Matt Vanda: Everybody thinks that you have to hate somebody to fight them but I have all the respect for Phil and I think he has respect for me. We don't hate each other or anything like that. This is just a great fight. It's a bigger man against a little bit of a smaller man. Phil is solid as a rock. He is 11-1 with 11 knockouts but he KNOCKS people out. I am going to have to be very prepared to fight him. Obviously I don't want to get hit by him, the guys a smasher. That's what I look forward to though, I like challenges. It's a fight nobody wants to miss. I am moving up a little and Phil is moving down in weight a little. We are going to meet at 165 pounds. I got a little taste of what I can do at 165 last Friday (against Ted Muller). The guy was a good durable fighter. I want to thank him too for coming up on short notice for the fight. It seems like some people won't step up and fight each other but I will and so will Phil. You are going to have two guys that want to fight. It is going to be a great fight and I hope everybody can make it on September 26th.

Phil Williams: First off, I am glad we got the fight set up. It isn't the fight I was expecting at first. The fight I thought I was going to get was Zach Walters. But then they called and asked if I would fight Matt. I said yes (laughing!) They asked if I would fight at 165 and I told them that was the weight I should be fighting at anyways. I think it's a good fight. I have never been in a 10 round fight before and I know Matt is ready to go ten all the time. He is a good pressure fighter that throws a lot of punches. He's got a little more experience. This is a trend I want to set in Minnesota because you have guys that don't want to fight each other. They fight a bunch of club fighters and then get to the top and get embarrassed. Minnesotan's have been kind of looked at as opponents. But we don't want to be that. I want to start setting a different trend right here. I have ten fights and I challenge whoever wants to fight. Minnesota has a rich tradition when it comes to boxing. We don't have to go way out east or way out west. We have fighters right here. I'll fight at cruiserweight, middleweight, lightheavyweight, I just want good fights. Basically September 26th there is going to be some fireworks, it's going to be a nice fight. Whatever happens may the better man win. Matt Vanda doesn't get knocked out. And that is what I am known for.

Vanda when asked if the fight was for the right to face Zach Walters: No, we ain't fighting for the right to fight him. He's a punk. He can come to fight us. They turn fights down because they are scared. They don't want anything to do with us.

Phil Williams: To continue on with that, he has a record of 26-4 or something like that, I don't even know. He hasn't fought anybody. I have been trying to fight him since my fourth fight. He should have been down here today. I have an open contract for Zach Walters. There is no turning him down. When he is ready, I am ready.

Williams on Vanda's popularity: Oh yeah this is Matt's hometown. Minnesota is Matt's town. Matt has always held this state down. I used to go down to watch his fights all the time. Win, lose or draw, he always comes to fight. That's why I took this fight, I wanted to be a part of that.

 

Cerresso Fort takes the mic: I am just happy to be fighting on this card. I'm not sure who I am fighting, that is a question mark but I just train hard and will be ready for whatever.

Fort asked if he is or ever was supposed to fight Jon Schmidt: That is a question mark. I mean it was true at one point but now I guess they don't want any part of it. Hopefully come September 26th, I am going to fight somebody that is going to bring it so I can show the things I am capable of doing in a tough fight.

Asked about his career goals: I want to be a world champion. Minnesota has great fighters here and I want to be one of those prospects who go on to be a world champion. I have big goals but as long as I keep training and keep pushing hard, anything is possible.

On his recent victory over Yancy Cuellar: I didn't think it would happen that quick. I didn't know who he was until we got to the ring. I looked at him and saw that he was pretty cut up and big. I was thinking it was going to be a fight. So I didn't think I would get him out of there that quick. It was a shock. It happens though. When you catch somebody like that, it happens.

Thoughts on MMA fighters trying boxing: I respect what they are trying to do. If they actually put the time and effort into it, I respect that.

Donny Tierney takes the mic: I guess I am fighting the guy that Cerresso just fought on Friday night. Obviously he is going to be bigger then me, I am small at 154. I really don't care though. I was a little disappointed my last fight. I went four rounds in my first professional fight. I still won but people don't want to see that, they want to see knockouts. They want to be entertained. I am going to go for a knockout. I am going to work on my game and be in a lot better shape.