GL: You're currently in the Poconos training Jermain Taylor for his last fight at middleweight, the mandatory title defense against Kelly Pavlik on September 29 in Atlantic City. What can we expect to see from JT on that night? "As always, anytime a champion is training for a championship fight in a new location it's a new experience. But he's adjusted to it very well and he's extremely focused because of the harsh criticism he's received from everyone, everywhere, including his own hometown. I think that will carry over into the fight and it's going to make it a big challenge for him. Kelly is such a busy consistent fighter that he won't be able to fight in spots and rest in spots, and he's aware of that. He has to be very consistent in what he does and go out there to win every round and mentally he's right where he should be right now."

GL: Does the fact that Kelly Pavlik is going to be looking to make a fight of this, make it difficult for you to see the fight going the distance?

Emanuel Steward: "Jermain is going to be challenged and Kelly is going to try to make him back up. Winky challenged him and tried to make him back up, but he took breaks and allowed Jermain to come back in it, but Kelly is going to try to push him all the way, so Jermain knows what he needs to be ready to do on September 29."

GL: At the New York press conference you said Jermain was going to stop him in six rounds or less, do you still stand by that prediction?

ES: "I think so. The hand speed will be a big difference."

GL: Wladimir Klitschko will not fight until next year. Do you think that's a good idea? Why is he taking so much time off?

ES: "Really what it comes down to is, they didn't have any dates and there weren't any quality opponents. If it's not there it's just not there."

GL: How do you feel about Vitali's return to the ring?

ES: "There's a lot of question marks that will be answered when he gets in ther with Jameel, but if he's able to regain his form, he's got the experience and size to become world champion. Jameel has size and he's also a strong guy, so he won't have that advantage that he's used to having and coming off the injury, I'm sure Jameel is going to want to make it a physical fight to see how his body responds to the injury, but then again Jameel is also coming off of an injury so it's going to be very, interesting."

GL: Bernard Hopkins recently told Boxingtalk that it's a conflict of interest for you to commentate HBO fights when you're training HBO fighters. He feels that your relationship as Jermain Taylor's trainer coupled with your HBO microphone, gives you an agenda to downgrade other fighters.

ES: "I'm not worried about anything he says. I don't know what he's talking about with Jermain Taylor because they're not even in the same weight division. I thought that he should have won the fight with Jermain but he let him get off too early and started too late. That was something he did. I've always been a big, big fans of his. If you can only say things positive about people, but not negative, then I have a problem with those kind of people and that's seems to be a problem with him. I said that he's not a very exciting fighter and I wouldn't want to see him fight younger fighters. I think he's a great fighter and he's accomplished so much, and believe it or not, I'm one of his biggest fans. I've never seen anybody dominate him. I saw him lose a close decision to Roy and I think he proved in both fights with Jermain that he was the better fighter. In both fights he definitely proved he was the better fighter."

GL: So you're saying he proved he was the better fighter than Jermain?

ES: "In both fights he proved that, he just let Jermain get ahead early on points in the first one and when you do that you run the risk of losing. I get paid by HBO to say what I feel is best. When I put on the microphone for HBO, I'm no longer a manager or trainer. One time when Hamed was getting ready to fight Barrera, I said something about Barrera looking so good that it would be hard to imagine anybody beating him. But anyway, I don't get instructions on what to say, I don't get paid to say anything about Bernard. I don't even consider him with Jermain."

GL: Cintron has a defense coming up on September 8. Where in your opinion does Cintron rank in the talent rich welterweight division?

ES: "He just had a very impressive knockout in his last fight. That was like his entry into the welterweight division. Even though he's been champion he wasn't recognizable, but because of the big crowd watching the Gatti fight and the great knockout he had, he's on the right track. He wants a super fight and I'm not sure he'll get one until next spring. In the mean time he's going to have to get busy and fight whoever he can to stay busy. If unification comes up he'll take it. I think he's exciting for the division and we're not turning down a Paul Williams or Mosley or Cotto. Kermit is a puncher and punchers always create excitement, but he hasn't proved anything yet. He's looking forward to proving what he's capable of doing in there."

M

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