:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/1234140/438.jpg)
A pair of Chicago area favorites will get a chance to turn some heads this week on ESPN Friday Night Fights, as light heavyweight Andrzej Fonfara and welterweight Ivan Popoca take on a couple of familiar veteran names.
Fonara (21-2, 12 KO) will be facing Glen Johnson (51-16-2, 35 KO) in the 10-round main event from the UIC Pavilion, with the 43-year-old Johnson hoping to have frankly a far better outing than he did last time in the ring against Lucian Bute, where he was shut out over 12 rounds and barely seemed to have interest in fighting.
Popoca (15-1-1, 10 KO) looks to bounce back from his first career defeat at the hands of Ruslan Provodnikov. He'll be taking on former world lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo (63-11-1, 54 KO), who is very, very far past his best at this point and really hasn't looked good in the ring since 2006.
The fighters met up for a pair of press conferences yesterday. After the jump, quick quotes from each man.
Glen Johnson
This will be a great fight. Fonfara will come forward and put on a great show. You already know what I do. Don't miss it. It will be a terrific event.
Andrzej Fonfara
Glen is a great warrior and a legend. I'm ready. I had a great camp. I can't wait for Friday the 13th to see what happens. I'm ready as I'll ever be.
Jose Luis Castillo
Thanks to Ivan Popoca for the opportunity to fight and may the best man win! There are still big fights out there for me and I will show in this fight that I am still a great fighter.
Ivan Popoca
It's a privilege to fight such a legend as Jose Luis Castillo. I will definitely be looking for the knockout when I get in there. It's going to be a war. That's how I fight.