 |  | |||
Exclusive Boxing Interview: Peter Manfredo JrBy Gerald Rice October 5th, 2006 All Boxing Interviews
is known as "The Pride of Providence". Spina has made no bones about his dislike of his opponent and SaddoBoxing caught up with Manfredo at his training camp in California for a response. SaddoBoxing: Peter Manfredo, it’s a pleasure to speak to you. How are you? Peter Manfredo: "Good morning. I’m good." SB: Let me start by saying that I didn’t know about you until The Contender, but around the office you were the guy we all looked forward to watching. PM: "Thanks a lot." SB: This fight is on regular ESPN, right? Not PPV? PM: "Right." SB: Is there any real bad blood between you and Joe Spina? PM: "We were fine until the past year, we never hung around. We sparred about three years ago when he was fighting at light heavy and I was at 154. He started opening his mouth because of The Contender." SB: It seems like being on The Contender was a double-edged sword. On the one hand you get national exposure, but do people not take you seriously because you were on a reality TV show? PM: "Definitely, but I earned where I am. I already had the NABA title, I won WBO fighter of the year. It was difficult [there] not having your trainer, doing crazy stunts before the fight, but then again, you’re in America’s homes for 16 weeks." SB: You don’t have a high KO percentage; how are you planning to beat Joe? PM: "I’m gonna take him out. I have more power at 168, I’m sitting down on my punches, I mix up my punches; it won’t go past 8 rounds. Joe has power, but he’ll die out after 3 or 4 rounds if he makes it that long." SB: I was just coming to that. You seemed more comfortable in your body at 168 against Pemberton. Is that the case? PM: "Making weight was hurting me. I feel strong at 68. That’s why I rocked Scott Pemberton. People said I couldn’t beat him." SB: When you’re not in training at what weight do you normally walk around? PM: "185." SB: Is there anything that Spina does that you’ve had to prepare for? PM: "He grabs a lot, he fights dirty; I have to watch out for cuts. But he throws his hooks from left field. He fights like an amateur." SB: So he’s the Mayorga to your De La Hoya? PM: "Exactly." SB: Back to The Contender; it seems like the difficulties there factored into you getting the three losses; the one to Alfonso Gomez and the two to Sergio Mora. What were those difficulties? PM: "6 round fights. I over trained for the first fight with Mora and I was tired. The second fight I won 6 out of 8 rounds, but the judges…Mora couldn’t go 10 rounds back then. He probably can now; he just beat Eric Reagan." SB: Not to look past Joe Spina, but who would you like to fight down the line? PM: "Oh man, I’m eager to fight. I’ll fight anybody, I do it for my family, I’m an old school fighter, put me in with anyone; Calzaghe, Kessler; I don’t care." SB: Thanks for talking to us, Peter. Any closing words? PM: "Thanks to my fans for the fights. I just do what I do and thanks for supporting me." Related Boxing Articles...
| ||||
 |  |  |
| Exclusive Boxing Interview: Peter Manfredo Jr Boxing News - © Saddo Boxing.com |
 |
|
