GL: What's the latest and greatest Monte? "I've been keeping myself in shape, I'm doing my running and I'm looking to get back into the ring during the first quarter of the year. Me and my team are just looking to fight whoever is willing to step up."

GL: Has there been any talks regarding potential opponents?

Monte Barrett: "I had lunch with Don King at Silvia's in Harlem last week and we gave out Turkey's together. I told him that I want to fight Holyfield and we agree that would be a great fight for the both of us. I hope King and Murad Muhammad can make because it's going to be a great fight between two guys looking to go to war."

GL: The last time I mentioned you to Evander he shrugged it off and said he's only looking for fights that bring him closer to a title shot. Tell us why Evander fighting you brings him closer to a title shot?

MB: "Because I've been in title fights my last two times out. Holyfield is always saying he's looking for someone that will go to war with him and not run around scared to fight. I have the same attitude he does and I think it's very important that he's tested before he gets another shot and what better way to prove he's ready for another title shot than trying to come through me. Boxing is the sweet science, but we always resort back to our human nature. He's an old warrior and I'm a young warrior, bu whenever there's two warriors in the ring boxing fans get what they want, and that's a war. There would be no dancing and running around."

GL: I imagine you're not putting all of your eggs in the Holyfield basket. If it's not Evander, who else are you gunning for?

MB: "Anybody that means something G. I have a year or a year and half left in boxing and that's three or four fights. We've been talking about Andrew Golota, Kevin McBride, DaVarryl Williamson, Larry Donald and a couple of other guys. Like I said I'm planning on coming back in the first quarter and whoever I'm going to fight is going to be in for the fight of their lives. Anybody that I fight in these last four fights is getting destroyed. I'm not going to be off for fourteen months this time, so being active in 2007 is going to make this a big year for me."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

MB: "I want all the Boxingtalk readers to know that Boxingtalk is real talk, my man G is doing it like no other. They're definitely putting it down. Boxing needs a source like this where the fighters can get their points across accurately."

M

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