southern California to New England, fight fans from all corners of the country were treated to top-level high energy competition that showcased up and coming talent that is undoubtedly the future of the sport.
An eclectic lineup of fighters have found FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes home including fan favorites Julian Ramirez , Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr., and Diego De La Hoya; all of whom have shown great promise during their Golden Boy Live! performances.
“It’s been a great privilege to be showcased on Golden Boy Live!,” said Diaz Jr. “The exposure has been tremendous and I have been able to reach out to a lot of new fans. I am honored to be part of the Golden Boy family.”
With shows at least twice a month, Golden Boy Promotions took advantage of different holidays, and happenings throughout the year including fights on Memorial Day, St. Patrick’s Day and even during the first ever New York City Super Bowl week with a special edition fight hosted at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
“The Golden Boy Live! series has allowed us to make even better on our promise to bring exciting fights to fans and continue to provide the best platforms for our fighters,” said De La Hoya. “With three exciting fight cards already announced for the beginning of 2015, we are looking forward to making many more memorable match-ups and seeing prospects turn into contenders and even champions.”
CANELO’S STAR KEEPS GETTING BRIGHTER
The year 2014 saw Canelo Alvarez’ (44-1-1, 31 KOs) star continue to rise at an exponential rate. With two pay-per-view fights in the books and the announcement of a major multi-fight deal with HBO, Canelo is looking to take the momentum from the past year and make 2015 an even greater success.
He kicked off his 2014 campaign on March 8, when he stopped fellow countryman Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo (22-5, 18 KOs) in a 12-round main event, which drew over 400,000 pay-per-view buys, an impressive feat.
Canelo faced Cuba’s Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara (20-2-2, 12 KOs) on July 12 in a pay-per-view 12-round bout that packed the house at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The Mexican fan favorite emerged victorious once again, this time via split decision following a tough test against Lara.
The landmark multi-fight deal with HBO sets Canelo up for even greater things. The former world champion had been featured on the network seven times previously.
However, the agreement signed in September will undoubtedly set Canelo up fo
memorable matches and even more exposure in the years to come.
“For all of my career, I have wanted to fight on HBO for one main reason-I believe it will allow more of my fans to see me in action,” said Canelo. “[This] marks a huge milestone for me, and I look forward to a long and successful partnership with HBO.”
GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS STANDS BY FUTURE HALL OF FAMER AND COMPANY PARTNER BERNARD “THE ALIEN” HOPKINS
It is no surprise that Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins (55-7-2, 32 KOs) had another record-breaking year. First, he returned to our nation’s capital and made history on April 19, when he defeated the unbeaten Beibut Shumenov (15-2, 10 KOs), over 12 rounds to defend his IBF World Light Heavyweight title and add the WBA Super World Light Heavyweight title making him, at 49, the oldest fighter in history to unify major world titles.
In a move he didn’t have to make, but took on gladly, Bernard Hopkins agreed to fight heavy-handed Russian Sergey Kovalev(26-0-1, 23 KOs) in a Nov. 8 WBA-WBO-IBF Light Heavyweight unification bout co-promoted with Main Events. “The Alien” would lose the bout – and his WBA and IBF titles – but his courageous stand earned Hopkins even more die-hard fans. In Hopkins’ words, “I may have lost the fight, but I won a lot of hearts.”
As Hopkins quickly approaches his 50th birthday on January 15, Golden Boy Promotions will celebrate with an exciting night of fights in “The Alien’s” hometown of Philadelphia live on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes.
“Bernard Hopkins was a standout fighter for me this year, and I’m proud of what he accomplished,” said Oscar De La Hoya. “He trained hard, he fought hard, and won over many fans with his inspiring story of determination, fighting a formidable opponent like Kovalev at the age of 49. He’s earned the respect of many, deservedly so.”
OTHER GREAT FIGHTS IN 2014…
LUCAS MATTHYSSE AND JOHN MOLINA WAGE WAR IN CARSON
Lucas “La Máquina” Matthysse (36-3, 34 KOs) fought John Molina Jr. (27-5, 22 KOs) at StubHub Center, in Carson, Calif. “La Máquina” knocked out Molina in the 10th round to take the WBC Continental Americas title.
MAYWEATHER TESTED BY MAIDANA TWICE, BUT STILL PREVAILS
The remarkable unbeaten run of Floyd Mayweather continued in 2014, but it wasn’t without some rocky moments as “Money” faced Argentina’s Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) on May 3 and saw one of the toughest battles of his storied career winning a close 12-round majority decision that left fight fans clamoring for more.
The fans got their wish when the two met in a memorable rematch on September 13 as Golden Boy Promotions teamed up withMayweather Promotions for the eighth time. While Mayweather scored another close decision victory, the fight generated almost one million pay-per-view buys showing yet again that boxing is alive and well.
RANDY CABALLERO’S ROAD TRIP TO GLORY
Randy “El Matador” Caballero (22-0, 13 KOs) brought new meaning to “world” class fighter as he traveled around the globe in search of championship gold. In April, he scored a technical knockout victory over Kohei Oba (36-3-1, 14 KOs) in Japan in an IBF Bantamweight title eliminator. Seven months later, “El Matador” defeated Stuart “Stuey” Hall (16-4-2, 7 KOs) in Monte Carlo to win the vacant IBF Bantamweight World title. Up next, Caballero is set to defend his belt against Alberto “Metro” Guevara (18-2, 6 KOs) in a homecoming match at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, Calif. on Feb. 27, 2015 ON Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes.
DANNY GARCIA REMAINS UNDEFEATED AND DEFENDS HIS TITLE FOR THE FIFTH TIME
Danny “Swift” Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) undefeated WBA Super Light Welterweight and WBC Super Lightweight Champion ended 2014 with a bang. He successfully defended his titles against veteran Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (21-5, 7 KOs) in a tough 12-round bout in the land of his heritage at the Coliseo Rubén Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Garcia won the fight in a majority decision retaining his 140-pound division title for the fifth time.
ADRIEN BRONER MAKES A COMEBACK IN 2014
One of the most polarizing figures in boxing today, Adrien “The Problem” Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) always entertains, in and out of the ring. On May 3, Broner bounced back from the first loss of his career against Marcos “El Chino” Maidana (35-5, 31 KOs) by dominating Carlos Molina (17-2-1, 7 KOs) in a 10-round decision win. He marked a triumphant homecoming in Cincinnati with a gutsy 12-round decision win over tough Emmanuel “Tranzformer” Taylor (18-3, 12 KOs) proving to the boxing community that he is definitely a fighter to watch out for in 2015.
DANNY JACOBS, CANCER SURVIVOR CLAIMS WBA MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE
Brooklyn native, Danny “Miracle Man” Jacobs (28-1, 25 KOs), keeps proving to the world that he will not be stopped. After his 2011 diagnosis and treatment of osteosarcoma, an aggressive cancer that caused partial paralysis in his legs and revealed itself as a quarter-sized tumor wrapped around his spine, Jacobs has kept the gloves on and has remained undefeated since 2010. He returned to professional boxing in 2012 defeating Josh “The Future” Lutheran (13-2, 9 KOs) in the first round and has continued the trend in 2014, stopping Milton “El Misil” Nunez (28-12-1, 25 KOs) in the first round in March and defeating Jarrod “Left Jab” Fletcher (18-3, 10 KOs) in August to win the vacant WBA middleweight title, becoming the first cancer survivor to win a world championship.
LEO SANTA CRUZ STAYS UNDEFEATED
Crowd-pleasing WBC Super Bantamweight World Champion Leo “Terremoto” Santa Cruz (28-0-1, 16 KOs) remains undefeated in 2014 after two title defenses against Cristian Mijares (51-8-2, 25 KOs) in March, and Manuel Roman (17-3-3, 6 KOs) in Sept. Now, Santa Cruz will put his title and unbeaten record on the line in a 12-round bout against Jesus “Estrella” Ruiz (33-5-5, 22 KOs) on Jan. 17, 2015, at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on SHOWTIME® Before stepping up a notch in weight, Santa Cruz was the IBF Bantamweight World Champion, winning that belt in June 2012 and making three defenses. An excellent body puncher who is at his best when he keeps up a relentless pace, pressures his opponents and wears them down, Santa Cruz is 7-0 with three knockouts in world title fights.
DAVID LEMIEUX’S GRAND U.S. DEBUT
Montreal, Canada’s David Lemieux (33-2, 31 KOs) made his grand debut in the U.S. on Dec. 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY, in a 12-round headlining match against fan favorite Gabriel “King” Rosado (21-9, 13 KOs). The beloved Canadian not only retained his NABF middleweight title, but also made a serious statement as a contender for 2015 bouts against the elite of the division.
TWO FIGHTS – ONE NIGHT: AMIR “KING” KHAN RULES & MAURICIO HERRERA IMPRESSES
Golden Boy Promotions closed out the year with a busy night in Sin City.
At the MGM Grand Garden Arena, a night of great match-ups top to bottom left fight fans excited for 2015. The headlining fight between Amir “King” Khan (30-3, 19 KOs) and Devon Alexander “The Great” (26-3, 14 KOs) was arguably one of Khan’s best performances as the “King” dominated from start to finish to take a 12-round unanimous decision solidifying his place as a contender for a potential showdown against Floyd Mayweather in 2015.
The same night a few minutes down the Las Vegas Strip at the Cosmopolitan as part of a Top Rank-promoted fight card,,Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (21-5, 7 KOs), proved to be one of gutsiest fighters in the sport as he faced Jose Benavidez Jr.(22-0, 15 KOs) in a 12-round matchup. Unfortunately, Herrera was on the short end of another controversial decision for the interim WBA super lightweight title, a verdict Golden Boy Promotions plans to appeal in order to pursue a rematch.
ABNER MARES REBOUNDS
Showcased in the Khan v. Alexander undercard, Abner Mares (28-1-1, 15 KOs), took on former WBO International Featherweight World Champion Jose Ramirez, (25-5-2, 15 KOs) from Mazatlán, Mexico. Mares and Ramirez traded blows and landed quality punches, but it was the former champion who consistently got the better of the exchanges and landed the more damaging shots. Mares, who landed 57 percent of his power shots, scored knockdowns in the first, third and fifth round, with the final knockout coming as a result of a vicious three punch combo. Ramirez’ corner had seen enough and wisely stopped the bout following the fifth round. Mares has been consistently building on his victory over Jonathan Oquendo (24-4, 16 KOs), showing that he will be ready to give all boxing fans the re-match they want to see against Jhonny Gonzalez (57-8, 48 KOs) in 2015.
JORGE LINARES MAKES HISTORY IN 2014
Eight months shy of his 30th birthday, Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares (38-3, 25 KOs) becoma the youngest Venezuelan to win world titles in three divisions when he beat Mexico’s Javier “Implacable” Prieto (24-8-2, 18 KOs) for the vacant WBC Lightweight World Championship on Dec. 30 at the Metropolitan Gym in Tokyo, Japan. Linares, a former world champion at featherweight and super featherweight, a Barinas native and Tokyo resident has been undefeated for more than two years, winning seven consecutive bouts, five by knockout.
GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS FAMILY CELEBRATES HOLIDAYS AND RETREATS TO THE BIG APPLE
As a former professional athlete, Golden Boy Promotions president and founder Oscar De La Hoya certainly understands the importance of teamwork and having support in one’s corner. Therefore, he made a point to focus additional energy on building a team and family within the walls of the Golden Boy office. With special holiday celebrations and even a company-wide retreat to New York City in the fall, Golden Boy Promotions is ready to take on 2015 with an even greater sense of purpose working together as a team to ensure that each event with the Golden Boy name attached is the best that it can be.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA FOUNDATION ENDS YEAR WITH ANNUAL SEASON OF GIVING
Golden Boy Promotions headed into the holidays by completing its ‘Season of Giving’ with the 18th Annual Oscar De La Hoya FoundationToy Give Away on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Oscar De La Hoya Ánimo Charter High School. The foundation served over 1,500 children in the East Los Angeles community, and pre-selected the recipients from local elementary schools and church groups. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs were in attendance and Captain Steve Biagini of the East Los Angeles Sherriff Station came by to meet with the high school students and volunteers.
Earlier in the year the foundation in association with the California Municipal Finance Authority donated new, state-of-the-art boxing equipment to the youth that train at the Santa Ana Boxing Club in Santa Ana, Calif. And in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday, the foundation hosted its 18th Annual Turkey Giveaway joined by star fighters Randy “El Matador” Caballero, Hugo “The Boss” Centeno Jr., Gabriel “King” Rosado, Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz Jr., Julian “El Camarón” Ramirez and Diego De La Hoya. They helped distribute more than 500 turkeys, fixings and other food products to the community with the help of sponsors: the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation, Tampico, Coca Cola, Jersey Mikes, Bonerts Pies, Davalan Fresh Sales, Mission Foods and Vallarta Markets.
“I love being able to give back, and I believe that it is better to give than to receive,” De La Hoya said. “My success in boxing and business has enabled me to give back to the community from which I came, and to support efforts that truly improve the lives of others. I’m very blessed, and I want to be able to be a blessing to others this holiday season. It is truly an honor to be able to do that.”
On Aug. 11th the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation hosted its 14th annual charity golf classic at the Lakeside Country Club, in Burbank, Calif. This year, the great Sugar Ray Leonard attended the event as well as Brian McKnight, Scott Wolfe, Alfonso Ribeiro and Piolin. All proceeds raised benefitted the Oscar De La Hoya Foundation.
