 |
|
Photo © Michael Blair
|
Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Chad Van Sickle says that he is ready to step up. After defeating Luke Munsen last July 30th, the 26 year-old says he would like to step in the ring with Kelvin Davis who he feels is overrated, and possibly get a shot against Wayne Braithwaite sometime next year. After traveling to the hometowns of his opponents on a few occasions and coming out victorious against the fighter and the aggressive hometown crowd, he feels that he fights better under pressure and can handle what any fighter brings to the table. He will fight on the shortest of notice and travel anywhere to prove that he is up to any challenge. Since taking up the sport at the age of fifteen he has had the dream of being world champion one day. And with a record of 18-0 (10) he is well on his way at making his dream come true. The undefeated cruiserweight stopped by the Doghouse to talk about stepping up, looking back and going forward in his career.
Benny Henderson Jr.: How does it feel to be the new WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight champion?
Chad Van Sickle: It feels great even though I didn’t like the last few rounds of the fight. I love to give the fans all I have, so I wish I could have fought better in the last few rounds. To be the champ will lead to bigger and better things for me in the future.
BH: What are your thoughts on the fight with Luke Munsen?
CVS: I wish that I had been a little more aggressive in the fight. They told me how hard the guy hits and how powerful he was and it seemed like I kept waiting for the power to come, now it came in the ninth round but it was just a great shot. I feel that he is a great guy with good sportsmanship and he was the first big, big record guy that I beat.
BH: Do you feel that you are ready to step up to the bigger names?
CVS: Yes, I want to take two more fights and then we are stepping back up big again.
BH: You have traveled to your opponent’s hometown a few times and had every body against you and still come out victorious. How did it feel to be under that kind of pressure and still come out the winner?
CVS: I am a guy that fights well under pressure and I like being the underdog a lot of times because it makes you fight that much harder. Even if you heard the audience in this fight he brought three hundred people with him and he is from Washington. I’m not from here I’m the adopted guy here. But it is really kind of neat to go into there and beat the hometown guy.
BH: What inspired you to box?
CVS: I used to get picked on a lot when I was a kid, and my dad used to box. I wandered in the gym one day and videoed taped it and my dad found it and I begged him to let me box every since.
BH: What can the boxing world expect from you within the next two years?
CVS: We will fight for a few world titles in the next few years and I promise that.
BH: You fight at the 'Battle at the Boats', explain what that is?
CVS: It is still called 'Battle at the Boats', but it isn’t that anymore. What it is, is a casino that started out as a boat in the water and they built around it. So the fights would be on the boat, but now they moved the casino to another location. It is a great series, it has brought Kenny Ellis all the way along, Joe Hipp has fought on it; Chris Byrd fought David Tua on it. There have been a lot of big fighters that fought on 'Battle of the Boat'.
BH: Why do you manage yourself?
CVS: Well, I am looking for a manager right now. I am with a good promoter right now all I need is a good manager.
BH: What are your thoughts on the upcoming bout between Wayne Braithwaite and Jean-Marc Mormeck?
CVS: I think if Braithwaite comes out right he will knock Mormeck out. I am a big Braithwaite fan, I think he is an outstanding fighter and tough as nails and I would like to fight him in about a year. He will knock Mormeck out.
BH: Who were your boxing heroes Chad?
CVS: Buster Douglas and Larry Holmes, defiantly Larry Holmes.
BH: Who in your division would you like to step up against after your next two fights?
CVS: There is a guy named James Elizalde from Texas that I would like to face. I know this sounds like a big jump up but I really don’t think he is that tough and that would be Kelvin Davis.
BH: Oh really, you serious?
CVS: I think he is extremely overrated.
BH: How do you think you would handle that fight?
CVS: Well, he would come out aggressive and I fight really well against guys that come out aggressive like that and he’s real short.
BH: In closing what would you like to say to the fans and the cruiserweight division?
CVS: You haven’t seen nothing yet. There are a lot of big things ahead. This last fight people thought it was a good fight but I didn’t feel it was my best fight. But we will be bringing a world title to Washington here real soon.
I would like to thank Brian Halquist from Brian Halquist Productions for setting up this interview and Chad Van Sickle for taking out the time for Doghouse and the fans.
|
|
|
|
© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
|
Interview by Benny Henderson Jr. (Aug 17, 2004) 
