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ADRIEN “THE PROBLEM” BRONER, CARLOS MOLINA, J’LEON LOVE AND MARCO ANTONIO PERIBAN MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
Kelly Swanson
Thanks, everybody, for joining us we appreciate you being here with us today. Unfortunately, we are going to have to reschedule this call because the fighters have not shown up. April Fools!
We’re joined by a great group of fighters today. They are part of the SHOWTIME PPV undercard for “THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana,” Adrien Broner vs Carlos Molina and also J’Leon Love vs. Marco Antonio Periban.
Today’s host of the call is none other than Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Office of Mayweather Promotions. Leonard, I’m going to turn it over to you and just so everybody knows, the translator for Mr. Periban today will be Rolando Arellano.
Leonard, take it away from here and we look forward to hearing from the fighters. We are going to start with J’Leon and Marco Antonio Periban and when they’re finished we will connect Adrien Broner and Carlos Molina. So, go ahead, Leonard.
Leonard Ellerbe
First of all I’d like to thank all you guys for joining us on the call today. We have assembled one of the best undercards and best overall cards from top to bottom that I’ve personally seen in many, many years.
In the main event we have Floyd and Maidana, which we all know is going to be a terrific fight. On last week’s call there was Amir Khan and Luis Collazo and most of you guys heard from them. In my opinion, that’s a 50-50 fight. We have two terrific fighters and both of them have a lot of experience and that is going to be a great fight.
But today’s call we have to round out the terrific undercard. We have three-time World Champion Adrien Broner. He’ll be fighting Carlos Molina in a 10-round junior welterweight showdown. To open the Pay-Per-View we have Mayweather Promotions’ own J’Leon Love. He’ll be fighting Marco Antonio Periban in a 10-round super middleweight bout, which will be another great fight.
“THE MOMENT: Mayweather vs. Maidana” is sponsored by Corona, Reilly Auto Parts and AT&T. When we first announced the main event, obviously, the tickets went like hotcakes. So, there are only a few tickets left.
I’d like to acknowledge none other than Showtime Sports Executive Vice President and General Manager, Stephen Espinoza.
Stephen Espinoza
As you correctly pointed out this is, in our opinion and I believe objectively, the biggest event on the boxing calendar. Floyd Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions and SHOWTIME have committed to putting on the best events and the biggest events in boxing on a regular basis.
This event is no exception. A stacked undercard, meaningful fights, great value for the money for fans and I think when we look at a very busy Pay-Per-View calendar this spring and early summer I don’t think anyone can say that our event does not stand out among all of those events as having both the highest profile main event and the highest profile most meaningful undercard lineup that there is.
With that, I will give it back to you, Leonard, so we can move on to the fighters.
L. Ellerbe
I would like to introduce Marco Antonio Periban, who is 20-1 with one draw with 13 KOs out of Mexico City, Mexico. He’s a terrific fighter. He’s one of the top Mexican contenders. He just recently lost a tough fight against the WBC Champion Sakio Bika and it was a great fight.
Marco, he knows he’s in a very tough fight with J’Leon and a win over him puts him right back in the picture to fight for a world title.
Marco Antonio Periban
I want to thank Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions and SHOWTIME for giving me this grand opportunity on this world stage. I clearly understand that this is a very difficult fight but I’m going to train as hard as I possibly can, enter the ring well prepared, so that the victory will be in my hands.
I understand that Mr. Love is in the way of me capturing my dream of fighting for the world championship. It’s very important for me to become World Champion because by doing so I will be the first Mexican in the history at 168 pounds to ever hold the championship for the WBC.
It’s a fight that I must take the opportunity and be successful in and I can’t let Mr. Love beat me because basically it derails my opportunity to become world champion and to make history for Mexico.
I’m very focused. I want that title. I want that title for Mexico, so you can expect a very focused and determined fighter on March the 3.
L. Ellerbe
Next up we have a terrific young fighter. He’s part of the Mayweather Promotions’ stable. He’s fighting out of Dearborn Heights, Mich.. He’s 17-0 with 10 KOs. He’s coming off of back-to-back impressive performances. In the first fight he fought Lajuan Simon and just recently, Feb. 28, a terrific performance fighting Vladine Biosse and a great fight on ShoBox.
J’Leon will be looking to be very impressive in this fight because he knows that Marco Antonio stands in front of him and his goal of being a world champion. He has a tremendous amount of confidence in his ability, he looks to go out there and put on an impressive performance and a great fight.
J’Leon Love
I want to thank everybody for joining. You know, here it is, another stage. I am on another type of stage like the one we had with Gabriel Rosado and now here we are again with Marco Periban. He’s a tough fighter. I know he’s going to come with his A game. I’m definitely going to come with my A game, and that’s what’s makes fights right there.
I’ve been training extremely hard. I’m definitely focused. It really comes down to May 3. I’m going to put my heart and all my determination into this fight. I know that Marco Antonio Periban is a very tough fighter, very skilled and he has a lot to prove and he has the experience of fighting for a world title.
I have so much respect to him. His talent is respected, but we’re definitely going to come in there and give it our all and make sure we come out victorious. I know that he’s trying to make history for his country. I’m trying to make history for my family and me and do what I have to do to win this fight.
Q
Leonard, how would you say J’Leon has matured and improved and how would you characterize that moment against Gabriel Rosado and how it has made him the fighter he is now?
L. Ellerbe
Fighters go through adversity in their career. Floyd himself went through a tremendous amount of adversity and all fighters go through adversity. I think that experience with the Rosado fight taught him a great deal.
Floyd and I sat him down and we had a very hard conversation with him. I think at that point he made up his mind, he wanted to really commit himself and dedicate himself and not take the opportunity for granted. I think from that point on he completely changed.
I noticed personally the dedication and the hard work that he’s put in and it’s showing up in his last two fights. I think in this fight he’s obviously in a tough fight against Periban, but he’ll be looking to be impressive and I know he will go out and do that.
Q
J’Leon, how have you changed and how has that manifested itself in all aspects of your training, your maturity in the ring, everything?
J. Love
Eventually, everybody needs to grow up. I’ve had my humbling moment and my grow up moment, so sitting there and getting torched by Floyd and Leonard, the conversation was not easy to listen to, but I needed that. I needed that.
I am young. I’m still learning. I’m definitely there mentally and physically. We made the right decisions for our career and I have the best team behind me. It just opened up my eyes and I don’t ever want to take another opportunity for granted again because you may never get them again or you may never know when you’ll get them.
So, it definitely made me train harder. The Rosado fight was an eye-opener, again. That’s something that goes on with your career, a controversial win over Rosado or something like that.
So, who wants that? People say that Rosado won or I won; I don’t want to hear that. That’s something that I have carried on with me for taking something for granted.
I’ve learned a lot and I’ve stepped my game up 1,000 percent and you will see that May 3.
Q
When you say torched, you used the characterization of torched, what impression did that make upon you and how does that manifest itself with the way that you represent yourself in the ring?
J. Love
Well, when I say torched I mean you’re not the greatest fighter here. You know how many fighters would love to be in your position I’m in, to be under the Mayweather Promotions stable and be guided by these very people that I have that I’m guided by.
So, that right there. I see fighters come down to the gym and pray for a moment to sit down and talk to Leonard and Floyd and get that opportunity. And here I am, I’m fumbling with the opportunity and there’s so many guys out there striving and working hard for the opportunity. It was a wake up call. I just have to remain focused, all the outside distractions, just leave it there.
It’ll be there after or whatever. But I have a job to do and my job is to be in the best shape possible, be mentally focused and physically focused for these fights and this is a big opportunity. I’m making a name for myself, from a small time Eastern Michigan, I’m putting all that on the map and this is what I’ve dreamed of since a kid, so this is something that I’ve been waiting on my whole life.
Q
I understand you have taken on some responsibilities within your own family group, can you talk about that?
J. Love
You know, I have nine nieces and nephews and they’re my life. This is the reason why I’m grinding so hard for them and my family, my mom and my sisters and just to show, just put some hard work in, put some dedication in, keep God first, anything can happen.
I never knew these are the cards I’d be dealt with, but here it is. I’m being blessed every day. I took the road; my brother was killed last year in April and I have to take the responsibility. I am the one making money in my family as far as to support them, so I would never hesitate to do that and that’s what I do.
So, my nieces and nephews are my life. I feel like they’re my kids, even though I don’t have any kids of my own. I just take a responsibility of taking care of them.
Q
How is Marco planning on dealing with the J’Leon Love’s skills and what did he learn from his fights against Sakio Bika and Badou Jack?
M. Periban
Love is a very dangerous fighter and he has a lot of technical skills to him, so basically my training is no longer focused on my strength, but basically on the tactics that I’m going to use to fight Love.
From fighting Bika, I learned a lot of things about fighting with a strong fighter thats always moving forward and looking for the knockout. I learned a lot of things, how to neutralize an attack system like he has, how to prepare for a fight like that. The other fight, which was a draw, I learned a lot of things also, that you can’t really leave it to the judges and that you have to use certain techniques at certain times during the fight so that you can take advantage of it. One of the problems that I have is getting sparring in Mexico, because of my size and my strength and I wasn’t that prepared for the Jack fight and basically it showed in the ring.
Q
I want to know if Gabriel Rosado is his toughest fight and if he thinks Marco Antonio Periban can do some things like Rosado?
J. Love
Gabriel Rosado was definitely my toughest fight because I had to face adversity. I’ve been down for the first time in my career and it made me think a lot. I’ve never been in that position before and I haven’t been in that situation since then, so that was definitely one of my toughest fights.
With Periban he has a great skill set. He’s tough, strong, he’s tall, and he’s a rangy fighter. He has a lot of skill and he has a good jab. Anything can happen in this fight and you can’t look past anybody and a guy like him. He can upset a lot of people. He had a great fight with Badou Jack and he had another great fight with Sakio Bika.
He’s young and he’s hungry. He has a lot to prove, like I said earlier and anything can happen in this sport. So, you can’t look past anybody.
Q
How does it feel being willing to be a good guy in a sport where being the bad boy is sometimes more marketable? Why is it important to you to give a good image?
J. Love
I’m just being myself. I don’t want to be like Adrien Broner or Floyd Mayweather. I want to be like J’Leon Love. I’m just a cool guy. I’m laid back. I’m silly at times. That’s just me. I’m not angry. I’m blessed. I’m just happy to be alive. I’m healthy and these opportunities are coming and I’m happy for it. So, there’s nothing to be the bad boy type about. I’m just being myself and do what I’ve got to do.
Q
You mentioned that you had hard time training in Mexico. Was it because you had a hard time getting sparring partners that were your size?
M. Periban
You’re correct. That’s the problem. There are not too many fighters in that division in Mexico and there are not many fighters that are my size, so it’s a little difficult getting sparring partners.
K. Swanson
OK, so that finishes this portion of the call. We want to thank both J’Leon and Marco Antonio Periban for being on the call with us at this time. We wish them a lot of luck and have a great training camp until we see you May 3.
We’ll also be having a media day in Las Vegas for those who want the opportunity to see J’Leon train and get some other comments from him. So, thank you very much, J’Leon and Marco.
You guys can hang up and now we’re going to transition over to the next portion of the call.
Now we have the other fighters on the line. We are joined by Adrien Broner, Carlos Molina and Adrien’s coach, Mike Stafford is also listening in on the call. I’m going to turn it back over to Leonard to make the introductions for this portion of the call.
L. Ellerbe
Next up is a talented young fighter who is coming off of a 17-month layoff and he’ll be looking to hand Adrien his second loss. He has a big following in Southern California. He has a record of 17 wins, with one loss and one draw with 7 KOs. Coming to you out of Norwalk, Calif., none other than Carlos Molina.
Carlos Molina
We’re working hard for this fight. We’re very humbled to get this opportunity to fight on the big fight, on a Mayweather undercard, against Adrien Broner. We’re excited and we’ll be ready come May 3.
L. Ellerbe
Next up is one of the most talented and most talked about fighters in boxing today, a very gifted fighter. He’s a three-time World Champion. He won his first title in November 2011 at 130 pounds. His next came with a tremendous knockout in 2012 against Antonio DeMarco.
In 2013 he did something that was very, very impressive. He moved from 135 to 147 pounds and he fought in a tremendous fight against Paulie Malignaggi, winning his third World Championship only to join Roberto Duran, Roy Jones and Robert Guerrero as the only fighters to win the championship in their first fight after jumping up a weight class.
Just last December he had a minor setback, only to make a major comeback, in his loss to Marcos Maidana and he’ll be looking to come out on May 3 and be very impressive and to show the world why he’s one of the best fighters in the world today. Next up, Adrien “The Problem,” Broner.
Adrien Broner
I’m happy Carlos Molina took this fight, but he might be looking to give me another loss. I hope he doesn’t come to lose, but he’s going to lose.
At the end of the day, everybody is looking for Adrien Broner to be this new humble guy. Well, if you’re looking for Adrien Broner to be this new humble guy, you won’t get it. I’m still the same fresh, flashy, young, rich and famous guy. I’m a young man, and I respect every fighter, but I’m ready to fight.
Q
How familiar are you with Molina? He’s been a very good fighter in his career. He was a good amateur. He did have the loss to Amir Khan. What’s your take on your opponent?
A. Broner
He’s a hell of a fighter. Like I said, I don’t disrespect no boxer. It takes a lot to get inside that square circle and I don’t take any boxer lightly. I just want him to be on his A game May 3.
Q
What do you, as a trainer, have to impart on Adrien going forward in your training camps to make sure what happened in December does not happen in the future?
Mike Stafford
Well, as you know, it’s in Washington, D.C., where Adrien first started training as a pro. So psychologically we kind of went back up here to get down to our roots and see why we’re here. Whatever made sense from where we started to come from is what we want to start back again.
We want to take the same steps. He’s still, to my eye, the three-time World Champion and the champion of the world, so that’s where we want to be. So, that’s why we’re coming back here and doing the things that we used to do and that we will do. Nothing has changed. We’re just hungrier now.
Q
They believe that you’re there to be beaten by Adrien Broner. How does that make you feel and are you motivated by the fact that you are such a huge underdog in this fight coming off of your loss and also the long layoff?
C. Molina
I know the whole world is seeing me as an underdog, but that just motivates me even more. I think I’ve got a lot to prove in this fight. I’m coming off a loss with Amir Khan, so I’m going to go in there and I’ve been extremely hard for this fight so I’m going to give it my all come May 3.
Q
What can we expect different this outing that you learned from your last outing and are you going to be fighting at 140 or are you just trying to test the waters that you can fight three different weight classes?
A. Broner
We’re going to do what’s best for Adrien Broner’s career at that time. This is my first fight televised at 140 pounds, so we’re at 140 right now and we’re going to see where we go from here.
Q
Can you talk about what you learned from your last outing that will help you going forward with this outing? Is there a particular reason that you’re fighting 10 rounds instead of 12?
A. Broner
Like I said, I’m going to fight and I don’t make the rules in my fights. I’m just a fighter. So, with that being said, all I’m doing is training hard and I’m getting ready for May 3.
Q
Are you doing anything different and are you trying to remind everybody that you’re still here?
A. Broner
Anybody taking a loss that I did, it would probably break them. But coming from where I come from, I’m strong mentally and physically so I’m OK. I’m personally proud of myself and I don’t care that a lot of people are looking for me to just go in here and walk over this guy, but at the end of the day they’re forgetting that he’s not just somebody to walk over, he’s a top class fighter.
I can go in there and make the best fighter look like the worst fighter when I’m on my A game. So, you know, after May 3 I just hope I don’t get a lot of criticism for who I’m fighting and the way I make it look.
Q
What do you want this fight to springboard you to in the future? What’s your goal?
A. Broner
After this fight they will see that I’m still ‘The Problem.’ Anybody can get it in the ring. I’m still the same guy.
Q
Is it important to you to be a four-time champion by going to this weight class? Is that something that you aspire to?
A. Broner
Of course. But right now we’re worrying about this strong fighter, who is going to try to come in and take my head off and that’s Carlos Molina. We’re going to take care of business May 3 and then we’ll begin worrying about getting a world title after that. We know it’s on the way, but we’ve got to take it a step at a time.
Q
Can you talk about the mental and physical adjustment of dropping back down in weight?
A. Broner
It’s really not a big change. For me, I’m naturally a lightweight. I can fight in the upper weight class. I’ve got the skills to do it. The weight at 140 was not a problem and being mentally sound is not a problem. I’m focused in the gym, I’ve got a great support system.
Q
What is the comparative relationship between you at 140 and you at 147? Is it better at 140? Is it the same?
A. Broner
I can hit regardless. It doesn’t matter what weight I fight. I can still hit. So, I will showcase my talent and my speed and my power May 3 and I’ll you guys decide.
Q
Mike, what do you see in the comparative relationship between his energy at 140 and 147?
M. Stafford
Well, you know, naturally people say it’s a big jump, which it is, but he’s a talented kid so he did it with talent. He beat Paulie and I’m pretty sure Paulie felt some of his power and I’m pretty sure Maidana did. It was a grueling fight. Maidana didn’t go home glad, he was happy, but inside he felt some of Adrien’s power, too. It was just a couple of punches away, Adrien could have took him out, too.
But, you know, that’s another story. Like Adrien said he’s a natural lightweight and he could make 135, 140 or 147, but we elected to do some things at 140 that nobody had done. We think we can get a title at 140 and maybe at 135, and come back up to 147. It varies.
All the other fighters did it and it’s not, it seems like it’s a big deal when Adrien does anything. But he’s doing everything that everybody else did, Floyd, Jones, Hopkins, all those guys went up and down and they got titles, even Tommy Hearns, all of them.
So, it seems to be, I guess, he’s an outspoken kid so whatever he does everyone knows it, but he’s just doing what every fighter in the past has done. We just want to showcase, we want to give a good fight, give the world a good fight and we just happened to get Floyd to ask us to be on his card. Out of respect to Floyd we appreciate it.
Adrien, we could have taken this fight to Cincinnati. We could have taken this fight to Atlanta, but Adrien’s team and the management team decided, I’m saying we all decided, we will fight. It’s like another treat to the world, you know, and why not fight with Floyd? So, we’re all doing each other favors.
Q
Jumping forward a little bit, pretending he’s not on the phone listening to you, what do you see, what level of greatness, how many titles, how many weight classes do you see him doing well in?
M. Stafford
Adrien is going to do well in any weight class that he tries. The only one that can beat Adrien Broner is Adrien Broner. He said that plenty enough times and right now, he’s focused and he’s ready to show the world that he is one of the top fighters in America today.
Q
Floyd Mayweather said he’d like to see you focus more on boxing and less on things like social media and Hip Hop. Are you focusing more exclusively on your fighting career right now?
A. Broner
At the end of the day, I’m going to do whatever makes Adrien Broner happy. Of course, I listen to my big brother a lot. We talk every day and he tells me things that aren’t on the Internet or not on the social website. So, he and I have a great understanding and I’m doing great.
Q
Carlos, real quick, do you feel you’re not getting the attention you deserve right now?
C. Molina
You know what, it doesn’t bother me at all. He’s a three-time world champion. He’s the one that’s supposed to put on a show, so I’m right here, just working hard and getting ready for May 3.
K. Swanson
Okay, great. Leonard, do you want to take us out with a final farewell and also any comments from the fighters before we wrap this up. Why don’t we start with Adrien. Do you have anything to just finish the call up with, any last thoughts on your fight May 3?
A. Broner
I’m really not here to talk trash because he doesn’t talk trash, so I can’t talk trash to somebody that don’t talk trash to me. Like I said before, I just want him to be on his A game because this is not only just a fight for me. This is one of the biggest fights in the world because literally they’re looking at me to take over the game after my big brother is done with boxing. Coming off a loss they want to see what I come back and do and they can’t wait to see me on TV again. I know there’s a lot of people that dislike the things that I do, but there’s a lot of people that love the things that I do and they want to see Adrien Broner back on top and I will not disappoint them and anybody who wants to see me.
K. Swanson
Carlos, do you have any last comments?
C. Molina
Yes, I’m just going to continue to work hard and give you guys a great show come May 3. I know what’s on the line. I’m fighting a world-class fighter, so I’m going to give it my all.
K. Swanson
Leonard, do you have any final comments?
L. Ellerbe
Yes, after having the pleasure of listening to Adrien Broner, Carlos Molina, J’Leon Love and Marco Antonio Periban, I can assure you that THE MOMENT undercard is going to be a “Must See.” |
