Boxing News Boxing News
© Tom Casino / Showtime Boxing
All four fighters on this Saturday’s Showtime world championship doubleheader appeared at the site of their upcoming showdowns, the Agua Caliente Casino for a final press conference on Wednesday to discuss this weekend’s fights.
In an excellent battle of unbeatens, Timothy Bradley (24-0-1 NC, 11 KOs), of Palm Springs, Calif., will defend his WBO Junior Welterweight title against interim champ Lamont Peterson (27-0, 13 KOs), of Washington , D.C. , on Saturday, Dec. 12 live on Showtime at 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast.
The telecast will open with WBC/WBA Super Flyweight Champion Vic Darchinyan (32-2-1, 26 KOs), of Sydney , Australia , defending his belts against WBC interim titlist Tomas Rojas (32-10, 22 KOs) of Mexico .
Combined, the four fighters have a phenomenal record of 115-13-2 (72 KOs ), a winning percentage of 88% and a victory by knockout ratio exceeding 66%.
Bradley, who is coming off a No Contest against former unified lightweight world champion Nate Campbell on Aug. 1 on Showtime, is on a hot streak in the stacked 140-pound division. Bradley originally won the fight via highly controversial third-round TKO, but the decision was later changed to a NC due to an accidental head butt that opened a cut over Campbell ’s left eye.
Peterson, who is one of the hottest prospects in boxing, is coming off a seventh-round TKO over previously unbeaten Willy Blain on April 25, 2009 for the interim WBO junior welterweight title. Now he has his first shot at a world title against a man that no one in the division has been able to beat.
The 12-rounders are promoted by Gary Shaw Productions and Thompson Boxing Promotions, in association with Top Rank and Agua Caliente Casino.
What the fighters had to say on Wednesday:
Timothy Bradley: “I want to thank Peterson for taking this fight. I know Lamont Peterson very well and he knows me, and I know that Barry Hunter is underrated. I love his trainer Barry Hunter. He is a great guy.
“Don’t let Peterson’s record fool you. Saturday night is a candidate for fight of the year. Probably will be fight of the year.”
“I know they are prepared, but I’m just letting everybody know that I’m willing to die Saturday; I’m willing to die for that title. I’ve got to have it. I know I’ll have it. I know I’m going to hell and back to get it because Lamont Peterson is a great fighter. It’s my time and I’m willing to die Saturday night for that title.
“Mom, I know this may upset you, but I’ve got passion and with that I’m ready to die in the ring. I’ve trained extremely hard for this fight. I’m ready, I know he is ready and we are going to get it on Saturday night.
“It’s going to be a hell of a fight. It’s going to be fight of the year, guaranteed. I’m not going to lie down and I know Lamont isn’t going to lie down. It’s on.”
Lamont Peterson: “I’m just so amped for the fight. Don’t miss the fight. Like everybody says, it should be a really good fight. It will be a really, really good fight, so don’t miss it.
“Timothy has to do what he has to do, but if he says that he’s willing to die then he should give me life. If he says I got to kill him in order to win – then that is what I gotta do.
“If Bradley were engaging another opponent I would support him. But since he is fighting against me, there is no such thing as a friendship.
“I went through Timothy Bradley’s last six fights and looked for what he constantly did during all of those six fights. I studied those tapes over and over again so I could familiarize myself with the moves that he does over and over again.
“I am not concerned at all about the fact that I am fighting in Timothy’s backyard. I am not fighting the crowd, so it makes no difference. It’s Bradley that I will be battling in the ring.
“I won’t have a loss. It cannot happen. I have to come out as the winner. A loss is not ever on my mind. That’s my train of thought now and always will be when I enter into the ring.”
Vic Darchinyan: “Team Rojas can believe what they want to believe. They say they are going to take me out and take my belt? How does he figure that he is going to beat me when I have beaten all of his opponents that he has fought?
“He acts brave, but when he sees me here he begins to shake. I am a fully loaded gun and I am going to shoot him down with my boxing skills in the ring.”
Tomas Rojas: “I’m ready and geared up for Saturday’s fight. It’s a two-for-one on Saturday because I will take two belts from Vic Darchinyan on Saturday night. He’s (Vic) a good fighter, but I am ready for him.
“This is an important fight for me. Vic Darchinyan is strong but not indestructible. I’m ready to take the belt. I’m going to throw a lot of punches. I’ll throw more punches and harder ones.
Darchinyan has faced a lot of great fighters, but he has never seen or fought someone like me. It’s a pleasure being back in the U.S., but I am dedicating this fight to Veracruz, Mexico.”
