Joshua Clottey “Cintron Is Running From Me!”

Posted on | April 8, 2008 | No Comments

By Matt Yanofsky

I had the opportunity to speak with IBF #1 ranked welterweight and perhaps the most avoided fighter in boxing Joshua “The Hitter” Clottey 34-2 (20 KO’s). Clottey is coming off an impressive 5th round TKO over tough veteran Jose Luis Cruz on April 3rd.

MY: Joshua what’s going on? You were very impressive in stopping Jose Luis Cruz but some feel the stoppage was premature. What is your comment on the stoppage and your performance?

JC: I did what I had to do but I am not a referee so it was his job to call the fight. At the time the referee (Ricky Gonzalez) stopped it; Cruz was receiving too many punches and so that’s why he ended it.

MY: Prior to facing Cruz, you outpointed the unbeaten Shamone Alvarez fairly easily to become the mandatory challenger to Kermit Cintron. Why is Antonio Margarito fighting Cintron this Saturday and not you?

JC: Cintron keeps running away from me. In 2004 when I was with Lou Dibella (Dibella Entertainment) we tried to make the fight with Cintron and he avoided me then too!

MY: I spoke with Bob Arum recently at a Press conference and he is telling me that you will most likely be fighting for a vacant belt in the near future. This is because if Miguel Cotto wins on April 12th, he will face the winner of the IBF title fight between Kermit Cintron-Antonio Margarito (with the winner having to vacate the IBF belt if they don’t face you). If this is the case, are you happy to fight for a vacant belt or are you upset because you will not get a shot at the winner of Cintron-Margarito?

JC: I am very upset at the situation but I hope I can still get the winner. If the title is vacated, I’ll just have to work with the situation.

MY: Since your tough loss to Antonio Margarito in December 2006, you have somewhat taken his place as the most avoided fighter on the planet. Are you proud to be known as that or are you frustrated top fighters won’t step in the ring with you?

JC: That is funny because before I fought Margarito, they kept the contract for awhile before signing it at the last minute. This is because even then they were worried about me! Many people saw our fight and I should have beaten him. I asked for a rematch but Margarito’s manager said no we are going another way so that’s how it is.

MY: Will you move up to 154 if the top welterweights continue to duck you or will you just keep winning at 147 until they are basically forced to fight you?

JC: I will definitely stay at 147 I am a welterweight.

MY: As previously mentioned, this Saturday is a big day for the welterweight division. Who are you picking in the Cintron-Margarito and Cotto-Gomez fight and why?

JC: I think Cotto and Margarito will win and I would love to fight either of them. Neither man will have an easy time though.

MY: Joshua thanks for your time. Do you have any thing to say in closing to your fans and the readers out there?

JC: I want to thank all my fans for their support and thank you for taking the time to speak with me.