Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"Marcos Villegas here in the midst of fight week. It's been a crazy week so far, Floyd Mayweather against Canelo Alvarez, but you are fighting on the undercard. I know you were just signed to Mayweather Promotions. How's it been like for you experiencing this fight week?"
Ashley Theophane
"I was here for the Robert Guerrero fight, so I knew how it would be, but being part of it is crazy because Floyd, there's no one bigger than Floyd in the sport of boxing. It's a big event and there's nothing like it in the world of boxing."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"No, there certainly is not. There's tons of people. If you guys aren't at the MGM, come down, because there's a lot going on. Ashley, you're going up against a really tough guy, Pablo Cesar Cano. A guy who's fought Mosley, every fighter he's fought, he's given a really hard time. You're looking at him, what were your general thoughts of him as an opponent?"
Ashley Theophane
"I thought he's a great opponent, because he comes forward, he's aggressive, he comes to win, but he always falls short. He's fought these great fighters, but he always falls short. If you look at who I've fought and who he fought, you can look at my wins. I beat Delvin Rodriguez, Delvin's gonna fight Cotto. I've beaten DeMarcus Corley. I dropped a split to Danny Garcia. When it comes to step-up, I always step up and I get a result. He falls short. It's all good, you giving everyone a hard fight, but if you're losing, you're still losing."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"Why do you think he falls short? Do you see something, maybe a mental weakness, or maybe something that we don't even see?"
Ashley Theophane
"It is what it is. There's levels to it. Obviously he's 23 years old, but for 23, he's experienced. I think he's a good fighter. Leonard and Floyd believe that I can be a world champ, so that's why they've given me this test."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"You're fighting him not at 147, but at a catchweight at 142 pounds, I believe. Why is that? Why aren't you fighting him as a welterweight?"
Ashley Theophane
"I was happy to fight him as a welterweight but I was told it was at the catchweight. I was happy either way, it doesn't bother me. I've gone up in weight to fight Delvin Rodriguez, I've got no issues if it's at junior welterweight or welterweight, I'll fight anyone."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"You've had the privilege of being able to spar against Floyd Mayweather. How is it when you go in there and spar with him, and how does it even go when you spar someone the level of Floyd Mayweather?"
Ashley Theophane
"Floyd is a legend. Just being in there is a great experience. You just learn from being in the ring with him. And you have to think, if I can go in there with Floyd, even if it's sparring, then going in the ring with Cano is nothing. The mental toughness that you need to be in the ring with Floyd and want to go out there and give your best -- if I can do that with Floyd, then Cano is no problem."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"How does that even work, though? Does Floyd go, 'hey, Ashley, get in there, we're gonna go at it for 20 minutes, no breaks,' how does it even work? I've heard he spars for, like, a crazy amount of rounds and no breaks."
Ashley Theophane
"Well, in the Mayweather Gym, we spar a minimum of five-minute rounds. We're all in good condition. I've been sparring with Mickey Bey, Shawn Porter, Vernon Paris all through the years, I've been putting in good performances. I was just honored to be part of the sparring guys for Floyd, which is an honor in itself, because Floyd's the man. Floyd's incredible."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"You had a split decision with Danny Garcia. Any fighter that gets a split decision, they honestly feel they beat that fighter. Danny's fighting Lucas Matthysse. You having that experience with Danny already, honestly, honest opinion, no allegiances, no nothing, what's gonna happen on Saturday?"
Ashley Theophane
"It's up to if Danny can take his punching power, then he's got a chance, because he can outbox him. Lucas Matthysse's not unbeatable. He's lost twice before. He can be beaten. If Danny can take his power, he's got a chance. It's boxing."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"Do you feel Garcia's improved since you faced him?"
Ashley Theophane
"Well he knocked out Amir Khan, he's beaten Kendall Holt, he's beaten Erik Morales. He's beaten some good fighters. I'm very happy for him. Our fight could have gone either way, and it went his way, so I've got no qualms about it. But I'm happy he's gone on and he's done well, because it just shows how good I am. It's gonna be a great fight, it's gonna be a great show. You've got Floyd, you've got Danny Garcia, you've got Ishe Smith, and you've got Ashley Theophane, it's a great show!"
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"One key thing right here. You said he's done well, but honestly, tell me: were you impressed by those wins?"
Ashley Theophane
"It's not being impressed, because I'm not impressed, it's not for me to be impressed. He's done well. He's gone on to be a world champ. He's fought some very good fighters. When it's been him to step up, he's stepped up, and he got the result. The same thing with me, with Cano, when he stepped up he lost. When Danny stepped up, he won. It's levels. It takes the mental toughness to get those wins, to dig deep, and Cano's showed he's been able to do it. You have to remember he fought Erik Morales and Shane Mosley when they wasn't at their best, and he still couldn't win."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"What's the most important thing you want to show the people on Saturday night?"
Ashley Theophane
"It's all about getting the win. That is the most important thing, getting the win, and then I can move on to bigger and better things. Floyd and Leonard believe in me, and it's just to me to show the world. The world's going to be watching. To show the world what I can do, and just come back with a win, that's the most important thing."
Marcos Villegas, Fight Hub TV
"Win at all costs, right?"
Ashley Theophane
"At all costs. And that's what's gonna happen."