04.12.03 – By Ike Enwereuzor – JacBoxing.com: Former world championship challenger Monte “Two Gunz” Barrett of Queens, NY(29-2) 16KO’s, is expected to trade gloves with unbeaten “Baby Joe” Mesi on Saturday December 6 at Madison Square Garden. Monte Barrett began his professional career August 1996 by dismantling Jamal Edwards at Yonkers, New York. Barrett has wins over Erik Kirkland, Robert Wiggins, Robert Davis, Jimmy Thunder, Tim Ray, Phil Jackson, Greg Page and more. Here’s what he had to say about his upcoming fight against Joe Mesi..
Ike: Please, tell us how long you have been training for your fight with Joe Mesi? Monte Barrett: I have been getting ready for this fight for about 6 weeks. Everything is going well and we’re ready to go. I hope Joe Mesi is ready too. I’m very hungry ready to draw blood.
Ike: What’s your impression of Joe Mesi?
Barrett: He’s a good fighter but come December 6, it will be a different fight. I don’t think he fought anyone yet like me. I thank HBO for giving me this opportunity. I’m hungry, ready and focused for this fight.
Ike: Mesi said that if you ever try to fight him the way you fought Erik Kirkland, you may find yourself in a lot of troubles. What do you say about this?
Barrett: Well, Joe if you fight me the same way you fought Davarryl Williamson you’ll be in a lots of trouble. I was off for about 6 months and I had a lot of pressure but this fight here December 6 I have no pressure, we’re well prepared.
Ike: Describe your fight with Erik Kirkland?
Barrett: Like I said I was out of action for a long time. Joe Mesi is right about what he said but my fight with him will be a different Monte. I got a lot of surprises for him. My fight with Kirkland was a lot of holding and so on. I’ll rate myself a D in that fight.
Ike: What can you tell our readers about your fight with Robert Davis?
Barrett: I wasn’t focused for that fight like I’m now for Joe Mesi. I was unhappy with my performance. I could have stopped him in first but I didn’t so fight went longer.
Ike: Any comments about your fight with Lance Whitaker?
Barrett: We were good friends before that fight. I was doing anything wrong. I was having sex in camp before that fight. It was a hype fight but not like this one with Joe Mesi. I fought a wrong fight I went and fought with him instead of boxing him. I didn’t stay with my game plan.
Ike: Your take on Klitschko-Johnson bout?
Barrett: They are making this a race card, I hope Kirk is aware of this and keeps his head up.
Ike: Your thoughts of Lennox Lewis Vs Vitali Klitschko?
Barrett: I don’t think he did much with Lewis. Klitschko may have been doing fine in beginning but Lewis started catching him with stuff, if they let the fight go on, Lewis would have stopped him. He was catching Klitschko with upper cuts and hooks. Lennox was just coming back strong.
Ike: Tell us about your fight with Wladimir Klitschko?
Barrett: I prepared for that fight wrongly. I only had about 21 rounds of sparring with Lennox Lewis. My game plan for that fight was wrong, I should have known that he must have some kind of skills but I just went after him and it was a wrong move.
Ike: What did you learn from that fight?
Barrett: I learned not to settle for less. I could have beat him if I did things a little different.
Ike: What did you learn from your fight with Robert Wiggins?
Barrett: I knew he was rough and tough. So, I learned to keep my composure. After I got a cut I kind of got worried but I still won that fight.
Ike: How was your fight with veteran Greg Page?
Barrett: It was my first big fight. Maurice Harris came in to help me for that fight and he had me bleeding. So, this made me harder
Ike: Your all-time favorite Boxers?
I looked up to “Sugar” Ray Leonard and Mohammed Ali.
Ike: How did you get ring name “Two Gunz”?
Barrett: I think my trainer gave me that name after a fight. He just said Monte got two guns on his two hands.
Ike: What do you want to tell your fans?
Barrett: I want my fans to be there or turn in to HBO. My daughter’s team made it to the finals in their track team, they are going to New Mexico a few days after my fight. Therefore, I have to be there for her. I started Boxing in Brooklyn, NY. I want to send my love there and I want to tell Joe Mesi, see you in the ring Saturday, it will be a war. I’m “The Beast from the East”. See you all at the fight.
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