"I feel great now. I feel like 175 is the weight that I belong at. I feel like I'm strong and I'm fast and I feel like I'm the best light heavyweight. I just need the opportunity to prove it, and this is one of them and I'm excited...I'm focused on Baker. He's an undefeated hungry fighter, but that's the goal. I want to fight the best guy so I can prove that I'm the best. Adonis Stevenson is a good fighter. He has proved he's the world champion and that's who I want in the future," stated light heavyweight contender Edwin Rodriguez, who talked about his upcoming clash this Saturday with fellow light heavyweight contender Craig Baker. Check out what else he had to say!
Edwin Rodriguez: Yes. First of all, I'd like to thank you, Lou, for bringing me back on NBC and giving me such a great opportunity and also to Al Haymon and the NBC crew. I'm ready to show the world that I'm one of the best or the best 175 pound fighter in the world. I just got to prove it and this is one of the steps to do it, fighting an undefeated fighter, Craig Baker, who's hungry and I'm excited because I know that he's hungry; I'm hungry to get at that elite level. It's going to be a great fight for the fans.
Q: Edwin, what will it mean to you to fight so close to Worcester?
E. Rodriguez: It means a lot because I haven't fought at home for about four years now. So, I'm excited to come back and fight close to home with family and friends supporting me. It's something that helps me and pushes me to take it to the next level.
Q: Edwin, first question; how do you feel at light-heavyweight? Are you more comfortable now than you were at super middleweight? Do you feel stronger, and is your stamina a little better?
E. Rodriguez: I feel great now. I feel like 175 is the weight that I belong at. I feel like I'm strong and I'm fast and I feel like I'm the best light heavyweight. I just need the opportunity to prove it, and this is one of them and I'm excited.
Q: You're with Al Haymon. Adonis Stevenson is with Al Haymon. Is that what boxing and fans can assume, that this is all building towards a fight with Adonis Stevenson for the title?
E. Rodriguez: Right now, I'm focused on Baker. He's an undefeated hungry fighter, but that's the goal. I want to fight the best guy so I can prove that I'm the best. Adonis Stevenson is a good fighter. He has proved he's the world champion and that's who I want in the future. So, I'm just setting myself up and I'm working hard to look impressive against Baker and to get my opportunity to show the world that I'm on the best.
Q: Edwin, what impresses you about Craig Baker?
E. Rodriguez: He's a hungry fighter and it doesn't matter who he's fought. He's undefeated and you can't take an undefeated fighter lightly, especially one that defeated a guy that had over 400 amateur fights and was a big prospect in the pros, like Savigne. You can't take a guy like Craig Baker lightly.
Q: You've defeated undefeated fighters in the past. So, how is your confidence level going in when you fight somebody who hasn't lost?
E. Rodriguez: I believe a lot of my skills and I'm very confident, but I'm not stupid. I know that a fighter who's undefeated comes in with a very strong mentality and I'm ready. I've been working hard for this fight knowing that this guy is undefeated and I have to take that away from him. But at the same time, we've got to respect everyone because we're all competitors and it's all about looking good and winning and he's just in my way right now.
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