ANDRE WARD VS ALLAN GREEN PR
CONFERENCE QUOTES
ANDRE
WARD: “I don’t know if I can compare Allan with anyone I’ve ever
fought before. At the end of the day each fighter has his own strengths
and his own weaknesses. If you’re going to become a great fighter you
have to learn to exploit his weaknesses so that’s what we’re working on.
But I don’t get caught up in trying to compare this guy with that. At
the end of the day I look at June 19 as a fresh night. And it’s all
about showing up on that night. So even though we’ve studied tape I
expect a better Allan Green than what I’ve seen on tape. I’ve prepared
myself mentally for this to be the toughest fight of my career.
People say you used your head as a
weapon against Kessler. Can you address that?
“I think people who saw the fight know that
I was ahead in that fight and there was no reason for me to
intentionally start using my head. I don’t know how to intentionally use
my head and not be cut. If I’m up 10 rounds to nothing why would I start
intentionally head-butting? It doesn’t make any sense. On the websites
and on the message boards people need something to talk about so I guess
this is just something they want to talk about.”
Allan Green has had some negative things
to say about you. Has that bothered you?
“Bother me? No. Use them? Absolutely. I
don’t read a lot of press before the fight but I get people coming up to
me all the time saying, ‘Did you hear this or did you hear that?’ I’ve
been like since the amateurs but for some reason I live like a lamb
before the fight. I’ve heard his comments on Fight Camp 360 and you
better believe I use that. It bothers me in a good way because I
constantly have something to prove and that’s what not a lot of people
realize. I think a lot of people think I’m coming in here really well
rested and really enjoying the fact that I’ve got a championship. But
it’s been all work. For me, I try to say as little as possible before a
fight. I’m not going to stand there and get pushed down or get bullied
but at the end of the day I just shut my mouth, work hard and take care
of business. So that’s what I plan on doing 11 days from now.
“It’s a huge deal for me to be fighting in
Oakland . There’s a lot of negative things that come out of this city,
but there’s also a lot of good. In this economy people are coming out
and spending their money on these fights and having a good time. It’s
exciting to see people excited about these fights; for fathers to be
bringing their kids. Even women who would never go to a fight come up to
me and my wife and say I bought a ticket and I’m coming to the next
fight. It’s a lot of positive recognition and it’s one of the reasons
I’m in this sport. It’s not to make money or build a legacy but to make
a positive impact. We’re slowly and surely doing that and it’s very dear
to my heart.
“If he (Green) has a chip on his shoulder
then that makes two of us. I’ve been away from my family for a long
time. I’m a bit irritable. He’s desperate to win but I want to keep my
title. I don’t know if it’s now or it it’s later but I know eventually
I’m going to get respect for the dog that’s in me and for the bite down
that I have. It’s about going out there and taking care of my business.
I expect him to have a chip on his shoulder because I definitely have
one on mine. It’s just go time. At some point the talking just stops and
it’s about just showing up. If Allan Green beats me I’ll take my hat off
to him. I don’t make excuses. And I expect the same from him if I beat
him. What I’m prepared for is a dog fight. I’m prepared for anything
he’s got.”
ALLAN GREEN: “Andre looked great
against Kessler but I’m not Kessler. Mikkel Kessler really couldn’t deal
with a lot of things that Andre was doing. I’m slick guy and I’m a sharp
guy. I’ll fight however my opponent wants to fight. If I have to be
slick I’ll be slick. If I have to box I will box. If I have to brawl
I’ll brawl. I expect a thinking match. I can’t give my game plan. Andre
is not the easiest guy to fight with his style but I understand how to
fight him because I fought a lot of those guys in the amateurs. I
understand his style.
“I think I belonged in the tournament
originally. As far as (Andre) Dirrell goes I don’t think he was ready.
The thing I didn’t understand was Jermain Taylor getting into the
tournament. No offense against Jermain but we fought on the same show
and I won my fight and he lost his fight. I got pushed back to ShoBox
and he got put into the tournament. That’s what I didn’t understand.
“I’m not coming into this tournament
thinking about points. I’m thinking about victories. With victories come
points. I don’t want to put any more pressure on myself than I already
have. The only points I’m worried about are the points in the fight. And
that’s up to the judges. So I can’t worry about that. I can’t put
pressure on myself like that.
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