The Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. press conference in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday afternoon was exactly what you would expect from an event with those two names, but in addition to that, the undercard fighters stepped up and gave reasons why fans should purchase the DAZN PPV on Saturday night.
There were a ton of media, fans, sponsors, and family of the fighters in attendance to see their fighter or fighters. The event started with Yolanda Vega telling her opponent Holly Holm that she is going to send her back into retirement followed by some good sh*t talking between Avious Griffin and Julian Rodriguez. Tevin Farmer went down the path of Floyd Schofield, being at a completely different level as the young Schofield decided that showing it in the ring would be his preferred method. Raul Curiel and Victor Rodriguez had some decent banter, but the main event was the main event.
Chavez Jr. came out and took his seat on the stage, but when Paul came out, he slapped a sign in front of where Chavez was sitting that said, “I will be getting knocked out.” Then someone from Team Chavez threw him a T-shirt that said, “He’s my dad and I’m your daddy.” Paul and Chavez would exchange pleasantries before Paul called for a first-round knockout by a right hook.
They chose not to do the staged or non-staged shove, but the presser was entertaining enough that they didn’t have to do that. The presser was one of the more entertaining ones in recent times and has elevated the level of intrigue for Saturday’s PPV.
Here are some quotes from the fighters in attendance, as furnished by Golden Boy.
Jake Paul Quotes
On picking Chavez Jr. for this fight
“He’s a great fighter. I like big names, legendary names, and he’s on my path to a world championship. This is a tough test, a very tough test, but I’m here to challenge myself and do big things in this sport and then make a title run after I beat him on Saturday.”
On how much he thinks Chavez Jr has left in the tank
“He’s coming in prepared. They’re saying this is the hardest he’s ever trained, and he’s right…I’m not a good boxer. I’m a great boxer.”
On which fight besides his own he is most excited to see
“This is a stacked card. This is how MVP does it; no one else in boxing is doing it like this. We have amazing fights all the way through. I grew up watching Holly Holm, Floyd Schofield is an incredible talent, and in my first fight, I was on the same card as Tevin Farmer. There’s a lot of history here. This is going to be amazing.”
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Quotes
On Jake Paul as a fighter
“No, I don’t think he’s good. I think he tries, he trains hard, but he’s not a good fighter. He’s definitely not a good boxer. If he were a good boxer, then everyone else on this stage would be a legend. I don’t think he’s a good boxer, and everybody knows that.”
On if Jake Paul has gotten under his skin
“No, not really. I was expecting that from him. That’s the only way he can get attention because in boxing, he really has nothing to get presumptuous about.”
On why he’s so confident he’ll beat Jake Paul
“My preparation, I always prepare to take a win. I’m here to win and that’s why I’m so confident that I will win.”
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. Quotes
On what his son needs to do on Saturday
“He knows exactly what to do. Jake Paul just fought against Mike Tyson, who didn’t even throw one punch. This is not Mike Tyson. You [Jake] are going to get your ass whooped. Julio is going to go in throwing some serious punches, and you’re going to be running like a chicken without a head.
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez Quotes
On what he expects the fight to look like on Saturday
“Saturday night, I expect a war. I expect he comes really prepared. We’ll see why Zurdo is the champion, unified
On if he fears Dorticos’ power
“I’m prepared for Doctor K.O.”
Yuniel Dorticós Quotes
On if this is his last chance on a stage like this and what he’ll do to Zurdo
“I wont keep repeating the same thing, but I’m going to show everyone that 39 years is really nothing.”
On if he thinks Zurdo is the best cruiserweight in the world
“He has to show up on Saturday. On Saturday, we’re going to have a war.”
Raul Curiel Quotes
On what people can expect from him in the ring on Saturday
“My last fight was a fight of the year contender. This fight will not be the exception. I can’t wait to put on a show, I’m going to bring war. I’m ready.”
On if Rodrgiuez can handle his power
“We’ll see. We have a tremendous camp with Robert Garcia now. I’m very confident in my skills and in the best shape of my career. I’m confident in my skills and can’t wait to put on a show.”
Victor Rodriguez Quotes
On what he thinks of his opponent
“I don’t know much about him, I’m not going to talk about him. I’m going to talk about myself. I’m ready, I did my work and I come representing a very small country, but on Saturday it’s going to be a big country.”
On his style and if he can stop Curiel
“Of course I think I’m able to stop him. If not, I wouldn’t be here. The one thing I can promise is it’s going to be a great show.”
Avious Griffin Quotes
On what the underdog nickname means to him
“The underdog nickname comes from the lifestyle, coming from where I come from, Chattanooga, TN. A small neighborhood called Little Brighton, a lot of people don’t make it out, a lot of people don’t make it this far, on stage with Jake Paul, amongst these type of boxers at a high level. It just comes from being doubted and still rising to the occasion every time.”
On if he is confident he can stop Rodriguez
“Yes, sir. I’m here to do what I do. He’s supposed to be a tough opponent on paper, but I’ve overcame way more tougher things in life. I done faced murder charges, was innocent, 203-1, all types of things like that so a guy with a pair of gloves on ain’t talking about shit.
Julian Rodriguez Quotes
On what he’s going to do Saturday night
“I’m coming with everything on Saturday. This is a different level for him. I know what I see. I’m going to exploit all this man’s power on Saturday.”
Floyd Schofield Quotes
On his thoughts about former champ Farmer
“I was excited. I haven’t fought since November. Tevin has been on a good three fight streak. When I got the call, I was just excited and told my dad, ‘Take the fight. We’re ready.’”
On what happened in Saudi Arabia
“I don’t want to get too much into that topic. It is what it is, people may believe it, some not. I didn’t get to take the fight, so I’m here now.”
On what he’ll do to Farmer on Saturday
“Saturday night we’re going to see. I feel like he’s underestimating me, so we’ll see. The second Zepeda fight was a little shaky.”
Tevin Farmer Quotes
On what he makes of Floyd Schofield’s skills
“Every time I get asked this question, I really have to think. Stepping up to this level, I think nothing of him, but as a young fighter, competing with someone that’s not a veteran like me, if he was to compete with someone at his level, I would say he’s a great fighter. But stepping up to this level, I don’t know.
On why he is not impressed with Schofield
“What does he do great that I haven’t seen ever? He’s stepping in with Tevin Farmer. I’ve got so much shit he hasn’t seen, I’m going to test his composure, I’m going to test everything about him. There’s nothing he can test on me that I haven’t been through. He’s not stronger than me, he’s not smarter than me. You’re not (William) Zepeda.
Holly Holm Quotes
On how much she missed boxing
“I just like to follow my heart and my passion. This is what my heart is telling me to do right now, to come back to boxing. Out of all my prior boxing years, I never got to fight at this weight class, and the majority of my entire MMA career was at this weight class. I feel like it’s unfinished business to come back and be able to fight in a fourth division and fight for another title.”
On if she can be as good as she was when she left the sport
“I think I’m going to be better. I’ve learned over this last decade, it’s not just going back to what I did 10 years ago. It’s the fighter that I‘ve become now, and the skill set that I learned throughout the last 10 years. I’ve been in the gym, so there’s time spent, ring time spent, and I’ll be a better fighter than I was before.”
Yolanda Vega Quotes
On what it means to her to face a legend like Holly Holm
“It’s huge pride to have someone like Holly holm with her experience as an opponent, but I think it’s going to be time for her to realize this is the time for the new generation. She needs to retire.”
On she beats Holly Holm
“The work has been done in the gym, and on Saturday they will realize there is a new Mexican that will give face for the Mexican flag.
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