PRESS RELEASE: SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins its 20th year with a world championship doubleheader Saturday, Jan. 7, 2006 (9 p.m. ET/PT, (delayed on the west coast). Hometown favorite and one of the world’s best pound-for-pound boxers, undisputed welterweight champion Zab “Super” Judah, will defend against WBC No. 1 contender Carlos Baldomir in the main event. In the SHOWTIME co-feature, two reigning cruiserweight champions collide when World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association (WBC/WBA) champion Jean-Marc Mormeck faces his International Boxing Federation (IBF) counterpart, O’Neil “Supernova’’ Bell, in a world title unification bout.

ZAB “SUPER” JUDAH (34-2, 1 NC, 25 KOs)

“Baldomir is a fighter.  He is the No. 1 mandatory so you have to respect him for that, but at the same time I am here to do what I do best and that is destroy.  I am here to take on the best.  I am not here to run from anyone, I only take on the best.  I do not run from anyone.  I want the best and nothing less. 

“I do not get ring rust.  I am in the gym 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  And I beat down champions of the world in the ring.  I am the champion of the world, I never get ring rust.

“Welterweight is the division everybody wants to be undisputed at.  Sugar Ray Leonard, Shane Mosley, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran; everybody wants to be the best at welterweight.  It is a weight class where you want to be called undisputed, you want to say ‘I am the king,’ and right now, I can say I am the king. 

“ The year 2006 is going to be a beautiful year.  In ’06, I am going to take on the best.  I want the best and nothing less. 

CARLOS BALDOMIR (41-9-6, 12 KOs)

“My biggest goal for 2006 is to become a world champion. I have sacrificed being away from my family for five months and not even Zab Judah can stop me from accomplishing this.

 
“Zab Judah has the advantage of speed but I have the advantage of a knockout punch.
 
“Zab does not intimidate me. I have been in this same scenario in different parts of the world. He talks and I punch.”

JEAN-MARC MORMECK (31-2, 21 KOs)

“There is no difference leading up to this fight in what we do.  There is no technique, no secret to training, but we will be ready.  Evander Holyfield is a great, great example for me.  I am very proud to be the one on Jan. 7 to do what he did.” 

O’NEIL BELL (25-1-1, 23 KOs)

“It is an excellent match up.  Mormeck does not back up, he will come to me.  It is an excellent way to start the year and you can expect explosions.  Most of my opponents have ducked and dodged me, but Mormeck has come and put up the belt. 

“When I unify, I will go down in history and I will be in the hall of fame, be in a class with Evander Holyfield.  That is a big honor.”