|
|
|
Boxing Historian, Bert Sugar
Julius Stecker: What were your impressions of the recent Vitali Klitschsko fight and the prospects of rematch between he and Lennox Lewis.
Bert Sugar: There is not a prospect of a rematch. I don't see a second fight. Lennox Lewis is retired in my opinion and enjoying his time on the beaches of Jamaica. It was an overwhelming performance over Kirk Johnson, but I was under whelmed by Klitschsko. Kirk Johnson came in looking like the Goodyear blimp.
Julius Stecker: That said, what was your opinion of Joe Mesi?
Bert Sugar: They came in comparing him to Rocky Marciano and the only comparison you can make between the two is that they are both Italian. The guy he fought and did not look good against was Monte Barrett, of all people, a very average fighter.
Julius Stecker: What is your take on the upcoming Don King PPV, card this weekend featuring, Bernard Hopkins and William Joppy?
Bert Sugar: They are calling it back to back to back, well they should call it back to back to back to back to back, because there are going to be five title fights, it is the first time we won't get short changed, it is unprecedented.
Julius Stecker: Does William Joppy have a chance?
Bert Sugar: Yes he has a chance, but it depends on Bernard Hopkins, he could get old before our very eyes. He may not be able to out run father-time any longer.
Julius Stecker: What is your opinion of Ricardo Mayoraga?
Bert Sugar: Mayoraga had his way with Vernon Forrest, but I am convinced that styles make fights. Mayoraga is there to be hit and if he fights Shane Mosley as is proposed in March, he is going to have major problems. Mayoraga had an amateur record of like 107-5, and all of his 5 loses came against southpaws, and styles make fights, so Cory Spinks definitely has a chance, with him being a southpaw.
Ricardo Mayoraga throws punches the way Bob Gibson threw fastballs. His story is wonderful for the media, him being a champion card player, a smoker, and a drinker, it is all wonderful for writers, but it can't be true. But it is great media.
Julius Stecker: Moving on to your life how did you get involved in boxing writing?
Bert Sugar: I was a former amateur fighter; I was the Great White Hopeless. There wasn't anybody who couldn't hit me. I went to school to study and I became a lawyer for a week, it was the only bar I did pass. I then went into advertising and hit my boss in the mouth, and finally I went into to boxing writing, covering five generations worth of fighters.
Julius Stecker: You have been around and you have seen it all, how would you compare today's middle division fighters with the ones of yester year?
Bert Sugar: Some are comparable, but there are not as many fights on network television anymore, so they are not being showcased. The Heavyweights are the key to mainstream boxing, but to say you are a boxing fan because you watch heavyweights is like saying you're a horse racing fan because you watch the Kentucky Derby. This is a time reminiscent to the late 1970's and early 1980's when you had Larry Holmes dominating the heavyweight division, and all the talent was with guys like Leonard, Hearns, Duran, Hagler, and Benitez. But with the networks the way they are and ESPN trying to get out, nobody knows who these fighters are today. When the Heavyweights aren't any good, it is not good for the sport. What boxing needs is some one who can carry the sport, someone like Tiger Woods, or a Michael Jordan. Boxing does not have anybody. That is part of the reason Ricardo Mayoraga is so appealing. But look at the guys like Roy Jones Jr., and Floyd Mayweather Jr., everybody is a Jr nowadays, but those guys give you nothing to write about.
Julius Stecker: Who would win in a dream match-up between Marvin Hagler and Bernard Hopkins in their respective primes?
Bert Sugar: Hagler would have destroyed Hopkins; he loved fighting guys like Hopkins. Hagler always had three strikes against him, he could fight, he was a southpaw and he was black. Hopkins is a terrific fighter but Hagler was better, no matter how many defenses Hopkins has.
Julius Stecker: Who were the 5 greatest Heavyweight ever?
Bert Sugar:
1. Jack Dempsey
2. Joe Louis
3. Sam Langford
4. Muhammad Ali
5. Jack Johnson
Julius Stecker: Who were the 5 greatest fighters pound 4 pound ever?
Bert Sugar:
1. Sugar Ray Robinson
2. Henry Armstrong
3. Harry Greb
4. Jack Dempsey
5. Benny Leonard
Julius Stecker: In closing tell us about your new book? Bert Sugar: It is called Bert Sugar on Boxing, it is from Lyon Press publishing, and that is pretty much it.
TalkingBoxing would like to thank Travis Seibert for setting the interview up and to Bert Sugar for taking the time out of his day to talk with us. Be on the look out for Bert at the Dec 13th PPV Card.