FightHype.com

DAQUAN ARNETT: "I'M COMPLETELY A FREE AGENT...154 POUNDS IS DEFINITELY WHERE IT IS FOR ME"

By Percy Crawford | October 21, 2016
DAQUAN ARNETT:

"I had some differences with my management team. Things didn't work out the way I wanted it to. My boxing career wasn't going the way I wanted it to…I had to take some time away to wait on my chance to separate myself from certain people and now at this moment, I'm completely a free agent…154 pounds is definitely where it is for me right now," stated jr. middleweight Daquan Arnett, who talked about his future plans and more. Check it out!

PC: You had 3 fights last year; still haven't seen you in the ring this year. What's going on with you, man?

DA: It's been a lot going on, man. I had some differences with my management team. Things didn't work out the way I wanted it to. My boxing career wasn't going the way I wanted it to. I wanted to stay active and for some reason, I couldn't stay as active as I wanted to, so I had to take some time away from the game.

PC: Is this time away to clear your mind or time away until the pieces of the puzzle fall together?

DA: This is a break from boxing that I didn't want to take. I wanted to stay active and keep fighting, but me and my management team had some differences. I wanted to do something and…we just didn't agree on a lot of things. I had to take some time away to wait on my chance to separate myself from certain people and now at this moment, I'm completely a free agent. My contract expired on the 15th, so I'm a free agent right now.

PC: Are you exploring options or is it so new, you haven't really had a chance to get out there with it yet?

DA: I haven't spoken to anyone or explored anything yet. I'm just taking it one day at a time and waiting to cross that road and move forward from this point on.

PC: Have you been in the gym or has the situation made you completely step away?

DA: No, no, I still been in the gym. I've been pretty active in the game, especially with my little brother. He's in the sport right now. When he's in Orlando, we're working together, but I stay in the gym and stay in decent shape. So it's not so much of I need a certain period of time to get ready for a fight. That's not the problem.

PC: In a perfect world, where would your career be at right now and in a perfect world, how would things turn out moving forward, best case scenario for you?

DA: In a perfect world, I would have 20 pro fights and I would have been happy with the situation I was in prior and I would be moving up the ranks. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world and you gotta roll with the punches. Moving forward, the perfect world would be to just be active and continue on what I have already established and build myself and climb up the ladder. I'm only turning 24 years old in November. I'm still young. I have a lot of room to grow and a lot of different things that I can work on. But the main thing is to stay active and climb the ladder.

PC: You're only 23 years old, you have a great record at 16-1, how much of a setback is this to be at the prime of your career and on a 4-fight winning streak?

DA: I could definitely bounce back from it because, you know, my skills and my talent haven't diminished at all, so fighting isn't a problem. Honestly, it bothered me a lot mentally at first, especially coming off of the Yudel Johnson fight where I knocked him out in one round. I was amped, I was ready, and I felt like that win put me back in the position I was in prior to the Eddie Gomez fight. So I was excited about different things and when those things didn't come to fruition, mentally it hurt me for awhile. I think now I have a better understanding and I have accepted it, so I have bounced back from that.

PC: Is the 154-pound division where you plan on campaigning still and making your mark at?

DA: Absolutely! I tried 147 when I fought Gomez, but it took a toll on my body, so 154 pounds is definitely where it is for me right now.

PC: How soon are you looking to get a fight? Are you looking to close the year out with something or just start fresh in 2017?

DA: Whatever the best situation is for myself. I wouldn't mind getting in the ring in December, but I just want to make the right decisions for myself at this point. Whatever my next move is, I want it to be my best move. I don't want to rush anything. I'm taking it one day at a time and if early 2017 is my best move, then I have no problem with that.

PC: It seems like fighters will always go through a rough period and it's the decisions they make after that rough patch is what makes or breaks their career. How important is it for your next move to be not only your best move, but for it to be very calculated?

DA: It's vital! Every move I make from this point is vital. Like you said, I have already gone through the first quarter of my career, so this middle part to the end of my career is vital to me. I'll be 24 years old soon and whatever I get into now, I want to go into close to my thirties with it. By that time, being this is the game that we are in and you're close to out of the game by 32, so the next 8 years of my career are vital!

PC: There are a lot of names at 154. Julian Williams, The Charlo Brothers, Austin Trout and Erislandy Lara. It's not a bad time for you to get back in the mix for sure.

DA: Absolutely! It's a lot of guys, a lot of talent, and a lot of fights to be made. There is a lot of opportunity there to capitalize on. I just want to make the right moves for my career. That's the only thing I'm worrying about is making the right moves. I don't want to make any moves that aren't beneficial to me. I feel like I have the talent to hang with any of those top guys at 154 pounds right now. It's just about making the right decisions and the right moves to get myself to that point.

PC: I wish you the best of luck during this period of being a free agent. I hope to see you back in there again real soon and keep me posted on your next move. Is there anything else you would like to add before I let you go?

DA: I just want the people to know that I have been missing the ring and missing giving them that action and I hope to bring it back to them real soon. I don't know who is going to be in my corner or on my team at this point right now, but I'll be back 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