"I'm walking into this fight like I would any other fight. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy. I'm expecting a tough and hard fight, but I plan on coming out with a win of course. I'm going to go in there and do what I do best, and while I'm on that big stage, I'm gonna make that my show... He's strong I've seen him fight plenty of times. He is strong. Me personally, I don't think he can handle boxers and someone with good speed with some punching power and I just basically gotta look out for his left hook," stated jr. middleweight contender James De La Rosa, who talked about his upcoming clash with Alfredo Angulo on the September 13 undercard of Mayweather vs. Maidana 2. Check it out!
PC: You gotta be feeling good about getting a big fight on the biggest stage in boxing.
JDLR: Yeah, I feel real good. I'm happy and I'm just ready to fight.
PC: We were talking in our first interview together about just getting you back active and now you're not only on the biggest stage, but fighting a big name like Alfredo Angulo. What is all of this like for you?
JDLR: Man, last time we talked, we were discussing getting back in the ring. I didn't think it was gonna be this soon, but the sooner, the better and I'm ready. I didn't think it would be this soon, but my manager Adrian told me not to worry about nothing. He said he was gonna take care of everything and he just needed me ready to fight. And that's how I feel, I'm ready to go now.
PC: How do you not let nerves play a factor in such a big fight when you are coming off of a lengthy layoff?
JDLR: If I let nerves play a role, it's like I have already took myself out of my game. I'm walking into this fight like I would any other fight. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy. I'm expecting a tough and hard fight, but I plan on coming out with a win of course. I'm going to go in there and do what I do best, and while I'm on that big stage, I'm gonna make that my show.
PC: Both of you guys are going up in weight from 154, but this will be contested at 162. Is that weight gonna be okay for you?
JDLR: I feel good. As of right now, I'm already 6 pounds away from weight. I feel good and strong and healthy. Like I said, I'm only 6 pounds away and if the fight was next week, I would be good. I don't know what he's walking around at or how much weight he has to lose, but I'm pretty sure it's gonna make him a little more sluggish and a little slower because he was kind of sluggish and slow at 154. But who knows what it's gonna do for him? It may hurt him, but it's gonna show on fight night.
PC: I'm sure you have watched him fight before. What do you think of Angulo as an opponent?
JDLR: He's strong I've seen him fight plenty of times. He is strong. Me personally, I don't think he can handle boxers and someone with good speed with some punching power and I just basically gotta look out for his left hook. That's his money shot and that's what I gotta pay attention to and look out for that. I'll be aware of every other shot, but I know his left hook is where it's at. I've seen him drop people with that shot, so that's what I will be looking at as his strong shot, but he's strong with both hands, so I'm not underestimating nothing from him.
PC: You mentioned making this stage your show. What do you feel you have to do to make this your show and have people talking about James De La Rosa after this event is over?
JDLR: I just have to go out there and be myself and put on a good show that people are gonna enjoy. That night, I'm going to make people wanna see James De La Rosa fight again and know that I am a good fighter. I want people to be talking about me and remembering me that night. That's what I plan on doing, having people remember me from that point on. I wanna be the talk of the night.
PC: Have you been training or just waiting on the call to hit a camp?
JDLR: Nah, since I signed with Adrian, we had a talk and that's when he told me he needed me to just be ready and focus on fighting and he was gonna take care of me. So I have been staying in shape, and since he told me that, I had it in my head that I was gonna live in the gym and that's what I've been doing. In the morning, I get up and do either my road work or my boxing workout, and then at night, whatever I don't do in the morning, I do it at night. And for this fight, I'm stepping everything up. I'm going to the gym 3 times a day now. I'm doing everything I need to do to make me feel good, to make me stronger, and mentally ready. I'm not leaving any stones unturned for this fight.
PC: Not giving away your strategy, but what do you feel you need to do to be successful on September 13th?
JDLR: I gotta be in top shape, remain calm, and not let the crowd dictate how I fight or what fight I should fight. I'm going to go in there and be myself. I know there are going to be thousands of people, but it's just gonna be me and him in there and I'm going in there to execute my game plan.
PC: Angulo is known for getting grimy in there and doing some things to...I won't call it dirty, but frustrate his opponents. Are you aware of that and prepared for that?
JDLR: Yeah, I'm well aware of that and that's stuff we working on in the gym. We are working on capitalizing on the things he does wrong and the things that he does that are dirty for me to stay away from that, so it's not gonna be an issue.
PC: In a perfect world, how would this fight end, or is it all about just getting that W?
JDLR: Yeah, it's all gonna come down to me just getting my hand raised. I have been working hard for it and that's what I plan on happening is my hand being raised at the end of the night.
PC: I wish you the best of luck and congratulations on landing this fight. Is there anything you want to add?
JDLR: I just want everyone who will be tuning in and everyone in the boxing business to look out because there is going to be a new star on the rise on September 13th!
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]