"Shane is still in the beginning process of everything. We're just getting him started
We make it work Perc. It's just one of them things man. One thing you know is Shane is going to be ready and he's going to bring it. And then X comes to camp in shape, so it's not like it would be with two other athletes," stated world-class trainer Naazim Richardson as he talked about pulling double duty with his fighters, as Hopkins completes his training for next weekend's rematch with Roy Jones Jr. while Shane Mosley gets started for his highly-anticipated showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 1st. Check out what else he had to say!
PC: How is it going Brother Naaz?
NR: Holdin on with both hands Perc.
PC: How is Bernard looking for this camp?
NR: He's looking sharp. I think there is starting to get a little buzz about this fight too.
PC: Yeah, it was a good countdown show for the fight. One thing I was confused on, did Mackie Shilstone work with Hopkins for this fight or was he just talking past experiences with him?
NR: Nah, Mackie didn't work with X for this one. He was talking about for the Tarver joint.
PC: Shane should just be entering camp, right?
NR: Yeah, Shane is still in the beginning process of everything. We're just getting him started.
PC: Where are you now, in Philly?
NR: No, I'm in Big Bear.
PC: Is it tough to be winding Hopkins down while gearing Shane up at the same time?
NR: We make it work Perc. It's just one of them things man. One thing you know is Shane is going to be ready and he's going to bring it. And then X comes to camp in shape, so it's not like it would be with two other athletes.
PC: I'm sure it was disappointing for the Cunningham fight to fall through. I know you guys were putting in work as well.
NR: Yeah man, that's one of the things you deal with in this sport man. It's unfortunate.
PC: I'm also sure you hated to see fellow Philadelphian fighter Eddie Chambers go down the way he did in Germany?
NR: Yeah man. I asked his dad awhile back, "Why do you let him spar with everyone?" See, Dimitrenko and Peter didn't know how slick Eddie was because they found out during the fight. He has sparred with the Klitschkos, so they found out how slick he was in training and made the adjustments before the fight. When you're in that situation, you make them find out when something is on the line, not in a sparring session. Eddie got hit with a right hand in the 2nd round and I don't know if his back stiffened up on him or what, but he was right in front of Klitschko after that; like every other opponent.
PC: You hate to fight, although very timid, for 12 rounds and get stopped with 5 seconds left. I would rather go for broke and if I'm going to get stopped, get stopped early in the fight.
NR: Exactly! See, these bulls gotta go in there with the mentality Lamon Brewster had. He started off trying to box and after so many jabs, Lamon said, "Fuck this!" He went for broke man (laughing). You have to go into a fight with the Klitschkos thinking, "3 rounds! One way or the other, either I'm going to clip them in 3 rounds or they going to clip me," but you have to be in that mindset.
PC: Do you see anyone posing a threat to them?
NR: People laugh when I say this, but I see some things that Teddy Atlas is doing with Povetkin and the thing that I'm seeing is he has him doing that Mike Tyson side to side shit and that movement could give the Klitschkos problems. Teddy knows what he's doing and that movement
I'm not saying it would beat the Klitschkos, but it could give them problems and at this point, we just want to see someone that can be a problem for them. I'm not even saying it will work for Povetkin against any other fighter, but I see what Teddy is doing and they could have success with that.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]