Kingsley Ikeke and Gary Gittelsohn

[borikua]

This Thursday, Kingsley Ikeke will make his HBO debut on HBO's Boxeo de Oro. Ikeke will face Rene Arostegui, a boxer so anonymous that Team Ikeke could not find any film of for Kingsley to study. In the last three days, ********** got Kingsley's thoughts on the upcoming fight and where he stands in the middleweight division.

SOG: Now there is not much known about your opponent. Will you take your time in the first round to feel him out the first round to see what he brings or is it important to you to go right after him in the first?

KI: I keep my game plan, but I will see what he has in the first round. One minute, two minutes, I watch what he brings to the table. Then I put together what I have to do to go get him. That is the way you have to fight. I do not think it matters if you watch the tape if you know how to fight.

SOG: Now with this fight being in Miami, and knowing that Jermain Taylor lives in Miami, do you expect him to come to the show to see the competition?

KI: I would like Jermain Taylor to come out and see me fight this guy. That would be good. I would love for Jermain to come and see. He would see me fight this guy and he would know that I would fight him, but he has to come and see.

SOG: Here you are and people are starting to notice you, but Jermain is on everyone's mind and here you are going to where he lives to fight on HBO.

KI: Maybe they have something in mind, but I just tell them to line them up. If you think Jermain Taylor is the heir to the division then step up to the table. Line them up.

SOG: You have been telling me that for over a year. You have been telling all the middleweights to get in line because you are here.

KI: Line then up. Just like you make cornbread, you make gravy, you make rice and beans. You go and get all the stuff, just like when you make dinner you line all that stuff up.

SOG: Now I know you do not want to look past your fight on Thursday, but what message are you sending to the rest of the division?

KI: Everyone has their time. When the lord says it is my time it is my time. It is my time. Every middleweight out there should take notice, because I am coming. It is my time. That is why I say line them up.

SOG: This is you third fight under Golden Boy, how have you felt working with them.

KI: So far it is good and I can see that they are going to keep me busy. I have opened the door so they can bring these fights to the table.

[borikua]

SOG: Most fighters at the top of the division claim that no one wants to fight them, but you have been screaming for fights for over a year, is that frustrating for you.

KI: It does not frustrate me, it gives me more time to keep training because I know these fights are going to come. I will be ready when they come. Everyone says they have no one to fight, but if you are a true champion then step up and prove yourself. If some says that is a good fight, then go and fight. That is what it takes to be a champion.

SOG: I know you were at the Hopkins-De La Hoya fight, did you take anything away from that fight that would help you in a fight with Hopkins.

KI: I respect Bernard Hopkins, but at the same time if he steps in the ring with me I won't respect him, it is business. I cannot tell the way I would fight him, or the way he is going to fight me, but when he comes to my table then we will do it.

Nelson Oliveira (Ikeke's co-manager): In other words he does not want to give his game plan up. Oscar was effective when he threw one or two jabs and had Hopkins going back, and those were not even hard jabs. Now imagine what it will be like when it comes from a real middleweight Kingsley's size.

SOG: Is there anything either of you want to say to the other middleweights and to the fans.

KI: I give thanks to God first, God comes first. I give thanks to my manager. I give thanks to the promoters. I give thanks to all my fans and to all those that help me out, and they are going to keep seeing a good fight. To all the middleweights, stand back because like I said before, I am coming. I will beat everyone one through ten. I am knocking them out.

NO: I would like to add that hopefully in the next couple of months the true contenders will step up. We want these guys. Howard Eastman, Felix Sturm, or Sam Soliman. We know Trinidad may fight Hopkins. These guys say they can't find anyone, well Kingsley is knocking at their doors right now. Hopefully we can get a fight with one of them.

SOG: Kingsley, as always thank you for taking the time to talk with me and I wish you luck on Thursday.

KI: Thank you very much. I wish you all the best. My dream is getting closer and closer.

[The Fix]

good look on the inerview. kingsley- taylor would be a good fight

[The Fix]

ikeke won tko 5, anybody see the fight? did he look good? ive seen him fight before and he looked good but i missed this fight

[borikua]

he didn't look too good...but he won. Taylor-Ikeke would be a good match.

[The Fix]

what kind of tko was it ? to much punisment, ref waved it off... etc