One-On-One With Joe Goossen

By Justin Hackman

19/07/2019

One-On-One With Joe Goossen

Justin Hackman: Joe, you’ve got a big fight tomorrow as your fighter Sergey Lipinets takes on your former fighter, John Molina.  How was camp? Joe Goossen: I couldn’t have asked for a better camp—six days a week, great sparring, no injuries, etc.  The real key there though was the sparring.  You’ll never find someone to emulate your opponent perfectly, but we had a very close facsimile to that.  
 
JH: You trained Molina for six years and in the process created a bond that remains strong to this day.  How do you negotiate within yourself that this is my business and as a trainer, I need to exploit the insufficiencies of my former fighter in order for my current fighter to win? 
 
JG: That’s a legitimate question.  The respect factor between the Molina family and myself, as well as John and Sergey, we are all friendly towards each other.  But ultimately it is a business.  Sometimes you get thrown into situations that are seemingly uncomfortable, but when the rubber meets the road, it’s all business for me, as I’m sure it’s the same for their camp.  That’s when the sparks will fly.  In terms of exploiting John’s style, he said to me with a smile: “Joe, I know what you’re thinking!”  He knows me, how I work, and John is coming to win just like we are.  I expect to see John Molina at his best Saturday.
 
JH: You and Sergey are coming off a great win and spectacular performance over a top-notch fighter in Lamont Peterson.  Has that victory made Lipinets a better fighter?
 
JG: It was the camp going into that fight which made Sergey a better fighter.  The work and commitment he put into training allowed Sergey to perform the way he did that night against Peterson.  When I train someone, we prepare for the 10 or 12 toughest rounds in his life, and we take it to that place in camp.  So everything you saw in that performance against Peterson, I had seen already in camp.  So yes, the preparation made him a better fighter, and the same can be said of this camp.
 
JH: How does Sergey beat John Molina?
 
JG: To beat Molina, you must have a high IQ in the ring, and you must stay within yourself and not get caught up in, you know, what it is that John’s looking to do.  You gotta stay very focused, because John is a homerun hitter.  In baseball terms, he may strike out a lot, he’ll swing and miss, but John can hit homeruns.  We need to stay focused on our game plan, and that is to throw him a lot of curveballs, a lot of off-speed pitches, and fastballs as well.  But we must remain smart and focused throughout.
 
JH: So assuming you’re looking at this as a distance fight, if Lipinets gets a stoppage, would you be surprised?
 
JG: I’m never surprised what can happen in the boxing ring.  I subscribe to the theory that says you prepare for the most grueling 10 rounds you can imagine.  And if you get anything less than that, it’s a gift.
 
JH: Prediction on Pacquiao/Thurman?
 
JG: I’m going to be in the commentary booth for that one after our own fight.  So because of that, I have stayed away from any firm predictions because I don’t want to go into the fight as a commentator with any preconceived notions.  But I will say this: Keith Thurman looks to me like he’s in better shape for this than he was for the Josesito Lopez fight.  When fighters are prepared to be at their best, there is a glow about them, and I see that in Thurman right now.  Now Pacquiao, you know what you’re getting with him—he’s about as consistent as it gets.  So I foresee an incredibly close and highly competitive match.  But the size difference is palpable; I noticed that right away with these two.  There’s also the age factor—Thurman looks younger and fresher.  There’s a lot to be said for both guys.  Pacquiao can never be overlooked because we all know what he’s capable of.  And Thurman, I expect to see a much sharper version of him than we witnessed in his last fight.  
 
JH: Joe, best of luck, and it’s always a pleasure talking to you; we’ll speak after the fight.
 
JG: Thanks, Justin, sounds great.

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