TalkingBoxing Interviews
Talking Boxing with AHMED KADDOUR
FRI July 22, COYOTE DURAN - Love him or hate him, junior middleweight prospect Ahmed
"Babyface" Kaddour digs the spotlight.
Almost.
"Almost" meaning that when the charismatic, camera-friendly 23-year old finally got his chance to shine in front of millions of viewers (boxing fans and otherwise) as one of sixteen contestants on the Mark Burnett-produced boxing reality series, The Contender, he came away from the experience with little more than a very bittersweet taste left in his mouth. The handsome, yet garrulous Lebanese-born Dane would actually do battle twice on the show (the second time to replace chicken pox-ridden Jeff Fraza), coming up short in as many times against fellow prospects Ishe Smith and Alfonso Gomez. In retrospect, Kaddour (18-2 with 9 KOs) would be thankful and at the same time resentful for the experience, feeling that he was uncharacteristically depicted on the show, hindered by slick Hollywood editing.
The show has since ended but Kaddour is still here and ready to make the next step in a fresh attempt to successfully campaign in the junior middleweight division. He gets his first opportunity tonight, being the first from the Contender series to make the leap to subscription network status, fighting on the televised support bout to main eventers Courtney Burton and Rolando Reyes on Showtime's ShoBox: The New Generation (11 PM ET/PT, 10 PM central).
I caught up with Ahmed 2 days before the fight and was delighted to find that Kaddour wasn't always the cocky, smirky cat with a chip on his shoulder. He's actually a thoughtful, excitable young man who views the sport behind and through a veneer of brash invincibilty, albeit with the eyes of an innocent, wide-eyed kid who's living an innocent, wide-eyed kid's wildest dream.
Read on, Howlers, to find out how Kaddour retrospectively sees his overall Contender experience, what he thinks of tonight's ShoBox opponent Maxell Taylor (12-1 and 5 KOs) and how a very prominent, current junior middleweight titlist helped him prepare for this fight.
Coyote Duran: Ahmed, how does it feel to be fighting your first "non-reality show" opponent in a year, Maxell Taylor?
Ahmed Kaddour: Since I got out of the show and I'm not fighting anymore (on The Contender), come back to the real world and a fight a real fight, it means a lot to me. I'm just looking forward now to an exciting show and another victory on my record. This time I'm in "Superman Shape". It's not gonna be the same like when I fought on the show. I mean, it's really good and I'm not worried about anything. I'm really ready to go. I've been training really hard for a long time, training with a world champion (WBO Junior Middleweight titlist) Daniel Santos. I've been in training camp in Florida. I've been training for, like, more than 2 1/2 months for this fight. So, everything's been going great. I have been going good. My weight is good. Everything seems to be really, really good.
Coyote Duran: What have you gained from working with Santos? Has he imparted a particular wisdom on you that differs from what you're used to?
Ahmed Kaddour: Oh definitely! He's been teaching me a lot of stuff and he's been showing me a lot of different techniques because he's a southpaw and I'm fighting this guy, Max Taylor and he's a southpaw. I mean, it can't be much better. Living and training, I'm living in the same house, training together in the same house. We're running together every morning. How much better can it be? A world champion who can tell me a lot of stuff. I mean, he's really cool and all the way down-to-earth. He's just been teaching me a lot of stuff and he's been telling from the bottom of his heart that when he shares things with me, it's not to be fake. He's gonna be with me. We're leaving tomorrow. He's gonna be with me in the ring corner, him and the coach, the trainer. He's gonna be with me. Everything is really, really good. We're a team and we stay a team. We train together like a team, running toether. We're sleeping in the same house, so everything is really good. So he hasn't been faking on anything.
Coyote Duran: Ahmed, this has been your longest stretch of inactivity since between fights with Alban Mothie and Wilmer Mejia. Were you going stir-crazy just waiting to fight again?
Ahmed Kaddour: Well, it was almost a year ago (since Kaddour's last fight with Alfonso Gomez) almost but it doesn't mean a lot. Later, when you become a really, really big name, you're not going to be fighting more than twice a year anyway. Sometimes you go five, six months without fighting. It hasn't set me back at all, anyway. Actually, I've just been getting better, getting more experience. I've still been training even though I haven't been fighting. I've been training with world champions so I've been seeing a lot, getting more experience in the world. That life I lived in L.A. and now I'm here and now I'm coming to a part where I really know what I want and where I want to be. And I'm ready to fight! I really love to fight and I take the time because it's really important to have patience in this sport. I learned that. If you don't have that, it could be really dangerous. You really have to have patience in this sport and you have to wait and whenever it's your time, you've got to be ready. You've got to be always prepared and ready anytime.
Coyote Duran: You had to compete at middleweight for The Contender, of course. Will you be weighing in at middleweight against Taylor?
Ahmed Kaddour: Super welterweight. 154
Coyote Duran: Has it been weird or difficult to adjust to "normal" training instead of working with a house trainer on The Contender?
Ahmed Kaddour: Definitely. It's different from how I was training when I was on the show. There, I was living with the same opponent that I was gonna fight and watch them. It's not something you do everyday with everytime you're fighting. This time I lost two fights because there was a lot of stuff I didn't do right for this show. It's not just those guys (Ishe Smith and Alfonso Gomez) but I know from the bottom of my heart that I'm the best fighter of all of them and I would've won that show if I were 100% and ready. But I had a lot of things. I was not 100% and not right. In boxing, it's not just shape and talent. It's not enough. Everything has to be perfect to be 100% ready. You have to be 120% ready. Physically, mentally in shape. Everything.
Coyote Duran: In relation to that, Ahmed, when fans watched the first episode of The Contender, they were surprised to fight out that the wins and losses on a reality show were going to be official. Do you believe or think it to be fair at all that yours or any of the other fighters' losses on the show are reflected officially on your record?
Ahmed Kaddour: Yeah, I knew they were gonna be on the record. There's a lot of stuff before we got on the show, before we even made the try-outs. A lot of stuff, the way they (Contender producers) were talking was the way they wanted it to be. When the show started, they start changing a lot of stuff. They told us at first there actually that the fights would count on the records........actually, I didn't even know that before I got on the show. Somehow, they might have told us but somehow, I just didn't get it. It's not a big deal for me. I lost to those two guys and they both know, Alfonso and Ishe Smith, I fought both of them and after the fight, they both looked like they had an accident or something. They were both tore up. They both looked like I don't know what! Even Ishe came back after the fight and he even told me that it wa the hardest fight he ever had. I talked to Alfonso when he came back and he was so happy and he was so surprised that after he won when I definitely feel that he didn't win but they edited it to make it look like he tore me up in the first three rounds and that I didn't punch anything./ In the first round, it was just so bad because I punched him a lot. A lot of combinations and it was just funny because there was nothing on my face. No scratches. Nothing. He was all messed up. So how can all that happen when they're showing that I hit him once or twice and that was all? I mean in one or two punches, how could all that damage that I did to him come from all that? From one, two, three punches that they show that I hit him.
And the rest of the fight, they just showing that he's punching me. It's really ridiculous. They made Alfonso look like a sweet guy and that he was the best fighter of all. They make him look like a star and in my opinion, he's really not. He does have another side of him that I really see as a mean side. He's got that side too. The other side that they don't show that at all. I seen Alfonso. I was with Alfonso and he had that little bit mean side of him, like me. He does. There's no shame in it. That's OK! They're just showing that he's a sweetheart and he's the one everybody believes would not win because he was the lightest one and that everyone took him lightly. And then he went and they make him look like the underdog and he beat everybody everytime he came in. He was the strongest and there was a lot of stuff! I mean......(Scoffs)..........it was crazy! Even the first time when he fought Peter (Manfredo Jr.), I believe Peter won, too the first fight when he fought Peter, the first fight.
Coyote Duran: It just comes down to editing the fights heavily. It's also not fair for those of us who like to score the fights at home. Obviously, there's gonna be a lot of stuff we didn't get to see.
Ahmed Kaddour: Yeah, of course! There's a lot of stuff You know, we lived there 24/7 with the fighters and the producer. There's a lot of stuff I know that's not real.I mean, yeah. I may have looked good but I mean, the way I am is the way I am. I maybe get dressed nice and make it look like I was just wearing it because I'm just doing the show. I'm always dressed like that! I always look responsible and respectful to people when I go out and talk to people. I mean it's just me. It doesn't matter if there's (Executive Producer Sylvester) Stallone or (Host) Sugar Ray Leonard there. I am who I am and I do as good.
Coyote Duran: Ahmed, you were really made to be the villain in the show and before you started butting heads with Ishe. All boxers can be brash and can trash talk from time to time. What was it about you that they brought the villain out of?
Ahmed Kaddour: I don't know why they made that but TV has to make money. They have to make drama. They have to make it look like somebody's the good guy. Somebody's the bad guy. They chose me, unfortunately. The best looking kid. The best dressed guy. Has the most beautiful wife or fiance on the show. So, they choose me and that's OK. They make me just get more publicity and then I'm just a winner. I know in my heart that whatever people talk about, they talk good, they talk bad, as long as they talking and they're still talking, then that's good, y' know?
Coyote Duran: Speaking of your fiance, how is Brandy doing these days?
Ahmed Kaddour: (Upbeat) Brandy is a wonderful woman! She's a wonderful person insde and outside and even makes others look bad a little bit. When she said, "What should I say to my father?" when we went to eat, "If you don't win, what should I tell him if we want to get married?...." She was just joking and she's still right here with me. She's the most sweet person in the world, I'm telling you. It's like people just don't know that she was just joking and that's just the way she is. We like to joke to each other and it was just fun. They made it look like she meant it and people talk about now after the show is over, "Are you guys still together?" Even the producers! Them motherfuckers, they're the ones who edited the way they're editing! They know exactly what they did. So I really can't believe how that they can ask me about if we're still together or not, because they know she was joking and they would see us after the show and how we were all over each other. There was another episode one day when the camera surprised us. I don't know if you've seen us, we were sitting in the house and this family came and surprised us and one of the girls comes out there. This girl had a birthday and that showed we (Ahmed and Brandy) were all over each other. They showed that! They showed one side and then they showed another side. They screw up with many things. Many weird things. I don't care any way, anymore. I'm getting in the real world. The real fights. My fiance is right here next to me and nobody gonna stop me. Nobody gonna stop her. We're still together. She supports me with everything. With everything. Economically, fighting, everything. Training, whatever I need. She's right there. She supports me in everything.
Coyote Duran: She's a very lovely young lady, Ahmed.
Ahmed Kaddour: She is. Yeah.
Coyote Duran: Maxell Taylor's last fight was just over two months ago. How do you see yourself handling him? He's young. Got a loss on his record. How will you handle him and how to you predict the outcome?
Ahmed Kaddour: Oh, I don't even question the outcome. I know I'm definitely gonna win. I'm not even gonna worry about it. I just seen that the fighters he's been fighting and I know who he's been fighting. I know that he's a young fighter. He's 20 years old. That's when I turned professional. I was an amateur when I was his age. I've been travelling the whole world trying to fight anybody in the whole world. I know what it's gonna take to fight and win. I got the balls. I got the heart. I got the mad thing inside me what he (Taylor) don't have yet. Yeah, I'm only 23 but I've been through a lot of stuff I've been going through. I've been travelling a lot. My whole professional career, I never fought in my country (Kaddour's birth country of Lebanon.). I always fight in Germany, I fought in Italy. I fought in England. I wanna fight everywhere! Do you know how hard it is to fight in another country and try to win? Not just to win but, you have to win big. And I'll be knocking guys out even then. I'm gonna go out there, look different and knock guys out.
Coyote Duran: Did the Danish community see The Contender and how did they receive your performances?
Ahmed Kaddour: Yeah, they seen already the show. They really liked the show. I don't know if they're airing it over there. I do know that in the Middle East and Lebanon and Dubai everywhere already aired over there. I do know that in a month to a month and a half, I'm going to Dubai and talk for the show. They asked for me to come there and talk to them and tell them about how the show was because I'm Arab and I can speak their language. They want me to go over there and talk to them.
Coyote Duran: You've given us your side on how The Contender producers edited the show. The things that they chose people to say. Did the show affect your career positively at all?
Ahmed Kaddour: Yeah, of course, it's positive. Even with the losses I gained a loot of publicity. They gave me a lot of exposure. But when you look into the future, I could only be good and make more money. A lot of fighters here, a lot of fighters don't make $1000 for 6 rounds or maybe $2000 for fighting an 8 round fight. I mean this guy I'm fighting. He's probably won't make more than $3000 because he's fighting me because I am the guy with the name! I've seen already the commercial on Showtime, the name (Maxell Taylor's) is in small letters and then when they talk about me, they talk about "We've got Ahmed Kaddour from The Contender." and it's just in huge letters. So, yeah, because I did the show, a lot of stuff is changing and a lot of stuff is all about me. That show on Friday, I don't think, is not just about the guys who are fighting on the main event (Lightweights Courtney Burton and Rolando Reyes). It's more me. I think it's like, I am the show, you know?
Coyote Duran: How do you feel about competing on Showtime so soon after the ending of The Contender's first season? Of course, the finale was live but you're the first fighter to compete on a network that's renowned for boxing. What's that feel like, Ahmed?
Ahmed Kaddour: I appreciate, first of all, The Contender for my exposure and all what they did for me and definitely Mark Burnett Productions and they were all cool people in there and I really liked them and I miss them. I have a wonderful, great promoter who is one that I think is one of the best promoters, Gary Shaw. He hooked it up. I mean, he put on the show since he's got a good connection with Showtime and ShoBox and HBO. We have a great team behind me that they can do a lot of stuff for me. And that's what we're gonna do!
Coyote Duran: After your bout with Alfonso Gomez, you said some glowing things about Gomez. I remember you saying specifically that he was a future world champion and you could tell people that you lost to that future world champion. By saying that, you really changed the opinions of a lot of fans who didn't like you very much when they first saw you on the show.They thought you were the heel, the black hat. In your words, who is the real Ahmed Kaddour?
Ahmed Kaddour: The real Ahmed Kaddour, I mean, is really all the way down-to-earth. I didn't hate anybody on that show. I really liked everybody. I really liked Sly. He was a cool guy! I liked Sugar Ray Leonard. They were all huge, big guys. I liked all of 'em from the bottom of my heart. There was nobody that I really disrespected but it was just showed in the way they edited it and made it look. They know the way I am. They do know that I'm not a hater and I like all of them. But them behind my back, they're gonna make money and I understand that but the truth is that they were gonna make me look the way I looked so I can't do anything with it and I just deal with it and try and prove that I'm a better person than that. I'm better and I can win.
Coyote Duran: After the Maxell Taylor fight, what does the rest of 2005 see for you?
Ahmed Kaddour: I have probably one more fight, probably one or two more. We're already talking about fighting in August 6 in Tampa, with (IBF Super Middleweight titleholder) Jeff Lacy fighting the main event. I talked to Gary Shaw and he's talking about he'll put me on another show three weeks later if I'll be ready and I will be leaving next fight with no scratches or anything but you know it's OK! He told me, "You should have no problem with this kid and you should handle him the way you always do." I mean, I don't know anything about this kid. I know that I'm higher. He's 5' 10". I'm 6' 1". I know I'm taller than him. He does have knockouts but that's not because he fought anybody who's really big. I don know he fought at 140, moved up to 147 and his last fight where he fought 2 months ago, he was 150. I'm told a 154 pounder, he's not. So, I'm taller than him. I'm stronger than him. And I am. I know that.
Coyote Duran: Before you go, any words for your supporters and your fans who'll be watching you Friday night?
Ahmed Kaddour: I would love to say hi to everybody and tell everybody, you know, watch July 22 on Showtime and I want to hope that they get to see The Real Ahmed Kaddour and get to see who I really am and I would love to tell one more time again to Gary Shaw, thanks for all the opportunity to get me the fight on Showtime and thanks to The Contender, Mark Burnett, Sylvester Stallone, Sugar Ray Leonard for giving me the exposure on The Contender and giving me the publicity. And not last, thanks to my fiance for all the support and I tell her that I love her from the bottom of my heart.
Coyote Duran: Ahmed, thank you very much for taking this time so close to the fight. I wish you nothing but good luck against Maxell Taylor!
Ahmed Kaddour: Thanks! Thanks a lot and I appreciate it! Thanks a lot for the interview!
Talking Boxing would love to thank Ahmed "Babyface" Kaddour for taking the time to chat with us and share his thoughts and plans for the near future. Thanks very much also to Antonio Leonard for arranging a great conversation.
If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail me at coyoteduran@talkingboxing.com!
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