"I don't know the exact location; I believe the date is December 12th. It looks like it's going to go down with me and Artur Szpilka. He's obviously a tough guy, he has a high ranking, and this is really what I've been asking for. I wanted to fight somebody that's ranked way higher than me to prove myself as a fighter, so this is just a great fight for me and a great opportunity...Polish fighters are always tough and the reason why I have always liked Polish fighters is because the Polish fans are so dedicated to the sport," stated heavyweight contender Amir Mansour, who talked about an upcoming showdown with fellow heavyweight contender Artur Szpilka. Check it out!
PC: You're coming off of a fight and you seem to have another lined up. Tell us about it, man?
AM: Well big fam, we are working on some details. I don't know the exact location; I believe the date is December 12th. It looks like it's going to go down with me and Artur Szpilka. He's obviously a tough guy, he has a high ranking, and this is really what I've been asking for. I wanted to fight somebody that's ranked way higher than me to prove myself as a fighter, so this is just a great fight for me and a great opportunity.
PC: We have been talking for the majority of your career and at one point, inactivity was there, lack of exposure was there, and the lack of big fights was prevalent. It has to be a good feeling to come off of the Gerald Washington fight and already appear to have the next guy lined up.
AM: Like I said, big ups to Uncle Al, man. What he is doing for boxing is spectacular, man. He's keeping us busy and putting us in fights in front of the American people on regular TV; great fights. He has a lot of dates and he's able to keep a lot of fighters fighting. This will be a PBC boxing event and it's just a blessing to be right back at it.
PC: You told me at one point in your career that there would be a time where you couldn't knock everyone out and maybe then guys would start accepting fights with you. Do you feel like this is where you're at now?
AM: I hope so big bruh. I really hope so because when I was going in and knocking everybody out, we were trying to make fights and offering good money and we couldn't make it happen. Now it seems like guys are willing to get in there with Amir Mansour and mix it up. It's really kind of surprising. Like with Gerald Washington, I was surprised that he took the fight. He did his thing for a couple of rounds. The outcome of that fight is what it is, but I was in there fighting him. He did what he had to do and it was a smart move on his behalf to not mix it up when the heat got turned on. So maybe these fighters think they see little things that maybe they could get off on. They accepting the challenge to fight me and hopefully this momentum will continue.
PC: Would fighting Szpilka help you get past the draw with Washington because you're right back in there?
AM: The Washington situation wasn't anything to get over. At the end of the fight, I know I won the fight. I thought that all of the people that pay attention to boxing, the people that matter, felt I won, so it really wasn't anything to get over. It was a disappointment, but it really wasn't anything to get over. It is what it is. After each fight, when you look at it and going over it and this and that, you gotta move forward, man. You gotta keep pushing forward.
PC: Are you back training in case this fight gets solidified?
AM: Steady pace, man. I am in magnificent shape from the Washington fight, so I have just been maintaining that condition. This fight with Szpilka is substantial and now that I know we are probably going to be fighting him, we will turn it up. I mean, I could fight a 12-rounder tomorrow. After 5 or 6 days after the Washington fight, I was back in the gym. I'm too far along in my career for breaks. I'm not looking for any breaks. I'm just looking for the opportunity to fight meaningful fights against ranked opponents and good fighters and give this thing all that I got.
PC: Do you remember the last time you fought this close together?
AM: Actually man, I think it was 2011, maybe 2012 (laughing), when Dover Downs was letting me fight like every 3 months. I was fighting 4 times a year. Staying consistent gives you the motivation to do what you do and it's been a minute. But I've always kept myself in the picture by winning, and if I didn't win, it was always questionable whether or not I won. So my record should have no numbers on it except for the front numbers. But it's fun, man. This is what I've dreamed of doing, this is what I want to do and exactly where I want to be. I'm on my way to walking back in that ring in front of millions of people.
PC: Have you started to break down Szpilka yet or is that a little ways away still?
AM: I haven't really started breaking him down. I was front row of his fight with Bryant Jennings and I think he's a very conditioned fighter, I thought he was a tough guy and I do remember some things about him there, but I will be watching tapes of him and analyzing things and breaking things down. And like always, on December 12th, I'm going to show up and give it my all and when that last bell rings, nobody will be able to question my heart, my mind, or my dedication to the sport of boxing; win, lose or draw!
PC: Well this is the first of many leading up to that date. Best of luck in training and I look forward the fight. Is there anything else you want to add?
AM: Once again man, I want to thank FightHype.com for always supporting me and always giving us fighters 100% verbatim. You guys print what we say. That's why when I go on FightHype and I'm on you guys website, I know whatever I read that a fighter is quoted of saying, I know he said it. I really thank you guys for keeping it real and not doing what a lot of reporters do and mix up people's words to try and get more hype from it. I trust you guys and I really appreciate having a website like you guys to speak with. And I thank the fans as always. I thank the fans in the Tri-State area, Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware. They all support me and they all stand by me. And I gotta thank my Polish fans because a couple of years ago, one of my biggest fan bases was in Poland. I finally get a chance to fight a Polish fighter. I wanted Adamek and I couldn't get that fight, but now I have a chance to fight a Polish fighter. Polish fighters are always tough and the reason why I have always liked Polish fighters is because the Polish fans are so dedicated to the sport. At the end of the day, even if they are rooting for their guy, you will see the same thing happen that you saw against Gerald Washington. They booed me at first and by the end of the fight, they booed him and cheered me because they are dedicated boxing fans. They pay their money; they want to come and see a real fight. They don't want to see no bullcrap; they want to see a real fight. I know it's going to be a tough fight and I know that the Polish fans is going to come out and support their guy, but at the end of the day, I know I'm going to be surrounded by true genuine boxing fans and I'm always excited for that.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]