Cornelius Bundrage: ‘I want Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, or Canelo’

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    Cornelius-K9-BundrageThe Oasis Hotel Complex, Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico. This was the grand and esteemed venue Cornelius ‘K9’ Bundrage had to travel to in order to get a shot at Carlos Molina’s IBF light-middleweight title back in October. After a prolonged series of legal troubles including his deportation to Mexico, Molina looked to put it all behind him by putting a beating on the 41-year-old challenger in his own backyard. It turned out to be a lacklustre homecoming as Bundrage capitalised on a woeful display by the champion that was bereft of any desire or urgency. He dropped Molina in the first and the tenth round, and despite getting penalised for holding and hitting in the eight, cruised to a wide points decision victory.

    That unforeseen win has opened up a whole range of options for Bundrage, so Josh Greyfer (@JoshTBV) spoke with him to see what his plans are for the immediate future.

    “There’s a lot of people out here that I can fight. I don’t know, I’m just going to see what’s out here, see who’s offering the most because it’s a business you know what I mean, see what belts are out here, see what opportunities are out here.”

    If Bundrage was noncommittal about what exactly is next for him between the ropes, he spoke in definitive terms about his improved financial status as of late.

    “(I need to) see if I’m going sign with a top network, I’m going to make a lot of moves, a lot of power moves because you know I got my own promotional company now too. So I’m signed to my own company which is good because now now I can get two checks instead of one. Shout out to Golden Boy and Mayweather for that you know, hooking that up so, you know I’m being a follower when it comes to that.”

    He smiled and chuckled as he said it, and seemed almost as excited about the upcoming middleweight bout between Gabriel Rosado and David Lemieux at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on December 6th.

    “That’s going to be a good fight trust me I’m a fan of boxing. I’m definitely a fan of good fights and that’s a good fight. I don’t know whose going to win but that’s going to be a good one.”

    Despite his enthusiasm he feels as a spectator for that fight, Bundrage pretty much ruled himself out of facing the winner. After a hesitant shake of the head he had this to say.

    “I don’t know man it depends. Now look, if the money is right and the situation is right and God put it on my heart, I’ll fight anybody. But they fight at 160 so I can’t really see myself at 160 because I believe I can fight at 147. So I’m not really looking to go up to 160, especially if it isn’t (the look he gave the camera at this point as he rubbed his thumb and fingers together was pretty funny) for big money. I’ll stay right where I’m at or move down because the opportunity is down.”

    Bundrage goes on to clarify what he really means, and the weight on the scales is less of an issue than the weight in gold his next opponents name is worth.

    “We really want Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Canelo you know? I’ve paid my dues. I’m a two-time world champion, oldest junior-middleweight world champion of all time. It’s time.”

    It seems incredible that Bundrage has never faced an opponent with a marquee name before when you take in to consideration that last fact. In his thirty nine pro contests only Cory Spinks stands out on his resume as a recognizable name for the uninitiated observer, and even that’s a push. If he can use his latest win as a springboard to a big payday then more power to him, he deserves at least one before his time is done.