Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy: The Present Future of Boxing.

A Rare Necessity.

Far too many talented boxers have gone unnoticed and have not been embraced by the fans and media (boxing public) as they should have been. It is only until the boxing public feels that a fighter has lived and fought up to their expectations of defeating what appears to be reputable opposition and is able to headline a major fight card, that the bandwagon begins to roll and they are able to jump on for the ride. What happened to the days of old, when fighters were

Jeff Lacy Click for larger image © Tom Casino

embraced for their skill and talent, or for their convincing vision of becoming a world champion? There is much to be said about all the talented boxers in the fight game today, but we’re talking about one in particular: Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy.

With a sculpted physique, comparable to a Greek God, coupled with a generous amount of humility, this young accomplished athlete has overcome more in four years, than others have in a lifetime. He has rebounded from a vast array of obstacles that could have easily side lined him from his ultimate goal. As a determined young athlete, Lacy went to the 2000 Olympics without a trainer. As a pro, he had to face opponents walking out on a fight the night before, double vision, and even broken hands. In his most recent title defense against Omar Sheika, he came into the fight with a pulled hamstring showing nothing can stop a man on a mission!

As I spoke with Jeff, I was able to understand just how much he loves to fight and how much boxing means to him. His goal is to please the fans and to give everything he has each time he goes out; true sportsmanship indeed. He puts it all on the line and leaves nothing behind. He has been compared to some of boxing’s greatest fighters, but when you see Jeff Lacy, you see much more. In him, there is the camaraderie and pure love for the sport as in the days of Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hit-Man” Hearns, who set the stage, built up the hunger in fight fans and then delivered exciting fifteen round, action packed, and toe-to-toe fights.

In him you see the hunger to win reminiscent of “Iron” Mike Tyson, who would walk into the ring wearing only black trunks, shoes and no socks, intimidating an opponent with his physique matched with that devastating one-punch knockout power. And when all else fails, when the jabs, the overhand rights, and the left hooks seem to have no effect, he then wears his heart on his sleeve, digging down deep, and giving everything he has to win, just the way Evander Holyfield, one of our generations greatest fighters, has done.

Jeff Lacy exudes greatness, and anyone with an eye can see what I mean! A great fighter shows heart, courage, strength, power and character, all the while maintaining a level of humility. All these qualities are obvious in a great fighter, and all these qualities are found in Jeff Lacy! With all this talent and drive, why is there still a question mark in the back of so many minds concerning his potential? Is it the quality of opponents he has had to face or the fact that he has only eighteen pro fights?

One thing is certain; he is a force to be reckoned! In order to gain recognition as the UNDISPUTED super middleweight champion of the world, you MUST go through him! So like it or not, the championship road leads to “Left Hook” Lacy, a valuable asset to the world of boxing.

Katrina Walters can be reached at wsteve555@aol.com