| QUEENSBERRY staged the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s (6th Nov) show at Utilita Arena, Birmingham that is headlined by Zach Parker’s WBO International Super-Middleweight championship defence against Marcus Morrison, live on BT Sport. Woodville’s Parker (21-0, 15 KOs) will also be risking his status as number one contender for the WBO World title held by Canelo Alvarez when he faces Manchester’s Morrison (24-4, 16 KOs). Here are a selection of quotes from the press conference. FRANCIS WARREN: “It is going to be a great night in Birmingham. Zach against Marcus is the stand out fight. Marcus is a tough opponent who had a great fight with Chris Eubank. There is so much more at stake than Zach’s title. He is number one with the WBO and if he beats Marcus I’m sure he will stay up until the early hours of Sunday watching Canelo v Caleb Plant. The winner of that fight will have to fight their mandatory next year. That fight is for real if Zach comes through. The ultimate dream is for Zach to have a World title fight at Pride Park.” ZACH PARKER: “Marcus is confident. It is a good fight and we’re both going to bring it. The best man will win and that is going to be me. I can’t thank Frank Warren, Neil Marsh and BCB enough for doing all this for me because we’re on the right track. This is about getting the win. We are not going out there looking for the stoppage. I’d rather have the rounds because I’ve stopped my last two opponents early. Marcus is a tough opponent and I am going to bring all I’ve got. Marcus is a big puncher, but I will box and move. I will land the big shots when I want to.” NEIL MARSH (Parker’s manager): “Every fight is a banana skin so for Joe to think we’ve overlooked Marcus is wrong. We have a lot of respect for Joe and Marcus. It comes down to one thing. Boxing is about levels and Zach is a World class boxer. That is nothing against Marcus. I just believe Marcus is a British level fighter – a very confident one. He had a very good win in Italy and a good fight against Chris Eubank Jr . We have been sounding out Eubank because I think Zach stops him in four or five rounds. I believe Zach will stop Marcus. Now we are with Frank Warren and his team we have the right promoter campaigning for us. MARCUS MORRISON: “It’s no secret that Zach is a fully fledged Super-Middleweight, but they came looking for me. I’m a Middleweight, but I have been in with Super-Middleweights, Light-Heavyweights and held my own. I do believe he has made a big mistake. He is comfortable in his number one spot and could’ve choose an easier opponent who doesn’t carry my punch power. I can end this fight in a split-second. This will be more technical than the Eubank fight. Zach is more technically gifted than him and will try to use that to his advantage. This fight will catch fire, big shots will be traded. It’s a battle of two punchers and if I land he’ll go.” JOE GALLAGHER (Morrison’s manager and trainer): “When the fight was offered we snapped it up. When you go through Zach’s record since he beat Darryl Williams which was controversial he has been on a good run of stoppages. There is a lot of noise about Zach, but I am confident in Marcus. It’s a huge opportunity and there is no pressure on Marcus. They are talking about Zach fighting at Pride Park, but after this weekend I hope they have the number for the Etihad because I am sure Marcus would like Canelo at the home of Manchester City. It’s a live fight and no walk in the park. We’re hugely confident of an upset.” On the same bill Stoke-on-Trent’s Nathan Heaney (13-0, 5 KOs) will meet Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Sladan Janjanin (30-8, 23 KOs) for the vacant IBO Intercontinental Middleweight title over ten rounds.Former British Middleweight champion Denzel Bentley 14-1-1, 12 KOs) faces Wednesbury’s Sam Evans (10-1-1, 3 KOs) in a non-title ten rounder.In eight round action is Southampton Lightweight hope Ryan Garner (10-0, 6 KOs) who boxes Portugal’s Pedro Manuel Gomes (9-1, 2 KOs).Irish Welterweight prospect Dylan Moran (15-1, 6 KOs), exciting Liverpool Super-Bantamweight Andrew Cain (7-0, 6 KOs), Northampton Super-Lightweight Eithan James (6-0) and Dubliner Willo Hayden (1-0) all box six rounders.Telford pair, Super-Lightweight Macauley Owen (1-0, 1 KO) and Bantamweight debutant Raheem Muhammed are in four round action. |
Please follow and like us:
