Interview by Pattee Mak-June 24, 2012
Recently I had the pleasure to interview Donte Wiggins (1-0-0) of Providence, Rhode Island [For the interview, click here: http://bit.ly/InterviewWiggins] about many different topics but one topic mentioned was his upcoming fight against yes you named it Kevin Cobbs from Burlington, VT/New Bedford, Massachusetts on July 19, 2012 at Twin River Casino in Rhode Island. After reading Wiggins’s interview, Cobbs approached me on my facebook page and commented, “…Let me know if you would like the other half of that… There’s two sides to every story…” I feel like such an instigator but it’s all good. Here’s Cobbs depiction on his upcoming fight.
Pattee Mak: When I asked Wiggins that I heard he’d be fighting you and how this fight came about. He responded, “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”. Any words about this his answer?
Cobbs: At first I wanted to clear up they didn’t force me to take the fight. This is the fight I wanted when Wiggins asked for the fight. But before forehand we looked at a few other fighters to fight. They fell through. Then we got Donte. He even said a year in the making. There is nothing forcing this fight. It was gonna happen either way.
Pattee Mak: Wiggins also commented that “… 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.” When did you originally call him out?
Cobbs: I didn’t really call him out. What I did was I listed a list of fighters that me and my older manager at the time, Bobby Smead prepared and posted the list. These were the guys down the road in the New England area that I would have to go thru. It wasn’t a call out. It was Joe Gardner cause he had the New England belt and why not go after it. Donte got upset cause he was on the list. I left it at that. Once he was convinced that that is the way it went, I decided to roll with it. I just need people to understand I was the new guy in class and I needed to get past these guys to be where I needed to be. Maybe I put it the wrong way for calling people out but I called eight people out that day.
Pattee Mak: I asked Wiggins “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?” Have you thought about Wiggins not being in the ring since 2010 and do you feel you’ll have an advantage over him in this fight?
Cobbs: I don’t ever think I have an advantage over anyone. I like to approach the fight each way and the fact is he’s been inactive. He’s still getting in their w/Spina. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is the performance. One thing he has against him he hasn’t yet able to perform. This fight coming up will be a great fight. I’m totally a new performer. I’m not the same guy. He’s only been in 51 seconds in an actual pro fight. He doesn’t have a good amateur record. He has great talk. He puts people down to his level but the worst thing you can do is just be quiet. He doesn’t realize being so outspoken calling me out with the arguments we have is bringing himself down mentally to my level. And this is where I want him to be. He’s taking away the what ifs and who is this person. I’ve seen him sparring and his words and I’ve listened to him talk all kinds of junk. It’s good for me the more I know a person. It’s great so keep talking.
Pattee Mak: When I asked Wiggins the last question concerning if you would have an advantage over him in this fight. He responded, “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”. Do you agree with his comment?
Cobbs: No. Def not. One. I have all the heart in the world. Two. Me moving to Mass in a week’s notice shows enough heart. My strength has been tested by the best. To name a few, Chad Dawson and some other great guys sparring and during my amateur career. He has not been tested yet. That is the problem. I hope he handles it well when the time comes. I hope he can take a punch.
Pattee Mak: Talk to me about Wiggins as a fighter.
Cobbs: Hmmm.. Wiggins as a fighter. I see him as a push you around kind of fighter. Stand there and bend with me. Stand toe to toe. Not boxing. He’s trying to talk to me and telling me what he wants me to do. Boxing is a game of chess and you need to figure out what you need to do. If he’s a Boxer, then you should brawler, a Brawler then a boxer. Mix it up a bit. I won’t play his game. I won’t go in there and play with a big puncher. He’s been in there with Joey and I’ve seen some of his stuff. He’s flat footed. Not bringing anything really. During his knockout he was staring at the ground. He had an overhead right and was staring at the ground. To me it looked like an accidental knockout. He didn’t see it happen. It doesn’t worry me at all.
Pattee Mak: What do you think the outcome will be on July 19, 2012?
Cobbs: I don’t necessary know what the outcome will be. I’m hoping it will be a good fight. Whether it be a knockout or decision but I think we may just go 4 rounds. If he’s strong we may just go 4 rounds and that will be more rounds for me. I’ve got 12 rounds in and he’s gone ½ round in a competition. Once you step in the ring it’s a different environment. I would totally love the knockout. I fight hard and I stick to the corner’s game plan. And I come out victorious, move on and continue building my career.
Pattee Mak: Anything you’d like to say to your opponent?
Cobbs: Just come ready to actually use the skills you supposedly have. That’s gonna be his test and my whole goal is to expose him and show everybody who he is as a boxer. He’s nothing really that special. Best luck to him and thank you for taking the fight. Once after the fight we can be cool but once the bell rings be ready to pull out all the stops cause I’m a lot smarter than he thinks I am.
Pattee Mak: Are you also selling tickets for your fight?
Cobbs: Yes. Anyone can contact me on my facebook under Kevin Cobbs. I have posters on my wall and a fan page as well. I also have a facebook “like” page that is GiTiG T-shirt.
Pattee Mak: What would you like to say to your fans out there?
Cobbs: Thanks to all my supporters and everybody that has been behind me from day one. I also would like to thank a lot of people that said I couldn’t do it and I’m here now and they were my motivation and push. I appreciate them to.
Should you have any comments or suggestions, please free to comment below or contact me on facebook at Pattee Mak or follow me on twitter @PatteeMak.
This interview was via the telephone.
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.
