Joey Spina Interview: "I am knocking Taylor out, he is going to sleep!"

Joey Spina Interview: "I am knocking Taylor out, he is going to sleep!"

Interview By Benny Henderson Jr., DoghouseBoxing (May 20, 2009) Photo © Emily Harney

Friday night from the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, RI, 175-pound contender Joey Spina 24-1-1 (17) looks to continue his journey to a world title as he returns to the ring to take on battle tested veteran Tiwon Taylor 26-14-1 (19) in an eight round main event in a card labeled as “Rage at the River”.

Spina, aka the “KO Kidd”, has earned the nickname well by stopping seventeen of his twenty-six opponents, five in the opening round. A fan favorite with his in your face brawling action Spina has defeated the likes of Carl Daniels (UD), Jay Pina (TKO 4) and former “The Contender” contestant Jesse Brinkley (TKO 11). The only blemish on Spina’s record came from cross town rival Peter Manfredo Jr. in 2006.

Since his loss Spina has earned five consecutive wins, three via knock out, and this Friday the thirty-one year old look to make it an even six, and from there, hopefully a world title shot.

In this exclusive interview conducted by Doghouse Boxing, Spina speaks out about his upcoming bout as well as his future, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: First off Joey I would like to say thanks for stepping back into the Doghouse, it has been a good while since we have had you here. You will be stepping back in the ring this Friday night against Tiwon Taylor, give the readers your thoughts on this upcoming match-up.

Joey Spina: It feels good I am ready to go.

BH: Do you know anything about this cat you will be fighting?

JS: I know he is a tough journeyman, he has had a lot of fights and he is a tough guy. He should go once I hit him though.

BH: What changes have been made in Joey Spina as well as around Joey Spina to secure a more prosperous career?

JS: Nothing much different, I learned a lot from the loss to Manfredo, I worked on my defense more, my power is still there, but I still fight the same way, come forward and bang away.

BH: I remember before the Manfredo fight you and I would sit and chat a lot off the record, about boxing and non boxing topics and so on. And although I know I am supposed to be unbiased with fighters I was honestly rooting for you going into the Manfredo fight, and I was pretty upset when it all went down. I know that is about the time you and I lost contact, you seemed to of just closed up into a shell. How devastating was that loss to your pride as well as mental state?

JS: The loss sent me far back, I had not lost before and I broke my hand, I could not finish the fight. After that in my mind I did not want to fight anymore because of that loss, and I am over that now. I realize that the better people keep on coming and get better with there losses.

BH: You have gotten back into the grove of things winning five fights in a row, and if all goes as well would like it to this Friday night will make it six consecutive wins. You are now ranked in the top fifteen in the 175-pound division of all four sanctioning bodies. When can we see a step up from Spina against somebody in the top fifteen or top ten?

JS: We have some thing lined up, I cannot say what just yet but we there are some things lined up.

BH: What are your thoughts on potential match-ups against the likes of Chad Dawson, Shawn George or Roy Jones Jr.?

JS: I will take on Shawn George, but who I really want is Roy Jones Jr. I would like to fight Roy Jones, Chad Dawson is the real deal he is the best of the best. I would take Roy Jones, I would take any of those guys.

BH: Any message you would like to send out to the fight world concerning Joey Spina?

JS: A lot of people talk and say that I do not deserve a world title, I am rated in the top fifteen of the world in every division. If there are any top contenders who want to make the money right, the fight will happen. Make the money right and I will make the fight happen. My goal is to fight for the world title.

BH: Any message you would like to send out to Tiwon Taylor before the fight?

JS: He is getting knocked out, he is getting knocked out, I am knocking him out. He is going to go to sleep.

BH: Anything in closing?

JS: I know that Taylor us a tough guy and I am a tough guy too, he has to come to my hometown and he has to fight me, in his last two fights he has been knocked out and he is stepping up right now, he is going to get knocked out again.

Writer’s Note: I would like to thank Bob Trieger for setting up this interview and a thanks goes out to Joey for his time and thoughts.

You can listen to Bob Carroll, Butch and “THE Big Dog” Benny Henderson Jr. every Wednesday night from 6-7pm EST on Fightin’ Words Radio Show. To listen live via the internet, go to www.1490wwpr.com and look for the ‘listen here’ tab. Don't forget to check out the Fightin' Words Radio Show website, www.fightinwordsonline.com

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