Exclusive Interview: Jameel “Bigtime” McCline.

“I really want to be a champion.”-Jameel McCline.

They say that to those whom much is given, much is expected. Heavyweight contender Jameel McCline certainly has his share of gifts. Immense physical size, strength, boxing skill and stern self-evaluation are some of the traits that have helped Jameel rise through the ranks of the heavyweight division and

become recognized not only as one of its best fighters, but perhaps the man who might separate himself from the pack and become the definitive champion of his generation. Being as honest and unpretentious as he is, Jameel would be the first to admit that his career has not taken the path that he would have liked. However, in speaking to him, it is obvious that he still has the desire, the heartfelt need to become a world champion and one that will reign over the heavyweight division for years to come. While regrouping from a desperately close decision loss to Chris Byrd for the IBF title on Don King’s heavyweight extravaganza in Madison Square Garden last month, Jameel spoke openly with me about the future of his career, consensus heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, the potential return of Lennox Lewis and much, much more.

Saddoboxing: Jameel, Congratulations on a great fight with Chris Byrd.

Jameel McCline: Thank you.

SB: What was the most valuable learning point of that whole experience for you?

JM: The most valuable learning point that I thought I got out of the fight was that when I get someone hurt I can’t just jump on them and blow my load there. I’d box him again because I know I’d hurt him again. Now I know I’ll hurt him again. I got him hurt once, I’ll hurt him again, if I don’t jump on him and blow my load.

SB: Even in defeat, you were part of a very exciting and high profile fight. How do you feel that will impact your career?

JM: Well I think so far it’s already affected my career better. I mean, in losing, of course I didn’t gain what I would have gained had I won but by God did I gain a lot even in losing. What I’ve gained is a lot of respect throughout the boxing community. No one has anything negative to say about this fight like they did for past fights. They were like, “you were too tentative, you didn’t do this enough, you didn’t do that enough. But in this fight, you really showed that you belong here in the top echelon of the division.”

SB: It must have been quite surreal to have to try and beat one of your good friends for a world title. Tell us something of what that felt like for you?

JM: Well, it felt normal, there was nothing different about it. It was normal, he was a normal guy and the only thing I was apprehensive about doing was getting dirty. I was conscious of not fouling even when I thought I could get away with it because you know when you’re in there fighting you know, you’re fighting and the only thing I held back on, I fought as hard as I could but the only thing I held back on was getting dirty and fouling. Other than that, it was normal.

SB: It seemed at the press conferences that you had really switched off to the fact that this was Chris Byrd and you were friends and that you were just focused.

JM: One-hundred percent.

SB: You have previously mentioned that your technique slipped as you became more fatigued during the fight. Specifically, what do you intend to do to rectify this?

JM: First off, I’ll come in at 260 (pounds) for my next fight I don’t care who it’s against. Even though I had no fat on me, 270is just too much to carry so what I’ll do is, I’ll come in at 260 and listen, I will make sure that during training I’ll make sure that everything comes in right this time because nobody gets as many shots as I’ve gotten and gotten another shot at a title. I mean that’s just unheard of, three shots at a title.

SB: I think it’s evidence that a lot of people think that you belong there.

JM: Yes. So the next time that I do get a chance, what I will do is, I will be very conscious of being able to go the distance.

SB: When you put Byrd down, you must have felt that you were just seconds away from being a world champion. Can you tell us what that felt like?

JM: Without a doubt. In my mind I thought, “oh my God it’s gonna happen really soon. It’s almost done, it’s almost done, all the hard work, it’s almost done, it’s almost here, I almost got it.”

SB: That must have been an incredible feeling.

JM: It was a wonderful feeling.

SB: Your friendship aside, do you think that Chris has been somewhat fortunate to remain a champion in light of the controversial decisions he has taken from Fres Oquendo and Andrew Golota?

JM: Friendship aside, this is what I’ll say about that: Anything he’s gotten, he showed me that night why he was champion. Because I put a beating on that man, I put a beating on him, I hit him with some serious, serious body stuff. He showed me why he’s champion so whatever he got, he deserves. If he got some controversial decisions then he deserved them because he really showed that he’s a champion.

SB: Both of you seem to have come out of that fight well in terms of respect.

JM: Yes.

SB: I know you have taken time to relax in the month since the fight. What do you see as the best move in progressing your career forward now?

JM: The best move is to fight any titlist. You know, obviously that’s not very easy when Don King has three of them but anyway, you know, if I can get with him fine you know. Don King’s a very willing man, Don King’s a very smart man so he’d be willing to do anything with me that I wanted to do with him. So the smartest thing for me to do is to fight any of the titlists out there, any one of the title-holders. They all know I’m dangerous, none of them are afraid of me because this is what we do, but they all know I’m dangerous and they all know they have to prepare diligently for me, as I for them.

SB: Are you looking to get into a buildup campaign or do you think you can go straight into a title fight right now?

JM: I’m at the point where I’m only fighting titlists. There is no need to build up, I’m only fighting titlists.

SB: Do you intend to change anything in terms of your training, your team or your promotional status?

JM: The only thing I’m changing is that I’m not coming in at (two-hundred) seventy (pounds). I don’t care how ripped and cut or in shape I may think I am, I’m coming in at anywhere from fifty-eight to sixty from now on because that’s the best weight for me, I’m very dangerous at that weight, I can go all night at that weight and that’s the most important thing in this business, stamina.

SB: Did you see the recent WBC title fight between Klitschko and Williams?

JM: Yes I was there at ringside.

SB: What was your opinion of that?

JM: My opinion is that I think that this is the worst heavyweight champion we’ve had in a very long time, he’s a bum. First of all he has nowhere near the grace that a Lennox Lewis had he has nowhere near the grace that I myself bring to the table. He’s just a big, clubbing guy. And hey listen, it works for him so fine let him keep doing it.

SB: It seems to be a lack of technique. I’ve had arguments myself regarding as you say what looks like a lack of schooling, he looks to arm punch a lot, he doesn’t seem to have the technique. What do you think is fundamentally wrong there?

JM: Well what’s fundamentally wrong there is that he is very happy and content with who he is as a champion and he feels that there is no need to continue to learn, just, pretty much maintain. If I’m wrong about that assessment then my next assessment is that he is unable learn because he just doesn’t have what it takes to be a fluent and effective fighter. But listen, let me rephrase that also because he’s effective in what he does, obviously he’s effective because he wins, he’s been knocking guys out but having said that, I don’t think he’s a very good fighter.

SB: He had the chance to learn from top American trainers and it seems to be that he ignored things that might have benefited him.

JM: It’s very hard to get into a fighter’s mind apart from yours, other than the fighter himself. But having said that I don’t think he would be able to get past someone like myself. He beats a lot of these other guys just because he’s just so big.

SB: You are one of the few fighters able to physically match Vitali Klitschko, with Williams, there seemed to be nothing he could really do….

JM: Well, I was there and I was watching it. I saw Williams, he just had trouble getting inside.

SB: Yeah, Klitschko was leaning back and he was so long and everything.

JM: Right.

SB: But you wouldn’t have that problem, you’re physically the same size….

JM: Right.

SB: So what would you do to take over?

JM: Listen I’m a big man, I mean there’s not much more I can do. You know, I’m a big man, I’m as big as him so that’s all I have to do is be big. Be big and use my jab and I’m right there with him.

SB: What do you make of Lennox Lewis’s hints that he may come out of retirement?

JM: Listen, he was a great, I think Lennox Lewis is one of the top-ten heavyweights of all time so if he comes back, I’d welcome him with open arms. Open arms and closed fists, you know, if we ever meet….

SB: (Laughing).

JM: But err, other than that brother he generates money, he generates excitement. I mean, he was the unified, he is everything so you know, he’s welcome, he’s welcome, he’s welcome.

SB: Is it true that you’ve sparred with Lennox?

JM: Oh yeah.

SB: Is there anything you could take from that experience which might help you in fighting him?

JM: Yeah sure, I mean it was so long ago but I you know, I do remember that…you know he’s older now, he’s older and it all depends on how in shape he’s stayed. You know, you take the time that he’s taken off and it’s not easy but he’s one of the greatest of all time so maybe he’ll prove me wrong along with everyone else. But I welcome him back, I’d love a shot at him if he does come back and that’s where I stand on that.

SB: A lot of people have considered you as the guy that should take over and bring the division back to some kind of respectability. Are you aware of those kind of expectations and what does it mean to you that many people think of you in that way?

JM: You know, I’ve had those expectations for quite some time, even back when I fought Wladimir Klitschko. I didn’t realize the ramifications of those expectations. When they expect something from you, by “they’ I mean the powers that be in the fight game. When they expect something from you, they let you know that you’ve failed them. What I mean by that is that I let a lot of people down when I lost to Wladimir Klitschko and they showed me you know, that I did let them down by dropping me in all the ratings. But that’ll never happen again I’ll tell you that.

SB: Can you explain, ideally what you plan to achieve in the New Year?

JM: Ideally man, and this is not just talk, you know everyone talks and “this is what I wanna….” I really, really want to be champion.

SB: That means everything.

JM: I don’t care, “BC, “BA, “BO, “BU I don’t care, I really want to be a champion.

SB: A lot of fighters have let down like Dominick Guinn, a lot was expected of him and he kind of zoned out, there have been a lot of surprises….

JM: I’ll tell you one thing, it really wasn’t fair for people to expect anything from him because he’s not…there’s still so many big guys in the game. And he is a little guy, I don’t care how much you expect from him, he still is a little guy and I don’t think that was fair but anyhow you know, that’s his problem.

SB: Apart from yourself, who do you see making a big impact in the heavyweight division next year?

JM: I think Rahman will make a little bit of noise next year. I think Hasim Rahman because he’s rededicated himself. I think Chris Byrd’ll make a little bit of noise next year. And that’s pretty much it man, that’s it. It’ll be me, it’ll be Rahman and then there’ll be one surprise guy who really got his shit together. Who that is I don’t know.

SB: (Laughing). Who do you enjoy watching these days, who would you pay money to see fight?

JM: Floyd Mayweather Jr., (Manny) Pacquiao and (Arturo) Gatti. Yeah, I love watching these kids. These guys are fuckin’ animals.

SB: (Laughing). And the Barrera-Morales fight, you saw that?

JM: Oh God, I love these little guys.

SB: They really give it everything right?

JM: Yeah.

SB: I looked at that fight and thought it was the best fight I’d ever seen. At least, the best fight they’ve had.

JM: Yeah, they’re animals man.

SB: (Laughing). It’s been really great to talk to you Jameel.

JM: OK brother, thank you very much man. It was really nice to meet you man.

SB: Just before you go, do you have a message for your fans and the boxing world?

JM: No, no messages.

SB: (Laughing). Ok, it’s been great talking to you and take care.

JM: You got it buddy.

SB: Bye bye.

JM: Bye bye.

You can learn more about Jameel McCline at his official website www.jameelbigtimemccline.com

I would like to thank Tina McCline for her invaluable help in making this interview happen and I’d like to wish Jameel the best of luck as he begins the next phase of his career on behalf of all the team here at Saddoboxing.com.

Jim Cawkwell can be reached at jimcawkwell@yahoo.co.uk