by Pavel Yakovlev – (March 17, 2011) – Oliver McCall, the 45-year-old former WBC world heavyweight champion, is still swinging hard. Friday night McCall squares off against the powerpunching Cedric Boswell for the vacant NABA heavyweight title. Should he emerge victorious, McCall will be positioned for a showdown against one of the division’s top contenders. In his 26-year professional career, McCall has accumulated a record of 55-10 (37 KO’s), with 26 of his wins occurring in his last 30 fights. Despite fighting many of boxing’s hardest punchers, McCall has never been knocked down. The former champion’s one-punch kayo power makes him, perennially, one of the most feared fighters in his division.
Most remarkable about McCall, perhaps, is that he agreed to take Friday’s fight at all. The man in the other corner will be the menacing, powerfully built Cedric Boswell. A veteran of 34 professional fights – all but one of them victories – the 6’3”, 230 lbs Boswell is known for his brain-numbing kayo power. So far, 26 of Boswell’s opponents have been starched by his quick, lethal fists. Those opponents who survived until the final bell did so by running and hiding inside their defense shells. Although Boswell now lives in Atlanta, he is a native of Detroit, a city renowned for producing power-punching heavyweights. Had he remained in Detroit, Boswell, who is known as “The Bos,” would probably be known to the boxing world as “The Motor City Bomber.” Recently Boswell was recruited by The Heavyweight Factory’s wily boxing director, Henry Rivalta, who no doubt plans to steer his fighter toward a world title fight in the event of victory against McCall. Boswell is favored to win Friday’s fight.
But in spite of taking the Boswell fight on only three days notice (McCall is a last minute substitute for Bert Cooper, who substituted for Boswell’s original opponent, Alonzo Butler), McCall is superbly confident of victory. In this exclusive interview with ESB, McCall discusses the upcoming Boswell fight.
ESB: WHAT’S YOUR IMPRESSION OF BOSWELL? HE LOOKS LIKE A VERY TOUGH CUSTOMER TO ME.
McCALL: I’m looking at him trying to show off on me. I think he’s got a chip on his shoulder. At the press conference I told him he needs to work on his skills, he’s limited. He didn’t take that well. I think he’s going to try to prove to me that he’s got something, playing all the angles, trying the big jab, the fancy footwork and all. But his skills ain’t nothing to me…they’re not going to take him to the top level. He will never be able to mess with guys like the Klitschkos unless he improves his skills. Right now he’s way too predictable.
ESB: YOU TOOK THIS FIGHT ON SHORT NOTICE; IT WAS OFFERED TO YOU JUST THREE DAYS AGO. YOU ADMIT THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD TIME TO DO ANY SERIOUS PREPARATION FOR BOSWELL. BOSWELL’S IN BETTER CONDITION THAN YOU, AND I’M WONDERING IF THIS IS GOING TO SHOW IN THE LATER ROUNDS. WHAT ARE YOUR COMMENTS?
McCALL: That’s the big mystery question…what’s gonna happen in the later rounds. But with my experience, I know I can set him up. Remember, because of how I fight, as the rounds go on, I get stronger. Because of my moves, I make them get tired. I really hope he senses that I get tired, because then he’ll open up. That’s when I’ll open up and close the show. I’ve got a huge advantage in ring generalship and experience. I can make him do what I want him to do.
ESB: IN YOUR LAST FIGHT, YOU FACED THE SUPER-QUICK AND ELUSIVE FRES OQUENDO. OQUENDO IS NOT EASY TO HIT. DO YOU EXPECT BOSWELL TO BE EASIER TO HIT?
McCALL: Yeah, I think Boswell’s gonna be easier to hit, because he doesn’t have Oquendo’s ring generalship. Also, Boswell’s got it in his head that he’s gonna prove something to me. That’s gonna make him open up, make him show all his tricks…that’s gonna make him leave himself open more. Boswell’s not going to run so much, that’s gonna make him easier to hit than Oquendo. Remember, I’ve sparred with Boswell already, and he wasn’t hard to hit with the left jab. I shook him up with a couple of left-hooks, too. I never even unloaded my right-hand on him in sparring; the right’s my biggest punch, and he’s gonna have to deal with it tomorrow.
ESB: BOSWELL HAS A WELL-EARNED REPUTATION FOR BEING ABLE TO STICK-AND-JAB, AND FOR BEING ABLE TO BOX-AND-MOVE. WHAT ARE YOUR COMMENTS?
McCALL: Well, in sparring he’d always sit back and try to use his defense. But when he’s like that, he doesn’t punch much. He doesn’t punch enough while moving backwards. He can try to box, but when a person is aggressive they give him big problems…he tries to wait them out before punching back. That’s not going to help him tomorrow. When people pressure him, he gets baffled. He likes to have time to set up his fancy moves, and to put leverage in his punches. When he gets forced onto his back-foot, he covers up. I noticed it when I sparred with him. I also noticed it when my son Elijah sparred with him.
ESB: BOSWELL HAS A FINE LEFT-JAB: IT’S FAST, STRAIGHT AND HARD. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BOSWELL’S JAB, AND WHAT FACTOR WILL THAT PUNCH PLAY IN THIS FIGHT?
McCALL: He can jab, yeah. But his jab, too many times, is a slow, lunging jab. He feels most comfortable jabbing like that..lunging. I know I can beat him in a jabbing contest, especially if he jabs slow. My main punch is my jab. I can back him up with my jab. When I mix my left-hook with my jab, I’ll have even more of an advantage over him.
ESB: HOW DO YOU RATE BOSWELL’S POWER?
McCALL: Well, I think he can punch a little bit. As far as how he reminds me of, as a puncher, he’s on the level of Bruce Seldon. He’s got that caliber of power. He definitely don’t got a punch like Lennox or Tyson. Not even close. He doesn’t punch like Bruno. Honestly, I wouldn’t even say he has the power of Holyfield. I’d rate him below Holyfield, too.
ESB: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT BOSWELL’S RIGHT-HAND? I’M IMPRESSED BY THE ANGLES FROM WHICH HE CAN THROW HIS RIGHT. BOSWELL IS KNOWN FOR HIS POWERFUL RIGHT, AND, NO DOUBT, HE’LL BE TRYING TO COLDCOCK YOU WITH THIS PUNCH. ANY COMMENTS?
McCALL: When it comes to his right-hand, I think he’s got a decent right-hand. But I can take a good punch, and I got a pretty good defense. But I want him to throw his right. I want him to feel confident about throwing that punch, because that attitude is gonna get him knocked out. If he takes chances, gets cocky, then I’m going to time my right-hand over his. I’ll go blow-for-blow.
ESB: AT 6’3”, 230 LBS., BOSWELL IS A BIG GUY. HE’S PHYSICALLY IMPOSING. DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO MAUL WITH YOU ON THE INSIDE, PUSHING AND CLINCHING?
McCALL: Whatever way Boswell fights, I’m sure I’ve dealt with that style before. I can take advantage of whatever he brings to the table. If he tries clinching and holding, I’m going to deal with him. I’ll work the short chopping shots. I’ll definitely do the pushing, moving him back, making sure he’s off balance. When that happens, he’s not going to have the same power as when he’s stationary, because he’ll be off balance. Remember, I got devastating uppercuts…I didn’t even reveal my right-uppercut in sparring with him. He hasn’t tasted that punch yet. If he wants to maul on the inside, bring it on.
ESB: HOW DO YOU RATE BOSWELL’S PHYSICAL STRENGTH, ESPECIALLY HIS UPPER-BODY STRENGTH? TWO YEARS AGO, YOU FOUGHT A STRONG FIGHTER IN LANCE WHITAKER, REPUTEDLY ONE OF THE PHYSICALLY STRONGEST GUYS OUT THERE. HOW DO YOU RATE BOSWELL IN THIS RESPECT?
McCALL: When I size up a guy’s strength, I don’t even care about the upper-body. What I look at is a guy’s legs, and his trunk. Boswell’s got legs like a middleweight. That’s his weakness…he has small legs for a heavyweight. Boswell is definitely not as strong in the legs as Whitaker. As far as upper-body strength goes, I’d say Boswell is as strong or even stronger than Whitaker…but that doesn’t matter to me. When you’re fighting real heavyweights, guys with weight and who know how to use it – like me – you need to have strong legs. When it comes to tussling and pushing, I will drain a guy’s leg strength. This is why Boswell’s small legs are going to be a problem. He’ll get drained quickly if tries to match strength with me. But I don’t think Boswell’s gonna try to fight me inside, anyway. If he tries to fight inside, I’m gonna rip him with uppercuts, and he won’t be able to handle that. He won’t be able to handle me there, and he knows it.
ESB: BOSWELL IS NO SPRING CHICKEN WHEN IT COMES TO ROUGHHOUSING ON THE INSIDE. WATCH THE FILM OF HIS KAYO OVER ROMAN GREENBERG. I THOUGHT BOSWELL LOOKED SPECTACULAR THAT NIGHT. ON THE BREAK, BOSWELL RIPPED GREENBERG WITH A SERIES OF HARD SHOTS. GREENBERG WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED. ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT BOSWELL’S ABILITY TO GET TO YOU IN THIS ZONE?
McCALL: I call that dirty fighting. I like fights to be as clean as possible. But I’m glad to have seen Boswell do that. If Boswell tries that stuff with me, and the referee doesn’t stop it, that means I can start swinging back, and I’ll coldcock Boswell.
ESB: HOW IMPORTANT WILL YOUR BODY ATTACK BE AGAINST BOSWELL?
McCALL: It’s gonna be very important. From sparring with Boswell, I can tell he leans away from my right-hand. He does this so I may not be able to hit him as he’s leaning away and retreating. But when Boswell’s in this position, I will be able to hit him with my right on his shoulders and arms, and I can come back with my left-hook to the body. From this position I can smack him right in the belly button. Also, my son Elijah told me Boswell was vulnerable to the body during sparring.
ESB: I NOTICED THAT BOSWELL HAS AN EXCELLENT LEFT-HOOK TO THE BODY OF HIS OWN. HE USED THIS PUNCH EFFECTIVELY AGAINST OWEN BECK. ALSO, BOSWELL RECENTLY DESTROYED DOMINIQUE ALEXANDER WITH A BARRAGE OF LEFT-HOOKS TO THE BODY. DO YOU THINK THIS PUNCH – OR ANY OF BOSWELL’S BODY PUNCHES – WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU?
McCALL: First of all, I can take good body shots. I’ve taken huge body shots from best, from Lennox, Tyson, and Bruno, and I held up. If Boswell starts with the left-hook to the body, I’ll be able to hit him with a short chopping right-hand. I’ll trade those punches with him any day. Any fighter who thinks he’s gonna dip to the left and smack the right side of my body…that guy’s gonna get the right side of his face smashed up.
ESB: WHAT ABOUT BOSWELL’S ABILITY TO TAKE A PUNCH? WHAT’S KNOWN ABOUT BOSWELL’S DURABILITY?
McCALL: Can Boswell take a punch? I don’t know yet. I know when I hit him with the left-hook during sparring, with 18 ounce gloves on, he got shook up. And I haven’t even hit him with my right-hand yet. What happened in the one fight that Boswell lost? And who was the opponent? He got knocked out in the tenth round by Jameel McCline. The one time Boswell stepped up he got knocked out. That tells us something.
ESB: DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BREAK BOSWELL DOWN MENTALLY, EXHAUSTING HIM BY WALKING HIM DOWN AND STRESSING HIM OUT?
McCALL: When Boswell gets pressured, he gets baffled. He gets uncomfortable when he ain’t in control. He even seems to go to pieces when he ain’t in control. When someone makes him get off his game, he gets out of whack. I noticed that in sparring with him. I saw it again when he was sparring with my son Elijah. I want to put Boswell in that mental zone. I’m going to pressure him and make him worry sorry much he falls apart.
ESB: BUT LET’S NOT FORGET, BOSWELL IS A DANGEROUS GUY. I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY HE PUTS HIS PUNCHES TOGETHER. I THINK BOSWELL’S EXPLOSIVE, AND HE HAS FINISHING POWER. BOSWELL’S COMBINATION PUNCHING IS HIS FORTE. ANY COMMENTS?
McCALL: That’s what I want Boswell to do. I want him to feel comfortable opening up on me. I want him think he can start swinging like that with me. And I can make him do it…I’ve got some moves that I can use to get him there. I’m going to make him open up. I want Boswell to think like that. That’s the attitude that will get him sent home early…knocked out.
EXPERT OPINIONS REGARDING McCALL VS. BOSWELL
The following experts and boxing industry insiders were asked to share their views about the McCall-Boswell fight. Several of them give McCall an excellent outside chance of winning.
BRAD MARCHETTI, expert handicapper and online boxing oddsmaker at Boxingbettingnews.com
Boswell is a pretty good “cutie” counterpuncher if you leave him alone. Unfortunately Cedric is an aging fighter that relies on his boxing skill and reflex abilities. Both of those attributes dull with age and ring wear. Boswell has better boxing ability than Oliver but if the “Atomic Bull” jumps on him early it could be an easy payday for McCall. Boswell gives his chin up freely and tries to counter but he isn’t as fast as he thinks he is. McCall has an overwhelming edge in experience and I think Boswell and his handlers know what they have as evidence of his protected record. I would still make Boswell an 8-5 boxing betting favorite with his fresher legs, boxing ability, durability and combination punching. McCall has better than a punchers chance however. Boswell has a tendency to lose track of his opponent and leave himself wide open and McCall could land a huge shot to close the show, if he can pull the trigger in those spots. Boswell has a hole for right hands (McCall’s best punch) and Oliver’s heavy jab could also neutralize Boswell’s athleticism.
FRANK LOTIERZO,boxing analyst, writer, and ESPN boxing radio show host
It’s imperative that Oliver stays busy and lets his hands go from bell-to-bell, but that’s not really who he is. Even at his advanced age he’s still very dangerous when he fights with a sense of urgency. The problem is, he seldom fights with enough urgency to where it’s hard for the judges to go against him. Obviously, it’s viewed by the powers that be, a Boswell win makes for better future heavyweight match-ups than a McCall win does. Boswell, has no doubt been instructed to forget looking for the stoppage win. Therefore he’ll box and that’ll really put the pressure on McCall to come out of his shell. The reality is, it’s hard to pick McCall to win short of him landing a lottery punch.
CHARLES FARRELL,long-term boxing agent and former manager of world champions
This isn’t going to be an easy fight for Oliver. Boswell works off the jab, has pretty good upper body and head movement, and punches decently (this last won’t make any difference, of course). What I noticed is that, when the opponent is the aggressor, Cedric waits him out, barely throwing punches. So Oliver has to keep his hands moving, forcing the fight. I know that’s not what he likes to do, but it’s his best chance of winning, short of landing the big shot that he so often relies on in when falls behind.
TIMUR IBRAGIMOV, WBA #12 rated world heavyweight contender
To win this fight, I think McCall has to do what he does best…apply pressure and throw lots of hard punches.
EVAN YOUNG, expert handicapper and online boxing oddsmaker at Boxingforecast.com
Boswell does have skills and speed. And despite his age, appears fresh because his lack of activity and grueling bouts. McCall, on the other hand, has been through it all. He has logged 377 rounds and has been punching for pay since 1985 – what? I give him full credit for coming through the darkest times and still
fighting at a competent level. McCall, many know, knocked out Lennox Lewis with one shot way back in 1994 to win the heavyweight crown and is known to have one of the best beards in the division. He has never been down, and even shaken, in his career. McCall actually upset Fres Oquendo in his last
fight and looking to do the same on short notice against Boswell. But McCall has slowed down in the past few years. His hand speed has diminished and he’s even seemed to have lost pop on his shots. And coming into this fight on short notice and at 259 pounds will make this a tough fight for the Atomic Bull. I think McCall’s only chance here is to win by KO, and he could do it. Boswell may not be the sturdiest guy and McCall can still hit with some authority. But I think Boswell’s boxing skills and speed will carry the day
in this fight. I’m expecting a clear Boswell decision in this bout.
LOU LAGERMAN, trainer of Timur Ibragimov and Attila Levin
This fight is going to be interesting. Oliver is hard to handle…(laughs)…remember, if he hits you, you’re out of there.
VENUE AND TICKET INFORMATION
The Oliver McCall vs Cedric Boswell fight will be held Friday, March 18th, at the Hard Rock Live, located at 5747 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida 33314. The bout is on the undercard of a 12 round main event bout between world-rated welterweight Brad Solomon and Demetrius Hopkins. The main event will be televised live by ESPN Friday Night Fights. The card is promoted by The Heavyweight Factory.
Doors open at 6:30 PM. First fight starts at 7:30. Individual tickets cost $35, $55 & $105. All seats are reserved and available at the Hard Rock Live Box Office; open Tuesday – Saturday from noon to 7 p.m. and on Sunday & Monday – only open on event days at noon. Tickets also are available at all Ticketmaster outlets online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 1-800-745-3000.