Dankie, almal, for joining us today for this great call to officially announce a very exciting match up. And without further ado, 'n bietjie oor wat grootgeword het om te praat, Ek gaan Chris DeBlasio te stel, Vise-president van Sport Communications vir Showtime.

Chris DeBlasio

Dankie, Kelly. I’m going to keep this brief. I know we want to talk to the fighters on this card. But I think I’d be remiss if I didn’t represent for Stephen Espinoza, who couldn’t be on the call today, hoe baie opgewonde ons is vir die debuut van Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. op ons netwerk op Saterdag, April 18, vir ons Showtime KAMPIOENSKAP boks doubleheader. Dit gaan 'n groot nag. On the call with us and in the ring across from Julio Chavez Jr. daardie nag is Andrzej Fonfara, a man that we know that really comes to fight. He brought it on his first fight on SHOWTIME last year when he fought Adonis Stevenson. And that was a thrilling affair. And we’re looking forward to a real test and a great challenge for Chavez Jr. And we’re excited to have him on behalf of all of us at SHOWTIME. We welcome both of you guys and, natuurlik, thanks to all the press for being on the call. Dankie, Kelly.

K. Swanson

Dankie, almal. Goed. We’re going to go ahead and introduce the fighters and their trainers for you. First we have Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., voormalige middelgewig-wêreldkampioen, Andrzej Fonfara, die voormalige wêreld titel uitdager, Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. — ons almal weet wie hy is, en beslis uit respek vir die groot legende dat hy, Ons verwelkom hom op die oproep — Joe Goossen, wat Julio se afrigter, en Sam Colonna, wat Fonfara se afrigter.

So, in hierdie tyd, wat ek wil doen, is om te vra Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. maak die opening opmerkings oor hierdie stryd en 'n bietjie oor wat hy nou doen in oefenkamp en net hoe hy voel oor die stryd.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

I’m training very well. I’m training (op 'n hoër) level than the best. I’m doing more physical training (en ek kry nader aan die) gewig van 172 pond. And I think I’m in great shape, jy weet? I have a lot of time and don’t stay in this kind of shape.

K. Swanson

Goed. Now let’s hear from Andrzej Fonfara. Andrzej, kon jy praat 'n bietjie en vertel ons hoe jy voel oor die stryd teen Jr.?

Andrzej Fonfara

I’m feeling great. I think Chavez Jr. is 'n groot vegter, wêreldkampioen. And you know, it’s good fight for me. I trained hard for the fight. We got very good camp. Nou, we start a sparring session. Jy weet, my gewig is goed. My training’s–all trainings are good. I spent two weeks in Houston. I’m trained there, te. Then I’m back to Chicago. We finished camp here. And I’m–jy weet, Ek is gereed vir Ontmoet Chavez in die ring April 18en wys hom ek is beter bokser.

K. Swanson

Goed. Excellent. Baie dankie. Next we’ll have the trainers say something very brief before we turn it over to the media for call. So, Joe Goossen, he is Julio Cesar Chavez’s trainer at this point. Joe, sou jy graag 'n paar opmerkings te maak?

Joe Goossen

Dankie. Nommer een, I want to thank SHOWTIME because we’re very excited about performing for SHOWTIME on Julio’s debut fight with SHOWTIME. And that being said, jy weet, Julio is baie, very serious about this fight. Like Fonfara, he trained for a few weeks in Los Angeles. En nou, ons is in Lake Tahoe, up in the high altitude in the mountains here. It’s very secluded. It’s very concentrated work. Julio is — Ek kan net vir julle dit vertel — is baie toegewyd aan hierdie stryd, geestelik, fisies, and spiritually. He’s shown me that he’s willing to work very hard for this fight, which always works out well when a fighter cooperates in training. And he’s doing that 110 persent. And I can’t tell you how happy I am, nommer een, om saam te werk met Julio Jr. It’s been something that I’ve always wanted to do. En natuurlik, I know his father very well. And I’m very honored to be a part of the team. And I can’t wait ’til April 18 to display all of Julio’s talents and to go there. And we’ve got one objective. And that’s to win the fight. With the way Julio’s training, I’m very confident in what we’re doing right now. So, I’m very happy with that. And I’m sure Andrzej’s doing the same thing, training very hard. Met wat gesê word, dankie.

K. Swanson

Dankie. Nou, Sam Colonna, As jy kan 'n kommentaar gee ons, en dan sal ons dit oopmaak vir vrae.

Sam Colonna

Wel, eerste, I’d like to thank everybody for getting this together. It’s an honor to be part of it. Maar, jy weet, voordat hulle opgetel Julio Cesar Chavez te veg, they were throwing names at us. And I would say no. And another name came. I would say no. As soon as they said, 'Wat van Julio Cesar Chavez,’ Ek het gesê, ‘That’s the fight we want.’ The style is perfect for us. He comes right at us. And it’s going to be a great fight for Andrzej to show what the power and the dedication he has towards it. He knows that this fight here is going to bring him to the top. And it’s an honor to fight Julio Cesar Chavez. It’s somebody I wanted him to fight for years. But the weight was never the same. Andrzej moved up. And then now, it’s perfect. So, dit gaan 'n groot stryd wees. I think we’re going to bring a lot of action to this fight. And it’s going to be a jammed action fight. I’m glad that this fight happened. And I can’t wait for April 18.

K. Swanson

Goed. Dankie. En nou, Laaste maar nie die minste nie, Ek wil graag 'n paar opmerkings van Julio Cesar Chavez Sr te kry. about his son fighting Fonfara and what he anticipates that will be like. Julie?

Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.

I didn’t want this fight. Ek weet dat, vir my seun, I know it’s a hard fight. It’s a difficult fight. And I didn’t want it. Fonfara is very strong. But my son wanted this fight. He wanted fighters that have a high category. He wanted a hard fight. And he believed that winning this fight will give him more credibility. And that’s why he chose Fonfara.

Q

This is for Chavez Jr. Julie, hoe voel jy kom uit 'n jaar lank nie?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

Ek voel goed. Ek weet dit is moeilik wanneer jy af. Dit is moeilik om jou tydsberekening te herwin. Maar ek het opleiding is, working at my skills. And I think, jy weet, Ek is vol vertroue, want ek het my hele lewe spandeer in die boks. Ek is in die 13de jaar van my professionele loopbaan. So ek dink nie dit is 'n probleem, want hierdie stryd is op 172 pond. I don’t need to have a problem with weight. And at 172, I feel good in sparring. I feel good in training. And I think I’m ready for this fight and ready to win another world title.

Q

Praat van daardie wêreld titel, hoe voel jy oor ouens soos Adonis Stevenson en Sergey Kovalev?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

O, these guys very strong. But I think, na hierdie stryd, Ek gaan af na 168 en bly in hierdie gewig klas. Een of twee jaar gelede het ek verhuis na 175 maar dit was te veel vir my liggaam. Nou, Ek is 168. Maar, vir die een jaar af, hierdie stryd is op 172.

Q

Andrzej, Hoe dink jy kan fisies kom die Adonis Stevenson stryd af?

A. Fonfara

Ek dink ek het againstStevenson dat ek was 'n vegter. Fisies, Ek voel goed nou. Sedert daardie stryd, I’ve been training much harder. Ek dink, as gevolg van daardie stryd, Ek is 'n beter bokser omdat, jy weet, I learn a lot in fights. I’m ready for Chavez, Ek het hard geoefen vir hierdie stryd, soos, jy weet, Chavez says. He’s trained hard for this fight. But I always train hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s Chavez or whoever else, Ek is altyd hard aan die oefen.

Q

Dit is vir beide Julio Jr. and Sr. For Jr., natuurlik, daar is 'n voordeel en miskien 'n nadeel, te, to having such a famous name. Benefit is that everybody knows your father and what he accomplished. And that brings you attention early in your career as it has. The possible drawback is that you’re always going to be compared to him, wat sommige sou sê was amper 'n onmoontlike, impossibly high standard to try to live up to. From your perspective and also from your father’s, wat oor die, die las en die voordeel van so 'n bekende naam?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

I think I’m well respected because I’m world champion. Maar, jy weet, Ek dink dit is 'n voordeel. Maar dit beteken vir my nie help nie in die ring. Ek is bewys in die ring. I beat the champions. I beat the number one, nommer twee, nommer drie en nommer vier op 168 pond. En ek het almal gewys, die mense, dat ek kan veg, te. Ek is 'n goeie vegter en (Ek sit op 'n goeie gevegte). En mense soos sien my gevegte. My style is a good style for the people. And I think this fight, te, die styl van Fonfara is om te kom om te veg, he’s a fighter with a great heart and great chin. And both of us will make a great fight.

J. Cesar Chavez Sr..

The name has helped. Natuurlik, dit gehelp het om aandag, but we are very different. Hy — my son fights at a higher weight than I fought. En so, there’s a lot of difference. Fisies, he’s a lot bigger than I was. So, daar is goeie en slegte, and we understand that. Maar, hy is sy eie vegter net soos ek was.

Q

Is, you mentioned earlier that you had a lot of names mentioned for Andrzej before you finally settled on Chavez. Are you willing to reveal some of those names?

S. Kolom

Jy weet wat? I really don’t have them right in front of me. Maar, daar was ten minste drie, four different guys they were throwing at us. And as soon as they said Chavez, Ek gaan, "Dit is die man wat ons wil,’ omdat, soos ek vroeër gesê het, the style is perfect for us. And we don’t have to look for him too much, jy weet? He’s going to be right there for us. So, die styl is werklik, regtig gemengde goeie.

Q

Andrzej, jy by middelgewigtitel het geveg, super middelgewig, lig swaargewig. How does it feel fighting at 172? And do you see yourself moving possibly down in weight in the near future, of voel jy jy is 'n ware lig swaargewig?

A. Fonfara

Ek is 'n lig swaargewig vegter. That’s because I’m fighting with Chavez. That’s why we have a catch-weight. And that’s why I go down. Ek veg gewoonlik by 175, at least for maybe two years. And this my weight. It’s not impossible for me to go, soos, twee, £ 3 af, want, jy weet, toe ek geveg Stevenson in Mei verlede jaar, Ek was 173 dan. And I felt good then. Two pounds down is not problem for me. Should be good, jy weet? Just more diet, more work in the last week. And I should be good.

Q

Julie Jr., hoeveel van 'n verligting is dit vir jou om uiteindelik veg na 'n jaar? I know it’s been trying for you with the whole lawsuit and everything. So, hoe voel dit vir jou om te weet dat jy uiteindelik 'n stryd wat voorlê?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

Ek voel goed. Ek voel 'n groot, jy weet, because this problem offended me a lot mentally more than physically. But I’m really happy that this problem is better now. I have a fight in front of me. And you know, I’m not remembering anything about that. I’m just focusing on the fight April 18 vir Fonfara. Ek voel goed, Ek voel 'n groot. You know I can’t tell you with words how I feel because I’m better to the ring. (Maar ek is baie opgewonde om terug te keer) aan die ring.

Q

Joe Goossen, wat van die vaardighede van Julio Cesar is die vertaling van die beste vir die lig swaargewig-afdeling?

J. Goossen

Wel, eerste af, Julio is a well-rounded fighter. Ek bedoel, we’ve seen him box before. And we’ve seen him pressure before. I don’t want to tip my hand on what we’re going to do but we have studied the films. We’ve talked about the films of Andrzej. En natuurlik, we’re developing a game plan. I think the weight — basies, 172 is very close to 68. It’s a weight he’s fought at before. So I don’t think the weight is going to be a problem at all. The way he’s working right now and the weight he’s at right now, Ek dink ons ​​gaan in staat wees om die te tref 172 mark quite easily. Maar, weer, as far as what skills he has that we’re going to bring to the table is something that I think is private to us. But Julio Jr. is a multi-talented fighter. Just watching him spar yesterday, wanneer ons nodig om 'n boks, he did it beautifully. And when we needed pressure in a few rounds, he pulled it off exactly how I like it. So I’m very confident that whatever style we bring and game plan we bring, ons gaan 'n sukses daarvan te wees.

Q

Kan jy maak die gewig?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

Ja. Seker. I’ll make 172 want ek betaal $100,000 per pond (As ek dit nie doen nie). Ek kan nie betaal daardie soort van geld. Ek het nog nooit geweeg meer as 172 in 'n stryd. Die enigste stryd wat ek gemaak het 172 is met Brian Vera, the first fight. But in all the rest of my career of boxing, in al my kampioenskap Bouts (Ek het nog nooit het nie gewig maak). Ek weet nie hoekom jy my vra wat. Goed. Maybe, Ek is 'n groter vegter, jy weet? I know I am a bigger fighter. Maar, Ek probleme het nie. En (as hy dit doen) nie die gewig, miskien sal ek wen $100,000 meer.

Q

So, Julie, jy hoop vir $100,000 van Andrzej Fonfara, maar jy sê dat hy nie moet hoop vir $100,000 van jou?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

Moenie, doen nie. I think that the fight’s in the right way. And he’s not going to take advantage of anybody, jy weet, omdat (Ek kom in ligter). Jy weet, die gewig is redelik goed ek dink vir beide vegters.

Q

Kan jy praat oor jou besluit Joe Goossen te hê in jou hoek, jy voel, as 'n gevolg van die Vera stryd, wat jy skuld die ondersteuners 'n prestasie?

J. Cesar Chavez Jr.

Wel, I’ve known Joe Goossen for a long time. He’s a great trainer. He’s a great person. He’s somebody that motivates fighters. And we have a true connection. We’ve connected again. And I like him a lot. I like that he’s a hard worker, just like me. And I think, saam, we’re going to do really well. With regards to the performance, Ek kan jou vertel dat, this show is for the people. Dit gaan 'n groot stryd wees. It’s going to be a better fight. En nou, met my nuwe bevordering maatskappy en met die wete wat my teenstander gaan wees in advance, Ek dink dit gaan 'n groot nag.

K. Swanson

That was our last question. So, weer, we really appreciate the fighters taking time to join us. We look forward to this fantastic matchup between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. en Andrzej Fonfara op Saterdag, April 18, van StubHub Center in Carson, Kalifornië., woon op Showtime by 10:00 namiddag. EN, 7:00 namiddag. PT. Thank you so much for joining us.

* * *

Kaartjies vir die geleentheid, wat mede-bevorder deur Goossen Promosies en Chavez Promotions, word geprys teen $200, $150, $100, $50 en $25, plus toepaslike belastings, fooie en koste van diens, is nou op die rakke en is beskikbaar vir die aankoop aanlyn by AXS.com.

Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara, is 'n 12-ronde bout wat plaasvind by StubHub Center in Carson, Kalifornië. en sal die lug op Showtime (10 namiddag. EN/7 namiddag. PT). Die Showtime KAMPIOENSKAP boks uitsending sal ook in Spaans beskikbaar wees via sekondêre klank programmering (SAP).

Vir meer inligting besoek www.sports.sho.com, volg op Twitter bySHOSports, @ Jcchavezjr1, andrzej_fonfara, StubHubCenter EnSwanson_Comm, volg die gesprek met behulp #ChavezFonfara, 'n bewonderaar op Facebook by www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing of besoek die Showtime Boxing Blog byhttp://theboxingblog.sho.com.