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SHOWTIME SPORTS MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 13, 2007

SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING will present an extraordinary tripleheader as its season finale when IBO light heavyweight champion Antonio "Magic Man'' Tarver defends against Danny Santiago, Vernon Forrest risks his WBA 154-pound crown against former IBF welterweight kingpin Michele Piccirillo and Nonito Donaire, fresh off his knockout victory over previously undefeated Vic Darchinyan in the Upset of the year, makes the initial defense of his IBF flyweight belt against mandatory challenger Luis Maldonado.
Promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, the three scheduled 12-round fights will be televised live from Foxwoods Resort Casino, beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast.)
Tickets, priced at $250, $150, $125, $100 and $75, are on sale and can be purchased at www.foxwoods.com or by calling (800) 200-2882.
VERNON FORREST: I think it's a great card, fantastic card. User got two major -- well, four actually championship-caliber fighters in myself and Michelle and Tarver and his opponent. We're looking forward to putting on a good show for Showtime.

Q. You put on a very impressive performance against bald mere to win your second title. I wonder if you could go into a little bit about it. You seem to have had a Renaissance physically. You were talking about it. I was wondering if you could go through what's changed between your welterweight reign and your reign now as super welterweight? What seems to be the secret to your success?
VERNON FORREST: Healthy. I wasn't as healthy as I was then. I'm just healthy again.

Q. Healthy in what way?
VERNON FORREST: Well, physically, I had reconstructive surgery on my left arm between my shoulder, my left shoulder and my left elbow. I had reconstructive surgery, I had three surgeries to repair it. And now I'm able to use it in a more effective way.
I can use it within the context of how I fight, versus just trying to get through a fight. So basically it's just me getting healthy again.

Q. I understand you had been using a lot of Cortisone as welterweight champion?
VERNON FORREST: Yeah, Cortisone masks the pain. So I would take Cortisone shots before training camp, and Cortisone shots after training camp and sometimes during because of the pain. Just to block the pain so I was able to train. And train in a manner of what it takes to train for a world championship caliber fight.
Before I knew that during the fight I could use my arm for about a real effectively how I wanted for four rounds. And after that, I had to kind of just get through by any means. Now with time and surgery, I'm healthy now, and I'm able to do what I did, which is maybe to do what I knew I could do which is fight very cleverly, very effectively, and I know I'm one of the best out there.

Q. Where are you guys now by the way?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: We are in Italy now.

Q. When do you plan to come to the United States?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: We depart from Italy, Saturday 24, 7 days before.

Q. Michelle what are your thoughts on this fight? What are your thoughts on fighting Vernon Forrest and how training has been going?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: It will be a difficult fight, but it will be difficult also for Vernon.
I'm in training and sparring with the same trainer I use for all my fights. I know it will be a difficult fight, but it will be a very good fight.

Q. Do you feel as comfortable at 154 as you do at welterweight?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: It's nice to fight in the super welterweight. I changed the weight division because of my weight problem. And I'm comfortable now at super welterweight.

Q. Have you had to do any adjusting in your training not to reinjure your arm?
VERNON FORREST: Early on I was a little concerned about it. I'm not as concerned now because I know there are some things you do to catch on to see if it will hold up or whatever. But I'm more comfortable now.
I think it's more of a mental thing than a physical thing. I'm more comfortable now knowing that I can use it effectively and not worry about reinjuring it again.

Q. You've dominated a couple guys in boxing. You've dominated Moseley. You've dominated Windemere. But you lost to Mayorga. Can you tell us why that happened?
VERNON FORREST: Overconfidence.

Q. Is it just the styles?
VERNON FORREST: People say styles make fights. And people use that term because they don't understand how a guy on paper appears to be a lesser guy beats a better guy. So they say style makes fight. But what happens is he's really overconfident.
I didn't study the guy. Only thing I knew is he was the champion, and I wanted his belt. So me going out there and not fighting as a skilled fighter should, but just going out there and just fighting, anybody can fight. But the best when they use their skill they're able to beat lesser guys.
So me not doing what I trained to do, which is to outbox him as opposed to just fighting him, he caught me before I caught him. In the second rematch I thought I won, and so did everybody that watched the fight. Sometimes you win and you make a decision to just move on.

Q. Can you say that's not going to happen again? Are you really focused on each opponent now?
VERNON FORREST: Yeah. My mother used to say a hard head makes a soft man. And I learned my lesson. It taught me a valuable lesson which is do what you're supposed to do. Do what you're trained to do. Do what you worked on doing, and everything will be okay.
And I have every bit of confidence in my skill and my ability. So therefore I doubt if that will happen again. A guy beat me because he's better than me, not because I made a mistake.

Q. Do you feel you're sort of in a late-career blooming again? And you seem to get to the peak a little bit later than most fighters around your weight get. Then, of course, you had the losses and the injuries. Do you feel you're getting back to that peak again at this stage in your career?
VERNON FORREST: Yeah, people don't understand. I never retired. I never retired from fighting. I couldn't fight because of injury. I had fights I had to cancel because physically I wasn't able to perform. It makes no sense to get back into a room with world class fighters, and me fighting with one arm. It just made no sense.
So in terms of peaking and being in my prime, I've been there: I never left there. So when people say are you getting back there? I never left there. I'm healthier now than I was before.

Q. Do you know much about your opponent? He's fought a couple times in the United States. Most of his fights have been in Europe. And he's one of the top fighters mostly in the welterweight division. People that the Americans have seen like Spinx and some others. What do you know about him and what do you expect to happen?
VERNON FORREST: He's a very talented fighter. He's a former world champion. Any time you can win a world title, then that speaks volumes. And he beat one of the best fighters out there in Corey Spinx. He's trained by one of the greatest fighters in history. He's a very well-schooled fighter.
I expect -- see, people don't understand. People are thinking that I have an easy fight. I don't have an easy fight. This is a very tough fight. And very tough fighter. He fights similar to how I fight. So it's almost a mirror match.
So I'm looking forward to putting on a spectacular performance. I know it's not going to be a gimme fight, but I'll be prepared for whatever he brings.

Q. Most of your fights have been in Europe and this is in the United States. This is the latter stages of your career, what can we expect to happen against Vernon Forrest?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: I have no problem to fight in the United States. I've fought already two times. He's fought already in Europe. It will be a tough fight for me, but it will be a tough fight for Vernon.
I will come to put a good performance, and I will try to win the fight, and I'm training for this shot.

Q. Can your fighter compare fore /R*EFT to anybody he's fought before style-wise? Is there anybody that he's fought before that reminds him of Forrest?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: All the fighters I've fought have a different style. The only one is Michael Jones of England but more for date than for the style. For instance, another style. He's better boxer, but for date, Michael Jones was little bit the same.

Q. What would a victory mean to him to beat a guy like Forrest in the United States? He's one of the most popular and well known guys for years, highly regarded. World champion. What would it mean for his career to defeat Forrest on Showtime?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: It would be great because Vernon is a great champion. But also because winning in the United States is not easy. Winning in the United States would be the more important things.

Q. Does he think he needs a knockout to win the fight or does he think he can win with a decision?
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: I don't know. It depends on how the fight will be. I will find out in the ring.

Q. Against bald mere, you alluded to it earlier. It seemed that in that fight, you could do practically whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. Is that how you felt?
VERNON FORREST: The thing is when you're a skilled fighter, when you know it. I know how to fight. I know my way around the ring. When you're on that level not only can I do what I want to do, I can make him do what I want to do. And that is just from a lot of hard work, being in the gym and around the gym, and watching a lot of tapes and what not.
Same thing will happen in this fight. I pretty much know what this guy's going to do. He's a very, very skilled fighter. But you know, we all have certain habits. I've studied his habits. In this fight, I'll make him do what I want to do. And I'll make him do what I want him to do exactly same way I did with Baltimere [sic].

Q. Are you look to go just win this fight or win this fight impressively and make, perhaps, another statement?
VERNON FORREST: I'm always looking to make a statement. I'm always looking to look impressive. Because of his style, his style is completely different than Baltimere's style. And I have to fight him a different way. But I'm always looking to look impressive in fights. Hopefully, I'll look impressive in this fight as well.

Q. Your buddy Mayorga's going to be fighting Fernando Vargas on Showtime Pay-Per-View November 23rd. Would you like to fight Mayorga a third time?
VERNON FORREST: Absolutely. I've said that many times before. That is the only fighter that I feel that I have to fight again, and I have to beat to satisfy my career. But there is no Mayorga without Piccirillo. I'm going to make sure I handle the business ahead of me come December 1st. And whatever happens December 1st is fair game.

Q. If you were to fight Mayorga after you get the Showtime Pay-Per-View.
VERNON FORREST: I have to get through the fight December 1st.

Q. Would you be willing to fight him?
VERNON FORREST: Once we get past December 1st

Q. Okay, I hear you. Vernon, you looked so impressive against Baldy, I thought you were someone that might be able to give Floyd Mayweather some problems. Is that something you want to do if you get past Piccirillo?
VERNON FORREST: That's another fight I've been screaming about. I fought the best guy at the world at the time he was the best guy in the world, and I'm willing to fight Floyd at the top of his game, and will go to do the same thing. But first things first, first order of business is Piccirillo on December 1st.
Once we handle that business. All the questions of who I need to fight or want to fight or who is out there, I'll be will entertain those questions. Right now out of respect and out of being focused, let me take care of my business with Michelle Piccirillo first.

Q. Have there been any business discussions about and you Mayweather?
VERNON FORREST: I can't tell you that (laughing).

Q. Maybe you just did.
VERNON FORREST: I can't tell you that.
MICHELE PICCIRILLO: You listen to both fighters. They're two gentlemen. They don't talk that much about the fight. But this, I think will be a great fight. And the best man will win. Michelle will be ready, this is for sure. He's a professional, and it will be a good fight.
VERNON FORREST: I'm looking forward to putting on a spectacular performance. Michele Piccirillo is a very, very worthy opponent. He's won the former Junior World Championship. And I'm looking forward to putting on a spectacular performance come December 1st.

End of FastScripts

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