Danny Garcia, his father/trainer, Angel, and all the other participants for the card this Saturday, March 15, on Showtime participated in the final press conference Wednesday at Braulio Castillo Theater, Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
Right here, you can find all of the quotes, photos and notes, along with some extra tidbits…. Garcia is hoping to land a shot at Floyd Mayweather with a big win… Luis Collazo is flying down to Puerto Rico to keep a tab on the action…. and JuanMa vs. Ponce de Leon will head up the Showtime Extreme telecast.
Danny Garcia Quotes
“I had a tremendous camp. This Saturday I’m going to win for my people in Puerto Rico and take my belt home with me.
“I love it here in Puerto Rico. I love the weather and the beautiful people. Everything about the culture is like where I grew up in Philadelphia. It’s just like Puerto Rico but it’s just the city life. But it’s the same thing. We eat the same food. We listen to the same music. Everything is the same but it’s just a little part of North Philadelphia. Everything is the same except for the snow.
“I trained in Philadelphia. I had a good training camp in Philadelphia. I did everything I was supposed to do. I didn’t take shortcuts. I came to Puerto Rico a week before the fight for my training. I’m 110 percent. I’m in the best shape. I am ready. I did what I always do and I’m ready.”
Mauricio Herrera Quotes
“I started boxing with my two brothers when I was 13 with no gear, bare hands. My father used to watch and get a good laugh out of it. My older brother got me my first punching bag but my mother was the first one that took me to the gym, to a gym at a church. I truly have the support of my family.
“I trained well, very well. I don’t take this fight lightly; fighting Danny is not something to take lightly. But I’ve fought guys tougher than him for peanuts.
“My biggest purse before this fight was $30,000. I’ve worked in construction and other handy jobs. This is my opportunity. This is my chance and I’m not about to let it pass me by.”
Angel Garcia Quotes
“March 15, [Danny] will still be the undefeated Champ of the world. Herrera, you’ve got to give him hope. Hope that he doesn’t get knocked out. You’ve got to give the man hope. His family is here. I respect that. They love him. There is nothing wrong with that. But come March 15 [Danny] is still the undefeated Champ of the world. This isn’t something that just happened. This was a dream, a dream that I had when Danny was a child. Danny is meant to be. Dreams aren’t meant to be broken not this one anyway.
“He [Herrera] has fought guys, opponents. You’re fighting in Puerto Rico now. Danny is 100 percent Puerto Rican. I don’t care what they say. He is my blood. I am Puerto Rican. He’s Puerto Rican. On March 15, he will still be the undefeated Champ of the world. And I will promise you that.
“I won’t put my head involved in this one because my daughters got nervous. They told me, ‘Dad, please don’t say that.’ People thought that it was a joke. I really meant that. Would Herrera’s coach do that? No, because that is the difference between his team and our team. My soul is in the ring with Danny. I would die for Danny and he would die for me.”
Willie Silva Quotes
“I’m pleased to be back in Puerto Rico. I want to thank Golden Boy for giving us this opportunity, an opportunity that we have been waiting for some time now and we are grateful for that.
“We are here to win this fight. We are not here to see if we can win, we are here because we know we CAN win.
“Danny Garcia’s parents claim he is Puerto Rican, but he is NOT a Puerto Rican, he’s from Philadelphia. He doesn’t even speak Spanish.
“We came to Puerto Rico, ready to fight. Mauricio is ready and watch, come Saturday night Mauricio is going to shock more than one. We are leaving Puerto Rico with Danny’s belts.”
Deontay Wilder Quotes
[About fighting in Puerto Rico]”I feel great! Like Tony the Tiger! I have lots of fans out here, a lot more than I thought I did. They showed me love right when I arrived. When I found out I was fighting in Puerto Rico I was super excited! Puerto Rico is a beautiful island with beautiful people and beautiful weather!
[About Malik Scott’s style] “I haven’t seen Malik Scott personally fight but he’s been in my camp before. He was one of my sparring partners in my past camps. He was a lot of help and very competitive. He knows my style and what I bring to the table. We know each other’s style. Whoever gets first to the punch will win. The smarter and better looking person will win and that’s going to be me.”
Malik Scott Quotes
“I am extremely proud of Danny Garcia. This is my first time meeting him. Congratulations comrade. The thing that prides me the most about fighting on his undercard is that any good coach can take a fighter and smooth out his jagged edges, but Angel Garcia he took his son from scratch. That is the definition of a true and great trainer so I am proud of him for that.
“In my opinion, Deontay Wilder and I are the biggest fight in the heavyweight division right now. I am extremely excited and I am taking on a dangerous fighter with the magnitude of Deontay’s punching power and the aura that has been built around him. It will take that type of fighter for me to rise to the great level that I believe I am going to be at come Saturday night. I believe out of everyone that has fought Deontay I have the highest skill caliber. I am not coming to test him; I am coming to beat him. I am from Philly. I live in California. I’m happy for this opportunity and come Saturday night I am going to take full advantage of it. ”
Juan Manuel Lopez Quotes
“I’m very grateful to God for having presented me with this opportunity. I’m grateful for the people from Puerto Rico for their continuous support.
“This is going to be a great fight. He’s going to try to get a knockout, I’m going to do my job as well and definitely the one that is better prepared will come out victorious, and that will be me.
“I came here to show Puerto Rico and the rest of the world that Juanma Lopez has still some game to show.
“It was not mere coincidence that I won the first fight against Ponce De Leon, I won because I’m a better fighter. On Saturday, March 15, Ponce better be ready, because I’m ready and I’m not about losing.”
Daniel Ponce de Leon Quotes
“I’ve been training hard and I’m ready. There’s not much left to do to prepare other than make weight on Thursday and give my best on Saturday.
“This is going to be a great fight. I feel very good because I prepared well. I’m ready. This is the comeback of my career. I’m ready.
“Juanma has a heavy punch. Most of his wins have been by way of knockout and that is something to watch out for, but I can also pack a punch and he better watch out because I might knock him out. ”
Luis Collazo Attending the Garcia vs. Herrera Fight in Puerto Rico…
“I’m going to the fight as a boxing fan, because it’s always great to see the Puerto Rican fans, they are amazing,” said Collazo. “Danny was ringside when I fought Victor Ortiz, and I want to be there when he makes his Puerto Rico fighting debut. It’s going to be a great fight.”
Born in Brooklyn and of Puerto Rican descent, Collazo has family in Puerto Rico including his mother, grandmother, brothers, cousins and nieces and nephews, “I visited Puerto Rico five months ago, I try to come as often as possible, but sometimes it is hard with my training schedule,” said Collazo.
In honor to his beloved Puerto Rico, Collazo has the Puerto Rican flag embroidered on his trunks every time he fights. “I’m proud of my roots, and I’m not afraid to show it.”
JuanMa Lopez vs. Ponce de Leon II Heads up Showtime Extreme Telecast…
This Saturday, March 15 at 7pm eastern, the featured matchup is one of the best, most important ever on Sho Extreme, a career-crossroads rematch fight between proud, battle-tested southpaw warriors and former world champions, two-time Puerto Rican Fighter of the Year, Juan Manuel “JuanMa” Lopez (33-3, 30 KOs), 30, of Caguas, and Mexico’s revenge-minded Daniel “Ponce” de Leon (45-5, 35 KOs), 33, of Los Angeles.
What’s at stake? The winner in the WBO International Junior Lightweight Title fight remains relevant in the division. The loser takes a massive step back. In the opening bout on SHO EXTREME, cancer survivor-turned-world title challenger, the inspirational Danny Jacobs (26-1, 23 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y., faces Milton Nunez (26-9-1, 24 KOs), of Barranquilla, Col., in a middleweight tussle.
Danny Garcia Wants Floyd Mayweather…
“I’m a boxer, at the end of the day I like to fight the best, so you know that’s what my manager wanted, and that’s what my team wanted, and that’s what I want.”
“Destiny is destiny. I’m okay with whatever happens. I don’t question my manager’s job, I never did, and I think that’s why we’re in the position today where people think I should be fighting him [Mayweather] and people think I deserve to fight because my manager and my promoter did a great job so far.
“We weren’t really pressing for the fight, we just let Golden Boy do their job and I let Al Haymon [manager] do his job. So, I think they’re doing a great job and I’m doing my job, and hopefully the fight might happen one day,” said Garcia.