Shakur Stevenson-Felix Caraballo Media Conference Call Transcript
Evan Korn (Media Relations Director, Top Rank): First off, I want to thank all the media for hopping on this call as we bring back world-class boxing on Top Rank on ESPN. We kick things off Tuesday, June 9, from the MGM Grand Conference Center Grand Ballroom with one of the sport’s most dynamic young stars, WBO featherweight world champion Shakur Stevenson, who is testing the waters in a 10-round super featherweight bout against Puerto Rican contender Felix “La Sombra” Caraballo.
The June 9 and June 11 events —June 11 being headlined by Jessie Magdaleno vs. Yenifel Vicente — will be televised by ESPN and ESPN Deportes starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. It will be a four-hour block of programming both evenings.
Also on the call today with us is the Founder and Chairman of Top Rank, Mr. Bob Arum. It gives me great pleasure to introduce Bob for his opening statement.
Bob Arum: Well, it looks like we’re back, you know. This is a momentous occasion. Boxing is back after a three-month lapse. I’m really proud that Top Rank is the first promoter out of the box. We have a great fight on a great show on June 9, then we continue on {with} virtually two and three boxing events a week. Boxing is going to come back — believe me — bigger and more important than ever.
And in this two-month period in June or July, where it looks like there won’t be any NBA, any Major League Baseball, the spotlight will be on the sport of boxing, and with bouts that we’ve lined up, I believe that the public will once again be enthused about the competitive level in the sport.
Korn: We have Felix Caraballo with us now. So, first, before we get to the questions, Felix, what can you tell us about this opportunity in front of you fighting a world champion like Shakur Stevenson as boxing makes its big return?
Caraballo: Fighting with Shakur is going to be interesting. I can’t let this opportunity go, I’ve trained hard, and I’m going to give it my all, I’m going to give everything. I’m going to do my work and try to get that ‘W.’
Q: Felix, I’ve got two questions for you: First one is, can you just tell me a little bit about your feelings about having your first fight outside of Puerto Rico, and it would be in somewhat unusual circumstances given there wouldn’t be any fans in attendance?
Caraballo: Well, I feel great, I feel emotional. My last fight was in January and knowing that I’m going to fight now in June with Shakur Stevenson, knowing that he’s one of the best boxers right now, and he’s the {featherweight} champion. I’m a 126, too, but they gave me this opportunity at 130, and I’m going to go and give it my all.
I want to fight, and it’s not going to have the public {in attendance}, but I don’t have no problem with that. I just want to go to that ring and do my job.
Q: You’ve basically fought your whole career at featherweight, Shakur has done the same. I know you’re excited about the fight, getting back in the ring, but is there any small part that it’s disappointing that you’re getting a chance to fight against the world champion, but yet it’s not going to be for that title?
Caraballo: From a business point, it’s not about that title; I think it’s every boxer’s dream {to earn a title shot}.
So, I’m going to get this great opportunity and I’m going to give it my all, and I know that if we win, we could open all the doors, we could have more fights and better fights.
Q: Bob, can you just briefly explain the process of how went about bringing these fights back? And I sort of get it that these initial bouts are not for titles that you have world champions, but can you just explain the thought behind that?
Arum: Yes. I mean, this is not an easy job. It seems like it’s easy but my people, {Top Rank COO} Brad Jacobs and {Top Rank President} Todd duBoef, they have all really been working for months on this getting the protocols in shape, the testing, working with the Nevada Commission and its medical staff. I mean, this is something that nobody — at least on our end — had any experience with. So, it’s really been a work in progress, and it continues to be a work in progress.
Imagine guys come into Vegas to get into the bubble, which is a special floor at the MGM. They got to be tested there in the bubble, they’ve got to be escorted to a place to shake out and train, a place to eat. We have a special dining room set up in the convention center. All of this is something that none of us are used to.
Now, we are not starting out with title fights, but we’re going to have them before long, by the third week, start doing some world title fights because there are other issues with the organizations, which we’re working out.
So, it’s one step at a time. It’s not easy and it’s not inexpensive. For example, testing — just the testing — for coronavirus for each event will cost us in excess of $25,000. Just the testing. Plus, the rooms, the special security, the meals in the convention area. This is a very, very large undertaking, but obviously, it has to be done. We’ve got to get boxing started up. We’re going to probably be doing this perhaps for three months, for June, July, definitely, and then in August. And hopefully, by September, we’re going to start getting back to doing events with spectators with a limited capacity. That’s the second phase that we’re working on.
And the third phase, hopefully, by the end of the year, we’ll be doing events with virtually full capacity. But that’s down the line. So, I mean, this is a really big responsibility on our part to start this up, start it up on the right foot. As I said, our protocols, which we’ve been working on for months, are available to all promoters all over the world. There’s no competition here. We want to get everybody to do the right things necessary to get started in boxing as big as possible.
Q: I was wondering if you could tell us what type of fight you expect Caraballo to give Shakur Stevenson