Usmanee on The Barthelemy Loss, Facing Mendez

By Ryan Burton

Super featherweight contender Arash Usmanee (20-1) is just a few weeks away from getting the first title shot of his career when he faces IBF champion Argenis Mendez in the main event of the season finale of ESPN Friday Night Fights.  Usmanee last fought in January when he lost a controversial majority decision to Rances Barthelemy in a fight that was also televised by ESPN.

The 31-year-old Afghanistan native said that he had an injured shoulder in the fight but overall felt he put on a decent performance.  He admitted that he has watched the fight several times and still feels that he did more than enough to come out with the victory. 

"The decision I thought was a little bit bogus. I watched it over and over again and I still think I won the fight.  (As far as) my performance there were a few major things that we had problems with prior to the fight.  I had a sprained shoulder.  My trainer wasn't in my corner in the biggest fight of my life.  There were a few big, major things that went wrong but with the problems that I had, I thought my performance was okay. I just know that I could have given a lot more if I didn't have those problems," Usmanee told BoxingScene.com.

I asked Usmanee if he felt that justice was served when he received the title shot instead of it going to Barthelemy.

"It is karma.  Everything happens for a reason.  I am a person that believes that.  This is what should have happened anyways.  I should have been given the win in the fight and it would have been the same thing. I would be fighting him.  I want to thank Mendez for giving me the shot," Usmanee explained.

Usmanee admitted that he is nervous about getting a fair shake versus Mendez after what happened in January.  He said that he wants the fighter that deserves the victory to walk out of the ring the winner even if it is his opponent.

"I have been in boxing for too long to put all of my eggs in one basket but I hope it goes well.  You can't keep doing this.  If something like that happened to me I wouldn't want to get a win that way.  Boxers know who won or lost.  I want the right guy to win always,"  Usmanee stated.

The Montreal, Quebec based fighter finished our conversation by urging the fans to tune in to the fight on August 23rd.  Win, lose or draw he said that he plans on putting on an exciting performance.

"The fans that have watched me before know that one way or the other I am going to fight and put on an exciting show no matter what. Win or lose it will be exciting,"

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