"On July 21 the Executioner gets executed."

GL: I spoke with Bernard Hopkins the other day and he had a lot of interesting things to say. He said on July 21 Winky Wright can prepare to get hit more than he ever has before. How do you feel about that? "That sounds great, because that means he'll have to be throwing punches for that to happen. Like I said, I'm not a big shit talker. On the 21st, we're going to see what happens."

GL: Winky, you're not used to getting hit that much. With that being said do Bernard's remarks surprise you at all?

Winky Wright: "Yep, especially for a fighter that don't throw no whole lot of punches. We're two warriors who know how to win. I give him that, he knows how to win and so do I. The fans need to get ready for a throwback fight, we're throwing back to Hearns-Hagler. He's coming to fight and so am I. He's coming to be a dog and so am I."

GL: Bernard gave you a nickname, the turtle and on July 21st he's going turtle hunting.

WW: "People try to crack on my defense, but they can't break through it because it's so good and I'm in there throwing punches. In my last fight I threw almost 100 punches per round so people need to realize that. Bernard could describe me as whatever he wants to but when I'm sitting across the ring it's going to be showtime baby. No more talking on July 21, just the execution of The Executioner.

"The closer this fight gets the more heated things are going to get. Y'all can expect to see a Winky Wright that you haven't seen. People are going to be like damn, we knew he was good but we had no idea he was like that. All of the haters won't be able to nothing but give me my props. I'm the one beating all of the top pound for pound fighters, not Floyd, not De La Hoya, ME. I done whooped the people that whooped De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins will just be another one of them."

GL: You're talking like it's going to be easy work or something.

WW: "I'm going to make it do what it do baby."

GL: In your opinion does a victory over Bernard at 170 make you the best pound for pound fighter in the world?

WW: "It should because I'm the only one going up to fight the best. I'm not just fighting anybody I'm moving up in weight to fight the best."

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

WW: "This is going to be a fight for the ages and nobody is going to want to miss it."

,M

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