KENDALL HOLT: “It’s going to be a great night in boxing for Team Holt. We’re in good shape for this fight. We have a game plan for this fight and a backup game plan. The thing is to follow the game plan precise. I have a plan B just in case that doesn’t work. But I’ve been training for two months for this fight and I have to execute the game plan as planned. I can’t really compare Bradley to anyone I have fought before because he has natural ability. He is a different kind of boxer, a boxer with a jab and decent speed, so I can’t compare him to anyone I’ve fought before..
“At different times I’ll try different things. I wouldn’t say he’s a boxer puncher. I’d say he’s a good puncher and he has a decent right hand. But I’m going to test everything. I’m going to test his heart, test his will, test his chin, test his stamina. I’m testing everything because I need that belt.
“I never overlook anything. Anything can happen at any given time so I’m not overlooking anything.
On Bradley saying he’d knock him out:
“It didn’t really get underneath my skin because when I’m in a fight I want to knock everybody out. Going the distance, going 12 rounds is just bonus for the fans. I want to knock everybody out. I mean I look at my opponent as they want to do the same thing for me.
“This is the biggest fight of my career to date so it’s the most important fight. Each and every fight is important because without winning the fight at hand you can’t move onto the next big fight.”
On if fans will see a knockout:
“I try to knock everybody out. If a knockout happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, as long as the decision goes my way, I’m completely content with that. My advantages are experience, height and reach.”
On Bradley having more amateur experience:
“Who the hell cares about the amateurs right now? Demetrius had more experience than me in the amateurs too, and he beat me in the amateurs. (Miguel) Cotto got beat in the amateurs by people he knocked out in the pros. Who the hell cares about the amateurs really?”
What it means to be a role model for the people of Paterson, N.J.
“It means the world that my accomplishments can help somebody else overcome the problems that they are overcoming. It means the world because I didn’t really have anyone to look up to that was in my town. That’s a great feeling. Each and every time I lace those gloves up it’s a motivation for me.”
On how he survived the second Torres fight:
“It was a fight I prepared for. It was one of the toughest training camps I had to date. I just didn’t want to be denied. I didn’t come here to lose and I wasn’t going to lose. I was in tremendous shape, so I had the will to win and the heart to win. When I went down I wasn’t hurt. The only reason I was retreating was because I wanted to get my punches off. Once my back was against the ropes I attacked. If he wasn’t coming at me like a wild man there wouldn’t have been a head butt. Blame it on him.”
On what he will show Bradley:
“I’m not going to show him, I’m going to let him feel power that he hasn’t felt inside those ropes. He hasn’t faced anyone with strong speed and power combined like I have.”
“I have a couple of different game plans that I can execute in this fight. I can use distance being that I have more range and longer arms. I have the height. I also have speed and power. If he tries to rush in the power will definitely get his attention and get his respect. If that happens, if he respects my power, my speed and my counterpunching ability, I can go in and press the fight.
“But also because of his talents and his abilities this fight has the ability to be the fight of the year. I’m not going to back down and I hope he’s doesn’t back down. This fight could potentially be fight of the year.”
On what’s changed during training:
“Nothing has changed. A lot of things have just become a lot more clear. The more I watch the tapes, the more I spar, the more the No. 1 game plan emerges in my mind.
“Show me to money. Manny Pacquiao. They just gave (good friend) Brandon (Jacobs of the New York Giants) the money, so now it’s my turn.
“I’d like to thank Timothy Bradley and Gary Shaw for being scared to put him in there against a real beast like myself.”
BOB ARUM:
“I think it’s going to be a tremendous fight. Kendall is an improving fighter. He scored a tremendous victory over Demetrius Hopkins. His knockout to win the title was probably the round of the year. Anyway we’re confident in his performance in Montreal on April 4.
“The 140-pond division is now becoming of the loaded divisions in boxing. This is a very important because the winner of the big fight, and I’m absolutely sure it’s going to be Kendall Holt, is going to put himself right in the picture for the big money fights that are coming at 150 pounds.
“It’s going to be a great fight. Two terrific fighters, one winner: Kendall Holt. He’s going to do his job on April 4 and go on to bigger and better things.”