Brooklyn Featherweight Cornelius Lock Interview: Wins Main Event on Salita Card
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In an exclusive post fight interview with Real Combat Media, featherweight contender Cornelius Lock talked about his recent big win, and his career direction. On August 25, 2015, Flatbush Brooklyn southpaw featherweight Cornelius Lock scored the best win of his career in recent memory, a third round stoppage of tenth worldwide ranked Alexander Miskirtchian of Belgium in the main event of an outdoor ten bout card at Brooklyn Cyclones baseball field MCU Park in Coney Island Brooklyn. Lock, 36, 23-7-2 with 15 knockouts, has consistently fallen just short of the mark in his career against the world class best. Returning to the ring after 18 months inactivity, the big win over a contender was easy for Lock, who is always in the gym trying to better his skills. Lock now has a two fight contract with promoter Dmitriy Salita and Salita Promotions to continue his career.
Lock had to fight through a difficult situation. His shorter opponent butted him in the head trying to get inside, and opened up a bloody gash gushing blood between his eyes. The referee, counting over his opponent, did not see the accidental head butt preceding the knockdown. This put Lock in the desperate situation of having to immediately knock out his opponent when his opponent got off the floor. If not, Lock could risk having the bout stopped on the cut.
Robert Brizel: “Cornelius, how many stitches tonight.”
Cornelius Lock: “Five stitches (to close my forehead cut).”
Robert Brizel: “This fight was scheduled for 135 (pounds on the bout shoot).”
Cornelius Lock: “Actually the bout was scheduled to go off at 125 pounds. The guy (my opponent) came in at 127 pounds, I came in at 125 pounds. It (the bout sheet stating I weighed in at 135 pounds) was a misprint.”
Robert Brizel: “from the very beginning of this fight, this guy was trying to get inside on you, but you were trying to break him down with your jab. You were trying to (punch from) get out of his range. How did you get out of his range? How did you time him so well?”
Cornelius Lock: “We studied tape on the guy. My coaches Leon Taylor and ‘Blimp’ told me to use the jab, control range, and they told me the guy would rush in and try to get to my body, and try to slow me down. So I just waited, timed him with the jab, and caught him coming in.”
Robert Brizel: “In the first round, as you said, he (Alexander Miskirtchian) was bull rushing you, trying to come in (get inside). Starting in the second round, I noticed you started timing him and keeping him out of range. What did you figure out right away?”
Cornelius Lock: “I figured out I could control range with my jab, and I started timing him. I knew he was coming in (and) rushing in, so I knew I would catch him coming in.”
Robert Brizel: “I noticed in the second round, beyond a certain point, he (Miskirtchian) was not able to get inside on you anymore. At that point, when you were able to stay out of range, did you figure it was only a matter of time before you broke him down?”
Cornelius Lock: “Yes, I knew it was only a matter of time before I broke him down, using my experience. I (have) fought a lot of world rated fighters, and he also fought a world champion, but I also felt he had not fought the caliber of fighters I fought, and I knew my experience would win in this fight.”
Robert Brizel: “You have some up and down match ups and decisions, and you have had a rough road. This is probably the best win you have had in a long time I’d say. You came out in the third round, and you were timing him excellently, and he was not getting inside. Your shots were coming in very very hard. Your thoughts at that moment.”
Cornelius Lock: “My thoughts were, once I saw I had him hurt, I just went into killer instinct (mode and) I wanted to finish him.”
Robert Brizel: “He (Miskirtchian) went down. I was taking pictures at ringside. I looked at you and I said (to myself) finish him (as you stood in the neutral corner). At the time, you did not see what I saw, that you were bleeding from the cut. Instinctively I said this because it (your cut) was bleeding very badly, and whether you realized it or not, you must have felt the blood, wherever it came from. It (the head butt and resulting bloody cut) happened so fast, even the referee and the commission did not see it. Before he went down, there must have been a (head) butt of some kind. Where did the butt happen before (you scored) the first knockdown?”
Cornelius Lock: “It was a very quick reaction. We (were) actually coming in at the same time, and we actually bumped heads. That’s where the cut came in at (occurred). It happened because of old scar tissue in that area.”
Robert Brizel: “Were you aware you were bleeding right away?”
Cornelius Lock: “Yes, I felt the blood, I felt the blood. So I knew I hurt him and I had to finish him because of the cuts, it wasn’t going to be good (when he got back up, if he was able to recover and get back into the fight).”
Robert Brizel: “He (Miskirtchian) gets up, you head in. What did you find (out) when you were timing him coming in?”
Cornelius Lock: “I found (out that) I knew he was still a little bit woozy. So my coach instructed me to go to the body and not headhunt, go to the body and drop his hands so I could (then) finish him with the shots (punches) on top.”
Robert Brizel: “So what’s next for Cornelius Lock? You want to stay at 126 pounds or move up to 130 pounds?”
Cornelius Lock: “Featherweight…..126 pounds is my weight class. I fouht a couple of fights at 130 pounds but I am a featherweight.”
Robert Brizel: “Well, let’s hope you go back into the (world) rankings, and some big fights and big belts come your way. Cornelius Lock, thank you for joining us at Real Combat Media.”
Cornelius Lock: “Thank you.”
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