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Sebastian Fundora vs. Ermal Hadribeaj
Media Workout Quotes
WBC Super Welterweight World Champion Sebastian “The
Towering Inferno” Fundora and unbeaten mandatory challenger
Ermal Hadribeaj kicked off fight week events Wednesday with
a media workout before they headline “The Fight” live on TNT
and DAZN this Saturday, October 17 from The Chelsea at The
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and presented by Premier Boxing
Champions.
The workout also featured WBA Featherweight World Champion
Brandon “The Heartbreaker” Figueroa and former world
champion Tomoki Kameda, who duel in the co-main event,
all-action former world champion Armando “Toro” Reséndiz and
Australia’s Koen Mazoudier, who battle in a 10-round super
middleweight showdown and rising star Marco Romero, who
faces Uruguay’s Braulio Ferreira in the eight-round super
middleweight opening attraction at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The fourth installment of the acclaimed live monthly boxing
series “The Fight”, this event will be broadcast
co-exclusively in the U.S. on TNT, truTV and DAZN.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions and Sampson Boxing.
Here is what the fighters had to say Wednesday from Radiant
Brand Complex in Las Vegas:
SEBASTIAN FUNDORA
“I don’t take anybody lightly. We’re in nothing but
championship fights now, so I have to prepare for everyone
like they’re coming to rip my head off. That’s what they’re
all trying to do.
“I’m gonna go do what I do best. I’m planning on doing what
I do and get this guy out of here. Every time I step into
the ring that’s what I plan on doing.
“He had to work hard to get into this position to become
world champion. It’s unfortunate that we have to break that
dream, but it’s a beautiful dream to have.
“We all deal with injuries. We had it last fight and we
still kicked butt. I showed off my jab and a lot of people
didn’t think I had that.
“I just want to show everyone that I’m better. When I get
hit, it just gives me some extra motivation to show that I’m
stronger.
“Me against Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is the best fight at 154.
That’s the fight everyone wants. But we both have fights we
have to get through.”
ERMAL HADRIBEAJ
“I don’t think he’s underestimating me, but I don’t think
they know me well. They’re about to see on Saturday night.
“I can fight outside, inside, use angles. I can deal with a
lot of that. So he has to be ready for me too. It’s not just
him fighting inside. It’s me as well. I can fight inside,
outside, all angles.
“Becoming Albania’s first world champion is going to be big.
That’s what I’m looking forward to. Securing the belt and
making history. It’s big. It’s a dream that everybody has.
“I’m an athletic guy, so I like to take a look at a lot of
different styles. There was a moment with me where I was
fighting like ‘Albanian Lomachenko.’ He was the one they
were saying I looked like. It depends. Every fighter has a
different style, so I can be one style with one fighter,
another style with another. I don’t know what I’m going to
be with Fundora on Saturday night.
“They call me the ‘Albanian Sniper’ because I’m very precise
and very calculated. I don’t waste my punches. One thing for
sure that I know: win or no win, I know for sure that I’m
going to land. When I land, it hurts.
BRANDON FIGUEROA
“Kameda is a come-forward, action fighter like me. They call
him ‘El Mexicanito’ for a reason. He fights like he has that
Mexican blood in him and he’s going to come fight.
“Manny Robles and I have been working really well together.
I’ve been with him for a few months now, and you guys are
going to see on October 17. We’ve been working on great
things. I just want to keep getting better and better every
fight.
“Nick Ball was a great performance on my part, but I’m still
not satisfied. I still want the bigger, better fights, and I
still want to keep proving myself and elevating my game.
“I come to fight. I’m a very hardcore fighter, a
traditional, old-school fighter. I’m here to fight all 12
rounds. I’m here to throw a thousand punches. I’m here for
whatever it takes. I train really hard for a reason. The way
you train is the way you fight, and the way you guys see me
fight is the way I train.
“Inoue is the big fight that everyone wants. Everyone is
looking for that fight. Like I said, if he’s moving up to
featherweight and wants to challenge me, I welcome him to
featherweight. I’m out here for the big fights.
“I’m a big 122-pounder and I’m a big 126-pounder.
Eventually, I’ll move up to 130 and 135, but right now I
want to stay at 126. I feel great and I want to keep
defending my belt.”
TOMOKI KAMEDA
“We’re both fighters that come forward. The fans are going
to like this fight, and I do believe that they’re going to
enjoy great action on Saturday night.
“We’re confident in our strategy. We have a game plan that
we can’t wait to show everyone on Saturday night.
“You never know when it might be your last chance, but I do
know that you have to take advantage of the opportunities
you’re given because they don’t come along that often. I’m
going to be a world champion this Saturday night, take full
advantage of it and be my best self.
“I thought I did enough to win the fight against Angelo Leo,
but I’m mindful of the fact that I failed in a lot of
things. I made some mistakes. I took it as a learning
experience, and now I’m a better fighter and I’m prepared
for Saturday night.
“I feel even better than ever. At 126, I feel right at home
compared to when I was at 118 and 122. And on Saturday
night, you’re going to see just how well I feel.
“I moved to Mexico when I was 15 and I full embraced the
Mexican style of fighting.”
ARMANDO RESENDIZ
“I took from my last fight that I need to keep learning. I
got right back into the gym and now I have an opportunity
that I’m ready to take advantage of to the fullest. I’m
going to show everything that I’ve learned.
“I’m always ready for any opponent. I’m in great shape and I
feel prepared. I’m excited about taking on this challenge.
“I’m very excited for this matchup. This is my opportunity
to show that I will become a world champion once again.
“Jaime Munguia came in very well prepared and had a great
strategy. I think his experience ended up beating us. But I
have nothing to hang my head about. It was an experience
that I value and now I’m moving forward.
“Caleb Plant gave me an opportunity, so giving him the
rematch would be a great chance to pay it forward.
“I want to be world champion again. I don’t care who I have
to fight, I’ll be ready.”
KOEN MAZOUDIER
“Reséndiz is a strong, tough, all-around fighter from what
I’ve watched. And being a former world champion, you can
never take that away from him. This is a massive step up and
a door-opener for me.
“We didn’t have much time to change except for the game
plan. The talking in the gym and the game plan of what we’re
going to do changed a little bit. But the way that we box is
the way we box. We make them change around us. We know what
we want to do, and that’s what we focus on.
“We expect him to come forward a little bit more. We expect
him to engage a little bit more. And that’s what I’m here
for. Anyone who’s watched me knows I come to fight. I’m a
fighter’s fighter.
“I bring a firefight every fight. Every fight I’m in is an
entertaining fight. I’ve been voted Australia’s Most
Entertaining Fight and most of my fights have been in Fight
of the Year contention.
“I’m a big fan of this sport as much as I’m a competitor. So
fighting a Mexican former world champion in Las Vegas is a
bucket-list item.”
MARCO ROMERO
“I don’t think I’m too far. I just came back from a camp
sparring with Christian Mbilli and Osleys Iglesias. I held
my own in there. I definitely held my own in there, and they
showed me just a couple things that I need to work on. But
it just shows me I’m not too far from that level.
“I’m ready to go all eight rounds if I need to, and I’m
ready for that KO. If I see a kill-shot opening, I’m going
for it.
“You’re going to see a dominating performance. I’m a calm
guy outside the ring, but once I step in there, El Tiburón
comes out. The shark comes out. So yeah, expect that on
Saturday night
“I think being on this platform is going to give back to
Kansas and be able to put Kansas on the map. So that’s what
I’m working toward.”
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