Yesterday Golden Boy Promotions held a teleconference call with the Mayweather vs. Maidana 2 undercard fighters. The card will feature the return and debut of Alfredo Angulo at middleweight against James De La Rosa, Mikey Bey challenging Miguel Vazquez for the IBF Lightweight Title, and In the co feature, Leo Santa Cruz against Manuel Roman.
The card will begin at 5PM PT/8PM ET, an hour earlier from usual starting time.
In the opening of the call it’s noted that Angulo is moving up to middleweight and he is asked why? Perro says, “I’ve had problems with my weight before. It had nothing to do with the Canelo fight, my trainer and I have been anticipating a move up in weight.”
Eric Gomez is asked if he feels pressure putting fights on Mayweather undercards that aren’t as big as Garcia-Matthysse. “We’re victims of ourselves. We compete with ourselves because we’ve done such great undercards. Mayweather wants big fights. You have two title fights, and an exciting fight in the Angulo-De La Rosa fight. Oscar is also proud of that.”
De La Rosa is asked, how does he prepare for this kind of stage, and for a fight against Angulo? “I know it’s not any ordinary fight. I have to be in my zone, block everything out, do what I have to do and train hard.”
Angulo notes his move to middleweight wasn’t a weight struggle, he just isn’t comfortable making the weight, he can make it, just not comfortably.
Regarding his power and if it’ll follow him up to middleweight Angulo said, “I don’t know, we’ll have to see come September 13th. It’s a new division so I don’t know.”
After Angulo and De La Rosa, Mikey Bey and Miguel Vazquez come on the call.
Bey says he put the John Molina fight behind him right away, that it was all do to about show boating in the ring. “I got past it the following day. It wasn’t something where I had to go back and fix. I was show boating against a big puncher. That was my mistake. I was disappointed. Had I not show boated, I would still be undefeated.”
Bey acknowledges Vazquez unique style. “People might not credit his style, but he has been champion for years. Its going to be a great fight. I want to prove I’m the best by fighting a guy who is regarded as one of the best in the division.”
“I have better tools. He just has the bigger name. He’s going to have more of a puzzle. Nobody fully knows what I can do. He’s a good boxer. A lot of guys can’t be good boxers.”
A casual fan might not regard Vazquez as a tough fighter, but his only losses came to Canelo Alvarez and Tim Bradley, and they were long ago. Why take such a tough fight, Bey is asked. “It’s boxing. At the end of the day I’m a beast. If Godzilla showed up or something came down from Mars, I would fight it. To be the best, you must fight the best.”
As far as changing up his style to be more of an aggressor against an outside fighter Bey says, “I’m going to fight accordingly. I have a great trainer in Floyd Mayweather Sr. It could be a boxing match or a street fight. I’ll still come out on top.”
Bey believes he could have been at this level years ago, but is still grateful for the opportunity to be on such a card.
Vazquez recently signed with Al Haymon, something he says is a shock even to him. “It was a blessing as well as an honor signing with him. It shocked me to know he was interested in me. It was a dream at first but now it’s a reality. I have to go out there and impress Mr. Haymon.”
Vazquez then touched base on his style and if he would change it coming into this fight. “My style has taken me to become a world champion. I don’t plan on changing it. I may modify it and attack more but this style has kept me here.”
“I know Bey is a good fighter, he’s talented and fast. I’m mentally prepared and physically, we’re going to come out with our hand raised.”
Leo Santa Cruz also expressed his gratitude on being in the co feature. “There’s a lot of pressure because I’m the co feature. This is a dream come true. I have to leave it all in the ring on September 13th and go out their and give the fans a war.”
Santa Cruz is asked if his momentum has slowed since he hasn’t been knocking guys out like before and if he feels the need to look spectacular to get the Rigondeaux fight. “I think its styles. We were not used to guys who box, but now we’re training for them. We are training for guys who move a lot, and of course I need to look spectacular, I’m the co feature. A lot of people are going to be watching. I need to go out there and throw a lot of punches.”
Most fighters don’t call out guys like Rigondeaux, but Santa Cruz did and he’s asked why? “I heard him saying I was scared to fight him, so I want to prove that I am not. I want to fight the best. Hopefully everything goes well and we get Rigondeaux next year.”
Roman is asked If he has been inspired by some of this years upsets In boxing, “Of course, Its a big card, Ive never been In stakes like this, I want to thank Leo and his team for the opportunity.”
Leo also expressed interest in fighting other fighters stating, “Kiko Martinez, Carl Frampton, and Scott Quigg, we want all those fights.”
In closing, Santa Cruz is asked what keeps him so happy at all times. “I’m just a happy guy, I’m always happy, I’m blessed for having Al Haymon and Golden Boy. I’m a family guy. I’m always with them, so I’m always happy. Even If I’m sad, I’m happy, ha ha.”