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SHANE MOSLEY: "I KNOW THAT I'M CAPABLE OF WINNING THE WORLD TITLE AGAIN"
By Ben Thompson | April 16, 2013
"What made me really want to come back is that I wanted to bring my father back in the corner with me so we can get some glory together, because I know that I'm capable of winning the world title again. Having my father in my corner with me would be like a Cinderella story, and then grooming my son to be the next is like a Cinderella story. This is what I want to do. There's nothing else in the world that I really have the passion for than to be in the ring fighting," stated multi-division world champion and future Hall of Famer "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who talked about his upcoming May 18 return to the ring when he faces Pablo Cesar Cano. Check out what else he had to say about the fight and much more!
BT: What's going on, Sugar Man?
SM: Man, you know, just keeping myself working; working hard.
BT: No doubt. So how did the press conference tour go down in Mexico?
SM: I mean, a lot of fans were out there. It was nice. Cancun is beautiful. The resort was nice. My father came out with me, and Bella [Gonzalez], and we had a good time. They treated me with a lot of respect. Everything was great.
BT: How's training camp going?
SM: Training's going very good, very well. I'm looking very sharp. You know, every now and then, Mookie [Cleotis Pendarvis] and his sparring partners are down the street, so I go down there and have some fun with them a little bit and I have some other people come up and I spar with them as well. I'm feeling good. My legs are back, so I'm moving good. Everything's coming along like it's supposed to.
BT: After the Canelo fight, you said you were going to retire, but now that you're obviously fighting on, the critics are going to question the reasons why and wonder if you're just doing this for money. With that being said, ultimately, what was it that made you decide that you still wanted to lace 'em up?
SM: You know, I've been in the gym training, sparring with a lot of guys and working with a lot of guys like Cano and up-and-coming guys, the top 10 guys, and you know, I did good. What made me really want to come back is that I wanted to bring my father back in the corner with me so we can get some glory together, because I know that I'm capable of winning the world title again. Having my father in my corner with me would be like a Cinderella story, and then grooming my son to be the next is like a Cinderella story. This is what I want to do. There's nothing else in the world that I really have the passion for than to be in the ring fighting. But even when I do retire for real, I'll still be in the gym, working out and keeping myself in shape. This is like therapy to me. I love it.
As far as me needing money, I mean, I don't really need it, but everybody can use more money (laughing). That helps to buy the different things that you want to buy. I'm more into investing in different properties and things like that than buying fancy cars and things of that nature; maybe more traveling and investing is my thing. I have my nest egg in my accounts that I can live comfortably on for the rest of my life. But like I said, my passion is boxing and if I can still do it and do it at a top level, then I'm going to do it. Bernard Hopkins is 40+ years old and I'm sure he has money put away, but it's not the money; it's his passion that he has to be one of the greats. The only one to win a title at 48 years old, that's historical. And to do what he loves, I mean, some guys can sit back and just get a wheelchair and really get old because they're not working out or doing anything. Boxing is my love, this is what I want to do. This is why I'm not getting old and I'm looking younger and younger. That's why Bernard looks younger and younger. That's why all these fighters that are older are still looking young because they're running, they're hitting the bag, sparring, doing all these different things and feeling good.
I feel great. I feel like I'm 25 years old. I feel young. I'm in there sparring and working with guys that are 21 and 22 years old and outworking them. They're getting tired and I'm going like 10 and 12 rounds. I'm just going round after round after round, 4-minute and 5-minute rounds, and they're getting tired, getting out, and then getting back in to spar with me. I'm doing great. I'm doing good.
BT: I'm pretty sure this is your first fight down in Mexico, but growing up in California, you got pretty comfortable facing Mexican fighters, right?
SM: This will be my first time in Mexico, but I mean, in California, there's Mexicans everywhere. Even when I go down there now, it's like I'm the main attraction. It's because of me that everybody is really coming. Of course they want to see their hometown guy win too, but even their side is showing me so much love; I'm just getting a lot of love out there in Mexico. It's like I'm fighting at home. I mean, everybody was going for Margarito and Oscar, but I still got that respect from the crowd at the end of the night. That's what I love about the Mexican fans. They show me that respect. Even though they're going to go for their guy, at the end of the day, it's like, "Mosley, he's a warrior." They show me that respect and that's what I love.
BT: Originially, you were hoping to get Malignaggi, but you ended up getting the guy who a lot of people think was robbed against Malignaggi. Stylistically, do you think Cano might be a better matchup for you considering that he won't be on his bike looking to move like Malignaggi would have?
SM: Yeah, I just watched this tape with Cano and Malignaggi and I was like wow. Paulie throws nothing but arm punches. That's going to help Adrien [Broner] out to be able to do what he needs to do. Like you said, I was supposed to fight Paulie, but it is what it is. Paulie was going to be knocked out. I was going to crack the daylights out of him (laughing). He couldn't run from me. He might have made the right decision in not taking the fight. But Cano, he's definitely a come-forward type of fighter, but he's pretty good. He has a decent jab, throws good body shots, he comes at you, and he seems like he's tough. He seems like he's heavy-handed. He doesn't have very much definition, but he seems very heavy-handed and he seems like he's tough. He cuts easy, but he's tough.
BT: What did you think about his performance against Malignaggi?
SM: I was really surprised that he had that type of power, but I kept looking at him as the rounds went on and I see what Cano does that would give people like Paulie trouble. He's a great pressure fighter. He knows how to cut off the ring pretty good. He knows how to break a guy down to the body. He's the type that will take a punch to give a punch. For Paulie, he can't punch; he won't get no respect. Cano just walks right to him, takes two jabs and then throws two body shots, and his punches are harder than Paulie's, so he can do that as long as he can consistently keep his punch production up. For me, or somebody that can punch, he won't be able to do that. [Erik] Morales has a smaller punch, but Morales at his weight division, at 140 or lightweight, he knows how to punch. He couldn't really walk Morales down like that because Morales can punch better than Paulie. Now me, on the other hand, he's going to fight somebody that can really punch. For this fight, I think I'm punching harder than I did for my last fight. My hands are hurting more when I'm hitting the bag, so I think I'm punching harder. He's going to have a lot of problems. He's deceptive with his punching power, but I'm going to be bigger than him and I'm going to be stronger than him.
BT: You're last 3 fights were against Canelo, Pacquiao, and of course Mayweather. Those are probably the 3 biggest names in the sport right now. Obviously every fight is important, but assuming all goes well, do you think this fight will be enough to silence the critics and let them know that you still have some fuel left in the tank.
SM: Well, the thing is, with those 3 fights, I wasn't really at 100%, so I mean, when they say, "Oh, he doesn't have any legs," well guess what? I really didn't have any legs. I had a groin pull, achilles popped, and I was just healing up with Canelo. So really and truly, yeah, you're right, I didn't have any legs, but now I do. That's why I'm going to come back and I'm going to do what I need to do inside this ring, because I know I can still do it. Silence the critics? You know, that's what they are; they're critics. They're going to always be critics so I just gotta deal with that and not listen to them; just listen to my own heart and listen to what I know I can do. So whatever the critics say, let them continue to be critics; that's fine.
By Ben Thompson | April 16, 2013
"What made me really want to come back is that I wanted to bring my father back in the corner with me so we can get some glory together, because I know that I'm capable of winning the world title again. Having my father in my corner with me would be like a Cinderella story, and then grooming my son to be the next is like a Cinderella story. This is what I want to do. There's nothing else in the world that I really have the passion for than to be in the ring fighting," stated multi-division world champion and future Hall of Famer "Sugar" Shane Mosley, who talked about his upcoming May 18 return to the ring when he faces Pablo Cesar Cano. Check out what else he had to say about the fight and much more!
BT: What's going on, Sugar Man?
SM: Man, you know, just keeping myself working; working hard.
BT: No doubt. So how did the press conference tour go down in Mexico?
SM: I mean, a lot of fans were out there. It was nice. Cancun is beautiful. The resort was nice. My father came out with me, and Bella [Gonzalez], and we had a good time. They treated me with a lot of respect. Everything was great.
BT: How's training camp going?
SM: Training's going very good, very well. I'm looking very sharp. You know, every now and then, Mookie [Cleotis Pendarvis] and his sparring partners are down the street, so I go down there and have some fun with them a little bit and I have some other people come up and I spar with them as well. I'm feeling good. My legs are back, so I'm moving good. Everything's coming along like it's supposed to.
BT: After the Canelo fight, you said you were going to retire, but now that you're obviously fighting on, the critics are going to question the reasons why and wonder if you're just doing this for money. With that being said, ultimately, what was it that made you decide that you still wanted to lace 'em up?
SM: You know, I've been in the gym training, sparring with a lot of guys and working with a lot of guys like Cano and up-and-coming guys, the top 10 guys, and you know, I did good. What made me really want to come back is that I wanted to bring my father back in the corner with me so we can get some glory together, because I know that I'm capable of winning the world title again. Having my father in my corner with me would be like a Cinderella story, and then grooming my son to be the next is like a Cinderella story. This is what I want to do. There's nothing else in the world that I really have the passion for than to be in the ring fighting. But even when I do retire for real, I'll still be in the gym, working out and keeping myself in shape. This is like therapy to me. I love it.
As far as me needing money, I mean, I don't really need it, but everybody can use more money (laughing). That helps to buy the different things that you want to buy. I'm more into investing in different properties and things like that than buying fancy cars and things of that nature; maybe more traveling and investing is my thing. I have my nest egg in my accounts that I can live comfortably on for the rest of my life. But like I said, my passion is boxing and if I can still do it and do it at a top level, then I'm going to do it. Bernard Hopkins is 40+ years old and I'm sure he has money put away, but it's not the money; it's his passion that he has to be one of the greats. The only one to win a title at 48 years old, that's historical. And to do what he loves, I mean, some guys can sit back and just get a wheelchair and really get old because they're not working out or doing anything. Boxing is my love, this is what I want to do. This is why I'm not getting old and I'm looking younger and younger. That's why Bernard looks younger and younger. That's why all these fighters that are older are still looking young because they're running, they're hitting the bag, sparring, doing all these different things and feeling good.
I feel great. I feel like I'm 25 years old. I feel young. I'm in there sparring and working with guys that are 21 and 22 years old and outworking them. They're getting tired and I'm going like 10 and 12 rounds. I'm just going round after round after round, 4-minute and 5-minute rounds, and they're getting tired, getting out, and then getting back in to spar with me. I'm doing great. I'm doing good.
BT: I'm pretty sure this is your first fight down in Mexico, but growing up in California, you got pretty comfortable facing Mexican fighters, right?
SM: This will be my first time in Mexico, but I mean, in California, there's Mexicans everywhere. Even when I go down there now, it's like I'm the main attraction. It's because of me that everybody is really coming. Of course they want to see their hometown guy win too, but even their side is showing me so much love; I'm just getting a lot of love out there in Mexico. It's like I'm fighting at home. I mean, everybody was going for Margarito and Oscar, but I still got that respect from the crowd at the end of the night. That's what I love about the Mexican fans. They show me that respect. Even though they're going to go for their guy, at the end of the day, it's like, "Mosley, he's a warrior." They show me that respect and that's what I love.
BT: Originially, you were hoping to get Malignaggi, but you ended up getting the guy who a lot of people think was robbed against Malignaggi. Stylistically, do you think Cano might be a better matchup for you considering that he won't be on his bike looking to move like Malignaggi would have?
SM: Yeah, I just watched this tape with Cano and Malignaggi and I was like wow. Paulie throws nothing but arm punches. That's going to help Adrien [Broner] out to be able to do what he needs to do. Like you said, I was supposed to fight Paulie, but it is what it is. Paulie was going to be knocked out. I was going to crack the daylights out of him (laughing). He couldn't run from me. He might have made the right decision in not taking the fight. But Cano, he's definitely a come-forward type of fighter, but he's pretty good. He has a decent jab, throws good body shots, he comes at you, and he seems like he's tough. He seems like he's heavy-handed. He doesn't have very much definition, but he seems very heavy-handed and he seems like he's tough. He cuts easy, but he's tough.
BT: What did you think about his performance against Malignaggi?
SM: I was really surprised that he had that type of power, but I kept looking at him as the rounds went on and I see what Cano does that would give people like Paulie trouble. He's a great pressure fighter. He knows how to cut off the ring pretty good. He knows how to break a guy down to the body. He's the type that will take a punch to give a punch. For Paulie, he can't punch; he won't get no respect. Cano just walks right to him, takes two jabs and then throws two body shots, and his punches are harder than Paulie's, so he can do that as long as he can consistently keep his punch production up. For me, or somebody that can punch, he won't be able to do that. [Erik] Morales has a smaller punch, but Morales at his weight division, at 140 or lightweight, he knows how to punch. He couldn't really walk Morales down like that because Morales can punch better than Paulie. Now me, on the other hand, he's going to fight somebody that can really punch. For this fight, I think I'm punching harder than I did for my last fight. My hands are hurting more when I'm hitting the bag, so I think I'm punching harder. He's going to have a lot of problems. He's deceptive with his punching power, but I'm going to be bigger than him and I'm going to be stronger than him.
BT: You're last 3 fights were against Canelo, Pacquiao, and of course Mayweather. Those are probably the 3 biggest names in the sport right now. Obviously every fight is important, but assuming all goes well, do you think this fight will be enough to silence the critics and let them know that you still have some fuel left in the tank.
SM: Well, the thing is, with those 3 fights, I wasn't really at 100%, so I mean, when they say, "Oh, he doesn't have any legs," well guess what? I really didn't have any legs. I had a groin pull, achilles popped, and I was just healing up with Canelo. So really and truly, yeah, you're right, I didn't have any legs, but now I do. That's why I'm going to come back and I'm going to do what I need to do inside this ring, because I know I can still do it. Silence the critics? You know, that's what they are; they're critics. They're going to always be critics so I just gotta deal with that and not listen to them; just listen to my own heart and listen to what I know I can do. So whatever the critics say, let them continue to be critics; that's fine.
Where the Hell is the Trout vs Canelo thread. Questions will be answered and a new boxing star will be born. If Canelo KO's Trout he's going to be a superstar. If Trout wins he will be a star on his way up. I think Trout will outbox Canelo and get rob on the scorecards. Canelo needs to bang up Trouts body and counter him off of Trouts jab. But someone's 0 has to go. I want another good weekend of boxing. Thank u boxing gods.
Mayweather will beat The Ghost off the ropes or in the middle of the ring. May 4th will be all action.
Mayweather will beat The Ghost off the ropes or in the middle of the ring. May 4th will be all action.
Report: Manny Pacquiao to Face Mike Alvarado in October
by Robert Littal | Posted on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
Alvarado Rios
Alvarado who just came off an impressive victory over Brandon Rios, appears to have hit the jackpot by getting a shot against Manny Pacquiao.
The fight which hasn’t been confirmed by Top Rank, would be in October in China.
Dangerous fight for Pacquiao, Alvarado is no bum and has power, will be an interesting comeback fight for Pacquiao, if the contracts get signed.
Vic Lombardi V @VIC Lombardi
Alvarado and his manager Henry Delgado are flying out to negotiate a contract tomorrow. Alvarado-Pacquaio in October. #cbs4
Vic Lombardi V @VIC Lombardi
In other news, just got word Denver's own M @MILEHIGH Mike303 has agreed to fight Manny Pacquaio in October!!!!!!
9:38 PM - 16 Apr 2013
by Robert Littal | Posted on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013
Alvarado Rios
Alvarado who just came off an impressive victory over Brandon Rios, appears to have hit the jackpot by getting a shot against Manny Pacquiao.
The fight which hasn’t been confirmed by Top Rank, would be in October in China.
Dangerous fight for Pacquiao, Alvarado is no bum and has power, will be an interesting comeback fight for Pacquiao, if the contracts get signed.
Vic Lombardi V @VIC Lombardi
Alvarado and his manager Henry Delgado are flying out to negotiate a contract tomorrow. Alvarado-Pacquaio in October. #cbs4
Vic Lombardi V @VIC Lombardi
In other news, just got word Denver's own M @MILEHIGH Mike303 has agreed to fight Manny Pacquaio in October!!!!!!
9:38 PM - 16 Apr 2013
Last edited:
I was just about to post that. I guess that means Marquez vs Bradley. Can't complain.
Maybe Rios vs Ruslan??
Maybe Rios vs Ruslan??
Props:
Coach E. No
VYACHESLAV SENCHENKO FRONTRUNNER TO FACE DEVON ALEXANDER ON MAY 18?
By Ben Thompson | April 17, 2013
Although the search is still officially on to find a replacement for mandatory challenger Kell Brook, who was forced to pull out of his scheduled May 18 showdown with IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander due to a foot injury, multiple sources suggest that former WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko is the frontrunner to land the assignment. Senchenko is coming off of a career-defining 9th round knockout of England's biggest boxing star, Ricky Hatton, who announced his retirement from the sport after the loss.
"There are a few names we are looking at. We were looking at Provodnikov but he is unavailable. We are looking at maybe Senchenko, maybe Shawn Porter, maybe Andre Berto. We are going to see what we can do," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer would recently reveal to Boxingscene's Ryan Burton. Considering that Andre Berto is slated to face Jesus Soto Karass on July 20 and Shawn Porter is already scheduled to fight Phil Lo Greco on the same May 18 card, Schaefer's comments confirm that Senchenko will likely be the man standing across the ring from Alexander on fight night.
With 33 wins (22 coming by way of knockout) and only 1 loss, Senchenko is a suitable replacement for the now oft-injured Brook. A former champion himself, the Ukranian knows how to make adjustments and exploit weaknesses inside the ring, as evidenced by his perfectly placed left hook to the liver that ended Hatton's career, and he has the experience to make the most out of a short training camp to prepare for the task at hand.
By Ben Thompson | April 17, 2013
Although the search is still officially on to find a replacement for mandatory challenger Kell Brook, who was forced to pull out of his scheduled May 18 showdown with IBF welterweight champion Devon Alexander due to a foot injury, multiple sources suggest that former WBA welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko is the frontrunner to land the assignment. Senchenko is coming off of a career-defining 9th round knockout of England's biggest boxing star, Ricky Hatton, who announced his retirement from the sport after the loss.
"There are a few names we are looking at. We were looking at Provodnikov but he is unavailable. We are looking at maybe Senchenko, maybe Shawn Porter, maybe Andre Berto. We are going to see what we can do," Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer would recently reveal to Boxingscene's Ryan Burton. Considering that Andre Berto is slated to face Jesus Soto Karass on July 20 and Shawn Porter is already scheduled to fight Phil Lo Greco on the same May 18 card, Schaefer's comments confirm that Senchenko will likely be the man standing across the ring from Alexander on fight night.
With 33 wins (22 coming by way of knockout) and only 1 loss, Senchenko is a suitable replacement for the now oft-injured Brook. A former champion himself, the Ukranian knows how to make adjustments and exploit weaknesses inside the ring, as evidenced by his perfectly placed left hook to the liver that ended Hatton's career, and he has the experience to make the most out of a short training camp to prepare for the task at hand.
GARY RUSSELL JR: "HOPEFULLY WE GET THE WINNER OF PONCE DE LEON AND ABNER MARES...TIME TO TAKE ONE OF THESE TITLES"
FR: Thanks for coming on the show. How are you doing Gary?
GR: Man, I'm doing pretty good, man.
FR: Congratulations on the victory over Gusev. It was your first time as a professional going 10 rounds. How did it feel?
GR: It felt okay. It wasn't unfamiliar territory. We are definitely prepared to go the long haul. We are ready. We do this in the gym. We were prepared to go 12 if necessary and we could have did 15 if we wanted to. But it was a new territory to the fans. Everyone was curious to see how I would perform if I was forced to go the entire duration of the fight and everything is good.
FR: I just wanted to clear this up, was it both hands broken or just one?
GR: No, it was just one. I had a fracture in my left hand and I think I hurt it in the 4th round, so I had to go the other 6 with just my right hand. So after the fight was over, because I had to work my right hand so much, it was swollen (laughing). It was crazy, but it comes with the territory. We are gladiators and we are warriors and I feel as though I am a complete fighter and I am willing to fight through any nagging injury or pain, and not just fight through it stupidly, but still be mentally sharp and maintain mental composure in the ring.
FR: You have a history of hand problems from your amateur days up till now. Is it because you are in a sport that really doesn't permit time to think and you have to react more that you can't go into your next fight thinking what if I hurt my hand again?
GR: Yeah! It's somewhat like that. Like I say, I'm 100% gladiator and when you are on that battlefield in war, if we were to look back in the old days when they were in war and they shooting bow and arrows and you get hit in the leg with an arrow, do you stop fighting? At some point, you just have to continue to fight through it because if not, we all know what's gonna happen to you on the battlefield. I'm the type of person that is willing to go through with it and to go through the pain and still have enough mental control to where I don't worry about my injury. Okay, my left hand is hurt now, so let's be smart about it and finesse our way through the situation. My left hand is hurt, so let me slow the pace down; let me start jabbing to his body to slow him down. So when injuries like this happen, it just heightens your awareness and makes you think on a different level with a good fighter. With most fighters, their hand is hurt, they get desperate and they don't know what to do; then you dealing with the fact that your opponent has realized that it's been 3 rounds and you haven't thrown a punch with the injured hand. And then they are thinking, "Is he trying to set me up or is it hurt?" So most cases, a smart corner will pick up on it like, "Okay, his hand is hurt. Start stepping to him and step to his left because his left hand is hurt and start pressing the action." We were 100% prepared for that if he was going to bring it because we are 100% smart. We are not just fighters. You gotta be smart in the ring. We ready, man. We hungry!
FR: What was the waiting period like for you to get the glove that tore cut off and then waiting on a new one, and mentally having to get back ready to fight after a good amount of time had passed?
GR: It was cool. I honestly didn't need a breather or anything because we prepare in the gym. I believe the glove split in the 7th round or so, but I hurt it in the 4th. He was coming in, so I would throw it out there to just show it to kind of give the illusion that I wasn't using my hand. But it was in so much pain, I couldn't shoot it at all. But it was crazy because I think in the 4th round, I threw a shot and I felt the entire padding in the glove shift to one side. It shifted all the way over to one side and I seen my shot was open and I threw an uppercut and it landed perfect, but it caught the guy on the forehead. And the padding shifted the way of where the punch landed, so when it landed, it was all knuckle and I felt it immediately and I was like, "Oh my God. Okay, now it's time to get focused and get sharp and make everything count." And two or three rounds after that, the glove split. I was like, "Ah man!" It's crazy because one of my younger brothers is talking about turning pro. He just won the US Championships. He actually won "The Outstanding Boxer" in the entire tournament. He fights at 123 pounds and he is talking about turning pro and I'm telling him, "Bruh, this is grown man business. There are certain things that you gotta be willing to work through. You gotta have mental toughness as well as physical." So I'm just trying to explain to him the stuff that I'm dealing with and trying to get him to use my situation as an example of what to prepare for in his professional career.
FR: You have a couple of brothers that are fighters, right?
GR: Exactly. I have 3 brothers that fight.
FR: You are scheduled to come back in July. What is the timetable that they gave you on your hand as far as being able to go back into full training?
GR: Yeah man, this thing is crazy. I fought March 2nd and we went to the doctor as soon as we got back and they say 6 to 8 weeks before I can do anything. But I'm still in the gym. I was back in the gym maybe…I came home Sunday, I was back in the gym Tuesday. We're still doing a lot of our cardio work, plyometrics and shadow boxing and stuff like that. I gotta keep my wheels turning. I'm the kind of person that if I'm not in the gym, something isn't right in my day. My day isn't complete. We got 6 to 8 weeks and it's a little irritating not to be able to do something because I see these guys sparring, I love the sport and love what I do, but when I see these guys in the gym sparring or hitting the bag, I get a little frustrated, but this is my career, this is how we live, and this is how my family eat and I gotta be willing to make necessary sacrifices to get back where I need to be.
FR: Are there any concerns on your part that there could be some lingering pain in the future when you do start cracking heads again or whatnot; are you worried about that at all?
GR: No, I'm not worried about that at all. Like I said, all of that is irrelevant. It's my job to prepare to the best of my ability and give it 100% of what I do have when I am in the ring. We definitely have a method. I had hand injuries when I was in the amateurs and the method has been working for the past 4 fights. Honestly, I think it's just basically the faulty gloves. The gloves felt good. They felt like they would give me the necessary support that I needed, but it was definitely just the gloves. We chose a different style of gloves than we would normally use. We competed in something different. I liked the feel of it, but apparently it wasn't the gloves for us. It's definitely not a concern. I have 100% belief in our abilities to make the adjustments in the training camp and stuff like that to maintain the healthiness of my hands.
FR: You mentioned the gloves, so I assume for your next fight, you will be using a different brand (laughing)?
GR: (Laughing) Honestly, as weird as this sounds, I would actually wear that glove again. We actually sat down and spoke to the owner of the company of the gloves and come to find out those gloves wasn't even supposed to be given to a fighter.
FR: Wow!
GR: Exactly. Those gloves weren't even supposed to be given to a fighter. It was more of a prototype; a glove to look at, but not given to a fighter. We chose the glove and we didn't know they weren't supposed to be given to a fighter and we used it. They actually are making a better glove and the actual glove that's supposed to be given to fighters and I honestly like the support it gave me. It gave me the support that I needed (laughing) up until it broke. So the only reason that happened is because it was a prototypical glove that wasn't supposed to be passed out. So I'm not sure (laughing).
FR: How did they make that mistake? Somebody's job is going to be on the line for making that mistake. Who was the company?
GR: I'm definitely not throwing anyone under the bus (laughing), so that's not gonna happen. I'm not gonna throw anyone under the bus. We have a wonderful working relationship. Everyone makes mistakes. A lot of people tend to say, "You should do this or that," but in life, we all make mistakes once again. It wasn't even the company's fault because the company wasn't given it to them to give to the fighter. It was actually someone there that decided to give me these gloves. It's a lot of stuff behind it.
FR: Thanks for coming on the show. How are you doing Gary?
GR: Man, I'm doing pretty good, man.
FR: Congratulations on the victory over Gusev. It was your first time as a professional going 10 rounds. How did it feel?
GR: It felt okay. It wasn't unfamiliar territory. We are definitely prepared to go the long haul. We are ready. We do this in the gym. We were prepared to go 12 if necessary and we could have did 15 if we wanted to. But it was a new territory to the fans. Everyone was curious to see how I would perform if I was forced to go the entire duration of the fight and everything is good.
FR: I just wanted to clear this up, was it both hands broken or just one?
GR: No, it was just one. I had a fracture in my left hand and I think I hurt it in the 4th round, so I had to go the other 6 with just my right hand. So after the fight was over, because I had to work my right hand so much, it was swollen (laughing). It was crazy, but it comes with the territory. We are gladiators and we are warriors and I feel as though I am a complete fighter and I am willing to fight through any nagging injury or pain, and not just fight through it stupidly, but still be mentally sharp and maintain mental composure in the ring.
FR: You have a history of hand problems from your amateur days up till now. Is it because you are in a sport that really doesn't permit time to think and you have to react more that you can't go into your next fight thinking what if I hurt my hand again?
GR: Yeah! It's somewhat like that. Like I say, I'm 100% gladiator and when you are on that battlefield in war, if we were to look back in the old days when they were in war and they shooting bow and arrows and you get hit in the leg with an arrow, do you stop fighting? At some point, you just have to continue to fight through it because if not, we all know what's gonna happen to you on the battlefield. I'm the type of person that is willing to go through with it and to go through the pain and still have enough mental control to where I don't worry about my injury. Okay, my left hand is hurt now, so let's be smart about it and finesse our way through the situation. My left hand is hurt, so let me slow the pace down; let me start jabbing to his body to slow him down. So when injuries like this happen, it just heightens your awareness and makes you think on a different level with a good fighter. With most fighters, their hand is hurt, they get desperate and they don't know what to do; then you dealing with the fact that your opponent has realized that it's been 3 rounds and you haven't thrown a punch with the injured hand. And then they are thinking, "Is he trying to set me up or is it hurt?" So most cases, a smart corner will pick up on it like, "Okay, his hand is hurt. Start stepping to him and step to his left because his left hand is hurt and start pressing the action." We were 100% prepared for that if he was going to bring it because we are 100% smart. We are not just fighters. You gotta be smart in the ring. We ready, man. We hungry!
FR: What was the waiting period like for you to get the glove that tore cut off and then waiting on a new one, and mentally having to get back ready to fight after a good amount of time had passed?
GR: It was cool. I honestly didn't need a breather or anything because we prepare in the gym. I believe the glove split in the 7th round or so, but I hurt it in the 4th. He was coming in, so I would throw it out there to just show it to kind of give the illusion that I wasn't using my hand. But it was in so much pain, I couldn't shoot it at all. But it was crazy because I think in the 4th round, I threw a shot and I felt the entire padding in the glove shift to one side. It shifted all the way over to one side and I seen my shot was open and I threw an uppercut and it landed perfect, but it caught the guy on the forehead. And the padding shifted the way of where the punch landed, so when it landed, it was all knuckle and I felt it immediately and I was like, "Oh my God. Okay, now it's time to get focused and get sharp and make everything count." And two or three rounds after that, the glove split. I was like, "Ah man!" It's crazy because one of my younger brothers is talking about turning pro. He just won the US Championships. He actually won "The Outstanding Boxer" in the entire tournament. He fights at 123 pounds and he is talking about turning pro and I'm telling him, "Bruh, this is grown man business. There are certain things that you gotta be willing to work through. You gotta have mental toughness as well as physical." So I'm just trying to explain to him the stuff that I'm dealing with and trying to get him to use my situation as an example of what to prepare for in his professional career.
FR: You have a couple of brothers that are fighters, right?
GR: Exactly. I have 3 brothers that fight.
FR: You are scheduled to come back in July. What is the timetable that they gave you on your hand as far as being able to go back into full training?
GR: Yeah man, this thing is crazy. I fought March 2nd and we went to the doctor as soon as we got back and they say 6 to 8 weeks before I can do anything. But I'm still in the gym. I was back in the gym maybe…I came home Sunday, I was back in the gym Tuesday. We're still doing a lot of our cardio work, plyometrics and shadow boxing and stuff like that. I gotta keep my wheels turning. I'm the kind of person that if I'm not in the gym, something isn't right in my day. My day isn't complete. We got 6 to 8 weeks and it's a little irritating not to be able to do something because I see these guys sparring, I love the sport and love what I do, but when I see these guys in the gym sparring or hitting the bag, I get a little frustrated, but this is my career, this is how we live, and this is how my family eat and I gotta be willing to make necessary sacrifices to get back where I need to be.
FR: Are there any concerns on your part that there could be some lingering pain in the future when you do start cracking heads again or whatnot; are you worried about that at all?
GR: No, I'm not worried about that at all. Like I said, all of that is irrelevant. It's my job to prepare to the best of my ability and give it 100% of what I do have when I am in the ring. We definitely have a method. I had hand injuries when I was in the amateurs and the method has been working for the past 4 fights. Honestly, I think it's just basically the faulty gloves. The gloves felt good. They felt like they would give me the necessary support that I needed, but it was definitely just the gloves. We chose a different style of gloves than we would normally use. We competed in something different. I liked the feel of it, but apparently it wasn't the gloves for us. It's definitely not a concern. I have 100% belief in our abilities to make the adjustments in the training camp and stuff like that to maintain the healthiness of my hands.
FR: You mentioned the gloves, so I assume for your next fight, you will be using a different brand (laughing)?
GR: (Laughing) Honestly, as weird as this sounds, I would actually wear that glove again. We actually sat down and spoke to the owner of the company of the gloves and come to find out those gloves wasn't even supposed to be given to a fighter.
FR: Wow!
GR: Exactly. Those gloves weren't even supposed to be given to a fighter. It was more of a prototype; a glove to look at, but not given to a fighter. We chose the glove and we didn't know they weren't supposed to be given to a fighter and we used it. They actually are making a better glove and the actual glove that's supposed to be given to fighters and I honestly like the support it gave me. It gave me the support that I needed (laughing) up until it broke. So the only reason that happened is because it was a prototypical glove that wasn't supposed to be passed out. So I'm not sure (laughing).
FR: How did they make that mistake? Somebody's job is going to be on the line for making that mistake. Who was the company?
GR: I'm definitely not throwing anyone under the bus (laughing), so that's not gonna happen. I'm not gonna throw anyone under the bus. We have a wonderful working relationship. Everyone makes mistakes. A lot of people tend to say, "You should do this or that," but in life, we all make mistakes once again. It wasn't even the company's fault because the company wasn't given it to them to give to the fighter. It was actually someone there that decided to give me these gloves. It's a lot of stuff behind it.
Props:
JLMACN
Well Broner is moving up to 147 so it makes sense. Typically guys spar with guys a weight class or two above. For example Golovkin spars with light heavyweights from time to time.
Props:
IronLungs420
Its been floating around on a few forums and a radio station. Could be some truth. I posted a rumor of Chad Dawson getting KOd by Edison Miranda before the Ward fight. Dawson's camp denied it. But after the fight they later admitted it was true, including Chad's then trainer Iceman John Scully.
Props:
IronLungs420
Good news, remember this name. Ryota Murata is turning pro. He won Gold at middleweight at the last Olympics. He's a big 6'0 Japanese middleweight with power. He's going to be a really good fighter, he already had a pro style. Potential star.
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Props:
JLMACN and Rumpelstiltskin