Hassan N’Dam was fresh off his unanimous decision victory over the Brownsville-born banger Curtis Stevens when he was interviewed by Fernando Pimental (@Fern_323) about his performance, and what is next on his agenda after he solidified his position as a top 160 lb contender.
By all accounts N’Dam put on a very good boxing display and actually knocked Stevens down early in the eight round with a straight one-two down the pike. He must have expended a lot of energy with his constant movement, but had no complaints afterwards. “I’m good. I’m feeling satisfied because people said he hit like a truck, but today it isn’t me that got knocked down.”
Another man who possesses a murderous punch, and who is essentially recognized as the kingpin of the middleweight division was in the crowd that night, Gennady Golovkin. Golovkin looked on as one of his former opponents in Stevens was dispatched by a man who could potentially face him in the future, and N’Dam was asked to speculate as to what the WBA ’Super’ World Middleweight Champion may have thought about his performance. “I think he has some idea of my boxing right now because he sees that I have ability. I think when I fight Golovkin I will walk in for him, but today it’s not my goal. Today was to take pleasure and give the boxing lesson, that’s what I do. The next goal will be the world title, and then, Golovkin.”
That fight is a realistic option for the near future as N’Dam and Stevens’s bout was an eliminator for the IBF version of the title which will be contested between Sam Soliman and Jermain Taylor on October 8th. N’Dam seemingly has no preference about who wins that one even though he will almost certainly face the victor next time out.“I don’t care about nobody. I’m not scared of nobody, but I will watch the fight to see who is next.”
The subject up for discussion then became Peter Quillin, the man who handed N’Dam his first professional defeat by knocking him down six times on route to the win on the scorecards. N’Dam said he was carrying an injury in the lead up to that fight which he feels explains why he was on the canvas so often, and even compared it to his sturdiness when taking big shots from Stevens, who is arguably a bigger puncher, as evidence of his claims.
Quillin has since vacated the WBO belt he won against N’Dam in a move that has been much debated since it happened. This seems to have irked N’Dam a little bit despite his rise in stock after this latest win, and he offhandedly dismissed a rematch with Quillin if no belt is up for grabs. “He doesn’t have a belt, he doesn’t interest me. I’m waiting, if he has a title let’s talk.”
This could be seen as a way to avoid getting back in the ring with somebody who defeated him so handily, but if N’Dam’s words are to be taken at face value he does not have an ounce of fear in him, as he looks past his own chance to earn world honors, and towards one of the most avoided men in the sport; “Right now I want to fight the top that boxing has, Gennady Golovkin.”
