By: Sergio Martinez
On June 16, 2006, at the Cicero Stadium in Cicero, Illinois, Chicago’s own super middleweight prospect Donovan George (7-0-1 with 5 KOs) will make his much anticipated return to the squared circle after an approximate seven-month hiatus. “Da Bomb,” who took some time off to recover from minor injuries, will be facing Robert Smallwood in a bout scheduled for six rounds.
Sometimes, time off is not considered a good thing for a young fighter in the process of learning how to be a professional boxer, but in George’s case it seems to be just what the doctor ordered.
“I just had a few minor injuries that needed to heal so the time off did me good. I used that time to get focused again and to let my body do some more maturing. I’m ready now and I’m one-hundred-percent,” said Don “Da Bomb” George from his home base of Chicago, Illinois.
At twenty-one-years of age, Donovan has time and youth on his side to be able to take time off and let his body mature and recover. Still, activity is essential for a fighter who is building a career. George offered this take on that assessment.
“I think it was a positive in my case because it gave me time to watch and analyze all of the fighters out there and also, I got to take a close look at myself. I’ve been working on nothing but the basics again. I’ve been working out for the past seven months and I’ve really been busting my ass working on my jab and footwork.”
George continued, “I’m really hungry right now and I’m looking forward to the sixteenth (June) so that I can blast somebody out. I feel like these past seven months I’ve gone from a boy to a man. I feel stronger and I feel very ready. We are definitely going to make up for lost time.”
And making up for lost time is definitely on Donovan’s mind as, should he win this coming Friday night and maintain his health, George would like to be very busy in the near future.
“I want to win my upcoming fight and get really busy. I would love to fight at least once a month and have a total of twelve professional fights by the end of 2006. Still, it is all up to my management company (Cestus Management) on what will happen.”
George’s advisor, Mike Michael (Cestus Management), added, “Don’s age is a big factor and the time off did his body great. It’s not having time off, but it is what you do with that time off. Don and his trainer Pete George have been working on the basics all this time which is something that most fighters tend to neglect. We are now going to see not the new and improved Don George, but the real Don George.”
In closing, “Da Bomb” had this to say: “I’m going to wear a shirt into the ring that says I’m back because nothing is going to stop this machine now. I’m not only a boxer; I’m also an entertainer so get ready because I’m going to put on a show. I’m going to bring fans to the sport who don’t even like boxing. I’ll bring the girls to the sport man. Just like De La Hoya did; I’m just a bigger version.