The only way to describe Micky Ward is by calling him a warrior. He might not be the most technically sound fighter but he's got a ton of heart and he makes for very exciting fights.

A case can be made that his stretch of fights starting with Reggie Green, then Shea Neary, Antonio Diaz, and finally Emanuel Augustus (Burton) all could have been 'Fight of the Year' candidates for their respective years.

Exciting as his career has been it's rather tragic that he's never really had a major payday. Today Micky and I discussed his upcoming fight with Arturo Gatti, his career as a fighter and several other topics.

BRC: Let's get the easy question out of the way first. How are you feeling and how's training coming along?

WARD: Everything is going great, I feel really good.

BRC: What kind of things have you been working on for this fight in particular?

WARD: Basically everything, but really head movement, hand-speed, and conditioning.

BRC: Sounds good, tell me honestly what were your impressions on your last time out vs. Jesse James Leija? And did you know that after watching the first 3 rounds frame by frame that the cut was caused by a short left inside and not by a head-butt?

WARD: Yeah, I knew it was from a punch and if anything I strongly feel the same way everyone else felt and that is that the fight -at the very least- should have been ruled a "no contest," not a technical loss.

BRC: If you ask me it should have been ruled a KO victory for you; the rule says if the cut is caused by a punch -and it was- and the fighter can't continue it's a TKO victory for the other fighter.

WARD: Yeah, that's exactly right, but what are you going to do? Down there in Texas it'd be a little difficult for them to turn that decision around.

BRC: Did you want another crack at Leija or was the plan all along to move on to the bigger name in Gatti?

WARD: No, it didn't matter to me as long as it was Leija or Gatti. I'm not going to lie, Gatti is a bigger name so the chances are I'll get paid better for this fight than I would have had I gotten in with Leija again. I know Jessie is a warrior and it wasn't his fault.

BRC: Micky, you've been in a lot of wars: Zab Judah, Reggie Greene, Antonio Diaz, Neary, Burton and so on... How much gas do you think you have left in the tank?

WARD: Oh, I feel I have a lot left in the tank. I know for sure that Gatti has been in as many wars as I have, you know. I'm a little bit older but I think I have a lot left.

BRC: The reason I ask that is because you didn't look super sharp to start out with vs. Leija and I was wondering if the wars were taking their toll.

WARD: I did start out a little slow, I also think Jessie had better hand-speed then I gave him credit for at first and was better defensively than I thought, but I did adjust and started to land some bigger shots on him.

BRC: For a guy that has brought so many exciting moments to the sport of boxing why has is been so hard for you to get a "major" payday?

WARD: I know. Man, I really don't know. It's like a black mark. I wish I knew. I don't feel like it's been fair to me. What are you going to do? There are so many guys behind and ahead of me that if I don't take the offers that I get I probably won't get the fight. It's kind of like a catch 22, you know.

BRC: That's bull%$*%, I can remember you and Antonio Diaz going to war up here on the under card of Sanchez vs. Hamed. I know Hamed made more than you and Diaz put together. That's really a shame.

WARD: Definitely, I mean I understand what you're saying but that's just the way the game is. It's all promotion and hype now.

BRC: OK, moving on. Not an old man's sport (Ward starts laughing) so win, lose, or draw what are you going to do? (More Laughing) I know you get that a lot but hey, Bernard and Lennox are proving it wrong. So win, lose, or draw what's the next step in your career as a fighter?

WARD: Win go on, lose retire, and draw most certainly a rematch.

BRC: You have to get that money.

WARD: At this point that's the name of the game for me. It's not like I have a lot of time left.

BRC: So if you lose, no matter in what fashion, that's it? Really, even if it's a close fight?

WARD: Yeah, man I don't care. If I lose I'm done, time to move on to better things.

BRC: OK, let's talk your upcoming fight with Gatti, is your initial thought that this will be another war or are you expecting something else?

WARD: Yes and no, Buddy McGirt had Gatti boxing and moving a lot more then we've seen in the past. Who knows what he's going to do, I think it says a lot about him as a fighter -and McGirt as a trainer- for Gatti to start showing his versatility at this stage in the game. I'm going to prepare for both and do what I have to do to make sure I'm the best I can be for this fight. To tell you the truth I'd rather not have a war with him no one really wants to be in a war, but if it happens I'll be there.

BRC: Are you at all concerned about Gatti's weight come fight night?

WARD: No, I'm not really that worried about it, as long as he makes it during the weigh in. I know he's known for putting on a lot of weight before the fight but I've been in with numerous big guys throughout my career.

BRC: Micky come on man (Laughing). If you look over there and he looks like he's a middleweight or super middleweight, you won't be worried in the slightest?

WARD: (Laughing) No I don't care, I'll just try not to get hit square. Hey I know Gatti is a real though guy just like me, he's there, you're not going to find anything funny about the guy. I know he hits like a mule with both hands. In this fight there'll be no excuses the best man will win. If he's that big and we end up in a war your going to see a lot of head movement and more boxing than you're used to seeing from me.

BRC: I know he doesn't take body shots real well, the Gabriel Ruelas fight taught us that. Do you plan on using that vaunted left hook to the body a lot in this fight?

WARD: I plan on it but if he thinks that's all I have then he's in for a big surprise. My right is pretty good as well. I've fought many big guys before and hurt them with body shots; I don't see why he'll be any different. I know Gatti has probably fought the best fighter if you look at our records in Oscar De La Hoya, but I think I've fought the all around stiffer competition and that's what's going to help me the most in this match

BRC: When it's all said and done how do you want to be remember as a fighter?

WARD: I guess as a warrior and as a guy that gave 110% in and out of the ring. A guy that didn't dog it or cut corners and never disrespected the sport by not trying. I'd like to be remembered as a guy that gave people what they wanted to see and finally respected everyone and hopefully will be respected by all.

BRC: Let's talk about the Micky Ward that the fans don't see outside of the ring?

WARD: When I'm not in the ring I just plug away as a construction worker. I train people at this new World's Gym out here. I'd like to open my own gym someday and train kids on the correct things to do in boxing. I'd like to marry my fiancée someday soon. There's a lot of things I have planned after boxing, I'm sure I'll stay busy and live a good life.

BRC: Micky I'm sure you will. So you do plan on training guys someday?

WARD: Ehh, maybe someday but when I'm done fighting I'm going to take a little time for myself. I need to get away from the game for a while, especially with all this craziness taking place lately.

BRC: You must be talking about the decision Saturday night in Vegas between Mayweather Jr. and Castillo.

WARD: Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. That was a sad thing to see Castillo doing all the work only to end up getting screwed by the judges.

BRC: You'd have a tough time in Vegas because the judges only seem to credit head hunting and don't care for body punching.

WARD: I know, the same thing with the Barrera and Morales fight as well. In Las Vegas with my style I'd most certainly need to get Knock Outs.

BRC: What's been your most memorable moment in your career? The Reggie Green fight?

WARD: The Reggie Green fight was a heck of a fight. For me to win it the way I did, it was an awesome feeling. I'm probably most proud of my fight with Shea Neary for the WBU title. We just stood there toe to toe, man to man, and in the end I was the man standing. Neary tried to intimidate me and that ain't going to happen with me.

BRC: Well, Micky it's been real cool talking with you, I'd like to do it again sometime in the near future. Good luck on May 18th in your fight vs. Gatti

WARD: Thanks Aladdin, I'm sure we'll meet up soon.

BRC: I'll be at the fight doing the interviews so either I will be saying congratulations on a heck of a fight or congratulations on a heck of a career. Either way I'll be saying congratulations... (Laughing).

WARD: (Laughing) Let's hope it's on the fight and not the career.

Questions? Comments? Email Aladdin Freeman

2-04-06