Interview with Light Middleweight Prospect Karim Mayfield

By Mario Ortega Jr.

Karim “Hard Hitta” Mayfield (6-0-1, 5 KOs) is an undefeated light middleweight prospect out of Daly City, California. On March 20th at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, he scored a six-round split decision over previously unbeaten Francisco Santana (8-1, 4 KOs), which marked his third straight win over a fellow undefeated prospect. The bout, which was an entertaining back-and-forth battle, was televised nationally on Fox Sports Net’s Best Damn Sports Show Period. Mayfield recently sat down to update 15rounds.com on his career.

Q: What’s new Karim?
Karim Mayfield: Getting in shape. I am in camp with Andre Ward, getting him ready for the NABO title.

Q: I understand you have added Virgil Hunter as your trainer, why the move to work with Virgil?
KM: He is more so like the overseer. Like with Muhammad Ali, Angelo Dundee wasn’t his main trainer from the beginning of camp, but he was at the end. Ben Bautista will still be in my corner, but he was more my mentor than my trainer. I’m SFC (Straight Forward Club, Bautista’s gym) for life. Not to take anything away from Ben, but Virgil has an experienced eye. It’s a great setting. There is a lot of structure in camp [with Virgil]. Bizzy Ben has a whole lot to do. He was sacrificing a lot to work with me. He is helping the youth, his focus is more so with them and I applaud him for that. Ben and I had already established that once I started taking on world class fighters a move would be made. I feel like I am fighting world class fighters now. Alejo Sepulveda, Roger Mayweather’s guy, may have only been 2-0, but when I am 17-0, he’ll be 17-1. Don King’s guy, Rahman Yusubov, he was 6-0, theses guys are all world class. Goossen’s guy, Francisco Santana, was also undefeated. If I am fighting these guys, then it is time.

Q: Working with Virgil at King’s Gym you must be getting sparring with top guys.
KM: Antonio Johnson, he’s a 7-0 undefeated pro and future world champ. Alex Paracha, a top amateur, has been sparring here. We are going to move camp to James Prince’s gym in Houston. It is a big gym, similar to the Top Rank Gym.

Q: You had a tough, close fight last time out with Santana. How do you asses your performance?
KM: I feel I gave it a C+ performance. Not to take anything away from Santana, like I said he’ll be a top echelon guy. In the sixth I was showing what I could do, and showing a lot of heart. Going in I felt I was in condition, but I found out I was about 60% condition-wise.

Q: Would you be open to a rematch with Santana?
KM: Yeah, I would definitely be open to a rematch. It was a close fight, and an exciting fight. But I feel that it is not needed right now. Like Virgil says, ‘this is not pride fighting, its prize fighting.’ I have to make a business move, as opposed to making this a neighborhood thing. I’ll see him later down the line.

Q: You are now 6-0, a logical next step may be looking at a state title, or a regional title. Are those titles on your radar?
KM: I’m looking at fighting for a state title in two or three fights. These guys I have been fighting, it feels like I have been fighting world title fights. Some of them may have only lasted two rounds, but they were a hard two rounds. I want to hone my training a little more before going for a title.

Q: Do you pay attention to the other up and coming fighters in your weight division?
KM: You definitely have to study the game. I check out their records, or if I get a chance to watch a guy, then I study what he does. I study the up and coming guys and dissect what they do. Right now I am planning on moving down in weight to about 147.

Q: Does it surprise you that you, a fighter with a solid amateur background and wins over fellow hyped prospects, remains unsigned by a promoter while unproven fighters get signed right out of the amateurs?
KM: I feel like I already showed my joker card. People look at my record and say ‘well he pulled it off three times.’ These other guys fight journeymen all the way to 15 or 20-0. I fought three back-to-back undefeated guys on their promoter’s cards.

Q: Is there anything you would like to say in closing?
KM: I want to thank all my fans for their support, it is always well felt. I am also a community activist. If there are any community services that would like me to speak, I am a great motivational speaker to the youth. To any promoters, I am always looking for fights and still looking for a promoter.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortega15rds@lycos.com