"I'm taking all opportunities, man; the best opportunities. Whatever is best for Lanardo Tyner and his people that he loves; his Facebook people or whoeverÂ…whoever with him. Whatever is best for us, that's what we gonna do. I am a risky cat, so I'm taking chances; so just be ready for that. If I get called on a week notice and it's a big opportunity, I'm gonna have to take it. They call, I'm gonna have to take it. I can't turn down no opportunities, man," stated welterweight Lanardo Tyner, who talked about his future plans and much more. Check it out!
PC: Your last 3 fights are 3 up and 3 down. Three big wins in a row. Tell us about it my man.
LT: I'm feeling good; just training. I'm staying ready and listening to everybody that's around me, you know, like I was supposed to do from the beginning. But just staying in the gym and staying ready so when the big calls come, I will be ready to give myself a fighting chance at least. That's about it and that's the only difference is I give myself a fighting chance now. Other than that, I was going in there out of shape and still giving them guy's hell. I give it my all regardless. But if I just give myself a chance and a fair shake, I will be alright.
PC: I have been talking to you for quite some time now and that's one of the things you hated, but you had to do it and that's take these last minute notice fights in people's backyards. Now you're saying at least you will be in shape and give yourself a shot at winning.
LT: Yeah, if I can just get a notice so that I know when I have a fight coming so I can hit a camp. But I ain't even picky, man. Just give me the time so that I can know when the fight coming. You don't have to give me a camp with the glitz and glamor of a camp; just give me some time to train and I feel I would have the same advantage that the other guys have no matter where the fight is at.
PC: When you went to Dallas and stopped Charles Hatley in 1 round, that was the most impressive win of this stretch. What was that situation like for you?
LT: He was a pretty hot prospect, but he's a guy that disrespects the game a little bit. I hope that humbled him. He could fight. He was a good guy for boxing, but he just don't respect the game enough, man. Don't disrespect a man when we both about to get in here and fight. Keep it real and don't talk tougher than what you really are.
PC: You fought 5 times this year. Can we expect the same activity next year or would you like to fight even more?
LT: I'm taking all opportunities, man; the best opportunities. Whatever is best for Lanardo Tyner and his people that he loves; his Facebook people or whoeverÂ…whoever with him. Whatever is best for us, that's what we gonna do. I am a risky cat, so I'm taking chances; so just be ready for that. If I get called on a week notice and it's a big opportunity, I'm gonna have to take it. They call, I'm gonna have to take it. I can't turn down no opportunities, man.
PC: And is 147 or 154 your most comfortable weight?
LT: I was ready for 47 in all of my fights, but them guys was bigger than me, so they let me eat and come in higher and I ain't gonna stop myself from eating, so (laughing). So I ate because those guys were heavier than me. They came in heavy, so they let me gain weight. I didn't mind gaining the weight. But if the money is right, I will fight at 54 for sure. That money gotta be right though because them guys are slower, but they are stronger. But I like strong guys who think they are strong and wanna fight more. They slow down the pace with hard power shots. That's what I like; them kind of guys who think they are big and can punch.
PC: You never really got your just due, in my opinion, in this game, but I thought it was really cool of Al Bernstein to mention your name as a guy who helped get Austin Trout ready for Miguel Cotto because you bring a lot of pressure like Miguel does.
LT: Yeah! I needed that. That was like another win right there. Shout out to Al Bernstein for doing that too. People recognize what I'm doing and what I'm trying to do. I ain't got nobody behind me. I wish I had some big money behind me, but it's me, man. I'm doing it all myself and I'm enjoying it. I wish I did have someone big behind me, but I'm still enjoying this. I'm definitely enjoying this.
PC: What kind of work were you giving Trout, and with the work you were giving him, were you comfortable that the outcome would go the way it did?
LT: Man, the way we was boxing and fighting, I knew he was good because Cotto wasn't putting no pressure on him like I was. I was putting pressure on him every round. So I knew when he fought Cotto and Cotto wasn't pressuring him at all, I was like, "Oh shit, it's gonna be an easy night." Once I seen that, I knew Austin was going to be alright. Austin was straight because we were out there in that altitude fighting and banging it out. I stayed on him and we were going 10 and 12. So I knew once I seen Cotto wasn't really pressuring him, and when he did pressure him, it was just a little bit and it wasn't anything like the pressure I was putting on him, I saw Austin wasn't even breathing hard in that fight. I knew he was okay.
PC: And it's crazy because if he can get Canelo next, he still can use you as a sparring guy because you give that same look of Canelo as well.
LT: I know. I mentioned that to him too. I said, "I'm ready. I will be down there for you."
PC: Before I let you go, I gotta let you speak on Emanuel Steward, someone who you have been around for quite some time. Not only did you lose Emanuel, but you also lost your gym that you were training at in Kronk. How have you dealt with all of this?
LT: The Emanuel Steward part is a bad thing. He always was gone, but we know he's gone for good now. He would come back and when he was in town, he coming to that gym for sure. He was there for anything we need. So for him not to be coming in there was tough because when he came, everybody was trying to do their best and talk to him and telling jokes. We gonna miss that man. And as far as the gym being gone, I'm stuck really. I don't know where I'm at really. I'm trying to find out what I'm gonna do. I know I'm about to get a gym, but in the meantime, I'm thinking about where am I gonna go and how I'm gonna do it because I ain't really found no destination either yet.
PC: I'm glad things on the boxing front are looking up for you. I wish you the best in 2013. Is there anything else you want to add?
LT: I finally woke myself up and grew up in boxing and I know I can't cheat the game. So whoever knew me from then, check out the new me. I done woke up. I don't know what did it, butÂ…nah, I know what did it. What did it is when I decided to go in the gym without a fight for that title fight. And then when the title fight came up, I had two weeks to go, so it ended up being 4 weeks of training and it was an easy fight. That popped my mind right there like, "This all I had to do?" I have been doing it ever since.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]