Convention Center Cancun Palace Hotel – Cancun, Mexico
Final Press Conference – March 5, 2008 – Conferencia Final de Prensa – Marzo 5, 2008
Fighter Quotes
Nate Campbell: “It has been a hard road for me to get here but I am here now. I don’t have anything to do with what’s going on between Juan Diaz and Don King but I can tell you this: On Saturday night I’m going to take you to hell, Juan.”
Juan Diaz: “I’ve fought in Mexico many times and it’s great to be back home. I fought here when I was 16 years old. Nate Campbell is a good fighter and I’m ready to go 12 rounds.
Samuel Peter: (To Oleg Maskaev’s promoter Dennis Rappaport): “Buy a new pair of glasses because I want you to see how hard I’m going to hit your man on Saturday.”
(To Oleg Maskaev): “I want to tell you one thing: “I’m going to knock you out. I’m going to eat you alive.”
(From Monday press conference in Cancun): “I’m coming to fight on Saturday night and I promise I’m going to beat you. I’m going to punish you and beat you up. I’ve been fighting for seven years and I’ve never ducked anyone. I hope you’re planning on coming to fight on Saturday. You can run no more.”
Oleg Maskaev: “I’m ready and I’m coming to win on Saturday night. I have worked very hard.”
Don King Productions has promoted over 500 world championship fights with nearly 100 individual boxers having been paid $1 million or more. DKP also holds the distinction of having promoted or co-promoted seven of the 10 largest pay-per-view events in history, as gauged by total buys, including three of the top five: Holyfield vs. Tyson II, 1.99 million buys, June 1997; Tyson vs. Holyfield I, 1.6 million buys, November 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, 1.58 million buys, August 1995.
DKP has promoted or co-promoted 11 of the top 15 highest-grossing live gates in the history of the state of Nevada including four of the top five: Holyfield vs. Lewis II, paid attendance: 17,078, gross: $16,860,300 (NOTE: Also second-highest live-gate gross for any event in history.), date: Nov. 13, 1999; Holyfield vs. Tyson II, paid attendance: 16,279, gross: $14,277,200, date: June 28, 1997; Holyfield vs. Tyson I, paid attendance: 16,103, gross: $14,150,700, date: Nov. 9, 1996; and Tyson vs. McNeeley, paid attendance: 16,113, gross: $13,965,600, date: Aug. 19, 1995.
Dino Duva, the president of Duva Boxing, has promoted great fighters and great fights during four decades in boxing. Growing up in a renowned boxing family, the Duva name has become synonymous with excellence in the fight game as the “First Family in Boxing.†Working closely with his Hall of Fame father, Lou, and his late, great brother Dan, Duva has been involved in the promotion of over 100 world championship fights including such titlists as Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker, Arturo Gatti, and Mark Breland. Duva is presently the promoter of Samuel Peter, regarded by many as the top young heavyweight contender in boxing.