It’s always a pleasure and honor to to talk boxing with the Hall of Fame great Angelo Dundee. Here’s the latest observations from the one and only Angelo, read on as he talks about Sam Peter, Jones-Tarver III, Ricky Hatton, Corrales-Castillo, Tyson and much more:

August 2005

Boxinginsider.com: How did the movie turn out (Angelo was a consultant for Cinderella Man, the life story of James J. Braddock which was released earlier this summer)?

Angelo Dundee: “Oh, I had a ball. I spent a month in Australia, three months in Toronto. I had a great time. I never met such fine people in my life. Russell Crowe was a sweetheart, a family guy, a real class act. Ron Howard – I can’t say enough about. All the guys in the movies – I respect them. They work hard, they get up at 5 o’clock in the morning everyday, work all day. Kind of like the fighter’s life. They grind.”

Boxinginsider.com: Did you enjoy the film when you saw it the first time?

Angelo Dundee: “I cried. I seen it three times, cried three times. I had a great time. I really enjoyed myself working with such talent. Russell asked me one day, Want to be in the movie? I can try. That’s how I got in there.”

Boxinginsider.com: Hopkins vs. Taylor, what did you think of that fight, how it turned out?

Angelo Dundee: “I gave Taylor a real shot to win, on account of his awkwardness, his plodding jab. It was a close fight, naturally. I wasn’t surprised, it’ll be that kind of fight again, if they go. He’ll be even better next time – having that crown on your head makes you a better fighter. I’m very respectful of Hopkins. My kid David Estrada worked with him once. (Hopkins) don’t do a number on the guys he works with. My kid learned from Bernard Hopkins. He’s a very nice guy. I see him all the time when he comes down here.”

Boxinginsider.com: Very close fight, who did you think won?

Angelo Dundee: “I didn’t keep score. I’ll look at it again. Innately you don’t want to root. I knew he’d give him a good fight. Don’t know if he did enough to beat Hopkins. Wasn’t sure who won.”

Boxinginsider.com: I know you’re a big admirer of Kostya Tszyu so were you surprised about his fight with Ricky Hatton?

Angelo Dundee: “Amazed. Forget surprised, amazed [laughs]. It just shows you…Isn’t this a terrible life, that there’s always someone out there that can do a number on you? This kid Ricky Hatton just had Kostya Tszyu’s number. To me, Kostya Tszyu was pound-for-pound number one. Hatton had the strength, push and desire to offset Tszyu, because Tszyu is such a good technical fighter. He’s only a kid, that believes in himself, it was a great performance. He did everything to offset what Tszyu tried to do. I was suprised he controlled him physically. Ricky Hatton must be a very strong kid.”

Boxinginsider.com: Who can beat Hatton do you think?

Angelo Dundee: “I don’t know who’s gonna lick this kid.”

Boxinginsider.com: Floyd?

Angelo Dundee: “Oh man, Mayweather can offset so many people. He’s unbelievable. He fights to beat you.”

Boxinginsider.com: Tito Trinidad and Winky, did you see that? Winky pitched a no-hitter.

Angelo Dundee: “No hits, no errors [laughs].”

Boxinginsider.com: Were you surprised? I mean, he totally dominated a great fighter Tito Trinidad…

Angelo Dundee: “Nothing surprises me in boxing. It’s always interesting and intriguing. Each fight you learn a little more. I’m always watching fighters and trying to analyze, okay, what would I have my guy do to offset this guy.”

Boxinginsider.com: Corrales-Castillo, what a fight.

Angelo Dundee: “What an exciting fight. What a nice kid Corrales is, he came to the Hall of Fame. He looked out of it. He came back, one punch ended it, a hook.”

Boxinginsider.com: How do you see the rematch playing out?

Angelo Dundee: “Same kind of fight. Survival of the fittest. It’s that kind of fight.”

Boxinginsider.com: Should Corrales use a strategy next time that takes advantage of his four or five inch height advantage? I mean, shouldn’t he box and jab more from the outside?

Angelo Dundee: “Corrales likes to fight. It’s how he likes to fight [laughs]. It’ll be survival of the fittest, whoever gets the lucky shot in. He got it in last time. Who knows, maybe he has the style to beat Castillo ten times out of ten.”

Boxinginsider.com: Jones and Tarver will go at it for the third time…

Angelo Dundee: ‘Interesting, very interesting. I think Jones wants it. He can taste it. But maybe Jones isn’t with us anymore. We’ll find out soon enough. If he’s there he can beat Tarver. Being away maybe gave him the desire to get back. They miss it. The glow was taken away, the spotlight. They’re just another guy.”

Boxinginsider.com: What do you think of this power-punching Nigerian heavyweight prospect Samuel Peter? Did you see him?

Angelo Dundee: “I watch all the fights on TV. So I can keep up with you guys when you call [laughs]. I watch all the fights and I go to the gym twice a week. He’s looking awesome. But we’ll see. The heavyweight division is getting rejuvenated.”

Boxinginsider.com: Peter’s fighting Wladimir Klitschko, the younger brother in September in what will be a very interesting heavyweight showdown…

Angelo Dundee: “Klitschko can’t take a rap. Peter can punch like hell. He figures to hurt Klitschko. He folds real easy. Runs out of gas easy. It’s an interesting fight. Maybe it’ll show how far Peter’s going, he’s an awesome banger, steady. He feels like he’s the man, This is MY domain. He looks it too.”

Boxinginsider.com: Were you sad to see Tyson go out like he did?

Angelo Dundee: “He had a great life. He was a happy kid. He was explosive, exciting. He got people excited. He even got people excited about the last fight. They expected. But the explosion wasn’t there any more. The old movements, the old wiggle-waggle was gone.”

Boxinginsider.com: The fire was no longer there.

Angelo Dundee: “You can’t re-light it. Once it goes, it goes for good.”

April 15th, 2008 Mr. Dundee answers BoxingInsider.com readers’ questions…

Q – Angelo, pound for pound who is the best between Ray Leonard, Muhammad Ali, and Sugar Ray Robinson? You have trained two of them and I’m sure you’ve seen Robinson fight many times. And Angelo, if you had to fit Roy Jones into the pound for pound picture, where would you rank him?-Carl Sims

Angelo says: “Well you see, I explain it this way…You can’t connect anybody to Ali. Then you’re being unfair to people. Muhammad Ali changed the whole scenario. He was the first boxer to do all the talking in and out of the ring. Before Ali, the managers used to do the talking for the fighter. Ali changed all that. The first four years of Ali’s career, they thought I was a mute [laughs]! A lot of guys can fight in the ring but they can’t handle the stuff outside the ring. I think the newspaper guys made Ali sharp. Jimmy Cannon, Shirley Povich, all the great writers back then…they made Ali glib and sharp. He had to be…to deal with their questions. That’s why Muhammad Ali got better and better at it. He wasn’t that sharp as a kid. But he got much better as he went along.
I don’t like to do that (rate the all-time greats). It’s unfair. Each and every one of the boxers you named…they were the best of their time. The best. Hypothetically, Ray Robinson, how can you fault him? He was incredible. So was Jack Johnson.

Q – Do you think Roy Jones Jr. learned/gained heavyweight power in his fight with John Ruiz? -Robert Jackson

Angelo says: “Not really. He learned he can handle strength from a big guy. In other words, he offset him. I don’t think he looked to level him with his punches. If he tried to level him, he may have hurt his hands.

Q – Dear Mr.Dundee. I am currently preparing for my first amateur fight as a middleweight. in your opinion, what are the qualities of a successfull boxer? What does it take to become a champion? Dimitri from Greece

Angelo says: “I wish you luck in your first amateur boxing match! To be a champion, it takes so many qualities. You gotta persevere. You gotta train. You gotta abstain. You can’t be one of the bunch. You’ve got to really give it 100%. Just like in any profession. You graduate kindergarten, then grade school, then high school, you keep going up, up, up. Boxing is the same way. It’s a daily learning. When I go to the gyms now, I see some new things, some different things. It makes me feel good. The learning experience never stops.”

Q – Mr. Dundee. Suppose you had the chance to go back in time and train any great boxer of the past century (not just heavyweights) who would you choose and why? Thank you, George

Angelo says: “Willie Pep. ‘Cause I would have enjoyed myself every minute. Because he was such a great boxer. I had the fun experience of working with Eddie Machen. Sid Flaherty – his manager – asked me if I could give him a hand in his fight against Doug Jones in Miami Beach. After the 10th round, I gave him like a sermon, Let’s look good here, this round is important. And Machen says, Okay, Ang, I’ll try not to get knocked out! I enjoyed Eddie Machen. He had a great sense of humor.

Pep…oh I loved him. 1948…I had the pleasure of watching him in Madison Square Garden. The Sandy Saddler fights…such great fights. Pep had moves so smooth, such agility. Pep was like watching an artist. Like watching Fred Astaire dance. Pep was the kind of professional, he was kind to a lot of guys. He could have got them out of there. But he would go ten with a lot of guys. Those young kids would just try to knock him out and he’d absolutely frustrate them with his great boxing ability. He was beautiful to watch.”

Q – Greetings Mr. Dundee, it’s a great honor to have the chance for you to answer my question. Here it is: As a long-time boxing fan, I often wonder how Muhammad Ali would have fared against some of the other great heavyweights, particularly Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, and Larry Holmes (had the two fought when both were in their prime). With the exception of Holmes, I think Ali would have dominated them all. He would have beaten Holmes but it would have been a tough, close fight. What do you think? Thanks so much, Tim Begany, Trumansburg, NY

Angelo Says: “Scoop you’ll like how I handle this [smiles]…he would have beat that style. But I’ll never say it about a fight. Rocky Marciano won the computer fight with Ali in America but lost in England. Machines make mistakes. So what does that tell you? I think Ali could play with Tyson’s style. He could keep him in the center of the ring, keep him turning and slap that style all over the ring. I don’t like to compare person to person. But style to style…you can get away with that.

There’s talk of adding a new super heavyweight division. I don’t see it. I think this era of big guys will pass on. Because they go into different fields of endeavor. After Lennox and the two (Klitschko) brothers, I think the heavyweight division will be back to normal, with normal size heavyweights. We have a ‘big’ evolution right now.”

Q – Dear Angelo, Can you please tell me anything about your former heavyweight Lee Canalito? I saw him fight once and I was very impressed….what happened?? Could he have been a top ten? I wanted to know the answer to these questions for a long time. Also, do you have a fansite? Thank you for your time. Jerry Giovinazzo, Tampa, FL

Angelo says: “What a nice kid that was. I felt bad. I screwed up. I made him go in a movie called Paradise Alley. He was 10-0, he was a genuine talent. I had him at the point, he just fought at Madison Square Garden. Sylvester Stallone called me up, (he said) I need a nice big kid for a movie. Lee could box for a big guy. I had fun with Lee. As a matter of fact, Lee just called me this week. We talked for a while. He has his gym in Texas. I felt he could have had a career as a heavyweight. He never lost. But he got in that Hollywood scene, did Paradise Alley. They wanted him to do a Tarzan movie but he couldn’t because he was too big.

(Could he have made Top 10?) Oh yeah. He was coming along. Like I say, it’s a different time today, guys are getting better and better. That kid we have Attila Levin won my KO (Saturday night) in Tampa. He just got back from a shoulder operation for bone spurs. He’s coming along very well. He’s working really hard, training like a dog, he ready to go. He’s 27, 6-foot-5, 240 and he’s agile. He’s ready to shoot.”

(Note: Angelo does have a website, it’s www.angelodundeeinc.com.)

Q – How do you see the Toney-Jirov fight playing out? And do you think Klitschko can come back from that loss to Corrie Sanders? Can he be champion again? Yevgeny, Russia

Angelo says: “That’s a helluva fight. That’s a murderer’s fight. That Jirov is some banger. He’s a great, great body puncher. I’ve never seen a better body puncher than Jirov. Toney is fighting better than ever now. But it might be too late. He’s in great shape now. It’s going to be a sensational fight. Toney’s a great guy, he’s happy now. I saw him a lot, making the Ali movie. He was smiling for a change. He used to be a miserable guy. Now he’s much happier. I got along with him famously. We – me and Michael Olajide – choreographed him, we had to make Frazier. It was a lot of fun.

(How about can Wladimir Klitschko come back from his devastating loss to Corrie Sanders and be champion again?) “You could throw out the window most first-round knockout losses. If you go out cold, you’re not ready, it means you didn’t warm-up properly…if you get nailed in that first round, your body doesn’t react as well as if it’s warmed up. You had a guy like Emile Griffith (former Welterweight and Middleweight champion) knocked out in a round (by Ruben “Hurricane” Carter in 1963 at the age of 26). It never happened (to Griffith) again. It’s a lesson learned. It’s a tough lesson learned if you get hit on the chin like that. You know what the old axiom is: ‘Don’t take no fight cheap.’ I don’t know what actually happened there in Germany, I wasn’t there. I don’t know if he was warmed up properly. I don’t know if his mind was really on the fight, with all those anthems. I think he can comeback, yes. He didn’t get seriously hurt. He didn’t take no physical beating. He didn’t take no shellacking. He can comeback and be a wiser, smarter fighter.”

Another Interview I did with Angelo Dundee…

By Scoop Malinowski

He’s the elder statesman of boxing trainers…a living legend Hall of Famer…Angelo Dundee is always one of the most enlightening and enjoyable interviews in the sport. Here’s the exclusive latest word from one of the premier characters in boxing history:

Boxinginsider.com: you were in Australia as technical advisor for Russell Crowe in his upcoming movie “The Cinderella Man” about James J. Braddock. First time there?

Angelo Dundee: “No, I’ve been there before, with Jimmy Ellis-Frazier. I was there before that. I was there choreographing Russell. I have an assistant by the name of Wayne Gordon who does the day-to-day stuff. Wayne Gordon’s a former fighter of mine, so he’s a clone. He’s now the coach of the Olympic team. Russell Crowe is the nicest guy I ever met. The nicest. And he’s an athlete, easy to teach.”

Boxinginsider.com: Interesting that they’re making a movie about Braddock.

Angelo Dundee: “I think it’s wonderful. It’s such a great story line. I can see Russell Crowe having a ball with this one. Jim J. Braddock was a guy that was going nowhere, he was fighting for the food on the table, was on welfare, he used to work on the docks. that kind of guy. And he won the heavyweight championship. And his wife is gonna be played by Renee Zellwegger. Russell Crowe is the kind of guy – I went up to his farm, he’s got a big ranch up there, his mother and father are up there. He’s got an Olympic size pool on the property. He’s got a chapel on the property that he married his wife in. Beautiful place. we flew up there two times. I was there a month – Christmas and I was over at new Years.”

Boxinginsider.com: he must be a big fight fan?

Angelo Dundee: “yes. He’s very buddy buddy with Kostya Tszyu. And, in fact, I went to Anthony Mundine’s gym there. And I watched. First time I ever saw Kostya Tszyu train. I never saw a guy train like he trains. For two-and-a-half hours he trains…and then he spars. He’s fantastic. he works out at a clip I never saw guys do…bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing…jumping rope, hitting the bag…boom, boom, boom, boom. And he has a little kid beside him, hitting the bag too. He’s something. I didn’t realize what a hard worker Kostya Tszyu was. then the next thing I know was he hurt his shoulder. you know what’s ironic? you know who else hurt his shoulder? Russell Crowe. he did. he missed the punch working out with Wayne Gordon. Wayne slipped (Crowe’s punch)…I said, next time, stop slipping! he had arthroscopic surgery. Gonna be okay. He’s gonna come to Toronto on the 21st. And I’ll be there on the 21st.”

Boxinginsider.com: How do you see the Jones vs. Tarver rematch turning out?

Angelo Dundee: “Good fight. I think Jones’ll beat him better this time. he went down from heavyweight. Moving up and down in weight takes a lot out of you. Now he’ll be a light heavyweight, where he should be. Jones is a helluva fighter. my gosh, he’s got so many tools.”

Boxinginsider.com: What do you think of Emanuel Steward joining forces with the Klitschko brothers?

Angelo Dundee: “The Klitschko brothers are lucky. Emanuel Steward is a good trainer.”
Boxinginsider.com: Could he be the missing ingredient that takes them all the way? To “world domination?”

Angelo Dundee: “The guy’s been all the way already. he was on the way to become champion against Lennox Lewis. The fight shouldn’t have been stopped. But you know, that’s boxing sometimes. The cut wasn’t in a dangerous place. It wasn’t bleeding into the eye. The younger brother, in my mind, is the better fighter. He’s got so many tools. he throws straighter punches. especially that left hand. he must be a converted southpaw.”

Boxinginsider.com: Do you think, mentally, he’ll get over that KO loss to Corrie Sanders?

Angelo Dundee: “oh yeah, he’ll get over that. It was a surprise KO. But don’t forget about that guy Sanders. He’s for real. He’s always been a real good fighter. Tremendous puncher. He’s that kind of a banger. And he’s a southpaw. Southpaws do funny things.”

Boxinginsider.com: Hopkins vs. de La Hoya looks like it’s finally made for September.

Angelo Dundee: “That’s gonna be the fight. they should just on and fight each other next. Because anything can happen. you never think ahead. Something, anything could go wrong. they should just fight each other next.”

Boxinginsider.com: Golota vs. Byrd looks like it could be a very interesting battle. who do you see winning?

Angelo Dundee: “The style Golota fights is terrible for Byrd. Aggressive. Rough. He’s gonna give Byrd ulcers. He’ll take that trickiness of Byrd away with ruggedness. I don’t think Byrd hits hard enough to hold him off. It’s gonna be like he’s throwing pineapples at Golota. Gonna be interesting. Who’s training Golota now?

Boxinginsider.com: Sam Colonna of the Windy City Gym in Chicago.

Angelo Dundee: “Sam Colonna – I know him a long time. I root for Sam, he’s a good guy. that Golota, he’s a lot of fun. he likes to have fun. he used to train down here in West Palm Beach. I used to run into him.”
Boxinginsider.com: Could be Golota’s last shot at the title. He’s 36.

Angelo Dundee: “I hope he makes it. then it’s like a dream come true.”

Boxinginsider.com: last question. who was a great fighter that you saw in your career, who couldn’t miss, but did miss, for whatever reason. Like, from your memory, who is the best fighter we, the public, never got to see?

Angelo Dundee: “Back in 1948, 49, 50. a kid from Utah or Kansas City was 40-0. I can’t remember his name. Hank Kaplan would. he was a real 40-0. In that era it was different. he was a real 40-0. they brought him to the Garden. And he got knocked out and that was the end of him. Took a beating, got flattened. by Tony Janeiro, I think. Kid couldn’t miss. he was 40-0. he was a rough, tough, good credentials, good lookin’ kid. Rough…and he wasn’t sloppy, he was smooth. And he got flattened. never fought again. Broke his heart. The guy had never got licked before. Boxing is the toughest profession you can get in. As a fighter, you got to be so careful. It’s like living in a glass house. if they see you walkin’ down the street with a chick, you’re a womanizer. if you have a Coke in a bar, he’s a boozer! Someome said to me, your fighter was seen coming out of the Eden Rock Hotel in Miami with a girl…I said, by the way, that’s his wife! you think it ain’t tough being Mike Tyson? It must be murder! Everything goes wrong.

Boxinginsider.com: He’s actually been a real gentleman since losing to Lewis. I saw him at the Klitschko fight and in Atlantic City for Hopkins-Joppy and Tyson was a perfect gentleman both nights, taking pictures, shaking hands, time for everybody.

Angelo Dundee: “That loss to Lewis made him a human being. he doesn’t want to fight anymore.”

Mike Schreck (Boxing Fan): “I met Ali on a promotion tour for his own brand of cologne. It was at Buckland Hills Mall in Manchester, CT in 1990. Muhammad was signing memorabilia at a table and when the line got to me, I said to him, ‘God Bless you champ.’ And at that, he stood up and motioned me to come around the table to him. Then he went into a boxing stance. As I did, my wife snapped a picture of us. It was a true highlight of my life. Muhammad Ali is a very gracious man.”

Bob Foster (Ali opponent and former Light Heavyweight champion): “I was on the same card at Caesars with Muhammad Ali. He fought Jerry Quarry and I was fighting his brother Mike Quarry (billed as “The Quarry Brothers vs. The Soul Brothers”). Before the fights that night, Ali bet me $1,000 that he could stop Jerry Quarry before I could stop Mike. I said, ‘I’ll take that bet.’ Because I knew Ali couldn’t punch that hard. And Jerry was tough. I ended up winning the bet. I knocked Mike Quarry out with one shot. And Ali paid me too. ‘Cause he knew if he didn’t, I’d have kicked his ass, right there in Caesars Palace!”

Marion Boykin (New York-based boxing TV show host): “I once traveled with Ali on a book tour many years back in New York City. I was glad to be included on the bus of writers and will always be beholden to super-writer, Tom Hauser for making sure I was there. Tom had helped Ali with a big photo book and a book of Ali quotations and thoughts. We were all a part of the push to get the books out there to Ali’s millions of fans. During the ride I spent most of the time in the back of the bus, wouldn’t you know it, with another great champion, Roy Jones Jr. It was fun as we went from school to school for ceremonies hyping the books. But the most interesting part of it was stopping at one high school and having a little lunch. Ali sat with my photographer, Terrence Nelson and I and we shot-the-breeze a bit. He was in the beginning strains of his coming battles with Parkinson’s but he was still very alert and quick. As we ate, the conversation got interesting…I happen to love magic and sleight-of-hand and so, of course, does Ali. He took out a little handkerchief and made it disappear and was quite proud of himself about it. But then I pulled out a few coins and made them go from this hand to that hand invisibly and he was blown away, I had absolutely floored the champ on what was perhaps just another routine day for him – or so he might’ve thought. He immediately asked me how I did that and I responded, ‘Champ, you know us magicians can’t reveal our secrets.’ He bent over and begged me closer, and as I did to hear what I thought would be a secret whisper between Magis, he grabbed me by by my collar, flashed that old Ali battle snarl and said, ‘I said…HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!’ He startled me at first, as I quickly thought I had become Joe Frazier or George Foreman to him but he immediately then flashed his big playful smile as he released me and said, ‘Man, that was a good one…You’re even faster than me.’”

Mrs. Deanna Dempsey (Wife of former Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey): “We met Muhammad Ali in San Juan, Puerto Rico after he beat Jean-Pierre Coopman in 1976. He was young and handsome and vital and so full of life. After the fight, as he was coming down the steps from the ring, Ali spotted Jack and he said, ‘Mr. Dempsey, can I call you Jack?’ Jack said, ‘Everybody calls me Jack.’ Then Muhammad said, Oh Jack, you were the greatest!’ And Jack said, ‘But Muhammad, I thought you always said YOU were the greatest?’ Ali said, ‘Jack. When I say I’m the greatest, it’s all bullshit!’”

Riddick Bowe (Former World Heavyweight champion): “Muhammad Ali is what enticed me to get into boxing. I liked his spirit and I liked his style. And I liked the way he spoke. See, what happened was, I was in junior high school – I was in 8th grade, I was 13 years old – and the reading teacher brought in a tape of Ali. And I just fell in love with Ali from that point on. I said, ‘I wanna be heavyweight champion of the world.’ And in about ten years later it took place and it happened. My teacher, she called around a couple of gyms so I could start boxing. So we finally decided to go to Bed-Stuy Boxing Association Club. And I walked into the gym, fought in the Kid Gloves, the Golden Gloves, the Junior Olympics, and I realized in that time I could be champ. Because I did feel a certain ease, you know? A lot of guys had a lot more experience than I had but I was beatin’ up all them guys like I was there the whole time they were.”

James ‘Buster’ Douglas (Former World Heavyweight champion): “Muhammad Ali made such an impact on boxing and was a beautiful boxer. He had a beautiful jab. I met him on several occasions, kicked it with him, we had a ball. It isn’t like it usually is where your expectations are too high. It wasn’t like that. It was even more than I expected. He said he liked my style. He told me he was jumping up and down, and jumping out of his chair watching the Tyson fight. It was a thrill to bring pleasure to a man who brought so much pleasure to me.”

Ray Lewis (NFL Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowl linebacker): “When he fought Sonny Liston and won, some doubted Ali’s athleticism, and they wanted to see him fail. But, he persisted and won, over and over. Later, when he gave up his title based on personal convictions, some doubted his integrity. Today, he is considered to have been the greatest athlete of all time, but it is his integrity, his dedication to peace and civil rights, that defines him. To this day he leads by example, and that says it all…He used his fame to persuade people all over the world to reconsider their views on war and peace and on racial relations. No athlete accomplished more for mankind than Muhammad Ali. No one.”

Bernard Hopkins (Former Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion): “I met Muhammad Ali a few times. He came to Ecuador for my first title fight against Segundo Mercado. Don King brought him. He still had his sense of humor. I had goosebumps. When I started my career I never thought I’d be next to guys like that. Me and his birthdays are a few days apart, we’re both Capricorns.”

Angelo Dundee (Ali’s trainer): “I first met Ali when he was an amateur in 1959. I used to go to Louisville with my fighters – Jimmy Beecham, Luis Rodriguez, Willie Pastrano. In fact, the biggest draw in Louisville was Willie Pastrano. And Willie fought Alonzo Johnson. That’s when I met Muhammad. Muhammad called me from the hotel lobby…’This is Cassius Marcellus Clay. I’m the Golden Gloves champ of Louisville. I won the Gloves in Chicago, I won the Gloves in Seattle. And I want to talk with you.’ I said to Willie, ‘If the guy is some nut downstairs and if you want to let him come up and talk with us?’ And Willie said, ‘Ehh, well the TV stinks. Let him come up.’ And Muhammad came up. Very interesting young man. Kid wanted to know about how my fighters train, how they ran. Because he said he watched me a lot on TV. I had a lot of TV fighters back then in those days. It was a ton of fun. He was a student of boxing. He wanted to know the intricate things about it. I worked with the kid. Showed him the do’s and don’ts. Naturally, he had his own ideas and conceptions on what should be done. But I sort of gave him some advice. That was the first time I met him. And when my fighters would come back to Louisville, he would look them up. A lot of times I wouldn’t be with them. Like Luis Rodriguez would fight in Louisville. Muhammad would go in there and come into the fight with Luis. He grew to love Luis. Because Muhammad got to like all my guys. My guys were easy to like, ’cause they’re good kids. You’ll find out something, by the way, 99% of fighters are good kids. Because of the life they’ve got to lead. It’s a tough life. And nobody has bigger respect for the fistic guys than me. ‘Cause I appreciate what they’ve got to go through.”

Melvin “Doc” Stanley (New York City-based print and radio media): “Muhammad Ali, wow. Ali has always been so very special to me for a multitude of unique reasons. Greatest fighter, athlete of our lifetime. Only Pele can be mentioned in the same breath as an international and global figure, both men the most renowned athletes of our generation and quite possible of all times. And in a time where their world wide fame was produced with a fraction of the media methods, tools and outlets that are used today. Word and mouth were major factors, living legends truly befit them both. Ali was both a student of the sweet science and knew its history and the legends and stars that preceded him. They may have said, ‘Screw Babe Ruth,’ during the World War, but nobody knew or heard of the Babe in a Brazil, Suriname, Aruba, Egypt, or a hut in South Africa or a village in Zaire. Ali and Pele can lay claim to such and although they shouted Ruth’s name during the war, only Ali and Pele had wars stopped to see them both perform.”

“The love I have and profess for Ali curtails so many facets. First, the boxer as it is the sport I hold most dearest to my heart. He being the best ever and at his weight class too.”

“But beyond that, also his character, charm, intellect, wit, honesty, mindset and heart inside and outside the squared circle. And him being a great father to all of his children and a true friend to his friends. A man of compassion and forgiveness.”

“And who can ever forget his stand against being drafted, standing on both his religious conviction and also the saving of lives of his multi-racial and ethnic fans, the young, the elder, both black and white.”

“That stand cost him his prime boxing and earning money years and a shot at being undefeated, yet it also propelled him into immortality, stardom beyond superstar status, he surpassed the other renowned gods of boxing – Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Ray Robinson, Jack Johnson and Rocky Marciano. They were leapt over and surpassed. And he too gained the respect, ears, eyes and love of all mankind, here, abroad and any life form on neighboring planets.”

“Jew, gentile, catholic, atheist as well as Muslim, sided, admired, respected and supported him, mentally, physically and spiritually. He may have been a Muslim religion-wise but he was the Peter Pan, the pied piper of all mankind.”

“Emilano Zapata, Che Gureva, Jack Johnson, Zorro, Superman, Batman, Shaft, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Dr. J, Michael Jordan, the Beatles all rolled into one and multiplied by 100, divided by the square root of Ali.”

“The world was his oyster and platform, he was now Muhammad Ali, first, who also happened to be a fighter, who was heavyweight champion of the world, belt or not.”

“Ali is and always will be a People’s champion and is now loved by all aspects of our society.”

“Seen as Ali by most, not as the black fighter. There were those that didn’t always love him, but he was always respected and admired, as both an athlete and a man.”

“Now his taking in the Muslim religion put him in a sphere and status, where he both transcended more than the fight game, but also the religion, although again, he was a Black Muslim, the American made and founded sect, the world and Muslims worldwide, saw him as a Muslim. He did as much for the religion as he did for the sport of boxing.”

“Earnie Shavers once told me, ‘Every fighter and athlete after Ali, owed him. Before Ali came along, guys were fighting for $20,000 dollars for the heavyweight championship of the world. Ali changed the scope of salaries globally and domestically. And also he changed the public relations world and mind set of boxing.”

“The late media boxing icon and public relations legend, John Francis Xavier Condon, told me how he and Ali went out into the streets of New York City, during a newspaper strike and sold out the Garden. He predicted knockouts, recited poetry, appeared on talk shows to talk not about simply boxing.”

“Fighters started copying his gestures – hands low, standing in their corner and not sitting on their stool between rounds, shaking their heads saying they were not hurt when hit, and predicting victory – all unheard of prior to Cassius Marcellus Clay. He was a PR man’s dream. And fight fans loved, were amazed and dazzled by him, nobody boasted of winning, predicted knockouts, nicknamed their foes, ‘The Wash Woman’ or ‘The Bear.’

“The Hall of Fame boxing champion, Jose Torres once told me that everything Ali did in the ring was wrong and exactly what you taught fighters not to do – hands low, backing up, moving your head to avoid punches. Arturo LeConte, legendary Panamanian boxing photographer, told me, that, ‘All you had to do to sell out a boxing magazine was to put Ali’s face on the cover. A story would be nice but not needed.’

“His demeanor was always that of reachable, comic, friendly and humble with the media and fans. Memories? I have so many, but my first. Tommy Kenville, MSG media icon, told me in the press room prior an old Garden card, ‘Mel, the champ is here.’ I knew who he meant. He had no title at the time – he had lost to Norton months prior, but he was,well, Ali. I spotted him sitting near ringside and I asked him to sign a photo and he looked at me with a little mock shock as he turned from looking ringside and said, ‘In the middle of a fight?!’ When the round stopped he signed and then I started my first interview with the legendary Muhammad Ali and as he talked, other reporters joined us. I’ve been blessed by God to meet and be with him and have more photos with him than any other iconic figure of our generation.”

“Other memories? Well, me being the first reporter to interview him and helping hold him back from going after Joe Frazier at their second Ali-Frazier press conference at the Garden at the Hall of Fame club. Another – him autographing a photo for my lady at the time and him saying to me as he glanced at her picture, ‘A fox, where did you get a fox?’”

“Ali winning the first ever Potamkin Award and at the affair, which Howard Cosell attended, I asked him to sign a couple of photos, after he did I started to walk away and he asked me what was in the bag. I told him it was some more stuff but he need not or couldn’t sign everything. He said, ‘Give it to me.’ And he autographed all I had. How can you not love him?”

“I remember him doing magic tricks at the first and only fight card at the Meadowlands arena. And him giving me the last radio interview prior to Ali-Frazier II in his hotel lobby. And as I went to the fight that night, there I was on the back page of the early edition of the Daily News walking down the street with Ali.”

“I say this all the time, If Ali had time for photos, the media, autographs and fans, then every other athlete after him should too. For Ali is number one and all others are a very distant second. Thanks for asking.”

Chuck Wepner (Ali opponent): “The Ali fight, that was the best I ever felt in the ring. Going 15 rounds. It’s the only fight I ever trained for full time in my career, my entire career. I got sent to camp by Don King. The other fights I used to have to run in the morning, work in the day, train at night. It’s tough to really get on top of your game when you have to do that. For the Ali fight, I trained for seven weeks and I showed a lot of people I was better than they thought I was. After the fight Ali said, ‘I told you that guy was a tough guy. I would never fight that guy in an alley, he was a great fighter.’ That’s why he never gave me a name (like) the Mummy. He said, ‘I respect Chuck Wepner.’ He was always a gentleman to me and he always respected me and I respect him back. I love Muhammad Ali. It was not only a great opportunity for me but a great honor to fight him.”

Mario Costa (Boxing trainer): “I was in the dressing room with Mike Tyson after he lost his last fight to Kevin McBride in Louisville. Muhammad Ali was there. After the fight, Ali came to the dressing room to be with Mike. Mike wasn’t talking, you could tell he was sad. I remember they were both sitting on a bench together, just the two of them. Two great champions. It was very quiet. And Ali pulled out his comb and started combing Mike’s hair, like to tell him, You’re still pretty like me. He was trying to make Mike feel good at such a down moment.”

John Scully (Former Light Heavyweight title challenger): “One day in June of 1991, I went to the West Farms Mall to see Ali at the JC Penny store where he was appearing to promote his new cologne. The most memorable thing about that afternoon was that there was such a long line of people waiting to see him and get his autograph. I initially got in line but I took one look and realized that it would be hours of standing just so I could meet him for a few seconds. I am not really an autograph type of person and, really, I just wanted to see the man. So I got out of line and walked up to the counter where Ali was and, I don’t know, when I saw him sitting there it was a very strange thing. Picture the feeling that a five year old boy must get when he sees Santa Claus in the local mall for the very first time. Then magnify that feeling by ten.”

“As luck would have it, at the exact time that I was standing there just looking at Ali, one of his associates came over to talk to the store security guard that was standing right next to me. He asked where the best seafood restaurant in Hartford was. I knew already that it was the Capitol Fish House at the corner of Capitol and Main. I cannot remember if the security guard told him that also or even if a time was mentioned but I just remember going to the Capital Fish House that night and seeing a stretch limousine parked out front. I drove around to the side of the restaurant and there, sitting in the window of the back dining room with his wife and a few other people, was the man himself, Muhammad Ali.”
“I instantly took off on the two mile or so drive back to my apartment where I quickly changed my shirt and grabbed my scrapbook before heading right back to the restaurant. I walked right in to the back dining room and headed to the table where he sat with his small group. They were the only ones back there so there was no disputing who I was there to see. What happened next is the absolute greatest thing that could have happened, a boxing fan’s – and boxer’s – dream. Ali got up slowly and started to head away from me. I remember feeling so bad, so nervous. I thought he was maybe in a bad mood and was going out of the room until I left. He had signed hours and hours worth of autographs that day and I figured he was very tired. I was surprised he would leave so abruptly but I understood, too, I guess. I imagined myself as the only guy in the world that Ali turned down.”

“But, I was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong in my assumption as Ali came around the table and headed directly towards me. When he got close enough he put his hands up and, making that famous Ali face where he bites his bottom lip and tilts his head to the side – that seems to say like, ‘C’mon Sucker!’ – that I had seen countless times. He got in his boxing stance. I took the hint, put my jacket on the table in mock anger, and set up like we were gonna rumble! It all happened so fast! Everybody was watching and laughing as we moved closer to each other and went right to it. No conversation. No debating. Ali came to me and started snapping his jab out at me and one thing I distinctly remember is that he seemed to be very far away from me when he let it go but his fist still came so close to my face that I briefly felt the apprehension that came with thoughts of him mistakenly smacking me in my forehead with that famous jab. The man has range. The other thing was that I was caught off guard by how fast with the jab he still was. I was surprised at how quickly it traveled and how close it came to my face before it quickly recoiled like a cobra snake.”

“I wanted to show him that I was a boxer, too. It was like I was at an audition. I wanted him to see that I was a real boxer, too, and I specifically remember giving him a feint and when he kind of flinched at it, I ducked down and snapped a straight and sharp left jab into his belly. Then, the greatest thing happened. I am so glad that I was quick-witted enough to catch it and reply properly. After I caught him with the jab he put his hands down a little, bit his lip and widened his eyes like he does and said loudly, ‘What? You called me nigger?!’ Now, when he used to pull that bit on Cosell back in the day when I wasn’t even born yet – I was born the year he went into exile, 1967 – they had a little routine where he would say that to Cosell and Cosell would act all scared and nervous and, after some tense moments, Ali would say, ‘Man, you musta said trigger.’ I had seen the films and read enough books to know the routine. So, I think I shocked Ali and everybody in that room with my reply.”

‘No, no, I said trigger,’ I told him.

“Everybody in the room, especially the man himself, really got a kick out of that one! I have several great pictures from that day and one of them is of me doubled over in laughter after I said that with Ali smiling.”

Boxing Fan: “I was lucky to meet Ali in November 1993 when he was helping promote Howard Bingham’s book ‘A 30 Year Journey.’ Incredibly, Ali was in my hometown of Kingston, just outside of London, England. I even managed to get a laugh when I asked him if he ever found the kid who stole his bike. I remember Ali stayed at the venue until everybody had been seen – eventhough he was, even then, not in the best of health. Unlike so many lesser known celebrities who seem to treat the public and their fans like they’re an inconvenience.”

Eric Bottjer (Boxing matchmaker): “I’ve seen Muhammad Ali a half-dozen times. In my only interaction with him, I followed him to a hotel hallway after he had been introduced at a black-tie boxing event in Washington D.C. Obviously tired and visibly shaking, Ali walked alongside a sole bodyguard. I approached him from behind and timidly asked him to sign my program. The bodyguard shook his head and motioned me away. Ali put a hand on the guard’s shoulder, gently moved him aside and signed the book. He glanced at me to see the look he’s seen thousands of times. He shuffled on and I decided I’d made a damn fine choice for a hero.”

(Note: This feature is currently being developed into a book about Muhammad Ali. Ali & Cosell oil painting by Scoop Malinowski/ Ali scultpure by artist Barrymore Alan Moton.)

Read more: http://www.boxinginsider.com/columns/muhammad-ali-collection-memories-of-the-greatest/#ixzz1jkUihcCB

SCOOP REPLY: Floyd’s tweet could have been mere lip service, substantive action would have been to order Haymon to commence negotiations with Arum or DuBoef. As far as I know, no one from the Floyd camp has reached out to Arum which makes the infamous tweet this week look like another bluff. BTW, Ellerbe himself tried to tell me at the JMM-May conference last year at Empire State Building that Floyd doesn’t know who I am and he doesn’t read my work, which was odd because there was no reason for him to say this to me. Like you suspect Ryan, by the timing of Floyd’s tweet just hours after I wrote of his silence in the previous mailbox, that Floyd is indeed an avid reader of BoxingInsider.com.
———————————
Scoop dont stop my friend..soem great persona become great from thier own perspective becuase of thier ability to turn tides against them…now it is in your hand to continue what you have believeing…i knew it was the greatest fight of all PACs carrer fighting with floyd is not that just easy..but we should hope PACs may put this man into sleep mode so that his bash and trash talking will gone…dont stop writing and criticism againt that team of floyd!!! we are all in your side scoop!!! Bernard Anaujo

SCOOP REPLY: Thank you for support and inspiration my friend. Hopefully the deal is made soon and we don’t have to argue and bicker about it anymore.
———————————

You are entitled to your opinion. Hans Olson is criticising Manny all the time and now this Kirk guy, so full of hate. Don’t worry, Scoop. The truth will be revealed someday, whatever that truth is. — Maciek Michalski

SCOOP REPLY: It absolutely will Maciek, truth always does prevaill over falsehood (African proverb). It seems Arum is now in the position of power. He seems to know that Floyd has no financial backer who will guarantee his purse for the next fight. Schaefer said that Guerrero has been rejected as the next opponent. No way will Floyd fight Cotto or Canelo – too risky. He just might have to face Manny next. And on Arum’s terms which are logical. I believe Arum is constructing this perfectly with all the right moves to make the biggest fight in boxing history a reality.

————————

What Up Scoop,

After reading all the requisite mailboxes, Boxinginsider being my favorite, I have come to the conclusion the Mayweather vs. Pacman fight will never happen, and should never happen because both guys can make upwords of $20 million fighting almost anyone. Why risk a lost for a one time $50 Million when you an fight five B fighters for $20 Million a piece and keep your market share in tact. As a businessman, that is what i would tell my fighter — hell that what i would do! Both fans and writers should understand this is not actually a sport anymore in the classic sense of the word, where you have to fight/play everyone, this is prize fighting. There is one way i see this fight getting done, that is that one side embarrasses the other so bad that the fact that he is clearly avoiding the fight hurts his market share. That would make the fight happen – but one side has to REALLY press the issue. Hurt the money – the fight will happen. How do you do that – very simple. In each of the popular boxing websites have and BIG advertisement officially stating, from the boxer himself, that you will fight Pac or Money 50/50 split, explain blood test and pick a date and what ever other details that show you are serious, also it wouldn’t hurt to call your target a coward etc. Also it would help to tell your publicist to make sure that this is announce on shows like TMZ, CNN and Talk Shows the other news and news papers. Really wouldn’t even cost that much money. If done properly, the fighter not accepting such a invitation would be disgraced enough to have to fight or lose his market share. For Top Rank, Golden Boy, Pac Man and Floyd – this isn’t about being scared, boxers get punched in the face for a living for petes sake! It is not about blood test, steroids or losing the 0, and no one really cares about the fans or legacy any more, it is about market share. Hurt the other guys market share so he can’t make upwards of $20MM per B and C class opponents and the fight will be made. Look how eager and how discounted Roy Jones and Evander Holyfield is willing to fight for now, relative to what they were getting, now that they know their market share is gone. But random tweets, nasty conference calls or blogs won’t do it, one fighter has to REALLY press the issue. Final question you might ask why doesn’t anyone suggest this — well the answer is obvious — it is in NO ONES BEST INTEREST. Until then expect Mayweather to come in above the WW limit and fight blown up lightweights and maybe Paul Spaddafora or Prince Nassim; and expect Manny Pac to fight Cotto II, Margarito II and JMM IV.

TJ

SCOOP REPLY: Absolutely brilliant letter TJ. Well said, I think you are pinpoint accurate. If the Pacquiao side were as loudmouthed and aggressive with his talk as say Hopkins or Tarver or Ali, he would have humiliated Floyd into the fight by now. Manny’s niceness out of the ring has contributed to the failure of this fight being made. Like you say, Pac’s side has not REALLY PRESSED the issue and gone after Floyd, like Hopkins did to Oscar and Tarver did to Roy Jones. If Hopkins and Tarver did not talk so much in the media against Oscar and Roy as they did, we never would have saw those fights. Oscar and Roy ducked and wanted to duck Hopkins and Tarver but eventually their pride was battered and they finally accepted those fights which they lost. Pacquiao is just too nice to force Floyd in that manner and Floyd knows it and uses that against Pac. Arum has called Floyd a “psychological coward” in the past but it does not have the same effect coming from the promoter. It’s much more interesting when it comes from the fighters. I think Floyd and Haymon are content to ride it out and as you say, milk the handpicked set ups for the easy $20 million. I truly believe Arum is confident in Manny and really wants to make the Pac-Floyd fight now, as he has the past two years. It only makes sense to stage the fight in an outdoor arena to maximize the revenues.
——————————-
Send your letters or comments to mrbiofile@aol.com
Artwork by Michael Canja

Flavia Pennetta: “My first match when I was 11 was very funny because I was so nervous on the court. And I went to the hospital, so [laughs]. (Why?) Not so good. I was down like 6-2 and so nervous and they bring me to the hospital.”

Andres Gomez: “I was playing doubles together with Ilie Nastase in Rome in ‘82, we were playing Tomas Smid and Pavel Slozil and Nastase keep talking to them and making fun of them. And they were like a top 5 doubles team. And he was like saying, You’re bad and he was trying to make fun of them to get them out of their game. And I remember he was throwing saw dust into Smid’s and Slozil’s heads on the changeovers. And they let it happen.”

Jamea Jackson: “Once at Wimbledon in the juniors I whiffed on a serve [laughs]. It was 2-0 in the second set and I couldn’t move I was so embarrassed.”

Sam Querrey: “I went back for a lob, my foot got caught back in the fence, on the concrete. And my shoe fell off. So I played the rest of the point with just like my sock on.”

Hugo Armando: “Playing junior Orange Bowl I saw a player moon another player. On Center Court at Orange Bowl. That I’ll never forget. It was Rodrigo Cerdaro, he did it to Nicolas Kiefer. I’m sure Kiefer still remembers that. And I saw Alex Corretja crack two racquets after winning a doubles title on the court. Just finished, won the title and just cracked ‘em on the floor. I don’t know what it was about but that was pretty funny.”

Kateryna Bondarenko: “In New Haven I tried to hit the overhead and I missed it, then I run around the ball and I hit it just like this (normal forehand), and we won that point actually.”

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: “Against Ancic in Bercy, I serve a big serve and hit put his racquet out and the racquet broke at the middle. He was standing there with a broken racquet.”

Alexa Glatch: “The Orange Bowl when I was 13, there was a battle going on on one of the back courts against Michaela Krajicek and Neha Uberoi. And Krajicek just got really pissed off at her and flipped her off – right during the match [smiles]. It was hilarious. She said F you as well and it was pretty funny.”

Andre Sa: “There are so many. One time long ago I think in ‘98 in Kitzbuhel and I got mad at some line call and I went to the umpire, How can you not see that ball?! The mark is out? You can clearly see it. I was so upset I grabbed all my racquets and I broke them on the netpost. I had no more racquets to play. I had to borrow my coach’s racquets to finish the match. (Against who? Did you win?) Alex Calatrava. No. I’m gonna blame my coach and the racquets [smiles].”

Jamie Murray: “I can’t remember the players. One guy, he hit a shot and he disagreed with the umpire who overruled it. He went up to the umpire and asked, Do I get a code violation if I say something? And the umpire’s like, It depends what you say. And he goes, What if I think something. No, not if you think it. And he goes, Well, I think you’re a ******* idiot!”

Yung-Jan Chan: “We were playing in Thailand last year. The first time I hit her on volley but it’s not really hard. And I just say sorry and she say, Oh it’s okay. Then my teammate (Chia Jung Chuang) hit her again. And then she get angry. When she say sorry she get like angry. Then third time her partner hit her [laughs]. Because power serve and her partner just returned too late. Then (Chuang) just tell me, Don’t tell me she’s gonna hit herself [laughs]. After two points she comes to poach and she hit like not in the string but on the frame and ball hit her face. We were laughing but we can’t laugh too loud.”

Max Mirnyi: “The fifth set against Zib at the U.S. Open about eight years ago. When I totally ran out of my dry shorts and shirts. And I had to undress on the court and have the new sets of clothes sent up to me at the court.”

Richard Krajicek: “When I was six or seven I used to play tennis with my sister. She used to always beat me. She was 13. Then she played left-handed to make it fair, and she still beat me.”

Nicolas Lapentti: “I was playing a tournament in Lima, Peru (‘95). And my coach at the time was sitting up, up in the corner. And I hit a serve wide and it hit something in the wall, like a wire or something, and the ball went straight up and took off his baseball hat. The ball went completely up. It didn’t touch him, just took off his hat, a hat like your’s. Took it off. It was too much [smiles].”

Nicolas Kiefer: “When I was younger, in practice we used to run a lot for fitness. Once I did not want to run and I closed myself into a locker room closet. And so I didn’t run. After, they come back and pick me up [laughs].”

Robby Ginepri: “Doing a couple of skits on the court during practice with Mardy Fish a couple years ago in Cincinnati. We played baseline games and whoever lost had to do funny things on the court, sing, ‘I’m a little tea pot, short and stout…’ And there’s a ton of people there, and (we’re in) the middle of the court. And you had to do the motions. The other one was he had to bark like a dog and crawl around the court [smiles].”

Elena Dementieva: “I had a broken shoe I break playing in the Olympic Games. And I didn’t have another pair to replace it. And I was asking someone from the crowd to give me another pair. (Did someone give you the extra shoe?) Yeah, actually Natasha Zvereva gave it to me. She was watching and her shoe was I think two or three sizes bigger than mine. And I still won the match (d. Schett).”

Frank Dancevic: “I was nine, playing under 10 tournament. And I was beating a guy 6-0, we were playing an eight-game pro set. And he went in the corner, got on his knees and started praying. Nine-years-old, I’ll never forget that one [smiles]. The first match I ever played. There’s another. I actually knocked a guy’s coffee right out of his hand one time all over his white shirt. He wasn’t too happy about that. On the sidelines. Actually hit his coffee like dead on and splattered everywhere like a bomb. I caught a forehand a little late, skid off the line, it just bee-lined right at his coffee. He didn’t have time to react, it just hit it dead on.”

Gilles Simon: “I remember the penalty point when it was Marat Safin against Felix Mantilla in Roland Garros. Safin pulled his shorts down. I was on the court as a spectator. It was so very funny. I was sad though because Safin who I like very much, he was one of my tennis idols, I was sad because he had the penalty point and I think he didn’t deserve it.”

Darren Cahill: “I played a Davis Cup match with Yannick Noah against France and the tie was dead. And Yannick Noah ended up moonwalking between serves. And he called the ballboys out on the court. And he and I played against two ballboys during a Davis Cup dead rubber match. For me, that was the funniest and most embarrassing match of my career. It was great, the crowd loved it. He was a great entertainer. It’s on You Tube if you can track it down.”

The drug testing issue has been resolved, the money reward is going to be more than fair, now it remains to be seen if Floyd is finally ready to commit to the fight he has avoided for two years.

There are signs though that Floyd isn’t up to the challenge. He has had his camp deny Arum is trying to negotiate. He has said he doesn’t understand why anyone would want to see a coward fight. But to the contrary, Floyd has named a date for his next fight and asked Pacquiao to sign a contract. He has also made videos saying that it’s time to get it on with Manny.

But Floyd has feigned interest that he was going to fight Manny before, and then reversed himself by putting up a new blockade to kill the fight.

Now Floyd, despite the money issue being in his favor and random drug testing approved by Pacquiao, still has several blockades that he can use to kill the fight. Floyd can cite his legal problems and distractions. He can say he doesn’t trust Bob Arum to be in charge of the promotion. Floyd can also price himself out of the fight by demanding a ridiculous payment, such as $100 million or perhaps, $150 million.

While there are signs that Floyd may be finally willing to make the fight, I think they are just pre-meditated calculations, bluffs and deceptions.

I believe Floyd is going to try to duck the fight again and buy more time, such as wait and hope that by ducking the fight again, Pacquiao will then take his second option which is to fight Juan Manuel Marquez again for the fourth time.

If Mayweather is successfully able to duck Pacquiao again, Pac will have to face Marquez again – and judging by the narrowness of the margin of victory in their recent clash, Marquez stands a very good chance to upset Manny. I think Floyd knows his smartest business decision is to take that option – to duck Pacquiao now and wait and hope he loses to Marquez.

Then Mayweather will be home free to pick and choose whoever he wants to box or spar with. Pacquiao will be eliminated as the #1 star of the sport and Mayweather will assume the throne.

As the new king of boxing, Mayweather will have all the leverage and will certainly demand huge money for the lowest risk fights, against the likes of Golden Boy set ups like Robert Guerrero or Erik Morales. Floyd will be able to earn $20-30 million for easy nights of work, as opposed to the $50 million for a high risk clash with Paquiao which is very possible that he can lose, or even lose by brutal knockout.

Floyd’s career is made of smart business decisions and ducking and dodging fights that can give him a defeat. I believe Floyd will do all in his power, by any means possible, to find a way to duck Manny Pacquiao again, like he did for the last two years. I feel so strongly about this that I guarantee it.

Here is the actual two-page layout…

http://papeldigital.info/lt/?2011120401#107

Sebastian Carrizo: When your interest in Marcelo Ríos was born? Why?

Scoop Malinowski: “1995 U.S. Open first-round match vs. Thomas Enqvist. Though he lost in the fifth set tiebreaker, Rios played tennis like a wizard and looked an inner city gang member at the same time. It was a fascinating spectacle.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What feature of his playing highlights Ríos?

Scoop Malinowski: “He’s a magician, a maverick and an artist when at his best.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What part of Ríos’ life draws your attention? Some special event, a phrase, a conflict?

Scoop Malinowski: “How he entered the world of tennis and conquered it with his own way. His style and character brought something new and different to tennis. He refused to conform to tennis and forced tennis to conform to him. Also maybe I see a part of myself in Rios.”

Sebastian Carrizo: Who are the most prominent interviewees in your book?

Scoop Malinowski: “Many. Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal. Brad Gilbert. Marat Safin. Peter Lundgren. Mats Wilander. Luke Jensen. Michael Joyce. Nick Bollettieri. Michael Chang. Jan Michael Gambill. But some of the most revealing anecdotes came from the most unexpected sources. However, I’m disappointed to say that this past U.S. Open I had the chance to ask Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and John McEnroe about Rios as they were near my person however I passed on the opportunity.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What trait of Rios is repeated among the testimonies?

Scoop Malinowski: “Misunderstood. Genius. Talented. Contradictory. Strong character. Crazy!”

Sebastian Carrizo: What did Roger Federer say about Ríos?

Scoop Malinowski: “I spoke with Roger Federer a few times briefly. The first time I ever talked to him was in 1999 and for his favorite players to watch, he mentioned Rios, remarking that he had a different style game. Then more recently he said how he is an admirer of Rios.”

Sebastian Carrizo: Who were the most critical with Ríos? What did he/she say?

Scoop Malinowski: “Ilie Nastase called Rios the ‘worst prick’ he ever met. Somebody later told me that Nastase had once approached Rios in the locker room at the French Open and asked for an autograph by him for a niece or nephew. Apparently Rios rejected Nastase’s request which upset the Romanian legend.”

Sebastian Carrizo: When will be the book available in Chile? When will it be translated into Spanish?

Scoop Malinowski: “The English version is available now at amazon.com. I hope to translate it to Spanish and make it available next year.”

Sebastian Carrizo: Have you had any contact with Rios since the publication of the book? What did he say?

Scoop Malinowski: “I have not had any contact with Rios since 1999 when we did a short interview which appeared in the American publication Tennis Magazine.

Sebastian Carrizo: Which is the place of Ríos in tennis history?

Scoop Malinowski: “He was the best player in the world. The critics can say he underachieved or he never won a Grand Slam but they can’t deny that Rios was the ATP #1 player for six weeks in 1998.”

Sebastian Carrizo: Who where the most difficult-to-reach interviewee?

Scoop Malinowski: “Larry Stefanki. I tried to get him to talk numerous times, approaching him in person at 2010 US Open, on phone, email, and then again one last time in Key Biscayne this year, in person again. But he refused to talk about Rios. I sensed he still has some bitterness for Rios.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What did Guillermo Vilas told you about Marcelo Ríos? There is some like a battle between Rios and Vilas, because Rios told one time that he was more succesful than the Argentinean because he reach #1 and Vilas didn’t.

Scoop Malinowski: “I spoke with Vilas at the US Open. He has much respect for Rios’ career and strong personality type. I still remember his exact words about people trying to converse with Rios, “You don’t give candy to a lion.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What did Nick Bolletieri told about Marcelo? Marcelo’s daughter, Constanza, is now training at Bolletieri’s camp. She have also played some youth tournaments defending both Costa Rica and Chile.

Scoop Malinowski: “Nick was a great interview as I’m sure you know. Nick shared many memorable anecdotes, one example was the time in Germany when Rios beat Agassi in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in Munich and won the million dollar prize. Nick said Rios, who could be frugal sometimes, tried to not pay him his coaching fee, because Rios reasoned that the Grand Slam Cup was not part of the regular ATP Tour. LOL. But ultimately Rios did pay Nick. The first time I was at the IMG Academy two years ago Constanza was there practicing and I took a few photos of her. She was very smooth and fluid and also a lefty. Nick said about her, “She’s excellent. No, no…she’s BETTER THAN EXCELLENT!” Nick clearly has high respect for young Constanza’s skills on the court.”

Sebastian Carrizo: What other anecdote/story do you remember about Marcelo and who told you?

Scoop Malinowski: “Mike Nakajima, an executive with Nike, was and still is a good friend of Rios. Mike told me about the night Marcelo became #1 in Miami, the whole group, Marcelo and friends went out for dinner at a steakhouse in Miami. Here’s the excerpt:

“1998 when he became #1 in Key Biscayne. I’m going out to have dinner with a group of people, with Marcelo, to a steakhouse in Miami. I was sitting with Chris Chandler, the Atlanta Falcons quarterback – I believe Larry Stefanki’s sister is Chris Chandler’s wife. We’re on one end, playing 80’s one hit wonder songs. In the middle of the table was Rios with his group. One guy was there at the restaurant, draped with a Chilean flag. Every ten minutes the guy would stand up and would chant that, Chile-Chile-Chile! Okay, we know you’re from Chile. In the middle of the dinner, Rios gets up to go to use the bathroom. And the guy gets up and follows him. Then Rios comes back to our table. And says to Chris, You gotta help. I punched this guy. He cold-cocked him. We go into the bathroom and the guy is out cold. Chris Chandler said, You don’t need my help [smiles].”

World Series of Poker Main Event (which
costs $10,000 to enter) serves as poker’s unofficial world championship
each year, as it’s always poker’s largest and richest live tournament
held each year, with the 2011 edition drawing nearly 7,000 from around the
world. The field includes a mix of the world’s top poker pros as well as
amateurs who qualified at casino online sites for just
a few dollars, hoping to parlay that entry into millions of dollars in
winnings.

The WSOP Main Event uses a unique format, with much of the action held
over two weeks in July when the field plays all the way down to just nine
players remaining. At the point the action pauses for several months for
the suspense to build, with the final nine players (the November Nine)
returning in early November to determine a winner. Czech player Martin
Staszko held the chip lead when the final table of nine players was set,
and came into play when it resumed on November 6 as the favorite according
to most oddsmakers.

It’d be young German player Pius Heinz, though, who’d be the story
when play resumed, coming in as one of the shorter stacks but quickly
rocketing his way to the top of the chip counts. Play would pause again
when three players were left, with a day off before a champion would
finally be declared. The three final players would be Heinz, Staszko, and
American Ben Lamb, who has had a very successful two years on the poker
tournament circuit with big cashes in the UK as well as at US casinos and others around the world.

Lamb would quickly be eliminated on the final day of play, however,
exiting action in the first ten hands, which left Heinz and Staszko to do
battle into the early hours of the morning in one of the longest heads-up
matches in WSOP Main Event history. Staszko jumped out to a big lead and
seemed poised for a Joe Frazier-style knockout but could never quite seal the victory, allowing
Heinz to hang around. Heinz would finally get a little momentum of his own
and ride it to victory, winning more than $8.7 million in cash and becoming
the first German player to ever win the WSOP Main Event.

Below are the final standings and winnings for the 2011 WSOP Main Event
final table:

1st – Pius Heinz (Germany) – $8,711,956
2nd – Martin Staszko (Czech Republic)- $5,430,928
3rd – Ben Lamb (USA) – $4,019,635
4th – Matt Giannetti (USA) – $3,011,661
5th – Phil Collins (USA) – $2,268,909
6th – Eoghan O’Dea (Ireland) – $1,720,396
7th – Badih Bounahra (Belize) – $1,313,851
8th – Anton Makiievskyi (Lithuania) – $1,009,910
9th – Sam Holden (U.K.) – $782,115

Here is some of what Floyd said:

“I’m happy because I have my children with me. They make me feel so good. If I died today I’d die happy because I’m with the people who truly love me for who I am.”

“It’s a combination of things that makes Floyd Mayweather. But what I’ve done, no fighter has ever done. I’ve faced 42 and I made all 42 look the same…”

“You want honesty, I’m gonna give it to you. From the bottom of my heart. Marquez fought Pacquiao three times, Marquez beat Pacquiao three times. And things like that is hurting the sport of boxing…”

“You all just talk about somebody (Pacquiao) that popped up out of the blue. Boxing has been my whole life. Boxing has been my whole life. This is something, you know, I live or die for. I gave boxing my whole life…”

“The thing is this: I think it’s really fucked up. I think it’s really fucked up. I’m in my own country – red, white and blue – and they say I’m wrong because I want to be safe? I think they said Floyd is scared. I’m not scared. I’m not scared. I’m not scared at all. (“Manny Pacquiao you’re next…I never said that, I never said that AT ALL.”) I’m smart. Look at the legendary fighters that’s livin’, that’s dead, and look at the position that they’re in because they didn’t take the random blood and the random urine tests, you know. I keep my fingers crossed that the sport of boxing will change and I’m hoping that I was part of it. I gave the sport my whole life.”

What happened to the cocky Floyd, snarling about how he’s a “gorilla and a dawg?” About how he’ll destroy any man from 154 on down, just line ‘em up? Where is that bravado?

“I feel like Ali in the George Foreman fight. It’s so crazy, they’re saying Floyd is this, he’s that, he’s this, he’s that. When I win, they’re gonna be praising me. Oh, he’s the best thing that ever did it. I’m telling you right now, I’m the best that ever did it, with or without the Pacquiao fight…May 5th is the date, you (Pacquiao) can get it. Everybody keeps talking about the money situation, the money situation. How can a guy – I made more money in my last two fights that he made in his entire career. You can’t even say that a guy like this is on my level.”

Let me leave you with one quote from the all-time great Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher of Germany: “When you’re the best you’re always questioned. You win the race, then there’s always the next race. There’s always questions. It’s what makes it interesting. The challenge. To see if you’re still the best.”

Floyd, let’s see if you’re still the best. Or is Manny Pacquiao the best? The whole world wants to see this fight. May the best man win.

Finally, my second book, is available to the public via Amazon.com. “Marcelo Rios: The Man We Barely Knew” was a book project that was very important for me, for a few reasons. Rios was the player that captivated me with his playing style when I fell in love with the sport full force, back in 1997. I loved the way he mixed up spins, speeds and floated around the court, as nimble-footed as a ballerina but as clever and cunning with a racquet as a master swordsman. And of course, who doesn’t admire a renegade who takes on and conquers the world, his way? Rios was a maverick and an artist. He had the style of tennis that I patterned my game after, or at least tried to. I wanted to feel on the court the way he looked when he played. Not like Sampras or Agassi or Becker, but Rios. And I made a pretty wise choice, as in the next 5-7 years I went from a court clod (you should see the old photos when I started – my serve motion looked like a “frog” according to an old friend girl) with barely any noticeable talent, to a guy good enough to win USTA Open and 35s tourneys as well as reaching the quarterfinals of the National Public Parks held at US Open in 2006.

I loved the way Rios played the game at his best and I found his authentic and blunt personality to be as intriguing as any character I have ever encountered or covered in any sport. Dennis Rodman, John McEnroe, Andrew Golota, Roberto Duran, Jim McMahon, John Wetteland, Mike Tyson were all compelling champions in their own ways, but none quite matched up to Rios who always stayed true to his nature and never acceded to conformity.

The article I penned about Rios when he retired in 2004 was published by Tennis Week and received surprisingly positive acclaim. One respected tennis insider even called it a “great” article, in my presence, which is rare, at least for me. Other Rios admirers from around the world reached out to contact me about that article which provided inspiration. But the main reason why the article was well received was because of Rios himself, and the memories and stories he left behind.

Eventually the idea came to try to expand this article into a book. So once again, three years ago, I began to ask more tennis insiders for their memories, perspectives, anecdotes and lasting images of Rios. And once again, the more people I asked, the more excellent content I was able to collect. Some of it made me laugh till a tear formed in my eye, others made my jaw droop, still more puzzled and bewildered. How could Rios be such an enigma? How could Rios punch out a man at a restaurant? How could Rios decide to try to win a doubles match in New Haven while down triple match point – and then win the match? How could Rios be so insensitive to make a pre-teen girl cry? How could one man piss off so much of the tennis establishment with his “Me against the world” attitude?

I believe the book which has resulted from this five year study is better than the original article. Like Rios, the book is different, abstract, like a Steely Dan song. Through Marcelo Rios, this book shows the tennis realm like it’s never been seen before. If you want to experience professional tennis from a different perspective, you will enjoy this book about one of the greatest talents to ever grace a tennis court, Marcelo Rios.

The price for the book is 12.99, it’s a paperback consisting of 346 pages (in English, Spanish version will be translated next year). Here are some short excerpts (I will post more later).

Michael Chang: “Why are you writing a book about Marcelo Rios?”

Peter Lundgren: “Marcelo said to me, I’m sorry I was like that. I thought you were a great coach.”

The book is available here:

>http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=marcelo+rios+the+man+we+barely+knew&x=0&y=0

King was asked for his opinion on Adamek this week at his New York City press conference and offered this interesting perspective:

“I think Tomasz Adamek is a good fighter, a great guy. I think the guy that had him – don’t forget, I made him a world champion. But they tend to forget, you forget where you come from. So his leader led him astray. And they’ve destroyed him. Tomasz Adamek went to Germany and won the title (actually the truth is Adamek made his first WBC title defense in Germany against Thomas Ulrich – a KO in 6 – in October 2005). I love Tomasz Adamek. Loyalty is not one of their traits. I’ll tell you something – Loyalty is priceless. Integrity and loyalty are worth ten times money. But money was guiding him then and it was guiding him only because of the work that I had done to put him into an enviable and viable position.”
“And they deserted. So we deal with that. You don’t get mad, you call it like you see it. So we can deal with it, that’s what you got. So I don’t have nothing negative that I can say about him, the fighter himself. I think he’s a wonderful guy. He’s got a lot of heart. But you gotta be able to guide and maneuver his career. So there’s some benefit, some legacy – not doing like they’re doing to him now. They destroyed a great athlete’s legacy. Fighters win and fighters lose but Tomasz Adamek would have been something that everybody in Poland can be proud of.”
King, as his his style, suddenly veered and directed the discussion into a different, historical direction. Without any pause whatsoever.
“I was illustrating him as the Polish resistance. Took him back to the 1940′s when the war was going on. I’ve been to Poland and seen the museums in Auschwitz, Krakow. I was taking this kid and molding him into all the memories, nostalgically of what was happening when the Nazis were there. And this kid – we went to Germany – it was an overwhelming crowd exalting him. And he rose to the occasion. And he beat the German (Ulrich) in Germany, in his own house. They didn’t understand what I was doing. So they took him over here, to America, for a few dollars more and they betrayed. And that’s just what it is. I’m sorry, he hurt himself. He didn’t hurt me. He hurt himself. Because what he had was the Polish resistance. He had everybody that said ‘yes they can’ when everybody was saying ‘no you can’t.’ We gonna be free. And they were fighting for the freedom. And I was attributing and associating him with freedom. Fighting in resistance, RESIST! RESIST!”

Photo by Kubik Photo.