Sechew Powell: “I am definitely looking to hurt him!”
 Interview by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (May 4, 2005)  
Photo © HoganPhotos.com
Brooklyn’s very own undefeated middleweight sensation Sechew Powell, 15-0 (9), looks to keep his record untarnished when he bucks heads with yet another unbeaten pugilist Cornelius Bundrage, 21-0 (13), on Showtime’s very own hit, ShoBox: The New Generation this Saturday May 6th 11 PM ET/PT at the Foxwood Resort in Mashantucket, CT. Even with Bundrage stopping his last five opponents via knockout, Powell plans to administer the pain and punish the Detroit brawler with his lightening speed and crafty style.

The four-time amateur champion stepped in the professional ranks in late summer of ’02 stopping his opponent in two rounds. In his third pro fight Sechew faced another 3-0 fighter Jonathon Taylor, going the distance to bang out a majority decision win he looked ahead and compiled a 9-0 record stopping six via knock out in his first year as a pro. The beginning of his sophomore season started with a bang when he laid out three straight opponents two in the first round. In his ShoBox: The New Generation debut he faced adversity when he was floored in the fifth by Grady Brewer, but proving to be a whole hearted competitor Sechew came off the canvas and battled out a split decision victory. To open up 2005 Powell outclassed and outworked Patrick Thompson in eight rounds to earn the UD, gaining his fifteenth straight victory in his second appearance on ShoBox.

The crafty southpaw is mild and meek outside of the ring but transforms into a fast paced tactician picking his opposition apart with his unrelenting speed and skill inside his squared office. His hard work, determination and ability to work his opponents with solid boxing skill has provided Sechew with raving critics that firmly believe Sechew will not only climb to the top but will reign one day. The unbeaten sensation took time out of his training to talk about his upcoming match-up and what the future may hold, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: Hey Sechew, I just want to say thanks for taking the time out for the readers of Doghouse, it is greatly appreciated.

Sechew Powell: Oh absolutely no problem, I appreciate you giving me coverage on your site and I am just happy that you guys even find me worthy of interviews.

BH: Give us your thoughts on your upcoming bout against Cornelius Bundrage May 6th.

SP: I feeling good, I feel like this fight is going to push me into a different atmosphere in boxing in my weight division as far as my ranking. I feel that after this fight I will no longer be considered a prospect but more of a contender in the top ten of the division.

BH: Bundrage has knocked out his last five opponents and has stopped thirteen altogether. He seems to be a fast starter who gets in on his opponents right off the bat, so with his fast paced style is there anything in particular that you are working on to kind of slow him down a bit in the beginning?

SP: I’m going to go in there and use my ability to box and use the ring and use my jab. I am assuming that he will start fast but I’m going to be very defensive as far as countering, I’m going to let him shoot them big bombs and I am going to make him pay for every time that he misses. I’m not the easiest target to hit, so every time he misses it’s really going to hurt him.

BH: It has almost been three years since you made your pro debut, what has been the biggest lesson you have learned these past few years, and how much do you feel you have grown as a fighter?

SP: The biggest lesson I can say that I have learned is that it only gets harder, the closer to the top the harder it gets. I learned that you have to train really, really hard and you have to really want it, that’s probably the biggest lesson I have learned. I think I have grown tremendously as a professional fighter, boxing is boxing and I have done it for a long time but as a professional I definitely molded my style and I am more of a classic professional fighter. I feel that I am well rounded, that is the word I am looking for; I am well rounded as a professional.

BH: On paper this bout would appear to be your toughest test to date, so going into a big fight as this one will be, how do you prepare mentally?

SP: I just get focused, I am very aware that this fight is going to be a huge fight for me. I am very aware that this will be the toughest fight that I have been in so far. I have been training my mind physically and mentally for the past two months for this fight. It is just natural for me to be prepared, I know what’s in front of me and I am ready for it.

BH: Looking at Cornelius, what do you see as his weaknesses that you may able to capitalize on and what strengths do you see giving you the most trouble?

SP: I think his weaknesses that I saw in him is that he has never been in there with a fighter like Sechew Powell. He brags and boasts about how hard he punches and he is a big puncher but he has never been in there with a big fighter like me of my caliber. It is going to be a different story when I am in there against him; he is weak to the fact that he hasn’t had the rough and tough competition that I have had. So I am going to use that as an advantage on my part.

BH: Looking at yourself now, what do you think is your best asset in the ring, and if you could tell us what you feel you could work on to be a better-rounded fighter?

SP: Well, I think my best asset is my ability to box, to think and to use the ring and use the rounds, just basically out smart my opponent. As far as better some things I would say that I would like to put out a better punch output which would probably increase my chances for a knockout or a stoppage. I would just rather be a little bit more offensive. Boxing is the name of the game and at the end of the day I don’t want to walk away battered and bruised. I know that is what the crowd wants to see, they want to see a rock ’em sock ’em kind of fight but they might not get that out of me, they best thing they can do is get these tough opponents and watch me hammer on those guys.

BH: What is the toughest aspect of being a professional boxer?

SP: As you know it is a rough sport, it is one of the worst professional sports to commit yourself to as far as you saying that you want to make an occupation out of being a professional boxer. It is not the most promising future as a fighter and that would be the roughest part. One loss can truly disconnect you of ever making any substantial amount of cash for yourself it is really hard to make a living at this, that is the point I am trying to make. That’s probably the toughest part, but if you love to box and you are a good boxer the rest comes natural to you. I’ve always wanted to be a professional fighter and I was going to make my living as a pro fighter and I am doing that, but I have seen so many talented great fighters make nothing in boxing so I think that is the toughest part.

BH: Just my opinion but I think boxing is a calling.

SP: You are absolutely right, it has to be something that comes natural to you, and most fighters I think are born to fight.

BH: Any predictions?

SP: Well, I predict a win. Whichever way it comes is fine with me. Honestly I would love to be able to put this guy away, I would like to wrap him and fold him up and put him away. I am definitely looking to hurt him the entire night, for the most part I am going to be boxing smart and win every minute of the round of the fight.

BH: Is there anything you would like to add to this or say in closing?

SP: First I just want to thank you for conducting this interview with me and giving me this opportunity to express myself; second, I just want to tell all the fans to tune in it’s going to be a good old fashioned gunfight, a lot of fireworks. You are going to get to see the ‘Iron Horse’ in rare form and the best shape in his career so far and you wouldn’t want to miss it.

I want to thank Chris O’Connell for his help on this interview, as always it is greatly appreciated. I want to give a big shout out to Sechew Powell for giving his time and thoughts to the Doghouse readers.

Sechew is trained by Francisco Guzman and is managed and promoted by DiBella Entertainment.
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