Following an unforgettable night of fights in October to open a new era of boxing in Brooklyn at Barclays Center, Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME return to the area’s most spectacular new venue on Saturday, February 9 with a world championship bout featuring WBA Super, WBC and Ring Magazine Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia against former Four-Time and Two-Division World Champion and Brooklyn’s own Zab “Super” Judah.
The opening press conference was held today, and it got heated (surprise) between Angel Garcia and team Judah. Take a look at the quotes here.
“Zab’s a great fighter, one of the best of his era, but it’s my era now and I’m going to prove it on February 9,” said Garcia, who will be making his third title defense. “The crowd in Brooklyn was great for my last fight, and I can’t wait to put on another show for them. I plan on ending this one the way I did my last fight at Barclays Center…by knockout.”
“I’d like to thank Danny Garcia, Golden Boy and Barclays Center for this opportunity,” said Judah. “I’m blessed to be able to come back home to Brooklyn, perform for my fans, and win another world championship. Danny is a talented fighter, but I have tricks he’s never seen before. This will be the defining fight of my career, and I can’t wait.”
“The atmosphere at Barclays Center was electric for our first event there in October and I know it’s going to be bigger and better on February 9,” said Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Danny Garcia is an exciting young champion making statements with each fight and Brooklyn’s own Zab Judah is going to test him like never before. This is a Fight of the Year candidate in February, and I can’t wait to get back to Brooklyn to see it.”
“We are thrilled to bring another exciting championship fight to Barclays Center for what is sure to be a dramatic evening for boxing fans,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. “Our inaugural boxing event in October was a rousing success as we are delighted to re-ignite boxing’s powerful tradition in Brooklyn.”
“After a strong 2012 lineup of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, 2013 will prove to be even better,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.
“On February 9, we are expecting a spectacular night of boxing at Barclays Center featuring a rising champion in Danny Garcia and Zab Judah, a boxing main-stay who hails from Brooklyn. Fans came out strong in Brooklyn and tuned into the SHOWTIME telecast during the last fight at Barclays Center and we can’t wait for the same to occur come February 9.”
Garcia vs. Judah, a 12-round bout for Garcia’s Unified Super Lightweight World Championship, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsor Corona. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME®.
Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $50 and $25, go on sale on Monday, December 3 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will be available for purchase at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000.
Philadelphia Danny “Swift” Garcia (25-0, 16 KO’s) has been boxing’s breakout star of 2012, and a top candidate for Fighter of the Year honors as a result of his spectacular performances on the sport’s biggest stages. A top prospect and contender in the years leading up to 2012, the 24-year-old won his first world title fight in March by dropping, then decisioning the legendary Erik Morales for the WBC 140-pound title.
Garcia then unified the titles in July with a stunning fourth round knockout of British Superstar Amir Khan before opening Barclays Center in October with a one punch knockout of Morales in their rematch. Now Garcia has his sights set on taking out another superstar in Zab Judah.
One of New York’s most accomplished boxers of all time, Brooklyn’s Zab “Super” Judah (42-7, 29 KO’s) has lived up to his nickname with blazing speed, one punch power and classic performances. A former world champion at super lightweight and welterweight, the 35-year-old southpaw owns wins over Cory Spinks, Junior Witter, DeMarcus Corley and Lucas Matthysse, while also going toe-to-toe with modern greats like Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, and Kostya Tszyu.
The winner of six of his last seven bouts, most recently a ninth round technical knockout win over then unbeaten Vernon Paris in March, Judah is amped up to fight in his hometown for the second time as a professional on February 9.
