GL: The last time we spoke you made it clear that you want to fight the best out there but none of the best seem to want to fight you. Since then Vernon Forrest came on Boxingtalk saying that his people have been trying to make the fight with your promoter Don King for the past few weeks. "This is news to me. As far as I'm concerned, I'd be more than happy to fight him, but as far as I know no offers have been made. At least no offers have been made to me. It's one thing telling the press you want to fight me it's another thing to really have your people try to make the fight."

GL: Forrest tells me his manager Al Haymon has been trying to make the fight, but we'll get back to that. Can you tell me how you feel a fight between you and Forrest would play out?

Roman Karmazin: "I don't consider him the elite kind of fighter that I'm looking to face but none the less, I'll fight him anyway. To be honest with you I'm surprised he'd want to make the fight. We sparred together and I had fun with him in there so I'm a little surprised that they want to fight me."

"Right now we're just waiting to hear back from DiBella. We want to fight Jermain Taylor and he has no opponent. If Jermain Taylor wants to fight me all he has to do is white-out Sturm's name and put mine there and the deal would be done. It would be simple. If Jermain continues to run away, I'd be happy to send Forrest into retirement if nobody bigger wants to step up."

"Fact is all Taylor has to do is say yes and he'll have a fight."

GL: When will your people be in touch with Don King to discuss your next move as well as these offers Forrest claims his manager is making to your promoter?

RK: "We call our promoter practically every day and it's always the same question. Who and when? We're ready to go and I want to fight someone that's going to put me in a better position that I'm in right now. Taylor is supposed to be the best young champion in boxing, that's who I want to fight. I'd fight Forrest but I don't really want to fight somebody that's going to be using his injuries as an excuse after I make him look like Kassim Ouma.

GL: Vernon Forrest's message to Roman, was if you can't make Taylor as Roman's next fight, you might as well defend against Forrest on the televised co-feature to Jermain's next fight. The logic behind it is, if you feel you could be Forrest what better way to get to Jermain than beating Forrest? And by the way Al Haymon is involved in both of those situations.

RK: "Like I said, it's fine with me to fight Forrest, but I want to fight Taylor more. Why not though? I'm not against the fight, it would be a good defense of my title, but I have not received one offer with a dollar amount to fight Vernon Forrest or anybody else in my next fight. At this point, all that's taken place it talk. To be honest with you, I'm tired of the talk and all these rumors are getting to me. My patience is running out and I want to fight a top opponent in my next fight."

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

RK: I just want to wish everyone a happy new year and I want to let everyone know that I'm here holding my IBF junior middleweight championship ready to fight the best in the world. If it's Jermain at 160 that's my first option, but if I have to beat Vernon Forrest to get to Jermain I have no problem with that too."

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