By Kent Appel: I had the chance to talk to former junior middleweight champion Kassim “The Dream” Ouma, originally from Kampala, Uganda, who now resides in Riverside California, about his chances of bringing the WBA middleweight championship now held by Gennady Golovkin back to his new home town and he is confident that he can take the title from Golovkin, originally from Kazakhstan, but who now resides in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, when they face off this coming Friday June 17, 2011 in Panama City, Panama..
Ouma, who won the IBF junior middleweight title in 2004 with a unanimous decision over Verno Phillips but lost his title to Roman Karmazin in 2005 will be getting his third chance at winning a world title when he fights Golovkin. His most recent title try came against Jermain Taylor in 2006 at which time he lost a unanimous decision to Taylor for the WBC and WBO middleweight titles.
Kent Appel: “Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.”
Kassim Ouma: “Thank you for speaking to me.”
K.A: “How is the training going? I know you have fought mostly at 154 pounds in the past; do you feel strong at 160 pounds?”
K.O.: “It’s going good. I did fight Jermain Taylor at 160 pounds so I am very able to fight at that weight but even though I prefer fighting at 154 pounds, the opportunity came for a shot at the title so I took it.”
K.A.: “How much do you know about your opponent?”
K.O.: “I don’t know much about him but I do know he is young and strong but I will be ready for whatever he brings.”
K.A.: “Do you feel your style of being a boxer/puncher gives you an advantage also, is being a left handed fighter going to help you in this fight?”
K.O.: “I don’t know but really this is like any other fight and I will do what I need to do and I am going to win. Whatever he brings I will bring it right back to him.”
K.A.: Do you feel your experience will give you an advantage? I know your opponent has not fought the kind of opposition you have fought.”
K.O.: “Yes, but I am not taking anything for granted as I have beaten fighters that had more experience than I had and he is young and strong and I don’t expect an easy fight.”
K.A.: ”After the loss to Taylor for the middleweight title, in a fight which you hung in tough, you have had some close losses in recent years. Do you feel this may be your last chance at a title and is this a big motivating factor in your approach to this fight?”
K.O.: “No, I don’t think it is my last chance at a title as I am still young, I am ready, and this is a great opportunity.”
K.A. “Win or lose, how much longer do you want to fight? After all, you are only 32 years old and that is not very old for a fighter these days.”
K.O.: “I feel like I have a lot of time left as I have lost some close fights that could have gone either way but I haven’t been beaten up badly. I am not going to predict how much longer I am going to fight.”
K.A. “When you do retire would you be interested in becoming a trainer and do you now work with and teach younger fighters the tools of the trade?”
K.O.: “I will talk about that when my career is over so I really haven’t thought about it.”
K.A. “How would you like to be remembered by the fans when you do finally decide to end your career and hang up your boxing gloves for good?”
K.O.: “I would like the fans to remember that I always bring it to my opponents, that I always fight my ass off, that I have a lot of heart, and the skills to go with it.”
K.A.: “Thank you again for taking the time to talk to me.”
K.O.: “Thank you.”