Emmanuel Augustus interview

photo by Alyssa Maloof

Emmanuel Augustus is at it again, taking a tough fight on his opponents promoters card and this time, on two days notice. But that's just the way life has been for Augustus who has become a big fan favorite over the years dispite a record of 34-27-6. His style is unique to say the least, have you ever seen anyone else kick a guys ass while dancing in the ring? Hit up www.youtube.com and type in Emmanuel Augustus to see what I mean. Anyway, Emmanuel was cool enough to talk about his upcoming fight where he will be in the main event against Kid Diamoind on Thursday January 11th live on the Versus network. My man held nothing back! Check it out.

Philly Keith: I’m here with Emmanuel Augustus, a favorite of many boxing fans around the world. Emmanuel, you took the fight on short notice, let me get to the point, are you ready?

Emmanuel Augustus: My motto is I was born ready, it is my job as a professional fighter to always stay ready. I don’t have the benefits of a big this or big that so I have to stay ready

PK: So what is Kid Diamond in store for tomorrow night?

EA: He is in store for a tough fight and I’m coming to win. I understand that he is supposedly allowing me to have the advantage because he usually fights at a lesser weight and I fight at a higher weight but this is going to hurt me more than him. This is his walking around weight, this is not even my fight and I have to lose more weight to fight this guy at his weight.

PK: How much weight did you have to lose?

EA: The bottom line is that my body is used to coming in at 140, anything under than that is going to go against me, hurt me. With the way things are set up here in Philly with the weigh in and fight being on the same day, that’s less time I get to build up. With this being his walk weight, he can weigh in the morning and still be straight the rest of the day. My scenario is different but my mind is straight, my body is in shape, once I get through the weigh-in, it’s going to be a hell of a fight.

PK: Assuming you get the win, do you think it is enough to get a title shot or the big name fight you have been looking for on HBO?

EA: Right now I already got a title, the WBC America’s title but it’s not on the line tomorrow. That first defense comes in February.

PK: You just won that about a month ago right?

EA: Exactly and I am already getting back in the ring. This is what I gotta do, I gotta get mine and do for me.

PK: That’s been the story of your career, the ring warrior going into fighters hometown’s, going in on short notice etc.

EA: That’s right and I’m here to put on a good show and hopefully the people will continue to like it. Tomorrow will be a prime example because I’m walking away with the W, a well deserved W. Right now my mind is set on winning this fight then going on to the next fight then come up and get a world title and legitimately challenge Mayweather, Ricky Hatton, Demetrius Hopkins or whoever the name may be at that time. But for right now, I’m gonna beat Kid Diamond and then go on to defend my WBC Americas belt.

PK: Weren’t you in negotiations to fight Demetrius Hopkins not too long ago?

EA: I wouldn’t say negotiations, more like conversations because his big thing is like “oh I’m number 1” but yet he hasn’t proven it. The people he has fought to get to that position, not to disrespect them but you get to number 1 by beating the people up top and the people he’s been fighting weren’t even above him so how can you say you’re number 1? I can’t understand that logic, that mode of thinking. But again on the topic of me fighting Demetrius Hopkins, he doesn’t want to fight me, his uncle doesn’t want him to fight me because they both know he will lose. What the sad thing is that he is going to lose horribly, terribly and the whole Hopkins name is gonna go straight down the gutter. Bernard Hopkins brought the name up but Demetrius is gonna be the one who brings it down.

PK: Ok so say you fought Ricky Hatton, what would happen then?

EA: Oh that fight would be so easy, so easy to me. This is how I predict that fight, it would start off basically the way me and Micky Ward started off. To where in the first couple of rounds the audience will think damn Augustus, he ain’t got shit, but before you know it, boom it's a mah fuckin' war. Ricky Hatton has already been exposed. He has shown he is ready to get hit, get taken out. He calls himself the Hitman but he is the duck laying there waiting to get hit. Anybody who has ever touched him here in America has rocked him, He barely got out of the last fight he had. None of these people put the pressure on like I put the pressure on so Ricky Hatton ain’t gonna be able to rock with me. I look forward to fighting him.

PK: Would you go to Manchester to do it?

EA: Hell yeah I would! I’ll go anywhere, I don’t care!

PK: I guess that doesn’t matter to you, you’ve been all over the world fighting.

EA: Dude, look the bottom line is when we are in the ring, it’s just me and you. The fans can be all like rah rah, they just better not put their hands on me. Don’t let them fans build you up cause in the ring it’s just on me and you and I’m gonna bust that balloon. I been everywhere, fought just about everyone out there to be fought and Ricky Hatton to me is just one of them stones that I gotta crush and I don’t think it’s gonna be hard.

PK: You have any new dance steps ready for us in Philly tomorrow night?

EA: Oh yeah, and I call it the dance to the world title!

PK: Thank you for your time Emmanuel


If you have any questions, comments or suggestions you can email Philly Keith at keithfmt3@hotmail.com

Return to www.phillykeith.com for more great sports coverage