Q&A: Joey Spina

May 9, 2006

by Scott Ploof

photo by Emily Harney

ESPN2’s “Wednesday Night Fights” this week will feature Providence, Rhode Island’s undefeated super middleweight, Joey “The KO Kid” Spina (17-0-1, 12 KO’s) in what is considered the biggest fight of his young professional career, when he takes on the hard hitting semi-finalist from the first season of “The Contender,” Jesse Brinkley (26-3, 17 KO’s) at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

For Spina, this is another step toward being a world title contender and more notoriety in the super middleweight division, while Brinkley is looking to get some respect after a controversial win in his last fight against The Contender’s Anthony Bonsante, and two consecutive losses in Contender fights to Alfonso Gomez and show champion, Sergio Mora.

FightNews had a chance to speak with Spina about his upcoming fight with Jesse Brinkley, and his future:

In your last fight, a majority draw against Jose Spearman (25-10-4, 10KO’s), you did not seem to be the same fighter as in your previous fights, in terms of your movement and power punching style. What do you think you could have done differently in your last fight?

You know, not to make any excuses about my last fight, but I was just not mentally focused. I was in great shape; however I didn't let my hands go. I was in tremendous shape, but I just didn't do what I was supposed to do. I had an off night.

Your opponent on May 10 at Foxwoods is the semi-finalist of The Contender season one, Jesse Brinkley. In his last fight, he scored a very unpopular and controversial five-round unanimous decision victory over Anthony Bonsante. Have you had a chance to see this fight, and do you see any weaknesses in Brinkley’s game?

Yeah, he gets hit. He cannot get away from the jab. I saw a lot of things. Jesse is a powerful puncher, but he is not an active fighter. He does not throw a lot of punches and he runs out of gas.

You are still currently training with the great Eddie Mustapha Muhammad out in Las Vegas. How has your training been for the fight?

This was my best training camp ever. Everything was great, mentally, physically, and emotionally. I feel great. I have had the best camp and I have done everything that my trainers have asked me to do. I have trained very hard for this camp and I have been traveling and working with my team constantly. Everything has gone really well and this is my best camp so far. Working with Eddie Mustapha, this time we sat down and had some good sentimental conversations about being a champion and what it takes to become a champion.

How has your training been different for this fight against Brinkley than against other opponents you have faced?

You know, the training has gone pretty much the same way as in other camps. The only difference this time around is that I had a conditioning coach, a core trainer to get my body a little more ripped and in shape. Everything else has been pretty much the same. I was in camp for a very long time, about seven weeks, of training for this fight.

Since capturing the vacant WBC United States (USNBC) Super Middleweight belt in 2005 (via unanimous decision over former world champion Carl Daniels), you have stepped up your competition. Being that Jesse Brinkley has gotten this notoriety and exposure from being on the show, is this the biggest fight of your young career?

Well yeah, from a publicity standpoint, sure. From the publicity that this fight will generate for me, yes, but as an opponent, I really don’t know, in terms of how good he is. From seeing him on The Contender, I saw him beat a couple of guys, but really that is all that I know about the guy.

Being in the Main Event of ESPN2’s Wednesday Night Fights and in your first main event at Foxwoods, do you feel any added pressure to deliver a great performance against Brinkley?

Not at all. I am so mentally focused, and physically in great shape that if I was in the main event, the co-main event, or on the undercard fighting wherever, I would not feel any pressure to fight this guy. It really doesn't matter because I am in tremendous shape, and I feel great. Wherever I fight, and whatever I do, I am coming to win. ESPN is always a pleasure to fight on their telecast.

What does a victory over Jesse Brinkley on Wednesday night do for your career?

Well, you know for me, it makes me feel that I am a contender. I am a world contender. Watching the reality TV show The Contender was great to watch and it uplifted a lot of fighter’s careers. It is going to make my career even better as well. I was not on the show, but I am going to knock off quite a few of them. Whatever they are going to give me, I am going to knock them off, and hopefully I can run through them all, starting with Jesse Brinkley, and going right down the list.

In boxing, you may have heard the expression that styles makes fights. How do you feel your style of fighting will match up with Brinkley’s style?

Great. I am a puncher-boxer, but when a guy wants to brawl, and doesn't want to move around, then we can fight. That is where I am bigger and stronger. He is coming up to 168, and I am coming down in my weight, so its going to be an advantage for me.

Do you think coming down a little bit in weight, is either going to help or hurt your chances of winning this fight?

No, it’s definitely going to help me. I am a natural 190-pound guy. I fought at light heavyweight for four or five fights. My last five fights have been at 168, but by the time I fight, I am back to a cruiserweight or light heavyweight. I am 6’ 1”, and he is 5’ 9” or 5’ 10”. I have a lot of advantages in this fight. He is coming up from 154 to 168.

How do you feel you would match up against some of the top fighters in the supper-middleweight division, such as Joe Calzaghe, Jeff Lacy, Markus Beyer, and Peter Manfredo, Jr.?

Peter Manfredo Jr., I match up great with him. Calzaghe and Lacy, those guys are just a little ahead of me right now, but I am taking my time and not rushing things. I have got the best trainer in the world, and when they tell me that I am ready, I am ready. Right now I am just taking little steps. You have to crawl before you can walk. That is what I am doing. Little steps will get me to the top. Matching up with them guys, me personally I think I match up fine with them, it is what my trainers want me to do. And Eddie says we are not in a rush, we have got plenty of time, and there is a lot of knowledge that I can learn along the way.

Before this scheduled bout, there had been rumors around the boxing community about a possible match between you and Scott Pemberton. Was there any truth to these rumors and how do you think you would fare against a taller and more experienced fighter in Pemberton?

There was some talk about a Pemberton fight, but my camp just didn't think it was worth it. He is 42 years old and his time is gone, but maybe after this fight if those rumors are still out there, we will see what goes on. I like Scotty, and at his time, he was a great fighter. When he was in his peak, he was hard to beat. I just think that he is getting a little past his time.

What does the future hold for the career of Joey Spina? Do you see yourself fighting for a world championship within the next year?

I am not sure. In my glory and in my fame and what I want is to become a real world champion. In the next year, we will see what my trainers say. I need time to get to where I have to go. Like I said earlier, I am not in a rush to get there.

Is there anything else that you like to say to your fans here at FightNews?

I want to thank FightNews for having me for this interview. Read up on it, because this fight is going to be a brawl. This fight is going to be one that is a talked about fight on ESPN2. I would also like to thank all of my fans for supporting me. God bless everyone. Come out and watch this fight. This fight will hopefully lead to bigger and better things in my career.  

Tickets, priced at $150 (Platinum Main Event Ringside), $100 (Gold Co-Feature Ringside) and $50 (Silver Reserved), are on sale and available by calling CES (401.724.2254/2253),

 Foxwoods’ box office (800.200.2882) or online at www.foxwoods.com.

For more information visit www.cesboxing.com.

Fans purchasing tickets for “Put Up or Shut Up” and the May 18 “Let It Ride” show in Providence will receive a 10-percent discount.

Buses will be available to take fans from Providence to Foxwoods on May 10.

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