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Adam Kownacki, Gary Antuanne Russell &
Rances Barthelemy
Virtual Press Conference
Polish heavyweight star and Brooklyn fan-favorite Adam
Kownacki, unbeaten rising star Gary Antuanne Russell and
former two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy spoke
of their fighting legacies and desire to make history while
previewing their respective matchups during a virtual press
conference on Thursday before they enter the ring on
Saturday, July 30 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center in
Brooklyn in a Premier Boxing Champions event.
Kownacki will take on Turkish Olympian Ali Eren Demirezen in
the 10-round co-main event, while Russell and Barthelemy
will meet in a 10-round super lightweight showdown kicking
off the SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® tripleheader at 9 p.m.
ET/6 p.m. PT. The event is headlined by two-division world
champion Danny “Swift” Garcia making his super welterweight
debut against exciting contender Jose Benavidez Jr.
The 33-year-old Kownacki will return to his home arena of
Barclays Center, where he has previously fought 10 times,
compiling a 9-1 record in front of the area’s raucous Polish
fans. Kownacki, and his longtime trainer Keith Trimble, seek
an emphatic victory after back-to-back defeats and a chance
to get back into contention for the heavyweight title.
For Russell, he will be fighting for the first time since
the passing of his father and trainer Gary Russell Sr. last
month. The highly acclaimed rising star will look to
continue the legacy of his fighting family and will have his
brother, former WBC Featherweight World Champion Gary
Russell Jr. in his corner for this July 30 showdown. He
again steps up in competition to face Cuba’s Barthelemy, who
can move closer toward his own goal of becoming Cuba’s first
three-division world champion with a win.
Here is what the press conference participants had to say
Thursday:
ADAM KOWNACKI
“This is the biggest fight of my career. I have to win to
stay relevant in the heavyweight division. I’m training hard
and I’m ready to win.
“Having two kids these last few years has been life changing
for me, but I can’t have everything with a cherry on top. I
had to make more sacrifices in my life for this training
camp to make sure that I stayed focused.
“I never thought I was done after fighting Robert Helenius.
My goal is just to always go out there and do my best. My
first boxing goal was to win the New York Golden Gloves, and
I did that in my first year. My goal, now, is to win the
world title, and that’s what I’m working toward.
“I had a good 20 fights, I hit a bump in the road, but on
July 30 I’m coming to get a win and then I’m back on the
right track. I want to get a world title shot in the next
year or two, and with my team, I know that I can get that
done.
“It’s going to be a red and white arena out there to support
me. It’s going to be another great night. I can’t wait to be
back in Brooklyn at Barclays Center.
“The footwork is really what we’re focused on. I remember
being in camp with Wladimir Klitschko and being amazed by
his footwork. I worked on it a lot back then but I got a
little bit away from it.
“The fans are going to get what they always see with me.
It’s fireworks. I can’t wait to be back in Brooklyn. Fight
night can’t come soon enough.
“For a while, I could go blow for blow and come out on top.
The past couple fights didn’t end that way, so we went back
to some of our basics. That’s what I have to do to take the
next steps.”
GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL
“My father cornered the market when it came to a lot of
this, not just in boxing, but as a leader and a teacher. We
don’t want anything he did to go in vain. We want to keep
this legacy going on. He knew what he was doing with this
machinery and with our legacy.
“He gave us a cerebral insight on not just the world, but
boxing. We’re going to take it and run with it at this
point. Life has a road that demands not just excelling, but
evolution. That’s part of life. We’re going to carry this
legacy and information and build off this foundation he left
for us.
“As far as our training methods, nothing is different. If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We’re trying to do everything as
close to usual as possible. The only difference is my dad’s
voice and foul language isn’t here for inspiration. We have
to work with what he left us and keep sharpening our tools.
“We have to keep going forward, period. We can’t take a step
back. Because that would make all the sacrifices we’ve made
and that our father made, be in vain. We can’t go backwards.
As far as training, we’re busting our tails as usual. We’ll
be in here in the gym on the 4th of July.
“A win on July 30 brings us closer to our family goal. We’ve
been knocking at it individually, but we accomplish things
as a whole, as we should. Beating an opponent of this
caliber gets me closer to that family goal.
“As an individual, I just want to wipe out the division. I
want all the titles. I’m a superstar, but I’m very humble.
There are things that people need to know. I need to spread
my wisdom and showcase my talent. I’m definitely going to
flourish in my goal and the benefits that it brings. The sky
is the limit for me.
“I’m delivering a showcase of excellence, fireworks and a
victorious night for me, as usual. We’re keeping that train
going and we’re trying to keep that knockout record
unblemished.
“If you don’t come into this ring with some type of
confidence, then you shouldn’t be in this profession. He
should be saying things about knocking me out. But my
mentality hasn’t changed. This is just another
steppingstone.”
RANCES BARTHELEMY
“I want to extend my condolences to the Russell family. I
know Gary and the entire family were always united and very
close. I remember being in your city and seeing how close
you guys were. My heart goes out to you. As far as the fight
goes, I don’t see Gary’s situation as being advantageous to
me. I hope that Gary can be at 100 percent so that we can
give the fans a great fight.
“I have to redeem myself. I have a very bad feeling about my
last fight and I’m just thankful to SHOWTIME for giving me
this opportunity and allowing me to showcase my skills and
to show the fans that I’m still here and that I’m ready to
take what’s mine.
“I still have the hunger. I have two things in my head right
now. The first one is redemption, like I said before. The
second one is that I want to become the first three-division
champion from Cuba. That is my obsession. I pace around the
room sometimes just thinking about it and how bad I want to
accomplish it. It keeps me up at night. But first, I have to
focus on July 30 and stay focused on what I really, really
want to accomplish.
“I’m as hungry as ever and I want to emphasize that point. I
still strive for more, and I want more, and I’m still
capable of so much more than what others think I am.
“I don’t see it like I’m being used as a steppingstone, but
rather, I see this as an opportunity, because I can redeem
the last fight that I had, which left a very, very sour
taste in my mouth. I want to show that I can still be
someone who can be counted on in this division to make
history out there.
“I need this win to secure my history. Time is running out.
I need to go in there and leave blood, sweat and tears in
the ring to make sure I can achieve my dreams and my goals
and everything that I want to accomplish.
“I want to continue to work on my conditioning and be ready
to take on the power from a young and explosive fighter like
Gary Antuanne. Our styles clash perfectly. Gary is someone
who comes forward and likes to be very offensive, while I’m
more of a counter-puncher. So, what they’re going to see is
a kind of art inside the ring and you’re not going to want
to miss it.”
KEITH TRIMBLE, Kownacki’s Trainer
“We just have to get back to working behind the jab and
working on the head movement. We can't get lackadaisical.
You’re going to see better footwork, better movement and
Adam working behind that jab.
“Adam truly wants to be that first Polish heavyweight world
champion. He’s not just doing this for the money, he’s
serious about boxing and about his legacy.
“In this sport, you're only as good as your last fight.
Everyone wants to dump on you when you take a loss, but
we’re just focused on what is in front of us.”
GARY RUSSELL JR., Gary’s Brother and Trainer
“I’ve fallen right in suit as far as training. It’s
something I was always doing anyway and was side by side
with my father and coaching my younger brothers. It’s easier
for me because of the way my father prepared me for this
opportunity. We are using everything that has happened to us
as fuel and are 110% prepared for whatever comes our way. We
are focused and nothing is going to get in the way of what
we need to accomplish.
“I got the surgery on my shoulder on April 1. I’m in
recovery and I’m getting physical therapy. I don’t know when
I’ll be back. We don’t know. As of now that’s all I can say.
I’m focused on my younger brother and getting some good
physical therapy at the same time.”
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