Recently, Strikeforce confirmed that NFL legend turned mixed-martial-artist, Herschel Walker, will fight former WEC competitor Scott Carson at the promotion’s upcoming December 4th event in St. Louis. Carson will head into the bout with a 4-1 record; however, the 40 year-old-fighter is coming of a KO loss in June and has competed just once since 2001. As a result, some critics have recently expressed their concerns, that Carson may not be much of a test for the 48 year-old Walker when they meet next month.
In a press release sent out from the promotion this week, Carson fired back at his detractors; here is some of what the 6’2 fighter had to say.
“I’ll tell you one thing. I’m a lot better fighter than the one I’ve been reading about on the Internet,’’ Carson was quoted saying. “This is a huge deal for me, a tremendous opportunity, but you’d think I was nothing going off what has been written by some of these keyboard warriors, who I doubt have ever stepped in a cage. It’s a lot easier to sit in front of a computer and talk (stuff) than it is to actually fight.”
“I am trying to take it all in stride, but I have no idea why some people are talking so negatively without ever having seen me. They don’t know me. I’m pretty well-rounded with good standup and wrestling.”
“They say I’m old at 40 but I don’t feel 40 and I certainly don’t look 40. I think I look 30 and I’m in great shape. I’m ripped, just like Herschel."
After competing for the first time professionally in 1999, Carson proceeded to go 4-0 through 2001, before injuries sidelined the figher’s career for several years.
“I was out a long time because of my back and I did rehab for a while,’’ said Carson, who trained for years with Chuck Liddell before he joined Reign Training Center in Lake Forest. “I never thought much about not fighting again; I always wanted to come back.”
“But I couldn’t do anything until I was 100 percent. Once I got healthy again, I got better the more I trained. I’ve helped a lot of guys get ready for fights while waiting for my chance. I had a few fights lined up before my last fight, but they all fell out for one reason or another.’’
The December 4th Strikeforce will be headlined by a light-heavyweight tilt between Dan Henderson and Renato Sobral, and will be broadcast on Showtime.
