Naazim Richardson: "I don’t think Pacquiao can beat Marquez. I picked Marquez in all 3 fights and I thought he won all 3!"
By Jenna Jay, OnTheRopes Boxing Radio, Doghouse Boxing (Oct 8, 2012) Doghouse Boxing
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Naazim Richardson
Click to listen to On The Ropes # 178 in its entirety now!
In recent weeks I have had the pleasure of having top boxing trainer Naazim Richardson join me on my ‘On The Ropes’ boxing radio show for exclusive interviews. On my latest edition Naazim discussed some of boxing’s biggest topics, giving his view on Sergio Martinez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the final round of that fight, why he believed Sergio fought the way he did and his views on Andre Ward’s future. He also spoke out on why he believes Pacquiao chose a fourth Marquez bout, Amir Khan's switch of trainers from Freddie Roach to Virgil Hunter, and his thoughts on the best way to bring young fighters along. Here is what Naazim had to say. Read on, but don't forget to listen to the full show by clicking the icon embedded on this page. Enjoy!
Jenna Jay: Naazim, the last time we saw you in the ring was working the corner of Sergio Martinez in his title bout about Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. What brought you to be in that position that night?
Naazim Richardson: Well you know. It was no real big surprise with Naz, I work with fighters, and Sergio we had talked a few times, and they asked if I would assist him on a few things, you know I had no problem, Sergio is a kind of fighter that I am a fan of as well, so you know I had no problem helping this guy out anyway I could. He is an outstanding athlete. I told him this fight could be very similar, to a bigger but a less experienced Chavez against a bigger stronger Meldrick Taylor, and it almost came down to that, it went to the wire.
Jenna: You mention it went down to the wire. What did you think of the 12th round?
Naazim: If Chavez were to go out like that lets in the 7th round, come the 8th round, and Martinez would of survived, Sergio would of knocked him out!
Jenna: Why do you think Sergio fought the way he did in that round?
Naazim: I got a fighter, if any of his losses, would have been on television, he would be a star, if Steve Cunningham’s losses had been on national TV or a major network, he would be a super star. Because he gets up and tries to rumble, he ain’t going to just get up, he is going to get up and try to win. I asked Sergio Martinez, why didn't you hold when you went down, and he said everybody else would of held, because every other fight would of did that. He said 'I showed them I am not like every other fighter', I said 'okay, well you put the whole team on your back, and rolled the dice as far as the table, but it paned out for you'. But I understand his point, and I think the (Chad) Dawson fight directly affected Sergio, he just watches these young fighters quit, and he said 'I ain’t like that'. We’re not cut from that cloth.
Jenna: Naazim, the last time I had you on, you said we have not seen the best of Andre Ward. Now after such a dominate performance over Chad Dawson, do you think we have seen it?
Naazim: Now the problem with Andre Ward is going to be finding up match ups. A match up to see the best of him, what you might see is, you might see Ward’s fight looking like a bully, you know with some of these fights to come, you know they may have to manufacture motivation, for the public for the people to be really interested, because Ward is a class, he is a high level class, and it’s hard for one guy to face a throwback, when the other guy he is fighting is probably a throwback. Ward is cut from another cloth, he is cut from that older school, he is cut from the Bernard Hopkins, Hagler era, he is really cut from that throwback era.
Jenna: Naazim in recent weeks it was announced that Manny Pacquiao has decided to have a fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, instead of a rematch with Tim Bradley. Why do you think he choose what most believe will be a tougher fight to win?
Naazim: Sometimes when you are as religious as Pacquiao is, sometimes you almost feel like what goes around comes around and that might be the reason he wants to clear the Marquez slate, for certain and for sure. Pacquiao might be saying to himself if we can get this thing right, and clearly win or Marquez finally gets his decision then maybe things will be set right with me and Tim Bradley. That’s some personal stuff, it’s about a man reaching a point in his career where he can do the things that he wants to do. I always tell young people we do what we have to do until we can do what we want to do, and Pacquiao is at a place he can do what he wants to do, and maybe he and his team want a clean W over Marquez.
Jenna: Who do you think wins a Pacquiao vs Marquez IV bout?
Naazim: I don’t think Pacquaio can beat Marquez. I picked Marquez in all 3 fights, I though he won all 3 fights! The fight that he got knock down 3 times in the first round, I thought he got up and won every single round after that knock down. I though he won every round after that. I remember watching that fight, actually getting a piece of paper, and scoring by round by round, and though he won every single round.
Jenna: Amir Khan, who use to work with Manny Pacquiao, has now officially changed trainers and will now be working with Virgil Hunter. Do you think that will be a good move?
Naazim: Anyone who works with Virgil is a good move, Virgil is a highly competent trainer, he is a good human being who just happens to know boxing very well, so I hope that pans out for Amir Khan. I think the young kid still has a lot to offer, he also has all the attributes himself for being a throwback fighter himself, because he will do everything you ask of him, fight anybody, take fights, he’s taken fights he didn’t have too, because of his high profile status in England, he can go over there, and be just a super star. I think he will fine., I think he is in great hands with Virgil Hunter
Jenna: Naazim, being that you have worked with some much young talent, what do you think is the best way to move a fighter along?
Naazim: I like guys who take that slow progression into moving into top contention. You take guy like Ward who can take leaps and bounds, and he could do steps, you know what I mean. It’s when you move a guy too fast sometimes, because they have the talent. Some of these kids they have the talent, there are kids out there that are talented enough where you could probably throw them out there, and they can probably beat one of the champions right now, but than what? You know what I mean. I always considered Jermain Taylor an exceptional talent, but if you move him to quick enough, its like taking out a tv dinner out the oven to early, its all brown out in the edges, but if you stick you fork in the middle, its still frozen, because it’s still not done yet. Let’s walk the walk..
