Interview with Darrel “King David” Madison

King David is Back!

New York State Heavyweight Champion, Darrel “King David” Madison (13-1) has been working his way through the heavyweight division. From other top prospects to cagey veterans, Madison has beaten the likes of Zuri Lawrence, Domonic Jenkins, and Nagy Aguilera. On Thursday night, Madison embarks on another tough test on his way to the top when he battles Steve Collins (20-1) for the WBC USNBC title in Houston, Tx. The Long Island native recently took time out from his training camp to talk to 8 Count News before the biggest fight in his career.

Aaron Skinner and Darrel Madision

8CN: Thanks for taking the time out champ to talk. How is training camp going?

DM: Training camp is going great and I can’t ask for anything more. Everything is coming together. I’ve been working hard with my trainer Kelly Richardson, Joseph Cruz and the usual group from team Madison. I’ve been lucky enough to get some really good sparring in with Taurus Sykes and went down to Rhode Island and worked with Jason Estrada.

8CN: Thursday night, you have one of the biggest tests in your career against another prospect Steve Collins in his backyard [Houston, Tx]. Do you know anything about him?

DM: Well I know he has as many knockouts as I have fights. I’ve been working hard and I know what I got to do to get the ‘W’ in convincing fashion. We are fighting for the WBC USNBC title, so I’m looking to add a second title to my collection. We wanted it to be a 10 round fight, but they wanted 8. It is their card, their town, their paying for sanctioning fees and for me to come down, so we took 8. I really want to get up to 10 rounds. The past couple fights were supposed to have more rounds, but they ended up getting cut down. I really want to get up to the championship rounds.

8CN: Your last fight in New York was against an instate rival, Nagy Aguilera for the NY state Heavyweight title. What are your thoughts on your performance that night?

DM: Nagy and I have been rivals for years. The year I won the gloves, people thought Nagy could have won if he was in it. Then I turned pro and he won the gloves and people were talking that he wouldn’t have won his if I was still there. Things have been going on between Nagy and I since ’99. I’ve always wanted to see this fight. We could have fought at the Empire State games but I won and he lost.

I thought the fight itself was fairly easy. I did what I had to do to win. I don’t know what one of those judges was watching or smoking to score it a split decision. It was an 8 round fight, and I don’t know how a judge could have given him 5 rounds. I give him 3, benefit of the doubt because it is his backyard. Thankfully the other two judges got it right. I outclassed him, made him miss shots, and out bullied him.

8CN: Did you get to catch the Heavyweight title fight between Vitali-Arreola? What were your thoughts about it?

DM: Yea, I got to see it. It was a good fight. I take nothing away from the Klitschko Bros. and I take nothing away from Arreola. He is a very game guy and came to fight. It’s hard to win when your opponent has so much more experience and is so much bigger than you. Vitali showed great ring generalship and dictated the way the fight was going to go. Great fighters come back from tough losses and make adjustments.

8CN:What is your thoughts on the current state of the heavyweight division overall and in America?

DM: There are a lot of good guys out there in the division coming up. You got me, Kevin[Johnson], Eddie[Chambers], Chris[Arreola]. Then you got the gatekeepers and tough vets who are still in there and can still do their thing. American fighters are getting back on the map. You got David Tua, Cedric Boswell and a lot of guys who are overlooked and are scared to fight them. There are a lot of good guys in the division. I think the only reason people think the German guys are so good is because when we go over there you can get stuck up on the cards. Eddie Chambers clearly beat Dimi and it was still a split decision.

This is what they should do. Take of 5 of the best American fighters and put them in against 5 of the best European fighters, outside of the Klitchko’s and put us on neutral turf and see who wins. Let’s see then who is really better.

8CN: I know you aren’t looking passed Collins, but what would you like next after this fight?

DM: I know who I am and I know what I am capable of doing. Whoever they want to see me in the ring with is who I will fight. I’m there and available. Who do you want to see me fight?

8CN: I would love to see you fight Sherman Williams, since the first fight didn’t get to take place. It would be a good test.

DM: I would love to do that fight in January. All Si Stern has to do is make the phone call and I am there. Hopefully they can get Mayweather’s guy Garcia to wrap Sherman’s hands so he don’t break it again. I know he is going to Germany this weekend and hopefully he can come back with a win so we can make a good fight. Maybe we can fight for the

8CN: Any Final comments?

DM:Thanks for all the support. If you are in Texas, come check me out Thursday night. I am going to give you your money’s worth and I’m not going to let it go to the cards. I am going to walk through this guy. If he wants to box, I’ll outbox him. He has two options on how he is going to go out. He can quit or he can get knocked out. I am going to be there all night. You know Houston is the new Germany. We know what happened to the last New Yorker who came down to Houston to fight. We saw what happened to Paulie and I can’t let that happen to me.

8CN: Thanks a lot champ, I wish you the best of luck.

DM: Thanks Skinner, I appreciate the support.