Exclusive Eddie Chambers Interview: "I Plan on Putting Klitschko Through a Meat Grinder!"

"Fast" Eddie Chambers has been on a quick rise through the heavyweight division, going on a 5 fight winning streak and setting himself up as the mandatory challenger to WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko. The match won't be easy, Klitschko is himself enjoying an 11 fight winning streak, including seven title defenses. However, Chambers has a plan and he's eagerly counting down the moments until his shot finally arrives.

At 35 - 1 with 18 knockouts to his credit, Eddie Chambers isn't just one of the best American heavyweights in the world, he's one of the best heavyweights period. You'll find him in the top 5 of any credible heavyweight rankings list (including those of AC's boxing chieftain Rich Thomas, ProBoxing-Fans.com's top 10 heavyweight boxers list and the Ring Magazine's rankings).

I've been lucky enough to chat with Eddie Chambers on several previous occasions, including before his fight with Sam Peter, and then after his dominating effort against Alexander Dimitrenko. I was able to get a hold of him once again for this exclusive interview, where Chambers discusses his looming bout against Wladimir Klitschko and all of the other happenings in the busy heavyweight division.

It was originally looking like you would get a title shot this fall, then Klitschko underwent surgery on his left surgery. He's slated to return around March, is your fight against him finalized for that time or what's the status?

EC: No, we're not finalized, but we're hoping that it's not far off. I'm hoping it does get there in the next few weeks or so, maybe a month. And we'll see what happens maybe in the spring.

If Wlad can't go at that point, is there a plan B in place or what's your next move is something doesn't get done soon?

EC: Well, obviously if it goes so far as next fall or something to materialize, obviously I'll have to do something to stay busy and continue to stay where I am. That would have to come about. But if it's anywhere from this coming spring to late spring or early summer, we're still pretty much gonna stay... and just focus on that. Right now, like I said, if it takes too long we'll have to do something to keep me where I am and stay sharp.

Have you been keeping busy in the gym or what have you been doing since your last fight (a majority decision over Alexander Dimitrenko in July of this year)?

EC: I've definitely been in the gym... not all the time or anything like that, but I'm still making sure that I go to my strength and conditioning, and also the running and everything like that. I'm making sure my weight stays right around where it was for the last fight. Making sure that I'm in good condition, that I'm athletic and able to do everything I was able to do then and even now. So once I get into camp for the next fight, the Klitschko fight, I'll already be in shape and it'll just be a matter of fine-tuning everything.

You've been at your best when you keep a busy schedule. The Dimitrenko fight was your 5th fight in just over a 12 month period. I believe this is your longest period of inactivity as a pro fighter (assuming a fight in March, it would be 9 months). Does this kind of layoff bother you and what are you doing to combat the potential ring rust?

EC: Oh, I think ring rust is a state of mind. If you allow yourself to stay too far away from the gym, eat whatever you want... some guys smoke and drink, which I don't do, and obviously that will have a negative effect on you performing. Even if you do get yourself into top shape, it just sets you back and makes it really difficult to stay the course. I don't have any of those issues. What I do is just continue to keep my weight right, stay focused, continue to stay around the gym and just make sure I don't get too far out of the mold of what it takes to compete at that level.

I remember you were eagerly anticipating the David Haye vs. Wlad Klitschko fight before it was canceled, did you catch Haye's fight against Valuev?

EC: Oh yea I watched it, definitely, and I even paid for it (laughs). I know a lot of people didn't. Really, they say it was not really that big of a deal but all in all it doesn't matter. He still has the heavyweight championship, you gotta give him that much credit. Also he says he hurt his hand, I guess that's all circumstantial and you gotta give him leeway for that too. Truth be told, he has the belt around his waste and that conquers a lot of things...winning conquers all, all bad performances. If you can win with a bad performance, most people are just going to have to deal with it.

What do you think of him outside of that performance as one of the titleholders right now, and how do you think you stack up against him?

EC: Well, to me I think it's quite obvious I can fight anyone and compete well or beat anyone in the division, and he's no different. With him being closer in size, most people would think it would be a little easier and to a degree it would... it becomes a boxing match and not just a small guy fighting a big guy. Just my abilities overall would have a great shot at beating David Haye or any heavyweight champion at this point in time.

I'm sure it would be nice to for you to fight somebody more your size. Is there anything that could have possibly caused you to turn down two title shots, consecutively (as Haye did by canceling matches against both Klitschko brothers this past summer)?

EC: (Laughs) If it honestly was that bad of an injury, I guess then you would have had to. If it was something I couldn't just do, then of course. But no... no... if they had given me that opportunity I would have made sure my conditioning would have been in top, top form. I would have never have had a problem with that, I would have made sure I was ready on that night.

I would never put off a fight... I've never done anything to get away from any opponent. I haven't ran from anyone, I've fought everybody that was somebody on my way up to this point. Well not everybody, but I've never ducked anyone. It's like, I'm going to have to face the best, so I might as well take the toughest ones and get them all out of the way and have an easy back end, that's the way I look at it.

Chris Arreola got his chance at Vitali Klitschko back in September. What did you think about that fight and what did you think about Arreola's chances going in?

EC: Before the fight I was hoping he wasn't gonna do essentially what he did, from round 3 on. I even talked to his coach and I was telling him he has to jab, he has to fight coming in, he cannot just think he's just going to come in and walk in. Chris is not a very fast-footed fighter, he's not the kind of guy that can get to the target with ease. He has to be able to stand in front of the guy, and you're just never going to be able to stand in front of Klitschko. He's not that skilled, well he is skilled but he looks awkward...

Awkward to say the least...

EC: Exactly, but you're not going to be able to just stand there and just walk him down. You have to walk him down using precision punching and a jab. And when he did jab, even though it was a little off balance, he still caused confusion with it. He didn't really know how to react to it. If he had continued that and continued to punch on the way in he would have given himself a better shot at landing shots. If he got Klitschko against the ropes then he has the strength, and he's a strong guy, to hit him while they were close. He would have had that chance but he didn't and as the fight wore on he got a little tired.

Obviously you're about as different as a fighter stylistically from Arreola as you could be, but did you learn anything from that fight as a fellow young American heavyweight trying to break into the title picture?

EC: With Chris, he didn't change anything... I'm pretty sure he worked hard even though he came in at his normal weight. But you can't just eat whatever and drink whatever and then go on back to the gym. That takes away from the overall performance you're going to give that night, regardless of what you may believe or what people may believe. That's going to take away from that. Trust me.

So my plan would just be to give my best, give my all and stay the course in camp. Make sure I do everything right, do everything, eat right, go to sleep, do all the things I should do. Then when I get into the ring with him, just stick to the game plan. And the game plan would be that you cannot, I repeat, cannot stand and watch these guys fight. And that's what a lot of these people do! They are shorter guys most of the time that fight the Klitschko brothers and they just stand and watch them punch, and think they are going to take a few to give a few. Not gonna happen.

Not against these guys.

EC: Exactly. If you take a few from them, that may be your last few. You don't want to do that. So you have to find a way to be like a fly. You know, you swing at a fly, you miss and the next thing you know you're dead tired and you're frustrated. That's the kind of thing, that frustration, that I want them to go through. I want them to be so tired that they basically just give up.

That's what basically happened when Vitali fought Chris Byrd, he basically got tired of swinging and missing. Even though he was winning the fight for the most part, he got tired of swinging and missing... it's frustrating! Same thing when I fought Dimitrenko. He would throw these punches and be like why can't I nail him with this shot? Why can't I figure this out and how is he hitting me? Just making him feel really uncomfortable and really unsettled... then they start to panic, then they don't know what to do... and that's in any sport.

That's what I intend to put these guys through, a serious meat grinder. Now I'm not saying I'm going to go in there and knock them out, I'm not gonna run my mouth and do all these kinds of things. But what I am going to do is frustrate them, make them uncomfortable and make them not want to be in the ring anymore.

Wow, well just listening to you talk about that you are clearly extremely excited to get your shot and you've clearly given it plenty of though. I know it's still not even Thanksgiving, but I'm guessing if Christmas came early for Eddie Chambers this year you would be wishing for this fight to be signed, sealed and delivered tomorrow.

EC: No doubt about it. This is something that I've dreamed of, being the heavyweight champion of the world and I intend to get to that level. That's what I'm going to do. Not only am I going to do my best, I'm going to perform at a level that most people think that I can't. And I've already done that, in the Dimitrenko fight, where I'm pretty sure that most people didn't even think I had a chance at beating somebody as good as that young kid

And what did I do? It's not only the experience I've already dealt with, it's the progression. I do have the ability to be world champion and just because I'm small [Note: Yes, at 6'1" and 210 lbs, Eddie Chambers is considered a small heavyweight fighter, particularly in this day and age]. doesn't take anything away from that.

Alright, well I guess the last bit of heavyweight news is that Kevin Johnson will be taking on Vitali in December. What do you think about that fight?

EC: I think, like I was saying with these guys, that if you stand there and let them pick you apart then of course that's what's going to happen. I think Kevin has a better shot than most think because of his jab. If he uses that jab to get inside, or not even to get inside but just to use it... make him think, make him uncomfortable, make it difficult for him to get a grasp on any part of the fight, any foothold in any situation. Really, that could give him a clear shot at winning the fight.

But obviously it's going to be an uphill battle with the height difference, and Kevin Johnson isn't a big power puncher or anything. But he does have tools and different things that he can use to give Vitali a little bit of trouble, and really a lot of trouble if he does it the right way.

Well hopefully you hear back from Wlad's camp sometime soon and get something finalized.

EC: Oh man, I would love for that to happen.

Just stay in the gym and keep that weight down.

EC: No doubt, I'm going to keep it down to 210 and under, trust me.

Well, nothing's scheduled I'm sure you can at least enjoy Thanksgiving a bit...

EC: (Laughs) Well I may go up to 212... but a couple of days later I'll be back.

Thanks as always for the time Eddie and we'll be keeping an eye on what's next for you.