Glenn McCrory heads for Atlantic City for Jermain Taylor v Kelly Pavlik and a 20-year trip down memory lane.
I'm just checking in to fly out to Atlantic City for the Jermain Taylor v Kelly Pavlik fight and what is for me, a bit of a trip down memory lane.
It was almost 20 years ago to the day that I was flying out to the States to go and spar with none other than Mike Tyson.
It was ahead of his fight with Tyrell Biggs on October 16 at the Convention Hall and I can still remember it like it was yesterday.
I was 23 years old, I had just won the Commonwealth Cruiserweight title and I couldn't believe my luck. Here I was, a young lad from the north east, staying in Trump Plaza and getting ready to spar with the baddest man on the planet!
And walking into that gym for the first time was - and still is when I think about it - very scary. I remember James Broad being there, Oliver McCall and Tim Witherspoon being there alongside this little cruiserweight from England, the only white kid in the place.
Once the sparring got underway it was a lot easier. Somehow, I blackened Mike's eye, which did my profile in the media the power of good - and thankfully Mike has never held it against me!
I see he is
in trouble with the law again this week and there's no doubt that in the 20 years that have passed, Mike has done plenty of things wrong. It is not for me to stand in judgement on his misdemeanours, but I have got to say I have always found him a decent guy.
In a funny way, we have remained kind of close. I have met up with him several times over the years and he's always got a hug for me and at times, when I have been working for Sky, I have been the only one he has let in the gym, which is nice.
We have not exactly swapped Christmas cards, but you wouldn't expect that from Mike Tyson, would you?
I guess we just got on. I suppose I was a bit lippy back then, but as the middle kid in an Irish family of seven from Newcastle, I was never going to get anywhere being shy and retiring, was I?
Professional
And before you start wondering, I never had a night out with Mike either! Back in those days he really was at his peak and he was in training camp, so as far as I know, he was a true professional. Plenty of people say that performance against Biggs was his best ever and I wouldn't disagree.
I hope we get something like that this weekend, because boy does Jermain Taylor need it!
There's no doubt he is a very, very good fighter - you don't beat Bernard Hopkins twice and draw with Winky Wright if you're no good - but has got this far without really getting into a real, proper scrap.
Now, if there's one person he's going to earn his stripes against, then it is
Kelly Pavlik. I've got to say right now, I am a big fan.
He made his name with that sensational win over Edison Miranda in what was one of the best fights I've seen for a long, long time. But what impressed me most and what you might not have seen on Sky was the press conference beforehand.
Edison Miranda was not the nicest and he was quite rude and pretty horrible about Pavlik and his family. Other than that, all he talked about was the fight HE would have with Taylor after winning. Pavlik just sat there, ignored the insults and when it was his turn to speak, just simply told Miranda he would knock him out.
As a fighter there are times when you have to rough it up a bit and walk the walk, but you know what? Pavlik came out and did exactly what he said he's do, in seven rounds. It's one thing saying it, but actually doing it against a very, very good fighter, shows just how good he is.
Pavlik is the real deal, believe me. He might have his limitations defensively, but if anyone is going to
bring the best out of Taylor it will be him. Jermain has an impressive record but has got where he is without inspiring the American public whatsoever. In fact, he has been boring.
I think we all want to see him in a good fight, but I have a feeling that might be his downfall here. As I said at the start, it's already proving an pretty emotional trip and I think we will get an absolute firecracker of a fight to top it all off. I'm genuinely, genuinely excited.
Back home, there has been more good news this week, when two of our fighters from Nothumbria ABC, David Pendleton and Mark Clauzel were selected in the England squad. It's not the first time one of our boys has been called up, but I'm delighted for the lads and just wanted to say 'well done'.
For more on Northumbria ABC visit www.glennmccrory.com
