"I heard Vanes Martirosyan wants to fight me on the Manny Pacquiao undercard. They were trying to get Vanes a shot at Chavez Jr. and now that that's out the window because Andy Lee is fighting Chavez, Bob Arum came back to Emanuel and put it back on the table as a possibility. They have an open slot on the undercard and Arum wants to talk about me and Vanes for my IBF jr. middleweight title. When it all comes down to the come down, they want that belt. I remember Floyd saying belts collect dust, but he's fighting Cotto for a belt. Belts collect paychecks too. Every fighter needs to win a belt at some point...Vanes has been calling me out and if he's got a TV date on the Manny Pacquiao undercard, let's do it. You've been calling me out, well, here I am. I'm ready. Let's do this. I'll put my title on the line. 2012, the dog is coming off the shelf and off the chain," stated IBF jr. middleweight champion Cornelius "K9" Bundrage, who talked about his desire to face Vanes Martirosyan on the undercard of Pacquiao vs. Bradley as opposed to a facing Cory Spinks again. You don't want to miss what else he had to say. Check it out!
DK: What's going on Champ? How are things?
K9: My wife just got through massaging my feet, so I know she loves rubbing these ugly toes. These young boys tried to run me off the court in basketball. I'm a shooter though, so I always get 'em. I gotta get me one of those Richard Hamilton masks so I don't get cut though (laughing).
DK: (Laughing) I would love to see that. Last we heard, an agreement had been reached for you to face Cory Spinks on June 23rd for your title. Is that true?
K9: That is a possibility; it could happen, but we haven't signed the contract because we don't know where the fight is at. We are going to fight where I want the fight at. Cory ain't selling no tickets. K9 is selling tickets. Fans wanna see me fight Kirkland, not Cory, but Kirkland can't fight now because of his shoulder, so Cory is the most likely possibility. But we haven't signed the contracts, so anything can happen.
DK: I know your manager, Emanuel Steward, had mentioned Kirkland as a possibility. Now that he is on the shelf until at least September, is that out of the question?
K9: Yeah. It's been long enough. I'm not gonna wait until September. The IBF would have agreed to a championship fight with Kirkland because it would have been on HBO, but if it's not a big fight, I gotta take my mandatory. After we beat Cory Spinks, we're gonna target the WBC championship, or hopefully after Floyd beats Cotto, he stays at 154 and we'll beat him. The first should be last and the last should be first. I just want people to remember that.
DK: How do you feel about facing Spinks, the man you beat for the title two years ago, in a rematch?
K9: Um, well, actually I didn't think I would be facing Spinks. I thought Sechew Powell was gonna beat him. His advisor was calling Emanuel saying that his fighter was fighting us next. It was a shock. I didn't think Cory Spinks would want to fight me. I thought he and Don King would go another route, but I guess since all the title holders are already tied up, I guess me and him are gonna do it again.
DK: So it's definitely going to be June 23rd at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood against Spinks?
K9: I can't say definitely because the contracts aren't signed, but it's the biggest possibility. What if somebody gets hurt? Who knows? Maybe Austin Trout. Maybe Delvin Rodriguez. Paul Williams and my name was brought up. It's more likely than any other but since that contract hasn't been signed, anything can happen. In this world, money does talk. I heard Vanes Martirosyan wants to fight me on the Manny Pacquiao undercard. They were trying to get Vanes a shot at Chavez Jr. and now that that's out the window because Andy Lee is fighting Chavez, Bob Arum came back to Emanuel and put it back on the table as a possibility. They have an open slot on the undercard and Arum wants to talk about me and Vanes for my IBF jr. middleweight title. When it all comes down to the come down, they want that belt. I remember Floyd saying belts collect dust, but he's fighting Cotto for a belt. Belts collect paychecks too. Every fighter needs to win a belt at some point.
DK: You've been calling out a lot of guys, but nobody has answered the bell. Do you feel it is because of your promoter, Don King?
K9: Um, yes. I feel, yes. My manager is the manager. My manager deals with the promoter and other fighters call the promoter and none of the fights went through. It might be because I got a two-fight deal with Don. I'm not happy. I'm very mad. Cory Spinks has said Don has treated him good, but that's you. Good for you. Me, on the other hand, who have I fought? Sechew Powell, that's it. I signed the contract for the fight with Cory for no money up front, and I signed with Don beacuse this is Don "Only in America" King. We did him a favor and could have got paid somewhere else. It's the worst move I could have made in boxing.
DK: Is this your last fight on your contract with Don King?
K9: We'll see. I don't know what the future holds. On the contract, it's one more fight and that's it, but we'll see. Don may come talking sense. Don might treat me like he treated Mike Tyson in the early days. He may get me a fight with Floyd. It's business. I don't know what the future holds, but right now, it doesn't look good. But you never know.
DK: Alright champ. Any final thoughts out there you want to say to the fans?
K9: Vanes has been calling me out and if he's got a TV date on the Manny Pacquiao undercard, let's do it. You've been calling me out, well, here I am. I'm ready. Let's do this. I'll put my title on the line. 2012, the dog is coming off the shelf and off the chain. Just never give up. I didn't graduate from high school and I'm a world champion. I got a spiritual degree. I graduated from the streets. I'm not saying don't graduate from high school, but it doesn't mean you gotta sell drugs or smoke weed. Just never give up. Look at me now; Champ of the world. Go hard or go home! They can hit me on Twitter @K9boxing and also K9boxing on Facebook. I try to answer all the questions my fans ask me. Jesus for life. I wanna thank you, my man Dave, for all the support. Happy Easter to everyone out there.
[ Follow David Kassel on Twitter @BoxingObserver ]