by James Slater – 23-year-year-old Nagy Aguilera burst onto the world heavyweight stage with a stunning 1st-round KO of former WBC heavyweight ruler Oleg Maskaev in December of last year. Referring to himself post-fight as one of “the new generation” of heavyweights, the Dominican Republic-born New Yorker gets his chance to really make his mark in his next fight.
Set to face another former WBC champ in the hard-hitting Samuel Peter, in an IBF elimination bout, Nagy could be one win away from challenging for a world title. Currently in the early going of camp for the March 12th clash, the 15-2(10) contender very kindly took the time to give me an interview earlier today..
Here are “The Dominican Dynamite’s” answers to my questions:
James Slater: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, Nagy, I know you are in training. This big fight in March with Sam Peter, you must be very excited about it?
Nagy Aguilera: Yeah, I’m real excited about it. I know I can beat him and I’m training hard to make sure I do that.
J.S: Obviously, the thing everyone knows about Peter is he has lethal punching power. Are you at all fearful of that power?
N.A: Well, I have a lot of power too. We’re both strong guys. I have no fear of him or his power, and I know the only way he can beat me is if he catches me with one great shot – but that’s not gonna happen. No way. If a KO comes my way, fine, but if not I’ll box him and beat him that way.
J.S: You burst onto the world stage with the stunning KO of Oleg Maskaev. A win over Peter would be huge – you feel this is your time now?
N.A: This is a step I must take and pass. The win over Oleg Maskaev was very good for me, very good for my record, what with him being a former world champion. But, yeah, a win over Peter will put me in an even better position.
J.S: Were you surprised yourself when you took Maskaev out so fast – inside a round!?
N.A: I was not surprised, because as I said, I train hard for my fights. I had studied Maskaev, to see his weaknesses; the punches he doesn’t see coming in fights. I don’t really feel I got the credit I should have got for that win. Before the fight, everyone was saying how hard Maskaev can hit, but when I beat him they were not giving me the credit I think I deserved.
J.S: Can I ask you about your July, 2009 split decision loss to Darrel Madison. Was the loss a fair verdict?
N.A: Some people think I won the fight, other people think he won it. It was a very close fight. Every fighter has an excuse for why he lost, and I don’t want to make excuses, but I had a damaged ear drum going into that fight – I had damaged it in sparring when a guy slammed my ear real hard. That kind of messed me up for that fight, but I did the best I could. It wasn’t my best night, that’s all.
J.S: And your only other pro loss came via a DQ, to Marcellus Brown (in Dec. 2008). What happened there?
N.A: I lost my head in that fight. I was only a young guy, 21-years-old, and he was trying to fight dirty. He was trying to head-butt me, trying to push me down, and hitting after the referee had said stop. And like I say, I kind of lost my head. I learnt a lot from that fight, a big lesson. And that won’t be anything that happens again.
J.S: You are confident with your record, that you can beat Peter?
N.A: Yes. Every champion, except Floyd Mayweather, has a loss on their record. Look at Manny Pacquiao – he lost when he was young, he got stopped, yet he is now the best fighter in the world. I believe with hard work I can get myself up there to the top as well.
J.S: What do you think of today’s version of Sam Peter? How do you rate him on his current form; would you rate him in, say, the top-five best heavyweights out there?
N.A: I’d say he is one of the top-five heavyweights. He was a world champion too. But the Klitschko brothers have beaten everyone including Peter, because fighters show no movement against them. You have to be smart against them and box, and also have the balls to fight at times.
J.S: Is Peter the hardest puncher you will have faced?
N.A: Well, I don’t know. They said Maskaev punched very hard, and now they are saying Peter punches hard. People are not impressed with my win over Maskaev, so I am training hard to beat Peter and prove them wrong – to show them that this is my time and to put my name out there.
J.S: I know you don’t want to look too far ahead, but this fight with Peter is an eliminator with the IBF. Would you be ready for a title fight after Peter, or would you want a few more fights first?
N.A: I have to win this one first. Then, my promoter and my trainer will sit down and talk and see what’s next.
J.S: You feel though that you are capable of competing with the Klitschkos though?
N.A: Of course. They have two hands just like me. They tie their shoes the same way I do. I can compete with them, and when I fight them I will fight – I won’t run in there.
J.S: How do you see Wladimir’s fight going against Eddie Chambers?
N.A: I think it’s a good fight, a tough fight. Eddie Chambers has a lot of movement. Wladimir hasn’t been fighting guys with much movement lately; just guys who stand up straight in front of him. Don’t get me wrong, Wladimir’s a great fighter, but I see a hard fight and hopefully the titles will be coming back to the U.S.
J.S: Who will you spar with for Peter?
N.A: I’ll start doing five or six rounds soon. I’ll be working with Dominick Guinn and a few other guys.
J.S: You are a fast fighter, do you feel it will be speed that is the key to victory for you against Peter?
N.A: Yeah, I’m training for a unanimous decision win. Like I say, if a KO comes, it comes. I won’t be rushing in for a KO. I know he’s a an experienced guy and he knows how to survive. I want to beat him decisively, to make sure everyone knows my name. I know Peter weighs around 240 for a fight, but it doesn’t matter what he weighs, he’ll still be a mummy, he’ll still be slow.
J.S: Well, it’s been great speaking with you, Nagy. Best wishes for the fight in March.
N.A: Okay, thank you. Call me again after I’ve won!