Chazz Witherspoon is ready to bang!
As it often is in the sport of boxing, the original prizefight that Oleksandr Usyk (16-0, 12 KO’s) planned on staging was scraped. The fight organizers were left no other choice when the initial opponent, Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (14-0, 13 KO’s), popped dirty for PED’s.
Fortunately for Team Usyk, Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon (38-3, 29 KO’s) was able to slide in the open slot with a scant four days’ notice.
It doesn’t take a seasoned boxer or die-hard fan to realize that a glorified long weekend is not enough time to prepare for a major fight. Even still, Witherspoon is faithful that he will be just fine when the slides into the ring in Chicago’s Wintrust Arena.
The native Philly fighter is so calm about the situation because he relays that he is always in training. And while he may not have been training specifically for Usyk, or a southpaw, the Gentleman insists in an interview with Behind the Gloves that he was already deep in training.
“I have been training. I wasn’t training for a southpaw, but I try to stay in a decent enough amount of shape even when I don’t have anything coming up, so I had been training.
“[…] They were calling me for different fights at different points. It just didn’t make sense at the time, you know? It wasn’t enough notice or I wasn’t in the gym quite as I should have been whereas this was like, I don’t want to say the perfect opportunity because four days is not a lot of notice, but opportunity knocked and I answered the door.
“A guy like that I have to see what’s working, what’s not working and try to make some adjustments. I think he’s seen it all, you know like I said, even though he has sixteen fights he actually has more ring experience than me, you know?
“I started late. I started right before I turned 21 but what I have learned is you got to let a fight develop and if he wants to start fast and start banging that plays into my advantage. So if that’s how the fights starts off we are going to bang away, but I’m going to see what he is giving me. That’s all I can do, see what he’s giving me and go from there.”
Having been a professional for 15 years now, there is little that Witherspoon has not seen. This is a big reason why he is mindful and respectful of the deadly craft that Usyk will bring to the ring. Yet, while he is aware that his next foe is very capable, he has not lost sight of a few critical factors.
The Gentlemen is emboldened by keeping in mind that he is the bigger man, has resided in the division far longer and he can really bang with the best of them. So following the clang of the opening round bell, instead of a moral victory, Witherspoon has every intention on trying to knock the Ukrainians block off.
“I have a punchers chance regardless of what anybody says. Regardless of any critics or anybody. I am the bigger man! I can punch and I’m coming to rumble. Like I said my heart don’t pump Kool-Aid!”
Critics will be fast to point out that Witherspoon has lost all three of his biggest matches. Two were dropped to Tony “The Tiger” Thompson (40-7, 27 KO’s) and Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (38-6-1, 33 KO’s). The Gentleman dropped the third loss to former football player turned boxer, Seth “Mayhem” Mitchell (26-2-1, 19 KO’s).
Furthermore, the most recent of these bouts, the one versus Mitchell, was roughly seven years ago. Since that time he has won eight straight, however, has not fought with any heavyweight of any real note or danger.
Only time will tell how Witherspoon fairs in this upcoming brawl. Yet no matter the outcome, it should be fun time while it lasts!
3kingsboxing will continue to provide coverage on this last minute dust-up.
By: Bakari Simpson
