BROOKLYN, NY (July 2, 2014) – Unified Super Lightweight World Champion Danny “Swift” Garcia and his challenger “Lightning” Rod Salka met at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY today to officially announce the card they headline, a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING tripleheader on Saturday, Aug. 9. Oscar De La Hoya hosted the proceedings that included Lamont Peterson, Edgar Santana and Daniel Jacobs.
Here’s what the principals had to say…
DANNY GARCIA, Unified Super Lightweight World Champion
“Come August 9 it’s going to be another great performance by me. I feel like I’ve got a lot to prove. I’ve got to show the world why I’m the unified super lightweight champion of the world.
“I’m already training hard in the gym every day and running the hills. If the fight was next week I’d be ready, I’ve just got to lose a few more pounds.
“I can’t wait until August 9. It’s going to be my night.
“Danny Garcia has a lot to prove. I have to go in there and show him [Rod Salka] that I’m the best fighter in the world.
“It’s going to be a classy performance, but ugly for my opponent.”
ANGEL GARCIA, Danny Garcia’s Father & Trainer
“Danny is training hard right now, there’s a great camp going on. He’s going to come in, destroy and conquer.
“Salka can try to come in. He can work hard, but don’t look at the Herrera tape because you’ll get confused. Danny Garcia is a chameleon.
“Just because Danny had an awkward night doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again. He’s going to come in to destroy and conquer.”
ROD SALKA, Super Lightweight Contender
“I’m coming to work. I’ve been working really hard, and my whole boxing career I’ve worked to put myself in position to fight for a world championship.
“In this country, thank God, if you’re willing to work hard and bust your butt then the opportunities will present themselves. Opportunities always look a lot like hard work in my opinion.
“So I plan on busting my ass, working hard in the gym. I’m living there now, and I’m going back there tonight. We’re going to give Danny Garcia all that he can handle on August 9.”
LAMONT PETERSON, IBF Junior Welterweight World Champion
“I just want to say that I’m happy to be fighting in New York. It’s my first time fighting here, so I’m excited. I’m training hard, and we’re going to put on a good fight.
“I’m expecting for (Santana) to have a big crowd since this is his hometown. But I’m pretty sure D.C. is going to show up and show out that night. I’m just looking forward to the fight and you all should expect a good one.
“I know he will come in prepared. I know Edgar Santana can fight. He can hold his ground against anyone.”
EDGAR SANTANA, Junior Welterweight Contender
“First of all, I’d like to thank Lamont for giving me the chance to fight for the world title. I’m grateful to be here. If you follow my career, you know I’ve had some fallbacks. I’ve been chewed up, swallowed and spit back out by the streets, but I’m here.
“They say that I’m an underdog, but I’m definitely not training like an underdog. I’m training like I’m a champion.”
DANIEL JACOBS, Middleweight Contender
“Finally, the “Miracle Man” has come back to Barclays Center! It feels great to be back in my hometown where I was born and raised and to have an opportunity to fight for a world championship here.
“It’s just mind blowing, the opportunity of a lifetime, and I look forward to taking full advantage of the opportunity.
“I want to thank my opponent for accepting this fight because he’s coming from Australia to Brooklyn to fight in my backyard. It says a lot about that fighter and the man that he is, and I applaud that.
“I remember being on my death bed, and I found out in the newspaper that the Barclays Center was opening and that they were going to have fights here. And me not knowing if I would ever be able to box again, let alone perform here…to be standing here in front of you guys and saying that I’m fighting for the WBA Championship of the world is awesome!
“I also want to say that I represent more than just the sport of boxing. I’m a true gentleman of the sport, and it takes guys like myself, Oscar and other guys who represent the sport well to continue to take this sport to another level.
“I just want to say thank you guys for all of your support that you’ve given me. It will definitely be the start of something epic. I appreciate you guys and God bless you all.
“I’m training like a champion and come August 9 I will be a champion.”
GREG COHEN, Jarrod Fletcher’s Manager
“SHOWTIME has an unbelievable commitment to airing incredible boxing and the August 9 show is no different and we’re very happy to be a part of it.
“I’ve been lucky enough to come to quite a few events at Barclays Center and I’m excited to be a part of this event.
“I’d like to thank Golden Boy, dealing with Eric Gomez to make this fight could not have been better and making this fight could not have gone smoother.
“Daniel Jacobs is a great sportsman and a terrific guy, unfortunately, I happen to be representing the guy going against him.
“You probably don’t know Jarrod Fletcher. He’s a kid from Australia who had a very similar upbringing in amateur boxing to Oscar De La Hoya. He’s a two-time Olympian, he beat current superstars Adonis Stevenson and James DeGale.
He could not be happier about this opportunity to fight in New York in Daniel Jacobs’ hometown, but that’s what you have to do if you want to be a champion.
“I’m looking forward to August 9 and as Oscar said, the real winners are going to be the fans.”
SADAM ALI, Undefeated Welterweight Prospect
“I’m very excited about the card. We have a lot of great fighters. I want to thank Golden Boy, SHOWTIME and Barclays Center for making the fight in my hometown.
“I’m excited, I’ve been working very hard and I’m ready for the elite level.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President & Founder of Golden Boy Promotions
“It is a pleasure to be back at the Barclays Center where we have seen that boxing is alive and thriving in Brooklyn. On August 9, we have three world title fights with three of the most talented and beloved fighters today.
“Danny Garcia has beaten some of the biggest and best names in boxing and plans to remain unbeaten on August 9.
“Most fighters say they come from the streets; for Lamont Peterson it is the literal sense. Him and his brother were left homeless on the streets of DC at the age of 10. Now Lamont has climbed all the way to becoming a world champion.
“For Daniel Jacobs this fight will have significance few could ever dream of. Danny has had a battle for life itself with cancer in order to get here.
“All three of these world champions will be put to the test August 9 as they face the most dangerous opponents in boxing…the underdogs.
“Rod Salka, Edgar Santana and Jarrod Fletcher, each of these fighters will have the chance to showcase their heart and desire and to prove the doubters wrong.
“All we need to do is look at recent Golden Boy boxing history. We know that some of the best fights of the past year starred underdogs in the fight of their lives.
“In boxing you are dealing with the theater of the unexpected. At Golden Boy we are focused on giving the fans exciting matchups that wont disappoint.
“Not too long ago, every one of these world champions — Garcia, Peterson and Jacobs were in make or break fights where they were the underdogs. They know what it’s like to go into a f
“In boxing, it’s the punch you don’t see that will knock you out and it’s the opponent you don’t expect that will beat you.
“Every fighter who makes it to that squared circle is a superstar. I remember when I fought Felix Sturm and everyone said it would be a walk in the park. And we all know what happened. It was a very difficult fight.
“Believe me when I tell you from personal experience. On Saturday August 9 these fighters will be ready to lay it all on the line. I already know who the winner will be, the fans.
“Don’t wait until the last minute, get your tickets now for what will be another great card at Barclays Center.”
CHRIS DEBLASIO, Executive Vice President of Sports Communication for SHOWTIME
“On August 9 we are going televise three world championship fights on SHOWTIME featuring three young, dynamicAmerican stars of boxing.
“These three fighters, Daniel Jacobs, Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson have been part of an incredible run on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING events over the last two and a half years.
“But don’t underestimate the underdogs. Rod Salka, Edgar Santana and Jarrod Fletcher are hungry and they are on the cusp of winning their first world championship fights. We expect that they will come on August 9 and deliver to the standard that we’ve set on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING with some of the amazing fights that we’ve had just this year alone.
“I don’t think anyone gave Mauricio Herrera a chance to give Danny Garcia a challenge back in March; we saw what happened there. I don’t think Yoshihiro Kamegai got a lot of credit when he was coming into his fight with Robert Guerrero, John Molina, Jr. versus Lucas Matthysse, this list goes on and on, Andrzej Fonfara against Stevenson, we saw an incredible fight there and an incredible challenge.
“On August 9 we expect there to be fireworks in the ring, we expect the challengers to seize the moment and bring their all for an opportunity of a lifetime and for our stars of the sport to match that challenge.”
SEAN SADDEH, VP of Programming at Barclays Center
“We look forward to another great night of Golden Boy boxing. It’s exciting to bring Danny Garcia back to Barclays Center, where his last two fights have brought the crowd to its feet.
“We’re also excited to bring back Brooklyn’s own, Daniel Jacobs for his third fight in our arena. Daniel has served as an inspiration to the up and coming fighters in this borough and I know he will have a lot of fans cheering for him August 9.
“I’d also like to welcome back our Brooklynites Sadam Ali and Zachary Ochoa, each of whom are fighting at Barclays Center for the third time.
“For the rest of the fighters, welcome to Brooklyn, we hope you enjoy fighting at Barclays Center. This is our eighth fight with Golden Boy at Barclays Center and we want to thank the entire team there.
“We are looking forward to seeing all of you next month at Barclays Center and for many future fights.”
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Garcia vs. Salka is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions and is sponsored by Corona and AT&T. Tickets priced at $250, $125, $75, $50 and $25, plus applicable taxes and service charges go on sale Friday, June 27 at noon ET and are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-745-3000 and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. For group tickets, p
