In depth interview with Graham Shaw

[Like a Boss]

Interview: Trainer Graham Shaw

Interview with Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing

Leading Australian boxing trainer Graham Shaw talks to Fightnews about who wins a GGG vs. Cotto showdown. Shaw was in the corner of Daniel Geale when he challenged both middleweight champions. Shaw also talks about his charge, former WBO-rated light middleweight Ryan Waters (24-4-1, 13 KOs) who will challenge Australian middleweight champion Dwight Ritchie (12-0, 1 KO) at the Cronulla Leagues club in Sydney, NSW, Australia on November 21. In addition, Shaw mentions heavyweight prospect and Rugby League great Paul Gallen (3-0, 2 KOs) and current WBC Youth welterweight champion Jack Brubaker (9-1-1, 4 KOs) who he also trains.

[On who wins a GGG v Cotto showdown] “If the fight happens at 160 pounds I see GGG winning. While Gennady is a great puncher he is also a complete boxer. I’m a Miguel Cotto fan. He has been a great champion. Great boxers like GGG only come along every twenty years. We are seeing a great middleweight at the moment in him.”

[On Ryan Waters] “I’m very happy with his training – he is 37 years of age but performing in the gym like a 27-year-old. Things are going very well – I’m enjoying and he is enjoying training and I believe you will see a different Ryan Waters in this November 21 fight. Ryan has still got a lot left in him. He has been sparring with a young middleweight prospect, Mark Lucas. Mark was a real good amateur. We’ve had about five sparring sessions and Ryan is looking good.”

[On Waters fight with Anthony Mundine] “I thought he boxed well against Mundine.” ” He fought the right fight against Mundine.” ” Ryan knew he could not box Mundine as he is to fast on his feet” ” Ryan took the fight to him and that’s what he had to do.”

[On training WBC Youth welterweight champion Jack Brubaker] “It’s up to Jack on how far he wants to go in boxing. He has a lot of natural ability and is heavy handed. Jack wants to learn and for a welterweight he is tall. He has a good left jab and solid straight right. It’s still a learning process for Jack and I believe he can go a long way. It’s a bit early days to predict he will win a world title but he has started off well in winning the WBC Youth world title and that’s a step in the right direction. There’s a long way to go – there are plenty of good welterweights out there. I was impressed the night he won the WBC Youth title by stopping China’s Xing Xin Yang in four rounds in August in a nationally televised fight in Melbourne. I asked him to use his jab and maintain his distance, which he did – and he caught him early with a classic right hand. Yang was a tough kid. He was on the canvas three times and he was in the fight until round four.”

[On training heavyweight prospect and Rugby League football star, Paul Gallen] “Paul is fighting on November 3 in New Zealand. It’s on the Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament night. He is fighting Bodene Thompson who has had a few fights. Paul is looking at a fight against Sonny Bill Williams down the track. He wants to keep busy – he loves and respects the sport of boxing. He has been sparring a cruiserweight Daniel Jones. Paul Gallen scored a KO over Herman Purcell in his first professional fight and Purcell in now in the Aussie ratings. Paul has a bright future as a heavyweight in my opinion.”