throne boxing January 9 International Media Conference Call Transcript

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: Thanks for joining us on the first conference call in the history of Roc Nation Boxing for this Friday’s throne boxing event January 9 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden and will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1. In the main event is Dusty Hernandez-Harrison taking on Tommy Rainone for the vacant WBC Continental Americas Welterweight Championship and a great co-feature bout featuring Tureano Johnson versus Alex Theran and they will fight ten-rounds for the WBC Silver middleweight championship and the vacant WBA International middleweight championship. We also have a great undercard which has been previously announced. We have some great musical acts performing. DJ Mustard will be spinning for the TV portion of the event. Hosting is the Voice of New York Angie Martinez and a special performance in the ring between the co-feature and the main event will be Fabolous.

Michael Buffer will be the ring announcer and Gus Johnson blow-by-blow alongside Rich Morotta. Special guests at the fight include JAY Z, Rihanna, Carmelo Anthony, CC Sabathia, Victor Cruz, Sam Dew, Sentigold, Melany Fiona. Wardell and Big Sean.

Tickets are available starting at $30 and are available at the MSG Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets and on-line at www.thegarden.com and on www.ticketmaster.com . One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center. We also have a very impressive list of sponsors, including Budweiser, D’USSE™, GEICO, HUE For Every Man, Jaybird, PUMA, SONIC® Drive-In, TapouT Muscle, Tequila CAZADORES®, TOWN Residential and Wyndham® New Yorker Hotel.

I would like to introduce Alex “El Principe” Theran, from Barranquilla, Colombia with a record of 17-1 with 9 KOs, coming of two knockout victories. A 6th round KO on December 6 in Barranquilla, Colombia.

ALEX THERON: I am very excited and very motivated. I know this is a very important fight here in New York and I am very well prepared.

What is your style?

ALEX THERON: I have very fast legs and you will see a lot of movement. I don’t like to come with too much bite at first but my movement is very impressive.

What do you know about your opponent?

ALEX THERON: We did have a match-up in 2008 in an elimination bout for the Olympics and I did beat him. I don’t think he has a very strong defense. I have studied his fights and his movements and I am very prepared for him.

You had a loss before your last fight and the third was a tough round. How far have you moved away from that?

ALEX THERON: It was a very hurtful round but I feel good and am mentally prepared for this fight and I plan a much different approach going in to this fight.

David, can you tell us about the entertainment aspect you are bringing to the sport?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: We have looked around at fights and at boxing in general and if you look at a boxing event now it really hasn’t changed a tremendous amount in the last however many decades. We want to really amp up the fan experience at the event. There will be other bells and whistles at the event that I have not even gotten into that are going to make things even more enjoyable for fans and to keep the fans engaged. We want to make the in-arena experience more appealing to fans – yes they are coming in to see a fight but we want to give them more than the fights when they go to see a fight.

How important is the event for Jay Z?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: He will be at the weigh-in and at the fight. I think that should say how important it is to him.

How did you go about selecting the fighters for this event?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: It was a mix between fighters that we have a relationship with, promoters we have good relationships with and making good fights. Building a car that will be appealing to fans in New York, which is obviously an ethnic melting pot. SO it was a variety of factors.

How about Dusty who has fought at the Garden recently?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: Dusty is a big attraction is DC and brings a lot of fans and has a history of fighting at the Garden and you put him in a fight against a guy like Tommy Rainone who is a New York guy and sells tickets himself, always comes to fight and is tough as nails you are going to have a good fight and one that is an attractive fight.

Did you sign Dusty?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: You probably read a report on-line and that report is accurate.

RON BERKOWITZ: JAY Z is involved in every aspect of ROC NATION Sports and ROC NATION as a whole. So it would certainly not come as a surprise him being there and if fact it would come as a surprise if he were not coming. As David said, it 100% speaks for itself and it’s important for everyone that has dealt with ROC NATION and ROC NATION Sports in general, what kind of businessman and what kind of an owner that he actually is. He is an owner that is involved in every step of the way and in every decision.

How do you put all of this star power in to the Theater?

DAVID ITZKOWICH: We have worked the financials out so that everything makes sense.

RON BERKOWITZ: I just wanted to say that Rihanna is attending and not performing. And not having enough seats is a good problem to have. This is only our first event and we have plans for many, many more shows.

Alex, how do you combat against Tureano, who is a big puncher and has a lot of experience?

ALEX THERON: I am very well prepared and know that he will come at me with big punches. I am ready for the strong rounds and it is going to be a very entertaining fight.

Did you watch the fight against Curtis Stevens?

ALEX THERON: I did watch the fight and I notice that his technique lacks. I studied that fight and saw he is a slow mover compared to me – I am very quick.

Alex, when you speak about movement, what type of movement do you mean?

ALEX THERON: It is not so much running, at all. My movements are lateral movements and maneuvering around the ring.

TUREANO JOHNSON

Have you done a scouting report on Theron and how do you expect to beat him?

TUREANO JOHNSON: Yes we did a lot of research and we are doing more research on my opponent. He is a boxer / puncher but doesn’t like to mix it up so much but can if he gets the opportunity. My plan when I get into the ring is to pretty much out-box him. He has more lateral movement and not one to get in there and mix it up, like Alex.

Is going for a knockout in your game plan or not?

TUREANO JOHNSON: It isn’t in the game plan but it is my natural instinct. I like to go in here and I like to bang to try to get the knockout. We want to bring more spice to my boxing technique. I am a boxer also and I am going to try to use a little more technique that I have learned over the years. Many folks haven’t seen me do much boxing and not many have even seen me use the jab. You should see more graceful boxing inside the ring on Friday night. But my whole intention is that if I get the opportunity, I am going to knock him out.

What lies ahead if you win this fight?

TUREANO JOHNSON: From what I am told, holding the WBC Silver title, which is one of the titles that we are fighting for – that is a prestigious title. It is a title that will enable you to fight the N. 1 contender or the world champion. So yes indeed, this is the biggest step of my life. This is the most important fight of my life and this I don’t take lightly. In this fight the fans can expect to see the most explosive Tureano Johnson they have ever seen before.

How has the Curtis Stevens loss affected you and how have you recovered?

TUREANO JOHNSON: The fight with Curtis Stevens indeed, I am not going to say I am not pleased with the way it ended. The fight in itself was a disaster. It crashed and burned, the biggest accident that ever happened in my life. What has it done for me lately? There is no doubt it still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth but indeed it has made me more eager and given me more energy. But it has also given t=me the energy to say ‘you know what Tureano? You are not from the United States. You may reside here and live here as an American but the fact is you are not fighting in your backyard so every time I fight expect no one to be on my side. My whole intention is to go in there with blood in my eye. I want to make a dominant decision, winning every single round if it has to go to a decision but my goal is to knock out my opponent and not leaving anything to the judges. So yes, I am more eager and determined, and I say again, I have blood in my eyes and I will never again be gassed out inside the ring.

Are you better from the Curtis Stevens experience?

TUREANO JOHNSON: If you have done your research, I can box. I have been doing a little boxing for twelve years. It would all depend on my opponent and if he would allow me to box or if he would allow me to go in there and bang. But I can’t judge to tell you if I am better, but I know that I am going to be that Tureano to come in the ring to be destructive, whether I am technical or just a bully. I am going to come in there and throw my hands to get that guy out of the ring, so you be the judge whether I am better or not. I am coming in there to do my job and that is to knock my opponent out.

GARY SHAW: The one thing that Tureano is not saying about himself is that he is a very fan-friendly fighter and he is right that that stoppage was, in my mind, improper and if there was a different referee in there at that time then Tureano would have won that fight. He on the first eleven rounds hands-down. But because he is a fan-friendly fighter, he wants to fight and he wants to give the fans something to cheer about. I don’t think you should be harsh on him, and I don’t think you are, but I want you to understand the type of fighter that Tureano is once he enters the ring.

DUSTY HARRISON-HERNANDEZ: No I like to stick to more traditional boxing training. I think the best way to prepare for a fight is boxing training. I noticed a lot of the pros do not spar as much as me and they don’t run as much as me. I think too many boxers get caught up in the strength and conditioning workouts, which takes away from their actual boxing workouts. I do some strength and conditioning but I don’t think that should be the main part. I have seen boxers do their conditioning workouts and they have nothing left to spar – they skip the bag or skip the mitts and like to focus more on the boxing workout.

How did you decide to sign Dusty Harrison?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: Obviously talent is a big part of the equation and he is a very marketable fighter. He’s a good kid and we feel he has a bright future both in and out of the ring.

Dave, is this a test run for bigger things?

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: We have already announced that we have three shows schedule for FOX Sports 1. We are going to be announcing the other dates shortly. In the short term we have two additional shows and we plan on doing more after that.

DAVID ITSKOWITCH: Tommy Rainone – most of you in New York know Tommy. He is a local favorite out of Long Island and has fought at the Gardena and Yankee Stadium. He is a big attraction and ticket seller. An interesting fact about Tommy is that he also has a regular job – he works nights at a Hilton on Long Island at nights in the accounting department. He works by night, trains by day and fights by weekend. He has a record of 22-5-1 with 4 KOs. I present Tommy “The Razor” Rainone…

TOMMY RAINONE: It is winding down. All the hard work is done and all of the sparring is done. I am just watching what I eat and getting my strength back this week. I am ready to go. I am ready to fight.

Can you talk about being a self-managed boxer?

TOMMY RAINONE: Honestly, when you don’t have a promoter or a manager and working a full-time job – all of these are distractions to a point. To be honest with you, leading up to a fight it becomes total chaos. Having to sell tickets and the phone never stops ringing. But I get used to it I have been doing it like this my whole career and it’s the only thing that I know and I am used to handling it that way.

How did you choose that rout?

TOMMY RAINONE: Some of it is by choice and some of it is not. As far as managing myself that is by choice because I like to control my own destiny. I think I have done a good enough job of that since I am fighting in a main event fight at the Garden on Saturday night. I feel like I could do as well for myself as any manager could do for me and why pay somebody for a job that I thought I could do just as well.

How do you feel you can get the win on Friday against Dusty?

TOMMY RAINONE: Good question, as I have discussed it before, the whole knockout thing…the black and white of it is I only have four knockouts, but the gray of it is that I have scored fifteen or sixteen knockdowns in my career. My last fight I dropped the guy twice and it was a ten-round decision but all you see is that it was a ten-round decision. You just see another decision victory and not that the guy was on the canvas twice. After I drop them I keep them honest and I keep them gun-shy. I know that I can punch and I know that I am not a finisher. I admit that and it’s one part of my game that is missing. But the element of surprise is when I hit these guys – they are not expecting a guy that can punch at all. I know that I will get his respect with my power if he thinking that I can’t punch. I know that his father, who is a very knowledgeable guy, I am sure that he has studied me plenty and I’m sure he gave the kid a little heads up that I can punch a little more than you think. The element of surprise may not be there as much because this particular guy I am fighting right now – I think his father is a very good trainer even though he doesn’t make as much as most trainers make but with that being said I just have to go out there and be myself make adjustments and worry about firing on all cylinders and as long as I do that I think I have a very good chance to beat this kid. I can’t worry too much about what he does.

How do you envision the fight taking place?

TOMMY RAINONE: Just like any other right. I’ve had twenty-eight fights and this is my twenty-ninth and listen if anyone tells you they don’t think about losing before the fight in the dressing room is lying. If you go into the fight with no fear factor then you don’t respect your opponent. That’s what keeps a guy honest and hungry. My confidence is there and I have gotten excellent sparring from excellent fighters like Chris Algieri and Thomas LaManna and so forth getting ready to finish fights. I put in the work with tall, long guys with a lot of talent, just as good, if not better than Dusty and with a little diversity as far as the guys I was sparring. I put in a lot of hard work so I see the fight as being a chess match, a mental battle. I think I am going to have to fight myself as much as I have to fight him and as long as I do that well I will come out on top.

What do you think of Dusty?

TOMMY RAINONE: On paper of course he is my toughest opponent to date but I won’t know until the bell rings. Hopefully he is not but on paper he is the most accomplished. I respect the kid. I think he is a good solid fighter but I don’t think he’s a killer. I also know that’s only twenty years old and people tend to rush people and they may be a little impatient with him as far as him stepping up. This is a step up for him. As much as you say this is the best guy that I fought I promise you that I am the best guy that he has fought. He really hasn’t fought good competition yet. I’m not knocking him on that because you can only expect so much from a kid that young but I am the best fighter he ever fought. It’s that simple and it works both ways.

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Roc Nations Sports’ foray into the world of boxing will officially begin with the debut of throne boxing on Friday, January 9, 2015 from The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the January 9 edition of throne boxing will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that will further serve spectators with an enhanced fan experience, including hit master DJ Mustard who will serve alongside notable event emcee and “Voice of New York” Angie Martinez throughout the night with Brooklyn’s own two-time platinum recording artist Fabolous taking the stage between fights for a special performance. World famous ring announcer Michael Buffer offers his signature voice to this big night of fights. Gus Johnson, who has worked many boxing events in the past, will call the blow-by-blow for January 9 bouts telecast on FOX Sports 1, sitting ringside with expert analyst Rich Marotta. Special guests include JAY Z, Rihanna, Carmelo Anthony, CC Sabathia, Victor Cruz, Sam Dew, Santigold, Melanie Fiona, Wardell and Big Sean. Tickets priced at $205, $105, $55 and $30, plus any Ticketmaster charges, are available for purchase at the Madison Square Garden box office, online at www.thegarden.com and at all Ticketmaster outlets. One dollar from each ticket sold will be donated to the Muhammad Ali Center. The event is sponsored by Budweiser, D’USSE™, GEICO, HUE For Every Man, Jaybird, PUMA, SONIC® Drive-In, TapouT Muscle, Tequila CAZADORES®, TOWN Residential and Wyndham® New Yorker Hotel. For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation; on Facebook www.facebook.com/RocNation.