07.04.07 – By James Slater: Twenty-one year old heavyweight prospect Mike Marrone of Florida is currently 17-0 with 13 KO’s. Managed by the great Lou Duva and trained by Gus Curren, Michael is now in the middle of training for his next fight. On April 20th, in a bout to be televised live on Showtime, he meets fellow undefeated big guy Malachy Farrell. And, as the saying goes, someone’s O must go. Confident of providing an exciting fight as well as emerging the victor, Mike very kindly gave this writer the following interview yesterday from his training camp. Here is what he had to say..
James Slater: Firstly, Mike, how are preparations going for the fight on the 20th?
Mike Marrone: Preparations are going real good. I feel great and I’m looking forward to the fight.
J.S: What type of fight do you expect from Farrell?
M.M: I know Malachy will definitely come to fight, and so will I. It should be a very exciting fight for the fans.
J.S: Do you consider yourself to be a big puncher?
M.M: Yeah, I can punch with both hands. But I don’t limit myself to being just a puncher, you know. I can do other things too. I throw combinations and other things. I try to do a little bit of everything, I box and move. I
basically try to learn new things all the time.
J.S: What was your amateur background?
M.M: I had fifty-one amateur fights. (Mike won the Florida Golden Gloves)
J.S: And when did you first know you wanted to be a fighter?
M.M: I knew before I was nine years old. Boxing was always something special to me. I admire all fighters. It takes guts to get in that ring with someone the same size as you and see who’s the best.
J.S: What’s it like working with the legendary Lou Duva?
M.M: Oh, Lou looks out for me. He and Gus have been there right from day one.
J.S: I know you’ve had seventeen straight wins. Have you ever been knocked down as a pro?
M.M: Yeah, I’ve been down. [Zack] Page knocked me down. But it was a flash knockdown and I got back up and put him down twice. I won the fight by [a majority] decision.
J.S: As you know, Mike, the heavyweight division could really do with some new blood. Do you feel as though there is pressure on you to become the next young heavyweight star?
M.M: Well, there is pressure, but it’s on all the other young guys too. It’s not just pressure on me. But it’s fun too [the pressure] it can be a big plus in that it motivates you.
J.S: Do you consider yourself a crowd pleaser?
M.M: Yeah, I’m a crowd pleasing type of fighter.
J.S: Who do you think is the very best heavyweight in the world right now?
M.M: To me, there’s no real standout at the moment. Any champion has to be respected. It’s great if you beat any of the champs because that gives you the recognition.
J.S: Is there any particular dream fight for you in the future?
M.M: Not really, no. In a way every fight is a dream fight. The only thing I would say is I’d like to beat the best of the very best one day. But boxing is fun for me too. That’s the way it should be. I enjoy each day, each fight.
J.S: What do you think to all these veterans still fighting in the heavyweight division today. Guys like Holyfield, for example. Do you think they should really move aside and let some of you young guys have a chance?
M.M: Well, I wouldn’t fight at their age. But should they really retire? It’s their decision. But if they can’t do it anymore [fight] they’ll get weeded out eventually any way. It’s no big deal them still fighting really.
J.S: Would you take a fight with someone like Holyfield if it was offered to you?
M.M: Sure, I’d take any fight that was offered to me. Fighting a veteran like that would teach me things, I’d learn from a fight like that.
J.S: Going back to the Farrell fight. Are you the type of guy who makes predictions?
M.M: No. I don’t make any predictions except to say I’ll be in great shape. Making predictions makes you sound like a big talker, and that’s not me. It should be an action fight on the 20th though. But until you get in the ring you never know what the other guy will do.
J.S: Have you watched tapes of Farrell?
M.M: Yeah, I know how he fights. He’s a different fighter from me style wise, in that he fights tall. I think he’s a bit one dimensional really.
J.S: Do you think it’s a risky fight for you, you both being unbeaten and all?
M.M: No, not really, because training eliminates risk. As long as you cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s things should be fine. I always make sure I do my homework.
J.S: And presuming you win on the 20th, what next?
M.M: I let Lou and Gus handle that. I only ever focus on one fight at a time.
J.S: Well, I appreciate your time and best of luck for the fight.
M.M: Thank you, I appreciate your time.