{"id":65619,"date":"2017-01-11T22:06:48","date_gmt":"2017-01-12T03:06:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=65619"},"modified":"2017-01-11T22:07:16","modified_gmt":"2017-01-12T03:07:16","slug":"badou-jack-vs-james-degale-heats-up-at-final-press-conference-breaking-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=65619","title":{"rendered":"Badou Jack Vs James DeGale Heats Up at Final Press Conference – Breaking Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"maxresdefault\"<\/a>Fight week activities officially began today with media workouts at the brand new Gleason\u2019s Gym in Brooklyn before the super middleweight title unification showdown between Badou Jack and James DeGale that headlines action this Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME.<\/p>\n

Also in attendance and opening the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9:30 p.m. ET\/6:30 p.m. PT are junior lightweight world champion Jose Pedraza and unbeaten contender Gervonta Davis. <\/p>\n

Additional televised action will feature super bantamweight world champion Amanda Serrano defending her title against former two-division world champion Yazmin Rivas on SHOWTIME EXTREME. The telecast beings at 7 p.m. ET\/PT with a matchup of undefeated middleweights Ievgen Khytrov and Immanuwel Aleem.<\/p>\n

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, start at $25. Tickets are available now and can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.<\/p>\n

Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday:<\/p>\n

BADOU JACK<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just trying to stay positive and enjoy this moment. I wish that the fight was tomorrow night. But we\u2019re showing patience and bracing for the opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the biggest fight of my career and I\u2019m ready to take it to the next level. I have the experience to be on this stage and I\u2019m ready to show that I\u2019m one of the best in the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen DeGale fight a few times. His last couple of fights I don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen the best of him. I want the best James DeGale to show up on fight night. There won\u2019t be any excuses on fight night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in the best shape of my life. I\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019s in the best shape of his life too. So let\u2019s see who is the best.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going in there to break him down. I\u2019m going to be the better fighter. If I get an opportunity to land something that can change the fight, I\u2019m going to take my chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been one of the best training camps of my career. My nutrition is better than it\u2019s ever been and I have positive people around me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe I can knock anybody out who gets in the ring with me. If you don\u2019t believe that in yourself, then you\u2019re in the wrong sport. I\u2019m not expecting an easy fight, but I\u2019ll do whatever it takes to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy trainer Lou Del Valle is the reason that I\u2019ve improved so much. I brought him back in after my loss and he\u2019s helped get me to where I am right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no doubt we\u2019ll know who the best super middleweight in the world is after Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

JAMES DEGALE<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI just flew to New York on Monday after a brilliant camp. I\u2019ve been training well and sparring hard. I\u2019ve had some great work on the track and I\u2019ve ran a lot of miles. I\u2019m in fantastic shape.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis fight has a different feel. I feel like I\u2019m in a big fight. I feel like I\u2019m on a different level of fitness for this one. Mind, body and soul. Everything is great.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m mentally prepared. Badou Jack is an extremely good fighter. He\u2019s a tough opponent. He gets better every single fight. The way I\u2019m feeling right now, Badou Jack shouldn\u2019t beat me. I\u2019m focused on fighting my very best.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve sacrificed a lot to put myself in this position and to make sure this was a great camp. Now the time is here.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo have a media day in Brooklyn is great. I\u2019m in a fantastic position in my life and career. I\u2019m more comfortable than I was years ago. Back in the day I wouldn\u2019t know what to say. I\u2019m a man now and I\u2019m ready to reach my destiny.<\/p>\n

\u201cMovement, speed and angles are my keys. If I\u2019m focused and take no rounds off, that should do it. It will do it. Anything can happen in boxing, but I\u2019m too prepared for this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look at Badou Jack, and even though he\u2019s been getting better, I think I\u2019m a much better fighter. He\u2019s very high quality and I have to be on my game. It\u2019s going to be a great fight, but I will be victorious.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy loss to George Groves was a blessing in disguise. If that didn\u2019t happen to me, I don\u2019t know where I would be in my career. I was too big for my boots back then. I thought I was the golden boy and I was humbled. I had to rebuild and I came back.\u201d<\/p>\n

JOSE PEDRAZA<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI let [Gervonta] Davis do the talking. I like when people talk like that, because I get to shut them up on the night of the fight. He\u2019s a Floyd Mayweather imitation. Just like all imitations, it\u2019s not as good as the real one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very happy to be here representing Puerto Rico in New York City with another Puerto Rican champion in Amanda Serrano. She\u2019s a four-time champion who is very accomplished and it\u2019s an honor to be on this card with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel ready to fight. I\u2019m anxious to get in the ring. I can\u2019t wait for Saturday night and to show the whole world what I\u2019m made of.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have the advantage in experience and in reach and height. He\u2019s going to try to bring pressure but I\u2019ll be ready for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only do I have more pro experience, but more amateur experience as well. All of these years of being on the big stage is going to help me in the fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m underrated. People know my quality, which is why people avoid fighting me. I believe I\u2019m the best fighter at 130-pounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready for any type of fight. The question is, will Davis be ready? If Davis gets tired, he\u2019s going to have trouble in the late rounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

GERVONTA DAVIS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI feel great right now. I\u2019m in tip-top shape. I had the best sparring available and everything went smoothly. I\u2019m ready to go to work January 14.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that Pedraza is a world champion who comes in undefeated. He does a lot of good things in the ring but we\u2019ll be ready for them come fight night.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good to be on this stage. I feel ready to headline my own card. I\u2019m ready to do my own thing and that comes with winning this world title.<\/p>\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t watched too much of him, but my team is prepared. He doesn\u2019t have anything I haven\u2019t seen before. We just have to execute the game plan when the bell rings.\u201d<\/p>\n

YAZMIN RIVAS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that I\u2019m up against a girl who is a heavy hitter and can punch hard. I\u2019ve been training extremely hard to prepare for this fight because I know I\u2019m facing a dangerous fighter. I just need to maintain my weight up until fight night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve trained with a lot of southpaws to prepare for Serrano\u2019s style. It\u2019s only the second time I\u2019ve faced a southpaw. I come in with a game plan, but once you step in that ring, I know that anything can happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a veteran and I have the experience. Serrano will have to overcome my advantage there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to be fighting in the U.S. and I know that this is a huge opportunity. Fighting on television is something I have to take advantage of. After this fight, people will really see what female boxing is all about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very motivated and excited that I have the chance to fight in Brooklyn in the best city in the U.S. for boxing. I\u2019m going to come to fight. I won\u2019t back down and we will be in the middle of the ring exchanging.\u201d<\/p>\n

IEVGEN KHYTROV<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen Aleem fight and he\u2019s nothing special. He\u2019s very fast. He does everything very quickly. But he can be hit. He has a little bit of power, but I can hit him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to take advantage of his mistakes. I\u2019m ready for this fight and I\u2019m going for the knockout. This isn\u2019t going to be a long fight. I think I will knock him out in five or six rounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m an aggressive fighter. I want to brawl. I want to throw a lot of punches. I\u2019m happy if I can throw 100 punches in a round. Nobody can take that kind of punishment and it helps me get my opponent out of there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy to be fighting in Brooklyn at Barclays Center. It\u2019s very important to my career. After this fight I am going to get big steps up and big names. I\u2019m going to show what I can do on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to fight for a real world title. I\u2019m ready for it and I just want to face good opponents and challenge myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

IMMANUWEL ALEEM<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been a great training camp. I have George Peterson in my corner and he made Paul Williams a three-time champion. He\u2019s putting me through the same regimen that made him one of the most feared fighters in the sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know too much about my opponent. We have a game plan based around him being some type of bull, but my trainer is the one analyzing that, and then we go from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI bring the total package into the ring. There\u2019s nothing I can\u2019t do. I can box and I can brawl. Most importantly, I can make adjustments during a fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cA win here will really stamp who I am in this sport. We\u2019re leading to become a world champion. I\u2019m not a regular fighter in there. I can beat these top guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

JULIAN SOSA<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI can honestly say that this is one of the best training camps that I\u2019ve had. I\u2019m both nervous and excited. I\u2019m nervous because I\u2019ve never had a training camp like this and I\u2019m excited to see how I feel in the ring.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen a few tapes of my opponent. He\u2019s a very aggressive fighter who throws a lot of right hands. I have to prepare myself for that. If he wants to start early or take his time, I\u2019m ready for anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very confident heading into this fight. I believe that I will put on a great performance and possibly the best of my career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very thankful to be fighting at home in Brooklyn and I\u2019m humbled to have the opportunity to perform at Barclays Center once again. There\u2019s no better feeling than having your friends and family cheering you on.<\/p>\n

Badou Jack vs. James DeGale, a 12-round super middleweight world unification fight, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and takes place this Saturday, January 14 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and live on SHOWTIME. Opening the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast at 9:30 p.m. ET\/6:30 p.m. PT are junior lightweight world champion Jose Pedraza and unbeaten contender Gervonta Davis.<\/p>\n