Q&A: Bobby Czyz!

August 25, 2006

By David Finger

For boxing fans who remembered his long and often surprisingly resilient career, there will never be another fighter quite like him. He was a good looking young prospect who at first glance seemed to be a product of careful marketing, but that actually could back it up in the ring. It wasn't that fans didn't like him; he was probably one of the most popular fighters in his era. It was just that he did all the intangibles well. He looked too good, was too articulate, gave interviews that were more intelligent and though provoking than the Presidents (it was a lot harder to do back then, just a note), and as we would discover, he was a genius to boot (becoming the first member of MENSA to become a world champion). It just seemed like no one person could have all that going for him. But outside the well spoken, matinee-idol exterior was one of the toughest, and most well rounded fighters in the sport.

Bobby Czyz was a tough brawler who emerged from the decade with a reputation for having one of the best chins in the sport. But his greatest asset was his ability to think in the ring, to assess his position and change gears to something completely different and unexpected if needed. Czyz took some time to speak to Fightnews about his career and the renewed interest in his last win as a pro, against Richard Jackson (a fight that is currently highlighted on CSI's USA Tuesday Night Fights: Knockouts PPV series playing this week).

Bobby thanks for taking the time to talk with Fightnews. What have you been up too recently?

Well I did the international broadcast for the Virgil Hill fight a little bit ago. Also, I went back school after I left Showtime. Now I have two businesses, I do motivational speaking, promotional speaking, host parties for casinos. I put most of my time in my insurance company since it is quite lucrative. Health cost as always a main concern with companies.

Do you feel there needs to be more insurance coverage for fighters in boxing?

That has always been a concern, there was not governing body that requires it. It is still an archaic business in the way competitors are treated unless there was a promotional umbrella that had fifty boxers, then they might apply for insurance. But they don't do that for fighters. Each and every fighter is an independent contractor; I know it all too well.

You always were something of an anomaly in boxing in that you were the fighter in the ring who was probably smarter than the doctor sitting ringside. It became a popular story of how you were the first member of MENSA to become a world champion. Did you enjoy the distinction or was it something that you kind of hoped the press would not bring up?

It's something I was happy and proud that I had a genius IQ, but by in large a genius IQ is not going to help me win in the ring. But outside the ring it helps a lot. Having intelligence is clearly a plus, I hadn't been back to school for 25-years, I went back to school last year and was able to succeed, it can be tedious and difficult to go back to school when you've been out of it for twenty-five years. Having intelligence is always a good thing in life, being articulate and well spoken has helped me do well outside the ring. It's funny but sometimes, when I first was coming up, I use to get more complements early in my career about my interviews than my fighting, which used to get to me. They just were not used to having a well spoken, articulate guy in front of them. A lot of had to deal with where the sport thrived. It used to be that the average fighter comes from the suppressed minority from each era, from the Italians and Irish, to the Blacks and Hispanics. Now boxing has become a bit more sophisticated, but still it is a bit archaic. Think of the baseball camps and football training centers compared to the boxing gyms. To be honest, some of them are hellholes.

You are probably just as well known to many boxing fans from your role as a boxing commentator, working such great fights like Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield I, among others. Do you envision getting back into boxing commentary again soon?

There is always that possibility, right now the two major networks have there people. A few of the other cable networks have contacted my agent. If it happens great, if it doesn't it won't kill me. I do miss it though.

Speaking about the Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield fight, Holyfield was fighting Tyson right after he struggled in a win against you, a win that prompted many insiders to call for Holyfield's retirement and assume that Tyson would win in dominant fashion. Were you surprised that night how well he did?

Yes and no. What I was most surprised at was Mike Tyson didn't train and he should have. You see Evander Holyfield, when he fought me he didn't train; he thought he could blow me out in the first round. I knew going into that fight that if I got past the sixth round I could beat him, since he would be tired. Hey, I know Evander was a better heavyweight than me, I have a genius IQ, I could figure that out. But I knew he was taking me lightly. As for Tyson, well the fact of the matter is he didn't train. Shame on Mike for not training, he didn't prepare properly and he was exhausted after the 3rd round. Vince Lombardi said it best: fatigue makes cowards of us all.

The Holyfield fight came on the heels of a very impressive win for you, perhaps one of the most impressive wins, where you stopped a game, undefeated fighter named Richard Jackson to win the WBU Super Cruiserweight title. That USA televised fight is now being broadcast of CSI's Tuesday Night Fights: Knockouts PPV series this week. What can you tell us about that fight?

The Ricky Jackson fight was the first every super cruiserweight fight, sanctioned by the WBU that figured heavyweights were getting so big, that it wasn't fair for a guy who was 205-pounds to be fighting these heavyweights today they offered me a shot at the fight against a former football player turned pro (in Jackson) I knew he would underestimate me also, he thought that I was old, over the hill. But I fought them all in my career, whereas he beat relative nobodies. He learned a whole new respect for some of us older fighters that night.

Many insiders seemed to dismiss your talk of fighting as a heavyweight before the fight, but it seemed that you won some converts that night. Was it one of your more rewarding wins?

It certainly was; it's what gave me the opportunity to fight Holyfield. But the win was satisfying and having a third world title was nice. But I was just chasing a payday, I never had a million dollar payday and I was hoping that if I just beat Evander I would get that shot.

Perhaps there are two fights that many people still talk about, ironically for similar reasons. In 1982 you lost a tough decision to a veteran named Mustafa Hamsho, in a fight in which many boxing experts cited as the classic example of a talented young fighter in a little too tough a little too early against a rugged veteran. In 1991 against then cruiserweight champion Robert Daniels you turned the tables, being the tough veteran who dismantled the green young rookie before he was ready.

Against Hamsho I broke my hand as well. And I was taking water pills to make weight. But I wouldn't have beaten Hamsho that night. I just wasn't ready for Hamsho; it was a little too early. But then again, I made more money fighting Hamsho than my fights I had in five consecutive years. It wasn't a good night; it wasn't a good night at all. Move up to 1991, I was fighting Daniels, it was funny but that was probably one of my finest moments because I trained a certain way but when I got in the ring, Daniels was too strong. I realized in the first round I had to make some drastic changes. So I started to box and move. By the ninth round the balls of my feet were bleeding, my trainer was saying what's happening?, but I was not used to moving. I had soft feet. After the fight they asked Robert Daniels what happened and he said I didn't know he could box! I couldn't catch him! Everybody has to be able to adjust in the ring. I did the best I could with what I was blessed with.

Boxing fans often cite these fights when they see the young rookie taking a jump up in class, even today. Do you ever sort of see those fights when watching young prospects today?

Well, you know if you follow the young fighters who are moving up every now and then they bite off more than they can chew, it just happens. But there are intangible things that you cannot quantify; I had a great chin, which got me through in my career. You can't teach a fighter to have a great chin, without it I couldn't do what I did.

Bobby, thanks for taking the time to talking to Fightnews.

Thank you.

* * * * *

Fans can see highlights of Bobby Czyz's impressive win over Richard Jackson on CSI's Tuesday Night Fights: Knockouts Episode III, now playing only on PPV.