Ring IV Media Day

“The Ring IV: Night of the Champions,” fight week continued with media day workouts with light heavyweight David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs), Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs), along with co-main event fighters Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) and Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs), undercard fighters lightweights Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs), super flyweights Fernando Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs). The card takes place this Saturday night at the ANB Arena in Saudi Arabia’s capital, live on DAZN PPV.

Headlining the mega card light heavyweights David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) goes up against Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs).

David Benavidez

On how this experience in Riyadh is different for him

“It feels really good. I’m really excited and happy to be here – very blessed. I’m just happy to be here with my family and we’re looking forward to giving everyone a good show this Saturday night.”

On if Saturday night’s fight will feel different than others

“No. I’ve faced fighters that have a lot of power and I’ve faced fighters that are really motivated – Anthony Yarde is that type of fighter. I’ve worked extremely hard in my training camp as you guys can see. I’m 100% ready. I’m already at weight and I’m still moving like this in the ring. Imagine when I rehydrate? I’m very excited and ready to give everyone a good show.”

Anthony Yarde

On how this preparation compares to his fights against Artur Beterbiev and Sergey Kovalev

“I don’t know why, but I actually don't get nervous for my fights. Especially when I’ve made it to a certain level. Even when I went out to Russia, there were no nerves. Some people say ‘you’re crazy’ or ‘that’s weird.’ I think it’s because, where I come from, even the level I’ve made it to already, it’s all just positives. I can’t explain it, but to be here for the third time, fighting someone like David Benavidez, on an occasion like this? Amazing.”

On how he beats a fighter like David Benavidez

“Land on his chin. We have to just wait and see. It’s not that I’m not giving you nothing, but it’s one of those things where you only know once you’re in front of somebody. What sells this fight naturally and organically is the fact that people have seen us both fight. People know how I approach my career. I approach it like a professional and on an occasion like this, you see the best of me. Stylistically, it’s inevitable that you’re going to get a clash because we both like to come forward and we both like to look for a knockout victory. I’m a natural light heavyweight…been a light heavyweight my whole career. He’s moved up and he’ll try to come and do whatever he wants. I need to be a World Champion. I will be a World Champion.”

On what he visualizes for the fight on Saturday night

“Getting the victory, that’s all that’s on my mind. How it happens, we don’t know. This fight, it just feels ripe. The way it’s all happened, the occasion, it just seems ripe, like a fruit.”

On if it’s a fair assessment that he’s found a second wind for closing fights stronger

“Fair, I take all of my criticisms, I take all of them, because I feel that’s the only way you can grow. Some people don’t like to receive criticism. The only time there’s going to be criticism is when there’s a fault there in someone's eyes. Even Roy Jones Jr., he got criticized in his prime. Mike Tyson, he went the distance one time and started getting criticized. Then you have people like myself. I can honestly look back at my fights and say ‘I could’ve been better there,’ but it’s all about progression.”

On what he wants to show the American boxing fans on Saturday night

“With all my fights, I want to impress, I want to be entertaining. That’s just my style, that’s the reason I got into boxing. Mike Tyson was a big inspiration for me. Before I knew about boxing, I didn’t know anything about weight classes. All I saw was a small guy knocking out these big guys. Entertainment, pure entertainment. When I went into boxing, I wanted that same flair. I started boxing late, I had a bunch of fights. I started learning how to box when I was 18 years old. I had my first ever amateur fight just before I turned 20. It’s all been very quick but my mindset is ‘if you’re behind you need to work harder.’”

On where David Benavidez ranks among his toughest opponents

“Within the top three definitely. They are World Champions for a reason. Even when people ask me to rate [Artur] Beterbiev and [Sergey] Kovalev, you can't do that because they’re different stylistically. I fought them at different times. I fought Kovlev when I was an 18-fight prospect, and I did it in Russia. For Beterbiev, I had a bit more experience so you saw a better performance from me. At the time Beterbiev was this wrecking ball: undefeated, 18 fights, 18 wins, 18 knockouts, and I still pushed him and gave him his hardest test at that time. I’m a confident person and feel like I can beat anybody. There’s little tweaks I can make and we’ll see Saturday.”

In the co-feature bout, WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) defends his title against former undisputed champion Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs).

Devin Haney 

On how excited he is for Saturday night 

“I’m just happy to be here. Nothing has changed. It’s all business, but now it's just time for me to do work.” 

On if this speed and footwork is a glimpse into Saturday night

“I am going to go in there and put on a great performance…show how great I really am, and become a champion again.” 

On his father’s comments about training camp 

“I was just very motivated. I know how good Brian Norman Jr is, how hungry he is. Ultimately, this is training camp. I had to take it up two notches and really push myself.” 

On fighting one of the top fighters in The Ring Magazine rankings 

“No disrespect to anybody, but I don’t believe in tune-up fights. I want to fight the best fighters in the world and I want to prove myself. I want to become a champion again. I want to get back on the throne and at least back where I once was.” 

On how he will fight Brian Norman Jr. 

“I look to bring out my whole arsenal. I want to show that I can box. I want to show that I can fight on the inside. I want to show everything. I want to show everything, especially what Devin Haney is made of, and just show that experience really matters and how great I really am.” 

On if he believes that Brian Norman Jr. is just another fighter

“No, I think Brian Norman Jr. is a good fighter. I take nothing away from him. I think he’s a really good fighter and I think he’s just going to bring the best out of me.”

On if he fears Brian Norman Jr.’s power

“No. I don’t fear anyone.” 

On if Brian Norman Jr. will feel his power 

“I think Brian Norman [Jr.] will definitely feel my power, but I think what really separates me in the fight is my skillset and experience. At the top, everybody can punch hard. Everybody can punch, but Brian will see something he’s never seen before on fight night.” 

Brian Norman Jr. 

On how it feels to have all these lights shining on him 

“This is why I put in the work and this is what I was made for. This is my territory.”

On what happened between today and yesterday that made him warmer 

“We’re getting closer to fight time, I get more and more excited.”

Abdullah Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) and Sam Noakes (17-0, 15 KOs) clash for the vacant WBO Lightweight Title.

Sam Noakes

On if he’s hiding anything for Saturday night

“I don’t really have much to show, to be honest with you. Make sure you tune in Saturday night. We’re nearly there now, so I don’t need to be doing too much in here [the ring].”

On if we can expect power and explosiveness from his hands

“Yes. I think the record speaks for itself. I think we’re going to get that from both guys and I think that’s why we’re going to steal the show.”

Abdullah Mason

On how he feels following in the footsteps of Mark Crawford

“It feels amazing. Right now, we’re just floating. We come from Cleveland and we’ll be bringing those titles back to Cleveland, Ohio. We are having fun with it and I can’t wait until Saturday.”

On what the show of athleticism was all about in the ring

“I was just having a little bit of fun. Every time I step inside the ring I do that – it’s where I have fun.”

Super flyweights WBC, WBA, IBF champion Fernando Martinez (18-0, 9 KOs) and WBO Super Flyweight Champion Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez (22-0, 15 KOs).

Fernando Martinez

On if this is the best condition he has been in during his career

“I feel great, I feel like this is the best moment for my physical attributes and experience. I am ready to make history for Argentina.”

On what has changed as he looks to face Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez

“I think what I first need to do is be a little more intelligent. I need to have a tear up when I need to have a tear up. As I said, I come here now prepared for a war. We’re very confident. I feel like we’re going to go into this fight and do our best. I want to say thank you to a lot of people and hello to the people back home in Argentina. To my mom, to my wife, to my daughters, to my brothers, I love you all. Thank you again to Turki Alalshikh for putting on a great card here in Saudi Arabia.”

Other fighters included middleweights Vito Mielnicki Jr. (21-1, 12 KOs) and Samuel Nmomah (21-0, 5 KOs) squaring off for the WBO Global and Vacant WBC Continental Americas titles. A host of undercard fighters also held workouts in front of the media, including Barker Ssewanyana (1-1) and Juan Pérez Guerito before their 4-round Bantamweight contest; Umesh Chavan (3-1) and Sultan Almohammed (1-0) ahead of their 4-round Super Featherweight fight; Jiaming Li (7-5, 4 KOs) and Mohammed Alakel (6-0, 1 KO) as they go head-to-head in a 6-round Super Featherweight bout. Pius Mpenda (11-4, 5 KOs) and Julio Porras Ruiz (13-0, 9 KOs)

Mohammed Alakel 

On why what he showed today is different

“I have more experience, more rounds sparring. I’m looking forward to putting on a good show.”

On what else he wants to prove

“That there’s talented boxers here in Saudi Arabia and with more than two days to go, I’m going to show that.”

On how the experience was in Big Bear

“It was good. It was hard work and I am enjoying it.”