Joel Casamayor talks about Santa Cruz and Katsidis

[Parody]

GL: Can you get into a brawl with Katsidis or do you feel you need to mix it up to win?

JC: "To be honest with you, a lot of people say you're only as good as your last fight, but you have to remember that Santa Cruz was a tall lanky guy and I was coming up short a lot because I didn't have my range and I was rusty. In the later rounds, I started doing what I always do. I'm physically bigger and stronger than Katsidis, but to be honest with you, I'm going to do what I do best. I'm going to box beautiful with side to side movement. I shook a lot of the rust off with Santa Cruz, I needed those twelve rounds. Now I'm just ready to put on a show March 22."

GL: Does it bother you that the critics and boxing experts have universally labeled your victory over Santa Cruz as one of the worst decisions of the year?

JC: "They could feel how they want to feel. I've been robbed four times. If they want to bad mouth me, but when I got robbed in all of my losses, nobody made this big of a deal. I felt I won the last four rounds, and if you gave me two or three in between, that's why they pay judges to watch fights. I didn't score the fight."

GL: Will you ever give Santa Cruz a rematch to end the controversy?

JC: "That's up to my promoters and my manager. What's the date and how much money? That's all I need to know."

[Parody]

GL: It's been a while since we've had you on **********. How was your Holiday and what's the latest and greatest regarding your fight with Michael Katsidis? "I had a good Holiday with my mother, my sister and the rest of my family. It was our first Holiday together in a while. With Katsidis, we're just waiting for our contract to fight him on March 22. We're aware of Juan Diaz is fighting Nate Campbell and with me fighting Katsidis, there's no reason the winners shouldn't fight each other by the end of the year."

GL: Have you already signed to fight Katsidis, and is that definitely the fight they're looking to make?

Joel Casamayor: "That's what they've been bringing to my manager. It's a fight that I want and it looks like the only fight out there. I think Katsidis approved because he probably feels I'm old enough now for him to step up. We're going to give him that opportunity and then like I said the winner my fight with Katsidis can fight the winner of the Diaz-Campbell fight at the end of the year. The fans deserve that tournament."

GL: But to be clear, as far as you're concerned you are the only lightweight champion, so the winner of your fight with Katsidis is the true lightweight champion anyway, correct?

JC: "No doubt. I'm the Ring Magazine champ, I'm the linear champ, I"m the WBC interim champ and I'm the ********** champ. The winner of me and Katsidis would hold all those titles and then it would be up to the winner of Diaz-Campbell to fight me. They're saying this kid is like Rocky, we'll if Rocky beats me he becomes the best in the division, but when I beat him I remain the best."

GL: Who do you like in Diaz-Campbell?

JC: "It's a good style match-up because they're both going to come forward and both of them think that they can knock the other out. The fans will get a good fight and it's about will Campbell be able to stand the kids assault? To me it's a pick-em fight and Campbell is a really live underdog."

GL: As it relates to the winner of Diaz-Campbell, do you think you have a better chance to make the Campbell rematch than the Diaz match based on your history?

JC: "I think so. I think Nate's got his balls strapped on a little bit tighter than Juan does. I know Willie Savannah runs him and Willie's been talking bad about me. He's never been in the ring and he's badmouthing another fighter. I would love to fight Juan Diaz, because if he beats Campbell all he will have done is beat three old veterans. I would fight Nate Campbell anyday of the week. Nate thought the first fight was close, and I'd give him another shot. A lot of people are picking Diaz to win, but I think Campbell is a live dog."

GL: Can you get into a brawl with Katsidis or do you feel you need to mix it up to win?

JC: "To be honest with you, a lot of people say you're only as good as your last fight, but you have to remember that Santa Cruz was a tall lanky guy and I was coming up short a lot because I didn't have my range and I was rusty. In the later rounds, I started doing what I always do. I'm physically bigger and stronger than Katsidis, but to be honest with you, I'm going to do what I do best. I'm going to box beautiful with side to side movement. I shook a lot of the rust off with Santa Cruz, I needed those twelve rounds. Now I'm just ready to put on a show March 22."

GL: Does it bother you that the critics and boxing experts have universally labeled your victory over Santa Cruz as one of the worst decisions of the year?

JC: "They could feel how they want to feel. I've been robbed four times. If they want to bad mouth me, but when I got robbed in all of my losses, nobody made this big of a deal. I felt I won the last four rounds, and if you gave me two or three in between, that's why they pay judges to watch fights. I didn't score the fight."

GL: Will you ever give Santa Cruz a rematch to end the controversy?

JC: "That's up to my promoters and my manager. What's the date and how much money? That's all I need to know."

GL: Closing thoughts?

JC: "I want to thank G. Leon and ********** for supporting the #1 lightweight champion in the world and the rest of the boxers as well. Keep supporting El Cepillo and I will give you what you want to see on March 22. I'm going to work seven of the hardest weeks of my life. I plan on putting in over 150 rounds of sparring so I'm at my best. 2008 is going to be my year."

[Greatwhitehope]

Good interview, didn't run his mouth but made out that he is confident, didn't bother bad mouthing Katsidis and talk of how he'll knock him out or completely out box him.

That's one more respect point to Joel Casamayor from me, taking him to one.

[TheGreatA]

Casamayor sounds much more humble than he did before. I guess that fight against Santa Cruz brought him back down to planet earth. In the interview before the SC fight he was running his mouth about how he could beat the s*** out of everyone.

[pelonxsoldier28]

Casamayor sounds much more humble than he did before. I guess that fight against Santa Cruz brought him back down to planet earth. In the interview before the SC fight he was running his mouth about how he could beat the s*** out of everyone.

TRUE DAT........

[kayjay]

I didn't see any rounds that could have been scored for Casa. I think I took a **** at some point and missed a round or so, but he was shutout in the rest.

But I suppose he can't come out and say, "yeah I was **** but they gave it to me anyway."

[Migs]

I'm really starting to wonder if Casamayor indeed was only rusty against Santa Cruz and am curious to see if it's really ring rust or age with Katsidis. Should be interesting but I'm still not as excited about this fight for Katsidis as I'd like to be.

[SkillspayBills]

He could have been very rusty I don't know. I have to watch the last four rounds of the bout to see if he got his feet wet and did what he did best. Let's see how he fairs against Kats in March. Something tells me if it goes to decision Casa WON'T get the nod.

[Migs]

Agreed. I think that robbery echoed loud enough that the next set of judges know they'll be crucified if Casamayor delivers the same performance and they give him the win.

[Boxinguru]

It doesn't matter what he says J. Casamyor is finished & i GUARANTEE he will lose his next fight badly with whomever he fights!