From Floyd Mayweather’s personality to Felix Trinidad’s style, 411’s Ali Shakoor imagines what it would be like to be a fighter in today’s era and who he’d want to be like, who he’d want training him, and more!
What boxing fan hasn’t imagined himself as a professional fighter? Whether we’ve had some actual amateur experience, sparred with friends, or just day dream about a different career path, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all had our pugilistic fantasies.
What type of style would you have? What weight class? How about your choice of trainer and promoter? What would your personality be like outside of the ring? How would you like your career to be perceived by historians?
I’m addressing these questions in this column as I project my boxing related fantasies. Things will be kept realistic. That’s right, realistic fantasies, work with me. I don’t imagine myself as some type of unstoppable force like Rocky Ali Shakenstein. I simply want to be the best I can be, within my own physical and mental limitations.
Whether you’ve had some actual experience or just sparred around with friends, we all have a certain style that we emulate or comes natural. Some of you may be Marciano-like sluggers. Others fancy yourselves as quick and slick technicians like Pernell Whitaker. Me, if I was a professional fighter, I’d want to fight just like Felix “Tito” Trinidad.
Tito is one of my favorite fighters of all-time. Besides Lennox Lewis, he was my favorite fighter of the 90’s. I just loved his two-fisted aggression. It wasn’t a barely controlled fury like Tyson, but rather deliberate, calculated, determination.
Trinidad just stalked his opponent down, used a decent jab, and just threw savage intentions to the body and head- especially the head. He was just an outstanding finisher. I can’t recall a fight where Trinidad had his opponents seriously hurt, and failed to close the show. That’s how I would want to fight. I’d want to keep an actively stalking, patient, serious, disposition, and just wait for the right moment to take a mofo’s head off. Then I’d finish the job.
Did Trinidad have faults? Hell yes. He had very bad footwork, was very slow footed, and had a mediocre chin. However, his suspect chin helped make his fights that much more exciting. I don’t have the quickest feet, and line dancing confuses the hell out of me. But I have a nasty right hook, and I commit to finishing the job when I have some fool hurt. Trinidad’s style is in my wheelhouse.
Weight Class
I’m a decently cut “Rocky Balboa”(202 lbs). I stand 5’11”. There’s no way in hell I could add enough muscle to comfortably compete in this era of super-heavyweights. Also, I’m fairly big-boned with very broad shoulders. If I cut down to 175, caring people would start sponsoring my health and well being- “for the price of a cup of coffee.”
Yep, I’m a cruiserweight. After 6-10 weeks of intense training and eating right for my fight night, I’d probably come in somewhere between 185 and 195 for the weigh-in. Sigh, I’d be a damn cruiserweight. I wouldn’t make a lot of money. And I’ll probably be spending a whole hell of a lot of time in Europe. Cheers!
Trainer
I want the best, but I know myself. Freddie Roach is without a doubt the best trainer in the sport. However, his prickly personality and often confrontational demeanor wouldn’t be a good mix for me.
I played a lot of sports in school. The coaches that were overly strict disciplinarians didn’t get the best out of me. I could handle being yelled at and criticized, but not disrespected. I think Freddie is a tad bit of a curmudgeonly asshole.
During the buildup to the Pacquiao/Cotto fight, my jaw dropped while watching HBO’s 24/7, when Freddie disrespectfully interrupted Manny’s meeting with a local politician, to bitch about the weather and the need to leave the Philippines. That conversation could have waited. I respect Freddie, but his personality wouldn’t mesh well with mine.
My choices now are between Manny Steward and Ronnie Shields. It’s a no-brainer. I respect the hell out of Ronnie Shields, and think he’s among the top 3 or 4 in the sport today. But I have to go with the Hall of Fame pedigree of Emanuel Steward.
First, I think he has the perfect mix of discipline and respect. I love his temperament. Plus, he knows the fight game inside out as a tactician. Most importantly, he’s awesome in the corner on fight night.
Manny will always tell you the truth about your performance and status in a particular fight. I love how he lambasted Wladimir Klitschko for putting on such a dull performance against Sultan Ibragimov. Manny loves knockouts. His performance in the Lewis corner during his fight versus Tyson was world class stuff. He recognized that Mike was ripe for the KO, and that referee, Eddie Cotten, was blatantly pro-Tyson and was trying to screw Lewis over.
I also appreciate Manny’s disposition and personality. Meeting him personally on the night of the Berto/Quintana fight was the highlight of my brief career in the media. If I’m going to embark on a pro career, Emanuel Steward is my guy.
Promoter
Don King is a corpse as far as I’m concerned, and I don’t want to spend half of my career waiting for a meaningful fight, while he ignores me, or cancels my card at the last minute. So, who else?
It ain’t gonna be Top Rank. I can tell you that. Bob Arum has a long deserved reputation for playing loose with the truth, and honor and honesty are everything for me. I’m also turned off by his desire to keep the money in-house by forcing Top Rank only fights down our throat. I want to fight the best in my division, regardless of who promotes him.
Golden Boy Promotions is crooked in my mind. They have been involved with a few of the shadiest decisions in recent years. Their slandering and defaming of Manny Pacquiao as a PED user was reprehensible. As was their handling of the latest round of Pac-weather negotiations this summer. And how about the greed they exhibited with the purses from the Ortiz/Campbell card? I don’t want to do any business with GBP.
Lou Dibella or Gary Shaw? I really respect Dibella and it’s a close call, but I think Shaw has a bit more stroke these days, so I’m going with him. He comes across as a straight shooter, or as least as much as one can be in this business. Showtime’s Fight Camp 360 has shown us his “feistiness” in standing up for his fighter’s rights.
Shaw also has an ability to make impressive cross-promotional fight cards happen, for the most part. He’s tough, but he’s able to play with others. Since I’ll be fighting as a cruiserweight, I’ll need him and his tough-minded intelligence having my back as I deal with the guys from Sauerland.
Personality
I’d be Floyd Mayweather minus the race-card playing, wanna-be gangster entourage, fight ducking and general punk-assness. As much as I respect the nice guys like Pacquiao, Ward, and Mosley. I think I’m a natural heel.
I like to speak my mind, and I have a “fuck you” attitude for those who can’t deal with it. I don’t seek praise and love. I’d rather be respected for standing my ground and doing things my own way. In these ways, I’d want to be like Hopkins.
I’m very politically minded, and don’t mind speaking out on controversial issues with “controversial” opinions. In this way, I’d want to follow in the footsteps of 60’s Ali or an even more political and opinionated Charles Barkley. You would see me on Bill Maher and the cable news shows spouting off my opinions.
Inside the ring, as much as I love the cocky heels like Calzaghe and Ali, that’s not my personality during the course of action. When playing sports, I really was never one to talk trash. Before and after, yeah, but not during. During the fight, I’d be all business, like Trinidad.
My entrance music would be “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys. That song never fails to get me amped up. Depending on the opponent, I may occasionally use Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”.
I’d certainly devote my time to charitable causes. The focus would be on my core issues like child abuse and LGBT rights. Nothing against those who like help countries like Haiti and other parts of the world, but my time and money will be spent on helping those in the USA.
I also like to party, and would likely have a few alcohol related examples of decadence. I’d bang my fair share of famous or non-famous groupies. TMZ would have a constant tale on me. You may love to root against me, but you’d remember me. Hey, it’s my fantasy.
Legacy
I wouldn’t reach my potential, but I’d likely reach about 92% of it. I would want to spend some time on the active top10 pound-for-pound list. Due to my physical limitations, weak fighting division and excesses, and I wouldn’t be looked upon as a modern, let alone all-time “great”, but rather as a well-respected, very, very good fighter.
I would seek out the best fights in my division on my way to the title. Once I became the champ, I’d fight 2-3 times a year; one difficult challenge, and at least one or two “bum of the month” minimum mandatories. I wouldn’t fight war after war like Miguel Cotto and thereby cut my career short. You gotta mix in the occasional stiff, to pad the record, stay fresh, and protect the health. I know I disagree with countless fans and pundits who want great challenge after great challenge, but that isn’t smart. And isn’t how the all-time greats did it.
However, the big caveat to the previous paragraph is that once I’m in the final stages of my career?the last 2 or 3 years?it’s time to cement the legacy. I’d fight twice a year, and only the best within my weight range; provided there is media/public demand and the fight enhances my legacy. If the media/public demand was there, I wouldn’t duck any big fights for any reason. I’d be the anti-Mayweather in this respect.
There would be ONE likely ill-fated trip to heavyweight, where I would collect a major payday versus a huge super-heavyweight. I’d probably get my ass kicked, and then I’d take myself to the bank, and back to the cruiserweight division.
After 35 to 45 pro fights, I’d call it a career in my very early 40’s, and try to move on to broadcasting and acting. I would never come out of retirement. Hopefully, my talent, KO percentage, and social impact would get me some HOF votes, and maybe a late in life induction.
Excuse the lack of humility, but it’s my fantasy damnit! Now I’m going to submit this column to Ramon and send a copy to a psychologist friend of mind for mental insight purposes. 🙂
If you ever fantasized about what it would be like to be a professional boxer, feel free to share your thoughts. Cheers!
