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Kelly Swanson

Merci à tous pour se joindre à nous aujourd'hui. Je suis excité à propos de cet appel et cette lutte. Aujourd'hui, nous allons entendre les deux combattants, Deontay Wilder et Eric Molina. Nous rejoindra ainsi est Lou DiBella, Président de DiBella Entertainment, ainsi que de Stephen Espinoza, Vice-président exécutif et directeur général de Sports Showtime.

Si, de faire les présentations formelles, Je vais remettre à Lou.

Lou DiBella

Merci, Kelly. Il est toujours un vrai plaisir et un honneur à chaque fois que vous arrivez à promouvoir un combat de championnat des poids lourds, et Deontay Wilder est le premier champion poids lourd américain depuis un certain temps. Il devient l'occasion de défendre son titre, sa première défense dans sa ville natale de Birmingham, Alabama, sur le campus de UAB de la Bartow Arena.

Ce sera télévisé comme un événement principal sur Showtime Championship Boxing, samedi soir, Juin 13. Ceci est un moment intéressant d'être sur le campus UAB UAB simplement parce renversé une décision très controversée de démanteler son programme de football, si le football collégial de revenir à Birmingham et le campus de l'UAB et est donc de boxe poids lourd de championnat avec Deontay Wilder.

Les billets sont au prix de $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, et $200, mais il ya moins de 1,000 billets à gauche, et nous nous attendons à une salle comble d'environ 8,500 les gens et que les billets vont se vendre bien avant la nuit de lutte. Si, si quelqu'un veut billets, obtenir dès que vous le pouvez au UABSports.com et AlabamaFightNight.com. Les portes ouvriront à 3 heure. Le premier combat sera à 3:30 p.m., puis Showtime CHAMPIONSHP BOXE sur l'air à 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. CT, et 6 p.m. PT.

Le combat d'ouverture sur Showtime est un championnat fantastique du monde se combattre entre 130 livres prétendants au titre, Jose Pedraza et Andreï Klimov. Je voudrais inviter le vice-président exécutif et directeur général de Sports Showtime, Stephen Espinoza.

Stephen Espinoza

Merci beaucoup, Lou. Il est un grand jour pour nous tous ici à SHOWTIME. Plus tôt aujourd'hui,, nous avons annoncé le lancement imminent d'un nouveau service de streaming en ligne, SHOWTIME directe aux consommateurs, ce qui signifie toute notre programmation primée, y compris l'ensemble de nos émissions de télévision en direct de boxe, sera disponible en direct sur la côte Est et l'Ouest se nourrit pour Showtime ainsi que l'ensemble de notre contenu sur demande. Ce service sera lancé à la mi-Juillet.

Plus tard ce soir, nous avons un grand épisode de 60 Procès Sport, qui comprend une interview très révélatrice avec certains des derniers développements dans le scandale Pippa. Cela est suivi par le premier ministre de tous les accès: Deontay Wilder. Voilà au 10 p.m. ET/PT. Nous allons jeter un regard en arrière à la signature de la victoire de Deontay, ce qui lui a valu le titre des poids lourds à travers la lentille primé de la série, Et nous allons aussi, comme d'habitude, être jeter un oeil de plus près le côté personnel et vous montrant certains de la profondeur du caractère de Deontay que les fans pourraient ne pas être familiers avec cet automne.

Quant à samedi 13, nous avons une grande nuit de combats, peut-être l'un de nos nuits les plus forts de la SHOWTIME Extremecards à ce jour. Qui débute au 7 p.m. ET/PT. Ce sera le coup d'envoi avec deux combattants invaincus dans un WBC 135 livres combat d'élimination, John Redkach, qui beaucoup d'entre vous ont vu plusieurs fois sur ShoBox contre Dejan Zlaticanin, qui est un challenger très difficile. Aussi, une des agrafes de Extreme et une perspective très respecté, Julian Williams de Philadelphie, sera en difficile contre une perspective welter russe, Arman Ovsepyan.

Ensuite, il est SHOWTIME, une double tête de championnat, comme Lou indiqué. Dans le combat d'ouverture, nous avons invaincu amateur standout, Jose Pedraza de Porto Rico face fonceur Andreï Klimov. Pedraza, bien sûr, a représenté Puerto Rico dans le 2008 Jeux olympiques, a remporté la médaille d'or à la 2010 Jeux Amérique centrale et Caraïbes. Vous l'avez vu présenté sur ShoBox. Il est un combattant très qualifiés.

Andreï Klimov, aussi un amateur top, ancien titulaire d'une ceinture légère russe. Sa seule défaite, bien sûr, est le champion WBO des 140 livres en cours, Terence Crawford. Lou donnera un peu plus dans les détails sur l'événement principal et introduire les combattants, mais permettez-moi de dire que nous ne nous attendons une participation considérable pour notre premier événement champion du monde de boxe et pour notre émission de télévision Showtime Boxing dans l'état de l'Alabama.

Comme nous le savons, une salle bondée ajoute un élément considérable de l'excitation à la télévision en direct. Nous sommes fiers de présenter ce poids lourd du monde lutte pour le titre convaincant et rafraîchissante en direct sur Showtime.

Sauvegardez à vous, Lou.

L. DiBella

Merci beaucoup, Stephen. Le combat de championnat des poids lourds dispose Deontay Wilder contestée par Eric Molina. Molina est 23-2 avec 17 KOs. Il est sur une série de victoires de cinq lutte et une de trois lutte série KO, y compris une meilleure victoire en carrière sur DaVarryl Williamson. Sa seule défaite depuis ses débuts pro est venu contre Chris Arreola. Il a été classé 9 par le WBC.

Il est aussi un gars vraiment intéressant comme je l'ai appris à l'entendre à quelques reprises au cours de cette promotion, qui fait beaucoup de redonner à sa communauté, qui a un grand sens de la charité et de la communauté, et il a dit très clairement qu'il n'a rien à perdre ici a. Il visualiser cela comme une opportunité de toute une vie, et qu'il va faire quelque chose et tout à choquer le monde et prendre ce championnat du monde loin de Deontay Wilder.

Si, il est mon plaisir de présenter le titre mondial challenger, Eric Molina.

Eric Molina

Bonjour, gars. Tout comme Lou vient de le dire, qui était une bonne introduction de qui je suis et ce que je suis venue à faire. Nous sommes très enthousiastes à propos de la lutte, la possibilité de descendre à l'Alabama. Nous savons que ça va être un environnement très mouvementé là-bas, environnement très inconfortable, mais Wilder est le champion, et il arrive à profiter de tous ces privilèges de toutes les directives de l'endroit où nous nous battons et toute la logistique de ce, nous sommes donc ravis de l'occasion de se battre pour le titre mondial des poids lourds et nous sommes très bien préparés.

Le camp d'entraînement va très bien. Nous fermons notre camp d'entraînement samedi, et nous devrions être prêts à descendre dans l'Alabama lundi. Tout est de très bon augure, et nous sommes prêts à aller.

L. DiBella

Merci, Eric. Lutte semaine, la semaine prochaine, il y aura une série d'événements menant à la lutte, y compris une séance d'entraînement le mercredi et un public pesée vendredi. Je voudrais que les gens à suivre AlabamaTitleFight.com pour tous les détails comme ils sont mis à jour, y compris un grand nombre de détails à propos de choses qui est ouvert au public et que les gens de Birmingham peuvent profiter pendant la semaine de lutte, de sorte que ce www.AlabamaTitleFight.com.

L'un des fils les plus fières et les plus grands fils de Birmingham, Alabama, est un jeune homme qui est un spécimen physique. Il est 33-0, avec un taux de KO incroyable de 32 KOs en 33 combats. Deontay Wilder a eu une brève mais décorée carrière amateur qui a conclu avec un voyage aux Jeux olympiques où il a remporté une médaille de bronze pour les États-Unis. Il a remporté une décision en 12 rounds au cours Bermane Stiverne en Janvier pour devenir le champion WBC des poids lourds.

Dans sa carrière, il a frappé à l'ancien médaillé d'or olympique, Audley Harrison en un seul tour, ancien détenteur du titre des poids lourds, Sergei Liakhovich en un seul tour. Il a seulement commencé à boxer dans 2005, et sa rapide ascension dans le sport était assez étonnant et effectivement l'inspiration pour le livre pour enfants appelé Deontay l'avenir champion du monde, et je suppose que le livre pour enfants était prophétique, car il est maintenant Deontay, le Champion du Monde.

Il est né à Tuscaloosa, grandi un jusqu'au-boutiste fan Crimson Tide, et il est de retour à la maison à se battre dans l'Alabama pour la première fois en trois ans pour défendre son titre WBC des poids lourds pour la première fois.

Si, il est mon honneur et le plaisir de présenter le champion WBC des poids lourds du monde, Deontay Wilder.

Deontay Wilder

Bonjour, gars. Je suis très heureux d'avoir cette occasion de revenir dans le ring et montrer mon talent plus. Tous les gens qui vont être regarder et les gens qui vont être présents, il est un plaisir et un honneur d'être en mesure de monter sur le ring pour faire quelque chose que je l'aime à faire et je avoir une très forte passion, donc je suis excité au sujet de Juin 13. Je suis très heureux de venir à mon état de l'Alabama à la maison.

Quand je mets en avant de devenir le champion poids lourd incontesté du monde, Je suis une partie de celui-ci de devenir le champion des poids lourds, le champion WBC des poids lourds du monde. Il me reste encore un long chemin à parcourir, mais je suis honoré et heureux d'avoir ma première défense de son titre en Alabama. Nous allons rendre l'histoire Juin 13 en ayant le premier combat pour le titre d'une division à l'état de l'Alabama, et que est un plaisir et certainement un honneur pour moi. Si, moi et Eric vais certainement témoigner et faire l'histoire viennent Juin 13.

Je l'apprécie pour la signature du contrat et d'accepter cette opportunité. Beaucoup de gars ne reçoivent pas l'occasion d'être en mesure de se battre pour un titre mondial, et je le félicite pour l'occasion. Je sais que ça va être un grand combat. Il va venir se battre, et voilà ce que je pense. Je pense un grand combat. Il est quelqu'un qui a une grosse écorce, mais veulent une grosse bouchée dans l'anneau ainsi trop, de sorte que ce que je pense. Pour tous mes fans, il vient au territoire ennemi. Il vient d'une arène remplie avec rien mais la majorité des gens de sa ville natale dans l'état de l'Alabama, de sorte que est un environnement difficile à venir en puis face à l'un des gars les plus dangereux dans la division à ce jour.

Si, Je le félicite pour cette. Je suis tout prêt. Je vous attendais depuis longtemps de revenir dans le ring. Après mon dernier combat, Je veux rester cohérent. Je veux rester occupé dans les combats. Je aime faire. Dieu m'a donné la possibilité de le faire. Je vais continuer à le faire, continuer à donner aux fans ce qu'ils veulent voir, et que ya de grandes luttes et défendre mon titre autant que possible. Vous pouvez dire par ma voix que je suis super excité. Je ne peux pas attendre. Il n'y a rien comme ce que je fais, mon travail, et ce est à une huée **, et je ne peux pas attendre pour se lever à y venir Juin 13.

L. DiBella

Merci, Deontay. Bien, maintenant, nous allons ouvrir la période de questions.

Q

Comme ma compréhension est, Deontay, il ya quelques années, il ya ou trois ans, chaque fois que cela était, pas que longtemps après que vous tourné pro, que les personnes en Alabama ont vraiment créé la commission de boxe qui est là pour réguler le sport essentiellement parce qu'ils voulaient que leur fils préféré, Deontay Wilder, pour être en mesure de se battre dans l'état de la maison et de mettre sur ce genre de grands spectacles.

Lorsque cela se produisait, était le but ultime pour vous de mettre sur un grand événement dans votre pays d'origine?

D. Wilder

Ce fut certainement le but ultime. Mon entraîneur et co-gérant, Jay Deas, nous avons mis en avant un objectif pour obtenir une commission ici. Nous avons eu beaucoup de grands champions qui est d'ici, mais n'a pas pu obtenir de lutte en raison du fait qu'il n'y avait pas de commission ici. Je l'ai déjà eu des plans d'après les Jeux olympiques de passer pro et de rester et résidant ici dans mon pays d'origine. Je eu une vision de cet état. Je voulais le rendre plus grand que juste le football collégial. Je leur ai donné des chances d'avoir un sport professionnel ici, et ce est la boxe, donc une fois que nous avons eu notre commission, il était montée à partir de là. Beaucoup de gens ont eu à bord. Beaucoup de gens ont jamais troublé avec la boxe, période, dans leur vie, jusqu'à ce qu'ils lisent sur l'histoire de mon mouvement, Qu'est-ce qui se passe, et beaucoup de gens avaient perdu tout intérêt pour la boxe jusqu'à ce qu'ils lisent sur mon histoire, mon mouvement. Maintenant, they’re on board.

Si, it became a bit of a thing for the state of Alabama now, so they put me on top as far as the sport is concerned here in the state of Alabama because there’s nothing like a world sport, nothing. Nothing national can compete with a world-level sport.

Q

I was wondering if you could mention who are some of those other top contenders that you guys looked to fight before you decided to make an agreement with Eric?

D. Wilder

Bien, at this moment, I feel like stating names is irrelevant right now. Next week will be fight week, and everything is focused on Eric Molina. That’s the main focus, and I love the guys. It wouldn’t do any good stating names. They had the opportunity. Eric stepped up to the plate, and we’ll congratulate him. We’re going to put on a great performance June 13.

Q

How do you respond to the people who say, ‘Eric Molina, who’s that? And why should he be in a heavyweight championship fight?’

Et. Molina

Well there are a lot of casual boxing fans out there that really don’t know too much about Eric Molina. I have been in pretty big fights. I fought Tony Grano, the NABF champion, ranked in the top 10 in the world for over a year. Si tu regardes mon dossier, you see two losses. In the casual boxing sense, you see those two losses. Only a fighter knows how hard it is to bounce back from losses like those.

Si, the casual fan doesn’t say ah, bien, they say he’s got these two losses, but I know what I’ve been through to come back from my losses, things that I’ve learned from my losses, and I positioned myself back into being a top contender in the world.

A lot of these fights on my resume, you see fights, but you don’t see the other angles of what’s on the table, how long I had to prepare, the things I had to go through outside of the ring, so I’m glad that June 13^e is coming up. We’ve had a very smooth training camp, and I’m coming in with everything. I’ve never been this prepared for a fight before. I’ve never had the privilege to come in this prepared for a fight, so we’re excited about it.

Q

Eric, because your two defeats were in the first round, and because Deontay has so many first-round knockouts, he’s a fast starter, how pivotal is getting through the first round in this fight?

Et. Molina

Bien, it’s definitely important. I think that this is definitely a fight that from the first bell, I think it’s going to be a fast-paced fight. Deontay Wilder’s a big puncher, but I feel that I’m a big puncher also, so I think that it’s very important to be ready from the first bell. Anything could happen at any given second. It’s a heavyweight world title fight.

Q

Do you kind of feel that some pressure’s off of you to try to knock out everybody, or have to knock out everybody?

D. Wilder

Je veux dire, you can say so, but I don’t live my life with pressure. I’m an easy-going person. I’m the type of person, people’s opinions about me doesn’t matter, especially when I’m in the ring because I know that everything I do, Je me prépare pour, I train hard for each and every time, in camp, dans la formation.

I’m always training, I never stop. I don’t take any days off. I’m always training because I love to do this. I love to box. I love to be able to get in there and perform for the fans, so I don’t have any days off. But you can’t please everybody. There are too many billions of people in the world to try to please every opinion, to try to please everybody. Even when people said things about me, what I couldn’t do, my last fight I proved everything to them. That made me an even more dangerous fighter because now people know what I’m capable of doing. Not only that I’m a puncher, but I can box. I can have fun. Je peux aller 12 rounds and make it seem like it is nothing. Je peux prendre un coup de poing. That’s nothing, but we’ve been telling people for years what I could do, just needed the right person in there for me to display my talents. There’s no pressure on me at all.

I don’t go in there and try to look for the knockout, de toute façon. I go in there and let my hands go, and if I get the knockout, I get it. I would prefer the knockout, bien sûr. This is a heavyweight division. It’s all based about power. When people get dressed up and come out to that fight, they come to see a knockout. They want to see a couple of rounds or whatever, to see what kind of skill and will that person has, maybe a little heart, and then they want to see the knockout because they’ve got other things planned for that night.

And when they come to see a Deontay Wilder fight, that’s what I want to bring them. I want to bring them knockouts, but that last fight, it meant so much more than just a knockout because I did, I wanted to prove to people what I was capable of doing. I think that particular night, gagner un titre, that was the perfect moment to prove what I’m capable of doing and what I’m all about.

Si, now it’s time to get back on to my knockout streak like people expect from me, and that’s what I want to do, so here we go, bébé.

Q

Lou, how were the ticket sales for the fight coming up?

L. DiBella

The ticket sales have been fairly remarkable, en fait, 7,500 tickets already sold. The capacity’s 8,500, so we’re not even in fight week and we’re looking at a sellout. We’re not in the last few days, and we’re looking at a sellout. I think we’re going to sell out before there’s a walk-up.

Q

Deontay, how does it feel just to go 12 tours? It’s something you hadn’t done yet in your professional career, and how did it feel just to not to say get the rounds, just to quiet a lot of the critics. That was the one knock against you, how would you do in a 12-round fight?

D. Wilder

To go 12 rounds is, it’s something I do in training, I do in camp. The hardest part in boxing is not the part where you go out there and compete and fight your opponent. It’s the training part. That’s the hard part, the training, what people don’t really see.

They think fighters just go out there one night, they fight 12 rounds or less, and then that’s it, they get paid, oh, c'est tout. But the hard part is in camp, what you do in training, what you do in camp. That’s the ultimate hard part of it and we-12 rounds is nothing. I’ve been telling 12 rounds is nothing to me. It’s an appetizer.

Most of the time, we go 15. After getting my belt, I was traveling for three months. I got right back in the gym and did 20 tours, easy, because I’m never out of shape. I’m always full of energy. Je aime faire, so to go to 12 tours, that wasn’t anything. Comme vous pouvez le voir, I still had energy to go even six more, seven more rounds in that fight. But to silence the critics, maintenant, we’re talking about something.

To silence the critics, that was such a joyful feeling for me. That right there meant a lot to me because like I said, we live in a world that’s based on opinions of many people. Some people know what they’re talking about. The majority of them and most don’t know what they’re talking about, and it was a remarkable feeling to be able to silence the critics. It was even enjoyable to see their faces, to see their voice, to have to eat their words. That was enjoyable right there.

Q

Did you ever think that in your wildest dreams this fight next Saturday would be taking place?

D. Wilder

I did dream it. Sometimes things start with a dream, and they say dreams do come true, but dreams only come true if you allow them to. It is not just going to come true just because you had dreamt it. You’ve got to dream it, and then you’ve got to apply some kind of ultimate goal to it. Then when you set a goal, you’ve still got to apply self-preservation, as far as gaining that goal and making that dream come true.

I dreamt it. I spoke it into existence. I believe in the power of the tongue, and I made my dream come true, and now we about to have it, about to make it the biggest thing in the state of Alabama. It’s just a blessing. I told people before, I’m a blessing to the state of Alabama, and a lot of people have agreed with me, ce est sûr.

Si, I am very honored to be able to fight in my state because a lot of fighters can’t fight in their state. A lot of fighters don’t have a home to come to, they have to fight elsewhere, but I have the honor and the privilege to have a state that’s behind me and has loved me, and I’m looking forward to it. And like I said, me and Molina are going to make history that night. Victoire, perdre, ou dessiner, we’re going to make history that night in the state of Alabama.

Q

How do you try to eliminate the distraction of fighting at home, people talking about bigger fights for you in the future? How do you focus on this particular fight and not look forward or not get kind of caught up in the hoopla now of being the heavyweight champion?

D. Wilder

Bien, for me it’s just when I look at an opponent, the task that lies at hand, I automatically focus on that. I can’t look past nobody. I can’t put nobody aside. I treat every opponent that I get in the ring, no matter what their record is or what their resume may read, I look at this opponent as if he’s the most dangerous person in the world.

I look at an opponent as if I’m still a contender trying to gain me a world title, and that’s how I do all my opponents. And by doing that, it keeps me focused. It keeps me humbled as well too to do what I’ve got to do because this is boxing, and this is the heavyweight division. Tout peut arriver en boxe.

No man can ever feel like he’s bigger than the next person because once you start doing that, you start loosening up, your training starts to get a little lighter because you’re not training, you don’t have that hunger any more, and a lot of things will start to get exposed. People take advantage of that and feel confidence in themselves.

Si, I don’t want to be that type of fighter that I feel like oh, I’m at the top now, I don’t have to train as hard as I was when I was a hungry fighter, because I’m still hungry. I’ve still got goals, I’m still looking to do things in this sport to make it bigger and better. I tell people all the time that even though I’m the WBC heavyweight champion of the world, my heart still feels like a contender, and by my heart still feeling like a contender, it keeps me humble. It keeps me grounded. It keeps me very, Je veux dire, très, very hungry.

Q

To quote Ric Flair, ‘To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.’ And you know, the man in the heavyweight division for the last decade or so has been Wladimir Klitschko. A lot of people are discussing you as the heir apparent to that, so while you’re staying hungry and moving up the chain and continuing to fight, is that something that’s in the back of your mind, and do you think that’s something that you’re going to have to conquer to truly be the full heavyweight champion of the world?

D. Wilder

Bien, I’m going to put it like this, that fight is titled not if it’s going to happen, but when it’s going to happen. Bien sûr, that’s something I think about, but at this moment in time, I’m not focused on him. He will get his turn as well too, and last time I checked, I have the most prestigious, most well-known, most precious, beautiful belt in all of boxing, something that’s been around for a very long time, and that’s the WBC crown, it’s something that everybody wants.

Si, I have that. I’m the owner of that, so I’m not worried about anything else. Maintenant, it’s all about Deontay Wilder and Eric Molina, et ce est ce que je suis impatient de, Deontay Wilder versus Eric Molina.

Q

Eric, is it motivating to you to — when you hear people say that you’re just someone to help Deontay — a spotlight matchup, a homecoming match, someone that he can look good against? Does that give you even more motivation than just the fact that you’re fighting for the heavyweight championship of the world?

Et. Molina

It definitely motivates me more because people have their opinions, and like Wilder said, a lot of people don’t know too much about different angles of boxing, so people don’t want to give me a shot, people don’t think I have a shot, and that’s fine. I’ve used it as motivation. I’ve definitely trained hard. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been, and I’m not here to convince people to give me a shot or not. Je sais ce que je apporte à la table. I know the size and strength that I bring to the table, and I don’t have to convince nobody to root for me or to give me a shot or to believe in me.

The people that love me, le peuple, my family and my fans, they believe in me, and I believe in myself, plus important. Si, we’re coming in, I’m coming in June 13^e, and I’m blessed to, bien, God has given me more strength than I’ve ever had, and I’m excited, and we’re good to go.

Q

Deontay, you had spoken about obviously being Alabama’s fighter, Alabama’s hero. There’s some deep divisions in the state there. You’re from Tuscaloosa. You’re an avowed Alabama fan. Have you united even the Auburn people behind you?

D. Wilder

I’m representing — Alabama football has its own rival and different things like that, but this is not Alabama football, this is a heavyweight championship world title fight, and I’m representing not only just Tuscaloosa, I’m representing the whole state. I’ve got the whole state behind me. This is a worldwide event, so I just can’t say I just got Tuscaloosa or have a rival with Auburn. Ne Pas, I’m representing the whole state of Alabama, and the whole state of Alabama is behind me. That’s the unique and the special thing about it, that I’m representing the whole state, and people love that. Je suis impatient de – definitely it’s going to be a packed venue, ce est sûr. I’m looking forward to that and moving on to an even bigger venue than the state of Alabama.

We’ve got even bigger venues, and I’m looking forward to packing everything out, but right now it starts with the Bartow Arena. I’m looking forward to displaying my talent there and making history right there, the first title fight in Alabama in any division right there at Bartow Arena.

Q

Klitschko was extended a little bit in his last time out with Bryant Jennings. Did you see anything there that led you to believe that this guy’s not Superman?

D. Wilder

Je veux dire, we all did. We all seen loose holes. We all see something that was there. If anybody says they didn’t, then they’re a liar. We all seen that, but when that time comes, I’m going to execute those things that I saw. But right now, it’s hard to talk about another fighter when you’ve got one fighter that you’re getting ready to face and is on the phone now.

My focus is not on another fighter because if I don’t get past him, we can forget talking about anybody else. It’s irrelevant to talk about anybody else if this fight isn’t done. It’s not over yet, so it’s hard for me to state or talk about another fighter when I’ve got a task that lies at hand.

Once I get finished with Molina, then we can come back and talk about Klitschko.

Q

Do you give Tyson Fury much of a chance against Wladimir, and whether or not he gets wiped out against Wladimir, is that still something you’d like to do, come to England and take Furyon, shut his mouth up?

D. Wilder

I give Tyson a great percent of the chance of coming in and being a new world champion. It’s all going to depend on him, how serious he takes this business, this game, how serious he takes training and the preparation for that. I wish him luck on everything he does and on becoming the world champion.

There’s nothing like setting a goal to become a world champion and being that, seeing your hand raised high with that belt saying you are the world champion. It’s a great feeling to be a world champion, so it’s going to be up to him. Comme je l'ai dit avant, we’ve seen what Klitschko did in his last fight, and we’ll see how he can adjust to a bigger fighter. These are bigger guys now, and that’s what’s running division, the bigger guys. That’s fine. All the taller fighters in the heavyweight divisions are taking over, so we’ll see what Tyson has lies ahead, so we can only wait.

Q

Deontay, do you think you could be bigger for boxing than Floyd Mayweather?

D. Wilder

Oh, certainement, vraiment, défénétivement. Most definitely, and I say that with high confidence because the heavyweight division is the cream of the crop in the first place, and the things that I bring, the excitement, the personality that I have, everything about me is all me, is totally me. Some people, some guys when they have cameras in their face, they pursue to be a certain type of person. Their persona about them changes or whatever, and then when the camera is off, they’re a whole totally different person. I don’t have flip personalities. I’m not a fake person.

Everything about me is real, everything you see, even the ALL ACCESS (sur Showtime). Vous savez, you all watch the ALL ACCESS, everything is me. Nothing is scripted. Nothing is planned out, nothing. I can’t sit back and let somebody script something out about my life and what it is because it’ll be fake, and I won’t be able to go through with it because it wouldn’t be me.

Si, I think I bring a lot of excitement to this division. I have woken up a lot of people as far as friends to come back to the division and stuff like that, and I know I’m doing the right things. People love me. Voilà ce qu'il est tout au sujet, but I’m just glad to be a part of the movement because we’ve got a lot of other exciting heavyweights that have made it – come back alive again as well too, whether it’s bashing up the talking or whether it’s the excitement of the performance of their fights. Si, the division is definitely on the rise, and I’m looking to be the biggest thing in boxing, période.

Q

Deontay, you’ve said several times that your focus is just on this fight and Eric Molina and not anybody else in the heavyweight division. Could you talk a little bit about what you know about Eric Molina and why you think you’re going to be victorious in this fight?

D. Wilder

Bien, the only thing I know about Eric, he’s got a nice size as far as height-wise. His weight, I know the record about the guy, and he looks pretty exciting. He’s not the biggest, or tallest, but when people see two tall guys, I think he’s 6’5″ and I’m 6’7″, so when people see two big guys get in there, they automatically see the excitement and thrill, what they can bring. I’m not the type of guy that looks at any kind of films or nothing like that. I don’t believe in it. I’ve never done it in all of my career, and I’m not going to start now.

I like to have a challenge. I like to be surprised in the ring to see what they have so I can adjust to that fighter when I get them in the ring.

Q

Why do you think you’re going to be able to win in this fight? What are your advantages? You’re the favorite, évidemment, but why do you think that’s going to play out?

D. Wilder

Bien, ma confiance est à un niveau record. I’m always confident in any opponent that I get in the ring with. That’s just my mentality. I feel like if you don’t believe in yourself, then it’s hard to convince or motivate somebody else to believe in you. You can have all the greatest trainers and all the strength trainers, the top of the line strength trainers in the world, but if they don’t really believe in what you’re doing, you don’t really believe in yourself first, then you can’t get those guys to be motivated to believe in yourself.

Si, tout d'abord, I believe in myself. My confidence has always been over the top, no matter what opponent I get in the ring with. A definite advantage I have is my speed, my footwork and the power that I bring. My defense is remarkable with my footwork. My athleticism kills a lot of the fighters, and that’s what I’m going to bring to the ring. Si, I’ll come through anybody. They’re all going to try and come, and that’s what they’re supposed to do. I just hope they come in the hopes of really trying to take it. That’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a guy that’s very hungry, that’s really trying to take this belt, to make this exciting. I want the most challenging opponent that I can get.

Q

Eric, obviouslywe know that Deontay’s the favorite. He’s going to have the crowd behind him. Why do you think you can win this fight being the underdog?

Et. Molina

I’ve realized one thing, that people keep saying Alabama this and Alabama that. We know how hectic it’s going to be going down there. That’s what the heavyweight world championship belt’s all about. You can’t expect to go in and fight no easy fights. Je veux dire, you want to become champion, you’ve got to go through hell to get it. I’m expecting to go down to Alabama. It’s going to be a hard situation, a very uncomfortable situation, his backyard, son peuple, his commission, his everything.

But to be heavyweight world champion, this isn’t easy, so I’m excited. I’m mentally focused to go down there and face all these things. Numéro un, I want to bring that title back. I want to bring it back home. And like I said, if people don’t give me a shot, I don’t got to convince them to give me a shot or not to give me a shot. I know what I’m bringing to the table. I know what I’m coming to do, and that’s all that counts.

Q

Eric, howmuch do you think you’ve improved as a fighter in the last few years? Because you know everyone’s going to look at your record, they’re going to look at the loss to Arreola three years ago. How much do you think you’ve improved since then?

Et. Molina

Bien, I’ve always believed that special fighters are able to learn from their losses, but not all fighters can learn from their losses. I believe I’m a special fighter because I’ve learned from my losses, and I know I’ve learned from my losses. I’ve been able to bounce back. I’ve been able to be a better fighter. I’ve been able to put things together better, and I mean, a lot of things about my record that people don’t really understand is how hard it is for somebody to bounce back from some of the losses that I’ve been through, how hard it really is.

Si, I’ve definitely handled those things that were very challenging, and I’ve regrouped. I’ve put myself back together. I’ve become a contender again, and I’m definitely a stronger, plus d experience, more confident fighter. And I’m ready.

Lou DiBella

That’ll be it, gars. Merci, Deontay. Merci, Eric. Merci, tout le monde, pour nous rejoindre. Just one more time, the event will be at the Bartow Arena on the campus of UAB in Birmingham, Alabama. Les billets sont $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, et $200, mais il ya moins de 1,000 billets à gauche. We expect a sold-out house of about 8,500 shortly, so get your tickets quickly at UABSports.com and AlabamaTitleFight.com. Showtime Championship Boxing will be on the air at 9 p.m. Heure de l'Est, 8 p.m. Central Time, 6 p.m. Pacific Time. The doors open to the arena at 3 p.m., premier combat à 3:30 p.m., and thank you all for joining us.

# # #

“WILDER vs. MOLINA,” un combat de 12 rounds pour le championnat WBC des poids lourds Wilder, aura lieu le samedi, Juin 13, à l'aréna Bartow à Birmingham, Ala. DiBella Entertainment et Bruno équipe événement ont uni leurs forces pour présenter cet événement à l'Alabama. Dans la co-événement principal co-romoted par DiBella en association avec Promotions Universelles, Jose Pedraza fera face à Andreï Klimov dans un combat de 12 rounds pour la IBF Jr. Léger Monde Titre. Il sera diffusé en direct sur Showtime (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT). L'émission sera également disponible en espagnol par l'intermédiaire de la programmation audio secondaire (SAP). Combats préliminaires seront retransmis en direct sur Showtime EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, retardés sur la côte ouest).

Pour plus d'informations, visitez www.sports.sho.com et www.dbe1.com suivre sur Twitter àSHOSports, BronzeBomber, LouDiBella EtSwanson_Comm, suivre la conversation en utilisant #WilderMolina, devenir fan sur Facebook à www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing ou visite http://shosportspoundforpound.

Heavyweight World Championship Samedi, Juin 13,
En direct sur Showtime^® De Bartow Arena à Birmingham, Ala.;

ALL ACCESS: Deontay Wilder Premieres Juin 3 sur SHOWTIME

Cliquez ICI To Download Photos Of Deontay Wilder

Crédit photo: Bill Hoffman

Cliquez ICI To Download Photos Of Eric Molina

Crédit photo: Joel Martinez/SHOWTIME

Cliquez ICI To Download Photos Of Jose Pedraza

Crédit photo: Victor Planas/Universal Promotions

NEW YORK (Juin 1, 2015) – Invaincu World Heavyweight Champion Deontay “Le Bronze Bomber” Wilder, confident heavyweight contender Eric “Drummer Boy” Molina and unbeaten junior lightweight Jose “Le Sniper” Pedraza participated in Media Day Workouts last Thursday for their fights Samedi, Juin 13, sur Showtime Championship Boxing^® survivre AFFICHER L'HEURE^® (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) à Bartow Arena à Birmingham, Ala.

The power-punching, popular hometown favorite Wilder (33-0, 32 KOs), de Tuscaloosa, Ala., will make the first defense of his title when he meets Molina (23-2, 17 KOs), de Raymondville, Texas, dans l'événement principal sur Juin 13. Pedraza (19-0, 12 KOs), de Caguas, Puerto Rico, se réunira Andreï Klimov (19-1, 9 KOs), de Klimovski, Russie, in a 12-rounder for the vacant IBF Junior Lightweight World Championship in the co-feature.

Below is what Wilder, Molina and Pedraza said during their separate Media Days in Northport, Ala., Weslaco, Texas and Cidra, Puerto Rico, respectivement:

Deontay Wilder, World Heavyweight Champion

“It’s definitely a blessing to be able to fight in my state. When we set the goal to be heavyweight champion of the world that was one of the goals we set, to bring it to Alabama. Just to change it up and give Alabama some spice besides football, and to finally get the opportunity to have a major fight in the state of Alabama. This is what we were looking for when we worked to bring the commission here, and we were successful and got it done. This is what we were looking for.

“I want Alabama to be my home territory. It’s why I stay here. Some people still try to throw me out but my heart is here and I’ve got bigger and better plans. This is just the beginning.

“My team handles all the distractions (from fighting at home). I’ve got a wonderful team. Je suis juste prêt à aller. I’m ready to get this party started and welcome Molina to Alabama.

“My hand is fine. We tested it yesterday for 10-ounce gloves because that’s the competition weight. We put it on and I felt great. It gave me even more confidence. I’m ready to get in the ring and do what I have to do and perform for my people.”

(on being world champion)

“We knew we would be doing a lot of traveling after getting the belt but we didn’t know the capacity of how much. It’s been a journey for me.

“I think I bring a different flavor to the sport of boxing, and I want to bring even more to the world.”

(on Molina)

“I haven’t heard from Molina but that’s good, that means he’s focused. I want him to come very focused. I know he’s going to be nervous and scared, but they say if you back a rabbit in a corner, they fight back.

“I’m most dangerous when I’m at home. I’m not going to let down my home crowd and let someone take what I’ve worked so hard for. He’s not going to come behind enemy lines and take anything from me.

“I want a great performance from him. I want a great performance for the crowd and people to say, 'Hey, I want to come back for the next one!’ and to be hungry for the next one. We got a lot of fights we want to do in Alabama, and this is just the start. I want to move on from Bartow to the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC), which is bigger than the MGM Grand.

“Every title defense is proving something. I’m the world’s most wanted, and everyone wants it. I’ve got the WBC crown. It’s the most well-known, famous belt in boxing. Everyone wants their name on this belt, and I have it. Every fight is a dangerous fight when I’m putting the belt on the line, and I train as if everyone is a world champion.”

(on why he’s defending against Molina)

“We have a lot of other opponents, but Molina was the one to understand the opportunity that lies at hand. Some people can price themselves out and some teams make it so difficult that the fight won’t happen. They can really block themselves out from getting the fight. You can have the money or the opportunity. Molina understands what the situation is, and he stepped up to the plate and understands the opportunity at hand to be the World Heavyweight Champion.

“My last fight I proved to everyone what I was capable of. Je peux aller 12 rounds and take a punch. I can be just as fresh in the 12th round as the 1st.

“The sky’s the limit in what we’re trying to do. I represent the state. Even though I’m from Tuscaloosa, it’s not just where my gym is in Northport or Coffeeville. I represent the state of Alabama. I need a home territory and a home state not only where we can bring in local people, bring in the nation, but also bring in the whole world.”

ERIC MOLINA, Contender Heavyweight

“This is the fight that we dream about when we first lace on the gloves and I am extremely excited about the opportunity to fight for the biggest prize in sports, the WBC heavyweight title. I’ve been preparing and training very hard, and I’m almost at the point where we’re ready to go.

“We’ve studied a lot of Wilder, and expect a very physical fight. I think a lot of people are underestimating my strength and power. They know Wilder can punch but they are underestimating the power that I possess.

“We know it’s going be a hostile environment, fighting in basically his backyard, but he’s now the champion and with that he gets an opportunity in his optional title defense (to fight who he wants, where he wants). He gets to enjoy those opportunities, but that’s where I come in.

“Bien sûr, I’m confident I can win the title. I think people look at my record and think this or that, but I don’t feel they understand my entire career, the things I have gone through and overcome, the different angles of boxing that more than meets the eye.

“Nothing against Deontay, who has worked hard to get to where he is, but he doesn’t represent the kind of fighter, en général, that I am. I’ve always had to fight and struggle from fight to fight. I never had a true training camp situation. I’m not saying he had things easy, but I had to work and juggle things to keep going. Only the fighters in my situation can understand it.

“I’ve been boxing for nine years. I have a BS and Master’s Degree and I’m in my fourth year teaching kids with disabilities. Along with boxing, this is what I do. This is who I am, and I am not ashamed of who I am either. I’m proud. If they want to consider me an underdog, amende. But I’m also the guy who got knocked out in his first pro fight and battled back to where I am now and I’m fighting for the championship.

“What people don’t know about me is that my career has been all about determination, strength and struggles. Other boxers, dont Bernard Hopkins, lost their first fights and went on to win a world title. I’ve learned a lot from my two losses and now I have the confidence to accomplish anything.

“Bottom line is I am not trying to convince anybody who I am, I just want people to see who the real Eric Molina is — that I am more than what my record on paper indicates. I was NABF champion for a while but could never get a fight so I was dropped from the rankings. It was like I had to start over again. But I stuck to it, and with everything else I had going on outside the ring, things I had to put aside for this fight, still managed to get into the position I’m in now.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a heavyweight contender like me. Where I train, there are no other real heavyweights except for one or two. I have to fly guys in to help me work with the guys already here. I’ve been in camps with Bermane Stiverne; I often had to go to where the sparring was just to get the work.

“I’ve never been in a spot where things have been easy for me in boxing. I never had the odds on my side, the tools, the resources. But I still made it this far and want to go farther.

“I think the first round is very important. I expect that from the get-go that he will feel like he could hurt me, but I also feel very strongly that I could hurt him. So it is very important to be ready for that first bell.

“Cela va être un grand combat, much, much better than many may be expecting, and I am ready.”

Jose Pedraza, Unbeaten Junior Lightweight Contender

“As a Puerto Rican, every time I fight, I fight for the honor of my people. Si, sur Juin 13, I won’t only be fighting to win a world title, I’ll be fighting for Cidra, Puerto Rico and for all the Puerto Ricans out there watching me. Puerto Rico needs another champion and I’m here to deliver and make my people proud. I cannot afford to let them down. I won’t let Puerto Rico down. I’ll come back a champion.

“This is a great opportunity fighting on a big show on SHOWTIME. It has taken hard work, dedication and long gym work to obtain this big exposure on SHOWTIME.

“My last fight against Michael Farenas was very important to me because that fight was a title eliminator and, by winning, it opened the door to this fight and finally my dream of becoming world champion is close to arriving.

“It has been a long and hard training camp — intensive. We opened camp in Las Vegas in December. This camp has been special because it is for the world championship.

“Andrey Klimov is a strong boxer, always going forward, the jab and straight right are his best shots. The only thing I see is he is strong and has good fitness. From his last fight against Terrence Crawford I could see that he has problems when he fights a left-handed boxer with good movement. I will be working in side steps and with speed.

“I hope that he comes well prepared for me. We must do our best to give the fans a good show. SurJuin 13, I will be a new champ and after that I want to make two defenses and move to 135.”

# # #

ALL ACCESS: Deontay Wilder, which chronicle’s the champion’s January fight against Bermane Stiverne and sets the stage as he prepares for his upcoming title defense, premières sur Mercredi, Juin 3 à 10 p.m. ET/PT.
“WILDER vs. MOLINA,” un combat de 12 rounds pour le championnat WBC des poids lourds Wilder, a lieuSamedi, Juin 13, à l'aréna Bartow à Birmingham, Ala. DiBella Entertainment et Bruno équipe événement ont uni leurs forces pour présenter cet événement à l'Alabama. Dans la co-événement principal co-romoted par DiBella en association avec Promotions Universelles, Jose Pedraza fera face à Andreï Klimov dans un combat de 12 rounds pour la IBF Jr. Léger Monde Titre. Il sera diffusée en direct sur Showtime^® (9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT). L'émission sera également disponible en espagnol par l'intermédiaire de la programmation audio secondaire (SAP). Combats préliminaires seront retransmis en direct sur Showtime EXTREME (7 p.m. ET/PT, retardés sur la côte ouest).

Pour plus d'informations, visitez www.sports.sho.com et www.dbe1.com suivre sur Twitter àSHOSports, WilderVSMolina, BronzeBomber, LouDiBella EtSwanson_Comm, suivre la conversation en utilisant #WilderMolina, devenir fan sur Facebook à www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing ou visitez le Blog Showtime Boxing au http://theboxingblog.sho.com.