The Dark Destroyer on boxing today
Posted: 09 Mar 2007, 01:58
Nigel still a fan of the sport.
On Floyd Mayweather:
"Mayweather's caught the syndrome of throwing one at a time, it seems to catch all the great fighters. I admit I caught it, Chris Eubank caught it, Naseem Hamed caught it, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson ofcourse caught it.
"You need to get him in there with a (Ricky) Hatton to force him to throw more than one at a time.
"When I used to watch Mayweather in years gone by, it was great seeing him open up and he had that killer instinct. It's there but just needs awakening. He needs to fight someone like Hatton maybe."
On Ricky Hatton:
"Ricky is the best fighter to ever come out of this country and will prove it when he stops (Jose Luis) Castillo and gives Mayweather the fight of his life if that fight can get put together.
"I'm certainly looking forward to his fight (with Castillo) more than the Mayweather-De La Hoya fight. You just know it's going to be two kids bashing eachother from pillar to post and in that kind of humdinger fight Ricky is unmatchable.
"It reminds of Roy Jones-James Toney and me and Gerald McClellan. If you wanted to watch a chess match you watched those two (Jones and Toney), but if you wanted to see some fireworks...
"Ricky's got so much in his armoury, his body punching power is off the scale and he can reload alnight long."
On Joe Calzaghe:
"It's the same old story with Joe. He fights once or twice a year and complains.
"The reason he never got recognition or any big fights for so many years was because he just wouldn't keep fighting, he wouldn't sustain any public interest and he wouldn't cross the pond.
"I just think he's slipped back into that comfort zone and I yawn at it. But there's so much more to come out of him, I reckon he's got a good five years left in him."
On Amir Khan:
"I'm very proud of Amir but he really needs to keep his feet on the ground. I know better than anybody that you can't get carried away, you can't let it all get to your head.
"When you step up in class it's a different story altogether. That's all I'm saying."
On Audley Harrison:
"You spoilt him rotten. It's your own fault.
"When I turned pro, I was living in a hostel and catching buses everywhere - when I could afford the bus fares that is.
"Within a year, I had a house fully-paid and was driving around London in a Porsche. You know what that was? That was hunger and straining at the leash.
"At 25 years old, I came crashing back down to earth at Finsbury Park and relocated to Miami ofcourse to rebuild my career from scratch.
"Audley is 35 years old and in that same position right now.
"What I'm saying is, you shouldn't of made him a millionare before he even had one fight. That's like winning the lottery!
"It's taken him seven years to get some hunger, but it's too late and I don't feel sorry for him one bit.
"He should of went with allegedly from the start, Frank would of got him a British title shot within seven fights. In seven years he hasn't even fought for the British title yet.
"I was beyond Audley's level within 15 months. Frank got me a title within about 15 weeks of taking over.
"He (Audley) was sparked out cold in his last fight and you have to ask whether he can recover from that.
"The guy really is a laughing stock as of now, sorry."
On Lennox Lewis offering to train Audley:
"He should go for it. He can learn a lot of off Lennox, who is the best heavyweight of the last 15 years by a landslide."
On allegedly:
"Frank's got everyone their great fights. He got me Gerald McClellan, he got big Frank Oliver McCall, he got Hamed the Madison Square Garden, he got Ricky the Tszyu, Joe Calzaghe the Lacy one.
"His record speaks for itself. Also guys like Terry Marsh and Colin McMillan, he's always delivered and he's got good timing.
"With Joe Calzaghe for example, I don't know who's fault it is, but the factor is that he just hasn't fought regularly enough. Whether that's Frank's fault for Joe's fault or TV companies fault or whoever, I don't know. But I do know that Frank delivers the goods."
On the heavyweight scene:
"It needs a puncher of some kind to inject some real life back into boxing, not just heavyweight boxing. Someone who goes for the kill and catches the imagination.
"Your Liston's, Foreman's, Tyson's were the heartbeat of heavyweight boxing. Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano..
"If Tommy Morrison was 10 years younger it may have been something.
"The kid who fought James Toney (Sam Peter), I don't think he's the answer. Who knows?
"Boxing needs knockouts to survive, though."
On Edison Miranda:
"I don't think I've seen this boy yet but if you can stop Howard Eastman then you can't be bad at all.
"Eastman was a really good prospect at one time."
On Carl Froch:
"I don't think I've seen him but I hear things about him.
"Maybe these (Miranda and Froch) are the kind of guys who can keep Calzaghe busy and keep him on his toes?"
On Manny Pacquiao:
"Awesome fighter who deserves to wear my No Fear legend.
"I love all the Mexicans."
On Iran Barkley challenging Evander Holyfield:
"I pray for guys like those."
On Tyson cocaine scandal:
"He needs God. I fear for him. I really love that guy and just hope and pray he finds peaces of mind.
"I'd like to see him to be honest. I'm one guy who can relate."
On Holyfield steroid scandal:
"Not the least bit suprised, mate.
"I got tested all the time and knew so many fighters who were doing the charlie (cocaine), juicing or whatever but never got caught.
"Infact, when I did my weight wrong for a certain big fight there was somebody - who will remain nameless - who had an artificial stimulant ready for me and was going to switch the urine test.
"I didn't go through with it."
On favourite fighters today:
"All the Mexicans, Corrales, Ricky, Alex Arthur, I would say Calzaghe if he was more regular, Mayweather if he opened up."
On Floyd Mayweather:
"Mayweather's caught the syndrome of throwing one at a time, it seems to catch all the great fighters. I admit I caught it, Chris Eubank caught it, Naseem Hamed caught it, Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson ofcourse caught it.
"You need to get him in there with a (Ricky) Hatton to force him to throw more than one at a time.
"When I used to watch Mayweather in years gone by, it was great seeing him open up and he had that killer instinct. It's there but just needs awakening. He needs to fight someone like Hatton maybe."
On Ricky Hatton:
"Ricky is the best fighter to ever come out of this country and will prove it when he stops (Jose Luis) Castillo and gives Mayweather the fight of his life if that fight can get put together.
"I'm certainly looking forward to his fight (with Castillo) more than the Mayweather-De La Hoya fight. You just know it's going to be two kids bashing eachother from pillar to post and in that kind of humdinger fight Ricky is unmatchable.
"It reminds of Roy Jones-James Toney and me and Gerald McClellan. If you wanted to watch a chess match you watched those two (Jones and Toney), but if you wanted to see some fireworks...
"Ricky's got so much in his armoury, his body punching power is off the scale and he can reload alnight long."
On Joe Calzaghe:
"It's the same old story with Joe. He fights once or twice a year and complains.
"The reason he never got recognition or any big fights for so many years was because he just wouldn't keep fighting, he wouldn't sustain any public interest and he wouldn't cross the pond.
"I just think he's slipped back into that comfort zone and I yawn at it. But there's so much more to come out of him, I reckon he's got a good five years left in him."
On Amir Khan:
"I'm very proud of Amir but he really needs to keep his feet on the ground. I know better than anybody that you can't get carried away, you can't let it all get to your head.
"When you step up in class it's a different story altogether. That's all I'm saying."
On Audley Harrison:
"You spoilt him rotten. It's your own fault.
"When I turned pro, I was living in a hostel and catching buses everywhere - when I could afford the bus fares that is.
"Within a year, I had a house fully-paid and was driving around London in a Porsche. You know what that was? That was hunger and straining at the leash.
"At 25 years old, I came crashing back down to earth at Finsbury Park and relocated to Miami ofcourse to rebuild my career from scratch.
"Audley is 35 years old and in that same position right now.
"What I'm saying is, you shouldn't of made him a millionare before he even had one fight. That's like winning the lottery!
"It's taken him seven years to get some hunger, but it's too late and I don't feel sorry for him one bit.
"He should of went with allegedly from the start, Frank would of got him a British title shot within seven fights. In seven years he hasn't even fought for the British title yet.
"I was beyond Audley's level within 15 months. Frank got me a title within about 15 weeks of taking over.
"He (Audley) was sparked out cold in his last fight and you have to ask whether he can recover from that.
"The guy really is a laughing stock as of now, sorry."
On Lennox Lewis offering to train Audley:
"He should go for it. He can learn a lot of off Lennox, who is the best heavyweight of the last 15 years by a landslide."
On allegedly:
"Frank's got everyone their great fights. He got me Gerald McClellan, he got big Frank Oliver McCall, he got Hamed the Madison Square Garden, he got Ricky the Tszyu, Joe Calzaghe the Lacy one.
"His record speaks for itself. Also guys like Terry Marsh and Colin McMillan, he's always delivered and he's got good timing.
"With Joe Calzaghe for example, I don't know who's fault it is, but the factor is that he just hasn't fought regularly enough. Whether that's Frank's fault for Joe's fault or TV companies fault or whoever, I don't know. But I do know that Frank delivers the goods."
On the heavyweight scene:
"It needs a puncher of some kind to inject some real life back into boxing, not just heavyweight boxing. Someone who goes for the kill and catches the imagination.
"Your Liston's, Foreman's, Tyson's were the heartbeat of heavyweight boxing. Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano..
"If Tommy Morrison was 10 years younger it may have been something.
"The kid who fought James Toney (Sam Peter), I don't think he's the answer. Who knows?
"Boxing needs knockouts to survive, though."
On Edison Miranda:
"I don't think I've seen this boy yet but if you can stop Howard Eastman then you can't be bad at all.
"Eastman was a really good prospect at one time."
On Carl Froch:
"I don't think I've seen him but I hear things about him.
"Maybe these (Miranda and Froch) are the kind of guys who can keep Calzaghe busy and keep him on his toes?"
On Manny Pacquiao:
"Awesome fighter who deserves to wear my No Fear legend.
"I love all the Mexicans."
On Iran Barkley challenging Evander Holyfield:
"I pray for guys like those."
On Tyson cocaine scandal:
"He needs God. I fear for him. I really love that guy and just hope and pray he finds peaces of mind.
"I'd like to see him to be honest. I'm one guy who can relate."
On Holyfield steroid scandal:
"Not the least bit suprised, mate.
"I got tested all the time and knew so many fighters who were doing the charlie (cocaine), juicing or whatever but never got caught.
"Infact, when I did my weight wrong for a certain big fight there was somebody - who will remain nameless - who had an artificial stimulant ready for me and was going to switch the urine test.
"I didn't go through with it."
On favourite fighters today:
"All the Mexicans, Corrales, Ricky, Alex Arthur, I would say Calzaghe if he was more regular, Mayweather if he opened up."
