GL: It's been a while since we had you on Boxingtalk, what's the latest and  greatest and what do you plan on accomplishing in 2008? "Hopefully we're going to start off the year with a good fight, get some exposure doing it and get in the mix right away."

GL: Is there anyone you're looking to face in the near future? When might you fight next?

Omar Sheika: "We're trying to make a fight with Jaidon Codrington. We tried to make the fight last time but things didn't workout how they were supposed to. With the Contender thing and ESPN, it makes a lot more sense now for the fight to happen. I'm much more motivated to make the fight happen now. I think I would beat him and I think it would be a spectacular fight."

GL: What do you know about Codrington as a fighter? Do you think he's improved following the Contender?

OS: "I believe he's improved tremendously. The fight with Bika, I think it was a very good fight while it lasted. I think he was doing well and he was beating him until he got caught. With my style and his style it makes for a fight of the year. The fight with Bika was an excellent fight and it was very exciting I think he could have pulled it off but he did a couple of things wrong and in the end he got caught."

GL: After all of the ups and downs you've been through is 2008 your do or die year? In other words, if no serious progress is made this year the party's over.

OS: "Every fight counts Greg, I've just had a bad couple of years with injuries and that's what was making me not perform at my best. I'm healthy now and I'm comfortable now and I'm focused on boxing right now. Codrington is a tremendous warrior, me and him would make the fight of the year just like I did with Pemberto and everybody else. I saw him fight and I was like damn, he's like me. We'll make an unbelievable fight for the fans, there will be fireworks that end in explosion. I hate guys that run and so does he, that's why we'll make for an excellent fight."

GL:  What's the earliest we could expect you back?

OS: "I'll be ready to fight him next month. If he wants to make it happen so am I. I'm ready to beat the shit out of any one of these guys. I'm here and I'm healthy and that's what counts. I think the fans are tired of watching crap and if Codrington is ready to give them what they want, so am I."

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

OS: "I'm still young and I'm feeling like I've lost nothing. I'm healthy and I've got something else to show the fans starting with Codrington. After they see what I do to Codrington they're going to be afraid to fight me."

M

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