I recently had a chance to speak to former WBO light welterweight champion, DeMarcus ?Chop Chop? Corley to discuss his future and his current role inside Floyd Mayweather Jr?s training camp. DeMarcus has fought the best of the best in his career having stepped in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto and many others. Corley, now 40 years old, hopes to have one final run at a world title.
In this interview, Corley speaks on his next bout and what direction he would like to go in if he can win it. He also speaks on being in the camp of Floyd Mayweather and what he expects to happen when Mayweather finally meets Manny Pacquiao in the ring. Additionally ?Chop Chop? gives his views on Keith Thurman and some other big upcoming fights. Here is what DeMarcus Corley had to say.
Robert Brown: You?re coming off of a couple of wins recently, how are you doing at the moment?
DeMarcus Corley: I?m out here in Las Vegas training, getting Floyd prepared for his upcoming fight with Manny Pacquiao. I?m also getting prepared for my upcoming fight with Manuel Perez out of Denver, Colorado.
Robert Brown: When?s your fight coming up?
DeMarcus Corley: My fight is May 16th.
Robert Brown: Training with Floyd must have you extremely confident for your fight?
DeMarcus Corley: Yes, very confident. I?m looking forward to great sparring and building my hand speed up by training with Floyd Mayweather.
Robert Brown: What do you feel your strengths will be going up against your opponent?
DeMarcus Corley: My strengths going up against Manny: I?m a veteran fighter, he hasn?t fought no one like me besides Victor Ortiz and he got knocked out in the third round by him. I?m very quick and loose on my feet, I have too many advantages over him. The only thing he has is Denver, Colorado ? the high altitude, you got to factor that in.
This fight is for a title, it?s for the WBF lightweight title at 135lbs and after I win this title, we?re looking to defend it right back in June and hopefully we?ll get a title shot for the WBC Silver title, that?s gonna be vacant because Kevin Mitchell out of the UK has that title right now but he?s fighting Jorge Linares, who?s the WBC gold champion.
Robert Brown: How is Floyd looking at the moment? Do you think he?s looking for the knockout against Manny Pacquiao?
DeMarcus Corley: I feel from me looking in, I really feel he?s looking for the knockout in the later rounds, from his performance and work.
Robert Brown: Can you shed some light on those rumors that Zab Judah knocked Floyd down in sparring?
DeMarcus Corley: Oh my God, where did that rumor come from? I keep hearing that. Zab sparred Floyd one time since he?s been here, and no, he did not knock Floyd down at all.
Robert Brown: In your opinion, who?s got more on the line in this fight? For Floyd to keep his reputation, does he have to thoroughly dominate or possibly destroy Pacquiao to preserve his legacy?
DeMarcus Corley: No not really, he?s gonna dominate the fight regardless of how the fight plays out. He?s gonna beat Manny Pacquiao eight rounds out of twelve, easily.
Robert Brown: So you feel Floyd will win by at least eight rounds to four?
DeMarcus Corley: Yes, eight rounds to four. Floyd will win the fight.
Robert Brown: Lamont Peterson will fight Danny Garcia, do you think this is a dangerous fight for Garcia?
DeMarcus Corley: I wouldn?t say it?s a dangerous fight. Lamont is not a dangerous person to be in the ring with. We?re from the same city and he?s not a dangerous person to be in the ring with, it?s not a dangerous fight for Danny Garcia.
It?s gonna be a great fight if Lamont can stick to the gameplan and box Danny Garcia, but if Lamont doesn?t box Danny and he tried to get into a shootout, the fight is going to be cut short. I?d put my money on Danny. I think if it goes the distance, Lamont?s gonna win but Danny can?t let it go the distance, he has to close the gap, put pressure on Lamont and make him fight.
Robert Brown: What are your thoughts on Saul Alvarez vs. James Kirkland?
DeMarcus Corley: I heard a lot about James Kirkland and his previous fights when he was trained by Anne Wolfe, he always comes to fight and puts on a great performance and wins. The rumor is that he doesn?t have Anne Wolfe in his corner anymore and every time he has lost, she wasn?t in his corner.
I don?t know how this fight is gonna play out with her not being there ? and I don?t think her being there would help him anyways because Canelo is a dangerous fighter and I don?t think Kirkland is ready for the type of fighter that Canelo is.
Robert Brown: Bryant Jennings is going to fight Wladimir Klitschko, do you give Jennings any chance in this fight?
DeMarcus Corley: I give Bryant a great chance, he just has to be first and stay close, don?t fight at a distance with Klitschko because he?s a range finder, he wants to keep that distance and drop that big right hand. Jennings has to stay close and let his hands go and maybe he can land a big right hand because we know Klitschko doesn?t have a good chin.
Robert Brown: Keith Thurman recently had a good win against Robert Guerrero, where would you like to see Thurman go next?
DeMarcus Corley: Fight another B class fighter because that?s what he is. He?s a B class fighter so he continues to fight B class fighters. He doesn?t need to step his game up, so he?ll eventually get beat by somebody who has better skills than him. They need to keep matching him with guys who are on his level. He?s not ready for the elite or the Pay-Per-View stage yet.
Robert Brown: You think he?ll eventually get exposed if he steps up against a world class opponent?
DeMarcus Corley: One hundred percent. Who are the champions at 147lbs besides Manny Pacquiao?
Robert Brown: There?s Kell Brook, do you think he has the ability to beat him?
DeMarcus Corley: That?s who he needs to fight, someone who?s on his level. Kell Brook is on his level.
Robert Brown: Do you think if Thurman fought Amir Khan that he would lose to Khan?
DeMarcus Corley: He?ll lose to Khan and Khan is not a PPV fighter either but Khan has a lot of hand speed but he doesn?t take a great punch. That will be a good fight for him to get a knockout if he catches Khan. You know who they should let him fight? Thurman and the Shawn Porter, they should fight each other.
Robert Brown: Freddie Roach has been hyping the fight like he always does, he believes Floyd?s legs are shot and the biggest advantage Manny will have are his legs. You?ve been in camp with Floyd, how have his legs been and do you think that will be an advantage for Manny at all?
DeMarcus Corley: He?s moving great, he doesn?t move like he?s 38 years old. He has great legs and he looks good.
Robert Brown: If Floyd gets past Manny, he technically has one fight left on his contract. Do you think if he achieves what he wants to achieve in this fight that he?ll retire or do you think he?ll go on and fulfill his obligations?
DeMarcus Corley: Truthfully, I don?t know. I don?t know how he?s gonna feel after he beats Manny Pacquiao, I can?t answer that.
