Talkin Boxing w Kassim Ouma

April 15th, 2008

By Scoop Malinowski

IBF Junior Middleweight champion Kassim Ouma took time out this week to talk some boxing with Boxinginsider.com. Here’s what the affable and charismatic Florida-based Ugandan had to say about his first title defense challenger Kofi Jantuah, the very high compliments Bernard Hopkins gave him recently, and more…

Boxinginsider.com: How has life changed since you became a world champion?

Kassim Ouma: Well nothing has changed, nothing has changed now that I’m champion. But I’m still working it. I just thank God once again that he made me survive all the things that I’ve been through. And giving me this opportunity now on Home Box Office. I’m gonna keep doing the same thing and I’m not gonna change, I’m gonna stay me.

Boxinginsider.com: Kofi Jantuah is going to be a hard and dangerous fight for you…

Kassim Ouma: Yeah it is. It’s so bad that I get to fight the toughest guy out there in my first defense. But me, I’m tough too. Winky don’t want to fight me – dropped IBF, I copped it. He don’t want to fight Kofi, I guess moved up to middleweight for moneywise and stuff I guess. He’s mandatory challenger WBA, number two WBC. I guess he makes some guys want to go up in the weight class instead of fighting him. But still like me, when I was sitting on this, I promised everyone in the world I’m gonna fight whoever comes my way. And I’m here.

Boxinginsider.com: What will be the difference in this fight?

Kassim Ouma: It’s just another fight. Defend my title – that’s the most important thing. Defend it and taking it back with me to Florida.

Boxinginsider.com: Why will you win?

Kassim Ouma: Because I’m the champion. And the better fighter – then I used to be.

Boxinginsider.com: I remember seeing Bernard Hopkins pull you aside at the Boxing Writers dinner last year. He seemed very impressed by you and had a lot of respect for you. Do you remember that moment? What did he say to you?

Kassim Ouma: Yeah, I remember. He just say I need to keep working, my time will come. I wasn’t a champion then. And I’m a champion (now). I remember when they interviewed him that night and he said, When it’s time and when it’s out, I’m gonna take over. He don’t see anyone that can take him down but me. He gave me that. I’m not gonna complain that I want to fight him. I just want to take over when he leaves. Because I know he’s about to leave in about two years. He said I can take over. That I can be just like him. Maybe more than him.

Boxinginsider.com: In you view, what has made Bernard Hopkins so successful? I mean he’s 40 and still the best…

Kassim Ouma: He’s a strong man. I think whatever he has comes from God. So God gave him that. So whoever can take that I guess would be God.

Boxinginsider.com: Can Vitali Klitschko dominate the heavyweight division?

Kassim Ouma: I don’t know yet. There’s a lot of guys out there. I don’t know.

Boxinginsider.com: What is the best punch you ever landed in your life?

Kassim Ouma: I got that one left uppercut (on) Verno Phillips. As soon as I touch him with that left I think it make him want to stay down.

At the conclusion of the interview, as he departed the stage of the press conference, Kassim said to me, smiling as usual, “Next time I see you I’m gonna interview you, if you let me. I’m gonna have my mic with me.”

I agreed to his terms. And look forward to seeing what it’s like as a reporter to be interviewed by this unique champion fighter.