Exclusive Interview by James Slater – Unbeaten 30-year-old Cruiserweight contender B.J Flores was at the very least slightly miffed at some of the comments WBO champion Marco Huck had to say in the recent interview I did with the German-based fighter (see earlier article on the site). Wanting very much to answer Huck back and give him some thoughts of his own, the 24-0-1(15), #2 ranked contender gave me the following interview yesterday evening (UK time).
Making it quite clear there is a potential cruiserweight grudge-fight bubbling under between he and “Kap’n” Huck, Flores is aching for the chance to make the big-punching Serbian warrior pay. Here is what B.J had to say:
James Slater: It’s great to speak with you, B.J. First of all regarding Marco Huck, will you be ringside at the Ola Afolabi fight in Germany on December 5th?
B.J Flores: Yes, I definitely plan to be there.
J.S: Huck, as you know, said in the interview with me that he will fight you, but he talked of you “coming over” to fight him. He seems to want the fight in Germany. Would you go there to fight him?
B.J.F: Yes, without a doubt I would go to Germany. But in the interview he talks about how he wants to fight in America. What I would say is this – first of all, Roy Jones has to take care of business against Danny Green (on December 2nd) and I’m sure he will. Then, the plan is for a big, big card to go ahead on March 13th in Las Vegas, to be shown by HBO – Jones-Hopkins II. If Huck wants the opportunity to fight a big name American fighter in the U.S, then why not fight me on March 13th, on that card?
J.S: You are definitely fighting on that card, assuming it goes ahead, with both Jones and Bernard Hopkins winning their next fights?
B.J.F: For sure, I will be fighting on that bill. I may also be having a tune-up on ESPN on January 8th in Vegas. I’ve been in the gym and I want the fight with Huck. There’s no way I will ever lose to a kick-boxer, I guarantee that! I’ll never lose to a fighter as one-dimensional as Huck. For him to say “B.J who?,” that’s disrespectful. Who has he ever fought? Everyone wanted to get a fight with Victor Ramirez (who Huck beat to win the WBO belt), the only reason Huck is champion now is because he got the shot at Ramirez and I didn’t. You know how boxing works, it’s a business. I would definitely have beaten Ramirez, but Huck got the fight because his team paid more money for the fight.
J.S: How do you see the Huck-Afolabi fight going? Huck says he sees nothing special in Afolabi.
B.J.F: He should be concentrating on the Afolabi fight. I see Afolabi giving Huck all he can handle – he could become the second U.S fighter to beat him. He’ll find out what is so special about Afolabi when he gets in the ring with him. Afolabi’s a very good fighter. Having said that, there is a chance Huck could outwork him and win a decision. But I tell you, there’s no way Huck would ever beat me, there’s now way he would ever outwork me!
J.S: It’s clear you want the Huck fight, but I take it you’d also fight Afolabi?
B.J.F: Of course, but it’s Huck I’d prefer. He says “B.J who?,” yet who was he before he beat Ramirez? He hasn’t beaten anyone of real note. I haven’t either, but I have a far bigger name on my record in Darnel Wilson. The thing is, Huck is being disrespectful to guys who show him respect and are respectful to him.
J.S: This has the makings of a cruiserweight grudge match! I want to see it already. You want Huck to win on December 5th? That’d be your preferred choice?
B.J.F: I do want Huck to win (laughs). I mean, if Afolabi won, it would be no problem making that fight with me in America. But there’s just a chemistry between me and Huck. I’m for real and I would take away everything he has if the fight comes off. “B.J who?” – he knows who I am and he’ll find out firsthand in the ring if he agrees to fight me. I’m the guy who was rated above him when he got the title shot. He knows he has to prove the loss to Steve Cunningham was a fluke, but can he do that? Will he fight in America and try to beat another U.S fighter? If he does want it on March 13th, there’s no problem. That would be his big chance.
J.S: Where you impressed with Huck’s win over Ramirez? He looked calmer and he boxed more patiently I thought.
B.J.F: Well, I impressed was for him. I mean, he beat a guy that anyone at world level should beat. Ramirez is a guy with one speed and Huck changed his style a little bit and won the decision. But he will have a much tougher fight against Afolabi. No doubt. Huck is still a one-dimensional fighter.
J.S: The fans like you, B.J, and they know you are a good fighter. The thing is, they want to see HOW good. They want to see you get a world title fight.
B.J.F: I totally agree! I want to see too. That’s why I’m calling out this guy and making it public that I want to fight Huck. I think this fight has a great story to it, it has all the ingredients to capture the interest of the fans. I have to say also, a big up to Roy Jones, my promoter and to say thanks to all my team – Square Ring, Al, Jacob, Jenny and Megan, they’re all doing a great job with me. Once Jones takes care of business against Green, then we can look to the March 13th bill.
J.S: And you think Jones will beat Green okay?
B.J.F: I do, for sure. I see him stopping Green in around seven or eight rounds. I think Green was hurt twice in the [Julio Cesar] Dominguez fight.
J.S: Well, it’s been great speaking with you, B.J. I hope the fight with Huck comes off. I hate to say it, but I actually think Afolabi might beat him though – on points or by late stoppage. But I want to see you get it on with Huck now – you’ve sold the fight to me!
B.J.F: (laughs) Yeah, as I say, I think it would be a great fight for the cruiserweight division. I will be there in Germany on December 5th, and I want Huck to look me in the eye and say “B.J who?” I’m going to make my presence felt, being right up in his face. I’m a big name – ESPN have just renewed my contract, so I’ll be doing more commentating work and I will make sure to speak about Huck as often as I can – and if we can make this fight it will be a great addition to the March 13th card. I’ll definitely beat Marco Huck; if he gets past Afolabi.