The final press conference was held today for “Warriors Collide”, the outstanding boxing event set for this Saturday, December 9 at the beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV and telecast live on HBO Boxing After Dark (10:20 p.m. ET/PT) and HBO Boxing Latino beginning at 1:05 a.m. ET/PT (tape delayed).
Among the boxing legends headed to Las Vegas to witness the fights are newly elected International Hall of Fame inductee ERIK MORALES, ‘El Grand Campeon Mexicano’, JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ SR. and Four Division World Champion JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ.
Presented by Zanfer Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and Tom Loeffler, tickets priced at $250, $200, $150, $100 and $30 are now on-sale and can be purchased at AXS.com or in person at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Box Office.
Below are quotes from the ten fighters on the HBO Boxing After Dark and HBO Latino telecasts.
ORLANDO SALIDO
“Thanks to everyone who’s made this possible, all the promoters in charge. I want to thank my trainer Santos Moreno for all his help. We know we’re in a very difficult fight and expect the best of Miguel Roman. There will be a fight in the ring on Saturday night and the fans know to expect that.”
MIGUEL ROMAN
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity and want to thank everyone involved. Thanks to HBO for putting this show together and putting me in the main event. My training was great with Rudy Hernandez and we’re prepared for the fight. I have a great deal of respect for Orlando Salido and that’s why I’ve trained so hard.”
TEVIN FARMER
“Thanks to HBO and Peter Nelson for this opportunity. Saturday night is a big night for me. I’ve worked very hard for a long time to become a world champion. I’ve earned my spot and I’m ready to become a world champion. I’ve watch Ogawa’s tapes, I’m sure he’s coming to win but I will be victorious on Saturday night.
KENICHI OGAWA
“Thanks very much to HBO and Teiken Promotions and Tom Loeffler. I’m not here as tourist, I’m here to win and go home a champion.”
FRANCISCO VARGAS
“Thanks very much to HBO, Golden Boy Promotions and my manager, Ralph Heredia for this great opportunity. I’m excited to get back in the ring, I took some time off but I’m ready to go now. I’m also very happy for the training that I’ve had with my new trainer Joel Diaz. I’m ready to give all the fans an action-packed fight and a great fight.”
STEPHEN SMITH
“Thanks very much to my team, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing along with my trainer Joe Gallagher. I’m very excited to be fighting in Las Vegas and against such a formidable foe in Francisco Vargas. Camp in England has been great and I’m ready to put on a show for the fans watching on HBO.”
DENIS SHAFIKOV
“I’m very thankful to Tom Loeffler and HBO for this opportunity, I’m very well prepared for victory.”
RENE ALVARADO
“I’ve prepared very well and I’m ready for a great fight against Denis Shafikov on Saturday night.”
JAIME MUNGIA
“As everyone knows I’m 25-0 and ready to put that perfect record on the line against Paul Valenzuela. I’m looking forward to putting on a show this Saturday night, my first time fighting in the United States.”
PAUL VALENZUELA
“I believe in myself and I’m ready to put on a great show. I’ve trained hard and may the best man win.”
The HBO Boxing After Dark tripleheader is headlined by the highly anticipated return of four-time world champion in two weight divisions, ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO (44-13-4, 31 KOs), of Sonora, MX, facing off against fellow Mexican warrior MIGUEL “Mickey” ROMAN (57-12, 44 KOs), of Chihuahua, MX, in a 10-round junior lightweight clash.
Also featured on the card is a bout between TEVIN “American Idol” FARMER (25-4-1, 5 KO’s), of Philadelphia, PA as he squares off against KENICHI OGAWA (22-1-0, 17 KO’s), of Tokyo, Japan for the vacant IBF Junior Lightweight World Title. Farmer vs. Ogawa is presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and Teiken Promotions.
Opening the HBO Boxing After Dark telecast is former WBC World Super Featherweight Champion FRANCISCO “El Bandido” VARGAS (23-1-2, 17 KOs) who will return to the ring once again to make a case for title contention when he takes on former two-time world title challenger STEPHEN “Swifty” SMITH (25-3, 15 KOs) in a 10-round super featherweight fight. Vargas vs. Smith is presented in association with Matchroom Boxing.
Headlining the HBO Latino Boxing telecast in a ten-round junior lightweight contest, two-time world title challenger DENIS SHAFIKOV, (38-3-1, 20 KO’s), of Miass, Russia now fighting out of Big Bear Lake, California will face-off against Managua, Nicaragua native RENE ALVARADO, (27-8-0, 19 KO’s).
Co-featured on the HBO Latino Boxing telecast, highly touted and undefeated junior middleweight prospect JAIME MUNGUIA, (25-0-0, 21 KO’s), of Tijuana, Mexico will face off against PAUL VALENZUELA (20-6-0, 14 KO’s) of Santa Rosalia, MX in a scheduled eight rounder.