BT- Emanuel, how does it feel to get revenge in a loss for the first time in your career in amazingly the second rematch you have had in over sixty fights? "It feels pretty good. It took me a minute to actually feel good about it though. But it does feel good to get credit for it now and especially since it was a body shot, the same way I beat him last time but not getting credit for the ref."
BT- Do you feel that he was prepared for this fight?
EA- Kind of, I guess. I don’t want to say that he wasn’t but when I went to do the things that I do he would pop me with the jab so I would say he was ready for my little theatrics so I do give him a little credit. I still know that it was not the same Burton that I fought first time and did feel bad a little for fighting the guy but I am a fighter and that is what I do.
BT- Your last fight before Burton against Marteze Logan you won easily but you did sustain a cut, no injuries in this one?
EA- No injuries, I am good to go. Even the cut I had against Logan was not that bad I did have to take a little more time off than usual but for the record I did need a break. Not really a break from boxing but basically the more time I have away from the ring means the more time that I have to train and that in turn is more danger for whoever I am fighting next time.
BT- As mentioned before, this is the first loss that you had the chance to avenge, you told me earlier that you want two other chances to take back losses on your record, tell the readers who they are.
EA- I wouldn’t mind avenging some more losses, but I want to say this first. I feel like in the boxing world that I was unopposed the other day well it was a little while back. They were talking about how I cannot beat Ricky Hatton and all I am saying is that I really wish that I had a chance to back myself up. In order to get a chance at Ricky Hatton, why don’t they give me a fight against someone that they think that can really push me and by beating the guy show the world that I deserve to fight Hatton. The only person out there that I feel would be the guy that could do that is Vivian Harris. After I fight Vivian and give him a beating maybe I would finally get my chance at Ricky Hatton.
BT- What were your thoughts about Vivian’s fight with Stevie Johnston? Did you see the fight?
EA- No, but I heard about it because they turned me down. I was supposed to get that fight with Vivian Harris but HBO turned me down by saying that I was not HBO quality and that boxing fans and HBO fans wouldn’t tune in to see that fight. They tried to tell me that I was not a big enough draw for their network but they wasn’t talking that shit when I fought Floyd Mayweather on HBO and gave him the fight of his life. That is another thing, when I fought Floyd that was supposed to be a easy fight for him to win, he damn near could have lost that fight, he couldn’t do nothing with me in that fight and I came all the way down to 131 and fought him.
That’s just like the Vivian Harris situation. Another reason why they didn’t want me to take that fight and gave it to Johnston is because they wanted Vivian to win. From boxer to boxer I don’t think that Vivian is scared of me but I do think that HBO is scared of me. I think HBO is scared to put Vivian Harris in the same ring with me because HBO doesn’t believe in bringing up losers, they must have forgot what the American dream is all about. That means that I spent all of my time in boxing learning my craft, I eat, sleep and dream boxing that is what I do, that is me right there. This is not a game, I always come to win and I am always underweight because I am in shape all the time, I’m real to the game baby. I don’t have to blow up to 160 and drop twenty pounds to get ready for a fight, I am always at my weight, I’m real with it and I feel like HBO isn’t respecting that. They say that I am not HBO quality because of my record but they can match Julio Cesar Chavez Jr up with a bum with a built up record next week but they wont put me in there with anyone?
BT- Since you think that HBO doesn’t want to show you any love do you think that ESPN would put up the money for a Harris-Augustus fight? They are the Emanuel Augustus channel you know.
EA- (Laughs) Man, you know what, ESPN already did a PPV last year. I would bet you that if Vivian and I got in there like that it would do huge numbers, I bet you that. They could put me on PPV fighting Harris, Hatton or even a rematch with Mayweather and I know it will sell. It isn’t like my name isn’t heard of, not like people don’t know me.
BT- What do you think pops into peoples heads when they hear your name or are about to see you fight?
EA- Straight fighter, hardhead, they know what time it is, exciting, fucking playful, animated. I have mad love from my fans because I give them things they don’t see with normal fighters and HBO just cannot see it. I want the big dogs out there but they all think of me as a risk and the only fights I get are B and C class fighters now, actually I am getting C and D class fighters because it’s like they want me to take out all of the trash. Its like they just want to end the careers of all of those old assed, washed up fighters but when I do they still will not give me my due.
BT- Even though you got robbed in the first fight with Courtney burton did you really want that rematch?
EA- Hell no I didn’t, man I already knocked him out in the first fight but that dumb assed ref didn’t give it to me, and he got blasted three straight times after that. But that is what I have to do, they give me something and I have to take it but it shouldn’t have to be like that, these big networks and promoters should cough up the balls to let the big names fight me but they are afraid. I WANT VIVIAN HARRIS! What do I have to do to get him? Call my promoter Lou Dibella and give me my chance. He whooped up on a little guy in Stevie Johnston, I am little too but not like that. Johnston is a good fighter but was never used to fighting bigger guys like that, I have experience going up against monsters, I fought some guys that were built like tanks in my career but I love that shit, I love fighting bigger guys and making them look stupid, that is what I do. I am the tank piercing expert, believe that. I got tank piercing military equipment in my hands, so, Vivian will never be able to stand up against me.
BT- If you cannot get Harris who else would you want?
EA- Well all the guys who I want to fight don’t want to fight me. I would like to get my rematch with Herman Ngoudjo and I want to fight that little fake guy Arturo Morua, I kicked his ass while I had chicken pox and I cannot even get a replay of the fight, I can’t even buy a tape of that fight from them, Delahoya must have it in his secret stash. Other than that I want Hatton and Mayweather, I still haven’t gave up on him but he don’t want another fight with me.
All of those fights I wouldn’t mind taking, but I am talking Vivian Harris now, stand up and show that you are a warrior and not a chump and fight me. And for HBO, it is not the record that makes me it is me who makes me. The guys that are scared to fight me because of my record are not real fighters.
BT- Who do you like with Mayweather and Baldomir?
EA- Whatever, I really don’t care who wins that fight.
BT- Emanuel, talk to your fans.
EA- Oh my god man, you want to talk about power and strength. I’ve been feeling it man, I have been hearing people calling my name everywhere, blowing their horns at me, man I love it.
The support is lovely man, I thank you guys, I love my fans and please don’t give up on me and just keep doing what you do and hopefully we will be on HBO soon enough kicking Vivian’s ass!
