SUNRISE, Fla. (July 11, 2009) -

JOSEPH KING KONG AGBEKO: "He [Darchinyan] pushed me in the seventh round and throughout the fight.  He is very dirty and rough in the ring.  I was fighting two people in the ring: Darchinyan and the referee.  But I didn't care if there were five people in the ring tonight, I was going in to win and come back out with my championship belt.

"Darchinyan talked a lot before the fight and I turned him into ‘the raging bullshitter' like I said I would.  I'm still the champion, not the chimpanzee he said I was."

"I have always said I would carry the greatness of Ghana with me to the top and that's what I have done.  I want to be considered among the top pound for pound fighters in the world.  I think I have earned it."

VIC DARCHINYAN:  "I took a different tactic into the ring tonight.  I went for the big punch and I lost and I can't say anything about that.  I was repeating the same mistakes and I was getting upset.  It's not an excuse.  I took the bad tactic and I wasn't smart enough tonight.   He was the better fighter tonight.  I will go back and watch the tape and correct my mistakes."

ANTONIO DeMARCO: "He was hurt with the first punch [in round nine] and did not want to continue.  The plan was to keep working.  I knew the fight was close but I was beginning to get more power.  I didn't think he was down when I hit him. When I hit him he was looking for someplace to hide.  He looked like he didn't want to fight.

"I had an infection in my stomach a week before but I took care of myself.  I got some rest and I felt good tonight and I fought hard.  This was a good fight for me, a good opportunity to prove myself to people and show everyone what I can do.

"He [Adjaho] was a good opponent, he was very tough. It was a very difficult fight for me and I wish him nothing but the very best.  I think it was an even fight up until the last round. I didn't feel like I was behind and I had to knock him out.  I just had an opportunity to get a good shot in and I tried to do that."

ANGES ADJAHO: [Adjaho was ahead 78-74, 77-75 on two scorecards and one even going into the ninth round.]  "He hit me with a good shot that cut me over my [right] eye.  I decided to take a knee to collect my thoughts and he hit me in the head.  Watch the replay.  I thought I was winning the fight.  I want an immediate rematch."

REFEREE TELLIS ASSEMENIOS:  "He got hit in the face and he [Adjaho] tried to complain." Commentator Jim Gray said, "It looked as though he [DeMarco] grazed the top of his head while he was on a knee." Assemennios said, "Yes, that is correct." [Then they watched the replay together in the ring]  Assemenios said, "Yes, the punch was before the knockdown and I was correct in my call."  

STEVE CUNNINGHAM: "I give myself a seven and a half out of 10 tonight.  There were a few shots I saw coming but still got caught with, but no excuses.  Tonight I proved once again that I am still the best cruiserweight in the world.  It's just a matter of time.  I felt like I did enough to win.  I matched him for speed and boxing strategy and I feel like I got the best shots in. 

"Braithwaite is a tough dude.  I thought I was going to fight him six years ago but we always knew that his boxing skills didn't match up to mine."

WAYNE BRAITHWAITE: "I fought a very hard fight.  In fact I thought I might have won.  I can't believe the judges didn't give me more credit.  It was much closer than what the judges said.  I wish it had been on TV so people could judge for themselves.  Steve was a very skilled opponent, and I was a little rusty, but you can ask Cunningham yourself.  I know I gave him a fight."

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