Rock Says He's Knocking Meehan Out!
GL: What's good Rock? Are you already in camp? "I'm starting some light stuff, I'm going to go full fledged after the Trinidad fight. I'm coming to New York for that one and then it's going to be strictly focusing on me and the task at hand with Kali Meehan."
GL: What did you think of Kali Meehan's performance against Lamon Brewster, and what are your thoughts on him in general?
Hasim Rahman: "I thought he won the fight against Lamon Brewster. In fact, I think they could have stopped it in the eighth round. Kali is one of those guys like Jameel McCline, who I think got better as a result of being in everyone's camp. I think he's credible, he's decent and he could probably beat some top guys, but not this one."
GL: You're already the top contender in the WBA, why fight a guy like Meehan who by your own admissions was good enough to beat one of the champions?
HR: "Because I'm the man and I want everyone to know it. That's something that only someone very confident would do. And the way I plan on dispatching him is going to set a lot of misconceptions to rest. This will also improve my status going into the title fight."
GL: Does the fight go the distance?
HR: "Oh no. Definitely not. That's not even an option. Once you walk the plank with me, from now on you've got to go. I feel like I could knockout any heavyweight. Focused the way I am now, I'm feeling better than I ever have in my life and that's bad news for the rest of the division."
GL: Is this fight with Meehan do or die?
HR: "Obviously. The only way it won't be do or die for me is if I was already champion and I lost a fight. But I'm done if I lose on my way to the championship. If I can't beat this guy I don't deserve to be champion. Why would I stay around the game to take up space? But those thoughts aren't even crossing my mind because I'm 100% focused, 100% conditioned and I have what it takes to beat every heavyweight."
GL: This will be your first serious heavyweight fight since the John Ruiz fight last December...
HR: (cutting in) "I'm already predicting what the statements are going to be when I dispatch of him so convincingly. It's going to be, 'he wasn't all that anyway' the way I'm going to handle him I don't want him to be discredited, I want to receive some props for it because I'm going to blast him out of there, that you can count on. Once he gets knocked out don't talk about he wasn't that good anyways Greg."
GL: That means you're going to make Kali Meehan look like Mario Cawley?
HR: "Something like that. He might not last that long."
GL: There's four heavyweight fights on that show...
HR: "I'm stealing the show, and I'm going to tell you who else is going to win. Larry Donald is going to beat Evander Holyfield. Chris Byrd is going to beat Big Fag and Golota's going to beat Ruiz."
GL: That means you'd become Golota's mandatory.
HR: "To me it's whoever. It doesn't matter who I fight it's not going to be fair. I feel stronger than ever and I'm conditioned already. I've never been conditioned heading into camp. I'm out here running 6 miles per day. Right now it's just about getting quality sparring for this fight. Once I do that eveything else will fall into place."
GL: Will Meehan's recent performance against Brewster help him or hurt him come November 13?
HR: "I think it's going to help him because now he knows what it is to fight on a big stage. He knows what it is to fight a world-champion and in all honesty he should know what it is to be world champion. But we wouldn't be fighting then because I don't want to fight for the WBO belt. He did excelllent, he gave a great account of himself and he's a real live threat to any heavyweight. I'm stepping it up and experts such as yourself have been asking for this. They've been asking, 'is Rock fronting beating up on these journeyman, can he do it on the world class level?' Well, all of those questions are about to be answered.
GL: Following the Ruiz fight, you went on the rebuild Rock tour. Since the Ruiz fight, how have you improved as a fighter both inside and outside the ring?
HR: "I just feel like I've taken everything more seriously as opposed to just working to get it done or rely on my talents. I've focused a lot more on conditioning. I know nine out of ten times I beat John Ruiz, he just got his one off first. But if we go ten more times, I'm beating him at least nine. I know I could be champion. I know I can be undisputed champion. When I look at the guys that people say are the best I sort of chuckle. When I see the guys that are supposed to be better than me, even on the Boxingtalk ratings, when I see the guys you've got ranked ahead of me I kind of chuckle. But I know it's time for me to turn it around."
GL: Who's in front of you that shouldn't be?
HR: "A whole lot of people, but I don't want to get into that G. I'm a beast and I'm the best and I'm going to have some crow for Boxingtalk too. Once I begin my seek and destroy mission don't go discrediting my opposition after I lay them out. When I come and smash these guys, I don't want them to be discredited. I'm taking everything 100% serious."
GL: Danny Williams knocked Meehan out in 32 seconds. Does that lead you to believe you might be able to get him out of there quickly?
HR: "Not at all. Sam knocked Danny Williams silly, beat him all over the place. Tyson didn't do that. If I use that logic I could be in trouble and I think Lamon hits harder than Danny Williams. Maybe the boy got better. Jameel McCline has been knocked out in one round by Bell, so people can come back better."
GL: What did you think about James Toney's performance?
HR: "It was kind of embarrassing I thought. The guy was right there to be put to sleep and James went through the mission. His performance solidified to everyone that he's not a heavyweight. There's no way that Booker would have went three rounds with me. And not only me, with most of the top heavyweights he doesn't last three, but he went twelve with James. James ain't creeping on nobody anymore. He snuck up on Evander."
GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?
HR: "Your boy is back and I'm better than ever. After you see what I do to this boy on November 13, you're going to know excitement has returned to the heavyweight division."
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