Lou DiBella on Broadway Boxing developing fighters

“We have been building something special in New York in our Broadway Boxing series which HBO has sponsored. To take three of my fighters – Paulie Malignaggi, Sechew Powell and Andre Berto -- and graduate them to Boxing After Dark is a privilege. This is unprecedented to have a Boxing After Dark tripleheader. These three special talents promoted by DBE will have their hands full on a card of great significance.”

DiBella on the Hammerstein Ballroom
“Hammerstein Ballroom is as intimate an environment as you can have for a big fight card. There will be no comps – there are only 1,600 seats -- other than mom and dad.”

DiBella on Berto
“ESPN’s prospect of the year Andre Berto is fighting the toughest fight of his career, fighting a rugged guy in Ben Tackie. They will open the show.”

Andre Berto on his fight
“This is definitely a step up for me. A lot of people definitely want to see how I do with tougher competition. This is the biggest test so far in my career. He is a rugged veteran who will test me.”

DiBella on Powell’s fight
“The second fight is somewhat of a grudge match, two guys that don’t like each other in a grudge that goes back to their amateur days. Ishe Smith, who was on the Contender in the first go around, writes for a boxing website and hasn’t done a lot of fighting lately, will face Sechew Powell. Sechew’s only loss was to former champion Kassim Ouma. It is a fight that will truly determine one guy’s ascent to a title bout, so there is a whole lot at stake.”

Sechew Powell on fighting again on HBO after loss to Ouma
“I am very proud HBO is giving me another opportunity to come right back. I think I earned my right to be back on HBO. After this fight our relationship will only be that much stronger.”

DiBella on Paulie Malignaggi
“This fighter has tremendous charisma. He is the most controversial fighter. People either love him or hate him, but I think after his last fight more people loved him. He earned great respect in an all out war. I know that 2007 can be his year to win a world title. He has a huge hurdle in front of him in Cherry. Cherry is coming to win and derail the Malignaggi train. Never at a shortage of words, here is the Magic Man, Paulie Malignaggi.”

Paulie Malignaggi on returning to ring
“I am very glad to be back on the national stage on HBO and have the opportunity to fight in a big time main event. A lot of people seem to have written me off looking for me to get beat. But I also appreciate all of the support I received. I think I also saw who the fake people are and who the real people are. On Feb. 17, I may be fighting ESPN’s fighter of the year, but we are on HBO where the stage is much bigger.”

Paulie on injuries
“First, I am surprised how many PhD’s and doctors there are in the media. I broke an orbital bone and needed surgery, but it has healed fine, and the cut on my left eye has healed and my hands are fine. I am healed up and ready to go.”

Question, why fight a tough guy in Cherry in your first fight back? And what do you think of Cherry?
“I am a competitor, so I only want the best fighters in the world. I said before the Cotto fight that only Cotto and Hatton could give me a tough fight. Cotto beat me in a fight that was closer than a lot of people give me credit for. Only these top guys will test me, only world champions, Cherry is a level below that. Paulie Malignaggi is going to dominate that fight.”

How have you changed since the Cotto fight?

“I learned that I could deal with adversity, I was down on the canvas for the first time, and cut for the first time. It matures you. I have seen the politics of the game. I learned from that and will be better fighter for it. Dealing with my first pro loss was the toughest adversity of my career.”

Following the Cotto fight, you got the reputation for being an incredibly tough fighter, everyone gave you credit for showing true character and never giving up

“I definitely appreciate the support, and people appreciated the effort that I gave. Some people thought it was going to be a blowout and saw it as a blowout. But people appreciate the effort and skill I put into that fight. I am just here to make the most of that.”

Was there ever a moment in the Cotto fight that you thought: I can’t go on?

“People see Cotto as a big puncher, but I believed that I could get past his flaws. I was never told from my corner that I was still in the fight. That‘s why I went to a new trainer in Buddy McGirt. The Cotto fight was up for grabs after eight or nine rounds, but I went toe to toe because my corner had me believing I needed a knockout to win, I had to go into the jaws of a lion to win. I showed the heart people thought that I didn’t like to get hit. Paulie Malignaggi has the skills not to get hit, but can also trade punches.”

To Andre Berto: You made a big impression on HBO in the last fight against Figueroa, what do you know about Tackie, a durable tough guy never gives up?

Berto on Tackie
“I definitely believe it is going to be an exciting fight, He is a rugged fighter, can take punches and keeps going and is in terrific condition. He is always there to fight, and I am looking forward to a very exciting fight.”

He’s never been stopped, can you stop him?

“I have been in there with a few guys that have never been stopped. He’s been in with Hatton and Tsu. If it happens that will be a plus. If I stop him, it will be a little extra.”

To Paulie what difference will McGirt make?

“That will be a big difference. I want to have a good voice in the corner when the going gets tough. I was never tested in the first 20 fights. I didn’t have the right guy for the job, I needed to make the change. Buddy has been a world champion in the ring, and has been in the corner of world champions as a trainer. He has knowledge on both ends of the table. He is making a big difference; already he is making me a better fighter.”

To Powell: Coming off the loss to Ouma, are you looking just for the win, or a knockout?

Powell: “I am looking to make a statement. I will rely on my boxing skills but want to end it in spectacular fashion, and I am on track to accomplish that.”

Paulie, you rocked Cotto, but have only 5 career KO’s

Paulie: “The reason I had only 5 KO’s was that I had a lot of hand injuries, but recently I haven’t had problems with my hands. A two handed fighter is much more dangerous than a one handed fighter.”

For Lou, take us through the process of putting this card together.

‘First of all, I wanted to do a New York flavor card with two significant fighters. I think it’s a shot in the arm for Boxing After Dark, and HBO supported Broadway Boxing to a great extent. When these kids graduate, it is great for them to show their talents in competitive fair fights on HBO. That’s what B.A.D. is all about – fair fights and interesting fighters.”

Why was Berto added to make it a tripleheader, Lou?

“Berto is on the card because of how he looked in Little Rock in his last fight. It resonated in the halls of HBO and they gave me the chance to do a triple header. The opportunity for Andre to come right back on HBO is tremendous.”

Lou on the three fighters at the Hammerstein

“Sechew, Paulie, Andre are all comfortable with this room, all three guys know this building. The crowd will also help, we generally have 1000 people for Broadway Boxing shows.”

Lou on the undercard and overall card
“Noriko Kariya, Pawel Wolack (polish kid from north jersey) and Buddy McGirt Jr. are also on card, so it is a terrific undercard. This card is so stacked with meaningful fights and talent we may have some pre or post fight party. The opportunity to see three fights on HBO with fighters of this young age is significant, a club show to ‘Nth’ power, it’s Broadway Boxing pumped up. It is going to be a sold out room with people going nuts and those who have supported in the past, gives them a chance to see a really great card.”

On Paulie and Sechew fights
“Props to Paulie, he wanted us to bring him a tough guy. He said ‘don’t work about my injuries.’ It is a crucial fight for Sechew and Ishe, a crossroads fight, one of them has to shut their mouth when they lose. It is going to be terrific fight.”

Paulie on trying to make everyone happy

“Well I guess the problem with me is always trying to make everyone happy, it’s always my goal. I don’t feel so much like I have something to prove, in some peoples eyes I will always have something to prove. I want my credibility. Cotto was a tough fight and I did suffer injuries. I have something to prove to people who had their heads stuffed up Cotto’s ass and were just watching Cotto, and not the fight. I want people to respect me no matter what, I already have enough friends.”

Sechew on Ouma Fight
“Overall I gained the knowledge that I can compete on that level and win. It was minor errors that caused me to lose that fight. I learned a lot from those errors and have added a lot to my game. I am going to break this guy in half. I am going to let my hands do the talking and his face is going to tell the story.”

Paulie: (on being one fight away from being thought of as the best)
“It’s a lonely feeling, only one fight away, nobody wants to give you credibility, and nobody gives you a chance to win that fight.”

How do you battle that?
“You have to be mentally strong, because you are on your own. If you have skill and talent you can get there but if you’re not mentally strong you will get left behind. I took the mental aspect away from the Cotto fight. We fought on the eve of Puerto Rican Day parade. I felt like I was in San Juan half the time. I am going to take my anger out on Edner Cherry, the guy after that and the guy after that. Edner Cherry was a guy almost in the same position I was in my last fight. He was on outside looking in. Edner Cherry is stepping up but unfortunately against the wrong guy.”


Berto on his progress
“I felt like last year was my rookie year. My team let me know that competition was going to be stiffer going forward and I am not expecting any easy fights from this point on. This is a fight to showcase that I have arrived and I am definitely going to be a force in the welterweight division.”

Berto, has training become more intense since fights are becoming bigger?
“I train hard all the time so I may add a few more things to my training regiment. I’m going to stay focused and work hard as always and put in hours and hours and stay focused.”

Berto, do fights like this mean a lot to you?
“Definitely. I have been getting pretty good feedback, but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered. People know I’m a good offensive fighter but still want to see it all come out.”

Sechew on career
“Nothing has ever been easy for me in my career. Ishe has always fought guys who are tailor made for him. I’m going to beat him in every part of the arena, every spectrum.”

Andre on fighting Tackie
“I am ready to fight Ben Tackie. I am groomed to fight these guys. I have sparred with Winky Wright and Jeff Lacey and I am groomed for this. I believe it’s going to be a really good test for me. Tackie comes to fight and takes a lot of hard punches and keeps coming.”

Sechew on the Ouma fight
“I learned a lot in that Ouma fight. Since then I have grown as a fighter and as a person. My back is against the wall in this fight so I have to show up.”

Paulie on Cherry
“I can pretty much handle whatever Chery throws at me. It doesn’t matter how he comes to the table, I will have an answer. Either way, Paulie Malignaggi will be coming out on top. I want to be given my credit and want to be given my respect.”

Andre on Tackie
“I am looking forward to whatever Tackie is trying to bring. Camp is going well with really good sparring. I will hopefully be good all the way around the table. I believe I am my biggest critic. Everything is good for me. I don’t believe in all that pressure. Everything will come out fine."