By Ben Jacobs
Already successful in the sport having been a world champion, and with aspirations to regain that status, Austin Trout (29-2, 16 KOs) adds another string to his bow when he debuts on Sunday as a commentator with Bounce TV. Some boxers are merely content to perform in the ring and are not huge followers of the sport in the way a fan would be. However, speaking to BoxingScene, the New Mexico native conveyed his love of the sport which leaves no question as to his favourite pastime.
"First of all the job I have as a fighter is a dream come true in itself. To be able to box for a living, I can't ask for anything better," enthused Trout.
"But the second best thing for me would be to talk about boxing for a living so, I literally have the two best jobs in the world!
"I get to watch more boxing. You do have to be more prepared, I have a bunch of notes written down on fighters and things like that. It's more than fun to do.
"I feel I can do a real good job at it. Watching other fighters like Paulie Malignaggi, Antonio Tarver and Danny Jacobs, they do a really good job at it. I understand that's something I have to do as well but I believe I have the capabilities of portraying the fighters' insight to the people."
Austin feels that Sunday's main event, promoted by Premier Boxing Champions could be a crowd pleaser. Juan Carlos Payano defends his WBA bantamweight title against US Olympian Rau'shee Warren.
"They both have great records and amateur experience. Looking at their styles it should be a great fight, anything but boring."
With regards to his own career, Trout, currently training in Washington DC, fights Joey Hernández (24-3-1, 14 KOs) on September 6. His rival from Miami, Florida hasn't been shy on social media about his thoughts towards Trout. Hernández posted a photo on Twitter of Trout on the canvas in a previous fight, questioning his chin.
"All that trash he's talking just shows he's insecure. I don't think he believes in himself like he's portraying. Most of the insecure people are the loudest. The most confident are the quietest, but it just shows me that he's weak minded. For him to talk about me not having a chin, I've always got up and finished every fight, he can't say the same for himself.
"He's going to have to back that up, I'm going to make him eat every word he said. It's not that he's getting under my skin, I'm not going to get out of character in the ring, it's just going to make it sweeter every left hand that he eats."
In Hernández's last fight he dropped a ten round unanimous decision to highly touted Julian Williams. The Philadelphia fighter recently stated his belief, again on Twitter, that Trout doesn't want to face him.
"I'm gonna show Williams how to do it," 'No Doubt' assured.
"He had a fight with this bum Hernandez, it went the distance and he didn't look too good in it. After this fight, if someone's going to pay me good money to whoop Williams' ass, that's fine, I'm gonna go ahead and do that. Julian Williams doesn't impress me at all. He has a big mouth, and he's been a bit disrespectful. That doesn't mean he deserves the fight but if someone is going to pay me to beat him up then he can get that."