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<v Speaker 1>Well, it's my great pleasure to be joined on our

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<v Speaker 1>podcast this week by other than the lightweight contender, Abdulah

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<v Speaker 1>Mason Abdullah. I will let everybody know what you have

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<v Speaker 1>coming up. You're going to be challenging for the vacant

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<v Speaker 1>w Deal lightweight title, taking on fellow undefeated Sam Noakes.

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<v Speaker 1>It'll take place November twenty second on the Ring magazine

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<v Speaker 1>k per view that Turkey Alshikh is putting on in Rea,

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<v Speaker 1>Saudi Arabia, and I wanted to start off by saying,

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<v Speaker 1>first of all, welcome, I'm very much looking forward to

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<v Speaker 1>this event. I think your fight is it's a deep card,

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<v Speaker 1>but this is this is a really interesting matchup on

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<v Speaker 1>that show was four years ago, almost to the day

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<v Speaker 1>that we're doing this interview. You were seventeen years old

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<v Speaker 1>when you turned professional. You were boxing on an undercard

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<v Speaker 1>on a terrific fight between MICHAELA. Mayer and Mai Vahammadus

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<v Speaker 1>to unify two of the titles in one hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>thirty pound division for the women. I was ringside for

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<v Speaker 1>that fight in Las Vegas. I had been hearing about

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<v Speaker 1>you before your professional debut. I've been knowing Brad Goodman

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<v Speaker 1>from top rank for like thirty years and telling me

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<v Speaker 1>to take a look at this kid. He's going to

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<v Speaker 1>be something else. Scored a second round knockout, you look

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<v Speaker 1>really good, and four years later, here you are right

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<v Speaker 1>on the verge of fighting for a world title. So

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<v Speaker 1>I wonder if you could just like briefly just sort

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<v Speaker 1>of sum up that journey from pro debut on a

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<v Speaker 1>deep you know, deep on an undercard now going off

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<v Speaker 1>to Saudi Arabia fight for a world championship.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, that was a It was definitely That's something I've

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<v Speaker 2>been thinking about too. You know how we four years

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<v Speaker 2>ago you said that was almost like to this exact

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<v Speaker 2>date where I first turned pro, and right now, I

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<v Speaker 2>would say it kind of feels the same way in

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<v Speaker 2>a sense, you know, competing going overseas, competing for this

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<v Speaker 2>world championship, you know, going from those amateurs to that

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<v Speaker 2>pro debut, it was like a different experience, and going

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<v Speaker 2>from where I'm at now to this world championship, it

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<v Speaker 2>kind of feels the same way in a sense. That's

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<v Speaker 2>what I mean, Like, it's gonna be different experience for

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<v Speaker 2>me fighting overseas. You know, my first twelve rounder a

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<v Speaker 2>different crowd, so my main thing is just keeping the

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<v Speaker 2>same focus through you know, the differences, and making sure

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<v Speaker 2>I'm doing the same thing when it comes to my performance.

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<v Speaker 1>So as a young prospect, you got a lot of buzz,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of people picked here as the prospect of

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<v Speaker 1>the year over the last couple of years. And like

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<v Speaker 1>you said, now here you are getting ready to fight

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<v Speaker 1>for world titles. So you've got nineteen fights, nineteen wins,

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<v Speaker 1>seventeen knockouts. How do you feel as though you've been

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<v Speaker 1>brought along and prepared for this moment?

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<v Speaker 2>Oh? I feel like I've been prepared perfectly.

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<v Speaker 1>You know.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been with a great team, you know, J Prince

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<v Speaker 2>Management Top Rank Boxing, and my team, my trainers, my father,

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<v Speaker 2>my head trainer, and my brothers as well. You know, everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>Every fight that I go through, they've been pushing me

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<v Speaker 2>to be better or you know, tweet this, tweak that,

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<v Speaker 2>and every fight I've you know, been through, its getting

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<v Speaker 2>better and better and better. So with each opponent they've

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<v Speaker 2>put in front of me, I end up doing the

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<v Speaker 2>same thing, you know, or better, you know, even though

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<v Speaker 2>the opponents are getting better and better. So Sam Noaks

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<v Speaker 2>is the best opponent to date, you know, he would

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<v Speaker 2>be the best opposition for me, and I feel like

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<v Speaker 2>this performance will be even better.

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<v Speaker 1>So when you had the fight with Johan Vasquez in

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<v Speaker 1>November of twenty twenty four, you scored a second round

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<v Speaker 1>knockout against him, but before he knocked him out, obviously,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the the headline, I guess was that he

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<v Speaker 1>knocked you down two times in the first round. And

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<v Speaker 1>after that fight there was a lot of people that

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<v Speaker 1>had sort of hyped you up there We're like, well,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe we're not so sure about this guy. He got

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<v Speaker 1>dropped twice and there was some criticism. I sort of

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<v Speaker 1>looked at it the other way. I've seen a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of you know, guys get dropped and come back, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>with a raging theory and go on to greatness. Not

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<v Speaker 1>that big of a deal. It's boxing, you get hit,

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<v Speaker 1>So I sort of looked at it from the other perspective, like, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, we've seen the young man deal with adversity

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<v Speaker 1>and he came through it like a champ and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>ended up getting the knockout. I wonder what was that

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<v Speaker 1>experience like for you and maybe dealing with some of

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<v Speaker 1>the criticism that came along with that, especially as a

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<v Speaker 1>very young fighter.

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<v Speaker 2>I think, well, the experience for me, it was a

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<v Speaker 2>I would say overall, it was an amazing experience and

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<v Speaker 2>at the time it was shocking. But for myself and

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<v Speaker 2>for those who know Box and I feel like we

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<v Speaker 2>all saw it the way you've seen it as it

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<v Speaker 2>was a great thing to happen as far as you know,

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<v Speaker 2>going through the adversity and coming out the way that

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<v Speaker 2>it did. It shows a lot of growth, a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of goodness and just the way we prepare or you know,

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<v Speaker 2>just where I'm at in my career, and uh, there's

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<v Speaker 2>always going to be critics, so there's not too much

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<v Speaker 2>to you know, to pay attention to on that side,

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<v Speaker 2>so you've got to I just got to make sure

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<v Speaker 2>I'm doing what I'm doing no matter what, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>keep growing or you know, learning from that. But it

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<v Speaker 2>was definitely a great, great learning experience and uh, like

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<v Speaker 2>I say, it was a turning point for the better.

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<v Speaker 1>So you have won three fights in UP since then,

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<v Speaker 1>so obviously it's not been any you know, impact certainly,

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<v Speaker 1>and you're stolen defeated in the fighting for the title,

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<v Speaker 1>as I mentioned, uh before this fight with no because

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<v Speaker 1>I guess your biggest fight, your biggest name, your biggest

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<v Speaker 1>win must have then I think anyway, your fifth round

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<v Speaker 1>knockout of the very battle tested, uh, you know contender

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<v Speaker 1>Jeremiah Nakatiya back you know a few fights ago, and

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<v Speaker 1>he was a guy that had fought you know, some

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<v Speaker 1>quality fighters. He had lost to them fair enough, but

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<v Speaker 1>they were guys that that boxing fans know, of course, Stevenson,

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<v Speaker 1>Miguel Burtchelt, you know people along those lines, Raymond murtya

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<v Speaker 1>even the prospect Tito Mercado. So what do you think

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<v Speaker 1>that win did for you in terms of your thoughts about, Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what I can compete with these experienced veterans

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<v Speaker 1>whose only loss is have come against guys that have

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<v Speaker 1>gone on to you know, become champions or you know,

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<v Speaker 1>people that boxing fans know, or even like Mercado, top

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<v Speaker 1>prospect like yourself.

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<v Speaker 2>One thing about me is anytime I kind of get

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<v Speaker 2>in a ring with somebody with more experience or you know,

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<v Speaker 2>even in the past before I turned pro sparring with

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<v Speaker 2>like world champions. Every every time I step in ring

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<v Speaker 2>with someone like that, it's more of a solidification of

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<v Speaker 2>what I have, you know, in my mind, I'd be

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<v Speaker 2>like Okay, it shows me what I have. Okay, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>good at this, I'm good at that, or I'm at

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<v Speaker 2>this level, or Okay, that was kind of easier. I

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<v Speaker 2>could step it up a little more, or whatever the

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<v Speaker 2>case may be. Oh I got to work a little harder.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's usually a silification letting myself know, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>and letting my team know that what we have is

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<v Speaker 2>is something good and the something that we're definitely grateful

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<v Speaker 2>for it, but it's something that we've been working on

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<v Speaker 2>the right things.

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<v Speaker 1>I understand that that fight I mentioned against Nakatiya, originally

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<v Speaker 1>that was going to be the co feature. The main

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<v Speaker 1>event that night was Keshawn Davis supposed to be defending

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<v Speaker 1>the WBO lightweight title against Edwindale Los Santos. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>anybody that follows boxing knows what happened there. He came

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<v Speaker 1>in four pounds plus overweight, The fight got canceled. Top

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<v Speaker 1>rank you know, decided to keep the show on when

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<v Speaker 1>they couldn't work it out. Obviously, you got elevated into

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<v Speaker 1>the main event. What was sort of like, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>your thoughts about, Okay, now I'm in the main event

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<v Speaker 1>was did it add any pressure to you? Or nerves

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<v Speaker 1>or just feel like, you know what, I got an

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<v Speaker 1>opportunity now as the main event, maybe this show myself

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<v Speaker 1>to a greater audience.

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<v Speaker 2>Perhaps for myself, I would say I was more excitement involved, like, Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm excited, it's my main event. You know I've been

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<v Speaker 2>here before. As far as that's that was the same

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<v Speaker 2>Virginia at the same time where I had the other

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<v Speaker 2>big fight, you know with Vasquez, I was excited to

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<v Speaker 2>be able to come back and main event there. But

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<v Speaker 2>it was also composure because I know that it's the

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<v Speaker 2>same thing as any other fight. You know, you got

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<v Speaker 2>to stay focused and stay composed to that. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>even being the main event. You know, people might be

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<v Speaker 2>crazy excited or want me to go crazy in there

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<v Speaker 2>and try to knock his head off. But for me,

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<v Speaker 2>it's you know, I got to keep my composure and

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<v Speaker 2>do the same thing, you know, main event or not.

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<v Speaker 1>So when when even going into that fight, you know

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<v Speaker 1>where you're rated in the WBO, you know that you're

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<v Speaker 1>getting close to being perhaps a mandatory Obviously, once the

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<v Speaker 1>title was tripped from him, the WBO, like the organization Zoo,

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<v Speaker 1>they look at their top rated contenders. There was you

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<v Speaker 1>in one position and Sam Noaks in another position, and

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<v Speaker 1>you came to fight for the vacant title. But the

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<v Speaker 1>title shot kind of came out of the blue because

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<v Speaker 1>nobody expected that Kishon would miss weight and be stripped

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<v Speaker 1>of the title. So this is probably coming a lot

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<v Speaker 1>quicker in terms of the title opportunity for you than

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<v Speaker 1>maybe originally expected. So when what was like your reaction

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<v Speaker 1>when you realized I'm getting my title shot in the

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<v Speaker 1>next fight. It's not against you know, Kishon Davis, but

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<v Speaker 1>it's gonna be against Sam Noaks for a vacant title.

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<v Speaker 1>But how did you feel when you realized, okay, title

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<v Speaker 1>is stripped, I'm getting the shot at this vacant delt.

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<v Speaker 2>Again, it was excitement. You know, being a world champion

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<v Speaker 2>or contenting for a title is a huge step up

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<v Speaker 2>in boxing from anything else. You know, from from Olympics,

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<v Speaker 2>from you know what, multiple time national champion as an amateur,

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<v Speaker 2>or you know, any of these smaller titles as a pros.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, being a world champion is I'm huge. So

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<v Speaker 2>being able to contend for that and not just being

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<v Speaker 2>ranked at the number one spot but actually contending for

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<v Speaker 2>the world title, it's like I don't know. I would say,

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<v Speaker 2>it's just something that I'm looking forward to now like

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<v Speaker 2>once once once that was once that was right there

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<v Speaker 2>in front of me, it became my reality.

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<v Speaker 1>Kind of like kind to pinch yourself a little bit,

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<v Speaker 1>you say, what kind of like have to pinch yourself

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit, Like I I'm I know my position,

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<v Speaker 1>but now I'm actually getting the.

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<v Speaker 2>Fight right right? No, for sure? Yeah, yeah, because I

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<v Speaker 2>knew I was creeping up on it. You know, I

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<v Speaker 2>was already ranked number two at the time. I was

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<v Speaker 2>about to fight for it. But you know, being able

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<v Speaker 2>to ford to turn over and for me to you know,

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<v Speaker 2>contend for that right now is like I said, it's

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<v Speaker 2>also involved composure, but I'm also excited. So you know,

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<v Speaker 2>we just uh we can't wait for it, man, like

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<v Speaker 2>two three weeks now to come.

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<v Speaker 1>So, so what do you think about Sam Oaks. I've

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<v Speaker 1>seen him fight a few times. You guys have a

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<v Speaker 1>very similar record. He has seventeen fights. You have nineteen fights.

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<v Speaker 1>But you're twenty one years old. He's twenty eight year

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<v Speaker 1>Old's a little bit older, a little bit of a

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<v Speaker 1>later start or uh, you know, in terms of how

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<v Speaker 1>he's been brought along your I looked at your record

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<v Speaker 1>just to clarify. It feels to me like you faced

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<v Speaker 1>roughly more kind of opposition. You know, he in the

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<v Speaker 1>UKU and the United States. What is your take on him?

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<v Speaker 1>What do you what do you think about him?

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<v Speaker 2>I feel like Sam Oaks is a He's a worthy opponent.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, me and him are, like you said, we

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<v Speaker 2>have faced similar opposition in a sense, and we're in

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<v Speaker 2>the same places in both of our careers, So it'll

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<v Speaker 2>be just as much of a test for him as

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<v Speaker 2>it is for me. You know, we both undefeated right there,

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<v Speaker 2>closing in on twenty fights, so it's a perfect test

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<v Speaker 2>for us both, and it's going to show uh boxing.

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<v Speaker 2>I guess you know a lot about you know, whoever's

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<v Speaker 2>going to be his next world champion.

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<v Speaker 1>So when the bell rings, what kind of style fight

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<v Speaker 1>do you see it? I am assuming that either yourself

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<v Speaker 1>certainly your team have taken a look at some of

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<v Speaker 1>the videos to sort of get a take on what

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<v Speaker 1>he's all about. And when you when you think about it,

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<v Speaker 1>how do you feel like the fight goes in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of the style.

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<v Speaker 2>In terms of the style, I feel like this is

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<v Speaker 2>gonna be a fun fight that's all I'm gonna say

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<v Speaker 2>is I ag. Yeah, that's that's the style of it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's gonna be really fun for y'all. It's gonna be

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<v Speaker 2>fun for us.

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<v Speaker 1>No one's gonna be running around the ring. I don't believe.

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<v Speaker 2>No, I don't think so.

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<v Speaker 1>So this is kind of a big thing that I

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<v Speaker 1>think about. If you win this fight, you become, at

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<v Speaker 1>age twenty one, the youngest active male world champion in

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<v Speaker 1>boxing of all the guys in that titles. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know if you knew that the youngest presently

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<v Speaker 1>is your fellow top rank fighters andrews Ayas, who was

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<v Speaker 1>twenty two years old when he won his world title.

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<v Speaker 1>He is now twenty three years old. Did you realize

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<v Speaker 1>that was going to be the case if you're the winner,

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<v Speaker 1>and if so, what does that mean to you that

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<v Speaker 1>you could, you know, create that kind of history.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I did realize that. That's that's something that's huge

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<v Speaker 2>for boxing, but not just for boxing, but also for Cleveland, Ohio.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, to have not won a world champion, but

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<v Speaker 2>to that world champion, being the youngest active male world

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<v Speaker 2>champion is it's something he used to bring back to

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<v Speaker 2>my hometown and to be able to want to contend

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<v Speaker 2>and have a fight in Cleveland again. I don't know

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<v Speaker 2>when that would be, but soon. I would love to

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<v Speaker 2>do as soon, but that'd be a huge thing, and

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<v Speaker 2>I'm just excited for that because it's it's something that

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<v Speaker 2>you hear what Mike Tyson has become world champion at

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<v Speaker 2>what like twenty years old or something or.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, he was not only not only the youngest champion

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<v Speaker 1>in boxing at time, but in the history of boxing,

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<v Speaker 1>had become the youngest heavyweight champion at that age.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so that's that's huge, that's huge, you know, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>excited for it.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, certainly if you are the champion. I'm sure having

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<v Speaker 1>been the covering top rank for a long time, they

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<v Speaker 1>know how to bring their guys home for the hometown fight.

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<v Speaker 1>They've done it a million times, but lots of their

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<v Speaker 1>their championship fighters. I wanted to just wrap up with this,

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<v Speaker 1>but when you found I mean, you knew you're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>be fighting Oaks for the vacant title, but I don't

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<v Speaker 1>know if you necessarily knew that it was gonna be

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<v Speaker 1>uh in Riad, Saudi Arabia. So I'm wondering what were

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<v Speaker 1>your thoughts about you know, making the trip to Saudi

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<v Speaker 1>Arabia to have this opportunity with all of your other

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<v Speaker 1>fights obviously have taken place in the United States.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, once once you learned it was gonna be in Saturday, Arabia,

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<v Speaker 2>we knew it was gonna be different, and we knew

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<v Speaker 2>it was gonna be something big, you know, like this

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<v Speaker 2>is a huge car for World Championship fight on the

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<v Speaker 2>same fight card. Originally we had thought it might have

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<v Speaker 2>been on the Crawford Canelo undercard, but for some reason

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<v Speaker 2>it was pushed back for a while because I think

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<v Speaker 2>that was a good date to have it at the time.

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<v Speaker 2>But everything happens for a reason, and right now, November

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<v Speaker 2>twenty second, I feel like that still be the time

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<v Speaker 2>for me to shine.

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<v Speaker 1>Are you excited in any way to be fighting, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>in that sort of environment, you know, different than what

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<v Speaker 1>you're used to, and to make that trip overseas for

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<v Speaker 1>the fight.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, for sure, for sure. But the first things first

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<v Speaker 2>is you got to handle business, so you know, wherever

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<v Speaker 2>I go to fight, you know, the first thing on

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<v Speaker 2>my mind is handing on that business. And then I

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<v Speaker 2>could be excited about the results after.

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<v Speaker 1>Totally get that. Abdullah I appreciate that time. I wish

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<v Speaker 1>you the best of luck in the fight and hopefully

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<v Speaker 1>we get a chance to talk after the fact.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, for sure. Thank you Dan. It's great to

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<v Speaker 2>learn that you were at bout pot you because we

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<v Speaker 2>had first mentioned and I'm like man like peace out

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<v Speaker 2>like he was there, you know a lot of about it,

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<v Speaker 2>but you being ringside of something excitement as well. So

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<v Speaker 2>I appreciate you for your support along the way you back.

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<v Speaker 2>That's for luck for you, yes, sir, Thank you. M