Boxing Perspective: Shooting The Breeze With “Iceman” John Scully

A few weeks back I had been sitting around thinking about 2007 thus far in the sport of boxing and the fights yet to come in these last few months when I decided for a change of pace.

I wanted to do an overview of the sport and direction it could be turning within the next year or two, be it for better or for worse. Except this time, instead of any other old boring recap/overview, I figured it might make for a more interesting read if I could get someone else, involved in the sport with a well known name, to share an opinion or two.

That’s when I opened up my contact list to see who I could possibly get a few opinions from, that would catch the interest of our readers by name alone to sort of help add a bit to the article.

I usually do a mid year report and a year in review, faithfully, but seeing how it was September, the mid year report was out. I also knew that a recap of things that have been posted or published in every media outlet, day in and day out, since the Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya bout earlier this year would be pointless.

What I needed was a name that people respected, yet the person would not spend every chance they got plugging one of their fighters or making excuses about some event or another that did not go the way it was planned.

After drawing blanks, I was just about to give up on the idea and had popped in a tape of some ESPN classic episodes I recorded a while back, figuring maybe an idea or two on something different would come about. Then while half paying attention to the fights and browsing through my e-mail there was a voice on the tape that solved my dilemma. John Scully!

The former New England light heavyweight contender turned trainer has earned himself a reputation through the years, not only as one of the sport’s all around most accessible good guys when it comes to the media. He has also never been know to be a guy who gives anything but an honest opinion when it comes to boxing. So, after sending out an e-mail, I managed to set something up for the next day, then prepared my questions and headed out for a press conference.

When I gave Scully a call on our agreed upon time the next day, we started out in the usual interview fashion. I thanked him for giving me a few minutes of his time and asked what was new in his neck of the woods. John had given me an update on what was next for him and some of his guys.

First up, he would inform me that former junior middleweight champion Jose Rivera is soon getting prepared for his match with Daniel Santos, the return of welterweight Israel “Pito” Cardona would be coming soon, Matt “Too Smooth” Godfrey, the undefeated 16-0 cruiserweight prospect, was mentioned as someone Iceman was heading to see and work with possibly for an upcoming bout.

Last, he mentioned Matt “Sharp Shooter” Remillard, an undefeated 130 pounder that Scully co-trains, who had broken his wrist about a year ago, was set to resume his career this October against an unnamed opponent. Remillard is currently 11-0 and Scully states that big things may be on the rise for the dedicated 21 year old New England native, so he is someone to keep an eye on in the future as a possible break out fighter of the next generation.

While handling the usual ABC’s of interviewing, somehow our conversation took a turn. To be perfectly honest, I can not even pinpoint exactly where our talk went off track of what I had lined up on paper. In fact, before I knew it, I had pushed aside my list of questions and we were
discussing almost everything but anything that was planned out for the article.

Scully and I both agreed that 2007 was a great year for boxing. With fights like Mayweather vs. De La Hoya, Zab Judah vs. Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito vs. Paul Williams behind us and with other high profile bouts such as Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe vs. Mikkel Kessler looming into the not too distant future, the sport has received a much needed credibility boost when it comes to the best of each division actually for once fighting instead of just talking about maybe fighting.

We debated how the recent rise of MMA and the UFC in particular has caused some serious competition financially, almost forcing promoters to have these big bouts made, something that may or may not be true, but is not actually that far-fetched an idea.

Well deserved credit was handed out to both Glen Johnson and Antonio Tarver. The two fighters were applauded for disregarding the so called sanctioning world title organizations back in 2005 and fighting each, other regardless of what was on the line, just to prove who the best light heavyweight in the world was at that moment, something under appreciated by anyone other then the die hard fans.

We criticized so called champions who sit on their titles rather then defend them, just for the sake of being called “Champ” no matter how illegitimate their reigns were or are. Talks of how bandwagon fans jump on the coattails of unproven fighters because of one impressive win, how image should be something paid more attention to by big name fighters so to set a good example for the younger generation about to enter the game.

I received a few inside tips on what was to come in Scully’s soon to be published book “The Iceman Diaries”, listened to stories about Archie Moore and Scully’s correspondence with the former all time great. I was impressed on how a man like Moore was willing to pass on bits of knowledge to a younger Scully for no other reason then just because.

When I had finally gotten off the phone with Scully, I looked down at my pad. Reading my notes on a bit of this and a bit of that, I flipped the page and realized that about half my questions were not even asked. Yet, for some reason, I was not in the least disappointed.

In fact, I was more pleased with the interview than just about any that I have ever conducted, even if most of my questions were not answered in a direct way but after thinking about it, they had been somewhat covered in an over all basis and besides, there were a few things that I had found out that I was not even looking for. Such as the return of Remillard, some added things to Scully’s upcoming book and interesting bits on Archie Moore.

I think what I was most satisfied with is the fact that I had forgotten there are guys like John Scully still involved in this sport. Guys that not only make their living through the sport of boxing but are not afraid to admit that it has some flaws, often ignored by the money men who reside not in the ring but behind closed doors, never taking a punch to the head or body yet seem to know what is best for those that do (for the record, that opinion is a personal one and not one stated by John Scully).

Guys that actually care what direction boxing is headed, guys that, as long as they are involved in this game, will do things the right way not only for themselves but those around them. It left me with a little hope that boxing still has a chance and the things that we had discussed or debated were the reasons why I came to love this sport in the first place. The reason that I will continue to be loyal to the sport for as long as I am alive.

Yes, my fellow enthusiast, 2007 has been a hell of a year for boxing. I truly hope that in 2008 it can keep the momentum it has built up so far because lets face it, boxing surely needs it.

As I said in the beginning of this article, there is no real reason to recap the events of this year because there is nothing I can write that most do not already know.

But I can say this much; It doesn’t matter how many big time fights are taking place or how much news there is to report. It doesn’t matter how many things we wish would change to help give that added boost or add to the image of the sport and help give it some positive outlook.

On those rare occasions when not behind the computer, setting up interviews or trying to grab a story, those days when out of the gym not training for an upcoming bout, when not sitting at press conferences asking or answering questions depending on which side of the podium you are on, one thing is for certain. It does not matter if you are a fan, writer, manager, trainer or fighter.

There is nothing better than when two guys who hold the same dedicated following of a sport they love, be it agree or disagree on the topics at hand, get a chance to share some opinions, throw out some forgotten moments of the past and a few ideas on what would be great to see happen in the future.

Doing as the old timers used to say “Just Shooting The Breeze”. Isn’t that half the fun of being a fan in the first place?