TalkingBoxing.com Interview

September 9, 2003
Interview with JULIAN WHEELER
"a good performance here will put me in a main event on ESPN"
by Julius Stecker
      Julian Wheeler, the 1992 Olympian, has never ducked a fight regardless of any circumstance. After only his 11th pro fight, he was fighting for the NABF title and in his 13th fight, he was taking on the current IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez. Continuing his ways, a couple years ago he lost a razor-thin split decision to Top 5 lightweight, Juan Lacanzo. "I would love to have another shot at Lazcano," said Wheeler, who is currently training to "fight a top guy, someone who could really move me up in the rankings." Although he doesn't have an opponent lined up at this time and has been inactive for almost a year, he feels he is one good win away from headlining an ESPN event. With CES Boxing in his corner, the chance could come soon. TalkingBoxing's Julius Stecker caught up with Julian for an interview.

      Julian Wheeler

Julius Stecker: Are you currently in training right now?

Julian Wheeler: Yes I am training right now trying to stay sharp.

Julius Stecker: Do you have a opponent lined up right now?

Julian Wheeler: No, and I have no idea when my next fight is going to take place.

Julius Stecker: Who would you really like to fight right now?

Julian Wheeler: Right now at this point, I would like to fight a top guy, someone who could really move me up in the rankings.

Julius Stecker: You have fought some of the best fighters around from featherweight all the way up to lightweight, guys like Juan Manual Marquez, Jorge Paez, Roberto Garcia, and Juan Lazcano, but do you feel sometimes you are underrated by the boxing public?

Julian Wheeler: Sometimes I feel that way, but I feel that I messed up myself and did not fight the best fights I could have fought.

Julius Stecker: Seeing that Juan Lazcano is a number 1 contender and seeing that you and him had a very close fight a few years back, would you want to fight him again?

Julian Wheeler: Oh yeah, I would love to have another shot at Lazcano.

Julius Stecker: You were a former Olympian, but to you what was the biggest accomplishment in your fighting career?

Julian Wheeler: I would say winning the USBA title, and also beating Jorge Paez, that was a great thrill

Julius Stecker: When your career is over what do you plan on doing?

Julian Wheeler: Kick back, watch my kids play sports, I will stay away from boxing for a while, maybe I will get back into boxing later on to help young people out.

Julius Stecker: In your last fight against Levander Johnson it was another close fight for you, but do you think you were given a fair shake?

Julian Wheeler: I really messed that fight up, I don't want make any excuses that was a close fight.

Julius Stecker: You were in the amateurs alongside Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley, who wins their rematch?

Julian Wheeler: I think Oscar will get him this time

Julius Stecker: In closing what can the boxing world expect from Julian Wheeler over the next couple years?

Julian Wheeler: I am going to change my style a little, be more aggressive, be more exciting.

TalkingBoxing.com would like to thank Julian Wheeler for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and we will be rooting for a big win in his next fight!