by Luke Callahan
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The 23-year old Booker, 22-0 with 12 KO's, feels he is the new blood and energy the heavyweight division desperately lacks. "I'm going to knock all them old guys out of the game and then we can get some new blood in. It ain't that there's no young talent." Booker continued, "it's just that the old guys just want to fight each other and keep making money." Rydell gets a shot at stardom and he wouldn't ask for it any other way.
Much has been said about Rydell moving from cruiserweight to heavyweight for this fight, but he sets the record straight with TakingBoxing. "I was a heavyweight in the amateurs. I was on the USA Boxing Team as the #1 ranked heavyweight at the time I turned pro in 2001." Booker continued, "I even turned pro as a heavyweight. My manager wanted me down to cruiser for a while because I was only 20 years old. Now, I'm 23 and ready for the big guys." Booker also added that Mr. Don King had something to do with his change in divisions. "Once Don King bought up all the cruisers, my manager said we had no where to go but up. But it's cool because now I'm # 7 in the WBC as a heavyweight...and still moving up. And Don King don't own the WBC champ."
RYDELL BOOKER
TalkingBoxing.com Hi Rydell...How is life out of the ring at the moment?
Rydell Booker: Everything is cool right now, Luke.
TalkingBoxing.com What are your thoughts on your most recent bout against Tipton Walker?
Rydell Booker: Man, that was a tough fight. My manager (John Carlisle) and I wasn't getting along and we had been arguing for a year or more and I wasn't training. That was supposed to be an NABA cruiserweight title fight at 200 pounds. I missed weight by about 30 pounds! The crowd booed me and the judges creamed me with a split decision. I struggled and paced myself to get through all 10 rounds. I should have trained and taken it serious. I know I let a lot of people down, including myself. I learned from that and it will never happen again.
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Rydell Booker: Actually Luke, I was a heavyweight in the amateurs. I was on the USA Boxing Team as the #1 ranked heavyweight at the time I turned pro in 2001. I even turned pro as a heavyweight. My manager wanted me down to cruiser for a while because I was only 20 years old. Now, I'm 23 and ready for the big guys.
TalkingBoxing.com When did your camp start and at what weight do you plan on coming into the fight at?
Rydell Booker: I started training in Arizona on August 18th and I plan to weigh in between 215 and 220 for the fight.
TalkingBoxing.com How is training going at the moment and who have you been sparring with?
Rydell Booker: Right now I'm sparring with my teammates Leo Nolan and Rubin Williams. I say " teammates" because we all came up to the pros as "Teamcannon".
TalkingBoxing.com Having gone 10-rounds a few times before, are you ready to go the full 12-rounds if need be?
Rydell Booker: I've been waiting all my life for this fight. I've whipped James Toney's ass in my sleep about a thousand times. People who think I'm not ready for 12 rounds or that I'm not ready for Toney are judging me wrong. I admit I haven't always trained like I should, but it's hard for me to be patient. That's what me and my manager are always arguing about. I always want to fight tough and he has made me wait three years and I always had to fight guys that I had no interest in fighting. Now maybe we can do this thing right and he'll let me fight who I want.
TalkingBoxing.com Not looking past Toney, who do you want to fight?
Rydell Booker: Well, Mr. Toney for starters. Then all them old guys. Everybody's always complaining that there's no talent in the heavyweight division and then the same guys complain when I get a shot! I'm going to knock all them old guys out of the game and then we can get some new blood in. It ain't that there's no young talent...it's just that the old guys just want to fight each other and keep making money. I'm the exception to this con game. Toney is fighting me because he thinks I'm a fat lazy cruiser. That is where they made their mistake. Now, I'm a hungry heavyweight. Look out!
TalkingBoxing.com You were moving up the WBC cruiser rankings, why did you decide to jump up to heavyweight?
Rydell Booker: Once Don King bought up all the cruisers, my manager said we had no where to go but up. But it's cool because now I'm # 7 in the WBC as a heavyweight...and still moving up. And Don King don't own the WBC champ.
TalkingBoxing.com Your September 23rd opponent James Toney has many years of ring experience, do you think that will come into play seeing as he is coming off a very serious injury and has been somewhat inactive as of late?
Rydell Booker: He's relying too much on experience. The problem is that as you get experience you keep getting hit and your skills weaken. It's like having experience with sex and eventually needing viagra. There ain't no viagra for what he's going to have problems with on September 23rd.
TalkingBoxing.com What do you see in Toney that can be exposed?
Rydell Booker: Mr. Toney is an old fat middleweight. I'll expose that! Plus he's a bully and wants to intimidate everybody. Just like Tyson got exposed, I'll expose Toney. I ain't scared.
TalkingBoxing.com Do you feel prepared physically for this showdown with an all-time great like Toney and his rough inside tactics?
Rydell Booker: Yep.
TalkingBoxing.com Are you prepared for a Toney's pre-fight verbal 'war of words' and can you set aside the pre-fight talk and not let that get the best of you?
Rydell Booker: Like I said, I ain't scared of James Toney and therefore he ain't got his big weapon in this fight.
TalkingBoxing.com What was running through your mind when you got the news that you would fight Toney and what were your thoughts when you found out this was for the WBC #1 spot?
Rydell Booker: About time!
TalkingBoxing.com Media and fans alike have some outrage as to this fight being for the #1 spot, what are your thoughts?
Rydell Booker: The fight is not for the number one spot no more because the new ratings put my opponent at # 1 already. But for those people who don't like this fight, I wonder what they want. Do they want to keep seeing the old tired ass fighters keep on fighting each other until they have an over 50 league? If that's what they want, then they should quit complaining about how weak the division is and shut up and watch Ruiz/Holyfield 15!
TalkingBoxing.com: Is the winner of this fight a top 5 heavyweight?
Rydell Booker: If you take out all the old men who are ranked for what they did or could do 10 or 15 years ago, YES!
TalkingBoxing.com: What are factors that favor you in the fight in your eyes?
Rydell Booker: My youth. My speed.
TalkingBoxing.com: Your prediction of the fight...
Rydell Booker: KO round two.
TalkingBoxing.com: Any final comments?
Rydell Booker: I'm proud to have a big fight that everyone seems excited about. Too bad there are so many negative people. I am training hard and I will do whatever it takes to win. If I can't knock him out in the first or second round, I'll sure as hell get his respect. Once I have his respect I'll own him.
TalkingBoxing would like to thank Rydell and his manager Mr. Carlisle for their time in doing this interview!
