GL: What's the latest and greatest brother? Per your email I know you're interested in fighting Raul Marquez. Tell us about it. "I think the fight makes a loto of sense. We're both trying to go after Vargas and Mayorga, but it doesn't seem like we're getting much of a response from either guy so I figure it would make sense if both of us go in there to give the fans an explosive fight that HBO or Showtime might want to jump on board with."

GL: What's the timetable for your return? Will you be able to take a fight on short notice if something comes up or do you need a full camp to prepare?

Jose Antonio Rivera: "I'm in the gym but it's just maintain my shape. I don't want to take a fight on one month's notice, but I definitely feel I could fight as early as July. I want to stay busy and I want to fight at least two more times this year."

GL: DKP still promotes you correct?

JAR: "Yes."

GL: So basically you feel if you and Marquez can't get the kind of fights you're looking for, why not fight each other?

JAR: "That is correct and it seems like an explosive Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward fight. He's a solid fighter and he's got that warrior mentality and he comes to fight. I think our styles would mesh well and we'd the fans a hell of a fight."

GL: You had high hopes going into the Simms fight. Things didn't go your way, how have you been dealing with the loss?

JAR: "I've been fine. It's like a pitcher in baseball who has an off night, you just have to shake it off and be better for the next one. I will be ready for the next one and I won't come out flat like I did against Simms."

GL: DKP has quite a few junior middleweights under his belt, if you can't get Marquez have you instructed him that you're ready to fight any of his other junior middles?

JAR: "That's been done already, I'm just waiting to hear back from King. I'm even trying to get him to consider allowing me to get in a fight that a local promoter is trying to put on here just to get me back into the ring. I'm hoping King allows it to happen, he's one of the greatest promoters there is and I think this would be a good situation across the board. It would count as a fight on his contract and I would get to stay busy."

GL: Is welterweight completely out of the question?

JAR: "Absolutely. There's some great fights for me down there and if I can stay there I would, but it's just impossible for me to make 147."

M

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