Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith says Manchester is in for an \u201camazing\u201d night this Saturday when John Hedges and Pat Brown collide at the Co-op Live \u2013 live worldwide on the Global Home of Boxing, DAZN.<\/p>\n
The two, undefeated Cruiserweight rivals met at Thursday\u2019s Press Conference as the countdown to their powderkeg clash for the British, Commonwealth, WBA International and IBF Intercontinental Titles edges closer.<\/p>\n
Both fighters share great expectations of eventually fighting for a World Title. Brown hopes to set off on that journey this weekend when he enjoys the home city advantage, confident of delivering a performance in front of his majority fans. However, Hedges insists the pressure is completely off as he goes in search of the coveted Lonsdale belt.<\/p>\n
Smith stated, that with both men going into the fight with unbeaten records, it provides the backdrop for a memorable fight night in the North West of England.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is one of these fighters is going to win and one is going to lose,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut both of these men deserve a huge amount of respect for stepping in there and taking a challenge. How long have we seen in this sport of boxing fighters go through their careers taking easy fights, but never getting anywhere? <\/p>\n
\u201cBoth these guys are going to go in there, take a challenge and they deserve all the respect. It\u2019s going to be some night in there on Saturday. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had some amazing nights in Manchester over the years, and I believe Saturday night is going to deliver another one of those.\u201d<\/p>\n
You can watch the Press Conference in full and read the quotes below \u2013 including the full, stacked card which sees Shabaz Masoud return to take on Ckari Cani Mansilla for the WBA Intercontinental & IBF Intercontinential Featherweight Titles, plus Kieron Conway challenging Mark Jeffers in an eliminator for the British Super Middleweight Championship and Joe Howarth taking on arch-nemesis Corey O\u2019Regan for the English Lightweight strap.<\/p>\n
Frank Smith, Matchroom Boxing CEO:
\u201cWe want to make the best fights in the sport. I think both these guys deserve all the respect. Boxing is the most fickle sport in the world. I\u2019m not a boxing expert; I always profess that I\u2019m not a boxing expert. I like putting on shows, I love the events around it. The reality is one of these fighters is going to win and one is going to lose. But both of these men deserve a huge amount of respect for stepping in there and taking a challenge. How long have we seen in this sport of boxing fighters go through their careers taking easy fights, getting to 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 0, but never getting anywhere. Both these guys are going to go in there, take a challenge and they deserve all the respect. It\u2019s going to be some night in there on Saturday. We\u2019ve had some amazing nights in Manchester over the years, and I believe Saturday night is going to deliver another one of those.\u201d<\/p>\n
John Hedges:
\u201cFor me personally, listen, coming here, Co-op Live, this is absolutely crazy. I\u2019ll be real with you. Life-long dream to get anywhere close to this let alone doing it myself. I\u2019ve been in the game a lot of years. I\u2019ve done it since I\u2019ve been 5 years old. Like I say, people have different dreams in the boxing world in what they want to achieve. Genuinely when I say I was happy to fight on the telly and walk away, that\u2019s the sort of mentality I have. I\u2019ve always never really backed myself a lot. Slowly slowly I\u2019ve just started winning fights, getting through them with ease and now look, I\u2019m here. These are nights you dream of. I\u2019ve had 12 fights now and I\u2019ve barely lost a round. I turn up on the night and that\u2019s exactly what I\u2019ll do on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey do say pressure is a privilege. I\u2019ve still got pressure on my shoulders, I know what I want to achieve in this sport. It\u2019s more than a British Title if I\u2019m honest with you. I know what I want to get to, I know what I\u2019m capable of. It\u2019s just one of them things. When you get in there, we\u2019ve seen it time and time again, it\u2019s a lot of pressure put on your shoulders. Ultimately, we\u2019re only human. We\u2019ve all got two arms and two legs; you can only go out there and do your best. If this was back in London, I\u2019d feel the pressure a little bit more. It doesn\u2019t really change a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frank Greaves, trainer of John Hedges:
\u201cWell, it\u2019s all three of those things, his dedication, mindset and his ability. He came to the gym literally a few weeks before the Zorro fight. It was an emergency camp shall we put it. We literally gelled from the first moment that he came in the gym. He\u2019s a senior pro now. He ticks all of the right boxes; he does everything that\u2019s asked of him. I couldn\u2019t ask for more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pat Brown:
\u201cYeah, it\u2019s obviously massive. I\u2019ve had fights in stadiums, I\u2019ve been in the AO (Arena) before. So, I\u2019ve been here. I\u2019ve visualised it. I know the long walk outs. I know the big changing rooms. I\u2019m not really letting it get to my head to be honest with you. It\u2019s brilliant obviously \u2013 it\u2019s what you dream of isn\u2019t it. All I know is the fight game. All this stuff is brilliant but all I\u2019m focusing on is Saturday night and I can\u2019t wait now. It\u2019s nearly here. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really what it\u2019s for, for me. My dad runs a club; Nigel runs a boxing club. I know the grass root level of amateur boxing clubs the most \u2013 I\u2019ve seen it all and I know how much work they put into it. You don\u2019t get your Pat Browns, you don\u2019t get your John Hedges, you don\u2019t get all these fighters on the undercards and all of these main events without amateur boxing clubs. That\u2019s where the stars really become who they really are \u2013 disciplined, morals. Everything. That\u2019s what boxing truly is. All I care about is showing them kids that have come from nothing like I myself can get here as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jamie Moore, trainer of Pat Brown:
\u201cI think it\u2019s been clear to see since the off how much of a special talent Pat is. It\u2019s been an important part of our job to make sure that we don\u2019t blow too much smoke up his ass. Just to make sure that he keeps his feet on the ground because it\u2019s very easy to get carried away when you\u2019ve done the type of job on people that Pat has. We\u2019ve got a lot of respect for John Hedges. We understand the problems that he\u2019s going to come and cause but my main focus has always been on Pat Brown. I 100% believe that he has the ability to become a World Champion. The dream has always been to win the British Title along the way. On Saturday night he gets to prove to everyone how good he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shabaz Masoud:
\u201cIt was one of them. It got to a stage in my career where I felt like it was the right time to move up. I\u2019ve moved up now and I\u2019m excited to go. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot better man. I\u2019m enjoying it a lot more as well. I\u2019m just enjoying fight week. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was literally back in the gym after a few weeks. I\u2019ve been in the gym the whole year just working away. It\u2019s one of them man. This game is no joke. I\u2019m just more than ready.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a good fighter. I\u2019ve seen bits and bobs of him. I\u2019m just very confident in myself though. I know what I\u2019ve got to do. <\/p>\n
\u201cMy main focus is Saturday. Then we\u2019ll let the team talk and decide what is next.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark Jeffers:
\u201cYeah, it\u2019s a massive opportunity. Obviously, the fight was meant to happen in May. So, I had a camp for that. I\u2019ve not boxed for a year but I had a full camp for that May one. Unfortunately that fell through. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m in unbelievable shape. It\u2019s going to be a good night Saturday. He\u2019s a top fighter. The British Title \u2013 that\u2019s one of my dreams. He\u2019s won that. It\u2019s a massive fight, one I\u2019ve taken very seriously. I did two weeks in Tenerife for my camp. <\/p>\n
\u201cGet to him, beat him up and get him out of there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kieron Conway:
\u201cIt was a decision that had to be made. It probably should have been made a couple of years ago. But I feel good. I\u2019ve got energy on fight week and I\u2019m looking to take that in on Saturday. <\/p>\n
\u201cI know that he\u2019s a very good fighter. He\u2019s very rough, tough and very fit. I can tell you for a fact that I\u2019m glad I\u2019m not in a running race with him because I know he\u2019s very good at that. I\u2019m looking forward to Saturday and getting back on track.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s exactly what I expect him to bring. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve been working on for the last 9 months, making sure that cannot happen. I\u2019m here to win by any means necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
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