GL: It's been a while since we've had you on Boxingtalk. You return to the ring on June 20. What can expect to see from you? "The same old me. My last fight was a good one, but my opponent wasn't on my level. I got myself some rounds that I needed. I don't know much about this guy David Banks, but I'm going to go out there do what I do, get that victory and go out there and try to get that number one ranking."

GL: You've been staying pretty busy. That must be something that you're pleased with no?

PM: "This is my third fight in three months, I fought with Calzaghe, I fought with Mueller, and this is my third fight with Banks. Basically I just wanted to stay busy. The Calzaghe fight was stopped quick, so I just want to come back and prove that I belong in the top ten. Whatever I have to do to get there I'll do, I'm a throwback to the old school. If I have to fight every month, I'll fight every month, if I have to fight every week, I'll fight every week. The paychecks ain't as good anymore, but sometimes it ain't about the money, it's about the pride."

GL: Is the Contender working cooperatively with you on these moves?

PM: "They're helping me out and they're letting me work with Jimmy Burchfield right now to stay busy. They said they would let me stay busy and they've been men of their word. When I say they, that's Jeff Wald, Brian Edwards and Mark Burnett. They've stayed true to me and true to the game, they've me stay busy and do what I do."

GL: In the fight with Calzaghe, I'm sure you feel it was stopped before you had a chance to get going. With that being said can we expect you to go all out from the opening bell the next time you're in a big fight?

PM: "I think so. I think that's the mistake I made. I tried to box with him and let him tire himself out a little bit like he did in his last fight with Bika. But I guess I just had the wrong game plan going in. It was tough for me. I lost my trainer during camp and it was the biggest fight of my life and a lot of things came down on me all at once. But getting back to your question, I'd rather go in there and get knocked out and put on a stretcher before letting the referee stop a fight. I've never been knocked down in a professional fight and I've never been hurt in a professional fight. For a fight to get stopped like that it baffeld me. But you know how this game is, they had a multi-million dollar fight lined up for Calzaghe and they're not about to let a kid from the Contender from Providence, Rhode Island come in there and spoil that for them. They were going to do everything in their power to stop it and that's what they did."

GL: Who is this kid from Providence, Rhode Island gunning for? I like names.

PM: "I know you like names, I just don't really have them. I'd love to fight Jeff Lacy. I'd love to fight the winner of Jaidon Codrington and Sheika. Any of the top five 168 pounders. Anybody. I'm really not gunning for a specific person, I'm gunning for the number one spot. I don't want anybody to say I got a shot because of what show I'm from. I want people to know I've earned it and when you're ranked number one in the world what can they say?"

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

PM: "I've got great fans and I want to thank them for staying supportive to me. You're going to see a great fight on June 20, I won't let you down."

M

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