DANNY GARCIA, DEVON ALEXANDER AND RANDALL BAILEY MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
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Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody, for joining in. We have a lot of work to do on this call today. This is the first of two conference calls back-to-back, one is set for tomorrow, to talk about the October 20th four world title fight extravaganza. Of course, as everybody knows, this is bringing boxing back to Brooklyn from the new Barclays Center and, again, championship boxing has not been in Brooklyn in over 80 years. The fight will be televised on Showtime.
As you received in your media alert, we have four fighters available today and we’re going to start this call with Devon Alexander and Randall Bailey. He’s joined by his promoter Lou DiBella. And just to give the particulars of the fight and what you can look forward to, I’m going to turn it over to Robert Diaz from Golden Boy Promotions to make the opening statement. Robert?
Robert Diaz
Good afternoon, everybody, and thank you very much. I want to just give you a little bit of insight. This is a very exciting night of boxing that’s going to back to Brooklyn, like Kelly mentioned, after 80 years since the last world title fight and we’re going back with four world title fights.
We’re going with four world title fights to open up the beautiful Barclays Center. In the main event, Danny Garcia and Erik “El Terrible” Morales, Paulie Malignaggi defends his title against Pablo Cesar Cano; Hassan N’Dam will be fighting Peter Quillin and, of course, you’ll be hearing also from former World Champion Devon Alexander and current World Champion Randall Bailey.
Also, a stacked undercard with Brooklyn’s finest, Daniel Jacobs, Luis Collazo, young prospect, undefeated, Eddie Gomez. Dmitry Salita comes back to Brooklyn and Boyd Melson as well. Don’t miss it, it’s on Showtime. The telecast begins at 8 p.m. eastern time.
You’ll have Showtime Extreme beginning at 7 p.m. eastern time. Ticket prices are $300, $200, $100 and $50. So, don’t miss it, a great night of fights at the new Barclays Center. We want to thank also our sponsors, Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T.
I’d like to introduce right now the promoter for Randall Bailey as that fight is in association with DiBella Entertainment, President Lou DiBella. Lou?
Lou DiBella
Thanks, Robert. It’s great to be with you and it’s great to be part of what’s gong to be an historic night of boxing at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. I was born and raised in Brooklyn and the return of boxing to Brooklyn is truly an exciting night. Showtime has put together with Golden Boy, a packed show with four top fights and an undercard that does feature a lot of New York’s finest.
So, I’m looking forward to Randall getting the opportunity to defend his title on the show. Randall is a hard puncher. He can stage a fight with just one punch from either hand. I don’t think there’s anyone in the sport who is a more devastating puncher.
Devon Alexander is a terrific young boxer. He probably will at some point in the fight be ahead in rounds, but if Randall lands one punch, then he retains his belt and I think that’s what brings this fight so much excitement and so much interest.
So, it’s my pleasure to introduce the KO King, the IBF Welterweight Champion of the World, Randall Bailey. Randall, do you want to say a few words?
Randall Bailey
Hello, everybody. I’m glad to be here on this show and I’m looking forward to October 20th. And I just want to thank my promoter, Lou DiBella and Golden Boy for getting this fight done and rescheduled so me and Devon can make this day happen.
Diaz
Thank you, Randall. And with that, I’d like to introduce to you Devon “The Great” Alexander out of St. Louis, Missouri, 23 wins, one loss, 13 knockouts. He’s a former World Champion in the Super Lightweight WBC and IBF Junior Welterweight Champion, no stranger to big punchers as he’s recently beat Lucas Matthysse and Marcos Maidana, two of the biggest punchers in the division. Devon Alexander “The Great”.
Devon Alexander
Good afternoon, everybody. I want to thank everybody for having me. I’m excited. I’m definitely excited to be coming to Brooklyn. This is my first time fighting in Brooklyn. I was ready four weeks ago to get this fight on, but I’m definitely still ready and ready to become three-time World Champion again. So, thanks for having me again.
Q
Randall, can you briefly just kind of touch on what it has taken to re-acclimate yourself to sparring, including the back injury. I know how it happened, you explained how it happened, but what was the recovery process and the transition back into sparring?
Bailey
It just required a lot of rest. I had to sit out and just take the medicine that they had prescribed for me and just relax for a couple of weeks.
Q
And how difficult was it to re-acclimate yourself to sparring, throwing the right hand, which you said was one of the reasons you hurt it? How was that transition?
Bailey
I do that naturally, so there was no fear and feeling pain because when you’re in a fight, whatever you hurt you’ve still got to go on. But just in this situation it didn’t make sense for me to go into a fight injured.
Q
Leading up to the fight with Jones, you were very understated. You came to the podium, in fact, at the press conference and you were very short and sweet. As opposed to then, now as Champion, you’ve been, obviously, very vocal about Devon and a lot of that exchange has come from you and Kevin Cunningham. Kevin Cunningham is used to this. He does this all the time. Is there any notion that maybe you’re being distracted by this, taken out of your game or are you completely focused in spite of all the trash talking?
Bailey
I am completely focused because it’s all a comedy to me, to tell you the truth, because Mike Jones’ trainer was doing the same thing. Vaughn Jackson was doing the same thing before the fight, saying a whole bunch of stuff, talking a whole bunch of smack and now he’s unemployed. So, at the end of the day, on October 20th maybe Devon will be finding him some new employees.
Q
Okay, do you guys, Devon and Kevin, do you guys have a response to that? I’m going to start with Devon first. Devon, as I said before, you’re accustomed to your trainer talking like he does and you going in the ring and doing your work. Can you talk about that relationship and how you just kind of stay back and kind of talk when it’s necessary or ready?
Alexander
Yeah, yeah, me and my coach have a beautiful relationship and whatever my coach says goes for me, too. My coach knows what he says and he knows what he’s doing, so whatever he says I’m right behind him.
For me, I will talk, but the point is, me and Bailey are getting in the ring and these hands will do the talking. I don’t have to talk about what I want to do, who I’m going to do it to, or whatever, because October 20th, actions are going to speak way louder than words. You can say what you want to say, but you’ve still got to get in the ring. So, I’m going to leave it at that.
Q
No pressure for you when Kevin talks like he does?
Alexander
No, not at all, not at all. That’s Kevin. Kevin is part of my team and that’s him. You’ve got to be yourself and I’m going to be myself. That’s how teams work, everybody plays their position and that’s what I’m going to do.
Q
Kevin, you heard what Randall said about you potentially going to be unemployed after this fight. Do you have a response?
Kevin Cunningham
Yeah, I heard what he said, but the bottom line is this. Vaughn Jackson is not Kevin Cunningham. And Mike Jones is not Devon Alexander. Vaughn Jackson doesn’t have the accomplishments that I have as a trainer. Neither does Mike Jones have the accomplishments that Devon has as a fighter.
So, I look at what Randall Bailey says; nothing that comes out of Randall’s mouth has facts to it. He just says things, so, basically it’s part of the hype, but come Saturday night, October the 20th he’s going to realize that he’s in with an elite fighter. And we all know Randall Bailey can punch.
But we also know that Randall Bailey knows how to lose because he’s lost seven times. And every time he steps in the ring with an elite fighter he gets nailed. So, that’s the difference in what this whole conversation and all this back and forth talk is. I’m speaking facts and this dude is just talking out the side of his neck.
Q
You had said that you believe that he was faking the back injury. Do you still believe that? And then also do you believe that he’s out of his element when he personally engages with you as he’s doing?
Cunningham
He’s way out of his element when he engages with me because he doesn’t have the oral skills to even deal with me on that type of level. So, I do my thing. I handle everything on the outside of the ring and Devon handles everything on the inside of the ring. And that’s what a perfect team does. I do what I do, Devon does what he does and that’s what a team does.
When you’re dealing with Team Alexander, that’s what you’re dealing with, a team. Yeah, we all know fight night Devon has got to go in the ring and fight. That’s his job. My job is to handle everything outside the ring, make sure he gets in position to get great opportunities, make sure his career stays relevant, all this type of stuff.
And this is a business as well as it’s boxing. So, America has just got to understand the business aspect of boxing. But, look, in the last few months I promoted Randall Bailey more than he’s been promoted in his whole 16-year career, so he should be a little more thankful and grateful.
Q
Lastly, the question about his back.
K. Cunningham
Oh, sorry. Come on, man. Look, the man just told you he was off resting for two weeks after the injury. He was on Twitter on Monday after the fight. The fight was scheduled September the 8th. On that Monday he’s on Twitter talking about he’s in the gym working hard and he’s feeling good.
So, I mean, he needs to get it together, bro. I mean if you were injured, you’re injured. Stuff happens, but if you’re on Twitter talking about you’re in the gym working hard on Monday, the Monday following the fight, I mean were you on bed rest for two weeks or were you in the gym like you Tweeted? You tell me.
Q
Randall, do you have any retort to all this that they’re talking about?
Bailey
Kevin must have eyes everywhere because he just knows so much. He just knows everything. You can’t tell Kevin anything. Kevin is like a cartoon in his own show.
Q
Thank you very much. Randall, that was very funny about the cartoon. But my question for you, with this fight, is your back now, even though you were just talking about the couple of weeks off, is it 100% right now?
Bailey
I’m good right now. My sparring and everything went well. I did my last day yesterday and I’m good.
Q
Do you feel like in the fight that you’re going to have to be a little bit more active? I saw your fight. I was at your fight with Mike Jones. You scored a great knockout. You basically landed two great punches in the fight, one that knocked him down and one that knocked him out.
The way that Devon seems to fight with his style, I guess, that you might have to have a little bit more punch output and a little bit more activity to do what you have to do against him. Do you feel like you need to be more active when you’re in the ring with Devon Alexander?
Bailey
I keep telling everybody that Devon is not the same size as Mike Jones. They’ve got Mike Jones linked at six feet. He’s at least six one and a half. He’s very hard to reach. Devon is smaller than me. He’s not going to be hard for me to find. And this is what they don’t understand.
Q
Okay. Devon, what’s your reaction to what Randall just said?
Cunningham
October 20th they will definitely see.
Q
Okay. Devon, do you have any remark about what Randall just said, comparing your size to Mike Jones’ size?
Alexander
I don’t see where size matters in boxing. Koto was smaller than you, Urango was smaller than you. You fought a lot of guys smaller than you, so I don’t see-
Bailey
You’re smaller than me, too. I’m going to show you what a big man do to a small man.
Alexander
Oh, okay. But I just don’t see-
Bailey
No, no, no, cat doesn’t have your tongue. Keep talking, don’t stutter.
Q
Randall, let him answer the question.
Bailey
Damn, you’re slow.
Alexander
I don’t see what size has to do with boxing. I could be two feet and still come in there and do what I’ve got to do and win the fight, so I don’t see what he’s trying to say or what he’s trying to come up with. I’m going to put it like this. It doesn’t matter what Randall Bailey is coming to do, and it doesn’t matter what he’s coming to do, what he’s put out, what I have either.
It’s about what I’m going to do to him. I’m going to implement what I’m going to do and we’ll come out of there with the IBF title. That’s the name of the game.
Q
Devon, let me ask you this; when you hear the talk that goes on between Kevin and Randall, you’ve had your say, but Kevin is, obviously, an outspoken person and him and Randall have been engaging, not only in this promotion building up to October 20th, but before the fight was postponed the last time it was scheduled, do you sit back and just kind of laugh because you and Kevin have such different personalities, do you just sort of sit back and kind of are amused by the whole thing?
Alexander
Yes, it’s definitely is funny, but my coach, he definitely knows what he’s doing and I’m definitely with him 100%. So, it’s definitely entertaining and, like he said, this is boxing, this is the entertainment field and you’ve got to entertain people, you’ve got to make people want to see the fight. So, like my coach, he did a great job promoting the fight, people want to see the fight now because of the trash talking. And I love it because he’s part of my team so I don’t mind it.
Q
One other question for both of you guys. This fight was the main event on Showtime, that was supposed to be a few weeks ago, now even though the fight is still happening and the people would like to see it, you’re moving on to an undercard so maybe it’s not going to get as much attention if it was the main event, I think that’s fair to say.
Do you have an opinion about or a thought about not being the main event anymore or does it not make a difference to either of you guys? Randall, maybe you can start.
Bailey
It don’t make a difference to me, it don’t make a difference to me.
Q
Okay, short and to the point. And, Devon?
Alexander
Everybody’s got their own job to do. Of course, with me being the lead fighter I definitely want to be main event all the time, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. The fight was scheduled for September, but now it’s October so we’ve got to get on this card. Everything happens for a reason, so we’re not going to worry about that. We’re just going to go in there and do what we’ve got to do.
Diaz
I just want to remind everybody this is four world title fights. Any of these fights could be a main event. You’ve got eight great fighters fighting for a world title, so any fight here on this card could be a main event.
Q
Devon, it was just mentioned you being in a main event last month and to know being basically the fight that opens up the show. Does that give you more motivation to try to take this title next Saturday night?
Alexander
I’m already motivated. I’m already motivated and it does motivate me to go in there and even put on a more spectacular performance. But, like I said, in the last question everything happens for a reason. I’m used to being on top, the top bill, main event, but, hey, this is what happened. When a fight falls off and you’re put on somebody else’s card or whatever, so I’m okay with that. I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do and get back to where I feel comfortable at, which is main event.
Q
Let me ask you this, you’ve been looking real strong at 47 the last two fights. Do you feel as though 47 is the best class for you compared to how you was at 40?
Alexander
Indeed, definitely indeed. Like everybody knows I was able to make 140 and now 147, I’ve got all my power, all my legs, all my energy back and it’s going to be trouble for whoever I fight at 147 because it’s a different Devon Alexander, so it’s going to be trouble for anybody.
Q
Randall, let me ask you this. I know you had trouble with your back, but I have to mention Devon is a smaller fighter. Do you feel as though your size is going to complement you better going into the fight next week?
Bailey
Definitely. I don’t know what they’re talking about. Even in the Marcos Maidana he was barely making it. I’m going to show these fools.
Q
What’s your response to that, Devon?
Alexander
Well, response to what? I don’t even know what he said.
Q
He’s basically saying that even in the Maidana fight you barely made 47, so do you think it will be difficult for you–
Bailey
Actually I was saying even in the later rounds of that fight he wasn’t doing as much and, in fact, Maidana was really keying off on him and he wasn’t the one controlling the fight in the end.
Alexander
Did you see in the last round I did the shuffle?
Bailey
Yes, I saw that fight. I did see that fight. You watch it again.
Q
Hi, Devon. You’ve been in the ring with some pretty big punchers and, obviously, you’re going to be in the ring with another big puncher on the 20th. Can you tell me, of all your fights, who would you say is the hardest that you’ve eve been hit by and by who?
Alexander
Well, I plan my boxing career on not to get hit often. This is boxing, you’re going to get hit, but I… myself not to get hit as often. But if I was to say the hardest puncher I faced, it would have been Matthysse.
Q
Lucas Matthysse?
Alexander
Yes.
Q
Did he ever hurt you in the fight? Do you feel you’ve ever been hurt in a professional fight?
Alexander
Not at all, not at all because in boxing you’ve got to be alert and you’ve got to know what you’re doing in there and I don’t think I have ever been hurt. Of course, I get collar punches or whatever, but nothing to say oh man, wow, so not at all.
Swanson
Okay. So, if everybody could stand by and we’re going to go ahead and thank Randall and Devon for joining us. If we have any last comments from either one of you or you want to go ahead and get back to training, that’s fine. So, Randall, any last minute thoughts there?
Bailey
Thank you all for having me and I look forward to October 20th.
Alexander
Again, thanks for having me. I’m excited about being in Brooklyn to be crowned the new IBF Champion, so I’m excited.
Diaz
Well, when you talk about Erik Morales there’s no introduction needed. You have a multiple world champion, one of the best fighters in Mexico, one of the best fighters in the world, definitely a Hall-of-Famer, with a record of 52 wins, eight losses and 36 knockouts, Erik Morales.
*PLEASE NOTE: Erik Morales was unable to participate in the conference call
Well, everybody, Danny, the WBC/WBA Super Lightweight Champion, Danny “Swift” Garcia, 24/0, fifteen knockouts out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a little known fact that many might not know, he’s also very talented in the music. Danny writes his own songs out there, right, Danny?
Garcia
Yeah, I’m messing around with it. First, I feel blessed just to be headlining on the card in Brooklyn. I’ve worked really hard. I’ve been working really hard for eight weeks for this fight. I’ve been working hard my career for this fight and I just want to give the fans another great fight and I’m training hard to make that happen, so I can’t wait until October 20th. It’s going to be another explosive performance.
Q
Here’s the thing about this fight; now, in the first fight you won a decision. It was a good fight, but I don’t think there was any controversy about the outcome of the fight. You knocked him down, if I recall, I believe in the 11th round of the fight.
So, going into the rematch, would your ideal plan to be to sort of be even more of a run away winner in this fight than you were in the first fight? To look even better in this fight, to maybe be more definitive with your victory, which perhaps would be a knockout or is it you don’t think about that? I know you just want to get the W.
Garcia
I always think about, again, the W, but I feel like the first time around, the first fight, it was my first fight on a big stage. I showed them a lot of respect. Now the tables are turned and I’m the champion, he’s the challenger. I’m confident and I’m ready. I feel like this fight I’m more prepared mentally and physically.
Q
If I understand it correctly, he had the option to have a rematch with you after you had an interim bout, which is what you had when you knocked out Amir Khan and so he invoked that rematch clause and being a person of honor you accepted that, but if there was not a rematch clause in your first fight, would your preference have been to move on to some other contender or some other champion or some other fight or are you just as content to have that other fight with Erik Morales, who, like Robert said, may be older at this point, but someday will be a Hall-of-Famer?
Garcia
You know, me, I really don’t look at who I fight. I just train. I let my manager pick out the fight and, me, I get ready and I’m always ready for whoever they put in front of me, so I just fight whoever they put in front of me, I just get ready for who they put in front of me. I’m not really the matchmaker.
Q
But you didn’t have an opinion about it, though? You didn’t think to yourself, I’d like to fight this guy or I’d like to fight that guy, even though, like you said, you have your management and your promoter that handle the business part?
Garcia
I never really thought about it because they say Khan was the number one guy in the division and when I beat him I didn’t really know who else was out there. There are a couple of tough guys out there, but I was just happy at the moment. I never really thought after that.
Q
Okay. One other thing, then. In the first fight he didn’t make the weight. He had the belt going into the fight, go to the weigh-in, he doesn’t make the weight, the title is vacant. You make the weight, no problem, you then go out there and win the title in the next night. So, are you a little concerned at all in any way that he’s going to not make the weight a second time and cause more problems or are you confident that that was a one-time thing for him?
Garcia
I don’t really know him. I’m not worried about him, but if he comes over weight, then he has to lose weight. It’s got to be fair this time. Say we are sacrificing big weight, he has to do it and that’s a part of the sport.
Q
Right, but last time he didn’t lose the weight.
Garcia
Yeah, because he was the champion, he was, I don’t care. He was making good money, I wasn’t making as much money as him, so it wasn’t really not for him. But this time it’s different, he’s got to make the weight.
Q
Danny, my question to you is this. You are a young fighter. I think there were even some people who thought that Erik Morales would have too much experience, maybe challenge you in different ways, tricks of the trade, all of that, more than you had before and still beat you. The same thing about Khan, there were people, and I’m sure you heard it, that thought you were going to get beat. Those two wins, number one, what were some of the comments that you heard and how were you supposed to, I guess, get beat according to what you heard? And number two, how are you a better fighter from each of those experiences?
Garcia
Those two fights, I was a young kid, nobody knew who I was, so it was only right for people to think what they were thinking, but that only made me hungrier to prove everybody wrong and win the fights. I was an underdog my whole career. It just makes me hungrier to prove people wrong and just to keep winning.
Q
The Erik Morales fight, you had some cuts. Can you talk about the adversity that you overcame in that particular fight and how rewarding was it to kind of put on some steam and knock him down in the 11th round and really pour it on in the end?
Garcia
It gave me a lot of confidence because he’s a smart bet. He tried to get me tired and then finish me off in the later rounds, like he did to the other kid, the one he beat before me. Yeah, I knew I had to be in shape because he tries to play dumb for the first ten rounds and then tries to kick it on late and get the young player out of there.
But I was in great shape and blood and cuts, that’s what happens in boxing. It really doesn’t bother me. That’s what happens when you get hit and you get a cut and you bleed, so that’s a part of boxing. That don’t really bother me.
Q
I thought a crucial moment in the Khan fight was the second round where your father, Angel, really got in your grill about getting out-punched, about not doing certain things, so he really challenged you and I thought that was a crucial moment where you had to respond. Can you talk about that moment and how do you think you responded?
Garcia
He was just trying to keep me focused. We knew Khan was going to come out fast, he’s a fast starter. That’s why they kept talking about how they were going to jump on me early and knock me out. But I knew once I adapted and I started leading my shots, we wanted to see could he take them. And the first clean punch I hit him with, he went down.
Q
Last question for you. I talked to Lamont Peterson and his brother, Anthony, who was his sparring partner before the Khan fight and they said that they were looking to catch Amir Khan during exchanges and when he was pulling out and dropping his hands, that they could hit him squarely and one of the punches they said they thought they could land was the latter, that you landed.
Can you talk about weathering the storm offensively, because he was hitting you with some pretty good shots, but you stayed on the body and then came to the top. Can you talk about how you were able to do that and, obviously, ultimately the landing left-hook was something you wanted to do.
Garcia
We knew he was fast, but he’s reckless. He just throws punches and doesn’t worry about; he just throws punches and doesn’t worry about the other guy coming back. He just puts his hands up and runs. So, we knew he had no defense, so it was time and speed and everything and that’s what we trained for.
Q
Will you be satisfied with a decision against Morales or do you feel you need a knockout to improve on your last performance against him?
Garcia
No, the past is the past. I always go into the fight ready for 12 rounds. I don’t ever go for the knockout because that’s how you get knocked out. But I’m ready for 12 smart rounds and the KO comes then we’re going to take him out.
Q
Your parents are Puerto Rican and you were born and raised in Philly. Those are two areas well known for their boxing history and heritage. Do you think you combine both parts? Philly fighters are very particular, Puerto Rican fighters are also very particular in their styles.
Garcia
Yeah, most definitely, I feel like I have; Philadelphia is a real town of boxing, a lot of smart fighters, so I definitely bring that to the ring, my smarts and my skill. And then I have the Puerto Rican blood, which is my strength and my power. So, I feel like I have the best of both worlds. I have the power and I have the skill.
Q
Also, there’s a history of a sports rivalry between Mexico and Puerto Rico in the boxing ring. How do you feel, you have been part of that great heritage of Puerto Rico versus Mexico and how do you this second fight with Morales, one of the all-time greats, is going to stack up against that great history?
Garcia
I think it’s going to be another great fight, another tough fight. This time I’m a lot smarter, more confident, and stronger, so I think it’s going to be enough.
Q
And finally, how has your life change after your huge win over Amir Khan? I mean, you were the champion before, but being kind of the underdog and the way you did it must have brought a whole new life and friends to your career. Is that so, has it changed in any way?
Garcia
I mean, it definitely changed. Now I get the respect that I deserve. A lot of people really never respected me. They didn’t think I was a true champion. But now, I proved to the world that I’m the best.
Q
Danny, this fight is a rematch. So, my question is have you had a rematch before and how do you, like going into a rematch how is that different than the first time you face a fighter?
Garcia
I have never had a rematch in my professional career, but there are a lot of rematches in the amateurs. But this time, I expect, I know what he does. I know this time he’s going to come harder than the last time, so I’m definitely more prepared for that. I’m just going to go in there and do what I do best and adapt to a fight and win.
Q
Okay. And do you think, it being a rematch, does it favor either one of you, you or Erik, and why?
Garcia
I think it favors me, because I’m the younger fighter. I learn off my mistakes and this time, you can’t teach an old horse new tricks, so I know he’s going to bring the same thing, but he’s just going to try harder. He’s looking at it like this is his last fight, so he’s going to put everything on the table and try to pull off a victory, but I’m ready for 12 rounds of war and I’m going to get the job done.
Q
And given the fact that you want to perhaps do better in this fight than you did in the first fight and he, obviously, wants to do better, do you think this fight is likely to be an even better fight than the first one?
Garcia
Yeah, I think it’s going to be a better fight because we both know what’s in front of us and we’re both training hard and we’ve both got something to prove. I’m in great shape, man, I just can’t wait to out there and perform.
Q
As a young champion is there anyone in the sport that you look up to or are you kind of past that?
Garcia
I don’t know, I definitely look up to some fighters. I’ve got a favorite fighter. I’ve got one favorite fighter, that’s because he’s not in my weight class. I like Andre Ward. I look up to Andre Ward. He’s a good fighter and we both have the same belt. He’s doing his thing, a real smart fighter. I like him and I like myself, so those are the only two players I like right now.
Q
And Brooklyn is really in the spotlight right now nationally with the new building, the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, it’s kind of a big deal around here in New York. I’m just wondering what it means to you to sort of open up boxing and sort of bring the tradition back to Brooklyn and were you excited about it when you heard you were going to be fighting in the Barclays Center?
Garcia
I’m really excited. This is what I’ve waited for my whole life, to bring a big fight back to the East Coast and there hasn’t been a big fight in Brooklyn in 80 years, so just for me to be headlining that card, man, it’s just a dream come true to me and I’m training my hardest to give everybody a great performance.
Q
Speaking of Amir Khan and rematches, do you think that trainer Virgil Hunter can help Amir Khan and is a rematch something that you’re interested in or was knocking him out once good enough for you?
Garcia
Like I said before, I don’t choose my fights and I don’t really worry about other fighters. If they’re next, they’re next. But right now I’m focusing on Erik Morales and it’s a big fight in front of me and I’ve got to get through this.
Q
Speaking of Morales, what did you think of the shape that Erik Morales was in for the first fight and do you think that he can train himself into a better performance this time?
Garcia
I really don’t know. Only he knows himself, but I’m preparing myself for a war. He’s the Mexican warrior, he has a lot of experience and I’ve got to be ready for all his tricks and whatever he brings to the table.
Q
Assuming you win this contractually obligated rematch, what are your plans moving into 2013? Who would you like to defend your title against, or are you looking for fights outside of your division?
Garcia
I never look past my opponent, so I don’t even think of that kind of stuff. My main focus right now is Erik Morales. I’ve got a tough task in front of me and I’ve got to get past this.
Q
What’s your prediction for the fight, Danny?
Garcia
Danny Garcia win all the way, whether it comes by a knockout or it comes by a decision, I’m ready for 12.
Garcia
I’m just excited and I can’t wait to perform.
Diaz
Take care, Danny. We’ll see you next week. Once again, everybody, thank you so much, the Unified Super Lightweight World Champion, WBA/WBC and Ring Magazine Champ, Danny “Swift” Garcia.
