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Philippines, 24 Jan 2025 |
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SMITH VS. OUIZZA + UNDERCARD FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES PhilBoxing.com Fri, 24 Jan 2025  Frank Smith, Matchroom Boxing CEO: "It has been a tremendous ride with Dalton Smith and we feel like we're not far off of hitting where he said he'd get to. Dalton Smith is not far off of challenging for a World Title. I see that happening this year. He came off the back of that Zepeda win in March - an unbelievable win - when many people thought that could have been too soon for him. Zepeda is a tremendous fighter and a world level operator. Dalton went in there and he showed his class. He's number two now with the WBC. I think the chance is there for him to challenge for that WBC World Title by the end of the year. It has always been a focus and a dream of his to win all of the belts. On Saturday he gets that opportunity to win the European belt. It's that last piece of the puzzle that he wanted. Walid is going to come to fight. Dalton never overlooks an opponent. The key now for us with Dalton is the momentum. He's had a bit of a tough time with injuries since that Zepeda fight, but now we've got to keep the momentum going. I believe a huge win comes on Saturday night." Dalton Smith: "Any fight you go into, whether it's your first fight or the fight I'm at now, it's a dangerous sport. You've got to prepare like every fight is a World Title. You're in there with someone who is trying to take your head off. I know the position I'm in right now and where I want to be by the end of the year. That's why I've prepared 100% - I've not overlooked Walid. For me, this is a World Title fight for me. I know what can come after. I'm going to go in there and put on a performance that sets me up for some big things. Every time I go in I need to go in there and look good. My levels have stepped up every time. I believe I know what level I'm at. I'm going in there to look good. I want to put on a performance. If you underperform then you're forgotten about the week after. I'm still young. I know I'm in this game for the long run. Until I'm 34/35. I'm 27 at the minute. I want to collect every belt. Picking up all of these belts - that's what I'm in it for." Walid Ouizza: "It is my moment. This is what I have come here for. I'm on my path and this is now for me. Wins on the way to a big fight like this reinforce your belief that you are heading for further victories. Every match stands and falls on its own merits and I treat every fight on its own merit. Each one is different. I'm here on merit. It is a big honour to be featuring in a fight like this against a great fighter like Dalton. I here to create that visibility and hopefully head back to France with a win. We're going to find out on Saturday but it is a question of being the man on the day. I will adapt my style and I will adapt my fight plan in the ring as it comes." Harry Scarff: "I think this will be the start of a good 2025 for me. I want to win the British Title outright this year and then look again towards putting myself in that World Title picture. I'm not overlooking Conah. I am going to show that I'm the level above. You haven't boxed at my level and you haven't beat anybody. Who have you beat? I can't think of the names who you've beat. You're saying that you think you're stronger than me and things like this, but that's the only thing you can bank on; coming forward and trying to be stronger - but you ain't stronger. I've proved that I am a strong Welterweight. Look at Ekow Essuman, nobody could beat him, nobody was stronger or could outwork him. I am strong - a very very strong Welterweight. I'm punching hard. We both kept an eye on each other after our fight in the amateurs and then heading into the professionals. He was obviously at a lower weight; I was at Super-Welterweight. He's given me messages of support before fights. I've kept an eye on him. He's a decent lad. This is the fight game and this fight is happening now. Everything is on the line for both of us really." Conah Walker: "I'm just happy that he's saying all of this. He's in for a big shock on Saturday. You keep overlooking me mate. You're a long skinny twig mate. You're going to get broke down. This is everything. When I first started boxing, the British Title was my World Title. It's every boxer's dream and anyone from the UK, that belt is all we want to win. I'm fully prepared for Saturday. Look where I'm at in my career. I'm 29 and I'm in my peak. I'm just ready to go now. This is my time to shine and I'm looking forward to it. I never turn down a fight and I've fought every style known to man. I'm fully prepared for it. I'm a fighting man and this is why I'm in this position. I'm grateful to be in this position. I'm looking forward to getting in there and getting the job done." Ellie Scotney: "I feel like your mindset is the same wether you've had your debut or you're sitting there as unified World Champion. Every fight matters and every fight is your World Title because without that fight the next one isn't there and the World Titles aren't. My mindset from a kid until now has never changed. I've got to do the business on Saturday night and I will. We've all seen her interview yesterday. I feel like her character is very much how she fights; very angry, very aggressive and very in your face. I feel like that will only bring out the best in me. I'm very much looking forward to showing everyone on Saturday night. Holding the Ring belt cements you as number one. Saturday night I'll be going out and showing everyone exactly why I am the number one in the 122 lbs division." Mea Motu: "I've just worked really hard and trained really hard like we all do. We do a lot of sacrificing. It's just the passion and the drive that I have in my inner being. It just naturally comes out when I'm asked a question. I love boxing. It has basically paved my way of giving me confidence in every day life. I know she is a dangerous fighter. She is the best. That's always been my number one goal; to fight the best. That's my goal. I've finally made it. I'm fighting the best fighter in the world. That's always been the number one goal. I've always said to myself since I started boxing; I want to fight the best to be the best. I'm determined. We're all fighters; we're just determined to destroy in the ring. I think it would be an awesome fight for women to witness; two powerful and strong women going toe to toe. It's proper boxing. That's what I'd love." Hamza Uddin: "It's the same as always. I just want to fight. I'm a fighter. I love fighting. I'm grateful to Matchroom for getting me out so early in the year. I was on the last UK show of the year in 2024, and now I'm on the first one this year. I'm just grateful to be out. I'm young. I'm not an old man. I'd be out every week if I could. I've got an opportunity to shine. My goal one day is to be a multi-weight World Champion. If that's my goal then I need to get a move on. I'm going up the rounds and the opponents as quick as I can. So far so good. I always ramble on about how much power and knockout power I have, but for this fight I want to show just how good I am; the skill and the IQ. Any bloke off the street can have power but nobody has the skillset that I have. I' eager to show that." Ibraheem Sulaimaan: "Those extra couple of rounds; that's what I need. I'm there to take my time. When I take my time I end up getting them out of there earlier. The more time I have, the more time I can slow it down and show what I'm about. Just take it one step at a time. I can't look too far ahead. I'm looking at putting on a big performance. That's what I've been training towards. A fight at a time." Traie Duberry: "It's an amazing division at the moment. There are so many brilliant fighters at Cruiserweight, finally. Usually people only care about the Heavyweights. I think the Cruiserweights are about to takeover and show the world that this is one of the key divisions in boxing. On Saturday night I'm going to show everyone that I can actually box. Because of the way I look I think everyone expects power power power. Yes I do have the power and yes I do have the power to get people out of there, but I'm going to show that I work on my skillset behind the scenes day in day out. It's time to performance, box a little bit and get him out of there. It's a huge opportunity to impress and there was no way on earth that I was going to miss it."  |
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