By Ryan Maquiñana
Unbeaten middleweight Peter Quillin took special exception to comments lobbied at him by fellow 160-pounder Ishe Smith, who has been calling out “Kid Chocolate” recently.
“Ishe Smith is talking way too much for someone whose career hasn’t gone anywhere,” Quillin said. “If the money was right, sure, I’d fight him. But he’s not even ranked, so what would a fight with him do for my career? He’s last in line on my list of priorities.”
This past week was marked by a war of words between the two fighters, both on Twitter and then on Leave-It-in-the-Ring online radio.
“Look, he was on ‘The Contender’ show, and he didn’t even win it,” Quillin continued. “Sergio Mora won a world title after that and Jesse Brinkley got a world title shot, but what has he done? Nothing.”
The 28-year-old Quillin (25-0, 19 KOs) moved up in poundage to defeat Brinkley in April before returning to middleweight last month when he pounded out a fifth-round TKO of Jason LeHoullier.
“Everyone was giving me sh*t for fighting [Jason] LeHoullier, but who was supposed to be my opponent originally?” Quillin asked aloud. “Tarvis Simms pulled out. I’m telling you, I still have a lot to accomplish, but I want to fight the best. I’ve said I wanted Martinez. If I have to go to Australia to fight [IBF champ Daniel] Geale or Europe to fight [WBA champ Felix] Sturm, then so be it.”
While Quillin might have to wait his turn before getting a title shot, one realistic fight on the horizon from his standpoint is the winner of Bryan Vera vs. Andy Lee, which takes place on Oct. 1 in Atlantic City.
“Give me the winner of that fight,” he said. “I hope Golden Boy can make that one happen. I would fight Vera or Lee today. That’s one that can definitely get my name out there. I’m ready to prove myself. I’ve been ready.”
Ryan Maquiñana is the boxing correspondent at Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. He’s a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at www.maqdown.com or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.