"I feel like everything is falling into place. I'm with the right people and all I have to do is keep working and I feel like I will be right there. By next year, we will be getting the bigger fights and the bigger names...I feel like 2016, I could be knocking some big names off or hopefully get a title shot. That would be great. I would love to do that and get that belt," stated fast-rising jr. middleweight Terrell Gausha, who talked about his recent victory, his future plans, and more. Check it out!
PC: Congratulations on your 17th win as a professional. How did you feel about your performance?
TG: Thanks for that. I feel like I did real good. I feel like I fought smart. I boxed real smart and I went out there and did what I had to do.
PC: You put him down in the second round. Obviously he got up and went the distance. Was that a matter of you being smart and patient or did you not feel like he was hurt bad enough to go in for the finish?
TG: I jumped on him after I dropped him and landed some good shots. I wanted to get the knockout, but of course I wanted to be smart in there because he was just trying to throw one big shot. He was trying to land one big lucky shot, so it was just a matter of being cautious.
PC: Like I mentioned, it seems like yesterday I was talking to you fresh out of the Olympics and now you are 17 fights in. How do you feel everything is going so far in your career?
TG: To be honest, it's crazy because it does feel like just yesterday I was getting out of the Olympics. But it's been a good road. I feel like everything is falling into place. I'm with the right people and all I have to do is keep working and I feel like I will be right there. By next year, we will be getting the bigger fights and the bigger names.
PC: El Harrak had a good resume coming in and he's held his own with some good guys. Do you feel like you were just able to neutralize his strengths?
TG: To be honest, I think I took away his strengths because I just boxed and outclassed him. I just boxed and moved. I gave him a different look. I'm usually aggressive, but this time I wanted to show people that I can also box and bring different things to the table. I feel like I was just outsmarting him and staying two steps ahead of him.
PC: You have been in some exciting fights that sometimes led to back and forth action. Did you sense yourself that you had to open up your playbook so to speak or did your trainers have a talk with you?
TG: When I looked at my last fight before this one, I just felt like I could have made the fight a lot easier by boxing and being smarter. Me and my coaches been working on it in camp. That's how you have longevity in this sport by being smart, but also exciting at the same time.
PC: You fought 4 times this year. How would you grade out your year?
TG: I think it's been a successful year, but we can always do better. Next year, I'm looking to do bigger and better things. It only gets better from here. The competition will get harder, so we gotta pick up the work and be consistent.
PC: I spoke with a trainer whose opinion I value and he said you're one of the younger fighters truly willing to fight anyone. When I looked up the records of your opponents from this year, it was a combined 66-15. What do you feel that says about you as a fighter?
TG: To me, that say that I'm always looking to prove myself and that I love a challenge. In order to be the best, you have to beat the best and I'm looking to step it up each time. With this type of pace, I'll be at the championship spot in no time. I feel like I'm right on schedule.
PC: Would you like a little down time to enjoy the holidays and the New Year or would you like for Team Haymon to be ringing your phone sooner rather than later?
TG: (Laughing) I'd like to be fighting some time in February if possible. I like to stay busy. We are young right now. I feel like I didn't get touched a lot in that fight and I'm ready to jump back in there.
PC: You have that one fight at a time approach. Is that how you will enter 2016 as well or do you have set goals for next year?
TG: I feel like my manager knows exactly what he is doing. I leave that part to him and I just stay ready. I feel like 2016, I could be knocking some big names off or hopefully get a title shot. That would be great. I would love to do that and get that belt.
PC: Your second time going 10 rounds. How did you feel?
TG: Man, that felt awesome. It felt real good though. I could have went 12. I was feeling good afterwards; I definitely could have gone 2 more.
PC: A lot of young talent in this division. What do you feel will eventually separate you from the pack?
TG: I'm a student of the game and I just feel like I get better each time I step in the ring. I think just being able to outthink these guys and staying sharp will be the difference. There is a lot of competition out there and I just want to prove myself and just keep my feet on the ground. I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but when the time comes, I will show the people that I am one of the best out there at 154.
PC: You had 4 fights this year. Are you focused on better competition and less fights next year, better competition and more fights, or a 4-fight a year pace is good no matter the competition?
TG: Four fights is good for me. I love to stay busy. I feel like that's a good pace for me. It's all up to Al, but at the end of the day, I feel like I can go 4 or 5 times a year and that would be great.
PC: Congrats on the win. I look forward to seeing you in there next year and best of luck. Is there anything you want to say before I let you go?
TG: I appreciate it. I just really want to say just look for bigger and better things in 2016. I'm keeping my foot on these guys' throat and I'm blessed to have the team that I have.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]