{"id":66221,"date":"2017-03-02T19:34:41","date_gmt":"2017-03-03T00:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=66221"},"modified":"2017-03-02T19:35:15","modified_gmt":"2017-03-03T00:35:15","slug":"keith-thurman-danny-garcia-press-conference-erupts-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=66221","title":{"rendered":"Keith Thurman – Danny Garcia Press Conference ERUPTS – Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"garcia-vs-vargas-november-12_-2016_11_12_2016_fight_ryan-hafey-_-premier-boxing-champions-2-e1479080654325\"<\/a>Welterweight world champions Keith Thurman and Danny Garcia participated in a media workout at world famous Gleason\u2019s Gym Wednesday afternoon in advance of their primetime showdown that headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING on CBS, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, this Saturday, March 4 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING\u2122.<\/p>\n

Also in attendance Wednesday and opening the broadcast at 9 p.m. ET\/6 p.m. PT were undefeated rising star Erickson Lubin and once-beaten knockout artist Jorge Cota, who meet in a super welterweight world title eliminator. <\/p>\n

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50 (not including applicable fees) and are on sale now. Tickets 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

Additional fighters participating in the workout and competing in undercard action on Saturday included light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara, who takes on former world champion Chad Dawson, popular local unbeaten Heather Hardy, who battles Edina Kiss in a featherweight attraction, super lightweight Mario Barrios, who meets Yardley Suarez in an eight-round fight, unbeaten contender Sergey Lipinets and Florida\u2019s Clarence Booth, who meet in super lightweight action and 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins, who makes his pro debut.<\/p>\n

Here is what the fighters<\/p>\n

KEITH THURMAN<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels great to be in this big fight. This is what we\u2019ve been dreaming of. It feels like my destiny. When you put so much hard work into the sport, everyone knows you\u2019re planting a seed. You have to watch it grow and nurture it before it starts to bear fruit.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrooklyn has one of a kind fight fans. The history of this city and the history of boxing in this city is exceptional. The appreciation they have for fighters is one of a kind. It\u2019s always a blessing to perform for these fans.<\/p>\n

\u201cI expect the best of Danny Garcia. This is the biggest fight of either of our careers. I saw the best of Shawn Porter, but Keith Thurman was able to rise to the top once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at the facts and our records, it doesn\u2019t get bigger than this. There\u2019s no comparison to my other fights. This is the biggest of my career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ultimate goal is to unify the division. It\u2019s a blessing right now to have two undefeated world champions. These titles have only been brought together a few times in history. It\u2019s a great opportunity. The winner is going to be that man to beat at 147-pounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that we will see the next superstar in the welterweight division after we unify these titles. Whoever becomes the undisputed welterweight champion of the world, will be on another level. We\u2019re going to take our first step toward that Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to touch as many households as I can touch. I want the kids who come from the struggle; I want them to see me. They have to learn that they\u2019re going to earn their stripes in life from training hard in the gym.\u201d<\/p>\n

DANNY GARCIA<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve trained hard for this fight and I\u2019m ready. Saturday night, I\u2019ll be the new unified champion of the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe atmosphere at Barclays Center is amazing. I\u2019ve always requested to fight here and I\u2019m glad they accept me. I can\u2019t wait to fight in front of those great fans again.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m prepared for the best Keith Thurman. I\u2019m ready to make adjustments and fight like a true champion and get the victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been training a long time for this fight. I felt great in the gym and I was really comfortable the whole time. I\u2019ve had no struggle to make weight. I feel strong and I\u2019ve had no injuries. That\u2019s a perfect camp. We train hard, we train smart and we\u2019re prepared for Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always train to impress. I don\u2019t need to add any extra pressure just because it\u2019s a big audience. I have to go in there and keep my composure and be the same Danny Garcia that I always am.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just have to stay focused on Saturday night. We\u2019re just worried about my game plan for the fight. There\u2019s no distractions for me. I think everything will go smoothly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always been some tough fights in the legacies of other great fighters. Each fight is a learning experience. Everything in my career has led me to this fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople want to see the best fight the best. This is my chance to prove it to the world that I\u2019m one of the best fighters in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m definitely a better fighter than Keith Thurman. He\u2019s never been in the ring with a guy like me. Saturday night, I\u2019m going to prove it. I\u2019m the better counter-puncher, I\u2019m sharper and I\u2019ll prove it on Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

ERICKSON LUBIN<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels great to be here. Training camp was amazing. We had lots of sparring and made lots of improvements from my last fight. I feel strong and I can\u2019t wait until Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t let anything get to me. I know what I can do. I\u2019m going to go in there confident and be dominant. I\u2019m going to be aware of everything and keep my mind sharp in the ring.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy coach does the studying of the tape but I know he\u2019s a strong Mexican power-puncher. We know he\u2019s going to be aggressive, but we\u2019re ready for any style he comes with on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor every opponent, the game plan is different. We have a game plan, but we\u2019ll be ready to adjust. At the end of the day, I have to go in there and win, and win impressively.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing on this card is a wonderful feeling. I get to open up for this tremendous fight that I think is going to be the Fight of the Year. I\u2019m going to set the bar real high.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming for that number one spot Saturday night. After that, I become the mandatory for Jermell Charlo. I\u2019m going to win this fight in spectacular fashion, mark my words.\u201d<\/p>\n

JORGE COTA<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI know that it\u2019s been a long lay-off but I\u2019ve been staying in the gym and staying ready. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll have any ring rust once I get in there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to take it round-by-round and see what he brings into the ring. I\u2019m going to make adjustments off of what I see. I\u2019ll assess the situation and take it on from there.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a lot of motivation coming into this fight and I\u2019m ready to move a step closer to a world title. This opportunity is something that I won\u2019t let slip by.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I have a very tough opponent in front of me, but I am too strong and I will be too good on Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

ANDRZEJ FONFARA<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI got some rest after my last fight and get myself back together. The decision was to change trainers to Virgil Hunter. I\u2019m happy with that decision and I had a great camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have more focus during this camp. It\u2019s just my family and the gym. The same thing every day. I\u2019m in possibly the best shape I\u2019ve been in my life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a great jab that I have to use. I think I\u2019m a stronger and more physical fighter than Chad Dawson. I know how to box inside and outside. Dawson has a lot of experience but I know I will be ready for anything he brings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of Polish fans I\u2019m expecting to see on Saturday night. I know that Brooklyn has a large population of Polish boxing fans. I\u2019m ready for that feeling. I\u2019m back and I\u2019m going after a world title.\u201d<\/p>\n

HEATHER HARDY<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had my eyes on this fight date for a while. I knew that I had to get on this card. There had to be at least one woman representing our sport on this card.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe women have to work three times as hard just to get to this point. Girls train just as hard as men and we\u2019re working towards getting our due.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t just represent ourselves when we get in the ring, we represent our sport. There\u2019s always an incredible amount of pressure, no matter what the stage is.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust before this fight camp I was coming off of an eight-week MMA camp. Thinking about a girl who can only hit me with two hands, I\u2019m not worried at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to get back in the ring and put on a show for my loyal and dedicated fans who love to watch me fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

MARIO BARRIOS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very grateful to have the opportunity to be on this card. We\u2019re more than prepared for this fight. We have a tough opponent but I\u2019m ready to take everything we\u2019ve done in the gym and put it into the ring.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy team has watched some tape on my opponent. I personally don\u2019t like to watch too much of their tapes. Everyone fights different opponents differently. We came up with a game plan for this fight and that\u2019s what we\u2019ve been working on all camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cA win means everything to me. It\u2019s going to help me climb the ladder and help me take another step in my career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love fighting in New York. The people in this city are incredible and they come out for big fights like this. It\u2019s huge to be on this stage and I\u2019m going to take advantage of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

SERGEY LIPINETS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe bright lights have never scared me away. I\u2019m more motivated by the importance of this card. All I care about is what happens in the fight. I don\u2019t see any distractions. I\u2019m focused on my opponent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI prepare for every fight like it\u2019s for a world title. It\u2019s the same system for getting ready. But I am aware that people have a lot of tape on me now, so my team has been working on bringing something different to each fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs of now, I\u2019m the IBF mandatory, but I\u2019m not looking past Clarence Booth. I want to take care of this fight and then move on to whoever is holding that belt in June or July. I want a world title fight next.<\/p>\n

\u201cI respect every man who steps into that squared-circle. Clarence Booth is a great fighter and I respect him for getting in the ring with me. He\u2019s in my way and I plan on putting on a great performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

CLARENCE BOOTH<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing in camp with Keith Thurman is like being in the school of boxing. We spar, get some good rounds in and he always gives me good advice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m prepared for anything on Saturday night. I\u2019ve watched him a little bit. I see he\u2019s a big puncher, but I\u2019m a big puncher too. I\u2019m ready to get to work.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can do it all in the ring. I can brawl, box and adjust to my opponent. I\u2019m excited for this fight on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a tremendous opportunity for me and I\u2019m just excited to get in the ring and take advantage of it on Saturday night.\u201d<\/p>\n

RICHARDSON HITCHINS<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to make my pro debut. I\u2019ve fought in the Golden Gloves at Barclays Center before so there\u2019s no pressure heading into this one.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had a long amateur career and I think all of that prepared me for this moment. Everything I\u2019ve been doing since I was 13 has led to this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know too much about my opponent but I\u2019m going to go in there and adapt. We\u2019ve trained to be prepared for this.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always seen myself fighting on big cards and one day I\u2019ll be the headliner. We\u2019re finally on the right track towards what I\u2019m looking to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n