PRESS RELEASE: Following are quotes from some of the boxers appearing on Don King Productions' show in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Saturday. Joachim Alcine, who defeated Travis Simms to win the WBA 154-pound championship, said, “I definitely think I won the fight. I think Simms won maybe three rounds. Simms was an awkward fighter. For all his talking before the fight, I thought he would be more aggressive. He’s not a bad boxer but I thought he was a bigger puncher. I tasted his power early and knew it wouldn’t be a problem for me in the fight.
“It wasn’t the best of me that people saw tonight because of Simms’s awkwardness. I felt after the first few rounds I was behind so I picked it up as the rounds went on. Now I know I’m good enough to fight anyone in the division. I will fight anybody. I’m here to stay.”
In defeat, Travis Simms said, “I take my hat off to Alcine. No excuses just congratulations to him. I’ll be back. He fought a good fight. Tonight was his night. I didn’t underestimate him. I hurt my left hand in the third round and the knockdown they called on me was a slip. I thought I did enough to win the fight but the judges saw it another way. I had an off night. Hopefully I can redeem myself in a rematch.
After geting knocked out and losing his IBF 112-pound title, Vic Darchinyan said, “I’m very disappointed. He caught me with a very good shot. I’ll be back. I definitely want a rematch. I was trying to load up too much.”
His conqueror, Nonito Donaire had this to say, “I came in here as an underdog. Nobody believed in me but I did it. I said yesterday that one punch can make a difference between me and him. I think the key for me in tonight’s fight was every time Darchinyan threw and landed, I punched back and that got him thinking. It took the bully out of him.”
“I’ve fought guys who were heavier than Darchinyan, so I timed my shots. He has heavy hands but my brother told me he’s not as tough as he thinks he is. I shut him up and he still wouldn’t admit in the ring after the fight that I beat him.
“I feel so unbelievably great it hasn’t even dawned on me yet what I have accomplished. This fight wasn’t just for me. It was for my family and the Filipino people, too. I could feel their energy tonight. I felt so good in the ring.
Luis Perez, winner of the vacant IBF bantamweight title, had this to say about the man he defeated, Genaro Garcia: “Garcia was very strong. He gave me an excellent challenge. I think I won all the rounds. From the beginning I could tell I had a reach advantage so I used it. I am exhausted but very happy to be a world champion again, this time at bantamweight.”
In defeat, Garcia said, “He had a lot of stamina. That made it very difficult for me. Perez made the most of his reach advantage. I did the best I could. It was a great fight. I give him all credit.”
Bermane Stiverne, a heavyweight who suffered his first loss against Demetrice King, blamed the referee for the outcome. “I was never hurt. I can’t believe the referee [John Callas from West Hartford, Conn.] stopped the fight. King and I were talking to one another during the final exchanges saying, ‘hit harder, hit harder.’ Watch the tape of the fight. The referee stopped the fight while I was landing a jab.”
“I was undefeated but people kept telling me that because many of my fights have lasted only one round that ‘you need to prove you can go rounds.’ I will never listen to what anyone has to say about my fighting style again. I was trying to go rounds and it cost me. Look at me. Do I look beaten up? I wasn’t and I’m not. I will not fight again unless it’s against Demetrice King. We have unfinished business. He’ll tell you the ref stopped the fight too soon. I want to do it again.”
