Exclusive Boxing Interview: British Middleweight Champion Scott Dann
Update: Dann vs. Sharpe For Vacant Commonwealth Crown!
 Click for larger image © Mike Taylor Saddo Boxing |
Scott Dann is one of the pound for pound hardest hitters in European boxing and we were fortunate enough to catch up with the British Middleweight Champion from Plymouth, England and his manager/promoter, Chris Sanigar, as the two were preparing for Scott’s next appearance at the Pavilions in Plymouth on 10 February. After an intense training session, we sat down with both |
Scott and Chris and you won’t want to miss this fascinating look behind the scenes, to be found only on SaddoBoxing.com
SB: Firstly Scott, according to your own website, James Obede Toney has pulled out as he couldn’t make the weight. Do you have any thoughts on this?
SD: “I was a bit disappointed really, I would have liked to have fought James Obede Toney, with him being the Commonwealth Champion. I think it’s bad preparation on his behalf; he’s had plenty of time to get ready for the fight. I mean, I’m a lot heavier than a middleweight and I manage to make the weight so I can’t see what the problem is.”
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SB: So you think he’s not being very professional?
SD: “He’s not taking a very professional attitude, no. He’s had plenty of notice to get ready for the fight and to not make weight is a bit unprofessional.”
SB: Had you done any special training for the Obede Toney fight?
SD: “We were working on the boxing a bit more with him obviously being a dangerous puncher. Just keeping the hands high and chin down, really, nothing too special just a bit more boxing.”
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SB: How do you deal with a late opponent change, mentally?
SD: “I know that I’ve prepared properly anyway, so it doesn’t really bother me. I know that I’ll be ready for any opponent. The preparations have gone well and I mean James Obede Toney was probably the more dangerous of the opponents that I could have met, so I’ll be ready for anyone. It doesn’t bother me mentally at all.”
SB: Your new opponent is yet to be named but early reports are indicating that it’s another Ghanaian, Ayittey Powers. Is this right?
At this point, Chris Sanigar joins the conversation
CS : “Right, well, the next opponent is Larry Sharpe and he’s a southpaw. His record is 14 wins with 5 knockouts, 2 losses and no draws.”
SD: “It’s Larry Sharpe?”
CS: “Yeah, so we’ll be getting southpaw spar partners.”
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SB: I was going to ask if you’ll have time for a video of your ext opponent but I hear that you really don’t go much for the videos?
SD: “No, we’ve never really watched videos of any of my opponents to be honest with you. It’s okay going into a fight with a game plan, thinking that I’m gonna do this and I’m gonna do that. But people change all the time, I know that I don’t fight the same all the time so I can’t see the point because if the fight doesn’t go to your game plan then you have to rethink during a fight.”
SB: We’ve just watched you training out there; what’s you’re favourite part of training?
SD : “Favorite part….I don’t know, it’s all hard work, you know, it’s all hard work. I enjoy the pad work a lot because it’s one of the hardest things. When you don’t want to work the pad man makes you work so you haven’t got time to rest, so I really do enjoy that. But to answer your question, I don’t really have a favorite part, but you just have to do it.”
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SB: Are there any boxers that you’ve come across in sparring that you would prefer not to come across without the head gear?
SD: “Not particularly, I don’t really take sparring too competitively. Obviously, no one wants to get hit more than you can hit the opponent, even in sparring. I’ve got a really good sparring partner in Gareth Hogg and he could be a champion himself. He’s got so much ability, he really has but then he’s a lot heavier than me.”
SB: “Obviously, you’re main objective for the 10th of February is to win and assuming that you achieve this, where do you want to go afterwards? Are you looking at European level?
SD: “Yeah, that’s what the plan is now, to win the Commonwealth then the European title. That’s our aim, with that then taking me onto the world stage where there is maybe a money fight. That’s what we’re after.”
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SB: If you could headline in any boxing venue, which one would you most like to appear at, both here and abroad?
SD: “It would be nice to top the bill at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas or Madison Square Garden in New York. It would be nice to top the bill in those places as it’s every fighter’s dream. Something that’s a bit closer to home and a bit more realistic would be to get a European title in Home Park, the Plymouth Argyles’ stadium.”
SB: A lot of your recent fights have been in your home town; do you like the home scene?
SD: “Yeah, I’ve said this time and again, the supporters in Plymouth will rival any fans. The Plymothians out cry any other fans in the country. I’ve fought on world title shows in Wales, up in London…, etc., and the fans don’t make a s much noise as the Plymothians do. They’ve shown tremendous support for me and I can’t thank them enough.”
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SB: What are your thoughts on the current world scene at middleweight at the moment?
There’s a few good ones up there, isn’t there?
SD: “Yeah, there are. Jermain Taylor is obviously the man at the minute, the main man, but there’s some good ones coming through. Arthur Abraham is a strong puncher, he’s the one that beat Howard Eastman. Although to be fair, I think Howard Eastman was on a slippery slope by then, even since I fought him I think he’s gone a bit backwards. Since he fought Hopkins, he’s earned his millions so maybe his heart might not be there as much, you know? So yeah, there are a few there but I’d happily fight any of them.”
SB: Keeping on the subject of Eastman, I hear that he’s secured a fight against Colombian based Edison Miranda in the final eliminator for the IBF Championship, with the winner going on to face Arthur Abraham. Do you think Eastman has what it takes to beat Miranda? And how do you think he will fare against Abraham in a rematch?
SD: “That’s right, I’ve heard that as well. Eastman still has what it takes but I think that he’s a bit older than he even says that he is (much laughter erupts in the room) and I feel that he’s past it now.”
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SB: Do you think that you’ll get a shot at a rematch against Howard Eastman?
SD: “I would like to have thought so but I can’t really see him coming back down to domestic level.”
SB: But if you moved up to world level….
SD: “Oh yeah, if I moved up, I’d love a rematch against him; I would knock him out definitely.”
SB: Did you learn much from your loss against him?
SD: “100%, the experience was phenomenal but I got caught early and panicked a bit.
I was hurt, to be honest, he caught me with a good shot and knocked the wind right out of me so I was just thinking about surviving the round rather than throwing punches back. I caught him early and did drop him but they didn’t give him a count and that played on my mind. When I went back to my corner, I asked ‘why didn’t they count that knockdown?’
After the second round, I was still complaining about the first round. My mind was elsewhere and I learned so much from that fight.”
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SB: Back in September, you fought the first British title fight to be scored by three judges. Did you have any thoughts about this before the fight or was it just another day at the office? And how were you feeling, waiting for the judges’ decision?
SD: “I was a bit apprehensive to be honest, knowing that if I won this fight that I could win the Lonsdale Belt outright. I think that played a big part in my performance, but I was also disappointed in my opponent, Wayne Elcock. I thought he would come for a bit more of a fight but it seemed that he came to survive. He came to last for twelve rounds and it’s hard to fight someone that’s so negative.”
SB: Who would you like to share the ring with if you could choose anyone from boxing history up to the present day?
SD: “I know that I wouldn’t have liked to have shared a ring with Mike Tyson in his day! (laughs) But some of the best all-time great middleweights would be Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler. They were all great but I think that the all-time great in boxing, just because he was such a thug and a roughhouse, would be Rocky Marciano. After all, his record speaks for itself; 49 wins with 43 knockouts in 49 fights.”
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SB: “What is your favorite fight from the past couple of years that hasn’t involved yourself?
SD: “I think that a fight which nearly put me off of boxing was the Gerald McClellan – Nigel Benn fight. That was just a total tear up and the heart that both fighters showed was phenomenal. It was pretty scary and yeah, it was a good fight.”
SB: Just a few thoughts on current British boxers; Ricky Hatton, due to be going over to the states soon we hear?
SD: “Ricky Hatton is obviously a very good fighter but I still feel that the big name fighters he’s fought have just been a little past their best, which is brilliant on the management side, but he’s obviously doing something right. He gets in there and wins; you can’t take anything away from him. He puts the work in, he’s always fit, he comes forward throwing so many shots…his dedication is there. I’d like to see him go on now and do the Cottos and the Mayweathers but I feel that may be too big of an ask of him.”
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SB: Joe Calzaghe fighting Jeff Lacy in March; any thoughts?
SD: “I don’t know to be honest, I’d like to think that Joe could do him. I can’t see Lacy being able to outbox him, I think it will be a question of who is landing the big shots.”
SB: Amir Khan has won his first four pro fights….
SD: “He’s obviously a good kid, He’s lightning fast but I don’t think that he has the punch power yet. He’s fast but lands about twenty, thirty shots and the opponent is still there in front of him. I’d like to see him take a shot, to see what his chin is like.”
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SB: Finally Scott, how about the Danny Williams – Matt Skelton fight?
SD: “Tough one to call, going on Williams’ last outing. My little boy is picking him to win but it will be a case again if Williams can land a big heavy haymaker. Maybe, but Skelton seems to want it more. He seems to work his socks off for a big man and throws a lot of punches. He’s a bit of a bully boy.”
SB: That’s it then Scott, thanks for your time, I know you’re busy and we appreciate it.
SD: “Thanks, any time, Gotta go and clean the toilets now for the school kids coming in for their class (laughs), cheers.”