By Mike LeTourneau

St. Paul, Minnesota natives "The American Boy" Jason Litzau and Matt "The Predator" Vanda are in preparation for their bouts this
upcoming Friday November 12th at the St. Paul Armory. In co-feature attractions, Litzau (11-0, 11KO's) will be taking on Armando
Cordoba (20-15, 15 KO's), while Vanda takes on Patrick Thompson (8-2-1, 4 KO's). Litzau hopes to keep his victory and KO streak
alive, while Vanda looks to rebound from the first defeat of his career, an 8th round TKO from Armando Velardez Jr. this past August.
With their fights just days away, I caught up with Litzau and Vanda as they prepared for Friday's festivities. Here's what they had to say:

Jason Litzau

How has training been going?

J. Litzau: Great. I'm ready for this fight like never before.

What do you know about your opponent, Armando Cordoba?

J. Litzau: I know that he's a tough fighter. He's been in there with the best. I have to bring my best that night to win.

I see that you are starting to appear in the rankings.Your thoughts?

J. Litzau: I just gotta keep doing what I gotta do. I'm not worried about the rankings right now. It's just paper. I have
to take one fight at a time. I don't care about rankings, I don't care what everybody thinks. In boxing, it's not what you
know, it's who you know.

This is the third time that you and Matt Vanda have teamed up for a card. Tell me about that?

J. Litzau: I love it. I've been dreaming about me and Matt working together before I even turned pro. We need to
be together as a team. I knew a lot of stuff about boxing before I turned pro because a lot of people have been there
before me. Sure enough, we're together,double main event that night. It's going to be the best card in this state this year.

For this show, we have the best fighters in the state, except for my brother. The best Minnesota fighters will be here, all
fighting on the same card, except for Al and Raphael Butler.

You were well known as an amateur. You are starting to make a name for yourself as a pro. What would you like to tell those
who aren't familiar with you yet?

J. Litzau: A lot of people knew me as an amateur, all I can say is I'm twenty times the fighter I was as an amateur, bottom line.
You'll be surprised when you see me fight as a pro. If you think I was good as an amateur, which a lot of people did, I just feel
that I've went to another level as a pro. I'm maturing and I'm getting stronger.

You've knocked out everyone put in front of you up to this point. Your opponent just went the distance with Robbie Peden (#1 IBF).
It would appear that your knockout streak might be in jeopardy?

J. Litzau: Everybody thinks I'm going in to knock people out. I go in there, and if I get a knockout I get a knockout.
I'm not worried. A win is a win. I'm just going in there to win, one way or another. I'm going to go home with a W.
Me, the Predator, and all of us. We're going to win one way or another.

What would you like to say to the fans?

J. Litzau: If you don't come, you're missing out on a great night of fun. What else can I say?

Matt Vanda

You were out at camp again in California training with other Team Freedom fighters. How'd camp go?

Vanda: Camp went good. I'm in good shape and am ready to go. Like Jay said, all we're looking for is a win, no matter
how we get it. I never got off track, I just lost a fight, everybody loses one. Big f'n deal, I could care less. I was going to lose
sooner or later.

There's been a turn for the better in the last couple of weeks. I just found out that the case against me has been dropped. So I
don't have to worry about any charges and can concentrate on boxing. I lost a fight. I'm not the best, and never said I'm the
best. I'm a good fighter.

What went wrong in your last fight?

Vanda: I got caught with a good shot. He broke my eardrum in the 6th round. I couldn't hear out of that ear for almost a month after
the fight. I can't take nothing away from Velardez. It happens. You live and learn from your mistakes.

You and Jason are on the same card here for the third time in a row. Talk a little about that?

Vanda: Its great fighting on a show with some people who have some talent. Jason's a hell of a fighter. He's a much better boxer than me, I'm more of a rugged fighter, I'm a brawler. He's got great talent, and the other fighters on the show are good fighters too. Before, people would come to the show and wait for my fight. Now, they have a whole evening of boxing, which is a little bit better for the money. If you want to go to the Brunette show, plan on just dressing up and smoking a cigar because there isn't nothing going on over there. And make sure you put that in there. Because that's all they're having is a tuxedo and cigar smoking show. Who wants to watch those guys?

Tony Bonsante's name comes up frequently. Is this a fight you would hope to take in the future?

Vanda: It would be a good fight between me and him. He doesn't like the Brunettes and it kind of carried over to me. I'm not
scared to fight anybody.Me and Bonsante, if the dollars make sense I don't give a shit. For me at this point, I just want to
make as much money as I can. It's a brutal sport. If you say that you're not in boxing to make money then you're a damn
fool. If I win a title, great, because that means more money. I'm in it to get as much money as I can, get out, and have my
house paid for.

Earlier, you stated that your legal problems are behind you. Talk a little bit about that?

Vanda: The judge supressed the evidence. The DA had 5 days to appeal it, to go through with a conviction and they didn't,
so the case is done. The case is simply done. It was just a matter of me being innocent.

Anything you'd like to say to your fans or your critics?

Vanda: I don't have anything bad to say about anybody. All I have to say to my fans is come on down to a good show on
November 12th at the Armory. The Predator and The American Boy are going to put on a hell of a show. To the critics,
too bad for you. Go to the Brunette show.