4 July 2024
Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
The fighters face off.
| Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman: “Good afternoon everyone. Thank you Jamie, thank you Darren. What a night we have on Saturday. What a weekend. Is there anything more English than this weekend? Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix, England in the Quarter Finals of the Euros and Johnny Fisher against Alen Babic in front of 7,000 at the Copper Bosh Arena on Saturday night, live around the world on DAZN. What a night it is going to be, and what a time for British boxing, and what a time for DAZN as well, a platform that we started working with a few years back now the absolute global home of boxing. Last Saturday in Phoenix we saw an epic night as Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez beat Estrada to go top five in the pound-for-pound list. Of course, the Copper Box this Saturday and then next week we’re in Philadelphia for Jaron Ennis with a huge crowd at the Wells Fargo Arena before we head to Manchester on August 24 for Jack Catterall against Regis Prograis – launched yesterday at Co-op Live. Before that on August 3 we’re in LA for Riyadh Season Terrance Crawford against Israel Madrimov. DAZN is flying.” Johnny Fisher: “I’m very ready Eddie. I don’t know when I said I was tough. I’m ready for the challenge. I’m excited to get in there. We talk about deep waters and my dad not getting in the ring and the fans not getting in the ring, that’s very true. It’s just going to be me and you, and I’m big, I’m strong, I’m powerful and fast. There will be a realisation when my fist lands on you, it’s not going to be a good thing. I’m going to have 10z gloves on, that’s going to be a jeopardy for you. Just remember, deep waters are coming. I’m there, you’re there, just be ready. Stop with the words. Less talk more action. Saturday night it’s me and you, that’s all that matters. You can take me there, I can take you there, it doesn’t matter – we’re both going there. It’s time to work. It could finish early but I’m prepared for ten gruelling hard rounds. I’ve got respect for Alen Babic. He’s a warrior and he brings war. I know what he brings and he knows what I bring so I don’t need to talk the fight up. I don’t want you to turn up and roll over, I want you to stand up and to bring it to me. That’s not a good place for you to stand, right on my chest. You’re going to get uppercuts, you’re going to get hooks and I’m going to hit your jaw.” Alen Babic: “Thank you for having me. I’m just blessed to be here like always. This is about the resurrection of ‘The Savage’. You made a mistake Eddie Hearn when you slide into my DMs asking about a fight with Johnny Fisher. I was in shock that you would put the boy through this but let’s go, let’s go through it. I said yes because you underestimate ‘The Savage’. Everybody has underestimated ‘The Savage’ all of my life. Never like this. I was fighting big men when Johnny Fisher was ten years old. I was knocking them out cold. So I’m going to show you. Boxing will be the only judge on the night, nobody is going to save him. Nobody is going to be with him. He has so many fans and his father is doing an amazing job, and I’m jealous. But listen, to be here I had to claw my way up to be at this stage. He just had to drive a car like ten minutes. I had to do hundreds of fights at shit arenas where people were trying to kill me, literally. So I’m going to show you what boxing can do on Saturday night. Do you think I’ve never fought a guy that punches hard? Do you actually believe that? My first Heavyweight fight was when I was 21, so do you think I never fought someone who punches hard? You know who I spar, you know what I do. I’ve been doing this for 13 years. My head is like a mashed potato. Of course he punches hard, look at him. He’s a f***ing giant, I told you the first time, I like to kill giants. I just put my chin on his chest and make it as hard as possible. It’s going to be the loneliest place he’s ever been in and he’s going to feel it. He will feel it after, believe me, after five seconds. He’s going to know he’s in deep waters.” Reece Bellotti: “It’s going to be a good fight. I’m expecting a good fight. I’ve trained harder than I ever have for this, I want to keep these belts and that’s what I plan on doing Saturday. There’s always plans but like you say my main focus is Levi. I’m not looking past that until after Saturday night.” Levi Giles: “This is the biggest moment of my career on Saturday. We’ve had a great training camp. Mentally and physically I’m in the best shape possible. I’m more than ready for Saturday night. We’ve all watched Reece over the years and we know what he brings. It’s war every time. We’re prepared for that and we’re prepared if it goes that far 36 minutes of the hardest night of my life, but it’ll be the most rewarding when we come out British and Commonwealth Champion.” John Hedges: “To be fair this was my dream. I said I wanted to get on this top table. This is where I want to perform. This is my arena Saturday night. It’s going to be a big fight for me. That belt I’ve been chasing since I first turned professional so there’s on way I’m letting anyone take that off me.” Lewis Oakford: “I’m definitely ready, can’t wait. I can’t wait. We’ve had a great training camp. I’m going to leave not stone unturned on Saturday night. I’m going to leave it all in the ring. I believe I’ll come out victorious.” Maiseyrose Courtney: “It is what it is. I’ve got a lovely fight on Saturday. I’m excited to step up to ten rounds. I’m fit enough to fight 110 rounds. Once I do a job on Jasmina you can go and tell your mate how good I am. That’s what it means to me, breaking barriers in women’s boxing means a lot more to me than these championships and stuff like that. I want me make people in my gym proud, I want to make Tony proud, my family proud and myself proud.” Jasmina Zapotoczna: “Hello everyone. The Shannon Ryan fight was very tough and on short noticed. I stepped up with the weight, so Super-Flyweight wasn’t my championship weight but I feel confident now. Flyweight is my division so let’s see what’s going to happen on Saturday. I’ve been preparing for this fight for three months. I had a proper camp and a warm-up fight with Gemma Ruegg. I think I’m ready. I’m ready for Saturday.” Giorgio Visioli: “I’m very excited. I’ve sold a few tickets this time, very close to home. I’m looking to put on another class performance. Like I said in the last press conference, in the amateurs you’ve not really got much time to set your feet. In the pros now I’m setting my feet a little bit more. I feel like I’m getting my man strength a little bit. I’m sharp, these guys are running forward and I’m catching them on the chin.” Jimmy Sains: “It was a great turnout last week at the Brentwood Centre. It was great to be fighting locally. I don’t know if I’ll get that opportunity again to fight local. But it was great and I made the most of it. Now I’m back on a Matchroom show, another Stratford one, another London one. So I’m looking forward to it. The longer rounds definitely suit me more as I start stepping in to eight and ten rounders. It suits my style, I can relax a bit more and get behind the jab, which I did last Saturday. I hope to do the same this Saturday.” Leli Buttigieg: “Yep I’m looking forward to it. I told you I’d sell a lot of tickets for this one. I’m glad to be fighting in front of everyone from home. I’m going to put on a good performance. I can’t wait now. There’s a lot of people coming down and it’s going to good. I’ve enjoyed the travelling around everywhere but this is the one that I’ve been waiting for. I’ve performed well in my previous fights and I’ve got better with each fight but this is where you’re going to see the best of me. It’s going to be buzzing and I’m going to knock this guy out.” Lewie Pochetty: “I’m very grateful that I can have my fight before the England game so get yourself down there to watch a good performance. I’m looking forward to being active as a pro.” Alfie Sharman, DAZN: “Thanks Eddie, Hello everyone. An amazing weekend we have ahead of us. Three mega fights on Saturday starting with his 50-50 Heavyweight clash and then as we move through the evening William Zepeda and Nate Diaz returns to the ring later on in the evening, and then as you rightfully say within the next month we welcome pound for pound contenders Terrance Crawford and Boots Ennis to our platform. To pause and focus on this weekend, Johnny Fisher – a fantastic fighter. I’ve had the pleasure of being ringside for most of his fights so far. Undoubtably one of the most exciting talents in the Heavyweight division. That could all get disrupted on Saturday against Alen Babic. He comes out swinging always, he’s a very game opponent and we all know what he’s capable of. For me this is a really fun fight. Maybe not so much for these two guys, but for everyone else and for us as boxing fans, everyone in the arena is going to be up on their feet. Everyone at home is going to be gripped to the TV for the full undercard as well. I can’t wait. Join us ringside this Saturday night live and exclusive only on DAZN.” |
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