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SEMAJAY THOMAS DISCUSSES UPCOMING LIGHTWEIGHT DEBUT: "I'M A LION AT 135...IT FEELS LIKE A NEW BEGINNING"

By Percy Crawford | March 19, 2018
SEMAJAY THOMAS DISCUSSES UPCOMING LIGHTWEIGHT DEBUT:

"I feel strong. I feel really stronger. We’ve been working on my strength while I manage the weight correctly. I actually feel stronger going down; it’s crazy...I’m really here to show these guys that I’m a lion at 135. I’m gunning for the big fights and all the titles...it feels like a new beginning," stated lightweight Semajay Thomas, who talked about his upcoming debut in the new weight division and much more. Check it out!

PC: You will be making your lightweight debut in May. How are you feeling now that the weight is starting to come off a little bit?

ST: Well, I was supposed to be fighting on April 13th and it got pushed back to May 26th, so I have to pull back a little bit. But it’s feeling good. I feel strong. I feel really stronger. We’ve been working on my strength while I manage the weight correctly. I actually feel stronger going down; it’s crazy. 

PC: You have always told me that you could go as low as lightweight. What made now the best time to do this?

ST: I had talked to my coach and Jermall [Charlo] and they said that it’s a great thing for me to fight at lightweight. They see that I would fit well and stand out more and feel I can get a championship at that weight and then go up. We talked about it and all and now we just going to make it happen. 

PC: The last time we spoke, you said you really wanted to start showing off your boxing ability because that’s something you feel you got away from. Has that been the main focus?

ST: Yessir! My boxing skills, I have gotten way better. I’ve been working on my boxing and my defense and just all around being a better boxer, letting my hands go and putting more combinations together. 

PC: Moving down to the lightweight division, do you feel like you are going to deal with guys who move a lot or use their legs as opposed to some of the guys at 140 who are a little more willing to mix it up?

ST: Yeah! I know once they feel the power, they going to try and move, but I’m working on cutting the ring off as well and just not rushing. I feel that me staying poised and calm will bring the knockout quicker as opposed to me rushing it. 

PC: Your last fight was 4 months ago and it wasn’t a lot of work; you scored a very fast knockout. Have you just been staying in the gym to keep the tools sharp?

ST: Yessir! Me and Jermall been working. I came back in January and we have just been working since then. He’s been working since way before that, so he’s definitely going to be ready for his big fight on April 21st. We gonna get it in. But I’ve been working staying in the gym and staying sharp and focused. 

PC: Following you on social media, it looks like you are getting those 3-a-days in right now.

ST: Most definitely! Jermall be having to tell me to slow it down. I was about to do four yesterday. He had to tell me to calm down. He had to tell me, “Come on, lil bro, chill. 

PC: Is the motivation from the new weight class or do you feel you have a lot to prove?

ST: You just hit it all on the head, the new weight class and something to prove. I’m really here to show these guys that I’m a lion at 135. I’m gunning for the big fights and all the titles. I got something real big up my sleeve and I can’t wait to show myself and show the world my skills. I’m a different fighter now. I’m grown, I’m a man, and I’ve matured as a fighter and a person. I’m just ready to show these guys that I’m the real deal. 

PC: The 135-pound division is stacked with young talent. It’s not a division that’s top heavy with veterans; guys like Linares and Easter and Lomachenko are still fairly young. 

ST: Yessir! The main goal is to make fights with those guys. Linares and Lomachenko got a fight coming up; Robert Easter wants a title fight with Mikey Garcia. Those are definitely the kind of fights I would love to get it popping with in the future; soon because I’m trying to get it in. I’m trying to fight at least 5 times this year, so I’m trying to get up there. 

PC: You said you wanted 2018 to be all about grabbing some regional titles and improving and getting into some rankings. Is that still the goal?

ST: Most definitely! We were just talking about that the other day. Grabbing some regional titles, jumping in the rankings, and just having everything in order and getting ready for the fights. I can fight. The whole world can see that I can fight and now the people are putting me in position to get where I want to be. My team is all on the same page and they gonna see it; they gonna see it real soon. 

PC: I have talked to people that knew you in the amateurs and spoke highly of your boxing ability. They even told me if I see you on your A-game boxing, I would be shocked. 

ST: I really want to show the world my boxing skills. I can move, I have great footwork, I can box, I can hit you with a jab, uppercut, and hook in the same motion; things of that nature. That’s really what it’s all about, my feet. Just keeping my feet in range and that’s what I have been working on. You step to the right, feet slide to the right, and check hook. Slide to the left, bring your body with you. It’s about having the right direction with your feet, man. That’s what it is and we’ve been working on it and I’m so eager to show the world my boxing skills. In my last fight, I wanted to box, but once I see I got you, you gotta go. But I stayed calm and jabbed my way in. I didn’t rush, I didn’t come in all crazy and hungry and angry. I was just real poised and the knockout came and that’s what I want to continue to show the fans and fight supporters.

I had one of my amateur coaches tell me that we had to get back to the basics. He told me I really had to tighten up on my feet. When my feet are in order, I box beautifully. When they out of order, I be all over the place. So I have to have my feet in range and just work on my feet. That’s what I have been doing is working on my feet. I’ve also been working on throwing nice combinations on the mitts and the bag and just thinking about what combinations would be the nicest. I want to throw the best combinations that have people like, “Man, you saw how he put them combinations together?” That’s really dope. I have definitely been working on that. When I spar, I’ve been putting my combinations together and they have been coming out perfect and fire. 

PC: You sound excited about boxing again and I don’t know if there was ever a period where you weren’t excited, but you definitely sound excited about the sport now.

ST: Yeah, most definitely. It feels like a new beginning, man. We back on track and working hard. I won’t fall short of the goal. I know guys who have experienced defeat in their careers, like Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan and Bernard Hopkins, and they all reached that high level still and some went on to be legends. That’s what really put a spark on me and made me sit down with my fiancé and my team, Jermall Charlo and Coach Ronnie Shields and Marcus and Brandon Watson, and really put a plan together, along with my manager Al Haymon. 

PC: I can’t wait to see you out in Biloxi in May. Best of luck during camp and we will talk soon. Is there anything else you want to add?

ST: Shout out to FightHype. I appreciate it. They always show me the love, man. Thanks to all of my fans and followers that keep supporting me through the ups and downs. We going to get a shot at the world title real soon.



[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]

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