FightHype.com

LYDELL RHODES TALKS HAYMON, PBC, AND MORE: "THEY WANT ME ON TV...I'M GOING TO MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION"

By Percy Crawford | March 06, 2015
LYDELL RHODES TALKS HAYMON, PBC, AND MORE:

"I was on Showtime and now when it comes to the NBC fights, those are going to be big fights and everyone is going to be tuning in. For the people who see me, I'm going to make a great first impression. I'm really seasoned and I have my style. I've been really using this time to see if I'm explosive or if I'm a boxer or puncher. I can do so many different things; now I only do certain things in fights now. I'm still gonna channel my style towards whoever I'm fighting, but I have a style now and I'm just gonna show everyone what I can do because I feel real seasoned. I feel pretty much like a veteran.," stated undefeated jr. welterweight Lydell Rhodes, who talked about his future plans, PBC, and much more. Check it out!

PC: How is everything going my man?

LR: I stay in the gym everyday. I live in that thing, from sun up to sun down. But like now, whenever I don't have a fight, I just calm down the intensity. But I'm always training and always in shape.

PC: You had 4 fights last year. Are you looking to do the same this year, or less activity and more meaningful?

LR: Now is the time for me to start slowing down and get the right fights instead of staying active like I did the last couple of years. If the opportunity comes for me to take a lot of  fights, like I said, I stay in shape and I'm ready for whatever and for anybody, so I'm ready.

PC: When can we expect to see you back in the ring or is there nothing scheduled yet?

LR: The thing is, Al Haymon has a lot of talent right now and they are just now starting the PBC series on NBC and Spike, so a lot of the top guys are getting the first couple of dates. That's one of the things they want to do is get me on TV and out there to the public. So I gotta sit back until a spot is available where he can slide me in at. Right now, Andre Berto, Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman gonna get first dates, so I'm just sitting back, waiting my turn, and waiting for a date to open up and they will slide me in there because they said they want me on TV. I want to get out there and show the whole world some talent this year.

PC: You signed with Al late last year, if I'm not mistaken. This couldn't have been better timing for you being that he seems to be putting his young talent in the spotlight through PBC and network TV.

LR: Oh yeah, it was definitely perfect timing with just the deal that he got going on and perfect timing for me because it got me on TV. I was on Showtime and now when it comes to the NBC fights, those are going to be big fights and everyone is going to be tuning in. For the people who see me, I'm going to make a great first impression. I'm really seasoned and I have my style. I've been really using this time to see if I'm explosive or if I'm a boxer or puncher. I can do so many different things; now I only do certain things in fights now. I'm still gonna channel my style towards whoever I'm fighting, but I have a style now and I'm just gonna show everyone what I can do because I feel real seasoned. I feel pretty much like a veteran. I can show my style and do what I need to do to win. It's going to be a good first impression for everyone.

PC: You really picked this game up late and was learning on the job so to speak, but you were surrounded with good teachers and good fighters to watch and emulate in the gym.

LR: Oh yeah, most definitely. You know, but I don't think a lot of people knew that I didn't have a big amateur career. I started boxing at 20 years old. I was learning on the job and I did a couple of years of amateur boxing. I had 20-something to 30 at the most amateur fights and I got thrown in there. Then I stopped boxing for like a year and a half and was only doing MMA. My pro debut, I was an opponent on a MMA card and they brought in a boxer. They were moving me along slowly in my first couple of fights because I was finding my style, and now that I have that together, I'm ready for anyone.

PC: Being involved in camps like Manny Pacquiao's and being in the Mayweather Boxing Club for the first half of your career and learning from Floyd Mayweather Sr., what did you learn about yourself?

LR: That I belong here and this is what I was destined to do. I think people believed in me and I believed in myself, but I think everyone has their little doubts until you get in there with someone good.  Sparring is nothing like a real fight, but it at least indicates that you have the talent. It's not the pressure of a real fight, but as far as talent go, being in there and being able to spar with those guys, and I'm not saying beating them down or nothing, but I'm right on the cusp of where they at. So that was the main thing. It gave me a great deal of confidence. Anytime I fight anyone, I know that I've been in there with Manny Pacquiao, one of the pound-for-pound best right now.

PC: You have been around Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. What were your thoughts when it was announced the fight got made?

LR: (Laughing) I'm honestly a fan of both of them. I was a fan of Manny before I met him because I consider myself an athlete and I think he's one of the best athletes to ever box. Floyd is a great athlete as well, but his skill set and his mind is so much more superior than everyone. They both gonna make a lot of money and it's the best fighting the best. It could be like one of the best fights ever and definitely the best fight of my generation, so I wanna see it.

PC: Are there any other fights you are looking forward to?

LR: Pretty much every fight that Al Haymon is putting on right now. I'm definitely going to watch Danny Garcia and Lamont Peterson fight. I can't call that one. I don't know who gonna win that one, but I know Danny Garcia a winner. You got Broner and Molina, and I feel like Molina is actually getting better. A lot of people feel like he is tailor made and it's gonna be like Demarco and Broner, but I think Molina has gotten better, so it's going to be a tough, dangerous fight for Broner. I wanna see that. And then Guerrero and Thurman is going to be a good one. And then I think an underrated fight that's gonna be really good is Roberto Garcia and Shawn Porter. I think that's gonna be a barn burner. A lot of people don't know Garcia, but since he signed with Haymon, I have seen him a few times and he is a dog, man. He can fight and box. That's gonna be a real good fight, so all of the fights that are coming up, if I'm not there in person watching them, I'm definitely going to be in front of somebody TV watching them.

PC: Keep me posted on your next date, best of luck to you this year, and we will talk again soon. Is there anything else you want to add?

LR: Man, you know I always thank you for helping me get out there. You were the first person to interview me in this boxing game. When I moved to Vegas, you contacted me first, so shout out to you and what y'all doing and the movement that y'all got; keep putting us out there. And I want to thank all of my supporters; people in Oklahoma, Vegas and the Philippines. I'm gonna keep doing it and we gonna come and get the title soon.



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

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