22.09.05 – In a terrific tripleheader on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on Saturday, Oct. 1, at 9:15 ET/PT (delayed on the west coast), James “Lights Out’’ Toney (68-4-2, 43 KOs) defends his IBA crown against Dominick “The Southern Disaster’’ Guinn (25-2-1, 18 KOs), IBF Heavyweight Champion Chris Byrd (38-2-1, 20 KOs) will make the fourth defense of his title against mandatory challenger DaVarryl Williamson (22-3, 18 KOs) and talented, hard-hitting IBF bantamweight champion Rafael Marquez (34-3, 30 KOs) risks his belt for the sixth time when he takes on International Boxing Organization (IBO) 118-pound champion/IBF No. 1 contender Silence “African Spice” Mabuza (18-0, 15 KOs).
Marquez: I am prepared to give a great fight because, as everyone knows, Mabuza is a great fighter too. I have been training and am very close to being 100 percent ready. It is all about waiting now, but I am very excited.
Mabuza: What I can say is my training is going very well so far. We are adjusted and acclimatized and it is only two weeks to go and when fight night comes, we will be ready.. We have seen Marquez in a couple of fights, so we know what is on our plate and we are ready for whatever he is going to dish out. One thing I will say: I hear people saying Marquez is a deep puncher, but the one question I have for Marquez and his camp is, can Marquez take a punch? Because there is a punch(er) in front of him come Oct. 1.
Begin Press Questions.
Question: Silence, some are saying that you might become the greatest boxer to ever come out of South Africa. What is your reaction to that and do you feel added pressure?
Mabuza: Not at all. When I got out and fight for the IBF (title), I believe that it is not going to be me fighting for South Africa, but for me fighting for myself, for my own glory. So it does not put any pressure on me because I am going to be in this game for a very long time.
Question: Rafael, are you disappointed in the way your relationship with Bob Arum turned out?
Marquez: I am not disappointed at all. It is just that it is a move that we had to make during this time. It was good for my career and for the best of what I think I will be in the coming year. (But) I do not think they treated us that well because, if they did, obviously we would still be with them.
Question: Rafael, are you a promotional free agent and where do you think you will be going in terms of a future promoter?
Marquez: After the fight I will have to sit with some people to see who would be the best promoter to go with. Right now I am concentrating 100 percent on this fight.
Question: Silence, were you surprised when the opportunity to fight Marquez came up?
Mabuza: No, I was not surprised. It is something which we have been waiting for quite a long time, but now is the right time for me to fight Marquez and I am ready for it. It is something that is long overdue, actually.
Question: Rafael, if you win this fight, what will be next? Are you thinking about moving up in weight?
Marquez: Hopefully, everything will go well with this fight as I have planned. After the fight, I will hopefully move up to 122 pounds and win a title there.
Question: Rafael, what do you know about Mabuza?
Marquez: He is a fast fighter and a strong fighter and I am preparing myself for a fighter that will come 100 percent ready. But I am ready.
Question: Silence, what is the secret to having success coming into someone else’s backyard and feeling so relaxed?
Mabuza: I believe it is to keep pulling the fight, playing the game, playing better. So now whenever I go to a fight, regardless of who I am fighting, we have a game plan for that fight. We have done our homework and come Oct. 1 (I will show it). I am ready.
Question: Rafael, do you think yours is sort of the “sleeper fight” on a card that has a number of other fights?
Marquez: I do not think it is a sleeper at all because people have seen me fight a couple of times in Reno and they know that I give exciting fights. I am sure Mabuza is going to come in great shape like he said and that will make it a great fight. When people know it is a great fight, they do show up.
Question: Silence, Rafael is coming in as the champion with a lot more experience. How are you going to make up for that difference in experience and win?
Mabuza: Now the fights are only on the book, they are only on the papers. But once we get into that ring, it is only going to be me and him trading punches, trading blows. For me to be fighting at this stage at this time for the IBF title, I think is the best time and the right time to fight a boxer like Rafael Marquez. So it makes no difference.
Marquez: Basically, you can say all you want, but I do my talking when my gloves are in the ring. That day we will be doing a lot of talking.
Question: Rafael, what is your prediction?
Marquez: Mabuza has a lot of fights in the amateurs, but basically in the pros, I have the experience. I have thrown a lot more punches and I will definitely come out the winner.
Question: Silence, what is your prediction?
Mabuza: I can say that I have prepared myself to go into this fight and I know what is on my plate. I know who I am facing and my preparation so far has been very well. I cannot predict anything now, but the one thing I know is that people must come in (great) numbers to see the great boxer coming out of Africa win in the ring at Reno.
Question: Rafael, what was it like to win the world title by scoring the big upset over Tim Austin that made both you and your brother world champions at the same time?
Marquez: We were very happy, both my brother and myself, for becoming world champions. We are very happy not only for our families, but also for the country of Mexico. Very happy.
Question: As far as his style, what do you expect, Rafael?
Marquez: I am basically prepared for a tough, hard fight, obviously, because he is a challenger and he is going to come out very hungry and wanting to win the title. I want to defend my title, but also give the people a great show and I will do that.
Question: Silence, what do you expect from Marquez?
Mabuza: Marquez is a very stick-to-basics type of boxer. He has got a very good jab and straight right and he is a very tough and strong boy. We know how to neutralize all that, especially his jab and that powerful right that he has got. At the end of the day, Silence Mabuza will be the new reigning IBF champion.
Heavyweight Call Begins
Question: James, what are your thoughts going into this fight?
Toney: Get in and get out. Dominick is going to fight and he is coming and he is hungry (but) I am starving. I am defending my title against this young kid and I am going to go out there and show the world who the best heavyweight is, period, hands down.
Question: If you win this fight, do you want to fight Chris Byrd?
Toney: I will fight anybody.
Question: What is your goal after this fight?
Toney: Right now, I am thinking about Dominick Guinn. That is the most important thing. He is a young kid and strong. He is determined. He is going to come and try to take what I got. It is not going to happen that night. After I am done with him, you can ask me that same question.
Question: How is your health as far as the injury that caused the problem for the last fight?
Toney: I am fine, 100 percent better than I was. I am going to look better and I am going to feel a lot better than I did for the fight with (John) Ruiz. I am angry right now and ready to go. I cannot wait.
Question: Do you know much about Dominick Guinn?
Toney: He is a good fighter. I take nothing away from him. I told (promoter) Dan (Goossen), give me anybody to fight because I want to prove myself.
Question: You have a lot of pride, so how hard was it on you when you learned about the results of the drug test after the Ruiz fight?
Toney: When Dan called and said I flunked the test, I thought about it for a little bit. You know what? It does not matter. I did it, I beat him, I beat Ruiz. I told Dan I wanted the fight. I was thinking I would be ready. I was not thinking about the stuff still being in my system. But I cannot look at the past. It was not Dan’s fault. It was my fault because I am so edgy. I wanted Ruiz; I wanted to get him before he changed his mind. So I do not blame anybody but myself. Bottom line.
Question: What do you think of the heavyweight division today compared to 30 years ago?
Toney: I think the state of the division today, besides me, is terrible. Look, out of everybody in the top 10, you have got all these so-called bad guys. But they could not compete with the ones from yesterday. If it was yesterday, it would have blown these guys up. Back then everybody fought each other. Right now, it is all about the politics, money or the belt. I am tired of all that. I am trying to get these guys hands down. It is all about position.
Question: James, with you at your best and in your best shape, where do you think you would have measured up to the heavyweights of yesterday?
Toney: Right up there because I am tough and hard. I can fight in any era and any way and I have proven it and done it and I will continue to do so until it is time for me to walk away. There will be no other fighter telling me to walk away, I can tell you that.
Question: Dominick, how are things going and what are your general thoughts?
Guinn: Training camp is going well. We are coming down to our last weekend. I do not have too much really to say. I agree with James on the state of the heavyweight boxing scene. It is bad out here and it is all about position and stuff and that is what people are trying to do. I have always been one of the ones that said I will fight anybody anywhere.
Question: Do you feel like you are working harder for this fight and does this fight mean more?
Guinn: Yes, it does. This is a very important fight for me and I am really ready and rededicated to the sport and that is what I have been doing – busting my rear everyday, day in and day out, in the gym and all I can do is prove it.
Question: Dominick, you were on such a good roll and then these last three or four fights have been difficult. What happened to you in that spell of time?
Guinn: It was a lack of motivation and I think we can just sum it up with that.
Question: What changed?
Guinn: Getting away from the people that I was with and I am just really happy right now.
Question: Dominick, do you think the losses are really a blessing in disguise? Do you think you were trying to prove too much to everybody and do you think this fight is your shining moment?
Guinn: I believe in God and everything does happen for a reason, no matter what. I have the two losses and a draw on my record and I am getting ready to fight for the IBA heavyweight championship.
Question: James, do you think you would be fighting Dominick if you would have kept your WBA title?
Toney: I do not care. I would still fight Dominick because he was the only one that stepped up to fight me. All your other so-called tough guys out there, Sam Peter and Chris Byrd, they would not fight. So I commend him for this. It is going to be a good fight. I cannot wait.
Question: Why didn’t you fight Chris Byrd?
Toney: Because his wife is the boss. She tells him what to do. She tells him when to eat and sleep.
Question: So she turned that fight down?
Toney: She probably did. She spent so much time calling me after his fight and what did he do? So what does that tell you right there? Who runs the household?
Question: Dominick, is there any possible way Toney can be hungrier than you?
Guinn: Because they took the belt away from him and I think he is trying to prove something, trying to get that back and trying to show that he did not need the drugs. I think both of us are really hungry and I think it is going to be a very exciting fight. People should really tune in.
Question: James, Byrd said last week that basically you are all talk, and did not want to fight him. Any comments on that?
Toney: I am not worried about Chris. I am worried about Dominick Guinn. Dominick Guinn is my future. Chris can worry about DaVarryl Williams and that is the bottom line.
Question: Dominick, what immediate changes has (new trainer) Joe Goossen been able to make? He has been known as a quick-fix-it kind of guy.
Guinn: Well, he really has not made a lot of changes. We have just been working on things that I am good at and bringing more of my athleticism out. I came to Los Angeles back in May, and I said I was going to talk with Joe and we talked about him training me and stuff. This all happened before the fight with Toney was made. I was already making the move to come out here and start training with Joe.
Question: Dominick, how much pressure did you feel being “anointed” by some as being the next big thing in the division? Did that affect your performance in the last few fights?
Guinn: Everything happens for a reason. I cannot blame it all on that. It is always up to a fighter if he is going to fight or not. One day he had it and one day he does not. I always look at that. So I know what I am going to have this fight and I know I do have a lot on the line and I feel a lot better coming into this fight.
Question: James, obviously nothing too good comes out of the situation you were just in. But do you think at least the time off gave you time to heal? You said your shoulder was still giving you a lot of problems leading up to the Ruiz fight.
Toney: My shoulder was pretty bad. But I have all the confidence in my ability in the world. I knew I could beat any guy out there with one hand and I did. But now, I have rested, I am back 100 percent and I am ready to go. I am not taking anything away from Dominick. Like he said, it is going to be a great fight.
Question: James, where are you right now in weight and where do you think you are going to come in at on fight night?
Toney: I will probably come in at 220.
Question: Do you have any closing comments?
Guinn: I just want to thank you for letting me be a part of this and I will see you Oct. 1