| Kelly Swanson
Mihi, katoa, for joining us today for this great call to officially announce a very exciting match up. And without further ado, ki te kōrero i te iti bit e pā ana ki taua kēmu ake, Kei te haere ahau ki te whakamōhio Chris DeBlasio, Vice Peresideni o Sports Communications mo SHOWTIME.
Chris DeBlasio
Mihi, 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, me pehea rawa oaoa e tatou mo te tuatahi o Julio Hiha Chavez Jr. i runga i to tatou whatunga i runga i Rāhoroi, April 18, no to tatou doubleheader SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Te haere ki te waiho i te nui po. On the call with us and in the ring across from Julio Chavez Jr. i runga i taua po, ko te 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, o te akoranga, thanks to all the press for being on the call. Mauruuru koe, Kelly.
K. Swanson
Mauruuru koe, katoa. Te pai. We’re going to go ahead and introduce the fighters and their trainers for you. First we have Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., toa taumahawaenga mua te ao, Andrzej Fonfara, te mua kaiwero taitara ao, Julio Hiha Chavez Sr. — e matau ana tatou katoa ko wai te mea ia, a tino i roto i te faatura ki te kōrero nui i te mea ia, farii poupou ia tatou ki te karanga — Joe Goossen, ko wai te kaiwhakangungu o Julio, a Sam Colonna, ko wai te kaiwhakangungu o Fonfara.
Na, i tenei wa, te aha hiahia ahau ki te mahi i he ui Julio Hiha Chavez Jr. ki te hanga kupu whakapuaki e pā ana ki tenei whawhai, me te iti moka e pā ana ki te mea kei te mahi i ia inaianei i roto i te puni whakangungu, me te tika te pehea ite ia e pā ana ki te whawhai.
Julio Hiha Chavez Jr.
I’m training very well. I’m training (i te teitei) level than the best. I’m doing more physical training (a au te kimi ahau ofi ki te) taimaha o 172 pauna. And I think I’m in great shape, e mohio ana koe? I have a lot of time and don’t stay in this kind of shape.
K. Swanson
Te pai. Now let’s hear from Andrzej Fonfara. Andrzej, taea e kōrero koe i te iti moka, ka korero ki a matou eaha to outou mana'o no ni'ai te whawhai Jr.?
Andrzej Fonfara
I’m feeling great. I think Chavez Jr. Ko te toa nui, toa te ao. Na e matau ana koutou, it’s good fight for me. I trained hard for the fight. We got very good camp. Na, we start a sparring session. E mohio ana koe, he pai toku taimaha. My training’s–all trainings are good. I spent two weeks in Houston. I’m trained there, rawa. Then I’m back to Chicago. We finished camp here. And I’m–e mohio ana koe, Ahau rite mo te tika Chavez i roto i te whakakai April 18ka whakaatu ia ia ahau pai kaimekemeke.
K. Swanson
Te pai. Excellent. Mauruuru e koe kia nui. Next we’ll have the trainers say something very brief before we turn it over to the media for call. Na, Joe Goossen, he is Julio Cesar Chavez’s trainer at this point. Joe, e hiahia ana koe ki te hanga i tētahi tokorua kōrero?
Joe Goossen
Mauruuru koe. Tau kotahi, 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, e mohio ana koe, Ko te tino Julio, very serious about this fight. Like Fonfara, he trained for a few weeks in Los Angeles. Na inaianei, kei tatou ake i roto i te Lake tahoe, up in the high altitude in the mountains here. It’s very secluded. It’s very concentrated work. Julio is — Ka taea e korerotia e tika ahau ki a koutou i tenei — Ko te tino whakatapua ki tenei whawhai, hinengaro, te pae tino, 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 ōrau. And I can’t tell you how happy I am, tau kotahi, ki te mahi ki a Julio Jr. It’s been something that I’ve always wanted to do. A, no te akoranga, 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. Na, I’m very happy with that. And I’m sure Andrzej’s doing the same thing, training very hard. Ki te taua te mea, whakawhetai ki a koe.
K. Swanson
Mauruuru koe. Na, Sam Colonna, ki te taea e homai e koe ki a matou he kōrero, a ka ka whakatuwhera tatou i te reira ki runga hoki ngā pātai.
Sam Colonna
Well, tuatahi, I’d like to thank everybody for getting this together. It’s an honor to be part of it. Ko, e mohio ana koe, i mua i tangohia e ratou a Julio Hiha Chavez ki te whawhai, they were throwing names at us. And I would say no. And another name came. I would say no. As soon as they said, 'He aha e pā ana ki Julio Hiha Chavez,’ Na ka mea ahau, ‘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. Na, te haere i te reira ki te waiho i te whawhai nui. 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
Te pai. Mauruuru koe. Na inaianei, muri, engari e kore e iti, Te hinaaro nei au ki te tiki i te kōrero tokorua i Julio Hiha Chavez Sr. about his son fighting Fonfara and what he anticipates that will be like. Hōngongoi?
Julio Hiha Chavez Sr.
I didn’t want this fight. E mohio ana ahau e, hoki taku tama, 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. Hōngongoi, me pehea koe e ite haere mai atu i te ana.page te tau?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Ite e ahau pai. E mohio ana ahau ki te reira fifi, ka koe atu koe. E mea fifi ki te toe i to outou taime. Ko kua ahau whakangungu, working at my skills. And I think, e mohio ana koe, Ahau rawa māia no te mea kua pau ahau i toku ora katoa i roto i te mekemeke. Ahau i roto i te 13 tau o toku ngāue ngaio. Heoi e kore e ahau whakaaro ko te raruraru tenei no te mea ko tenei whawhai i 172 pauna. 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
Korero o taua taitara ao, me pehea e ongo'i koe e pā ana ki takatu rite a Tamutu Stevenson me Sergey Kovalev?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Aue, these guys very strong. But I think, i muri i tenei whawhai, Haere ki raro, i ahau ki 168 a ka noho i roto i tenei piha haapiiraa taimaha. Kotahi te rua ranei tau ki muri ka neke ahau ki 175 engari ko e nui rawa hoki toku tinana. Na, Ahau 168. Ko, mo te tau kotahi atu, Ko tenei whawhai i 172.
Q
Andrzej, me pehea e ongo'i koe tinana e haere mai atu i te whawhai a Tamutu Stevenson?
A. Fonfara
Whakaaro ahau whakakitea e ahau againstStevenson ko ahau he toa. Te pae tino, Ite e ahau pai inaianei. Mai taua whawhai, I’ve been training much harder. Whakaaro ahau, no te mea o taua whawhai, Ahau i te kaimekemeke pai no te, e mohio ana koe, I learn a lot in fights. I’m ready for Chavez, Kua whakangungua ahau pakeke hoki tenei whawhai, rite, e mohio ana koe, 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, Au tonu te whakangungu ahau pakeke.
Q
Ko te kupu tenei hoki Julio Jr e rua. and Sr. For Jr., mārama, i reira te he painga, me te pea te drawback, rawa, 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, Ko e e mea etahi tata te taea, impossibly high standard to try to live up to. From your perspective and also from your father’s, te aha e pā ana ki taua, te pikaunga, me te painga o te he taua ingoa rongonui?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
I think I’m well respected because I’m world champion. Ko, e mohio ana koe, Whakaaro ahau he painga tenei. Otira e kore e te tauturu i ahau i roto i te whakakai. Ahau kï ahau i roto i te whakakai. I beat the champions. I beat the number one, tau e rua, tau e toru me te tau e wha, i 168 pauna. A kua whakakitea ahau katoa, te iwi, e taea te whawhai ahau, rawa. Ko ahau i te toa pai, me te (Whakanohoia e ahau i runga i te pai whawhai). Na ka kite i te iwi, ano he i oku whawhai. My style is a good style for the people. And I think this fight, rawa, te kāhua o Fonfara kei te haere mai ki te whawhai, he’s a fighter with a great heart and great chin. And both of us will make a great fight.
J. Hiha Chavez Sr..
The name has helped. Oia mau, ngā Ua tauturu te reira whiwhi aro, but we are very different. E ia — my son fights at a higher weight than I fought. And so, there’s a lot of difference. Te pae tino, he’s a lot bigger than I was. Na, i reira te pai, me te kino, and we understand that. Ko, te ia tona toa ake noa rite i ahau.
Q
Ahau, 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. Tīwae
E mohio ana koe ki te aha? I really don’t have them right in front of me. Ko, i reira i te iti rawa e toru, four different guys they were throwing at us. And as soon as they said Chavez, Haere ahau, 'Ko te te taata e hiahia ana matou,’ no te mea, rite mea ahau mua, the style is perfect for us. And we don’t have to look for him too much, e mohio ana koe? He’s going to be right there for us. Na, Ko te tino i te kāhua, pai tino whakauru.
Q
Andrzej, kua whawhai koe i te whitu, whitu super, taumahamaha te marama. How does it feel fighting at 172? And do you see yourself moving possibly down in weight in the near future, ranei e ite koe i te taumahamaha marama pono koe?
A. Fonfara
Ahau i te toa taumahamaha o te marama. That’s because I’m fighting with Chavez. That’s why we have a catch-weight. And that’s why I go down. Te tikanga whawhai e ahau i 175, at least for maybe two years. And this my weight. It’s not impossible for me to go, rite, e rua, e toru pauna iho no te mea, e mohio ana koe, ka whawhai ahau Stevenson whakamutunga tau i roto i te Mei, Ko ahau 173 ka. And I felt good then. Two pounds down is not problem for me. Should be good, e mohio ana koe? Just more diet, more work in the last week. And I should be good.
Q
Hōngongoi Jr., te nui o te awhina he mea hoki ki te whawhai te mutunga koe i muri i te tau? I know it’s been trying for you with the whole lawsuit and everything. Na, me pehea e ite i te reira no te ki a koe e mohio te mutunga koutou ki te whawhai ki runga mua?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Ite e ahau pai. Ite ahau nui, e mohio ana koe, 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. Na e matau ana koutou, I’m not remembering anything about that. I’m just focusing on the fight April 18 hoki Fonfara. Ite e ahau pai, Ite ahau nui. You know I can’t tell you with words how I feel because I’m better to the ring. (Ko ahau rawa oaoa ki te kia hoki mai) ki te mowhiti.
Q
Joe Goossen, nei o nga pūkenga o Julio Hiha e te iritiraa i te pai mo te wehenga taumahamaha marama?
J. Goossen
Well, te tuatahi atu, Julio is a well-rounded fighter. Te tikanga e ahau, 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. A, no te akoranga, we’re developing a game plan. I think the weight — fele, 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, Whakaaro ahau e haere tatou ki te kia taea ki te patu i te 172 mark quite easily. Ko, ano, 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, ka hiahiatia e matou he pouaka, 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, e haere tatou i ki te kia angitu ki a reira.
Q
E taea ranei e koe te hanga i te taimaha?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Ae. Sure. I’ll make 172 no te mea te utu ahau $100,000 per te pauna (ki te kahore ahau e rave). E kore e taea e ahau te utu i taua huru o te moni. E kore kua ahau paunatia hau atu i te 172 i roto i te whawhai. Ko te whawhai anake hanga e ahau 172 kei a Brian Vera, the first fight. But in all the rest of my career of boxing, i roto i toku pāngia katoa taitara (E kore ahau e kore i hanga taimaha). E kore ahau e mohio ki te aha koe ui ki ahau e. Te pai. Maybe, Ahau i te toa nui, e mohio ana koe? I know I am a bigger fighter. Ko, E kore ahau e whai raruraru. Na (ki te mahi ia) e kore e meinga e te taimaha, pea ka riro ahau $100,000 atu.
Q
Na, Hōngongoi, e tumanako koe mo $100,000 i Andrzej Fonfara, engari e mea ana koutou kia kaua tumanako ia mo $100,000 i a koutou?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Kaua e, mahi e kore e. I think that the fight’s in the right way. And he’s not going to take advantage of anybody, e mohio ana koe, no te mea (Haere mai ahau i roto i te mama). E mohio ana koe, Kei te tino pai ana ki ta ahau te mea pauna, mo whawhai e rua.
Q
Ka taea e kōrero koe e pā ana ki to koutou whakatau ki te whai Joe Goossen i roto i to koutou kokonga, ite koe, rite ki te hua o te whawhai Vera, e hia hoki ia koe nga pā i te mahi?
J. Hiha Chavez Jr.
Well, 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, tahi, we’re going to do really well. With regards to the performance, Ka taea e ahau te korero ki a koutou, e, this show is for the people. Te haere ki te waiho i te whawhai nui. It’s going to be a better fight. Na inaianei, ki toku kamupene whakatairanga hou, me te ki i mohio nei te haere i toku hoa tauwhainga ki te kia i roto i te mua, Whakaaro ahau te haere i te reira ki te waiho i te nui po.
K. Swanson
That was our last question. Na, ano, we really appreciate the fighters taking time to join us. We look forward to this fantastic matchup between Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. a Andrzej Fonfara i runga i Rāhoroi, April 18, i Center StubHub i Carson, Calif., ora i runga i SHOWTIME i 10:00 p.m. AND, 7:00 p.m. PT. Thank you so much for joining us.
* * *
Tikiti mo te takahanga, e te tahi whakatairangatia ana-e Goossen Whakatairanga me Chavez Whakatairanga, E utu i $200, $150, $100, $50 a $25, me takoha e hāngai ana, utu me utu ratonga, kei runga i te hoko i teie nei, a, he wātea mo te hoko ipurangi i AXS.com.
Chavez Jr. vs. Fonfara, Ko te a'ee 12-a tawhio noa e e wahi i Center StubHub i Carson, Calif. a ka AIR ki runga ki SHOWTIME (10 p.m. AND/7 p.m. PT). Ka hoki te telecast SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING wātea i roto i te reo Pāniora mā hōtaka audio Tuarua (SAP).
Mō ētahi atu pārongo'a'ahi www.sports.sho.com, te whai i runga i Twitter iSHOSports, @ Jcchavezjr1, andrzej_fonfara, StubHubCenter ASwanson_Comm, te whai i te whakahaere mā te whakamahi i #ChavezFonfara, riro i te tahi i runga i Facebook i www.facebook.com/SHOBoxing 'a'ahi ki te Blog SHOWTIME mekemeke i raneihttp://theboxingblog.sho.com. |
