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Beaches and boxing. Although the two are rarely mentioned in the same breath, the sweet science will meet the sandy shores of the Caribbean Friday, Nov. 16, 2007, on Showtime.
In the main event, two undefeated super middleweights and former amateur stars will invade the beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia as Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward and Roger “Never Can Tell” Cantrell square off live on ShoBox: The New Generation on Showtime, 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast.
The historic night of boxing will take place at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros Islet , St. Lucia , and represent the first televised professional boxing event staged on the beautiful eastern Caribbean Island of St. Lucia. “Showtime® In Paradise” will be presented by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with the St. Lucia Tourist Board.
Both fighters and their respective promoters gathered today in Los Angeles for a press conference. Below is what they had to say. This may be the first ShoBox fight to host press conferences to announce and promote a given card.
Andre Ward:
“I can’t put into words how fired up I am about this fight. The only thing that is on my mind is Nov. 16.
“I am hoping I get a tough fight. I hope Roger brings his “A” game because I want to be challenged.
“Roger has been saying that he is going to win this fight. That statement only adds to the fire that is burning inside me. We’re not even close to the fight and I am already getting anxious. Boxing fans are going to see a great show; that is a fact.
“I am a winner. The thought of defeat never crosses my mind. Losing is not an option. I know Roger is a confident fighter. He says he has what it takes to beat me. We will see what he has on Nov. 16.
“People need to understand that warriors are not boxers who can just take a beating. To be considered a warrior you have to start from day one. I’ve been doing this since I was nine-years-old. Boxing is in my blood and in my heart. There is no way I am losing this fight.”
Roger Cantrell:
“I am going to come out and pressure him. I am going to test every part of his body. I want to know right from the start what I am up against.
“I respect him as a fighter, but I don’t think Andre can stand in the middle of the ring with me and exchange punches.
“I expect a lot of great things from Andre. He is a great fighter. That said, he will have to do it in another division because I have plans on being the best at 168.
“I remember watching Andre on T.V. during the 2004 Olympics. I must have been 17 or 18 years old. I remember saying to myself, “Wow this guy is good.’ I never would have thought that I would be fighting against Andre because at that time I was fighting at a lower weight. But here I am at a press conference promoting our fight. It is great feeling.”
Dan Goosen:
“We have a very special talent in Andre Ward. He hasn’t lost a fight since he way 13-years-old. This kid can flat-out box. He is destined for stardom, but it isn’t in Andre’s personality to seek that. He wants to be a world champion and in due time he will get his title shot.
“This is not just another boxing event for us. We’re really excited about this match because it pits two great up-and-comers. Both of these guys have what it takes to become world champions, but only one of them will remain undefeated on Nov. 16.”
Senator Minister Of Tourism Saint Lucia Allen Chastanet:
“We’re very grateful to Showtime and Dan Goossen for their efforts in bringing this great fight to Saint Lucia . We’re all looking forward to a fantastic event.
“ Saint Lucia is going through a transformation. It is not just a vacation hot spot anymore. We’re branching out into the sports world and are dedicated to bring top-notch boxing to our adventure island.”
