By Rick Reeno
The super middleweight division has been cleaned out in the last couple of years. A few fighters retired, a few were upset and two reigning champions cleaned out the rest. Undefeated IBF super middleweight champion Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy (20-0, 16KOs) is one of those champions. Lacy is a former 2000 Olympian with an excellent 209-12 amateur record. After turning pro in 2001, he captured the boxing public with his aggressive, toe to toe fighting style without any fear of what his opponent would throw in return.
On November 5, Lacy is scheduled to face WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe (39-0, 31KOs) in one of the biggest bouts to hit the super middleweight division in the last couple of years. Calzaghe, the other super middleweight champion cleaning house, is one the few fighters that can match Lacy's punching power at 168 pounds. Lacy, proving once again that he does not fear a challenge, is giving Calzaghe the homecourt advantage by flying overseas to stage the bout in England.
The fight still has a small obstacle. In order for the fight to happen, Calzaghe must win his bout that is scheduled on September 10, against Evans Ashira (24-1, 13KOs). Calzaghe is a heavy favorite in the fight against Ashira, but anything can happen in boxing.
BoxingScene sat down with Lacy to discuss his upcoming fight with Calzaghe, a possible move to light heavyweight and even the possibility of fighting his friend Jermain Taylor.
BoxingScene.com: You gained a big following with hardcore boxing fans in a short amount of time. Do you think it is because you are willing to fight the best fighters in your division and your willingness to stand your ground in order to give without any fear of what you get in return?
Jeff Lacy: I think its a combination of things. My style, my ability and the way I am about going out there and fighting the best. It shows. I'm trying to fight the best in my division and I'm even taking some shortcuts where guys can't say that I won't come to their hometown. The real fans really recognize that I'm going out there and trying to unify the division. It says a lot.
BoxingScene.com: You fought some of the toughest guys in the division, did anyone ever give you any trouble?
Jeff Lacy: I think challenge is the biggest thing. Whenever I have someone in front of me that is going to give me a challenge I move to another level. And it kind of like when I'm in the ring I see myself on the outside more than being on the inside. By seeing that, I see a lot more things that the viewers will see. It's an accumulation of things that guys do in certain fights, but I haven't gotten to a fighter that was well rounded enough to make me think on the second page or go to game B. My game A is working up to this point. I've never had to go to game B and game C is never even in play because once I've gotten to game B, I've already broken the guy down with the pressure.
BoxingScene.com: You never seem to take any opponent for granted. Fighters seem to step up and take it you when they get in the ring.
Jeff Lacy: Of course. That's one of the reasons I treat every single guy I get in the ring with like they are taking something from me because I have a world title that everybody wants. If he can climb in the ring, I'm going to treat him serious. I'm a totally different person when I get in the ring.
BoxingScene.com: There are times in your fights when you don't care what an opponent throws at you during exchanges, regardless of their strength. Do you ever get criticism from people or your trainer after fights about some of the things you do in the ring?
Jeff Lacy: No. One of the things that some people still don't understand is that my delivery system is good and people find out. There is a difference from being inside of the ring and watching outside of the ring. There is something I do inside of the ring that viewers really don't get a chance to see what's going on unless your that fighter. The way it looks on the outside of the fight is a do or die. What you see is what you get. It's all about doing it. That's what it's all about. It's the same thing Robin Reid thought. He will tell you, he thought the same exact thing and I shut him down at his own game. He is a very good fighter and I took him out of his game and made him fight my style of fighting.
BoxingScene.com: Your fight with joe Calzaghe is probably the biggest fight in the division since Roy Jones took on James Toney in 1994.
Jeff Lacy: It's been a long time since a big fight in the super middleweight division has occurred.
BoxingScene.com: Have you started training yet for the November date?
Jeff Lacy: Yes, I've already started. I've never gotten out of shape. I've been running every other day. I took the first week off and then started running every other day. I just got back in the gym this week.
BoxingScene.com: So your geared to go in November, regardless if the opponent is Calzaghe or otherwise?
Jeff Lacy: I'll be geared to go in November. My focus is on Calzaghe right now. Whatever happens after Saturday, the 10th, we will know by Monday if he is a go. I want to know right away. I don't want to start training at the last minute for Calzaghe. My training camp right now is built for Calzaghe, up until we find out of what he is capable of doing. If not Calzaghe, I'll fight somebody else and stay active.
BoxingScene.com: Are you comfortable with heading over to England to fight Joe Calzaghe?
Jeff Lacy: Yes, I'm comfortable with it. I've always said, I've have no problems heading over to England to fight. I've fought over there before. I've fought on some undercards before. As long as I feel like we are getting a fair deal and Showtime is going to be there, I have no problems going over there.
BoxingScene.com: The super middleweight division was ruled for a long time by fighters from outside the United States. Why do you think it is that big fights never took place in their countries or in the U.S.?
Jeff Lacy: I mean, you never had fighters that wanted to travel the globe and go over there either. Someone can't just say that they were unwilling to come here. If we were willing to go over there before, then more guys from the United States would head over there to fight. I'm one of the guys that don't care. I'll get in the ring no matter where the fight is at. If I'm in great shape and feel like I'm being treated fairly, I'll go. I won't go to Germany, that is the only place I won't go to.
BoxingScene.com: Is there a feeling among fighters that if they travel overseas, then they this paranoia of having to knock their opponent out because the judges may rob them?
Jeff Lacy: Yes. Not only that, the TV. I have Showtime behind me 110 percent. If it weren't for them, I might be thinking twice about heading over there to fight him (Calzaghe) on his television (network) SKY. If the situation is good and the money is right. I'm not going to do it for nothing. I'm not going to go and lose my fan base over here to watch the fight if the money isn't right.
BoxingScene.com: Do you think Joe Calzaghe is ready to be taken at the moment? He hasn't looked his best in his last few fights.
Jeff Lacy: Well I mean..styles make fights. He probably wasn't up for those fights, but I'm sure he will be up for this fight. It's the biggest fight of his career. You have one hungry guy coming and determined to win. I guarantee that he will be up for my fight if he wasn't up for the others. I'm using that to my advantage because he was down. You are only as good as your last fight.
BoxingScene.com: You and Joe have pretty much cleaned this division out. It has come down to only two. Not to look past Joe, but should you beat him in November, would you consider a move up light heavyweight or maybe entice one of the middleweights to move up?
Jeff Lacy: I figure, like I said I want to unify the division. It hasn't been done in a long time. After Joe, if we fight on November 5th, I would want to go on and fight other champions. I want to unify the division and I would challenge the other champions. But, I wouldn't chase them as much as I chased Calzaghe because Calzaghe is considered one of the best. That's one of the biggest reasons why I'm chasing this guy. I would consider myself the best after beating him on November 5th. After that fight I would continue my plan of becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion and perhaps going up to light heavyweight and challenging one of the champions there or going down and challenging the champion or champions at middleweight. I could meet them at 164. We could meet them at halfway.
BoxingScene.com: I know you and Jermain Taylor are friends. If it came down to it, would you make that fight?
Jeff Lacy: Of course, this is a business. We could have friendship on the other side of fighting no matter what may happen. This is a business. It's all about everybody recognizing who is the best in the world.
BoxingScene.com: I'm sure you are well aware that Antonio Tarver vs. Roy Jones is coming up on October 1. Regardless of who wins, they will likely never fight again. The light heavyweight division will be in need of another star quality fighter to stir things up and these guys will be calling you out shortly.
Jeff Lacy: Trust me, if Joe Calzaghe doesn't pull through on November 5th, I'm going to continue to fight on that date and some time during the middle of next year, if one of those guys are talking at 175 like Jones or Tarver, I'll get a chance to fight one of those guys. I wouldn't turn it down. No, I wouldn't.
BoxingScene.com: What do you think is the highest you will go as far as weight?
Jeff Lacy: I think no higher than 175. I mean..there is no use in going to the cruiserweights because for one there are no big names for me to fight in order to grab everybody's attention. the cruiserweight division has no big names. And heavyweight, I think I'm a little too short for that, I don't think I'm going that high.
BoxingScene.com: For the right amount of money a man would fight anyone, even a dead man.
Jeff Lacy: If the offer is right, you never know. You might see Jeff put on 25-30 pounds. No telling what the future may hold for me.
BoxingScene.com: Should you beat Calzaghe, do you think it will be easy to get guys to fight you?
Jeff Lacy: I think it's what I bring to the game. The attention that I bring to each and every fight and I go out and be victorious. The day after the fight, people will see me and talk about the fight they just saw the night before and ask me when is my next fight. People are attracted to that like they were with Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. I'm really loving that I'm able to go out and give boxing a breath of fresh air.
BoxingScene.com: You have certainly given the super middleweight division a breath of fresh air.
Jeff Lacy: Thank you.
BoxingScene.com: Anything can happen in boxing. If Calzaghe gets upset, would you fight the guy who beat him, Evans Ashira?
Jeff Lacy: Of course. Why would I give Calzaghe the chance? If he has been beat by somebody, then I can go out and fight the next fight. I would definitely be looking to fight the winner of that fight, but I hope it's Calzaghe because he has been around so long and defended the title so many times. It's a much bigger fight and a more interesting fight because nobody really knows the guy he is fighting.
BoxingScene.com: In closing, what would you like to say to the people reading this interview?
Jeff Lacy: I just want everybody to know that I'm a real fighter. I'm going to unify the division. I want to fight Joe Calzaghe. Some people thought I was ducking him. I'm not ducking nobody. I'll fight anyone that the fans want me to fight as long as I get the right money. I'm here to make my name a household name and give boxing a breath of fresh air.