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TERRELL GAUSHA ON ERISLANDY LARA CLASH: "IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING...I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEATING HIM"

By Press Release | October 12, 2017
TERRELL GAUSHA ON ERISLANDY LARA CLASH:

WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara and undefeated contender Terrell Gausha met with the New York media during a fight week open workout on Wednesday at Gleason’s Gym just days before they headline a Premier Boxing Champions event Saturday, Oct. 14 live on SHOWTIME from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING®.

The night of 154-pound action on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT with “Swift” Jarrett Hurd risking his IBF Junior Middleweight belt against former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout in the televised opener. In the co-feature, WBC Super Welterweight Champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo will defend against fellow unbeaten No. 1 contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin. 

Here’s what Lara and Gausha had to say on Wednesday:

ERISLANDY LARA

“I know that Gausha is a young undefeated Olympian who’s coming to take my title. But I don’t need to worry about him. I’ve got to worry about what I’m bringing into this fight.

“I don’t choose my fights, but I’m going to clean out the whole 154-pound division. There are a lot of young fighters now, but I’m going to just clean it out and show that I’m the best here. The Canelo rematch is there. The Golovkin fight is out there. I have unfinished business that has to be settled. Canelo knows who the true winner of our fight was, and he doesn’t want to do that fight again.

“There’s been a lot of catastrophes in the world lately in Houston, Puerto Rico and Florida. I’m fortunate that it only affected my training for three days so I was able to stay focused. I stayed at my house and I kept training.

“I would love to move up to 160 and Canelo and Golovkin are the top guys. But 154 is much deeper. Those are the two guys we want, but if we can’t get them then we have to stay at 154 and clean it out, like I said. There are just better fights at 154.

“If you look at Canelo’s record there are three marks. There’s Mayweather, me and Golovkin. Great fighters fix the wrongs on their record, and Canelo and his team will have to do that sooner or later.

“I don’t know what [Gausha] does well. I know on Saturday he’s going to have to show me something or he’ll be in trouble. After six rounds, I will be totally dominating. Just like I’ve done in all my fights.”

TERRELL GAUSHA

“I’m real confident that I walk away with the world title. I’m blessed as well as happy that [this fight] is happening. It’s been a long time coming. Hard work pays off.

“I have an interesting fighting style, I really can’t put my finger on it. I can make adjustments and I have that will to win, that hunger.

“[Being a top amateur] gives me a lot of confidence because there are a lot of styles that I’ve dealt with. There’s nothing that I haven’t really seen before. Having that experience, going to the Olympics, having all those people watching me, the pressure – I’m made for the bright lights.

“[Lara] has a lot of experience. He’s crafty. I haven’t been in camp with the type of fighters he’s been in there with. That pressure – I use it to my advantage. When I win, it’s going to be a big notch for me to show that I’m at the top of my division.

“He’s the champion so I know that he knows what he’s up against. I feel like he’s trained real well. I’m looking for the best Erislandy Lara come fight night because I trained hard and I’m ready.

“[Moving up to 160] is definitely a possibility because I’m not a little 154-pounder. It’s taken a lot of sacrifices to make this weight but I did it right this time. I’m not struggling with the weight. First, I’m going to take care of 154.

“Being two-time National Champ, going to the Olympics, fighting overseas, the pressure that came with making the Olympic team just built me for this moment.

“This is not the first time that I’ve been the underdog. I know how to handle those situations. It’s not about what they think. It’s about what I know I can do. Of course they’re going to think that [he’s the favorite] because he’s been in there with guys like Paul Williams and Canelo [Alvarez]. I just haven’t had my chance to display my skills at that level yet, but I’m here now.

“I’ve had a lot of fights, I can’t even count how many. I’ve been doing this since the age of 10. I look forward to these big fights. A lot of guys you fight don’t have the name, but Erislandy Lara has the name and the credentials. I’m looking forward to beating him come Saturday night.”

# # #

Tickets to the event are on sale now and start at $50 (not including applicable fees). Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, barclayscenter.com or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.

Also on-hand Wednesday at Gleason’s were several of the top local undercard fighters who will be competing on the card.

Brooklyn’s Cindy Serrano will be making her Barclays Center debut in an eight-round special attraction bout. Brooklyn native 2016 Haitian Olympian Richardson Hitchins will fight in a four-round welterweight bout. Brooklyn’s Julian Sosa will enter the ring for a six-round welterweight attraction and George Arias of the Bronx will be fighting an eight-round heavyweight bout.

CINDY SERRANO

“This is my first time fighting at Barclays and I’m honored to be fighting on such a prestigious stage.

“I’ve been fighting for 15 years and when I started there were no females fighting. But I’m impressed with some of the women fighters out here now. There are some young ones that I hope stay around for a while because there is incentive and the pay will be there. So I’ll just keep on going after it until my time is up.”

JULIAN SOSA

“I’ve seen a few of his fights online. He’s a traditional Mexican fighter, so he brings a lot of pressure and a lot of angled shots to the head, to the body and uses his uppercut. I haven’t seen a lot of straight punches from him. That’s more my style. I’m more of a counter-puncher, boxer-puncher. When I’m in the ring with him I’ll see what he has, as far as his speed and his power.

“My father was a former boxer and he’s been training me since day one. He’s always been by my side and he’s my role model and just so glad we get to share this moment together.

“It’s surreal that this is my fourth time fighting at Barclays Center. It’s still shocking and humbling knowing that I can fight in big venues like this.”

RICHARDSON HITCHINS

“I know I’m young, but I think once I move up to six rounds my competition will step up. It’s a great card and I think Lara will win, and Lubin all the way. I see the Trout-Hurd fight as 50-50, but I would lean toward Hurd.

“I don’t know anything about my opponent. In the amateurs all you know is the city. You’re fighting a guy from Philadelphia. Or a guy from Vegas. And how you fight is all based on where he’s from. Like if you fight a guy from [California] then he’s going to put on pressure. So I’ll be quick to adapt, and it doesn’t really matter who the guy is or what he brings.

“I’m ready to start building my legacy.”

GEORGE ARIAS

“I’ve put in the work and I’m hoping the results are the same from my last few fights. I’ll be ready to exchange and do what I need to do to get the win.

“I know my opponent has a good jab and he has a lot of experience and he’s strong. They could throw me in there with someone 0-70 and I’d give the same intensity as someone undefeated. Every fighter I face is a world champion in my eyes.

“I predict a second round knockout. I’m always looking for the knockout, at least early on.”

The Premier Boxing Champions event is headlined by Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara defending against undefeated Terrell Gausha in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING. Coverage on SHOWTIME begins live at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features hard-hitting unbeaten champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo taking on top contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin and “Swift” Jarrett Hurd making his first title defense against tough former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout.

For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports,www.PremierBoxingChampions.com, follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @PremierBoxing, @LouDiBella, @TGBPromotions @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm  or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter, and www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment

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