Exclusive Interview: Cory "The Next Generation" Spinks

By G. Leon

19/07/2004

Exclusive Interview: Cory "The Next Generation" Spinks

Undisputed welterweight kingpin, Cory "The Next Generation" Spinks recently took some time out from his training camp and spoke with Boxingtalk.com about his upcoming fight with former world champ Miguel Angel Gonzalez and much more. If you want to know how Cory feels about his upcoming fight, as well as potential bouts with Floyd Mayweather Jr., the Tszyu-Mitchell winner and take two with Zab Judah, this is the interview for you.

GL: What's good champ?

Cory Spinks: Well, you know I've had some time off and I've enjoyed myself but now it's time to put some work in. I'm anxious to get back in there to do my thang.

GL: Can you give us your thoughts about training in Ohio?

CS: It's definitely a new experience for me. We're out in the middle of nowhere, but it's all good. On September 4 it's all going to pay off.

GL: Compared to Ricardo Mayorga and Zab Judah, Miguel Angel Gonzalez is not a big fight. Does it make it more difficult for you to stay focused and train for a Gonzalez the same way you would train for a Mayorga or Judah?

CS: No. Because I'm not taking anyone lightly. I'm training just as hard if not harder for this dude. I train hard for everyone and now that I've got these three belts I need to make sure I'm at my best all the time, because everyone is gunning for me and everyone wants to grab hold of what belongs to me, the undisputed welterweight championship of the world.

GL: I spoke with Kevin Cunningham recently and he told me that you've already seen tapes of Gonzalez, can you tell us what you think of him?

CS: Well G, I did what I usually do. I watched a few rounds, that was all I needed to see to know what he's about. I'm just going to let my coach (Cunningham) come up with the game plan and when the bell rings I'm going to execute it. From what I've seen he's just typical. He thinks a little bit more than some Mexicans but he shouldn't be any problem for me.

GL: The last time you fought a guy who wasn't supposed to be any problem for you, you had a lackluster showing against Rafael Pineda. Kevin already explained to us that how during the preparation for that fight, you didn't even go away to camp because you were taking him for granted. Was that fight where you learned it's not wise to take anyone for granted in this game?

CS: Absolutely. I took Pineda VERY VERY lightly. It was a valuable lesson I learned and believe me I'll never do it again. Pineda came to fight and fought a good fight, but I made that tough on me by not training. It was a valuable lesson learned and it can never happen again because like I said, now that I've got all three belts everyone is going to be gunning for me, so I need to come with my very best everytime to stay on top.

GL: I saw you in the Jaekwon video. What was that experience like?

CS: (laughs) Aw man! It was crazy! They called me up and asked if I would be in the video and I support my hometown so I went out there and did it. It was fun and seeing how they shoot the videos and seeing how everything goes down was a fun experience for me. I had a good time doing it.

GL: Are we going to see the chicken head dance on September 4?

CS: Of course! That's me, and I've got to get my party on. I've got to give it to the people every time out. The first time I did it against Mayorga people were thinking I was going to lose the fight, and when I did my dance, I think it showed them that Mayorga was going to have to deal with somebody who wasn't scared of him or what he had to offer. A lot of people were probably shocked at how loose I was. But it's like I always tell you, back at home my partners call me shoes, so I had to make sure I lived up to the name because they don't call me shoes for nothing.

GL: At post fight presser following your victory over Judah, you and Floyd Mayweather Jr. got chest to chest and started getting into it.Since then you've challenged Mayweather (on Boxingtalk.com) to step up to plate and fight you for the undisputed welterweight championship of the world. Nothing came back from Mayweather or his handlers regarding the fight with you. How do you feel about that?

CS: There's a lot of pussy's in the game today. A lot cats just run their mouth but they nothing but pussy. That motherfucker talks shit, but does he really want it? He shouldn't be scared of no one in this boxing game. I'm not and neither should he. When I told you I wanted Mayorga, I wasn't just talking to hear my voice, I REALLY wanted Mayorga. Some people thought I was crazy, but we all saw what happened there. He was talking about jumping up to 154 and he wants nothing to do with the best welterweight in the world so what's this nigga talking about?

GL: What did you think about Floyd's last fight with Corley?

CS: He dominated the fight, but for the first time, I saw him get really hurt against Chop Chop. I don't know how well he's going to do with me when he's getting shaken up by Corley. He was trying to steal my shine at that press conference and he couldn't because I had just beaten two great fighters in a row. That's something he's never done, just like becoming undisputed is something he's never done. But he was there trying to steal some shine and I wasn't going to let him stand there and talk some stupid shit in my face. I thought he was about making the biggest and best fights, he talks like he's a dog but I don't see it. He definitely didn't step up to the plate to fight me, so the only dog Mayweather could be is a bitch chihuahua, a lot of bark but no bite!

GL: You're already one of the best boxers in the world, but you're still just 26. What do you need to add to your repotoire to make you even better than you already are?

CS: You could never stop learning in this game. I'm open to learning new things all the time, and I've got the best trainer in the game as far as I'm concerned so the world is going to see me improve little by little in every fight. I was just at the boxing Hall Of Fame and I met all these great champions like Marvin Hagler, and I soaked in everything they told me and I want to have that same mentality that guys like Hagler had, to always work hard and always stay on top of my game.

GL: Earlier we spoke about the lesson you learned against Pineda, to not take anyone lightly. What lesson did you learn from the twelfth round against Judah where you got caught and he dropped you?

CS: Not to get too relaxed. I was feeling really good and I was in control. I was letting my hands go in that round and he caught me in the middle of me throwing a combination. He countered me because I was trying to put too many punches together in that one combination. He caught me with a good shot, but it was a flash and I got up like the champion I am and finished the fight. The biggest lesson I learned was to fight my fight for the full 36 minutes, not 35 minutes and 30 seconds.

GL: During my conversation with Kevin, another fight that came up was Kostya Tszyu. How do you feel about fighting the winner of his upcoming fight with Sharmba Mitchell?

CS: It's a fight I'd love to make. I'm looking to make all of the big fights. I want nothing but big fights and I'm ready for anyone. If any of them want some, they could get some.

GL: How do you feel about the state of the welterweight division? Because it seems as if the biggest fights available to you are against smaller guys coming up in weight. Everytime the guy perceived as the man at 147 loses he moves up in weight. Mosley lost to Forrest, he moved up to 154. Forrest lost to Mayorga, he moved up to 154. Mayorga lost to you, he moved up to 154. Is that frustrating?

CS: It's not frustrating because I got the belts. I got them all, so I'm ruling this division and I'm living my dream right now. Anyone who wants to call themself the man at welterweight needs to see me regardles if they're moving up in weight or down in weight to do so.

GL: Do you see yourself at 154 one day?

CS: Absolutely, I see myself as a junior middleweight one day, but right now I'm very comfortable where I'm at and it's not killing me to make 147.

GL: Other than Mayweather or the Tszyu-Mitchell winner, the only other really big fight is the Zab Judah rematch. How do you feel about that fight?

CS: It's all good. If Zab wants some more, he can get some. If they want it, let's do it. I'm not ducking anyone Greg. I already beat him, but if the people want to see it, I'm going to give the fans what they want to see.

GL: Do you feel that the knockdown in the twelfth round is the main reason people want to see a rematch?

CS: I believe that was the case. But I beat him once and I'll beat him again. And I hope people don't forget that I put him down also.

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