RC: Last week, Dino Duva, Kendall Holt’s promoter issued a press release mentioning you as a possible opponent for Kendall, what are your thoughts on that?
PM: Kendall is a good dude, and I am going to say that before I say anything else. I think Kendall is an exceptional fighter; a good dude and we are just trying to get our hustle on pretty much. Boxing is a hustle just like any other job. I honestly believe that a fight with Kendall and me will eventually have to happen because we are just too good to not let it happen. We are both good fighters and the public is eventually going to demand it saying “These two guys have to fight because they are at the top of the division and it has gotta happen” and I think we can wait until we are at the top of the division for both of us to do that. Obviously if the money was so good that it was unturnadownable (LOL…. Mean$ a whole lot of Money) so to speak then obviously alright, I am sure Kendal will want to do the same thing, but at this point in our careers it is something we can let really simmer. We are getting to the prime of our careers and you know people are going to get to see that and it is going to be a treat when it happens. It is almost there but it is not quite there.

RC: In the past you and Kendall didn’t always exactly see eye to eye, but the two of you actually ended up becoming really good friends, even calling one another up before big fights to give advice and things like that, have you and Kendall Spoke about that press release yet?
PM: I haven’t spoke to him yet, but we actually just exchanged phone tag voicemails but I am probably going to speak to him sometime in the near future.

RC: Give us your thoughts on the possible co-feature to your HBO debut, which is a possible match up between two New York based Jr. Welterweights Dmitriy Salita 26-0-1(15) and Edgar Santana 20-2-(13)?
PM: The co-features is suppose to be Dmitriy Salita and Edgar Santana, those are two solid young guys coming up in the New York area and they have a lot to prove, there is a lot of question marks on both of them. But I know both of them and know that they are both the kind of fighters that would step up when they have to and both do what it takes to get to the next level, so I think Santana and Salita will no doubt get it on and I don’t think there is going to be any excuses. Believe me people think somebody is going to pull out of this one, these guys are going to get it on come February 17th, there is not doubt about it.

RC: Who do you pick in that fight Paulie?
PM: It is a toss up fight, they have sparred in the gym and I have seen a couple of their sparring sessions and it is like sometime some will get the better of the other and sometimes the other would get the better of the other. I think the fans are going to be in for a treat in that fight. They both generate a lot of fans in NYC and it is going to be something to watch, and whoever is more ready on that night is going to win the fight. But regardless of who wins the fight it is going to be an entertaining mat….

RC: (Cutting in sensing a little evasion) But if you had to go out on a limb?
PM: Ahh Man, it is a tough pick; regardless of who wins it is going to be a good fight. I can see it going either way, sometimes I say to myself well one can do this and the other can do that so it’s really tough.

RC: Ok I guess we will have to settle for that…
PM: I do want to congratulate my friend Frankie “El Gato” Figueroa on his big win on November 11th undercard at the Garden.

RC: Give us your thoughts on both local prospect Joey Rios 14-1(6) and Frankie Figueroa 14-2(10) stepping up to the plate?
PM: I commend both fighters for stepping up to the plate. I heard it was a good fight; I was down in Florida so I didn’t get a chance to see it. I heard it was a good fight, I heard my boy Gato did his thing and I congratulate him for that. He is well on his way to doing big things, as for Joey Rios sometimes his fans are pretty annoying but I met Joey a few times and he is not a bad dude, and if he keeps his head up he will go places to. Sometimes you take a step back but it will help you take two or three steps forward.

RC: Some feel that he doesn’t, and some feel he should get a crack at the winner of Salita-Santana?
PM: Ooh man I think that will be explosive, you know what if they can do a little Round Robin like that, that will be excellent, that will give the fans something they love. The NY fans will definitely be juiced up for something like that. I know Gato will step up to the plate; there is nobody Gato won’t fight. He is hungry! He is the kind of kid that takes on all comers. For anybody that doesn’t know out there, the kid is dangerous, he will beat your ass if you sleep on him.

RC: Is there anything else you would like to add in closing before I let you do?
PM: in closing Juan Lazcano step up to the **explicit** plate man. We still got that opening step up to the plate and stop being a homo. This is HBO man; your career is coming to an end. Take this last **explicit** whooping, go off to the sunset but at least you would have had it on HBO. Seriously what is he going to do not fight on HBO? Is he going to keep trying to fight these club fights to try and put his name in back up position? He might as well just do it now. Time goes by real fast, look at me I just turned 26 years old and I can’t believe it. Before I know it I might be 30 years old so you gotta do it while you are still young, the hour glass is running out for Juan Lazcano, so he has to step up to the plate. He was given a good opportunity and he just turned it down flat out.


 

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