Danny Garcia and Mauricio Herrera and readying for their battle this weekend in Puerto Rico, televised on Showtime. Right here, you can find the full transcript of the recent media call held between the fighters and their camps. Take a look to see what each has to say.
Mauricio Herrera
I want to say thank you to Golden Boy Promotions for the last year for giving me this opportunity to try for a world title. I just want to say that I’m ready and, like I said, I’m never in a boring fight and I know we didn’t take this fight just because it was a world title opportunity, we also took it because we think we can win this fight and it’s going to be a great fight. Like you said, I’m a spoiler, so you’d better look out for that.
Q
My first question is for you, Richard, and then I’m going to go to Mauricio. How much of a danger is there of a let down, given that this is the first time in a while where Danny has been the favorite against a guy that some people don’t think has a real shot?
R. Schaefer
Well, I think it’s going to be a question you’re really going to need to ask Danny. But I do know that suddenly it’s like reverse roles, Danny has always been like the underdog, and never really gotten I think the credit he deserves. But I think with his last performance against Lucas Matthysse he changed a lot of people’s minds and opened a lot of people’s eyes, so I think he’s going to be in a different position. And that certainly is something from a training point of view, I talked to other fighters before, when you do fight somebody where you are the favorite, you know, do you really maybe skip a step here and skip a step there and say, well, you know, that shouldn’t be too difficult after everybody else I fought, and so on. From a mental point of view, I definitely think that that could be the case, but you need to ask Danny that question.
I think going to Puerto Rico might look like an advantage, his homecoming and first time fighting there in the place where his parents were born and his grandparents are living, you know. But that might be not necessarily a positive either because what this does, it puts tremendous additional pressure on Danny to perform because he obviously wants to get the approval of the Puerto Rican people and he wants to perform and entertain in front of the Puerto Rican people. And as I said before, that’s where you enter Mauricio Herrera, who is a known spoiler and who knows how to take advantage of these, maybe, cutting a step here or there in training, or the added pressure in Puerto Rico. Mauricio is going to come with everything to gain and nothing to lose, and these are the opponents that are the most dangerous.
Q
Picking up on something you said about him going to Puerto Rico for the first time, they currently don’t have any champions born there, and obviously he’s a champion, he must feel a certain amount of pressure –
R. Schaefer
Yes, it’s going to be a lot of pressure on Danny during Fight Week, being there in Puerto Rico, absolutely. So, I think, yes, it’s great for Danny to be fighting in Puerto Rico, but since this is the first time, there definitely will be more demands on him, from a public relations stand point, from media, from fans, and from whatsoever, so all that are points which Mauricio Herrera, I’m sure knows and is ready to exploit.
Q
Mauricio, it occurred to me that you might know how to make guys uncomfortable in the ring. Do you see this as that same opportunity, as a similar opportunity to call yourself a spoiler?
M. Herrera
Oh yes, most definitely, I think my style does that to the guys, especially the stronger guys, my style tends to come out and blossom even more. And I feel that this fight, I know when Danny fights he is fighting tough and no-namers, but I don’t think it takes a really tough guy and a big name to beat Danny. It could just be a random guy like me who has some skills, some smartness in their arsenal and again an awkward style that can defeat Danny. And that’s what I’m going in really confident for.
Q
What is your style, how do you neutralize what other guys do well? Because he’s been in there with Erik Morales, he’s been in there with Zab Judah, he’s been in there with Amir Khan, athletic types, and of course Kendall Holt who once dropped Tim Bradley, what can you bring to the table that none of those guys did in terms of your style?
M. Herrera
I think the biggest difference between me and those guys is a lot of those guys had a lot of amateur backgrounds. You know, I don’t have a big amateur background, so I’m not following with the basic punches and rhythms as those guys have and that Danny can see and is used to, you know, I’m a little off rhythm on my shots. And also I drill with power at times, and sometimes I have no power, sometimes I go with speed and I can go inside, I can control distance, and I’m hard to hit, if you’ve seen my fights, so I think all of that will make a big difference from those fights and from me.
Q
Do you feel like that in the Provodnikov fight some people thought that maybe he deserved to win, but in the Alvarado fight that you kind of maybe got ripped off a little bit? How do you see the result of those two fights, since they’re the two biggest names that you faced, both of them, who went on to win world titles?
M. Herrera
Yes, I felt that with the Provodnikov fight, it was a close fight but I felt I had landed more punches, so I felt comfortable that I was going to take it. Even Provodnikov himself said he felt that I won, that I was a better man that night and outsmarted him. With Alvarado it was a different fight, I fought a different style with him. We went in there trying to push him back, he’s a bigger, tougher guy and with him, which I got to show a lot too, and I thought that fight was pretty close too. I mean, if you see that fight, Alvarado missed a lot of shots, so either way I felt like, you know what, going into his turf, his promotion, that the judges were going to be on his side. Only one judge gave me one round, so when I saw that I figured I had no chance even if I won three or four rounds more. You can see the way they were judging I was not going to make that decision. But I thought it was a very close fight. I mean, I did take punishment on my face, but those were like three, four big shots that he took on me, but I thought it was a very close fight. Yes, so I thought with Alvarado it was close, and with Provodnikov it could have gone either way as well.
Q
Do you feel like you’re being overlooked a little bit in this fight with the type of opposition that you have faced?
M. Herrera
Yes, I’m feeling like I’m being overlooked. And maybe part of that is because I’m not really known, nobody really knows me. I mean, the same way with Provodnikov when he went up against Bradley, I mean, I’ve seen comments and hear people say, who’s this guy? Who’s this ESPN guy? He isn’t going to do anything. What is Bradley fighting this guy for? And as you see what happened, you know, it was a different story. But I feel the same way, I mean, when people don’t know who you are and they see you have some losses, they don’t know your whole story and your whole background, and they see a knockout percentage and they go by that too. But all that doesn’t matter, you know, with boxing anything can happen. And they’re going to see that I’m at that level, and that I will rise to the occasion.
Q
Mauricio, you said that your style was a little complicated, you have a different kind of style, what kind of style does Danny have and how will you fight him, how would you describe Danny?
M. Herrera
Well, you know Danny’s a very good fighter. I’m going to have to watch out for everything. He’s got a good right hand, he’s got a good left hand. I’m going to have to be careful. I’m going to have to pick my spots, know when to fight him inside, and know when to box, so I have to be careful with everything. It’s going to be a tough fight.
Q
Richard mentioned that Danny has added pressure, he’s fighting in Puerto Rico, there might be distractions, do you think that’s an advantage for you? Does that make you comfortable to know that you’re at ease, that you don’t have that?
M. Herrera
You know, I’m not really at ease. I can’t say I’m at ease because it is going to be a tough fight. But, yes, he’s going to have some added pressure. He’s going to want to win for his people. He’s going to be fighting in Puerto Rico, he’s going to want to win for them, and obviously, you know, I’m going to use that to my advantage. But, yes, but it’s not going to be an easy fight. I’m not at ease. There is going to be some pressure on my part as well.
Q
Mauricio, you came close to fighting a world title fight before against Brandon Rios, how did you feel when that fight disintegrated?
M. Herrera
Well, I was kind of disappointed. I thought maybe that was my time to shine. Brandon Rios was a perfect opponent. And, yes, for a reason I guess that didn’t happen, which didn’t matter, I mean, because now I’m fighting for another big fight and I guess this is now my time.
Q
And you explained a little bit about Danny Garcia, but how do you beat a Danny Garcia, in your opinion, with your style?
M. Herrera
Well, as you should know, I throw a lot of punches. I use the jab very well. A lot of fighters don’t use the jab. I don’t think Danny is used to seeing that. You know, I can come out different ways. I can come out to pressure him. I can come out to box. I’ve shown that I can do a little bit of both. And I have really great defense. I think the defense is the main key. You know, I’m not that easy to hit and I have a very good chin. So, I know I can out punch a guy and it’s not going to be an easy fight, but when it gets down and when we have to go and exchange, you know, I can do that too. So, I’m really ready on all angles.
Q
You started as a professional very late. You were already in your late twenties when you finally started. What kept you from turning professional?
M. Herrera
Well, I started when I was 13, but my first trainer, Rudy, just kept training me along and just helping the next fighters that were coming in, I was getting older. And you know it was funny because he said that I was always too young to go pro, and I was in my twenties, and by the time I told him I wanted to go pro I was like 25, 26, then he told me I was too old. So, it wasn’t going to happen, so I left, I had to leave him. I was very dedicated with him, but I had to part ways at that time and train on my own for a while, and then that’s how I got connected with Willy, so connection to some pro fights, and at 27 I turned pro. And I don’t think it’s bad after five years that I got a chance to fight for a world title, and I thank the Garcia’s again for giving me the opportunity.
W. Silva
I have a comment. Danny Garcia never faced a guy like Mauricio Herrera and it’s going to be a nightmare that night.
R. Schaefer
Before I’m going to turn it over to Danny, I want to make some opening comments. Obviously, Danny Garcia, what he has achieved in the last few years I think there is no fighter in no weight class who has done that outside of Danny Garcia and Floyd Mayweather, and that is taking on the best. And when you look at what he has accomplished, we know all the names, I mean, it really is like the Who’s Who of the Junior Welterweight Division, some of the biggest names in the sport, period, he has taken on, and in most of those fights he went in as the underdog, people were not giving him much respect, but I think all that’s changed. In his last performance against Lucas Matthysse I think he made everybody believers.
What is particularly impressive and why I think as well that he is obviously the Unified Super Lightweight World Champion currently, clearly the number one rated Super Lightweight boxer in the world, but in my books after Floyd and Andre Ward I believe because of what Danny has achieved cumulative, fight after fight and how he has shown how he has been dealing with speed, the fastest guy in the sport may be Amir Khan, how he neutralized that speed, he was confused, he evaded the first few rounds, but then adjusted, adapted and dominated the fight. How he took away the power of the biggest puncher maybe in the sport, Lucas Matthysse, and how he took away the experience for maybe two of the most experienced fighters to date, next to Bernard Hopkins, Zab Judah and Erik Morales, so this guy knows how to deal with speed at the highest level, with power at the highest level, and with experience at the highest level.
I mean, you look at that and you do that fight after fight after fight, I really believe the pound for pound list is reserved for exactly people like that, not because they had one great fight or had an amateur career and things like that. No, you earned that spot. And I think if one guy has earned it it’s Danny Garcia, and I believe that Danny Garcia today, in my list, is number three pound for pound as well. I don’t have to tell you all the achievements he’s done. He is exciting. He is a terrific fighter, we know that. He’s a tremendous person, human being outside of the ring as well, always fun to be around with, and it really is an honor for me to be able to work for Danny Garcia and for his team.
And it is a pleasure now for me to turn it over and introduce to you the undisputed Super Lightweight World Champion, Danny “Swift” Garcia.
Danny Garcia
Thank you, Richard. I love being a part of the Golden Boy family, and thanks to all the media for tuning in, and thanks for everybody in Golden Boy. I’m ready for March 15.
Q
Can you talk about when it first became something in your mind, that you said to yourself, ‘I would really love to go and fight in Puerto Rico,’ even though you weren’t born there, but you certainly have a lot of roots there with your family.
D. Garcia
Yes, it’s always been a dream of mine to fight in Puerto Rico, just to reach out to my fans in Puerto Rico, because I am Puerto Rican and they don’t have a champion right now, so I think this gave me the perfect time for me to go over there and show the Puerto Rican fans that they have a true champion. And I’m excited about it. It’s always been a dream of mine to fight in Puerto Rico, and it happened, and I thank Golden Boy for that, for making it happen.
Q
Have you visited Puerto Rico in the past?
D. Garcia
Yes, I visited Puerto Rico before. I was there a few times. I was there like a year and a half ago, and I think I was there as a kid.
Q
Are your parents both born there? I think Angel was, but I’m not sure if they were both born there.
D. Garcia
Yes, my mom and dad are born in Puerto Rico.
Q
So, do you still have family members that live there?
D. Garcia
Yes, my whole dad’s side of the family lives in Puerto Rico, and my mom’s side of the family, they moved to the States when they were young.
Q
I don’t know, do you get the feeling from those that you’ve spoken to that are there, either family members or friends of your family, that people are excited to have the fight and that they’re going to adopt you as their champion, basically, because of your Puerto Rican heritage?
D. Garcia
Yes, they love me, and they can’t wait. They call me and tell me every day that people in Puerto Rico they love me and they’re excited for the fight and they’re going to the fight, so there’s no doubt in my mind that the people in Puerto Rico are going to be there for me that night.
Q
Can you talk about what went into the fact that you aren’t Floyd’s next opponent? I don’t know if it was that he didn’t want to fight you. I’ve been told that your camp decided that you would love to fight Floyd at some point but not right now and maybe in the future. Can you address that a little bit?
D. Garcia
You know, I let Al Haymon do what he does and I’ll let Richard do what they do. We weren’t really pressing for the fight, we just let Golden Boy do their job and I let Al do his job. I never question what Al does, I never question what my team does, so whoever they tell me to fight, I’ll fight and I’ll train and I’ll get ready for it.
Q
Would you have wanted Mayweather?
D. Garcia
I’m a boxer, at the end of the day I like to fight the best, so you know that’s what my manager wanted, and that’s what my team wanted, and that’s what I want.
Q
So you’re okay that you go from the potential of fighting Floyd for all that money and all that glory, to fighting a good fighter like Herrera, but certainly nobody’s going to mistake Mauricio Herrera with Floyd, are you okay with that?
D. Garcia
Destiny is destiny. I’m okay with whatever happens. Like I said before, I don’t question my manager’s job, I never did, and I think that’s why we’re in the position today where people think I should be fighting him and people think I deserve to fight because my manager and my promoter did a great job so far. So, I think they’re doing a great job and I’m doing my job, and hopefully the fight might happen one day.
Q
Was any part of that in your mind about the fact that, you know, you’re still a young fighter, you’re only 25-years-old, that you really weren’t in any particular hurry to go to 147 pounds? Are you comfortable with 140 and you figured you wanted to stay there for a little while longer? Was weight an issue in your mind?
D. Garcia
Yes, like you said, I’m still young, I’m 25-years-old, and I’m growing, I’m building my own legacy, and 140, it’s a little hard to make, it’s a sacrifice, but I’m pretty sure once I go up to 147 it’s going to be hard too. So I don’t think the weight was an issue, but I feel like you know I grew into the 140 pound weight class and I feel really strong, I feel real good making the weight, and I feel so good in the gym, so I didn’t feel like it was possible for me to move up yet.
R. Schaefer
I just want to quickly add to that. The experience of fighting in Puerto Rico was actually something Danny had personally spoken to me for the past couple of years or so, during fights he comes to me and he’s telling me, ‘I’ve got to fight in Puerto Rico. You’ve got to do a fight in Puerto Rico.’ And so when you look at the guys he fought in the last couple of years, it wasn’t just really natural to take a fight like that to Puerto Rico, but we felt this was the perfect opportunity to fulfill one of Danny’s dreams, which was to fight in Puerto Rico. And, I hope it’s the first of many.
I think as it relates to Floyd, I’m getting more and more questions, hey, is Danny going to fight Floyd, and so there’s more and more excitement building up about that fight, so assuming Floyd handles the challenges ahead of him, do I believe that maybe sometime next year, maybe a year from now, Cinco de Mayo 2015 we might see, assuming Floyd keeps on winning, are going to see a Floyd, Danny Garcia fight? Absolutely. And I can just imagine how much of an anticipated showdown that will be. And, Danny, you just heard that, how mature he is in answering your questions. And, yes, he’s young and he’s going to be ready, and if the opportunity would be today he’ll fight him today, but, you know everything at its time.
Q
I just wanted to clarify, do you know when the first time you went to Puerto Rico was?
D. Garcia
About two years ago.
Q
Your mom said that you always dreamed of being a world champion, what allowed you to have such large dreams?
D. Garcia
You know, being the world champion was everything to me. My dream was always, first, to go to the Olympics and get gold, and then turn pro, but that didn’t happen. And so I just stayed focused, I trained hard, and I became World Champion and I’m proud.
Q
When did you start training and stuff like that? As soon as you walked into the gym, or did it take a few years?
D. Garcia
No, when I walked into the gym when I was a kid everybody used to say, ‘Olympics, Olympics,’ so I really didn’t know what it was until I did my research and I was like, wow, the Olympics sound big, so I made that my goal, because everybody else kind of wanted to go to the Olympics and stuff like that, so I wanted to win gold and become world champion. But I’m happy that I’m world champion, and I’m here.
Q
Danny, I’d like your take on what Richard said about you being number three pound for pound behind Floyd and Ward.
D. Garcia
I fought the best, I never turned down a fight, I beat the best, and I think the pound for pound list is about fighting the best and beating the best. And like he said, there are a few good fighters out there who did it, and I’m one of them.
Q
I’d like also your scouting report, your assessment technically, especially of Mauricio Herrera, a lot of people who will be tuning in haven’t seen him, he’s on ESPN a lot, but I’d like your assessment of Herrera, please.
D. Garcia
Oh yes, he’s a good, tough fighter. I know he wants to be world champion and I know he’s going to come to fight, but I fought many amateur fights, I fought the best pros in the world, and I don’t think there’s anything he can show me differently than I already do. So, I’m going to go in there and do what I do best, and that’s go in there, make adjustments, and get the crowd excited.
Q
Is Angel trying to be a little bit more chill and not stir up the pot? Where’s Angel?
D. Garcia
No, he’s a businessman, so he’s probably out there handling business or getting something done. He’s always on the move. He doesn’t like to be in one spot. You know he’s all over the place, but he’ll be there March 15.
Q
Was there any need for you and your father to have the conversation about hey, Danny, this is a big opportunity, but don’t be let down, you’re the favorite, but we can’t afford a letdown.
D. Garcia
Man, I train hard for every fight. I put 110 percent in the gym. All I know is hard work and dedication, so there’s no thought in my mind saying that I’m going to let anybody down, because I know what I bring to the fight. I know how hard I work in the gym, and no matter who believes in me, or who thinks I’m a winner, or who thinks I’m not going to win in future or past fights, I know what I’m capable of doing. I know how hard I work. And that’s why every time at the end of the fight I come out victorious because I know the pain and the sacrifice that I put my body through to win these fights and excite my fans.
Q
Have you and your father had any conversation about not getting distracted when you get over there because people are going to demand that you go here, you’re going to have to make this appearance, you’re going to be possibly embraced as a Puerto Rican champion?
D. Garcia
No, we’re not going to get distracted. We know what we’ve got to do. We’re going to do the same thing we always do, we’re going to stay focused until Friday night and then we’re going to get the job done. And then after that we can make the trips and go visit whoever we want to visit.
Q
Along the names that you’ve fought, Morales, Holt, Amir Khan, Nate Campbell, Zab Judah, is there anything that Mauricio can show you, he says he’s different from all of them, is there anything that he can show you that you haven’t seen?
D. Garcia
I mean, we’ll just have to see. We’ll just have to see. You know, talk is cheap. You know me, I’ve never been the one to talk and say what he’s going to do or what he can do. I’m just going to go in there and do what I do best, and that’s win the fight. I’m not really worried about what he’s going to do. As long as my head’s on my shoulders and I’m focused, I know I’m going to get the job done.
Q
First of all, where are you in the stages of your training?
D. Garcia
You know I’m still going hard. I’m still training hard. I’m at my peak right now and I feel great, man, and my weight is great. I’m ready to fight tomorrow. So, I’m on cruise control.
Q
What’s the most exciting thing about the fact that you’re about to fight in Puerto Rico for the first time?
D. Garcia
It’s very exciting, because this is where my family’s from, this is where my roots are and it’s something I always asked Richard. And I think this is very special to me because this is one of my dreams that I always dreamed of, and to go over there and fight in front of all the Puerto Rican fans that are going to be there is amazing. I’ve never fought in an arena where every single fan was mine, and it’s going to be very special to me and I’m going to deliver.
Q
When Rocky Martinez lost his title and there was a lot of buzz about Puerto Rico not having a world champion, you tweeted, “Puerto Rico still has one champion.” What motivated you to get that tweet out?
D. Garcia
I don’t think it’s fair that you can say I’m not a Puerto Rican fighter because I wasn’t born in Puerto Rico, when my blood is Puerto Rican. So I had to let the fans know, hey, I’m a Puerto Rican fighter and that’s just the way it is, and March 15 that’s why we got this fight in Puerto Rico, to solidify me as a Puerto Rican champion.
Q
Do you get more excited about fighting in your homeland?
D. Garcia
Yes, I’m very excited about fighting in my homeland. It’s always been a dream of mine, and I can’t wait. I know that the fans in Puerto Rico are very excited, I’m very excited, and it’s going to be a grand show that night.
Q
So, if the fight is successful for you, are you hoping to come back and fight in Puerto Rico again?
D. Garcia
Yes, I would love to. I would love to. You know, first we’ve got to handle March 15, and in the future if there’s an opportunity, I’m always down for it. Let’s do it.
Q
I want Danny to elaborate on this opponent, when it was first brought up, hey, this is the guy that we want to fight, how did you and your team take that, and did it take long for you guys to agree to it?
D. Garcia
As soon as they told me about it, just like any other opponent, we never turned down an opponent. We believe in destiny, so whomever they say is the person, that’s the person that we accept and that’s the person that we fight. It was never, no, we want to fight him, or we want to fight him, because you know we never do that. We just believe in destiny. Whoever it is, it is, and that’s who we fight.
Q
Do you have any surprise guests at your ring entrance like guys like maybe Daddy Yankee, Tito Trinidad, somebody like kind of a signal of welcoming you to the island with open arms. Any people like that?
D. Garcia
We’ve got something in mind. We’ve got something in mind. But I don’t want to say something, I don’t want to spoil it, or if it don’t happen. Wei’re working on something and hopefully everything goes well.
Q
Have you seem the Provodnikov-Herrera fight, and did you see anything in that fight that worries you?
D. Garcia
I have seen the fight, it was a good fight. He did what he had to do. He outboxed the Russian guy, the Russian guy is strong and he got the victory. But, you know, that was a good fight to him, but he’s fighting a whole different kind of animal this fight, and I’m going to show that March 15.
Q
How do you control the emotions and not overlook a fighter like Herrera?
D. Garcia
I’ve just got to stay relaxed. I’ve got to stay focused just like I have been every other fight. I’ve got to listen to my trainer. I’ve got to stay calm. And I’ve got to go in there and get the momentum from the first round and get the crowd into it, and then win the fight.
Q
Did you used to follow some of the Puerto Rican fighters like Miguel Cotto, Tito Trinidad and some of the other fighters that have made Puerto Rico one of the best islands for boxing?
D. Garcia
Oh yes, most definitely. I was a Trinidad fan as a little kid. I’ve seen all his fights. I’ve seen Miguel for his whole career. I’ve seen a lot of the great fighters, so I’ve always been a fan of the Puerto Rican fighters and I’m happy to be one myself.
Q
Now that you mentioned that, how do you feel Juan Manuel Lopez is also fighting on the card?
D. Garcia
It’s a blessing. I think it only right to have another Puerto Rican fighter, another Puerto Rican star on the card. So it’s going to be a great night of boxing, it’s going to be a great night for the Puerto Ricans.
Q
Richard, if Danny’s successful will you bring it back here and do you think that would help you with pay-per-view for a possible Mayweather vs. Garcia fight?
