Speaker 1: Well, it is my pleasure to be joined for the
very first time, I first interview ever with the w
with the IBF and the lineal Cruiserweight World campion, Tai
opday At Tai, Welcome to the show. We're gonna talk
about your fight that's coming up on March eighth. First
of all, welcome. You know you're in Las Vegas getting
ready for the fight training. How's everything going.
Speaker 2: It's going really well, man. I'm I'm happy to be here.
You know, we've been trying very hard. I'm just ready
to get this fought done. You know what I mean.
It's it's been dragging on the wall, and now you know,
I've been away from home for about six weeks now
of another fucking two weeks. He's let's get this shit done. Man,
I'm ready to go to work.
Speaker 1: Well, you're gonna go to work. I'll tell the people
what the work is. You're gonna defend the title against
Brandon Glanton. It'll be the main event of the Zoofa
Boxing card on Paramount Plus March eighth at the Meta
Apex in Las Vegas. And this is obviously your first
fight since signing with zoof I think you and ZUFAU
create a lot of interest when they announced you became.
I mean they had signed obviously several talented fighters, but
you were the first, like really top quality elite world
champion that they had signed, uh an established title holder
champion when they made that announcement, so people were sort
of excited, like here the cruiserweight champs coming to America
to do his thing. And so I was curious. This
was an announcement that was made in January when you
made the deal with them. It is my understanding that yes,
you're going to be a ZOOPA fighter, but you have
your your team in Australia, Tasman Fighters that is still
your co promoter. And I wonder how did the deal
come about and what was your motivation for signing with ZUFA.
Speaker 2: Um it just fit perfect, you know.
Speaker 1: Other than other than money, of course, John.
Speaker 2: The money's the money's the bonus. You know, will he
Tyston dreams and will he to keep going? You know
the money would have come anyways, you know what I mean,
Will Tyson undisputed and when you become undisputed you get
paid anyways. But this is just sped that process up,
you know what I mean. And to be honest, man,
off the mic decision. I'm happy I've made it, you know,
like you know, obviously the contract was good and that's
why we signed. But you know, being here and being
around the people and seeing who I'm working with now
and and seeing the way they move, it's it's been good,
you know. It's it's it's refreshing, you know what I mean.
It's something new, and I feel like news is good
as well, you know what I mean. A lot of
people have been bad mouthing it, but it's been turning
out really well. You know, like people can't sit there
and say the boxing wasn't a fucking you know, you
always looking especially as a fighter, but you're always looking
over your shoulder, you know, who can you trust and who?
But this is this has been pretty straightforward, you know
what I mean. I feel like there's no hidden agendas here.
You know, they tell you what they want from me,
and this is this is my this is my experience
so far anyways, you know what I mean. So it's
all it's all been well. But to go back to
your question how it started, So we were dealing with issues.
You know, you got a fair bit to do with
the Zoo for boxing. He was talking to my team,
you know, and once my team sort of realized that
he meant business and he was being serious about his
offers and stuff, then.
Speaker 1: We again, I miss who you said you were talking to.
Speaker 2: His name's Ish, Oh, I know, yeah from uh yeah yeah.
Speaker 1: And I go way back with this, back in our days.
He was my representation.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Nice. Everyone ever was speaking to you says they
go way back with this, So he must be a
nice guy, you know what I mean. But so so far, bro,
everything's been good. You know, I'm you know, Ish flew
out to Gold Coast. We had to sit down, and
you know, everything just was was what we were looking for,
you know what I mean, getting on big cards and
and and doing big fights and getting these stuffs over
the line and stuff like that. So it's it was
just perfect.
Speaker 1: So one of the things that was interesting, I think
the reason besides obviously you being a top world champion
and becoming the first one to go with them, the
thing that sort of I heard a lot from fans
and other people in the business was because Dana White
from ZUFA Boxing has not been shy about what he
wants to do. He has said and certainly it's the
prerogative of the company to not work with the sanctioning bodies.
That's what they've said all along. I interviewed Danta when
they first announced this project, and he said, yeah, we
don't want to work with the organizations, okay, and they're
going to have their own belt. And this fight, of course,
when you fight Brandon Glan is going to be for
the first ever a ZUFA cruiser with that of the
first of their titles in any way class. And I
know you've made no secret about your desires. You just
said it just now that you want to be evolved
in unification fights and become eventually the undisputed cruiserweight champion.
It is my understanding. You can tell me if I
am wrong that you are allowed to defend your IBF title,
even though that's not the course that ZUFA maybe wants
to go in, that you'll be permitted to pursue unifications
with the other sanctioning bodies if those come to pass.
Can you tell me how how is that correct? And
how did you how are you a going to get that
part of the deal done.
Speaker 2: I don't I don't really want to go back on
you know what what Dana said, you know, he you know,
I'm not sort of heater, you know he's wrong or
right or whatever. I can only speak for my own
my own experiences. You know. They told me, you know,
undisputed was in our goals, you know what I mean.
They said that we're going to have unification fights. Obviously
we have to keep winning, you know, we have to
take care of business on March eighth, But unification fights
was in the talks, you know, and it was a
big selling point to why I why I signed, you
know what I mean, because you know, otherwise, what are
we doing as world champions? You know what I mean?
We should be chasing undisputed all the fighters, all these
other world champions. Once they get their world titled, then
it should be the what's the next world title? I
can get what's in and then they should be chasing undisputed. Otherwise,
what are they doing?
Speaker 1: You are considered Dutch champion, you were the lineal champion
on the ring title. You have the IBF title, you're
gonna get, you know, a chance to fight for the
ZUFA title. Will you be defending your IBF title in
this fight? I know they don't want to make that
part of the promotion. I don't have a problem with that,
but I'm from just a factual point of view. Is
that on the line against Clanton?
Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure it is, you know I was. I
went to the fights, you know, the the Guarcia fight
on the weekend. I actually spoke to the I told him,
you know, like, we're we want to fight for the IBF.
You know, I want to work with these guys, you
know what I mean. There's all this outside stuff, all
this all this you know who's arguing with who. That's
not the fighters, that's not That's not me, you know
what I mean. I'm the one fighting. So I'm here
to say, Look, I'm I want to be undisputed, and
I can't do that if the boys don't see the
same goal as me, you know what I mean. These
sanctity bodies don't don't see the same and they're not
willing to sort of see the that I'll have, you
know what I mean. Like it's I feel like they
sort of losing track of you know who, who's in
charge of this and that? But who cares? Look, we
want the big foughts over the lawn, you know, you
want to fucking see undisputed boxes. You know, it's uh,
it's well to my knowledge and what I'm what I
know is the IRBF is on the line.
Speaker 1: So okay, So let's get to the fight a little bit.
As far as where you're fighting the fight, this will
be your first time ever fighting in the United States
in Las Vegas. On top of that, of course in
this country, the biggest fight city that there is uh
history of great fights throughout the years, and I wonder
how how big for you as a young fighter and
now as a champion, was it ever your goal? Where
your dream to fight a championship level fight in the
United States?
Speaker 2: You know it's uh, I feel like that. I've been
fighting my whole life, you know what I mean. I've
been watching I've been watching the best of the best
fight here in Vegas my whole life since I was
a little boy, you know what I mean. It's always
been it's always been down the track, you know, like
one one day, one day and even this one. You
know it might not be the biggest arena, but this
is a stepping stone. These are these are these are
to me. I look at things like this like fighting
in these their investments you're gonna box.
Speaker 1: What you're doing right, You're checking exactly.
Speaker 2: It's investing. It's it's you know, like investing isn't always money,
Investing time and effort and and and you know, and
fights and doing this so we can get here. These
these are these are investments in my in my in
my career that are that are important, you know what
I mean. Like I get to fight here in Vegas
and then be a part of you know, this new
chapter a zoo for boxing and be the biggest name
in there so far, you know, one of the first assigns.
So you know, it's it's all just stepping stones man two.
And I'm very confident that in a year or so
I'll be able to call myself on disputed cruiseweight champion
of the World.
Speaker 1: Well, Brandon Glan, Brandon Glanton is going to try to
ruin those hopes and dreams for sure as your opponent
in this fight. About a year ago, he lost a
decision to the former WO cruiserweight champion Chris Billum Smith.
He came back in October and he scored a six
round knockout against a longtime light heavyweight contender, former title
challenger in Marcus Brown, who was a United States Olympian.
He was coming off of a twenty six month playoff. What,
in your opinion, whatever you've seen of Brandon Glann. I
saw your interview on where you were together on one
of the Paramount plus cards. What do you believe he
brings to the table to challenge you in some manner
in this fight.
Speaker 2: He's tough, but he's tough, he's gritty, and he wants
to win. You know, he's got no he's got a
fucking big engine. He CA's walking forward and he's just
ready to have a crack, you know what I mean.
He's dangerous to hold for you know, so you go
to be switched on. You've got to be ready to
fucking get in the trenches, you know when we are
so we's box smart. We do our thing and you
just make him walk on the ship. But you're just
gonna fucking do what we do. And that's the science
of the sport. You know. Our skill levels is completely different,
you know. But he's he's big, he's strong. You know,
it doesn't take a fucking rocket sciences to see with
our styles and how this fight matches up.
Speaker 1: Well, I happen to think that it's going to be
as the as they say a cracker. I mean, just
knowing the way because I've seen both of you guys
fight plenty of times. Going to be a good fight,
how long it goes who that knows? I mean, you
are known for your knockout power. We've seen what you've
done in some of your recent fights. Do you feel
like you can deliver that kind of spectacular knockout against Lanton?
Speaker 2: I believe I can knock anyone out if I learn
the right punch. You know, it's at the timing speed,
you know, it's it is what it is. And we're
big boys, you know what I mean. We're not fucking lightweights.
You know, we're we both punched on you know. So
it's it's an exciting thought.
Speaker 1: Since your your win in the rematch you had with
Myris Bradis, who was, you know, considered one of the
top fighters out there. You won the title from him
the first time you became champion. You fought him a
second time in twenty twenty four. You've had four fights
since then. You've won them all by knockout, some quite
spectacular as I mentioned, Uh, but they've not been the
biggest names, Jack Massey, David Nyika, Henry Squayo, Hussein Sinkara
spectacular knockout. So they're obviously, you know, veteran professional fighters.
Nika was an Olympian, but not necessarily big name opponents.
Was there any sort of frustration that you couldn't get
a bigger, more well known opponent in those past four fights?
Speaker 2: Of course, you know, we were chasing these These are
guys good fought us, you know, like like you said,
we go to European champions and MASSI, we go to
you know, silver silver medalists at the Olympics in you know, Naika,
you know, I feel like they just they're just unknown,
you know.
Speaker 1: People get the respect.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, well but yeah, of course, you know,
we've been chasing these unification fights for for a long
time now, you know, and it's been frustrating, but honestly,
but it's all in the past. You know, we've got
a job to do on the eighth. We are focused
on the eighth, you know, like we're talking about a
lot of things, but my main focus. And while I'm
here the last couple of weeks, I've been away from
home for fucking six weeks now, you know, what I mean.
I've been making all the pain and sacrifices. I've been
in the trenches, and that is for March eighth. So
unless I take care of business on March eighth, none
of this matters. Unifications, all this stuff, it means nothing.
March eighth. I need to win.
Speaker 1: I do want to ask you about Zerdo Ramirez. He
is the unified champion with the WBO and the WBA titles.
I know your teams have spoken to one another about
trying to make that fight a couple of times. Uh,
I know you guys are gained four it. He decided
that he was gonna go in the direction of the
David Dennavide's fight, which is not necessarily a fight with Jobatia,
but David has a very good name here in America. Uh,
probably a bigger fight commercially, to be quite honest. Video
so they're doing that. They had a news conference on
Saturday in Las Vegas, on the day of the Garcia
and Barrios fight, sort of talk to me about just
your inability to get that deal done and if and
again any frustrations for knowing that the conversations were taking place.
But you guys just couldn't get it. As they say
over the line.
Speaker 2: I don't think there was much conversation, to be honest,
I feel like we fucking wanted the fought, and I said, no,
you know what I mean. So it is what it is.
You know. The well for I'll gotta take care of
business on the iph and I'll go night. Doubt that
fat will come, you know what I mean. We just
got to keep winning, keep focusing on our job.
Speaker 1: You know.
Speaker 2: We gotta sure we deliver every time we step in
the ring, and then we just get closer and closer
to getting these thoughts out of the line.
Speaker 1: The one thing that was quite interesting is you did
the interview, as I mentioned on Paramount Plus, when they
entered to as having signed with them, and then they've
they posed you with a WBC champion in Noel McKellen.
There was a lot of conjecture, a lot of speculation
that when you did have your fight announced. Uh, this
was before they announced Lanton as your challenger, that maybe
you would be in a unification fight against Noel mckellian. Uh,
that seems to be a fight that could be available.
He doesn't have anything particular coming up. I just mentioned
that Benevide's and Zerta were doing their thing. If you're
successful against Brandon Land, is that the fight that you
would target next to try to unify at least those
two titles.
Speaker 2: Definitely, you know, one night around June where like midyear,
where when they're fighting Betavidaz and Zerta, you know what
I mean, when we should be fighting around that time,
and then we can fight at the end of the
year for unification. It's perfect.
Speaker 1: But that a great schedule.
Speaker 2: It's fucking it is perfect. That is more. That is
more golf, that's per it's undisputed by the end of
the year, and then whatever happens after that. But let's
go you know what I mean by up man, we
there's obviously a little moving parts for a plan on
that to happen, you know, and they over the line up.
So and at the end of the day, all I've
got to do is keep winning. You know, I've got
a job to do on the ice. So let's not
get keep talking about all these other thoughts. And they
all sound good coming out of my mouth. But unless
I take care of business, if of March, it is
all imagination. It's all just talk, and it sounds good,
but we've got to fucking hard test on March if so,
I don't want to lose shrak.
Speaker 1: Of Okay, I just I want to wrap up in
just one more thing. This goes beyond cruiserweight and top
the possibility of unifying or becoming undisputed, whether that happens
or it doesn't happen. I know you've mentioned in the past,
your people have mentioned in the past, but eventually you
will be fighting in the heavyweight division. I don't think
there's been a top cruiser weight since the weight class
has been created that hasn't at least at one point
tried their hand in the heavyweight division. How much is
that in your in the back of your mind. I know,
like you said, you got March eight, and you got
other things you want to still accomplish as a cruiser weight,
But the lure of the heavyweight uh division? Where does
that kind of fit on your on your to do list?
Speaker 2: It's a chapter after undisputed. You know, I'm not losing
truck of what I want, you know, And I'll keep talking.
If I keep saying heavyweight, heavyweight by people get excited
and then you know everyone's fucking I just do it
now by a shot up. You know, this is my life.
And when when Walker is done and when I look
back at it, I want to be proud of it.
You know. I want to I want to say I
did what I wanted to do, you know what I mean?
So undisputed first and then come talk to me about heavyweight.
Speaker 1: How times like a good plan First up, though, as
you've said many times, Martine, your main event against Brandon
gleann on Paramount Plus. I'm the supperboxing card guy. It's
been a real pleasure to talk to you today. I
appreciate your time. I wish you're good luck in your
fighting and pursuing your your goals and dreams.
Speaker 2: Thank you. I appreciate your time. Dad, Thank you Jack.
Good luck for your point