POST FIGHT PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Jake Paul
On how he felt during the fight and his challengers
"Man I felt good. I felt really sharp, fast, locked in, but I was just getting warmed up really. I am kind of disappointed to be honest. I want more, I want a challenge and we had someone with 20 fights and I just keep on getting these guys out of there in the first round. I train so hard, it's a little bit disappointing for the fans as well. I want someone to test me so I can make some adjustments and show off some of my new skills. I didn’t really get to show anything. I did feel good, I just wanted more and we will go back to the drawing board and see who’s next.”
On Amanda Serrano’s injury
“It just goes to show the type of woman and type of warrior that Amanda is that she still wanted to fight with an exposed cornea and the skin burnt off of her eye. The chemical was also burning her hands, you can see the skin on her hands melting. She’s so tough, it’s very sad. I wanted nothing more than to support her and see her fight as well, but yeah it’s just an unfortunate series of events but I believe that everything happens for a reason and the universe will unveil that reason soon enough. But we will see and I am very thankful for everyone who did show up and we will have to run it back I guess.”
On Javon “Wanna” Walton’s performance
“Look, it happens in this sport, it’s the toughest sport in the world. You go out there in front of 16,000 people, he’s 17-years-old, adrenal rush happens. You can think you’re prepared for that big moment and it can be pulled out from underneath you, but I thought it was an absolute fucking robbery. How is that a draw? At least three rounds to one, so that to me is bizarre, but the kid is a warrior and I’ve proven a loss doesn’t define my career and the draw won't define him as well. He has a great family supporting him and MVP’s behind him.”
On returning to Puerto Rico
“Yeah, we plan on coming back here. We have to. Amanda is going to want that. I loved fighting here. The crowd was amazing, it gave me goosebumps when they were all chanting “Gallo” and it means the world. They welcomed me and were turnt up for me so we have to come back here and put on another event.”
On Krystal Rosado’s performance
“Krystal was amazing. She’s got a bright, bright future. [She faced a] fast, and a very tough opponent, an undefeated opponent. I thought she did amazing and she looks good out there and she’s sharp and I think that getting that experience of getting tested a little bit is something every fighter needs so that’s great for her. Same with Bomba, he did an amazing job, and just happy he brought it home for Puerto Rico.”
On Ryan Garcia’s social media post of a challenge
In a continuation of Nakisa Bidarian remarks
“Except he’s doing it off some cocaine. That boy is getting that shit straight from Colombia or something, because that shit’s strong. Ryan, I love you, you know that bro, but you gotta chill out bro, because there’s a line and you just seem like you’re losing your mind, acting thirsty and desperate, and saying you’re a billionaire when you’ve had one money fight. I’m just saying just chill bro. If you do want to fight, that’s to me light work. You got no footwork and as long as you've been in the game, I’m a better boxer than you.”
On potentially fighting in New York City
"Look, I want to come to NY. I want to fight at MSG, I have to, it's the mecca. It would be such an honor to fight there. We had something planned there and my opponent pulled out unfortunately, but I will be in New York City and will have an empire state of mind there.”
On potentially facing Indian boxer Neeraj Goya
“I don’t know when it will happen, but I for sure want to go to India and he is the most viral fighter online and that speaks volumes. I would love to go to India and fight him and make that happen. We’ll just see when the timeline makes sense.”
On other potential challengers
“I am going to stay as active as possible and it's about finding the right opponent. This is my life now and it’s a lifestyle and I’ll be back hopefully two more times before the end of the year.
Anyone [from the UFC] who can get out of their contract, I’ll fight. That’s easy work as far as I am concerned. I do want to do a PFL-MMA match, just has to be the right opponent but Nate did duck my $15 million offer so we’ll see who else is on the chopping block. Tony Ferguson? He said he wanted to fight?
I don’t want to see him go out like that, that would be said. He’s a great guy, we don’t want that for Tony.”
Nakisa Bidarian
On event success and refund of fans in attendance
"Thank you everybody for being here. Thank you for the support throughout this entire process. For MVP, Jake Paul, myself, and of course Amanda Serrano. We want to thank our brand partners throughout this event. Puerto Rico tourism company, the district, Puerto Rico Junte Boricua, Loteria de Puerto Rico, OnlyFans and of course, Celsius, which is our official energy drink partner.
Today’s event achieved a gate of $1.511 million, so one million, five-hundred and eleven thousand. Breaking the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano gate record. Breaking the Jake Paul-Tyron Woodley in Cleveland gross sales as well as WWE Backlash that happened here last year, so I’d like to give a round of applause to Amanda, Nina and Jake for that achievement. With that said, Jake and I, and Amanda, have made the decision to refund 100% of the $1.511 million to the fan base, so one million, five-hundred and eleven thousand will be refunded to all fans in attendance who seek a refund. We appreciate the support. Everyone got a chance to see eight fights, and ultimately the main event was not meant to be.
On Amanda Serrano's injury
Amanda’s eye was irritated on Friday due to a hair product she used on Thursday evening. MVP was notified of this Friday afternoon. She had a private doctor visit her Friday night and they felt with the prescribed drops the irritation in the eye would subside and allow her to perform.
Amanda came to the arena with the intention to fight given her eye was starting to feel better. MVPs position was that she will be examined by the fight night Commission appointed physicians and they determine if she could compete.
Doctors determined her vision was impaired near the end of Wanna Walton’s bout and would not approve her to fight. We then had a responsibility to communicate to all impacted constituents involved in the event and determine how best to communicate it to the fans in attendance and those watching at home.
Listen, the island has been a big supporter of Amanda since we started working with her two and a half years ago. This is the time for the people of Puerto Rico to get behind Amanda Serrano and show how much they really care about her. She wanted nothing more than to come here and fight in front of her fans. Her heart is broken, her pride is broken, but she’s determined to come back here and have the last fight of her career, she has promised, will be in Puerto Rico. She is the one who drove the decision, first and foremost, to refund every single fan. Jake and I obviously, 100% supported it, but no one should feel that they got anything other than an unbelievable experience thanks to Amanda Serrano.”
On a potential return for Amanda Serrano
“Do we think it will be Meinke or another opponent? It will depend on how the next couple of years of the end of Amanda’s career progress. She still has a desire to fight Katie Taylor, of course she’s going to have a desire to fight Nina Meinke. I think it just depends on the timing. What I do know for sure is that she wants to have the last fight of her career to be here. So we have to have the right opponent and if the fans want to see that fight, then we will try to make that fight, but it just really depends on how everything else goes over the next few months. First priority is getting her eye healed.
I think before her career is done, she would like to do her final fight at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico. So I don’t know if the next fight is her final fight, or if she fights somewhere else and does that last fight, or if she has three fights…TBD. Right now the focus is on her health.”
On Javon “Wanna” Walton’s performance
“It’s just a better story now right? It’s a lot sweeter when he comes back and shows everyone this is a win he should’ve gotten, to Jake’s point, he got robbed, all the same, he’s going to be focused on boxing for the rest of his career.”
On Ryan Garcia social media posts
“Ryan Garcia is basically playing the Jake Paul playbook. He’s learning everything that he does and says and acts from what Jake Paul has already done.”
On potentially facing Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat
“He literally had fans at the weigh-in, those weren’t fans that had anything to do with MVP, those were fans of Neeraj Goyat coming to support him at Jake Paul’s weigh-in.”
Closing remarks
“We want to thank all of you, the media of Puerto Rico, and the media that came from abroad, for covering this event, giving it the exposure that it deserves. Giving Jake the coverage that he deserves for the work that he’s doing on the island, for the support he’s showing Puerto Rican fighters, and obviously the love and support for Amanda Serrano. We are going to stick by her. We are going to come back here in a big way with her and we’re excited for her future to continue with MVP.”
Krystal Rosado
On her win over Gloria Munguilla
"She came tough, that’s exactly what we trained for. We trained for whatever might be possible. It was a very nice experience and yeah, I really enjoyed it.”
On her fight length and if she prefers three minute rounds over two minute rounds
“Absolutely, we are going to keep on going with three minutes. Two minutes can go by very quickly. In three minutes, it gives you a chance to think and be a bit more strategic. If I had to choose, I’d stick with three minutes.”
Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez
On returning to the ring after roughly 16 months
"There was almost a year and three months out of the ring. I don’t want to take anything away from my opponent. There was a lot of clinching. I had been out with a lot of different problems and illnesses here and there but yeah, I just need to be more active.”
On Amanda Serrano injury
“It’s a very complicated subject. Amanda is a warrior. I know she is going to come back and I know very soon that MVP will set something up for her here in Puerto Rico and she will come back much stronger.”
On his plan going forward
“We are going to have to figure things out. I know a lot was said about my weight and a lot of questions about me making weight. I have to consult with my medical team and get with my team. There are a lot of opportunities out there, I may move to 112 but its still uncertain and I still need to figure out what’s going to happen.”
Nina Meinke
On hearing about her fight being postponed
"Well I found out just before the fight. Absolutely gutted about it. Yeah, I prepared for so many weeks now, put in so much work. Obviously I am devastated but this is not the way we all wanted it to end, but we really wish for a speedy recovery so we can get this fight to happen. I hope it is just postponed and MVP will speak to my promoter and make another date for the fight. I think this is what the people want to see now, and I am ready, and I am ready whenever she is.
On when she found out
I found out about an over before the fight. I was ready to fight and then, well, yeah, big disappointment. If I can say, for me, it’s very sad but all the way until this point, I really enjoyed the journey. I really enjoyed Puerto Rico. I love Puerto Rico.”
On her reaction to Amanda Serrano injury
“Yeah, of course. That’s why I am here. It didn’t happen so I want to go into the ring with Amanda and take the belt. This is what I am here for and it didn’t work out this time the way we wanted it to. I hope there will be another date and I hope that we can fix this as soon as she feels better and everything is okay. I hope that she’s okay.”
On what she would say to Amanda
“I would tell her, I’m waiting for you. I haven’t talked to her yet, we only had a quick meeting inside the ring and I am here, I am waiting for you.”
On her experience and Puerto Rico
“The people have been so nice, the warmth of the people here is unreal, the atmosphere was amazing. It’s a shame we couldn’t fight in front of this crowd because everything felt right. I hope the match will be in Puerto Rico because I think the people deserve that and they all came out to support us. It would be a shame if it wasn’t, just for the people as well, because it’s been lovely to be here, and I hope to come back.”