Fire and Ice: Boxingtalk's Fire With Montell Griffin!

By Jose Aguirre

15/02/2005

Fire and Ice: Boxingtalk's Fire With Montell Griffin!

Montell Griffin, former world champion and currently Boxingtalk's #14 light heavyweight, defeated tough veteran Sam Reese by unanimous decision over the weekend.

Jose Aguirre: You're coming off a win over Sam Reese where reports had you winning almost every single round. Give us your thoughts on the fight and your performance. MG:  "I just wanted to get a fight under my belt. I should have knocked him out but after about the second or third round he was just trying to survive so it made it alot harder. I was trying to load up too much trying to take him out. I trained to fight a right handed fighter and the man came out southpaw and nobody told me about it. So I felt I did pretty good without sparring a southpaw."



JA: Was there anything he did besidesfighting a southpaw that surprised you?

MG:"Nah, I wasn't even worried about it. He was just trying to survive. He's don't want no problems. I'd rather fight someone who is going to come at me trying to take my head off then to sit back and try to survive. Everything went good. I didn't take no punishment. I feel good enough that I want to come back next
month and fight again."

JA: Where do you want to go from here?

MG:"Right now I'm waiting to see what's going to happen with Rico Hoye and Clinton Woods. I guess, I guess, I'll believe it when I see it. I guess I'm supposed to be fighting the winner but we'll see what happens."

JA: Which of the two would you rather fight because we all know what happened when you fought Rico Hoye. Who would you rather fight?

MG:"I don't care if I fight him. I already beat him. He doesn't want to fight me I'm sure. I could care less. I know it will be more attention paid to the fight where I won't get robbed this time. I won't mind fighting him if he wins. He got to win. I could care less who I fight. Rico Hoye or Clinton (Woods), it don't make me
no difference."

JA: What does 2005 bring for Montell Griffin?

MG:"I'll be world champ this year."

JA: Does it matter which title you go for first?

MG:"No, it don't make no difference. First I want to IBF title then after that if (Antonio) Tarver and Glen Johnson fight again I want the winner of that. If not I want to fight Glen Johnson. I'm really not worried about anything I'm just taking my time and waiting to see what's going to come."

JA: Is there anything you want to say in closing?

MG:"All my fans I just want to say that Montell Griffin is back. They won't see anymore bad performances. All my personal life is situated and in order. That's the reason I had fights where I didn't look my best. I'm just ready to move on and like I said I will be world champion this year. can't nobody keep ducking me and
I don't think the man will get a gift like he did the last time."

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Send questions and comments to: onfireboxing@verizon.net