Always in top shape and never looking past his opponents, Jose Celaya is in for a tough fight this Friday when he takes on the undefeated James Webb on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.  BoxingTalk caught up with Celaya recently to get his thoughts on fighting in the main event of a televised card, what he is doing to prepare for his opponent, and what he has learned from his two defeats as a pro.

Dominic Fernandez: Tell me how training camp has been?

Jose Celaya:  It’s been real good. I’m just ready to go for this Friday!

DF: How does it feel that you’re fighting on ESPN?

JC:  Awesome bro, I’m really glad my whole family will get to see me fight and just the chance to fight on T.V. really has me pumped up! 

DF:  Knowing of Webb’s record and his percentage of Knockouts does this type of opponent have you training any differently than before?

JC:  I’m training for this fight like I do all my other fights.  I train hard and I’m always prepared and come Friday the 13th, it will be no different.

DF: Which opponent has been you’re most difficult to date?

JC:  Kenito Drake.  I didn’t get the decision but I know I won the fight.  As far as the fight itself he really put up a tough fight.

DF: What age did you start getting into boxing?

JC: 10 years old. 

DF: What fighters have influenced you in the sport?

JC:  Julio Cesar Chavez, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Oscar DelaHoya, and Shane Mosley.

DF: Of those fighters which one did you take to liking the most?

JC:  Julio Cesar Chavez.  Just what he represented and all the fighters he conquered. He stands for so Much.

DF:  Being of Mexican descent do you feel like you have something to uphold as a man and as a fighter?

JC:  Of course, I’ll always represent for my people.  They represent for me and I’ll always do the same.  I’m honored and I’ll always uphold the great standard of my Mexican Heritage.

DF:  Besides Winky Wright, what other fighter stands out in your mind as a great fighter in the 154-weight class?

JC:  Kassim Ouma.  Just his style and determination make him tuff.  He throws such a high volume of punches in every round and wears his opponent down which makes him hard to beat. 

DF:  Do you see yourself fighting him in the near future?

JC:  Yes I do.

DF:  How long do you see yourself in the fight game for?

JC:  5 more years.  My plan is to win a couple of World Championships and fight the best in my weight class.

DF:  What do you think will help make boxing get back to the peak that it once was from the ‘40’s through the ‘80’s when boxing was competing with baseball for ratings?

JC:  People need to stop robbing one another.  We get these thugs and thieves into our sport and they just ruin it.  Boxing is the only sport that everybody is envious of everybody.  You don’t see that in any other sport.  In basketball you see people actually trying to help somebody come up without seeking any monetary gain.  It’s a shame.

DF:  I agree.  In fact just this past weekend we witnessed the greatest fight of our time in Castillo and Corrales and it did not make any major headlines with any of the major sport networks.

JC:  Exactly.  There’s boxers that could have as much publicly as Michael Jordan did.  Somebody like Roy Jones in his prime had as much if not more ability than Jordan did but he never received that recognition. 

DF:  Jose put on a great fight this weekend so we can continue with this great trend that Castillo and Corrales left off with and good luck.

JC:  You bet and Thanks!