| Kelly Swanson
Ngiyabonga, operator. Thanks, wonke umuntu, for calling in. We have a great call this morning and this afternoon actually here on the East Coast to talk about the March 28 Showtime show, Championship Boxing Show, featuring Jhonny Gonzalez, Gary Russell, Jr. and Jermell Charlo against Vanes Martirosyan. We have all the fighters joining us today on the call. We will start with Jermell and Vanes. Kodwa, ngaphambi sithola fighters, Ngingathanda ukwethula Chris DeBlasio, Vice President of Communications for SHOWTIME Sports to fill you in a little bit about the fight. Chris?
Chris DeBlasio
Ngiyabonga kakhulu, Kelly. I just want to take a quick moment to thank the fighters for being on this call, umbonge press ngokuba lapha, futhi nje uthi egameni Stephen Espinoza, the EVP kanye uMphathi Jikelele Showtime Sports, futhi sonke at Showtime, Simagange ngempela ukuze uthole emuva nge nice live Showtime Championship Boxing umcimbi lokhu ngoMgqibelo. As you may have seen in the boxing press, kwaba cishe amasonto amabili edlule ukuthi samemezela ukwengeza platform omusha okuthiwa Showtime Boxing International. Le mpi lokuqala kuyoba lokhu ngoMgqibelo, March 28; it’s an international fight on the SHOWTIME network live to our subscribers. Ngakho, okokuqala kuyindlela enhle ukuqalisa yethu Saturday March 28 boxing Ukusabalala, futhi lokho gonna kube Kell Brook Ukuqhathanisa Jo Jo Dan IBF Welterweight World Championship empini ukuthatha indawo Sheffield, England. SHOWTIME is going to carry that fight live at 6:15 Eastern, 3:15Pacific. Bese, sizakuthatha ikhefu ngesikhathi intambama bese bukhoma at 10 p.m ET./7 p.m. PT Showtime Championship Boxing umcimbi Jermell Charlo, Vanes Martirosyan, Jhonny Gonzalez and Gary Russell. Ngakho, kungcono uhlobo a ezimbili- ingxenye platform ngomgqibelo nge ukulwa ezintathu bukhoma ukuza kuwe, which we’re really excited about. And we appreciate the opportunity to be in business with the guys on the phone here today. Ngakho, ngaphandle lutho olunye, let’s get it started. We welcome you guys.
Kelly Swanson
Okay. And one quick note — noma kunalokho, media, one inothi okusheshayo — siye nje wathuma Ukulwa Week Media Schedule, ngakho sicela bheka for ukuthi okusebhokisini lemyalezo yakho, and it will give you the details of what is going on this week for the fight. Ngiyabonga. Okay, let’s go ahead and open it up. Empeleni, let me go ahead and introduce the two guys that are on the call right now. They want to say a couple words. Okokuqala, we have Vanes Martirosyan. He’s a world-ranked 154 pound contender. Vanes, ufuna ukusho umbhangqwana amazwi, usitshele indlela ukuqeqeshwa uya nangendlela ubhekene ukuzilungisa for the fight?
Vanes Martirosyan
Training ihamba kahle kakhulu, everything is going good. We can’t wait to fight. Uyazi, Ngingumfana everybody isiqiniseko uthi ngaphambi kokuba alwe, but we really are ready to go. We just can’t wait to go.
Kelly Swanson
Okay, omkhulu. Ngiyabonga kakhulu. And where are you training?
The. Martirosyan
I’m training here in California at Main Event Sports Club. There’s been a couple of locations we’ve been training, kodwa okukhulu ubelokhu Main Indawo Sports Club, lapho abezindaba kuyoba namuhla.
K. Swanson
Manje, I’m going to move to Jermell Charlo. He’s an undefeated super welterweight contender. Jermell why don’t you tell us a little bit about what’s happening in your training camp and how you’re feeling heading into the fight.
Jermell Charlo
Training’s been great. Every time I step in the ring, njalo I ulungele fight, I feel like just there’s never been a time where I repeat myself or do something the same. I’ve been learning from all my past mistakes. Every win I’m still learning from. Ngakho, training camp has been good. Trainer Ronnie Shields, Danny Arnold. Ngavula gym yami, so I get a little late night extra hours in when I want to. Futhi, I want to fight with my twin brother. We’re pushing to fight. I can’t wait to fight. Just like Vanes, yena elambile, ukulungele. I’m I’m ready.
Q
Njengoba sazi bobabili izikhundla zakho, njengoba kubhekwe njengento top 10 kwabazabalazayo in the 154 ganda class isisindo, engqondweni yakho, ucabanga lokhu fight ukuqedwa? Vanes, yiziphi imicabango yakho ngalokho?
The. Martirosyan
I think every fight right now at this point in my career and Jermell’s career should be considered a title fight. It is — Ngicabanga ukuthi — an eliminator fight. I’m looking at this as a championship fight. Jermell is tougher than any of the champions, ukuze kimi, lokhu a fight ubuqhawe, and that’s what we got ready for. And it should be an eliminator fight. I don’t know if it is or not, kodwa lokho kanjani thina uthatha njengento, futhi thina uthatha leli njengoba fight isihloko emhlabeni.
Q
Jermell, Imicabango yakho kuleso – ingabe eliminator esemthethweni noma a de empeleni waba omunye?
J. Charlo
Same thing with me. I feel that this is a tough fight. Every fight is a fight for my life. And I step in the ring and make sure that I fight with that on the back of my mind. Vanes is a great fighter — yakhulela naye. I know what I bring to the table. And this fight is a fight for manhood, kungcono ukulwa ukuze kubonakale ukuthi ubani lo tycoon bangempela ezemidlalo in the 154 pound weight division. There’s a lot at stake, ngakho-ke ngaphezu kokulwa isihloko kimi.
Q
Jermell, akazange yini athi ukhulele naye kancane?
J. Charlo
Yeah, Ngakhulela naye, Eminyakeni emibili okungenani noma abathathu Vanes, uyazi, nomndeni wakhe, abantu bakhe, uyazi? Ngakho, Ngiyazi — siyazi nomunye kahle.
Q
Uke guys owake sparred nomunye?
J. Charlo
Yeah, sinezinto sparred nomunye izikhathi eziningana.
Q
Kangakanani, Ubungathini? And how long ago?
J. Charlo
I can’t really say how often. I know it was back when we were a little bit younger. I was younger, engufanayana omncane ekhula ibe umuntu. Ngakho, khona manje, Angazi ngisho ucabange kwaba kanjani, lokho kwaba mayelana, noma ukuqeqeshwa kanjani lapho thina babeqeqesha ndawonye. Ingabe ngisho 19 — Bekade ngi 17, 16, 17, 18, Ngisho, those ages. Here, sibhekene nomunye ngoba thina uku kokubili phezulu, and that’s what happens when you’re in the same division. Never had anything personal or different to say about him. It’s just work.
Q
Vanes, nawe uzizwa ngendlela efanayo mayelana izikhathi zakho ku ring naye?
The. Martirosyan
Yeah, I remember when we used to train. It was good training. We were always in competition — me, him and his brother. We used to go running at Memorial Park every day, and we’d try to see who’d finish the lap first. It was always competition between us — running and training or what-not. But it was nothing but love and I respect him, uyise, nomqeqeshi wakhe, Ronnie Shields. They’ve been good people to me. Kodwa Saturday ebusuku, yena uzoba isitha sami esiyingini. Okwamanje, ngaphandle ring, I ahloniphe everybody. Once we step in the ring, kungcono indaba ohluke ngokuphelele.
Q
Your fight that took place in October was a big win for you against Willie Nelson. You harnessed a lot of the emotion going into that fight because it had taken place just after your promoter Dan Goossen had passed away and you had his brother Joe in your corner. It was a lot of heavy emotion that night, and you really came through in a big way that night. Is it gonna be difficult in any way to sort of get that same emotion behind you?
The. Martirosyan
Ungenzi, ngoba ngaleso fight, thina kwakufanele bayakhohlwa izinto eziningi. Dan passed away. We were all sad, and we didn’t know what to do. And we actually thought — 'Kufanele silwe’ noma angazi uma Joe (Goossen sika) going to be there. I didn’t know what was going on. There was too much emotion going into that fight. We kind of got away from the fight a little bit. But we used it as motivation for our fight. This fight to me is big. Lapho ngiphelelwa ku Andrade, Angizange angene ring 100 Amaphesenti angu, futhi lapho ngafika ekhaya — lapho ufika ekhaya isiphukuphuku, kungcono umuzwa omubi. Angikwazi sibheke umkami, my kids. I feel like I let them down. Ngakho, khona manje, Ngingumfana nje ukuthi mode lapho Ngizobe ukufa kunokuba nibone ukuthi aphinde.
Q
Uma ubungase ukunqoba le mpi, kusobala, ubungalokhu esimweni for a enkulu isihloko emhlabeni fight. Ingabe ukhululekile nge elinde omunye walabo, ngizitshela lezo fighters kuphela ukulwa mhlawumbe kabili ngonyaka, noma ungathanda ukuba uhlale esebenzayo futhi uthathe ukulwa phakathi kwabo?
J. Charlo
Uyazi, ngokuwina le mpi kimi — a world title would be ideal. A world title is important. I want to fight for a world title. I want the world title. That’s every boxer’s dream and envision whenever they’re young. Ukulwa for the world isihloko izinto futhi yonke lento extra, kodwa uma Ngithathe lapha ekwakheni igama lami nokwakha brand yami, lokho nje kubalulekile. Ukuba undabuzekwayo kulo lonke World Boxing Council, konke. Lokho okubalulekile kimi.
The. Martirosyan
Le mpi, le mpi — Ngingathi like a lot of the Champions ukuthi angamaqhawe manje in yethu class isisindo, iningi lazo nje ugijime umlomo wabo, starting with Andrade. A fight like this for me and Jermell, kungcono ukulwa enkulu for me, uyazi, but it’s not only for us. Ngisho, it’s for the fans. The fans are in, and it’s great. Ngisho, you rarely get to see contenders like me and Jermell wanting to step up and fight each other. Uyazi, ngokuvamile, isizwe siyovuka the rankings to like esiyikho, they just want to just talk a lot of bad stuff about the champions to get the world title fight. Kodwa, uyazi, wena ayilitholi ukubona kwabazabalazayo like ukuthi, uyazi, Ungenzi. 1 futhi No. 2 fighting each other when, you know they really want to fight each other and they both said yes to the fight. Ngakho, kungcono a fight big, kodwa ngizizwa sengathi, uyazi, sonke gonna kube — siyakucela gonna senze okusemandleni ethu, futhi ngizizwa sengathi abalandeli gonna kube abawinile kule mpi for.
K Swanson
Okay, omkhulu. You guys, Ngicabanga ukuthi kwaba umbuzo wakho wokugcina, and so we appreciate you taking the time out of your training. And Vanes, we look forward to seeing you later for your open workout. Futhi, Jermell, siyobona kuwe Las Vegas kuleli sonto.
J. Charlo
No problem. See you, guys.
The. Martirosyan – Ngiyabonga. Take care.
Kelly Swanson
Sizoba ukushintsha call phezu uGary Russell, Jr.
K. Swanson
Gary Russell, Jr. uzobe ebhekene Jhonny Gonzalez for Gonzalez sika 126 ganda isihloko, the WBC Featherweight World Championship. Gary, uma ufuna ukusitshela kancane mayelana nokuqeqeshwa kanjani uya, ukulangazela kwakho ukuba ukulwa Jhonny Gonzalez lunga isihloko emhlabeni futhi ukuthi ucabangani yonke fight in general?
Gary Russell Jr.
Thina kwadingeka ikamu elikhulu ukuqeqeshwa. Konke kuye kwaba ephelele, no excuses, no cutting corners. We’re 120 percent ready for this fight. We can’t wait be able to call ourself the new WBC World Champion.
K. Swanson
Ingabe ukwenza lutho ekamu belungiselela lokhu lokho ihlukile kwezinye ukulwa yakho?
G. Russell Jr.
Ungenzi, we’re not doing anything that’s different in preparation for any of the fights. I think the only difference is, kuye impi, you want to prepare depending on the opponent that you’re competing against. Ngakho, Ngicabanga umehluko nje ukuthi umehluko sparring. Ufuna zilethe guys ukuthi abe isitayela efana ubani ubhekene Gonna uncintisane njll. That’s the only change that we’ve made so far. Ngaphandle kwalokho — eziyisisekelo eziyisisekelo, ring generalship, speed isandla, amandla isibhakela, amandla conditioning, zonke Izinto kuyafana.
Q
Gfuthi, Kwakuthinta zamangala uthole enye shot at the isihloko?
G. Russell, Jr.
Ungenzi, Angisona simangale. Ngathola okufanayo Al Haymon Promotions, nje Al Haymon jikelele uma kuziwa ukuthi. Muhle umphathi wami, futhi siyazi ukuthi wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze azame ukwenza izinto zenzeke kithi, and give us another shot at a world title. I’m extremely grateful and thankful for this opportunity.
Q
Uma balwa impi yokulwa Lomachenko for one of the izihloko, ingabe ukuthatha ulutho ukuthi lokho kunqotshwa? Kungakhathaliseki kungcono isipiliyoni, noma ngalelo zinga of the stage ukuthi ulethe lokhu next ubuqhawe thuba?
G. Russell Jr.
Kunjalo. One of the main things that we took out of it is, uma kungenjalo waphula, don’t fix it. In that particular fight with Lomachenko, we did a lot of things completely different in that fight that we normally wouldn’t do. We brought other people in. We let other people take the reigns and be in control of our conditioning. Sikubonile umphumela walelo futhi imiphumela emibi kuwo. Asazi ukuthatha ukulahleka lula, ngokude. So we’re back on pace. We have the same team around us that have been here from the beginning of my career all the way up until now. Sasinamasonto ithimba ngendlela efanayo emuva in motion. Sesikulungele, siyakucela egxile, thina uzimisele, siyakucela enophephela futhi sibhekile nje ukunikeza show omuhle.
Q
Uyabona Gonzalez njengoba fighter kangcono kakhulu kunokuba Lomachenko, noma mhlawumbe kancane fighter abasengozini ngaphezu Lomachenko noma efanayo? Wenzenjani beka imicengezi ezimbili isihloko?
G. Russell Jr.
Ubathola ezimbili amasosha ezahlukene kakhulu. Lomachenko has a little bit more hand speed than Jhonny Gonzalez. Gonzalez is more of a puncher. Jhonny Gonzalez is more of a dangerous fighter than Lomachenko just because of his punching ability and just him being a seasoned professional, being able to get all these rounds in as a professional. Lomachenko definitely is a good fighter. We take every fight serious. You thatha muntu kalula. Thina nakanjani wathi, oh, lena impi esiyingozi ukuthatha nge Jhonny Gonzalez, kodwa sizizwa sengathi nalokho esingakusho etafuleni kuyoba eliphakeme ekugcineni.
Q
Yini ongayenza ngendlela ehlukile ngqo ukuze ulungiselele Lomachenko ukuthi ufisa wawungazange?
G. Russell, Jr.
We brought someone in for our strength and conditioning. We’ve known our strength and conditioning was completely different. Even when it came to the way that we cut weight, it was different. Leading up to the fight, sasikhona a sauna ukuze ezimbili ezidlule, maybe three days leading all the way up into the fight. That’s what my strength and conditioning coach wanted me to do.
Noma ubani ukuthi Selike ukuthi fight, ukuthi kwaba Lomachenko noma ubani omunye, babone umehluko isibhakela ikhono lami, Ukukhuthazela yami, ijubane yami, nje mina njengomuntu umuntu. Abantu babazi ukuthi wayengeyena Gary Russell, Jr. ukuthi kwakuzodingeka umbonile owedlule 24 fights.And that was some of the things that came up in the Lomachenko fight. I was completely tired and fatigued in the first round, uyazi?
Q
About Jhonny Gonzalez — yena ngokusobala a guy ngubani puncher volume, yena akesabi bame futhi ukuhweba. Kanjani lo msebenzi fight inzuzo yakho uma engenzi ukulwa ejwayelekile Gonzalez fight in engqondweni yakho?
G. Russell, Jr.
Angicabangi ukuthi kuzoba ukwazi ukubhekana, kwaphinda lokho, ijubane yami. I think we’ll be able to do it with my speed. He’s always been slow in the speed. Even though he’s been a puncher, a lot of punchers have to really sit to actually apply these punches efficiently. I think he lacks the ring generalship as far as the footwork goes that he would need — the foot quickness. Futhi eziningi isibhamu sakhe kukhona okuncane ububanzi. Ngakho, I uzoba mayelana ukuba outpunch kuye akwazi ngezibhakela kuye phakathi isibhamu sakhe.
Q
Ucabangani ngesinqumo empini Lomachenko?
G. Russell Jr.
I didn’t think anything of it. The only thing that registered in my mind was the fact that I didn’t have the ability to perform the way that I normally would have. I never really looked at a decision. I never looked at how the referee was going about the fight or any of these things. The only thing that came to my mind was the fact that I just lost my first professional fight, Mina uhlobo wabona isizathu Ngalahlekelwa — kwakungenxa yokuthi ngangiphakathi ngeke akwazi ukwenza lokho kwaba ukuthi mina evamile do.
Q
Ngakho, unomuzwa wokuthi walahlekelwa ukulwa ke?
G. Russell Jr.
Certainly. I’d definitely say that I lost the fight.
Q
You yayithinta Al Haymon phambilini. Ungachaza yini umthelela wakhe career yakho? And we’ve all seen the moves that he’s been making. How is that gonna help you moving forward?
G. Russell, Jr.
Ngizizwa sengathi umlilo ngaphansi kwalezi abaphathi abagqugquzeli. Kukhona umzamo team. Uzokwazi ukutshela umphathi wakho noma umgqugquzeli yakho, 'Hey, lokhu game plan yami, this is what it is that I want to accomplish this year.’ I wanted to at least be able to contend for a world title. I want to have maybe four fights this year, mhlawumbe eziyisithupha ukulwa kulo nyaka, njll. Umphathi wakho futhi umgqugquzeli, lapho bengena at, they should be able to meet you halfway with their game plan. If you want to have six fights within a year, njll, your manager and promoter should be able to get it done for you. We feel as though that Al Haymon is very efficient in doing exactly what it is that we want from him. Kuba mayelana abakwaziyo, Ngibona kanjalo.
Q
Ulibangise le mpi, Uzizwa sengathi ukunikeza izinga elithile lokulwa ukuba ngempela ukwenza abalandeli isho kuwe futhi kukwenze ube undabuzekwayo? Now that there’s so many platforms for boxing, Uzizwa like kukhona wanezela nengcindezi ufake fight ethokozisayo, noma uzizwa like ongakwenza namanje nje, methodically ebhokisini futhi athole abalandeli kusukela ukuthi?
G. Russell Jr.
I ngokwethembeka ungazizwa sengathi ukuthi kumele wenze lutho ongavamile. Uya ukubona ejwayelekile Gary Russell, Jr. okubonile owedlule 24 ukulwa — speed isandla, isibhakela ikhono, ring generalship and etc. ,A lot of fighters ingagxili hype, futhi bazizwa sengathi banayo ukwenza izinto kancane more ukunqoba fans phezu, njll. That’s never one of my things. I’m always to be exciting without being reckless. And I’m going to do what it is that I’m comfortable doing.
K. Swanson
Okay, Gary, ngibonga kakhulu ngokuba atholakalayo ukuba leyo mibuzo iphenduleke, futhi siyakwazisa wena ukuthatha isikhathi out of day yakho imatasa, futhi sibheka phambili ekuboneni ulwe lokhu ngoMgqibelo, March 28, at the Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas futhi bephila Showtime Championship Boxing. Thanks, Gary.
* * *
Amathikithi for the umcimbi bukhoma kuthiwa ontengo yakhe yayinqunyiwe at $200, $100, $75, $50, futhi $25, eside kusebenza
ezikhokhwa ukudayiswa manje. Amathikithi angathengwa ngokubiza Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 noma ngokuchofoza LAPHA. Amathikithi ayatholakala online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Gonzalez vs. Russell kwenzeka The Pearl at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas futhi ngeke baveze on Showtime (10 p.m. KANYE/7 p.m. PT). In the umcimbi co-main, Jermell Charlo liba Vanes Martirosyan in super welterweight action. The Showtime Championship Boxing telecast izoba khona ngeSpanishi via izinhlelo secondary audio (SAP).
Ukuze uthole ukwaziswa okwengeziwe, Ukuvakashela www.sports.sho.com, ukulandela on Twitter atSHOSports, jhonnygbox, mrgaryrusselljr, TwinCharlo, LouDiBella AndPearlAtPalms, ukulandela ingxoxo usebenzisa #GonzalezRussell, abe fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing noma uvakashele Blog Showtime Boxing at http://theboxingblog.sho.com. |
