Jameel McCline: A “Bigtime” Update.

“I’m one of the biggest, the fastest, strongest and most efficient fighters in the business right now. Calvin Brock is young and strong and he’s ready to do what he’s gotta do; it’s just a completely different level I’m on.”-Jameel McCline.

After enduring a turbulent spell of fights being proposed and then swiftly evaporating, Jameel McCline is finally returning to the ring since his close loss to Chris Byrd for the IBF heavyweight title last year. More poignantly, McCline is coming to realize a dream of “locking up the

division” while earning the many millions of dollars that come with such an accomplishment. In the way of that dream is undefeated contender Calvin Brock, not for much longer though according to a determined McCline, who was eager to share his thoughts on a wide array of subjects as the weeks dwindle away, bringing us closer to this exciting showdown. In addition to a brief interlude from one of his fans, Jameel shares his opinion on the fight, his training, Don King, James Toney, the state of the game, and much, much more.

You do not want to miss this exclusive “Bigtime” update, only at SaddoBoxing.com

SB: Hi Jameel, is training going well?

JM: Training is going phenomenal.

SB: The Sergei Lyakhovich fight fell apart for you recently. Can you tell us what happened there?

JM: Well, what happened was that Jay Larkin, who has pretty much been known as the guy over at Showtime, gave the go ahead for the show and we were preparing to leave for camp. But apparently, it turned out that, his boss, Jay Larkin’s boss, took it from Jay Larkin (control of the fight date) and gave it to himself. So it appears as if I got caught up in a power-struggle over at Showtime, which is why that fight didn’t go through.

SB: Then it seemed as if you were scoping out Samuel Peter, did anything serious materialize from that?

JM: What happened with Samuel Peter was that we were ready to fight; I was thinking that this was a great opportunity, he’s a great future champion and we were looking forward to getting it on with Sam Peter. But I think what happened, was that they elected not to because there wasn’t enough money there for both sides, that’s really what it was, there wasn’t enough money there for both sides.

SB: Now you’re facing Calvin Brock, a fighter you are familiar with, what are your thoughts on him purely as a fighter?

JM: Well Calvin Brock, he was in my camp when I was getting ready for Chris Byrd. I brought him in as a sparring partner, and he’s a very good fighter, strong, young. I think he’s one of the guys that’s going to definitely be someone to look out for in the future. He’s hungry and he’s game, he’s a tough strong kid, and you can bet that Team McCline is definitely not taking him for granted.

(At this point, Jameel was stopped by a fan asking him about his last fight with Chris Byrd).

JM to fan: Yeah I didn’t like it either man, I thought I won that fuckin’ fight man. What?! Yeah, I’m training for another fight……huh?…….April 23rd on pay-per-view.

JM: Hello, I’m sorry, I ran into a fan, I’m sorry.

SB: I see you’re still getting reviews from the Byrd fight.

JM: (Laughing) Yeah, he didn’t like it too much. I didn’t know if he didn’t like my performance or Byrd’s performance.

(Both laughing).

JM: But he just said he didn’t like it too much.

SB: Yeah, people are still talking about that one.

JM: Fans are funny, let me tell you something, they’re brutally honest you know? They’ll tell you if they didn’t like the performance or if they didn’t like the decision…..

SB: I would have thought they would be hesitant to tell you face-to-face. So they are letting you have it or what?

JM: No, no, actually it’s been 90-10, it’s been great, it’s been 90% positive. It’s been very, very positive. But you know, we fought a great fight, both Chris and I, it was a very, very good fight. I watched the fight once, it was a very good fight, he fought hard, I fought hard and nobody was wasting time. Everybody was going as hard as they could.

SB: Brock has some momentum going for him and you obviously rate him as a fighter, how do you see yourself stopping him?

JM: How do I…..listen, I’m one of the biggest, the fastest, strongest and most efficient fighters in the business right now. Calvin Brock is young and strong and he’s ready to do what he’s gotta do, it’s just a completely different level I’m on that’s all. You know, I understand he’s undefeated and he feel’s he’s unbeatable, but the truth is, and he knows it’s the truth, and everyone else knows it’s the truth, I’m just on a completely different level that’s all. It’s nothing against him, it’s nothing bad, it’s not to say that he won’t step in there and fight a really good fight, it’s just that he’s on a completely different level than I am.

SB: So after beating Brock, where do you want to go?

JM: You know, the thing is, you can’t play games, you can’t look past, you can’t underestimate athletes because athletes have the tendency to rise to the occasion. So I don’t know what’s going on afterwards, I don’t care what’s going on afterwards, I haven’t even thought about what’s going on afterwards, my only thought is Calvin Brock.

SB: You’ve mentioned in the press before that this is your last run at a title, by that, are you thinking of retirement if you don’t win?

JM: Let me explain to you what I meant by that, and I explained it that day in the press conference. What I mean by that is, you know this business as well as I do, you know that this is a very unforgiving game. And yes, I’ve fought for the title twice, this will be my third run at a title, and I’ll get a title shot because I’m one of the best heavyweights in the world, therefore I will get another title shot. But having said that, you know this is a very brutal game, any slip-ups, they’ll put me out to pasture. That does not mean that I won’t be able to make, you know, two or three hundred thousand dollars a year here and there, but that’s not my dream, my dream isn’t to make two or three hundred thousand dollars a year, my dream is to make fifty million and to lock up this whole fuckin’ division. D’you understand? So that’s my dream, so this is my last run at my dream to lock up the division. Did I explain myself well enough?

SB: Of course, that’s clear enough. I think you belong at the top of the division and most people see it that way.

JM: Yes, see, what will happen is, if there are any slip-ups, that will be the reason for a lot of people not to fight me, because people don’t wanna fight me in the first place. I’m having a hell of a time getting sparring partners, I can’t even get sparring partners. Nobody wants to come into camp with me.

SB: Speaking of your training, the last time we spoke, you talked about bringing your fighting weight down to 260-pounds, how is that coming along?

JM: Did I speak to you before the Byrd fight or after?

SB: We last spoke in December.

JM: Ah man yeah, it’s coming reallygood man already. I’m already at 269 today with five weeks left you know, so I got nine pounds to go. But see, what happens is it’s not just nine pounds, it really turns out to be fourteen or fifteen pounds. Although I lose nine pounds of fat, I’m putting on more muscle, so then I’ll have to lose more fat, you follow me?

SB: Sure.

JM: But you know I got one of the best nutritionists and trainers in the world in John Schaeffer. Yeah, I got one of the best training/conditioning trainers in the world in John Schaeffer, and we’re watching my calorie intake, we’re watching everything we do and we’re going to take this to the next level.

SB: But you’re not carrying much fat at all; seeing the way fighters have been badly affected by losing a lot of muscle, does that worry you?

JM: Well, I’ll tell you what I’m worried about, I’m worried about coming in at 270-pounds again. I cannot come in at 270-pounds, it’s too much to carry over twelve rounds, it’s too much, it’s too heavy and I can’t carry that much and expect to lock the division up.

SB: Switching gears a second. Personally, I see a lot of the negativity attached to the sanctioning bodies, you must see it yourself. So what for you alone drives you to want to win one of those titles so much?

JM: It’s very simple man, if you’re gonna be in this game as long as I have, you want to be the best and you want to be considered as the best. At this level, I’m not happy being considered amongst the best. I want to be considered the best, not just amongst the best.

SB: You handle the media in a dignified manner, what do you make of someone like James Toney who never has a good word to say about anyone; does that damage the image of the sport or does it accentuate it?

JM: I think it damages the sport. I don’t think anybody really cares about all that bravado, all that crazy talk, all that negative talk. I think what the fans are looking for are strong, valiant, committed athletes, not people that get out there and look ignorant and act disrespectful.

SB: Now it looks like Toney might get a title shot, what do you make of that?

JM: Well look that’s just the politics of the business, and this is not being disrespectful, I’m being asked the question, therefore I’m answering it. I think James Toney is the biggest con job in all of boxing in quite some time. He’s the biggest con job in the heavyweight division since Michael Grant. He’s not a true heavyweight, he’s a great fighter, a future hall-of-famer, but he is not a heavyweight. John Ruiz should beat him, but then again, he lost to Roy Jones so it’s hard to say, but John Ruiz should beat him. There’s no way he could beat guys like myself, guys like Golota, guys like Klitschko, guys like Rahman, even guys like David Tua who hasn’t been around in a long time. He would never be able to beat the upper echelons of the heavyweight division. He can go and pick on guys like Holyfield, and when he beat Holyfield, Holyfield was an old man, beat up. And then the last kid he fought was fat and out of shape and he still didn’t knock him out.

SB: What about these smaller guys moving up into the heavyweight division. Do you, as a natural heavyweight, feel some incentive to put these guys in their place so to speak?

JM: You know listen, the reason why I was looking for all these guys, the reason why I accepted the fight against Lyakhovich and the fight against Sam Peter and the fight against Calvin Brock is because I’m not ducking anybody in the world. All the top names are ducking me, and the younger guys are coming after me because they think they can get me and they want my spot just like when I took Michael Grant’s spot. So, really what it is, is that everybody’s ducking everybody, everybody’s worried about what they’re gonna get paid. Listen, let’s just fight, keep our sport alive, and then things will take care of itself…….and don’t sign with Don King.

(Both laughing).

JM: Because you see what happens when you sign with Don King, none of his fighters are fighting. The John Ruiz fight went to a purse bid, Chris Byrd, he turned down the fight in Germany against the kid (Wladimir Klitschko). It’s like all his guys are jumping ship. Who’s the other guy….Hasim Rahman, he’s like fuck this, gimme more money you know, enough of this already, enough.

SB: I know you’re friends with Rahman, do you favor him in that fight with Vitali Klitschko?

JM: Being a friend or not really doesn’t play into my decision of who I think is the winner, but I do believe that Rahman has what it takes to beat Vitali Klitschko. But now that fight’s off because he hurt himself.

SB: They say they’ll push it back to June, I think it is still going to happen.

JM: Oh, ok, great then.

SB: Have you seen Rahman lately and does he still have that determination or do you think all these things like the delay are going to set him back?

JM: What, his condition?

SB: Yeah , you know, sometimes a fight gets pushed back and a guy loses focus…..

JM: No, he’ll stay focused, he’ll stay focused. Listen, there’s millions of dollars at stake, he’ll stay focused.

SB: It’s such a convoluted picture now, nobody wants to fight each other, so who’s the guy now?

JM: Well you know what, it’s not that they don’t want to fight each other, Don King won’t let them fight each other. How do you have three heavyweight champions under one company, and none of these guys have unified? The only reason that’s happening is Don King, he’s fuckin’ up the sport, which is why I refused to sign with him three times already. You know, because I mean, if I’m with Don King and he has two other fighters that are champions and I’m a champion, I want to unify the title, I want to fight one of the other champions. And it’s been three years, or two years now since he’s had three fighters with a title and how come we haven’t seen a unification? How come Byrd hasn’t fought Ruiz? Or Ruiz hasn’t fought Lamon Brewster or Brewster hasn’t fought Byrd? It’s fuckin’ bullshit!

SB: So in your opinion, on performance at least, there’s just no “guy?”

JM: I think Chris Byrd is one of the main guys in the world.

SB: Statistically or on performance he should be….

JM: Next to myself, he’s one of the main guys in the world.

SB: He has the win over Vitali Klitschko. Do you think Klitschko needs to fight him again to put that right?

JM: I think he has to come back to fight Byrd to show that he is the Supreme Being in all of the heavyweight division.

SB: Thanks so much Jameel, it’s been fantastic speaking with you. Do you have one last message you want to send out to Calvin Brock ahead of this fight?

JM: You know, I’m not really here to talk about it. I’m not one of those fighters that talks a bunch in the press, you know, I let my hands do the talking. When we step in there, it’s a completely different game. You know, I’ve noticed a lot of guys, they always speak what they can do, and that’s fine, it should be that way, you should think that you’re a great fighter, you should wanna do your best, but it’s completely different when you step in there with me. It’s completely different. So my message is, I’m not really here to talk about it, I’m here to be about it.

SB: Thank you Jameel, it’s been great talking to you and I’d like to wish you the best of luck.

JM: Thank you so much.

If you want to learn more about heavyweight contender Jameel McCline, you can visit his website at www.jameelbigtimemccline.com

I would like to thank Tina McCline for her invaluable assistance in making this interview possible.

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