By James Slater, Eastside Boxing
Right after his recent 3rd-round win over Manny Siaca, Danny Green said how there are no cruiserweights out there capable of competing with him, and that any fighter from that weight class would be KO'd should they face him (at least Green's trainer Angelo Hyder made these comments). Well, one man who is eager to put it all on the line so as to prove "The Green Machine" wrong is unbeaten 200-pounder contender B.J Flores.
Very kindly giving me the following interview, in which he fired back at the Australian and his trainer's ultra-confident remarks, 31-year-old Flores, 24-0-1(15) made it clear he is more than willing to go over to Australia to call the 37-year-old's bluff..
James Slater: Thanks once again for speaking with me, B.J. Straight to business - you want to fight Danny Green and you disagree strongly with what his trainer had to say about how no cruisers can live with Green?
B.J. Flores: I think they're unbelievable comments, James (laughs). I mean, Green is a good light-heavyweight, but to say he will KO any cruiserweight he fights when he hasn't fought one yet! It's okay him having confidence if he believes this, but there are a lot of cruiserweights out there willing to prove him wrong, and I'm at the top of the list.
J.S: Did you see Green's win over Siaca?
B.J.F: Only on You Tube. Siaca is basically a gatekeeper; a guy who was never a great champion or a big name, with all due respect. I think he was brought in as the opponent. I've seen Green fight before - I saw his fight with [Julio Cesar] Dominguez in Mississippi, which was a tough fight for Green; very much back and forth until Green got the TKO (in the 5th-round). Green is a good fighter, like I say, but he's a good light-heavyweight - he has to face a young, hungry fighter at cruiserweight to prove he's the real deal at cruiserweight. And I'm totally willing to go to Australia to fight him.
J.S: Is this the fight you and your team will go after then?
B.J.F: Absolutely. I'll be back in the ring in June - I need to get myself back - and then, after that, in either July or August or September, it doesn't matter, I'll go over to fight Green. He has no fight coming up, we've been in touch with his team and they are interested, so this is the perfect fight for him. Green needs to make a statement at cruiserweight - not just fight old guys who have been on the shelf, like Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver - and he would make a big statement if he beat me. But I don't think he can do it. I'm willing to lay it all on the line to find out, though!
J.S: You'd have no problems going to Australia?
B.J.F: None at all. I don't care how he wraps his hands (in reference to the Roy Jones fight), he'll be fighting a 200-pound man and I think I'll be stronger than him. I think I'll be too strong and too skilled for him. It would be a big attraction in Australia, too. It wouldn't be so much of a big fight over here, but Danny Green is a big star in Australia and the fight would be a bid deal over there.
J.S: He's fought as high as 185-pounds, but no higher. Is that why you think you'd be stronger than him - what with you being a genuine 200-pounder?
B.J.F: Yeah, he's fought at 184, and if he'd fought guys who were 200-pounds that would have been okay, but he fought guys who were smaller [than full cruiser] also. I just don't see any time he'd be able to dominate the fight. He has more experience than me, but I've had 25 fights myself and I've fought guys who punch harder than Green does. Okay, Green is a more proven all-round fighter than the guys I've fought, but I have fought some good guys who hit harder than Green does.
J.S: Do you think you will get the fight, though? I mean, you were unable to get that fight with Marco Huck, and Green is talking Antonio Tarver, Evander Holyfield and even David Haye (at least his trainer did in a recent article)
B.J.F: Well, he can forget all about David Haye, David's not even thinking about Green, I can guarantee that! And Holyfield and Tarver, you know, I have respect for both guys - and in his prime Tarver beats Green or gives him problems - but Green needs to get off that whole Roy Jones, Antonio Tarver thing. We get it that he can defeat older guys who have been on the shelf - but what is that proving? Like I say, he needs to invite a young and hungry contender like me to his country if he's to make a statement.
J.S: Who will you fight in June, and how many rounds will you box?
B.J.F: I think it will be 8 or ten rounds as I don't like to box less than that. We've spoke to a couple of people but I'm not sure who it will be yet. It's just time to get back in the ring; to dig myself out of the hole I've been put in with me not having had a fight since August. I'm very excited about getting back. The priority for me now is to get the fight with Green and prove him wrong. I'm sure he can't beat me, and I'm willing to go to Australia to prove it. And I've been in camp all this time - don't think I haven't been getting good work! I've been working with some of the best heavyweights in the world.
J.S: Well, I hope you get the Green fight, B.J. For whatever reasons you were unable to get the fight with Huck; let's hope you have more luck here. One final question please - I read that you looked into going into MMA. Is that still a possibility?
B.J.F: It was a possibility. The thing is, I was so frustrated at not being able to get any fights in boxing and I did wrestle [as a youngster]. People were throwing ideas at me, saying I should do MMA. It's still something I would entertain, as I'm still young and I'm athletic. But the June tune-up and then the Green fight take precedent right now. And with regards to that [the Green fight], not too many guys would be willing to go to Australia. But I'm confident that whenever my big shot comes, I'll come though it with flying colours. And I must also say, Danny Green's a great guy. He's charming and funny and I liked him a lot when I met him. But that doesn't mean he beats me! Let's make the fight, in Australia, and let's lay it on the line!
Source: eastsideboxing.com
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