Terrell Gausha Wants To Revisit Erickson Lubin Clash, “It’s Personal!”

After an injury cut his 2019 short, junior middleweight contender, Terrell Gausha gunning for a title shot in 2020.

This year has not been ideal inside of the ring for junior middleweight contender, Terrell Gausha. After receiving a less than favorable draw against, Austin Trout in Mississippi back in May… a fight in which most ringside observers felt, Gausha won handily. He was then forced to withdraw from an October bout against, Erickson Lubin due to a hand injury that required surgery. On the mend, Gausha expects 2020 to be much different from this year career-wise. Outside of the ring, things have been great. He recently married his long-time girlfriend, he is waiting on the arrival on his newborn kid, and he has a newfound love for real estate in which that business is prospering for him. Finally cleared from hand surgery, Gausha recently returned to the gym and expects a first-quarter ring return.

In my recent conversation with the 2012 Olympian, he talks about his plans to put the 154-pound division on notice, explains why a fight with, Erickson Lubin would be personal and much more.

You are coming off a hand-injury that led to surgery. How is the recovery going with that?

Terrell Gausha: The hand is doing good. I had to get minor surgery on it. I had to step down from a fight. I took my time, I’m back. I just got back in the gym this week, using my hand and everything is good.

You came off the draw with Austin Trout in which most felt you won, and then you had to pull out of the Erickson Lubin fight. That sequence alone sucks in terms of being a setback. Mentally, how did you handle it?

Terrell Gausha: To be honest, I’m mentally strong, so I was able to handle it pretty good. I know that in this game stuff like this is going to happen; in life period you’re going to have setbacks. Through everything I’ve been through, I’m still here, I’m still going strong and I’m still a big problem in the division, so I’m right here.

During the time off, you got married, you have a kid on the way, and you have been expending your real estate portfolio. I’m sure it was important to stay busy and keep your mind working past the sport while you recovered.

Terrell Gausha: That’s definitely important. One thing I know is, you gotta have different things going on. You can’t just be one dimensional. I’ve been boxing my whole life, but I had to find something else that I liked which is real estate, and family is important outside of boxing. When all of this is done, they are going to be there. Real estate is going to be another way for me to generate income when I’m done with this.

Anytime a fighter pulls out of a fight and is replaced with another opponent, I have to ask, did you watch the, Lubin-Nathaniel Gallimore fight thinking of some of the opportunities you could have been capitalizing on from things you were seeing?

Terrell Gausha: Yeah! I watched the fight. Don’t get me wrong, I think Erickson Lubin is a pretty decent fighter and I know they had to hype the fight up a little bit, but Nathan Gallimore ain’t Terrell Gausha. He couldn’t find the answer. I’m going to be honest, me and Lubin not cool. I don’t really like the kid. I want to touch him up and put him in his place because he disrespected my name. It’s kind of personal.

There was definitely some banter between you and his camp. They called you out and then it seems like they backed off before calling you out again. It sucked to see that fight fall through due to injury.

Terrell Gausha: Also, he called two people out. If I want to fight a person, I’m going to call that person out. He watched the [Trout] fight. He knows who won. He should’ve just said he wanted to fight me. That’s easy. I’m not hard to fight or get a fight made with. Once you play with my name it’s personal. That’s a fight I definitely want, but it’s other fights in the division that, I don’t need to fight him. I just want to fight him.

The division is still hot, everything is still in place in terms of having great competition, I’m sure you are itching to get back in there.

Terrell Gausha: I’m definitely itching to get back in there, but at the same time, you know me, I’m going to take my time, do what I gotta do and this time when I get in there, I will be more than ready. All of these fights at 154 are definitely an option.

A fighter’s hands are his weapons, so I know you don’t want to rush any sort of hand issues, but your last fight was in May. How soon could we realistically see you back in the ring?

Terrell Gausha: I will say about March or April. Sometime around there. I want to get back in there. Not sure who I will be fighting, but it’s going to be a great fight whoever I fight. Also, like I said, I want to fight, Lubin just on a personal level.

Although, you couldn’t use your hand, were you doing other things to stay in some sort of shape?

Terrell Gausha: I was still running and doing little stuff that I could do. I always believe in doing something because we’re fighters. It’s our job to stay in shape. I’m always going to be staying in shape; even after I’m done with boxing. That’s what I believe in.

Have you been following the sport since you have been out, or have you been hands off?

Terrell Gausha: I have been watching. I keep up with things. I keep up with different weight classes; not just my own. I’m a fan of the sport. I keep up with everything about boxing.

What did you think about, Tim Bradley’s comments about PBC fighters after Terence Crawford’s win?

Terrell Gausha: I don’t respect him for that, man. I think he stepped out of line with that statement, and I don’t really respect him. I am a PBC fighter and he went too far. Ain’t nobody over here scared. We all fighters at the top level. Nobody is scared to fight nobody. Sometimes it’s just like that. For him to say that… he definitely overstepped his boundaries and went too far. But I ain’t really tripping at the end of the day.

You always seem to stay out of the way. You don’t bother anyone; you say what you say and move on. And you drop a lot of nuggets on social media.

Terrell Gausha: For sure (laughing). You have to. I’m a laid-back dude, but I’m still savage too at the same time. It’s all about respect. I give respect and I demand it. That’s what I go by. In this game, in this sport of boxing, I don’t feel like they have given me the respect that I deserve. But it ain’t for them to give to me. I’m going to go take it. That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s why I fight fights like, Austin Trout, Erislandy Lara or Lubin. Whoever they think is the baddest, I want them. I want the respect, I want the belts and I want their fans to be like, “Oh yeah, Terrell Gausha, he’s a bad motherfucker.” I ain’t with the talking. I want to mix it up. I want to get int here and see who the best is.

That being said, you haven’t fought since May. Can we expect a tune-up type of fight in your return because you have been out of the ring for so long?

Terrell Gausha: Yeah… to be honest, all fights to me is another man in there. I’m going to let, Al [Haymon] and them guys decide on that one because sometimes we get a little ahead of ourselves. I’m going to take my time with it. I only need one. If it is a tune-up, I only need one of those and then I’m right back in the deep end.

Being that your 2019 didn’t go as planned with the draw against Trout and then having to pull out with injury for the Lubin fight, what are your goals for 2020?

Terrell Gausha: In this upcoming year, I would like to get that fight, whether it’s Lubin or whoever with a name, and really show that I’m one of the best in the division. I feel like I can get that belt around my waist. That’s my ultimate goal. But my main goal is to put everybody on notice. Let them know I ain’t fucking around. It ain’t no game for me. That’s what I want to do.

It’s good to have you back, I’m glad the hand is okay now and I can’t wait to see you back competing. Is there anything else you want to add?

Terrell Gausha: I’m blessed to be back. Tell my fans to be looking out for me next year. It’s going to be a great ride, and I can’t wait.

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Tags: boxing, Terrell Gausha