| |
|
|
Roman Martinez, Orlando
Salido, Jhonny Gonzalez & Jonathan Oquendo
Teleconference Transcript
Kelly Swanson
Thanks everybody for calling in. We appreciate it. We know
it’s a busy week, but we wanted to kick it off with this
conference call and on the line today we have two bouts from
the HIGH STAKES: Mayweather vs. Berto Pay-Per-View
undercard, taking place Saturday, September 12.
The two bouts that we’re talking about today are Jhonny
Gonzalez versus Jonathan Oquendo
and also Roman Martinez versus Orlando Salido, in their
rematch. We’re going to start with Gonzalez and Oquendo and
then we will move into the Martinez-Salido portion of the
call. To make the introductions and MC the call I’d like to
introduce Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Officer of
Mayweather Promotions.
Leonard Ellerbe
Thank you Kelly. I’d like to thank everyone for calling in
to our first of two conference calls. It’s exciting to
present these great fights on the Pay-Per-View televised
portion of the Mayweather versus Berto event. This call is
extremely special because we have not only one, but two
classics - Mexico versus Puerto Rico matchups which we’ll be
discussing. Before we get into the fight details and
fighters I’d like to introduce Chris DeBlasio, he’s the Vice
President of Sports Communications for SHOWTIME.
Chris DeBlasio
Thank you to all the press for getting on and Kelly for
setting this up. I won’t take much of your time. I know you
want to hear from the fighters today, but I’d be remiss if I
didn’t share some of the exciting programming that we have
coming up. As Leonard mentioned, the two fights that we’re
going to talk about today are special in the classic rivalry
between Mexico and Puerto Rico and we do expect this to be a
very exciting and fun undercard. So we’re excited to get to
it.
As such, SHOWTIME Sports, in keeping with our tradition with
the Mayweather events that we have been fortunate enough to
work with Mayweather Promotions since 2013, we have a strong
lineup of programming that comes in advance of the
Pay-Per-View. The lynchpin of that is, of course, our Sports
Emmy Award winning “ALL ACCESS” series.
We will premiere the first of a four episode series this
Friday, August 28, on SHOWTIME. That is chronicling
Mayweather and Berto as they prepare for the main event on
September 12. In addition we have the first fight of Orlando
Salido versus Rocky Martinez from April of this year. We
believe many of you have already called this a leading
candidate for fight of the year for 2015. That first fight
in its entirety is airing on SHOWTIME EXTREME. It airs on
the CBS Sports Network, our sister cable television network.
It is also available in full on the internet. If you haven’t
seen that fight or you want to relive some of the excitement
or share with your readers and viewers, please do. That
fight was excellent and we expect a great one in the rematch
as well.
Our typical compliment of programming during fight week will
be available as expected and as you’ve seen before from
SHOWTIME in partnership with Mayweather Promotion. You’ll
see a main event press conference streaming live on
Wednesday of fight week. The undercard press conference we
will also stream live that week. Weigh-in Live on Friday
will air on SHOWTIME network, on CBS Sports Network and on
many other platforms, including the internet.
We also have a very special “COUNTDOWN LIVE” on Saturday,
September 12. COUNTDOWN LIVE is going to be a 90-minute show
on SHOWTIME leading up to the Pay-Per-View. That’s going to
include a live 10-round fight between Mayweather Promotions’
Ishe Smith in a super welterweight bought against Vanes
Martirosyan. So lots of great programing coming up.
I know you guys have lots of other live action to cover as
well. So I’m not going to take up any more of your time. I
wish you luck and thanks for the time.
L. Ellerbe
Okay, thank you Chris. Mayweather versus Berto is promoted
by Mayweather Promotions and as Chris mentioned it will be
live on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View. Just a reminder the
Pay-Per-View telecast will start at 5 PM PT/8 PM ET. This
event will be sponsored by Tecate.
Also, just a reminder tickets are on sale now at the MGM
Grand and the ticket prices are $150, $300, $500, $750,
$1000 and $1500. Mayweather versus Berto will be shown live
in select movie theaters all across the country with our
partners Fathom Events. Tickets are on sale now at
www.fathomevents.com. In the main event, obviously, you have
Floyd “Money” Mayweather versus hard hitting former champ
Andre Berto. In the co-main event we have WBO Junior
lightweight title fight between Roman “Rocky” Martinez and
Orlando Salido. This will be a rematch of their fight of the
year from this past April.
The Martinez versus Salido fight will follow Mayweather
Promotions own Badou Jack “The Ripper” making his first
title defense of his WBC Super Middleweight World
Championship and he’ll be fighting “Saint” George Groves.
The Jack vs. Groves fight is in association with Sauerland
Events. And as announced last Tuesday the first Pay-Per-View
television fight will be a 10 round Junior Lightweight
showdown featuring Mexican power puncher Jhonny Gonzalez
against Puerto Rico’s Jonathan Oquendo. I’d like to
acknowledge Peter Rivera of PR Best Boxing
Peter Rivera
Hi, Leonard. Hi everybody. Once again, thanks for the
opportunity to SHOWTIME and Mayweather and we’re looking
forward to being part of this great event.
L. Ellerbe
Thank you. I would like to introduce and first the opening
televised bout on the Pay-Per-View portion. Jonathan
Oquendo, fighting out of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. He’s won 11
of 13 fights and will fight for the sixth time in his career
at the MGM when he faces Jhonny Gonzalez on September the
12. Coming to us with a record of 25-4 with 16 KOs.
Jonathan, would you like to make a few comments?
Jonathan Oquendo
I want to thank the press. I want to thank everyone for this
opportunity. I’m very excited. I’m very focused and looking
forward to the match up.
L. Ellerbe
Next up I’d like to introduce a very very exciting fighter
from Mexico City, Mexico. He has won world championships at
118 and 126. One of his most memorable fights is his fight
against Abner Mares in a very very exciting fight he ended
with the first round KO to grab the WBC featherweight title.
He defended it twice because eventually losing to Gary
Russell Jr. Jhonny Gonzalez comes in with with a 58-9 record
with 49 big KOs
Jhonny Gonzalez
I’m very happy for this opportunity. I’m extremely excited
for the chance to fight on such a big stage that is
important to fans around the world and I’ve really picked up
my training and I’m extremely focused and looking ahead
towards September 12.
Q
Jonathan, why did you accept this fight at this stage of
your career?
J. Oquendo
I feel like this is a great opportunity. I want to be a
great champion. I want to go ahead and showcase my talents
on the card that Floyd Mayweather is headlining because
there is a lot of attention when he fights. I feel that the
training and that we’ve been doing in camp has been
fantastic and I do believe that I have enough to defeat
somebody of the caliber of Jhonny Gonzalez.
Q
Jhonny, what do you expect out of Jonathan Oquendo?
J. Gonzalez
He is very complicated and difficult to fight. I know that
for Jonathan it’s a great opportunity. I’m awaiting a very
stiff and strong challenge and I believe that Jonathan will
bring his best coming up on September 12.
Q
Johnny, you just fought earlier this month. Did you already
know that this fight was in the works if you won?
J. Gonzalez
I’m very happy that I took the previous fight and came out
fine and it’s allowed me to just keep up the same training.
I feel terrific at 130 pounds. I understand how important
this is for all the Mexicans to be able to celebrate during
this time on September 12 and during the month of September.
At the end of the day I want to come out with my hand raised
on September 12.
Q
How important is it to you to keep up the tradition of
always fighting on or near your birthday, which of course is
also the Mexico Independence Day?
J. Gonzalez
It’s very important for me to fight during this time of the
year. I have had the opportunity to compete during this time
of the year on various occasions and also more than anything
I’ve learned from my defeats. Sometimes I’ve came up short
but I have looked back and figured out the reasons why. And
at the end of the day, most importantly, I want to go out
and I want to fight for one more world title.
Q
Jhonny, do you believe you’re done at featherweight or would
the right opportunity prompt you to drop that kind of
weight?
J. Gonzalez
No, I’m done. My days are over fighting at 126. My focus is
strictly on 130 pounds. I want to fight for a world title
and I want to fight the best at 130. I get that opportunity
to do so on September 12 against Jonathan Oquendo.
Q
This question is for Jhonny. Are you going to put on another
action-packed fight or will this be a more conservative
Jhonny?
J. Gonzalez
I feel that the face that I’m back with my father will make
me better than ever. I feel better at 130 instead of at 126
and my mindset is more to focus on boxing and that ability
to focus on boxing, is going to allow me to land harder
shots against Jonathan Oquendo.
Q
Do you plan on making a title run at 130?
J. Gonzalez
I want to put on exciting fights, but I also want to focus
on my campaign at 130 step-by-step. I feel that I will be
ready to fight for a world title if the opportunity presents
itself, but I’m more focused on handling things one by one
and step-by-step.
Q
Having been through the process of rebuilding after a loss,
do you feel more comfortable going through it?
J. Gonzalez
I always learn from my losses. I’m going to come back
stronger and my mindset is to fight for a world title at 130
pounds. I understand the adjustments I need to make and I’m
going to put that on display against Jonathan Oquendo.
Q
Jonathan, how do you feel fighting at 130 pounds?
J. Oquendo
I’m in excellent condition right now. I understand the
opponent that I have against me in Jhonny Gonzalez and I
think I’m going to be totally fine conditioning wise and
physically against Jhonny Gonzalez.
K. Swanson
Great. Thank you so much. Okay, now we’re going to
transition over to Orlando Salido and Rocky Martinez.
L. Ellerbe
This next bout, which will be the second part of this great
Mexico versus Puerto Rico rivalry, we have a very exciting
fight. It’s a fight that the fans are really looking forward
to and I’d like to introduce first Roman “Rocky” Martinez.
He comes to us with a 29-2 record with 17 KOs and he’s
fighting out of Puerto Rico. He’ll be making the first
defense in his third stint as the WBO Junior Lightweight
champ. He survived a desperate late rush to unanimously
out-point Salido in a hard fought action packed fight this
past April and it was a classic Puerto Rico versus Mexico
battle. Roman, would like you to say a few words?
Roman Martinez
I’m very prepared. My team has done a terrific job in
training camp. I want to put on an amazing fight and I’ve
worked extremely diligently to be able to defend his title
on a spectacular card like this one that is headlined by
Floyd Mayweather.
O. Salido
I’m very happy and it means a lot for me to be included on
such a great card like this that is headlined by Floyd
Mayweather and I want to prove to everybody that I still
have a long career in front of me and I want to go out and
recapture the world title.
Q
Orlando, what will be different in this fight coming up?
O. Salido
I’ve been training with guys that are very mobile that like
to move a lot and I know that Roman is going to constantly
be on the move, but the difference with this fight is that
during his last fight in training camp I did not spar with
guys that are very mobile and moved around the ring. But in
this fight I’m very focused and prepared to go head and seek
Roman Martinez in every single corner of the ring.
Q
For both fighters, what is your mentality of going back into
the ring immediately with an opponent you just fought in
what was a very very hard, physical, tough fight. How do you
mentally prepare yourself for that knowing you’re probably
going to be standing across the ring from a guy who is going
to put you through another 12 rounds or maybe less of all
out warfare?
R. Martinez
My training has been excellent. To be able to come out and
put on a show on a card like this, I want to not only look
good, but I want to look spectacular. The difference is that
I’m going to use my intelligence more. I know Orlando is a
terrific fighter and is going to leave it all inside the
ring, but I’m going to use my brains more in this fight
compared to the last.
O. Salido
Training has been going very well. I understand that we went
toe-to-toe in our last match, but honestly, mentally I feel
fantastic. What I’m looking at in this fight is not to leave
anything behind. To give it my all and he understands that
Roman Martinez is a great fighter, but I want to go out and
recoup the title for all of Mexico on September 12.
Q
Roman did you think at any point that you could finish him
in that fight and did you think that because you were able
to drop him two times that perhaps this time you could
finish him off in the rematch?
R. Martinez
I understand in the first fight I feel like I didn’t start
as strong and in this fight I’m going to fight with pressure
of from the outset and I do have a lot of confidence
understanding that I could hurt Orlando Salido, but in this
fight it’s all about starting faster and stronger and really
going ahead and putting the pressure on Orlando Salido
early. I definitely feel I can go ahead and finish off
Orlando Salido. Orlando is a very valiant fighter and very
courageous, but if I have the moment and I have the
opportunity, if it is there then I will certainly oblige and
finish off Orlando Salido.
Q
Leonard, could you talk about how this fight ended up on the
undercard of Floyd’s show?
L. Ellerbe
We’re always looking to put on exciting fights on our
undercards and this was the best fight out there that we
could make. I’m truly excited, not only as the promoter of
the event, but as a fan to be able to witness another great
fight. We know the first fight was a hardcore fight and I
suspect nothing else in this fight. I went out and I tried
to make the best fight I could on the card and that’s what
we got.
Q
Roman do you believe that you have the advantage mentally
heading into the rematch?
R. Martinez
Orlando is a veteran. We had an amazing fight back in April,
but I’m not going to get over confident because Orlando
Salido is a dangerous fighter and I understand I must bring
100% and my absolute best on September 12.
Q
Orlando did you want the rematch immediately?
O. Salido
The first fight was in Roman’s backyard out in Puerto Rico.
I did not fight well, but I craved an opportunity to regain
my title and I will do so for all of Mexico.
Q
Orlando how do you feel being able to fight very close to
Mexican Independence Day and all that it represents?
O. Salido
It’s such an honor to be fighting so close to this day for
the Independence of Mexico. I am so just overjoyed by the
opportunity to be able to regain my title for all of Mexico
during that time of year.
Q
Orlando do you think that this is the last time you will be
fighting for the world title?
O. Salido
I do not know whatsoever. You can’t tell and you can’t know
for sure. Anything can happen in the ring. But what I do
know is that I am focused and coming up on September 12 I
will, once again, regain my world championship for all of
Mexico.
Q
The first fight that you had was very close and a lot of
people felt that real difference in the decision was the two
knockdowns. What happened with those knockdowns and how are
you going to work in this fight to prevent something like
that from happening again?
O. Salido
Mentally I feel great. Roman hit me with great shots, but
the second knock down he hit me with an amazing show. In the
first fight I lost the fight mentally and in this fight
everything is different mentally, spiritually. I just feel
so much better and I thought that in the first fight that
everyone was for Roman. This time everything is different
and I think that the results will be different as well.
Q
Roman, could you tell us what led up to the knockdowns and
how you will try to repeat that in the rematch?
R. Martinez
The first fight, it was just an amazing matchup. I went
ahead and I saw an opportunity. I took advantage of it. I’m
training very hard to go out there and get the finish that I
was looking for in the first match up.
Q
In the back of your mind have you thought at all about a
trilogy?
O. Salido
If the fans want a third fight after I am victorious then so
be it. Let’s make it happen. But in my mind I’m coming out
only thinking about this fight. That is my only focus at the
moment. I want to come out and fight an intelligent fight. I
know Roman is going to be at his best, but when he steps
inside the ring on September 12 I want to put on a
spectacular performance for all the fans and everyone
watching on Pay-Per-View.
R. Martinez
I know it’s going to be a great fight and that if the fans
want a third fight then I’m willing to oblige, but it will
have to be on my point because I’m going to be victorious
yet again over Orlando Salido. So if it is another great
fight where I am victorious it will certainly be up to me
and I would be willing to go ahead and consider the option
of fighting a third time against Orlando Salido.
|
|
|
