Philadelphia’s Dhafir Smith can be called many things.  He has been a club fighter, road warrior, top sparring partner, upset specialist, dangerous veteran, and plenty of other titles.  What he wants to be called is world champion.  And he believes that at the right time and place, one day, that is exactly what people will call him.

Smith has a record of 25-22-7 with 4 KO.  The record is deceiving.  Smith spent his career taking bouts last minute.  He took fights early in his career he probably should not have taken at that point.  He has fought in other people’s hometowns more often than not where he has been on the wrong end of numerous questionable decisions.

Along the way, the hard lessons learned have been taken in.  What those lessons have produced is a fighter that is far more dangerous than his record due to solid boxing skills that begin with an excellent jab.  The skills go along with veteran ring intelligence that simply cannot be learned without the experiences he has picked up throughout his career.

The experience and skill that have been gained along the way have put Smith into a position to be a valuable addition to the training camps for several world champions as a sparring partner.  Previously he worked with Zsolt Erdei.  Then late last year Smith received a call from Andre Ward’s camp requesting he come to Oakland to help him prepare to fight Carl Froch for the Showtime Super Six final.

Smith spent the training camp imitating Carl Froch.  He was an important part of Ward’s training that lead to his victory over Froch to win the tournament, retain his WBA 168lb title, and pick up Froch’s WBC title.  In fact, it apparently got around that Smith could provide effective sparring.

Smith has spent the last two weeks in Florida preparing Lucian Bute for his fight with Carl Froch in Nottingham, England on May 26.  Smith, who prides himself on his jab is able to replicate Carl Froch’s fighting style to a tee.  He was proud to say after one day of sparring with Bute that the IBF champ was talking about how he had a great jab.

I caught up with Dhafir at his long time training residence, Shulers Gym in West Philadelphia right before he left for Florida to work with Bute.  He will return this week for his fight this Friday and then head back to Bute’s camp to continue their work.  Dhafir talked about the experience of working with some of the best in the world.

“It’s good experience for me, it shows I can be in there with the top notch fighters in the world.  Andre Ward, Zsolt Erdei, and now Lucian Bute.  All champions, former world champions, whatever.  I’m just glad they called my trainer and asked me to work with them.  They called Percy Custus (Smith’s trainer), Lucian Bute and his camp wanted me to come out to camp with them.”

Asked if Bute’s camp called specifically because he had prepared Ward to fight Froch, who Bute will fight next; “I think they already knew who I was.  I mean everybody should already know who I am.  I’ve got like over fifty fights.  That was one of the reasons.”

While Smith receives excellent training in his own regard, sparring with elite super middleweights, he has goals of his own beyond being a sparring partner.  He believes he has potential well beyond sparring and what his record would suggest.  “I just think that I’m a dangerous fighter and that’s why people don’t want to take a chance with me.”

Smith has had his ups and downs.  His best moment came on December 11, 2010 when a former world champion made the mistake of calling on Smith to be a tune up or comeback opponent.  Jeff Lacy was looking to get back on track and saw Dhafir as someone to give him a good fight to prepare for bigger names.  Smith went to Lacy’s hometown of St. Petersburg, FL and completely dominated the former champion, winning a unanimous decision.

Smith believes he is capable of more upsets and eventually, in the right time and place, a world champion will make the mistake that Lacy made.

“The world champs are going to look and say he’s got all these fights, but he’s got a lot of experience.  Let’s give him a shot as a tune up fight.  Not mess around and beat one of these guys and make history.”

Smith has started making some adjustments to his own schedule that should benefit his chances and opportunities.  Typically known as a road warrior, his last fight was in Philadelphia and his fight this Friday is in Chester, PA right outside the city.

“I love fighting at home. It makes me fight more, makes me fight even harder , and makes me fight better.”

Smith is also looking to avoid taking fights at the last minute and looking to give himeself the appropriate time to prepare.  “It makes all the difference in the world” he stated when talking about getting time to prepare as opposed to taking fights at the last minute.

Friday he faces fellow Philadelphia fighter Tony Ferrante (12-3, 7 KO) at the new Harrah’s Casino in Chester, PA.  Ferrante is a young, strong, and tough fighter, but Smith will have a significant advantage in experience and boxing skills.  Smith received about three weeks’ notice for the fight.  More than his usual, but still not what would be considered time for a full camp.  Also, Smith has spent his camp in dual roles preparing himself and sparring with Bute.  Smith had little concern that being in camp with Bute would affect his preparation for Ferrante.

“Training camp with a guy like Lucian Bute will help me get ready for Ferrante.  Even though he is a southpaw I still know how to fight an orthodox fighter anyway.  It’s like there is nothing new.  I adapt to it.”

Smith also had little concern about his opponent Friday night.  He was live for Ferrante’s last fight, a loss to veteran Omar Sheika.  Smith was impressed with the environment at Chester Harrah’s where he will fight Ferrante, but not so much with his opponent.

“Ferrante doesn’t have nothing for me.  I’m surprised he took the fight.

“It was a good card.  I love the crowd.  They showed a lot of love to the fighters in the main event.  Omar Sheika whooped his behind.  He didn’t show me nothing.  And Omar Sheika turned me down a few fights ago.”

Smith’s trainer and the man who runs Shulers Gym, Buster Custus, was also confident about the upcoming bout.

“It’s a good fight.  Ferrante’s rough, wild, I think Dhafir’s going to expose him.  I don’t look past anybody, but I think Dhafir is a little bit much.”

On the line Friday night is the PA State Light Heavyweight title.  Smith talked about getting the state title and using that to move up towards his eventual goal of getting a title shot.

“I’d love to be the state champion.  Go down in history for that.  I think it would put me up there.  Get me to the USBA again and get me a shot at a title.  Something bigger and better.  Get a shot at a world title fight.”

“I think there’s going to be  a lot of people there because we’re two Philly fighters.  I think being that I’m on the card now fighting Ferrante a lot of people are going to come.”

After Ferrante, Smith will return to camp with Bute in Florida and possibly venture to England with them as well.  As for his own career, he continues to believe in himself, what he has done in the past, and what he can accomplish going forward.

“The whole world.  Whoever will fight me I’ll fight them.  Just give me time to get ready.”

“I beat a lot of top fighters.  A lot of guys I wasn’t supposed to beat. A lot of name fighters on my resume.  I’m not going to stop.  I’m going to keep going till I can’t fight no more.”

Notes

• The Smith vs. Ferrante bout headlines the Harrah’s Chester card Friday night.  The first bout is scheduled for 7:30.  No live broadcast is scheduled but internet boxing channel www.gfl.tv will have a delayed web broadcast.
• The Boxing Tribune will be live ringside so check back shortly after the fights end for a full recap of all the action.

Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com

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After being rocked in the first round, Mitchell made a quick turnaround and dominated the fight from the second round until he put Witherspoon away with a thundering right hand in the third. Mitchell took some time to talk to The Boxing Tribune about a few critical moments in the fight, his on the job education, and where he ranks himself among the heavyweight contenders.

Boxing Tribune: Hey, Seth. How’s everything going?

Seth Mitchell: Everything’s going well. I’m just maxing and relaxing back at the house with the kids.

BT: That’s cool, man. I wanted to talk to you about your fight this last Saturday. I just got to watch it, actually. You made it through your first firestorm, that first round was probably the biggest test of your career so far. Tell us about that first round.

SM: Yeah, man. That first round was definitely the toughest round of my career. He [Chazz Witherspoon] just came out there and I just started a little flat. But he dictated and all the credit goes to Chazz Witherspoon. He dictated the pace with his jab and I couldn’t really measure the distance of his jab. He did a good job of feinting with his jab and touching me with his jab. It wasn’t a real “hurting” jab or a punishing jab, but it definitely dictated the pace. You know, they say if you let somebody dictate with their jab then the heat comes behind the jab. He was able to catch me with a solid right hand that dazed me. Coherently I was there, I didn’t see double or triple of Chazz Witherspoon, but my legs were a little woozy. I was just thinking to myself, “Keep your composure and when he gets in your vicinity just grab him.” I wasn’t trying to be macho, just survive the first round. But then, bam, another right hand comes and the same thing happens. I was just able to survive the first round.

BT: I noticed that he hit you with a lot of rights early on. Was that because of what you were saying about not being able to measure the distance of his jab?

SM: That too, but I was bending over at my waist. I was a sitting duck for that right hand, instead of bending at my knees. I was at the perfect position for him to come up – I mean to come over the top with the right hand. So that’s something we’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and look at and try to correct that so I won’t have that same problem in future fights. You know, you’re going to get hit, but it’s not how you get hit, it’s how you react. And I reacted like a champion.

BT: What was going through your mind when you got rocked? I know you’ve never been down before, and that had to get you thinking. What were you thinking at that moment?

SM: I was just thinking to hold, to survive the round, and when he got in my grasp to not stand there and trade with him. I just had to hold a bit and buy some time to get out of the first round. I knew if I got out of the first round I could possibly turn the fight around and dictate the fight with my jab and not let him have as much success with his right hand and with his jab.

BT: Well you made it out and really got things going in the second round. You had a very good round, you had him backing up and fighting off of his back foot. What kind of adjustments did you make going into that second round?

SM: I listened to my corner. My corner told me that I had to use more upper torso movement. I was too stagnant, just standing in the same position. When he would double his jab I would – when he would feint with his jab I would duck and stay in the same spot and he was tagging me. It was sort of like the right hands that I kept hitting Timur [Ibragimov] with. He did the same thing to me, the same type of position. But I was able to use my movement, and once I got on the inside I noticed my body shots were really affecting him and pushing him back. That was the game plan from there on out. My body shots slowed him down and allowed me to start landing my jab, my brick jab, which is a punishing jab. I saw every time I connected with it I moved his whole body back. I saw the body language and that was big for me. It gave me more hunger, more energy to keep digging to the body. I knew that I could eventually finish him off.

BT: Definitely. The body work definitely paid off almost immediately. I know when you scored the knockdown you kind of – well, I don’t like to call a heavyweight’s body punches “shoe shining”, because a heavyweight punch is something else. But you were doing some heavy shoe shining and you capped it off with the left hook up top. Was the body work something you were looking to help open him up to the head?

SM: I mean the body shots were just to slow him down. It was effective, and I was just able to let my hands go. I went to the body and went to the head, and when that left hook hit him right on the button it was electric in there. He went down, but he got back up on 6, so I knew he was buzzed but I didn’t think he was really hurt because he got up so quick and he wasn’t stumbling around. I didn’t want to get reckless and I wanted to keep my composure. I wanted to work and stay behind my jab, and I think I did that. I got him with another barrage of punches that got him a little weary before I was able to finish him off with a hard right hand.

BT: Yeah that was a nice finish. He was out on his feet. One thing I noticed was as the fight wore on you started slipping his right hand and countering with your left hook. Was that something that your trainer pointed out or was that a mid-fight adjustment you made on your own?

SM: As far as the left hook?

BT: Yeah, just slipping the punch that he was landing almost at will early on and countering with the left hook. I noticed he was taking real long to bring his right hand back.

SM: Yes, that was definitely something that we worked on. Watching tape on Chazz we saw that he was open for a left hook, and it was the left hook-right hand that I was supposed to counter with. If you take a close look at the final stoppage when I hit him with the right hand, if I would have come back with my left hook he would have been flat out on his face. That’s where I always get frustrated with myself; when I go back my trainer always tell me to finish my combinations. Sometimes I might throw a left hook that might miss, and the right hand could be right there for me. And that was a perfect example. The right hand pretty much put him out on his feet, and if I would have come back with that left hook it would have been lights out.

BT: You talked about some of the adjustments you made in the fight. As an observer I saw what we just talked about, which is a real quick learning curve. You went from getting rocked in round 1, to taking over round 2 and knocking him out in round 3. Does the quick learning curve in the fight go back to more of what you did, or was it due to Chazz Witherspoon’s mistakes and his willingness to brawl?

SM: I think it’s a little bit of both. If you look at the first round closely, I don’t know Chazz’s punch output in a fight, but I threw 205 punches and he threw 185 punches. Even though he totally dominated the first round I still put pressure on him and made him fight at a fast pace. That’s a part of my style. I’ll stay in punching range, and usually I don’t get hit that much, but I did in this fight. I think the pressure that I put on him from round 1 wore him out. I know I caught him with a good shot, he threw a jab and I dipped under and caught him with a good uppercut to the body. And from that point on that kind of sapped his energy, and I was just a machine from then on. He knew that he was in trouble and he had to fight to win. I just refuse to lose. That’s why I’m so proud of my performance. When I went back and watched the tape my will to win was just incredible to me.

BT: Of course. And going back to the quick learning curve in the fight, do you think that describes your career up to this point? You’ve only been boxing for a handful of years after playing football for most of your life.

SM: I definitely do. If you get what I’ve done so far, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve still got a lot to learn, but my learning curve is very fast and I just have to pick up as much as I can as I go. I watch all types of boxers to just pick up what I need to better myself. I think you saw that in this fight, you got a chance to see how I handle adversity. You saw how I attacked the body and how I kept my composure when I was hurt. I didn’t go blow for blow, I kept my composure and survived the first round. I think that’s a testament to my character and to how fast I learn.

BT: I think it’s safe to say, and you’d be quick to agree that you’re learning on the job. Where do you see yourself in the heavyweight division right now?

SM: I see myself as being able to compete with the best there is out there right now. I mean, take away the Klitschkos , they’re still the top of the division. But I think I can compete with the best out there right now. We’ll just see what happens. My team will sit down and we’ll talk about when I get back in the ring. Like I say, it’s not about when you get hit, it’s about how you react when you do.

BT: Alright, man. I know you’re busy and I don’t want to take up too much of your time tonight, so I’ll let you get out of here with any closing thoughts or anything you didn’t already get a chance to say.

SM: I just want to thank everybody, all my followers and friends, everybody that had me in their prayers and said prayers for me. I just want to thank them for that, because I needed those prayers and they really helped me to pull that fight out. Just continue to pray for me, and ask everybody to follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/SethMayhem48) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SethMitchell).

BT: Alright, Seth. Thanks for your time, and I hope we talk again soon.

SM: Alright, thank you very much.

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Yusaf Mack has been to the big dance.  He has fought in multiple eliminators and fought for a world title.  He is well known and well respected in his home city of Philadelphia, a city known for producing great fighters.  What Mack has not done is get over that hump to reach the top.  He is yet to win that big fight that brings him a world title.

Now at thirty-three years of age and a veteran of twelve years as a pro, Mack is well aware that he needs to act now if he is going to achieve his goal of becoming a world champion.  Friday night he takes on veteran war horse Omar Sheika at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.  A win gets him the USBA Light Heavyweight strap, but, more importantly. gets him into the top five IBF rankings.  With his name and the ranking he would have a good chance of getting a second shot at that world title.

Mack had that opportunity in his last fight against Tavoris Cloud in June of last year.  It was a fight where he was doing well early.  Mack was boxing and moving well against the aggressive champion.  When he moved and used his jab he was successful.  He had Cloud bleeding from the nose and was ahead on two scorecards entering the eighth round.

But too often he got off his game plan by standing and trading with Cloud.  When I caught up with Mack at Shuler’s Gym in West Philadelphia he stated what he should have done differently against Cloud.

“Not come out of my game plan.  I know every time I come out of my game plan, every fight I lost, I lost my game plan. I’ve got to stay on my game plan and I’m going to win.”

Mack talked about seeing the fight between Gabriel Campillo and Cloud.  Cloud won the decision, but most observers believed that Campillo should have been given the decision after out-boxing Cloud the majority of the fight.  Mack believes if he had stuck to his game plan he would have done the same thing.

“Definitely, this last fight the way Campillo just beat him; I could have done the same thing.”

It’s something that has cost Mack more than once.  A loss of focus when doing well in a big fight cost him against Cloud and previously against Librado Andrade.  Mack dropped Andrade in round one and lost focus after that.

“I was hitting him (Cloud), I was hitting him with shots I could see, dude ain’t nothing, and got caught with a shot I didn’t see.  Like I did Andrade.  I knocked him down in the first round and I got excited and lost my whole game plan.”

This Friday Mack returns to the ring for the first time since the Cloud loss.  His opponent, Omar Sheika, is in a similar position.  Sheika has had opportunities at a title without succeeding and is looking to get another shot.  Mack was given the option of selecting anyone in the IBF top fifteen to be his opponent for the USBA title bout.  He thought Sheika made the most sense.

“He’s crafty; he’s a hard name to get on my record so I figured I would pick the old vet.”

Mack’s trainer Percy “Buster” Custus is familiar with Sheika and knows he can’t be taken lightly.  Custus, who runs the famous Shulers Gym talked in high praise about Sheika, comparing him to one of Philly’s most loved fighters.

“Omar is nobody to play around with or take lightly.  We could have had a tune up but we didn’t.  Yusaf’s gotta step up to the plate.  You got an old work horse, a guy you got to almost knock out to beat him.  He reminds me of Benny Briscoe and I used to spar Benny all the time so I know what we up against.  That’s one aspect we have going for us.  I know what Omar’s about, I respect him, I like him.  It’s a crossroads fight for both of them.”

In Sheika, Mack will face his own personal demons. Sheika is the exact model of the other fighters such as Cloud, Andrade, and Glen Johnson that have beaten Mack.  Sheika comes forward with relentless pursuit.  He sees a boxer as someone that simply needs to be chased down over twelve rounds, cornered, and broken apart.  Mack will have to follow his own mantra, stick to the game plan, and be in shape to do it over the full twelve rounds.

Mack believes he is ready to do just that.  He also believes at thirty-three, at this point in his career, it is now or never to get to the top.

“I’m gonna make him pay off his mistakes.  I’m going to give him a sight that won’t be there when he gets there.  Move, move, move, and run him into stuff.  Hopefully I cut him up but if I don’t and get the win I’m happy.”

“I feel as though I lose to Sheika, I’m nothing.  To myself if I lose to this dude, I’m done.  He just had losses to, not saying nobodies, but dudes that are not even on my level.  Basically I’m testing myself.”

Custus weighed in on the importance of this fight for both Mack and Sheika.

“Definitely, both of them, you know Omar needs it too.  You know, it’s like I told him this is a make you or break you fight.”

For Yusaf Mack the question has never been if he has the skill to be on top.  When on his game he is the definition of a beautiful pure boxer.  Mack talked of finding the mentality he once had back when he was a young undefeated fighter.  He knows he has skills and wants to get back to believing in his abilities and believing that he can beat anyone in front of him.  Mack believes if sticks to the game plan he can defeat anyone.  It is simply a matter of mind over matter.

“I think I’m an all-around fighter.  I just got to bring it out of myself and believe in myself.  Like Mayweather, he believes in himself, he believes nobody can beat him.  I got to get back to that.  When I first started I had it in my heart nobody could beat me.  I got to get back to that when I first turned pro back in 2000 that nobody can beat me.

“Stick to your game plan.  My partner, my brother (Dhafir Smith) tells me all the time stick to your game plan and nobody can beat you.”

Mack finished up the interview by stating he is in a place now to make all that happen.  He believes he still has the skill and now has the wisdom and stamina to do what he needs to do to defeat Sheika and anyone after that. He would like another shot at Cloud or anyone else at the top of the division.  But first he has to get past Sheika.

“Hopefully I can fight Cloud again.  I would love to fight Cloud, Bernard, the winner of Chad and Bernard, whatever.

“I’m ready.  Omar Sheika, watch out because I’m coming.  This ain’t gonna be the same Mack attack you see fading out in the eighth round.  Eighth round comes, I might blow him a kiss and say let’s go.”

Notes

• The Boxing Tribune will be live at ringside to cover the Mack-Sheika fight and the entire under card so check back shortly after the fights have ended Friday night.

Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com

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Now after being away from the sport, Tubbs returned and is working hard to re-open his organization. Tubbs is organizing a night of fights to take place this Saturday night at the Rising Star Casino in Rising Sun, Indiana. Part of the proceeds will go to fund a new gym and facilities for the organization. Tubbs spoke to the Boxing Tribune to talk about his organization, its goals, and Saturday’s event. Check out what he had to say.

Boxing Tribune: Hey, Nate. How’s everything going?

Nate Tubbs: It’s coming along pretty good. I’m taking care of business, running along dealing with fighters, they give me a headache. It isn’t like when I used to fight. We’re trying to get it done, we don’t wait until the last minute.

BT: I didn’t want to take too much of your time, I know you’re busy with your event coming up. I wanted to start off by talking briefly about your pro career for those who aren’t aware of who you are.

NT: Oh, yeah. Well, my pro record was like 19-4. In 1994 I knocked out Corrie Sanders in the second round in South Africa. That was the greatest moment of my career. It was unprecedented. It was over in South Africa. I was Mike Tyson’s sparring partner for about 15 good years. Earlier in 1994 I won the UBO [Universal Boxing Organization] title and I held it for four years. Then in the year 2000 I started a non-profit organization called the Nate Tubbs Group Home and Amateur Boxing Program. About three-and-a-half years ago my son was murdered in Cincinnati, and I sold my gym, I just sold everything and shut down because my mom passed away a month later. Then back in June I called Mike Tyson up to help out with this boxing event so I could get to a point where I could get the gym back open for these kids. This program it’s a group home and an amateur boxing program for kids. I’m just trying to guide these kids in the right way. It’s better me than somebody else because I used to be one of them, and they relate to me a little bit better than somebody that never experienced what they’re going through – and survived.

BT: I’m sorry to hear about your son, Nate. After the time off, what brought you back to your organization?

NT: Basically everywhere I want I would hear ‘when are you going to open the gym? When are you going to open the gym?’ We got a lot of talent, but we don’t have any good trainers.  I had an organized program in a high-tech gym and I was there teaching. I taught kids how to deal with situations pertaining to training, as well as things outside the ring. It was like a one-stop shop. What brought me back was looking at all these kids, and everybody turning around and doing crime. We have mentoring programs where I could explain to these kids about the consequences of the things they do. You know, because I’ve got a criminal past myself. But I survived and I turned my life around and I’m at a place setting up something for my kids in my boxing program right now. I just got ten kids in a truck driving program, I’m trying to better their lives. And who better to do it than me? Because I’ve got a lot of book knowledge, and I’ve got a lot of street credibility because I used to be one of them. I used to be one of the tough guys. A lot of it is just me being respected by their parents. Their parents tell them about the things I used to do, and if I can change then anybody can change. I had my boxing career, and thank God I took some knowledge from it and I learned the business part. My gym is like a one-stop shop. Once these kids reach 18 I can help them turn pro and manage their careers, so it’s like on the job training already.

BT: Yeah, you know it sounds like a great program that’s more than just teaching kids how to box. You’re giving kids another option if a pro career doesn’t work out. Just so the information gets a little more run, what’s the name of your program again?

NT: The Nate Tubbs Group Home and Amateur Boxing Program.

BT: I understand you’ve got an event going down this weekend. Where will that take place?

NT: It’s at the Rising Star Casino in Rising Sun, Indiana.

BT: Is it all pro fights, or is it a pro-am event?

NT: Only Pro

BT: You’ve got Tommy Hearns and Buster Douglas scheduled to be there.

NT: Yeah, Tommy Hearns, Buster Douglas, and Janks Morton.

BT: Oh, yes I forgot about him.

NT: Janks Morton trained Sugar Ray Leonard for about 30 years.

BT: They’re helping out in the promotion of the event. Will they be involved with the organization in any other way?

NT: Well, Janks Morton is from my hometown and he’s like a father figure to me. He’s going to put some things together. We’re all working together to put some things together to try to give these kids an opportunity.

BT: I understand this is another event in an ongoing series you’re looking to put together.

NT: It’s not the first event, it’s the third one this year. Mike Tyson came in last June and helped put some things together, and then Buster Douglas came in and helped out with the last show in October.

BT: So it’s a definite ongoing series that you’d like to keep going.

NT: Exactly. We’re trying to raise money to get the facilities back open, and get the equipment for the program. I mean, we’re out there looking for donations so we can help these kids.

BT: Do you have ticket and event information for those that might want to attend?

NT: It’s at the Rising Star Casino in Rising Sun, Indiana. Tickets are being sold through Ticket Master, and they’ll be available at the door of the Rising Star ticket office. The doors open up at 6 pm, April the twenty-first, and the first bout is going to be at 7 pm. There’s going to be seven bouts, and one of them is a 2008 Olympian; Olanrewaju Durudola. He was a 2008 Olympian for Nigeria. He’s fighting a guy named Calvin Rooks out of Memphis, Tennessee. Then we’ve got the co-main event with Buster Douglas’ fighter. John L. Smith fighting Ralph Lawrence, and that’s going to be a hell of a fight. We’ve got a rising star named Mel Crossty out of Cincinnati… [the rest of the lineup was inaudible due to electrical interference].

BT: Well, it sounds like you’ve got a full night of fights going on.

NT: Yeah, we also have Janks Morton’s fighter Duane Mobley fighing Francisco Russell in a 6-round fight. I’m also expecting that to be a hell of a fight.

BT: Alright, Nate. I don’t want to take up too much of your time, so I’ll let you close by saying anything you didn’t get a chance to say already.

NT: Not really, I just want to ask that people come out and support and wish for the best.

BT: Alright, Nate. Thanks again for your time, and I wish you the best of luck.

NT: Alright, thanks.

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Emerging Philadelphia lightweight, Angel Ocasio 6-0-1 (1 KO) is known as much for his intelligence and polite manner as he is for his talent and skills in the ring.  He approaches life with high expectations while maintaining gratitude for his talent and what he has achieved in life.  In speaking with the young fighter it becomes evident that whether he is successful in boxing or not, he will be very successful in life.

Friday night, Ocasio will seek to fix the one blemish on his record from a draw with Jason Sosa 4-1-2 (1 KO) this past January.  Ocasio and Sosa fought to a draw in a six round co-headliner from the National Guard Armory in Philadelphia.  Both fighters felt they won and were happy to return to the Armory in an immediate rematch.  This time they will headline the card in an eight round affair.

Like many fighters, Ocasio was introduced to the sport by his father, who still trains him today.  Angel Ocasio Sr. took his son to the famed Front Street Gym and it was here he would begin his fighting career.

“My dad has always been a fan of the sport so at the age of six years old he took me into the Front Street Boxing Gym.  Walked up the flight of steps and I just remember going right to the speed bag and just trying to hit it and learning.  He’s like ‘want to join?’  I was like sure, why not.  Had my first amateur fight at the age of ten and that’s when it all really started from six to ten.  Had a good amateur career up until I turned professional.  Now I’m here.”

Ocasio had options other than fighting.  He was a talented football player and an honors student in high school.  He had scholarship offers from colleges, but after a solid amateur career he decided boxing was the path he wanted to pursue.

“Amateur record, I had a good one.  Close to fifty fights.  I recall losing about four or five fights throughout my amateur career.  Won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves about three times, silver gloves, went to the international ringside tournament, won that three nights straight.  Went overseas to Ireland to fight.  Pretty extensive amateur background.  Really no major national tournaments throughout my open class career because I turned pro like two, three fights into open class.  Amateur wise got a lot of experience with left handed fighters, right handed fighters, awkward fighters.  I feel it helps me out a lot in the professionals.”

Ocasio, now twenty-two years old, turned pro at twenty years of age.  He talked candidly about the experience of entering the ring without headgear for the first time in the payed ranks. Despite his nerves he found the pro style far more fulfilling than his amateur experience.

“For my first fight I remember it pretty vivid.  It was a lot of nerves.  I was very nervous for that fight.  Even through rounds it was kind of weird.  Even though I felt it was much easier and way more calm than the amateurs.  I felt as though in the amateurs you had to beat all the judges, the referee, and all the politics and everything.  I felt real free in the professionals.”

Ocasio started well through his first five fights learning the pro game.  He notched a win over talented local fighter Osnell Charles in his second fight.  But many ringside observers noticed a change in Ocasio during his sixth fight when he took on Rasool Shakoor.  In his previous bouts Ocasio looked good, but against Shakoor he looked like a true prospect.  Showing a stronger and leaner physique he dominated in his first six round bout and had all the signs of an emerging prospect.

“Second fight came around vs. Osnell Charles who’s a decent fighter.  That’s when I really got my feet wet.  He was pretty experienced, had a good amateur background and I pretty much dominated that fight.  Then from there I just fought tough opponents.  It’s pretty funny because every fight I just got more comfortable.  Now it’s just pretty much a job even though I work a full time job and make the best out of it.  Turn training into fun, have fun with it.

“That (6^th fight vs. Shakoor) was a changing of a chapter in my boxing career.  I took training to a whole other level for that fight.  That was my first six round fight.  It was just comfortable.  Training camp felt perfect for that fight.  Ya, that was definitely a chapter change in my career and I felt as though I developed and I became a much more polished fighter.”

Most fighters at this stage of their career are not earning enough through fighting to pay the bills. Ocasio balances the rigors of training with a full time job with ESRN Court Reporting.  He is thankful his youth allows him to train and work, but looks forward to making boxing his sole responsibility.

“It’s pretty rough because to get into boxing you have to take it serious.  It has to be a full time job.  Right now I’m young, I’m twenty-two, so I have the energy to get away with working a full time job.  But hopefully in the near future I get good sponsorships so I don’t have to work anymore.  You got to get up pretty early to do your roadwork and stuff, but right now my body has adapted well to it.  Pretty much comfortable and stuff the way I’m training but training would be easier if I didn’t have a full time job.  At certain times of the day it’s rough but, at the end of the day it’s life and you got to make the best of it and get through it.”

Following the Shakoor Fight, Ocasio was scheduled for his biggest test thus far.  He would take on the gritty Jason Sosa in a battle of the bridge with Ocasio from Philadelphia and Sosa from neighboring Camden, NJ.  Sosa is known as a strong fighter with the one loss on his record being to a well-regarded prospect.  Ocasio was anxious to show he could step up to better competition and Sosa was looking to show he belonged among the names of local talented up and comers.

The two young fighters put on a solid scrap for the fans, but were unable to provide a definitive ending.  One judge ruled for Ocasio but two judges scored the fight a draw.  Ocasio was favored in the fight but in his opinion he was not at his best that night.

“Look, I trained a hundred percent, Sosa trained a hundred percent, but everything wasn’t there that night.  It was one of those off nights.  No excuses, my hat goes off to Sosa.  He came in, fought a good fight, judges saw it a draw, now we get to give the fans what they want to see.”

To win the rematch, Ocasio will have to do more than simply use his boxing skills.  Sosa is a pressure fighter and holds the advantage many pressure fighters enjoy that judges often score rounds for the fighter moving forward.  Ocasio talked about combating his opponent’s strengths and being fully ready for the rematch.

“Well his pressure I have to neutralize with my speed and footwork.  I believe I have more skill than Jason Sosa to neutralize the fight.  I’ve fought pressure fighters.  George Santiago, Osnel Charles came the whole time and in the boxing gym I had great sparring with pressure.  Just ready, I know he’s coming with that mentality, pressure, pressure, pressure, but I have something to neutralize that well.

“That fight with Shakoor, it feels like this fight for Sosa is the same training but multiplied a hundred times.  So I’m on that level now where that Shakoor fight, the same mentality I had there is the same mentality I have for this fight April 20.”

Pressure or not, Ocasio knows he needs to win this fight and badly wants to come out on top.  He was unable to decisively defeat Sosa in January and now gets the opportunity for immediate redemption.

“Every fighter should have something to prove every fight but this fight is pretty much redemption to show people that I am a better fighter than Sosa even though it was a draw.  It gave us both a good opportunity.  Redemption, rematch, and showcasing Angel Ocasio’s not a fluke.”

If Ocasio can get past Sosa Friday night he wants to have a bright future.  He talks about a desire to be more than just another local Philly fighter and wants to earn everything he can from the sport of boxing.  He has begun learning the business as well by doing recruiting for the promotional company that represents him, Makboxing, but for now is mainly focused on achieving the high expectations he sets for his future.  It is a future that should be successful in boxing and equally successful in life outside of the ring.

“Ultimately, I want to become a world champion within the next few years.  If push comes to shove and that never happens, I want to live a comfortable life.  I don’t want to be just another club fighter from Philadelphia that people walk by me and like; he fought a couple fights but didn’t make anything out of it.  When I get out boxing I want to have a few houses.  I want to live a comfortable life and have something to show for everything that I put into boxing.

“I’m just a normal guy from Philadelphia, man, that just wants to put on a show for the fans.  I want to make everything out of boxing; I don’t want to live the average life.  I want to live comfortably.  I want to succeed in the sport of boxing.  Also, boxing has shaped me to be the person that I am outside the ring.  I’m just not a fighter.  I’m probably the easiest person to ever get along with.  I don’t walk around knowing I can fight, picking fights.  I graduated with honors out of high school.  I could’ve probably went to any college I wanted in the city but I decided to take boxing serious.  This is something I want to do long term and make it a career and make the best out of it.  Just want to thank everyone out there that supports me and appreciates everything I do.”

Notes

• Ocasio had an extra weapon in training this time around to prepare for pressure.  Local fighter and fan favorite Victor Vasquez provided plenty of sparring for Angel for his rematch.  Vasquez is known for being one of the toughest and most rugged come forward fighters around.  Ocasio couldn’t have asked for a better partner to prepare for the pressure fighter Sosa.
• “Victor’s great work.  Victor’s very experienced number one.  Victor is heavy handed.  He has power behind his shots.  So Victor’s great work for this fight.  Same height, same arm length.  I think Victor’s probably a better fighter than Sosa, but everyone will have their own opinions.  He gave me a lot of good rounds and my hat goes off to Victor for the help he gave me for this fight.”
• The ten fight card from the National Guard Armory titled Philly Barn Burner Three begins at 7:30pm Friday night.  The Boxing Tribune will be live at ringside and will have full coverage of all fights shortly afterwards.

Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com

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Philadelphia boxing has a long history of great fighters and champions.  While the city has gone through some recent lulls in talent, resurgence is in the air.  Danny Garcia took home the WBC junior welterweight title last month.  Mike Jones and Teon Kennedy both have title shots June 9 on the Pacquiao-Bradley card.  Hank Lundy could be getting his title shot at any time.  Several others are in the mix, including recent TV winners Bryant Jennings, Gabriel Rosado, and Ronald Cruz.

Coming out of North Philadelphia’s Rumblers Boxing Club is a fighter that could be leading the next wave of Philly contenders.  Bantamweight Miguel Cartagena only has four pro fights under his belt, but had a buzz as a future contender long before turning pro.  Cartagena 4-0 (3 KO) was turning heads at sixteen years old as a top amateur talent.

Cartagena got into boxing for simple reasons and quickly took to the sport.

“My father started me off twelve and a half years ago.  I needed a hobby.  Just always stuck in the house.  Needed a hobby.”

Cartagena stated that being ranked number one in his weight class in the amateurs was his proudest accomplishment along with the long list of accolades he earned as an amateur.

“I been to a lot of nationals.  Won the golden gloves seven years in a row.  Went to the junior Olympics.  I turned upper class at the age of sixteen years old.  Then I did the Golden Gloves Nationals.  I won that at sixteen.  Then I went on to the USC (United States national Championships) and won that at sixteen.  That was 2009.  In 2010 I did the same thing.”

Despite his success in the amateur ranks, Cartagena was anxious to step into the pros.  He had some thoughts of sticking around for the upcoming Olympics but instead chose not to wait around and entered the pro ranks at eighteen years of age a little over one year ago.

“I had a way better pro style than amateur style.  Not a big fan of the amateurs.  I only did it because I was under the age to turn pro.  As soon as I was able to turn pro, I turned pro.  It was always a dream of mine.”

Cartagena had a decent match in his first fight, taking on a more experienced foe that had a losing record, but had several pro fights under his belt.  His opponent presented a twist he was unaccustomed to.  Still, he used his superior skill and walked away with a wide unanimous decision.

“I didn’t notice at first he was a southpaw.  He was already a veteran.  He already had eight fights and this was my pro debut.  It was a good test for me straight out the gate.  I had a good mindset going into the fight.  I kept working my jab and didn’t want to get hit with anything big.  Kept my distance from the guy and kept the pressure on him.”

But since that first fight, Cartagena has faced lesser competition that he has quickly blown out of the ring with his mix of speed, power, and talent.  Cartagena is frank about his competition while being clear that he must always be prepared for anyone that steps into the ring.  He admits that he would like to be tested at a level closer to his abilities.

“Last couple fights I wasn’t really too happy.  I was fighting guys I’m way better than.  I think that bum or not, I didn’t say it, I keep my hands up at all times and do what I got to do.  Any fighter, at the end of the day, he knows how to fight so.

“For all my fights I would look for better competition, something more exciting, something different.”

Cartagena can often be found with a big smile on his face and he brings a personality that will draw fans.  His style in the ring should also make him a fan favorite.  He is exceptionally quick and attacks his opponents in a fan friendly style.

Entering the ring and inside the ring he is often displaying his natural state of enjoying life and having a good time.  Cartagena explained that his demeanor is not an act but simply who he is and that comes out on fight night.

“I am even more of a clown outside of the ring than I am inside the ring.  I play around and stuff, you know, but when I’m inside the ring it’s time to fight so it’s time to fight.  That’s just part of my character.  I’m just a naturally happy person.

“That just comes along with me.  That’s just how I am.  It’s how I was in the amateurs.  That’s just how I am, built in me.”

This Friday night Cartagena will engage in his fifth pro fight.  He will take on Jose Rivera 3-5-2 as the co-headliner at the National Guard Armory in North East Philadelphia.  Cartagena, like many fighters, does not invest time checking out his opponents and leaves that to others.

“I don’t really pay much attention to the guys I’m fighting.  I just do what my trainer tells me to do, stay focused on the fight.”

Rivera has gone the distance against three undefeated prospects in his last three outings.  Rivera is an improvement over the last few opponents, but Cartagena should not have much trouble considering his skill level.

The fact that he can co-headline a show in only his fifth pro-fight speaks to the interest he has already drawn and the future potential.  Fans want to see him fight and they want to see if the hype is real.

No prospect is a sure thing, but Cartagena appears to have the goods.  He certainly has the confidence to go to greater heights and a clear understanding of what is needed to reach the top of the sport.  He stated his goals for the sport and then echoed the now famous Floyd Mayweather 24/7 line when talking about what it will take to be a champion.

“Hard work and dedication.  I have to work a lot to get through the door, but at the end of it, it’s going to be worth it.”

Notes

• For complete news on the Armory show this weekend check out see the news story on this same site.

Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com

This Saturday from Bally’s Casino in Atlantic City Garrett Wilson 12-5-1 6 KO) puts his USBA Cruiserweight belt on the line in a rematch with fellow cruiser Andres Taylor 20-1-2 (7 KO).  In addition to Wilson’s USBA strap the vacant NABF title is on the line.  Wilson is looking at this fight as an opportunity to continue the fast rise he has made over the last year and to continue developing into a complete fighter.

Wilson is no stranger to Taylor as he fought him to a draw back in September of 2010.  What he is a stranger to, is fighting him with any notice or preparation.  The first time around Wilson took the fight on one day’s notice and fought Taylor in his hometown of Johnstown, PA.  Wilson states he believes he won the fight, but is okay with the draw.

At the time this was a typical move for Wilson, taking fights on short notice.  Those fights often saw Wilson fighting men who were undefeated, more experienced, and in some cases making Wilson suck down to a weight that would drain him.

When Wilson fought Taylor in 2010 it marked the end of an era for him.  Instead of  a fight with anyone, anywhere, anytime, he began preparing for fights in advance and looking at using his past experience to advance his career towards bigger things rather than quick paydays.

While this attitude will win fans, it does not always lead to winning fights.  A fighter is better prepared and ready to win when they have notice of an opponent giving them time to prepare fully mentally and physically.  Wilson has made a point over the last year to do things differently.

He has a new trainer in Rodney Rice, who brings Garrett a disciplined approach in and out of the ring.  Wilson has stopped taking any fight thrown his way and now looks at his career from more of a long term perspective.  He embraces being prepared, including staying in shape, which he realizes will be necessary to continue the success he has enjoyed over the last year.

“Now I stay in pretty good shape after I fight.  I don’t have to worry about losing a bunch of weight.  I ‘m always at my fight weight.  I may not be in fight shape, but I’m always in some shape so that it will not be that big of a transition when the fight comes around.”

It comes down to an approach that can be found when Wilson talks about his nickname.  While the man known as “The Ultimate Warrior” earned his moniker fighting anyone at anytime, he has gradually developed into more.  For Wilson the nickname also applies to his desire to become a fighter that learns from experience and develops into a complete all around fighter.

“The fact that I’m willing to fight anybody and it doesn’t matter who they are.  I learn from each fight.  I plan on being the ultimate fighter.  Warrior is, that says it all right there.  I plan to be that.  I plan to learn from each experience I’ve had in boxing and to just continue to move myself into the ultimate warrior.”

His current approach has paid off.  Following the Taylor fight, Wilson knocked out his next opponent Aaron Williams, 20-2-1, setting the stage for a rematch with Omar Sheika for the USBA Cruiser belt and a chance to get into the IBF rankings.  Wilson had been stopped by Sheika in March of 2010, but thirteen months later it would be a different story.

This time, the far more disciplined Wilson boxed and moved his way to a wide unanimous decision.  The experienced and tough Sheika made it interesting as he never stopped pursuing the knockout,  but Wilson was far too fast and far too skilled to allow any mistakes.

Wilson showed another wrinkle and advancement in his next bout against skilled boxer Chuck Mussachio 17-1-2 last November.  Down on the cards late in the fight, Wilson unleashed his power in round twelve and got what he was looking for.  In a close fight that seemed to be in Mussachio’s favor, Wilson landed a crushing overhand right that took the fight out of the judge’s hands and gave Wilson another victory.  This was followed up with a third round knockout of Pedro Martinez earlier this year.

The last year and new approach have been good to Wilson.  After the Taylor fight, he was 8-5-1 (3 KO).  Since that time Wilson is 4-0 (3 KO) and fighting against top rated competition.  His new efforts have paid off as he is currently ranked seventh in the IBF and twenty first by the WBC.

When he enters the ring Saturday it will be as a far different fighter than the one who faced Taylor a year and a half ago.  This fight was scheduled well in advance giving Wilson time to properly prepare.  He will be fighting as a ranked fighter and in neutral territory of Atlantic City.  Wilson is confident stating “I don’t want to take anything away from Taylor, he is a great fighter but I have been in with way better competition.”

Much like the Sheika rematch it will likely be a different man in the ring Saturday.  And after Saturday, Wilson has no intention of slowing down.  He is well aware that he has made significant progress over the last year and has high hopes moving forward.

“Hopefully after this I’ll be fighting for the world title, IBF, or fighting on NBC.  I’m looking to fight on NBC or for a world title.  Hopefully a world title comes first.”

If Wilson continues his learning in the ring, he will be well suited to big time boxing.  He has a huge smile and an engaging personality that go with his enjoyment of talking to others.  He has the personality that will draw fans and has experience from tough fights that many fighters today lack.

When asked if he had anything to add Wilson kept it simple in describing Saturday night and the future.

“Get ready for the explosion.  It’s going to happen.  It’s going to be big.”

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Hank Lundy is one of the top lightweight contenders in the sport.  He is also one of the top talkers in the game as well.  To interview Lundy and simply put quotes into an article on paper does not do him justice.  The man who refers to himself in the first person by his nickname “Hammerin Hank” needs to be heard to be truly appreciated.  Love him or hate him, the man is entertaining.

John Disanto, of Philly Boxing History, and I caught up with Hank at the Marion Anderson Rec Center in South Philadelphia.  Lundy put in rounds of sparring with local Philly prospects and plenty of training as he prepares for his upcoming bout this Friday against Dannie Williams on ESPN2′s Friday Night Fights (for a full preview of this week’s FNF see The Boxing Tribune’s Fox Doucette’s FNF preview).  Lundy takes on Williams from the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, CT for his NABF title and the number one contender position for the WBC lightweight title.

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Six days before Eddie Chambers was scheduled to headline the first NBC Fight Night card, he walked into Main Events Promotions to inform them he would not be able to fight Sergei Liakhovich that coming Friday due to a rib injury.  The former title challenger and popular Philly heavyweight was supposed to be one of the main attractions toward bringing a live audience and television viewers to the opening event for Main Events” new boxing series on NBC Sports.  Chambers dropping out was a big blow.

While promoters and everyone involved worried about what they would do to replace Chambers, another Philadelphia heavyweight saw an opportunity that needed to be taken.  Former football and basketball star turned boxer, Bryant Jennings, believed Chambers’ misfortune was his opportunity to fast track his way into the heavyweight picture.  He wanted to jump on the chance to headline a major fight card.  He felt that with only eleven fights into a pro career with little amateur background he was ready for his opportunity.

“Alright, when Chambers first went down, I’m thinking opportunity.  That’s one thing, opportunity.  Opportunity is success, because opportunity is a chance at success.  Opportunity itself is a chance.  That’s what I was thinking.  I have a chance to do this and like I’ve said, I’ve been around with guys that were there before.  I’ve worked with a lot of guys and I felt as though I’m missing too much by not actually taking this opportunity.  I think I’m supposed to be here, I think I’m ready.”

Jennings was given his opportunity.  He was quickly scheduled to headline the Fight Night card in his hometown against fellow Philadelphia undefeated heavyweight prospect, Maurice Byarm.  Instead of two better known heavyweights in Chambers and Liakhovich, Main Events and NBC rolled the dice on short notice with two young guns eager to prove something.  The gamble paid off as Jennings and Byarm put on an action-filled scrap that entertained the local fight fans and the TV audience watching at home.  Jennings was right when he said that he was ready.  He took home a unanimous decision victory over Byarm and got his first piece of hardware ,winning the Pennsylvania State Heavyweight title.

Bryant Jennings got a late start in the sport of boxing, where most fighters in the pro game begin the sport at a very young age.  Jennings, being a six foot, two inch physical specimen did what most big talented athletes do these days, he played football and basketball, and he was good at it.  He had talent and was highly recruited to play college football, but various issues kept him from the college level.

“My basketball and my football background, pretty much all the way from a youngin to the high school days.  When I was in high school I was a top prospect in Pennsylvania for football.  I was highly recruited but I had some problems going on with my school staff, with them pushing me.  That was my reason for not going to college.  I had some problems with the school staff.  For some reason they didn’t push me enough.  I was living on my own at the time so I didn’t really kiss ass.  They didn’t understand the fact that I couldn’t make certain weekends or couldn’t do certain things.  They thought that was neglect and felt I wasn’t ready.  They shouldn’t have done that and I definitely had the ability to take it to the next level.”

But Jennings chooses not to worry about the past and focus on the future.  He began boxing only three years ago, stating his first day in the boxing gym was in January of 2009.  He wants to make the most of his new opportunity instead of focusing on the past.

“It’s kind of like, uh, it’s like you cry over spilled milk.  Now that I look back on it, I look at it as though I did a lot of that.  To where it didn’t happen before, but the opportunity comes for me again to be great at something and I’m just running with it now.  I just don’t reflect on it too much, you know because what I’m doing now.  It’s over and done with so there’s nothing I can do about it.  So you know I’m just on to what’s next.  Once one thing don’t work out, I’m on to something else.  You know I have a lot of trades and I know how to do a lot of things.  Once one thing don’t work I’m on to next because you ain’t got time to waste.  Time is ticking and you gotta do something.”

While Jennings lacks the long amateur pedigree and years of training in the gym, he makes up for it with the things he learned over his many years of sports and physical conditioning.  In his mind, the boxing part can be learned, but the toughest aspect is one he mastered a long time ago.  That is staying in shape and being physically ready to fight.

“I always knew how to fight in the streets.  You know I always knew how to hold my hands.  I had a lot of heart and I had drive.  I had will and I was already in shape so I had a head start with a lot of things.  You know most of the guys who fight they teach them how to throw certain combinations and do all that.  But the hardest part is getting the guys in shape and getting them ready to actually fight.  I came in shape.  I just had to work on, you know, the basics, learn a couple things, learn a couple tricks, get used to it, you know, get in there.  So I had a head up being in shape.”

His dedication to conditioning was a big reason why he got the NBC date on such short notice.  Everyone involved, including his promoter/Fight Night matchmaker Russell Peltz, knew he could jump in on short notice because he constantly stays in shape.  He doesn’t need six weeks to get his body ready.  He is always ready due to strong dedication to going above and beyond in the gym.

“Well, say like for instance if I think it takes three [weeks], when it only takes two, I’m a give it four.  You see I’ll always do that.  So bottom line, I’m always working hard.  I never slack.  I think this is what it really takes to be a champion.  If not, then somebody prove it to me.  I haven’t been told yet.  They say I’m doing a good job.  I’ve seen guys work out on a professional level, at a high professional level.  I’ve worked with guys who have been at a high professional level.  Guys who have actually been up to the top.  I’ve sparred with guys who have been up to the top.  They, themselves, they even say they’ve never done stuff like that.  They’ve never seen nothing like it.  I’m doing good.  So far so good.”

If you have seen Jennings fight you know he is probably right when he says so far, so good.  He has won his first twelve fights and has the perfect physique with excellent stamina.  He was able to out-muscle the heavier Byarm early, withstand a mid-rounds rally, and use his conditioning to regain control late in the fight.  Jennings talked about what he took away from the Byarm fight.

“I learned a lot.  I learned something mental, a lot of mental.  Boxing is, I always expect a mentality in boxing so boxing is definitely a mental sport and I realize that it’s way more mental that I thought it was because, I mean, it took me over.  That was the end that I actually had, as opposed to already being more in shape, being a more accurate guy.  But at the same time, with my body, the way my body felt, my mental took over to where my drive, my will, my competitiveness, everything just took place.  And it took me over and I realized that’s a very good attribute of mine.  I don’t want to give up.  I don’t plan on giving up.  For me to just keep going and keep going I feel as though that was a good attribute.  So I learned a lot mentally.”

Jennings did not seem fazed by being on national TV.

“The crowd and all, you know they gonna be there.  There’s always an audience when you fight.  TV only matters when you see the replay ’cause your living it so you’re not that big on TV.  In the midst of everything you do want your fans at home to watch, but that’s not your main focus.  It’s basically my composure in the ring, my comfort in the ring, and that’s one thing that I learned.  I got a lot of experience from that.”

This Saturday though, Jennings faces a far bigger threat than another undefeated prospect.  Standing across from him in the ring this time is former WBO heavyweight champ, Sergei Liakhovich, who has far more pedigree and experience.  Liakhovich is the classically trained boxer that started at a young age, had an extensive amateur career, including an appearance in the Olympics, and has fought some of the best heavyweights in the world.

While Jennings respects his opponent’s experience he feels it is his time to shine.  He expects his conditioning and will to make up for the gap in ring experience.

“The thing I need to careful about with him is the same thing I need to be careful about with all heavyweights.  We all have the power to gain a knockout with any punch.  So that right there is out the window because that’s something I’m already looking for.  But I think I have more will.  I’m just, I appear to be the hungrier guy, which I think I am.  I’m the younger, I’m the hungrier guy.  I want it more.  Like he had his chance.  It’s like the AI [Allen Iverson].  We love you, we respect you, but I got to get you forty points.  Just like you got yours, I need mine.  So it’s a level of respect there for what he did in the past but when we meet, hey, nothing matters but that win for me.”

Jennings is charting a path that is far different than most fighters today.  Instead of taking his natural talent and allowing his promoter to protect him en route to a glossy undefeated record through his first twenty to twenty-five fights, he wants to challenge himself right here, right now.  He wants to be truly ready one day when the big opportunity comes knocking.  It’s what drives him to take on someone of Liakhovich’s experience and ability so early in his career.

“I watch the game and I see a lot of guys, they get twenty-something and 0.  Say they get twenty-three, twenty-four and 0 and they say they don’t think they’re ready for the top yet.  I’m thinking like how the hell you get twenty-four, twenty-five fights and you’re not ready.  You’re not at the top level yet.  What are you doing your whole time?  But I feel as though I’ll chop the time up a little bit, you work a little harder, you got to be a whole lot more dedicated if you chop the time up a little bit.  But I feel as though the opportunity, opportunity is what I looked at.  Opportunity looked me right in the face and said you gonna take it or you gonna wait.  I took it.”

Jennings figures win or lose he will gain valuable experience and will find out if he has what it takes to make it in boxing.  He is looking to get on the fast track to the top of the heavyweight division.

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m going for because I got to look at it like; I think if most guys would take opportunity a little earlier in their career it would make them better.  By the time they get to a certain point, because sometimes some guys duck a lot of stuff.  Guys duck the tough fights so they duck a lot of that.  I’m saying give me the tape.  Win or lose you’re going to get a lesson from it.  In boxing you got to learn lessons.  Sometimes you got to test yourself.  You got to test yourself someday very big like I’m doing here.  So I feel let’s not wait till 40-0 and have to waste my dog-gone time and come to find out I don’t really have it.  Let me find out now.”

Notes

• Jennings’ busy training scheduled is also coupled with other activities.  He works as a mechanic at the Federal Reserve Bank and is starting his own company called Elite Klass.  Multiple other fighters from his gym, the ABC Rec Center, often sport shirts with Elite Klass logo supporting their gym partner.

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For the first part of this interview, click HERE

In late 2011 Main Events Promotions, a promotional company that was in existence back when boxing was on network TV, announced they would be running a series of fights broadcast on the NBC Sports Network (formerly Vs.).  The series would look to shift the current landscape of boxing, where specific fighters are featured, to a model where the quality of the fight took precedence over the fighters involved. 

The series was scheduled to have four dates in 2012, but with the early success of the first show a fifth date has been added.  I spoke with Main Events CEO Kathy Duva on how the series was developed, the current status, and her plans for the future of the “Fight Night” series and NBC.  In part one Duva explained how the idea developed and the success of the first show despite last minute adversity,  in part two Duva looks at where the series is headed in the future.

With the scare of the first card done, Main Events moves on to the second Fight Night of the year on March 24.  Former champ Zab Judah fights in his hometown of Brooklyn against Vernon Paris in an IBF 140 lb title eliminator.  Tomasz Adamek makes his return to the ring against Nagy Aguilera.  But the co-feature provides another interesting heavyweight bout.

Sergei Liakhovich, who was denied the opportunity to headline the first card, gets his chance to get back into action against the winner of the first Fight Night headliner, Bryant Jennings, who looks to capitalize on his efforts in the previous card.  The fight represents a true crossroads bout with Liakhovich looking for a last title run in his career and Jennings looking to really cement himself as a contender by taking out the veteran and former champ.  Duva talked about making this bout and how it was just was a logical matchup considering the events of the first card.

“It just makes sense.  We wanted to bring Sergei back.  He got a rough break in not being able to fight and Jennings was willing to fight him.  Sergei really wanted to get on a card and I told him I was going to put him on in June and he said no, I need to get on sooner than that.  We were talking and they come back to me and say Jennings will fight him, so I said make the match.  No more discussion.  It’s just natural.  You got Jennings who clearly proved that he can rise to the occasion.  I think he is one of those guys who rises to the level of his competition anyway, and he wants to fight Liakhovich very much.”

With the success of the first card and the anticipation for the second event this coming week, Main Events was given the opportunity to expand the series.  NBC was happy with what they had so far and went to Main Events looking to see what else they had planned.  They were still interested in Chambers-Liakhovich and were eager to see Gabe Rosado again after his impressive performance.  The problem was, with only four dates they could only do so much.  NBC responded by awarding a fifth date where Rosado will take on Joel Julio.

“Actually that came out of conversation with NBC.   They started out originally saying, ‘Are we going to be able to see Chambers-Liakhovich?’  Perhaps, but I don’t know, that’s certainly something we’re thinking about.  Then they said we want to know when Gabriel Rosado can fight again because we think he was great and we want you to bring him back.  So I said that would be great, but March is already planned, I’ve a got a date in June and another one in December, how am I going to do all these fights.  They said, you know, you’re right so we better give you some more dates.  So they came back right away and said we’ve got June 1.  So I jumped at it and said that would be Rosado’s date.  So I talked to Jolene and Russell and Jolene said Julio will fight him so I said close that, we’re done.”

Supporting the Rosado-Julio fight be will up-and-coming prospect Ronald Cruz.  The June 1 card takes place at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA where Cruz has lived since coming to the States from Puerto Rico.  Cruz fit the card for several reasons.  Being from Bethlehem where he has a large following of fans that turn out for his fights, his presence should provide a lively crowd.  In addition, he fits the mold of the Fight Night series.  He prides himself on making exciting fights and is not only willing, but eager to be in against good competition.

“When they mentioned June 1 as a possible date I knew that Russell was planning to do a show from the Sands [Bethlehem] on June 1, so I thought this is a perfect opportunity.  Of course he’s local there, and from Bethlehem, and he was going to be on that show, so I realized that Cruz was on.  He fits the profile of guys we want to have on the series.”

While the series is off to a good start, it is still only in the very early stages.  Plenty of other boxing series have tried in recent years to put boxing back on network TV, but eventually came up short.  The success of the series will rely on Main Events’ ability to keep turning out exciting cards that bring in the viewers.  Duva has a vision of increasing the series over time, including an ambitious goal of eventually returning to the main NBC network.

“There’s the perfect world if I can have it.  That would be that we move up to a monthly series next year, and then build towards a platform on the NBC Network, and maybe even in prime time.”

With that, Duva, ever the promoter, gave her final thought on the upcoming events.

“Just want people to give us a chance.  Watch.  We’re up against HBO head-to-head on March 24.  I’m telling everyone make sure you watch one and TIVO the other.  Watch us.”

Notes

• I’ve covered Main Events’ cards since I got into boxing writing.  I keep a healthy distance from anyone in the boxing business to stay neutral and objective but I would be lying if I did not disclose I have a strong respect for Duva and her company.  In a day and age when so many promoters fail to do their jobs and really “promote” a fight, they remain old fashioned marketing masters.  Instead of being like the rest, looking for handouts from casinos and HBO/Showtime, they get off their asses and work selling their fights.
• A great example of their promoting was the WORD job they did in the press conference the week of the first Fight Night card.  With everyone believing this would be a disaster after Chambers bowed out, they had to creatively sell the Jennings-Byarm fight.  I have been to plenty of press conferences and know overhyped junk when I see it.  That being said, I told Duva in our conversation I also thought she was out of her mind making that fight, but at the press conference became sold that this could be good.  My actual reaction was I turned to fellow boxing scribe, John Disanto, and said, “I am probably just drinking the Kool-Aid from a bunch of good promoters but I am actually excited for this fight now.”  Fortunately, I was not alone.  John agreed and said he must be drinking the same Kool-Aid.

Question, comment, agree, disagree, or anything at all, send it to gboxing3@gmail.com

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