Up Close with Kendall Holt

photos: Tom Casino/Showtime

SHOWTIME boxing analyst Steve Farhood caught up with WBO junior welterweight champion Kendall Holt at the Hackensack Police Athletic League Gym in Hackensack, NJ, for an interview prior to Holt’s title defense versus Demetrius Hopkins, this Saturday, Dec. 13, in Atlantic City.

Holt (24-2, 13 KOs) defends his WBO 140-pound title against undefeated, world-ranked challenger Demetrius Hopkins (28-0-1, 11 KOs) in the main event of Saturday’s special edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, live from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, (SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Before Holt’s full interview with Farhood, the SHOWTIME cameras picked up this gem.

(On Torres and Hopkins)

HOLT: Ricardo Torres, pulling a stunt like this so close to the fight. They had to get Demetrius Hopkins, who I like, to fill in. He’s a good fighter who is technically sound. But, because of Ricardo Torres – and I want all the Demetrius Hopkins fans to blame Ricardo Torres – because now Hopkins has to face me and now his “0” must go.

I don’t want everybody to blame me and be mad at Christmas time because Demetrius Hopkins doesn’t have a goose egg anymore because he has his first loss.

Highlights From Interview with Farhood

(On Torres Pulling Out)

HOLT: I think he didn’t want to take the fight from the beginning. I think he was just going through the motions because he’s a boxer. When push came to shove, he realized that he really didn’t want this fight.

(On change in style from Torres to Hopkins)

HOLT: Hopkins is a talented fighter. He has speed, he’s rangy and he has long arms and good foot movement. A lot of mental toughness will come into play on Saturday. Emotionally, physically and mentally I was preparing for a different type of fight. Two months of preparing that way, (now) to a couple days to do a complete (180) is going to be mentally challenging.

(On facing Bradley to Unify the Jr. Welterweight titles in 2009)

HOLT: I’m definitely looking forward to the Bradley fight. I achieved one of my dreams of becoming World Champion. Now, my ultimate goal is to unify the titles. I’ve already signed on to fight (Bradley) so, I just have to get past Demetrius Hopkins and I am on my way to unifying the titles.