10.09.06 – DARA YOUNG (PR Director, Golden Boy Promotions): Thank you, everybody, for joining this call. I know it’s early and it’s been a busy week trying to catch up after the Labor Day weekend. My name is Dara Young. I’m the PR Director at Golden Boy Promotions. I’d like to just introduce the call a little bit. We are about to start the “Barrera vs. Juarez II, Too Close to Call” conference call. We will have Rocky Juarez going first with a Q&A session followed by Marco Antonio Barrera in a few moments..
We are looking forward to the fight Saturday, September 16th, at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
And I will have the operator now turn the floor over. Operator?
OPERATOR: Thank you.
At this time, I would like to introduce Mr. Carl Moretti, Main Events Vice President, for Rocky Juarez.
CARL MORETTI, VICE PRESIDENT, MAIN EVENTS: Thank you.
Welcome, everybody, to Rocky Juarez’ conference call before the big rematch on September 16th. To say we’re a little bit excited about this rematch and have this opportunity so quickly since the May fight is an understatement. I’m just going to let Rocky just say some opening words about how his camp went and then he’ll take all the questions. So Rock, why don’t you just tell everybody how camp went this time.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Hey, how’s everybody doing today? How’s it going, Carl?
Everything went great and man, camp’s been going great. We’ve been working hard and, you know, very, very excited for September 16. You know, days are counting down. I believe it’s almost close to a week from fight night and we’re just looking forward to it, you know?
Thanks to Barrera, we have this second opportunity to fight for the championship WBC super featherweight title and we’re going to do it again.
CARL MORETTI: Thanks, Rock.
We’ll take, you know, any questions for Rocky and we’ll go from there. So open it up.
OPERATOR: Thank you. At this time, if you would like to ask a question, please press star, then the number one on your telephone key pad at this time.
Our first question is coming from Eddie Goldman.
EDDIE GOLDMAN, SECONDS OUT RADIO : Rocky, how you doing today?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How’s it going, Eddie?
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Very good and I want to know how it’s going with you? I first want to find out what was your reaction in the last fight when it was initially announced as a draw and then later in the dressing room, you found out it had been changed and that Barrera had gotten the decision?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, when the announcer announced it a draw, I, you know, I guess, as a fighter, you know, fighting against a great champion like Barrera, you could basically be happy about it or, you know, be OK with the fact that you didn’t suffer a defeat.
After they went back to the dressing room and told me within 20, 30 minutes after the fight that I had lost by a single point, you know, it was very disappointing to me and but I’m a fighter and my job is to go out there and fight and perform. So I left that, you know, decision to, you know, my promoters and my manager.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Now, going into this fight, he was the big favorite and a lot of that had to do with the loss you had had the year before to Humberto Soto. Can you tell us if there was anything that you changed in your preparation for this fight or your training?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, we’ve been, you know, I feel that we went into the fight with too much, well, I guess started too late in the first fight and I believe I lost a few rounds in the early – in the beginning stage of the fight. And I believe that was one of the reasons why maybe the fight was as close as it was. So I think that was one of the things we needed to work on to actually just start off quicker and take bigger risks.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Have you felt that you’ve learned something from the loss to Soto and made changes in your overall approach and stepped up your game?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, in this profession, man, in boxing I think one thing you learn as a fighter after losing a fight is, you know, it’s very, you know, you fall back two, three steps so losing a fight to Soto was very hard on me as far as, you know, you know, critics believing that, you know, Rocky Juarez isn’t what was expected. But you know, I think Soto has proven that, you know, he’s a threat, that either the featherweight division and, you know, he came to fight that night and I think he’s a threat in any division that he fights in now.
So by saying that, I performed the best that I could. He was just a better fighter that night but I feel that I’m the better fighter and that if we were to have a rematch, that I could beat him on the rematch so …
EDDIE GOLDMAN: And you think that by the rematch with Barrera also, that you can beat him decisively this time?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Oh, definitely. I feel that I have to beat him decisively the second time around. I feel that, you know, not too many fighters get the second opportunity, a second chance for a title back-to-back, and as fast as this has happened. So I have to make the best of it and go out there and leave nothing behind.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Do you anticipate a really active fight, because a lot of people already talking about this fight and the main fights on this card as being potential fight of the year candidates because what we expect to happen in the ring.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I mean, it’s a great care overall, you know. If I was let’s just say, if I wasn’t fighting on this card, if Barrera was fighting somebody else, I would definitely be there to see it live because the fact that, you know, we have three championship fights and three great cards and I think people are actually looking forward to the rematch of Barrera and I because they enjoyed the first fight and I believe that they know the second fight is going to be that much better.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: OK, do you want to make your prediction for the fight?
ROCKY JUAREZ: No predictions. We’re just trying to go the 12 rounds and if a knock-out comes, it comes. But we’re ready to go 12 rounds if necessary.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: OK, good luck. I’m looking forward to it.
PETER PALMIERE, BOXING INSIDE TV/KOTV: Hey, Rocky, how you doing?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How’s it going, Peter?
PETER PALMIERE: It’s doing OK.
Listen, a lot of decisions in boxing tend to be political depending upon whether or not the judges may like one style of a fighter or may get turned off by another fighter’s attitude. Like last week’s James Toney fight with Samuel Peter. A lot of people thought Tony got robbed because of, you know, the boxing establishment don’t like him. I’m not saying it’s true about you but did you feel that the decision that was made in the first fight was perhaps a political decision?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I mean, I thought that I left the fight in the judges’ hands and that’s why one of the reasons I was very upset with myself. But I think the fans and the people who were watching, you know, felt that I won the fight. I mean, the people that were, the fans that were watching there live, after I left the arena at the Staple Center, I believe, I mean, you could say was a 95 to a five percent crowd – a 95 percent Barrera crowd compared to my five percent, you know. But not even that. Maybe at 98. But after I left the arena, I had so many fans out there that actually stayed to congratulate me tell me that I had won the fight and that, you know, Barrera was given a gift.
PETER PALMIERE: Among the excuses that the Barrera camp has given is an ill-(INAUDIBLE) mouthpiece. But they do credit your beautiful upper cut, which bloodied his nose inside and hampered his breathing. Did you feel those were just excuses? Did you feel Barrera was in shape? What do you think was the main reason why the first fight came out the way it did?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Barrera is – I believe Barrera was in great – good shape. I think he didn’t underestimate me. I think throughout the press conferences and before the fight actually happened, he was always showing great respect for me and, you know, as a fighter like Barrera, I think people might say he didn’t train and that he wasn’t prepared but, you know, Barrera isn’t Barrera, you know, the great champion he is for taking opponents lightly. So I think that’s just something people want to say to make excuses for him.
Barrera knows he was in shape. I know he was in shape. If wasn’t in shape, I don’t believe he would have lasted the 12 rounds, so I feel that Barrera’s just going to come in with a different style and try to, I guess you can say, probably revenge the first fight where I feel that he might have lost.
PETER PALMIERE: How tough was the first fight for you?
ROCKY JUAREZ: I can’t say it was my toughest but it was tough. I still feel the Soto fight was tougher. I think, you know, I landed, you know, I (INAUDIBLE) landed maybe five times more shots on Soto than I did with Barrera and I believe I hadn’t landed them shots with Barrera, the fight wouldn’t have gone the distance. But you know, Barrera is a veteran, you know, that’s why he doesn’t get hit as much so he – I can say that he’s a veteran in the ring and I’ve learned a lot from the first fight.
PETER PALMIERE: Like what?
ROCKY JUAREZ: I’ve learned especially, you know, the inside style of fighting, how he maneuvers, and rests when he needs, and basically how he tries to take the round at the end of the round. You know, the last 10 seconds, he knows how to, I guess, how to take the round away.
PETER PALMIERE: Well, let me finish with this then, how different will the second fight be than the first? Are you going to make Barrera fight for every second of the round?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, that’s our goal. You know, we’re definitely going to be cautious but not as cautious as we – I’m going to be cautious but not as cautious as I was the first fight. I kind of got an example of how he fights already and you kind of get a little comfortable for the fact that you’ve been in the ring – that I’ve been in the ring and fought him once already. So we’re going to be cautious but definitely we know we’re going to have to take bigger risks and have to take the fight to him.
PETER PALMIERE: More aggressive?
ROCKY JUAREZ: More aggressive. More shots. Basically, I’ll work him and do what we need to do to be victorious that day.
PETER PALMIERE: Rocky, thank you for taking the time out to talk to me. I really appreciate it. Thanks.
ROBERT MORALES, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: Hey, Rocky, how you doing, man?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How’s it going, Rob?
ROBERT MORALES: It’s going all right.
Hey, listen, I think most of us feel like at worst, the first fight was a draw. I had you winning, I think, all six of the last rounds there. How much more confident – I know you were confident before that. You had to be. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been able to fight Barrera so well. But how much more confident did you end up with after that fight, after such a good performance?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I’m not going to – I was always confident, you know, just confident in my ability and in my training that I was in shape. And I feel the same way so, you know, that I’ve done everything necessary to be in the best shape that I can. And I feel that, you know, when we took the first fight against Barrera, and we didn’t take going in thinking we were going to lose. I mean, we took it, you know, being glad that we were given the opportunity to fight against a great champion, and not only that, but for the title, for the WBC title. So you know, I feel this is my second chance and like I said, I have to take – do the best that’s necessary to be victorious that day.
ROBERT MORALES: But did you – do you feel – forget about the training for a second – just as a fighter from what you did in that fight against Barrera, do you feel even better about yourself? Did that just give you more confidence than ever just you as a fighter, how good you are?
ROCKY JUAREZ: No, I can’t – no. I’m not going to say that, you know, because I’ve never doubted my ability. You know, Barrera, when you’re in the ring, yes, I know who I was going up against, you know, legendary, the great Marco Antonio Barrera. But you know, I had to not – I had to block that out and think about that, you know, he’s just another fighter. And you know, I could beat him. So it didn’t amaze me that I performed the way I performed. I felt I could have performed better but no, I didn’t gain more confidence that, you know, the way on my performance.
ROBERT MORALES: I got you. OK, that’s fair enough.
One last thing, Rocky, I was there when you had the press conference in Las Vegas. I know there was some talk before the press conference started about the gloves being changed. I know what their reasons are, what they said they were. What do you think their reasons are? A lot of us feel because a lot of us talked, that, you know, Marco saw your power and he didn’t want to be in the ring with you again with (INAUDIBLE) gloves.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I think Marco made the decision to use the (INAUDIBLE) gloves, whether it has to do with my power or not, I mean, he basically holds the cards and it’s really up to him to make the decision. You know, I told, you know, when my manager, Shelly Finkel, was telling me that, you know, there was a debate about the gloves, I was telling Shelly you know what? I don’t care what – I don’t care. We could use pillows for all I care.”
ROBERT MORALES: (INAUDIBLE)
ROCKY JUAREZ: It made the (INAUDIBLE) happen, you know? It didn’t bother me what gloves I used. You know, the two or three times that I’ve used Everlastic (ph) gloves, I’ve knocked out my components. It didn’t make no difference.
CARLOS MUNOZ, EL DIA NEWSPAPER: Hey, Rocky, how you doing, man?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Como estas, Carlos?
CARLOS MUNOZ: Buen, (INAUDIBLE)
Hey, Rock, do you think De La Hoya’s going to be involved again in this fight in the final result?
ROCKY JUAREZ: I believe if anything, De La Hoya’s going to try to get his hands into the cookie jar. So you know, I feel that’s any promoter trying, you know, they have to. But I think, you know, the fight being in Vegas, De La Hoya doesn’t have so much say so, being in Las Vegas and the fact that people are going to be watching more closely on the decision if they go to decision and try to make it an equal – make it equal for both fighters.
ANTONIO CASTRO, WKNR SPORTSTALK 850 : Hey, Rocky, how are you doing?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How you doing, Antonio?
ANTONIO CASTRO: Good. Could you compare your training camps the previous one for the first fight to this one that you’re having with the rematch with Barrera?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, this training camp, you know, the first fight with Barrera, we began working with a strength condition coach which was my first time ever in my professional career and I think people saw, I guess, you know, a stronger Rocky Juarez. We worked with him for like five weeks I believe but, you know, this fight we continued to work with our strength condition coach but we’ve worked with them close to three months. I believe it will be three months by the time the fight comes, September 16th. So we feel we just – we’ve done just the same but or even more this second time around for the rematch.
ANTONIO CASTRO: Rocky, how important is it in your career to have a victory over a future Hall of Famer in Marco Antonio Barrera?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, it’s just the opportunity I believe fighting against a great, you know, great champion like Marco Antonio Barrera but you know, I don’t visualize who I’m going up against, you know, I just visualize the prize, which is being champion of the world. And that’s just been a long time dream of mine and I plan on achieving it and you know, whether it’s Marco Antonio Barrera or any other champion out there, or any other fighter, it’s the prize that’s at stake I’m actually fighting for, to become world champion.
I think the best thing right now is what I visualize is not beating Marco Antonio Barrera but is being in the middle of the ring and them announcing, “And the new champion of the world, Rocky Juarez.” That’s my goal.
ANTONIO CASTRO: With this fight being in Las Vegas, the last one being in Los Angeles , do you think it gives yourself a better advantage this time because you’re not as you said, in De La Hoya’s home state?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Oh, definitely, Antonio. It gives me an advantage but you know, it only gives me an advantage to a certain point. You know, I’m still going to — I’m still going to be the one fighting in the ring and I’m still going to have to perform even better than the first fight so I just think, you know, that everyone’s going to be watching closer and making sure things are equal for both fighters.
ANTONIO CASTRO: One last question, Rocky. I appreciate your time.
How do you compare yourself to the other 130-pounders in the division such as Eric Morales (ph), or Manny Pakiow (ph)?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I compare myself, you know, on the same level. You know, they’ve accomplished more than I have. I haven’t been world champion and, you know, that’s something I want to accomplish. One thing I can say is if it had been Eric Morales (ph) or Manny Pakiow (ph) that was giving me a shot for the title, I would have taken it then. but it so happens to be Marco Antonio Barrera so, you know, I told my promoter Carl and my manager Shelly, anybody at the 126 pounds or the 130 pounds is willing to give me a shot, whether I have to move up or move down, I’m willing to take all comers.
TRE THOMPSON, THE FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM : Rocky, how are you?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How’s it going, Tre?
TRAE THOMPSON: Doing good.
Quick question for you. Right after that first fight with Marco, what did he say to you in the rink? Did he say anything about just how you fought or just was he surprised? What did he say to you?
ROCKY JUAREZ: I believe he – from what I recall, he just was giving me (INAUDIBLE) and just, I guess, we were in a tough fight and he was just actually, you know, showing respect and I don’t – I can’t recall the exact words. But we were just giving each other the respect that we both deserved.
TRE THOMPSON: Yes. Do you remember in the fight, was there any point where just your power or just your just the way your fighting him, did you see anything as far as body language where he was a little surprised how good you were doing?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I think he just, you know, he got exhausted. I think the onslaught I was bringing to him at the end of the – towards the end of the fight was just too much. I think I just started late and, you know, my power I’ve showed throughout my career that my power always stays the same from round one to round 12 or round 10. It doesn’t matter. And that I’m in shape to go the distance so I think he was just surprised that I had – that I was just getting stronger and stronger as the fight progressed.
TRE THOMPSON: OK. One last thing here. You said as far as this fight, you’re going to be more aggressive, go for more shots. Did you learn anything from watching Marcos fight with Pakiow (ph) and how aggressive he was with him in their fight?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I try not to, you know, base the way I need to fight on how Pakiow (ph) fought Barrera because, you know, Pakiow’s (ph) a south paw and everybody – like everybody knows, south paws are just awkward fighters …
TRE THOMPSON: Sure.
ROCKY JUAREZ: … and you know, we just felt like if – this is what I tell everybody. I tell everybody that I’m going to be aggressive and that I need to throw more shots. But I’m going to fight the best style necessary to get me the victory, whether if it means having to box and I think people might be surprised or it they might think I can’t box, but if I see that’s working, I’m just going to have to adapt to the best style that I can to beat him.
RAMIRO GONZALES, LA OPINION: Richardo?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Si.
RAMIRO GONZALES: Rocky, she say the wrong name. Ramiro (INAUDIBLE) from Los Angeles.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Oh, OK, Ramiro.
RAMIRO GONZALES: Rocky, how close do you think you are for the first time to win the title? You were so close in the Olympics, very, very close, and you told me you saw the gold medal and you tried to kiss it, (INAUDIBLE) approach it or to get it. You couldn’t get it. Then you were very close with Barrera the first time and you told me also that you saw the belt and said it will be mine the next time. How close you for that?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Yes, the first fight against Barerra when he had the belt around his waist, I do remember I touched it and I, you know, I just touched it because it’s just something that I needed to touch and feel and say you know what? I thought that should have been mine. Just the same way as the Olympics when I felt the gold medal should have been mine. I touched it, picked it up, but you know, of course, I had to give it back. I just felt like – but that just makes me drive and makes me more determined to want to train harder and to win it.
RAMIRO GONZALES: So this time what do you want to do different? I mean, like you said before, you want to try to go with everything because I heard Barrera, he’s training like that, like a horse. You know, he’s going to come I think different. So how you going to do different or what are you going to do different this time?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I’m going to have to adapt. I mean, I have my game plan, which is, you know, to be aggressive and, you know, people might see, you know, an early knockout, if anything because I know Barrera might want to get his respect in the beginning of the fight. I know he’s going to throw, you know, big shots in the early rounds so, you know, people are going to see an exciting fight whether Barrera tries to box, I’m going to be the aggressor or Barrera tries to exchange punches, and people are going to see a similar fight to Eric Morales (ph) / Barrera fight.
PATRICK KEHOE, THESWEETSCIENCE.COM : Hey, Rocky, how you doing?
ROCKY JUAREZ: How are you doing, Patrick?
PATRICK KEHOE: Good. I wanted to just follow up on something that you were talking about. One of the things that happens oftentimes in rematches with great fighters as you well know, is that they can fall into a pattern. And the pattern sort of resembles a little bit of what the first fight was all about, even though they’ve trained at camp and told themselves for three, four, five weeks, six weeks they’re not going to do it. How do you, you know what I’m talking about?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Yes.
PATRICK KEHOE: How do you avoid that kind of thing?
ROCKY JUAREZ: Well, I think Barrera being a veteran, you know, he’s been in (INAUDIBLE) fights. I mean, he’s been into a lot of wars and it’s just a question of how much does he have, you know? I think people kind of ask that question, the first fight with me and Barrera. How much does he have in his tank to give out against a young, strong, hungry fighter? You know, I think, you know, this second fight, Barrera’s going to have to realize that I’m just going to bring it on more than the first fight. So it’s just a matter of how much does he have in his tank.
You know, everybody knows (INAUDIBLE) I’m coming with …
PATRICK KEHOE: Yes.
ROCKY JUAREZ: .. and I make it, you know, a statement. I guess you can say that I’m going to bring it now, if it’s up to Barrera to decide whether he’s going to box or stay in the middles of the ring with me.
PATRICK KEHOE: In a funny way, do you sort of feel like he has a little bit to prove. I mean, in a sense that early in the fight and that could may be work into your hands in the sense he might have been a little embarrassed in the first fight.
ROCKY JUAREZ: And better in a way that he felt he lost the fight? Maybe.
PATRICK KEHOE: Yes.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Yes, maybe, I mean, to say that, I mean, that’s the reason I feel that he’s giving me the second chance.
PATRICK KEHOE: Yes.
ROCKY JUAREZ: I mean, it’s not so much a second chance for me but a second chance for him.
PATRICK KEHOE: Yes. Sorry, the other thing I just want to quickly – my last question here is, did you – when you’re in the ring with him, did you sort of – did you sort of see that he’s becoming a much more selective puncher? You know, he’s in more situational than he used to be?
ROCKY JUAREZ: No, I think people saw Barrera fight, you know, the best that he could. I think, you know, Barrera, you know, whether he was trying to survive, Barrera kept fighting. I mean, that’s just the type of fighter Barrera is and, you know, Barrera knows and I think Barrera knew, you know, exchanging punches with me was a big risk, you know. Just the same as I knew exchanging punches with him so whether Barrera feels like he needs to prove something, he, you know, to sit in the middle of the ring and exchange punches, he still is going – it’s still going to run through his mind, “I’m taking a big risk of getting caught.”
PATRICK KEHOE: OK. Rocky, good luck.
ROCKY JUAREZ: Thank you.
OPERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce your host today, Mr. Oscar De La Hoya, President of Golden Boy Entertainment.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, PRESIDENT, GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS : Hi, good afternoon, everyone.
First of all, thank you very much for taking the calls and being on line. We are extremely excited on the once again having the privilege of watching Marco Antonio Barrera fight on September 16th, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He will be going up against Rocky Juarez, which we all know is a great fighter. And their first battle was a very entertaining battle where the fight was a very close fight.
This fight will be billed as “Too Close to Call.” The (INAUDIBLE) whole card from top to bottom, every fight is too close to call. And what I’m really, truly excited about is that we’re going to be able to witness a legend, a living legend in Marco Antonio Barrera, who’s 62-4, with 42 knockouts.
And without any further ado, I would like to introduce to you your WBC World Champion, where his training camp went excellent, he was telling me, in Mexico, Marco Antonio Barrera.
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA : (INAUDIBLE).
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Everyone, I want to first of all say think you for being on. And any questions you have, we’re here to answer anything.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Hi, Marco, how you doing today
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: Hola, thank you, and you?
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Very good, thanks.
The question that I have is in the first fight, of course, with Rock Juarez, you went in as a very big favorite and ended up being a very close fight. Everybody knows first it was announced as a draw and then they said they added wrong, and it was you got a victory. What are you planning to do differently this time to win the fight decisively so that there’s no question in anybody’s mind who won?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: Por favor.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Well, he said at 32 years old, he, you know, it’s almost impossible to learn anything new now. But one thing he is certain is he’s definitely ready for this fight. Yes, he was favorite going into the first fight with Rocky, but all he can do now is demonstrate with his fists come September 16th and he said he’s definitely ready.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Could you comment on some reports and rumors that before the first fight with Rocky Juarez that you were ill and had some stomach problem?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He says that he doesn’t want to put no excuses whatsoever and it was a very tough, tough fight and the only thing that he wants to clarify is that he is not ready for this fight. He is in excellent, excellent shape for this fight. He’s not just ready, he’s excellent.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: Thank you.
Now, does Marco feel that he underestimated Rocky because Rocky had lost a few fights before to Soto, and did he feel that maybe he didn’t take him that seriously coming into the first fight?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He says no, he took him seriously and like every other opponent, he takes very seriously and, you know, Rocky Juarez is a young, hungry fighter and, you know, he took him very serious. And this time around, he’ll, I mean, like I said, he’s in excellent shape.
EDDIE GOLDMAN: And the last thing is, he is anticipating a very active fight because a lot of people expect that this fight and also the other fights on this same show, could possibly be fight of the year candidates?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He says that he has no choice but to fight hard because obviously, you have Johnny Gonzalez against Israel Vasquez. Then you have Mario against Guzman (ph), which are going to be excellent, excellent fights with a lot of fireworks. And so he has no choice but to demonstrate and to give a great performance so it’s obviously going to elevate everyone’s performance, I think.
PAUL UPHAM, SECONDSOUT.COM : Oscar and Marc, thank you for your time.
Marc, you’re taking this rematch to I would say to make a point to the boxing fans that with Juarez, if you win this fight, are you planning to have a rematch with (INAUDIBLE) next year?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He feels obligated that he has to take this fight to make sure that obviously, there’s no doubt with the first fight and you know, he doesn’t want to leave no doubt with the promoters. He wants to make them happy.
So he promises he’s going to be in the best shape, in excellent shape (INAUDIBLE).
PAUL UPHAM: Oscar, from your perspective, can you talk about what Marc has (INAUDIBLE), what he means to the Mexican people and maybe how great he is compared to the great Mexican fighters?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Well, I’ve always mentioned at a personal level Marco Antonio Barrera is top three fighters coming from Mexico. And obviously, his career is not over yet.
Marco Antonio Barrera can really become the fighter in Mexico in history and so he means a lot to the Mexican national in Mexico, and in the United States, and all over the world. So having him fight September 16th to us at Golden Boy is the great (INAUDIBLE).
TRE THOMPSON: Yes, Oscar, if you could ask Marco what did he say to Rocky right after the fight there in the ring? What did he say to him about his performance or just about the fight?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: What he’s always accustomed in saying, great fighter and a great fight.
TRAE THOMPSON: OK. Last thing, too, was Marco caught off guard or surprised by anything as far as Rocky’s performance or his strength, or the way he fought him?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He wasn’t actually surprised at all. He expected that. He expects when any fighter is young like Rocky Juarez, he expects that so he wasn’t caught off guard at any moment. He was ready for what Rocky Juarez was going to bring to the table.
RAMIRO GONZALEZ: Marc, buenos dias, (INAUDIBLE) Los Angeles.
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
RAMIRO GONZALEZ: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Yes, Marco says that he’s not going to leave no doubt whatsoever. You know, yes, he is facing a hungry and young Rocky, but he’s not leaving no doubt whatsoever. He’s going to go out and win September 16th.
RAMIRO GONZALEZ: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: He says if, you know, he’s (INAUDIBLE) teach him a lesson come September 16th and Marcos mentioned that he’s going hold him by the hand and take him to school. He’s talked too much in Texas and he’s going to take him to school come September 16th.
PETER PALMIERE: Hi, Oscar. Hi, Marco. How you guys doing?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Good, Peter.
PETER PALMIERE: Good. OK, I’ll keep this short since interpretation stuff is always longer, give other people a chance.
Marco, Rocky has suggested that there was – that he is more relieved that the fight is going to be in Vegas because he felt that Golden Boy Promotions had too much of an influence with what was going on in California. I’d like to hear your response, Marco, and Oscar’s response.
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Marco feels the same way, you know, the way Rocky feels. He’s glad it’s on neutral ground so he doesn’t want no excuses whatsoever this time.
PETER PALMIERE: OK, Marco, in talking with Oscar a couple of weeks ago, you know, he revealed that one of the problems you had during the fight was that you had an ill-fitting mouthpiece. I commented to Oscar that I couldn’t conceive how your corner could come into a major fight like this without proper fitting mouthpieces. Why did that happen and how are you going to guarantee that it won’t happen in this fight?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Yes, he actually wanted to use a new mouthpiece going into the fight and you know, obviously everyone has a backup mouthpiece so he had his normal mouthpiece and later, after the fight, he put back the normal mouthpiece so obviously, that problem will not happen again.
PETER PALMIERE: How are you training differently for this fight in comparison with the first?
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: (INAUDIBLE)
MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA: (INAUDIBLE)
OSCAR DE LA HOYA: Just a lot of hard work and you know, he’s felt that he hasn’t felt this way in a lot of years so he’s going to show up in the ring and he can’t wait.
OPERATOR: That concludes our conference call. Thank you.
“BARRERA-JUAREZ II – TOO CLOSE TO CALL” which features the championship rematch between Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez headlines a hard-hitting night of boxing on Saturday, September 16 at the MGM Grand presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Main Events. Barrios, who hails from Argentina is considered the country’s #1 fighter and a significant win for him could open many doors, including a move up in weight to revenge his loss to Brazil’s Acelino Freitas. For Joan Guzman, also recognized as the #1 fighter is his Dominican Republic homeland, a win would mean bigger fights and a dominant position in the junior lightweight division. The stakes are extremely high as the winner of the bout could potentially face the winner of the main event between Barrera and Juarez.
Tickets are priced at a reasonable $75, $150, $250, and $350 and available at any Ticketmaster outlet, ticketmaster.com, or call (702) 474-4000. The Barrera vs. Juarez II pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. EST/6p.m. PST on September 16, has a suggested retail price of $44.95, and will be distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View.