What do you think of him? IMO he was pretty talented, he had good movements, very good skills, good and fast combinations, respectable power, etc., his pro- career (he was a very good amateur) was a bit disappointing, but his problem, like so many have, was that he was so lazy, could he have been a chap or so in your opinion if he would have trained very hard?
Clay-Bey started a trend of the over weight and lazy USA amateur heavyweights in the Olympics. At his best Clay-Bey was a good boxer, but he didn't have enough power to hurt or keep Clifford Etienne of him. If you lose a decsion to Etienne, you not that good. If Cley Bey lost 20 pounds, maybe he could have been a poor man's Chris Byrd. I don't think Clay-Bey had enough going for him to win an alphabet title.
Lawrence first said after the Olypics that he had no interests in turning pro.. Until.. "Matt Tinley " and his promotional company America Presents signed a bunch of Heavys in 1996.. Dokiwari, Barrett, Tua , Tyson, Wolfgram, Clay Bay and Whittaker .. He was very good technician but for a strong ex army sergeant he wasn't all that disciplined.. He fought a lot of second rate heavys yet on his highest profile night he came within an ace of battering Cliff Ettienne on a massive show in Las Vegas.. It was just Lawrences stubborn set ways that allowed the jail bird to get the edge and ruin what could have been a career defining win.. Ice John Skully took over the healm of his training and got him back on track but he eventually lost a couple more times and slipped towards retirement.. He was one of the best heavyweights that i ever saw by way of sheer ability .. He had fast Dokes type hand speeds ... He sadly never realised his complete potential.. A very good trainer i always reckoned, he would make a great motivator.. He always trained very hard but his poor diet let him down just like it eventually did Bowe.....
