Exclusive Interview: Jeff Lacy

By G. Leon

01/03/2005

Exclusive Interview: Jeff Lacy

"Williams will not go the distance!"

GL: What's good Jeff? "Everything is going according to schedule. This guy could fight and it's going to be a fight on Saturday night. I've seen a couple of tapes on him, and you know we fought three times in the amateurs. Naturally he feels he won them all even though I took two out of three. But as far as I'm concerned the amateur and the professionals are two different worlds and I'm not going to come in overconfident just because I beat him twice in the amateurs."

GL: Some people feel that the level of your opposition has regressed since you won the title from Syd Vanderpool. Many look at Sheika as a step down from Vanderpool and Williams as a step down from Sheika.

Jeff Lacy: "I've got to disagree with that. Right now I don't have a mandatory so we're fighting the guys we need to fight to get to that point. Trust me, I took chances to get to the title and I'm going to take chances with the title. But there's only one of me so people need to give me time."

GL: You've been staying very busy over the past six months. Do you feel people need to focus more on that than your level of opposition at this point in time?

Jeff Lacy: "I'm looking to go out and fight three or four times this year. People are going to say whatever they want to say, but I'm sure if I'm fighting four or five times a year with a world title, they're going to have to give me some props over that. Right now I'm fighting more than any titlist and I plan to keep it that way. I'm ready for whoever they put in front of me, and I've been ready for whatever they say."

GL: How hopeful are you that a major showdown with Calzaghe or any of the top guys at 168 takes place before the end of the year?

JL: That's what I'm gunning for! I'm gunning for unifying the super middleweight division. I'm out to get as many fights as I can. I'm a young guy with a world title, I'm staying busy and I'm looking to put another couple of belts around my waist. Hopefully by the end of this year."

GL: Do you expect this fight with Williams to go the distance?

JL: "Greg, you know me, so you know I don't like coming out and making bold predictions. But with all of the crap that he's been talking there's no way this fight is going the distance. He got under my skin yesterday during a conference call and he seems to feel he could disrespect me, we're going to see if he still feels that way after Saturday night!"

GL: What did you think of his first round knockout loss to Epifianio Mendoza on ESPN?

JL: "I never saw that fight. He said he had problems and he's getting a second chance. He's saying he's going to make the most of it but I'm telling you he's going to have nothing but problems again."

GL: Does the fact that he got stopped in one on ESPN put any extra pressure on you to come out and get rid of him early?

JL: "I want to come out and look good. I want to work on the things that me and Dan Birmingham have been working on in the gym. If it's going to be an early night, we'll take it. If not, we're just going to go out there and look spectacular."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

JL: "By the end of the 2005 year I'm going to have another belt or two around my waist, but first I'm going to give the fans a great performance this Saturday night."



CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT ELSE THE IBF SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMP HAD TO SAY

Send questions and comments to: gleon@Boxingtalk.net