SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – May 17th– Today Antonio Tarver and International Boxing Organization (IBO) cruiserweight champion Danny Green had their final press conference at the site of the fight, the Sydney Entertainment Center. Both fighters were very respectful to each other, but also very confident about victory.
Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com.au (+1300883622) and are priced at $1000 for VIP Ringside, $750 Platinum Ringside, $500 Gold Ringside, $350 Silver Ringside, $250 Bronze Ringside, $175 VIP, $135 Platinum, $95 Gold, $75 Silver, $55 Bronze.
ANTONIO TARVER
“I’m well rested, I’m bringing it, the speed, power, focus and determination. I’m ready to fight.”
“To me it’s sexy to be fighting outside of USA. The pressure is on Danny Green. He has to fight in front of his fans, hometown, and country. All I have to do is what I do and that is to win.”
“Danny is going to experience a lot in this fight. All those wild punches he throws will be missing. I’ll be counter punching, setting up my combinations and when I start touching Danny the end is near. I don’t think he has ever felt the type of power I have. I throw combination punches with a lot of power.”
“I just personally feel they picked the wrong guy. They thought that an old, slow, 42-year-old guy would be showing up on Wednesday night, but that’s not the case. You’ve got a hungry, determined assassin that’s showing up.”
DANNY GREEN
“Preparation has been great for this fight. There has been a lot of talk and hype and I’m looking forward to getting in the ring and doing my job. This is my biggest challenge as a fighter and there has been a lot of crap coming out of from the other side. I hope they enjoy their stay and their flight home.”
“Antonio Tarver is a phenomenal fighter and we are well aware of what we are up against in this fight. He’s a 4-Time world champion and
future Hall of Fame fighter, other than that when the bell rings the respect is gone. He’s piece of meat that’s in front of me that I have to break down and chop up, the same thing he’s going to try against me.
“I’ll prove my will is greater. Antonio Tarver is the kind of guy who can be broken. I can break him. I’ve seen him beaten. He’s fought very good fighters, yes, but he’s been beaten. He has that attitude. I don’t like to be beaten. I’ve come back, but Tarver has proven he can be a beaten man.”
BRITISH CHAMPION ASHLEY THEOPHANE: READY, STEADY, COOK
John Murray and Kevin Mitchell fought their hearts out on Saturday and it was a great encounter.
John is a ‘no nonsense’ type of fighter and I do like his style; wearing his opponents down with constant pressure and, up until this with fight Kevin, he had always got his own way.
Kevin is also a very good boxer, with skills in abundance, and the fight was close up until the seventh round when Mitchell took control. I would love to see a rematch happen in the future.
Elsewhere in the boxing world, Randall Bailey is fighting on September 3rd on is the co-feature of Andre Berto’s world title challenge to International Boxing Federation (IBF) Welterweight World champion. Lou DiBella has inquired about my availability.
I was due to fight Randall Bailey last October in an IBF World Welterweight eliminator in Belgium and my name has been linked with Kendall Holt, Lamont Peterson and Joel Julio for US fights this year.
Those are the fights that interest me.
But until then my full focus is now on my weekend title fight with Jason Cook and last week was my last hard week in the gym – I completed 30 quality hours of working out.
A week before my fights I normally go to a spa and spend three or more hours pampering myself. It’s a way to relax and treat myself after all the hard work training.
Jason Cook is unknown outside of Britain and he will stay that way come Saturday. There is no way that a 40 year old Jason Cook can match me for ring generalship, speed, skills, heart and chin.
Every time Jason Cook has stepped up to world class level, he has been dropped and soundly outpointed or knocked out – with Gavin Rees and Aldo Rios doing just that.
I have been around world class level for the last few years sparring and fighting world class operators.
Jason Cook’s trainer Darren Wilson, has stated I would be his biggest win as a trainer if Cook were to be victorious on Saturday. Not being disrespectful to Darren, but it’s like the blind leading the blind. Darren hasn’t got the boxing knowledge to deal with the arsenal I have. When Cook is hurt and confused, Darren won’t know what to tell him.
I have been training for three months for this British title defence and I am looking forward to defending my title at the venue where I won it.
I have spent two months training at All Stars Boxing gym in London with Dave Brown, and did a month at Gleason’s gym in New York with Harry Keit and Jihad Abdul Aziz.
Everything from sparring, pads, technical work, fitness and strength conditioning have gone to plan and I feel in as good shape as I was against Lenny Daws, if not better.
I thought Lenny beat Jason convincingly in their encounter and although Jason had three or four good rounds, it was all Lenny otherwise.
When you look at our common opponent, which is Lenny Daws, there can only be one winner.
When Jason has stepped up in class he has drowned. When I step up in class I swim like a dolphin.
Angel McKenzie Ready For Title Clash With Mikaela Lauren This Saturday
Quirky former Big Brother star Angel McKenzie is taking a break from her busy television schedule to travel to Spain this week, where she is determined to wrench World Welterweight Champion Mikaela Lauren’s coveted WPBF title from her grasp.
Brixton, London based Angel has traveled the World and fought some of the biggest names in the sport, including GBC World Champion Lyndsey Scragg, two time World Champion Conjestina Achieng, former European Champion Daniela David, WIBA World Champion Jessica Balogun (twice), recent World title challenger Olivia Boudouma, five time World Champion Anne Sophie Mathis and in February this year Angel challenged Lucia Morelli for the WIBF World title.
Angel, who is one of the contestants taking part in the all new ITV quiz show Red or Black, today spoke briefly about the upcoming fight, “It’s good to fight Mikaela, she’s a world class boxer.
She fought Cecelia Braekhus for her three belts, she lost but that was her only loss.
I like fighting the best, I fought two time champion Jessica Balogun just before she won the WIBA title and fought the best pound for pound fighter in the World, five time champion Anne Sophie Mathis.
I fight my best against the best.”
Supporting the headlining Mikaela Lauren versus Angel McKenzie title fight is a name that should be be familiar with British boxing fans, Francisco Javier Gonzalez Torres, better known by the simplified Fran Gonzalez tag – who I’m sure many will recall put on a gritty performance against ‘Phat’ Pat McAleese in Dagenham back in March – On the 23rd July Fran will be facing Marcos Munoz.
Also featured on the show is a six round Light Welterweight contest between TWBA Light Welterweight Champion Torrevieja’s Emiliano Casal and Valencia’s Ruben Cupe.
The final professional fight on the card sees big hitting Paterna based Ukrainian Light Welterweight Ivan Grynyuk against fellow Ukrainian Artem Ayvazidi.
Prior to the professional bouts Spanish Olympic boxing squad members Dani Cuevas (Middleweight) and Jhonathan Saavedra (Heavyweight) will open the proceedings against tough opposition from David Cámara de Torrevieja and Russian Oleg Tricolich respectively.
Mikaela Lauren versus Angel McKenzie, for the WPBF World Welterweight title takes place at the Polideportivo Municipal de Chiva, Comunidad Valenciana in Spain on Saturday 23rd July 2011.