Name the fighters you have met face to face

he sounds like a right dickhead.

People should share some more anecdotes or tell of what the boxers were like, reading a list is a little dull.

 

I'll see if I can think of some stories later, but off the top of my head:

Mark Breland
Larry Holmes
Evander Holyfield
Pinklon Thomas
Roberto Duran
Roy Jones Jr.
Oscar de la Hoya
The late John Tate
Paul Hodkinson
Johnny Nelson
Angelo Dundee (obviously not a boxer, but I'm just sayin')
Renaldo Snipes
Byron Mitchell
Hector Camacho

That's not a full list but some of the high points that come to mind. And that's ones I've met, not just seen fight

 

I met naz b4 but i was only bout 12 and he was cool he had a laugh wit my dad signed a couple of autos and got in his jeep and was off,have also met hatton,mayweather,oscar,bruno,and the 2008 olympic squad.

 

After over 30 years in and around boxing I have met many may boxers past & present plus trainers managers promoters etc. Almost all of the folk were great really sociable and friendly. I have many friends in the game.
The only person I can remember being a butthead was Riddick Bowe. He was at a black tie affair on Veterans day a few yrs ago as one of the guests of honor. I asked him to sign the fightcard for a young paraplegic friend of mine, he didnt carry any pictures. He had the gall to ask for $10 just to sign his name, I told him not to bother my friend already had Lennox Lewis's autograph. He just walked off
That was just before he joined the marines for a few days ROFL all he did was hang out with the marine color guard ignoring boxing fans atsch

 

And you can back up most of my previous claims on this thread, as you were there for most of them.... like Bruno telling the guy to chill!.... or more specifically 'Chill boss, ALRIGHT, just chill!'

 

Bowe sounds like a right dick!

 

Floyd Patterson, Joey Giardello, Carmen Basilio, Jerry Quarry, Frankie De Paula, Gene Fullmer, Emile Griffith, Muhammad Ali, Rocky Graziano, Jake Lamatta, Jerry Cooney, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, Bobby Halperin, Aaron Prior, Carlos Ortiz, Joey Maxim, Angello DeFendis, Hardy Smallwood.

 

Paulie Malignaggi - coolest dude in the world
Chris Byrd
Zab Judah - entourage didnt want me to take a pic but zab was nice
Joachim Alcine
Demetrius Hopkins
Glen Johnson
Jean Pascal - really cool guy
Buddy McGirt

 

I have met Kostya tsuyu quite a few times and have signed gloves.

 

I just came from an event that Jack Loew hosted. Walked by Billy Lyell if that counts. Was maybe 15 feet away from Kelly Pavlik as he coached/cheered on a kid that is maybe 13? Popo Salinas. Talk about an unfair advantage. Not only did Salinas have his own VERY LOUD cheering section, he had the MW champ of the world giving him advice. It was really nice to see Kelly involved that much with the youngster.

 

:rofl:rofl:good Good stuff Chef, show them whos the boss

 

Mosley Mundine Tszyu

I've been pretty fortunate in the short time I've liked boxing I think.

 

I didn't see you put barrett but I spoke to Barrett over the phone. The place that talks about boxing set it up.

He was very nice. I talked to him about his upcoming fight. Was quite nervous. My interaction with an actual bigger than regular boxing guy. He was very nice, answered all my questions and stayed on the phone longer then he had to.

 

Paulie does seem like he would be a cool dude. I wish him the best of luck with the rest of his career.

 

To prelude this, i used to work in times square selling tickets for a comedy show. Ive met thousands of normal people, a few celebrities, but my favorite are the boxers. My encounters were short, but we were able to talk for a tiny bit as they walked and i followed. Most conversations first started with me trying to pitch them tickets, business first, then some small talk.

Bert Sugar - talked to him on his way to a boxing event at the bb king lounge in Times Square, he was pretty nice. smiled, told me what he was doing then went about his business. not a boxer, i know but very cool to see in person. Actually had the cigar and ****.

Chazz Witherspoon - real nice guy. This was right before the fight with Arreola. I was able to stop him, chat with him about the comedy club, tried selling him, wouldnt have it. told him i boxed and we just chatted. talked about how he is studying pharmacy and stuff. took my number down to get me tickets for his arreola fight. never did. arreola thanked him for me, just kidding just kidding

Lou Savarese - this was actually a few years before i worked in the city. he used to go to a gym i went to in upstate, ny. I remember watching him school an amateur heavyweight in some light sparring. it was so interesting to see how, even at his older age and though he wasnt THE BEST heavyweight, he was still a CONTENDER and as a CONTENDER had so much more skill than an amateur. it was fun to watch. He asked me to help him put his glove on. Huge hands, bigggg guy.

Leonard Ellerbe - Met him in Footlocker in Times Square before Mayweathers stint on the WWF. Mayweather had about 7 body guards around him who wouldnt allow me to take pictures or anything, so when i pulled my camera phone down, one big dude just kinda put the flippy **** back down for me. So i went over to the shoe rack and chatted with Ellerbe. I remember saying "I like Mayweather, he seems like if he does the right thing and keeps winning, he can put boxing back. He can be the next de la hoya" and Ellerbe responds with something to the effect of " hes not gonna be the next oscar de la hoya. hes gonna be the next floyd mayweather. hes the best" just promoting his boy at all times. gotta respect it.

zab judah - met him inside espn zone after his press conference with sugar shane mosley for their later cancelled fight. To this day, Judah is the only one i have a picture with. He was cool, all i had was my cell phone camera and i asked if that was alright and he was said yea and let one of his friends take the picture. Cool guy. I actually asked him something about cotto, completely forgetting he lost. but i wished him luck against mosley and he was cool about everything.

shane mosley - this guy was the coolest guy. he came out of ESPN Zone and i was waiting and ****, and then he started signing autographs. So he comes out and im watching. Hes with his dad and what not. I walk past the crowd that gathered and up to him and i asked him if he liked stand up comedy, to open my pitch. now usually, even "normal" people completely ignore me, hundreds, all day. imagine a celebrity? well anyway, Mosley actually turned around, said yea, and let me pitch him. his bodyguard was trying to tell me to leave but mosley said it was cool, listened, didnt buy of course and i wasnt handing anything out free, and got in his car and drove off. but ill always remember him for being so nice even with the entourage around and in a hurry, he took the time out to stop and talk, even if just for a moment. cool dude

as an added:

i used to be in times square, naturally i was around people from all around the world. I noticed, most people didnt know Mayweathers name (til after Hatton of course, and that was usually only the UK) brazilians all know Freitas' name, Welsh of course knew Calzaghe all the time, puerto ricans ALL knew Trinidad no matter what, of all though, the two fighters that everyone knew were Ali and Tyson. One representing all that can be beautiful in the sport and the other the opposite. Im high so im rambling, the point of all taht was it was interesting to see how these guys had such affects on entire COUNTRIES. in america, we dont see that much these day.

i met a guy from great britain with a picture of a wasted hatton and himself