On a random stop by the H.I.T. Factory Gym right off of the strip of Las Vegas, trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad could be found at work, on this particular day overseeing the duties of budding amateur Taylor Larson. A former light heavyweight champion in his own right, Muhammad is one of the most sought after and respected trainers in the city as he works with such talent as former light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, junior middleweight contender Ishe Smith, and former champion Hasim Rahman and his standout amateur son of the same name, amongst others.
The H.I.T. Factory is the same facility that former junior welterweight kingpin Zab Judah calls home and Muhammad played an essential role in the Brooklyn fighter?s camp during preparation for his 3rd round blitzing of Jose Armando Santa Cruz on July 16th. But as our conversation rolled on, Muhammad revealed to me that he had nothing to do with Zab?s camp for his latest fight, a life or death struggle with Argentinean puncher Lucas Matthyse earlier this month. Judah would end up winning a split decision over Matthyse but wasn?t nearly as effective late in a fight that left some question marks still hovering around the confident fighter.
Such highlights of our talk included Muhammad possibly working with undefeated former light heavyweight and cruiserweight boss Zsolt Erdei from Hungary as well as his take on several topics on the national scene. Muhammad keeps a shrewd eye on all aspects of the sport and spoke on such fighters as Sergio Martinez, Shane Mosley, who could be in line to face Manny Pacquiao on April 16th, Floyd Mayweather and the upcoming December 11th clash between Amir Khan and Marcos Maidana at the Mandalay Bay.
This is how my rap session with Muhammad unfolded?
Apparent fallout with the Judahs? ?Let me get that perfectly clear. I wasn?t with Zab in his last fight. Because what happened in the fight before that he looked so good that when I was working with him he looked real good. All of a sudden when I came back to work with him my services where no longer needed. So they though that they could do it by themselves, him and his father, without me. Listen, you saw the outcome. All you got to do is put two and two together. You saw me working with him when he knocked out the first guy he fought and you saw him in his last fight with Matthyse. I had nothing to do with the Matthyse fight. They thought they could do it without me, God Bless em’. I wouldn?t want to work with them. I?m like this here. Listen, it?s better to find out how those individuals are. I don?t feel that I need to run behind them or anybody else to make a dollar. I don?t need to do that.?
Letting Chad Dawson recover from his loss to Jean Pascal? ?I haven?t talked to Chad. He?s coming off of his first loss so I don?t want to be all up in his grill telling him about the fight. I wanted him to enjoy his family, the holidays and come back when he got his head clear. I don?t want him to hear about the same thing. People are always going to [be critical]. That?s not a problem. When they do that it?s going to be hard on them because all I can say is when he comes back, I feel sorry for people that are going to be in front of him.?
A pleasure working with Ishe Smith? ?Ishe is doing real good. You know they robbed us on a few fights. In Mississippi we went over there and beat that kid. And Guerrero, we beat him but they didn?t give it to us and they didn?t even want to call the knockdown. We beat him fair and square. Ishe is a magnificent fighter. I love working with Ishe. It?s an honor to work with a guy like that. He comes to the gym, puts in the work and meets me on the road in the morning. Does the whole nine yards. He trains very hard and it?s a pleasure working with him.?
A rumored April 16th clash between Manny Pacquiao and Shane Mosley? ?It?s going to be a good fight. It?s going to be a very competitive fight. You?ve got speed and power. Everybody thinks Mosley is washed up because of his last fight. I don?t think he?s washed up. Styles make fights. I just think that it?s going to be a very entertaining and interesting fight.?
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Whether or not Floyd Mayweather Jr. will ever fight again? ?I hope so because he wasn?t brought up to have legal issues. He was brought up to be a fighter and the best fighter in the world. I hope all the legal issues can be resolved so he can get back to what he does best. And that?s beating people.?
Sergio Martinez?s second round knockout of Paul Williams? ?Remarkable. I would have never thought Sergio Martinez would knock Paul Williams clean out. I mean he knocked him clean out. You could have counted to 400. He caught him right on the chin. Knocked him dead.?
The bottom line on Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana? ?I like that fight. That?s a good fight. You?ve got Maidana who is the consummate puncher and he?s putting the pressure on Amir Khan. Listen, just because Amir Khan got knocked out before doesn?t mean he can not take a punch. He got hit the right way. And that?s the bottom line. Anybody can get hit the right way and they are going to sleep. We?ll find out if Maidana can hit him the right way. We?ll see.?
