Boxingtalk recently caught up with former UFC middleweight champion Rich “Ace” Franklin to discuss his upcoming bout at UFC 68 against hot prospect Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald. Franklin also explains why he’s never watched his fight with Anderson Silva yet as well as why it’s no added pressure on him to fight in his home state of Ohio. You don’t want to miss who Franklin feels has the toughest road back out of himself, Matt Hughes or Randy Couture. Check it out!

PC: How has preparation gone for your fight at UFC 68 against Jason MacDonald?

RF: Everything is going real well!

PC: How are you doing physically and mentally coming off your fight against Anderson Silva?

RF: You know, I’m doing pretty good. I take the loss for what it is and move on. You gotta put that stuff behind you and prepare for your next fight and that’s what I’m doing.

PC: A lot was said about you over training in the past. Do you think that was the case and if so have you modified your training any?

RF: I don’t know if that was the case for sure or not, but we have modified the training. I think if I wasn’t over training, then I was definitely borderline.

PC: Have you ever went back and viewed the Silva fight and if so what did you take from that?

RF: No. I’ve never even bothered watching the tape; as a matter of fact, the only tape of the Silva fight I’ve seen is the clips they show on Spike here and there.

PC: You’ve never wanted to go back and watch it?

RF: I don’t think it’s necessary to watch right now. I think it would be a waste of film. I’m not going to learn much by watching that fight as far as my mistakes except that the entire fight was wrong for me.

PC: Could you explain the extent of the injuries you suffered in that fight?

RF: I had a broken nose. I had a lot of damage. I had to undergo surgery; it cracked my sinus orbital and my septum was pushed completely to one side. That was all a part of the injury and other than that; that was about the extent of the injury.

PC: At UFC 68, you may be facing the hottest prospect in the UFC in MacDonald. What do you think of him as a fighter from what you have seen of him so far?

RF: I think that MacDonald has proven himself a worthy adversary in the UFC. He took on two fighters that were favored in their fights and he’s beaten both of them. That’s something I don’t think anybody in the UFC was expecting him to do. He said it best when he said, “If the UFC brought me in here to be a stepping stone, then they made a mistake.”

PC: You can do a little bit of it all in the octagon. MacDonald seems to be very dangerous when it goes to the ground. Would you like to keep this fight standing or it really doesn’t matter to you were it ends up?

RF: I always like to keep the fight standing just because the crowd thinks it’s exciting. Quite honestly, it really doesn’t matter. I’m comfortable in my skills all around.

PC: Is it any added pressure, not only coming back after only your second career loss against a hot fighter, but to be doing it so close to home (Rich is from Cincinnati and UFC 68 is in Columbus)?

RF: I don’t think so. People have been asking me if I’m excited to be fighting in Ohio. It will be nice, but really all the people that will normally see me fight will be watching on PPV anyway, so I don’t think, as far as the viewing audience, it’s going to be much different. I’ll still have the same kind of pressure that I always feel.

PC: Do you think it was best that you got a fighter of MacDonald’s caliber for your comeback fight, instead of a guy you are supposed to walk through?

RF: I don’t know. I would hate to be given somebody who everyone thought was a complete tomato can. I’m always interested in fighting quality fighters and that MacDonald has proven himself to be, so I think had it been the other way, I would’ve been a little upset with myself.

PC: Many people seem to think you shouldn’t have took the Silva fight coming back off of the hand injury and maybe not even taking a MacDonald fight after the Silva fight and the broken nose. You always take the big fights. Can you explain the thought process to taking the riskier fights?

RF: You know, really, when you’re done with this sport and you want to be known as one of the great fighters you’re going to have to fight great fighters to be remembered as a great fighter and if you don’t, you will never be remembered that way. My point is, why bother taking an easy fight, you know?

PC: Matt Hughes and Randy Couture are also making their respective comebacks at UFC 68. Out of the 3 of you guys, which one of you do you feel has the toughest road back considering the way you guys loss?

RF: Um, you know I would probably have to say Randy has the toughest road just because…I lost my last fight by knockout and so did Randy, but I’m fighting more of a grappler and Randy is fighting somebody else that tries to knock people out. That will probably be the toughest obstacle for any of us to overcome.

PC: It’s funny you say that because when I interviewed Randy, he said you would probably have the toughest road back because you were the only one of the three coming off of surgery.

RF: (Laughing) It’s funny how you look at things, you know?

PC: Rich I appreciate your time and I look forward to speaking with you again. Is there anything you want to say in closing?

RF: Of course I’d like to thank my sponsors, obviously American Fighter, Tapout and Xyience and the fans out there. I hope the fans enjoy the upcoming fight and god bless!

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