31.05.04 – By Sabian Goldberg – SG: Syd, congratulations on your impressive win over Tito Mendoza to take the IBF # 1 position.
Syd: Thanks Sabian, I feel I have always been the best super-middle weight in the world and now I’m ready to display my ring dominance to the world on Showtime, HBO, and PPV. I want to fight only the best fighters because I am ready to rule and dominate these great pretenders who call themselves champions.
SG: On your website (www.sydthejewel.com) you have openly challenged Joe Calzaghe, Danny Green and Jeff Lacy by posting their picture on your “Hit-List”. With so many top fighters trying to avoid the high-risk match-ups, as Calzaghe has been reportedly avoiding you, it is surprising to see that you are willing to step up and face the best in the division.
Syd: I was working on a fight with IBO champ Brian Magee, but when I was a little too anxious to agree to all their terms, they backed out. My manager Stan Hoffman saw an opportunity to get my name in there for an elimination bout, and did. Tito was the only one in the entire IBF top 10 that was willing to step up and take on “The Jewel”.
SG: I have read that you have been trying to get a fight with Calzaghe for some time now and that you went so far as to offer to donate your entire purse to a Welsh children’s charity in his name if you lost. Was that true?
Syd: Yeah it’s true. I’ve been trying to get a fight with Calzaghe for almost three years now and that chicken keeps running from me. Now he has run away to the light-heavy division. He’s the best example of a protected champion who has built his record exclusively fighting opponents who are past their prime or who are tomato-cans.
SG: Do you consider Calzaghe’s next opponent IBF light-heavy weight champion Glencoffe Johnson to be a tomato can?
Syd: I have respect for Glencoffe Johnson, but as you know, I beat Glencoffe already so this fight doesn’t interest me. It’s a big deal to Calzaghe because he’s actually going to fight a live opponent. It’s no longer the Tucker Pudwill, Jimenez or Mger’s of the boxing world. Glencoffe has earned his way up the ranks. But this is not a big fight by any means. It’s only a big fight in Calzaghe’s make-believe world and in the brain-washed world of Warren and Calzaghe supporters.
SG: What are your predictions on the Calzaghe vs Johnson fight.
Syd: All I can say is that I hope it ends in a KO because otherwise it will definitely be a controversial decision with Calzaghe getting the nod.
SG: When would you like to face Joe Calzaghe?
Syd: Anytime, any place, but realistically after I take the IBF title. I want to KO Calzaghe and put an end to Warren’s master-full illusion he has created. I’ve always said that it should be Warren wearing the WBO belt not Calzaghe.
SG: What do you think the chances of a Vanderpool /Calzaghe fight happening?
Syd: There is no doubt it will happen. I will continue to hunt Calzaghe down. He can’t run forever. You see, that guy is too afraid to leave his baby blanket at home and come to North America for a good old fashion beating. Calzaghe’s fights are covered by Showtime and I have heard that they are fed up with Calzaghe taking on tomato can opponents and are refusing to cover his fight unless it’s against a legitimate opponent. So I hope the people at Showtime will influence Calzaghe to take the fight with me. If not, the public will, because they are beginning to realize that Joe is actually scared to fight me.
SG: Who will your opponent be for IBF title fight?
Syd: I’ll be taking on the winner of Jeff Lacy vs Vitali Tsypko, taking place June 5th on Showtime. Neither one has the experience, power or speed to beat me. I think a fight against Lacy would be a huge draw in the US though. Good for boxing and good for the networks.
SG: Where do you see yourself one year from now?
Syd: I see myself as the ruling theSuper-Middleweight division, and topping the pound for pound list.
SG: Do you see yourself as heir-apparent to Roy Jones Jr. then?
Syd: Without a doubt. First of all, I am the only legitimate boxer to have the skills, speed and power to completely clean this division up and I am willing to prove it, unlike so called champs like Calzaghe. No one else can honestly make that statement! With Hopkins, Jones, Oscar, Mosley and Tyson soon to retire, I will take over boxing as the next Great. Right now I have had little to no media exposure to show the world that I am the best, but that will all change when I take the IBF title in my next fight, then Showtime, HBO and the whole world will know…´The Jewel” is here to reign.
SG: You have a professional record of 35-2, 23 KOs and have shown in your last fight that you obviously have the experience and skills to back it up, who is promoting you right now?
Syd: Right now I don’t have a promoter and am currently entertaining offers. Some have said that I took a big chance fighting for the IBF # 1 in the other guys’ hometown with his promoter staging the fight. But that was no risk for me because I know that there is no one in this division who can beat me. Right now my manager Stan Hoffman is going over the offers carefully. We know we are going to be at the top for a long time so we are not jumping into anything right away.