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Paulie Malignaggi: “I’m just glad to be here and I want to thank everybody. I’m not going to go through the names because there are a thousand of them but I want to thank everyone who’s involved in setting up this whole show.
“I feel very prepared and I’ve had a great camp. I’m more than ready for this fight Saturday night. Like Lou [Di Bella] said, I’ve been waiting a long time for a fight of this magnitude and it’s finally here and it’s a very exciting time for me.
“Floyd [Mayweather Sr] and I actually have a history, although I don’t know if he remembers this; You [Floyd Mayweather Sr] trained Francisco Bojado about four and a half or five years ago.
“After he beat Emanuel Clide, there was a prospect with spiky hair that got in his face. When you got out of the ring that night, you had your dreadlocks, and we got face to face and you asked me who I was and I said I’m Malignaggi and I’m the best. I’m going to let you know when it’s [Hatton fight] over that I’m the best.
“I hope that the Hatton team and Floyd and everybody are telling the truth that they did have a great camp and they’re not just hyping it up because I had a really good camp. I’m not saying it for the reporters to make quotes and I’m not saying it for you guys to put out a story. I really had a great camp.
“Floyd [Mayweather Sr] is saying combinations galore in his speech about Hatton’s training, which is funny because usually I’m the one with combinations galore.
“I’m ready for Saturday and like I said I am more than ready. I’m very prepared and once again I will say that I’m very prepared.
“We both did have a great camp and so the fight should be exciting. It’s going to be like two trains colliding and I’m the big train.”
Ricky Hatton: “I think this fight doesn’t need belts. As you know, unfortunately, Paulie isn’t defending his IBF belt. I’ve been stripped of the majority of my belts, unfortunately, but I think it’s clear to say that the number one and number two in the division are fighting each other.
“Paulie’s known as a talker and he’s very good at it, but when the cameras go off and the press disappear, Paulie’s a nice guy and I think he’s someone, when after the fight, we could be friends with. Surely not Saturday, but I think after the fight we could be friends.
“I’m not going to change my style. I’ve worked too long. I think that Floyd’s polished me up in certain areas, though. Many fights, I’ve shown my boxing ability and sometimes I’ve shown that I’ve got the boxing ability but don’t always let it out or don’t always show it. I’m working with a trainer now that’s slowing me down and letting me work on different things and this Saturday night, I’m going to show it.
“I’ve been working on new things and if you don’t do things in the gym, you’re not going to do it in the ring and that’s what I’ve done in this camp that I’ve not done in a couple of years.
“Saturday night, and as God as my judge, you’ll see the best Ricky Hatton and I’ll need to be because I’m fighting the nearest rival in the division and I need to be my best and I will be at my best.
“I’m back at the MGM Grand, first time in a year, and I hope I have better luck than I did last time. I’m back down at my normal weight and I have never lost at junior welterweight. If the fight’s going to happen as well as my training camp has gone, I’m not going to lose this Saturday.
“I think all the fans that have bought tickets that have come over from Britain and the fans from the United States have given us fantastic support. I always get treated well by the American people, the American fight fans, especially in Las Vegas and it’s a pleasure to come back and I think the winner again will be the fans.
“I think I needed this type of camp to give me a confidence booster after the last [Floyd] Mayweather fight. I think my last performance was not to my standard and I needed a training camp like this.”
Matthew Hatton: “It’s just fantastic to be part of a massive card again. We’ve been very lucky to fight on a lot of undercards over in the States. To fight on another big fight is fantastic.
“Training has gone superb for me and for this fight, I feel in the best shape of my life. Training has gone very well with my new trainer Lee Beard.
“I feel as if I’m a far better fighter now and as if I’m improving all the time. I know of the problems I’ve had previously in my career, but that those problems are gone now and I’m really looking forward to the future.
“It’s a big step up in class for me to fight Ben Tackie, but I’m going to relish it and I’m very confident of the win on Saturday.”
Brian Vera: “I know James [Kirkland] is going to be ready to go to war and so am I. I have nothing but respect so be ready to see a war on Saturday. That’s all I really got to say. I’ll let Saturday do the talking.”
James Kirkland: “I’m just really looking forward to having a good time on this fight with [Brian] Vera. I trained really well and had good sparring, and I’m going to do my thing and show you what that is on the 22nd.”
Ricky Hatton vs. Paulie Malignaggi, a scheduled 12-round battle for Hatton’s Ring Magazine and IBO Junior Welterweight titles, is presented by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Punch Promotions and DiBella Entertainment and sponsored by Affliction Clothing and Cerveza Tecate.
James Kirkland vs. Brian Vera, a 10 round middleweight bout, is presented in association with Tournament of Contenders. Both bouts will air live on HBO’s World Championship Boxing broadcast beginning at 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET. Doors open at 3:00 PM PT with the first bell ringing at approximately 3:15 PM PT.
Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $500, $300 and $150 are still available at any MGM Grand box office outlet and 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 (702) 474-4000. Tickets also are available for purchase atwww.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
