MIDDLEWEIGHT MELEE: The Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL will serve as the site for a Showtime World Championship Boxing middleweight doubleheader. The 12 round non-title main event bout will feature a rematch between Edison Miranda (30-2, 26 KO’s) and undefeated IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham (26-0, 21 KO’s). In the co-feature undefeated IBF #4 ranked contender Giovanni Lorenzo (26-0, 18 KO’s) challenges IBF #13 ranked contender and former world champion Raul Marquez (40-3-1, 29 KO’s) in a 12 round IBF Mandatory Eliminator bout. IBF champion Abraham is mandated to fight the winner of Lorenzo-Marquez in his next bout. SHOWTIME’s June 21broadcast will begin at 9pm ET / PT. Tickets, priced at $202, $152, $102, and $52 are now on sale and may be purchased at the Hard Rock Live Box Office or TicketMaster.com.
GIOVANNI LORENZO: TIME TO STEP UP - Undefeated middleweight contender Giovanni Lorenzo has been waiting for this opportunity. He has hungered for the chance to showcase his talents and prove to the world that he is ready to battle for a world title. The only person standing in his way is Raul Marquez:
On Marquez’s abilities: “Marquez has many strengths, as do most former world champions. He is durable, he’s been active, and he can punch. He has been in with the best in the world. Also, he is a southpaw and I have never faced a southpaw before. He works every minute of every round and bangs to the body hard. He's tenacious, focused, but also very relaxed. He is a tough out for anyone. That is why so many fighters have avoided him. But so far no one has been able to defeat me. He has been defeated and he knows how to lose. That will be the big difference in the fight.”
On Marquez’s age and stamina: “Marquez has been the distance [10 rounds or more] numerous times and the most I have gone is 8 rounds, so I don’t expect any advantages if the fight going longer. I have been preparing for the old Marquez and I expect a hard physical fight from start to finish. I know that although he has been stopped he has never been counted out, so I want to be the first man to ever do that. If I can, it will be a huge accomplishment.”
On Pavlik-Lockett: “I think Pavlik could get beat. He is an overrated fighter
who wants to fight bums who nobody gives a damn about. But if HBO
wants to keep paying him the amount of money he is asking to fight these
bums, then they deserve the poor ratings that they have been getting.
Pavlik is never going to fight me. His management already confirmed this
. . . which is why we are moving on and planning to face Abraham in our
next fight.”
RAUL MARQUEZ: FINAL SHOT? Former world champion Raul Marquez recognizes that this IBF eliminator bout on June 21 against Lorenzo may be his final opportunity to earn a world title shot. Since losing to Jermain Taylor in June 2004, the 16-year veteran and 1992 Silver Medalist has rattled off a 5-0-1 record. With the help of his trainer/father, Arturo Marquez, Raul plans to knock off Lorenzo and then challenge IBF champion Arthur Abraham . . . or any other world middleweight champion willing to fight him.
On Lorenzo’s opposition: “Lorenzo’s young and hungry and this is a big opportunity for him. But the guy’s never been tested. The biggest name on his resume is Archak [Ter-Meliksetian]. He’s been fighting nothing but journeymen.”
On Lorenzo’s skills: “He’s powerful and strong. When you knock out 18 guys you have some power no matter who the opponent is. But I don’t think he is a full-blown middleweight and a lot of the guys he’s fought were welterweights and jr. middleweights. He hasn’t been in with a true middleweight. I’ve watched tape of him and I think he’s an average guy, an average fighter. Nothing impressive. I don’t compare him with the talent of guys like Jermain Taylor and Fernando Vargas when I fought them. They had better resumes.”
Marquez is training for the bout in Houston, and other than suffering through the heat and the humidity he is enjoying training like never before: “Since I lost to Taylor I’ve had six fights. The training is hard and you really have to want it. It’s hard at any age, but it gets even harder at 36. But I’m different now. I’m older, wiser, and more mature. I love boxing more now than ever. I appreciate it more. I train happy.”
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