Jesse Rodriguez vs Sunny Edwards final press conference quotes
Flyweight stars unify in Arizona on Saturday, live on DAZN
All the quotes below from the final press conference ahead of his blockbuster unification battle between Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona on Saturday December 16, live worldwide on DAZN.
EDDIE HEARN: "I think that this is one of the fights of the year, the big unification match-up between Jesse Rodriguez and Sunny Edwards, the WBO and IBF World titles on the line. It’s so unique to see the best vs. the best, and this is unquestionably the best vs. the best of the division. When we signed Sunny, he said he wanted any champion at any moment, and Jesse has had an incredible run, and it’s unusual two see to young, undefeated guys in their complete prime who are willing to risk it all at this stage. No marinating fights, no stringing fights out, no fighting weaker champions – this is just the best vs. the best.
"On the undercard, there’s so many well matched and important fights for everyone’s career, it’s a massive night not to be missed, live on DAZN."
JESSE RODRIGUEZ: "This is the biggest fight of my career, no doubt, but I approach it the same way I always do; cool, calm and collected. There’s no need for talking, all my work has been done in the gym and on Saturday night, you’ll see that.
"I’ve always been this way, and this is nothing different, it’s just another day and on Saturday night I am ready to shine. Camp is done, training is done, we have the right game plan and come Saturday night, people will see everything we’ve been working on, my hand will be raised in victory, and I am taking his belt, his ‘0’ and it’s time.
"I respect him as a person, I said yesterday though that on social media he likes to talk but in person he doesn’t. If I didn’t want this fight, I wouldn’t be here. We wanted it and that’s why we’re here. I am going to do you like Julio Cesar Martinez did to your brother.
"We’re ready, he’ll see, just tune in on DAZN. Bam Rodriguez, unified champion on Saturday night."
SUNNY EDWARDS: "The reason why I don’t talk in person is that if I started talking and bullying you the way I could; your trainer didn’t come to Orlando, and he’s not sat here – why? Because he is scared of what I say. Your whole team is on eggshells, no one wants to look at me, you have been walking doing sweat sessions last night; I just want to make sure you don’t have any excuses for your bad hand, bad jaw, that’s why I didn’t bully you.
"I know exactly who I am, I just didn’t want to bully a 23 year old kid because you wouldn’t have turned up otherwise. That’s why we’ve been chilling. You don’t know who you are, you don’t even know if you like boxing. You have been a nice, quiet little boy and now you want to say I don’t know who I am? You are the one that’s confused. Of course I shake your hand, you are a fighter. It’s not about talking shit, the reason I laid off you was I know how hard it was to get you and your team to accept this fight. You didn’t want this fight. On Saturday night you are going to be like your brother, retired. You have no heart for this.
"Everyone says ‘game plan, game plan, game plan’ but it all goes out of the window when you can’t lay a glove on me. Facts. I’m not worried about this kid."
MURODJON AKHMADALIEV: "I am on the same page as you Eddie, I believe that I won my last fight. Yes, I gave up a few early rounds but from the fifth to the 12th, I won all the rounds, and I believe I was the winner of that fight. But that doesn’t matter right now, I have a tough opponent in front of me, he’s the best out of all the available fighters and I am taking him very seriously and I am here to take back what belongs to me."
KEVIN GONZALEZ: "It’s a really tough test, a difficult exam, but I am going to pass it with flying colors. My focus is completely on MJ, but obviously, if I win this fight, I could go to face the winner of Inoue vs. Tapales. This is another step in my process, and I am really ready for this fight."
GALAL YAFAI: "I’m on a big card here with Sunny and Bam, and I know [people are going to look to put me and those guys together in the future. But my eyes are firmly on Rocco on Saturday, to get the win and look good. It’s not enough to win nowadays, if I do, it’s how I perform that’s looked at. So, I need to win, look good and then I can sit back and watch the main event.
"If anyone saw me fight in the amateurs, I wasn’t a typical amateur. I was a front foot fighter and putting people down in the Olympic finals – and that’s not normal, especially for a Flyweight. But I am not going to sit here and big myself up too much, I do my talking in the ring, and we’ll see what happens on Saturday."
ROCCO SANTOMAURO: "If you have ever seen me fight, I’m going to bring a good, entertaining fight. I always bring it and I am looking forward to facing an Olympic gold medalist and putting on a great performance, I’ll let my hands do the talking and bring how the W. I’m going to bring my experience, yes, he’s an Olympic gold medalist, but he’s only had five fights, so we’ll see how that plays out against a veteran in the ring."
PETER MCGRAIL: "The likes of Ja’Rico O’Quinn they all watch me but when they get in there, it’s a completely different story. I’ve watched about two minutes of him, I’m always taking it each fight at a time and it’s another step-up. Last time out he was 17-0, this guy is 16-1, those are the types of tests we need, they’re all steppingstones to the World title fight and Ja’Rico is just another guy to step over on Saturday.
JA’RICO O’QUINN: "I’m relaxed, I’m chilling up here in my slides. If I could, I’d put my feet on the table, I’m chilling, comfortable. I’m thankful to you Eddie to be on this platform. They have been loud as hell during this camp, in my DMs on Instagram and everything. He has to back that shit up now, we’re here now. Peter, you’re quiet over there now. He’s going to be running from me all night. I watched him, he’s a good kid, soft-spoken, he’s never been in anything real, and he’ll go into his shell on Saturday night. I always bring the fight, don’t worry about that.
CARLOS MUJICA: "We gave everything in Detroit, as we will do on Saturday. I felt like I won that fight but we’re ready once again to give everything and get the victory."
ARTURO POPOCA: "Thanks to God and to Eddie Hearn for this opportunity, we’re ready to put on a great fight on Saturday."
ALBERT GONZALEZ: "It’s motivating to be able to perform on a card like this, I’m thankful, I’ve been working my ass off and I hope that come Saturday I’ll show that in the ring. The camp with Robert Garcia is no joke, we have the best of the best there in sparring, trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, I’m more than ready and confident not only in myself but in the rest of the team that we’re going to come over here and do what we do best, and that’s get the victory."
ALEXIS MOLINA: "Thank you to Matchroom for the opportunity. We’re going to give everything for this fight, put it all on the line. I have been working hard in training camp and we’re ready to put on a show and take the victory home to Guadalajara."
JOE MCGRAIL: "These are the fights I want to be in, I want to start pushing on now and keep building. I had my pro debut on a Matchroom show, and now I’m making my US debut on a Matchroom show, so thank you Eddie."
JUNAID BOSTAN: "I’d like to thank Eddie Hearn and Tom Dallas for making the fight, and I was surprised they made the fight. In my last few fights, I’ve fought undefeated guys, Area champions, Scottish champion, and now I’m fighting this fool? I can’t believe it. We had a few opponents lined up, we accepted them all, but they fell through for whatever reason. I was asking for this to be made and didn’t think Eddie or Tom would make it, but I am glad it was. This idiot is getting beaten up differently on Saturday night.
"I’m delighted to be on this card for my American debut, not a lot of people get this sort of opportunity so early in their career. I’m not just saying it because I dislike the guy, but I do honestly believe I stop him."
GORDIE RUSS II: "I’m ready to bust him up and send him back across the pond. He’s not ready for this in America. Let him fight the bums over there. He’s made a big mistake, I applaud him for strapping up and coming here, but it’s not going to be enough, I will stop you bro, and that’s real talk. He’s already in the books, I have him. He’s going to have to be carried out, on his back or face, this is not a game.
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