Jerry Glick interviews Bernard Hopkins
This is a new opportunity for Brooklyn fans to see their favorite fighters box in a new, spacious, modern venue right in their own backyard.
Headlining the Final Forum show called “Fists a Flying,” that is being co-promoted with Top Rank, will be undefeated NABF Junior Middleweight Champion Yuri Foreman, 24-0 (8) who now lives in Caroll Gardens, Brooklyn, but was born in Belarus in the former Soviet Union. His opponent is Saul Roman, 28-4 (24), who last time out outpointed former world Junior Middleweight Champion Kassim Ouma. Also competing on the April 3rd show will be Joshua Clottey, 33-2 (19), who will face tough, hard hitting Jose Luis Cruz, 34-3 (27).
Yuri Foreman
At the press conference, held at the Aviator, Foreman appeared to be in great shape, ready to step into the ring right now. He said that he is excited about fighting in Brooklyn for the first time.
“I fought many times in New York (Manhattan),” said Foreman. “But this is my first time fighting in Brooklyn as a professional. I fought in the Golden Gloves many times in Brooklyn.” He is very excited about fighting so close to his home.
Foreman knows what his foe, Roman, will bring to the table.
“He has some decent power; you can look at his record,” added Foreman. “He has 24 knockouts. He’s 28 and four, I’m 24 and 0. He has those 24 knockout but most of them against not so good opponents. He fought questionable guys but just recently he got a victory over Kassim Ouma.”
Foreman is expecting a big win in his upcoming fight and a good 2008.
“I expect to have a great and spectacular victory on April third, and after that I hope to get a title shot. April third is the first step.”
Foreman has a lot of talent in his weight class to target. The WBC champ is Vernon Forrest, WBA title is in the hands of Joachim Alcine, Sergiy Dzinziruk has the WBO strap, and Cory Spinks holds the IBF belt.
“I’m ready to fight world class fighters,” declared Foreman.
“This is more like the third step already,” he corrected. “They told me that after Tsurkan I would get an opportunity for a title shot. That was that and I guess this is another one. But I’m just focusing right now on Saul Roman.”
Foreman is hard at work getting ready at Gleason’s gym.
“I never go to camp,” said Foreman. “I am always home.”
Foreman’s manager, Murray Wilson, has plans for his charge that include a world title this year.
“Get past this fight, which I hope we will, and I’m pretty sure we will,” said Wilson. “One more tune up fight, and then I’m sure we’re going for the world championship. We’re calling out Alcine. That should be it before the year is out.”
Foreman is currently ranked sixth for Joachim Alcine’s WBA title.
The 27 year old Foreman is one of the current Jewish fighters, including, Roman Greenberg, and Dmitriy Salita among others, who are bringing Jewish fans back into arenas to watch boxing. There was a time when boxing was well populated with Jewish boxers many of whom won world titles.
Foreman is an excellent draw and is very popular. He is bright, young, good looking, articulate and charming. It also helps that he can fight.
PUNCHLINES
DERRIC ROSSY:
Also on Musumeci’s mind is his heavyweight Derric Rossy’s future. Rossy was on hand at the press conference (he is not on this card) and his most recent fight that took place in China against Ray Mercer was playing on the multiple TV screens over the bar.
“It is currently being entertained,” said Musumeci. “That Rossy will be matched with Hasim Rahman in early May at a site to be announced.”
Rossy, looking about 30 pounds lighter than he was when last seen in these parts, had a few things to say about his career. There have been other changes since he suffered his first defeat.
For one, Rossy appeared to box more than in the past when he fought the aging Mercer.
“Mercer is an old salty dog,” stated Rossy. “He’s older now, but he’s crafty. He took his time in there trying to find his moments. I just kept the same game plan, stick and move, stick and move.”
Rossy had a tough loss to then unbeaten “Fast” Eddie Chambers who dished out a beating; busting Rossy’s eye up in the process.
“I knew what I could learn from it and we learned a lot of things,” he added. “Went back to the drawing board and perfected a lot of things.”
Rossy said that his biggest improvement was his weight loss. He dropped those thirty pounds, and he looked it.
“I felt comfortable with my boxing, rather than being a bully.”
He feels the same way his promoter, Sal Musumeci, feels; that this is his break out year. That in 2008 he will reach all of his goals in boxing.
“We’re planning on trying to get a title this year,” said a very calm and confident Rossy. “The road to get there is open. And we are going to see who will be our obstacles in our way.”
He feels that he is ready to meet whoever it takes to get to the top.
“Pick your spot,” said Rossy. “Any one of them I think we could fight with, especially now. My confidence has never been higher and my conditioning has never been better.”
So this former college linebacker and defensive end has never looked back at his football days, saying, “I don’t know who that guy is any more, I’m a fighter. We’re fighters, we love to fight.”
THE AVIATOR:
Promoter Musumeci is not only excited about the show, but he has announced his intension to make the Aviator a home for his fighters.
“I want to promote my shows here in the future,” said Musumeci. “It’s a beautiful venue.”
Floyd Bennett Field is a historic airport in the southern most area of Brooklyn, NY; at one time it was a busy military base that is now used mostly for recreation. The latest addition to it is the Aviator; a large spacious modern facility with two hockey sized skating rinks, a climbing wall, a gym, and other accommodations.
On hand at the press conference was Dean Rivera who represents the Aviator. I had a few moments to talk to him about the facility.
“We took four hangars and refurbished them,” explained Rivera. “We have a 20 year concession with the National Parks to run the facility.”
Mr. Rivera talked about the storied history of the Brooklyn location.
“Many famous people have flown out of these hangars here including Amelia Earhart, and Howard Hughs; actually the picture on the wall is a picture of Howard Hughs flying out of one of these hangars that our sports venue is built in.”
“During WWII a lot of soldiers flew from here to go to the European theater,” explained Rivera.
“Until 1971 when it was de-commissioned, it lost the postal service contract which back then drove passengers on airlines. Once they lost that the other airports, LaGuardia, Kennedy (Idlewild), came around.”
After that the field lost its direction. It became a place to teach your teenagers to drive, and fly model airplanes, and other things along those lines, until Aviator was built with the intention of bringing people to use their sports facilities and revitalize the area.
“It’s about 175 thousand square feet on 25 acres,” said Rivera. We have just about every sport you can imagine; hockey, basketball, volleyball, football, and gymnastics.”
This venue looks like it will turn into a very good place to hold boxing. That is something that has been in the works for a while.
“We had Golden Gloves here,” said Rivera. “We had NYPD-NYFD charity boxing events here and we spoke to a number of different promoters, and Sal did approach us for this one event that was coming up; Sal was looking to work here.”
He added that it was good timing for everybody, it is certainly good timing for the fans.
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