National Conference Call Transcript: Evander Holyfield’s Trainer Don Turner

05.09 - Don Turner participated in a conference call to discuss four-time world champion Holyfield’s 12-round heavyweight showdown against current International Boxing Federation (IBF) Cruiserweight Champion James Toney on Saturday, Oct. 4, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Highlighting the undercard will be a 12-round IBF title eliminator featuring two of boxing’s most talented fighters, former 130-pound world champions Diego Corrales and Joel Casamayor. Both fights will air live on pay per view beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Goossen Tutor Promotions will present the event, which will be distributed by SHOWTIME Pay Per View and carries a suggested retail price of $44.95. Tickets are priced at $650, $500, $300, $150 and $75, and are on sale now at the Mandalay Bay Box Office and all TicketMaster outlets. To order tickets by phone, call (702) 632-7580.

Question: Can you give us an update on Holyfield’s training?

Turner: Holyfield boxed three days in a row, and I saw three different guys. The first day he did not fare so well. The second day he fared much better, and the third day he looked like a different guy. He looked like he just shot in from space somewhere, because he looked very good yesterday. When you are dealing with fighters, you always try to get into their heads. I try to figure out what he (Holyfield) is thinking and what I would do in that situation. I will then put in my idea to correspond with what he is thinking. Right now it looks like we are right on schedule to be where I want him to be for fight time.

Question: What is the main difference between today’s fighters, and fighters years ago?

Turner: When I was coming up, all we did was stay in the gym six or seven hours a day. We trained and then we stopped and watched fighters and talked with different trainers. It was like we were going to school. Today, they just go in there, do their work and leave. They have their cell phones and their music. We did not have all that. They are not dedicated like they used to be. I am very conscience of the old school as opposed to the new breed.

Question: Would you say Holyfield is more like the new breed or old school as far as training?

Turner: Holyfield is more like the old school because he is obedient and humble when it comes to authority. He likes to try to do what you tell him and he is easy to get along with. He does not always do what you tell him because at the time he does not think he is capable of it. When he fought Tyson, we worked on certain things and he did them to a “T” and he won. I know he can follow the script. Whether he will at an advanced age is a different story.

Question: Are you training Holyfield differently for this fight?

Turner: No. We just tried to find a shorter guy for him to spar with. His sparring partner has done well up until now, but I do not think we are going to have him throughout because Holyfield is just too strong for him. For this fight, I have tried to get guys that are really slick, which usually means smaller. If I could get (Lawrence) Clay-Bey, he would be the perfect guy. He is the closest in size to Toney. Toney is very well schooled fighter, but I do not think he will pose any problem to Holyfield if Evander fights his fight.

Question: Do you think there is a lot of pressure on Holyfield to win this fight and win it impressively?

Turner: I think it is important for Holyfield to win impressively. I saw flashes of the old Holyfield in the Rahman fight, but to be honest with you, his last great fight was the second Lewis fight. He did enough to win in the Ruiz fights, but it was not a performance he was very pleased with. Right now he is doing what he is supposed to do in order to put up a sterling performance and get back in the hunt. He will attack Toney and I think he will be victorious.

Question: Would you say this camp has been like the old Holyfield camps?

Turner: Yes. Camp has been really good for the two weeks that I have been here. Holyfield was here three or four weeks before I got here. He is in real good shape from what I have seen so far. I am satisfied. We have enough time to get him right where he needs to be by fight time.

Question: Does Holyfield seem to be having fun again?

Turner: Yes. Holyfield seems to be having fun. He is staying around and talking and laughing after his workouts. He made a statement last night that he did not want to leave the gym worn out, which was my theory all the time. If you leave the gym worn out, something is wrong.

Question: Has the shoulder surgery made Holyfield a better fighter physical and mentally?

Turner: Yes, it has. Since the operation, I told him he has been a little apprehensive to throw the left hook. However, I told him he has to throw it because he will never know whether it is all right unless he throws it. You cannot wait for the fight to throw it, throw it now. Yesterday he started applying pressure with the left hook and guess what happened. The guy went down.

Question: You said the first time you watched him work out, it he was a little rough. What was the problem?

Turner: He was rushed because his timing and distance were bad. The next day it got better and last night it was fantastic.

Question: Toney has been saying he is going to stand right in front of Holyfield. Does that make you smile?

Turner: That is all talk. Do not believe that.

Question: After the second Tyson fight, what made you say Holyfield was the best heavyweight ever at that point in his career?

Turner: I looked at what Holyfield had accomplished. He always rose to the occasion. He reminded me of Rocky Marciano. He did not look great in the gym, but when he got in the ring, he had a lot of fight in him. After the Tyson fight, he turned in a stellar performance because he made it look so easy because he was thinking. I always thought Larry Holmes was a smart fighter, but Holyfield is probably one of the most intelligent fighters I have ever seen. Now, if he uses all of his experience and intelligence, he will be hard to beat no matter how long he fights.

Question: Is Holyfield getting close to the point where you will tell him he needs to get out of boxing?

Turner: There are not any more things he can do other than win the title again. He has done more for the heavyweight division then anyone in this history of the division. He won the title four times. He would like to win it a fifth time. He is capable of doing it on a given night. He is not the fighter he was when he beat Tyson. He has to make adjustments now. When people get old, they are a half a step slower, so they have to make adjustments to make up for it. You have to realize Foreman won the title when he was almost 50 years old, so there is still a chance that he could win the title again.