{"id":59300,"date":"2016-04-06T10:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=59300"},"modified":"2016-04-06T10:42:37","modified_gmt":"2016-04-06T15:42:37","slug":"charles-martin-anthony-joshua-press-conference-heats-up-not-even-the-queen-will-save-you-joshua","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=59300","title":{"rendered":"Charles Martin – Anthony Joshua Press Conference HEATS UP: “Not Even the Queen Will Save You Joshua”!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"anthony-joshua-charles-martin-ibf_3418249\"<\/a>I wish Charles Martin would say to Anthony Joshua: “Not even the Queen can save you!” –Simba Judeson, Coffeyville, Kansas, (President of the Charles Martin Wears Krunk To Beat His Opponents Up Proper Fan Club – 33,231,003 members strong)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Chris DeBlasio<\/p>\n

Good evening, good afternoon, and good morning to everyone joining us from two countries across the world. I want to thank you for taking the time to be on. On today\u2019s conference call, we have Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua. We\u2019ll have Leon Margules and Charles Martin a little bit later. We want to kick off the exciting heavyweight fight that we\u2019re going to present this Saturday. SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL presents the IBF Heavyweight World Championship fight live on SHOWTIME at 5 p.m. ET\/ 2 p.m. PT from The O2 Arena in London. <\/p>\n

As you all know, we will also offer an encore presentation of this telecast later that night on SHOWTIME EXTREME\u00ae at 8 p.m. The SHOWTIME telecast will include highlights of the IBF Featherweight World Title Fight between defending champion Lee Selby and Philadelphia\u2019s Eric Hunter, which will take place early on the undercard at The O2. Our presentation of the event will be hosted by Brian Custer with analysis from Boxing Hall of Fame Sportscaster, Al Bernstein, and Two Division World Champion Paul Malignaggi from our studios in New York. The live fight coverage will be provided by Sky Sports. I\u2019d like to begin with a few words from the man who\u2019s assembled a terrific schedule for live boxing events on SHOWTIME over the next several weeks. He is Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports, Stephen Espinoza.<\/p>\n

Stephen Espinoza
\nThanks, Chris. And thanks to everyone on the call for joining. Saturday begins our incredibly strong line up, really the strongest line up of any network this year. Seven live boxing telecasts, featuring at least nine world championship fights, soon to be more than that as we fill up the under cards, over a 12 week span. And among them, of course, we\u2019re highlighting some of the most important fights in the most exciting and talent rich divisions. And case in point is Saturday\u2019s heavyweight match-up, which, of course, is highlighting a division that has suddenly become very, very interesting. A new era of heavyweight boxing has really emerged. The landscape is changing fight-to-fight, sometimes punch-to-punch. We\u2019ve got recently crowned champions and challengers, all looking to really establish themselves as the future of the division. And I can\u2019t think of a better fight to kick off this strong slate that we\u2019ve got this spring and summer than this title fight of undefeated Charles Martin, making his first title defense against the also undefeated rising star Anthony Joshua in what I\u2019m sure will be a sold out O2 Arena. We\u2019re also very proud to be hosting the U.S. TV debut of Anthony Joshua, so those of us here in the States can see what all the excitement over in the UK is all about. Between the two of them, they\u2019ve got a combined record of 38-0-1 with 36 knockouts. That\u2019s a 94 percent knockout ratio. So, of course, we are expecting a lot of excitement this Saturday night. With that, I\u2019ll turn it back over to you, Chris.<\/p>\n

Chris DeBlasio
\nI\u2019d like to introduce from Matchroom Sport, Eddie Hearn. Eddie, you and your team have been busy selling out arenas across England this year, a couple of sellouts already. Thank you for taking the time to be with us and making time for the U.S. press. Maybe a few words and an introduction for team Joshua, please.<\/p>\n

Eddie Hearn
\nThank you, Chris. Yeah, we\u2019ve already had some huge events this year, and the UK is absolutely thriving at the moment, but this event is on another level. Anthony Joshua has broken box office records, viewing figure records consistently since his d\u00e9but a couple of years ago at the same arena. On Saturday night, he looks to become the first British Heavyweight Olympic Gold Medalist to go on and win a world title. It\u2019s a wonderful fight between two very talented, young, big punching heavyweights, and it\u2019s the fastest selling event ever at the O2 Arena, selling 17,000 tickets in just 90 seconds. The anticipation here is on another level. You can\u2019t walk down the street without someone asking if AJ\u2019s going to do it. On Saturday night, as Stephen pointed out, the knockout ratio is second to none. Expect fireworks; expect anticipation, drama, absolutely everything in a wonderful O2 Arena. And, of course, our thanks always to our host, broadcaster in the UK, Sky Sports, but also to Stephen Espinoza and SHOWTIME. I\u2019ve been telling Stephen Espinoza for a long time about Anthony Joshua, and I\u2019m so pleased that the U.S. public will get a chance to see him in action on Saturday night, when I believe he will become the Heavyweight Champion of the World. I\u2019m going to pass over to Anthony Joshua.<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua<\/p>\n

Many thanks for you guys taking the time to join the call. Eddie mentioned some great figures and great achievements that we have accomplished from the time I turned professional, and also the fact that the excitement of the heavyweight division is back and it\u2019s an honor to be involved in it, especially here in the UK. And sometimes in heavyweight boxing the UK\u2019s been overlooked, but I think right now people are looking at us and starting to respect the division a lot more. Moving forward with the fight against Charles Martin, as you said, it\u2019s a 96 percent –or 94 percent knockout ratio between us both, but the end of the game for both of us is, obviously, hit without getting hit, but someone will go and someone though has to be removed, and I\u2019m very confident on Saturday night that won\u2019t be me. And I think the rewards of that becoming IBF Heavyweight Champion of the World. And why I\u2019m so content is that God willing I win this championship, I then want to go on to unify the division. So, that\u2019s why I keep my head in the game and stay focused and just look at it as another task on my checklist.<\/p>\n

Question
\nIt seems that this is coming a little bit quicker than maybe you or Eddie or anybody on your team anticipated, the opportunity to fight Martin. Can you address how soon this has come in your career compared to when maybe you thought it would arrive, the opportunity to fight for one of these titles?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua<\/p>\n

Yeah, I think we were looking at 12 months\u2019 time. And at the same time it is about my development, because you\u2019re only as good as your last fight. So, when the opportunity came, what I was doing, I was looking at various opponents, the majority of them American opponents as well, who are some in the top 10 and some who (fought) at a world level or contending at world level. And they\u2019re very tough opponents as well, but moving forward April 9, I wanted to get a good contender and to show that my progression from the Dillian Whyte fight. I fought a fight that I didn\u2019t need to, but I still swam the waters, and I came out on top. So, I wanted to show I could go in with, you know, good contenders and defeat them with ease. And when Charles Martin came around, as I said, and I\u2019ll say it again, I took away the fact that he\u2019s IBF Heavyweight Champion of the World. And when I look at Charles Martin as an individual it\u2019s not that I see weaknesses, but I feel that I\u2019m the better man, and they always say the better man will win on the night, and I feel confident of winning, and I feel the fact that the IBF Championship comes with it gives it that much more kudos and why there is a lot more attention around it. But, I\u2019ll leave the attention and, you know, all the hype and the building of the fight that\u2019s down to Eddie, the team, but when I look at the fight itself it\u2019s no problem. I\u2019ll take this fight with both hands, and that\u2019s how I kind of managed to secure my confidence moving forward with this heavyweight championship fight.<\/p>\n

Question<\/p>\n

Anthony, when you look at the landscape, the British boxing scene is thriving. You\u2019ll have a heavyweight title if you win. Tyson Fury, no disrespect, is clearly the recognized champion in the weight class with two titles and the victory against Klitschko. And there\u2019s other, big names in the heavyweight division that fight out of the UK. Would it be good for you to match up with some of these other guys over there, Fury and Haye in particular?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua<\/p>\n

It has to happen. It is a big deal, because I look at it like when you go back in history, Foreman fought Ali. Ali fought Frazier. Then you have Tyson fighting Holyfield. Holyfield and Lewis. And then, you\u2019ve just got the UK heavyweight: so Haye, Price, Fury, myself. Every division has to mix it up. So, if moving forward I get the victory, it just adds a bit of fuel to that fire, and these fights are going to happen sooner than later. So, I can\u2019t shy away from it. I\u2019ve got to prepare myself. And how I look at Charles Martin is I train for Charles Martin, but I\u2019ve got to train for 10 fights ahead of Charles Martin because it\u2019s only going to get tougher, and that\u2019s why I have to have the confidence. My mind says, \u2018I can beat Charles Martin because I want to go to that level above as well.\u2019<\/p>\n

Question
\nEddie, could you address that?<\/p>\n

Eddie Hearn
\nAnthony Joshua against David Haye is probably the bigger of the two fights, but Joshua against Tyson Fury and a unification fight between two Brits, I mean, you know, it\u2019s (huge).<\/p>\n

Question
\nA fight between British boxers for the heavyweight championship has never happened, right?<\/p>\n

Eddie Hearn
\nNo, no, no, no it hasn\u2019t. And, you know, it might never happen again. So, absolutely huge. As Anthony said, 100 percent of our eyes are on Saturday night, but at the same time we know the rewards, and the rewards come through a huge fight. And Tyson Fury is a character that would take the Anthony Joshua fight at the drop of hat, and we feel exactly the same way.<\/p>\n

Question
\nHow nervous are you, Eddie, about Saturday given that you brought up Anthony from day one in the pros? And I know this is a little sooner than you expected. You know, the fighter will do his job. But is it difficult for you to sit there with the nerves watching what\u2019s unfolding in the ring?<\/p>\n

Eddie Hearn
\nYeah, I\u2019m nervous, but I\u2019m so excited. I mean, this is what boxing is — this is what the sport is all about. You know, we\u2019re rolling the dice, and we\u2019re doing it quicker than many would do it, but we\u2019re doing it because Anthony Joshua makes the ultimate call. The team — he will get his opinions from myself and the training team, who all feel he can beat Charles Martin, but the man who has the ultimate say is Anthony Joshua, and, luckily, he\u2019s a very bright individual who believes he can beat Charles Martin. It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s Saturday night or 12 months\u2019 time, when you get the opportunity to fight for the World Heavyweight title in your backyard, you have to take it and especially when you\u2019re a favorite going into the fight. I mean, the odds are ludicrous. You know, this is a close fight. This is a close fight where anything can happen, but we believe Anthony Joshua is a special talent. It\u2019s certainly quicker than we expected, but look at the rainbow at the end. Anthony Joshua becomes the Heavyweight Champion of the World, in my opinion, becomes the biggest star in world boxing, and you will see when it happens. You might say, \u201cWell, that\u2019s a bit of an exaggeration.\u201d Trust me, it\u2019s not. This boy has got it all. But, we know how dangerous the fight is. We know how dangerous heavyweight boxing is. And the beauty of it is that these guys are fearless. They\u2019ve not been around long enough to know about defeats, etc. You know, Charles Martin\u2019s never been hit on the chin. Anthony Joshua has. And the Dillian Whyte fight will end up being a blessing for Anthony Joshua. So you\u2019ve got two 6-foot-5 guys, one big, awkward southpaw with a huge backhand. Another guy with the fastest hands I\u2019ve seen in the heavyweight division for a long time and a total disregard for what\u2019s coming back at him. Actually so much so, I\u2019ve never seen a man unload in front of another man like this since Mike Tyson. But, we got to be smart because this time there\u2019s going to be something coming back.<\/p>\n

Question
\nFor Stephen Espinoza: From a coaching programmer\u2019s perspective, how exciting is it that you have a heavyweight division as vibrant as it is right now? How refreshing is it to be able to say to them, \u201cWell, hey, we have a division that is exciting; we have these fights now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephen Espinoza
\nIt\u2019s really the icing on the cake, so to speak, of the current boxing market. There certainly is a certain mystique about the heavyweight division, particularly for the casual fan. No matter what is going on in any of the other divisions, heavyweight boxing holds just a special attraction. There\u2019s a magnetism and excitement about the division and it\u2019s been a relatively dormant division for much of the last decade. I don\u2019t mean that in a derogatory way. It\u2019s just we have one dominant champion or a set of brothers as dominant champions and each fight was really a foregone conclusion. What we\u2019ve seen in the last eight months is essentially an entire reinvigoration and renewal of the heavyweight division. And to see young guys, like Anthony Joshua, a newcomer on the scene who has made the kind of splash and has the kind of promise that Anthony has is something that really if the division wasn\u2019t already rejuvenated, it certainly would have taken notice of him. But, you throw Anthony in there and some other good, young heavyweight prospects such as Joseph Parker and others, there\u2019s a lot of excitement from the up and coming ranks all the way through the contenders and champions. It\u2019s really an exciting time, not just for that division but for many others that are being remade in sort of a new generation of talent.<\/p>\n

Question
\nDo you see the winner of this fight as being a guy that can perhaps help carry the flag for the network?<\/p>\n

Stephen Espinoza
\nWe\u2019d love that to be the case. You know, as Eddie mentioned, he and I have been talking about Anthony for several fights now, and we\u2019re thrilled that we were able to get a deal done and host this TV d\u00e9but. And we\u2019d like to be his TV home for the remainder of his career, and that\u2019s for two reasons, one because he\u2019s obviously a very skilled and entertaining fighter, but, two, there is a wealth of good fights that can be made. That\u2019s really the recipe for a TV programmers dream and not just to have charismatic skilled fighters, but actually have a wealth of opponents. There are a number of them, here in the U.S., starting with Deontay Wilder or other UK fighters – Tyson or David Haye, as well as internationally. There\u2019s really fertile ground in the heavyweight division right now.<\/p>\n

Question
\nAnthony, leading up to this fight, one line you keep using is that everything about your career is about development. You said that kind of in reference to your development in the ring but also personal development as a human being. What do you expect to learn in this fight with Charles Martin both about yourself and as a fighter?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua
\nWell, as about myself, dealing with pressures, right? It\u2019s just how to deal with fighting for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. That\u2019s a pressure in life that you could put on any-thing and there\u2019s a certain amount of respect that you\u2019ll get. So, there\u2019s pressures of life that I\u2019m going to deal with outside of the ring. And regarding the fight, I\u2019m looking towards the fight, in my last 10, 12 weeks in training, it\u2019s been a great camp. We\u2019ve been sparring like 13 rounds, 14 rounds. It\u2019s been — that mental toughness, you know, day after day. Pushing myself has been great. And then moving into the fight is when I\u2019ve been a watching a lot of champions and some of the champions. One thing I\u2019ve learned from them is just composure. That\u2019s what I\u2019m going to take into this fight. So, not only experience and then how to deal with things, but that\u2019s outside of the ring. But, when I am in the ring and just deal with what I\u2019ve got to face within the ring and just stay composed, I should show people that basically anything\u2019s possible. You know, they can say what they want, but I\u2019m an underdog. I\u2019m a challenger that can come in and annihilate a champion. Kind of like when Tyson fought Douglas. Just don\u2019t give Charles Martin a chance and just outclass him, and that\u2019s what I want to show and display on Saturday to be honest with you.<\/p>\n

Question
\nAnthony, can you talk about the fact that you\u2019re coming in–even though you got knockouts in all of your fights, you only have, I believe, a total of 32 pro rounds, and you\u2019re fighting for world titles. Can you talk about the experience factor in this fight and how you want to overcome it? Obviously, everybody knows your Olympic and amateur record, but tell us about the experience factor as a pro fighting for a title this soon?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua
\nI think that when the red carpet\u2019s been laid out for you, you can only walk down it with the amount of experience that I have. I haven\u2019t got, you know, as you said, like 200 rounds under my belt and 50 fights. I\u2019m just the man I am. And with the cards I\u2019ve got, I\u2019m going to make the most of it. And that\u2019s how I have to attack this fight. It would have been great to have 50 fights and x amount of rounds, but I feel great with having 32 rounds and 15 fights as well. So, that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s all a mindset. It\u2019s how one person looks at it and how another does. And I\u2019m confident that my rounds won\u2019t–there won\u2019t be another 12 rounds added onto this fight. It\u2019s still going to stay in limited numbers, and that\u2019s not being cocky. It\u2019s just more of a confidence thing. It\u2019s that the way we train in the gym, you know — and they say the fight\u2019s a long time before the fight. And the way we train the gym that\u2019s why I\u2019m so confident moving forward, because I\u2019m hungry. I\u2019m determined. And I just want to go in there and just put on a great show. And I know they\u2019ll crumble. I just know I\u2019m confident in making people crumble after a few rounds.<\/p>\n

Question
\nYou\u2019ve fought a number of experienced fighters before. Do you consider Charles Martin to be your toughest opponent as a pro?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua
\nNo, I don\u2019t. Not really, no. No, not yet. Not yet. He\u2019s not my toughest opponent yet. But, then it might be a different story come April 9. Right now looking at Charles, he\u2019s a very (good) counter puncher. He\u2019s laid back. He doesn\u2019t work the full round. So, it should be a nice controlled fight. So, I don\u2019t think it\u2019ll be like the Dillian Whyte fight. That was a tough fight. We work. We\u2019re both hungry. The guy was very strong to the head. That was a tough fight for sure. So, I don\u2019t think Charles will impose those kind of threats that Dillian did.<\/p>\n

Question
\nDo you want to make a prediction for the fight?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua
\nLet me think. Six rounds, maybe six rounds.<\/p>\n

Question
\nYou and Eddie have both referenced the fight against Dillian Whyte. And the second round, what you think you\u2019ve learned from that and how it can help you?<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua
\nI was thinking that he threw a haymaker of a left hook, and it kind of — it just dazzles you a little bit. And then, you just basically hold yourself together, and it just shows composure. Stay, as I said, composed, man. Just stay composed. And that\u2019s what I\u2019m saying over the time when I\u2019ve been watching many fighters. It happens. It\u2019s boxing. It does happen, but it\u2019s how you deal with it, which is important. And I always say that it happened to me in round two. It happened to Dillian in round seven. One dealt with it better than the other, and I came out victorious. And that\u2019s just how I dealt with it really.<\/p>\n

Chris DeBlasio
\nBefore we move on to Prince Charles Martin, a few words from Stephen Espinoza. Stephen?<\/p>\n

Stephen Espinoza
\nThanks, Chris. We were fortunate enough to host Charles Martin when he won the title a few short months ago. I know Charles and his team were disappointed, not withstanding the win, because they didn\u2019t get a chance to show what Charles Martin is all about. I\u2019ve seen him in the gym. I know him as a fighter. I know his team. He\u2019s an exciting fighter, an aggressive all-action fighter. And I\u2019m sure that he is intent on showing what he didn\u2019t get the opportunity to show the first time out. So, without further ado, Chris, I\u2019ll turn it over to you to introduce the IBF Heavyweight Champion Charles Martin.<\/p>\n

Chris DeBlasio
\nSo, Leon Margules, Warriors Boxing, you\u2019re taking the champion over to the UK for a monster fight. A couple of words on the event.<\/p>\n

Leon Margules
\nWell, first of all, I want to thank Stephen Espinoza and SHOWTIME. Chris, thank you very much. I want to thank Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua for accepting to agree to challenge us for our title over here. We\u2019re very excited about this opportunity. We believe Charles is the real deal. We believe Charles may be more than Anthony Joshua bargained for. A special thanks to Mike Borao, Charles\u2019 manager, who\u2019s had Charles since the amateurs and who brought him up through the ranks of professional ranks, believes in him and believes he can fight the best, and be the best. So, if it wasn\u2019t for Mike, Charles and him they wanted to seek out the best and most exciting fight and Anthony Joshua\u2019s the guy. That\u2019s why the fight was made. So, I\u2019d like to thank them. And I\u2019d like to let the champion talk to you. So, ladies and gentlemen, the IBF Heavyweight Champion of the World with the record of 23-and-0, the undefeated Prince Charles Martin.<\/p>\n

Chris DeBlasio<\/p>\n

Hello, Charles. How you doing? A couple of words about your journey to the UK and the impending title defense, please.<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nMy stay in the UK so far has been very good. You know, the people are very nice to me. And we\u2019re just finishing up with the workouts and just staying sharp now, winding down, getting stronger again. And basically we\u2019re ready to (go).<\/p>\n

Question
\nCharles, when the fight came up between yourself and Anthony, what was it that made you decide to immediately, well, throw caution to the wind and go to his hometown and fight the guy that many people think is the next superstar in the heavyweight division?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, because just for that reason that everybody thinks that he\u2019s a superstar, and, you know, I know that he\u2019s great. I know that he\u2019s not ready. You know, I\u2019m going to get him right now while he\u2019s great. You know what I mean?<\/p>\n

Question
\nDo you feel like when fans look at this fight they\u2019re seeing two heavyweights that both have outstanding potential or both, good physical specimens that can punch and that have good personalities, all that, but nobody really knows that much yet about how good you or Joshua could be and maybe that this is the fight that you can begin to prove that to people?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, that\u2019s pretty good to say, but like I said, I\u2019ve got more fights than him. So, this far in the amateurs and the pros I got more fights than him. So, I just overall got more experience and that\u2019s what I\u2019m basing this off of. It don\u2019t matter about who you got in the ring with as a professional and fought because, you know, the experience and getting comfortable is what it\u2019s all about, you know, and I don\u2019t feel that he\u2019s comfortable enough in the ring and especially not with me being in there. When I get in there and start doing the things that I do in there, you know, he\u2019s gone. It\u2019s going to be a different story. It\u2019s going to be a whole different look.<\/p>\n

Question
\nHe says he\u2019s going to knock you out inside six rounds. Your response?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nHe\u2019s not ready. He\u2019s not ready, man. He\u2019s not ready. He going to get tired like he always does. Like he normally gets tired thinking he\u2019s going to go five rounds. He\u2019s going to get tired, and that\u2019s when I\u2019m going to jump on (him), period.<\/p>\n

Question
\nSo, you\u2019re predicting you\u2019ll knock him out?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, I know I\u2019m going to knock him out.<\/p>\n

Question
\nDid you watched any tapes of Anthony\u2019s fights, or any of the other fights that he\u2019s had recently, to give you the opinion that you think that he\u2019s green and he gets tired?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, he just — he did get tired. In the Dillian Whyte fight he got real tired and he doesn\u2019t have any footwork. He can\u2019t box. You know, he can\u2019t move. The only thing he\u2019s relying on is his power, and I got more tools than that. I\u2019m more than just a powerful puncher. You know, I can do it all. So, that\u2019s what I\u2019m taking into the fight. I got more in my arsenal. If he thinks he\u2019s going to be able to land hard punches on me and stuff like that, he\u2019s got another thing coming. I\u2019m very elusive. So, we\u2019ll see when it\u2019s time to take care of business.<\/p>\n

Question
\nDo you think because of the way the fight with Glazkov ended that you\u2019re not getting the credit that you think you deserve coming into this fight?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin<\/p>\n

No, not at all. You know, it is what it is. I\u2019m the World Champion. So, you know, I\u2019m getting respect. You know, I get credit and respect. You know, so, I\u2019m just over here fighting him on his territory, you know, and the UK fans that\u2019s their guy. So, I mean, of course, they\u2019re going to be rooting for him.<\/p>\n

Question
\nHow do you think the crowd might affect the fight with the officials and the fact that he\u2019ll be the fan favorite and the local hero? Do you think that\u2019ll have any effect on the way the fight goes on?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nNo, because I don\u2019t plan on taking it to the judges\u2019 hands. My judge is my left and my right.<\/p>\n

Question
\nYou could probably have fought anybody after winning the title. What prompted you or what was behind the decision to go to England to defend your title? Not a lot of champions in any division will do that on their first offense. What was behind your reasoning?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nBecause probably they\u2019re scared. I ain\u2019t scared, man. I\u2019m here for a reason. I\u2019m here for a reason. And, you know, over here he\u2019s a superstar, man. You know what I\u2019m saying? And we want to take on all these big names. He was the biggest name that we could see this far, you know, besides Tyson Fury. Tyson Fury was already in with Klitschko, and Deontay Wilder was (busy). You know what I\u2019m saying? All the other big names were taken. You know, I\u2019m saying at the time he was the only one that was open, available. So, we figure why not do that? We want to make a name and make a mark on the sport. You know what I mean? That\u2019s what I want to do. You know, I want people to know that he\u2019s down for whatever, whenever, however. If I got to come all the way over here to do it, I\u2019m down for whatever. I\u2019m down for whatever, man.<\/p>\n

Question
\nA lot of people are asking, you know, why did you choose Anthony Joshua? You know, why are you picking this site? Were there other names offered to you, and did you kind of specifically point out and tell your people, \u2018Hey, I want to go and fight Anthony Joshua.\u2019<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, you know, (there was a) small name like Chris Arreola. I don\u2019t want to fight Chris Arreola. Why would I fight Chris Arreola? I can beat Chris Arreola. I know that\u2019s just an easy fighter to beat. You know what I mean? I want somebody, I want the superstars. I want these guys. You know, I\u2019m going to take his space. You know what I mean? Take everything that he thought he was (getting) and it\u2019s going to come this way. I know exactly what I\u2019m doing with this.<\/p>\n

Question
\nCould you tell us some of the things that you\u2019ve added to your camp for this fight?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nOh, you\u2019d have to take that up with my condition coach. Man, you know, he\u2019s got it down to a science. He went to school for it. He knows what he\u2019s doing. And I just feel overall stronger, you know, faster, stronger, more balanced, core strength. You know, I\u2019m just a different person than I was. So, I\u2019m happy that, you know, the stars were in line once again. You know, the chemistry was right from the start. We hit it off. And he just pushed me to different levels.<\/p>\n

Question
\nJoshua was quite critical of your style of boxing. He said you\u2019re a counter puncher who doesn\u2019t work the full round. Your reaction?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, see, that\u2019s all he\u2019s seeing is that I\u2019m a counter puncher, but I\u2019m a lot more than just a counter puncher. So, I\u2019m going to let him keep thinking that that\u2019s all that\u2019s to my game. So, that\u2019s fine by me. Keep on thinking that I\u2019m just a counter puncher, if you want to.<\/p>\n

Question
\nIf victorious, do you ultimately want to unify the division?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nYeah, absolutely. That\u2019s what our ultimate goal is, to unify. To get all the belts that\u2019s the ultimate goal.<\/p>\n

Question
\nWhen Joshua was on the call, he was asked if he thought you would be his toughest opponent. He said, \u2018No,\u2019 and that he would finish you inside of six rounds. How do you respond to that?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nThat\u2019s fine by me. Words are words. You know, they\u2019re nothing more than what they are. He\u2019s saying that I ain\u2019t his toughest opponent, fine. I\u2019m going to — I\u2019m not even going to say nothing about it. That\u2019s cool, but I like that. I like that, you know? Be confident. Be very confident in what you do.<\/p>\n

Question
\nWhat\u2019s your prediction for this fight, Charles?<\/p>\n

Charles Martin
\nOh, I don\u2019t have any prediction. Man, I\u2019m not the one to predict. I\u2019m a realist. You know, you come out talking that crap, it don\u2019t mean nothing, you know? Predictions, I\u2019m not a prophet. You know what I mean? I\u2019m going to go in there and see what\u2019s in front of me, and who knows how it goes down. You know, if I see (an opportunity), then I\u2019m going to take the initiative. You know, hey, I\u2019m just a technician in there, man. That\u2019s all I can say, I\u2019m a technician, a lot of tools.
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