Exclusive Interview by James Slater: Unbeaten Turkish welterweight Selcuk Aydin is, it’s fair to say, an angry man right now. Having arrived to train in Miami last week so as to get ready for his WBC interim title clash with Luis Collazo, the 26-year-old with the impressive amateur background and the 19-0(15) pro record is dismayed to learn that former WBA 147-pound champ Collazo may not now take the fight that was set for Turkey on June 5th.
As fans may have read in the news, Collazo has said he is no longer able to make welterweight, and therefore he doesn’t plan on going to Turkey to face the exciting puncher known as “Mini-Tyson.” Aydin’s manager, Malte Muller-Michaelis, believes and is hopeful that the fight will still go ahead (posters have even been printed for the fight). Aydin himself has made it clear he believes Collazo is afraid of him..
Very kindly granting me the following interview direct from his Miami training camp earlier today (when Selcuk spoke himself in his admittedly broken English, and at other times was translated by Michaelis and Vedat Alyaz), the German-based Turkish warrior had the following things to say:
James Slater: It’s great to speak with you, Selcuk. First of all, how has training been in Miami with trainer Ismael Salas?
Selcuk Aydin: We are doing general preparations right now, working on fitness and also some technical things. I’m mentally ready to fight, we will begin sparring in early May. I am happy with my new coach (Salas, who also works with Yuriorkis Gamboa), I have had a number of different coaches in the past, but now I am confident I am with the right one. I had the [physical] strength and conditioning before and now he will make me perfect technically. But I’m a little upset right now, because my mind is on Collazo. I do not like this bullshit! Collazo fears me! I’m waiting to fight him. He agreed to fight me two months ago, and now we have this bullshit with his weight or whatever it is! He said he’d come to Turkey to fight me and now he has to, to prove he is a man. If he’s a man he will fight me!
J.S: You obviously want to fight and are very confident you will beat Collazo?
S.A: No-one can stop me! I will give him two-rounds, after three-rounds he will be finished. He fears me, I know it! He can’t beat me and he knows that. I am here and I am for real – the whole world will see what I am this year. I want the big names, the champions. I want Collazo, [Andre] Berto, [Floyd] Mayweather, [Miguel] Cotto, [Manny] Pacquiao – all the big names. No-one can stop me, I’m too strong. I don’t care about how people say those guys are the best, I am ready to prove I am the best – starting with this fight on June 5th. If Collazo is man enough to fight me!
J.S: If you cannot get Collazo, will you still fight on June 5th, and is there any idea who it will be against instead?
Malte Muller-Michaelis – Aydin’s manager: It’s very difficult right now. We won the purse bids for the fight, and we are now doing our advertising campaign for the fight, with posters and things like that. We believe the fight with Collazo will still go on. It will be a great fight, too. Two great fighters going at it – it will be no walk in the park for either man. We have to wait and see, but we still believe the fight will go on.
J.S: Selcuk, your nickname is “Mini-Tyson.” Was that name given to you purely because you fight like Tyson did, or are you a fan of his also?
S.A: My style is tough like Tyson. I like the way he did things [in the ring]. I want to be the same as he was. I am waiting for the big fights to come. I will show what I have in the ring and then we can talk about how good I am – when I’ve proven it.
J.S: Do you make welterweight okay yourself?
S.A: I am just five-pounds over [welterweight] right now. I make it easy, with the right diet and the correct training.
J.S: You are 19-0(15) as a pro now; who would you say has given you your toughest test as a pro so far?
S.A: Said Ouali (who Aydin won a 12-round split decision over in defence of his WBC International welterweight title in April of last year – in what was the 26-year-old’s U.S debut). He is a southpaw and I took quite a few punches from him. It was a tough fight but I was in good condition for it. I went 12 hard rounds and I am proud of the way I came through it. I would say that fight is also my best performance so far.
J.S: You want the big names at 147, as you’ve said. If you could choose any one big name to fight in the next 12-months, Collazo aside, who would it be?
S.A: (answering immediately) Berto. Of course, it all depends on the June fight – I have to win that first of all – but I feel me and Berto have similar styles. I hope we can make this fight with Berto and his crew. I only want to fight the champions, the big names.
J.S: At age 26, how close do you think you are from reaching your peak?
S.A: I’ve had 19 [pro] fights, and in each one I have got better and better. I am in the best of shape right now, but I will continue to improve. I will prove myself when the time comes for me to face the best champions.
J.S: As you know, you last fought in July of last year. Are you concerned at all about ring-rust?
S.A: No, I have no problems with that. I’m just waiting for my fight with Collazo and then someone like Berto. I could have taken a smaller fight [to keep busy], but I chose not to; that was my decision.
J.S: Well, we hope you get the fight with Collazo, or if not him a big fight instead. It’s been great speaking with you.
S.A: Whatever happens, I need to fight. I just want to fight – whether it’s someone else or not. It’s important that I fight, but like I said, if Collazo is a man he will come and fight me.