"Hey, he's the champ, right? I mean, he's undefeated. He's doing something right, so if that mouth helps him, hey, more power to him. But he's never fought anybody like me...I think that everything that's happened in my career has prepared me for this day, for February 25th, and I don't think Adrien Broner has a clue of what he's getting himself into...whatever he thinks, whatever he's wanting to do, I'm going to better, stronger, and faster that night. I'm just ready for whatever he's got for me. I'm always prepared," stated undefeated super featherweight contender Eloy Perez, who talked about his upcoming February 25th clash with WBO super featherweight champion Adrien Broner. Check out what else he had to say!
BT: Eloy, what's going on? You're big fight is right around the corner. How's everything going in training?
EP: Everything's going good, man. I was in Oakland and now I'm here in Oxnard sparring. Everything's on track. I'm ready for whatever he's got for me.
BT: Well, if you've seen any of Broner's interviews, he says he's got a lot for you (laughing).
EP: Hey, when we walk in the ring, there's gonna be nowhere else to go. Somebody's losing and it sure ain't gonna be me.
BT: What do you think about some of the things he's been saying leading up to this fight?
EP: You know, I'm not the kind of guy to bash on anybody. Hey, he's the champ, right? I mean, he's undefeated. He's doing something right, so if that mouth helps him, hey, more power to him. But he's never fought anybody like me. He's going to have to live up to that. I mean, he has to live up to, "How you going to let some punk Mexican kid beat your ass and nobody even knows him?" He should really keep his mouth shut, work hard, and then talk the shit after he beats me or not.
BT: A lot of people think that his toughest test so far has been with Daniel Ponce De Leon, a fight that some think he lost. Did you guys study a lot of that fight?
EP: Of course my team is looking at the Ponce De Leon fight, but it's not even just that fight. His mistakes, I'm going to try to capitalize on and just be ready for whatever he has to throw at me. I don't think he's fought anybody like the people that I've fought, my opponents, the fighters I've had in my career as far as skill for skill, but it's also experience too, you know? I've seen a lot of different types of fighters. I've also been in some weird ass fights, like Dominic Salcido. I think that everything that's happened in my career has prepared me for this day, for February 25th, and I don't think Adrien Broner has a clue of what he's getting himself into.
BT: Of the guys you've fought, who would you compare him to?
EP: I don't even want to say Dannie Williams because I think Dannie Williams is better than Adrien Broner. I mean, I don't know. He's just one guy, you know? I don't think he's that good. I mean, he's got skills, but I don't think he...he shouldn't be something that he's not. He should just be Adrien Broner and work off of something that he's good at instead of trying to be somebody else, because that's what's going to hurt him.
BT: Do you think he might be underestimating you just because you don't have a lot of knockouts?
EP: Hey, whatever he thinks, whatever he's wanting to do, I'm going to better, stronger, and faster that night. I'm just ready for whatever he's got for me. I'm always prepared.
BT: You sound like you're done with the talking and you're just ready to get in that ring and land some leather (laughing).
EP: It just pisses me off, you know, because he's a world champ, man. Be a role model, dawg! Don't be telling your dad, you know, comb your hair. If I did that to my dad, he'd smack the shit out of me. I bet if you told your dad to comb your hair, he'd probably smack you too, you know? I mean, at least respect your father. The way we grew up, you respect the man that gave you life. Obviously, you know, I can't even diss on Adrien's dad because I don't know him or their relationship, but I mean, you don't ever do that to your parents. You don't disrespect them like that.
BT: Do you think maybe that's just an act though, like he's trying to create a character or a persona kind of like Floyd Mayweather.
EP: Shit, I don't know. It just makes him look like a clown, you know? I mean, I wouldn't be able to tell you. If he wants to be like Floyd, let him try to be Floyd, but he ain't Floyd. There's only one Floyd Mayweather, you know what I mean? He's the shit, you know? He made it work for him. He's the man, you know? Adrien Broner ain't no Mayweather. He's Adrien Broner, just like I'm Eloy Perez. I'm nobody like nobody else; there's no one that's just like me. We all gotta build our own legacies.
BT: What do you expect to see from him when the action starts?
EP: You know, I'm thinking he's going to come at me. He can do a lot of things. He can just come right over to me and just throw all these power shots. He can come out that way or he can try to outbox me and try to counter me coming in. He's going to try to catch me. He's quick, he's fast, he's got skills, he's got God-given talent, you know, but I'm a smart fighter, I'm a fast fighter, and I'm explosive. I'm not going to go into his game plan. He can do a lot of things. You just don't know so I'm prepared for whatever he's got.
BT: There should be a good crowd in St. Louis, plus the fight is being televised on HBO, so you're definitely going to have a chance to make an impression on a lot of people.
EP: This is a big opportunity for me. I don't think a lot of people are giving me a chance, which I don't care. I am the underdog; I'm not the champ. They should underestimate me. I give my critics that; they should be tearing me apart and they should be backing Adrien, but we'll see February 25th when I prove everybody wrong and I show the world who Eloy Perez is.
BT: Is that frustrating to hear when people don't give you a shot and just write you off?
EP: It doesn't even faze me. I'm actually digging it, you know? I want to prove them all wrong. The ones that really got my back and believed in me, they're with me and we can say, "Hey, we proved you fucking wrong. You guys fucking don't even know what you're talking about." They're picking Adrien Broner because he's the champ or because he's been on HBO so many times. I mean, more props for Adrien, you know. He's making money, he's known, I mean, that's what this game is about, right? It's all about competing against the best and seeing who is the better competitor. That's what I'm all about. The money comes with that; that's a blessing. The fame, that's a blessing. Winning and being able to show your God-given talent, I mean, that's what this game is about. That's just what I think, but what do I know?
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