The final press conference for Saturday’s NBC Sports Fight Night “Road to Redemption” card this Saturday in Atlantic City was held this afternoon. Check out all of the photos and quotes from the event here.
Kathy Duva, Main Events CEO:
“We are delighted to be here (Resorts AC) for the final installment of the NBC Sports Network Fight Night of 2013. It’s amazing that we’ve come so far. This will be the completion of our second year with this tremendous series. We have already built talent that has made the jump up into the premium networks. It’s just a matter of time before we get that pay per view star that we’ve been looking for. The nicest thing about this series is the opportunity it has given us, here at Main Events, and the fans and the people at NBC, and all the people who watch this show, to look at a lot of talent that a lot of people don’t normally get to see… It’s given us the opportunity to put together some really interesting matches. I think we are going to have that again on Saturday.
“It’s going to be a big boxing night on Saturday. We understand there’s going to be a lot of people staying home on Saturday night just to watch the fights on NBC Sports Net and elsewhere. We want to make it really clear, we (NBC Sports Network) are starting on television at 8 o’clock.”
David Rodriguez, El Paso, TX, 36-0, 34 KO’s (on undercard in 6 Rd heavyweight fight against Darnell Wilson, Miami, FL, 24-17-3, 20 KO’s):
“I am very excited to be a part of this team, Main Events, this is a very exciting venture for me. This is my first fight back in two years. I was almost murdered, I almost lost my life and I came back from that and it took a long hard road to do that… It’s a very emotional time for me to come back after two years of a lot of depression, a lot of hardship, a really rough road. And to make my appearance again is a blessing; to have a second chance at life again is a blessing. I just want to thank everybody for coming out. I’m going to put on a show for you all.”
Steve Cunningham, Philadelphia, PA, 25-6, 12 KO’s (on undercard in 8 Rd heavyweight fight against Manuel Quezada, Bakersfield, CA, 29-7, 18KO’s):
“I just want to say one quick, short thing. My whole life, even this career, every part of my life, is to show perseverance. Perseverance: good and bad; my family; my daughter, what she’s going through with her heart; what we go through in boxing; what I’ve been through in my last fight; and then be able to fight here and get the victory which I believe will lead the team on to the heavyweight title. That’s the ultimate goal, just want to show perseverance. I also just want to show everybody that I ain’t lost a step. I fought the biggest man in boxing(Tyson Fury), put him down with one punch. He got me out of there like he should, but you roll the dice and that’s what this thing is. I’m back… I’m doing great; I’m just ready to show you guys on Saturday.”
Ryan Coyne, St Louis, MO, 21-1, 9 KO’s:
“Thank you for the great opportunity to fight on NBC Sports. This is a great opportunity for me. Coming off a defeat in my last fight. I fought an eliminator for number one in the world and I came up a little bit short. I went blood and guts in the last round, wasn’t victorious, and after 21 wins defeat was very hard, but this is a chance for redemption. It’s a great opportunity; he’s a great fighter, a very accomplished fighter. Lionell Thompson has shown that he takes on all challengers fighting a very tough man like Kovalev on very short notice. I’ve got my work cut out for me but I trained hard and I worked hard, I always work hard. Like I said this is a great opportunity for me and I fully intend on taking advantage of it. Make sure you turn in early for that opening fight because it’s going to be a good one.”
Lionell Thompson, Buffalo, NY, 14-2, 9 KO’s:
“I don’t have too much to say. I’m sure Ryan Coyne is coming to bring his best, but I’m ready. I’m looking to put on a great performance on Saturday night.”
“I respect Ryan Coyne, he’s got 21 wins and 9 KO’s but I mean, who has he fought? The guys he knocked out, he was supposed to knock out, they were bums. And when he did step up just a little bit, he got stopped. Trust me; whatever he do I’ll be ready. I’m too quick, too strong.”
Kathy Duva:
“Atlantic City has this rich history in heavyweight boxing… Main Events has had a great history in this town with heavyweights. We brought Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield here and Andrew Golota and we were involved in fights with Mike Tyson here, we were involved with just so many fights, with so many fighters, I just named champions… Heavyweights have always been a big hit in Atlantic City. There’s a certain crowd I think, that just comes out to see that, because when you have guys of this size in there throwing punches, truly anything can happen and it is exhilarating. Anybody that’s never been ringside for a fight like this, I advise you if you can make it here on Saturday night, come because you’re not going to believe what you are going to see.”
Kelvin Price, Pensacola, FL, 14-1, 6 KO’s:
“For me, to get to this point has been a long, hard road, especially coming from another sport, pro basketball, the seeds, and everything. In this fight I’m just coming out here to put on a great show for you guys. Hopefully he’s prepared. I’m prepared and we can put on a great show in Atlantic City. I came up short in one fight, you know we only have one referee and there’s no replays in this sport, but you have to deal with it and keep on, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Amir Mansour, Wilmington, DE, 19-0, 14 KO’s:
“A lot of people up here (on the dais) have stories of their own, getting through trials and tribulations. A lot of people know my story. They know I had a rough road to get to this point. Eight and a half years in prison, honestly, 16 years and 7 months altogether in prison, almost half my life. So nobody is going to get in that ring with me and deny me of any opportunity that I’ve been working hard half of my life for… If he ain’t got no 9mm, no shotgun in that ring, ain’t no stopping me. Saturday night it’ll be intensity, it’ll be “Hardcore” Mansour at his best, doin’ what I do.”
The “Road to Redemption” Weigh In will be streamed live on Friday 12/13 at 3PM ET at http://www.ustream.tv/mainevents
Additionally, the entire NBC Sports Fight Night card will be available online.
NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets – will live stream Fight Night on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” the media industry’s effort to make quality content available to authenticated customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.
In the main event undefeated knockout artist Amir Mansour, 19-0, 14 KOs, takes on super-sized Kelvin Price, 14-1, 6 KOs, in an anticipated 10-round confrontation at the Superstar Theatre at Resorts International Hotel and Casino.
The 10-round co-feature bout features a thrilling light-heavyweight clash between Ryan “The Irish Outlaw” Coyne, 21-1, 9 KOs, brings his crowd-pleasing style to Atlantic City for the first tim Lionell Thompson, 14-2, 9 KOs, of Buffalo, NY
For desktops,NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.
Coverage airing on NBCSN will live stream to PCs, mobile devices and tablets through NBC Sports Live Extra, and to the digital platforms of participating cable, satellite, and telco services, via “TV Everywhere,” which is available on an authenticated basis to subscribers of participating MVPDs.
