TMT Invades Barclays Center/Showtime Kicks Off New Year In Boxing Jan. 14

“You have your moments. Not many of them… But you do have them.” —Princess Leia Organa

If the iconic figure from a galaxy far, far away (portrayed by a very special Carrie Fisher, who will be missed) could speak to the leaders of boxing's empire, there's a chance she might utter those famous lines.

2016 revealed in “new” millennial New York, that the future is now– as the message behind the state's imperial insurance demands (which has basically killed prizefighting in small venues) is now very clear: Only the very best will do.

Enter “TBE” aka “Money”, current TMT kingpin and former “Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather. In concert with his Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, you are all invited to party with boxing, as the New Year's ball for the sport drops in Brooklyn on January 14.

Boxing needs more major moments in 2017, and this event may generate a star for a new generation.

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SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

WBC Super Middleweight Champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-2, 12KOs) vs. IBF Super Middleweight Champion James “Chunky” DeGale (23-1, 14KOs)

IBF Super Featherweight Champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza (22-0, 12KOs) vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis (16-0, 15KOs)

When: Saturday, January 14
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
TV: Live on Showtime @10pm ET

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PEDRAZA VS DAVIS

“The more you convince someone to invest in you, the more they have to ensure your success.”

—President-Elect Donald Trump

If a fighter doesn't fight, and has no prospect to fight while faced with feeling displaced (to clip an urge for urban gambling, Mayweather wanted Tank to relocate to Las Vegas), its puts a plastic bag over the head of his inspiration.

Davis has flashed all-time great potential, which of course, is why Mayweather signed him. Tales of gym war dominance (over names you know) and cannons unleashed thus far in his brief career, has drawn comparison to a young “Iron” Mike Tyson.

And like Tyson, Tank has shown problems with discipline and focus, missing weight on several occasions while displaying a penchant for distraction.

Is Davis, age 22, “The One”?

The only fighter at super featherweight who may remind us of Neo from “The Matrix” is Vasyl Lomachenko (probably the world's best fighter). Still, the ultra-confident badass from the battlefields of Baltimore fired simply: “Line em up and I'll beat em,” when I asked who would be his toughest challenge in the ring.

Now lined up with IBF super featherweight champion Jose “Sniper” Pedraza, the prodigy gets what he wanted– but will he want what he gets?

Offensively skilled and unbeaten, Pedraza, age 27, is a smaller, but rangier version of his countryman Miguel Cotto, who showed all the makings of the next Puerto Rican star in beating Andre Klimov for the title in 2015.

After finding out winning a title is easier than keeping it,  courtesy of the hard-nosed Edner Cherry over 12 rounds, Pedraza then ‘sniped' Stephen Smith (one of the talented quartet of Smith's in the UK). Bottom-line: This is a perfect action fight matchup stylistically, and your ass is crazy if you miss this.

DEGALE VS. JACK

I don't know… Maybe Floyd does indeed want to smash DeGale's ridiculously smashable sister (according to a hilarious piece from UK gossip outlet The Sun). Part of Floyd's “Money” making promotional style is embedded in a unique personality cult, but let's not detract from the substance that is DeGale vs. Jack.

Thoughts of playing Poker with Eloise aside, Mayweather Promotions is all in on “The Ripper”. This bout is for super middleweight supremacy, as The RING title will also be on the line. Perhaps more importantly, it reveals Andre Ward's true successor.

These two have been on an inevitable, if not, improbable collision course, through common opponents recently. Especially after Jack was violently KTFO in the 1st round by Derek Edwards in February 2014.

I mean, Jack was KTFO in a way that was so bad– if you squint and put your chin in your hands, you can totally see DeGale (the 2008 Beijing Olympian is the first UK fighter to become a gold medalist and a world champion), knocking him TFO again.

Then again, the incredible purpose Badou Jack displayed in grinding out wins over Anthony Dirrell..

..George Groves and Lucian Bute since, might raise your eyebrows to reconsider. DeGale should catch him, but like a thief in the night- Jack “The Ripper” just might steal the lineal super middleweight championship.

For ticket information, group sales and suites, visit www.barclayscenter.com