New strategies in sport nutrition to increase exercise performance.

New strategies in sport nutrition to increase exercise performance.

Close GL, Hamilton DL, Philp A, Burke LM, Morton JP.
Free Radic Biol Med. 2016 Sep;98:144-58.

Abstract
Despite over 50 years of research, the field of sports nutrition continues to grow at a rapid rate. Whilst the traditional research focus was one that centred on strategies to maximise competition performance, emerging data in the last decade has demonstrated how both macronutrient and micronutrient availability can play a prominent role in regulating those cell signalling pathways that modulate skeletal muscle adaptations to endurance and resistance training.
Nonetheless, in the context of exercise performance, it is clear that carbohydrate (but not fat) still remains king and that carefully chosen ergogenic aids (e.g. caffeine, creatine, sodium bicarbonate, beta-alanine, nitrates) can all promote performance in the correct exercise setting.
In relation to exercise training, however, it is now thought that strategic periods of reduced carbohydrate and elevated dietary protein intake may enhance training adaptations whereas high carbohydrate availability and antioxidant supplementation may actually attenuate training adaptation.
Emerging evidence also suggests that vitamin D may play a regulatory role in muscle regeneration and subsequent hypertrophy following damaging forms of exercise.
Finally, novel compounds (albeit largely examined in rodent models) such as epicatechins, nicotinamide riboside, resveratrol, β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, phosphatidic acid and ursolic acid may also promote or attenuate skeletal muscle adaptations to endurance and strength training.
When taken together, it is clear that sports nutrition is very much at the heart of the Olympic motto, Citius, Altius, Fortius (faster, higher, stronger).

Exercise may not provide benefit over physical therapy after knee replacement

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Stone Hearth News   

                     

In a randomized trial of patients who underwent total knee replacement as a treatment for osteoarthritis, a group program of strengthening and aerobic exercises was not better at alleviating long-term knee pain or overcoming activity limitations compared with usual care, which included physical therapy.

Although most patients experienced less knee pain and improved physical function after undergoing total knee replacement, marked deficits in physical performance measures remained 12 months later.
The findings are published in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Diet and exercise can improve kidney function in patients with fatty liver disease

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

                     

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a potentially serious liver condition characterized by excess fat in the liver associated with inflammation and scarring. NASH may progress to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer, and it can also compromise kidney function.

In a post hoc analysis of a large clinical trial, patients with biopsy-confirmed NASH who consumed a low-fat/low-calorie diet and participated in an exercise program often experienced reduced liver inflammation and scarring. Importantly, in patients whose liver disease improved, there was also an improvement in kidney function even after several adjustments by potential confounding factors such as diabetes, hypertension, concurrent medications and weight loss by itself.

“The exact mechanism to explain these findings have not yet been entirely elucidated; however, it may be a reflection of the improvement in oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and vascular endothelial function and permeability that may contribute to positive changes in kidney function,” said Dr. Naga Chalasani, senior author of the Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics analysis.
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Gut bacteria affect our metabolism

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

Mice that receive gut bacteria transplants from overweight humans are known to gain more weight than mice transplanted with gut bacteria from normal weight subjects, even when the mice are fed the same diet. A study from the National Food Institute confirms this finding while seeking new perspectives on the reasons behind this link.

The human gut microbiota has repeatedly been linked to obesity.

In a new study, researchers from the National Food Institute transferred bacterial communities from 32 children and adolescents – half of which were owerweight and half within the normal weight range – into specially bred mice with no bacteria in their intestines. The researchers subsequently examined differences in weight gain and metabolism among the mice and compared these findings with the corresponding differences between the children, who had originally ‘donated’ the bacteria.
Same diet, different weight gain

”The study, in which we have used gut bacteria from children, confirms results from previous studies among adults, which have shown that mice colonized with gut bacteria from overweight people gain more weight than mice whose intestines are colonized by bacteria from people within the normal weight range – even though they eat the same diet,” Professor Tine Rask Licht from the National Food Institute explains.

The new study is based on a larger number of humans than previous similar studies. As such it is possible to compare each mouse with their ‘bacteria donor’ and to examine other differences between the donors which are potentially transferred to the mice. Additionally, the researchers have investigated how the spread of bacteria between individual mice affects their digestion/metabolism.
The study design is different than previous studies within this field and as such the researchers are able to obtain new observations related to the effect of gut microbes on host metabolism.
Bacterial composition affects metabolism

The National Food Institute study has measured a larger amount of unspent energy in faeces from mice with the smallest weight gain.

”The bacterial community in the intestine of mice with the smallest weight gain has been less capable of converting dietary fibre in the feed, which partly explains the difference in weight between the animals,” Tine Rask Licht says.

The study also shows that the gut bacterial composition affects a number of other measurements, which have to do with the ability of the mice to convert carbohydrates and fats, and which affect the development of diseases such as type 2 diabetes (e.g. levels of insulin and tryglycerides). However, it cannot be concluded that bacterial communities from the overweight children affects the mice in a specific direction e.g. in relation to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Meanwhile, the study shows that the spread of bacteria from mouse to mouse, which occurs e.g. through the keeper’s handling, is enough to affect the measurements – and this is a completely new observation.

When interpreting studies such as this one it is important to keep in mind that not all gut bacteria from humans are able to establish themselves in the mouse intestine.
”The larger number of human ’bacteria donors’ in our study has given us a unique opportunity to follow which of the human-derived bacteria that generally colonize the mouse gut, and which don’t. This provides important insights for future research,” Tine Rask Licht explains.
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The study has been carried out in cooperation with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at University of Copenhagen as well as Holbæk Hospital. The hospital has provided faecal samples from 32 Danes aged 6-17 years that have been transplanted into 64 mice.
Read about the study in a scientific article in The ISME Journal: Environmental spread of microbes impacts the development of metabolic phenotypes in mice transplanted with microbial communities from humans (http://www.nature.com/ismej/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/ismej2016151a.pdf). The Danish Council for Independent Research and Innovation Fund Denmark have partially funded the study, which is carried out a as a part of the Gut, Grain and Greens (3G – http://www.3g-center.dk/) research centre as well as the research projects BioChild (http://biochild.ku.dk/) and Target (http://metabol.ku.dk/research/research-project-sites/target/).

The National Food Institute’s Research Group for Gut Microbiology and Immunology studies the effects of diet and environment on the bacterial composition of the gut as well as how the microbial population affects the development of e.g. overweight and various diseases. Read more about the research group on the institute’s website (http://l.dtu.dk/m7tg). Also read the institute’s press release from 11 February 2016: Transition to family food determines infants’ gut bacteria

(http://l.dtu.dk/8fut).


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Crawling is the new fitness fad

 

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

On any given morning, as the sun peeks over the horizon, Danielle Johnson can be found crawling down the hallways of her Rochester, Minnesota, home.
It may sound bizarre, but Johnson crawls every day to strengthen her core muscle groups.
“You can crawl in many ways. You can crawl on your hands and knees. You can also prop up on your toes and just hover, one or two inches above the ground, which is really going to pull in those core muscles and work those muscles effectively,” said Johnson, a physical therapist at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program.
“Then, as you start to move, you’re working on your shoulder girdle, you’re working on your hips,” she said. “If I could give one exercise to almost everybody, this would be it.

 

Danielle Johnson demonstrates how to crawl for exercise.

 

Crawling has been used as a physical therapy tool, Johnson said, and now it has been adopted for strengthening and fitness.

 

The idea of turning crawling like a baby into exercise has been championed by the training system Original Strength, which repurposes fundamental movements into a fitness regimen.

 

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Skipping breakfast and not enough sleep can make children overweight

 

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

Mothers smoking in pregnancy, children skipping breakfast and not having a regular bedtime or sufficient sleep all appear to be important factors in predicting whether a child will become overweight or obese, according to new research led by UCL.

All three are early life factors which can be modified and the research highlights the possibility that prompt intervention could have an impact in curbing the growth in childhood overweight and obesity.
The paper, which was published in US journal Pediatrics, is the first research in the UK to look at the patterns of body mass index (BMI) weight development in the first 10 years of a child’s life and to examine the lifestyle factors that appear to predict weight gain.

Being overweight or obese is linked to a child having poorer mental health, which can extend into adolescence and adulthood. This poorer psychosocial well-being includes low self-esteem, unhappiness as well as risky behaviours such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.
The research is based on the Millennium Cohort Study, a study of children born into 19,244 families in the UK between September 2000 and January 2002. Data on weight and height was collected when the children were 3, 5, 7 and 11.

This research used observational information which does not allow firm cause and effect conclusions to be drawn. However the results are based on data from thousands of children and the researchers were able to take account of many of the influences on the development of a child’s weight.
“It is well known that children of overweight or obese mothers are more likely to be overweight themselves, probably reflecting the ‘obesogenic’ environment and perhaps a genetic predisposition to gain weight,” said Professor Yvonne Kelly (UCL Epidemiology and Public Health), who led the research.

“This study shows that disrupted routines, exemplified by irregular sleeping patterns and skipping breakfast, could influence weight gain through increased appetite and the consumption of energy-dense foods. These findings support the need for intervention strategies aimed at multiple spheres of influence on BMI growth.”

Smoking in pregnancy has been linked to a higher risk of a child being overweight, possibly due to a link between foetal tobacco exposure and infant motor co-ordination which could be a developmental pathway to BMI growth.

The study identified four patterns of weight development. The large majority of children, 83.3%, had a stable non-overweight BMI, while 13.1% had moderate increasing BMIs while 2.5% had steeply increasing BMIs. The smallest group, 0.6%, had BMIs in the obese range at the age of 3 but were similar to the stable group by the age of 7.

Girls were more likely to be in the “moderately increasing” group while Pakistani, Black Caribbean and Black African children were more likely to belong to the “high increasing” group.

The research also looked at other factors to see what influence, if any, they had on children’s weight.
After taking account of background factors, breastfeeding and the early introduction of solid food were not associated with children’s weight. Likewise, sugary drink consumption, fruit intake, TV viewing and sports participation were not strong predictors of unhealthy weight gain.

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The study was supported by a grant from the Economic and Social Research Council.
Source

Is osteoarthritis a metabolic disorder?

Posted on November 11, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

   

     

Br Med Bull. 2015 Sep;115(1):111-21. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldv028. Epub 2015 Jul 14.
Is osteoarthritis a metabolic disorder?

 Kluzek S1, Newton JL2, Arden NK3.

 Author information

1ARUK Sports, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
2ARUK Sports, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK The Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS), University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK julia.newton@ouh.nhs.uk.

3ARUK Sports, Exercise and Osteoarthritis Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Oxford NIHR Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA), even in non-weight bearing joints. High levels of adipose tissue-associated inflammation may explain this association.

SOURCES OF DATA AND AREAS OF DEBATE:

Published evidence looking at the associations between components of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and knee, hip or hand OA and the higher mortality described with knee OA.

EMERGING POINTS:

Development of MetS and OA shares a relationship with adipose tissue-associated inflammation. This review supports this inflammatory pathway being part of the shared mechanism behind obesity as a risk factor for OA and the recently described OA-associated increased mortality.

TIMELY AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT:

In an era of an obesity epidemic, this review identifies a need for well-designed cohort studies assessing early metabolic changes in populations at high risk of OA and MetS, and to identify risk factors for increased mortality in patients with OA.

Source

10 Tips to Avoid Weight Gain During the Holidays

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

Newswise — The holiday season is officially in full gear and with it comes the tempting Thanksgiving-to-New-Year’s food fest. During the holiday season, good eating habits spiral out of control and exercise plans are thrown out the window resulting in undesired weight gain.
With a little self-control and a few simple adjustments to your traditional approach, you can still enjoy all of the highly-anticipated feasts without sabotaging your weight, said Kristen Kizer, a registered dietitian at Houston Methodist Hospital.

“Lack of sleep, an abundance of decadent food and the stress of the holidays are the perfect storm for weight gain,” she said. “Remind yourself how it feels to over eat and implement a personal wellness plan to get you through the holiday season without adding to your waistline.”

Kizer suggest these tips to maintain a healthy weight and still enjoy the holidays.

1. Sign up for a race after the holidays. Incorporating a race during the holidays like a turkey trot or jingle bell dash is great, but signing up for a walk or 5K in January can really motivate us to move during a time of the year when we’re quick to give ourselves an excuse to skip our exercise.

2. Eat breakfast. Instead of saving up all your calories for the big meal, eat a small but satisfying breakfast in the morning so you won’t be starving when you arrive. Be sure to include a protein-rich food item such as low-fat Greek yogurt.

3. Cut out the casserole. Between the fried onion strings, condensed soup, and canned beans, green bean casserole lacks nutritional value. Leave this unhealthy dish off the dinner table and replace it with something healthier. Try fresh steamed green beans with some low-fat cheese sprinkled on top or roasted green beans with a little olive oil and fresh garlic.

4. Eliminate the extra sweets. The Pilgrims did not add marshmallows to their sweet potatoes, and neither should you. Ditch the marshmallows and brown sugar, and enjoy the natural sweetness of the sweet potato.


5. Get plenty of sleep. Getting less than six hours of sleep a night causes cravings for starchy, sugary foods (hello frosted Santa-shaped cookies) and dissolves your resolve to make healthy food decisions. Most health experts recommend at least seven hours of sleep a night to feel fully rested.

6. Lighten your carb intake. Holiday meals are typically heavy in carbohydrates, so try reducing your carb consumption for the day by replacing mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. Your guests probably won’t even notice the difference.

7. Enjoy guilt-free dessert. Substitute natural applesauce for oil or butter in your dessert recipes. This simple ingredient swap not only adds moisture and flavor to baked goods, but fiber and nutrients.

8. Choose alcohol or dessert. Before going out to a party decide beforehand to treat yourself with either alcohol or dessert, but not both. If you choose dessert, limit yourself. When it’s time for dessert, pick one treat and enjoy it slowly. There is no need to try every sweet on the table. As for alcohol, choose a drink with lower calories, such as a wine spritzer instead of creamy holiday drinks that can easily pack 500 calories. And remember, moderation is key.

9. Prepare less food. Cut back on the amount of food you prepare for your guests. Instead of fourteen dishes, try pairing down to seven or eight dishes. By doing this you, you can save time and money and avoid eating leftovers for the several days following.

10. Skip the leftovers. It’s not the meal that gets us, it’s the fact that we then eat Thanksgiving for the next three days. Decline taking party leftovers or limit the number of dishes you prepare.

For more information about Houston Methodist, visit houstonmethodist.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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12-Week Exercise Program Significantly Improved Testosterone Levels in Overweight, Obese Men

 

Posted on November 5, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

              

Phoenix (November 4, 2016)—Twelve weeks of aerobic exercise significantly boosted testosterone levels in overweight and obese men, with the greatest increases seen among vigorous exercisers, according to research presented today at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting in Phoenix.

Researchers from Tsukuba University and Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan previously found that a combination of diet and exercise was effective in increasing the testosterone in this population. For this study, however, they looked specifically at the effect of regular aerobic exercise on testosterone levels.

“Testosterone is a male sex hormone, and low circulating testosterone levels lead to various health disorders in men. Obesity, one of the biggest problems in the world, results in reduction in circulating testosterone levels in men,” the research team wrote. Fatigue, decreased sex drive and decreases in muscle and bone mass are some of the common symptoms of low testosterone in men.

The research team compared 16 normal weight men to 28 overweight/obese men. None of the men were regular exercisers. At baseline, the overweight/obese men had significantly lower total, free and bioavailable testosterone level than normal weight men. All of the study volunteers completed a 12-week aerobic exercise plan that entailed 40–60 minutes of walking or jogging on one to three days per week. Testosterone levels were also recorded at the end of the study.

While their testosterone was still at lower levels than the normal weight men at baseline, overweight and obese men saw a significant increase in all measured testosterone levels. This effect was particularly evident among the men who exercised vigorously. However, the exercise intervention had no significant effect on testosterone levels in the normal weight men.

Normal Weight Men
	Pre-Exercise Intervention	Post-Exercise Intervention
Total Testosterone	21.2 ± 1.3 nnol/l	21.1 ± 1.3 nmol/l
Free Testosterone	0.47 ± 0.04 nnol/l	0.48 ± 0.05 nmol/l
Bioavailable Test.	11.65 ± 0.76 nnol/l	11.88 ± 1.11 nmol/l

Overweight/Obese Men
	Pre-Exercise Intervention	Post-Exercise Intervention
Total Testosterone	15.4 ± 1.0 nnol/l	18.1 ± 1.1 nmol/l
Free Testosterone	0.33 ± 0.02 nnol/l	0.40 ± 0.02 nmol/l
Bioavailable Test.	8.07 ± 0.53 nnol/l	9.63 ± 0.55 nmol/l

Body weight also significantly decreased following the exercise intervention in the overweight/obese cohort. “I think decrease in body mass is one of the factors for increasing serum testosterone levels,” said Hiroshi Kumagai, lead researcher on the study. “However, the degree of weight loss is small, and we found that the increase in vigorous physical activity was independently associated with the increase in serum testosterone levels. So, it seems the increase in physical activity, especially vigorous physical activity, is the main factor for increasing serum testosterone levels.”

DHA supplementation improves cognition in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

Results from a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease support the cognitive benefits of DHA, which have been consistently demonstrated with doses of 900 mg/day or greater. The study, which took place in Tianjin, China, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 240 (219 completed) Chinese individuals aged 65 and older with mild cognitive impairment. The participants received either 2g/day of DHA or a corn oil placebo for 12 months and specific measures of cognitive function were measured at baseline, six months and 12 months.

The study results showed that there was a significant difference in the Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in the DHA group versus placebo, with IQ in the DHA group measuring 10% higher than the placebo group. Additionally, there were statistically significant increases in two IQ sub-tests (Information and Digit Span). The Information and Digit Span Subdomains are considered indicators of long-term and short-term memory, respectively. The findings suggest that DHA supplementation of 2g/day for 12 months in MCI subjects can significantly improve cognitive function.

While additional larger longer-term studies are needed to confirm the results, this paper adds to the body of science supporting DHA omega-3s and their role in supporting cognitive function.

###

Abstract: http://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad160439
Source

Wrist-worn heart rate monitors not as accurate as chest straps; JAMA

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

                

In a study published online by JAMA Cardiology, Marc Gillinov, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues assessed the accuracy of 4 popular wrist-worn heart rate monitors under conditions of varying physical exertion.
Wrist-worn fitness and heart rate (HR) monitors are popular. While the accuracy of chest strap, electrode-based HR monitors has been confirmed, the accuracy of wrist-worn, optically based HR monitors is uncertain. Assessment of the monitors’ accuracy is important for individuals who use them to guide their physical activity and for physicians to whom these individuals report HR readings.
This study included 50 healthy adults; average age, 37 years; 28 participants were women. Participants wore standard electrocardiographic limb leads and a Polar H7 chest strap monitor. Each participant was randomly assigned to wear 2 different wrist-worn HR monitors. Four wrist-worn monitors were assessed: Fitbit Charge HR (Fitbit), Apple Watch (Apple), Mio Alpha (Mio Global), and Basis Peak (Basis). Heart rate was assessed with the participant on a treadmill at rest and at 2,3,4,5 and 6 mph. Participants exercised at each setting for 3 minutes to achieve a steady state; HR was recorded instantaneously at the 3-minute point. After completion of the treadmill protocol, HR was recorded at 30, 60, and 90 seconds’ recovery.
Across all devices, 1,773 HR values were recorded. When compared with electrocardiogram, the HR monitors had variable accuracy. While the Basis Peak overestimated HR during moderate exercise, the Fitbit Charge HR underestimated HR during more vigorous exercise. Analysis showed that variability occurred across the spectrum of midrange HRs during exercise. The Apple Watch and Mio Fuse had 95 percent of differences fall within -27 beats per minute (bpm) and +29 bpm of the electrocardiogram, while Fitbit Charge HR had 95 percent of values within -34 bpm and +39 bpm and the corresponding values for the Basis Peak were within -39 bpm and +33 bpm.

“We found variable accuracy among wrist-worn HR monitors; none achieved the accuracy of a chest strap-based monitor. In general, accuracy of wrist-worn monitors was best at rest and diminished with exercise,” the authors write.
“Electrode-containing chest monitors should be used when accurate HR measurement is imperative. While wrist-worn HR monitors are often used recreationally to track fitness, their accuracy varies; 2 of 4 monitors had suboptimal accuracy during moderate exercise. Because cardiac patients increasingly rely on these monitors to stay within physician-recommended, safe HR thresholds during rehabilitation and exercise, appropriate validation of these devices in this group is imperative.”

###

(JAMA Cardiology. Published online October 12, 2016; doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2016.3340. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor’s Note: The research was supported by The Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Fund at the Cleveland Clinic. All authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest and none were reported.
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Stem cell therapy for arthritis and cartilage damage

 

 

The science is still out on this fairly new revolutionary procedure.

 

By all accounts this should be God send for people suffering from

 

Arthritis and cartilage damage.

 

It is presently not covered by insurance.

 

The out of pocket can be anywhere between $3000-8000 per injection.

 

Hopefully with more studies down the road and refinement of the procedure,

 

it will be shown to be an effective non-invasive therapy for those currently suffering from pain.

 

 

Feel free to click on the link and read more for yourself.



Meal frequency and timing: impact on metabolic disease risk

 

Posted on September 17, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

   

     

Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2016 Oct;23(5):379-83. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000280.
Meal frequency and timing: impact on metabolic disease risk.
Varady KA1.
Author information
1Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW:
The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the most recent human intervention trials that have examined the impact of meal frequency or meal timing on metabolic disease risk factors.
RECENT FINDINGS:
Findings from intervention studies published over the past 12 months indicate that weight loss may be more pronounced with decreased meal frequency (two meals per day) versus increased meal frequency (six meals per day) under hypocaloric conditions. However, under isocaloric conditions, no effect on body weight was noted. Plasma lipid concentrations and glucoregulatory factors (fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin sensitivity) were not affected by alterations in meal frequency. As for meal timing, delaying the lunchtime meal by 3.5 h (from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.) has no impact on body weight, but may impair glucose tolerance in young healthy adults.
SUMMARY:
In sum, altering meal frequency has little impact on body weight, plasma lipids, or glucoregulatory factors, whereas eating the majority of calories later in the day may be detrimental for glycemic control. These preliminary findings, however, still require confirmation by longer term, larger scale controlled trials.

Eating Your Greens Could Enhance Sport Performance

 

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

Newswise — Nitrate supplementation in conjunction with Sprint Interval Training in low oxygen conditions could enhance sport performance a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium carried out a study with twenty-seven moderately trained participants. These were given nitrate supplements ahead of Sprint Interval Training (SIT), which took the form of short but intense cycling sessions three times a week.

Nitrate is commonly found in diets rich in leafy green foods, like spinach and is important for the functioning of the human body, especially during exercising.

To assess differences in performance in different conditions, the study included workouts in normal oxygen conditions and in hypoxia conditions, which are low oxygen levels such as those found in high altitudes.
The observations published in Frontiers in Physiology were unexpected: after only five weeks, the muscle fiber composition changed with the enhanced nitrate intake when training in low oxygen conditions.

“This is probably the first study to demonstrate that a simple nutritional supplementation strategy, i.e. oral nitrate intake, can impact on training-induced changes in muscle fiber composition;” stated Professor Peter Hespel from the Athletic Performance Center at the University of Leuven.

For athletes participating in sports competitions which require energy production in conditions with limited amounts of oxygen, this study is particularly interesting. In fact, exercising at high altitudes has become a training strategy for many athletes, albeit the uncertainties about such methods.

In these conditions, performing intense workouts requires high input of fast-oxidative muscle fibers to sustain the power. Enhancing these muscle fiber types through nutritional intake could very well boost the performance in this type of events.

However, this remains a question mark for the time being. “Whether this increase in fast-oxidative muscle fibers eventually can also enhance exercise performance remains to be established;” said Professor Hespel.

He cautioned: “consistent nitrate intake in conjunction with training must not be recommended until the safety of chronic high-dose nitrate intake in humans has been clearly demonstrated”.

 

In times where athletes push the limits of their bodies and thrive for ever greater performances, this is clearly only the beginning of the research into how athletes can improve their competitive edge through dietary supplements. Looking to the future, Professor Hespel suggested: “it would now be interesting to investigate whether addition of nitrate-rich vegetables to the normal daily sports diet of athletes could facilitate training-induced muscle fiber type transitions and maybe in the long term also exercise performance”.

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Healthy diet boosts children’s reading skills

 

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

A heathy diet is linked to better reading skills in the first three school years, shows a recent study from Finland. Published in the European Journal of Nutrition, the study constitutes part of the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland and the First Steps Study conducted at the University of Jyväskylä.

The study involved 161 children aged 6-8 years old, and followed up on them from the first grade to the third grade in school. The quality of their diet was analysed using food diaries, and their academic skills with the help of standardised tests. The closer the diet followed the Baltic Sea Diet and Finnish nutrition recommendations – i.e. high in vegetables, fruit and berries, fish, whole grain, and unsaturated fats and low in red meat, sugary products, and saturated fat – the healthier it was considered.

Nutrition & Diet Learning Charts

The study showed that children whose diet was rich in vegetables, fruit, berries, whole grain, fish and unsaturated fats, and low in sugary products, did better in tests measuring reading skills than their peers with a poorer diet quality.

The study also found that the positive associations of diet quality with reading skills in Grades 2 and 3 were independent of reading skills in Grade 1. These results indicate that children with healthier diets improved more in their reading skills from Grade 1 to Grades 2-3 than children with poorer diet quality.

“Another significant observation is that the associations of diet quality with reading skills were also independent of many confounding factors, such as socio-economic status, physical activity, body adiposity, and physical fitness,” says Researcher Eero Haapala, PhD, from the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Jyväskylä.

Parents, schools, governments and companies can improve the availability of healthy foods
A healthy diet seems to be an important factor in supporting learning and academic performance in children. By making healthy choices every meal, it is possible to promote a healthy diet and enhance diet quality. Parents and schools have an important role in making healthy foods available to children. Furthermore, governments and companies play a key role in promoting the availability and production of healthy foods.

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The study was funded by the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation.

New Clues Into How Meditation May Boost The Immune System

 

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

                   

Most people are aware of the fact that meditation, in its many forms, can tweak the brain and body in a number of beneficial ways. It’s been shown to increase volume in certain brain regions, to reduce anxiety and depression, and even to improve immunity. Of course, exactly how meditation is doing all these things isn’t totally understood. But a new study, in the journal Translational Psychiatry, helps suss out the molecular mechanisms behind meditation’s effects on the immune system. And it turns out that the effects are more than from just the relaxation element – there seems to be something intrinsic about meditation itself that can shift gene expression and even boost mood over time.

In the new study, the team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, University of California at San Francisco, and Harvard Medical School had 94 women come to the Chopra Center for Well Being in California. Half of the women went in for a six-day vacation retreat, the half for a six-day meditation retreat. Neither of these groups of women had any experience with meditation – but a third group, made up of 30 experienced meditators also visiting the Center, were also studied. The team took blood samples from the participants, so they could analyze what genes were expressed, before the retreat, directly after it, one month, and 10 months later.

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Men’s hidden body fat fears fueling gym attendance

 

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

Men’s hidden fears about body fat are fuelling gym attendance motivated by feelings of guilt and shame rather than a desire to build muscle, new research has shown.

Psychology researchers from the UK and Australia discovered that while male attitudes towards muscle or body mass index (BMI) did not predict how frequently they would attend the gym, their perceptions of body fat did.

The researchers found that men worried about body fat were more likely than others to undertake spontaneous, unplanned work-outs – and warned that these ‘sporadic’ exercise patterns tend to be difficult to sustain over time.

The findings raise questions over the effect portrayals of the ‘ideal body’ online and in the media have on healthy exercise behaviours in an era of ‘selfies’. This has important real-life implications for health and exercise professionals and their intervention programmes, the researchers suggest.

The study is the first of its kind to examine men’s body attitudes alongside both their conscious (explicit) and non-conscious (implicit) motivations for attending the gym. The findings could help health and fitness professionals improve gym attendance in the long-term by focusing on pro-active goal-setting and personal autonomy, rather than body image.

The study was carried out by Dr David Keatley from the School of Psychology at the University of Lincoln, UK, and Kim Caudwell from Curtin University, Australia.

Dr Keatley, a specialist in the study of complex patterns of behaviour and motivation, said: “Coaches, trainers, and even ‘gym buddies’ need to be aware of individuals’ motivations and reasons for attending a gym. Spontaneous gym goers are more likely to be motivated by guilt, shame or pressure, so it’s important to turn this around and place a focus on positive feelings of achievement and pride, fostering a long-term healthier behaviour change.

“Anyone can be affected by what they see online, the social cues images can give, and the popular conceptions of an ‘ideal body image’. With the recent growth of ‘selfies’ and the return of muscle-bound Hollywood hero icons like Vin Diesel and Hugh Jackman, there’s a real risk that males may be more influenced to attend the gym more regularly and workout to a point where it becomes dangerous or detracts from their wellbeing.

“This study is important in showing that whilst they may be more unlikely to admit it, body dissatisfaction and dysmorphia can and do affect males as well as females, and therefore should be investigated fully.”

To assess their motivations for exercising, 100 men completed a self-report questionnaire and a second test which evaluated their non-conscious motivation by measuring how long it took them to associate particular words with themselves.

All participants had a slightly elevated BMI and said they work out for around an hour, two or three times a week. Nearly 60 per cent of the men listed health and fitness as their primary reason for attending a gym or fitness activity. Just 16 per cent labelled appearance or amateur body building as their motivation, and eight per cent said training or competing was their main focus.

Participants responded to a series of statements about body image, for example “seeing my reflection makes me feel bad about my body fat and muscularity”. They also evaluated a series of statements about their motivation, such as “I feel under pressure to exercise or work out regularly from people I know well”. These were scored on a scale from one to four, with one being not very true and four being very true.

To examine hidden, non-conscious motivations, the researchers also asked participants to complete an Implicit Association Test (IAT), a task designed to assess automatic associations. It paired positive and negative feelings about exercising, such as ‘spontaneous’ and ‘willing’ or ‘restricted’ and ‘forced’, with words relating to the self and others, such as ‘me’ and ‘mine’ or ‘they’ and ‘theirs’.
The study is published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

In COPD patients, physical activity reduces anxiety and depression: European Lung Foundation

 

Posted on September 4, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

                    

A study presented today (5 September, 2016) at this year’s European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in London shows that increased physical activity among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) reduces their risk of anxiety or depression. The study is by Drs Milo Puhan, Anja Frei, and Tsung Yu, University of Zurich, Switzerland, and Dr Gerben ter Riet, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Comorbidities (other health conditions) are highly prevalent in patients with COPD. Low physical activity (PA), a critical feature of COPD, is believed to be an important risk factor for comorbidities. In this new study, the authors assessed the association of PA with incidence of 7 categories of comorbidities in COPD.

The study included 409 patients from primary care practice in the Netherlands and Switzerland. The researchers assessed PA using the Longitudinal Ageing Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire at baseline and followed patients for up to 5 years. During follow-up, patients reported their comorbidities (cardiovascular, neurological, hormonal, musculoskeletal, cancer, and infectious diseases) and completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire for mental health assessment.

The results suggested that higher levels of PA at baseline were associated with an 11% reduced risk of developing anxiety over the next 5 years, and a 15% reduced risk of becoming depressed. The researchers did not observe statistically significant associations of PA with the other categories of comorbidities.

The authors conclude: “In COPD patients, those with high PA are less likely to develop depression or anxiety over time. PA promotion programs may be considered to lower the burden of mental disorders in COPD patients.”

They add: “These findings have particular significance since mental disorders are common in patients with COPD. The prevalence of depression and anxiety is approximately 40% in COPD patients while the corresponding figure is less than 10% in the general population.”

Source
 

Basic pushup technique gets fine-tuned

 

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015 Feb 10;16:23. doi: 10.1186/s12891-015-0486-5.

The effects of exercise type and elbow angle on vertical ground reaction force and muscle activity during a push-up plus exercise.
San Juan JG1, Suprak DN2, Roach SM3, Lyda M4.

Author information

1Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA. jun.sanjuan@gmail.com.
2Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, USA. dave.suprak@wwu.edu.
3Western Institute of Neuromechanics, Eugene, OR, USA. tensegrity1@msn.com.
4Western Institute of Neuromechanics, Eugene, OR, USA. mhlyda@msn.com.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Proper alignment of the scapula during upper extremity motion is important in maintaining shoulder joint function and health. Push-up plus exercise is considered as one of the best exercise to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the scapula. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of push-up plus variants and elbow position on vertical ground reaction force and electromyographical activity of four shoulder muscles during concentric contraction.

METHODS:

A total of 22 healthy subjects volunteered for the study. Each of the subjects performed both modified and traditional push-up plus. Modified push-up plus was performed with both knees and hands touching the ground while the traditional push-up plus was executed with hands and feet contacting the ground. Electromyography (EMG) of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), infraspinatus (INFRA), and serratus anterior (SA), and vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) were collected.

RESULTS:

The traditional push-up plus exhibited higher EMG activity in all muscles tested (P < .05) and vertical ground reaction force (P < .001) compared to modified push-up plus. The highest difference in EMG activity between the two exercises was observed with the Serratus Anterior muscle (22%). Additionally, the traditional push-up plus presented a higher vGRF compared to the modified push-up plus (P < .001) by 17%. The SA had the greatest EMG activity compared to the other muscles tested during the concentric phase of the traditional push-up plus, and this did not occur during the plus phase of the exercise.



CONCLUSION:

 

The highest activity of the serratus anterior occurred at 55° of elbow extension during the concentric phase of the traditional PUP and not at the plus phase of the exercise. This suggests that when prescribing an exercise to target the serratus anterior, a traditional push-up is adequate and the plus-phase is not necessary. However, for patients that cannot perform a traditional push-up, the modified push-up plus would be a great alternative to strengthen their serratus anterior.

See other articles about Pushups, Sports Medicine

Extended Rest Between Weight Lifting Sets Could Help Muscle Growth: New Data

 

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Stone Hearth News                

Newswise — Researchers from the University of Birmingham have found that extended rest intervals between sets of weight-lifting could help with muscle growth.
The findings, published in Experimental Physiology, go against the conventional belief that favours shorter periods of rest. The study highlights that short rest intervals may actually impair the processes that control muscle growth.

16 males completed resistance exercises interspersed by either one minute or five minutes of rest. Muscle biopsies were obtained at 0, 4, 24 and 28 hours post-exercise and analysed to determine myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) and intercellular signalling.

In the early part of recovery, the increase in MPS from resting levels was two-fold greater in those with longer rest periods. They saw a 152% increase, versus 76% increase in those with short rest intervals.

Dr Leigh Breen, from the University of Birmingham, explained, “With short rests of one minute, though the hormonal response is superior, the actual muscle response is blunted. If you’re looking for maximised muscle growth with your training programme, a slightly longer interval between sets may provide a better chance of having the muscle response you’re looking for.”

The team recommend that novices starting out on weight training programs should take sufficient rest, of at least 2-3 minutes, between weight lifting sets.

Dr Breen added, “Over time, they may need to find ways to push beyond the plateau of muscle building that commonly occurs, and so may gradually decrease their rest periods. For experienced lifters, it’s possible that they may not experience the same blunted muscle building response to short rest intervals, particularly if they have trained this way for a prolonged period and adapted to this unique metabolic stress. Nonetheless, similar recommendations of 2-3 minutes between sets should help to ensure maximal muscle growth in well trained individuals”.

The research team are currently following up the investigation with a longer term study to see effects over a number of months, and further research into how individuals can maximise their training outcomes by manipulating variables, such a rest, in their training.

The paper ‘Short Inter-Set Rest Blunts Resistance Exercise-Induced Increases in Myofibrillar Protein Synthesis and Intracellular Signaling in Young Males.’ (doi: 10.1113/EP085647), was accepted in Experimental Physiology and published online on 29 April 2016.

High intensity workouts every day without rest days could impair immune system

 

Posted on September 5, 2016 by Stone Hearth News

     

Front Physiol. 2016 Jun 28;7:260. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2016.00260. eCollection 2016.
Two Consecutive Days of Crossfit Training Affects Pro and Anti-inflammatory Cytokines and Osteoprotegerin without Impairments in Muscle Power.
Tibana RA1, de Almeida LM1, Frade de Sousa NM2, Nascimento Dda C1, Neto IV1, de Almeida JA1, de Souza VC3, Lopes Mde F1, Nobrega Ode T3, Vieira DC4, Navalta JW5, Prestes J1.

Author information

1Graduation Program on Physical Education, Catholic University of Brasilia Brasilia, Brazil.
2Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, Faculty Estacio of Vitoria Vitoria, Brazil.
3Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia Brasilia, Brazil.
4Graduation Program on Physical Education, Catholic University of BrasiliaBrasilia, Brazil; UDF-Centro UniversitárioBrasília, Brazil.

5Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, NV, USA.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two consecutive Crossfit® training sessions (24 h apart) designed to enhance work-capacity that involved both cardiovascular and muscular exercises on cytokines, muscle power, blood lactate and glucose. Nine male members of the CrossFit® community (age 26.7 ± 6.6 years; body mass 78.8 ± 13.2 kg; body fat 13.5 ± 6.2%; training experience 2.5 ± 1.2 years) completed two experimental protocols (24 h apart): (1) strength and power exercises, (2) gymnastic movements, and (3) metabolic conditioning as follows: 10 min of as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of 30 double-unders and 15 power snatches (34 kg). The same sequence as repeated on session 2 with the following metabolic conditioning: 12 min AMRAP of: row 250 m and 25 target burpees. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, and osteoprotegerin were measured before, immediately post and 24 h after workout of the day (WOD) 1, immediately post, 24 and 48 h after WOD 2. Peak and mean power were obtained for each repetition (back squat with 50% of 1 repetition maximum) using a linear position transducer measured before, immediately post and 24 h after WOD 1, immediately post and 24 h after WOD 2. Blood lactate and glucose were measured pre and immediately post WOD 1 and 2. Although both sessions of exercise elicited an significant increase in blood lactate (1.20 ± 0.41 to 11.84 ± 1.34 vs. 0.94 ± 0.34 to 9.05 ± 2.56 mmol/l) and glucose concentration (81.59 ± 10.27 to 114.99 ± 12.52 vs. 69.47 ± 6.97 to 89.95 ± 19.26 mg/dL), WOD 1 induced a significantly greater increase than WOD 2 (p ≤ 0.05). The training sessions elicited significant changes (p ≤ 0.05) in IL-6, IL-10 and osteoprotegerin concentration over time. IL-6 displayed an increase immediately after training WOD 1 [197 ± 109%] (p = 0.009) and 2 [99 ± 58%] (p = 0.045). IL-10 displayed an increase immediately after only WOD 1 [44 ± 52%] (p = 0.046), and decreased 24 and 48 h following WOD 2 (~40%; p = 0.018) as compared to pre-exercise values. Osteoprotegerin displayed a decrease 48 h following WOD 2 (~25%; p = 0.018) as compared with pre intervention. In conclusion, two consecutive Crossfit® training sessions increase pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines with no interference on muscle performance in the recovery period.

Source
 

LaManna Sees Big Opportunity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Philadelphia, PA - Welterweight prospect Thomas " Cornflake"  LaManna took time out from training to discuss his much-anticipated Sept. 15 showdown with Dusty Hernandez-Harrison at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia and live on CBS Sports Network What are your thoughts on Dusty Hernandez-Harrison? I think he is better than what people are given him credit for.  He is 29-0-1 for a reason.  He has defeated everyone that they have put in front of him (except the one draw).   How important is this fight for your career? This is a career-defining fight.  The winner gets a world ranking.  It is for the USBA title and a spot in the Top 15 (in the world).  This is a big opportunity for both of us.  I am zoned in and I will do what I have to do to get the win.  It is a huge opportunity.  I have a loss and I don't like that feeling. You just mentioned that you have a loss.  What did you learn from that defeat that will help prepare you for this upcoming fight with Dusty? The Douglas loss has prepared me for this.  Being a headline fighter on television.  We will be seen by more people being on CBS Sports Network.  I am five fights more mature since my loss.  I have been fighting solid competition and I have been more active. What in those five fights has helped you prepare for this fight? None of those guys are comparable to Dusty, but I fought guys with different styles and went some rounds with them when people may have questioned my stamina.  I fought a rugged guy in Ayi Bruce and a crafty southpaw in Ariel Vasquez.  Those guys aren't killers, but I was getting work in. What things have you fixed since the loss to Douglas?   Did you feel you were overmatched in the fight? It opened my eyes and it showed me that I needed to fix stuff.  My diet and daily living.  I was overmatched in maybe size, but I really felt going into that fight that I would beat him. What are you doing different?   My diet and other things I do when I am not training.  I was a middleweight because I was too lazy to drop down in weight.  I have made a lot of adjustments. You started out at middleweight, but you have eased your way down to welterweight.  How difficult has that been and what type of advantage does this play into the September 15 fight? Dr. Baio w/ Thomas Lamanna   I was always a big middleweight, but strength-wise I wasn't.  Now at welterweight, I am more explosive, faster, more experienced and now I can dictate the action.  This is the first time he (Harrison) is fighting someone bigger than him.  He has been fighting smaller guys.  He now will have to face punches from a grown man. The fight was originally scheduled for Atlantic City, where you would have been involved in the promotional aspects of the show.  That would have entailed doing a lot of work behind the scenes, which would have taken some time away from training.  Are you relieved that the fight is in Philadelphia? I am thankful for that.  I know I would have had to get involved in the promotional aspect and some of the stuff leading up to the fight.  To me it doesn't matter where the fight is.  Philadelphia is a neutral ground.  As long as there is a ring, it doesn't matter where it takes place Why this fight right now? It's time.  He has fought one tough guy and if you saw the fight, he lost it (officially a draw with Mike Dallas).  I have no doubt in my mind that I will win the fight and maybe even stop him.  But it is a great opportunity to get showcased on national television for the USBA title.     #     #     #     ABOUT SEPT. 15 Welterweights Thomas LaManna and Dusty Hernandez-Harrison will collide in a scheduled 10-round bout for the vacant USBA Welterweight title on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the 2300 Arena. The card is promoted by Final Forum Boxing, Peltz Boxing Promotions & GH3 Promotions and will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network, beginning at 10pm. Tickets for the nine-fight card, which begins at 7pm, are priced at $75, $50 and $40 They are available at Peltz Boxing (215-765-0922), at the 2300 Arena (267-273-0945) and Bam Boxing (215-280-6709).

Brooklyn's Daniel Jacobs vs Sergios Mora : The rematch

Daniel Jacobs, Sergio Mora, Robert Easter & Richard Commey Media Conference Call Transcript Click HERE For MP3

For Immediate Release   Marc Abrams Okay.  Welcome to the Daniel Jacobs/Sergio Mora conference call.  The rematch will take place Friday night, September 9th, at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania, and live on Spike TV.  It's a championship double header, a great show that will also feature the IBF lightweight championship of the world between undefeated Robert Easter and undefeated Richard Commey of Accra, Ghana.  The show is promoted by Kings Boxing.  And to make some opening statements, the President of Kings Boxing Mr. Marshall Kauffman.  Marshall?   Marshall Kauffman Hello, everybody.  It's a pleasure to be able to host such an exciting fight come September 9th.  I'm looking forward to fireworks between both these--with both of these bouts.  You have--with Richard Commey and Robert Easter, Jr., and of course, Daniel Jacobs and Sergio Mora, it's going to be an exciting night.  I'm really looking forward to it.  And the [unintelligible] town of Reading as well is really excited about such a big event coming to our town.   Abrams   Well,  we'll start with Robert Easter--would like to make an opening comment.   Robert Easter   Yeah, I'll all very excited to come to Reading, PA, and fight for the IBF world title.  Hopefully, Richard Commey will bring his A game to the table because I'm definitely bringing my A-plus game to the table.   Abrams And, Richard, would you like to make an opening statement?   Richard Commey   Oh, yeah, I'm very excited to have this opportunity to fight for the IBF lightweight world title.  I've worked so hard to get this opportunity.  And I know Robert Easter, Jr., has also.  So, it's going to be a great fight.   Q Robert, basically, he hasn't faced anyone with your height, reach, power, and speed.  Is that accurate?  Can you give an assessment of your thoughts on that?   Easter   Yes, no, he hasn't faced anyone like me and my agility, my power, my length, my reach.  He hasn't faced a guy like me.  So, that's where I come in and take over this fight.   Q On the other hand, who would you say that you have faced that is either comparable or better than him in ways that you think he need--he would need to be able to compete against you?   Easter It was--Mendez, he was a speedy, speedy guy, fast, and could move a lot.  But, what I'm hearing, Commey brings pressure I guess.  That's probably the only thing Mendez didn't have.  He came--he definitely came to fight, though, but he was a speedy guy, a slick guy, to move his hands.   Q I guess the last question, is there anything that is different or unique about Richard that you haven't seen in an actual fight?  I know you've been in sparring with guys like [Lamont Peterson] and Anthony Peterson, Adrian Broner, guys like that.  But, in an actual fight, is there anything about him that you respect to the level that you're really going to have to be on your P's and Q's about?   Easter Every opponent you step in the ring with you have to respect.  But, it's nothing unique I see coming from him.  It's nothing I haven't seen or faced.  So, like I said, this should be a walk in the park for me, and I say that with confidence.   Q Okay.  Richard, I wonder what tradition you know when you talk about Azumah Nelson   Have you talked to any of those guys or heard from any of those guys ?   Commey   Yes.  And I'm going to use the advice Azumah gave me over the last few weeks here in Ghana.   Q Richard, how does Robert stack up to  left hander went the distance with both those guys.  Have you seen anything like what you're going to see out of Robert in terms of reach and--?   Commey I've inspired a lot of people with a lot of heart.  I need this opportunity. His height really won't matter. I'm coming there to win and that's what I'm coming to do.   Q The last question, what do you think you've--that he hasn't fought anyone like?  What do you think is unique about you that he hasn't seen before?   Commey Well, I'm a tall guy.  And no matter what he does, I can win. I'm strong.  And I can take punches and I can punch as well.  I can do all that.  If he can't--he will lose.  I respect the height and his reach and his skills as a boxer.     Q I'll start with you, Easter.  Welcome to the fight, and good luck to you.  You mentioned that you're ready, and Commey has not fought anybody of your caliber.  But, if you look at both records, you guys are both undefeated with a nice double figure of knockouts.  And he's already a champion is his country and all that.  Now, and you are an ex-Olympian.  Are you telling me, or as I understand, that you're minimizing what he has, taking in consideration that he is undefeated, just like you, and somebody's always got to go?  So, what do you--how do you assess that?   Easter Seeing the few rounds I did watch is the skills, and I wouldn't say they were that good, but he--like I said, he's just very strong.  They say he's strong.  But, you're only strong to somebody you can hit.   When you got to--boxing out there, like me, I'm using my rank, my length, and  what I'm throwing [can be] hard as well, how you going to be able to get past that?  So, like I said, the skills are not much there.  But, I don't like to get hit that much.  I won't get hit that much.  So, I'm going to take all that away, and then whatever he's bringing and adjust to have him adjust to me.  Once I get him in my game plan, the fight is going to go my way the whole few rounds it's going to last.   Q Do you feel that your Olympic experience is an advantage over him because, after all, when you get to the high heights of Olympic experience and international amateur fighting, you're almost like a pro?  It's almost like stepping into the living room when you turn pro.  So, that has--you have an edge on that?   Easter I wouldn't pretty much focus on the amateur side because the transition from the amateur to pro is way different.  You know patience.So, I'll transition pretty quickly like Lamont Peterson, Anthony Peterson, Adrien Broner, guys like that..   Q Are you hoping to--just to name two guys to follow the tradition of African champions, like Ike Quartey and the great Azumah Nelson, to bring another title back to Africa?  Is this what--not only to win, of course, but is--this is your direction, your crusade, when you were saying that, "Finally, I got a chance at a world title," and your heart of hearts, this is what you want to do, to bring another title to Africa?   Commey   Yes, that's exactly what I want to do. Like you said, the likes of Ike Quartey, Azumah Nelson, to bring a championship back to my country.     Q Knowing that this is for the vacant IBF world title, of course, what have you--without giving out trade secrets, what have you done in camp to--different or with a high acceleration to make sure that your hand is raised in victory over Easter?   Commey Well, of course, I spar a lot of big guys like Joshua Clottey, and I have the kind of power to excel in the gym and on fight night. I want to follow the tradition of Ghanaian boxing. So, I'm coming there to make sure, once I get my game plan underway, then I'll victorious.   Q Do you run at all the risk of being a little overconfident against another opponent who is also undefeated and has traveled all over, fought a lot of different type of fighters in all different countries and certainly has no fear of coming here?  Are you a little overconfident in those remarks?   Easter   No, not at all.  Not at all.  I believe in my skill.  And I know what I'll come and do, just like my last fight and fight before that and a few fights before that.  Once I got my game plan, when I come in the ring, I know how to make the fighter try to adjust to me.  Once I get a fighter try and adjust to me, then the fight is already won.   The skills, you can see the skills, mine and his.  He's a straight coming-forth fighter, try to hard punch and all that.  But, when got boxing and you can punch as well and you can move, don't matter.  It speaks for itself.   Q So, how surprised were you that Barthelemy did give up the title and that you ended up getting this title shot?  Seems to me probably about maybe around a year or so or at least in the IBF 9 or 10 months sooner than maybe you had expected.   Easter I knew after the Mendez fight I was going to have a big fight coming up.  So, either way, I was going to train like it was a championship fight, like I do always.  So, it is surprising that it came up this soon.   Q Do you think, when you face him, you're going to have to use your height and length and box him because you mentioned how aggressive he is, or is this going to be similar to Argenis Mendez, where you can drop that big shot at any moment and knock the guy out?   Easter   Yeah, I'm going to and I will have to box.  That's the plan for every opponent I fight.  I box and use my length.  So, as long as I do that and see a weakness--wherever I see a weakness, that's when I go for it.   Q I count six different countries that you've fought in between your home country, United States, throughout Europe.  Can you talk about what that experience has done in terms of giving you confidence to come again to the United States and take on an American fighter in a pretty significant fight for a world title?   Commey   Like you said, I've been fighting all over the world. I'm very comfortable fighting in the U.S. I don't really think about where I'm going to fight, just do my best, and whatever happens, I take it because, as a boxer, I need to prepare.  I need to be ready to go wherever to fight.  I'm ready to go anywhere to fight to so wherever I go as a boxer.  So, I'm all good      Q Richard, can you just give me your opinion about the kind of fighter and what you think about the style of Robert Easter, if you've seen him fight?   Commey What I've seen of him, I know he's a great boxer, a skilled boxer, and he tries to move a lot.  But, likewise, I can box.  I can come forward.  So, on the night of the fight, definitely, I know what I'm going to do.   Q Did you have a preference of fighting Barthelemy, who was the reigning champion, or taking on another undefeated fighter for the vacant title, or did it not make a difference to you?   Commey   Well, at the end of the day, that's you want.  Once you got a chance to fight for it, whatever comes, it doesn't really matter who you're supposed to fight.   It's the title I want.  So, for me, I don't really feel much disappointed.  I'm there to fight for the title.  That's what I want.  So, I'm not disappointed.   It's all good as I'm really looking forward for the title.  And once I'm fighting for the title, I don't mind.   Abrams Okay.  We're going to wrap up this part of the call.  I know we've got--Sergio is on the line.  And I think Daniel will be on the line in a second.  Just a quick final comment from both, we'll start with Robert.   Easter   Just be ready September 9th.  I'll come bring a lot of fireworks and a lot of action and another short bout, September 9th, and will be the IBF champion.   Commey Come on the 9th of September.  I'm coming to put my life on the line.  And I'm going to be the world champion, IBF lightweight world champion.   Abrams Thank you, guys.  We'll see you in Reading September 9th.  And, Danielle, I think we're ready now with the--I believe Sergio is on the line. I know Daniel going to be in, in a second.  I guess, while we wait for Daniel, Marshall, I don't know if you want to introduce Sergio?   Kauffman Sergio Mora, a very exciting fighter.  His last fight was fireworks.  And I'm looking forward to fireworks once again.  Danny Jacobs dropped him first, and Sergio came back and took advantage of Danny's mistakes.  And then the third knockdown was something that's still a question mark, whether it was from a knockdown or a twisted ankle.  So, there are question marks--there are questions that are left to be spoken for.  And I believe Sergio is in shape.  And we'll see, come September 9th.  How about it, Sergio?   Sergio Mora It was no knockdown.  I always--I'm the one getting punched, by the way.  So, I didn't feel the punch, and it was definitely just me twisting my ankle.  It was Jacobs pushing me down as well.  Yeah, the referee kept warning Jacobs also that he was pushing me down with his elbow.  I normally go down low like that.  So, it's not the first time it happened.  So, it's a mix of a lot of things.  But, it wasn't a punch to knock me down.  It was all my ankle.  And if was a punch, then why didn't I stay down?  I was up at the count of two or three on one foot.  So, it definitely wasn't a punch.   Abrams And I believe the WBA middleweight champion Daniel Jacob on the line.  Daniel, you want opening statements and maybe a response to that? Dr. Baio w/ WBA middle weight champ Daniel Jacobs     Daniel Jacobs Well, I came in briefly.  And from what I hear, he's saying that that last shot wasn't a punch that put him down.  I don't know what my eyes were seeing, or I don't know what my fists felt, but in my opinion, and I think, if you clearly go to the video, the replay, it was a punch that put him down.  It was the uppercut that started--which had him back--withdraw and back up.  And then it was the overhand right that put him down.  So--.   Mora The overhand right grazed the back of my head.  Yeah, the overhand right grazed the back of my head, but my ankle was already twisted.  It was a tricky shot.   Jacobs   It could be a graze.  It could be whatever you want to say it could be, but it put you down.  Listen, let me give my opening statement, please.  I just got on the line.   Mora   But, it didn't keep me down.  If I was hurt, --I wouldn't have gotten up.   Jacobs Okay.  Allow me to have my opening statement, Sergio, please.  I just got on the line, brother.  Show some respect.  I just got on the line.  So, my opening statement, ladies and gentlemen, it is the honor to be back into the ring.  I've been out for quite some time.  The reason we've actually been out for so long was because we were trying to get a better opportunity at fighting B.J. Saunders.  Obviously, that fight took a little longer than anticipated.  And this is the reason why this fight is happening.  It isn't because I've been avoiding Sergio Mora.  I just understand that this fight for my career at this particular point isn't really going to do anything for me.  It's more going to do anything--more for Sergio than it would do for me.  But, me and him have the same management in Al Haymon.  So, I can understand why this fight is being made.    But, the reasons why he's saying this fight is being made as far as me ducking him and not wanting to fight him, I mean, that's absurd.  That's absurd.  But, I'm just excited nevertheless to be back into the ring.  It's a good time for me to be able to get back in there and have some fun again.  I look forward to a very good matchup again I hope.  But, one question that I do have for Sergio is, in previous interviews, he said that he was going to have a more exciting style and he was tired of being the born fighter he used to be that wasn't appealing to fans, and he wasn't going to do much running, this other stuff, stuff that he's been getting criticized before, he wasn't going to do that.  And now that he says he's felt the power of myself, he says he's going to completely switch the game plan.  So, my question is, what--why the sudden change?  I mean, what's the difference now?  Why are you not going to be more exciting and more appealing now, like you said before?   Mora I said I was going to be exciting and more aggressive.  I didn't say I was going to be stupid.   Jacobs   Oh, yeah, that is stupid to come and--that will be stupid to come and actually go toe to toe and bang with me.  You're absolutely right.  So it'll be interesting to see the game plan that you have for this coming fight because I just hope it's not a stinker, man.  You're getting a second opportunity at a world--at my world title shot.  Please let's not make it a snoozer.  It's bad enough we're both receiving a lot of criticism for this fight, but dude, please let's just make it exciting.   Mora Hey, listen, I'm the king of criticism.  If you can't take criticism, you don't belong to be a champion.  You don't belong in the top like that.  That's part of being a world champion is taking all the bullshit from critics and media and everyone else.  And if you're thin-skinned, then you're not going to hang very much as the world champion.   Jacobs Okay.  Yes, sir.  Ready for some questions.   Q Sergio, after that first fight, you said that you felt that, because it was so early in the fight, it was going to be called-be a no contest.  Turns out it ultimately ended up being a loss on your record.  Do you feel like the fact that it's been so--that the fight ended in that way, do you feel like an extra layer of motivation to try to win this second fight?   Mora No, that blemish on my career is--it's already there.  I tried to contest it with the New York Commission.  But, it got me nowhere.  The New York Commission is a mess as we're all finding out when it comes to the fights and boxing and MMA and everything else.  So, I went that route.  It didn't go anywhere.  So, I'm going to have that TKO on my record for the rest of my career and the rest of my life.  And it's sad because I don't want it to be on a technicality.  So, does it irk me?  Absolutely.  But, am I past it?  Yes.  I just want an opportunity to clear whatever happened.  Jacobs said that he dropped me twice.  I only fell once.  I dropped him once.  Round of the year, Sports Illustrated.  Second round, I feel I was in control and winning.  With 5 or 10 seconds left, the injury happens, and I bust my ankle.  So, there's a lot of unanswered questions.  And for whatever reason this fight is happening again, I'm going to--I'm fully prepared for whatever comes.  And I just want to--I just want my opportunity.  And I'm thankful that I got it.   Q Daniel, in that--in the first round, Sergio did knock you down.  You said after the fight ended that you were a little bit careless in that first round.  Are you taking a more conservative approach, or are you being a little more careful knowing that Sergio has the capabilities of knocking you down?   Jacobs Listen, there's always opportunities to learn and grow in the sport of boxing.  Even with a light-punching guy like Sergio Mora, I learned a valuable lesson that, after I knocked him down and I was going in for the kill, that you still have to be defensive minded, even when you have a guy hurt because I was on the verge of stopping this man.  There's no way around that.  I was definitely on the verge of stopping him.  But, in my mind, I got a little careless.  And the way I had my feet spread, I mean, I just got caught with a real clean shot.  It's nothing I can take away from him.  He definitely earned that.  But, it was a valuable lesson to me and a lesson that I'm sure I won't make again.   Q Sergio, how was the rehab in trying to get back and healthy?  Was there anything that, during that time, you looked at yourself as a fighter and wanted to improve upon for this rematch?   Mora No, not as a fighter.  The only thing I had in mind was to heal up 100 percent.  I did everything in my power, in my capability to heal up properly.  I did all the--I got the best treatment.  I tried to go with the best physical therapist and with ice and do all the remedies, all the Mexican remedies that my mom would tell me to do.  And I tried to do everything possible to do it.  So, finally, I--after 6 to 7 months, I started--little by little started putting pressure on it.  And I started feeling good and taking it--taking Aleve.  And sometimes, I have to take cortisone shots in order for me to go harder and faster.  So, I just did everything in my ability, plus prayer.  And thank God I'm back.   Q I don't know who's best fit to answer this question, but is there a rubber match clause in the event that Sergio pulls the upset?   Mora   I'm the king of rematches.  So, I'll answer that.  I've had four rematches.  This is going to be my fifth.  And I've never had a rubber match.  I probably deserved a rubber match with Brian Vera.  But, Texas is just too big and strong for me to beat.  So, rubber matches, I don't know.  We'll see.  I got to get the win first.   Q Are you confident, Sergio, in your ability to plant on your ankle?   Mora Absolutely.  Now, I am.  There were times within the year that I've been off that I questioned it.  And I'm 35 years old now.  So, everything heals up slower.  I can't fool myself.  So, sometimes, I question it.  But, now, I'm not anymore.  I did everything.  I put all the pressure, sprinting uphill, sprinting downhill, stopping on a dime, pivoting, twisting.  And I feel an ache here and there.  But, as far as me doing, I've done it.  So, mentally, I'm there.  I'm ready.   Q Daniel, do you feel this fight is a backwards step?   Jacobs   I absolutely do.  I mean, I think it's just--to me, this is kind of like a just-stay-busy fight because we weren't able to get the fight that we actually wanted, for whatever reason.  But, to me, I don't think this does anything for my career.  Like I said before, we've always wanted to move up to bigger and better opposition each time out.  This is kind of a step back.  And I understand that it left a bitter taste in certain people's mouths because of the way Sergio Mora lost.  But, in my opinion, he was on the verge anyway.  So, that's how I look at it.  But, this is for me an opportunity to kind of quiet the critics and just make the final statement once and for all that I am the better fighter, better boxer.    Hell, I'm better in general inside that square ring.  Sergio Mora has nothing in there to stop me, especially come September 9th.  I'm in the best shape that I've ever been in my life.  And he said before that I don't like to go 12 rounds.  I mean, I've never said that.  I mean, just because I've knocked guys out doesn't mean I don't like to go 12 rounds.  With the Caleb Truax fight, I wanted to go 12 rounds, and I did, and then I stopped him in the 12th round.  So, it's not like I'd just like to go out there and have this false identity like I'm this super big knockout artist.  I'm a superb boxer.  I learned the fundamentals from the amateur USA boxing.  I've gone internationally and performed on an international level.  I know how to box.  Sergio Mora is extremely awkward.  That's what allowed him to get where he is now.  Take nothing away from him being a world champion.  Yeah, I have to give him credit for that.  But, as a--.   Mora About time you give me some credit.  And guess what?  I--and hey, listen, man.  Sorry to interrupt you, but that's the first time you've ever given me credit.   Jacobs Oh, I'm sorry.  I thought I was answering the question.  Okay.  I'm going to let you go ahead.   Mora That's the first time you've ever given me credit, man.  Thank you very much.  Thank you, Danny.  Thank you.   Jacobs   Oh, okay.  You're very welcome.  But, as I was saying, yes, this is definitely a setback.   Q It didn't take long for you to get acquainted the first time around.  What are your mindsets?  Are you looking to pick up where you left off, or you taking a completely different approach this time around?   Mora I'm still in shock that he gave me credit.  Look, the first time around, he downplayed and downgraded me as a former world champion.  And he said that he wanted to move onto bigger and better things.  I just want to touch on something.  I'm the best name on Daniel Jacobs--no, let me take that back.  I'm the most accomplished name on Daniel Jacobs's record.    So, how is he down--how is he going backwards?  How is he regressing by fighting me?  I'm the best--I'm the most accomplished on his resume.  He's not even top three on mine.  I've got hall of famers on my resume.  I had to beat a world champion, a five-time world champion to become champion.  He had to beat a guy Jarrod Fletcher Jacob--I don't even know what the hell his name is, Fletcher Jones or whatever it is.  So, the bottom line is you've got to give me my credit, man.  So, thank you for giving me that credit.  Now, what was your question, again?  I'm sorry.   Q Are you looking to pick up where you left off, or are you coming in with a totally different mindset?   Mora Well, look, I know that I got dropped.  I've been dropped before.  I can get up, and I'm pretty resilient that way.  Jacobs took a little longer to get the cobwebs off.  So, he--now, he knows that I can punch.  I don't think he's going to come in as aggressive as he was the first time.  If he does, maybe we'll leave off.  That's going to be up to the champ.  The champ wants to start if off, I'm good.  If not, if I see him--fighting behind a jab, then I'm going to have to go and put the pressure on a little bit.   Q And, Daniel?   Jacobs   So, I just--I totally feel like he's just full of it right now.  I don't think he's going to come forward.  He's even said it in the interview.  Now, he understands and he knows how much power I possess.  He's going to change the game plan.  And he's going to try to take me into what he quotes are deep waters.  So, he's going to try to take me in later rounds, which in my opinion, he has to box, and he has to be on the back foot to do so.    So, in my opinion, I think he's going to try to make it a snoozer.  He's not going to try to make it exciting and come forward.  And it's just my--it's just up to me to make it an exciting.  And I'm going to do what I've always done.  I'm going to come forward, and I'm going to adjust if I need to make adjustments.  And that's simple.  I want to hurt this man.  There's no way around it.  I want him to feel and eat his words, clearly.  So, I'm going to come in there, and I'm going to try and punch you in your face.  It's plain and simple, Sergio.  That's my game approach.  But, if you want to box--.   Mora That's all good.  You try to reach my--.   Jacobs If you want to go on the back foot--.   Mora I'm going to be touching that body.   Jacobs Hold on, sir.  Hold on, baby.  Hold on, baby.  I'll let you answer your question.  Hold on now.  Be respectful.  If you wanted to be on the back foot, that's the game that I can play, too.  I have an extreme amateur and professional boxing resume, brother.  Like, we can do this.  But, the game plan for me, to answer your question, is to go in there and hurt this man, period.   Q Sergio, given the fact that Danny has said that this is a backwards step for him, he looks at it as a tune-up fight, didn't really want to have the rematch, why--what do you think it was that actually got you this rematch and I know you wanted very badly?   Mora Al Haymon, plain and simple, Al Haymon.  I think no one was campaigning for this rematch, Dan.  And I think a lot of people were surprised that it happened.  I certainly was surprised that I got the phone call because, even though I was promised by Al a big fight my first fight back, I didn't expect it to be for world title versus Daniel Jacobs in a rematch.  So, I'm very, very thankful to Al Haymon.  And honestly, just to--I mean, not to be funny or anything, but if I really have to thank another person, another thing, it's Twitter because it gives me a voice when I was injured.  And I never had that before.  I just wish I would've started it earlier and had more of a following.  So, yeah, I've got to thank Twitter, too.   Q   Do you think--I mean, you've had your ups and downs.  You fought a lot of good names.  But, you mentioned a little earlier 35 years old.  Do you think this maybe this could be your last chance at a world title?   Mora   Yeah, probably.  I mean, I can't be foolish and say that I can move--I can beat Bernard Hopkins.  I can't.  I'm not Bernard Hopkins.  There's only special people that could fight in their mid-30s and so on and still be fighting the best.  So, even though, if my body hasn't taken a beating, I've been in the game a long time.  And the wear and tear from sparring and from running and from the dieting and from all the other stuff, all that takes effect.    But, even though I am well preserved, I'm still the age that I am.  And the hunger's still there.  So, number one, if the hunger's still there, everything else falls into place.  So, we're going to find out in two weeks exactly if the hunger and my body is at the same level.   Q Were you anxious to just go right back in with Danny in a second fight if you could get the fight, or did you consider a tune-up?   Mora No, no.  Great question, Dan.  Me and my team did have that discussion.  And we did think about fighting someone else.  And I think Alfredo Angulo was a name they offered and were considering.  But, we know Angulo very well.  And we just didn't feel right taking that fight, especially watching the fight--his last fight.  But, the ankle feels good.  And we decided to go straight into this title fight because we weren't sure we were going to get it again.  I think the stars lined up perfectly for it to happen.  And Jacobs admits that, too, that he didn't want to fight me for whatever reasons, and I got this fight thanks to Al Haymon.  And that's it.   Q What was it that made you decide that, ultimately, you would in fact give him the rematch, even though it's clear that it's not a fight that you want?   Jacobs It's just I understand how it left a bad taste in people's mouths.  So, with the options that we were given, with talking to Al and talking with my team, I guess it just kind of made--not sense, but it just was the right thing to do at the very--at that moment.  And I won't say we looked at it as, like, hey, this is an easy win or this is an opportunity to make easy money.    Like, we don't look at it like that.  But, we kind of just--and we definitely wasn't forced into the fight.  So, that's another thing that I want to make clear.  Al Haymon didn't say, "Hey, this is going to be what you're going to do."  So, me and my team came together.  And for whatever reasons, we allowed this fight to happen, but we definitely wasn't forced into it.   Q So, you mentioned you had some other options that were brought to your attention.  What were those other options?   Jacobs They just wasn't--like, it wasn't guys in my opinion at that level that were bigger and better.  Like I said before, we looked at the whole scene of the middleweight division, and Andy Lee and a couple other guys that names were thrown out there. We were trying to make that fight happen with Lee.  I think that fight kind of fell through maybe once or twice.  So, we were just like, "Hey, let's just go with Sergio Mora."  The way we--the way it looked and the way we won kind of left a little bit bad taste in people's mouths.  So, it just makes sense to do it.   Q What is the big fight out there?  You are--as the WBA's regular champion, you are the mandatory for Gennady Golovkin.  I want to know if that's a fight that you'll consider after this?   Jacobs   Absolutely.  That's the fight that I want.  I want the best out there.  We tried to make the fight with B.J. Saunders.  We tried to make the fight with a couple other guys.  But, it just didn't work.  Chris Eubank, Jr., was another opportunity for us to fight.  But, he didn't want no part.  So, even after winning the--forgot what title he won because I know I was his mandatory at some point, and he declined.  And so, we want to fight the best, point blank, period.  Triple G is the best, and that's the guy that we want.   Q What kind of particular stylistic problems you think you'd give Golovkin that he hasn't seen yet?   Jacobs I definitely believe I would be the toughest test because I believe I would be the victor in that fight.  I definitely believe in my skills and my ability.  At one point in my career, the only reason why I said I wanted to wait was so I could get 12 rounds so we can go the full distance and know how we can actually feel in a tough fight for 12 rounds.  I've accomplished that.  And then the only thing that was kind of keeping me from making this fight happen earlier was the finance.  So, people saying I was ducking or I was doing a whole bunch of this and a whole bunch of that, that's far from the truth.  I just wanted to be compensated accordingly.  And that was it.  If we can make these fights happen sooner than later, I'm all for it.  But, in the same token, I still would like to be compensated accordingly.   Q Are you confident that you could get a deal done that would be good for the finances?   Jacobs I don't really know too much about that.  I mean, I have a great team.  And I leave all those things up to my team.  My thing is to stay ready, to be ready, and to perform at my best when I'm inside the ring.  So, whatever the logistics is outside the ring, all I have to do is say, "Yes, I'm comfortable with that.  And let's make the fight."   Q Now, I know you're a pretty even-keeled guy, but has Sergio got under your skin with all the trash talk?   Jacobs Oh, hell yeah.  I mean, not under my skin to where it would affect my game plan or it'll affect me inside the ring.  No, it's just some of the things that he's said or from the pictures that he's posted, and that's what he's supposed to do.  And he's landed an opportunity at fighting me again. But, this is an opportunity that I'm looking forward to.  And this is probably for me the first personal fight that I'm entering in with mean intention.   Q - And a question for Sergio.  You've been around for a long time.  You've fought a lot of top guys, like Sugar Shane and so forth.  Where--how would you compare Danny to those guys?  And how do you think you'll--a guy like you who has such a high boxing IQ, how do you think a rematch would help you?   Mora   Sugar Shane and so forth, and Vernon Forrest, two great fighters.  Look, Danny has his amateur pedigree.  And he can fight behind the jab, like he says.  And he could be--and he can fight on his back foot, as he claims.  He says he's gone 12 tough rounds.  I only seen him go 12 one-sided rounds against a guy named Caleb Truax.  Those weren't tough.  He doesn't know what tough is yet.  And he isn't really--he hasn't experienced what it is to be in there with an all-around championship caliber fighter for 12 rounds.  I have.  That's the difference.  That's the difference.    And I feel that, until he experiences that, he still doesn't know what it is to be an all-around champion, a champion that's had to deal with getting knocked down, getting up, bad cuts, being down behind them cards, losing on cards going through the final championship round.  These are the experiences you can only dream of and hope of.  So, until you experience that, you can't really say he's done that.  Right now, he still needs to learn.    Q Sergio, do you relish having the kind of opportunity to, as you said, teach somebody to be a fighter?   Mora Absolutely.  I relish the opportunity to do great things, man.  And I think that, if you look back at my career, every time I get a big opportunity, I conquer it, or something like the Shane Mosley thing happens where, actually, I won, and it was a draw.  But, the big opportunities, I shine, man.  And this is just something that always needs to happen, always have to take the hard route.  That's been my career, man.  I've never been the A side.  I've always been the B side that could compete with the A side.    And this is just another example of that.  Danny, the young champion looking down on me, subordinating me, making me feel like I'm lucky to get this opportunity, I've dealt with that my entire career, man.  It's nothing new.  I know I'm here over and over, time after time for a reason because I'm that fucking good.  And so, people recognize and realize that.  I'll never get the credit for it.  And that's fine, as long as I keep getting the opportunities and as long as I become a three-time two-division champ.   Q Tell us about that, how you approach the fight, what you expect to take place, especially in light of the last two fights ending quickly.   Jacobs Well, I don't really anticipate or expect anything.  Boxing is one of those things where anything can happen at any given moment.  My thing is I just want to be ready.  And when I prepare inside the gym and I'm in tip-top shape, I'm prepared and ready for anything that will come my way inside that ring, whether it's the first round or whether it's the last round.  It just so happens that these last couple of fights I've had been very exciting first rounders.  So, my thing is, as long as I'm able to adjust, I can come and be prepared for anything that comes my way.   Q What was key in those two fights--to both of those fights starting off with so much activity and so much action?   Jacobs I think just getting warmed up properly and the backstage, making sure that the flow was going and that you don't have to kind of warm up in those first couple rounds.  Me and my team do a great job--and shout out to my team, by the way, who do such a great job with making sure that we're prepared and ready for each round from the very first to the very end.   Q And is that going to affect at all your game plan because people have seen those two previous fights, and they're talking about it.  They say, "Maybe this is a guy who is just going to destroy people in the beginning."  Is that weighing on your approach at all for this rematch?   Jacobs Absolutely not.  My MO as a fighter is to be a fluent boxer first.  It just so happened that the speed and the power that I possess as well kind of hurt guys, and I'm a really great finisher, where actually, my mentality is to go in there and show my skills.  That's what I love about the [sweet science].  I actually love to get behind my jab and put my combinations together and start to get good movements and good angles.  Like, I love that stuff.    But, it just so happens that, when I'm in there with guys and I'm starting to land good shots, and they get hurt, we just have rounds of the year and first round stoppages and early stoppages, so on and so forth.  So, I'm just happy I'm able to get the victory and finish strong.   Q And, Sergio, what do you expect?  Do you expect this rematch to have this same type of electric start, or how do you prepare for this?   Mora Well, we're going to go back to Danny's power.  He does have power.  And you're born with power.  You can't teach power.  You can't go in the gym and work on power, or else I would've done that 20 years.  So, he's blessed with an ability to punch hard with both hands.  And he's always going to make for exciting fights.  Now, he's also vulnerable because he's been dropped before.  And that's also on the exciting side.  So, whenever it comes to a guy like Danny Jacobs, you never know what you're going to get.  It's kind of like fighting a guy like Victor Ortiz, even though I think he's better all around than Victor.  Victor's exciting.  He's a former champion.  He's a power puncher.  But, you never know what Victor you're going to get.    So, I think that's the same thing with Danny, only Victor's fought better opposition than Danny.  So, that's the difference.  I think, for this fight, I don't know, man.  I really don't know what I'm going to expect.  I didn't expect to go down in the first round.  I was surprised by the punch.  It was an awkward punch in from a southpaw angle.  I believe his right foot was in front.  I took a picture a little too long and held the position, expecting a left hook to come, and instead a right uppercut came, which is awkward.  And he calls me awkward.  That was an awkward punch.  So, yeah, you know what?  He stunned me.  I got up.  I shook it off.  And he came for the kill, like I knew he would.  And I was able to catch him.  I think we both learned that we can hurt each other, and we both learned that we both can be sneaky from certain sneaky positions.  So, I don't think it's going to start off with fireworks, like it did the first time.  But, I think it's going to end up fireworks.  I don't know if it's the second, third, or further down the fight.  But, that's what I'm expecting.   Q And would anybody like to make a prediction for this fight, Danny?   Jacobs I don't make predictions.  I don't like to go in there and have any type of thing going in my head where I have to live up to it.  I just like to win.  And however I win, however it comes, I'm grateful for it.   Mora If I'm ready, I go in there to win.  And I'm ready for this fight.  I'm confident.  I expect a great performance from both of us.  And I expect to become a world champion, a two-time world division champion by the end of this fight.  So, I'm expecting to win.  I don't know.  But, I'm going to win.   Marc Abrams - Okay.  Well, that's going to wrap it up.  I just want to get every--Daniel and Sergio, just a quick final comment.  And after that, we'll see you on fight week.  Daniel?   Jacobs I just have a lot of people to thank that I would take this time to thank.  First off, I would like to thank my team and everyone involved for allowing me to have such a great camp.  They've put in the necessary work, everyone, team Jacobs, the necessary work that we need to be 100 percent prepared for this fight come September 9th.  I will be proudly representing my Brooklyn Boxing apparel as I'm sporting my trunks and finessing my moves inside the ring.   I want to give a big shout out to Brooklyn Boxing, have been supportive of my whole career. And me being an ambassador, I definitely have to big them up.  And Al Haymon, most importantly, Al has been taking care of me.  I've been the first guy that Al has had directly out of the amateurs to a world championship.  So, I have to give my hat--take my hat off to Al and everyone in our team Haymon.  And that's pretty much it, all the promotors and managers involved with this as well, everyone who has made this possible, and thanks for all the fans for all the continued support.  Thank you very much.   Abrams And, Sergio?   Mora I got to start with Al Haymon because he's given me not only a second opportunity, third, I've already had four opportunities to come back and reinvent myself.  And Al Haymon gave me that opportunity.  So, I thank Al Haymon.  I've got to thank my loyal team, my trainer Dean Campos, who's been with me since the amateurs, [John Montillado], the rest of my team, my cut man Carlos, and [Panda Martinez].  And I want to thank my sponsors, [Snac].  Victor Conte's onboard for this fight.  And I've never been a fighter that takes supplement.  I'm a guy that just tries to eat right and hydrate.  And I notice a difference with supplements.  And I do it the scientific way.  So, I want to thank the Snac System and Victor Conte.  And I want to thank my sponsor Spy Optics.  And that's about it.  I want to thank the fans as well for--my day-one fans and even my critics, they keep me alive, so thank them, too.   Jacobs Yeah, you forgot one more person, brother.  You forgot one more person, Sergio.   Mora I want thank, what, Danny Jacobs?   Jacobs That's it.  That's my man.  That's my man.   Mora Go fuck yourself.  I see you in two weeks, old boy.   Jacobs Well, let's do it on September 9th.  You already know, Sergio, I'm coming for you, brother.  I'm coming for you. TICKETS:        Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by King's Promotions,                         start at $20 and are on sale now via Ticketmaster.