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WBC MIDDLEWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION MIGUEL COTTO TO FIGHT DANIEL GEALE ON JUNE 6, 2015 AT BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN TELEVISED LIVE ON HBO®
PRESENTED BY ROC NATION SPORTS + MIGUEL COTTO PROMOTIONS
PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
On Thursday, April 16, Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions hosted a press conference at The 40/40 Club in Manhattan to announce the next highly anticipated battle for Miguel Cotto (39-4, 32 KO’s), the reigning WBC Middleweight and Ring Magazine World Champion and the first native of Puerto Rico to become world champion in four different weight classes. On June 6, 2015, Cotto will defend his titles against former Two-Time World Champion Daniel Geale (31-3, 16 KO’s) of Australia in a fight that will be televised live on HBO from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Here’s what the participants had to say:
Miguel Cotto: “All I have to say is I’ve been here for the past two days and I’m eager to get back to Los Angeles and get into another training session and get back to New York on June 6. All I have to worry about is my mindset during the fight. I know Daniel is a great fighter and I’m going to do my best as always to bring a good and exciting fight to all the fans. See you all on June 6.”
Daniel Geale: “I’m as excited as you can ever imagine. This is a great moment for me. And come June 6, it’s going to be a hell of a fight and I can’t wait to walk away with the titles.”
Michael Yormark, President & Chief of Branding and Strategy of Roc Nation: “Today is a historic day for Roc Nation and our boxing division. Muhammed Ali once said ‘he who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.’ At Roc Nation, we decided to launch our boxing division in August of 2014. We knew we were taking a risk. We knew that we were entering a sport that was established with a long history in a deep-rooted culture. It took courage, but frankly Roc Nation is nothing if not courageous…we’re committed to promoting the biggest fights and the biggest fighters. Now just a few short months later, we stand here with one of the best fighters in the world, announcing a world championship bout inside the new mecca of boxing, Barclays Center, and broadcast on the standard bearer for live boxing telecasts, HBO. It took courage and risk to get here but this is a proud moment for all of us.”
Hector Soto, Miguel Cotto Promotions: “Miguel Cotto is back and he’s in his second home in New York. As everyone knows, it’s been a tradition for the past couple of years that Miguel fights on the eve of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, so it’s an honor to fight during that time again. On June 6, Miguel Cotto will defend his Middleweight WBC Championship against a tough opponent, Daniel Geale. Have no doubt, it will be a great fight at Barclays Center and everyone will enjoy the fight especially the Puerto Ricans. Miguel Cotto will be ready, will train as hard as always and be ready for the challenge Daniel Geale brings.”
Gary Shaw, Gary Shaw Productions: “If you look at Daniel’s fight against Sturm, when we went to Germany and lifted the belt and became the world champion, that’s the Daniel Geale you’re going to see on June 6. You’re going to see a great fight. Miguel Cotto is a great fighter. Daniel understands that and we have a great deal of respect for him, but on June 6 on HBO at Barclays Center, it will be a whole new night. It will be a night when Daniel Geale takes the belt back to Australia.”
Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets: “Boxing is a big part of what we do at Barclays Center. We’re very passionate about it and very deeply committed. This will be our 13th big night of Brooklyn Boxing in just two and a half years and I am proud to say that Barclays Center is the new mecca of boxing in this country. Miguel Cotto has a storied history in New York, so we are delighted that he is calling Barclays Center his new home in this city.”
Tickets, priced at $500, $350, $250, $200, $150, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Wednesday, April 22 at 10:00 AM ET. Tickets will be available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com and at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center beginning Thursday, April 23 at 12:00 PM ET. To charge by phone, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
Cotto vs. Geale, a 12-round fight for Cotto’s WBC and Ring Magazine Middleweight World Championships, takes place Saturday, June 6 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised live on HBO. The fight is presented by Roc Nation Sports and Miguel Cotto Promotions in association Gary Shaw Productions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate.
