This man has one of the highest knockout percentages at 91% in the sport today and is a three time title holder because of that.  But he’s looking for much more in 07’ as he tries to survive on 95 like Rick Ross.  The sky is the limit and the other champs better beware cause it’s getting hot in Miami and the man that’s bringing that REAL Miami Heat is none other than newly crowned IBA Intercontinental Light Welterweight Champion Randall “The Knock Out King” Bailey.

 

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Record:	34-5 (31 KO’s)
Age:	32
Birthplace:	Opa Locka, Florida
Hometown:	Miami, Florida
Titles:	IBA Intercontinental Light Welterweight Title
	WBA Light Welterweight Title
	WBO Light Welterweight Title

We got the new IBA 140lb. champion Randall “The Knockout King” Bailey chill’n with us today.  Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule.

RB – No problem, no problem it’s a pleasure.

 

I see that you are down there in Key West, Florida chill’n.  You have a fight coming up down there right.

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RB – Yeah, January 19th…we down here do’n a little promotional thing getting ready for the fight in January…training and news articles and thangs down here in the Keys.

I’m jumping ahead of myself…what I want you to do first is to give our readers a little insight into your background because you are rep’n the M.I.A. and let them know how you got started boxing professionally.

RB -  Well I started in Miami at the Police Athletic League (PAL) when I was about 15 and I stuck with it until I turned 21 then I turned pro in Miami in Liberty City.  And from there I knew that I would win a world title and I did.

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And not only once but you were a two time world champion winning the WBO and WBA 140lb. titles and now you have a third with the IBA title you recently won back in October correct?

RB – Yeah, this will be my third title and hopefully later on in 2007 I will be fighting for another world title as well.

 

We will get to that in a moment but I think you have to give them a little more insight into your background because you came up in those mean streets of Miami.  You came up pretty rough and you made it out and have become a success story.

RB – Yeah, it was rough grow’n up back then try’n to stay outta the streets with everything else that was going on.  The drugs and the shootings that were going on around in our neighborhood but you know I just told myself that that’s not the life I want to live so…boxing gave me a way out.

 

Now didn’t your mother get you involved with boxing?  I know that she played a role in getting you started so tell us about that story.

RB – Yes, my mother was always a boxing fan and the minute I told her about the gym she immediately wanted to take me down there.  She was happy for that and she felt that it was something good for me to go down there to learn how to fight.

 

To keep your mind off the streets I would imagine.

RB – Yeah, yeah.

 

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Well I’m going to fast forward a little bit because we go back so I’m going to take you up to probably one of the greatest achievements in your career and that actually took place in your hometown at the Miami Jai Ali back on May 15th, 1999 when you first became the WBO 140lb. champion.  Tell us about that night and how it felt to bring the title home at home and the way you did it with an incredible knockout.

RB – Well you know, coming up to that fight I had already told myself that I was ready to fight for a world title and I was just waiting for an opportunity.  And when they told me that I was going to fight for the world title I was like THANK GOD you know.  I just knew that I was going to win it.  I didn’t think it was going to go that early in one round but I pretty much convinced myself that I knew I was going to knock him out with in five rounds.

 

Not only did it go 1 round but I think it went 41 seconds (cutting in)

RB – 41 Seconds!

 

41 seconds man…I mean the people didn’t even finish clapping for your ringwalk and it was over! (laugh)

RB – Yeah man, I was ready on that night. (laugh)

 

I remember that night and I bet Carlos Gonzalez’s head is still ringing from that crushing right hook (cutting in)

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RB – No it was a left hook.

 

Okay, the left hook.

RB – Yeah and I don’t think he has been the same since. (laugh)

 

I’m sure he hasn’t.  I haven’t heard much from him since then either!

RB – (Laugh)

 

I see that you have a new nickname.  Is it “Mr. KO King”?

RB – No.  It’s “The Knock Out King”.

 

Alright, “The Knock Out King”, and the reason for the name is the fact that out of the 34 victories that you have 31 have come by way of you knocking your opponents out.

RB – Yeah and you know early in my career…I don’t know if it was KO Magazine or Ring Magazine that had me, Zab Judah, Kostya Tszyu, Sharmba Mitchell and Arturo Gatti in it and one of these magazines gave me that name.  So I’ve never really had a name and right now with my state of mind with the training that I’m getting right now I really feel in my mind that anybody I get into the ring with it’s up to me how much punishment I give them before I knock them out.

 

I saw your fight the other night on Fox Sports when you took out this kid Shawn “The Educator” Gallegos and that’s exactly what you did to him.  You beat him up pretty bad over 8 rounds then you took him out.

RB – Yeah.

 

I noticed during the fight that you could have gone after the KO early but the kid was tough so you began to breakdown his body which in turn was the beginning of the end for Gallegos.

RB – I agree, I agree.  With each fight, me and my trainer are working on doing better than we did in the last fight.  In 06’ we wanted to put ourselves in decent position to fight for a major title by the end of the year or in the middle of 07’.  Our standing right now is pretty good and each fight we plan on doing something different and look better each time out.

 

An interesting thing I heard during the telecast was former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer made reference to the fact that he trained you in the past.  Is that true?

RB – Yeah, he trained me for a brief time but it wasn’t a long type of thing.  It was like a couple of months but you know I had to bring in a more experienced trainer that was use to working with fighters that didn’t need to go back to the basics.  Michael was a young trainer coming in and by me having the experience that I had, his time as a trainer was too short to work with a fighter like myself…you know.

 

Right, right.

RB – I just needed someone with more experience.

 

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So what fighters, past or present, did you look up to when you got into the sport?

RB – Well, coming up in boxing, Freddie Pendleton was one of my best friends.  And then there is Evander Holyfield, Felix Trinidad and Bernard Hopkins.

 

And I gotta ask you what’s bump’n out the trunk of Randall Bailey’s whip when he’s chopp’n up the streets of Miami?

RB – Uhmmm…T.I. on the hip hop side with a little John Legend, Angela Ray Bailey (cutting in…)

 

Come on man you got to include some of them Miami boyz.  You came out to Rick Ross “Push’n It” for your last fight (cutting in…)

RB – Yeah, yeah Rick Ross.  Me and Ross is actually from the same neighborhood and we went to the same school.

 

That’s cool and what about “T Double D” Trick Daddy.  You came out to Trick the night you won your first title didn’t you?

RB – Uhmmm…naw.  I think I came out to Trick in June of 2001 when I fought Bobby Elkins.

 

Okay, my bad (cutting in…)

RB – I got a good memory and that shows that I haven’t been taking a lot of punches. (laugh)

 

(Laugh) That’s right!  Let’s talk a little more about your fight coming up in Key West.  Who will be your opponent on that night?

RB – The guy I’m fighting is Antonio Mora and he is 16-1 with 10 KO’s and I don’t really know much about him at this point.

 

Will you be defending your new crown against him?

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RB – I don’t know but it will be a 12 round fight but I don’t know which title I’ll be fighting for yet.

 

So you might have the opportunity to fight for another championship other than the one you have now.

RB – Yes, yes.

 

Last but not least, give me your hit list for 07’.  Who are your going after…drop some names to let them know what’s up?

RB – Well first we got plans with WBA 140lb. champion Souleyman M’baye.  Hopefully if that fight happens I’m guaranteed to win that fight.  Then I’ll just try to fight one of the other champions or top contenders that want to step in the ring with me.

 

Do you plan on staying at 140lb. weight class or would you move up to test the waters at 147 again?

RB – My plan is to unify the 140lb. division.  I don’t have any problem making the weight at 147 but those guys are naturally bigger than me.  So I’m comfortable here at 140.

 

Let’s recap; your fight coming up will be on January 19, 2007 at Mallory Square in beautiful Key West, Florida.  You will be fighting Antonio Mora possibly for another title.  I urge all boxing fans to check out this event because “The Knock Out King” will be in the building bringing that real Miami Heat.  Any last words you want to give the fans out there?

RB – I thank all my fans that stuck by me through the hard times and I’m going to show and improve and I’m not going to let them down this time.

 

Well I appreciate your time and I know 07’ is going to be big for you.  Congratulations again on winning your 3rd title and I’m sure we will see you in a big fight real soon and you’re going to bring it back home and represent Miami well.

RB – Yes sir, thank you.