It’s been a year since we last spoke to you. What lessons have you learned as a boxer in the last year?
Jose Bonilla, my trainer, has been working with me on movement and defense. I am being more patient and wearing down my opponents with my jab and boxing. When I see the opportunity I will go for the kill. When I hit you clean there is no way you are going to stay on your feet.
How has the change from Middleweight to Super Middleweight affected you? Do you feel more comfortable now as Super Middleweight than you were as a Middleweight?
It is night and day. I starting having trouble making the weight before the fight with Howard Eastman. But I saw such great opportunity at 160lbs that I kept pushing myself. Jermain Taylor was in my sights and I wanted to teach him a lesson. HBO kept giving me great fights on short notice and I couldnt say no. At 168lbs I feel like a new man. I do not kill myself to make the weight. This is where I should be fighting.
Everybody knows about your impressive knockout ability, your knockout punch to defeat David Banks earlier this year was incredible, but what are you doing to help improve your defensive skills?

Like I said, we work on this hard in the gym. I think there has been some great improvements already, but I am always learning.
You are set to fight Jean Pascal later this year. What are your thoughts on Jean?
Jean has a very good record and is ranked high. I don’t think he is my league, however. I want to fight the best and prove to the world that I am the true champ at 168lbs. Until they have the courage to face me I will face the highest ranked man that will. Watch them all fall.
I would personally love to see you and American Jeff Lacy go at it in the ring. If you were to get by Pascal, how would you feel about a possible fight against Lacy?
Lacy was at my last fight. He said he wanted to fight me. But when he heard the explosion in the ring and saw David Banks disappear though the ropes, he turned away. I looked at him after the fight and he wouldn’t look me in the eyes. Jeff Lacy is scared of me. He wont even breath my name again.
Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik are fighting their rematch on February 16th. What are your thoughts on the rematch and do you think Pavlik can knockout Taylor again?
If Jermain Taylor brings his heart into the ring I think he can win. He cant fight scared. He blew his chance in the first fight so maybe he learned a lesson. Pavlik is lucky to be where he is. One day he will follow me up to 168lbs and he is going to wish he never did. Time is the only think on your side Kelly. One day I will get my revenge, I guarantee it.
And finally, what are your plans for the year. When December 31st 2008 comes around, where do you see yourself in the Super Middleweight Division?

Edison Miranda will be the champion at 168lbs before the end of this year. If Pascal is my next opponent than I think a title fight will follow. People want to see me fight and they will demand the champions to face me. I am back and I will be stronger then ever.

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He still embodies what once made boxing great; an intimate relationship between the fans and the athletes. At the Antonio Margarito/Paul Williams bout this summer, Toney was the belle of the ball. He stopped and signed autographs for every fan. He was generous, approachable, happy to stop and chit-chat with the boxing mad crowd. Far from his media created persona of an unapproachable bad guy.
“The deal with me is I’m looking forward to the future, fighting the big fights, Fighting the fights that everyone wants to see. The only way it can happen is through the support of the fans”, said Toney when asked about his future. At the time of this interview, Toney was doing training twice a day.
Since is last bout, Toney was suspended for one year after testing positive for a banned substance.
“I ain’t Barry Bonds, I ain’t Mark McGwire, I ain’t Jose Canseco. I don’t take that shit.”
Toney’s suspension has since been reduced to 6 months. He will be eligible to fight again on Nov. 24. But the question must be asked, what are the chances two fighters would test positive for the same banned substance, on the same night, when they are facing each other?” It is no question boxing is one of the most corrupt business’s around. With no real authority, no FDA, no central figure to regulate the sport, it’s no surprise personal grudges and shady figures survive in the sport.
As a fan of boxing, James agrees that the Heavyweight division is the worst in boxing. “It’s nothing. There’s nothing there. It’s lacking someone who has charisma, like myself. Right now the division has no life. The Klitchkos are nobody. They are rock stars over there in Germany, but if they walked down the street here, nobody would know them. People would think they are basketball players. If i walk down the street, everybody knows who i am…The promoters are at fault. They try and make mis-matches to make their fighters look good. In boxing, we don’t need these alphabet titles. I think we need one championship like we had in the 50′s and 60′s”
Toney isn’t too impressed with the rest of boxing’s best. “How can you call Bernard Hopkins a throwback fight when as soon as the bell rings, he’s running backwards? I fight.”… “Maywhether’s a good little fighter, but his modo is hit and not be hit. That’s the best fighter in the world?”
Away from the ring, Toney is an avid cigar connoisseur, with his own cigar line titled “Lights Out.” The cigar was custom tailored to Toney’s taste by Lou’s Tobacco in Los Angeles.
He is currently in training, with hopes of returning to the ring shortly. He also plans to launch his own promotion company, Lights Out Boxing, bringing back an old school element to the boxing world. “I promise you when I have my company up and running, i’m gonna bring boxing back to the top.”

Regardless of what happens in the future, James Toney is the only true remaining throw-back fighter. He was Floyd Mayweather Jr. before Floyd ever stepped foot in the ring. He was Terrell Owens before T.O existed. He has cemented his place in the Boxing Hall of Fame and boxing history books forever.
He embodies the talk-the-talk, walk-the-walk attitude.
Everyone knows, he can talk the talk. And if you ask his opponents in the ring, he can definitely walk the walk.

**touchgloves.com would like to thank James for taking the time to sit down with us. Also, Special thanks to Lou’s Tobacco**

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Hey Rick thanks for giving me the time to interview you, how’s it going?
It’s going great. Thanks for asking.

For starters, how did you get the nickname, “Savage”?
You know my fight record is 19-0 with 17 knockouts, and after each of my fights a lot of people at the gym would tell me, “it’s savage the way you fight, the way you fight is just savage.” So it kind of just stuck. So [then] I got savage tattooed across my neck, it looks like it’s carved in. The name [“Savage”] kind of just fit.

How has your training been going so far?
Training has been great. I’ve been fighting for 7 years, and after all these years of training, you learn more about your body, and every time you train you get smarter about it. I haven’t had any significant injuries getting ready for this tournament. I usually go into fights all banged and beat up, but this time I trained smart and hard, and this has been one of the best camps I’ve had. I’m coming in real fit, at 255 [pounds], and my cardio is beyond belief. So I feel great going into this [K-1] tournament, it’s kind of been my goal for so long. My training couldn’t have turned out any better.

What does your training consist of?
For this fight I did strictly Muay Thai training. I trained six days a week, with a day of rest. My kickboxing coach Billy Olsen is the one who trains me in Muay Thai. He’s held world titles and we’ve been together for about four years now. So I train Muay Thai with him four or five days a week. I have a conditioning coach that I work with named Bryan Forrest, from Forrest Fitness who helps me a lot with my strength. My first fighter is a 305 pounder, so I need to have some strength to deal with him. I have another conditioning coach from 24 HR fitness that works with me three times a week to build up my explosiveness and conditioning. [My training] pretty much consists of [lifting] weights, running, swimming and kickboxing.

You are facing Imani Lee? Is that correct?
Yes.
What can you tell me about him?
[Imani is a 6’5”] a 305 pounder who is a great boxer and real heavy hitter. He’s the type of guy that if he hits you, you will either get knocked out or get rocked. For this fight I’m going to have to rely on my speed, skill and out kickbox him.

How do you prepare for a tournament like this? Knowing that in order to win this tournament you have to fight 3 times in one night. How do you prepare for something like that?
Well when I do my training I train for about 15 rounds. And come fight time I have about 30-45 minutes to rest in between fights. So I do 15 straight rounds so that I could definitely do 3 rounds for each fight. I just have to make sure that I am conditioned so that I could last that long.

What are you out to prove entering this tournament?
Well, first of all, I want to prove to myself that I can do it. For this tournament, as a young fighter, I was real amazed with the talent and the level of skill. I’ve done amature tournaments and a national tournament, so I’m still out to prove my abilities against the best fighters in the world. [This tournament] has some of the best strikers, and I think I’m one of them. I want to be the best striker so I have to beat the top competition. I want to prove to myself that I do belong here, and that this is not above my level. I’m the only undefeated fighter entering this tournament so I definitely have to prove that I could hang with the top-level athletes.

What do you think is your greatest weapon when you step into the ring?
You know, I’m 255 [pounds] but I move like a 175 pounder. My strikes are quick. My punches, my kicks, my movement, everything is pretty quick. And I hit real hard as well. My quick movement will make it harder for [my opponents] to hit me, and I will definitely hurt people with my power. I’ve been training hardso that some of these guys wont be able to keep up with me. My coaches, especially Billy Olsen, have made me a superior striker.
Have you ever considered going into Mixed Martial Arts? Or is it just strict kick boxing for you?
No I do mixed martial arts as well. I’m 3-0, all wins coming by way of knockout. On September 22nd, I’m actually fighting for the Gladiator Challenge world heavyweight title. The organization is called the Gladiator Challenge.
What do you prefer? Mixed martial arts or kickboxing?
You know it’s real hard to answer this, but my true love is for kickboxing. It’s more of an art form to me. I really love the art form of kickboxing. But I really enjoy the cage fighting just as much because it’s more brutal and it’s more raw and I really love to fight. With the 4 oz gloves it’s a lot more punishing. The striking [with the 4 oz gloves] compared to the kickboxing gloves is a lot more devastating. In the end I just love to fight. My true love is in kickboxing but I will never walk away from a cage fight.

Anything you’d like to say to your fans out there or people reading this?
Yeah, to all the savage fans, all the Rick Cheek fans that support me, I just want to say thanks for all they do for me. I owe a lot of credit to them especially when they go about their way for me. As far as what they do for me, when they buy t-shirts and help me prepare mentally for a fight it is all encouragement for me. I also want to thank a lot of my friends who support me and help me prepare. All my coaches I want to thank them for training me. Without my fans and my coaches I definitely wouldn’t be where I am at today. I really appreciate what they do for me.
I also really wanted to stress how much my trainer, Billy Olsen, has done for me. He puts in a lot of his time for me. He doesn’t really have to help me but he has. He’s not in it for the money. I really want to thank Billy Olsen for all that he has done for me and for helping me get ready for this fight and for helping me realize my dream. Thank you.

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With no professional experience, Kimbo promised to prepare for his debut in the cage. Recruiting Bas Rutten, a well known MMA trainer and former UFC Champion to lead his training camp, Kimbo came into the ring weighing 239.5lbs, a sign of a prepared fighter weighing much lower than he himself had anticipated. Kimbo was able to end the fight in about a minute, by putting Mercer in the much feared guillotine choke after a barrage of elbow, muay thai knees and combination punches.
Many expected Kimbo to stand and go blow-to-blow with Mercer but Kimbo impressed even the most critical of viewers with his ring savvy. Not only did Kimbo win, but he did so convincingly with decisive combination punches and martial arts moves. It took Slice only 1 minute and 10 seconds to dispose of Mercer.
Kimbo’s next fight is against MMA legend Tank Abbott in September. Check out Kimbo’s interview with touchgloves.com where he discusses his experience and tells us who is dream fight would be against.
Kimbo, thank you for taking the time once again to sit down for this interview with us. Now that your first professional MMA fight is under your belt, tell me what was it like?
Oh man, it was a good experience. I can finally take all the load off and really relax now.
Were you surprised by anything?
No because at the last minute, I zoned everything out and stayed focus on what I had to do.
It took you only 1 minute and 10 seconds to get Ray Mercer to tap out, were you surprised the fight ended so quickly?
Yeah, it did end quickly. After all the talking he was doing. It was an MMA fight, I was training for it.
Your past fights that we’ve seen online weren’t even close to the size and magnitude of your fight on Saturday night. What were some of the main differences?
Looking at everything, I was training for an MMA fight and for everything that might happen. When in the street fights, I wasn’t really training for a street fight. In this fight, I trained to do everything I did.
We heard a lot about how hard you trained and prepared. How did you feel through training, have you ever been through such a rigorous training program?
I have never trained as hard and training has never been as intense as what I’ve been through in the last couple of months.
Clearly you were focused as you entered the cage. What was going through your mind?
Everything. Preparing myself to take a punch. Preparing myself for something that I may not have been prepared for. But we were ready, and we had prepared for everything.
Did you come in with a game plan or were just focused on winning?
Yeah yeah, I had a game plan. My game plan was not to get knocked-out.
You surprised a lot of people with the Muay thai knees and then the guillotine choke. Was that something you trained for and planned to use?
I surprised myself with those. That makes another person to add to the long line of people who were surprised. So was I.
Mercer was obviously upset after the fight. Have you had any contact with him since you made him tap out?
I would not talk to Mercer. Everyone that knows me and knows me well, whether they know me as Kimbo, Ferg or Kevin, knows that I’m a very respectible dude. I’ll fight you, and I’ll have respect at the end. If you win I have respect, if I win I expect respect, Ray Mercer, man, I dont want to mention this guys name anymore. He gets no respect from me. He was not professional and he showed poor sportsmanship. He disgusts me, with the way he acted at the end. Excuse my french but, to hell with him.
Kimbo, you told us in March that this would not be a one time thing for you. Tank Abbott has been named as being your next opponent in September. He is a legend in the MMA world. Talk a little about about Tank Abbot and what you know of him.
I only know what the tv shows, he’s a good thumper.
In your Dream Match, who would you like to fight?
It has and always will be Mike Tyson. He brought me into this. Being as young as I was seeing a young guy like him at the age of 18, youngest ever in the world, was motivation for me. It has always been a dream for me to fight him. If it never happens, that is one dude I will always have a lot of respect for. For the simple fact that I saw him do it at 18, and thats what got me started. Much respect to Mike.
There has been some speculation that you will be featured on a new Television show on BET called The Iron Ring. Any truth to those rumors?
I don’t know, I never head about it.
How have you changed personally since you decided to go professional?
I changed in a lot of ways, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually. I changed a lot. It made my life a lot better. I’ve changed in a positive way. All for the better.
Shoutout to your fans online who help start this whole Kimbo frenzy?
I want to thank all the people on the internet for all the support, all my fans all my friends. Everybody on the net. Thank you and keep supporting me as a fighter.
you can contact the author at rmaiker@touchgloves.com
Interesting Links:
Kimbo Destroys Mercer!!!
March 2006 Kimbo Slice Interview
March 2006 Ray Mercer Interview

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Edison, thank you for taking the time out to do this interview. On May 19th you take on Kelly Pavlik. You and Kelly are both aggressive fighters with knockout power. Many people believe your matchup is better than the Main Event. What do you expect from Pavlik in the fight? Have you seen any of Pavlik’s past fights?

I’VE SEEN MANY OF PAVLIK’S FIGHTS. I EXPECT THAT PAVLIK WILL COME IN WITH A SOLID PLAN JUST LIKE ALAN GREEN DID. HOWEVER, WHEN HE GETS HIT BY ME THE PLAN WILL GO IN THE GARBAGE. IF HE’S CRAZY ENOUGH TO COME AT ME AND THROW PUNCHES, HE WILL BE KNOCKED OUT FAST, BUT I THINK HE WILL TRY TO BOX AROUND MY POWER. UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL NOT WORK.
Who do you feel has been your most challenging opponent thus far?

EVERY FIGHTER POSES A CHALLENGE BECAUSE THEY ALL ARE PROFESSIONAL FIGHTERS WITH GOOD RECORDS AND THEY ALL HAVE THEIR STRENGTHS. I CAN’T SINGLE OUT THE MOST CHALLENGING FIGHTER I FOUGHT THUS FAR BECAUSE I FEEL THAT I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH MOST OF THEM. I CAN SAY THAT ABRAHAM HAS A LOT OF GUTS FOR HANGING IN THERE AND FIGHTING IN THE CONDITION HE WAS IN.
You have only one loss on your record, and many feel you were robbed. Looking past the Pavlik fight, if you had a choice, would you take a rematch with Arthur Abraham or take a fight against Jermain Taylor?
I WOULD LOVE TO FIGHT JERMAIN. FOR ONE, I REALLY FEEL THAT I WON THE ABRAHAM FIGHT – TWO TIMES – ON POINTS AND IN THE 5TH ROUND BY TKO. SECONDLY, I REALLY DON’T WANT TO GO TO GERMANY AND EXPERIENCE ANY MORE CORRUPTION AGAIN. IF I FIGHT JERMAIN HERE IN THE US, I KNOW IT WILL BE FAIR. ON A FAIR PLAYING FIELD I WILL BEAT ABRAHAM OR TAYLOR EASILY. MY WISH IS TO BEAT PAVLIK AND THEN TAYLOR AND AFTER THAT BRING ABRAHAM TO THE US SO I CAN PAY HIM BACK FOR THE ROBBERY.
You’ve made it very clear you believe Taylor is avoiding facing you. Do you think he’s ducking you? If so, why do you think he is ducking you?
HE IS DEFINITELY AVOIDING ME. HE IS PICKING OPPONENTS THAT ARE RECOGNIZABLE BUT NOT HEAVY HITTERS. BY DOING THIS, HE WILL NEVER BE EMBARRASSED IN THE RING, EVEN IF HE SHOULD LOSE. ON THE OTHER HAND IF HE FIGHTS ME, HE KNOWS HE STANDS A GREAT CHANCE OF NOT ONLY LOSING BUT GETTING KNOCKED THROUGH THE ROPES. A TRUE CHAMPION SHOULD TAKE ON THE BEST IN HIS WEIGHT CLASS AND NOT JUST TRY TO STAY SAFE. IF HE’S A MAN, HE DOES WHAT TV WANTS, WHAT EVERY PROMOTER, MANAGER, AND FAN WANTS WHICH IS A PANTERA VS TAYLOR FIGHT.
What would you say to a potential match-up against Bernard Hopkins who has previously endorsed you?
I AM WILLING TO FIGHT ANYONE, UNLIKE JERMAIN TAYLOR. IF IT’S BERNARD HOPKINS, WINKY WRIGHT, IT DOESN’T MATTER TO ME. I’M IN THIS BUSINESS TO TAKE ON THE BEST AND IMPRESS THE FANS. THAT’S WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT. IF THE WORLD WANTS TO SEE ME FIGHT HOPKINS, I WILL. I RESPECT HIM AND ALL HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BUT I DON’T HAVE ANY PROBLEM GOING IN THE RING WITH HIM AND SHOWING HIM WHAT A GREAT FIGHTER EDISON MIRANDA IS.
What are your thoughts about Winky Wright and would you like to fight him?
LIKE I SAID, I WOULD FIGHT ANYONE THAT THEY PUT IN FRONT OF ME. I’M NOT JUST SAYING THAT TO SOUND TOUGH, I MEAN THAT. AS FOR WINKY, I REALLY THINK HE’D BE IN TROUBLE. HIS HARDEST PUNCH WOULD BARELY BOTHER ME. HOWEVER, WHEN HIS ARMS START TAKING A BEATING FROM MY STRONG PUNCHES, I THINK HE WILL COLLAPSE. HE DEFINITELY HAS SKILL, ESPECIALLY AS DEFENSIVE FIGHTER, BUT WHEN PUT IN FRONT OF MY POWER, I THINK HE’D BE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE.
Your record of 28-1, 24KO’s shows that you have tremendous knock-out power. Do you go out there looking for the knockout, or do the knockouts come naturally?
THEY COME NATURALLY. NO BOXER SHOULD LOOK FOR A KNOCKOUT WHEN THE BELL RINGS. HOWEVER, MOST TIMES MY SKILL AND MY POWER USUALLY SET UP A KNOCKOUT. WHEN IS SEE MY OPPONENT THE SLIGHT BIT HURT, I DO GO FOR THE IMMEDIATE KILL, JUST LIKE A PANTHER WOULD. THIS IS WHY THE FANS LIKE TO WATCH ME. THEY KNOW THAT I’M EXCITING AND A KNOCKOUT CAN COME AT ANY MOMENT IN THE FIGHT.
You have an exciting style and you’ve only been boxing for eight years. You have an incredible story, basically raising yourself from the age of 9. You’ve been through many hardships in life and you’ve survived. Is that what makes you so attractive to the avid boxing fan?

I THINK THAT THE FANS LOVE ME BECAUSE I’M A GREAT PERSON WHO IS WILLING TO TAKE ON ANYONE AND I FIGHT TO WIN, NOT TO SURVIVE. THEY KNOW THAT A KNOCKOUT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT AND IT KEEPS THE FANS ON THE EDGE OF THEIR SEATS, UNLIKE WHEN YOU WATCH A JERMAIN TAYLOR FIGHT. I ALSO HAVE A PASSION FOR THE SPORT AND I WANT TO ALWAYS DO WHAT’S RIGHT FOR THE FANS BECAUSE AFTER ALL THEY ARE THE ONES PAYING. THEY KNOW THAT I LOVE THE SPORT AND I WILL ALWAYS DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP IT ALIVE. IF THAT MEANS FIGHTING THE BEST THEN SO BE IT.
Tell us how/what influenced you to box?
IT ALL STARTED FROM A DREAM THAT I HAD WHEN I WAS A KID LIVING ON THE STREETS. I SAW MYSELF IN A RING BEATING SOMEONE UP, BUT I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WHAT BOXING WAS AT THE TIME. I LOOKED AT THAT DREAM AS A MESSAGE FROM GOD AND I STARTED TO ASK THE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS HOW I CAN START BOXING. EVERYONE STARTING LAUGHING BECAUSE I WAS SO SKINNY, BUT SOMEONE EVENTUALLY TOLD ME ABOUT THE BEST TRAINER, MR. BELTRAN, AND THAT’S WHEN IT ALL STARTED.
Which boxers did you grow up idolizing?

MUHAMMAD ALI. I HAVE SEEN EVERYONE OF HIS FIGHTS A MILLION TIMES AND I STILL WATCH HIM. I LOVE HIM.
How is training coming along and have you made any adjustments to Pavliks style?
I TRAIN EQUALLY AS HARD FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF MY FIGHTS, WHETHER I’M FIGHTING A GUY THAT IS 30-0 OR 10-30. THAT’S JUST HOW I AM. MY TRAINING IS GOING GREAT. I FEEL LIKE I’M IN GREAT SHAPE NOW AND MY SKILLS ARE GETTING EVEN BETTER AND BETTER EVERY DAY. I HAVE NOT MADE ANY SPECIFIC ADJUSTMENTS FOR PAVLIK. MY SKILLS AND POWER ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO DOMINATE THIS FIGHT.
Edison, thanks again for taking the time to talk to us. Is there any last thing you want to say to your fans?

I WOULD LIKE TO THANKS EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT. I PROMISE TO ALWAYS BE THE EXCITING FIGHTER YOU KNOW ME AS TODAY, EVEN WHEN I AM THE CHAMP.

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Thank you for giving us the time Vanes. Tell us about your Olympic experience.
The Olympics was a very good experience for me. The opening ceremony was a dream come true. Everything was great, I just wish I could have got the training at home, then had my own trainer and coach there.

Since the Olympics, you’ve had a strong group of handlers around you. You’re currently trained by Freddie Roach. What’s the transition been like and how have they help your transition from the Olympic team to the Pros.
The transition from Olympics to the pros is getting yourself to be more calm. You got to relax. You just can’t go out there and let you hands go for no reason. Every punch has to be for a reason. I feel so much more confident with Freddie. He teaches so many great things to do. It’s an honor to have Freddie and Justin Fortune in my corner. I learn something new from those guys everyday.
Your Nickname is “the nightmare’ Where did that come from?
That came from the Olympics. Nobody knew who I was when I came and started fighting all the top guy. I started stopping them and actually broke one of their jaws. So after that, whenever i stepped in the ring, everyone called me the “Nightmare”
Vanes, When did you start boxing?
When I was 7 years old, my father took me to the gym

Was your father a fighter?
Yes, he was a fighter also.

Who were some of your idols growing up?
Growing up, it was Oscar De la Hoya and Muhammed Ali. Those were the two i would look up to.

You have a very smooth boxing style. You’re light on your feet, and have quick hands. Do you try and model your style off anyone?
I try to take the good things off of every fighter. See what he does, see what mistakes he makes. When I watch a fight, I don’t only watch what the guy is doing, i watch the mistakes he’s making and the punches he gets hit with. I try and not get hit by those punches. I learn from other fighters, but i have my own style. I try and do my own thing.
What areas do you believe you need to improve?
I feel like I need to use my jab more. I get in there and I try to stop the guy real soon. But working with Freddie, he’s taught me to calm down, work in my jab. We we’re working on developing my jab more, trying to get me to use it more. I mean i have a great jab. They tell me I use it in the gym. It’s just when it comes down to the fight, i know i can hurt the guy with my right hand so i just go out there and try and knock him out with my right hand.
You have a great record, 12-0, 8 KO’s. Do you go in there looking for the Knockout or does it come to you?
With my punching power, I know I can stop the guy. Sometimes I go in there too excited I tell myself if i hit this guy with my punches he not gonna be able take it, but I just go in there and try to stick with the game plan. I just do what Freddie tells me to do.

Who are some of the pros you spar with?
I’ve spared with Antonio Margarito, Roman Karmizan, and Peter Manfredo
We’ve heard Freddie has a hard time finding Sparring partners for you, what do you have to say about that?
(Laughing) Every time anyone comes in the gym talking about how they’re this and that and their gonna be world champion, Freddie says ‘you wanna be World Champion?, get in the ring with Vanes.’ And they go in the ring with me and i spar with them for one or two rounds, and they never come back. Even when I’m trying to work with someone and i hit them one time and i hurt them, they don’t want to spar anymore.
What goals have you set for yourself this year? Where do you see yourself a year from now?
This year to get in the top ten and next year to go for a world title. I know I can beat all the guys. I know I’m capable of beating everybody. I feel like I’m in the best in my weight class right now. I’m trying to get there and stay there, not just get there and lose the title. That’s my plan. To get there on top and stay there and have all the titles just like Bernard Hopkins
You have a strong fan base in the Los Angeles Community, particularly in the Armenian community. Talk a little about the support they are showing you.
The Armenian community has shown me great support. There’s not a day that goes by that people don’t come up to me and say hi, wish me luck, and want to know when my next fight is. I also have a lot of other fans, a strong Mexican fan base. They all show me great love when they see me on the street.
I think your fan base has to do with your exciting fighting style. You’re one of the most exciting young fighters in boxing.

When is your next fight?
My Next fight is April 27th either in Phoenix, AZ or Houston, TX. I’m not sure on the location, but the date is set.

Do you know who your opponent is?
They haven’t announced an opponent yet.

Anything else you want to tell your fans?
Just keep supporting me. We’re going to the top and once we get there we’re going to stay on top. I’m never going to forget you guys and when I become a world champion, I’m not only becoming a world champion we all are becoming world champions.

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