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"I wanted him to think I was overweight and that I overtrained. Because I never did that before. It was only about four ounces. I could spit three times and [lose that much weight]. And then we went in the back room and were all laughing."
few more (Clinton Mitchell is dead, I didn't know that...):
You lost your pro debut in 1988 by a four-round majority decision to Clinton Mitchell [who retired in 1998 with a record of 3-1-1.] What do you remember about that fight, and have you ever seen Mitchell again?
Clinton is from New York, and he unfortunately passed away about two years ago. He was telling everyone he beat me throughout the years. That was his glory to fame. I never got a chance to meet him after that. Can you imagine that footage of me and Clinton, talking to the first guy to ever beat Bernard Hopkins? I learned a lot from that fight. I learned to get my butt in shape. I was young, turned professional and thought it was easy. I was fighting at light heavyweight and ran out of gas. I finished that fight, but by the third round it felt like I did 10. My heart and my ability kept me in the fight, but it wasn't a close decision. I was eating cheesesteaks and cheese fries. I was eating the worst food ever.
Fighting in Canada again
You have developed quite a following in Canada, thanks to the Pascal fights. But which city has the best fans to fight in front of?
I would say Canada, and [specifically] Montreal. Quebec City wasn't bad, either, but Montreal was a town that I would go out to eat in the restaurants without bodyguards or anything, and the fans all wanted to take pictures. And this is before I won. After the fight, they were still embracing me. They like hockey, obviously, and they like good professional fighting and guys that work hard. That's where I want to do my next fight, with Chad Dawson, if I can.
Pacquiao-Mayweather
What do you think the real reason is that the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight hasn't happened and doesn't appear to be anytime soon?
I think some of it is ego and some of it is su****ion of what we can't prove. And I think it has a lot to do with the uncertainty for Floyd Mayweather that he's waiting for a decline for Pacquiao, which we have not seen. I mean, just look at [Pacquiao's] last fight. But eventually I think the people are just going to fade out in memory of even having that fight and not even care. I think we are in the danger zone right now of losing interest, period, whether they say they are fighting or not because people have been hearing this for so many years.
In your marquee losses to Roy Jones Jr., Jermain Taylor [twice] and Calzaghe, what should you have done differently that would have changed the outcome?
Against Roy, [press more] and throw my hands more. With Taylor, it was the same thing: be aggressive and be the way I was when I fought Jean Pascal in the first and second fight. That same mentality: Come forward and be willing to risk but also be smart and take it to the guy because I have power and a great chin. I can always bank on that. Just make him fight me and press him. Instead of being a guy to counter and wait for him to come in. I played that style very well for many years, and that's part of the art of boxing. But I should have pressured the guy to wear him down. That is what I am best at and I got away from that for many years. Against Joe Calzaghe, I think it was his craftsmanship of throwing that he perfected for many years. The pitter-patter is a skill and is a style. He stole some fights and left knowing the gig was up and that people caught up to him.
few more (Clinton Mitchell is dead, I didn't know that...):
You lost your pro debut in 1988 by a four-round majority decision to Clinton Mitchell [who retired in 1998 with a record of 3-1-1.] What do you remember about that fight, and have you ever seen Mitchell again?
Clinton is from New York, and he unfortunately passed away about two years ago. He was telling everyone he beat me throughout the years. That was his glory to fame. I never got a chance to meet him after that. Can you imagine that footage of me and Clinton, talking to the first guy to ever beat Bernard Hopkins? I learned a lot from that fight. I learned to get my butt in shape. I was young, turned professional and thought it was easy. I was fighting at light heavyweight and ran out of gas. I finished that fight, but by the third round it felt like I did 10. My heart and my ability kept me in the fight, but it wasn't a close decision. I was eating cheesesteaks and cheese fries. I was eating the worst food ever.
Fighting in Canada again
You have developed quite a following in Canada, thanks to the Pascal fights. But which city has the best fans to fight in front of?
I would say Canada, and [specifically] Montreal. Quebec City wasn't bad, either, but Montreal was a town that I would go out to eat in the restaurants without bodyguards or anything, and the fans all wanted to take pictures. And this is before I won. After the fight, they were still embracing me. They like hockey, obviously, and they like good professional fighting and guys that work hard. That's where I want to do my next fight, with Chad Dawson, if I can.
Pacquiao-Mayweather
What do you think the real reason is that the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao fight hasn't happened and doesn't appear to be anytime soon?
I think some of it is ego and some of it is su****ion of what we can't prove. And I think it has a lot to do with the uncertainty for Floyd Mayweather that he's waiting for a decline for Pacquiao, which we have not seen. I mean, just look at [Pacquiao's] last fight. But eventually I think the people are just going to fade out in memory of even having that fight and not even care. I think we are in the danger zone right now of losing interest, period, whether they say they are fighting or not because people have been hearing this for so many years.
In your marquee losses to Roy Jones Jr., Jermain Taylor [twice] and Calzaghe, what should you have done differently that would have changed the outcome?
Against Roy, [press more] and throw my hands more. With Taylor, it was the same thing: be aggressive and be the way I was when I fought Jean Pascal in the first and second fight. That same mentality: Come forward and be willing to risk but also be smart and take it to the guy because I have power and a great chin. I can always bank on that. Just make him fight me and press him. Instead of being a guy to counter and wait for him to come in. I played that style very well for many years, and that's part of the art of boxing. But I should have pressured the guy to wear him down. That is what I am best at and I got away from that for many years. Against Joe Calzaghe, I think it was his craftsmanship of throwing that he perfected for many years. The pitter-patter is a skill and is a style. He stole some fights and left knowing the gig was up and that people caught up to him.
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