New York, NY – April 14 2004 – The fighters have rolled into New York City for Saturday’s pay-per-view championship bonanza. At today’s press conference, held at the Theater lobby of the Garden the participants were joined by the new WBO Heavyweight Champion Lamon Brewster and former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. From the comments made to those in attendance everybody seems to be a more that ready as the tension mount for April 17th live from this legendary arena.
Chris Byrd vs. Andrew “Powerful Pole” Golota – IBF Heavyweight Championship
Andrew Golota
“I am ready for a clean, tough fight but I’ll be the new champion.”
Sam Colona (Golata’s current trainer and for his first 22 fights)
“Andrew came back to me wanting to redeem himself, I told him the he should stay retired, but he’s ready to prove the contrary and be a champion. I still didn’t believe him but he started to work hard until we got this opportunity. He is serious about his fight with Byrd; I never seem him work so hard. He is in the gym earlier than anybody and he wants to do this to show his kids and his family that he can be a champion again.”
Chris Byrd
“I am pleased to be here today, but having Evander Holyfield up on the dais means a lot to me. He is also a small heavyweight like me and he fought the biggest and toughest opponents in the world, and he fought all of them. Golota is just like that – big and tough, but I’ll give you the best show ever, with a lot of hand speed and movement. We have three very important weeks in the heavyweight division and the public will choose who’s the best of all of us. It will be hard to top Lamon Brewster’s victory last week but I’ll try my best. I was rooting for him (who happens to be my cousin) and my wife Tracey said she thought I was fighting already. She told me to calm down and reminded me my fight wasn’t until this week.”
Joe Byrd (Chris’s Father)
“I want to let everybody know that Chris was training so hard that when he hit the heavy bag in the gym the bag wanted to call 911.”
John “The Quietman” Ruiz vs. “Fast” Fres Oquendo – WBA Heavyweight Championship
Fres Oquendo
“I been in this situation before, when I felt I was robbed of the heavyweight belt after I fought Chris Byrd. However, I am grateful to have a new opportunity to fight for a title and I think the eight weeks in training camp will pay off. I have a great team. Last time I fought under the weather (he had a cold prior to his fight against Byrd) and I still thought I dominated him by out jabbed and punching him. Now I am in excellent condition. I have trained hard for eight weeks and I haven’t taken lightly. I’ll guarantee that I will solidify my boxing legacy with a victory.”
John Ruiz
“This is the place to be on Saturday night. I just want to thank HBO and Don King for being with me through my career. Come April 17th , there will only be two fighters in the ring, me and him, nothing else matters.”
Norman Stone (Ruiz’s Manager/Trainer)
“Johnny will knock him out; I’ll bet anybody right now that it won’t go past the sixth round. Johnny Ruiz will still be the WBA heavyweight champion of the world.”
Jose “El Gallo” vs. Ricardo “El Matador” Mayorga
WBA Welterweight Championship
Ricardo Mayorga
“I cannot believe they brought me this little chicken to fight. It will be an easy night of work. This kid looks like a spring chicken and I bet he’s never seen a fighter of my category in the ring. Look at his hands, they are tiny, I already feel sorry for him. He doesn’t have a chance, or the heart or the ability to beat me. Rivera is in big trouble, and he’s fighting a real man on Saturday night. He will get knocked out in the third round.”
Jose Rivera
“I am prepared for Mayorga. He talks too much but I don’t care what he says. He can speak his mind today, at the press conference, at the weigh in, but I’ll shut him up in the ring. I am a family man, and my responsibility is to continue with my career the best way I know.”
Wayne “Big Truck” Braithwaite vs. Louis “The Lion” Azille
WBC Cruiserweight Championship
Louis Azille
“I know my opponent because I have already fought him. But, the first time we fought I was sick and I still took the fight. I am more than ready for the rematch, I have been training non-stop for six full weeks. He will be undefeated until Saturday night, after that the belt is mine – I’ll beat him.”
Wayne Braithwaite
“Before the last fight he said he was going to knock me out and never mentioned he was sick. So today, he is only making excuses. The truth is that the first time was an easy fight for me, and if he thinks he has a chance to beat me he needs to know this time will be much worst. I want to show the world that the “Big Truck” is coming.”
WBO Heavyweight Champion
Lamon Brewster
“I will be cheering for my cousin Chris, just like he did for me when I fought Klitschko last Saturday in Las Vegas. Come Sunday night, our family will have two heavyweight champions to cheer for.”
Former Undisputed Heavyweight Champion
Evander Holyfield
“At this point in my life I am at crossroads. And Don King has given me a new opportunity to make my dream a reality to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I still believe that I can accomplish my goal. Saturday night I’ll see which one of this champions I’ll possibly be fighting in the near future.”
“The New Era Begins”
Tickets are priced at $600, $350, $200, $100 and $45 and are available at the Garden box office and all TicketMaster locations or by calling TicketMaster at 212-307-7171, 201-507-8900, 631-888-9000, or 914-454-3388. TicketMaster purchases are subject to convenience charges.
The event will be televised nationally and internationally by KingVision and distributed domestically by HBO Pay-Per-View, and is scheduled to start at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT.