A: Congratulations on Roy’s big victory Al. Did you sense that Roy’s swagger was back in this fight compared to when he fought John Ruiz?  "Yeah because he trained really hard for Ruiz. He trained extremely hard for Tarver but I think when he came back down in weight so fast it shocked his body."

JA: Was it personal for Roy to move back down to 175 to fight Tarver. Everyone thought that he should have stayed at heavyweight and fought some of the guys there, but was it personal for him to move back down and take care of some un-finished business?

Big Al: After the Ruiz fight he really wanted to fight Tyson, but the Tyson fell through. None of the smaller heavyweights were interested in fighting Roy. After discussing all his options he moved back down to 175.

JA: A lot of people jumped off the band wagon when Roy lost three out of his last four fights. Are you surprised by that or no?

Big Al: I wasn’t surprised when Roy lost everyone was telling me that Roy should retire, he is washed up. The wars that Gatti and Micky Ward had, or when Shane Mosley lost a couple of fights after he beat De La Hoya the first time, you didn’t see people telling them to hang it up because they lost a few fights. Roy hardly got hit his whole career and now your telling me he should retire after two losses, come on man. Ever since he came back and won the fight on Saturday night my phone has been ringing off the hook with the “Roy is back, he really looked good”.

JA: How do you handle the people that when things go good they are with you but when they turn sour turn there back on him. How do you and Roy handle that?

Big Al: Me and Roy have this thing where we don’t talk. We don’t get into people like that because me and Roy are on the inside, those people are on the outside. Me and Roy will be friends whether he wins, loses or retires, Roy will always be my best friend no matter what.

JA: A lot of people thought that Roy had a weak chin. Do you think that on Saturday night he proved the critics wrong?

Big Al: Roy doesn’t have a weak chin. Prince Badi hit Roy with a shot that would have knocked most of the light heavyweights out, and Roy took it and continued to fight on. Roy practically let John Ruiz hit him to tell him that I can take your best stuff. A lot of the haters out there of course are going to think that, but that’s them.

JA: In the movie Rocky III Micky told Rocky “The worst thing that could happen to a fighter is they get civilized”. Do you think Roy had a lot of other things going on and he couldn’t concentrate 100% on fighting?

Big Al: Honestly from top to bottom I think the problem with Roy was all the weight that he had to take off. This cat has been making weight for the past 10 years and he moves up to a weight that his body never been at and to come back down to 175 when you are a ripped 200 pounds, it threw his body in shock. I think that is the same thing that happened to Tarver when he moved up in weight to play in the Rocky movie. Antonio had to come back down to fight Bernard and look at all the problems that he had in the fight, of course Antonio is not going to say it but if you look at his face he wanted to say it.

JA: Another thing that I get from the fans and the people who I talk to in the boxing world Al is that Roy ducked a lot of people…

Big Al: [Cutting In] Roy fought all the mandatory. It’s not Roy’s fault that someone is the number one contender for the title. Roy didn’t duck or dodge nobody man, Roy isn’t scared of a fight. I heard that all the time. Two fighters turned down Prince Badi Ajamu and in my opinion I think that Prince Badi and Glen Johnson would be a war.

JA: Do you think that if Roy beat Glen Johnson, do you think that we would be hearing Glen Johnson as one of the best light heavyweights in the world?

Big Al: You probably wouldn’t hear about Glen Johnson if Roy beat him the first time. Prince Badi tried to use Roy as a stepping stone, but it back fired on him.

JA: How many more fights do you think Roy has left in him?

Big Al: As many as Roy wants to fights.

JA: Roy always said that you won’t see him fighting past 40. Do you still think that Roy will hang it up before 40?

Big Al:  I don’t think you will see Roy fighting past 40 years old.

JA: A lot of people didn’t realize that this was Roy’s 50th win.  Talking to Roy as regular as you do, what does that mean to him?

Big Al: It’s a win to Roy. I know that he is thrilled to get it but he doesn’t look at the win any different than he would any other win.

JA: Is there anything that you would like to say in closing?

Big Al: Oh yeah let me ask you this question, if we was in a 7-11 and you had a broken hand and I had two good hands, would you fight me?

JA: No I wouldn’t [Laughs]

Big Al: Well my man Roy went into the David Telesco fight with one hand and he still won the fight. He fought Bernard Hopkins with one hand and he won the fight. I was at his house two weeks before the fight and I was looking at his hand and believe me Jimmy it was swollen, I told Roy to call of the fight. Roy told me “Big, I’m cool” I wanted to let the people to know what type of competitor that Roy is.

M

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