Angel Manfredy Interview: “I’m coming back, and I want Floyd Mayweather Jr. Again!” By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr, Doghouse Boxing (June 6, 2012) Doghouse Boxing - Tweet
At one time boxer Angel Manfredy who compiled a career record of 43-8-1
(32), was the fighter to watch. Win, lose, or draw, he was an exciting
puncher, with an aggressive style that made him a fan favorite. Foes who
fell to Manfredy were the likes of, the late great human highlight reel
Arturo Gatti, Ivan Robinson, and, Jorge Paez. The majority of his
losses were to top notch fighters, such as, Stevie Johnston, the late
tough as nails Diego Corrales, and the still undefeated former pound for
pound king, Floyd Mayweather Jr. After a good solid career Manfredy
hung up the gloves and has been away from the bang for your buck sport
for eight years. So when I contacted Manfredy to do this interview with
Doghouse Boxing, I figured it would be the both of us reminiscing on his
stellar career, instead, the thirty-seven year old informed me of his
comeback. So in this exclusive interview, the fighter formerly known as
El Diablo, talks about his comeback, Mayweather and more, enjoy.
Benny
Henderson Jr.: Thanks for taking out the time to chat with Doghouse
Boxing, basically what has been going down in the world of Angel
Manfredy?
Angel Manfredy: I have been taking of my
family, I am a father, I am a grandfather at a young age. I enjoy myself
living a humble life and I am very anxious to get another shot at
Mayweather, that is what is going through my heart right now. I took
years off, and I know now how to beat Mayweather, and I am hoping and
praying that he will give me the opportunity.
BH: You are speaking on making a comeback, if sop, when can the fans expect you to make that comeback?
AM: I
have been running and all getting my cardio up, I am walking around
150-pounds, so I can fight at 147-pounds. I feel strong I feel fast, I
am motivated and my mind is right. My mind was not right for the first
fight, I had a lot of drugs, a lot of women, fame, fortune, a lot of
success, and I did not know how to handle it at that time. But I am
right now, and I want to move forward and pick up where I left off.
BH:
In order to fight Mayweather you are going to have to fight your way
back up the ladder, so when can we expect your return to knock off the
ring rust and start that climb?
AM: I do not know, I am
going to get a MRI, to make sure the brain is alright, I am waiting on
that, when that gets done I will be back in the ring.
BH:
I have to ask this, I thought you had a very good career to be proud
of, with all that you accomplished, and with the time off and at
thirty-seven years old, why return to the sport of boxing?
AM: I
love it, I gave it to God and He gave it right back to me. I want to
prove to the world that I am the best, by beating the best I will show
the world that I did not go anywhere. I had to get my mind right, I was
not a mature fighter at the time, I am now. I would love to get back in
the mix and show the world that I am the best.
BH: When
people read this interview, there are going to be a lot of people, fans,
media, critics etc. They are going to say that you should not come
back, and many may say that you have no chance and to just stay retired.
What would you say to the ones who may respond negatively?
AM: They can say what they want to say, you will always have critics in the
boxing world, they did not know what I was going through at that time
during my career. I was not mentally prepared for the fight, when I
fought Diaz and Gatti, I showed that I was mentally prepared. When I
fought Johnston I was not right, I was doing cocaine before the fight, I
was a narrow minded man at that time. I have nothing to prove to
nobody, if anybody have anything to prove it is Mayweather, that was a
premature stoppage. They stopped it way to early, you only stop a fight
when a man cannot defend himself, I caught three or four punches on my
gloves. They stopped the fight when I was defending myself, you are not
supposed to stop the fight when a man is defending himself. But I am
back, I am stronger, I am faster, I am more motivated, and I am more
determined to get back what I have lost.
BH: At one time you had these addictions to cocaine, how long have you been clean?
AM: Seven years, well, more than that, about ten years.
BH:
We look at the 147-pound division and there is a lot of talent in that
weight class, so before you get to the likes of Mayweather, who do you
feel amongst the division that you can step in against and beat to
prepare yourself for the Mayweather fight?
AM: I am not
looking at nobody, I am looking at Mayweather, he is the only that
motivates me, just like Gatti motivated me, that is what brought me to
my best. If anybody needs anybody, Mayweather needs Manfredy, because
that was an unproven fight. The stopped the fight prematurely, and I
could not make the weight noway. After that fight I went back up to
135-pounds and beat Robinson and showed everybody that I was not a
130-pound fighter. They knew I could not make 130, when I fought John
Brown at 130 I got rocked, I was killing myself to make weight. but you
live and learn, I learned through my mistakes.
BH: Let’s just say the Mayweather fight will never materialize, would you still want to return to the fight game?
AM: I
do not know right now, the only one that would motivate me would be
Mayweather. All I can think about is Mayweather, I now know what it
takes to beat him. I have figured him out and I believe that I can beat
him now.
BH: Any message you want to send to the fight world, mainly Floyd Mayweather?
AM: Be
ready! You would fight a different man now, I took the fight with
Mayweather the first time for the money, he was a no name. he beat
Hernandez, I beat Gatti in his prime, I was the name, not Mayweather,
but they had it all rigged up for him to win. I made more money than
Mayweather in that fight, he would not fight me unless he made more
money so we cut the check in three checks. It made it look like I made
four hundred thousand for the fight, but I really made a million
dollars. It was all rigged up, all set up, it was all for the money and
it was my mistake taking the fight for the money. I could not make the
weight, I went to Florida to train, I killed myself to make the weight. I
was to weak in the fight, and it showed. But it was rigged up for
Mayweather to win that fight.
BH: Anything in closing?
AM: Thanks to all of my fans, I am back, and after I did my MRI I am back
in the ring, and I am going to get back what I lost, the fame, the
fortune, I am a brighter fighter. I want to go forward, and I want to
thank you for the interview and the world, I am back.
