Juan Manuel Marquez Exclusive Interview From Mexico City Training Camp

With a little over two weeks left before the anticipated Welterweight clash between 5 time world champion and current Lightweight champ Juan Manuel Marquez and former pound for pound Champ "Pretty Boy" Floyd Mayweather also know as "Money", we sat down in Mexico City at the well known Gym Romanza with Juan Manuel for an exclusive interview.

Cesar: Hello Juan Manuel, thanks for taking the time to sit down and talk with us.

JM: Sure it's no problem.

Cesar: First off, how's your training going here in Mexico City?

JM: It's going really well and I feel very strong. We've been at it for 5-6 weeks now and I honestly feel we are at the best we can be.

Cesar: Do you think the change of the fight date affected you or your training?

JM: No, not at all. When we found out of the cancelation we stopped and I rested for about 15 days and then we started up again and went at it full strength. We are peaking right now but we want to be careful that we don't over train. We are only sparring every other day, so come fight night we are hungry and ready to fight.

Cesar: Are you working on anything in particular when going against Mayweather?

JM: Yes, definitely! We are working a lot of defense, learning Mayweather's technique and actions and how to cut the ring off and limit his movement while at the same time working on throwing combinations while on the inside. These are all fundamentals that can help us come fight night.

Cesar: Have you brought in any special sparring partners to prepare?

JM: We brought in a guy from Cuba named Robert Norris and others from Monterey and Panama who are very fast and have Mayweather's similar style of coming in with his shoulder high and rolling to the right looking for counters. These are two tactics that have made him very affective and we are trying are best to be prepared for the style he brings to the ring.

Cesar: You've heard the rumors that you are too small for Mayweather and the increase in weight will play the big factor in this fight, what do you think about this?

JM: Well people can think what they want and everyone is always going to have an opinion. We feel we have been working very hard and we are very happy on how strong we feel and how successfully we've gained the weight. Not just to be heavier but we have gained the weight through proper muscle growth. So we are very confident come fight night and come fight night people will see this.

Cesar: What would like all the Diamond Boxing readers and boxing fans that are anticipating this fight to know?

JM: First off, I would like to say hello to all the Boxing fans in general and to my fans who are routing for me in this fight. This is going to be a great fight and I give you all the thanks for your support for the upcoming September 15th fight which is also Mexico's independence day. I know we will all be there together and god willing all be happy after the win.

Cesar: Well Juan Manuel, We know you are busy with your preparations so you can do your best and give your fans everything you got. So on behalf of myself and Diamond Boxing we thank you for your time and wish you the best of luck on September 15th.

JM: It's been my pleasure and thank you.

Source: http://diamondboxing.com/newsstory.php?list=9394

Mayweather-Marquez puts boxing back in theaters

Boxing is coming back to the big screen.
Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s eagerly anticipated showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez on Sept. 19 will be showcased live in about 170 theaters nationwide, promoters announced Monday. The fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will also air on HBO pay-per-view.

Richard Shaefer of Golden Boy Promotions said he'd been considering theater feeds for several years, ever since a trip to the movies with his kids. Unaware that live boxing has a long history on the big screen, Shaefer's children asked him whether it was possible today.

"I always try to see ways we can expand the message in the sport of boxing and increase the distribution," Shaefer said during a conference call.

"Actually," he added, "my kids said, 'Wouldn't it be great?'"

Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs), considered one of the sport's pound-for-pound kings, will be fighting for the first time since ending a brief retirement. The flamboyant six-time world champion will be taking on a five-time champion in Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), headlining a stacked card that includes two other title fights.

All of the televised undercard fights will also be shown in theaters.

The decision is part of a comprehensive marketing thrust that includes 30-second previews, much like film trailers, shown on about 1,500 screens before the start of movies for the next several weeks. Tickets for the actual fight are expected to be about $15.

"We're truly excited to be once again working on a great promotional team with Golden Boy, and this is truly going to be a record-breaking event," said Leonard Ellerbe of Mayweather Promotions. "Richard has this great mindset where he thinks so big."

The first fight to be publicly shown in theaters was Eric Boon against Arthur Danaher on Feb. 23, 1939, in London. The format gained popularity in the 1950s, after Joe Louis defeated Lee Savold in a fight beamed to thousands from Madison Square Garden, and a young Muhammad Ali earned a tremendous following around the country during the 1960s.

His epic fight against Joe Frazier in March 1971 at the Garden was seen worldwide.

The rise of pay-per-view coincided with the demise of boxing on the big screen, as fans began to watch high-profile fights from the comfort of home. Among the last fights widely shown in theaters was Ray Leonard's infamous "no mas" victory over Roberto Duran in November 1980.

"I really think the younger audience, the fans that go to a theater on Saturday night, they don't want to stay at home," Shaefer said. "I think this is going to open up the sport of boxing to a new and younger audience."

Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom, the company that is helping bring the fight to the theaters, said he wasn't sure what to expect in terms of attendance. He did say that if the event is a success, there could be additional megafights shown in theaters.

"We are clearly expecting this to be tremendously successful," Diamond said. "Certainly other promoters are welcome to contact us, but at this time our main focus is to make sure this fight is as successful as it can be."

HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg believes that the promotion _ particularly the 30-second previews during what is traditionally a heavy moviegoing season _ will outweigh any potential loss in pay-per-view sales.

He also thinks the majority of fans will still choose to watch the fight at home.

"There's a limited audience that wants that communal feeling for an old-fashioned, closed-circuit broadcast," Greenburg told The Associated Press.

"I think the marketing effort in those theaters for the next eight weeks, six weeks, will definitely add significant awareness, and that's really important."

Source: http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2009/08/29/ap/sports/boxing/box_mayweather_marquez_theaters.txt

FREDDIE ROACH: "I HEAR MAYWEATHER IS NOT LOOKING THAT GREAT"

"They've already given up on the PPV audience. They know it's not going to sell. Someone's going to take a bath in that fight," stated world-class trainer Freddie Roach as he shared his thoughts on the upcoming September 19 Mayweather vs. Marquez clash and the recent announcement that the event would be shown in movie theaters across the country. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, along with Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe, made the "major announcement" during a media conference call earlier this week.

Unimpressed with the move, Roach is even less impressed with the matchup between the two fighters. "The styles just don't matchup. Style make fights. People know the sytles of both by nature are counterpunchers," Roach stated. "Marquez has changed his style somewhat; he's more offensive, but still, his best fight is as a counterpuncher. That's why he did so well against Pacquiao because Manny is so aggressive and he's used to attacking so much that his counterpunching style is great for that. When he doesn't have a guy that comes to him, he's not as effective," he added.

Regardless, Roach is still adamant about his desire for Manny Pacquiao to face Mayweather next after his anticipated November 14 clash with Miguel Cotto. If what Roach says about Mayweather is true, it's understandable why he's eager to face the undefeated fighter. "I hear Mayweather is not looking that great," he stated, alluding to the fact that Mayweather has been looking a little rusty in training. On top of that, Mayweather is now dealing with a number of issues outside the ring. "I hear he got in a gun battle somewhere along the lines; his car was abandoned. They say he wasn't involved, but the police did search his house so they think there's some involvement obviously. It's a little chaotic right now," Roach added.

No matter the outcome of the September 19 showdown, Roach is certain that the winner will be Manny Pacquiao's next opponent. "I like Mayweather and I like Marquez and I wish them both the best. I hope the fight turns out really well for them, but I would definitely want the winner," Roach reiterated. While a third fight with Marquez is intriguing, it's the Mayweather fight that everyone is eager to see. Given that all parties are interested in the bout, it looks like the only things standing in the way of making it happen are Juan Manuel Marquez and egos.

Source: http://fighthype.com/pages/content5570.html

Odds Are 08.29.09: Mayweather/Marquez

As go Vegas odds, so goes public opinion. So what do the high rollers in Vegas say about Mayweather/Marquez?

Everything in Vegas can be worked out to two things: numbers and dollars. Sports, particularly boxing, doesn't fail in this either. Most big fights, and even some of the smaller ones out here, give those looking to make a quick buck a chance to test their knowledge of the fight game and to test their luck as well. And usually as the odds swing, so swings public opinion of the fight. "Odds Are" that every other week, we'll check out what the odds are saying about different fights here in Las Vegas, and if they on track or way off.

For September 19th's bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez, the Odds Are:

Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (Las Vegas Strip)
Floyd Mayweather Jr. -400
Juan Manuel Marquez +330

Round Proposition Bet -- Based on 11 1/2 rounds
Will Go +110
Won't Go -130


BodogSports (online)
Floyd Mayweather Jr. -350
Juan Manuel Marquez +275

For those who have never bet in a Las Vegas sportsbook, odds are best understood by bets of $100. Odds beginning with a minus (-) indicate a favorite, and winning bets will consist of mostly wagered money. Odds beginning with a plus (+) indicate an underdog, and winning bets will consist of mostly prize money. For example, using the Mandalay Bay numbers, a winning $100 bet on Juan Manuel Marquez will win a prize of $330 dollars. Therefore, the bettor would walk away with $430 (the original $100 plus the $330 prize money). Conversely, a bet on Floyd Mayweather would require a $400 bet to win $100; a $100 bet would only earn a prize of $25 (the bettor would then walk away with $125).

Although common perception is that Floyd's the favorite, momentum is building for Marquez. People are starting to put their fingers on attributes he has that tell people IF it's going to happen, it's going to happen this way or that way. So as the fight gets closer, don't be surprised if the odds shrink closer too. Over 3 to 1 odds on Marquez is not a bad value bet, and may be worth your time.

In addition, Mandalay Bay is offering a rounds proposition bet. For this bet to pay, the line is 1 minute and 31 seconds into the eleventh round. I'm surprised that the favorite is in the Won't Go. Marquez has a chin, and he's been in many a war. I don't see Floyd delivering anywhere near that kind of punishment. Try making a small bet on the Will Go, because I think this fight will see the cards.

HBO Boxing: Mayweather vs. Marquez: Fight Preview (Video)

Preview one of the most anticipated match-ups of the year. Undefeated Floyd Mayweather returns to the ring against 5 time world champion Juan Manuel Marquez on Sat., Sept. 19, Live on HBO Pay-Per-View.



Source: http://www.nowboxing.com/2009/08/26/hbo-boxing-mayweather-vs-marquez-fight-preview-video/

Mayweather Will Have More Than Marquez On His Mind

The upcoming Mayweather-Marquez catch-weight fight is getting a little more interesting. And all due credit for that has to be given to Floyd Mayweather. Forget about how you great you think he is or isn't as a fighter, Mayweather must be given his props for the way he's navigated his career since turning pro in October of 1996.

Mayweather gets to call the shots more so than anyone in boxing right now with the exception of Manny Pacquiao. I like Mayweather a lot as a fighter and think more highly of him than some may think. However, he's not a fighter I'll remember after he retires. When I think of an all-time great fighter/boxer, the name Floyd Mayweather isn't remotely close to the top of the list of fighters who I recall or think of.

However, when I think of fighters who were brilliantly managed he's at the top of the list. Even more so than Mike Tyson. In fairness to Floyd, Mike was a heavyweight and had dynamite in both hands along with combining speed and accuracy. Tyson was the best promoted fighter in boxing history, but he was also managed by two guys, Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton, who were terrific at manipulating the boxing media. And they were aided by the fact that even the most novice boxing observer only had to watch Tyson fight once to see he was not just another heavyweight who could punch, something that made promoting and selling him much easier than Mayweather.

Mayweather is a fighter that you have to see fight a few times to appreciate some of the little subtle things he does in the ring that are calculated and thought out. More than that, he's basically managed himself and learned exceedingly fast just how the business of boxing works outside the ring. This led to him taking a more active role than most other upper-tier fighters have in how their career progressed and moved along. It may have not always made for the best fights from a spectator vantage point, but it's served him well and the risk/reward factor just about always worked to his advantage.

Some fighters are born with the "it" factor when it comes to charisma and fan appeal. Muhammad Ali was an irresistible presence and a huge draw whether he was a bad guy in the sixties or a good guy during the seventies. Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya were perceived as good guys and both loved playing that up. Floyd doesn't have natural charisma. He comes off badly and is hard to tolerate when assuming the role as the bad guy, and he's dull and boring when playing the good guy role. That's why he's really gone out of his way to pump up the PPV sales for his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez. Mayweather got where he is on the backs of bigger ticket sellers, and now he's fooled people into believing that he's a ticket seller.

Only this time it's all on him because he has purposely gone out of his way to make it about him. In Mayweather's three highest profile bouts against Arturo Gatti, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, his opponent had the bigger following and was considered the bigger draw. Both Gatti and De La Hoya earned a bigger purse than Mayweather when they fought, and in De La Hoya's case it was slightly more than twice as much as Mayweather.

In his upcoming fight with Marquez, Mayweather is clearly the star and draw. That said, Marquez is/was a great fighter with a huge Hispanic following. And as Floyd himself has said repeatedly, "(B)lacks and Hispanics" dominate boxing. If fighting Marquez weren't enough to keep Mayweather occupied, a few weeks ago he dared UFC head Dana White to schedule UFC 103 the same night he fights Marquez. And to the shock of no one, White did just that.

Mayweather has gone out of his way in taking shots at MMA and acting as if it's irrelevant, even though it's not. The fact of the matter is Mayweather for the first time in his career has to carry the promotion and must do it on a night that runs in direct competition with another combat sport. Most believe that Mayweather will beat Marquez, but odds are it won't be a terrific fight, simply because of Floyd's size advantage coupled with his mindset and style. The intrigue of Mayweather fighting Marquez isn't whether or not he'll win, it's more the case of gauging how much he has left and how he matches up with Manny Pacquiao for a Super-Fight hopefully sometime next year.

Ever since he's announced his comeback, Mayweather has proclaimed he's the top draw in boxing. Obviously, he's concerned about living up to that and if for some reason UFC 103 has a better buy rate than his fight with Marquez, he'll never be able to live it down. That's the reason for his appearance on the WWE's "Monday Night RAW." Along with that the Mayweather-Marquez fight will be available at a discounted price in some movie theaters across the country, something that hasn't happened since the second fight between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard back in November of 1980. That was a time when that was the only way to see a big fight live without attending it in person.

You better believe Mayweather will have more than just Juan Manuel Marquez on his mind the night of September 19th 2009. He not only has to beat Marquez somewhat convincingly in the ring, he also has to beat UFC 103 at the gate. One fight will tell us where he's at as a fighter, the other will inform us just how big of a PPV star Floyd Mayweather really is. If he's able to pull this one off, in spite of all of the obvious marketing distractions with the fight, he really has shown incredible savvy.

And because of that, Mayweather-Marquez is a little more interesting.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Source: http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/7140/mayweather-more-than-marquez-his-mind/

News JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ & TRAINER "NACHO" BERISTAIN MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT

Oscar de la Hoya: We are here to once again introduce to you to Mayweather vs. Marquez "Number One/ Numero Uno," which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and is in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions. We have a great line up of sponsors and I want to thank the sponsors for making themselves available in promoting this fight--Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines, where every single sponsor - and this is unheard of - is doing activations all over the country and making sure people are aware of the fight, getting people excited about the fight and therefore we are going to witness the biggest event of this year in the sport of boxing. Thanks to the participants and thanks to the great sponsors. The fight is Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and live on pay-per-view. And again we at Golden Boy, are very proud to announce that we will be showing this fight in more than 170 movie theaters across the country which is unheard of in the sport of boxing, but that goes to show you that the interest, the creative mind that we have among our teams with Mayweather and Marquez and Golden Boy, that we really can promote an event and make it the biggest possible in our sport. Tickets are priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300, $150 and can be purchased at mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com. We are once again honored and proud to be partnering with HBO, and 24/7 will be premiering Saturday, August 29 10:15 pm ET/PT. And now I am going to introduce you to the trainer of Marquez, and that is the Hall of Fame trainer who also trained Marquez's brother Rafael Marquez and that is the Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain.

Ignacio "Nacho" Beristain: I would like to send a special hello and best wishes to everybody. All the boxing fans around the world--not just California, not just Nevada, but everywhere because this is a fight that the whole world's been waiting for. So I'd like to send all the best to everybody.

Oscar de la Hoya: I would now like to introduce to you - he's the number two pound-for-pound on the list. He's the number one Mexican fighter in the world. People would even consider him the number one fighter pound-for-pound in the world. He has a record of 54 with 37 KOs, he is trained and managed by Nacho Beristain he has had a great 15-year career. Former WBA/WBO Featherweight World Champion, he also had a great tremendous amateur career with Golden Glove win under his belt. His first fight against Manny Pacquiao on May 8, 2004 ended in a draw and the second fight against Manny Pacquiao on March 15, 2008, he lost in a highly controversial split decision. He was the first to stop Casamayor in September 2008. And most recently, he stopped Juan Diaz in the ninth round for the WBO/WBA 135 pound title fight in February of 2009. Without any further ado I would love to introduce to you the champ from Mexico City, Mexico, Juan Manuel "Dinamita" Marquez.

Juan Manuel Marquez: First of all thank you very much I'm very, very happy to be here and I want to thank all the fans for all the support they're giving me. We're very, happy with the way training is going and the preparation, it's gone very well. And I send all the best to all the fans around the world. Thank you.

Q: Juan, I have two quick questions and first it's with the utmost respect that I ask what is your strategy for beating someone who is naturally bigger, faster and younger? And secondly has it been hard to retain your speed while you put on weight?

Juan Manuel Marquez: Well the strategy is that you have use to counter the speed, the youth and the bigger fighters is the strategy that I've always used in my fights...a lot of intelligence and a lot of the skill is what has brought me to where I'm at today. And to answer the second question, we've maintained work and speed at the same time. When I finish sparring sessions with the bigger gloves, I take them off and I put on the lighter gloves to work on speed. So throughout camp that I've worked on speed so that we have that when it comes to fight night.

Q: Juan Manuel, you mentioned your intelligence and using that as an advantage, but I also want to know if you believe Mayweather's lay off is something that you can exploit in any way?

Juan Manuel Marquez: No, that's not even in my mind. We're not working or training for Mayweather that's been out of the ring or that can be less fast, not as fast or without the distance. I'm training for the best Mayweather there is. And that's what we're working hard to achieve, working on the speed, working on the strategy inside the ring. We're looking forward to facing the best Mayweather.

Q: Oscar, this fight on paper, when you look at these two fighters, Juan Manuel obviously is one of the best fighters in the world pound-for-pound, but there seems to be prevailing thought that he's too small for Floyd. And do you think people are looking past his overall accomplishments and what is it that you can do as a promoter to convince people more that this is a very competitive fight?

Oscar de la Hoya: Well we're coming into a new era in boxing where weight doesn't matter anymore. It's all about who wants to fight, who has the better skill, who really wants it. I think in past fights including mine with Manny Pacquiao, it doesn't matter how big you are. It doesn't matter how small you are. It matters how much you want it because inside the ring, if you fight until the end you're going to win the fight. And one thing about Juan Manuel Marquez, I mean I was with him in the press conference with Mayweather and he's not that much bigger. And so I think it's going to be a huge advantage for Marquez going up a few pounds and Mayweather having to come down just the way it was with Pacquiao and myself, and I feel that people know that Mayweather is in for one tough fight on September 19. Marquez will have the whole nation of Mexico behind him because it will be the Mexican Independence weekend and that is a lot of pressure on Mayweather because he has to perform. He has been away for almost two years and Mayweather has to perform so I think it's going to be one tremendous fight where you can never ever count out the smaller guy.

Q: Juan Manuel, how do you imagine the fight? How do you plan on stopping him and - or how do you plan on stopping his speed?

Juan Manuel Marquez: It's going to be a very difficult fight, I am going to come in with a lot of speed like I have always done and that makes it very difficult. And to the second question, you've got to come in and bob and weave and bend and make him miss and then counter him and wait for the right moments and pick your shots.

Q: With less than a month to go for the fight, how is the preparation and how are you feeling?

Juan Manuel Marquez: Very good. The preparation has gone very, very well. There have been no injuries and come September 19 we're going to be ready.

Q: Do you think this fight with Mayweather is going to be much more difficult than your fights with Pacquiao?

Juan Manuel Marquez: Yes, definitely, I do believe so. He's a counter puncher, he's very fast and elusive and also a very defensive fighter so that will make it much more difficult.

Q: Sunday was your birthday. How did you celebrate it?

Juan Manuel Marquez: I celebrated with my family, but I am very concentrated right now, I'm totally focused on the fight. And I just spent some time with my family which is very important. But right now my focus is on the fight.

Q: Nacho, I'm not sure this is accurate, but a Filipino Web site quotes you saying that you are concerned about Juan Manuel's speed in light of him building up in bulk. Is that true? And either way is that a concern? Or has his speed declined at all because of the bulk?

Nacho Beristain: No, there's always concern when you're bulking up in weight and working and training that you're going to lose a little bit of speed. But no, on the contrary I'm very happy to say that Juan at this point in training has been acquiring much more speed than in fights in the past. Everything's come together. So, we're looking very, very good. I'm very happy to how things are coming along. And we'll see on September 19.

Q: One last follow-up for Juan, is there any way to quantify how much weight you've gained either in pounds or kilos or are you not clear on how much you've gained in terms of bulk?

Juan Manuel Marquez: With the postponement of the fight it was originally scheduled for July and then moved over to September. It actually helped us to continue working on building muscle. Right now I'm approximately about 65 kilos. And I'm very happy. I mean its all muscle and I feel good. I feel strong.

Q: The promotion for this fight is very, very big. In fact, Oscar it seems even bigger than some of your fights. I know that this fight will be shown in movie theaters in the US. Where will it be shown in Mexico?

Oscar de la Hoya: Yes, you have two great fighters, the best fighters, in boxing today. And not only the best fighters in boxing, but the best fighters that the fans want to see.

And you're right, that this fight is being promoted bigger than a lot of my fights. We're going to be showing it in 170 theaters across the country, but also in Mexico with Televisa.

Q: Oscar, as a promoter of this fight, can you visualize and can you see maybe down the line the winner of Marquez and Mayweather fighting the winner of Pacquiao-Cotto?

Oscar de la Hoya: Right now let's concentrate on this fight. And obviously if Marquez wins this fight he becomes one of the biggest fighters in Mexico along the lines of Julio Cesar Chavez. But after this fight we will sit down and go over everything. There's a lot of fights out there for him. And let's concentrate on this fight at the moment.

Q: Yes. The other day at WWE Monday Night Raw, one of the wrestlers predicted that Juan Manuel was going to knock out Mayweather. So, the question is, Juan, do you expect or are you going out there for the knockout?

Juan Manuel Marquez: We don't like to predict. We don't like to say we're going to knock them out or win by decision. We're just going to go in there and work very hard.

We've been working four or five months for this fight, looking forward to it. And we're going to work hard. We're going to push them. We're going to go in there. And if the knockout comes great.

Q: How are you taking all this pressure being the defender of Mexican fighters and fighting for your country, fighting against the great defensive fighter like Mayweather, the bigger fighter? How are you taking all this pressure? And how are you able to stand it?

Juan Manuel Marquez: On the contrary - I don't see it as pressure. I see it as motivation. I just work hard and I appreciate everything that's been done and to the level that it's been done by my promoters. And I understand the magnitude of this fight. What I do is in training, I separate it. I do my work in the gym. I train really hard. I get ready. I'm focused for the fight. And in my mind I separate. I know what's in the gym and what's out. And on September 19 I'm going to be 100% focused.

Q: Mayweather has said at your best, Juan Manuel, you will never reach what Mayweather once had. Now that he's coming back - he may not have exactly what he had back then, but that - that you will never reach him at his best speed or strength. And how do you feel about Oscar saying that you're number two on the pound-for-pound list?

Juan Manuel Marquez: I'm glad he's thinking that way. On September 19 we will find out.

I'm going to work hard. Like I said in the past he's a greater fighter. He's the best fighter. But we will see what Juan Manuel is able to achieve in his eyes. And as far as Oscar, I'm very honored that he considers me in the top of the world. But I want to make it clear that it is on some pound-for-pound list that they have me as number two. In our eyes, Oscar's eyes and many experts' eyes, Mayweather is number one pound-for-pound. And that is why the title of the fight is "Number One/ Numero Uno".

Q: Nacho, how did the postponement of the fight effect training?

Nacho Beristain: We've been in this game a very long time. We have the experience in boxing. It's something that happens. What today is red tomorrow can be green, and then we know and we work around that. It actually helped Juan Manuel. We took advantage of it because the more time he was able to work on strengthening and gear towards our goal. And our goal is to come out with the victory on September 19.

Q: Hey this is for Mr. Beristain, if you could just talk a little bit about how Juan Manuel's boxing has improved over the last few years? How he has developed as a fighter?

Nacho Beristain: Well, Juan Manuel, ever since he was a youngster, and I can go back to knowing him almost as a young child, he showed attributes of being a great fighter and what he's become. And obviously through the years he's matured in and out of the ring. He's learned his craft very well. The only thing that sometimes concerns me is that, he sometimes gets a little bit tired of the routine. But I do believe that Juan Manuel can become the first Mexican born fighter to win titles in four divisions. And I haven't talked to him lately about it, but I hope that the itch of accomplishing that will keep him motivated and focused to continue on trying to reach this before he retires.

Q: Yes, this question is for Juan. How does it feel making this kind of money? Did you ever imagine that you'd be making this kind of money for a fight and how does it affect you in your preparation?

Juan Manuel Marquez: No. That's never in your mind as far as you're going fight-per-fight. Obviously it's a good thing, but I think it just reflects on the sacrifice and the hard work is being paid off. And as far as the postponement of the fight, it actually helped so that we could achieve more time - with more time to get to where we want to go so we're 100% and not worrying about any type of over training as well.

Q: My second question is about ten years ago both you and Floyd fought on the same card. In fact that day I think you lost yout first fight ever against Freddie Norwood and did you ever imagine you'd be fighting Floyd Mayweather, now and for this - what's at stake?

Juan Manuel Marquez: No, like I said, you never know what lies ahead. And yes you're right; we fought on the same card. I was a co-main event in 1999 to his - he was the main event. At that time, no it wasn't in my mind that we could fight.

But now here it is on September 19. It's an honor and I'm very motivated and very happy to be fighting one of the best fighters out there.

Q: Oscar, as a promoter, there's been so much talk about weight in this fight. Do you feel that fight fans today care about the title belt or are they more concerned about the individual matchups? And as someone who promotes boxing, what do you try to do now? Look for the best matchup such as this fight, or do you care about the weight divisions anymore?

Oscar de la Hoya: The matchup is what matters most. The fans do not care about what title is at stake. The fans don't even know about what title is at stake because there's too many. And we at Golden Boy wanted to make sure we put on the best fights possible for the fans. When you have Juan Manuel Marquez against Floyd Mayweather and the whole card from top to bottom, being an excellent one, this goes to show you that the fans just want to see great fights. People are asking for great fights and it's about time that a promoter comes along and gives you great fights. So when you have two fighters going up for a title, it doesn't mean anything anymore. What matters most is that to give the fight fans the best fight possible. And that's how boxing is going to progress. That's how boxing is going to stay alive and well the way it is now because you're watching the best fighting the best.

Q: Thank you and I have one question please for Juan. Do you find the television show 24\7 to be a distraction to you or do you find it to be an interesting to your work out as you prepare for this fight?

Juan Manual Marquez: No I am very happy to have them here. As the Mexican media has told me and all my friends the press, I am the very first Mexican to be on the 24\7 and to me that's a huge honor. And I treat it like they are not here when it comes time to training. I train like they're not there but I'm really, really honored to be the first Mexican on a 24\7.

Q: This question is for Juan Manual Marquez or for Nacho Beristain I was wondering if you could shed some light on your sparring sessions? Maybe tell us a little bit about who you have sparred with, how big the sparring partners are or if they are all fast and defensive minded boxers?

Nacho Beristain: We have a couple of sparring partners that have been sacrificing and working really hard to help Juan. Alejandro Barrera who is a Mexican fighter, has been working with Juan and he's been very happy with the work.

We also have a young Panamanian fighter, who's very, very fast and showing Juan a lot of the difficulties, boxing defensive wise that we expect to see on fight night and today we're going to confirm a young fighter out of Venezuela that is leaving Mexicali on his way back and will stop in Mexico to see if he can help Juan. I am hoping it's Jorge Linares, not his brother because he might be too big for this point in training which we are looking for a lot of the speed now with faster fighters.

Q: Okay, the question is for Nacho, Juan Manuel and Oscar, it's been passed by Nevada Boxing Commission that the instant replay can now be used for the fight and this could become the first big fight that it will be used. What benefit and how can it help the status of boxing and maybe in this fight?

Nacho Beristain: It's a great opportunity to sort of stop a little bit of some bad calls from the judges or bad decisions, for instance if it would have been used in the fight with Juan and Manny Pacquiao it could have been a different outcome.

Everybody in the world saw Juan Manuel win. And it would help, because it leaves a sour taste when you have stuff like that happen. So hopefully this is a great opportunity to prevent that a little bit.

Oscar de la Hoya: Not only that, but the instant replay can show if it was an illegal blow, a head butt, if the cut was caused by a punch, or an elbow and it could benefit the outcome. It could benefit the fighter and change the outcome.

Kelly Swanson: As an update, Floyd Mayweather will have his national conference call with his trainers next Tuesday, September 1 followed by his media day on Wednesday, Sept. 2 in Las Vegas. Juan Manuel will also be holding his media day in Mexico City on that day as well and then we lead into fight week and everybody will receive a fight week schedule. In the coming weeks we also have several press releases that we are sending out with some other updates so we look forward to your continued coverage and we'd like to thank Juan and Nacho for being with us today and Rob Diaz for his help with the translation.

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Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Boxing Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, Sept. 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be produced and distributed live on HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored.

The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.

HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access reality series "24/7" returns to HBO® with an all new edition as "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" premieres Saturday, August 29 at 10:15 pm ET/PT. The four-episode series will chronicle the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for their September 19 pay-per-view showdown.

Source: http://philboxing.com/news/story-26806.html