Boxingtalk's Fire With Emanuel Steward!

By Jose Aguirre

15/06/2005

Boxingtalk's Fire With Emanuel Steward!

Jose Aguirre: What did you think about the HBO doubleheader the other night? "I thought it was a very tough fight for a young fighter. Alot of pressure. Abdullaev was beating him to alot of punches and I thought that  Cotto fought a very good fight. Got stunned at one time with the right hand. Then he realized that he wasn't going to knock out Abdullaev by power punching so he started to fight smart punching in combinations and moving in and out. Systematically he broke him (Abdullaev) down. I was very impressed."

JA: If there was something that Cotto did wrong in that fight what was that?

ES:"I didn't see him do anything wrong."

JA: Do you think the fact that he laid on the ropes allowed Abdullaev to hit him more than would have possible if he had stayed in the middle of the ring?

ES:"Not really because the pressure that was being put on him he could have ran himself to death too. Ran out of gas. But he did stay on the ropes. I first didn't like it but I watched very carefully. He was really picking punches of beautifully. He picks his breaks. When he did take his breaks I thought that he was almost like a little (Wilfredo) Benitez to some degree. He was stepping, going underneath rolling then he'd start moving again. I thought he was winning
he fight."

JA: What do you think are his chances against the other champions?

ES:"I think Miguel Cotto I would put up there as a 50/50 tops with Vivian Harris and Cotto and I'm expecting Mayweather to win. Probably Mayweather, Cotto and Harris right now. That's how I see it right now."

JA: Do you think that the puerto rican fans are taking Miguel Cotto to replace Tito Trinidad?

ES:"I think he could be the next star considering he could go in there without trying to be like anybody else. Trinidad was a different type of fighter. Trinidad was for anybody to follow. One of the most exciting and greatest fighters thats ever been in boxing history period. Cotto will be the next star from there but
\I don't thin it's fair for everybody to start comparing him with Trinidad. Even if Trinidad was an american fighter it would be hard to compare."

JA: What did you think about the Casamayor-Kid Diamond fight ending in a draw?

ES:"I thought that Kid Diamond won, but it was not the type that I would raise alot of hell about. Alot of people, believe it or not that Casamayor won too. He never had the power punches but he was still busy and was punching alot. I could agree with the draw. The last round was a good one."

JA: How's training going with Vivian Harris for his fight on June 25?

ES:"Training is going good. Very good and he's very sharp."

JA: How excited is he to put on a good show?

ES:"He seems to be pretty excited about everything. This is his outcoming so to say. He knows what's on the line here."

JA: If and when he gets by this fight on the 25th where do you hope to put him next?

ES:"Can never tell. He's a champion. It's alot of politics bu one things for sure, he may be in the mix but he's going to be the least one anybody wants to fight because of the danger that he brings and lack of public recognition to the name."

JA: Can you share with us what's the latest on the Klitschko's?

ES:"Vitali Klitschko will probably be fighting in Sept. and by the end of the year Wladimir Klitschko will be champion again."