{"id":60680,"date":"2016-05-26T02:17:28","date_gmt":"2016-05-26T07:17:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=60680"},"modified":"2016-05-26T02:33:36","modified_gmt":"2016-05-26T07:33:36","slug":"ruslan-provodnikov-john-molina-heats-up-at-press-conference-breaking-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=60680","title":{"rendered":"Ruslan Provodnikov – John Molina Heats Up at Press Conference – Breaking Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ruslan-Provodnikov-vs-John-Molina-Odds\"<\/a>On Saturday, June 11, Provodnikov (25-4, 18 KOs) a former WBO Junior Welterweight World Champion, and former world title challenger Molina (28-6, 23 KOs) will face each other in the 12-round main event of a SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING\u00ae tripleheader live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET\/6 p.m. PT), from Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Provodnikov, Molina and undefeated WBC No. 1-ranked lightweight contender Dejan Zlaticanin participated in a Media Workout Day at Fortune\u2019s Gym in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

Zlaticanin (17-0, 10 KOs), of the Southeastern European country of Montenegro, will be opposed by fellow unbeaten and WBC No. 2-ranked Emiliano Marsili (32-0-1, 14 KOs), of Italy, for the vacant WBC Lightweight World Championship in the opening match of the SHOWTIME telecast.<\/p>\n

In the co-feature, undefeated former 154-pound world champion Demetrius Andrade (22-0, 15 KOs), of Providence, R.I., battles Willie Nelson (25-2-1, 15 KO\u2019s), of Cleveland, Ohio, in a 12-round WBC Super Welterweight Title Eliminator.<\/p>\n

Also on June 11, former world title challengers, Willie Monroe Jr. and John Thompson, will meet in a 10-round middleweight bout in the main event on SHOWTIME EXTREME (7 p.m. ET\/PT). In the SHO EXTREME opener, heavyweight Andrey Fedosov (28-3, 23 KO’s) takes on Mario Heredia (11-1, 9 KOs, 1-2 in WSB) in a 10-round heavyweight bout.<\/p>\n

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Banner Promotions, Inc., are priced at $85, $60, $45 and $35 and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Turning Stone Box Office, by calling 877.833.SHOW, or online at Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com).<\/p>\n

Below is what the boxers said Tuesday:<\/p>\n

RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV<\/p>\n

(On the importance of this fight)<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery fight is important. I come out for every fight to give everything I have. For me, every fight is like the last fight. So this is a very important fight, just like any other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like to make predictions too much; boxing is an unpredictable sport and it\u2019s hard to say what will happen. Anything can happen on June 11. We\u2019ve got a little bit to wait and we\u2019ll see what happens.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if it will go to the scorecards. Anything can happen. He is also a great fighter, so maybe it will go to the scorecards.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On what he expects from John Molina Jr.)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m expecting him to come to fight. No doubt he\u2019s a fighter, he\u2019s a warrior. For somebody to defeat me is a big motivation and I know he\u2019ll be coming to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter what, he\u2019s going to do anything possible to win this fight. That\u2019s what I expect from people that take a fight with me \u2013 that they\u2019ll die in the ring to defeat me because it would be a great accomplishment. So I\u2019m expecting a real war, a real fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On the style of fighting and the matchup)<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is the type of fight that will be exciting and all-action. I think it\u2019s a great matchup and it will be exciting for the fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On who he\u2019s looking to fight next)<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not thinking about that too much right now. Luckily my weight classes, both 140 and 147, there\u2019s no problem with the opposition. There (are) a lot of guys, a lot of stars. After this fight on June 11 we\u2019ll be able to start thinking about what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always said that I\u2019m willing to fight anyone at 140 and 147, just let me know when and I\u2019ll be there. I\u2019m ready to fight any of the top guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On if he would rather fight a boxer or a come-forward fighter like Molina)<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely like the guys that come to fight. For me that is a better, more enjoyable fight. I like to fight a guy that wants to brawl.<\/p>\n

(On if he\u2019s ready to box if Molina choses to box instead of brawl)<\/p>\n

\u201cOn June 11, I\u2019ll be ready for anything that can happen in the ring. I\u2019ve been watching previous fights and correcting my mistakes and I\u2019ll be ready for anything he decides to bring.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On not fighting for eight months)<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t see too much of a negative side to that. I just wanted some time off and now I\u2019m ready to come back. I\u2019m always in shape; I\u2019m always in the gym, always training.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m training all the time and always moving around even when I\u2019m at home. Right now, training camp is going very well. Joel Diaz is very happy with training and he says everything is going a lot better than the last training camp. Everything is 100 percent. I\u2019m not worried at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On his relationship with trainer Joel Diaz)<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is going great. When Joel and I are training together it\u2019s always very positive. That\u2019s important for me. I\u2019m enjoying the training camp and I\u2019m having a good time, which is the most important thing.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoxing-wise I\u2019ve added a lot of different things. Most importantly, I\u2019ve increased my defensive skills and that\u2019s going to show in this fight very much and I\u2019m positive of that. More than that, my punching combinations have gotten better in the last few camps and that\u2019s going to show. Joel and I work well together and that\u2019s definitely important.\u201d<\/p>\n

JOHN MOLINA JR.<\/p>\n

(Thoughts leading up to the fight)<\/p>\n

\u201cI am really excited. Ruslan is a hell of a fighter and competitor. I think it\u2019s a can\u2019t-miss, all-action fight when you have someone like myself and Ruslan in there.<\/p>\n

\u201cStylistically I think there are thing that I have to my advantage. Stature-wise: my height, my reach. But with that being said, when the fight starts, all of that is going to go out the window and we\u2019re going to fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were both in Fights of the Year, but we were both on the losing ends. Now we want to be on the winning end. I think that is an unwritten motivation for both of us.<\/p>\n

\u201cStylistically it\u2019s a great matchup. We\u2019ve had a common opponent and of course you can draw that he was in a Fight of the Year with some other fighter. But I\u2019m not that stature. I am 5-feet-11 with a reach that he can\u2019t compare with. On June 11 after the first bell rings, I\u2019ll be able to tell you exactly how the fight is going to play out.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On the importance of winning this fight)<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery fight is important. Fortunately and unfortunately, boxing is a \u2018what have you done for me lately\u2019 type of sport. For me, I didn\u2019t have an extensive amateur career so the pros were, in essence, my amateur career. But I believe I\u2019m at the right spot right now, where I need to be to hit my stride.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course a victory is always the goal. I don\u2019t like to lose at checkers and I don\u2019t want to lose at boxing. To keep the lifestyle that I have going, I have to continue to be victorious and move forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe definitely want to catapult off of a big marquee name. We want to be on the winning side. That is the goal 110 percent. We won\u2019t be satisfied with anything less than a victory. I\u2019m not content with getting in these fights because people love to watch me fight. I want to be content with getting these fights because I\u2019m victorious and that\u2019s what we\u2019re planning on doing on June 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like you\u2019re going to get the best of me now. I feel like my longevity isn\u2019t a question because I didn\u2019t have the extensive amateur career. A lot of these guys have been boxing since they were eight years old. I didn\u2019t start until I was 17. I didn\u2019t turn pro until I was 24. I only had 22 amateur fights. So the miles on my odometer, so to speak, are less than someone like Ruslan who had an extensive amateur career. He\u2019s been in more wars than me.<\/p>\n

\u201cEither way you slice it, boxing takes something from you. Whether it\u2019s your youth, your sharpness, boxing is that kind of a sport where it draws something from your body. I believe he\u2019s had it worse than me. I feel stronger and more experienced for lacking those years.\u201d<\/p>\n

DEJAN ZLATICANIN<\/p>\n

(On what this fight means for his career)<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the most important fight for me because the WBC title has been my dream since the first day I went to the gym. I will be the new champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always the underdog in every fight but now I don\u2019t get underestimated. My opponent is going to get the best me on June 11. I think those who underestimated me were wrong all along, but I will put some good shots on him and he\u2019ll go down. I will knock him out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they [fans] will cheer for me like I am a home fighter and I will do my best to bring the good fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

(On his opponent)<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a boxer. He\u2019s smart, but he has no power. He will try to box, keep a distance and use his height advantage. He will use his footwork to keep me at bay, but it won\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Thoughts on fighting for first world title)<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very excited and I am very happy to be fighting for my first world title. I am coming from a little country and I want everyone to know where Montenegro is and I can\u2019t wait to get in the ring.<\/p>\n

(On fighting in U.S. for first time)<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople in America, they\u2019re fans, they love good boxing. It doesn\u2019t matter where you are from, they just like good fights. They like my style because I am a fighter and I go forward.\u201d<\/p>\n