WBC Super Featherweight Champion Francisco “El Bandido” Vargas (23-0-2, 17 KOs) and Mexican brawler and WBO Interim Super Featherweight champion Miguel “El Alacran” Berchelt (30-1, 27 KOs) today hosted the final press conference ahead of their 12-round sure-fire all-action fight set for Saturday, January 28 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California and televised live on the season premiere of HBO Boxing After Dark® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
They were joined by Vargas’ 2015 Fight of the Year opponent and former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion Takashi Miura (30-3-2, 23 KOs) of Akita, Japan, who will go head-to-head with former featherweight and lightweight contender Miguel “Mickey” Roman (56-11, 43 KOs) of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in the evening’s co-feature on January 28.
Below is what the fighters and their teams had to say at today’s press conference:
FRANCISCO “EL BANDIDO” VARGAS, WBC Super Featherweight Champion:
“I am thankful for all the support Golden Boy Promotions, HBO and my team have given me. I’m very excited to get back into the ring after a long break after my last two fights – two fights that were really hard.
“After a much needed rest, I’m ready to give the fans what they want to see. Berchelt knows that this is his opportunity to get my title, and he will be hungry inside the ring and will wage war. This title cost me a lot to win, and I am not going to let it go easily. I’m taking my belt back with me.”
MIGUEL BERCHELT, WBO Interim Super Featherweight Champion:
“I want to thank ‘El Bandido’ for offering me this fight. I know going in that it’s going to be a tough fight, and we are confident in our training and mindset going into this fight. This is a huge opportunity for me and my career.”
Guillermo Becerril, Trainer to Francisco Vargas:
“Thank you to HBO and Golden Boy Promotions. Miguel is a very good fighter. He has a lot of knockouts, and I know he is coming to win, but it’s going to be very difficult to win because we are ready. We feel that Francisco Vargas is going to win this fight on Saturday.”
RAFAEL GUZMAN, Trainer to Miguel “Mickey” Roman:
“It’s going to be a very tough fight this Saturday but nothing is impossible. We know our opponent trained but we trained very hard and Mickey is going to be 100 percent on Saturday.”
MARIO ABRAHAM, Zanfer Promotions:
“When we were approached by Golden Boy on this fight, we accepted without hesitation. Berchelt is a great champion, is hungry, and has been training under the eye of Alfredo Caballero for the past two years. This is our night, and we are prepared to give the boxing world a surprise.”
TAKASHI MIURA, Former WBC Super Featherweight World Champion:
“I’d like to thank HBO, Teiken Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions. I know that Mickey Roman is a very tough and powerful fighter. I hope to beat him, and I look forward to being victorious on Saturday.”
MIGUEL “MICKEY” ROMAN, Former Featherweight and Lightweight Contender:
“Thank you all for being here. Thank you to HBO, Golden Boy Promotions and my promoter. This is going to be a very tough fight. I think it’s going to be a knockout type of fight. I’m going to go for the knockout from the opening bell. I know that’s the style Miura has as well but I’m going to get to him first.”
