Elvir Muriqi was born in Albania and started his amateur boxing career at age 9, he won several titles as an amateur including the New York Golden Gloves in 1995. He made his professional debut on June 19, 1998 with a first round technical knock out (1st TKO) over Nicholas Robles in Atlantic City, NJ.
On January 9, 2007 Muriqi lost a 12 round majority decision to former Light heavyweight king Antonio Tarver for the IBO Light heavyweight. On Saturday February 14, 2009, Muriqi now fighting out of New York City will face former world champion Clinton Woods of the UK in an IBF Light heavyweight eliminator. Here’s what Muriqi had to say about his pass and upcoming battle with former champion Clinton Woods.
Q: How is training coming along for your fight with former world champion Clinton Woods?
A: Everything looks good, I just finished talking with my lawyer
Q: What are your thoughts of Clinton Woods?
A: I respect him, he’s a good fighter and former world champion. He was one of the big names in the light heavyweight division just like Roy Jones and Antonio Tarver. They were the biggest names in my era. Your time comes and goes. Roy Jones jr and Antonio Tarver times have come and go. I proved
it with my fight with Tarver. It’s my time now and no one can stop me.
This is our time now, me, Chad Dawson and Shaun George. I believe I’m the
best light heavyweight today and I’ll prove it Feburary 2009. I’m taking this fight for at most no money to prove that I deserve to be on HBO or Showtime. I showed it with Antonio Tarver fight.
Q: Please. tell us how you started your amateur boxing career?
A: I started boxing when I was 9 in Kosovo, during that time was bad situations, I boxed for 2 years then I left it and started kickboxing, I won some championship while in Kosovo. At 17 I began boxing again. I moved
to New York and won the New York Golden Gloves
Q: Tell us about your first professional bout?
A: It felt good to be in the ring with commentator with sponsors logos
like budweser and more. It was a new experience fighting without your
shirt and no headgear. I put on a great performance that night.
Q: Did you learn anything from your fight with Antonio Tarver?
A: I love challenges. I learn that when people don’t believe in me to believe in myself. I proved I can hang with the best in the light heavyweight division. My confidence sky rocked that night.
Q: Your thought on the Dawson-Traver2 ?
A: I’m so mad about that fight. Why don’t I get a chance to fight them.
The fans want to see a rematch with Traver or I deserve to challenge
Dawson for the title but I have to face Clinton Woods now. Tarver knocked
out great Roy Jones jr when people when thought Roy couldn’t loose. No one
can deny it he was the first to KO Roy Jones jr. Tarver is still living of that.
Q: Your thoughts on Joe Calzaghe-Roy Jones jr fight?
A: I thought Joe Calzaghe was going to win the fight from beginning but Roy Jones got cut so the blood was going into his eyes, so he couldn’t
really see, that didn’t help him at all though I pick Calzaghe to win.
Q: Tell us about your last fight? Why haven’t you been active enough?
A: I fought a tough guy and veteran Jameel Wilson, he was only stopped once before facing me. It was a good fight for me. As for why I have fought only once, it’s not my job to get the fights. It’s my promoters job, my job is to train and that’s what I do. My promoter told me that a lot of the top light heavyweights don’t want to face me. Jeff Lacy didn’t want to fight me and many others. If it’s left to me I want to fight 4 times a year at least
Q: Any comments to boxing fans?
A: I want the fans to turn in if they can, the new era is here. Thanks to all the fans that have supported me all these year.
Q: Any news about your friend Kemo, who was killed few year ago?
A: America most wanted is still loose, I hope the cops will do their job. I believe they are trying buy maybe not enough. Nothing has been done to find this guy who committed such crime, murder!! Kemo is part of me anywhere I go. I want to achieve what he would have love to achieve
even though he is not here with us any more.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
Elvir Muriqi, keep the good fighting up buddy, best of luck.