Interview: Vinny "Pazmanian Devil" Paz

Ike Enwereuzor/ Jacboxing.com

Special thanks to Jimmy Burchfield for hooking up this interview with Five-time world champion Vinny "Pazmanian Devil" Paz of Cranston, RI now(48-9) 30KO's who is expected to return to action at Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard, CT Friday on December 7, against Levan Easley of Queens, NY (14-6-2) 6KO's.

Since his professional debut on May 26, 1983, he has been one of boxing's most charismatic and exciting fighters. Very few fighters have had the same success in the ring, and at the box office, as Vinny has had. He had won five world championships at lightweight, jr middleweight and super middleweight. In his first bout, he KOed Alfredo Rivera in Atlantic City, NJ to make a successful debut.

The five-time champ captured his first world title on June 7, 1987 with a 15 round decision over Greg Haugen in an epic war in front of a sellout crowd at Providence Civic Center. Here's what Paz had to say....

How are you doing today?
Lets see, today I'm fighting with my girl friend. Always fighting in and out of the ring. I'm fighting with my neck and the stock market. Life in general is just a big fight. This is why I tell people to stay strong.

How is your preparation for December 7 fight with Levan Easley?
We're doing great. He's a good fighter, I know he'll come to fight and that's what I love to do, fight.

Your impression of Easley?
He's a good fighter. He beat my friend Scott Pemberton. He's going to come for me. I'm looking for my 6th world title and 51 wins. My promoter Jimmy Burchfield and I are trying to get a shot with Eric Lucas next year. I want 50 wins and 6 world titles. So, I rather die than to loose to Easley.

What are your thoughts of Lucas?
He's a very good fighter.

When did you begin your amateur career?
I won my first trophy in 1968 and I was born 1962. So 6 years I was when I won a trophy. I have been in boxing for 3 decades now.

What do you remember most from your first amateur fight?
My real amateur was at 14, I fought in front of Willie Pep. I was very strong, I wanted to play football. When I got into Boxing, I thought I was going to kill everybody they put in front of me. I fought this guy that looks like a White Mike Tyson, very strong guy, he beat the shit out of me, I was just bleeding my ass off. My father suggested I should play baseball because I was good at it too. He told me I didn't need this after he saw me bleeding but here we're today.

Please, tell us about your professional debut against Rivera?
It was in Atlantic City, NJ, at Sands Casino. Chino Rivera was a tough kid from Puerto Rico and I knocked him out in round 4. I liked my pro debut fight. I had a lots of amateur fight but I never liked amateurs too many rules and politics going on in amateurs. When I knocked him out, I felt it was a good way to kick off my career. Who would think I will fight 20 years from then.

Please, describe your fight with Roger Mayweather? Roy Jones jr? Aaron Davis? Hector Camacho?
Terrible fight for me. I almost died, I took some water pills, it was over 100 degrees and I was running with my suit on, so I made the fight but after that fight I was ready to die. I was dehydrated, I was laying on the table at the hospital. I remember my father grabbed me and shook me, I can hear him saying I don't care if you lost. He woke me up. I was literially dying if I won the fight I wouldn't be dying. I thought I would knock Mayweather out but he was just picking me apart. That's boxing up and downs, that was one of my downs.

My fight with Roy Jones jr was great fight. Roy is naturally gifted.
I felt terrible to loose that fight again another down for me. Every once in a while you get your ass kick and you just have to take it like a man.

Aaron Davis, I felt terrible, I know I can beat him, I would fight him
again, I really would. I don't want to sound like a cry baby but I would like to rematch Davis. Years ago, we were suppose to fight but it never happened.

Camacho was a good fight too though Ref Tony Perez took off 3 points from me
so i lost a split decision. Camacho is hard to fight. He's a southpaw, very
sleek and tough to fight.

Your most memorable moment in Boxing?
I have many but I will say when I won the Nationals in amateur at Syracuse, NY. Also, my fight with Joe Frazier jr. where I knocked him out in 7 and first world title was dramatic. When I moved to 3 classes to fight Greg Haugen which was my hardest fight, he kept coming and I couldn't get him of me.

Tell us about your last fight?
It was a good fight for me. I beat a guy who was 29, I was so proud of my performance and the crowd went wild. It was a good win for me.

Any words to your fans?
I'm very thankful to my fans all these years. I always put in all I got and give them a good show. It's not my choice, it's choice of nature and the way I'm built.

Is your female fighter Olivia Escobar still fighting?
No, ike. That's too bad, she could have done very well. She Puerto Rican. It would have been nice for the spanish people but I guess the game is not for everyone. I tried but she couldn't do good with the pressure. Boxing is like life, you roll with the punches. Once in a while I get my ass kick.

Any advise to people who may want to become boxers?
Anyone interested in Boxing should know that he or she'll have to be able to deal with high level of pain. Be strong inside you and pursue your dreams. Boxing is a great sports but only the strong ones will surivive, this is the truth. I have been lucky and thankful to boxing it has taken me to places around the world and people just loves and respect me wherever I go. I have partied with Syvester Stallon and many others.

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Interview with Levan Easley

Ike Enwereuzor/ Jacboxing.com

29.11 - The 29 years old, Levan Easley of Queens, New York now(14-6-2) 6KO's began his amateur career in 1992, at Boys and Girl Club in Queens, NY. He reached the finals in the New York Golden Gloves in 1994 before he made his professional debut November 1994. This is what Easley has to say about his past and future date with five-time world champion Vinny Paz...

How is training going for your upcoming fight with Vinny Paz?
Training is going good. We're ready to go.

How long have you been training for this fight?
I'm always training.

Which boxing gym do you workout?
I freelance, we go to different gyms to get work. We go to Rocky Marciano gym in New Jersey, Ring gym and Gleason gym in Brookyn, NY.

What's your impression of Paz?
Great, strong fighter and champion, who comes to fight but gets cut a lot. He's a five-time world champion who came a long way but his time has come and gone.

Your prediction when you meet him December 7?
I don't make predictions. I may beat him by knockout or decision, doesn't matter to me I will win the fight. We're going to get at each other.

What do you like about boxing?
It's like the chase game and I love to play chase. I like it because it's a one-to-one sports. I worked with guys like Fernando Vargas and it's exciting game. Vargas is a really nice guy to work with. I worked with him when he fought Trinidad.

What do you want to achieve as a boxer?
I want to win a world championship and put my name out there. I want tomake enough to take care of my kids and family. It's not over untill it's over, he broke his neck in a car accident but come back to prove people wrong. Some people he was done but he's still fighting.

How many kids do you have now?
I have four kids, Terrance is 3, Tacquan 9, Vann 10 and Chris 12.Chris is my step-son. They are all doing good.

What do you remember from your first pro fight?
I fought a very good fight but I guess I jumped in too soon so I ran out of gas. I fought a guy name Brian Mango. The ref stopped the fight as I was caught with some good shots.

What did you think of Richard Grant-James Butler fight last week?
James Butler is a good friend of mine. I think he did wrong so he hasto pay for it but I still think he needs a second chance. You can't just ban him for one mistake. We all saw Tyson bit Holyfield ears few years ago, he wasn't ban forever. James has family to feed too. What hedid wasn't correct, Zab did wrong the other day too when he fought Kostya Tszyu. A lot of people have their own emotions, so everything will come to normal soon, it just like the war, we're going throught now in Afghanistan. We need to go forward.

Do you think Butler should be allowed to fight again?
He committed a crime, he'll do his time then it depends on Richard Grant if he wants to sue or press charges. they trying to suspend Butler like he committed murder, he has suffered enough, he went to jail and no one wants to be in jail. I think he paid the price. No one should push this case unless Richard Grant. After what Tyson did he wasn't suspended for life.

What did you think of the Brain Adams-Richard Kiley fight?
Brian is another good friend of mine. I knew he was fighting the same night but I didn't see that fight. Brain is a strong crafty fighter, we worked together couple of times. He can take a punch. We use to be train together by Buddy McGirt.

You thought of Buddy McGirt?
He was a great champion who use to destroy fighters just like that. He's a fun guy to be with and very open hearted. To be around Buddy and see his fights was amazing.

Your thoughts on Rahman-Lewis II?
Lewis has nothing to prove. Lately, there have been a few upsets. Lewis wanted to show the world the first fight with Rahman was a fluke but Rahman wanted to prove it wasn't a fluke. At the end Lewis was more hungry than Rahman. It wasn't about Lewis skills but he just wanted it more.

Tell us about your last fight?
My last fight shows that I have some power. This is what they kept telling me. Scott Pemberton said they lied to him, he feels I have power. I'm looking to beat on Vinny Paz. I know he'll come to fight.They stopped my fight with Pemberton, it was Fighter of the year for the NABF. It was a good fight, I dropped him in 2, he drop me in 3, I got hurt and they said I didn't beat the count but I did.

Please, describe your fight with Eric Harding?
When I fought him, I wasn't a light heavyweight like him, I fought at 158 pounds and lost a decision. I wasn't 175 pounds but I went to distance with him. He was difficult to fight because he's a southpaw and very awkward. People thinks he can't hit hard but I think he does hit hard, he proved it with Antonio Tarver. He was my toughest opponent.

Your favorite fighter today?
I'll say Roy Jones jr. Shane Mosley, Zab Judah, Evander Holyfield. Even though I like Mike Tyson, he gets the job done but I like Holyfield more. I like some upcoming fighters like Tukumbo Olajide. I worked with Olajide before, very good fighter.

What do you wish to tell fans about your upcoming fight with Paz?
It's going to be a drilling, rough and tough fight. My thing is going to win. I'm going to walk away with the "W". I'm going to impress the boxing fans with my power in both hands. Fans should join the charcter Bus from New York, it will be a war. For more Bus info. checkout: www.Jacboxing.com

Thank you for your time.
You're welcome, Ike