How many fighters, only five fights into their career, can you say have the tools and fundamentals to become a future champion? Not many, but Derrick Wilson is one of them. Wilson is similar to a young Floyd Mayweather Jr. He has lightning quick hands with good power and a ton of heart and confidence. On Thursday night, the 20-year-old Wilson is ready to make his mark on the boxing world with a ‘golden’ opportunity. Wilson will be fighting in the main event on Oscar De La Hoya’s Versus card at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Wilson, a standout amateur, has been training with former two-time world champion and world class trainer John David Jackson in Key West, Fl preparing for the biggest fight of his young career.
8CN: Hey Derrick, how is training camp going for you?
DW: Training camp is going great. I am here in the gym with a couple tough vets, Nate Campbell and Randall Bailey and some other young guys like Raymond Charles and the Willis Brothers. They (Campbell and Bailey) give me a hard time, but they are showing me the ropes and giving me good advice. They are both good fighters, but I am a hell of a fighter my damn self. No fighter out there has hands like me. I’ve been getting good sparring in with Danie Van Staden and Sergi Ganjelashvilli.
8CN: Before we get too far, how did you start boxing and how old were you?
DW: I started when I was 11 years old and my first fight was at 65 lbs. When I was young, I used to get into a lot of street fights and a friend told me about a gym around the corner from my house where I could go and learn how to fight. I walked in the gym and never missed a day since.
8CN :Did you have an amateur career and what was your record?
DW: I had 57 fights in total out of which I lost 7. All of my losses were in the nationals. I won the Eastern Trials Championship in Cocoa Beach. A couple of my losses were controversial. In Cincinnati during the Midwest Trials, I fought Rau’shee Warren(who is from Cincinnati). I felt we were having a great fight, but my cornerman who was also from Cincinnati threw in the towel, and told me he wanted to save me for the Golden Glove Nationals. I think it was just his way of saving Warren from losing at home. Unfortunately, from 16 to 18, I didn’t take the sport seriously. I was never 100%, but from now on, I am a dedicated fighter.
8CN: Who is your trainer now?
DW: John David Jackson but I am also looking to add Tony Morgan to my corner, he also trained Andre Berto.
8CN: Your last fight, you stepped up in competition and fought another undefeated fighter in Kermit Gonzalez on the Jeff Lacy- Otis Griffin undercard. In my opinion, it was the fight of the night and I thought you had edged him out. Was that your toughest fight to date and would you fight him again?
DW: Yea, it was my toughest fight so far. I moved up in weight and he was better than fighters that I had previously fought. Gonzalez was undefeated (6-0-1) and had a good amateur background. I blame it in part for not being 100% in the ring but that was my fault. I thought I was faster than he was and won the fight. I would love a rematch with him so I can beat him this time.
8CN: You have a huge fight Thursday night, that will be televised on Versus against Charles Huerta, how do you feel about it? Do you know anything about him?
DW :I feel great! I caught his last fight on Versus and he is a wannabe Cotto. He is going to come straight forward with his hands up trying to block everything. I feel like I am going to get him out of there. I can’t tell you what round because I’m not Muhammad Ali, but he has never fought anyone as good as me. He thinks because he is undefeated in 11 fights and I only have 5 fights that I’m going to be go easy, but that boy is going to be in for a rude awakening. I am about to up my record on Versus to 2-0. My first time on their I got a first round knockout against another undefeated guy.
8CN: I know you shouldn’t be looking past this fight, but what is in store for Derrick Wilson in the future?
DW: Well I am known for being that talker in the gym, but being around these vets, who tell me to keep to myself; I am going to do just that. Whomever my trainer John David Jackson and my manager Si Stern put in front of me, then that is who I will fight. It also depends on who will even take the fight. There are a lot of guys I’ve wanted to fight and they have pulled out and won’t take fights with me. Since I have been training in Key West, and my manager promotes cards down here, I am hoping to fight on the ESPN show in January. They local people show a lot of love for us down here and I’d love to put on a show for them.
8CN: Any last comments?
DW: Check me out on Versus. I’m promising it is going to be a great show. If people don’t know who I am now, they will after Thursday night! Huerta has fought a bunch of bums and he is finally going to get a real fighter.
8CN: Thanks for taking time out and we look forward to seeing great things from you.
DW: Thank You
