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“Jag är hungrig. I’m determined. I’m not playing with anybody in 2016.
My actions will speak for themselves.” – Wilder
“I don’t just want to win; I want to win in spectacular fashion.” – Nål
Klicka HÄR För Foton Från Stephanie Trapp / Showtime®
Klicka HÄR För bilder från Ed Diller / DiBella Entertainment
BROOKLYN (Januari 14, 2016) – A dramatic fight week continued Torsdag as WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder and bruising Polish contender Artur Szpilka participated inthe final press conference before they enter the ring this Lördag, Januari 16 leva på Showtime från Barclays Center.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® Telecast börjar vid 10 p.m. OCH/7 p.m. PT with unbeatensCharles Martin och Vyacheslav Glazkov fighting for the vacant IBF Heavyweight World Championship.
Biljetter för live-event, som främjas av DiBella Entertainment i association med Warriors boxning och Sferis Knockout kampanjer, börja på $25, exklusive tillämpliga avgifter, och finns det erbjudanden nu. Biljetter kan köpas på nätet genom att besöka www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.comeller genom att ringa 1-800-745-3000. Biljetter finns också på American Express Box Office på Barclays Center. Grupprabatter finns genom att ringa 844-BKLYN-GP Här är vad deltagarna hade att säga Torsdag:
Deontay Wilder
“I’m so happy to be here in the ‘Big Apple.’ It’s been over 115 years since there’s been a heavyweight title fight in Brooklyn and you’ve invited your ‘country friend’ to end that streak.
“Everything has happened at the right time in my life. Even the people I’ve met in my career have come at the right time. I still think about the first time I met Lennox Lewis and he took the time out to talk to me and he showed me different techniques. I’ll never forget.
“Lennox was one of those guys that set the standard. He’s a hard act to follow. But I love a challenge. Everybody has had struggles coming up. Now my children are my motivation and that’s what has made me strong physically and mentally.
“Here we are in 2016, with a young champion trying to follow in the footsteps of a great champion to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
“People who know me know that if I say I’m going to do something, I’m doing it. I am hungry. I am determined. I’m not playing with anybody in 2016. I don’t say things just to sound good. My actions will speak for themselves.
“This is a great card. Two heavyweight title fights in one night. It doesn’t get much better than that. The heavyweight division is exciting again. Having someone like me, it’s only going to get better.
“I take pride in what I do and what I have. I’m very honored to have the WBC belt. I even have the belt tattooed on my body. It’s not going anywhere. But there are more belts that I want. It’s going to be a long journey and a tough path to fulfill. But I’m that man.
“When people say the heavyweight champion of the world, I want one person to be recognized. I wish my opponent and all future opponents good luck, cause they’re going to need it.
“We’re not looking past Artur Szpilka. Things happen due to adrenaline and excitement, but I’m very confident about what I’m going to do på lördag natt. He wants to be the first Polish heavyweight champion of the world. You know he’s coming to make history.
“This is going to be a hard fight, but a fun fight. Everyone who sees this fight, they’re going to get their money’s worth. Det kommer att bli en fantastisk show. Jag kan inte vänta. Waiting is the hardest part of boxing.”
ARTUR PIN
“I’m so happy to fight in front of so many great Polish fans. I want to be the first Polish heavyweight champion of the world. I want to do it.
“Det finns ingen press på mig. The pressure is on Deontay because I just want to be a world champion, han redan är.
“I’m not just here to get my paycheck. Everyone who knows me, knows I come to fight. I don’t just want to win; I want to win in spectacular fashion.
“I have a bunch of friends coming in from Chicago but the next 48 hours will be mostly relaxing. I have a couple small training sessions with Ronnie (Shields) but that’s it.
“I know you have to have a great respect for your opponent and I used to have respect for him. But after what he has said about me, I have a problem. You have to prove it in the ring. He has to do it in the ring, not outside the ring. He can say whatever he wants, but we will see it in the ring.
“I will fight hard and after the fight you will hear ‘The New Heavyweight Champion of the World.’ “
CHARLES MARTIN
“I’m so thankful to be in this position. Everyone who put this together and got me here, I owe them everything. I want to thank my mom for making me a strong guy. We went through everything together. We’ve seen it all.
“It’s starting to get real. I can feel my aggression coming out. I’m a Taurus, I’m a bull. I get mean when it’s time to fight. That’s what I want to bring into the ring på lördag natt. Controlled aggression.
“I’m a nice person but when it’s time to go, I have an angry heart.
“I train for every fight like a title fight. Mentally there was nothing to gear up for. I’m strong mentally. I’ve been running up in the mountains and doing a lot of rounds.
“We’re in great shape after being in one camp for eight weeks and then taking a week off before we got back to it. It was a great training camp.
“I’m happy and excited. Jag ser fram emot denna kamp på lördag and taking what’s mine.
“I’m so sick of talking about what Glazkov does well, I just want to see if he can do it well against me.”
VYACHESLAV GLAZKOV
“Thank you everyone who supports me and loves boxing. Detta är en stor möjlighet för mig. Jag är 100 procent klar. This will be a good fight and I hope everyone is watching.
“Jag mår bra. I’ve trained very hard. I’m very ready for this fight. Everything is in place for me to become world champion.
“Charles is a big guy. He’s a lefty but he hasn’t fought good opponents. He’s a big strong guy, but it’s the heavyweight division. Everyone is strong. This will be a good fight.
“All of my past fights have helped me get ready for this one. I want all of the belts. This is the first step towards my dream.”
Lennox Lewis, Former Unified Heavyweight World Champion
“I’m looking forward to the fights Lördag. There are four great heavyweights that I’m excited to see. I’m happy that my WBC belt is looked after so well.
“The heavyweight division is wide open right now. Now it’s time for the guys who were standing by the wayside to show that they want to be the next undisputed champion.”
LOU DiBella, VD för DiBella Entertainment
“This is going to be a huge event at Barclays Center på lördag natt. There are still some tickets available, but you better run and get them. We just opened up some more tickets today. We could have a record crowd for boxing at Barclays Center and that’s the power of the heavyweight division and the power of boxing when you deliver a great product to people.
“There are two terrific fights in one night. They will be the first heavyweight title fights in Brooklyn in 115 år. We knew we were going to have Deontay Wilder taking on Artur Szpilka. We didn’t initially expect it, but now we have a title fight for a vacant belt as a co-feature. It really makes it a special night.”
STEPHEN ESPINOZA, Vice VD & General Manager, Showtime Sports®
“SHOWTIME Sports was born on March 10, 1986 with its first telecast of a sporting event, which happened to feature a spectacular 11th-round knockout by “Förunderliga” Marvin Hagler. This is SHOWTIME’s 30thanniversary and we’ll be celebrating all year long.
“In keeping with our heavyweight theme, we are featuring our long history with Evander Holyfield and airing some of his biggest fights. Holyfield has fought with us 18 gånger, the most of any other fighter. If there is a current fighter who can break that record, it’s Deontay Wilder. He’s fought eight times and we’ve seen the progression of his skills.
“I can’t think of a better way to kick off our year than with this doubleheader of heavyweight title fights. For each of these four fighters on this SHOWTIME card, Lördag night represents a lifetime of work and their dream of being heavyweight champion. I’m convinced we’re going to have two memorable fights that will add to the great history of SHOWTIME.
“We have such confidence in this card we’re doing something unprecedented. Not only is it a part of our Free Preview Weekend, but we’re putting the entire telecast on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube Channel. There’s no excuse for anyone to miss it.”
BRETT YORMARK, VD för Barclays Center
“Barclays Center is in the big event business and it doesn’t get any bigger than hosting two heavyweight world championship fights Lördag natt. Brooklyn has a great history with heavyweights but it’s been a long time. Deontay is the perfect person to bring this tradition back to Brooklyn. Han är övertygad om, tenacious and has a big personality. He’s made to fight in Brooklyn.
“Wilder versus Artur Szpilka is the matchup Brooklyn has been waiting for. The Fort Greene section of Brooklyn has a tremendous Polish population and Artur will have a big rooting section på lördag natt.
“This will be our sixteenth event and I expect 2016 to be our biggest year ever. This is certainly an exciting way to kick off boxing at Barclays for 2016.”
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