Matchmaker tells us how it all came about

RC: Jim, everyone in the New York area is talking about the match up taking place this weekend between Jr. Welterweight prospects Joey Rios- Gatto Figueroa, both from the Bronx… why don’t you tell us how you put it all together.
JB: Well, I consider four guys as top type of prospects in New York at 140lbs… We have a treasure of them right now. Those being Dmitriy Salita, now this is in no particular order by the way. Salita 26-0-1(15), Edgar Santana 19-2(12), Frankie “El Gatto” Figueroa 13-2(10) and Joey Rios 14-0(6). With that being said, not all of them but most of them have a very high opinion of themselves that they are going to be the next world champion. Well to me, it hasn’t been decided who is the best, of the lot of them, who is the best Jr. Welterweight in the city. The first thing they (K2 Promotions) asked me to do was for me to put together a crowd pleaser and something that would draw. Now Joey Rios is a major draw, at least New York wise. Edgar Santana is a very decent draw too, now my first choice was Figueroa against Santana, Santana’s people wouldn’t have anything to do with it. I went to Joey Rios and I use the tactic of the same type of “Who do you know who the best in the city is,” but instead of saying that… I said we don’t even know who the best in the Bronx is, being that they both (Figueroa and Rios) come out of the Bronx and that argument took the cake.

RC: So what happened from there?
JB: They both said “Yup” with no hesitation, they both agreed to the fight. They were surprised that each of them would take the fight.

RC: Just like everyone else in NYC is…
JB: Then I said okay well we are going to find out who the best in the Bronx is and I commend both of them for putting their money where their mouth is. With that being said what is left unsaid is that somebody didn’t put their money where their mouth is. Unfortunately Dmitriy Salita was not available because of a cut in his last fight, so I have no quorums with that. 

RC: Unfortunately the people that don’t attend this fight will not be able to see these two talented prospects because it won’t be…
JB: (Cutting in) It won’t be seen on National TV, but it might be on International TV excluding the United States.

RC: Will Boxingtalk.com be able to obtain a copy of this highly anticipated match up to be replayed on our site?
JB: It is being taped, I don’t know if all of the commentary will be taped with it or whatever it is not my doing that is the doing of HBO and so on. I will tell you where the tape is, and who to go to, as far as whether they will give it up or not is not my business.

RC: I tell you one good thing about this fight that you put together, I have heard many people say that’s why they will be making their way down to the Garden Saturday night.
JB: Well all fight fans in the New York area should make that their duty. On this undercard, this is really the fight to see.

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