Premier Boxing Champions took Chicago by storm Friday night on Spike from the UIC Pavilion.
The televised opener showcased Roberto “La Amenaza” Garcia (37-3, 23 KOs) getting an eight-round unanimous decision win over James Stevenson (22-2, 15 KOs). The first main event saw Daniel “The Miracle Man” Jacobs (29-2, 26 KOs) in a 12th round knockout win over the hard-nosed Caleb “Golden” Truax (25-2-2, 15 KOs). The night’s second main event featured Badou Jack “The Ripper” (19-1-1, 12 KOs) earning a majority decision over Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell (27-1-1, 22 KOs).
ANTHONY DIRRELL
“He fought a great fight tonight.
“I want a rematch.”
BADOU JACK
“I was in great shape for tonight and I believed in myself. All the talk from Dirrell and his camp never got to me.
“Nothing he did tonight frustrated me. He’s a good fighter, and I didn’t fight a perfect fight, but I got the win.
“I knew they couldn’t rob me. I thought I clearly won. I had a tough start to my career, but I re-focused myself with my team and got back on track.
“It’s a blessing to be part of PBC. Bringing boxing back to primetime is incredible for the sport. I’m not even from this country originally, but I have lots of fans here and this series will only help me gain more.
“I want George Groves next.”
DANIEL JACOBS
“I was in tremendous shape for this fight. I knew I was ready to go 12 rounds. He’s a veteran when it comes to fighting down the stretch, so I had to be prepared.
“At the end of the sixth round I hit him with a right that caused him to stumble into the ropes. I wasn’t sure at that moment if he was really hurt, or if he was just playing opossum. My corner let me know when I really had him hurt though and I took advantage.
“He didn’t hold as much as I thought he might. I’m glad it turned out that way, but I was prepared for it if he did.
“He was physically stronger than I thought he’d be, but he never really hurt me tonight.
“PBC is an unbelievable outlet for us boxers. My hope is that I can continue to grow my brand and become a star inside and outside of the sport of boxing.
“I’m out to prove that I’m the best in this division. I want whoever Al (Haymon) says next.”
CALEB TRUAX
“I wanted to pressure him, but I couldn’t get my punches off the way I wanted to. His movement was great and it was just an off night for me.
“I couldn’t get him to engage me and I think that ended up winning him the fight.
“There were a couple good shots that buzzed me, but no shots that really hurt me all that much. There were no devastating blows or anything. A fighter always wants to continue on, but the ref did his job.
“PBC is fantastic for bringing in casual fans who wouldn’t have otherwise watched our fights. This is truly groundbreaking. After a fight like that I hope that more and more fans will continue tuning in.
“I’m heading back to the gym to put in hard work. Hopefully I’ll be back on another PBC card against whoever Warriors and Al (Haymon) say.”
ROBERTO GARCIA
“I felt like Stevenson was just trying to survive, whereas I was trying to win. I could tell that my punches were bothering him. I could hear him breathing very heavily.
“I was just trying to get back to it tonight. My last fight was almost nine months ago here in this same venue. I needed to get this fight under my belt to keep up my drive and continue working toward the goal.
“I usually have to chase the guys I’m fighting. Even with the punchers like (Antonio) Margarito I end up having to chase them down. I took all that previous experience and used it tonight. It basically felt like a sparring session for me.
“PBC is an incredible opportunity for fighters like myself and I plan on continuing to take advantage of it.
“I have a great team behind me and we’re just interested in moving forward. I’m ready for a big step though. I want Shawn Porter next. I made a commitment to fight him, and I plan on sticking to that.”
JAMES STEVENSON
“Nothing he was doing was really getting to me. The fact is, I took this fight on a week and a half notice. I honestly thought I pulled it off. Everyone knows who really won tonight.
“I was getting in a groove, but then my back started hurting me and that took me out of it a little bit.
“PBC gives fighters like me a chance to showcase my skills to so many more people than we’ve been used to.
“I’m ready for all takers in my weight class. I’m heading back to the gym immediately and I’ll be ready for whatever’s next.”
