Jesse Reid Interview; Analysis on Toney-Peter

By Keith Terceira

 

Trainer of Champions Jesse Reid though no longer a fixture in the Samuel Peter camp due to a possible conflict with both Peter and heavyweight contender Tye Fields in the rescheduled Super-Fighter tourney in Australia, gives me his take on the upcoming Samuel Peter-James Toney bout, scheduled for September 2.

 

Having recently spent two months with Peter, Pops Anderson, and Boza Edwards, Reid gives us an inside look at just how Sam can come to grips with the slick Toney.

 

Jesse also drops the bombshell that Tye Fields will be challenging  Nikolai  Valuev for the Russian’s title within the next 6-8 months.

 

: As you know Keith, I am no longer working with Sam Peter, I told Sam that because I train Tye Field for a good friend of mine Bill Baxter, and they both were going to be in the Australian Tourney together, I told Samuel that it wouldn’t be fair, a conflict of interest. They might meet each other. I told him it was nothing personal but I have worked  with Baxter for so many years and developed three world champions. I was brought out to Vegas because of Billy, so I had to let Samuel go, it’s a shame because I really would have liked to help train him but it was the right thing to do.

 

: I understand that you aren’t with the camp any longer but I wanted to get your take independent take on the upcoming bout with James Toney.

 

: Sam has a lot of talent, aloof power and a great chin. With Pop’s training him and Boza Edwards working with him to , he has a good staff behind him.  I don’t really think Pop’s (Andy Anderson) needs any help, I think a lot of people have said that but after working with him, I found him to be very knowledgeable and very close to Samuel. I think he is doing a real go job, and after working with him for a couple of months, I think he picked up a couple or few things that can help him, but I’m a real good friend of Pops, in fact I told him if he needed any help at any time that I’d be happy to talk to him and help him.

 

I definitely see Samuel having a shot at this fight, he is the bigger puncher and he is very quick, I think he is learning to throw more punches. One of the things people were questioning was that he wasn’t busy enough and that he didn’t have enough experience. I definitely think he feels he can win this fight. He has always wanted this fight, I think he is going to have to put up a hell of a showing in this fight.

 

What has been done in training to straighten Sam’s punches instead of a looping or wide blow? Won’t those wider punches play into James Toney coming inside where he is strongest?

 

: Toney, lets face it, he is very difficult to hit with the right hand, he rolls the right and comes back and counters, he is a very good counter puncher. He is also very aggressive, so I don’t think he is the puncher in this fight, but he is the more experienced. I think because of Toney’s weight, and all punishment he has taken  and that Samuel is the up-an-coming young guy I think Toney is in a hell of a fight. Sam is long with his punches and that gives Toney time to react off the punches really well, but in the time I worked with Samuel, I shortened up his punches and got him to be a little busier, and Pops has been trying to do that for a long time, Samuel never really listened because he didn’t hear it from anyone else, since he heard it from me, I think he is starting to listen to Pops a little more.

 

: I interviewed Emanuel Steward this week and we discussed Sam Peter not being as tough as Briggs when it came to straight punches and combinations. What was your take on that interview?

 

: I beg to differ with Emanuel, working with Samuel he has never been the type of a guy that has been a real good listener. He has always really done a lot of things on his own, but when I was working with him he listened very well, I was pleased with the way he was coming on. I think he can box, I really think he can if he is in the right frame of mind, I feel this fight is something he can get his mind around. I think you are going to see a different Samuel in this fight, his is going to give everyone a big surprise I think. I was shocked at the talent Sam Peter has got. If Pops can get what I think he is trying to get out of Sam, I think people are going to be surprised. He is a better boxer than people give him credit for.

 

Compared to the people in the top echelon in the division Samuel is probably the least experienced as far as background in the amateurs etc. So do you think he may not be settled in within himself, perhaps doesn’t have that confidence in his skills that comes with having a big amateur background and several dozen of fights?

 

: I agree with your analysis, I think it makes a big difference mentally but since I worked with Samuel the way he responded and showed his skill, I was very surprised at how talented he is.

 

He seems to let his emotions overcome his training at times, you see the flashes of talent but in the effort to win he begins to load-up on his punches and gets wide.

 

: He does a lot of different things and if he can learn to keep his punches under control and not load up, let his hands go in this fight and punch with Toney when he is punching then his power will really come into play. When you try to hit the home run you never do but if you just let your natural power come out with staying loose you will, Samuel has tremendous power. He can knock you out with any hand at any time, he just needs to let his hands go and not worry about how they look or all the technical stuff that people tell you, I don’t know I think it is going to be interesting. I don’t think Toney can really physically hurt Samuel. I think that is going to make a big difference in this fight.

 

Do you feel Peter can wear him down when Toney gets on the ropes possibly by doing a Marciano type plan to use his power on the arms and shoulders of Toney?

 

: Yes, punching all over him can wear him down, if Samuel just let’s his hands go and not worry how they look, yes like Marciano used to do, hit him on the arms, shoulders, body I think he can wear him down and really give him a beaten. ‘

 

The reason I say that is I was at the gym one time with James Toney, he was supposed to be in shape and he saw I had this kid Preston Harzog who is kind of a heavyset kid and Toney was making fun of him and he put up a challenge that he would knock him out within six rounds. I told Toney he wouldn’t knock him out if he went as many rounds as he wanted. So Toney bet me a thousand dollars, and I put my man in there and they went ten rounds and my guy made  Toney tired and he couldn’t knock him out at all and he was laying on the ground spent. After the ten rounds was over Toney tells me he had called the bet off.

 

To make a long story short I did get my money from his manager. I got a thousand dollars out of it so I do know that though Preston is not a big puncher, we just kept punching on him and I think if Samuel does that it a win. Now after they told us Toney wasn’t in any shape, to me he was training for a fight but never really in shape. He is just a talented guy. He is very relaxed with his ability. God he overeats, he does everything wrong. It’s all just natural talent.

 

: Let’s talk about what’s in store for Tye Fields?

 

: Tye is fighting at the South Coast Casino against Harris and he is getting ready for Super-fighter in Australia. We got an advance as a guarantee that it was going to happen, so that shows us that though it was postponed it will happen. I think it could be a great match up of Tye and Sam Peter if they both stay in the Tourney because they have worked together before.

 

: How is Tye’s training progressing?

 

: Excellent, I have Tye going as many as three hundred punches a round and never clinching, he is learning how to judge his distance better and he is running six minute miles. He is a tremendous athlete. I excited that his balance is getting better, he is big strong and getting better technically.

 

: Is Valuev in Tye’s future?

 

: I think Fields will be a world champion and that he knocks out that big seven foot Russian. We will put it in Vegas and not Russia. I think Baxter can get it done with his connections.

 

: When do you think we will see that fight?

 

: I think within six to eight months. I think after this fight we do a couple more guys then move into taking on a top ten fighter, then we go after the Russian.

 

That sounds exciting Jesse and thanks for your take on Sam Peter versus James Toney, good luck with Tye.

 

: My pleasure call anytime, Keith