Exclusive Boxing Interview: Lou Dibella

“2007 Is Going To Be A Big Year!”

As founder and CEO of DiBella Entertainment, Lou DiBella is one of the biggest names in boxing promotions. The New Yorker has a stable of top veteran fighters and up and coming stars; Fres Oquendo, Kofi Jantuah, Paul Malignaggi, David Estrada and Sechew Powell along with two former world champions Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson and Ike “Bazooka” Quartey are just a few names on his list.

Top it all off with the current Undisputed Middleweight Champion Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor and you have more talent than you can shake a stick at. Yet with all his success, Lou has maintained the everyday guy attitude and seems to show genuine care for his fighters.
This was evident when he spoke of the late Leavander Johnson, former IBF Lightweight Champion who died from complications due to in ring injuries last year.

Here is what Lou had to say about that the tribute paid to Johnson in Atlantic City earlier this week and what’s coming up for his fighters.

SaddoBoxing: Lou, how are you? Congratulations on a successful show last Wednesday. What’s coming up next?

Lou Dibella: “We have one on October 20th in the small room at the Hammerstein. It will feature Erik Kirkland, Jaidon Codrington, Raymond Biggs and a few others.”

SB: I read about the street naming ceremony for Leavander Johnson earlier this week. I thought that was a class act giving a champion in and out of the ring some remembrance without it taking 10 or 20 years after they pass or retire. Did you attend? Was it an emotional moment for you guys at DiBella?

LD: “We were all there, we were happy about this. Leavander’s family is from Atlantic City and a great asset to the community. Leavander’s father has been a trainer there forever. They do a lot of work and are involved with the local PAL. They are like the first family of Atlantic City. I am glad they were given this, they deserve it.”

SB: “Speaking of Leavander getting his due by being honored, you guys over at DiBella have been very supportive of him and his family. More so than many other promoters have been when something like this has happened to one of their fighters or one of their fighters have been seriously injured in the ring. As a matter of fact, on your web site you still take donations for the Leavander Johnson fund that is established and have the words “Forever our Champion” next to his name that you still keep on your list of fighters.

Do you think that our sport and other promotion companies tend to forget the fighters who have given so much to the sport after they are gone? Should there possibly be something mandatory set up to help these guys after they can no longer fight or for their families if something as tragic as what happened to Leavander should happen to them?

LD: It would be nice if there was a pension for fighters or their families set up. Boxing has no uniform health care program at all, there should be some kind of standard. There should be some sort of commission set up to organize this. I don’t see this happening anytime soon. I do think there should be something though. Until that happens, we need to take care of our own. Hopefully one day there will be a health and safety commission for boxing.”

SB: A couple of your biggest names were involved in some controversial decisions this year. Ike Quartey seemed to get the short end of the stick in his fight with Vernon Forrest, Jermain Taylor received what many consider a gift in his draw with Winky Wright. Are we going to see rematches soon or have they decided to move on to other things for the moment?

LD: “We saw what happened; Quartey got robbed in that fight but now he will face Winky Wright on December 2nd. He won that fight and will be treated like a winner and paid handsomely for his fight with Wright. The next guy you should be looking out for is Dimitriy Salita. 2006-2007 is going to be a big year for him and some of the other young guys.”

SB: Why is Quartey fighting Wright and not Taylor?

LD: “Wright turned down the fight. He didn’t want to fight in December. He was offered $5 million for the fight and he didn’t want it. He wanted to fight in January.”

SB: How did Taylor end up with Ouma ? Doesn’t that look bad? Ouma isn’t even a middleweight. Why pick Ouma?

LD: “Right now in the middleweight division, its slim pickings. Most of the other guys have fights coming up. Kassim Ouma is a top junior middleweight and pound for pound, in my opinion, one of the most exciting fighters out there with his style. It should be an interesting fight for Jermain.”

SB: I know one of your guys finally got a chance to get even this year, Emanuel Augustus. He dominated his rematch with Courtney Burton. He was all business in the ring and left nothing to the judges. He looked like a new fighter in there, was revitalized in that fight and performed like a champion. What’s next for him?

LD: “I am glad you mentioned Emanuel; I’m happy for Augustus and he is revitalized. I think a big fight is coming his way. In my opinion, he would have been a better fight for (Vivian) Harris than (Stevie) Johnston. I also think he would have been a much better fight and tougher opponent for Paul Williams than was Sharmba Mitchell.

“I think he could have beaten them. Augustus is a better fighter than given credit for. I’ll tell you what…in my opinion Floyd Mayweather Jr is the best pound for pound fighter in the world right now; I bet if you ask him who was his toughest opponent so far and he will say Emanuel Augustus. A few more good fights and he will get a title shot.”

SB: How about your guy Paul Malignaggi? I saw his fight with Cotto; he didn’t win but he showed something in that fight. The kid has talent. He also showed he has heart. His cocky attitude and pretty boy image kind of remind me of another guy from way back, Hector Camacho Sr. Not that the styles are similar, but the way he builds himself up and talks smack. That and the fact that neither can break wind with a punch. Do you see Paul having the kind of success that Hector did?

LD: “Let me tell you something; Paulie can fight his ass off. He showed that against Cotto, that was Cotto’s toughest fight. Cotto was just too big and too strong for Paul. Paul needs a little more experience. Give him a couple of fights to come back and he will be Ok. He will get another shot at a title. That kid is going to be a world champion.”

SB: What about Golden Boy Promotions? I heard they just signed Manny Pacquiao; I’m not sure if it is official or not, but it’s a rumor. They seem to be signing every fighter not bonded to a contract right now. Do you think that at this pace, they will be the biggest competition in boxing for every promotion company out there in the next year or two?

LD: ‘Well, they seem to be signing a lot of older fighters, guys who have been around a while and are established. Right now, I have a good relationship with those guys, they are young and good for boxing. Bob Arum and Don King are 75 years old. You still have to deal with them, but Golden Boy brings new things to the picture. They need prospects, though. In my opinion, Dimitriy Salita is the best prospect in boxing right now, period. They need some more guys like that.”

SB: You have James “Buddy” McGirt Jr fighting on your next card. Have you signed him? What do you think of his future?

LD: “I know his father, Buddy Sr., he is a great guy and maybe the best new trainer in boxing. I only signed Buddy Jr., for one fight right now. I want to take a closer look at him in his next fight first.”

SB: What’s the next year going to bring us from DiBella Entertainment?

LB: “Look forward to things developing with Andre Berto, Paulie Malignaggi, and Dimitriy Salita. Jermain Taylor is scheduled to fight three times in 07′. If Quartey wins against Winky Wright look for him to get a title shot somewhere. I hope Wright isn’t looking past Quartey or he may be in for a surprise. Who knows, we may see Taylor vs. Quartey in 2007? No matter what, it is going to be a good year.”

SB: Lou, on behalf of SaddoBoxing and myself, I want to thank you for your time and look forward to 2007.

LD: “Thank you, anytime.”