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(SEPT 18) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. – On Saturday night, October
13, 2012, women’s International Boxing Federation (IBF)
Flyweight Champion, Ava “The Lady of Boxing” Knight (Chico,
California, 9-1-3, 5 KOs) will face World Boxing Council (WBC)
Flyweight Champion, Mariana “La Barbie” Juarez (Mexico City,
Mexico, 35-5-3, 16 KOs), at the Palacio de Deporte, in Mexico
City, Mexico. Knight-Juarez will be a 10-rd title bout for just
the WBC Flyweight Title. Knight’s IBF Flyweight Title will not
be on the line in this battle between two world champions.
Knight-Juarez will be featured as the main event on the Mexican
television network, Televisa, as part of their weekly boxing
series, “Sabados de Corona.” The boxing card is presented by
Promociones del Pueblo, HG Boxing, Boxeo de Gala, and Grupo
Modelo. In the co-main event, super featherweight Dante Jardon
will face Miguel Roman.
On Saturday, September 29, 2012, at 2:00pm PT, Ava Knight will
hold an open media workout at Champ Nation Boxing Gym, located
at 2635 Magnolia Street, Oakland, California, 94608. The boxing
community is also invited to attend the workout.
Team Knight’s trainer and manager, Ben Bautista, explained how
the Knight-Juarez fight was made. He said, “The fight with
Mariana Juarez was one we wanted badly. We constantly pushed for
this fight, but we weren’t sure that she wanted to fight us. We
went to the Juarez’s last fight in Ontario, California, against
Shindo Go. After the fight, we approached her to try to set up
the fight, and called her out. Then, we heard she had plans to
vacate the WBC title and fight Jackie Nava. Later, our promoter
said that he had something good to share with me. They were
close to making the fight between Ava and Mariana.”
Knight discussed the challenges presented in this fight. She
said, “Mariana is a smart and technical fighter and she is going
to bring me a great fight. She will have the hometown crowd
behind her, but they won’t be able to help her once she enters
that ring. I know she is training hard and studying my tapes,
but everyone has a game plan before they get into the ring. Once
you get hit, everything changes. I may be considered an underdog
in this fight, and that doesn’t bother me. I am fighting
Mariana, in her country, and in her hometown. She is a true
Mexican boxing icon, and beating her is the only way to prove to
everyone that I am the best.”
Knight shared the significance of this match-up. “This fight is
important for boxing because the world’s top pros in the
flyweight division have agreed to fight each other. Mariana is
ranked #1 on some rankings, and I also am ranked #1 on some
rankings, so it is our time to show who is the best in the
world. My goals for this fight are just to see where I stand,
and to test how bad I want this. There is nothing like a great
test to show you where you stand in your life, as far as with
your dreams. To date, this will be the largest mountain that I
have tried to climb, but I’m willing to do it, in order to reach
the top.”
Knight discussed her training camp for the fight. “For this
camp, I am training at a new gym, Champ Nation, located in
Oakland, California. I’ve also had high-altitude conditioning
training at Big Bear. Ben Bautista and I have been working very
hard throughout camp, to make sure my conditioning is great
going into this fight. I am very comfortable at my weight, and
won’t need to dehydrate or suck down. That gives me a great
advantage, because I’ll be staying strong and healthy for my
fight.”
Bautista agreed with Knight and said, “Ava has been getting
tremendous sparring work at Champ Nation. While Ava’s boxing
skills are superior to Mariana’s, our main focus in camp is that
she is in “boss” condition, especially with us having to fight
in the high altitude of Mexico City. Mariana hasn't been in a
ring with a beast like Ava, and when she does, she will be in a
world of trouble. Mariana takes too many shots and she will find
out that she is not going to be able to handle what Ava is
bringing to the ring.”
Knight mentioned some of her goals for this fight. She said, “I
want to win this fight, but ultimately, my goal is to get as
much exposure as possible for the fight and for women’s boxing,
so that in time, we can set up some great fights in the United
States. There are other great women fighters, not only myself,
who will then be able to have opportunities on big stages. If
our U.S. women’s pro champions are stepped up and are able to
fight on a televised network in the U.S., I'm positive that the
people will love it. It will bring the revenue that promoters
are looking for.”
Coach Ben Bautista added, “I know that Ava is pound for pound
the best, and she wants to show the world that she is the best.
I told HG Promotions that we wanted to clear out this division
and be the undisputed champion. We want to fight for titles, but
also beat the best boxers out there.”
Knight said, “I always come to win, and no matter where I am, my
game plan never changes. At the end of the day, people from all
over the world will respect me for the way I fight and I want to
keep it that way. She may have the hometown crowd, but I have
trained hard for this fight, and my team is adequately
prepared.”
Team Knight supported Andre Ward in his recent win against Chad
Dawson, and was present among the live crowd in Oakland. They
hope for a similar outcome against Juarez. Coach Bautista said,
“We just witnessed our hometown champion, Andre Ward, rise to
another level of greatness with his dominating victory over Chad
Dawson. Ava Knight is ready to step up to the challenge and rise
to another level of greatness in women's boxing, just like Andre
did in men's boxing. Ava is an elite fighter, and is the best
flyweight fighter in the division, period.”
Bautista continued, “Ava is God-gifted. She is blessed with
speed, and tremendous power. On top of that, she wants to be the
best, so she is committed to hard work, excellence, and making
all the necessary sacrifices. She is in a better position now
than she ever was before. She just needed proper guidance and
instruction, as well as a promoter that realizes that they are
working with the best boxer in the world. Team Knight is on the
rise!”
Knight thanked those who have supported her in preparation for
this fight. “I want to thank SFC Boxing Gym, Boxing for Health,
friends, family, and my fans in Chico, the Bay Area, U.S.,
Poland, Mexico, and all over the world for all of their
positivity and support. I’d like to thank the media for covering
the women who are boxing at their best. Thank you to my
chiropractor, John Fragoso, for making sure I’ll be 100% for the
fight, Paul Fink of Chico Playtime for his continuous
sponsorship, and Shane Mosley for his help and support during my
training camp.”
On October 29, 2011, Ava Knight defeated the previously unbeaten
IBF Flyweight Champion, Arely Mucino, with a second round
knockout. Knight last fought on June 30, 2012, when she made her
second IBF title defense in a UD win over Susana Vazquez in
Torreon, Mexico. Now twenty-four years old, Knight makes her
third IBF title defense on the October 13 fight card.
For the latest updates on Knight-Juarez, be sure to follow Ava
Knight on Twitter @Ava_Knight or http://twitter.com/#!/ava_knight
For media inquiries or any further information, contact Lorin
Chvotkin by e-mail at
Lbchoyas@yahoo.com or by phone at +1 (240) 498 1478.
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