Michael 'Venom' Page: 'Fernando Gonzalez Has Nowhere Left to Run'
Michael 'Venom' Page: 'Fernando Gonzalez Has Nowhere Left to Run'
Third time's a charm? Not for Fernando Gonzalez. Michael 'Venom' Page believes his Nov. 19 opponent is in over his head.
Following his sensational knockout of Evangelista 'Cyborg' in July, Michael Page has the date for his next bout against Fernando Gonzalez set for November 19 in San Jose, Calif.
Gonzalez is a man who Page has been scheduled to face twice previously. Both times, however, injuries and visa issues have prohibited the fight from going ahead. Speaking last week in Hamburg, Germany, Page detailed the start-stop scheduling the two have experienced.
"The first time it got announced, I learned very soon after that I wasn't going to be able to make it," Page said. "We had to cancel it, but we had plenty of notice that time. In the fight game, people pull out last week, last day, last minute--this time around it was over seven weeks until the fight, so he had plenty of time to train for another opponent.
"The second time was slightly closer, but they realized he had visa issues getting into the U.K., which was my last fight. I understood it though. It was no one's fault."
With the bout rebooked for a third time, the British welterweight is sure it will go ahead this time around.
"Look, even if he pulls out a few days before, I don't stress about that kind of stuff," Page said. "Other fighters get all worked up about it, but me, I just see it as part of the game. It shouldn't be an issue to you as long as you keep getting fights and keep doing what you are doing and pushing yourself, then you will get to where you want to get to.
"Obviously, this is the third time around and I'm hoping it's third time lucky, but if anything did happen for whatever reason, then whatever. I'm adamant this time though [that] it's going to happen."
Ever since the fight was originally scheduled for Bellator 151, Gonzalez has taken to social media multiple times to throw shade at Page. Suffice to say, the Londoner hasn't been all that impressed by what Gonzalez has had to say and was adamant he'd pay for it.
"I'm not sure he is on a personal level, but online he's just been hassling me, been bugging me and just chatting a lot of rubbish," Page said. "I've just been like, 'Yeah cool,' but trust me, it's going to happen and reality is going to kick in when that cage door closes."
Page's sentiments here were bolstered when he recently came face to face with Gonzalez.
"Based on what I saw when I looked in his eyes for the first time last week in [Los Angeles], I think he now knows it's too late--he can't [run] anywhere, he can't back out," Page said. "I always say I've won many fights by just looking at my opponent, and this is the first time I've looked in the eyes of my opponent so long before the fight.
"I think he's just written a check that he can't pay. He's been chasing me down, chasing me down, chasing me down and I think he's sensed what's coming. Like I said, he has no idea how to handle it at all. Even on his luckiest night, he will lose a split decision. That's all I can say for that. I have his number, and November 19 he will be dealt with."
Gonzalez is a man who Page has been scheduled to face twice previously. Both times, however, injuries and visa issues have prohibited the fight from going ahead. Speaking last week in Hamburg, Germany, Page detailed the start-stop scheduling the two have experienced.
"The first time it got announced, I learned very soon after that I wasn't going to be able to make it," Page said. "We had to cancel it, but we had plenty of notice that time. In the fight game, people pull out last week, last day, last minute--this time around it was over seven weeks until the fight, so he had plenty of time to train for another opponent.
"The second time was slightly closer, but they realized he had visa issues getting into the U.K., which was my last fight. I understood it though. It was no one's fault."
With the bout rebooked for a third time, the British welterweight is sure it will go ahead this time around.
"Look, even if he pulls out a few days before, I don't stress about that kind of stuff," Page said. "Other fighters get all worked up about it, but me, I just see it as part of the game. It shouldn't be an issue to you as long as you keep getting fights and keep doing what you are doing and pushing yourself, then you will get to where you want to get to.
"Obviously, this is the third time around and I'm hoping it's third time lucky, but if anything did happen for whatever reason, then whatever. I'm adamant this time though [that] it's going to happen."
Ever since the fight was originally scheduled for Bellator 151, Gonzalez has taken to social media multiple times to throw shade at Page. Suffice to say, the Londoner hasn't been all that impressed by what Gonzalez has had to say and was adamant he'd pay for it.
"I'm not sure he is on a personal level, but online he's just been hassling me, been bugging me and just chatting a lot of rubbish," Page said. "I've just been like, 'Yeah cool,' but trust me, it's going to happen and reality is going to kick in when that cage door closes."
Page's sentiments here were bolstered when he recently came face to face with Gonzalez.
"Based on what I saw when I looked in his eyes for the first time last week in [Los Angeles], I think he now knows it's too late--he can't [run] anywhere, he can't back out," Page said. "I always say I've won many fights by just looking at my opponent, and this is the first time I've looked in the eyes of my opponent so long before the fight.
"I think he's just written a check that he can't pay. He's been chasing me down, chasing me down, chasing me down and I think he's sensed what's coming. Like I said, he has no idea how to handle it at all. Even on his luckiest night, he will lose a split decision. That's all I can say for that. I have his number, and November 19 he will be dealt with."