Jose Aguirre: You're coming off a four round knockout over Chad Wright this past Friday. What are your thoughts on the fight?

Daniel Maldonado:"I was real happy with my performance. I started off a little slow and my coach said from the get go that I was a little tight. We worked into it and in the second round I closed my distance. He fought me a little different then what I expected him to. I expected him to go a little more heads up. So I was playing a little cautious trying to keep myself from getting headbutted. He was doing alot of running from me and not really running to his right like I thought he would. He was actually running to his left which is right into my power and he ended up running into a left hook in the process. I sit him down in the third round, he got back up and got back on that bike taking off real fast. I tried to catch him. I caught him with some good shots in the process but just couldn't finish him off in that round. But in the fourth round when he decided to go toe to toe that's when I really caught him good. Then I ended things off with a left hook to the body. I was really happy with my performance. Especially since he's a southpaw. Alot of people have problems with southpaws. I felt real comfortable throughtout that fight."

JA: How did you prepare for this fight and did you have any tapes of your opponent in order to prepare?

DM:"I didn't have any tapes. My trainer is a southpaw so I did alot of sparring with him actually. My friend fought him a long time ago and I saw that fight but then he fought a little more heads up. He banged more with him. My friend and him had a tough fight. We only had two weeks to prepare for this fight because I fought two weeks before in Louisville, Kentucky so it wasn't alot of time but it was enough. We really, really worked on my conditioning in case he did want to go heads up and go to war we were ready for it. I was in real good shape for the fight but I ended up not having to get into that bag."

JA: You seemed to have stayed busy in the later part of this year. Is that something that you plan to do for the following year is to stay busy and stay active?

DM:"That's what I'm going to do. I got hurt in my fight in Feb, 2004. I got four cuts on my face. One of the cuts didn't get sewn up up properly and it got infected. The doctors didn't even allow me to start fighting again until July. A few fights fell out but I didn't get a fight locked in until November so yes, next year I'm going to be as busy as I can possibly be. I have a fight lined up in Feb 11th on the undercard of Laila Ali in Atlanta, Georgia. Then possibly defending my titles again in March down in Florida."

JA: What are your thoughts on the featherweight division at it's top fighters?

DM:"It's strong. It's very strong. It's defenitely a jam packed division with alot of competition. I really feel I might not have the same skills as these guys but with my heart and as hard as I train and my conditioning I'm going to get in there and hang with the best of them."

JA: Did you get to watch Rocky Juarez-Guty Espada on ESPN2 and if so what are your thoughts on that fight?

DM:"Yes I did see it. I've rewinded it and fast forwarded it and rewinded it again. I actually taped it and I've watched it time and time again. I think honestly when he threw his right uppercut, when he threw the right hook, uppercut. that was the hook to the body and then he threw the right uppercut and when he did he kind of got off balance so it kind of turned him a little bit in his left leg and when Guty Espada threw that right hand he just kind of barely kicked his head over and his body was set up perfect for all that power in the left hook. I think it was a perfectly set up shot but i do not think he did it intentionally. He didn't get in that position intentional, it was just an accident and it worked out great for him. He's a tough guy. He plants on all his shots. I don't think he's busy enough for me but I think he's extremely tough and talented and would love for one day for us to get together."

JA: What can boxing fans expect from Daniel Maldonado?

DM:"For one I'm extremely nice so if they talk to me they might like me. As far as watching me fight they can expect an ection packed fight. if the guy comes to fight they can expect an action packed round to round fight. if he comes to run I would hate for them to be inpatience but they will get a knockout because I will catch them."

JA: Is there anything you want to say in closing?

DM:"If you ever see me fight please cheer for me. The oohs and the aahs I love them. When I get hit and  the crown goes ooh, get ready becase I'm going to get my aah back."

JA: Thanks Daniel, I appreciate your time.

DM: "Thank you"

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