“Tell them boys (Jr. Welterweights) to step up”

RC: What’s going on Terrance? How’s training coming along for your fight on the 24th of September?

TC: I’m alright everything is good and training is going very good. We are working real hard staying on top of my game; you know I am in shape like always. We are just getting ready to pick up where we left of at.

RC: Your supposed to be facing Manning Galloway, what do you know about him?

TC: Actually Galloway pulled out, so now it is another guy name Dairo José Esalas 27-5(23) from Columbia, actually he fights out of Miami Florida but he is Columbian. I don’t know too much about him I just know he has been knocked out three times in a row back to back in his last three fights. He is pretty much an ordinary Columbian fighter, you know they have a game plan and they come to fight. But I am prepared for anything really.

RC: With you being a legitimately ranked top ten contender and not receiving a lot of exposure, is he the type of opponent you will like to continue to fight?

TC: Well no, my thing is this, on the 24th this fight is just to keep me sharp, to stay on top of my game. After that I will defend me title on December 2nd, in Seattle Washington and I will also be fighting in an elimination bout. It will be the for the #2 spot on the IBF, that is in December, but fights like this keep you sharp and on top of your game. You got to stay on top of your game because anything can happen; I am going into this fight like it is a world war battle.

RC: Do you have any idea who you will be facing on December the 2nd for the #2 spot?

TC: Well you know it is either or, it can be one of those guys that are ranked above me. Whether or not they will fight me I don’t know. You have Lovemore N’dou; you have (Jessie James) Leija, any one of them above me. We are fighting in an eliminator bout so if not one of them we will go down the list and pick one of them going down the list. But after we get through this fight right here, we will go down the line and pick the one who will want to fight me.

RC: You nick name is Heat, how did you get it?

TC: I got the name when I was young, I was eight years old in the gym and it was real hot that day and you know I was  young kid fresh off the street at eight years old and I guess I had that fire, and later on they started calling me Heat and I ran with it.

RC: You have won something like eleven fights since you lost to Teddy Reid, what are some of the things you have improved on since that disappointing loss?

TC:  I thought it was more than eleven; it could be twelve because my record is really 27-1. So really it was twelve; they need to dig deep down in the records and check that out. But what I learned from Teddy Reid is don’t take nobody for granted. That is why I am the way I am the way I am now, I don’t want to take nobody for granted and I always treat everybody the same, and that is what I learned. I look at everybody like if it is for a world title. You know I was young, and Teddy was a veteran then, he was strong, he was wild and he knew how to win. Me, I was fresh out of the game, I didn’t know nothing about getting cuts over my ear, but it made me, it helped me, it didn’t break me. It was either going to make me or it was going to break me and it made me. And now that is why I am what I am now, and that is why every Jr. Welterweight out there now is ducking me, so I learned a valuable lesson from that.

RC: Where are you preparing for this fight?

TC: I am in Ricetown Pennsylvania training for this fight, and like I said I am training real hard. It is suppose to be a tune up but you know Tune ups could ruin people; you can go in there with a tune up, take him lightly and mess your whole career up. So you know I train real hard for it because I know anything can happen, especially in fights like this, you got guys that have nothing to loose. They are like hey if I can go in there and get lucky and something happen with a world class fighter, then hey. So it is more dangerous fighting guys like this, than fighting a world class fighter. I can fight Leija or any of the top guys up there but this is a more dangerous fight than me fighting those guys because these guys got nothing to loose. So they are going all out and they are going for broke, so guys like me got to be on top of their game, if not that is how upsets happen. That is how it is, but I train hard man and I am looking forward for September 24th, 2004, you know I come home I display my talents for everybody, I show that I am the best Jr. Welterweight in the world, and I don’t have to talk it and I don’t have to preach it because I am right here. Tell them boys to step up, give me a chance, give me a shot, and give me an opportunity to make something happen.

RC: Being from New Jersey, how excited are you about fighting in Jersey on the 24th?

TC: You know it feels good; it is like a fight, I am good, because I know I gotta do what I gotta do. So it feels good, the nerves are kicking, but that is normal for me, the nerves are always kicking but my peoples are going to be there and I know it is going to be real crazy because you know I am home. And like I said you can’t get off track, you can’t get off track with all of that and forget about that man on the other side. You got to deal with him like any other thing. That is just how I am, that is just how I am coming.

RC: Who are you using to help prepare you fro this fight?

TC: I boxed with Kassim Ouma, he is doing what he has to do and I am doing what I have to do, he is looking good. He gave me some good work, we work real good together. We go at it, and we bring the best out of each other. From what I am seeing him do in the gym he is ready and he is going to handle his business. Like I said we bring the best out of each other, and that is the good thing about me and him going at it like that, he is going to handle his business like I am going to handle mine.

RC: Who else have you been working with?

TC: Pretty much just Kassim, he and I have been going at it.

RC: Now training with strictly a southpaw is that going to affect your performance in the fight against an orth...

TC: Well remember I was training for Galloway.

RC: But now you have a new opponent...

TC: Well he is not a lefty, he is right handed and I have to adapt that’s all.

RC: With an orthodox fighter coming in this late is that going to affect you game plan a little and go against what you have been working on in camp?

TC: Nah is not going to affect, because you got to look at it, I use to do this in the amateurs, so it is not going to affect me plus I got a few right handers in there that is going to box with me until the fight.

RC: Have you seen your new opponent on tape?

TC: I have the tape; I just haven’t sat down and looked at it yet. My father has it so we have to sit down and look at it. Pretty much I will look at the tape on this guy and size him up. But I know that he has been knocked out three times, I mean he has never really fought anybody but still that doesn’t really mean anything. Guys get up for guys like me, and the bottom line is the boy is stepping up to fight me, you know what I mean, A lot of Jokers don’t want to fight Terrance, so hey you have to give a guy like that credit. So for him to step up to the table evidently he feels like he is going to get something off. Again that is why I got to be on point.

RC: As we mentioned earlier your lone loss was to Teddy Reid, is that a fight that you will want to eventually avenge or being that he is at welterweight and has...

TC: (Cutting in) you know what? I mean if it happens it happens. I am not chasing Teddy man, Teddy done lost three times since me, and I proved that I came back. What I am seeing from Teddy is that he is about to move up to another weight class, he is about to up to Jr. Middleweight 154lbs. I am down here at 140lbs so I am not chasing that man, it is just the name of the game if it comes it comes, if it don’t happen then it don’t, or hey if they can make it worth our while then hey, but if not then what are you going to do? I mean I learned a valuable lesson out of that and I haven’t took any more “L’s” since then and I have been doing my thing , I done won two titles since then and God willing I am going to go on and be world champion soon. So I learned a valuable lesson from that, and when I seen him I told him that, I am real, and I let him know it hurt at that time but now I look back and it helped me out because he made me the man that I am as far as on this boxing tip. He spanked my but and let me know that when I first came to these pro ranks I was getting over with these guys and he spanked my but and let me know how it really was. So now I am prepared and he let me know what I am up against, so now if another cat like that ever come along it isn’t going to be nothing for me.  So do I look forward to fighting him? Nah, I am doing my thing, I might move or you never know….hey we could do it but I am not chasing Teddy, let Teddy do his thing and I am going to do mine.

RC: What are your thoughts on the Jr. Welterweight division overall?

TC:  It is a lot of competition out there, but I mean those boys out there…..they are talking that talk but they are not walking that walk right now. Those boys are paid already so they can look over jokers, they could look over people and fight this guys and that guy. They are talking the talk and there is a lot of competition, we got to come together and put this thing to work. Right now Jr. Welterweights is one of the toughest divisions out there. So let these boys stop talking and walk the walk that is how I see it. I am sitting down and watching everybody ducking everybody. They are talking that talk, saying they want that they want this; they want that but aint nobody really bumping heads. It is too many guns up there right now. So we should do it like the old days, bring everybody together and let them fight.

RC: Despite being ranked #11 WBC, #9 WBA, #7 IBF, and being in one of the hottest divisions in the sport like you just mentioned, and people still don’t acknowledge you, does that bother you any?

TC: Nah because the fact is that them boys…. I mean it doesn’t bother me because I am waiteing, I am cool, I am going to get my shot. I am young I am hungry and I mean I know I got to have it, but I got to stay focus and stay on top of my game. You can’t let them catch you sleep because once they catch you sleeping they are going to come for you. But right now I am on my game; these boys don’t want no part of me right now.

RC: Why do you feel you haven’t gotten the recognition you deserve at this point?

TC: A lot of it probably comes from the promotional aspect. I feel as if my PR my promotional plays a big part and everything is going to come to a play. They are working on some stuff and it has got to happen, I mean I got two titles. I got the NABF, they got these boys coming up and they don’t even want that and you know the NABF is like a stepping stone if you win the NABF title that will get them ranked. But them boys they don’t want that, why don’t they want it? Because they know who got it. I mean why don’t they want it? This is a real title, and they don’t want it, their promoters are like “look we will take another route” but you know it will come man, I am patient and I got faith and I am not scared. That is the thing what ever they are going to do, then do. Let’s make it happen

RC: Who would you personally like to face for the #2 spot?

TC: It don’t matter really man, it really don’t matter I just want the shot, the opportunity to give me a shot. Let me see where I am at, if I win, I win if I lose I lose but give me an opportunity, I mean I am due I paid my dues just like anybody else. I have had the NABF title for two years I done defended the title about five times already.  Aint nobody else defending those titles like that. So what I am saying is give me my shot, give me an opportunity I am due. Who I fight? It really doesn’t matter really, just give me a shot. It could be Mayweather it can be anybody, this is what boxing is all about. Let the best come and fight the best. The best will bring the best out of the best, so whoever is the better man is going to win.

RC: So if all goes well on the 24th  of September, is December 2nd a definite go?

TC: It’s a definite go; it is a card out in Seattle Washington it is not on television.

RC: When can the fans expect to see you in a televised fight?

TC:  You got to call Banner, my promotional crew and talk to him about that and hopefully after these next two fights coming up I can get a TV date or something like that.

RC: Many feel that you have a very boring style and that might be why you are getting the exposure you should be getting with a record of 27-1 and two legitimate stepping stone titles in one of the hottest division, while they are guys out there that have less credentials and get far more exposure, how do you feel about that?

TC: I mean it is boxing man, I am boxing, I mean I am doing what I am doing, I am not doing anything no different than what Corey (Spinks) is doing, I am boxing. That is just the way it is, it is just boxing what I am doing.

RC: Is it frustrating to you that you are a good fighter and not recognized because you are not a brawler but more of a skilled fighter?

TC: Yeah, I do get a little heated sometimes. But I mean I see the crocked stuff that is going on. That is why I say give me an opportunity, give me a shot. It is frustrating; I see the games they are playing. If they don’t like the way I fight then hey beat me, bottom line beat me. Beat me and that will be that.

RC: What can those on hand September 24th expect when they come, to check “Heat” out?

TC: They are going to see a good fight, you know I am going to box, I am going to do my thing, I mean I am not going to sit here and front to you and tell you I am going to go out there and do this and that, I am going to be “T”, I am going to be Terrance Cauthen and I am going to do what I been doing, if aint broke why fix it? They gotta respect me man, and they will respect me when it all comes down to it, and I promise you that. None of them boys want to see me man, none of them boys want to fight me. They talk with all of that mouth….

RC: (Cutting in) what do you have to say to those Jr. Welterweights out there that don’t want anything to do with you?

TC: Man all of them know, I mean I am not going to be sitting here calling those boys out tonight but I am just keeping it real with you, I am just letting you know what is going on, the facts are the facts man it will come. They got to see me it is just a matter of time. Once I get this over with on the 24th in Trenton and when I come back and I got to go back in the alleys again December 2nd, and I call that the alleys because it isn’t on T.V.. So I am going to go back in the alleys and I am doing all of this back of the alley stuff but it is cool, because eventually what is in the dark is soon to come to light. With me doing what I am doing it is going to come out and it is going to be that.

RC: Is their anything you would like to say to all of your fans and supporters in closing?

TC: I would just like to say I am blessed and those that want to keep talking can talk shit all they want but I am not going anywhere. I mean whatever is going to happen, I don’t take nobody or nothing light, I know I am not on T.V. or anything but they are going to stop talking all of that shit. Another thing is they are going to just realize eventually.

RC: Do you have a prediction on the Sharmba Mitchell-Kostya Tszyu?

TC: Not really, the only thing is I wouldn’t mind fighting either one. I can see myself fighting either one of them. Sharmba is a real dude, he don’t duck nobody. He is real, he don’t duck or dodge he is real. He will fight everybody, you gottta give credit where credit is due. I respect the fact that he didn’t fight Ricky Hatton because the money wasn’t right; he is almost on his way out so he is in it to win it. He is trying to get all he can get out, so I respect Sharmba as a man and a fighter. I would love to fight him one day, even Kostya Tszyu, but I would rather fight Sharmba rather than Kostya Tszyu.

RC: Why is that?

TC: I will serve Kostya Tszyu, it would be a great opportunity, I am old school, I want to fight the best, win, loose, or draw, I want to see where I am at. I will serve Kostya Tszyu and that is real, I will serve him. But Sharmba? I have been watching when I was a kid coming up so for me fighting him I would really love that.

But prediction, I really don’t have one but I would love to see Sharmba win it because I am sure he will give me a shot. I think he will give me a shot. I really believe in my heart he will fight me. I have never talked to him, I never met him but you know real can recognize real and I feel he is a real dude and feel he will give me a shot, he is not soft man. Tszyu will probably give me a shot too but I would rather fight Sharmba and I want him to come out with the victory, he deserves it.

Now I got to stay on my game too now, I can’t get side tracked and I can’t loose focus, I can’t get caught up in worrying about when they are going to give me a shot because I will forget about the little stuff that is going on right now with me and something stupid might happen to me and that happens to a lot of people, they get caught up in all this “This man ducking me and that man this” and “I want this man and I want that man”  and they get in there with a little guy, they totally forget about him and everything is ruined, but I am hoping that is what can happen down the road, or anybody really. It can be Vivian (Harris) it can be (Miguel) Cotto, any of them really. It isn’t anybody TC’s ducking.

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