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Lara vs. Wood II Final Press Conference Quotes
Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:
"Welcome to Manchester ahead of a huge night of World
Championship boxing this Saturday at Manchester Arena, live
and exclusive in DAZN. The rematch for the WBA Featherweight
Championship of the World between the champion Mauricio Lara
and now the challenger Leigh Wood. We saw a tremendous fight
earlier this year in Nottingham full on drama. Leigh Wood
winning that fight, to then get stopped and to see Mauricio
Lara become World Champion. We sat in the office and we
talked about what was next – we talked about maybe waiting.
There was no waiting from Leigh Wood. He believed he can win
this fight. He wanted the immediate rematch and he’s got it,
this time in Manchester with his fans travelling from
Nottingham."
Mauricio Lara:
"First and foremost I want to say hi to everyone. As you
say, last time was a calm performance but I’m really
confident in my training camp and what we have done and I
want to almost back-up and cement that victory, and I want
to do it in quicker fashion. I’ll be looking for that
knockout from the very first round. Big things are to come
but first I have to, as I have said, cement that victory.
Leigh Wood isn’t just any boxer, it will be a difficult
fight but it is about continuing and cementing that victory
and making history in this sport."
Alejandro Brito:
"First and foremost, we have to thank you for the
opportunity. This is Mauricio’s fourth time in this country.
On his third time he managed to win that World Title on a
fantastic night. It was a dream that he had for a long time.
I said it the first time we had the opportunity, that we
would give the opportunity back to Leigh Wood if we managed
to win, and it’s great that we can go on to have another
great fight here. The last one was a war but we are totally
focused and believing in Mauricio’s possibility in creating
a legacy in the sport."
Leigh Wood:
"There was never even a thought in my mind that anything
different was going to happen. I know you tried to persuade
me otherwise. It was just so frustrating how the fight
finished. Like you say, it is a fast turnaround, but it is
one that benefits me. If you said to me when I won the World
Title, ‘right, in 13 weeks’ time you’re back out, you need
to get back in the gym’, I’d have been like, ‘woah Eddie
come on, let me celebrate’. That’s why I believe it is one
that favours me. I was straight back in training, I had a
little time with my kids. I’m ready to get this belt back
and look good doing it. No doubts at all, that’s not me
saying it’s going to be an easy fight, because it could be
far from an easy fight, but I’m prepared for anything that
he brings. The first time round was hard because we didn’t
have his style against my style to look at, now we’ve got
that information and we know what he does when I do certain
things. I’ve been preparing for him for nearly a year in
September. I know him inside out, I’m just going to go out
there and prove that I’m the better fighter. It’s a must-win
fight; there’s a lot of pressure. I love it, I thrive on it.
Whatever is takes on Saturday night I’m coming away with a
win. This is what gets me up for it, I can’t lose. I can’t
afford to lose. That could be the end of the road for me.
It’s a long road to come back from. That’s why I’m not
thinking about losing, I’ve done everything I can do to win.
I’m confident in winning. I know what I need to do to win. I
know what I can’t afford to do."
Ben Davison, trainer of Wood:
"It was a scenario and a situation where there was no
guarantees to the outcome. I can’t sit here and say that the
fight wouldn’t have carried on going and Leigh wouldn’t have
been victorious, and I can’t say vice-versa. It was a
decision that I made in the moment, but with the
understanding that we have this opportunity here. Leigh had
this rematch clause. He’s got the opportunity to get his
title back and I believe that he will do so. Leigh is
forever in the gym, looks after himself, he doesn’t balloon
up in between fights, he’s very disciplined in his life and
his approach. It’s a career for him and a full-time job for
him. He’s so disciplined when it comes to approaching fights
and going into game plans that to actually take him away
from a certain style match-up, to then bring him back to it
would have actually been more difficult than it will be to
go into a quick turnaround. I think he (Lara) was actually
more respectful of Leigh’s power than we anticipated. He was
a lot less reckless in the fight than we had anticipated
being honest. I think the fact that he did eventually get
the shot that he was looking for, the fight might play out a
little bit more like the way we anticipated the first one
to. Some adjustments, and I’m sure Mauricio and his team
will have some adjustments. Leigh knows what he has to do
and we are confident in the execution of that game plan.”
Alfie Sharman, Vice President Marketing - DAZN:
“I found myself on Sunday morning thinking, ‘how can you
better Katie Taylor’s homecoming in Dublin in an amazing
fight?’. Congratulations Chantelle. The answer was quick, it
is back here in Manchester, an amazing fight city with two
absolute warriors ready to put it on the line. We’ve had an
incredible few weeks on DAZN with top tier fighters on both
sides of the Atlantic fighting on our platform, and it
doesn’t stop there. We’ve got plenty of headline fights
coming up – Claressa Shields, Jaime Munguia, Vergil Ortiz Jr,
Dalton Smith, Regis Prograis and Edgar Berlanga to name a
few. It’s a really great time for us. Looking to Saturday,
everyone in here saw the first fight. In my opinion
predictions go out of the window for this one on Saturday.
It’s a completely new fight, a new beast. Both men are in
great shape and are ready to go. Leigh is very much looking
to get that belt back and Mauricio looks like he’s not
willing to let it go. We wish them both the best of luck and
make sure you tune in on Saturday live on DAZN.”
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