Excellent! As someone who has sparred with modern pros, whats your take on old time greats? How do you think guys like Robinson, Louis, and Marciano would do with modern fighters?
Ali Holmes Hopkins McCall Jeff Mayweather I saw Tyson, Lewis and Briggs at Ali's funeral, but didn't meet them.
Absolutely love them. I am both a fan and historian of the game. What made me such a unique sparring partner for everyone that I have trained with and helped out is the fact, I could somewhat mimic other boxer's styles to an accurate degree, and I can fight both Orthodox and Southpaw. Boxers for me brought different tools to the table of how to train and how to actually box as a whole. Same with adapting too, if I miss with my leading hook similar to Fraziers', I adjust and turn as Gatti would to the body. There is a grit and determination that I feel that has adapted and matured over the years, even since the early to late 2000s for my active involvement. There is something that can be learned from any boxer at any time period, whether it is the physical or phycological aspect of the boxing game. I feel proud that when boxers had training camp at my gym, they actually would go to me to discuss game plans and strategy because of the array of knowledge that comes from me studying different fighters and styles and knowing the pros and cons to different situations. I was that analyzer of the gym, the "Ohh we are fighting this guy? Ok, I'll solve the puzzle." (Watches a **** ton of fight film of opponent and own boxers last footage) comes back with gameplan on how to out score or set up for knockout. "So and so drops lead after throwing jab and leaves body open for hooks. And they cant fight going to their lead hand, guide from there." type stuff. So far, everyone that I have been involved with a training camp with, whether it was amateur or pro, won their fight. So that's a plus. In regards to old time greats vs modern fighters, it is honestly depending who is facing who, some pioneers to me could out grit a lot of modern fighters and endurance wise, but modern fighters offer a more refined and adapted approach that you can tell what era some one is from just from how they set up and jab or work off combinations. Some boxers nowadays are just big and natural, there is a footwork and style change that big men have gotten which is different from the roughly average 6'2" heavyweight champions of old compared to the 6'6", 240+ boxers of today. It is fascinating and very much why I love the sport so much.
Forgetting some. At 135 I also met Davey Day, Greg Haugen and Vinny Paz. At jr. lightweight I met Boza Edwards, Rocky Lockridge, Brian Mitchell, Ruben Castillo and Tony Lopez.
Yep, that's the one. Good memory. I was out in Vegas for a fight. (I think it was Tyson-Bruno II). He was working security at Club Rio. I recognized him, and he and I hit it off. After he got off work, he and I went to a gentleman's club called "Club Paradise." It turns out that his wife was a dancer there. As we kept putting more drinks down, he told me I should get a lap dance from his wife. The drunker he got, the more insistent he was about me getting that dance. When I finally got the dance from her, Tim had passed out cold next to me. When he came to, he had a look on his face like he couldn't remember who I was. (And, his wife was grinding on my lap, topless). I thought he was going to freak out and kick my ass. Luckily, it came to him who I was, and we parted friends (circa 5:30 in the morning). All in all, he was a really nice guy. And, for the record, his wife was gorgeous.
Shook Mike Tysons hand when I went to staples to watch Areola vs Vitali Klit, used to train and spar with Ashanti Jordan and Max Becerra, and I met “The Terminator” Terry Davis when I was a kid...that’s about it
Joe Calzaghe Tyson Fury Hughie Fury Oscar De La Hoya Billy Joe Saunders Matt Macklin Jamie Moore Dereck Chisora Paulie Malignaggi Anthony Crolla Ricky Burns Enzo Maccaranelli Johnny Nelson Ryan Rhodes Wayne Alexander Jamie Mcdonnell Martin Murray Nathan Cleverly Rocky Fielding Scotty Cardle Mitchell Smith Wadi Camacho Campbell Hatton Spike O'Sullivan Anthony O'gogo Romeo Romeao Oliver Harrison Adam Booth Paddy Fitzpatrick Not fighters but I've also come across Eddie Hearn, Barry Hearn, Colin Hart and Frank Warren.
At the lighter weights I have met Raul Rojas, Ruben Olivares, Bobby Chacon, Danny Lopez, Israel Vasquez, Barry McGuigan, Kennedy McKinney, Rafael Herrera, Lupe Pintor, Miguel Canto, Jeff Chandler, Frankie Duarte, Albert Davila, Jeff Fenech, Danny Valdez, Chiquita Gonzalez, Johnny Tapia, Paul Banke, Wayne McCullough and Jesus Pimental.
Many ... including: Sugar Ray Leonard George Foreman Buster Douglas Hasim Rahman Andrew Golota Oliver McCall Fres Oquendo Bruce Seldon Lamon Brewster Bermane Stiverne Dannell Nicholson Ray Austin Calvin Brock Mariusz Wach Tomasz Adamek Monte Barrett Kevin McBride Audley Harrison Axel Schulz Derrick Jefferson Lawrence Clay-Bey Przemyslaw Saleta Vasili Jirov Andy Lee Fernando Vargas Ricardo Mayorga Javier Castillejo Sergio Mora Zab Judah Milton McCrory Lucas Matthysse Michele Piccirillo Devin Alexander David Diaz Juan Lazcano Kendall Holt Luis Collazo Angel Manfredy Sechew Powell Johnny Tapia Rocky Juarez Humberto Soto Rafael Ruelas Kevin Kelley Jesus Chavez Omar Henry Non-fighters: Don King Jose Sulaiman Emannuel Steward Lou Duva Jim Lampley Larry Merchant Jimmy Lennon Jr. Teddy Atlas Kathy Duva
