"I moved into a new gym called Fight Firm. I'm training everybody down there. I got Demetrius [Hopkins] and Jesse [Hart], getting them ready for their fights...I'm always looking to grow, especially in boxing. I got a lot of support from the boxing community and everybody is glad that I made the move and I'm just gonna do my thing, man. I got Jesse fighting on the 10th and Demetrius fighting on the 17th in Atlantic City. I still work with Amir [Mansour]. I talked to him the other day. He will be fighting soon," stated trainer Danny Davis, who talked about the work he's doing with his fighters and much more. Check it out!
PC: How has everything been with you Danny?
DD: I'm doing great, man. I moved into a new gym called Fight Firm. I'm training everybody down there. I got Demetrius [Hopkins] and Jesse [Hart], getting them ready for their fights.
PC: You were at Joe Hand's Gym for a while. What was the process behind going to Fight Firm?
DD: Like I tell everybody, Joe Hand treated me good. it was just some personal stuff we couldn't iron out, so I decided to go my own way and on my own pretty much. Someone told me about a gym that was right up the street from Joe Hand and I couldn't believe it because they were saying it was a boxing and MMA gym. So I was like, let me just check it out. So I went up there on a Saturday and this guy, his name was Tuan and he is part owner of the gym. I went and had a talk with him and he said, "Listen man, nobody is really doing nothing with the boxing here." The mat in the ring was all tore up. So I told him, "Listen, I train Bernard Hopkins and he possibly may be fighting again," and I told him the guys I have that I train now. And he wanted to meet up on Monday and that following Monday, I met him and he told me he would have the gym hooked up for me that next week and he would put a new mat down, new canvas down, and he ordered me some stuff. He gave me the keys that next week and all of the fighters started coming, man. They are just coming. People got the word, we put it on Facebook and Twitter, and everybody is starting to come to the gym and I only been there for 2 weeks. Eddie Chambers was down there today, because Steve Chambers is fighting Collazo, so he worked with Demetrius today. Demetrius switched to southpaw. I like the move though, man.
PC: It sounds like a good situation for you for sure.
DD: Oh yeah! Definitely man, I'm always looking to grow, especially in boxing. I got a lot of support from the boxing community and everybody is glad that I made the move and I'm just gonna do my thing, man. I got Jesse fighting on the 10th and Demetrius fighting on the 17th in Atlantic City. I still work with Amir [Mansour]. I talked to him the other day. He will be fighting soon; well, next year. I work with Ray Robinson; he's down there. I was talking to Bernard the other day and he was like, "Man, it ain't about how the gym look; it's the teaching. People want to follow the teacher." So I got a lot of support, like I said, from the boxing community. Everybody is happy for me, man.
PC: When you make a change like this, it is scary sometimes, but having support makes it easier. It definitely sounds like a better situation for you, and now you are dabbling into the MMA field, where some of those guys will get some work on their standup with you.
DD: Just speaking on that point man, Eddie Alvarez is following us because Howard Mosely, who I work with and helped bring Robinson and Amir, he also came down and brought Eddie Alvarez. So a couple of MMA guys have been seeing me doing pad work and seeing me doing the boxing stuff and all of these guys coming in here. They see Bernard come in here, so they were like, "Wow, we got some real fighters now that we can get work from." So a couple of them have come to me already; a couple of them fight for Bellator. So they been coming to me already, "Why don't you work with me on my standup." So now I can get into the MMA training with some of them guys, and the sport is just growing and growing, so now I get a chance to dibble and dab into the MMA guys and show them the standup side of things and make them better in that department. It's really a nice gym and a nice opportunity for me. I really feel like I got stuck around there because I couldn't grow. I felt stuck and the vibes are so nice around this gym. But it's like when you get a new girlfriend and you wine and dine her. The owner, Tuan, is a really cool guy and easy going. Me and this guy named Mike Melvin run the boxing around there. He don't mess with us; he let us do our thing. And like I said man, it's like everybody is coming down there. Everybody is pretty happy for me. A lot of people glad that I left Joe Hand. A lot of people feel the way about him. Like I say though, the man always treated me well, but we just couldn't come to grips on some other things, so I just decided to leave.
PC: I watched Bernard Hopkins give Rashad Evans advice before his fight out in Philly and now you will be working with some MMA fighters. How important is it to have that open mind to grow as a trainer nowadays?
DD: It's very important to be opened-minded. That's why Bernard
when they came down here, he was like the stuff that these guys go through. Them guys man, it's totally different with that MMA stuff and I really take my hat off to them guys because they train hard. They might wear their little skimpy shorts, but listen, I wouldn't get in there with them (laughing). It's a totally different thing and I have been meeting a lot of them and they are nice guys, man, but getting in that cage is just totally different. I actually got Jesse working with one of them
I forget his name. He fights in Bellator. I apologize because I can't recall his name, but today, Jesse was like, "Man, this joker is strong." His standup is not like that, but the boy was in Jesse's chest. Jesse said, "Man, I can't even move this dude." I said, "They used to fighting 5-minute rounds." So by me taking Jesse and Demetrius over there, man, they been training and doing some of their workouts. So it's been fun man, and something different for me too because them MMA guys taking my guys through some of their workouts and it's gonna make my guys even better when they get in the ring. Like I said Percy, I'm really glad I made the move. And like you said, it's kinda scary making the move, but you gotta take chances in life.
PC: You mentioned the legend Bernard Hopkins fighting again. Do you think we will see him lace them up again?
DD: Oh yeah, man. If you see him now, you would think he was in fight shape. He called me today, "I'm about to go take a jog I'm about to go running." He calls me
I talk to him all of the time. "Danny, I'm about to hit the gym." So he's always in shape. I think there probably will be a possibility that you see the legend give us another one. Who knows, but right now, he always keeps himself in shape. He motivates them other guys when he stops by and he is very supportive. Demetrius is back; we just fought like a month ago in LA and him and Demetrius is back. He will be fighting on the 17th on the Broner card. He is fighting at 54, so I'm trying to get him set up for a shot. He is 33-2, and then I got Jesse, who is 3-0, he is fighting in Vegas on the 10th. Like I said Percy, I'm blessed. A lot of things is coming along and people are starting to recognize me as a trainer. I started off as a pad man. I'm wrapping hands now and a lot of people are coming to me just to wrap their hands. Like moms said, "Whatever you are into, learn the whole aspect of it." I'm young, man, I'm only 44 years old. Bouie passed me the torch, Al Fennell passed me the torch, and all of them old school guys that I had the pleasure of being around
like I told you before, I was blessed, man. I was just blessed to be in their company; Freddie and Emanuel. Them guys treated me so good.
PC: I couldn't think of a better person for all of this to be happening to. Before I let you go, give them the gym info again my man.
DD: It's called Fight Firm. It's right off of 10th and Spring Garden on Buttonwood St. 1016 and it's called Fight Firm! You can reach me at my number (267) 972-2590. It's a MMA and boxing gym and if anybody wanna come through, just come on through; it's right off of 10TH and Spring Garden on Buttonwood St, so come on down and get that work.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]