The latest boxing interviews from boxers all over the world
BOB ARUM: This is a very interesting promotion as far as I’m concerned. A lot of people are concentrating on the new and improved Tim Bradley. Manny Pacquiao with his right arm now totally repaired – he has had that torn rotator cuff since before the De La Hoya fight. A lot of athletes are able to perform well with a torn rotator cuff – a lot of pitchers in the major leagues are able to perform well with it. Obviously now that it’s repaired, it is at full strength.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions: Thank you for joining us on the international media call for David Lemieux versus Glen Tapia, which will be the co-main event for the exciting upcoming battle between Canelo Alvarez versus Amir Khan on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
This will be the first of our series of weekly media conference calls with the under-card fighters for Canelo versus Khan.
Do you really think this is Pacquiao’s last fight? As a trainer, would you say Pacquiao has more quality fights in him? Is Pacquiao the best fighter you have ever trained? If not, who are the others?
“I personally don’t know if this will be Manny’s last fight but he is training like it’s going to be his last fight. Manny has achieved so much in his boxing career and if this is going to be his swan song I know he wants to go out blazing with a spectacular performance. He’s pouring everything into this training. If the opportunity for a knockout presents itself during the fight, he’s going to go for it. He knows how to close the show and he wants this show closed with fireworks. He wants to finish the book on his boxing career with a spectacular ending.
After a 19 year professional career that has propelled him all over the globe, former heavyweight world title challenger, Australian based New Zealander, Kali Meehan 42-6 (32 KOs), knows what qualities are required to reach the pinnacle of the sport. I recently spoke to “Mean Hands” Meehan, via telephone – from his home in Wyongah, New South Wales, Australia – to discuss both his colorful career, and to hear his assessment of his previous opponent, one of boxing’s rising stars: Joseph Parker.
Hailing from Levuka town, on the Fijian island of Ovalau – an island on which rugby is virtually a way of life – Kali Meehan’s mother would surely never have envisaged that her future son would one day become a successful prize-fighter, when she ventured to New Zealand half a century ago.
Two-Time World Champion and top-rated pound-for-pound fighter Andre Ward (28-0, 15 KOs) and undefeated, number one rated IBF light heavyweight contender Sullivan Barrera (17-0, 12 KOs) hosted their final international media conference. Ward vs. Barrera, a 12-round IBF number one position and mandatory position eliminator which is presented by Roc Nation Sports in association with Main Events, takes place Saturday, March 26, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
In every promising sports career there comes a breakout moment, a crossroads junction where hype meets reality. That moment has arrived for unbeaten prospect Joseph Parker as he commences preparations to face the always dangerous Carlos Takam in a fight, that if victorious, will see him transition from prospect to contender.
In 2015 Parker cut a swathe through his opposition, obliterating all who faced him with a string of booming knockouts courtesy of his powerful right hand. Despite this impressive run of performances Parker wasn’t immune from criticism as sceptics were quick to claim that his opponents were either over matched, over the hill or just plain underwhelming. ‘He needs to start stepping it up’ seemed to be the consensus of opinion while Parker kept busy in his work, fighting and winning six times in a little over ten months. This accelerated schedule saw him rewarded with a swift rise through the world rankings.
As quickly as Tyson Fury changed the landscape of the heavyweight division with his against-the-odds defeat of Wladimir Klitschko, so it fractured again with the IBF immediately splintering off and declaring their title vacant.
In their own way the IBF may have done heavyweight boxing a favour as it has cleared a path for two of the sport’s most promising young heavyweights, Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker, to step up and sign the most significant fights of their respective careers.
Leo Santa Cruz
Hello everyone and good afternoon.
I’m just very happy and excited to go back in the ring. I’ve trained very hard for this fight. I know that it’s going to be a hard fight because Kiko is a fighter that comes to fight. He always comes ready. This could be a great opportunity because I know he has everything to win, everything to lose. So I know he’s going to come with everything. But I’m here ready for him. I’m just ready to give the fans a great show.
Unbeaten super-middleweight prospect Ronald Ellis makes his Showtime debut on February 19th and the 12-0(10) talent says he will “make a statement” in the scheduled 8-rounder with Jerry Odum.
A confident fighter who talks well, Ellis also says he wants an active 2016 so as to make up for a couple of injury-enforced layoffs earlier in his now five-year pro career.
Here the 2010 National Golden Gloves champion speaks exclusively with Eastside Boxing:
Artur, would you like to say a few words to start?
A. Szpilka – Welcome to everybody. The new heavyweight champion is here. You’ll see. I wait for questions.
L. DiBella – Well, the man who believes he is going to be the new heavyweight champion just said a couple of words. Now we’re going to go to the Heavyweight Champion, undefeated Deontay Wilder.