TalkingBoxing with MALCOLM TANN
"This is definitely my year to make a name for myself"
by
Garth Weaver
3/18 - Heavyweight prospect
Malcolm "The Showstopper" Tann, 14-1, is looking to make a big statement on "ShoBox: The New Generation" on Friday, April 1st from Lenmoore, CA. The 26-year old Tann is slated to fight fellow prospect, undefeated Leroy Childs, 11-0, and looks to extend his 6-fight win-streak along with exposure on Showtime's exciting series.
The Chandler, Arizona native was kind enough to take some time out of his busy training schedule to talk with us about his upcoming fight and his place in the Heavyweight division. When I initially called him, he was stuck in traffic, however, he did call back a little later in the evening and we had a good little chat.
Coming off a 2nd round stoppage of Innocent Otukuwu in February, Tann feels ready and motivated. "I have arrived, and I am out here with a new trainer, and I'm learning some real old-school boxing tricks," Tann said. "You know I'm getting a lot of tools and then I'm throwin' them in my bag of tricks." Read on for much more of this excellent interview as Garth Weaver speaks with Tann on a variety of topics.
MALCOLM "SHOW STOPPER" TANN
Garth Weaver: Well Malcolm I wanted to first say thank
you for taking the time to be TalkingBoxing.com with me
and your fans, secondly I wanted to thank you for your
service in the Air Force!
Malcolm Tann: No Doubt. No Doubt. That was an honor
for me to be able to serve my Country, and I beleive
that it is good for a young man to come out and serve
their country, and then get into society because it
gives you a stable background before you get out into
the world; gives you some kind of guidance.
Garth Weaver: I couldn't agree with you more completely...
Malcolm Tann: Oh, definitely, because I know me, and it calmed
me down and gave me my chance to grow. I had some
rules and guidelines to follow, and now I am in
society and it [His Service] carries over.
Garth Weaver: Yes Sir...So how has your training camp been
going?
Malcolm Tann: Oh my God... Man, I just got out 6 tough rounds with David Bostice, I mean he is a really experienced guy and we went at it pretty good. Man, I am learning a lot, staying in there working with him. It's going
real good...A lot of hard work.
Garth Weaver: Well I'm glad to hear it, there is nothing wrong
with a little hard work...
Malcolm Tann: Hey that's right, I know it's going to get me to
the top of that mountain.
Garth Weaver: Well you are fighting a really risky opponent in
Leroy Childs on the 1st of April, is 2005 going to be
your year to shine?
Malcolm Tann: This is definitely my year to make a name for myself. I'm coming out, and I'm real focused and I'm
going to just stick to my gameplan. I know he is a real risky guy, you know, an ex-football player, big
build, and he come out blazin', but I got a little muscle behind my hustle too...
Garth Weaver: Yeah, you do have some size yourself, you have an
80" reach and you are 6 foot 6, a big guy!
Malcolm Tann: Right...Right...I'm gonna try and switch the game
up a little bit, you know, I want to be more versatile
with this guy, I know he is a big dude, I gonna box
him then, you know, mix in some shots in there, and
you know, keep him on his toes...
Garth Weaver: Good to go...What kind of statement would you like
to make?
Malcolm Tann: You know, I just want to let the heavyweight
division know that I have arrived, and I am out here
with a new trainer, and I'm learning some real
old-school boxing tricks, you know I'm getting a lot
of tools and then I'm throwin' them in my bag of
tricks....
Garth Weaver: Speaking of that, what is your overall view of the
Heavyweight Division, and is there anyone that stands
out in your mind, that you think you might have to end
up fighting and beating on the way up the ranks?
Malcolm Tann: You know, the heavyweight division is pretty wide
open, and there's a lot of talented guys in there, and
they just got to get their chance to shine, and I feel
like if I stick to my guns and just keep learning and
progressing the way I am, I'm eventually going to be
Heavyweight Champ, because I have the dedication and
the work ethic and all that. It's just gonna be
getting my fundamentals down and sticking to my game
plan.
" stick to my guns and just keep learning and progressing the way I am, I'm eventually going to be Heavyweight Champ"
Garth Weaver: That's the way to get there...Speaking of people
fighting for titles, how do you think your former
sparring partner James Toney is going to do against
John Ruiz?
Malcolm Tann: Against Ruiz, I think he has to go in there, I
think he should be able to stabilize him and make him
miss and make him pay. He did a few tricks against me,
while I was out there sparring with him...I like to
throw alot of punches, and what he did, was get me to
fire at him and trade with him, and he would just slip
up in between my shots...Pow!
Garth Weaver: Just using that infighting...get in there and get
out...2004 Was the year of big upsets, which one of
them shocked you the most or did any of them shock you
at all?
Malcolm Tann: In boxing...No upsets really shocked me because
all it takes is one punch...Styles make fights in what
we do, man it's not like a team, if their better than
another team they are gonna throw em' out. In Boxing
is just like...If you're a brawler...You box the
brawler and brawl the boxer, you know what I am
saying?
Garth Weaver: Yes sir...Speaking of styles making fights, what's
your take on Pacquiao-Morales this weekend? Who do you
think is going to win?
Malcolm Tann: Whoo-Wee!!!That's gonna be the shootout at the OK
Corral right there...Golly, I can't even call that,
and both of those guys, they have strong wills and are
both determined...I can't see no one of them backing
down (Laughing)You know what I'm saying?
Garth Weaver: (Laughing) I know what you're saying, I can't wait
either! It's going to be a good one!
Malcolm Tann: Oh, man, that's going to be awesome to watch...
Garth Weaver: What are we going to see on April 1st against
Leroy Childs?
Malcolm Tann: You're gonna see a motivated, slick individual,
whose coming in there with bad intentions...I am
coming in there with bad intentions with my shots...
They are going to be calculated. I'm not coming out
swinging wild... I'm gonna make him slip up and run
into something...Maybe he will knock himself out!
Garth Weaver: So when is the "Show Stopper" going to stop this
show?
Malcolm Tann: (Laughing) Ah-Ha-haaa....Hey man, that was a
badass question, that was a little messed up
(Laughing) but, the sooner the better!
Once again, Malcolm Tann will be facing Leroy Childs
on April 1st. SHOWTIME will televise the Goossen-Tutor Promotions doubleheader at 11 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on west coast). If you haven't seen "The Show Stopper", now is your chance to see this young heavyweight as he
makes his rise to the top.
Discuss this at our Boxing Forum
