"If Taylor doesn't work out, it looks like I'm heading for a fight with Garcia…hopefully on April 1."

thehype: Boxingtalk would like to welcome Roman Karmazin to tonight's T.N.T. chat session

Titlebelt: Roman, When did your sparring session with Forrest take place, and had you both been in training the same amount of time?  So tell us Roman, what happened during those few rounds of sparring with Forrest?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: It was a while ago when I first came to the United States before I signed with Don King.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: The sparring was fun, but he was unprofessional. It was the first time I sparred with an American that had a pretty big name.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Instead of being professional, he was acting like a clown.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I heard he wasn't a fair fighter, but I was surprised at how unfair he was. And if he thinks I wouldn't fight him then he's very mistaken.

SugarDusMosley: Roman, you've made it clear that you want to take Sturms place and fight Jermain Taylor above all else. What makes you think that you deserve a shot at Taylor and why do you think you can defeat him?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: First of all, I just want to say that Felix Sturm also deserves a chance to fight Taylor. He beat De La Hoya and I never got that chance since De La Hoya backed out. I would provide a better fight than Sturm or anyone else. I would beat him. Sturm's style would make the fight with Taylor boring.

Byrdlover: hi Roman...what boxers past and current do you admire most?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I've been not only a fan, I have much respect past and present for Kostya Tszyu.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Not just because we're from the same country. He's a smart fighter and he has a very smart style.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: He just didn't go in the ring and fight. He had the unique quality to make his opponent make mistakes. And when his opponents made those mistakes, he took advantage of them.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: That’s what separates good champions from great champions that think and are technicians in the ring.

JERMAIN_TAYLOR_DYNASTY: in your opinion, what was your most impressive victory besides ouma? i dont think you have ever had a profesional fight that will prepare you for taylor. thanks.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Truthfully, and not because I had ever avoided other opponents, but a lot of other guys never matched up to what Ouma is. I would have to say Keith Holmes, who was a tougher fight than Kassim Ouma

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: He has a very tough style to deal with and he was also a former middleweight champion.

Trinidad: HI roman , what do you think about Sturm. and also pleas fight ouma again! What are your plans in 2006

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: As far as Sturm goes, he's a very disciplined fighter and he listens to his corner very well. He's very similar to Winky Wright.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: He's a disciplined technical fighter and it may not be the best fight to watch.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: And he might not be the prettiest in the world, but he's effective.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: With respect to Ouma...

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I truly believe we will have a rematch and the result will be just as one-sided. I will beat him ten times out of ten. His promoters just don't want to take the risk of putting Ouma back in with me. I would love to show everyone how much better than him I am.

mike: has your team considered going to germany to fight sergiy dzinziruk,the new WBO light middleweight champion, and how would you neutralize his high guard, strong jab and counters?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I know him and his style very well. I can't say he's a weak boxer. He's a quality fighter and the way I usually approach a fight, I prepare very diligently and then I deal with them in the ring

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I don't think I'll be unable to deal with any boxer or any style.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: It's hard to watch a fight on video and completely understand someone.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: The picture plays out differently when you're in the ring.

Celtic1888: Hi Roman, are you fighting alejadro garcia next and if you win that, will you be making any defences back here in Europe and how did you feel when your countryman, Nicolai Valuev became heavyweight champ? James from Dublin

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: If Taylor doesn't work out, it looks like I'm heading for a fight with Garcia…hopefully on April 1.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: It's the first time I'm actually saying that, but if that fight comes off, I'll take care of business like Vernon Forrest couldn't.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I would love to defend my title in Europe and there has been talk and it would be my dream to return to Europe…particularly St. Petersberg.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Valuev and I are friends and we're from the same city. I called him when he won the title and I'm very proud for him.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I didn't see the fight, but hopefully we'll see him in the United States soon

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Valuev also told the press I was his favorite fighter to watch so I really appreciated that as well.

boxfan: Hi Roman.I was ringside in Worcester for your fight with Keith Holmes on the Mormeck-Braithwaite card.And in that fight even though you won you did not look  like you would stand a chance against Ouma,yet you blew him out.What changed between those 2fights

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Nothing changed between those two fights. They're just two different fighters, with two different styles. With Holmes, I was forced to fight a certain way and with Ouma, I was able to fight a different way.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: That's it.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: One thing I could say is that it's always more difficult to fight with scared fighters and Holmes wasn't giving me anything to work with.

nardfan: Roman,thanks for takin time out to chat with us.You did a real number on my boy Kassim.Your inactivity scares me though.Do you have a fight lined up soon?Will you stick with Freddie Roach?Thanks,Good Luck!

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: As far as my inactivity, I hope to end that soon and I guarantee that I will be fighting by April the latest. Speaking of Freddie Roach, I do have a trainer. His name is Boris Zykanov and he's always at Roach's gym in Los Angeles

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I have a huge amount of respect for Freddie and I appreciate him being in the corner for Ouma. He helps me a lot and I hope to have him and the great advice he gives in the corner next time as well

God_1st: Privet Roman, Fernando Vargas is fighting Sugar Shane Mosley this Feb, who do you pick in this fight, and how likely that you would fight the winner?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: It's hard to say who's going to win that fight but I think that Mosley's speed could enable him to win the fight on points

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: What I'm working towards right now is towards a fight with one of the big names like Mosley, Vargas or De La Hoya.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: When I beat Garcia, one of those guys would be in the ranking and I would love to take them on.

gms3ll: Who is your pick for De La Hoya vs Mayorga, and why? Do you have any interest in fighting the winner?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: I think if De La Hoya prepares properly, he will win the fight. Don't get me started on whether or not I want a fight with De La Hoya.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: There's a lot of talk that if he beats Mayorga he'll have one more fight before he calls it a career and assuming I keep beating whoever they put in front of me, I'll have two belts soon and I don't see any reason he'd want to escape from me again.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: There would be two belts on the line. It would not only be logical, but then he'd be able to look in the mirror because he finally fought the one guy he ran from years ago.

Titlebelt: Roman, Do you believe Vernon Forrest is out of his league demanding a fight with you, and would fighting him be a step forward or backward in your opinion?

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: It really depends on the boxing public. I personally don't think too highly of Forrest, but it seems that some people consider him some kind of a star.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: If there's demand for it I want to take that fight. A lot of things that he's told you aren't true. Right now, whether it's 60/40 or 70/30, 60% of nothing is still zero.

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Until then, he could go on his “has-been” tour and fight Quartey

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Don't get me wrong…he's not a bad boxer, but he carries himself like he's the best and I certainly disagree with that.

thehype: Boxingtalk would like to thank Roman Karmazin for taking time out to chat with us tonight

ROMAN_KARMAZIN: Thanks for having me have a good weekend everyone!