DAVID LEMIEUX, NABF Middleweight Champion
“We are very well aware of Rosado’s tendencies and his capabilities and we did everything we had to in the gym to prepare for this fight. Rosado’s got a lot on his plate.
“Nothing ever brought me down. I believe in destiny and I never quit and here I am with the best around me, you’ve just got to put in the time, the effort, the blood, the tears and the sweat. It’s all a dance and you’ve got know the right steps to get back in the ring. You’ve got be ready for it and willing to accept change.
“I’m very understanding of my power and once I start landing it’s going to be hell for Rosado and I know it.
“Myself and my entourage, I owe it to them and everybody around me to perform well. Even though you’re in the ring by yourself it’s not like you’re fighting alone. I fight for my kids and to put food on the table. I fight for my manger who has invested in me, who believes in me…I am confident in my abilities and I want prove I can do whatever I want.
“My career is about much more than winning a belt. I want to make the youth follow in my footsteps. I want to be a good example for the young guys coming up in boxing. I have a good story. I could have easily went out and given up and been a bum.
“I used to get into fights in the street and get into trouble with cops but I quickly learned discipline. I didn’t want to be kicked out of school which meant I’d be kicked out of the gym…You’ve got to understand you can teach the young people to follow in those footsteps. I have a bit of bigger plan for myself.”
GABRIEL ROSADO, Middleweight Contender
“I feel strong, I feel fast…My new trainer Jesse Reid has lots of experience He’s trained 25 world champions in his career so I think the experience he has will help.
“The fans keep me in the game. That’s what keeps me relevant. I want to get this win for the fans. I want to show them I do pay attention, I do read my Twitter and my Instagram. I can’t reply to all of them but I see it and I do appreciate it.
“I started boxing late, at 18-years-old but I was always a fan of the sport. I have posters all over my room and I when I decided to be a fighter I envisioned it.
“I believe in experience as a backbone. If I use my ring smarts and experience, I think this could end early.
“In this fight I think the fans are going to see a lot more skill. I’m going to use my ring intelligence…you’re going to see speed, power. It’s going to be great.”
HUGO CENTENO JR., Undefeated Middleweight Contender
“This my first time here in New York and I love it. It feels like home.
“HBO is working with Golden Boy again and it feels great to be given that opportunity on such a big stage. I’m exited about it.
“My dad used to box when he was younger and got into a motorcycle accident and he wasn’t able to continue his career and that’s what got me into watching fights, we would watch Tuesday night fights as a kid. I started when I was seven and the rest is history.
“My main strategy in the ring is boxing, but I can bang if I need to. I’m taller than most of my opponents but if it comes down to it and we have to slug it out, I can do that too.”
JAMES DE LA ROSA, Middleweight Contender
“My goal is to take his heart as a fighter, I feel it’s not my discretion to choose whether I can fight or not. I’m going to fight until I can’t see-, doesn’t matter if I get cuts or not. I’m here to put on a show.
“I never back out of a fight. I’ve heard he’s backed out of a couple different fights…I’ve fought a few undefeated fighters. It feels better to take someone’s ‘0’ and that’s what’s going to happen on Saturday.
“People were saying I was going to get knocked out my last fight against Alfredo Angulo and that I didn’t stand a chance and that just fuels me. It brings more fuel to the fire. I trained hard for what I wanted and it just pushes me to show people that I can.
“I feel good and I’m ready to conquer Barclays Center like I conquered the MGM, I’m really excited.”
HANK LUNDY, Junior Welterweight Contender
“I’m excited and I’m ready to go. Dulorme is a pretty basic fighter who I’m going to take care of.
“Dulorme uses a lot of fundamentals and basic things. But you need more than that to beat Hank Lundy.
“It’s going to be a big statement and we’re going to do it in a big way. Afterwards I want Danny Garcia, Philly vs. Philly we have to do it.
“I’m an old school guy and I’m going to show everybody that on Saturday.
“Hammerin’ Hank is coming to put on a show. If you’ve been a fan from day one you know I’m coming to bring the house down.”
EDDIE GOMEZ, Super Welterweight Contender
“I’m excited to return to Barclays. I started off the year January 30th, I fought Daquan Arnett on the co main event of Victor Ortiz and Luis Collazo and I’m ready to go and close out the year in Barclays.
“I learned a lot from my last fight. More of the work was on my boxing skills. Mentally, I wasn’t ready for my last fight but I still went in there and did what I had to do. I didn’t get the victory but for this one I’m 100 percent clear minded and ready to go in there.
“After this fight I’m excited to spend time with my baby, My newborn daughter.I just got a baby girl and my drive, it’s just there more. Before it was just for me but now I have do it for me and my daughter to make sure we’re good.
“I just want to go in there and show off my boxing skills and show what I’ve learned. I’m not really looking for the knockout…you never know until you get in there though, if it comes it comes but if I have to go the distance I’ll go the distance.”
ZACHARY OCHOA, Undefeated Super Lightweight Prospect
“Every time you fight in front of your home fans in your home arena it always gives you that extra push because you don’t want to let them down but it doesn’t matter anywhere I go, I could be fighting in a desert, I’m always going to push.
“My game plan is go out there, do what I do and fight the way ‘Zungry’ fights and dominate.
“Training camp has been going great. I can’t wait for the weigh in, I can’t wait to eat, I can’t wait to get in the ring and hit this guy. I’m not anxious, I’m just real chill and happy with the way everything is going.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, Golden Boy Partner and Future Hall of Famer
“This is going to be a great fight, I promise you it will not go the distance, one way or the other.
“It’s an old saying, but ‘styles make fights’. Both guys are going to let it go in there.
“The Barclays Center fans are in for something great. New Yorkers want them to put on a show and they will not disappoint.
” People want to see the fighters–they want to see Gabe. I’ve been watching and his Instagram has almost tripled each day. He’s a guy that puts his heart out there and comes to fight, and he will fight anybody.
“They may think Gabe is the opponent but then they realize, ‘wait a minute,’ they’re in a real fight. That there is loss and his gain. That’s why Gabe is being loved.”
Lemieux vs. Rosado is a 12 round NABF middleweight bout which is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with Eye Of The Tiger Management and sponsored by Corona Extra, AT&T and Mexico – Live
