NEW YORK (June 13, 2012) --
Former World Champion “Vicious”
Victor Ortiz, former NABF Super
Lightweight Champion Josesito Lopez,
former Three-Division World Champion Humberto
Soto and top-rated super lightweight contender Lucas Matthysse participated in an
international media conference call on Wednesday to discuss their participation
in the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
event on Saturday, June 23, to be broadcast live on SHOWTIME® (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the
West Coast) from STAPLES Center in
Los Angeles.
“Ortiz vs. Lopez,” a 12-round
fight for the vacant WBC Silver Welterweight Championship taking place
Saturday, June 23, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif., is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Goossen Tutor Promotions and Thompson Boxing Promotions and sponsored by
Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.
The co-feature will see former Three-Division World Champion Humberto “Zorrita” Soto battle
Argentinean knockout artist Lucas Matthysse
in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Super Lightweight
title which is presented in association with Baja
Boxing Promotions and Arano Box
Promotions. Opening the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
tripleheader at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) will be top rated
heavyweight contender Chris Arreola
facing Mike Mollo in a 10-round
fight.
Tickets priced at $250, $150, $100 and $50 are available
online at www.staplescenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, via Ticketmaster
charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000 or at
STAPLES Center
box office.
The first installment of ALL ACCESS: Victor Ortiz, will premiere tonight
at 10 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME in place of the previously announced FIGHT CAMP 360° series on the event.
Following the premiere, ALL ACCESS: Victor
Ortiz will re-air multiple times on CBS Sports Network, SHOWTIME and
SHOWTIME EXTREME®, and will be available anytime on SHOWTIME ON
DEMAND®.
Here is what the
fighters had to say on Wednesday:
VICTOR ORTIZ:
“I just want to say that I don’t disrespect
anyone. I’m fighting Josesito Lopez on June 23, who I’ve been
training for and ignoring everyone else possible. There’s a
dangerous fighter in front of me who is on the same path as I was a year ago
before I fought (Andre) Berto, but the difference here is I’m
too hungry to let my chance go. As far as I’m concerned I’m
ready for June 23. If he wants to go to war, we’ll go to war.
If he wants to box, then we’ll box. It doesn’t really
matter. I’m there to take what is rightfully mine. At the end
of the day, I know Josesito is ready to go and so am I, so that makes two of
us.”
Did you have to adjust much in your
training when it was announced you would be fighting Lopez and not Berto?
“Lopez is a good fighter. He and Berto go
hand-in-hand. They’re both great fighters. I can’t
think lightly of either of them.”
Is there any pressure on you going back to
STAPLES
Center , the site of your loss to Marcos Maidana?
“No, not at all. Right now the main focus is on
Josesito Lopez because he’s no walk in the park. As far as Maidana
goes, he owes me a thank you or a rematch because I gave him his name.”
JOSESITO LOPEZ:
“I’m really excited about this fight.
I’ve been training really hard.’’
Did you think you won your last fight
against Jessie Vargas?
“I do think I won that fight and nine out of 10 people
who saw it thought I won. Unfortunately, the judges didn’t’
see it that way, but hey, that’s the way it goes. Our job as
fighters is just to bring everything we can and hope for the best and hope that
they see it the correct way.
“My only motivation right now is just June 23 and
Victor Ortiz. I don’t even think one hour past June 23.
That’s the only thing that drives me right now. I don’t care
about any other dates or times right now. There’s nothing else that
matters to me.”
HUMBERTO SOTO:
“There is no doubt Lucas is a strong opponent and a
strong fighter. He comes forward and always looks for a fight. The
difference in this fight is the experience. I have a lot of experience,
and that’s what’s going to lead me to victory.
“Matthysse is a good fighter. He’s going
to stay in there and he’s a smart fighter. We’re going to go
toe-to-toe.”
LUCAS MATTHYSSE:
“We are here in
Argentina finishing preparations
and putting the final touches on. We are just very excited, happy and
ready to go.”
Do you think Soto will stand and fight in
front of you instead of backing up as you perceived was the case in your only
losses to southpaws Zab Judah and Devon Alexander?
“Yes, those were both very difficult fights to have to
adjust to them and change the way I fight. I know I won both those
fights. Deep in my heart, I know it. It did hurt me, but
we’ve got to come back stronger and I know we are ready for bigger and
better things. With Humberto, we all know he’s going to come to
fight. He wants to come to battle and that makes me very happy because we
are ready to give him a war.”
No comments:
Post a Comment