Queensberry Promotions / 14.July 2022
The press conference for Saturday night’s big show at the Copper Box Arena took place this afternoon at BT Sport studios, and the headliners were joined by promoter Frank Warren for some final messages before the weigh-in this Friday.
Frank Warren was flanked by top boxers Hamzah Sheeraz and Francisco Torres, who will fight for the WBC Silver middleweight title, as well as Lennox Clark and Mark Heffron, who are set to fight for the British, Commonwealth and Intercontinental titles. the IBF.
Earlier, Frank Warren introduced new signing Pierce O’Leary, along with Dennis McCann and James Beech jr, who will fight for the vacant WBC Silver International featherweight title, as well as WBC Silver featherweight champion Nick Ball, who defends against Nathanael Kakololo.
A selection of quotes from the media event can be found below:
FRANK WARREN
“Lennox vs. Mark is going to be a war and they are two fighters who, when they get in the ring, give it their all, they really do. I think this is going to be a bit of a cookie. It’s one of those fights where the winner will move on, it won’t be the end for the loser, but the winner will move on quickly. It’s all about making a statement on the night, they both have great win rates and with the experience they have with each other, this is going to be something a bit special. It will be a real cracker”.
“Boxing writers say that Hamzah is the best young fighter of the year and now in this fight he can go from being a prospect to another level. In Francisco he has a tough Argentine and they are tough guys who come to fight. I think we’ll get a good yardstick to see how far he’s come in his career. For me, he has done everything absolutely well, he is a pride for boxing and the sport and he is a consummate professional. He invests in himself and his future and I really feel that he is one of the best young prospects in the country and I hope that after this weekend everyone sees him as a guy who can win a world title. I think he is capable of doing it.”
HAMZAH SHEERAZ
“I feel great, camp has been great and I am in a good mood fighting at 160, my second fight at that and we have a good opponent in front of us and we are ready to go. My team and I went back to the gym after the Bradley Skeete fight and got back to basics. Then we made it happen and we did it pretty easily in my next fight against Jez Smith, but that’s over now. I have Francisco on Saturday night and I’m looking forward to getting in there with someone to ask me some questions and test me in a certain way. There is nothing for which we are not prepared. He can do whatever he wants, he can go forward, he can box with his back foot, he can fly as far as I’m concerned. My team and I have prepared as best we can and have done everything in our power to make sure that Saturday night has a performance, not just for me, but because I’m headlining for the first time. I definitely have to come and put on a show.”
FRANCIS TOWERS
“I am very happy to be here and I am very ready for this fight. I am a boxer and this is my shot at the title, that’s why I accepted the fight. I am convinced that I won the fight against José Benavidez that the judges scored a draw, so now we have to dance for something new. Hamzah is a very good fighter and I am very happy to have him as an opponent.”
MARCA HEFFRON
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Frank Warren for this great opportunity and I am looking forward to it. I’ve said it over and over again, I think Lennox is a very good fighter and, coming from his background as an unlicensed fighter, he has done really well to win the British and Commonwealth. I rank him with Denzel Bentley and Liam Williams and I think he is a big, strong fighter. He will bring out the best in me. He’s definitely now or never, but I feel like I’m more than ready for this opportunity and on Saturday night we’ll see. Joe Gallagher has been working me very hard and has prepared me 110% with big strong sparring partners. When he lands, I will definitely hurt him.”
LENNOX CLARKE
“I have been out, unfortunately, with an injury, but now I am fit and ready to play. I have prepared very well and very hard for 12 rounds and I am looking forward to Saturday night. I come to this fight as a challenger to relaunch myself and get back there. Mark is a good, tough fighter and I think our fight has the ingredients to be the fight of the year. I’ve got the beating from him, I’m fit, I’m strong and I’m hungry for success and I want to get back on track. I’m going to give it my all and I believe 110% Mark Heffron smokes. You are touching Joe Gallagher, but he has had more trainers than anyone in boxing, so there will be no gains there.
DENNIS MCCANN
“Listen, I’m ready to rock. Give me a couple of packs of Haribos and I’ll fight right now. I have been training very hard for the last 16 weeks and the rounds are not a problem for me at all. I have done 200 rounds of sparring against world champions, European champions and I have been beating all my sparring partners. Not even on purpose and with 14-16 oz gloves. Saturday night will be the best Dennis McCann has ever seen. I’m very, very sure I’ll put it on top on Saturday. There are levels to this game and I think I will definitely be a future world champion and he is on my way right now. He’s won some Area titles, but if he brings them up on Saturday, I’ll call the police and they’ll arrest him. He can’t be taking them out.”
JAMES BEACH JR
“I have to be better than I was against Brad Foster and Chris Bourke and then do what I do. Dennis is a good guy, I don’t think he’s as good as the publicity he’s had around him, but I have to do what I do. For this one, I have trained harder than ever and I have the experience from those two fights that I will take in this one. This is Dennis’ step up and he’s never done all 10 rounds before so I have to take him into deep water. I don’t think the hype around him is justified, not after the last two or three fights of his. He has made a big step forward this Saturday and I think they will find out. I have to intimidate the bully and that is what I will do. I’m going to hit him back for starters, I’m not a flyweight who’s getting on and getting fat, I’m losing weight and I’m going to be bigger than him.”
NICK BALL
“I feel good and thanks to Frank for getting me out so soon. I’m ready to go now and I can’t wait. Everything has been good and I have been receiving a lot of attention and new followers, but life has not changed for me and I will continue to work hard and focus. I will move on to bigger and better things now. I don’t want to watch it on YouTube, I want to watch it in real life and I’ll find out all about it on Saturday night. I really have nothing to say to him. No talk and all action, as always.
NATHANAEL KAKOLOLO
“I feel good and I feel at home. I saw him fight and I have seen him fight but, for me, he is a good client for me. He is a little boy and I just want to tell him that every champion was once a contender. I hung up my WBA African belt at home and have come to fight for the WBC. I am here to win and become WBC champion. The champions stand ready and I am ready for him. I am ready for anything at any time.”
PIERCE O’LEARY
“I feel great, this is a great opportunity for me, so I’m taking it all in. It’s fantastic to see all the cameras here and this is something I’ve never done before. I really love it. My previous knockouts haven’t been on BT Sport so no one has seen them, but on Saturday night everyone will be able to see them all over the world. I am a nine-time national champion who has fought all over Europe and I am here to win titles and now it is only a matter of time. I think I will become a world champion in multiple weight classes.”
–
