TalkingBoxing News
Six Questions with Ronald Hearns
THU March 26 - Ronald Hearns loves March and all the madness that goes with it.
The son of legendary eight-time world champion Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns, Ronald earned his college degree in criminal justice from American University in Washington D.C. While in college, Hearns played for the basketball team. This year American University’s basketball team won the Patriot League and advanced to the exclusive tournament field of 64 for the 2009 NCAA® Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for the first time.
But this Saturday night, Hearns will be nowhere near a court; rather, he’ll be in the ring when he faces fellow unbeaten junior middleweight Harry Joe Yorgey in a 10-round bout on a special Saturday edition of ShoBox: The New Generation live on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).
Detroit’s Hearns (21-0, 17 KOs) and Yorgey (21-0-1, 9 KOs), of Bridgeport, Pa., will open the ShoBox telecast from the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla.
World-class super middleweight Andre Dirrell (17-0, 12 KOs), of Flint, Mich., will meet Derrick Findley (13-2, 8 KO’s) of Gary, Ind., in the ShoBox main event. The event is promoted by Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, and DiBella Entertainment.
SHOWTIME: You played collegiate basketball at American University. Did you follow its run in the NCAA tournament?
RONALD HEARNS: “Oh, man, yeah, I love March Madness®. I don’t know many of the players, but I got an email from the coach. My bracket is going OK. I like Pittsburgh. I like Connecticut and l like Louisville.
SHOWTIME: You turned professional after obtaining your college degree. Did you always think you would be a professional fighter?
RONALD HEARNS: “Boxing was always my first love. I always wanted to box since I was about 10 or 11 years old but my dad never allowed me to fight at that time so every time I tried to sneak into the gym the guys would catch me and ban me from the gym. My dad told me once I got my college degree that I could box so I went and did that. He knew I’d be a grown man then and could make my own decision. So the day I came home from graduation I told him I wanted to go to the gym and that’s when I started training.
“It’s something that’s just in me. I love boxing so much. Every time I put a tape in and watch a fight, I just want to get up and start punching somebody. It doesn’t matter if it’s my dad I’m watching or someone else, I just love watching boxing. You could say I’m a real student of the game.”
SHOWTIME: You haven’t fought since last appearing on SHOWTIME in October when you beat Paul Clavette. Has the layoff affected you and your training?
RONALD HEARNS: “It’s been kind of hard because I was scheduled to fight in January but that fight was called off. But I always stay in the gym no matter what. I’m always in there training. I’m a real gym rat. Harry’s a great fighter. He’s a real good boxer and can be flashy at times. You know when you get two undefeated fighters in the ring at the same time that someone’s ‘O’ has got to go. We’re putting it all on the line and hope to put on a great show for the people.”
SHOWTIME: Has it been difficult being the son of Thomas Hearns?
RONALD HEARNS: “Yeah, in a way it’s been tough because the expectations have been set so high. With the things he accomplished the bar is set pretty high. I turned pro so late (age 25) and have really had to learn on the job. People don’t know that I was never really around boxing that much as a kid. I was never in the gym training and really learning how to box. Things are just starting to fall in place right now. But I think I don’t really have all the wear and tear on my body from my limited amateur experience so right now I don’t think that age (Hearns recently turned 30) really matters.”
SHOWTIME: What are some of your earliest memories of your father and boxing?
RONALD HEARNS: I think just watching early tapes of my dad’s fights. The Pipino Cuevas fight (for the WBA welterweight championship in 1980), the (Juan Domingo) Roldan fight (for the WBC middleweight championship in 1987), the first and second (Sugar Ray) Leonard fights and the (Marvin) Hagler fight. There were just so many memorable moments. Just sitting back and putting the tapes in. I just never get sick of watching them. He’ll be leading me into the ring on Saturday. He always lets me know he’s there for me and that I can give him a call anytime I need something. He’s been there and there’s nothing he hasn’t seen inside the ring.”
SHOWTIME: What kind of style will we see from you early on Saturday night?
RONALD HEARNS: “Well, Harry Joe is a front-runner. He always starts pretty quick. I’m going to go out there and try to slow him down early. I’m just going to work off my jab and once I get my jab going everything else will fall into place. I’m ready to go out there and perform and show the people how I’ve progressed and how I’m trying now to make a name for myself. I believe this fight will prove to people that I can do some special things in boxing.”
About ShoBox: The New Generation
Since its inception in July 2001, the critically acclaimed SHOWTIME boxing series, ShoBox: The New Generation has featured young talent matched tough. The ShoBox philosophy is to televise exciting, crowd-pleasing and competitive matches while providing a proving ground for willing prospects determined to fight for a world title. The growing list of fighters who have appeared on ShoBox and advanced to garner world titles includes: Leonard Dorin, Scott Harrison, Juan Diaz, Jeff Lacy, Ricky Hatton, Joan Guzman, Juan Urango, David Diaz, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Paul Malignaggi, Kendall Holt and Timothy Bradley.
Taylor Sets Sights on Froch, WBC Title
THU March 26 - This time, Jermain Taylor is training for one thing, and one thing only. He wants his championship belt back. Taylor, who held the Mddleweight Championship from 2005 through 2007, will get his shot at the WBC Super Middleweight belt when he faces current WBC titleholder Carl Froch on Saturday, April 25, on Showtime Championship Boxing from MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. The telecast will air live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
The fight card is being promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Hennessy Sports. Tickets are on sale now and priced at $200, $100, $75 and $50. Tickets are available at www.mgmatfoxwoods.com your local Ticket Master and MGM Grand Box Office 866-646-0649.
Taylor (28-2-1, 17KO"s) said the knowledge that he could be champion again is the only incentive he needs to train like he never has before for this fight. He has a new perspective and appreciation for boxing after more than nine years as a professional fighter.
"Every time I get up in the morning, I say to myself, let's go get that belt back," Taylor said. "Every fighter wants to be world champion and have a belt. I have a sense of purpose and motivation to be a world champion again."
It will be Taylor's first action in the ring since a unanimous victory over Jeff Lacy on Nov. 15, 2008, a near-flawless performance that rejuvenated Taylor's career and vaulted him back to boxing's elite. Taylor first won a title on July 16, 2005, when he beat Bernard Hopkins. He held the title until Sept. 29, 2007, when current titleholder Kelly Pavlik took the belt away.
"I'll be honest, I didn't know what I had until I lost it", Taylor said. And now I want it back. I'll do the hard work that it takes to get it back. I know now what it takes. I know if you get comfortable, you'll lose. There's nothing comfortable about this camp. I'm very focus on what I have to do for victory. I'm bringing a lot of fire power and explosives with me when I enter the ring on April 25th."
Taylor is training in his familiar locale of Miami, Florida where he has worked out of and on since turning professional in 2001. Taylor said this camp has a renewed sense of energy from all of Team Taylor. They know what is on the line, and everyone is working to get Taylor back to the top of the boxing world.
"This camp is a lot more focus and intense because there is a championship title on the line," Taylor said. "It's a totally different camp. I can see it in everyone's faces. They want the title back as much as I do."
Taylor is once again working with his longtime mentor and head trainer, Ozell Nelson. Both said the pairing is working as well as it ever has.
"Ever since we started training camp, we've talked about it," Nelson said of the quest for the super middleweight crown. "It means a lot to Jermain to become world champion again and we plan to take full advantage of the opportunity. Jermain knows what he has to do and he's hungry for the title. It's about putting the work in, staying focus and executing the game plan. This is a camp full of confidence."
“I’m confident that a re-focused, dedicated Jermain Taylor will take the belt from Carl Froch’s waist,” said Taylor’s promoter, Lou DiBella.
Taylor has said that he took Kelly Pavlik lightly when he first lost his title in 2007. But it is a new Taylor fighting Froch (24-0, 19 KOs) now, one that is hungry for a title like he never has been before. Taylor is going into April 25 with a sense of urgency unseen in his career before now.
"Here's why," Taylor said. "I'm the one wanting the title not him. He's trying to keep the title and make a name for himself by fighting me. He has never fought on this level or anyone like me before. I'm going to take him in deep water and I hope he can swim."
Taylor has never been a boxer to trash talk. Froch doesn't seem to have a problem opening his mouth, and it is making for an exciting buildup to the highly-anticipated fight.
"I've been hearing he's talking a lot of trash," Taylor said of the Englishman Froch. "If that's what he feels he has to do for this fight, so be it. I don't expect him to be talking nice."
Taylor certainly isn't about to be nice when he enters the ring on April 25th. Not when the WBC Super Middleweight belt is on the line.
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