Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman:
“Well good afternoon everyone. Welcome to the beautiful Monaco ahead of what is always one of the most prestigious fight days in the global fight calendar on Matchroom Boxing and DAZN. Of course broadcast live exclusively around the world on DAZN. We’re back here for our fifth event now, and as I said, one of the most enjoyable and one of the most prestigious.
“Back this time at the Salle Des Étoiles – a stunning venue here in Monaco. The casino still in play for our guests and fighters, after their fights. What a fight card we have here on Saturday night. Boxing at the moment is in the best place it has ever been. Bigger fights, more countries, more territories, and of course the growth of Riyadh Season as well.
“We’re on an incredible run off the back of Puerto Rico last week where Richardson Hitchins dethroned Liam Paro. We have World Championship boxing in Monaco this week before we head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next week for arguably the fight of the year – Oleksandr Usyk against Tyson Fury for the unified World Heavyweight Championship.”
Michael Wittstock:
“Good day to everyone. It is a privilege for me to welcome everyone here on behalf of Prince Albert, Princess Charlene, SBM and Mr Albert Manzone, and of course Matchroom – who have become a family to us here.
“So on behalf of all of us, welcome to all of the fighters and their teams, thank you to all of the press for coming again. I know we’ve put on some really good tournaments, and I’m sure Saturday will be the best yet.
“It’s been a privilege for me to work with Matchroom and I know Monaco and the people I deal with in boxing are so happy that they are onboard here. It’s such a prestigious company with us, Frank and Eddie, great people and a great team of young people that have done so much for boxing in the UK and worldwide. I hope you all enjoy yourselves.”
Albert Manzone:
“Welcome everybody. Thank you for being here today. It is a pleasure for SBM to be hosting this event. As Mr Wittstock said, this event, which is in its fifth year, has been growing every year, and it is a pleasure to see more of you today, and to see this event growing in a bigger venue this year due to the high demand.
“We are very excited about this. As you said, SBM and the principality is all about attracting, it is about providing different offers. This event in December fits very well in the calendar of SBM and of the events that are proposed all during the year. We are very happy to have you here and we are thankful. We wish everybody a very good show on Saturday night. Thank you.”
Laurent Puons:
“Once again it is a great pleasure for me to see you, Matchroom Boxing, Eddie, Frank and their team. We are very pleased to welcome this amazing boxing event on Saturday night in a beautiful venue – Salle Des Étoiles.
“For me, this boxing event is special because I am very happy to host two French boxers, very high level, for two very important title fights. It will be a very interesting boxing event because it will be very difficult to give the name of the winner before the end of the fight.
“Thank you again, Eddie, for brining this very important boxing event to Monaco, and we will make sure on Saturday night that Monaco is the capital of the boxing world. Thank you so much.”
Alfie Sharman, DAZN:
“Thank you to everyone for being here. Echoing all of the words that everyone has said up here. It is a fantastic event. This Matchroom-Monaco show has become, candidly, one of the highlights of the boxing calendar – so congratulations to Eddie, Frank and all of the team at Matchroom for creating this and continuing to build it.
“2024 has been a brilliant year for DAZN. We are close to finalising our January and February schedule with our promotional partners, of course Matchroom, but all of them around the world. Our intention in 2025 is to absolutely smash our target of 150 fight nights a year. We feel very confident that we will do that next year. we have already surpassed that this year.
“If you look at the next two weeks on DAZN, it encapsulates our philosophy as a business – quality and volume. This weekend alone we have eleven fight nights, from tonight through to Sunday.”
Murodjon Akhmadaliev:
“First of all, before I answer your question, I want to say thank you to Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn, DAZN and Sporting Monte-Carlo for being here in this beautiful place.
“Yes Eddie you are right, Monte-Carlo is a very special place. It’s very beautiful. Talking about the fight, yes it is important. My camp went very well. My team is here and I’m ready for this fight.”
Ricardo Espinoza Franco:
“Hi to everyone. First of all I want to say thank you to God for the opportunity for allowing me to come here, and when I heard at first that this fight was being negotiated, I thought it was fantastic.
“It felt like all of the universes had aligned to enable me to fight on this card. We’ve had a fantastic camp, there is nothing to complain about.
“The work is now done. No we’re prepared for whatever comes in the ring. It will be a war and we’re going to give absolutely everything once we get in that ring.”
Beatriz Ferreira:
“I’ve been really looking forward to this moment, being in Monaco and returning to the professional game. I’m ready to defend my title and put on a good performance. It’s 100% about professional boxing for me now.
“All fights are important to me and I look at all of my opponents with the same importance and significance. I prepare the same way and right now I’m looking to win more titles and unify the division.”
Licia Boudersa:
“It’s a big fight and a big challenge for me on Saturday, but I’m absolutely ready to show that I’m at world level.”
Chev Clarke:
“First of all, thank you to our hosts, Mr Mike Wittstock and Albert Manzone. I’ve been around the world this year. Kind of call me the black traveler, i’ve been everywhere.
“We’re here and I’ve always wanted to come to Monaco. I saw my friend Joe Cordina fought here last year and now I’m here and unfortunately I’m going to have to bring violence to Monaco.
“Another major title come Saturday. I’m looking forward to it. Well look, you guys know what I do. I come out, I fight, I put people in body bags and go home with the belts. That’s what I do.”
Leonardo Mosquea:
“If I wasn’t ready then I wouldn’t be here. I’ve prepared even more than usual for this fight. I’m absolutely ready for Saturday, and Saturday will be mine.
“I’m sure it’s going to be an entertaining one for the fans. You’ve got two unbeaten fighters here. There’s going to be big punches going in and it’ll be a really explosive fight. The fight promises lots.
“I just need to concentrate on my own boxing, do what I need to do, and give everything on Saturday night.”
Gary Cully:
“I’m very happy to be in Monaco and get some sunshine on my face in. December but I’m very focused on the job I’ve got to do on Saturday night. I want to push on after this and win world titles. I can’t wait to get in there and do the business.
“I keep saying I want to challenge for and win World Titles and Maxi has been at that fringe level. It’s a fight that has been talked about for years and Maxi pulled out of the fight when it was originally meant to happen in 2020. I think he made the right decision because he’d won a title, had his time in the sun and now it’s a good time for him to say farewell to the sport. It’s a big fight for me but it’s time for me to push on, I’m 28 years old and I’m fresh. I’m experienced myself, I’ve been in this game my whole life – I walked into the gym at six years old and had my first fight at eight, winning European gold in 2012 when Maxi was fighting Michael Mooney.
“I’ve been fighting at a high level since I was 15/16 years old, traveling the world with my countries and winning medals around the world, so experience isn’t something I’ll be lacking on Saturday night. Maxi might be lacking some youth in there, he’s getting on a little bit now. His last three performances haven’t been great. It’s a great fight and a fight that makes sense for us both at this stage of our careers and the winner can push on. I’m looking forward to getting in there, getting the win and making a statement on Saturday night.
“I think I will stop Maxi. His engine is going to be questionable in there going into the later rounds, so we’ll see who has got the biggest gas tank and the most experience, but I definitely expect the stoppage.”
Maxi Hughes:
“This is a great opportunity and I’m really happy to be here soaking it up in this beautiful country. My hard work over the years has taken me all over the world – the Kambosos fight, the Zepeda fight, headlining in Vegas, every fight has been a dream.
“I’ve had a smooth arrival into fight week. This is a fight I’m well up for and I’m well prepared for, it’s been spoken about for years and I think Gary will be grateful this fight didn’t happen years ago because I would’ve filled him in back then. But now his career has gone on a bit longer and I’m sure he’ll be grateful for that.
“I’ve seen the contract that I’ve signed for this fight that gives Matchroom two options over me next year, so for me, not looking ahead, but I know unfortunately for my wife that’s another year in boxing next year.
“After the Zepeda defeat, it didn’t dampen my spirits, it made me hungrier. I think of those nights in Headingley, shocking the world to become IBO World Champion and going on a run of defences where I’ve stepped up each time. I’ve still got the desire and ambition in me, there is a hungry dog inside of me that keeps me going.
“I’ve trained really hard and I’m coming for blood. Experience is something you can’t buy or borrow, you’ve got to earn it the hard way and that’s what I’ve done my whole career.”
Teremoana Teremoana:
“Thank you for having me. It’s great to be here and I can’t wait to show you all what I’ve got planned for Saturday night.
“I’m fighting on one of the biggest global platforms in the world and I’m here to show everyone I’ve got what it takes to be the best. I’ve got to do my apprenticeship and learn the game. I’ve just come back from the amateur scene, I had four pro fights before the Olympics but I had to change my style back again for that. Stay tuned and keep an eye out on my journey.”
