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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL KATSIDIS
By G. Leon
GL: It's been a while since we've had you on Boxing talk, what's the latest and greatest with Michael Katsidis?
"I've been training and like usual I'm always keeping fit. I just watched the Barrera fight that just happened and I'm really looking forward to the fight with Juan and Julio this weekend, because that's ultimately going to decide the outcome on what my next move is. At the moment I'm on standby so to speak and I'm just waiting to see what happens."
GL: So the winner of the Diaz-Diaz unification will most likely be your next opponent?
Michael Katsidis: "That's right. I've got to honor my commitment to the fight and I want to capture their title, so whoever wins that fight will be my next opponent."
GL: Which Diaz do you like on Saturday night?
MK: "To tell you the truth, I've not seen a lot of the other guys but I know that what I've got is more than enough to beat both of them. From all reports I've heard, Juan is the favorite to win the fight. I've seen Julio fight and he's very well schooled. It will come down to the night of the fight and how the guys are performing. Whoever put in the harder work will win, but I imagine it's going to be a pretty evenly fought contest."
GL: How have the lacerations on your eyes healed up?
MK: "I'm fully healed. I heal very fast and the stitches were out five days after I got them."
GL: Have you sparred at all since the cuts have fully healed?
MK: "No. I haven't got a date locked in yet so it doesn't make sense for me to spar until we lock in my next move."
GL: Joel Casamayor has come on ********** several times since our last discussion and he's done quite the job of calling you out. He says you're focusing on fighting the Diaz's when everyone knows that Joel Casamayor is the best lightweight in the world. He basically says he wants to fight you and since you're both with Golden Boy Promotions, you would be the only reason the fight doesn't happen, but you've been running from him.
MK: (laughs) "I run from nobody, that's very amusing. That would be a great fight. I think it would be a bit early, but at this stage I want my title. I want the WBO title, I'll fight for my title and whatever title that he has that he wants to lose I'll fight him for that one. I've got to get my title first and get the respect that comes with winning the title."
GL: Because Casamayor beat Corrales, most people view him as the true champion regardless of the sanctioning body belt. Basically you're saying you want to get the sanctioning body belt before you fight the guy most people perceive to be the best in the division?
MK: "I just want a world title. What does Joel have to offer? Does he have a title?"
GL: He has the Ring Magazine belt.
MK: "That's just a magazine, that's not a world title. I believe if the people want it they will get it. I don't think the people want the fight to happen, but the time will come and it shouldn't be too far away."
GL: So within the next couple of weeks we should have a better update as to when you'll be back in the ring, correct?
MK: "Yeah. I don't know what Julio's intentions are if he beats Juan. I don't what Juan's intentions are, but all I know is as a fighter I have to honor my committment to the WBO. It's a typical thing in boxing where one fighter says the other guy is running from him. I don't know what I've done to make Casamayor think I'm running from him. I don't know who's giving me that information. Nobody has come to me asking to fight Joel Casamayor. There's been so much happening in boxing, but for me nothing comes before me fighting for the world title."
GL: Does that mean your next fight will be a title fight and you won't be taking anything else in the interim?
MK: "Yeah mate, I'll be fighting for a world title, hopefully against Juan Diaz."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
MK: "What you have here is a fighter who wants to fight everyone and every fight I have is going to be against someone who is in the mix. I come to fight I don't come to play and I think I showed that in my last fight."
Send questions and comments to: gleon@boxing talk.com
By G. Leon
GL: It's been a while since we've had you on Boxing talk, what's the latest and greatest with Michael Katsidis?
"I've been training and like usual I'm always keeping fit. I just watched the Barrera fight that just happened and I'm really looking forward to the fight with Juan and Julio this weekend, because that's ultimately going to decide the outcome on what my next move is. At the moment I'm on standby so to speak and I'm just waiting to see what happens."
GL: So the winner of the Diaz-Diaz unification will most likely be your next opponent?
Michael Katsidis: "That's right. I've got to honor my commitment to the fight and I want to capture their title, so whoever wins that fight will be my next opponent."
GL: Which Diaz do you like on Saturday night?
MK: "To tell you the truth, I've not seen a lot of the other guys but I know that what I've got is more than enough to beat both of them. From all reports I've heard, Juan is the favorite to win the fight. I've seen Julio fight and he's very well schooled. It will come down to the night of the fight and how the guys are performing. Whoever put in the harder work will win, but I imagine it's going to be a pretty evenly fought contest."
GL: How have the lacerations on your eyes healed up?
MK: "I'm fully healed. I heal very fast and the stitches were out five days after I got them."
GL: Have you sparred at all since the cuts have fully healed?
MK: "No. I haven't got a date locked in yet so it doesn't make sense for me to spar until we lock in my next move."
GL: Joel Casamayor has come on ********** several times since our last discussion and he's done quite the job of calling you out. He says you're focusing on fighting the Diaz's when everyone knows that Joel Casamayor is the best lightweight in the world. He basically says he wants to fight you and since you're both with Golden Boy Promotions, you would be the only reason the fight doesn't happen, but you've been running from him.
MK: (laughs) "I run from nobody, that's very amusing. That would be a great fight. I think it would be a bit early, but at this stage I want my title. I want the WBO title, I'll fight for my title and whatever title that he has that he wants to lose I'll fight him for that one. I've got to get my title first and get the respect that comes with winning the title."
GL: Because Casamayor beat Corrales, most people view him as the true champion regardless of the sanctioning body belt. Basically you're saying you want to get the sanctioning body belt before you fight the guy most people perceive to be the best in the division?
MK: "I just want a world title. What does Joel have to offer? Does he have a title?"
GL: He has the Ring Magazine belt.
MK: "That's just a magazine, that's not a world title. I believe if the people want it they will get it. I don't think the people want the fight to happen, but the time will come and it shouldn't be too far away."
GL: So within the next couple of weeks we should have a better update as to when you'll be back in the ring, correct?
MK: "Yeah. I don't know what Julio's intentions are if he beats Juan. I don't what Juan's intentions are, but all I know is as a fighter I have to honor my committment to the WBO. It's a typical thing in boxing where one fighter says the other guy is running from him. I don't know what I've done to make Casamayor think I'm running from him. I don't know who's giving me that information. Nobody has come to me asking to fight Joel Casamayor. There's been so much happening in boxing, but for me nothing comes before me fighting for the world title."
GL: Does that mean your next fight will be a title fight and you won't be taking anything else in the interim?
MK: "Yeah mate, I'll be fighting for a world title, hopefully against Juan Diaz."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
MK: "What you have here is a fighter who wants to fight everyone and every fight I have is going to be against someone who is in the mix. I come to fight I don't come to play and I think I showed that in my last fight."
Send questions and comments to: gleon@boxing talk.com
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