MINNEAPOLIS – December 14, 2023 – Undefeated WBA Super Middleweight Champion and Minneapolis fan-favorite David Morrell Jr. and knockout artist Sena Agbeko went face-to-face Thursday at the final press conference before they meet in the SHOWTIME main event this Saturday, December 16 from The Armory in Minneapolis in an event presented by Premier Boxing Champions.
The press conference also featured exciting contenders Chris “Primetime” Colbert and Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela, who meet in a 12-round WBA Lightweight Title Eliminator as they rematch in the co-main event, plus all-action former world champions Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero and Andre Berto, who square off in a 10-round welterweight rematch in the telecast opener at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
The telecast had previously been scheduled to include WBC Flyweight World Champion Julio Cesar Martinez facing unbeaten Angelino Cordova, however that fight has now been postponed after Martinez experienced visa issues trying to enter the country.
Tickets for the event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Warriors Boxing, are on sale now and can be purchased at The Armory at http://ArmoryMN.com/ and through Ticketmaster.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
DAVID MORRELL JR.
“When you disrespect me, you’re gonna suffer. When you talk like that to my face, now it’s time for the punishment. I’m going to knock his ass out in the sixth or seventh round this Saturday night. My Christmas present for him is gonna be a knockout.”
“This is a great opportunity to headline the last fight on SHOWTIME. I was ready for him in April and I’m ready for him now. I’ll show him and anyone who doubts me.
“it’s going to be worse for him now. I’m better now than if we had fought in April. I’m taking him right out now.
“I’m really just focused on Agbeko. My body and my mental are 100%. I’m not thinking about David Benavidez right now. I’ll come for him after Agbeko. I’m taking this guy out first.
“I feel great to have this opportunity. My family is coming here to watch me for the first time. This is my time and this is my moment. I want everything.
“Having my family here doesn’t put pressure on me. It takes the pressure away. It’s going to make me feel great and clear my head, since I don’t need to worry about how they are doing in Cuba anymore. Once I’m inside the ring, my focus will be fully on Agbeko.”
SENA AGBEKO
“I’ve always had the mindset that I want to be the top guy at super middleweight. I want to face the best. That’s what I’ve wanted since the beginning.
“I can’t hate a man who’s on the same mission as me. We both want to be world champion. We were supposed to fight in April, and I believe that someone went to great lengths to stop the fight from happening then.
“I wanted this fight because of what I know about myself. There’s so much that I’ve done that people have chosen to ignore. I just wanted a chance. I’ve just needed the stage to prove it.
“I fought to get this fight back, because I deserved it. I’m grateful to the universe, and to David and his team for accepting the fight.
“I truly believe that his team thinks I’m a sheep coming to the slaughter house. But they don’t know that I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“This will be the culmination of everything I’ve ever dreamed of. It’s been a long 12 years. I’ve trained the whole time like I’m fighting for a world title. To win this fight Saturday night will mean everything to me. I want to add my name to a long line of Ghanaian champions.”
CHRIS COLBERT
“I’m not forced to do anything. I’m my own boss. This was the option that I chose. I’m tired of hearing him talk. I’ve always wanted to prove myself.
“He’s a sore loser, but he comes to fight. He’s gonna come to fight. I want to prove to the world and to his fans that he didn’t win. I’m gonna come dominate. I want him to take his loss like a man.
“It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. He dropped me in the first 30 seconds and he didn’t’ finish me. It says a lot about him as a fighter. He had 2:30 to finish me in the first round.
“He got tired. I landed so many jabs. Saturday night I’m gonna make him stop crying about this. I’m ready.”
JOSE VALENZUELA
“I learned I have to keep my foot on the gas. It was pretty clear to everyone that I won. He said that I was a bum, but it looked like he was getting jumped in there. Everything happens for a reason and I’m happy to be back.
“I made the adjustments that I had to make. Saturday I’m knocking him out. I had a tremendous training camp.
“I’m gonna knock this clown out. It’s over for him. I can see in his eyes that he’s scared. He said he had different plans after the first fight. But he had to come back here to face me.”
ROBERT GUERRERO
“These fists are hungry and I gotta feed them. It’s been a long time coming. Things change, but like my dad always told me, ‘the older the bull, the stiffer the horn.’ We’re ready to go.
“The last time we fought, I was really a 135-pounder fighting at 147. I’ve grown into the weight now. It’s gonna be a lot different match now.
“We were both in Las Vegas out there running and doing our camps. I’m ready and I’m excited to do it again. When you run at that elevation in Las Vegas, there’s nothing like it.
“If you know Robert Guerrero, you know I come for war. We come no matter what. It’s just what we do. We’re warriors.”
ANDRE BERTO
“Anybody who follows me, they know I stay in shape. This is a fight that I felt like I always needed to get back. Same thing with Victor Ortiz. I shouldn’t have even stepped into the ring against Guerrero when we first fought. I’m on a revenge tour now before I leave this game.
Robert is a great fighter of course, and he did what he did. But I’m hungry for this one. I still think about situations from that fight back then. I’m hungry to get this one back. We had a hell of a training camp and we’re gonna get it.
“I wasn’t in the right space mentally or physically when we first thought. I only gained four pounds after the weigh-in. Even then he barely beat me. I’m not taking anything from Robert, because he’s a beast.
“Now, even at this age, I’m feeling like a beast right now. I’m focused right now. I didn’t pull any punches in camp. I had young studs pushing me every day. I feel good and I feel fresh.”