With just days to go until their respective bouts, fighters on the “Danny Garcia vs. Rod Salka” fight card hosted a final press conference Thursday at Barclays Center before they fight this Saturday, August 9.
Main event fighters Danny “Swift” Garcia and “Lightning” Rod Salka were joined by fellow SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® participants Lamont Peterson, Edgar “El Camacho” Santana, Daniel “Miracle Man” Jacobs and Jarrod “Left Jab” Fletcher on the stage at Barclays Center to discuss their upcoming fights.
Joining them were Sadam “World Kid” Ali, Anthony Peterson and Zachary “Zungry” Ochoa, who will fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME® prior to the SHOWTIME telecast and Prichard Colon, who fights in a non-televised bout.
DANNY GARCIA
“This is my third fight at Barclays Center and it feels like my home honestly. I love the atmosphere here. It was a privilege to be the first fighter to fight for a world title here.
“I ran hundreds of miles and sparred hundreds of rounds; this is the opportunity of a lifetime for Rod Salka and he knows what’s at stake, but I trained like this is my last fight and I overlook nobody.
“All of the fights I’ve been in have prepared me for this fight and to be the person I am today. I feel like a young vet. I’m going to come here Saturday night and handle my business. We’re going to call it the ‘Danny Garcia Show’ – ‘The Purge’.
“My dad is my main motivation. If my dad can beat cancer, there’s nothing I can’t beat. That’s my main motivation and that’s the hunger and the fire in my heart.
“I’m a boxer because I love to fight. It’s in my heart. Sometimes I win a fight and I forget to pick up my check. That’s how much I love boxing.”
ANGEL GARCIA
“Danny is ready. We had a 100% camp. In sparring he wasn’t even getting hit. I don’t know about that Puerto Rico ‘bad image.’ We didn’t lose sleep
“Salka is in the wrong predicament right now because that bad image made Danny a better fighter. Danny is 100 percent. The fight is going to be a great fight. I don’t care what the people say.
“They’re calling Danny ‘cherry picker, blackberry picker’ but it doesn’t matter because he still has to go out there and get his (victory). I told him to be a fighter. Nobody ever gave him anything … my job is not to worry about Salka. It’s to worry about Danny Garcia.
“It’s going to be called the ‘Danny ‘Swift’ Garcia Show.’ This is going to be the Fight of the Year.
“I had atage four cancer. Nothing was ever given to me. I was dying. They gave me six months to live – throat cancer at that. I had to live through a feeding tube for two years. That makes Danny who he is today! A fighter!.”
ROD SALKA
“The talking is done. We’ve been talking about this too long and I’m sick of it.
“The fight is on Saturday so be ready to come out and see a great fight. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen and I’ll talk to you guys after the fight.
“I trained hard in California University of Pennsylvania. I’ve been training there ever since I was a student. It’s like a second home and helped prepare me for this fight.
“The road to get here has been a long time coming. I never thought I would be in this position and here I am.
“When I first started boxing, it was all about survival and staying in the game. I did everything from serving tables, and other jobs so that I could make money and keep the dream alive of getting to this day.”
LAMONT PETERSON
“It’s fight week. We all know what time it is and I just want to say I’m ready.”
EDGAR SANTANA
“I had a great camp. I didn’t only train to win the fight, I trained to endure whatever Lamont has to bring. Expect a good fight from me.
“I’m a man of few words but I’m going to be ready on Saturday.”
DANIEL JACOBS
“God is good. It’s a pleasure to be back. This is my home. I fought here twice before and the love I get here in this building is tremendous
“My late trainer Victor Roundtree passed away and can’t be with us for this special moment so this fight is dedicated to his memory.
“I just want to thank Jarrod Fletcher for giving me this opportunity and to come over here and fight half way across the world – actually all the way across the world. He’s a gentleman and I have a lot of respect for him.
“It’s been very special to get my story to reach the masses and inspire millions across the world. And if I do win, I will be the first cancer survivor to be world champion.”
JARROD FLETCHER
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid and it’s been 20 years in the making. I’m fighting Danny Jacobs who is quite the man — and has got a great story about him.
“It’s been a long road but I can’t wait for Saturday night. This is my chance and I’m going to take it.”
SADAM ALI
“I’ve been working hard and I’m ready to perform on Saturday night.
“I’m not only excited about performing myself, but I’m excited about watching everyone else on the card perform.
“Thank you for all the support and I’ll see you Saturday night.”
ANTHONY PETERSON
“Everyone on the card knows it’s going to be a great event on Saturday night. Lamont (Peterson), you know what we do, we are going to go in there and handle our business and be done with it.”
ZACHARY OCHOA
“I’m excited to be here at Barclays Center today and especially on Saturday. I’m ready to fight and I’ve been training hard.
“For the past month Golden Boy Promotions has been doing a hell of a job. It’s an honor for me to be fighting on this card with all of these fighters. I can’t wait.”
