Lou DiBella

Mun gode, everybody for joining us for Premier Boxing Champions on NBC press call. The card is Saturday, Mayu 23^RD. That’s the Asabar of Memorial Day weekend at Boston’s Agganis Arena. The start time on NBC is 4:30 p.m. DA/1:30 p.m. Santa.

Tikiti ga live taron, which is being promoted in associated with Murphys Boxing are priced at $250, $200, $100, $75, $50 da kuma $35, and they’re available at ticketmaster.com. Don cajin da wayar, kira Ticketmaster a 800-745-3000. Kuma, the NBC broadcast goes on at 4:30 p.m. DA/1:30 p.m. Santa.

We’re going to start the call by talking to our co-main event fighters, the guys are going to open the telecast. That’s light-heavyweight contender Edwin Rodriguez taking on undefeated light-heavyweight contender Craig Baker. Craig is 10-0 tare da 12 KO. He’s coming off a KO of highly regarded Umberto Savigne in his last fight and he’s looking to upset the apple cart and derail the career of Edwin Rodriguez who’s looking for another shot at a world title; this time at 175 fam.

Craig is promoted by Sampson Boxing. Craig, if you’d like to say a few words.

Craig Baker

Da kyau, I’m just grateful to have the opportunity to fight on such a grand field again. It clearly is what I dream about. It’s one of those things I’ve always looked forward to since I was little bity kid.

L. DiBella

Na gode. Edwin Rodriguez, the pride of Worchester, Massachusetts and is fighting in his home state. This is his second fight at light heavyweight. His only loss is to Andre Ward, one of the pound-for-pound fighters in the world and Edwin believes at light heavyweight he’s stronger, better and that he can win the title. Don haka, Edwin, would you like to say a few words?

Edwin Rodriguez

A. Na farko, I’d like to thank you, Lou, for bringing me back on NBC and giving me such a great opportunity and also to Al Haymon and the NBC crew. I’m ready to show the world that I’m one of the best or the best 175 pound fighter in the world. I just got to prove it and this is one of the steps to do it, fighting an undefeated fighter, Craig Baker, who’s hungry and I’m excited because I know that he’s hungry; I’m hungry to get at that elite level. It’s going to be a great fight for the fans.

Tambaya

A, I have a question for each of you if you don’t mind. Craig, how do you feel about fighting Edwin so close to his hometown?

C. Baker

At the end of the day that doesn’t really matter to me because everyone is out to pretty much beat the crap out of you. Don haka, it doesn’t matter where you fight. It’s the competition, and that’s how I take it.

Tambaya

Edwin, what will it mean to you to fight so close to Worcester?

Da kuma. Rodriguez

It means a lot because I haven’t fought at home for about four years now. Don haka, I’m excited to come back and fight close to home with family and friends supporting me. It’s something that helps me and pushes me to take it to the next level.

Tambaya

Edwin, first question; how do you feel at light-heavyweight? Are you more comfortable now than you were at super middleweight? Do you feel stronger, and is your stamina a little better?

Da kuma. Rodriguez

I feel great now. I feel like 175 is the weight that I belong at. I feel like I’m strong and I’m fast and I feel like I’m the best light heavyweight. I just need the opportunity to prove it, and this is one of them and I’m excited.

Tambaya

You’re with Al Haymon. Adonis Stevenson is with Al Haymon. Is that what boxing and fans can assume, that this is all building towards a fight with Adonis Stevenson for the title?

Da kuma. Rodriguez

A yanzu, I’m focused on Baker. He’s an undefeated hungry fighter, but that’s the goal. I want to fight the best guy so I can prove that I’m the best. Adonis Stevenson is a good fighter. He has proved he’s the world champion and that’s who I want in the future. Don haka, I’m just setting myself up and I’m working hard to look impressive against Baker and to get my opportunity to show the world that I’m on the best.

Tambaya

Craig, just what is it about Edwin that impresses you and what will you have to do to beat him?

C. Baker

Da kyau, I’m really impressed with the improvements that he’s made. I see him pushing forward, pushing issues and always in your face. That’s good. Ina son wancan. A karshen ranar, I just have to show up and fight. That’s the way I take the game. I have to bring my A game at all times and that’s what I do.

Tambaya

I was looking at the records of a lot of your opponents. You fought a lot of guys with pretty poor records. Why is that and why did you make the step up a couple of fights ago?

C. Baker

I just felt like it was time, daya.

Tambaya

Edwin, what impresses you about Craig Baker?

Da kuma. Rodriguez

He’s a hungry fighter and it doesn’t matter who he’s fought. He’s undefeated and you can’t take an undefeated fighter lightly, especially one that defeated a guy that had over 400 amateur fights and was a big prospect in the pros, like Savigne. You can’t take a guy like Craig Baker lightly.

Tambaya

You’ve defeated undefeated fighters in the past. Don haka, how is your confidence level going in when you fight somebody who hasn’t lost?

Da kuma. Rodriguez

I believe a lot of my skills and I’m very confident, but I’m not stupid. I know that a fighter who’s undefeated comes in with a very strong mentality and I’m ready. I’ve been working hard for this fight knowing that this guy is undefeated and I have to take that away from him. But at the same time, we’ve got to respect everyone because we’re all competitors and it’s all about looking good and winning and he’s just in my way right now.

L. DiBella

Na gode. The main event of the evening is a super middleweight world title fight and it features two guys that have been engrained into boxing since they were amateurs. James DeGale is an Olympic gold medalist. He’ll be facing Andre Dirrell. James is from England; Andre from the US. Andre was a bronze medalist in the Olympics. This is a match of two of the very best super middleweights in the world and figures to be a terrific fight.

James is promoted by Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn is on the call. When you go to Q&A, if anyone has a question for Eddie, Eddie is available. We’re going to start with James DeGale. James, would you like to say a few words? James is 21-1, tare da 14 Kos.

James DeGale

Haka ne, my time is here. My time is here, gaba Asabar. I’ve trained extremely hard and you’re in for a treat because you’re going to watch two very talented hungry fighters gaba Asabar fight it out for a world title. I honestly think it’s going to be a hell of a fight, one I’m confident of winning. Don haka, fasten your seatbelts, daya. It should be good.

L. DiBella

Na gode, James. Andre Dirrell, please say a few words.

Andre Dirrell

I agree with James. This is going to be a very good fight. I’ve trained my butt off as well. Everything went very smoothly this camp. He’s a hungry fighter. I’m a hungry fighter. We are both in desperate need or desperate want of a world title and I myself feel very confident and I’m excited about this match, daya. He feels like he’s an undefeated fighter. I feel like I’m an undefeated fighter, but we both have a lot to prove, daya. Don haka, we’re going to come to the full effect and I believe it’s going to be a great show.

L. DiBella

Na gode, Wasu. We’re going to open it up to questions now. One more time, it’s PBC on NBC broadcast. It will be on May 23^RD, Asabar afternoon of Memorial Day Weekend, 4:30 p.m. DA/1:30 p.m. Santa. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, 1-800-745-3000 and we’re going to open it up for questions now.

Tambaya

This is for James. This is your first fight in the United States and also, this is the first time a lot of people are going to get to see you because you’re going to be on national television. What are you expecting in terms of the energy and what it’s going to be like performing in a completely new audience?

J. DeGale

Haka ne. I’m looking forward to it. I’m used to it as well because obviously back in England I’m promoted by Matchroom, a well-known commercial company. Don haka, I box on big shows in front of 10,000-20,000 mutane. It should be good. They have a lot of Irish and English over there. Don haka, I should have some good support and I’m looking forward to it.

Tambaya

Let me follow-up with another question. There was a time that you considered retiring from the sport and becoming a personal trainer. Can you talk about that a little bit and looking back, are you glad you made the right decision to continue to do boxing?

J. DeGale

Haka ne. It’s pretty simple. I was going through a hard time with my promoter at the time and I was a bit depressed because I wasn’t getting my chances and I wasn’t getting the right fights and I boxed on small shows. I basically was a bit depressed and I couldn’t motivate myself properly. Don haka, yeah, that was the way it was and then I made the change to Matchroom and things have just gone from pretty bad to really great.

Babu shakka, my last two performances speak for themself. I boxed Brandon Gonzales, an undefeated American, a confident American. He come over to America and I boxed him front of 80,000 people and knocked him out in four rounds.

Then four months later, I boxed Periban. If you don’t know Marco Antonio Periban, he boxed Sakio Bika for the world title and lost on a split decision and I knocked him out in three rounds. Don haka, I’m confident. I’m feeling good, and I’m motivated very well at the minute.

Tambaya

Wasu, when you brother lost, he lost a close decision .What was your conversation with Anthony like because you lost a close fight you thought you’d won. Don haka, how have you been able to converse with him about getting through that loss?

A. Dirrell

Da kyau, I didn’t have to say much because he was confident after the fight, but I pretty much had him realize that you’ve had a bad night after he had a terrific camp, but I believe that’s where he left it. He left it in that. When it came to fight time, he had a few setbacks leading up to the fight and unfortunately, he lost, but we saw a lot of things that he needs to correct. I told him to watch the fight over and over again because that’s what I used to do in my fight, any fight that I feel bad about. Don haka, I just told him keep his confidence up, man and stay on that run, daya. Don’t lay off at all. That’s all we can do, daya. I’ve learned a lot from past experience and one thing’s for certain; you can’t take anything from the past and bring it to the future. Only confidence.

Don haka, I’m feeling good, daya. He’s excited for me and I’m going to keep that name alive and keep the Dirrell name going.

Tambaya

Everybody talks about the super middleweights, they talk about Andre Ward. But it seems like some people forget how good of a boxer that you are because you had to take this time off. With this being on NBC and getting in front of a large audience, are you looking at this as an opportunity to put your name back in that conversation for people who may have forgotten how good Andre Dirrell is?

A. Dirrell

People know and in the end, it’s my job to keep my name lean. I haven’t had the opportunity to do that as well. I had a major setback as well, but with that I stayed in the game, stayed sharp. I was sharp in my last couple of performances. I’m looking forward to the future and this is the breakout fight like I said. James is one hell of a fighter. He has a lot of heart, a lot of spunk, a lot of energy, daya, and he wants to win.

If you want to put me in front of a fighter for a world championship fight, then James DeGale is bar none one of the best to do it in front of. Don haka, I’m excited about this fight. I think this is probably one of the biggest fights from Premier Boxing Champion that they’ve had and I’m excited to be on that big stage. Don haka, I want a breakout performance and I did everything in camp to make sure I can do so.

Tambaya

How does it feel to be the first Brit on the verge of making some boxing history?

J. DeGale

Shi ji mai girma, but I need to stay focused and keep my eye out on the prize. That’s what I have to do. Amma, ka san abin da? A lot of people say I’m obsessed about making history, about becoming the first Olympic gold medalist from Great Britain to win a genuine world title. Amma ka san abin da? Ni. I am because that’s what drives me and that’s what makes me train hard every day. Don haka, yeah, I’m looking forward to it.

Tambaya

Lafiya, and you touched on a little bit there. I mean not so long ago you were boxing in front of a couple of hundred people at the shopping center in Blue Water and now you’re making noise on TV in America. How does that feel, the difference?

J. DeGale

Da kyau, it’s fantastic. Sure a lot of credit has to go to Eddie Hearn. I’m a buzz fire. I like the big audience. I like the big lights. I’m just feeling real relaxed, chilled and ready to perform gaba Asabar. I’m buzzing. I really can’t wait; just being in America and knowing that I’m going to make my debut gaba Asabar in front of millions of Americans and back in the UK as well. It’s going to be fantastic.

Tambaya

Wasu, this fight seems to be your highest profile fight since five years ago when you had the Abraham fight, when he got DQ’ed. You were leading at that time. Can you tell us at this point, where are you physically and mentally compared to where you were when you were obviously at the top of the division five years ago?

A. Dirrell

Da kyau, I look at it all from a mental aspect. As of now, daya, I’m grown tremendously in my mind. I’ve realized how important boxing is to me and what it takes to become world champion, the work you have to put in and I just follow those guidelines every day. I’m a very motivated fighter, very self-motivated. A lot of fighters run with music, have to listen to music.

If I can hear my punches while I’m hitting the bag, I’m motivated. Don haka, nothing motivates me more than hard work and that’s all I look for. The fight is won in the gym, not on fight night. It’s what you do in the gym, not how hard you put up a fight.

I’ve done all of that and more. I feel very relaxed. I’m very energetic and I’m feeling the vibe already and I really can’t wait to make Asabar myself. I feel I have a lot to prove and I have a different Andre Dirrell to show, one that’s just as sharp, just as fast, just as brave, but just has a bigger mental capacity. I’m excited about next week.

Tambaya

What do you think your advantages are over James DeGale in this fight?

A. Dirrell

We’re pretty much evenly matched and I actually like that scenario because I know I’m faster. I know I’m smarter and I know I’m a better boxer. It’s just as simple as that. Amma, none of that can come into play without hard work, and I know he’s worked his ass off, daya. He has to come over to America just like I went over there to England to try to fight for a world championship.

I know what kind of guy I’m going to face come the 23^RD. I’ve worked my butt off like I said, , and with those advantages, I’ve put the hard work in so I can display that. I just feel like I’ll be the better man that night.

Tambaya

James, tell us why you think you’re confident that you’re going to be able to win this fight?

J. DeGale

Momentum is a big thing. Look at my last two performances against good, quality opponents and look his last three. Listen, I come from good pedigree and so does Andre. We’re good, quality, young fighters. But I just think overall, I’m better. I think he struggles. He doesn’t like it when it gets hard in there. He’s a competent fighter, but he likes it when he’s dictating the pace and he’s on the front foot.

Well listen, I’m not going to let him rest. He thinks this is going to be a boxing match. Da kyau, this ain’t. I’m telling him now. This ain’t going to be a boxing match. I’m going in there and I’m taking the title. I’m taking it. I’m ripping it away from him.

Tambaya

Do you think you’re a really improved fighter? I know that the loss that you had to Groves was very controversial, but how much do you think you’ve improved since that fight with Groves?

J. DeGale

It’s like night and day. Listen, and another thing, I was in this for two years as well. I had two operations on my groin. Don haka, I couldn’t throw my shots with any power. I couldn’t run the ring properly. Even in the fight at Wembley in front of 80,000 Na yi ba 100% dama. Even against Periban I wasn’t 100% dama. Now I’m 100% dama, fully healthy, fully focused and mentally right. Don haka, you’re going to see me step up again gaba Asabar.

Tambaya

James, you mentioned about being a buzz fighter and this is the biggest stage, the biggest pressure you’ve ever been under. Don haka, does this mean we’re going to see your best ever performance?

J. DeGale

I honestly do. The way I’ve been in the gym training, sparring, running, I honestly think you’re going to see the performance of my career so far. My last couple of fights after my injuries have been sorted and I just got better and better and I think this one is going to top it and winning my world title as well and making history.

Tambaya

Amma, do you deal with the pressure and does that inspire you more?

JamesI thrive on it. Ka sani ni. I thrive in it. I’m just looking forward to it. As I say, it’s my debut as a professional in America. Don haka, I’m buzzing right now. You don’t understand. I’m just really looking forward to it.

Tambaya

Wasu. You’ve obviously fought Carl Froch and you’ve watched video of James I imagine. How do they compare as fighters and who do you rate as a better fighter?

A. Dirrell

As far as skill, I can give it to James DeGale, but as far as toughness, mental toughness, physical toughness, that’s Carl Froch. We all know how mentally strong he is. Don haka, I have to give the edge to Carl Froch in that aspect, but as I said before, I know DeGale is coming to fight and no one gets in that ring and fights me as they want to fight. You know what I’m saying? Just like he thinks it’s going to be an easy fight. I feel like I have a lot more to prove as well.

Don haka, I’m looking to bring the fight as well and I’m working hard in the gym. I made it tough on myself. The more pressure you actually put on me, the more dangerous I become.

I’m really excited as well, daya. I have a lot to prove. He has a lot to prove. This is going to be the best fight yet on Premier Boxing Champions.

Tambaya

Basically for Andre, there was a chance obviously this fight could end up going to Britain. You’ve been to Britain before and you were very unlucky against Carl Froch. Was that something you were against, to face another title fight in Britain?

A. Dirrell

I’m not going to say that because I enjoyed my time over there. I believe I won the fight like I said and it just didn’t go my way unfortunately. I don’t like to judge my future fights based on past. I look forward to fighting in Britain again, in England again, the UK again whenever that day may come. I had a lot of fans over there; I have a lot of fans over there and I enjoy my time over there. I’ve been going over there since the amateurs. I enjoy it very much and I’m a world-class fighter. Don haka, I want to be displayed on a world-class level.

I’m definitely looking forward to it. If it was over there, if it had to be over there, Sabõda haka, shi. I would have came over there to fight James. We are world competitors, world-class. We fight for world titles. Why should it be in America all the time? This is a world-class sport and we should treat it like one.

Tambaya

Arthur Abraham kind of robbed you of your great win when he hit you on the floor. That was looking like such a great performance that night. In the sort of layup after that, how close did you come to actually having to retire? Was there ever a time you thought you might not box again?

A. Dirrell

I was going through some stuff with my family. I actually wanted to. I knew in my heart that I’d get my time again. I knew my time would come. I knew I had a chance of getting out of my contract. Don haka, I kept training. I mana, there were times that I would hit slumps and feel like I’m doing it for nothing, but it was quite a stressful time for me. I think I always knew that I would be able to get back in that ring. Don haka, I stayed busy and it didn’t really totally veer me away from the sport, but I do know the feeling.

I did feel like any moment could come up to where that it could be over just like that and I had to deal with it and I could easily retire. If it happened again, I just might. I knew that my time was coming again. There’s always hope there. I just kept pushing forward and here I am now.

Tambaya

One for you, James, quickly. You’re in Florida now. Can you tell us where you are and how’s it going?

J. DeGale

Haka ne, kar ka, I’m in Miami. I’ve been training here for the past week. Don haka, we climatized and we adjusted and we’re ready to go.

L. DiBella

Just a couple of final words. Na gode, Edwin, Craig, Andre and James. This is a great undercard that features a lot of New England talent and I want to acknowledge Murphys Boxing, our friend Ken Casey who’s with the legendary Irish band, the Dropkick Murphys, and is helping us with local promotion. We’re going to have a lot of announcements coming about some great fight week activities.

Premier Boxing Champions on NBC, PBC on NBC Saturday, Mayu 23^RD at Boston’s Agganis Area,4:30 p.m. DA/1:30 p.m. PT for the beginning of the broadcast. Tickets for the live event are available at Ticketmaster.com. Don cajin da wayar, kira Ticketmaster a 1-800-745-3000. Tune into NBC on Saturday, Mayu 23^RD, but if you can be with us in Boston, join us at the Agganis Arena. Na gode, kowa da kowa, for joining us.

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Tickets for the return of big-time boxing to Boston, wanda aka ciyar da DiBella Entertainment a cikin tarayya, tare da Murphys dambe, An saka farashi a $250, $200, $100, $75, $50 da kuma $35, ba ciki har da zartar da sabis na zargin da haraji, kuma suna sayarwa a yanzu. Tickets will be available atwww.ticketmaster.com. Don cajin da wayar, kira Ticketmaster a (800) 745-3000.