By Vitali Shaposhnikov: There is a full spectrum of personalities in boxing, as well as the very extremes on both end of it. One example of an extreme is someone along the lines of James Toney and Ricardo Mayorga. They are loud and obnoxious, insulting and rude, and of course entertaining to the majority of the boxing fans. Even though between this and the opposite extreme, the personalities are more or less spread out, there is still a bulk of fighters who prefer to present themselves in a more aggressive badass fashion. But what is the opposite extreme? Who sits at the other end of the spectrum?
On Monday August 16th, I had the pleasure of meeting this very person and his coach. Over the years I have interviewed a number of boxers and their trainers, but none of them were as humble and respectful as Andre ‘SOG’ Ward and his godfather/trainer Virgil Hunter. While now in the spotlight, and being pressed by the media and the fan base, both of them are simple people living simple lives. When interviewing them, I felt no pressure or anxiety; the conversation seemed honest and comfortable. I think that is it truly great to have someone like them representing our sport. Ward and Hunter are able to expose the intelligence and values boxing is capable of carrying. They are all business when it comes to the action, but at the same time want to be an example to all the younger people watching them. After all, it’s the people’s heroes who inspire them and provide a base of character. Below is the transcript of this conversation for your reading, and I hope you enjoy the content:
INTERVIEW WITH VIRGIL HUNTER:
VS: What are your predictions on Kessler vs. Green and Froch vs. Abraham?
VH: I expect Kessler to win. I am not pulling for Froch but I just have a feeling Froch’s style is going to cause Abraham some problems.
VS: Do you have any other prospects that you are training right now, or is Andre the focus of your time?
VH: I have a real high candidate for 2012 Olympics. Heather just got accepted to the Army Elites program. I have an amateur I am pretty involved with right now. But I am keeping my count down due to the importance of the tournament, so right now I am not taking any more people.
VS: Do you happen to know if Andre is planning on staying at 168lbs or is there a possibility we will see him fighting at 175lbs after the tournament?
VH: Right now he is not having a problem making the weight at all. We eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner before the weight in. I don’t see any weight problems. He stays in shape all the time.
VS: Do you think that the Bay Area boxing scene has benefited from Andre and his success?
VH: I would have to say yes. There hasn’t been that much boxing excitement in the Bay Area for years. A lot of old timers talk about the good old days. I wasn’t here to experience all of them. For what Andre has done with the attendance to his fights, I can say there is definite interest in the Bay Area boxing.
VS: Is it always a matter of sticking to the plan, or do you allow for a certain amount of deviation?
VH: We have a basic plan. If we see something that we can exploit, we will immediately go and take advantage of that. We are not going in with a plan that we have to stick with in the entire fight; we are just going in with a basic plan and improvising off of that.
VS: What’s the most important part of training?
VH: Dedication and consistency. Have to be consistent to get the training done right. Discipline of course.
VS: How much time do you dedicate to watching the tapes of Andre’s opposition? Does he watch the tapes with you?
VH: He doesn’t watch it with me much. Maybe two or three times in the camp. I do most of the tape watching. I am a random tape watcher, and am not looking for anything in particular. I am just trying to get a feel for the opponent. Each fight to me is different, and the opponents never look the same fighting different people. I am trying to get a more personal type of feel, seeing what bothers their corner and frustrates the fighter.
VS: Is Andre a good student, or are there times when you two disagree on something and he ends up doing whatever it is his own way?
VH: We have never parted strategy or philosophy. We discuss it, dissect it and break it down. Nevertheless, he always has the flexibility to improvise in the fight. It doesn’t have to be my way; it just has to be the right way.
VS: Being Andre’s godfather, is there a different approach to his training compared to your other pupils?
VH: We have been doing this since he was 9 years old. We have been able to separate family from the boxing business. I think that it made it an even more accountable situation. I am accountable to him as much as he is to me.
VS: Has your opinion of any fighter in the Super 6 changed since they have all fought?
VH: No. I try to keep the same opinion of each one. It’s not over yet, every opponent is capable and dangerous. Everyone can have a big night. I am not here to minimize anyone’s loss of maximize their victory. I try to stay on the common ground.
VS: Is there anyone in the Super 6 that you think is more dangerous for Andre then the others?
VH: I think they are all dangerous. I don’t want to put them in order. We know how it feels to be put in order based on experience and victories. You don’t want to do that to anybody. They are all great fighters.
VS: Andre has been friends with Dirrell for a while. Do you see Andre holding back even a tiny bit due to their friendship?
VH: I think they boys are professionals and know what they have to do. His grandfather and I have friends for over 25 years, and we understand the nature of the business. They will do their job in the ring.
VS: What are some of your hobbies outside of boxing?
VH: I am an avid reader, history buff and nature buff. I have 2 dogs. Pretty simple lifestyle, nothing extravagant. Try to maintain a healthy outlook on everything and enjoy life.
VS: Why is Mayweather stalling the Pacquiao fight?
VH: I don’t know. You can wreck your brain trying to figure that out. Nobody has come up with the answer yet. We never know what’s going on behind the scenes.
VS: Does Andre utilize a cerebral fighting style due to the lack of punching power, or does it only seem that he lacks punching power because of his style?
VH: People don’t remember that Andre knocked out 8 opponents in the row before the knee injury. When he tore his ACL he came back in 5 months. When you look at Tom Brady in football, he had the same injury and he has been off the field for a 1.5 years. Most professional athletes take at least a year with the best care. He has got just as much punching power as anybody else. Coming back after 5 months post surgery is miraculous. Name me anyone else who ever did something like that?
VS: Where do you rank Andre pound-for-pound?
VH: Number 1000. We don’t deserve to be on that list right now. We didn’t come in the game to be the pound-for-pound; we came to beat that person. We didn’t come to be the superstar; we came to beat the superstar. We didn’t come in the game to be the best fighter; we came to beat the best fighter. So far we have done that.