Phillips: The people are going to see that I belong in there with the top names!

RC: What’s going on Verno? How is everything coming along in preparation for your fight Friday night against Eddie Sanchez?
VP: Everything is cool, I have been working hard and training hard for this fight, and when I get in the ring everybody is going to see that I am not going anywhere anytime soon.

RC: What can you tell us about your opponent Eddie Sanchez?
VP: Eddie Sanchez he is tall lean, about 6’2, he beat JC Candelo in a fight which I actually thought JC won the fight. Teddy(Reid) stopped him before in the 7th, and I beat both of those fighters. So I can’t see him beating me in this fight. Not that I am going to be taking him lightly because I have been training hard and I will come prepared for this fight, but I don’t see him beating me. I have been sparring with a lot of tall guys, so I will be ready on the 16th, it will just be like chopping a tree down.

RC: How do you prevent from over looking this guy seeing as how you stopped a guy (Teddy Reid) that stopped him? How are you keeping motivated going in?
VP: No matter what for any fighter I train hard. It doesn’t really matter who it is. Right now, I am in a zone that I am going to take out anyone that stands in front of me this year, and Eddie Sanchez is the first guy that I will have to prove it against, and I am not taking him lightly because he is a fighter just like I am a fighter.

RC: I recently spoke with undefeated Jr. Welterweight prospect Adrian Mora the other day, who isn’t too far from where you are from and he mentioned to me how difficult it is to find sparring out there. Have you had this trouble, and who have you been working with for this fight?
VP: I have been sparring with a few different guys, mainly a couple of guys that have been coming from the Army base, and I have a guy from my gym that’s about 6’1” that has gave me some good work. It is hard to find sparring but what I get is enough. Plus I worked with Adrian the other day; he gave me some really god work in the gym. So I’m good with what I got for this fight.

RC: Prior to this fight being official, you have spoken to me and told me that you turned it down because of your dissatisfaction with the money you would be making. You went back and forth with your promoter contemplating whether or not you were going to take the fight, did that affect your training in anyway?
VP: I kept on training throughout the whole time. I actually took one day off of training and then after that my promoter and I agreed that I would take this fight and make the same amount of money, and then get to fight again on the Freitas-Casamayor card. So I am going to fight on that card and he will make it up to me then. So it didn’t really affect my training for this fight. I’m going to be ready.

RC: It’s no secret, that Ishe Smith wanted to step up to the plate against you, but for whatever reason that wasn’t made. Give us your thoughts on his upcoming match up against Sechew Powell?
VP: I hope Sechew put his fist in his mouth, Because Smitty (His nick name for Ishe) talks a lot of **explicit**. Actually me and Sechew have talked before and he is a cool dude. But if the money is right I will fight either one of them after their fight.

RC: How do you feel about fighting during NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas, which will probably attract a totally different crowd and atmosphere?
VP: It is gong to bring the best out of me. If Eddie Sanchez comes to fight he is going to bring the best out of me. People are going to be saying “Damn when is he going to be done? When is he going to fall off?” People are going to see that I deserve to be in there with the top guys like Winky Wright, Corey Spinks, Shane Mosley and all of them. Even a rematch with Ike Quartey, a match up with Vernon Forrest.

RC:Anything else you would like to add?
VP: I am still in the game after 20 years; I still have about maybe four or five more years to go. Be sure to check me out February 16th on EPSN at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas

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