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| Credit: Amanda Westcott / DAZN USA |
Press
Release: By DAZN – NEW
YORK (April 22, 2019) -- Boxing's
pound-for-pound superstar attraction GENNADY "GGG" GOLOVKIN and undefeated Top-10
world-rated contender STEVE ROLLS kicked
off their coast-to-coast media tour with a New York press conference today at Madison Square
Garden. Golovkin (38-1-1,
34 KOs), from Karaganda, Kazakhstan,
formally announced to media that he is bringing his Big Drama Show back to the
"Mecca of Boxing" on Saturday, June 8, in a 12-round rumble
with Rolls (19-0,
10 KOs), who hails from Toronto. The fight will be contested at a maximum
weight of 164 lbs. and marksGGG’s
debut on DAZN, after signing a six-fight global partnership in
March.
Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin
“I’m very happy. I’m happy go back to the sport, I’m happy to be
back at Madison Square Garden. It’s a very interesting time for me. It’s an
amazing time for the sport and an amazing time for boxing. Madison Square
Garden, I feel like it’s my second home. [With Rolls,] it doesn’t matter who
says what, it’s going to be me and you in the ring and may the strongest man
win. I would like to wish him luck, and we’ll see what happens. I don’t have a
lot of time left in my career, this is the time when we’ll be able to give our
audience a good big show.”
Why 164? “I wanted to try it out, try this weight, but it wasn’t that big
of a deal for me to do this weight. And for my opponent, this would be a little
more comfortable since he usually fights at 168. I wouldn’t want him to be
uncomfortable.”
On his predictions for Canelo vs. Jacobs: “I
think it’s very hard to predict. It’s going to be a very important fight for
the middleweight division and for boxing in general. It’s pretty even keel.
Everyone has a chance. Everyone has a possibility to win. This is boxing, this
is even stuff. It’s going to be an interesting fight no matter what.”
On Canelo’s recent comments on only fighting GGG again if
he has a belt: “I think Canelo is not correct to say that. We have to see
what’s going to happen. I’m hoping to fight him, title or not.”
On his thoughts re: Jarrell Miller: “Doping
does exist in boxing. It’s a very unfortunate thing. I don’t have anything to
say. Hopefully boxing will go on without the doping.”
Tom Loeffler
“GGG has sold out the big arena at MSG
two times. For the fans, they just want to see him in the ring. With this fight
here against Steve Rolls, who’s undefeated and a hungry fighter from Canada.
For this fight, we kick off the DAZN multi-fight deal, and Steve Rolls makes
all the sense in the world. It always takes two to tango. We’ve always given
his opponent a level playing field, a fair shake, whatever it is. We always
want the person standing across the ring to feel like he’s really in this fight.”
“There are only a few fighters that can
sell out Madison Square Garden. Canelo fought here, in December, and he sold
out MSG. Anthony Joshua is coming here June 1. And we’re expecting to sell out
June 8. One thing that all three of these boxers have in common is that they
all signed with DAZN here in the United States.”
On a potential trilogy match against Canelo: “It’s why Gennady
signed with DAZN, it’s the clearest path to that. I don’t think the titles are
going to make a difference. Both GGG and Canelo are above needing a title at
this point in their career. Canelo fought here in December, he sold out MSG,
Gennady has fought here and he built his fight here in MSG. I think the third
fight will come down to economics. And location will be a part of the
negotiations, because now, he’s not obligated to fight in Vegas.”
Steve Rolls
“I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately and there are a couple
things I keep coming across – ‘Who is this guy?’ and ‘This is going to be a
tune-up fight.’ I’m the underdog that’s been hungry for this position. Make no
mistake this isn’t a tune-up. I’m coming to fight. And with everybody, who
doesn’t know me now, after June 8, you won’t forget me. I’ve got much respect
for Gennady Golovkin, but I’m coming to shock the world.”
“[Golovkin] has been a dominant middleweight, probably the best
for the last few decades. I’m not overlooking anything and I’m going in there
preparing for the best Golovkin. It’s going to be hell. It’s going to be a
grueling fight. But given it’s going to be at such a disadvantage, if there’s
anyone who can do it, that’s me.”
Lou DiBella
“If [Golovkin] thinks this is going to be a walkover, then this
is going to be a long f---ing night. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy
night for GGG. Rolls has been doing this a long time. I’m not bringing a victim
to MSG. I’m not. I don’t believe he’s a stepping stone for anybody. The future
of his family changes in one night with a good night. I’m not talking win,
loss, or draw, but a good night from Steve Rolls changes his life. It justifies
the half of his life that he’s spent doing this. So I’m happy he got here, I
think he deserves to be here. I hope that GGG is the best GGG because Steve
Rolls is a professional fighter, a good fighter who can knock him off his
course.”
“Personally, I’d rather see a guy who steps up to the opportunity
of a lifetime and has never tasted defeat. It’s better off seeing someone new,
fresh, hungry than someone recycled again. Rolls is a professional winner, not
a professional loser. He’s done everything that he was supposed to do and he’s
worked as hard as he can work for a long time, and I know he’s going to justify
this opportunity. He’s a balanced measured professional fighter and he’s going
to go in there and prove that to the world.”
“We know on June 8, Steve Rolls is getting the opportunity to
fight someone special. This is for him the lottery here. He’s wanted a big
fight, and he’s got the biggest. It’s his Super Bowl. He’s not going to roll
over for anyone – excuse the bad pun – and he’s not going to roll over for
Gennady Golovkin. He’s been waiting a long time for a chance, his moment, his
shot.”
About DAZN:
Globally, DAZN is
a live and on-demand sports streaming service created by fans, for fans, that
is leading the charge to provide access to sports anytime, anywhere. DAZN
guarantees no long-term contract, no bundles, just one affordable price for
access to all the service's sports on connected devices including smart TVs,
smartphones, tablets, games consoles and PCs. DAZN is currently
available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Canada, Italy and now the
U.S. where it is becoming a must-have service for sports fans, with a daily
show featuring live look-ins to Major League Baseball games beginning
in 2019 and more than 100 fight nights already lined up from
Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions, Bellator MMA, the World Boxing Super
Series and Combate Americas.
For more information, fans can follow DAZN’s U.S. social
channels: @DAZNUSA on Facebook, @DAZN_USA for
Twitter, and DAZN_USA for
Instagram.
Material Courtesy of: DAZN/Photo Courtesy of: Amanda Westcott/ DAZN USA Used with permission.
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