Hasim Rahman: "I will knock Klitschko out!"

GL: Congrats on your victory over Monte Barrett. Can you give us your thoughts on the performance? "Thank you for the congrats, but I didn't really fight the fight I expected. It didn't turn out the way I expected, I think I could have done and should have done more and I was very disappointed with the outcome of the fight. I'm just looking to get right back in the gym, get in better shape and start focusing on knocking Vitali Klitschko out."

GL: When we spoke in your dressing room after the fight, you said you've never seen Monte fight that way. Do you feel he's the reason it was a boring fight?

Hasim Rahman: "I've never seen him move so much. I knew he wasn't winning the fight and I knew he wasn't making the fight. When I look at it, I look at times where I should have just pressed the action more. I was in much better shape than he was and I basically just jogged around for twelve rounds. I've done road work that was harder than that."

GL: Have you seen the fight on tape since last Saturday night? If so, what do you feel you should have done better?

HR: "I saw it once and I'm not going to watch it again because I don't want to put myself throught that. Monte at times had his back to the ropes and I should have just done more work. I should have worked the body more and made him engage more. He was constantly moving to my left and I should have just cut the ring off and let my hands go to get him out of there. I'm happy that I'm able to move on to fight Klitschko and I apologize to the fans for the boring fight. I will fight much better than that against Klitschko and I was basically put to sleep by Monte's running and moving. He didn't really want to fight and then by the time he decide to fight it was shocking to me."

GL: Despite Klitschko coming back from back surgery, after this kind of a dreck many people are going to look at this say Rock has no chance with Klitschko.

HR: "I'm saying, that's what I've been told my whole career. Rock can't do this, Rock has no chance against this guy. I could tell you one thing, styles make fights and I will be ready for Vitali Klitschko. I feel his style is suited for me. I feel I will hit him and I will connect. And one thing I can with all the critics on, if I come in ther with Klitschko and don't let my hands go like I did in my last fight, I'm not going to beat Klitschko. I don't expect to beat him fighting that way, I will come into the fight letting my hands go and prepared to walk through hell to win this fight."

GL: I know you wanted to look better than you did against Meehan, do you feel you achieved that goal against Monte?

HR: "Obviously not. We really didn't do much fighting. I don't see where it was a real, real fight. I feel like we landed some good shots here and there, but for the most part it wasn't even a fight."

GL: Do you think that had anything to do with the fact that the two of you are good friends outside of the ring?

HR: "I don't know what it had to do with. I just think I allowed Monte to dictate how the fight went. I could have cut the ring off better and made him engage me a little bit more. I allowed him to do what he wanted to do, so I'm going to put the blame on myself.

GL: How's your cut and will it slow down the Klitschko fight in any way?

HR: "It's nothing, and no it won't slow down the fight in any way. Klitschko can't fight anybody but me next and believe me it's going to stay that way. Klitschko will be done. Trust that he won't stand up to these shots."

GL: You hit Monte Barrett with some clean punches and he didn't end up in the trunk.

HR: "Everytime I hit him and hurt him I let him off the hook though. It was clear that the ropes either held him up or he grabbed. I never followed up with a series of hard shots. It was like I said, we were too far apart and I never pressed the action the way I should have and I know I'm not going to do that with Vitali."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

HR: "I'd just to let all my fans on Boxingtalk know that I apologize for that effort, I know I could do much better. The way I see it, that was just 30% of me. That wasn't even a glorified sparring session, that was like me fighting in 1992 and I ain't start fighting till 94."