"Like I said, they have been trying to throw a monkey wrench into the situation, but I'm well-prepared for that. I saw it coming through the door and I intercepted all that. Believe me, whatever they got, it ain't going to be enough. I know how they roll. I'm hearing they want to put a Canadian referee in, Canadian judges and all kinds of stuff, but I understand. This is Pascal's promotional company, so we're coming into the lion's den. We have no protection; none! We have no representation here, but like I said, it is what it is. This is the fight where Chad is going to show the world why he is the best fighter in the world...There is so much corruption involved in this game, it's unreal...It is already documented that Canada's fighters get favoritism from Canadian referees. We all saw that with Librado Andrade and Lucian Bute. I'm not just talking out of the side of my mouth. We've seen it on TV put to test," stated world-class trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad as he talked about Chad Dawson's upcoming showdown this weekend with WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal. According to Muhammad, they're trying to give Jean Pascal every single hometown advantage he can get. You don't want to miss what else he had to say. Check it out!
PC: You guys are out in Canada preparing for the big fight against Jean Pascal. How is everything going out there?
EMM: Everything is going perfect. Interbox is just trying to throw a monkey wrench into the situation, but they forgot who they messin' with. The things I done forgot in this boxing world, they don't know. I tell them to come on with it. Pascal is running his mouth saying he's going to do this and that, but the same mouth he's running, shit, I was doing that in the 80's. By that time, he was playing with cat shit and thought it was bubblegum. We don't worry about Pascal. I got my guy cool, calm and collected. He's already on weight and he's eating 3 meals a day and we're having a good time and enjoying ourselves. Everything is perfect!
PC: When did you arrive in Canada to get acclimated?
EMM: We got here on the 7th. Everything is great. We're having a great time. Like I said, they have been trying to throw a monkey wrench into the situation, but I'm well-prepared for that. I saw it coming through the door and I intercepted all that. Believe me, whatever they got, it ain't going to be enough. I know how they roll. I'm hearing they want to put a Canadian referee in, Canadian judges and all kinds of stuff, but I understand. This is Pascal's promotional company, so we're coming into the lion's den. We have no protection; none! We have no representation here, but like I said, it is what it is. This is the fight where Chad is going to show the world why he is the best fighter in the world.
PC: You coming off of the situation in Mississippi with Ishe, I'm sure have your antennas up even moreso out there in Canada.
EMM: Yeah, well that promotional company, Prize Fight, they should rename it to Sir Prize Fight! That's exactly what happened; the referee having a conversation with the promoter while the fight is actually going on. It was crazy. But it is what it is. There is so much corruption involved in this game, it's unreal.
PC: How do you see this fight with Pascal going?
EMM: Chad is looking for the knockout. I told him, "We're just going to go in and win 1 round at a time." We are the bigger man and we have more skills. I'm not worrying about what Pascal brings to the table. It won't be enough unless he brings the referee in there with him and the judges. It is already documented that Canada's fighters get favoritism from Canadian referees. We all saw that with Librado Andrade and Lucian Bute. I'm not just talking out of the side of my mouth. We've seen it on TV put to test.
PC: What has the reception been like for Chad out there?
EMM: We got a lot of love out here. I got my crew with me. We got Axel Murillo, our strength and conditioning coach, and I got Morris East, the former junior lightweight world champion, working with me, so we have a lot of love out here. Before there was Manny Pacquiao, there was Morris East from the Philippines, former world champion. We here and we making sure all of Chad Dawson's needs are taken care of. We take nice walks and have nice conversations. Everything is good. Everything is perfect.
PC: Did you get an opportunity out there to see Cloud vs. Johnson?
EMM: We didn't get a chance to see that because MMA is so big out here. We walked to a lot of bars just to try to see the fight and everybody had MMA on, but tell me about it. What happened?
PC: It was a close fight. I thought Cloud did enough to get the nod, but it was close. Glen was Glen, man. You can never count that dude out.
EMM: My hat is always off to Glen Johnson. I'm sorry for what the boxing world has done to his career, but Glen Johnson is a hell of a fighter and a great person.
PC: He is one of the rare ones in this game, for sure.
EMM: When he decides to retire, I wish him all of the luck in the world.
PC: I'm sure you are proud of Zab Judah and the effort he put out. You couldn't be there because you were with Ishe, but when you got to see the fight, what were your thoughts?
EMM: I thought Zab was spectacular. He did everything that I showed him. His jab was working, his head movement was working, his feints were working, and then that left uppercut took the show. Everything was working real good.
PC: He also showed good patience, which I think had been lacking in his game. Was that something else you guys worked on?
EMM: Exactly. I told him to have patience and relax and just establish his jab. Once you establish your jab and get that head movement going, everything else is going to come behind it. That's what he did. A lot of people that saw the fight, I was getting phone calls right after the knockout, was telling me that they seen the work that I had done with Zab Judah. It was great and I had a great time working with him. I had a good time working with him.
PC: There is no resting for the weary because you have to turn right around and get Michael Grant ready for Adamek next Saturday night.
EMM: Ah man, let me tell you something, Michael Grant is in superb condition mentally and physically. We had a great camp. We finished our hard sparring with Don King's heavyweight, Bermane Stiverne. We had great conditioning, great sparring, great everything. Michael Grant is ready to pull off an upset.
PC: Good luck this Saturday, and then again the following Saturday with Grant. Give me some closing thoughts my man.
EMM: I work hard with all of my guys and I'm glad that they have the trust and the confidence in me to take them all the way to the top and to keep them on top. I'm just glad that they got that confidence in me.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]