Ivan Montiel : I have been wanting to talk with you since last month when you became WBC interim flyweight champion by defeating Abraham Rodriguez. I know you were extremely busy in training camp and the results came out as you wanted. I knew it was a matter of time until you were going to get a title like you’ve been wanting.

McWilliams Arroyo: Thanks, it’s been a long journey but as I always say. I love boxing. It feels good when you work hard and see the results. It’s good to achieve what you want and that right there was one of my goals, I thank God each and every day.  

IM: I should ask you about  your promoter Miguel Cotto since I saw an interview with him and noticed that he said something to you immediately after your win over Rodriguez.

MA Cotto congratulated me and said better things are coming my way.  It was a great moment for me since Cotto is a future hall of famer as well as my promoter. Cotto was a great Puerto Rican champion so for him to get up in that ring to celebrate my win, it was an honor. I have a lot of respect for Miguel Cotto.

IM: Talk to us about your experience when you got back to Puerto Rico!

MA: It was great! I celebrated in Farjado, where there was a celebration of Carabana.  I traveled all around Farjado thanking everyone for their support.  It was a great moment but it actually took place a few days after I arrived back home due to coronavirus restrictions.  Due to the coronavirus, I did not think that there would be so many fans but there were lots of of them honking their horns in celebration. I it was a special moment.  

IM: That reminds me of the times Felix “Tito” Trinidad returned back home after his wins!

MA: Nah, Tito is Tito if you know what I mean! I even went to celebrate Tito’s wins while growing up. That right there was amazing!  I once heard Cotto say each boxer is different. Cotto did not want to be compared to other great Puerto Rican fighters.  Every fighter is different.

IM: Yes, I do recall hearing Cotto say that (laughs) Talk to us about your original fight, a challenge vs. WBC flyweight champion Julio Cesar Martinez getting cancelled? 

MA: Well [when Martinez announced his injury] the WBC took action and honored me [by sanctioning an interim title fight for me]. I thank the WBC for that. I worked very hard for this fight, I did my part.  

IM: I am happy for you. Scott Shaffer from Boxingtalk.com asked me what was going on as soon as he found out about your fight versus Martinez getting cancelled.  We were wondering what happened, and I was worried.

MA: I thought the fight was not going to happen but I stayed focused, maintained my weight and everything turned out well.

IM: We know you're always working hard. We know that you’re always in the gym and ready but that night you proved it. It was a scary scene, you went into that ring as if someone stole your lunch!

MA: (laughs) You’re not the first one who saids that. The woman who called me for the walk-out to go out to the ring there actually said I should walk out there as fast as I can since it was a long walkway. I then thought to myself why is she saying this, although I was anxious to get inside that ring.  I was so ready to fight that I got upset having to wait longer since I thought that the fight before me was going to end quickly.  It is what it is, I was already warmed up!  I then got a little cold but then thought alright, this woman wants me to go in that ring fast as possible so I will go fast!  

IM: How did it feel to be fighting on a Canelo Alvarez undercard?

MA: It felt great, it felt nice!  To fight under one of boxing’s best pound-for-pound best fighters, it’s a blessing. It was a great opportunity, I enjoyed that moment.  

IM: Talk to us about having to switch opponents from Martinez to Rodriguez?  Did you know anything about Abraham Rodriguez beforehand?

MA: No, I did not know anything about him. But as an amateur, I had to adjust to different styles. That amateur experience helped even since I became a professional fighter.  I was not nervous, I adapted and took care of that moment. When my team first walked into my room I thought maybe we are going to talk about business. Once my team informed me that my fight versus Martinez was cancelled I thought this can’t be happening. I was shocked since you know that a fight versus Martinez getting cancelled is not the first time.  As you know, we were supposed to fight in August 2020 and Martinez pulled out three weeks before.  I understand that sometimes things happen but once I got this news again I thought to myself what the heck is happening?  This is the second time Martinez has pulled out with me but in total he’s pulled out of fights three times- once when he was supposed to fight someone else.

IM: Exactly and that is why we here at Boxingtalk were wondering what was going on.

MA: I was out of the ring for 14 months just waiting to fight Martinez you know.  As I said to you before, I do not let anything bother me.  What is ring rust?  I just stepped into that ring like I was not out of the ring for so long.  I was ready as always and thank God that everything went well for us and that I was victorious. 

IM: Your are 35 years of age but you sure did not look it.

MA: No, I do not look it!  I showed what I can do and I feel great! I am in the best condition. That's not to say that I will be fighting for the next ten years but I want to take full advantage of this moment and hopefully fight another three years.  I want to make money and have fun.

IM: I sometimes hear boxing fans question boxer’s legs as they age yet your legs did not give out at all.

MA: I worked very hard, training camp was tough, my conditioning coach did an amazing job with me.  My trainer did an excellent job and we actually did more sparring than we are used to doing.  The sparring I did was in preparation for Martinez... I got the best of my sparring sessions and it showed when I faced Rodriguez.

IM:  We sure saw an amazing performance by you that night.  Your thoughts on Francisco Estrada -Roman "Chocolotito" Gonzalez II? [This interview was conducted shortly before Estrada won that fight last Saturday].

MA: I sure hope that I can fight the winner.  I already lost to Chocolatito but I learned a lot from that loss.  I know it will be a good fight if I can get that rematch versus Chocolatito. I am also willing to fight Estrada, I will fight anyone at 112-115, I will fight anyone between that weight.  My job as you know is to train, but who to fight, I let Miguel Cotto Promotions decide. The day I first signed with Miguel Cotto Promotions I was told to drop down to 112 although I wanted to continue fighting at 115 since I tend to eat more.  They said we will make you champion at 112 and they sure kept their promise.  That one year and two-month layoff was not Miguel Cotto Promotions fault nor did it have to do anything with coronavirus since we were scheduled to fight August 2020.  I am glad to be part of Miguel Cotto Promotions and wished that I would have signed with them a long time ago.  

IM: I am proud of what Miguel Cotto Promotions and what they have done with your career.  Your final thoughts on Estrada versus Chocolatito rematch?

MW: It should be an excellent fight which I am going to pay close attention to.  The best man will win.  I give Chocolatito the advantage because of their previous fight even though Estrada won by knockout.  Let’s not forget Estrada was in a war, he got knocked down and got hit a couple of times and even got cut by a legal punch.  It was a big fight, it was a tough fight.  I think Chocolatito might be better off in terms of damage, Estrada took a lot of punches.  I am not saying that Chocolatito will win but he’s going into this rematch with his advantages.  If I was Estrada I would have wait a few more months.  I believe that tough fights can something out of a fighter.  

IM: When exactly can we expect you back in the ring?

MA: I am hoping either May or June hopefully we will be back by then.  I am already back in training, I was just running again.  It’s time to grind, it’s time to work... I want everyone to know that when boxing fans mention myself and my brother Joe [McJoe Arroyo, 18-4] they know that we are willing to fight the best!  Nobody can say that we are picking fights and that we don’t want to fight anyone.  Here I am willing to fight anyone, I am willing to fight whenever.  Once again, my job is to train and fight, I leave the rest to Miguel Cotto Promotions.  If they say jump I will jump!  I am in a better situation since I have the WBC interim flyweight title.  I sure hope that better things come my way now. 

IM: Let’s say you cannot get rematches versus Estrada or Chocolatito is there anyone else that your thinking of facing?

MA: Anyone!  I want to fight the other champions in my division and even Martinez if he heals.  I am hearing that Martinez will be ready in May yet I question it since he’s supposedly hurt but he’s [supposedly going to be] ready to fight in May?  Miguel Cotto Promotions has a plan and I will see what they say next!