Bantamweight champion Joseph Agbeko (27-1, 22 KOs) made a great deal of noise in the boxing world this past July when he defeated the highly talented and awkward fighter Vic Darchinyan to retain his title. Now he sets his sights on undefeated contender Yonnhy Perez (19-0, 14 KOs) who recently defeated a very tough Silence Mabuza via technical knockout. The two will meet Halloween night at Treasure Island in Las Vegas, NV, and the bout will be televised by SHOWTIME.
Both Joseph Agbeko and his promoter Don King sat down with the media to answer questions yesterday, and below are highlights of that conversation.
Don King: “This is a first at Treasure Island. Treasure Island is a great place. You can go on a treasure hunt there. You can win your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
“It’s going to be King Kong, the eighth wonder of the world, coming to Las Vegas. It’s going to be a super sensational evening of boxing and it’s going to be a terrific, terrific gathering there and I’m just delighted to be a part of this great promotion because it’s history in the making.”
Joseph Agbeko: “I’d like to congratulate Yonnhy for his victory over Silence Mabuza. He really did well. I’m expecting a good fighter, he’s undefeated. I was once undefeated, and I know how difficult it is. He feels confident because he has never been beaten before. But, I want everyone to know that he’s going to get his first defeat on Oct. 31. It’s going to be a knockout.”
Why are you so confident you’re going to win this fight by knockout?
Joseph Agbeko: “I’m so confident because Yonnhy Perez is a good fighter. He can come forward, he can go backward. Fighting a very good fighter is always difficult. It makes you work harder. Yonnhy Perez can definitely not stay in there with me. He’s definitely going to get stopped.”
Do you think South African boxers just talk a lot of trash?
Joseph Agbeko: “I don’t think African boxers talk more than what they do. Perez has to know that King Kong is different from the other African boxers because I deliver. I’m going to deliver what I say.”
Was the win over Vic Darchinyan a big boost to your career?
Joseph Agbeko: “My dream is to become a unified world champion. I want to become the No. 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. My dream is to defeat every boxer that comes my way, not just Vic Darchinyan, not just Luis Perez, not just Yonnhy Perez. But my dream is to win every fight that comes my way. I’m ready for the world and I’m ready to become No. 1 pound-for-pound in this game someday. That’s what I always prepare for.”
How has your life changed since beating Darchinyan?
Joseph Agbeko: “I’m working very hard. I’ve found that when you work very hard, you get very good results. Because of that, I’ve been working hard for any fighter to come my way.
“My focus is to become No. 1 pound-for-pound one day. That’s my dream. That’s my focus, and I’m working toward it.”
Has your motivation been just as high for this fight?
Joseph Agbeko: “Yonnhy Perez wants to beat me. He’s a very good, undefeated fighter. I love when I’m fighting people like that because people want to think that nobody can defeat them because they’ve won all their fights. I love it when it comes to that because I always want to do something that people think nobody can do.”
How much do Azumah Nelson or Ike Quartey inspire or motivate you as a fighter from Accra, Ghana?
Joseph Agbeko: “Azumah and Ike inspire me and are very good champions of Ghana. I always look up to them and they always advise me. They’ve been there before and they were able to make it, too. They teach me what to do and they always point me in the right direction. I also want to become like them. “
Don, what’s it like to return to the city where you’ve promoted so many great fights? And how would you compare Agbeko to some of the great African champions?
Don King: “First of all, I really never left Las Vegas. I’m always there. But, when I found a guy name Phil Ruffin…who is able to give the people what they want, that’s not so corporate and can be more human, then I came back and worked with him to be able to bring back the glory of yesteryear back into Las Vegas again.
“I think that Agbeko is on the way to greatness. He’s already a great champion. When he defeated Darchinyan, that was a great event because everyone had Vic as the man. He was the best and this, that and the other….You’ve got a great champion in King Kong Agbeko and he’s growing leaps and bounds. The boxing world will be proud of him. This guy is a tremendous gladiator. He stays right in there, he’s a great boxer. He moves, he thinks when he’s fighting. I think he’s just fabulous, like Azumah and Quartey. It’s a triple thing now. They’re all coming out to work together, but he’s going to exemplify himself and establish himself as the great champion that he is. It’s going to be a great fight on the 31st, I’m looking forward to it with great anticipation. I think everybody in the boxing world will recognize him after he beats Yonnhy Perez. It’s going to be tremendous.”
What’s it like to get back into the ring after just four months since your last appearance?
Joseph Agbeko: “I’m happy that I’m coming back very quickly. Boxing is my life, boxing is my food. Boxing is my everything. I’m going to always be a fighter and win all my titles. I wish I could fight everyday. I’m very, very happy that I’m so soon and I thank my promoter for getting this very quickly.”
Don, can you tell us a little bit about what it took to get boxing into Treasure Island?
Don King: “Let me say this, Phil Ruffin is the man. He’s the man that came up with the hand shake and convinced me to come out and brand the place. They’ve never had a boxing match before. They have a great roof-quarter, we may do a great show there, a stellar satellite show right off the roof of Treasure Island. With the pirate ships and the sirens, I figure it has all the elements that will make just a great, great, fantastic show that will take place. I’m just happy to bring Vegas back, to the extent of giving them the excitement. It’s the 35 Anniversary of the Rumble in the Jungle, almost to the hour….I think the Treasure Island is going to become my destination where many people can come and have the excitement of being No. 1…That was the spirit and the feeling of Vegas, which we have to restore again because we’ve sort of lost our way.
“Las Vegas always exemplified and personified getting rich and having the opportunity to win whatever you want to win. Let’s take your luck to the Treasure Island and bring home a barrel of money. “
Are you planning on impressing Yonnhy?
Joseph Agbeko: “This fight is going to be an enjoyable fight for me. I’m a confident fighter and I really enjoy it when I fight another confident fighter. It’s going to be a very enjoyable fight for me.”
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