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With his rematch against former world champion Sharmba Mitchell now only a month away, consensus junior welterweight kingpin Kostya Tszyu took some time out of his busy training schedule to speak to Doghouse Boxing about potential matchups in and around the talent rich 140lb division.
Providing he is successful against Mitchell on November 6, Tszyu is planning a busier 2005 and hasn't ruled out a move up to welterweight.
"Look, you never know," said Tszyu. "Never know, but everything is possible."
Here is what the 35-year-old boxer-puncher had to say about prospective opponents and his future.
Miguel Cotto: "One of the hottest young prospects right now. He just won WBO title against Pinto, I think. He is somebody that I would think about fighting, but as far as I see happening they not really want me to fight because they know that I'm an old wolf, lots of experience and lots of fuel in the tank. And they do not really want me to fight him yet because they know that I can destroy this fella."
Arturo Gatti: "He's always been good. It would be good to fight him."
Ricky Hatton: "Ricky Hatton is somebody who proved that he is good, but in another way who has he fought? He never fought anybody really."
Floyd Mayweather: "Floyd is a great boxer and he did prove this many times. Even his step up in the next division he fought against good champion Demarcus Corley and he beat him. A fight against him would be excellent and a good historical fight for me because in 1995 in my first defense of the title I fought against his uncle. Depending on prices whether it can happen or not, it's Showtime and HBO business."
Vivian Harris: "Vivian Harris is a good boxer, young boxer and he has a lot of ambition. And sometimes he doesn't know himself what he is doing, what he wants exactly from the sport. He's got lots of demands and at the same time… he needs to ask himself, he is a good boxer, and why no-one want to see him fight. Some reason there."
Diego Corrales: "He fought against Freitas. He fought a tremendous fight. Great boxer, great opponent. It would be an interesting fight to fight."
Antonio Margarito: "I think Margarito moved up to the next division. He just fought recently against Santos at 154 pounds."
Cory Spinks: "This is a fight that people would love to see as well. I would love to see this fight happening. If it going to happen it is going to be tremendous for me to go up from 140 to 147 and fight there, no problem."
While his allegiance to television network Showtime may provide a stumbling block in negotiations as a number of the boxers listed above are aligned with rival network HBO, Tszyu is confident that the fights can be made if the money is there.
"I am willing to fight any big names that are in or around my division," concluded Tszyu. "I am willing to fight anybody. Bring them on and we'll fight."
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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Interview by Anthony Cocks, Site Editor (October 9, 2004) 
