"I've always had a lot of confidence in Badou... he boxed about 7 rounds when he didn't have to box at all because we still got a few months to go. So he is already ahead of schedule because that's the way that Badou is. So what we will do, and when I say we, I mean myself, Lou Del Valle, and Angel Heredia; we know how to handle Badou and it's not a hard situation," stated world-class trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhamamd, who shared his thoughts on Badou Jack's title-winning performance, their upcoming clash with George Groves, and much more. Check it out!
PC: You have made yet another world champion in Badou Jack. I remember you saying, "Percy, I got this kid from Sweden. He's going to be a champion." How does it feel to see him with that green belt?
EMM: Well, you know, by us working together from his infancy to bringing him to a world title, that's the great part about the game of boxing. Your protege starts from the beginning and bringing him to a world title, that's the good part where you can sit back and stick your chest out and say "We did this." I've always had a lot of confidence in Badou.
PC: When you are heading into a fight with a fighter that no one is giving a chance, like when Badou was about to fight Anthony Dirrell, how do you instill confidence in that fighter to believe in himself?
EMM: Well, first and foremost, we, Badou and myself, we're Muslims and we go into that ring knowing that it's not up to what the people say. At the end of the day, Allah determines our destiny. People can talk until they are blue in the face. And I like the Dirrell Brothers, don't get me wrong, and we are good friends. I been knowing them for 100 years. Me and their grandfather go way back. But listen, when you start talking intimidation, and I told them, "When you guys start talking intimidation, go get a dictionary and go look up the word intimidation and you will see a picture of Eddie Mustafa Muhammad next to it." So that shut all of that stuff up right there. I'm not going to let anyone intimidate my guy. They were all over there barking like dogs and acting all crazy. I went to their dressing room and said, "Listen, after it's all said and done, all of you guys will be like a bunch of french poodles," and sure enough, we took care of business. And after we won the title, I didn't jump up and down and tell them, "I told you so." I was humble because that's the way that Muslims act. We are very humble. We shook hands, we embraced, and that was it.
PC: Does that work into keeping him motivated and getting him to not buy into his own newspaper clippings?
EMM: We don't have to do that because you're right, by us being Muslims, we are automatically humble. He don't have to do that. He don't hang out. He don't go to clubs. He's a married Muslim brother with a nice Muslim life and Yasemin keeps him grounded. He's good. He's good to go. As a matter of fact, I'm on my way to the gym to meet him right now.
PC: Looks like August will be his date. What do you feel you have to do to improve his game between now and then?
EMM: All we have to do is keep him focused and don't let him over train because he is the type of guy that wants to turn it up every day. It's like yesterday, he boxed about 7 rounds when he didn't have to box at all because we still got a few months to go. So he is already ahead of schedule because that's the way that Badou is. So what we will do, and when I say we, I mean myself, Lou Del Valle, and Angel Heredia; we know how to handle Badou and it's not a hard situation. He is already humble. He comes from a Muslim background and that's a key part to him being humble. We know that Allah has given us this title and he gave it to us for a reason and that's so we can show the world that all Muslims are not terrorists. And we rolling like that.
PC: You have been a busy man. You just had Ron Gavril and J. Leon Love fight. How do you assess their performances?
EMM: Ron is a Romanian guy and he's going to be my next champ, along with J. Leon Love. Ron Gavril is a great puncher. He throws them short and compact. He's always in the gym and he wants to learn every day. It's going to take a little while because of the language barrier, but we're working on that and we're doing good. We are doing real good. Everything is working out real smooth. He's 13-1 now and he's on his way. He will be winning a title also. J. Leon Love, what can you say about J. It's so funny because about a month before the fight, he converted to Islam. He just came to me and said, "I'm going to convert." You gotta show me, you can't tell me, and he showed me. He took his Shahada and he converted to Islam. J is a much more humble person because everybody coming to me and asking what did I do to him. I tell everybody, "I didn't do anything to him. He's just starting to see some worldly things." I told him my experiences on being Muslim and what it has done to me and for me. It made me a better person and he sees that. And now he's on his way to become a better person. It was so funny. He just walked up to me and said he wanted to convert and become a Muslim and that was the best thing he could do. He's living that life and he's having a great time.
PC: You posted something on Facebook after the fights Saturday and you basically named a bunch of sports that you can play, but boxing was not one of them. Could you elaborate on that post?
EMM: (Laughing) That post is meant for everybody, but everyone knows on Saturday night who that post was meant for. When it came out like that, I'm sure he saw it and he knew where I was coming from. Like I said, you can play baseball, you can play basketball. and you can play football, but you cannot play boxing. When you step in that ring, that ring will tell on you. It will tell what you have been doing and what you have not been doing and it showed. When I was approached by another publication about my prediction of the fight, I told them and I hit it right on the head. I told them how the fight was going to go and it was right on the head and I've been getting a lot of hits. "Man, you called it right on the head." I been in boxing over 40 years. This is what I do. When I called it, it came out just right.
PC: You've been on both sides of it as a fighter and a trainer and I'm sure you have witnessed some super talented guys that just didn't put the work in to make it in this sport.
EMM: Without a doubt. You cannot play boxing. Listen, when you step into that ring, you don't know if you going to come out alive. That's the bottom line. When it's all said and done, if you do the right thing, you can come out of this thing very successful. Right now, there is a ton of money in the game right now thanks to the PPV situation that's out there. There is money to be made, so if you're going to go in there half stepping, it's never going to work. You will never reach your potential.
PC: I want to ask you about Floyd Mayweather's 49th and possible final fight. I feel like guys like him have earned the right to go out fighting whoever he wants to. Do you share that same sentiment that he has free range in your opinion to fight whoever he wants to on September 12th?
EMM: You know what? Let me explain this here. They going around throwing all of these killers at Floyd, but they forgot one thing. Floyd is the killer elite. He is the killer elite, so whatever you throw at him, you better throw 3, 4, to 5 killers with him at one time and maybe you will get the decision. But if they keep doing one guy at a time, they will never win. Floyd will always have that 0 attached to his name. He is the best of our generation and that's the bottom line. Now they want him to fight a middleweight to try to get rid of his 0. The next fight is Wladimir Klitschko, guaranteed. But that's how bad they want him to lose. Just like they wanted Muhammad Ali to lose. I don't see it happening. As long as he keeps doing what he's doing, it's not going to happen.
PC: You are now a part of the New York Boxing Hall of Fame. It had to be an honor to enjoy that moment with your family and friends.
EMM: It was a humbling experience. I thank my mother and father for keeping me grounded and heading in the right direction. Growing up in New York, it's not fun out there. You can get in trouble going to the store. You can get murdered coming back from the store. I also thank the guys that are putting me into the Hall of Fame in Nevada as well. They putting myself, Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, and some great guys in there and it's going to be a great situation on August 7th-9th.
PC: The International Boxing Hall of Fame needs to give you that call, but we won't hold our breath on that call.
EMM: You know I'm not going to hold my breath. I just keep it moving, that's all. I just keep producing champions, that's all.
PC: Before I let you go, I have to ask you, who are some young talents that you enjoy watching right now?
EMM: You know what? That Errol Spence. I love Errol Spence. He can go! I got a kid, Tommy Hill, who is another Errol Spence. He is 5-0 right now. He's coming up. He's out of that same mold as Errol Spence. In fact, they grew up together in Desoto, Texas. I got a couple of other guys that I am working with; young guys that I am working with. Before it's all said and done, I will have a ton of champions. I like what I'm doing. I love what I'm doing. I have a great time. I go down to the Dog House and it's on.
PC: I always appreciate you my man. We have done a ton of these interviews and you always remain real and honest in every one of them. Anything else you want to add before I let you go?
EMM: Listen, you guys always let me voice my opinion on your format. I don't care how busy I am, I will always have time for you guys and you know that.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]