The story of Austin Trout is a classic story of a fighter with the heart, determination and faith to beat all odds. Austin Trout started boxing at very young age in the little known city of Las Cruces. Inspired by the greats in boxing, he made every effort to become a legendary boxer himself. He fought an extensive amateur career before going pro in the year 2005. Quickly Austin garnered attention with each fight leaving his opponents by the way side and making another stride towards the ultimate goal of being the champion.

Over the years since 2005 Austin has met with obstacles that would test his skill, his talent, his patience, and his determination. As I write this article, the news comes that the Austin Trout Vs. Nobuhiro Ishida fight will not happen as was tentatively scheduled for August 28th; one of many events that have become stepping stones for him as a boxer as he waits for his chance to show the boxing circuit and the world that he deserves to be at the top. Even so, at 21 wins, 0 losses, and 0 draws with 13 wins by the way of knockout, Austin Trout is a force to be reckoned with in the light middleweight division. When seeing him fight he is calm, collected, accurate and powerful, with the ability to go the distance in each fight but with the power to finish fights early.

Outside of the ring, he is a mellow but lighthearted young man with an unshakeable faith that he is soon to be dubbed champion, given his belt and the ability to put his faith in God to the forefront of his success story. In person Austin is very approachable and knowledgeable with a passion for boxing that goes beyond the ring. You can hear it in his voice, the way he talks about his labor of love, his sport, the conditioning he puts himself through, the training he endures, his trust in God, and his unmistakeable love for life and his children. We spoke on many topics but the things that stuck out the most about Austin Trout is his faith, his love for his children, his drive to be the best despite the incredible odds of fighting down the politics of the boxing industry, and never to stray from the path of victory. If anything, I took away from this interview a more complete idea of not only who Austin the fighter is, but truly how much character Austin Trout has. In his own words, “When God’s on my side, in my corner, nobody is going to beat me, because it’s not just me that you have to beat, you are going to have to fight God too, and you aren’t winning that one.”

Gabriel Barrio-

I am here with Austin “No Doubt”  Trout. First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time out to do this interview with Fightweek.com

Austin Trout-

Well its my pleasure. Thanks for having me.

GB

Now as a Las Cruces native myself, I have had the opportunity to see some of your fights over the years. How, as a fighter, would you say you have developed from your early years to your undefeated status now?

AT

Definitely everything just got fine tuned, went from that raw, you know rugged fighter, I always stuck to moving. I wasn’t as technical you know, I think I also got more of a killer instinct than I had in the amateurs. I’m trying to get more out of it; then I was just trying to win.

GB:

I remember you were more of a defensive fighter, you liked to pick people apart, let them make mistakes and then go after them, so you just fined tuned everything?

AT:

I built more to an offensive, aggressive style, boxer techniques, stalk you, but still make you miss at the same time, that’s what I have tried to work on mostly.

GB:

Now I have heard that you like to stay conditioned to fight year ‘round. Do you feel that this is what gives you that extra edge in the ring against your opponents?

AT:

Yeah more so at times then others, but yeah I like to stay in the gym. I hate having to get back into shape.

GB:

Seeing you defeat your opponents in a weight class that is rich with talent, where do you see yourself in relation to the other light middleweight fighters?

AT:

Im better than all of them, better than the rest. I don’t see anybody thats in my weight class or coming to my weight class that’s better than me, or that I feel they can beat me. The skills are one thing, I feel that I have better skills than all of them, the heart, determination, like my struggle, this is something I have wanted for so long. I also feel I have what some people call a good luck charm. I feel that so long as I try live right and do right, then God will bless me with this, because its fate, you cant really do anything against it. When Gods on my side, in my corner, nobody is going to beat me, because its not just me that you have to beat, you are going to have to fight God too and you aren’t winning that one. You never know, he might step out of my corner, and let me grow as a person, and develop myself, but thats another story. Right now he is fully in my corner, so I need to keep getting these fights now because I’m really unstoppable.

GB:

So your style is developed and it really seems like you have a created strategy in dealing with others in the ring and mentally.

AT:

Yeah, having that adaptability is something that I don’t want to lose, I used to fight 6 to 8 rounds and even then I knew more about my opponent than they knew about me. I feel like that was a little bit harder then, but now I really try wearing out them before the sixth round, and at that point its not even a problem to pick them apart. I really want to be able to BEAT my opponents up, If Ishida gets in the ring with me, it would be a big mistake letting me wait this long and then me finally getting in there, because having all that built up aggression over the politics is pretty much aimed toward him right now, because he has been running and ducking for almost a year now.

GB:

Right now who was and who would be your toughest opponent?

AT:

If I have to get through to get to the world title then I will fight who they put in front of me. Nilson Tapia was a good fight, I gave a lot, I took some hits, I actually had to stalk him down. He was trying to outbox me, so that was one of my toughest opponents. The toughest fight I haven’t fought, I’d smack Yuri (Yuri Foreman), I’d smack Cotto (Miguel Cotto), I’d smack Angulo (Alfredo Angulo), but I would have to say Paul Williams would be the toughest opponent.

GB:

Nobody really wants to fight Paul Williams right now either.

AT:

I’ll fight him, (Paul williams), please let me fight him. You know what he is tall, he is 6”7’  he has got the long reach, he likes to bang, and so do I. I would pick him apart as well, it would take a while, but he would be the toughest opponent.

GB:

What would be some of the adjustments you have made in order to stay at the top of your game?

AT:

I definitely cut out the partying; I don’t party as much. I like to have a good time just as anybody else, it used to be if I wasn’t fighting I would be anywhere out just chillin, and cutting that out helped out. I have a little more structure, discipline, making sure I stay in the gym so I can fine tune everything so when I get back into camp start back right away. I don’t like not being in the gym, it’s the worst.

GB:

If you could go back and fight anyone again who would that be and why?

AT:

I would fight Tapia again so I could record it, and see it this time, but this time I would beat him up more. I thought he was my height, then when I got there, I see a 6”2’ dude,  so I thought, we gotta switch the whole game plan. I was working on something else, I might have to stalk him down, but after he got a taste of me, he didn’t want no more.

GB:

Now I know you have your sights on the belt right now. How do you see that happening? Any particular strategy you would go into the fight with?

AT:

I just got with a new promotional team Empire Promotions, headed by two very smart guys. I have faith that they will place me in the right position where I will be able to shine, and it’s a chess game, it’s very tactical, right now Ishida is one of the pawns that I think we have to smack out of the way in order to get to the top. I don’t know the details of everything that they are doing, because thats their job. I handle my business, and they do what I pay them to do. We will be alright, they are going to help us out, they are going to propel me to that limelight that I need to get that exposure.

GB:

After the belt what would be your biggest dream you hope to accomplish?

AT:

Be world champion is the first, be the best, go down as a legend, to be one of the greats. I would love to clean out my whole weight class, maybe move up to middleweight, I could let loose. Maybe move to welterweight, kind of do what Manny Pacquiao is doing.

GB:

Now in an arena where mixed martial arts is paying the most money and getting the most attention, how do you feel boxing is staying relevant?

AT:

Mixed martial arts is very entertaining, they aren’t necessarily paying the most, they are making the most money. As far as UFC is going, Dana White is doing a tremendous job of raking up the dough. As far as the fighters getting paid, they aren’t making very much money from the fights but they are making a lot of money from endorsements. Which as far as boxing goes, they don’t allow stuff like that, we can’t hold the banner with 10 or more sponsors and you know advertisements right there. Its kinda hurting our pockets, do you know how many sponsors I could get?  How boxing is still relevant? We have already passed the test of time; boxing made it through the great depression. We already made it, I am not worried, its not like I am concerned that UFC is going to take over and boxing not be relevant, no not at all. UFC is definitely very entertaining, it’s a passionate sport, I like to watch it. Will I pay so much for a pay per view fight? It depends whose fighting, just like boxing it depends on whose fighting.

GB:

Do you pay attention to rankings?

AT:

I don’t react bad to the press, its fine they can say whatever. It just makes me more motivated to prove them wrong, open their eyes. The rankings even; its all politics. I don’t know who they pay, but what I know is I am told I have to fight so and so and when I win I should be ranked number 3 and thats what I did. Do I feel like I earned the high ranking? Sure I did. I did what they asked and got what was coming to me. Everybody below me I would beat up, and everybody in front of me I would beat up, so its not even the right ranking because I should be on top, but I am number 3 right now.

GB:

What are your feelings on the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight? Will it happen and if so who will win?

AT:

Probably not, it probably won’t happen for another year or two. Mayweather is known for waiting, picking and choosing, till he fights that certain opponent. For example Ricky Hatton; Mayweather smashed everyone under Ricky Hatton and then moved up. People were wondering well why not fight Ricky Hatton first? He waited till they were both at the same weight and took the fight and knocked him out. So maybe in a couple of years if Pacquiao is still fighting then Mayweather will do it, unless he goes broke first.

GB:

If you could pick a fight that you would love to see who would it be?

AT:

Marquez vs Pacquiao fight again, that would be a great matchup. I thought Marquez won one of them really.

GB:

Any dream mixed martial arts fights?

AT:

Anderson Silva and Machida if they were in the same weight class. They are two different masters in their own right.

GB:

Well all seriousness aside, just a couple of quick questions.

What is your favorite way to unwind after training and in between fights?

AT:

Just play video games and hang out with my kids, shout out to Kaira, Charlotte and Elijah that’s my babies, just dropping them off, picking them up from school. You know I like to eat some junk food, some candy. Just the regular stuff nothing special.

GB:

Favorite guilty pleasure?

AT:

I cant stand any of them reality television shows but I watch them all. (laughs)

GB:

Whats on your Ipod right now?

AT:

I listen to Jay-Z, John Mayer, 3 Doors Down, punk rock, Fallout Boy, Drake, and Ace Hussle of course!

GB:

Well its been a pleasure speaking with you. Best wishes for the future. I would like to thank you again for taking the time to do this interview with Fightweek.com. Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans?

AT:

Keep your eyes out, I am about to make some big headlines soon. Austin “No Doubt” Trout. You can get my official shirts at Sports Accessories 250 Solano. Shout out to Driven Entertainment, Carlsbad Speedway, God, thank you for everything, I love you all, come see me all, and whenever I get the fight day I will announce it and we will rock the house.