VANDA, MANFREDO FOR NABF TITLE
By Jesse Kelley
12-31-09

 

Matt "The Predator" Vanda (42-9, 22 KO's) recently announced that he has signed to face Providence, Rhode Islands well known boxer Peter Manfredo Jr (33-6, 18 KO's) on January 29th at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. At the age of 31, Vanda's skillset is without question more polished now then at any previous point of his career. Vanda has always shown heart, speed, and now add growing strength and deceptive defense to the list. But as of late, the maturing brawler has put all those learned tools together in the ring, resulting in what is arguably the best fighting year of his career (2009: Victories over Phil Williams, Ted Muller, Tocker Pudwill, and points loss to John Duddy in which Duddy was hurt and wobbled in final seconds.)
Fourteen years as a professional boxer has certainly earned The Predator the right to be called a veteran but he says that he is still learning with each fight even at this point due to lack of amateur boxing experience. Most recently, Vanda fought an intelligent fight against friend but local boxing rival Phil Williams, earning a split decision win. In the bout, Vanda mixed things up on the larger and more powerful Williams by both boxing and brawling to pick up what he feels was an easy victory.
Before discussing the Manfredo fight with Vanda, Minnesotaboxing.com got his thoughts on the fight with Phil Williams and also the resurfacing talks of a rematch showdown with Andy Kolle following Kolle's public challenge a few weeks ago at the Target Center.

You said before fighting Phil Williams that the key to winning was to avoid his big punches and take the fight to the later rounds. He was supposed to be the puncher and you the boxer, but he boxed with you for most of the fight. Were you surprised with his game plan? Talk about the fight with Phil.
Actually I was really surprised how he fought me. I thought he was going to try to take it to me for the first three or four rounds.
After the first round when I saw he wasn't going to come at me I just said the hell with it and just took it too him. I decided I was going to fight like the old Predator and put the pressure on him. My plan was to wear him out in the later rounds. I was going to box for the first few rounds of the fight and then take it too him when he started to get tired. But I could see that he wasn't going to fight me from the first round so I said the hell with the later rounds. I hear now that he is saying that he won the fight but whatever. Anybody that saw the fight knows that I beat him.

You have heard by now that Andy Kolle issued a challenge to you on the mic following Joey Abell and Raphael Butlers fight at Target Center. What are your thoughts on that and a possible rematch between the two of you?
You know, we had about three fights lined up and they f----d around so the hell with them. They want to fight me now, well forget it. Kolle and his coach can go jump in that big f-----g lake up there (Lake Superior) and freeze for all I care. We will see what happens with the title fight against Manfredo but I am looking at bigger stuff now. As far as I am concerned they won't ever get another shot at me. I don't ever want to say never because you never know, but I'm not even thinking about them right now.

You have Peter Manfredo up next. Manfredo fought Tony Bonsante, and then went on to gain national recognition from the Contender. What do you know about Manfredo style wise and what do you expect when the two of you meet for the NABF title?
Yeah the fight is on January 29th at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut
You know, I never really study tape or watch fights very much. I have a few guys that I like to watch, but Peter Manfredo is not one of them. So Iv'e never seen him fight before. But I like it better like that. I like going into fights not really knowing what to expect. That way I will be ready for anything. I am going to train hard for this one though, harder then any of my other fights. I have kids to feed so this is huge. It is for the NABF title so a win should lead to something bigger. To be honest I don't know why Manfredo picked me for this fight. I barely had any amateur fights and I am still learning. I am 31 and feel like I am at my best. I learn something new with every fight and every time I go to the gym, I pick up something new. I am going to be ready to kick some ass on January 29th.