"Today's boxing, I mean, the heavyweights went downhill and there are no superstars no more. They got the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight out there, but after that, that's it. A lot of people talk about Manny Pacquiao, and you got the Mexican fighters, they pretty hot, but when it comes to being an African American man, there are really not a lot of polished fighters out there, especially at heavyweight. I think it will come back eventually. I think boxing has really went global right now. You got champions in the Philippines and Russia, and there are a lot of Latino fighters that are champions, so I think boxing is still big, but it's not big in the United States no more," stated former heavyweight contender Buster Mathis Jr., who talked about the current state of boxing and much more. Check it out!
PC: Everything going good Buster?
BM: Everything is going good. I've been blessed, you know?
PC: That's good to hear, man. I understand you have some non-profit organizations. Tell us a little bit about them.
BM: I started Buster Mathis Incorporated and it's a non-profit organization to help foster kids. When a lot of these kids leave the system, they go back to prison and stuff like that because they have nowhere to go, so my foundation helps them find their purpose. So that's one part of Buster Mathis Inc., and the other part is the Bully Buster Program. That's another part of my program, to really educate people on how to defend against bullies. I was bullied when I was growing up, you know?
PC: Did you come up in a rough part of Michigan and eventually attract some of the neighborhood bullies?
BM: No, let me clarify that. See, I went to an all-white school. It was an all-white school and being the only African American there was very tough, especially because I was obese. I had no athletic skills, I was black, and I just wasn't that talented in sports. When I was going through this phase...you see a lot of stories about Rocky and other fighters coming up in rough parts of town. My story is a little opposite. I had a two-family home. Heavenly Father blessed me with a great family, but one thing that I did not have is self-esteem because I was competing with all white kids in everything. I was at a disadvantage when it came to football, basketball or baseball. The reason I started boxing is because a lot of people used to pick on me and make fun of me. I thought the only sport that would accept me the way I am was boxing. I asked my father to teach me how to box and for about a month, he said, "No!" So I had to beg him.
PC: Do you think he didn't want to teach you how to box because it was something he had experienced and didn't want you to go through the trials and tribulations of the sport?
BM: No, you know, a lot of times, like in high school, when I would play a sport, I would quit. I tried track and I quit, I tried baseball and I quit, and I tried basketball and I quit. I said, "Pops, if you teach me how to box, I will not quit." So we went to the gym and he pressed me and I would not quit. I just kept on doing it. So he said, "If you're going to do this, then you listen to me and no more other sports. It's gonna be my way or the highway." I think dad knew that I always quit other sports, but this time, I was determined not to quit just to prove him wrong.
PC: He was the reason you were able to talk to Mike Tyson, is that correct?
BM: It's kind of funny because I knew Mike Tyson since I was about 14 years old, and when I started boxing, I was weighing about 280 and in about 3 ½ months, I got down to 180. So I lost 100 pounds within about 3 ½ months of training. Dad was friends with Cus D'Amato. See, Cus was my godfather. My middle name is D'Amato. My full name is Buster D'Amato Mathis.
PC: I did not know that, man.
BM: Yeah! And this was when Tyson was like 18 and just destroying everybody. I would never...I trained for a whole year and then when I turned 15, I had my first amateur fight. It was at the Playboy Club in Lansing, and Mike had just finished fighting Jesse Ferguson on CBS. Everybody was saying that this guy was going to be the next heavyweight champion. Well, dad said, "I know the cat. I know his trainer because they used to help me with my career." I said, "Okay dad, can I talk to Mike." He said, "Yeah!" So I remember one day, I came home and I answered the phone and this guy with a squeaky voice said, "Is your father there? This is Mike Tyson." I said, "No way!" He said, "Yeah, my name is Mike Tyson and I would like to talk to your father." I was like, "Oh my God, you're Mike Tyson." So Mike and dad had that little camaraderie because they were both under Cus's tutelage and he wanted to make sure Mike stayed focused and was doing the right thing and listening to Cus and everything. I told Mike, and I remember this, I was 15 years old, I said, "Mike, one day I'm gonna fight you." He said, "Bus...just listen to your pops." That's all the advice he gave me. I'm still cool with Steve Lott and I'm very cool with Kevin Rooney, so we still have that Cus D'Amato family going. Last time I talked to Mike though was about 3 years ago.
PC: We just had two great fighters pass away and both of them were once opponents against your dad. Actually, Ron Lyle was your father's last fight. What are your thoughts on Ron Lyle and Joe Frazier?
BM: Joe Frazier was like family. I remember when I fought Mike Tyson in Philadelphia and Joe brought me to his home. Joe was probably...he was like another father figure. A lot of people gotta understand when a lot of these guys fight, it's just business. But when I got a little older and a little more mature, I learned that Joe and dad were the best of friends. So when two fighters fight, it's nothing personal. They are usually the best of friends afterwards. It hurt my heart when he passed because Joe was just like family. Ron Lyle, I only met him once at the boxing Hall of Fame up in Canastota, and he was a big guy and a very nice guy. We sat down and just talked and he apologized about my father passing, but he was a nice, nice, nice guy. One thing I learned about boxing is there is a business side and then after that, everybody is just cool.
PC: What do you think of boxing today?
BM: Today's boxing, I mean, the heavyweights went downhill and there are no superstars no more. They got the Pacquiao and Mayweather fight out there, but after that, that's it. A lot of people talk about Manny Pacquiao, and you got the Mexican fighters, they pretty hot, but when it comes to being an African American man, there are really not a lot of polished fighters out there, especially at heavyweight. I think it will come back eventually. I think boxing has really went global right now. You got champions in the Philippines and Russia, and there are a lot of Latino fighters that are champions, so I think boxing is still big, but it's not big in the United States no more. And look at the demographic. There are 6.9 billion people on the planet Earth and out of that 6.9 billion, 350 million are in the United States, so we're playing catch up. The field is wide open and that's how I look at it.
PC: You come from Michigan where you guys produced fighters like yourself, your pops, the Mayweathers, James Toney, Sugar Ray Robinson; the list goes on and on. Is that just one of those things or can you explain why such great fighters come from the state of Michigan?
BM: Yeah, Joe Louis come from here, and good trainers like Emanuel Steward. A lot of good fighters came out of Michigan. I think it's just one of those things that just happened. I can't really explain it. I think there just is a lot of good fighters and a lot of good gyms that produce those fighters. I think one reason why is because there are a lot of gang problems and a lot of drug problems and a lot of people look at boxing as an alternative. There is unemployment in all 50 states. Michigan is at the top of that list and I think boxing is a way to discipline yourself and get out of poverty. I think that's why a lot of great fighters come out of Michigan.
[ Follow Percy Crawford on Twitter @MrLouis1ana ]