26.06.06 – SHOWTIME will make television history when four sons of former world champions and a cousin of another are featured in a special edition of “ShoBox: The New Generation” Saturday, July 1, 2006, (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) from the Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. The SHOWTIME fistic series, which normally airs on Fridays at 11 p.m. ET/PT, will move to Saturday night for one time only and revert to its usual time slot for the following edition on Friday, July 28..
Tommy “Hitman” Hearns:
“He’s a little bit too anxious to make things happen” (referring to Ronald)
Ronald Hearns:
“It’s an honor to have our father’s pave the way, and now we have the opportunity to pave our own way and get out of their shadows.”
“Everyone expects me to go out there and expects the same things, but once you see me out there, you’ll see the similarities” (when asked if his and his father’s styles are the same)
“He just wants to see me succeed, he wants to see me do well”
“My style is exactly just like my father’s style, I don’t try to be, it’s just natural.”
“Our styles are very similar… We look just the same in the ring, it’s kinda crazy…you will see a lot of that next week”
Tim Witherspoon (cousins)
“When I was still fighting, my cousin came to me and asked me about the boxing game… I was still fighting so I directed him to two good trainers…He is a very intelligent person, a very very good person, I very nice person, nicer than me Lou”
“He’s destined to be champ, sometimes you got to slow him down because picks up things too fast”
“Chazz wants to learn every little crack, every little thing, sometimes you have to slow him down…he has to take his time, learn”
“You can’t slow this guy down” (talking about Chazz)
“I see a lot of guys, heavyweights, that if they had the right trainers, could get to the next level. It’s about who helps you and helps you get there”
“I see preachers and actors in guys corners… There are a lot of guys who are in the corners, who shouldn’t be in the corners…the promoters should let the guys who should be there be in the corner.”
“I would tell young people that you should try to get a college education… make sure that you go get a degree and get a diploma.”
“I would advise them to education, work hard, and a trainer that’s been there before and knows what he’s doing.” (what is his advice for young guys who want to box)
Chazz Witherspoon
“Someone’s 0 is going to go, and hopefully it’s not mine… I am training for it not to be mine.”
“Being related to someone in the boxing game is a gift and a curse…you have some big shoes to feel… you’re held to a higher standard.”
“When I say curse, I mean you are held to a different level of scrutiny… you are only as good as your last fight… if you lose, you are criticized more than anyone else… you also put more pressure on yourself… certain things are expected of you”
“I’m definitely working on being more patient.”
Buddy McGirt
“You have to prepare for life after boxing, because you can’t box forever. Boxing is a sport you don’t play. You play basketball, you play baseball, you play football. You don’t play boxing… you can’t call time out you can’t go to the bench.”
“When he came into the gym, I put him in with the best fighters I had in the gym… you gotta have confidence in him and yourself.”
“My problem was, my son is 6-2 and a southpaw, and I am 5’6″ and a righty, so the same moves weren’t going to work.” (about training his son)
“I wanted him to play basketball.. I truly thought he could make it to the NBA.”
“I couldn’t do that, never… regardless of what problems they had, that’s still his son” (when asked about the potential of Mayweather training De La Hoya to fight his son)
“He told me he was having a baby, I said you gotta turn pro and take care of him”
“I bought the first few months of pampers.” (when asked if he was supporting him)
James McGirt Jr.
“I am going to take care of business on July 1st”
“I was brought up in the sport, it was around me my whole life, it grew on me and I loved it.”
“When he’s working with me, it’s that extra edge, He is Buddy, he was champion of the world… and he wants me to be the best”
Lou DiBella
“Really truly is the new generation”
“It’s interesting how many great fighters right now have relatives and sons fighting on a very high level.”
“Ronald will have a career based on Ronald’s hard work.”
“Chazz is a free agent, so I am going to take a long hard look at you Chazz”
“Chazz is a guy I am very interested in following because this is a kid that went to St Joseph’s, real good school, 3.8 cum, everyone talks about the articulate athlete, but this is an educated athlete.”