Boxingtalk's Fire With Derrick Harmon

By Jose Aguirre

03/01/2005

Boxingtalk's Fire With Derrick Harmon

Jose Aguirre: Tell the boxing public what's been going on with Derrick Harmon.

DH: "I was supposed to face Julio Gonzalez on Dec 18th on the undercard of Glencoffe and Tarver. Joe DeGuardia didn't want to pay me what my contract required so I was taken off the card. Hopefully 2005 new things come along and my manager Arnie Rosenthal will get something good for me."

JA: Now that the fight with Gonzalez has fallen out where do you go from here?

DH: "Hopefully Goossen can get it rescheduled for a different date on the undercard of Rico Hoye-Clinton Woods. So that may happen. I think that date is some day in late Feb. I hope that can happen because I'm ready to fight. I've been training and everything so hopefully that can happen."

JA: How has training and sparring been going and are there any recognizable names that you're working with?

DH: "I just worked with Glencoffe for his fight. I knew he would beat Tarver. Tarver is a good boxer and a good puncher and everything but I thought Glencoffe had the advantage in pressure."

JA: Glen Johnson is a fighter you beat..

DH: "Right, I beat him."

JA: ...how would you like to get back in the ring and let him avenge himself?

DH: "If he wants to fight me it's up to him. He's the champion. He's calling the shots right now. It's up to him."

JA: What do you think of the light heavyweight division right now?

DH: "Nothing really. It is what it is. You have a couple of good guys out there. Glencoffe is defenitely one. He's on a roll. He's on a high. Tarver is still there. Rico Hoye, Clinton Woods, Griffin. I'm just looking for an opportunity to fight any of those guys to get back into the championship picture."

JA: What would you expect from a fighter such as Julio Gonalez?

DH: "He's a very tough guy. I expect him to do what he's been doing. Come in and pressuring guys. Now skill wise he has good stamina. He has a good chin. A guy like Julio you just have to outbox. Be smart with him. Use angles. Use your jab. He has a win over Daruisz Michalczewski which is very important. He beat one of the very few people that was undefeated that was reaching for the 50 and 0 record. I think David Telesco was beating him up until he got stopped but that's a good win over Telesco. I congratulate him on that."

JA: What can we expect from you in this coming year?

DH: "I'm going to hopefully get a title shot. If I get it I'm going to win it. My main thing is staying in shape to keep my weight down. Staying in the gym and being active keeping my timing and conditioning up. And keeping my head clear. Other than that everything else is easy. The bigger fight is outside the ring not in the ring. That's where my fight is. If I could just stay focused and do that I'm doing just fine."

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

DH: "Just have a safe and happ 2005."

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