PC: How is everything going Edner?
EC: Everything is going pretty good so far. I’ve been working hard in training. I’m hanging in there.
PC: You had 4 fights in 2006. Can we expect that same kind of activity in 2007?
EC: I hope so. I hope to fight the same amount of times or less. It all depends on how next year goes. I hope everything works out good.
PC: There have been recent problems with guys making the lightweight limit. Are you comfortable at this weight?
EC: Yes sir. I’m real comfortable at this weight. I’ve been fighting at this weight for years now. I haven’t had a problem at all making weight. I feel good.
PC: What’s your take on these guys losing their titles on the scales?
EC: I guess these guys just don’t really need it. They can’t want it. There’s other guys out there who’s hungry for it. They keep these people in the rankings that are not making weight and they don’t really want it. Maybe they think they’re big shots and they train when they want to. There are guys out there busting their butt just to try and get in the rankings.
PC: Manny Pacquiao just had a big knockout victory over Erik Morales. Where do you rank Manny on your pound-4-pound list?
EC: Man, I rank him the best. He’s a good fighter. He just stays so busy in that ring. When you go to one of his fights, you could expect a good show.
PC: You’ve established yourself as one of the more exciting boxers out there. What keeps you so hungry?
EC: God. Starfight Productions for putting me in the right position. My family is what keeps me going. My son, daughter and wife give me something to look forward to. I can’t let my family down. If I don’t have anything; they don’t have anything. The fans motivate me as well. That’s why I thank Starfight Productions because without them….
PC: Your last 2 fights ended in 11th and 12th round TKO’s. How do you stay strong throughout the fight?
EC: Just work hard. Sometimes I think people expect me to go in there and try to knock them out, but I want to go in there and pick them apart. I just picked Meza Clay and Daniel Alicea apart. I wasn’t looking for the early knockout, I just boxed. I know I can brawl, but I want to show people I could box as well. I want to pick my shots. That way, in the later rounds when they’re tired, I do my thing. Early on, both guys are fresh, but as the fight go on, I like to take them to the deep waters. That’s what makes fighting so exciting; working hard. Right now I drive an hour and thirty minutes to train. I come home from work and take a shower and get dressed and then it’s off to the gym. I don’t get home till 12 or 1 o’clock at night. I miss my family, but that’s the sacrifice you make. I’m being patient and the payoff will come.
PC: Joel Casamayor just became the recognized lightweight champion. What do you think of him as a fighter and how far away do you think you are from a fight like that?
EC: We are not too far away. Right now I rank number 6 in the WBC. I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. I don’t want to dodge nobody. I’ll continue to put my work in at the gym and as hard as I work, there’s no way I could be scared of a Casamayor. I and Joel came up the same way. He wasn’t born with a title in his hands. He made sacrifices and put his time in the gym and the time was right for him. There are fights that I take that I shouldn’t take just to stay in the ring and bump people off.
PC: Congratulations for winning ESPN 2 Friday Night Fights fighter of the year. Do you make a conscious effort to please the fans or is that just Edner Cherry?
EC: Thank you. When I get in the ring I just want to give people their moneys worth. At the same time, I’m focused on getting the W. If you get too focused on the crowd, you could get careless and lose sight of the game plan. I think it’s just Edner Cherry though. I love to take care of my business and at the same time the crowd will be pleased. I will do whatever it takes to win the fight. People thought Floyd Mayweather’s fight with Baldomir was boring, but he did what he had to do to win. Floyd Mayweather is a smart fighter and I want to be a smart fighter like that too.
PC: In your last fight, you suffered a hand injury. How is that doing now?
EC: It recovered pretty well. I had to pull out of practice today though because I pulled a muscle in my back. I deliver furniture and I picked up a table and pulled a muscle in my back. I hope it gets well quick so I can get back to training.
PC: Thanks for your time Edner. Is there anything you would like to say in closing?
EC: Yeah. I would like to thank my fans, my wife, mother-n-law and the whole Tampa area. I have to thank everybody at Starfight Productions and I want the world to know who Edner Cherry is.
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