Former two-division world champion Luis Nery (33-1, 25 KOs) of Tijuana, Mexico and Azat Hovhannisyan (21-3, 17 KOs) of Los Angeles by way of Yerevan, Armenia, battle it out in the main event at The Fox Theater Pomona in Pomona, California on Saturday, February 18. The pair squares off in a 12-round WBC super bantamweight title eliminator. Two days away from their clash live on DAZN, the fighters hosted a final pre-fight press conference.
Also in attendance at the press conference were Las Vegas-based Pomona-born Shane Mosley Jr (18-4, 10 KOs) and Mario Alberto Lozano (33-10, 24 KOs) of Chihuahua, Mexico, who meet in a ten-round super middleweight co-main event. Plus, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy partner Bernard Hopkins and Mauricio Lopez de Cardenas of Zanfer Boxing. Check out below what the participants had to say.
Luis Nery, former two-division world champion
“First and foremost I would like to thank Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for making this fight a possibility. I feel very happy to return to the ring for a big event that awaits for us on Saturday. I want to thank Zanfer Boxing, Fernando Beltran, and Abraham Perez for always supporting me.
“It’s going to be a great fight. Azat is a great fighter. I have been watching him for a long time. He is a strong fighter – he throws punches and has resilience in the ring and has never been knocked out before. These are the types of challenges that I like to have that make me a better fighter.”
Azat Hovhannisyan, super bantamweight contender
“Hello everyone, I am in good shape, I had a very good training camp. Everything is very good. We are ready for February 18.
I know Luis Nery. He is a good fighter with a good left hand. I have a great new coach named Julian Chua. We are ready to put on a good show.”
Shane Mosley Jr., super middleweight fighter
“I’m feeling great. I want to thank Golden Boy, Oscar, DAZN, the Fox Theater and to everyone involved. I am very excited to be fighting in my hometown – where I was born, where I grew up. It’s an honor to fight here and hopefully I get to do it again in the future.
“I have a good, strong veteran in front of me coming after me, trying to deter me in my hometown that I have to defend. And if all goes well, keep pushing up the ladder like Bernard said. I thank you guys for being here. It’s going to be a great night.”
Mario Alberto Lozano, super middleweight fighter
“Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity. We feel very good. We had a good preparation for this fight. When they offered us this fight, it gave us great pleasure to know they had considered us for a great fighter like Shane Mosley Jr. We are ready to leave everything on the ring.”
Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions
“This main event fight was made by the actual fighters positioning themselves, and putting themselves in this place. This is an eliminator for the WBC – we have the No. 1 and No. 2 fighting each other which is unheard of in boxing these days – but that’s what Luis Nery and Azat Hovhannisyan bring to the table. They are old school, they are fighters who understand exactly what it takes to become a world champion. It’s never an easy road. But winning, and going down that road and performing gets you to the big prize of winning a world title.”
Bernard Hopkins, Golden Boy partner
“You fight inside the ring, we fight outside for you. We’re rooting for you to get to the top of the ladder. Golden Boy is here to stay. We have an exciting fight night with this eliminator. All fighters should be working towards elimination, to bigger venues, to bigger crowds, to bigger opportunities.”
Mauricio Lopez de Cardenas, Zanfer Boxing
“On behalf of Fernando Beltran and the Zanfer Boxing team I want to thank Oscar and the Golden Boy team, DAZN, the media and the fans for this. It feels great to be back in the United States with Luis Nery.
“Nery has had a very good preparation for this fight. He spent an enormous time away from his family and friends to train in Mexico City for this fight. We are very sure that Nery is prepared for this fight and is ready to fight anyone.”
Among other main card bouts live on DAZN, Montclair, California-born Ricardo Sandoval (20-2, 15 KOs), fighting out of Rialto, California, faces Jerson Ortiz (17-6, 8 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua in a ten-rounder at flyweight. In addition, Rowdy Legend Montgomery (8-4-1, 6 KOs) of Victorville, California goes up against Mexicali, Mexico-born Christian Olivas (22-8, 19 KOs) of San Ysidro, California in an eight-rounder at super middleweight.
In Australia, the event airs live on Sunday, February 19.
Get Nery vs Hovhannisyan full fight card and start time.
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