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“When you been in the game long enough, you know that speed kills. Raheem is going to be too fast. He is going to be ready, Morales can’t catch Zahir, he’s too fast.”–Don House is preparing Zahir Raheem to challenge Mexican legend Erik Morales.
Don House is a trainer with a traditionalist attitude, he believes in boxing fundamentals being the basis of becoming a world champion. With over twenty-years of boxing experience and being the trainer of past champions such as Freddie Norwood and is currently the trainer for the dangerous Joan Guzman, up-and-coming Steven Luevano, attentive boxer “Kid Diamond,” and the speedy Zahir Raheem who has his hands full with Erik Morales come September 10. House also trains a female boxer with three titles, Jessica Rakoczy. Enjoy a lesson from one of the most successful trainers in the boxing world today. It was an honor for him to take time out of his busy schedule to share some thoughts with me.
Don’t miss this exclusive interview with trainer Don House as SaddoBoxing begins its build-up towards the September 10 doubleheader featuring Morales-Raheem and Pacquiao-Velazquez.
SaddoBoxing: Do you think Joan Guzman is comfortable at this weight?
Don House: “He can make the weight, it’s not a problem. This time I will have him for a little more time, last time I had him for about three-and-a-half weeks; this time, I will have him for six-to-eight weeks.”
SB: Are you going to stick to the same training?
DH: “Yeah, we are going to stick to the same thing, probably cut back on the sparring.”
SB: Guzman’s last opponent was a southpaw, how do you train to defeat a southpaw?
DH: “Train a southpaw. I had like five southpaws. Freddie Norwood and Frankie Liles. They were all southpaws.”
SB: So that’s your key to beating a southpaw, training one?
DH: “Yeah, because you know their weakness, you know what each one of them does not like. Now that traditional crap that they tell the right hand guy to step to the left and throw right, a southpaw will eat you to death with a jab and left-hook because you will run right into it.”
SB: How would you rate Guzman’s power?
DH: “He’s pretty strong; he dropped that kid in the fifth round.”
SB: How would you train Joan Guzman for a Juan Manuel Marquez fight?
DH: “Well, we would box Marquez. He wasn’t ready when I had Freddie Norwood. Marquez comes forward; we would use power, speed, movement.”
SB: Could you see Guzman taking over the featherweight division?
DH: “Yes. And to be honest with you, I don’t see anyone in his division giving him a problem. He has an extensive amateur background, he’s had over 300 amateur fights; he’s very relaxed and comfortable with fighting all over the world, because of his deep amateur background. Guzman has fought in his own backyard and also in his challenger’s backyards.”
SB: When are you and Guzman going to start training again?
DH: “I think he’s going to take a month off and go home to the Dominican Republic.”
SB: What is the most important part in a relationship between boxer and trainer?
DH: “Communication.”
SB: If you had a fighter who had a lot of talent but did not respect training totally, compared to a fighter who did not have a lot of talent but wanted to train, who would you train?
DH: “I’d rather take a guy, believe it or not, that listens and wants to learn, that does not have the best abilities, but he gives it all he has. I have a female fighter and it’s not a lot of money in female fighters, but you know what? She works hard and trains harder than anyone on the planet.”
SB: What’s her name? What’s her weight?
DH: “Jessica Rakoczy; 135 (pounds) is her weight.”
SB: You’re training Zahir Raheem for his fight with Erik Morales, what are your thoughts?
DH: “When you been in the game long enough, you know that speed kills. Raheem is going to be too fast. He is going to be ready, Morales can’t catch Zahir, he’s too fast.”
SB: Do you think he is going to outbox Morales?
DH: “The thing about it is, Morales, he’s a warrior; he loves to fight. What I can’t understand is why he does that. He’s actually a better boxer than a fighter. He’s like Diego Corrales. We’re not going to fight him; we’re going to box the crap out of him.”
SB: How many times a day is Raheem training?
DH: “We have him training twice a day.”
SB: What about Raheem’s attitude?
DH: “He’s confident.”
SB: Do you think some people are born to box, or is it all in the training?
DH: “Some people are born champions anyway. GOD makes those. A trainer can condition them and keep them out of trouble. Morales is one of those guys born that way.”
SB: Do you think a lot of trainers do not teach boxing any more? Do you think they are going for the knockout more?
DH: “Yeah, because a lot of these trainers are just throwing these guys in the ring, letting them fight each other and get tired, during their training. And you can see the difference when they enter the fight. That’s probably why I am having a lot of success with my guys, because I take my time with my fighters. I teach them how to fight.”
SB: What kind of advice would you have for people who want to become trainers?
DH: “You have to watch a lot of other trainers and a pay a lot of attention to trainers who has been in the game for a while. I made sure I did that, before I went on my own.”
SB: This is a trainer question, who is the best pound-for-pound?
DH: “Floyd Mayweather.”
SB: Is there anything else that you would like to say about the upcoming Morales versus Raheem fight?
DH: “Just be ready, come and watch the fight and watch how easy it’s going to be.”
Contact Shaun Rico LaWhorn at filmmaking_mentality@msn.com
