Ahead of the impressive card in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the fighters completed public workouts and beat the drums of publicity.
In the nominal main event, light heavyweight star David Benavidez, 30-0 (24 KOs), faces London’s Anthony Yarde in an attractive bout that could catch fire.
Benavidez, who said he would hydrate to 190lbs for the fight, said he was already on the weight at 175lbs and added: “I’m happy to be here with my family and we’re looking to give you a good show Saturday. I’ve faced fighters that have a lot of power and I’ve faced fighters that are really motivated. And Anthony Yarde is another fighter like that. This is something that I’ve seen before.”
Yarde, 27-3 (24 KOs), looked confident and said: “Even the level I’ve made it to already, it’s all just pluses. I can’t explain it to be here for a third time fighting someone like David Benavidez on an occasion like this, amazing.”
Asked what he needed to do to win, Yarde smiled: “Land on his chin.”
Then, explaining his strategy for the fight, the Englishman continued: “You only know once you’re in front of someone. I could say anything, I’m not gonna lie. I think what sells this fight organically is people have seen us fight, people know our styles, people know how I approach my career. I approach it like a professional and on occasions like this you’re going to see the best of me. Stylistically, it’s inevitable you’re going to get a clash, because he likes to come forward, I like come forward. He likes to look for a knockout victory, I like to look for a knockout victory. I just feel like it’s a clash. I need to become world champion. I’m gonna become world champion… This fight just feels right.”
In a brilliantly-poised welterweight bout, WBO champion Brian Norman faces two-weight champion Devin Haney, who said: “I’m happy to be here, it’s all business. Now it’s time for me to do work. I’m going to go in there, put on a great performance and show how great I am.”
Californian Haney, 32-0 (15 KOs) 1 No Contest, also told DAZN: I want to get back on the pound-for-pound lists, where I was… He’s a good fighter, I think he’s a really good fighter and I think he’s going to bring the best out of me. I think Brian Norman will feel my power but I think what separate me is my skill set and my experience.”
Norman is 28-0 (22 KOs) and is coming off a KO of the year contender against Jin Sasaki.
“We’re getting closer and closer to the fight, I’m getting more and more excited,” said the champion.
However, Haney’s father and trainer, Bill, had warned Team Norman: “They’re in trouble. You’re going to see a different level.”
Fernando “Puma” Martinez, the WBA super flyweight champion did some rapid-fire shadowboxing but his opponent, WBC and WBO ruler Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, was not in attendance because he was on a Facetime call with his wife, who was giving birth to their second child.
“I feel great, I feel like I’m in my best moment and in terms of my experience and I’m ready to make Argentina proud,” said Martinez, ahead of arguably the most attractive fight on the bill. Martinez thanked Al Haymon and Turki Alalshkikh, and added: “In the fight, I need to be a little bit more intelligent, I need to have a tear up when I have a tear up and I’ve come here prepared for war.”
Rounding out the quartet of big fights, Cleveland’s undefeated Abdullah Mason, who finished his public workout of a little shadowboxing with some handstand walking, said: “It feels amazing. Right now, we’re just flowing. We’ve come in from Cleveland and we’re bringing those titles back to Cleveland, Ohio. I can’t wait for Saturday.”
WBO lightweight champion Mason is 19-0 (17 KOs) and his English opponent Sam Noakes, 17-0 (15 KOs), from Maidstone, Kent, kept it brief an on point.
“We’re nearly there now, so we don’t need to be doing much here,” said Noakes.
“I think the record speaks for itself and I think we’re going to steal the show.”
