FightHype.com

DEMARCUS CORLEY: "THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO FIGHT ME...THIS IS A NEW BEGINNING TO MY CAREER ALL OVER AGAIN AT 135"

By John Russell | August 28, 2014
DEMARCUS CORLEY:

"I don't understand why no other 135-pounder don't want to fight me. I'm supposed to be too old. Champions or not champions, they don't seem to want to fight me. I'm looking to do at least 2 more fights before the year is over, maybe 3. Hopefully at least by the 3rd fight, it will be a major bout...I feel like this is a new beginning to my career all over again at 135. At 140 and up, I felt heavy and to do that for 17 years in one weight class, I don't know how I was able to do it," stated former jr. welterweight champion DeMarcus Corley, who talked about his recent win, his future as he continues his career as a lightweight, and much more. Check it out!

JR: I hear you earned a title belt over the weekend. Obviously it's not the one that you really want before it's all said and done, but tell me about it!

DC: It was the WBF North American Welterweight Champion title. I went to training camp and was prepared for it. My original opponent fell out, but the promoter found someone that had stepped in to take a shot at it.

JR: It seems that you really decided to take this a bit more serious in your training by switching up trainers now. Jeff Mayweather is working with you now. What was your chemistry like working together?

DC: We had great chemistry together and it was all work once we went into the gym and I really enjoyed it.

JR: Being that you've been in this game for so long, did you happen to pick up anything from him? Was there anything that you were able to add into your arsenal?

DC: Truthfully speaking, yes there was. I got the concept of the mitts. What the mitts are truthfully for. A lot of people hit the mitts for show and to look good, but there is a reason why you are supposed to hit the mitts. If you see how Floyd fights, it's basically the same way that he hits the mitts. It's a certain way that he works when he counters and goes. His timing is very synced in to what's he's doing.

JR: At this stage in your career, with the new WBF North American title that you've earned, what are you hoping comes out of this?

DC: Well, we're looking at the WBF World title. This is just the North American title I earned right now and we're looking to do that within the next 2 months and it'll be at 135 pounds. The plan is to win that WBF World title and hopefully get me back into the rankings.

JR: So your looking to be active within the next 2 months. Are you and Jeff Mayweather still going to work together or was this just a one-and-done deal?

DC: No, I'm going to be working with Jeff from here on out until I finish my career.

JR: How and Why did the decision to work with Jeff come about?

DC: Well, we've known each other since I was staying out in Vegas for about 2 years or so. We've been keeping in touch with each other back and forth online and on Facebook. I've been trying to go out to Vegas for awhile to get a chance to work with him, but just wasn't able to do it. But the opportunity finally presented itself and he was available and was ready for me to come on out there and he said, "Come on out!" He said, "When do you fight?" I said, "A couple of weeks." Then Jeff said, "Well, you need to come out here fast so that we can get some stuff in so that you can practice on it and so that it can continue for the fight."

JR: I know going out to the Mayweather gym, it had to be busy, especially this time of year. Given the short amount of time that you were with Jeff and out there with maybe a crowded gym, were you able to get in some decent sparring with somebody like a Mickey Bey or of that nature.

DC: Well, Mickey is getting ready for his world title fight in the next week or so at 135. Bey is fighting a right-handed fighter and not a southpaw, so they didn't want to work. That work didn't pursue itself for me to spar. I would've loved to work with him. I'll be back out there in a couple of weeks. But it's a couple of guys in the gym, like Memphis [Ladarius Miller] and a couple of other guys. They got some guys in there and I got some good sparring in there and they were all bigger than me at 147 and 154. But I hold my own and don't punch like a 135-pounder.

JR: What kind of cards do you think you bring to the table if you happen to win this championship belt in a few months and have other guys take you more seriously?

DC: I got to go in there and get some knockouts. Hopefully, Mickey Bey will win his fight and if that catches Floyd's attention, then hopefully I can fight on one of Floyd's cards. I told him in Vegas, "If you win the title, I want to be your first title defense." I don't understand why no other 135-pounder don't want to fight me. I'm supposed to be too old. Champions or not champions, they don't seem to want to fight me. I'm looking to do at least 2 more fights before the year is over, maybe 3. Hopefully at least by the 3rd fight, it will be a major bout. 

JR: In an older interview online, probably months ago, I saw that you mentioned John Molina as somebody you would like to face. Molina mentioned that he respects you, but that you don't bring too much to the table. Your response?

DC: I brought a lot to the table. I was a former world champion at 140. He's fighting at 140, a weight that I came out of. He can't make 135 no more, so that fight wouldn't ever happen now.

JR: I recently read that you are being honored in DC with a group of other boxers from DC who really never received the recognition that they deserved. What was your reaction to getting this honor and how do you feel about it?

DC: I was happy and excited about it. I'm glad to be honored for being one of the good fighters to come out of DC. I don't think I'm a great fighter, I just think I'm a good fighter. I haven't become great yet until I win me another major world title at lightweight. I think this DMV Honors event is good because it's something that should've been done over the years. I heard the group used to be into music and now they're getting into boxing, and from the looks of it, they are doing a good job marketing the event. People can check out the event weekend on gfsent.com

JR: When you heard the other names that you were being honored with (Sharmba Mitchell, Keith Holmes, Mark Johnson, William Joppy, Winky Wright), did you feel that you weren't the same kind of caliber of fighters as those guys are?

DC: We were all World Champions at the same time and I knew I should've at least been mentioned with one of the guys from DC/

JR: Being that you are the only guy getting honored that week that's still active, would you have preferred that you receive this honor now or later after you retire?

DC: I know the rest of the guys are done with their career, but I rather it happen now while I'm still fighting. I feel like this is a new beginning to my career all over again at 135. At 140 and up, I felt heavy and to do that for 17 years in one weight class, I don't know how I was able to do it. I'm blessed.

JR: Thanks for time, man. You got anything else before I let you go?

DC: Look forward to me returning to the ring again in the next 45-60 days. Look forward to me getting the knockout the next go around.



[ Follow John Russell on Twitter @theJ_Russ3ll ]

MARCH 18, 2024
MARCH 17, 2024
MARCH 14, 2024
MARCH 12, 2024
MARCH 11, 2024
MARCH 07, 2024
MARCH 04, 2024
FEBRUARY 29, 2024
FEBRUARY 27, 2024
FEBRUARY 22, 2024
FEBRUARY 19, 2024
FEBRUARY 15, 2024
FEBRUARY 12, 2024
FEBRUARY 08, 2024
FEBRUARY 05, 2024
FEBRUARY 01, 2024
JANUARY 31, 2024
JANUARY 30, 2024
JANUARY 29, 2024
JANUARY 25, 2024
JANUARY 22, 2024
JANUARY 18, 2024
JANUARY 15, 2024
JANUARY 12, 2024
JANUARY 11, 2024
JANUARY 08, 2024
JANUARY 04, 2024
JANUARY 01, 2024