GL: What's good DaVarryl? How's everything going? "I think training has been very, very good. It's been intense to say the least. And I would say I'm sent everyday after I leave the gym and everyday I come back I try to do even more than I did the day before. We believe that we have the right talent here in camp with us and my coach George Durbin is doing a fantastic job. For this fight I have really stepped up to the plate and have begun doing some new things to make it happen."

GL: You and Chris Byrd are pretty good friends outside of the ring, does that make it more difficult for you to want to put him in the trunk?

DaVarryl Williamson: "No it doesn't. We've had some very intense sparring sessions. In order to get better, you can't go in there and play around with anybody. I learned that many years ago working with Lawrence Clay Bey getting ready for the 1996 Olympic team. We've got to try to hurt each other and we have to have that keen alertness to be ready for anything that comes our way. There's no half-stepping. We're giving it our all in this fight and then after fight hopefully we'll go out to dinner. Right now it's not personal, it's just business and I'm putting in that hard work."

GL: How will you deal with Byrd's speed advantage?

DaVarryl Williamson: "With a jab of course. A good jab will nullify any fast fighter. Watching Vernon Forrest use the jab against Mosley, I mean a good hard jab nips that in the butt. Since he's a southpaw, I might have to double and triple jab to slow him down, but my jab is going to be a very important weapon on October 1."

GL: How do you feel about making one of the smallest purses in the history of the heavyweight division?

DaVarryl Williamson: "It motivates me, but obviously I've never fought for the heavyweight championship of thw world before. I'm not really concerning myself with what I'm making or what other people are making, I'm just looking to win. My purse is lower than it should be but I can't cry over spilled milk, I have to find a way to win this fight at the end of the day.

GL: Do you see the fight going the distantce?

DaVarryl Williamson: "It's going to be a very competitive fight. Who knows? It could be less than twelve, but I'm not predicting any knockouts or things like that, I believe it's going to be a very intense fight and I'm confident that I'm going to win this fight and I'm willing to leave everything I have in the ring that night."

GL: Jameel McCline did well with Byrd when he fought aggressively early on. Did you notice that? And do you plan on trying to put the same kind of pressure on him?

DW: "I think McCline fought well and the knockdown early on was a boost to his confidence, but you have to remember that Chris and Jameel are very, very good friends and Chris is like a big brother to Jameel. Although Jameel knocked him down, Chris knew something inside Jameel would die out and when that happened he was able to come back and make up the ground. I don't think Chris can afford to get behind with me because if he has to gamble he could run into this big right hand. I think this is a very intriguing fight and it's going to be very intense and competitive. It's going to be his skills versus my power and it's going to be a dandy. Right now I"m waking up in my sleep at two o'clock in the morning screaming "AND NEW" that's what my focus is on and that's what I plan to hear on October 1."

GL: Who are some of the guys you've been sparring with in preparation for this fight?

DW: "A lot of smaller guys with speed. Just a bunch of guys, I couldn't find one particular person to mimic Chris style because he has more than one so we got a bunch of qualified guys down here helping me prepare for this fight and it's like I said, and new. That's what I'm focused on right now."

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

DW: "As always I want to thank all the fans for logging onto Boxingtalk.net where all the hot interviews and information are every day of the week. I truly appreciate all of my fans support, this opportunity and I also want to let my fans know that all of this hard work is going to pay off on October 1."

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