Travis Walker Interview: “Quezada has never fought anybody of my caliber!”

Travis Walker Interview: “Quezada has never fought anybody of my caliber!”

Interview by Benny Henderson Jr., Doghouse Boxing (July 7, 2009)

Heavyweight contender Travis Walker 31-2-1 (25) who has earned himself three consecutive knockout wins since losing a heartbreaker to undefeated Chris Arreola in November of 2008, a fight where Walker had Arreola down, is aiming to keep his win streak alive. But before he can take another step in the right direction Walker has to get past Manuel Quezada 27-4 (17), who he will be taking on the sixteenth of this month at the Tachi Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, CA.

Walker was running at high speed with a twenty-five fight win streak, and ten first round knock outs when he hit a speed bump by the name of TJ Wilson who defeated Travis in twenty-eight seconds of the first round, in what could be argued as a premature stoppage.

Avenging his loss to Wilson via second round TKO, Walker was matched up against another heavyweight hopeful in Chris Arreola. All though Walker had Chris down in the second round, Walker would hit the canvas three times in route to a third round TKO loss.

Now three victories under hit=2 0belt, all courtesy of the KO, Walker looks to score another victory in taking on California’s very own Manuel Quezada. In this exclusive interview conducted by Doghouse Boxing, Walker talks about his upcoming bout as well as his giving his thoughts on the heavyweight division, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: Give the readers your thoughts on your upcoming bout against Manuel Quezada.

Travis Walker: I feel real confident about this fight; I had a great camp and have been working on a lot of things that has changed my style up a little bit. I have been using jab a lot, moving my head more ke eping my hands up higher. Just staying more relaxed, man I get a little anxious. I have been working on staying relaxed and being calmer and I think it will work out for me.

BH: What do you know about your opponent Manuel Quezada?

TW: I know that he has never fought anybody of my caliber, so, I think this is going to be a tough fight for him mentally, well; it is going to be a tough fight for him. I don’t see him doing anything, he has not been impressive to me, so I know he comes out hard like the first round or two and then he runs out of gas, but I am to in shape for anything like that. He is like 6’ and has short arms so I will keep my jab in his face and I don’t see him doing anything past that.

BH: You are fighting in California, his home state, at a place where he has fought at numerous times, so basically your are fighting on his home turf. Any fear of a home cooking decision if it goes to the score cards?

TW: One I don’t see it going to the decision, and two I have fought there a couple times as well so I am not worried about it. If it happens that way then it happens that way, but I doubt it. I doubt that I will even make the fight that close, so if it were to go to the decision I doing see me being robbed.

BH: What are your thoughts on the heavyweight division at this time?

TW: They say it is wide open and talk bad about it, I think a lot of it is that they won’t give fighters chances. There are a lot of guys that are real good it is just hard to get chances, they want everybody to fight big fights for little money and this is a business, this is not for fun. They make it hard on everybody else with trying to recycle these old heavyweights. They allow Klitschko to come back and fight Samuel Peter, Klitschko didn’t fight for a few years so how are you going to come back and fight for a world title? It is not right.

They make it so hard for us in staying at the bottom trying to make it to the top fighting each other, all these good young fighters not getting to fight these older guys and getting a title and making our name, these guys have had their time, stop trying to keep them in there, let one of us get a shot.

BH: Where does Travis Walker stand in this division?

TW: With the right chance and right fight, I work hard and train hard, I look good. I feel like I am the guy to watch, but it is hard to get the chance.

BH: If you could send out a message to your opponent before the fight what would it be?

TW: Be prepared.

BH: What message would you send out to the heavyweight division concerning Travis Walker?

TW: I’m coming.

BH: Anything in closing?

TW: Everybody who believe in me, keep believing, and the ones who don’t keep watching.

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