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PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON CBS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Published

10 years ago

May 7, 2015

The Sweet Science

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS ON CBS FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Photo From Esther Lin/PBC on CBS

Live On CBS Sports Starting at 4 P.M. ET/1 P.M. PT

HIDALGO, TEXAS (May 7, 2015) – Fight week for Premier Boxing Champions on CBS continued Thursday as televised fighters Omar “Panterita” Figueroa, Ricky Burns, Tomoki “El Mexicanito” Kameda, Jamie McDonnell and Austin “No Doubt” Trout spoke to the media at the final press conference before their respective bouts taking place Saturday, May 9 at State Farm Arena.

Here are what the participants had to say Thursday:

OMAR FIGUEROA

“This is the biggest fight of my career thus far. I have my brother on the undercard and it’s here at home. This is it. I think it’s great for people from the Valley to get a huge card like this here. They haven’t seen this since Vasquez vs. Marquez, so I hope to bring that level of boxing back to the Valley.

“I definitely feel more pressure but the good kind of pressure. I’ve thrived on pressure my whole life. I was a pitcher for a long time. I was a closer. So I’ve been in situations where it’s bases loaded and we’re down so many runs and I’ve got to keep the game close. This is what I live for.

“I haven’t seen any film of Ricky Burns. Haven’t watched him at all. But from what I’ve heard he’s a tough fighter in great shape, so if we go 12 rounds it’ll be a good 12 rounds. I’m going to go out there and give it my all and win in the most impressive way possible.

“It wasn’t difficult to give up my title. I don’t fight for titles. I don’t care for titles. I think they’re just aesthetic things. I’d rather please the fans with a good fight. I don’t care if I win a title at the end of the day, but if the fans are happy, I am happy.

“I’m going to be a lot stronger at this new weight. I don’t know what to expect. I’m excited to get in the ring and find out.”

RICKY BURNS

“When you’re in hard fights, that’s what brings out the best of you. I’m looking forward to getting in the ring and putting on a good performance and win some fans over here.

“It’s a very tough fight and we knew that before we took it. Figueroa likes to come forward and be aggressive, but that can be his downside because he takes a lot of shots. We’re prepared for whatever happens on fight night and the best man will win.

“Some people think I’ve come over here just to be an opponent but that’s not the case. I had a bad year but it’s all behind me. I’m going to get back to my winning ways.

“This is everything I’ve ever wanted to accomplish in boxing. It’s going to be a hard fight but by the time the fight comes it will be just about four weeks that I’ve been in Texas.

“I treat boxing as my job, when it comes to training and fighting I always give it 100 percent and leave it all in the ring and hopefully the fans will see that. Omar is never in a dull fight and I’m not one to back out.

“We’ve treated this fight exactly the same as any other. Even though we’re in his hometown, as soon as that first bell goes that’s when it’s going to count. It’s just me and him in that ring.”

TOMOKI KAMEDA

“It is a dream come true to fight on a network like CBS. Millions are now going to get to know me, get to know my style. Boxing is changing and to be part of that is a great honor to me.”It was not easy to relinquish my world title — I was the first Japanese to hold that title. It’s never easy to give up something that you’ve worked so hard for. But I respect the sanctioning body’s decision, they said I had to relinquish it and so I did. Now, I’m going for another title, and after that maybe unification.”McDonnell is a good boxer. He knows how to box and knows his way inside the ring. Most British fighters do that, move around a lot. Its not an easy style to face, but my team and I have a great strategy and we are going to win, we are going to win by knockout.”I love Mexico. I moved there when I was 15 with my family. I did all of my amateur and all my professional career there. I’m grateful to Mexico and all Mexicans for giving me so much.”My team and the guys at the gym started calling me ‘El Mexicanito’ because I embrace Mexican culture as my own. I love the food, the people and of course the Spanish language. I struggle with it at first, but now I think I got it mastered.”

JAMIE MCDONNELL

“I think Kameda is a bit scared and a bit intimidated by my size. I genuinely believe I am going to knock him out. I’m too big and too strong.

“I’ve been a world champion for a couple of years now. I’m ultra-confident for this fight. It’s the best I’ve ever felt. I’m really looking forward to it.

“Kameda is a good fighter and I expect the very best from him. He better expect the very best from me. This is life changing, whoever wins this fight gets propelled up a few levels.

“I want the best life possible for my wife and baby daughter. To do that I have to beat him.

“My losses were six years ago and I didn’t even really believe in myself at that time. I’ve gone through every experience that you can in that time and I bring everything to the table.

“Fans can expect to see a lot of heart. I can take a punch, I can give a punch. It’s an interesting fight and it’s a chance for me to showcase what I’m all about on this great stage here in America.”

AUSTIN TROUT

“As far as my opponent dropping out at the last minute, disappointment is kind of an understatement. But I’m trying to keep it classy, so I’ll stick with disappointed. I’m not surprised though.

“The day I heard that he pulled out it definitely changed my mindset, but I had to find that focus and realize that we still have work to do.

“It’s an honor to be part of this whole PBC on CBS card. I feel like this is the resurgence of boxing – brining it back to the golden days. For me to be a part of that was one of my goals when I turned pro. I wanted to be a part of the comeback of boxing.

“I’m trying to get a belt. I want my world title back. After I get a world title I’m going to try and avenge those losses. After I avenge those losses I want another title so I can become an undisputed champion. Once that’s done we can consider moving up to another weight class maybe.”

For more information visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @SHOSports, @OmarFigueroaJr, @RicksterKO, @TomokiKameda, @JamieMcDonnell1, @WarriorsBoxPromo and become a fan on Facebook atwww.Facebook.com/PremierBoxing, www.Facebook.com/WarriorsBoxingPromo and www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing or visit the SHOWTIME Boxing Blog at http://theboxingblog.sho.com.

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2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

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Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

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2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

Photo by naoki fukuda

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