MARQUEZ VS. DIAZ II FIGHT WEEK NOTES

Posted on | July 27, 2010 | No Comments

HEARTS OF GOLD – JACOBS, GUERRERO AND JUAREZ DEDICATE JULY 31 FIGHTS TO THEIR LOVED ONES

Danny Jacobs, Robert Guerrero and Rocky Juarez are always motivated to succeed when they step into the ring, but this Saturday night, there is more than just winning on their minds. The three pugilists are all fighting for loved ones who have given them strength and encouragement in their careers and in their lives.

Jacobs is dedicating his fight to his grandmother Cordelia Jacobs, also known “Lady Bird,” who passed away Saturday night from lung cancer just months after being diagnosed. Jacobs was already planning on dedicating his first title fight to his grandmother, who helped raise the Brooklyn native and, as a devout Jehovah’s Witness, never actually saw any of Jacobs’ fights. With her sudden passing, thoughts and prayers are with Jacobs and his family during this difficult time.

“I know my grandmother wanted me to pursue my dream,” said Jacobs. “She would want me to do what I have to do to win. So I’m really focused for the fight.”

Guerrero will dedicate his fight to his wife Casey who was diagnosed with Leukemia in November of 2007. Guerrero withdrew from a scheduled March world title fight against highly touted Australian Michael Katsidis in January to be at his wife’s side when she received a bone marrow transplant. Fortunately, the transplant was successful and Guerrero is happy to report his wife is in remission and will be ringside Saturday night to support her him.

“My wife is doing excellent,” said Guerrero. “Our family is stepping up and taking care of what she needs and is giving me the ability to be able to just focus on the fight, train and do what I’ve got to do to be ready.”

Juarez, who considers him self a “young-old boxing veteran” continues to strive to reach his lifetime goal of becoming a world champion. Since he was a boy, he shared this dream with his grandfather until he passed away. Now Rocky dreams alone, but continues to dedicate his fights to his grandfather. A win in his fight on Saturday night will get him one step closer to another title shot and another chance to make his grandfather proud.

“If you go out to say you’re going to do something, you have to do it,” said Juarez. “I wanted my grandfather to see me become a world champion. I have always had that fire inside, and that is going to continue until I achieve my goal.”

MARQUEZ ARRIVES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH A BANG

Over the weekend, a series of events were held to celebrate Juan Manuel Marquez’s arrival in the United States when he landed in Los Angeles before heading to Las Vegas for his July 31 fight against Juan Diaz.

With adoring fans awaiting his arrival at Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday and hundreds of fans supporting him at a rally at Placita Olvera on Sunday, Marquez could feel the fight was finally upon him.

On Monday, Marquez, joined by other fighters on Saturday night’s card including Dmitry Pirog, Jorge Linares and Frankie Gomez, worked out for the media at the Fortune Gym in Hollywood before leaving for Las Vegas.

“My visit to Los Angeles has been very rewarding because of the support I received from all the fans there,” said Marquez. “Arriving in Los Angeles after training camp always signals to me that a big Las Vegas is right around the corner. I have no doubt that this fight with Diaz is going to be as good as the first one, if not better.”

MARQUEZ, PIROG AND LINARES LOS ANGELES WORKOUT QUOTES

Juan Manuel Marquez

“This is going to be a great fight. It will definitely live up to the Fight of the Year hype. I know Diaz is working hard and is going to do everything he can to avenge the knockout and regain the lightweight title. He has a lot to prove

and I

am going to do everything I can to defend my title.

“I feel a great amount of responsibility to my fans. A lot of emotions go through me when I think about my fans and the Mexican people. I want to make them proud when I step into the ring.

“If Diaz were in front of me, I would wish him luck

“I am not worried about the drop in weight [from his last fight at welterweight]. I am feeling great. I feel stronger and faster. I definitely think this is my ideal weight.”

Dmitry Pirog

“I am fully acclimated since coming to America on July 17. I am ready to fight.

“I have always wanted to fight in America. I like American fans. I have fought in Europe and in Europe; the fans pick the home fighter. In America, it’s not always like that. If you give a good fight, they will like you no matter where you are from.

“I have watched tapes of Jacobs. When you have experience in the ring and are confident, you can adjust to any style and I know that is what I am going to do.”

Jorge Linares

“You win and lose in this sport. That is part of life. I had some personal issues and they are behind me now. This is not a title fight, but it is a stepping stone to a title shot.

“All of my training and preparations have been great. I am ready for the fight. I have been sleeping well, eating well and training really well.”

Oscar de la Hoya

On the main event:

“Saturday night is a continuation of the first fight between Marquez and Diaz. Juan Diaz was right there, and then Marquez got him.

“Diaz has made adjustments and Marquez is going to go for the knockout again.

“I think Diaz’s cut changed the whole scenario during the first fight. It was a matter of time after that. Cuts have a lot to do with an outcome.

On the undercard:

“Robert Guerrero has all of the ability to go in there and fight as hard as he can. There are so many emotions for him with everything that has happened with his wife. Now we are going to see the real Guerrero inside that ring. He is going to fight the way he should…worry free.

“Jorge Linares is something special. After a loss, it is about how you bounce back. I think Jorge can and will bounce back.”

MARQUEZ VS. DIAZ II MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS

There is a lot to say when it comes to the exciting matchups on the Marquez vs. Diaz II “Fight of the Year: The Rematch” fight card. The personalities involved with the July 31 mega-event including fighters, promoters and trainers all participated in a series of media conference calls in recent weeks leading up to fight week. Below please find highlight quotes from each call for use in fight preview coverage.

In case you missed it! Check out the MP3 recordings of each of the media conference calls:

· Undercard Announcement Conference Call

· Robert Guerrero and Joel Casamayor

· Juan Diaz and Ronnie Shields

· Danny Jacobs and Dmitry Pirog

· Juan Manuel Marquez
and Ignacio Beristain

· Rocky Juarez and Jorge Linares

Juan Manuel “Dinamita” Marquez

“I’m not thinking of any way I can be different or do anything differently. I’m coming with everything. I’m not going to be overconfident because I’ve beaten him, because I’ve knocked him out. I’m going in just like as it was the first fight, 100 percent ready to take care of business.

“Well, it’s very motivating but the key factor there is victory. To me, victory is everything. It’s very important. It motivates me. It keeps me going to defend my titles with the pride and honor and having my hand raised at the end of the night, that’s the most significant and what brings it out in me. I don’t know how but it comes out because of that determination that I have to win.

Q: I want to know if you’re drinking your own urine in preparation for the fight.

J. Marquez: Yes, sir.

Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain, Marquez’s Trainer

“I’m very happy that Juan has been training with the same professionalism as always. Juan is like a fine wine that only gets better with age. He’s having a better, technically, a better camp and is training much better than the first fight with Juan. I expect the courage that Juan Diaz ‘Torito’ brings and the courage that Juan Manuel provides that this will provide another great fight like they did in Houston and that the fans are going to win, all around.”

Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz

“This fight here, a lot of people have been mentioning to me that it’s a do or die fight. Well, I don’t think it is a do or die fight. I think it’s a win-win situation because either I become a world champion once again and become a super star or it opens up doors for me to do other things and focus on other aspects of my life.

“I’m not one of those guys that has a six-pack, that has muscles all over my body, so when these people are going through these tough, economic times and have their individual rights infringed upon and they see me, a Mexican American, who came from illegal immigrants and has become a World Champion and has also achieved his college education, then for a split second or for that night at least that they see me fighting in there it’s like I’m fighting for them. They see me in there, everything that I’ve accomplished and they know that whether it is them or their children, that if they fight or work hard enough that things are going to get better and that their lives can change and they can achieve the American dream.”

Ronnie Shields, Diaz’s Trainer

“I think our game plan is going to be similar to what we followed last time. We made some minor adjustments. Juan is a valiant puncher, so we have to play off of that, but I think we have to do it in a way that benefits Juan. I’m not going to say how we’re going to do that, but I think we definitely have to benefit and use his boxing skills also.

“Juan is a really good boxer and that’s what got him to being champion of the world from the beginning, being able to beat all of the guys he’s beaten before. But with Marquez, this guy is such a smart guy. I mean he’s not going to be a Hall of Fame guy for nothing, because he’s been in there with the best. He’s beaten the best, so we have to outsmart him and I think Juan has the capabilities to do that.”

Danny “The Golden Child” Jacobs

“This fight also has a big significance because, as you all may know, I didn’t have a chance to make the 2008 Olympic team. When you think about the Olympics, you think about U.S.A. versus Russia. You don’t think about anybody else other than the Russians. And Dmitry is probably the top, if not one of the top Russian fighters out there, and I’m probably the top Middleweight American fighter. So to me, this is my Olympics and this is my gold medal that I never had an opportunity to win, as well as the WBO belt.

“This is going to be a stellar fight because I know I’m hungry. I’m pretty sure he’s hungry. He’s training hard. And two undefeated fighters who are young and in their prime, it just goes for a great fight. I’m excited and ready to put my skills against his and see the outcome.

“Well, not only do I watch tapes of Dmitry and watch the YouTube clips, but I dream about this guy. I go to sleep thinking about this guy. This guy is all I think about, and this victory is all I think about. So the analysis that I get of seeing him fight is that he’s a very crafty fighter.”

Dmitry Pirog

“We both [Pirog and Jacobs] have amateur experience, we both have the skills and we have the experience that we need for this fight. We’ve both had good fights. We’ve had oppositions. Many of the opponents I’ve faced previously thought they were going to defeat me and I had a record even lower, so I don’t feel that it’s that important. Psychologically, I’m ready for a fight like this, and that’s the most important. As long as I feel confident and I want to do it, that’s what makes the fight happen

“What I like about fighting in America, and the reason I’ve dreamt of fighting in America, is that the boxing scene is a lot more developed. I think what’s most important is to give your best and fight well and everything should be fair, as far as the judging and the fans and everything else. So that’s why I think everything’s going to be okay, and I’m very confident about fighting. I don’t feel like anything is going to happen that’s going to disappoint me.”

Joel Casamayor

“Robert Guerrero is one of the best upcoming fighters in the world and it’s always a great opportunity to bring him to my den.

If I beat Guerrero, I’m in line for anybody and I could fight any fight I would want.

“I think obviously when a fighter gets a little older in his career, he starts going a little more off experience. My ability is still there. One thing that has changed as the years have gone by is my focus. I’m a lot more focused now. When I was a lot younger, I thought I would get away with some of the things I did in training camp, I shouldn’t have that I’m not doing now. Experience is going to be there, but the ability and the condition and everything is going to be there on July 31st.”

Robert Guerrero

“My wife is doing great. She’s doing so great. That’s why I’m taking big fights and getting back in the ring. If she wasn’t doing too good, I wouldn’t be taking any big fights because of the focus you need to be in there. With Joel Casamayor, it has to be 100 percent.”

“Joel Casamayor is an Olympic Gold Medalist. He’s had well over enough amateur fights. He’s a very experienced guy, a Four-time World Champion. He’s been there, done it. He’s been in with the best. You’ve got to be on your toes with a Joel Casamayor. You can’t take him lightly. Especially him being one of the elite fighters in the sport and also a lefty, you’ve got to take him seriously and be 100 percent ready and make sure no stone is unturned when you get in the ring with him.”

Jorge Linares

“I’m here to show that my boxing and my speed and my skills, my technical attributes are, if not the same or better than they were in the past. And the most important thing is that because of this, we’re going to give a great fight for the fans. They deserve it. I want to show that the winner can move on and move on to bigger and better things.

It’s a compromise because it’s an obligation for me after losing the title that I have to come back and now have the opportunity to do it here in Vegas and against a tremendous fighter like Rocky. So whoever is to succeed gets to move on to bigger for a world title.”

Rocky Juarez

“As a young man at 30, I can consider myself a young/old veteran in the ring. I think the way to keep my spirits up is just basically through that goal, the goal of becoming a world champion, and the people who have faith in me, as well as myself, having faith within myself to become world champion.

“But it’s just the fact that I have so much to prove, not only to myself, but to the critics and also the people who believe in me that I said what I’m going to do is become world champion. So that gives me that motivation, that push to continue to have that drive and continue boxing and giving everything that I have inside the ring.”

Oscar de la Hoya

“I believe that we have put together the best undercard, top-to-bottom, of any fight card that we here at Golden Boy have ever put together and that was a commitment we made to the fight fans out there. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve.

“Everybody knows these fights are exciting. Everybody knows these fights can go either way. These fights are not mismatches. These fights are not fights where we know who is going to win.

“Well, the great thing about this is that, this is kind of like do or die for every fighter that we have on this card, for every fighter this is do or die, including the main event.”

Richard Schaefer

“I think this one here, as I said, I have to admit I think is the best we’ve ever done and I made that comment when we had the press conference and I really wanted to try to live up to it. We really don’t want this to be a stand alone. We really want this to set a standard and set a trend.”

# # #

Marquez vs. Diaz II “Fight of the Year: The Rematch” is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate and AT&T. The 12-round rematch of the “2009 Fight of the Year” is scheduled for Saturday, July 31 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, and will be for Marquez’s Ring Magazine, WBA and WBO Lightweight World titles. The fight will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT.

The stacked July 31 pay-per-view undercard will feature Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs vs. Dmitry Pirog in 12-round bout for the vacant WBO Middleweight title, Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero vs. Joel “El Cepillo” Casamayor in a 10-round junior welterweight bout and Jorge “El Niño De Oro” Linares vs. Rocky Juarez in a 10-round lightweight bout.

Tickets for Marquez vs. Diaz II are priced at $350, $250, $150, $100 and $50 and are on sale now. Tickets are
available for purchase at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also will be available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

NCM Fathom will broadcast Marquez vs. Diaz II in high definition LIVE to more than 270 movie theaters nationwide at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Tickets to see the fight on the big screen are available at theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com.