WBC World Champion Mairis Briedis (22-0, 18 KOs) and Mike Perez (22-2-1, 14 KOs) faced each other at a press conference in Riga ahead of Saturday’s Ali Trophy Quarter-Final clash at Arena Riga, Latvia.
“It is a great honour for me and for Latvia to have such a big fight and tournament in our country,” said Briedis.
“I am looking forward to showing that Latvia is not only a country with singers and dancers, but also some world class boxing. There are some pressure on my shoulders fighting in front of a sold out arena, but I am sure I can handle it.”
Mike Perez: “I am ready to fight, I can’t wait for Saturday night! It will definitely be a good and exiting fight.”
Responding to a rumour forwarded by a Latvian journallist that he struggles to make weight, ‘The Rebel’ said “I am here, what makes you think I am not going to fight! You will have to see at the weigh-in on Friday.”
Shadeed Suluki, Perez trainer:
“Rumour? We have had a very tight camp, so I don’t know where you have got that rumour from. The only guys who have seen Mike on the scales is the team, and I know who is a part of this team. So where ever you got that rumour they told you a lie.”
Kalle Sauerland, Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer:
“It is lovely to be in Riga – the hunt for the Muhammad Ali Trophy is well underway. We have had a spectacular start, we have been in some great cities, we have seen some great boxing fans and some great boxing and this weekend we are expecting nothing less! We are looking forward to a totally full arena in Riga, the atmosphere will be amazing I am sure. There will be absolute fireworks between Briedis and Perez, we are going to see some tremendous action, a massive night of boxing that has never been seen in Latvia.”
“Saturday’s fight is not just a normal fight. They are fighting for the WBC world title and the WBC Diamond Belt and a spot in the semi-final for the Muhammad Ali Trophy and a hell of a lot money!”
The weigh-in Friday at 5 pm at the Radisson Spa and Conference Hotel in Riga is open to public and there are still a limited number of tickets on sale at https://shop.piletilevi.ee
www.WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com
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For higher res images, please email Matt Rich: MJR@WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES
09/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Oleksandr Usyk beat Marco Huck (WBO World) TKO10
Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany
16/09/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Callum Smith beat Erik Skoglund (WBC Diamond) UD
Echo Arena, Liverpool, United Kingdom
23/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Yunier Dorticos beat Dmitry Kudryashov (WBA World) KO2
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, USA
30/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Mairis Briedis vs. Mike Perez (WBC World)
Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia
07/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Chris Eubank Jr vs. Avni Yildirim (IBO World)
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle, Stuttgart, Germany
14/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
George Groves vs. Jamie Cox (WBA Super)
The SSE Arena, Wembley, London, United Kingdom
21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Finals:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA
27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Finals:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Kongresshalle, Schwerin, Germany
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs
ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES:
Organised by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
