By Pattee Mak – June 17, 2012
Donte Wiggins
I had the chance to speak with Wiggins and this is what he had to say:
Wiggins: Thank you Pattee for taking this time out of your busy day to interview me. Before we get started I would like to apologize to you. My youtube interview was for entertainment, we weren’t trying to steal your questions, so for that I’m sincerely sorry.
Pattee Mak: Awhh.. Well thank you for bringing light to the youtube video that was recently made. I actually liked the setting and placement of the video.
Pattee Mak: But anyways… let’s move onto you and your boxing career. Tell me about your pro debut fight against Gonsalves and of course the KO.
Wiggins: I’m from Queens, NY, however I train in Rhode Island. My first pro fight was against Paul Gonsalves, Shout out to Paul for stepping up to fight me on such short notice when others backed out. Paul came to fight as well as I did. It was ugly but I got the win. Yes, I’ll admit it, I was nervous. It was five years to that date since I was in the ring.
Pattee Mak: I heard that you’ll be fighting Kevin Cobbs (4-0-0) at Twin River on July 19th. How did this fight come about?
Wiggins: Yes, I’m fighting Kevin Cobbs. It’s been a year in the making for this fight. I keep hearing he’s the man to beat at 178. So with that said I called him out. Even after a year and a half lay off, truth be told he didn’t want the fight at first but CES [Classic Entertainment Sports/Jimmy Burchfield] made it happen. Shout out to Kevin Cobbs for stepping up.
Pattee Mak: Who will be training you for this fight and where?
Wiggins: This fight I will be training at Aaron Davis Boxing Gym by Mike Ocasio in Bronx, NY.
Pattee Mak: There has been some chatter on facebook concerning this fight. How come?
Wiggins: LOL I see your onto everything Pattee, well the chatter started from rumors that Kevin called me out and I turned it down so I went on Facebook, Twitter and youtube calling him, Kozlin and Lavin out disrespectfully hoping someone would fight but two ran one stood up.
Pattee Mak: You haven’t fought since 2010 and Cobbs has been fighting right along continuously. Do you think he’ll have an advantage over you in this fight?
Wiggins: I mean Kevin has been active, real active but nothing impressive, so why worry? He’s tall and boxes. Lots of talent but no power and his heart and chin has yet to be tested. So with that being said what advantage does he really have? His last KO came around the same time as my last KO. He went the distance with a 2 – 5 fighter. He needs the activeness to play a factor in how much he’s gonna have to stay away from me.
Pattee Mak: I spoke with your manager and my friend, Bobby Smead and he mentioned to me that it is difficult for him to find you an opponent to fight. Why do you think this is so?
Wiggins: LOL! Shout out to Bobby, It is hard I mean people are afraid of getting embarrassed. I’m an awkward fighter, I have decent power, I have a good chin. They can’t do what they want to me. I had great sparring in my life, like Joey Spina, Matt Godfrey, Peter Manfredo Jr., the Estrada Brothers, Scott Pembleton, and plenty others. These dudes are the truth and they beat my a** in the gym so I saw it all before and others ain’t on their level so what chance do they have? Oh yeah, Boo Boo and Mike Too.
Pattee Mak: Have you been training since your last fight in 2010?
Wiggins: On and off I’ve been training. Honestly I thought this dream was over. Bobby lit the fire again and I promise it will never be another gap in-between fights whether I win or lose.
Pattee Mak: Anyone you like to call out? Now is your chance …
Wiggins: LOL, Pattee your worst than me. Keith Kozlin I’m still waiting punk a**, Lavin don’t comment on Youtube step up and anybody else who’s talking shit or feeling some type of way I’m back now. It took Kevin to say something for them to act like they really wanna fight. Kevin I see you boy, you’re a role model for these suckers.
Pattee Mak: Would you still want to fight Kozlin and Lavin?
Wiggins: Yes I would love to embarrass Lavin and destroy Kozlin. He’s soft, he’ll never fight me maybe Lavin will but Kozlin will rather run and act as if but hopefully now he will at least pretend to wanna fight me.
Pattee Mak: How old were you when you started boxing and tell me about your amateur career?
Wiggins: I was 22yrs old when I first started. I thought I knew it all and didn’t take it serious but Jose and Joe took me into the 401 Boxing Gym and whipped me into shape and showed me discipline. Also I received help from the fighters from the Manfredo’s Boxing Gym. So the amateurs wasn’t my highlight in my fight career but my pro career will be something to watch.
Pattee Mak: You are the nephew of Robert Wiggins. What influences has he had on you in the sport of boxing?
Wiggins: Yes Robert Wiggins is my uncle and big influence on me becoming a fighter. Him and my other Uncle Philip Wiggins, they were and always my mentors to the sport. They always supported me and came to my fights. I even sparred with Robert a few times and even though he never tried to hurt me he showed me the meaning of keep your hands up at all times mean…LOL… I swear to God I heard a phone ringing in the ring that day. Since that day on, I always wanted to apply pressure and never let no one control the pace of a fight with me. I only hope my career will turn out to be as half as good as his was. Love you Uncle Bob and Uncle Phil.
Pattee Mak: How is your uncle Robert doing and what is he doing now in the sport of boxing?
Wiggins: Uncle Bobby is doing great he’s still working but he’s done with Boxing. He’s just a fan now but I wouldn’t be surprise if he started training fighters. He loves the sport way too much to let it go.
Pattee Mak: What are your thoughts about the June 23, 2012 Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz II fight being cancelled due to reports that Berto has tested positive for an anabolic steroid called nandrolone.
Wiggins: Well it’s sad that people need some kind of assistance to win a fight. What happened to people using their natural ability??? As far as Berto goes, who am I to judge? He must have felt he need to do that. I haven’t really followed that story. I know I never have and will never take anything to improve or give me an advantage in a fight unless Kevin Cobbs whops my Ass…. LMFAO.. just kidding. Kevin can’t beat me and I will never use anything plus I would still love to see that fight, Berto/Ortiz.
Pattee Mak: I agree with you. I want to see the Berto/Ortiz rematch.
Pattee Mak: Will you be selling tickets to your fight?
Wiggins: HELL YEAH I’m selling tickets and renting buses. People have been waiting for this day to come. They remember last year what went down and why we didn’t fight.
Pattee Mak: Why didn’t you fight?
Wiggins: Well I haven’t fought for numerous reasons First is a lot of dudes talk tough like they wanna fight but never signed no papers. Second I live in NY so the money I was putting up to train in RI to prepare for a fight and stay up there was way too much so I went home. No one gave me a dollar and I’m glad cause I owe no one nothing. Third I lost focused. People being so scared made me feel like I didn’t have to train, so I was partying all the time but now I’m focused again thanks to Bobby and we ready for whatever.
Pattee Mak: Anything you’d like to say to your fans out there?
Wiggins: Sorry Pattee but I don’t have fans I only have friends and family either you’re with me or against me. To me only movie stars and rappers have fans and other high level superstars have fans not me. I just wanna thank all of the people who stuck by me good or bad. We all we got even people who show up to fights and cheer for me we in this together…Fans root for their team or favorite player loses then they root for the next team or person. My people are always by my side….
Pattee Mak: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me and a special thanks to Bobby Smead for making this interview possible. Should you wish to comment feel free below or on my facebook page under Pattee Mak or locate me on twitter @PatteeMak.
Wiggins: Again I wanna thank you for the interview. I also wanna thank my sponsors Brawlers Inc., Joey Moquin, Team CHC, TC Team Wiggins and all my Friends and Family out there in RI and NY. RIP Shawnteek, Tyasia, Butter and Cowboy…
*Boxrec has his name listed as Dante Wiggins.
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.
Yea we need a new knock out king this is the year of the don
So glad your headed back in the ring! I see you been real focused lately!
NICE