"Unlike Cantrell, I'm gonna turn up to fight. Unlike Tank, I'm gonna train and not drink...it'll be interesting to see how he handles being out of his comfort zone," stated EliteXC heavyweight James Thompson as he talked about his upcoming clash with Kimbo Slice on the May 31st CBS/EliteXC Saturday Night Fights card. Check out what else he had to say as he talks about Slice, the fight and much more.
PC: How is everything going James?
JT: Everything's great. Thanks.
PC: How is training going for your fight against Kimbo Slice?
JT: Training's going great as well. Haven't had any injuries or any complaints so all is good.
PC: Is it tough to train for a guy like Kimbo?
JT: It's no harder to train for Kimbo than anyone else. He has things which he's strong at and things which he's not. It's all about getting the right training and gameplan.
PC: What are some of the things you feel like you have to do in order to get back in the win column and back to the form you were in against Don Frye?
JT: It's just a question of confidence. Now I feel like I've got my training right; that's coming naturally.
PC: Are you sold on the fact that Kimbo is this unbeatable force?
JT: No, not by a long way. I think the only people that are sold don't know much about MMA.
PC: Is the plan to go toe-to-toe with Kimbo?
JT: It wouldn't be ideal to have a 3-round stand-up war with Kimbo. I want to put Kimbo in situations he's never been in before.
PC: How do you see this fight going? What's your prediction?
JT: Me winning! Second round tops!
PC: What do you think you have to do differently that Cantrell and Abbot didn't accomplish?
JT: Unlike Cantrell, I'm gonna turn up to fight. Unlike Tank, I'm gonna train and not drink.
PC: How does it feel to headline the first MMA card to broadcast on CBS?
JT: It's a great privilege, I've been really lucky with fighting on historical MMA shows. I was lucky enough to fight on the last PRIDE show and now I'm looking forward to making my mark in America.
PC: Do you feel like this is a do or die fight for you at this point in your career?
JT: I'm not really looking at it like that. I don't see the point in putting extra pressure on myself. I'm just concentrating on training hard, getting focused and the rest will take care of itself.
PC: Have you watched any of Kimbo's street fights to get an idea of what to expect since we haven't seen much of him in the cage?
JT: I've watched all of Kimbo's fights, but since he's never really been tested, you cant get a full picture. I can see what he does well, but it'll be interesting to see how handles being out of his comfort zone
PC: Good luck in your fight against Kimbo. Thanks for your time. Is there anything you would like to say in closing?
JT: Just make sure you tune in May 31st to see "The Colossus" conquer Kimbo. Visit my website at www.thecolossus.co.uk. Special thanks to MMAagents.com and thanks Percy for your time too. Cheers.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]