By Brad Snyder – The Undercard
Heavyweight Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson (14-0, 14 KOs) and former world champion “Prince” Charles Martin (29-3-1, 26 KOs) faced off at the final press conference for Saturday’s ESPN-televised clash at Toledo’s Huntington Center.
Jared Anderson: “I come prepared for anything and everything. Luckily, he is still a southpaw. I think that was the biggest reason that we chose him after the change. He’s also a bigger name. He is a former world champion. He has fought a few world titleholders as well. I’m prepared for everything. It didn’t throw a monkey wrench in the plan, but it definitely made us go back to the drawing board, look at the tapes, and come back with a plan.”
Charles Martin: “I was happy when I got the call. I had been putting in a lot of work, so I was happy that the hard work was finally paying off. I’ve dedicated myself fully. I leave no stones unturned. You can’t do that in this game…I’m up for the challenge. He’s a big, strong, young lion. And I’m here.”
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In the 10-round heavyweight co-feature, Montreal-based wrecking ball Arslanbek Makhmudov (16-0, 15 KOs) takes on Nigeria’s Raphael Akpejiori (15-0, 14 KOs).
Arslanbek Makhmudov: “Camp was good. Everything was great. I just can’t wait for it to be Saturday so I can perform…I came here to compete against the best and become the champion of the world. That’s my goal, my target and my dream.”
Raphael Akpejiori: “This is the best guy I will have faced. But to be a champion, you have to go through some fire. And I have put myself in line to go through that fire. All I have to do is listen to the ‘Road Warrior’ (Glen Johnson) and do everything we’ve done in camp.”
Anderson is a punk. I cannot wait for someone with credibility to not only beat him, but beat his punk axx.
With that said, this fight is a mismatch, and Anderson is a low life punk for picking such a soft opponent.
Not really. This is a step up that he needs to take. I wouldn’t call it a mismatch at all.
I cannot wait for a real fighter to fuck Anderson up. In the meanwhile, these bullshit mismatches will continue, making losers think he is special, when in fact, he is a punk. Joe Joyce just got exposed. It will not be long before Anderson gets exposed.
I don’t understand the hate. At least Anderson is not tank davis. That dude does reprehensible stuff in and out of the ring. Anderson in the other hand just hosted a bunch of kids.
I’m excited to see if Anderson is the real deal. He has the potential.
Martin is far from a mismatch. I expect this to be a very difficult fight Anderson.
Arslanbek Makhmudov looks like a mean dude, keen to see what he can do. Didn’t know the road warrior was a trainer, talk about a throw back fighter. He fought everyone, win, lose or draw he gave it his all
Great doubleheader on ESPN. Boxing as it should be!
Makhmudov should be fighting Anderson. There will be no surprise here – unless Martin can go the distance . Anderson will be exposed even if he wins if he can not get the ko
Markmudov looks like he was created in a lab for the purpose of crushing and destroying things
Martin looks better than he has in the past and if he has studied tapes of Anderson,more so his lack of defence,the fight just might go his way.
This is a big test for Anderson .
Anderson definitely has the whitest teeth in the top 10.
LOL…crushed it.
Have to say it again. Both Anderson and Makhmudov will be exposed soon, just like Tony Yoka was. Probably not in these fights, but if their fights do last a couple of rounds a person will again see they are actually quite average.
big baby who knows about him does he have the ability to hang in there in the championship rounds against good opposition?