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Q&A: Baby Joe Mesi!
February 27, 2006
By Miguel Planas
After a two year layoff, unbeaten former WBC #1 ranked "Baby" Joe Mesi (29-0, 25 KOs) will return April 1st at the Mario "Quijote" Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He will face Ron Bellamy (14-4-4).
Mesi has been out of the ring since his March 13, 2004 bout with former cruiserweight champ Vasily Jirov. Although Mesi won that bout, he sustained a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain) and was indefinitely suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, a suspension that applied in all 50 states.
From that point on Mesi had another fight ahead. A legal one against the boxing commission. After numerous hearings and appeals, Team Mesi finally went to court and had the suspension lifted when a federal judge ruled that the suspension was no longer in effect because Mesi's license expired last December.
Team Mesi has now opted to acquire a boxing license from the Puerto Rican Boxing Commission where he will make his return to boxing on the homeland of his trainers for the last ten years Juan de Leon and former cruiserweight champ Carlos "Sugar" de Leon.
*********.com caught up with "Baby" Joe Mesi who granted us this exclusive interview.
Baby Joe, how do you feel being able to fight in Puerto Rico?
I feel great. It is a dream come true. My trainers Carlos "Sugar" de Leon, former cruiserweight champion, and his brother Juan de Leon have taken me under their wing for ten years and it's a tribute to them that we are here on the island. It's my first time fighting here and my third visit over here, I've trained here before. Puerto Rican boxing fans have taken a liking to me because of my boxing style…..this won't be my last fight here.
What are your feelings towards the boxing commissions in the United States?
Well first off, the Puerto Rican boxing commission, I owe a tribute to them because after seeing all my reports and me being healthy, they have stepped up and licensed me. There are several other states in the United States that have offered to let me to fight there that have offered to license me and I've yet to be denied. I don't anticipate being denied by anyone. Of course, I haven't applied in Nevada yet, but when the time comes I don't think there is going to be a problem.
Have you been training since the time you've been inactive?
I've been training now for two months. I went away right after New Year's in '06 to Houston, Texas for a little over a month. I have been here in Puerto Rico for over two weeks and will be here until April 1st. That will give me two and a half months of training by the time I get back to the ring for my first fight. I have 15 pounds more to lose but at least with the Puerto Rican heat there won't be a problem. In the two year layoff I had been very inactive. This is my first fight and my first time sparring so this is new to me.
After the type of injury you sustained in the Jirov fight, will you change your style of fighting? Will you be more cautious?
No, I won't change my style. Jirov was very awkward, very experienced being a southpaw, but you know I dominated that fight. I won the first nine rounds. I'm a boxer. For a big guy I move well. I have good footwork, good hand speed, and decent punching power for a guy of my size. I don't think it will be long before I'm back at the top ten level competition, back in the top ten or even maybe the number one heavyweight in the world.
As of now what are your goals?
First and foremost to become heavyweight champion of the world obviously, but I have to be strategic and take it day by day, training section by training section and fight by fight so we are going to be strategic in the next twelve months or however long it takes. A couple of tune up fights to get back to televised fights, to get back to top ten level competition and get in the top ten myself maybe be number one in the world and hopefully very, very soon in next year or year in a half be fighting for a world title.
How many more fights would you like to get you ready for a world title?
Well, too soon to tell. I'm sparring great but sparring is a bit different from the fight. Will I be rusty? I expect to be a little rusty, but how many fights will it take me to get me back to where I was two years ago? We don't know the answer to that yet, but I would like a handful of fights this year 2006 and in early 2007 we'll see who's in the top ten, top five or number one and go after them.
Is there specifically any fighter out there that you would like to fight in the future?
There is no one out there that I'm afraid of. There is no dominant heavyweight out there. There are some good heavyweights and there some tough fights. Hasim Rahman is the WBC heavyweight champion who I defeated in the amateurs, he also defeated me. John Ruiz I sparred with. Chris Byrd is not what he used to be. There is no one out there that I fear or that I think I can't beat.
Q&A: Baby Joe Mesi!
February 27, 2006
By Miguel Planas
After a two year layoff, unbeaten former WBC #1 ranked "Baby" Joe Mesi (29-0, 25 KOs) will return April 1st at the Mario "Quijote" Morales Coliseum in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. He will face Ron Bellamy (14-4-4).
Mesi has been out of the ring since his March 13, 2004 bout with former cruiserweight champ Vasily Jirov. Although Mesi won that bout, he sustained a subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain) and was indefinitely suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, a suspension that applied in all 50 states.
From that point on Mesi had another fight ahead. A legal one against the boxing commission. After numerous hearings and appeals, Team Mesi finally went to court and had the suspension lifted when a federal judge ruled that the suspension was no longer in effect because Mesi's license expired last December.
Team Mesi has now opted to acquire a boxing license from the Puerto Rican Boxing Commission where he will make his return to boxing on the homeland of his trainers for the last ten years Juan de Leon and former cruiserweight champ Carlos "Sugar" de Leon.
*********.com caught up with "Baby" Joe Mesi who granted us this exclusive interview.
Baby Joe, how do you feel being able to fight in Puerto Rico?
I feel great. It is a dream come true. My trainers Carlos "Sugar" de Leon, former cruiserweight champion, and his brother Juan de Leon have taken me under their wing for ten years and it's a tribute to them that we are here on the island. It's my first time fighting here and my third visit over here, I've trained here before. Puerto Rican boxing fans have taken a liking to me because of my boxing style…..this won't be my last fight here.
What are your feelings towards the boxing commissions in the United States?
Well first off, the Puerto Rican boxing commission, I owe a tribute to them because after seeing all my reports and me being healthy, they have stepped up and licensed me. There are several other states in the United States that have offered to let me to fight there that have offered to license me and I've yet to be denied. I don't anticipate being denied by anyone. Of course, I haven't applied in Nevada yet, but when the time comes I don't think there is going to be a problem.
Have you been training since the time you've been inactive?
I've been training now for two months. I went away right after New Year's in '06 to Houston, Texas for a little over a month. I have been here in Puerto Rico for over two weeks and will be here until April 1st. That will give me two and a half months of training by the time I get back to the ring for my first fight. I have 15 pounds more to lose but at least with the Puerto Rican heat there won't be a problem. In the two year layoff I had been very inactive. This is my first fight and my first time sparring so this is new to me.
After the type of injury you sustained in the Jirov fight, will you change your style of fighting? Will you be more cautious?
No, I won't change my style. Jirov was very awkward, very experienced being a southpaw, but you know I dominated that fight. I won the first nine rounds. I'm a boxer. For a big guy I move well. I have good footwork, good hand speed, and decent punching power for a guy of my size. I don't think it will be long before I'm back at the top ten level competition, back in the top ten or even maybe the number one heavyweight in the world.
As of now what are your goals?
First and foremost to become heavyweight champion of the world obviously, but I have to be strategic and take it day by day, training section by training section and fight by fight so we are going to be strategic in the next twelve months or however long it takes. A couple of tune up fights to get back to televised fights, to get back to top ten level competition and get in the top ten myself maybe be number one in the world and hopefully very, very soon in next year or year in a half be fighting for a world title.
How many more fights would you like to get you ready for a world title?
Well, too soon to tell. I'm sparring great but sparring is a bit different from the fight. Will I be rusty? I expect to be a little rusty, but how many fights will it take me to get me back to where I was two years ago? We don't know the answer to that yet, but I would like a handful of fights this year 2006 and in early 2007 we'll see who's in the top ten, top five or number one and go after them.
Is there specifically any fighter out there that you would like to fight in the future?
There is no one out there that I'm afraid of. There is no dominant heavyweight out there. There are some good heavyweights and there some tough fights. Hasim Rahman is the WBC heavyweight champion who I defeated in the amateurs, he also defeated me. John Ruiz I sparred with. Chris Byrd is not what he used to be. There is no one out there that I fear or that I think I can't beat.
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