Boxingtalk caught up with cruiserweight Derrick Brown, and got his thoughts on his big upcoming fight against contender Matt Godfrey.  This fight is scheduled for August 10th, 2007, at the Twin River Event Center, in Lincoln, Rhode Island and Brown knows how important this fight is for him.

BC - Derrick, talk about this big fight coming up against Matt Godfrey.

DB - Well I have been waiting a long time to get a break in life.  I have been working with Hasim Rahman, so I had to learn some things when I first went to Africa.  I like being with Rahman, he showed me a lot, and he showed me the different sides of the sport.  I don't take anything away from Matt Godfrey, but I read what he said about me.  He said I am stronger, and I have faster hands then he does, but he said I don't have the desire to win.  There is a season for everything, and some people have shorter seasons than others.  I have been digging down deep for this one, so whatever he has to give, he's going to have to be ready to die that night to beat me.

BC - You did some sparring with Godfrey, so I am guessing that helped you to prepare for him quite a bit.

DB - Well I mean we both have the gift of hand speed.  When we sparred, I was a heavyweight. Now I am a cruiserweight, and I am ready to go.  I have been getting a lot done for this fight, no stone has been left unturned.

BC - Your last few fights were draws, talk about that.

DB - When I fought Escalera [Alfredo Escalera, an undefeated cruiserweight who Brown drew with over six rounds in May], everybody knew that I won that fight.  Glen Johnson, a world champion came up to me, and he told me that he thought I beat him.  When I raised my hands at the end of that fight, everybody gave me praise, and they were throwing things at Escalera.  There were a few things that I could have done differently in that fight, but you learn from those things.

BC - Does Matt Godfrey bring anything into the ring that gets your attention?

DB - Matt is a smart fighter, I like the way he disposed of Shuan George (1st round KO). I think that was the best thing for his career, right there.  He is a poised fighter, and he's smart.  I have the confidence now to get in there with these guys.  I didn't know my left hand from my right hand before I met Christy, and Jim Martin.  Godfrey is very smart, I'll say that.  Godfrey says I don't have the will?  We'll see about that, I got the will.

BC - For those who have not seen you fight, describe your style.

DB - I go through a transformation as soon as I go through the tunnel.  I can switch up, at any time.  I am so confident, this is going to be a good fight, a damn good fight.  I just want to tell the people, don't blink in this one.

BC - How did you hook up with the legendary Christy Martin?

DB - Well I was coming to Florida since I was young.  My grandfather was here, so I used to come down as a kid to visit them.  One day my grandmother told me that I wasn't getting much work in New York, I was working with people that wasn't getting me no kind of money. My grandmother told me that I didn't need that for my career.  I went to the gym in Florida, and Christy was getting out of a white BMW, and that's where it began.  Christy and Jim are like a mother and father to me, it's a great thing.  We have a lot of fun in the gym down here.
Anybody that comes into contact with Christy knows that she's a down to earth person, and she pulls no punches.

BC - What's going to happen on August 10th, Derrick?

DB - Well on August 10th, there will be some beautiful work from the D Train.  I will take care of business up there, and then I am moving on to the next challenge.

BC - Do you have any closing thoughts for the fans?

DB - The D Train has been working hard for this, and I am doing everything that I have to do to become world champion.  Hasim Rahman told me one time, " Do you really want to be a champion or do you want to be a 6 round fighter?"  I told him I want to be champion, and he said , "Then get in the gym, and get the work done", and that's what I am going to do!

M

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