JOHNATHON BANKS, NABO & WBC International Heavyweight Champion
“I’m very excited to get back in the ring against Seth on June 22. Boxing is my life and you can see by my smile how I feel.
“The thumb is fine. No problems at all with it for this camp.
“It’s been an easy transition back to boxing from my role as a trainer of Wladimir Klitschko.
“I expect a smarter and very well prepared Seth Mitchell for this rematch.
“[On his birthday falling on June 22] I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my birthday than in the ring on June 22.
“[On the fan turnout at his open workout at Ecorse High School in Detroit] I’m very active here in a mentoring role at the school and they’ve been very supportive of me. It’s great to see so many members of the community, family and friends turn out.”
SETH MITCHELL, Former NABO Heavyweight Champion
“I’m excited. It’s the first time I’m going up to Barclays Center. It’s a rematch. It’s a good fight for me. It’s pressure, but I’ve got to channel it and I’m not letting it overwhelm me. I’m excited to put the loss against Banks behind me and get this chapter of my life over with.
“I’m not even looking at it like revenge. I look at it as I took a hit and I learned from it. I came to the gym, I worked extremely hard to try to get my prep, to work on my things and to learn from my mistakes.
“I want to win, so if you want to call that revenge, then that’s revenge.
“I’m still going to bring some heat. I tell people I don’t see myself in a boring fight, I’m just going to be smarter and have a smarter approach.
“God blessed me with size, speed and power, so I just have to go out there and be more defensively responsible. That’s my motto.
“When I watch the first fight, I realize that I made so many mistakes, but they aren’t things I’m going to repeat.
“I’ve been fighting for only six and a half years. It’s not long, but I consider myself a quick learner.
“If Johnathon Banks would’ve out-boxed me for six or seven rounds or outclassed me, of course the fighter in me would’ve wanted a rematch, but I wouldn’t have taken the rematch right away. I believe that I’m a better fighter than him and I didn’t show everything that I’m capable of. That’s why I want a rematch.
“I went to my team and I said I wanted a rematch. I’ve got a smart group of people around me and if they felt that I couldn’t beat him, they’d have talked among themselves and come out with a different game plan.
“I truly believe I’m better than Johnathon Banks and I will show it on the 22nd.”
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Malignaggi vs. Broner, a 12-round fight for Malignaggi’s WBA Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, June 22, 2013 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and R & R Promotions, supported by Golden Boy Promotions’ sponsors Corona and AT&T and will be televised live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. In the co-featured bouts, Johnathon Banks will look to repeat his 2012 upset win over Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell as he defends his NABO and WBC International Heavyweight titles in a 12-round fight presented in association with K2 Promotions and number one rated WBC super middleweight contender Sakio Bika faces number four rated WBC super middleweight contender Marco Antonio Periban in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Super Middle weight World Championship. SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® is available in Spanish on secondary audio programming (SAP). Preliminary fights will air on SHOWTIME EXTREME at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges, are on sale now at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office. For group tickets, please call 800-GROUP-BK.
