08.02.07 – Interview by Michael Marley, BoxingConfidential.com: I don’t want to say that old pal and fierce ring warrior James “Buddy” McGirt has a large head but I heard, that when he was a kid, his parents had a 19-inch television. Unfortunately, their son, a future world champion, had a 42-inch head. The family spent a lot of time watching the radio at the McGirt family compound out in Brentwood, Long Island. When manager-trainer Al “Suits” Certo took McGirt out to an Italian restaurant, waiters used to put baskets of bread sticks and bottles of wine on top of McGirt’s huge dome..
But McGirt was used to it by then.
“When I was age 11, they called me ‘Headquarters,'” McGirt said. “I was the only 11-year-old on the football team who had to wear a high school player helmet.”
Now McGirt is at the head of the class as a trainer and his roster of pupils at McGirt Boxing in Vero Beach, Fl., is always growing. He’s got fighters coming to him these days from Vietnam.
I asked Buddy for a quick update on some of his charges.
Paulie Malignaggi: “Great young man, good fighter. He does not rush out of the gym when his workout is over. He sticks around and asks me questions about this or that. He is a perfectionist. I was in Atlantic City with Tarver when Paulie fought Cotto. He had some wasted motion and we’re cutting that out. We’re getting used to each other. Paulie has good boxing skills including some he was not using. You will see a revived Paulie against Edner Cherry (Feb., 17, Lou DiBella show, Hammerstein Ballroom, NYC).”
Edner Cherry: “I like Cherry. Me and his trainer are friends. We had him over here sparring some time ago with Ricky Quiles, Arturo Gatti and Nate Campbell. Edner is a good fighter but Paulie will beat him.”
Sechew Powell: “You think he is a quiet guy? He talks more than Paulie does. But they are both great guys. He is refocused now. He might’ve had a little doubt (after losing to Kassim Ouma) but that is gone. He did not lose to no bum. He lost to a world champion. I’ve bene talking to Sechew and I see him as refocused now.”
Arturo Gatti: “We just parted ways. Let’s leave it at that. But be sure to put down I wish Arturo nothing but the best.”
James McGirt, Jr.: “My son is 24 and still learning. I have one son, seven girls and now two grandkids. My son wants to do a lot of things in the ring like I did but I tell him he can’t because I am 5-6 and he is 6-1. I am moving him not fast, not slow but at medium speed. One day he calls me and said he was gonna compete in the Sunshine State Games and I asked him in what sport. Basketball? No. Baseball? No. Track and field? No. He said boxing and I was surprised because I kept him away from boxing.”
That’s the dirt from Mr. “Magoo” McGirt. Remember, before high definition, before plasma Tb, before they had 50-inch widescreens there was the Brentwood McGirts. They had that tiny 19-inch TV screen and their son “Headqaurters” had a 42-inch head. If you take Buddy to lunch, try the ESPN Zone because even “Headquarters” can’t block out that many screens.