By James Slater: Vinny Maddalone is never, ever in a bad fight. The same can be said of unbeaten, much-hyped British heavyweight hope Tyson Fury. How then, can we expect anything other than a sizzling slugfest on July 7th?
As soon as news broke that informed us 38-year-old New Yorker Maddalone, 35-7(26) would be making the trip to Somerset, U.K to face 24-year-old Fury, 18-0(13), I knew I just had to call Vinny. I make no apologies for being a huge fan of the Queens warrior, a man who gives his all each and every time he climbs into the ring. On the past occasions when I’ve been fortunate enough to have interviewed Maddalone, he always made a point of mentioning how it is one of his goals to fight in the U.K before his colourful, massively entertaining career is over with. Now he has a tick in that box.
Speaking with Vinny earlier today, I told him I was as excited as he is about the upcoming July rumble!
James Slater: It’s always a great pleasure to be able to speak with you, Vinny. And you know why I’m calling you!
Vinny Maddalone: James! How you doing? Yes, absolutely, this fight is great news.
J.S: I remember talking with you about this fight a while back, when it was first talked about. When did you know you’d be fighting him in July?
V.M: Pretty much yesterday it was made official. Joe [DeGuardia] has delivered again. I’m really looking forward to this fight.
J.S: You’ve seen tapes of Fury, haven’t you?
V.M: Yes, I actually saw his last two fights, and I’ve seen some stuff on You Tube. Listen, as I told Joe, he’s definitely a guy I respect. He gets hit a lot, but he comes back to fight. He’s been down before, against Neven Pajkic, and he’s been wobbled, But he gets up and he fires right back. That’s an admirable thing and I can see why he’s so popular in Britain. He’s definitely got some balls and this will make a great, great match-up.
J.S: Well, the fans know all about your exciting fights, Vinny! Is the fight set for ten or 12 rounds?
V.M: I think it’s 12. But whatever, either way it doesn’t matter. I’ve got another three weeks to get ready, and I’m sparring now. I was back in the gym a week after my last fight (a 4th-round TKO stoppage over Chris Koval on May2nd) and my weight right now is around 239. I will be around 232 or 234 as usual for this fight.
J.S: Fury attracts a few millions viewers, maybe three or four million, on Channel 5, which is a terrestrial channel, not cable or anything….
V.M: That’s great.
J.S: Yeah, so the T.V fans are in for a great night also! Will you have any of your New York fans coming over with you, Vinny?
V.M: I’m not sure. Right now, we’re working out all the details. I spoke with Mick Hennessey, a real gentleman, and we’re waiting to hear back on all the details. But as long as I have my team with me for the fight. Where is the actual venue?
J.S: I’ve never been myself, Vinny. I think it may be a new arena – it’s called The Hand Arena and it’s in Clevedon, Somerset.
V.M: Okay, so it’s close to London?
J.S: Fairly close, yes. I just hope they put you up in a decent hotel, and not try any of the tricks you read about whenever a fighter travels to another country to fight!
V.M: [laughs] Well, I hope Mick does the right thing! I’ll call you and tell you if I’m put in a bad place [laughs]. We get to the U.K on the Monday that week, so I’ll have a couple of days to train in the gym.
J.S: You say you’re sparring now – with tall guys of course?
V.M: Yeah, I know he’s tall and we have a couple of tall guys to work with. But I know what I have to do; I’ve been doing this for so long now, 13 years. Right now, it’s all about getting my legs strong, with running on the beach, to make sure I can go the full 12 rounds.
J.S: You’ve actually been in with a guy taller than the 6’9” Fury – when you had a tough time with the 7’1” Julius Long!
V.M: Yeah, Julius Long. He was really awkward. At least Fury is more or less a guy with basic fundamentals. Long was all over the place!
J.S: You saw Fury-Martin Rogan as you said. He turned southpaw in that fight. What will happen if Fury tries that with you?
V.M: I just think Fury, as he said himself, likes to keep things fun in there; for his fans. If he fights southpaw with me, I’ll come right over the top with the overhand right. If he drops that left hand like he has done…. But I think he’ll fight his regular orthodox way against me.
J.S: You’ve won your last two, and in quite quick fashion: the 1st-round win over Mike Sheppard and then the 4th-round win over Koval. Some people said they thought you were hitting harder than usual. Do you think you’re punching harder now, at age 38?
V.M: Yeah. My new trainer, Nirmal Lorick, who also works with Luis Collazo, he’s been focusing on that with me – on sitting down on shots and digging hard to the body. And what better a fight than one against Tyson Fury is there to work the body? He’ll be right there and I’ll look to go to work.
J.S: Well, best of luck for the fight, Vinny. This one can’t fail to be exciting! I’ll try my best to be there at ringside!
V.M: Okay, thanks. I’m really looking forward to it. I tell you, the British fans will be cheering for Fury of course, but I hope to make them my fans. By the end of the fight, they’ll be cheering for both of us.