McKart wants to be in the mix

Interview by Paul Upham: Former WBO junior middleweight champion and IBF No.3 Bronco McKart, 44-3 (29), has another chance to secure a world title shot this weekend.

McKart faces IBF No.6 Alex Bunema for the mandatory contender position to IBF junior middleweight champion “Winky” Wright on ESPN2 this Friday night at the Pechanga Entertainment Centre in Temecula, California.

The 30-year-old McKart is very keen on keeping his name up there in one of the hottest divisions in boxing. “It’s great because you are getting all of the recognition that comes with this division and, of course, the money that goes with it. It’s just nice to in there in the mix, of all the big things that are going to happen in this division. I’m right there at the door step,” said McKart.

“There is a lot of big names in this division and a lot of big names coming up to the division with Sugar Shane Mosley. There is a possibility that a guy like Bernard Hopkins would even try to come down. He has mentioned it before and I believe he could do it.”

McKart is not convinced that former two title junior middleweight champion Felix Trinidad will ever fight against after his loss to Bernard Hopkins last month.

“I don’t know if he’ll even fight anymore. I don’t really think he has anything to prove. He’s done it all. He’s beaten a who’s who of boxing. The only guy he didn’t beat was Bernard Hopkins,” said McKart.

“He was totally dominated and they didn’t even look like they were on the same level. Bernard Hopkins looked like he was on a totally different level than Trinidad was.”

If Trinidad does fight again at junior middleweight, is McKart interested in stepping into the ring with him? “I don’t have a problem stepping in the ring with anybody out there. I’m looking for the big fights. That’s what I want, that’s what I’m in the business for,” said McKart, who realises the important of winning this Friday night against Bunema.

“It’s pretty much a must win and I’m sure he’s looking at it the same way. It’s going to be a good fight. I’m ready, I’ve studied tapes, I’ve put in my training, I’m in great condition, my weight has been great so I’m ready. I know this is the fight that I have to win.

“With the experience that I’ve had, I’ll be much more relaxed and much more comfortable going into this fight. The advantage will be definitely mine there.”

Bunema has a good right hand says McKart, who is expecting a tough fight. “He has got a good right hand. That is definitely his punch. He throws it a lot, he’s in good condition, he comes forward and he is strong. He is a good fighter. I have got one tape of him southpaw, when he fought a draw with Michael Lerma,” he said.

“We have a specific gameplan going into this fight and, if I execute my gameplan, I’ll come out with a victory.”

Being a southpaw, McKart goes into every fight with an orthodox boxer with the feeling that he has an advantage. “Not just being a southpaw, but I’m a tall southpaw with pretty good punching power and boxing skills when I want to use them. A good boxing southpaw is difficult for anyone to fight,” said McKart.

Bunema had a tough inside battle with Tony Marshall in March on Friday Night Fights, but the rough stuff does not worry McKart. “I don’t mind working on the inside. I feel comfortable there. Sometimes I’m there a little more than my trainers would like,” said McKart, who believes in the need to be able to adapt your style in the ring.

“Only the top guys out there can do it all. They can box, they can bang. Marco Antonio Barrera was a good example of a guy who everybody thought was just a pure banger. Then against Hamed he changed his gameplan, which is something that I can do. I can box very well when I want to and I can bang when I want to.

“When I showcase my boxing skills, my fights are usually easy for me,” he added.

Winky Wright has the IBF belt around his waist and McKart is hoping for a chance at him after two close fights with him in May 1996 and September 2000. Although he dropped two close decisions, McKart is adamant he won the first fight, but lost the second.

“The second fight I got caught up in trying to knock him out. Trying to stalk him down and knock him out. He is not the kind of fighter that you are going to stalk down and do that to. He is too skilled for that and too smart and he takes a good shot too,” said McKart, who feels they must face each other for a third time.

“I would definitely love for it to happen, because I feel like, I don’t care what the record book says, that definitely is the rubber match to me. It is something that I would definitely love to happen so I can get that monkey off my back.

“If it doesn’t happen then it doesn’t, but I’m hoping that it does,” he said.

It is likely that Wright will make his first defence WBC welterweight champion Shane Mosley in January, which will add even more excitement to the junior middleweight division.

“If he can adapt to the weight, I think that Sugar Shane will win that fight. He is a great fighter there is no doubt about it,” said McKart. “Stepping up, he doesn’t have to worry about that power factor. He doesn’t have to worry about getting knocked out by a guy like Wright.”

If McKart is successful this Friday night and becomes the No.1 contender, who would he rather see win a Wright-Mosley fight? “It’s pretty much a win-win for me whoever wins that fight if I get my shot at him. Even if it is Mosley, eventually down the line I could still fight Wright.”

With Oscar De La Hoya holding the WBC title and Fernando Vargas holding the WBA crown, there is some excellent opportunities for big money fights, though McKart does not believes the “Golden Boy” will dominate at this weight level.

“I don’t think he is going to fare all that well at junior middleweight as he did in the lighter weights moving up. He has got the speed once again, but I don’t feel he has the strength to be a legitimate, true junior middleweight,” said McKart.

“I don’t think he will be there dominating like he did in the other divisions.”

With three children, two daughters 12 and two, and a son who is four, McKart is determined to provide a better life for his family by becoming world champion again. “I am a blessed man. I have a beautiful wife, three beautiful children. I love my kids and my wife more than anything,” said McKart.

“My oldest who is 12, she knows everything about every fighter. She is sharp. She predicts fights. She even predicted the winner of the Rahman-Lewis fight.”

Living in Monroe, Michigan, McKart does not go away to training camps to prepare for his fights, preferring to stay at home where he is most comfortable. “Training camp is in your heart. I don’t care where you go in the country, if you are not going to train properly you are not going to train proper. I train proper and I am more comfortable when I am at home in my own surroundings with my wife and my children,” said McKart. “You just have to learn how to space your time.”

McKart has his own website, BroncoMcKart.com where he has his own recipe for “Knockout Pancakes”. Something the fans may or may not see this Friday night against Bunema.

“I plan on just boxing him. I don’t want to get sucked into a brawl with him, but if I do, I’ll be OK because that’s what I like to do anyway,” he said.


Paul Upham
Contributing Editor