Talking Boxing with KASSIM "THE DREAM" OUMA
"I'm the champion right now so I'm going for what I have right now"
by
Coyote Duran
1/29 - Rough childhoods are nothing new to many Americans. You grow up. You become an adult. You gain a whole new set of problems along with joys and, most of all, you learn from them. Happens to the best of us, right?
If you don't believe that for a minute, you could try walking in Kassim Ouma's shoes for a bit. As the tender age of 6, when most children are eating boogers or debating the gravity of being near the opposite sex for fear of catching cooties, the IBF Junior Middleweight titlist was spirited away to serve in the Ugandan army, trained to give his life for his country, if need be.
If the 26-year old Ouma (20-1 with 13 KOs and 1 No-Contest) thought his hard times would come to an end by defecting 7 years ago, he would be terribly wrong for the young man known as "The Dream" would suffer from gunshot wounds as result of a drive-by shooting in late 2002. The gutsy Ugandan would only return in May of the following year to defeat Angel Hernandez by split decision and has only climbed in the ratings since.
When Undisputed World Junior Middleweight Champion Winky Wright opted to grant Shane Mosley a rematch after their March 2004 unification battle instead of defending against top contender Ouma, the IBF's portion of the championship would be stripped from Wright. The vacancy would then be filled in a June bout between Ouma and contender Verno Phillips. Those plans would come to a halt when a spine injury would shelve Ouma during training, leaving his slot in the battle to Carlos Bojorquez who would go on to lose to Phillips.
As if to absorb setbacks only to expel them as "winning energy", Kassim would return on October 2 of 2004 to take the IBF 154 pound belt by unanimous decision from Phillips in an exciting battle that would see Phillips taste canvas in the later rounds.
A major titlist for the first time in his life, Kassim Ouma is now set to reap the benefits of holding a major alphabet belt but, as all titlists must do, Ouma will make his first defense this weekend. This, however, is no ordinary defense but one of particular national relevance for Ouma will face Ghana's Kofi Jantuah. Jantuah (28-1 with 18 KOs) made huge noise back in September of 2004 by starching highly touted Marco Antonio Rubio in one round on the undercard of the Bernard Hopkins-Oscar De La Hoya World Middleweight Championship bout. So while many a titlist or champion could easily jump into a "gimme" bout, the perennially smiling southpaw opted to meet a hard-hitting threat that could very possibly turn the lights out on the IBF kingpin's fledgling title reign.
On Saturday, January 29, HBO Championship Boxing will feature this compelling title defense prior to the main event featuring WBC Super Lightweight titleholder Arturo Gatti's defense against the crafty Jesse James Leija. The telecast begins live at 9:45 PM ET/ 6:45 PM PT on HBO.
I spoke to Kassim on the Wednesday before the fight and although you could just about hear him smiling through the phone, you could also tell he couldn't be more focused or wrapped up in the importance of his upcoming championship showdown. The thoughtful Ouma filled me in on how he feels about taking on Kofi Jantuah, how he plans to avoid getting caught by his power and even emotes on being away from his country and the family he left behind.
KASSIM "THE DREAM" OUMA
Coyote Duran: How're you doin', Kassim?
Kassim Ouma: I'm doin' good!
Coyote Duran: It's almost fight time! Of course, you'll be fighting Kofi Jantuah on the undercard of the Arturo Gatti-Jesse James Leija showdown this Saturday. How is your preparation up to now in the last days before the fight?
Kassim Ouma: Well, I'm ready!
Coyote Duran: Alright. Have you studied an tape on Jantuah or is that something that your corner takes care of for you?
Kassim Ouma: Well, not really. But I have watched him a little bit.
I'll just have to keep my hands up...but just keep my hands up and I won't get that punch from him  |
| Kassim Ouma on Jantuah's Power |
Coyote Duran: Speaking of your corner, Kassim, is Tim Witherspoon still co-training you with Johnny Bumphus?
Kassim Ouma: I've got 3 trainers right now.
Coyote Duran: I know you were having a helluva time concentrating in your last (title winning) fight against Verno Phillips. Your trainers were both trying to get you to do two entirely different things and I know it was bumming you out. Are they gonna be on the same page this time and work together?
Kassim Ouma: Yeah! I'm giving 'em a chance, you know?.
Coyote Duran: (Laughs) Before you beat Phillips for the IBF belt, were you disappointed at all that Winky Wright chose not to defend against you?
Kassim Ouma: Nah. I'm the champion right now so I'm going for what I have right now.
Coyote Duran: If you had the opportunity, would you fight Winky?
Kassim Ouma: I'm not looking past this guy but I'd like anyone out there!
Coyote Duran: Speaking of Jantuah, he's got some serious one-punch power! Do you have a plan to shut him down and take that away from him?
Kassim Ouma: Hopefully, I'll just have to keep my hands up! Nothing to really shut him down but just keep my hands up and I won't get that punch from him.
Coyote Duran: Right on. Obviously, a lot's been made of this fight as far as nationality's concerned. It's an "all-African" showdown. How do you rate this fight in terms of importance for you?
Kassim Ouma: I just feel like, OK, it's just too bad that I'm the only African champion and then I defend my title for the first time against another African tough guy. But I do wanna fight! You know what I'm sayin'?
Coyote Duran: Sure! Kassim, your career is still relatively young. Do you plan on staying at junior middleweight very long?
Kassim Ouma: Well, I'm still at junior middleweight right now but I have plans to stay at junior middleweight.
Coyote Duran: You're from Uganda, of course. I know you still have family there that you obviously miss very, very much. Have you been able to communicate with them and if so, do they keep up with your career?
Kassim Ouma: Well, I communicate and still speak with them but I miss the fact that I cannot go over there. But I made my career to make a better life for me and become a citizen. I'd still wouldn't mind being a Ugandan-American citizen.
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To my fans all over the world: I love them and if we shout to God, I will be strong and I will show them all on Saturday |
| Kassim Ouma |
Coyote Duran: I understand, Kassim. That would be great. Everyone knows that you were forced into a military life at a very young age. When comparing that to the danger of being a professional fighter, does your dangerous youth put the physicality of boxing in a more positive perspective?
Kassim Ouma: Sometimes you have to take something that went wrong to make other things be right.
Coyote Duran: I know you're not looking past Jantuah but if you had a choice to fight anyone in any weight near your fighting weight, who would you want to face?
Kassim Ouma: Well, like you said, I'm not looking past this guy but I know I'm gonna take him out. I'm not gonna answer that question and look like I'll be overconfident. But I'd like all the best out there, because I'm gonna take over.
Coyote Duran: Getting back to your family back in Uganda, Kassim, if you could say anything to them, assuming they were reading this interview, what would you tell them?
Kassim Ouma: I would say that I love them, you know? And I miss them too much....And hopefully, I will see them soon when they get to America or when I will get a chance to get there. But mostly, I'll be waiting for them when they get here.
Coyote Duran: Fantastic, man! Any closing words for your fans, Kassim?
Kassim Ouma: To my fans all over the world: I love them and if we shout to God, I will be strong and I will show them all on Saturday.
Coyote Duran: And I'm sure they all love you very much, too. Thank you very much! I wish you all the best of luck this Saturday against Kofi Jantuah and I wish you a fantastic fight.
Kassim Ouma: Thanks!
Talking Boxing would like to thank Kassim Ouma for his time and thoughts so close to fight time.
Coyote Duran can be reached at coyoteduran@talkingboxing.com
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