By Ryan Burton

BoxingScene.com recently caught up with up and coming junior middleweight Javontae Starks (4-0 4KOs).  The 22 year old prospect recently signed a promotional deal with Prizefight Promotions and they have big plans for the former amateur standout.  Starks talks about his amateur career, his future plans and also weighs in on the upcoming super fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley in this exclusive interview.
 
Boxingscene:  What is the latest with you Javontae?  I know you have been out of the ring for a while now.
 
Javontae Starks:  Yes I have been sitting out of the ring for about a year man.  My last fight was May 5th (of last year).  I had a fight coming up on May 14th down in Little Rock, Arkansas with Prize Fight.  I signed with Prize Fight.  We had the card coming up and I was actually just told that the card was scratched and now I might be fighting on June 17th down in Austin, Texas and it might be a (ESPN) Friday Night Fight type of deal.  We might get a televised spot in a swing bout underneath Fernando Guerrero and Shawn Porter on ESPN.
 
Boxingscene:  Being that you have been out for so long is the fight a 4 rounder?
 
Javontae Starks:  Yes my first fight is going to be a 4 rounder.  I am probably going to do two 4 rounders then go back up to the 6 rounders.  If the first fight is a quick knockout we will probably do one more at 4 rounds and then step up the competition and put in some more rounds.
 
Boxingscene:  Once you get back in the swing of things is the plan to be more active to make up for the time you lost while sitting out?
 
Javontae Starks:  Yes for sure.  We are looking to get in about 9 fights in the next year.  My contract calls for a minimum of 7 but we are looking for 9 to 10 fights.
 
Boxingscene:  Tell us a little bit about your amateur career for all the fans out there that may not know a lot about you.
 
Javontae Starks:  Well as an amateur I was a 2006 under 19 silver medalist.  A 2008 US Gold Medalist and 2009 semi finalist in the USA Golden Glove finals.  I was ranked number one in the nation for a year consistently.  My amateur record was 103 wins and 15 losses and we are just working right now trying to build my pro career.
 
Boxingscene:  When you were coming up through the amateurs which fighters did you look up to?
 
Javontae Starks:  A lot of my favorite fighters are fighters like Diego Corrales.  I think me and him have the same type of heart.  I am the same type of fighter when it comes to biting down and standing in the middle of the ring and letting my hands go.  I am built the same way.  I am a puncher boxer.  He was a little more of a puncher.  I like Diego and I love his heart and like the way he fought.  I looked up to guys like Gerald McClellan, Bob Foster and Tommy Hearns.  Guys like that.  Tall, slinky types of guys that are boxer puncher types of guys.
 
Boxingscene:  Who do you like in the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley?
 
Javontae Starks:  I think Pacquiao stops Mosley man.  He either beats him down or he stops him.  I like Shane Mosley and he had a good fight with Margarito but I think that was his last big shine.  I don't think he is fast enough nor do I think that he has the intensity or the drive or the conditioning to go 12 rounds like he used to.  I just see Pacquiao being too much for him at this time.
 
Boxingscene:  Do you have a message for the fans in closing?
 
Javontae Starks:  Look out for June 17th down in Austin Texas.  It is probably going to be an ESPN Friday Night Fights card.  Hopefully I get televised in a 4 rounder.  That is what is up on the schedule next.  I am just coming and working hard.  I am here from my city Minneapolis, Minnesota which is not known for boxers.  I want to be one of the first household names out of Minnesota that is a talked about name.  I want to be somebody that puts Minnesota on the map.  I want to be that face and that name and that is what I plan on doing for the city.
 
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