On thoughts that he and Roman Gonzalez may steal the show
"That's how I fight. It's just the way you have to fight if you want to get seen, especially in our weight division, which hadn't really been getting the attention that I believe they deserved the last couple of years. And finally thanks to Roman getting us the limelight, I think putting up a show like that will open up the eyes of the fan base a little bit wider. Like, 'hey, these little guys fight just as well as the middleweights."
"I'm going to do myself a disservice if I don't put my best foot forward, and fight the way I fight, and fight my best fight that I can possibly fight. If I don't do that, people are gonna be, like, 'ah, this is the reason we don't show the lighter weights.' We have a chance on Saturday to show to the world, you know, who we are and what we're about. Why we train so hard, why I've been in this sport so long, because I wanted to be on these type of stages. I know I can perform to the best on these type of stages. Saturday, a lot of people are shortchanging me, but I think I'm gonna shock a lot of people."
On what people are missing when they write him off
"They didn't see my preparation, how I trained for this fight. The mentality, the want to be there and perform and take that title again, to be the best. Everyone just sees the final product of all that hard work. I believe I put in everything, my sweat, blood, and my tears into my training camp, to get myself prepared, because I know how big this fight is going to be if I do win. How much it's going to change my life, not only for me, but for my family, for my son, for my wife. How much we can gain from it if I took the time to put all my hard work into my preparation for this fight."
On Gonzalez being the best he's ever faced
"I don't know if he's going to be the hardest fighter I've fought. I haven't fought him yet. We're gonna have to answer that question after that fight. But in terms of my preparation, I've never felt this ready, ever, for any other fight, both physically and mentally. People are looking at me, like, 'damn, you're cut in places we've never seen you cut before,' in my physique. 'Never seen you get that much energy before from sparring sessions.' Just going about doing my routine day-to-day, something's different. I know something special's going to happen on Saturday because of the work I've put in my training camp."
On what has motivated him to go harder in camp
"I think because my son was born a year and a half ago. Since then, every training camp is for him. I know with big wins, with every win, I'm setting his future up also. Not only mine. More so his, because he's the one who's motivating me now. I know I'm getting up there also in age. I don't know how many more great fights I can have. I want to try and cherish each and every single one of my fights that I do have left, and try to bring out my best and see if I can still become the best in the world. That's what's motivating me. All of that combined, that's what's pushing me to these limits."