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Scully Tells Chilling Truth In book
John “Ice” Scully, the colorful former 4th ranked light heavyweight contender has the reputation for telling it like it is.
Scully fought for the IBF title in 96, losing a decision to Henry Maske.
The active Ice now trains heavyweight Lawrence Cley-Bey and up and coming amateur fighters too.
Now fans will get to experience his love for the sweet science and his gift for the gab in his new tell-all boxing memoir.
For readers, Scully provides a sneak peek into his action packed tome which is written in a style designed to make the reader feel like they’re right with The Iceman on his wild ride.
His story begins with the Olympic trials and has classic insights into boxing’s biggest names.
He once sparred with Mike McCallum. McCallum said he would pay Scully $40. “When it came time to pay me, he only had a 50 and wanted change” Ice recalls.
I had spent time in MD. before the Olympic Trials at a camp that Ray Leonard ran for a selected group of us that were heading to the Olympic Trials, including Roy.
“A week later I was in the 88 Trials Quarters boxing against Joe Hill of Nebraska, # 3 rated in the USA. In the 3rd I gave him an 8-count and I was waiting for the ref to finish.
“I hear someone below me on the ring floor yelling my name and giving me instructions on what to do when the fight resumed.
“I didn't look down right away but when I did I saw Ray Leonard there waving his arms at me. I saw him and I got excited that he was actually cheering for me and I started waving at him and yelling: "Hey! Ray! What's up, man?" I didn't even pay attention to what he was telling me to do. I was just so caught off guard that he was watching my fight. He just looked at me like I was a nut.” Scully tells a memorable tale of traveling to Mike Tyson’s home during a visit to Las Vegas last year for the Jones vs Ruiz bout.
“The 1st thing we did was go to Laila Ali's Gym where I reunited once again with my amateur teammate Kevin 'The Flushing Flash' Kelley.
“Kevin and I were on the eastern team at the 88 Olympic trials. Kev was obviously very excited , as usual about anything that you care to discuss.
“He gladly took pictures with all my guys. The thing I always liked about Kevin is that when he meets someone for the first time, if they want to talk to him about boxing, he will talk to them and if you didn’t know better you would think they were great friends.”
Scully tried catching up with old buddy Tyson who wasn’t home. “Mike lives in more than a house Its a complex. I had a couple pieces of literature from when Mike was an amateur in the early 80's that I had been waiting to give him.
“I first met Mike VERY briefly at the press Conference for the Chavez - Fuentas fight in Las Vegas in 89. We walked up to him and asked to take a picture.
“The thing I remember about that 60 second interaction was that when Mike went to put his around me to take the photo he kid of brushed his arm against the side of my head. Not really hard but not really soft either. I remember he got concerned, thinking he had had brushed me too hard. He was saying "Oh Man, I'm sorry, sorry. I didn't mean that! "
“Anyway, In 96 I’d given a him a bunch of other articles and his boy told me that Mike really loved reading them.
“I gave them to his guy at the front gate."
Undaunted, Scully went off to the Jones weigh in.
"Alton Merkerson caught Ruiz' man Norman “Stoney” Stone with a right hand right up there on the dais.
“If you know Stoney, you know that he can be confrontational. Coach Merk wasn’t there to only talk though, either, so the Jones camp went up by a 1-0 score before the fight even started.”
The real excitement came when Ice and his pals rented some of the ubiquitous Go Karts they rent on the strip.
“We had a race from the area of the Bellagio down to the end of the strip (in heavy Vegas traffic) down to Tocco’s Gym on Charleston.
After soaking up the atmosphere of the place where Sonny Liston often trained, it was fight time.
“We rolled up four-deep in these little Golf Carts to the Entrance to Caesar’s Palace Valet. Some ride in Range Rovers and BMW's. We have style. We came in brightly painted GoCarts. Actually, they are pretty smooth riding and as long as you pay attention to the brakes and don't tip the whole thing over when you’re hitting corners.”
Being at a world championship fight meant running into old friends:
"I ran across my old Amateur buddy and present heavyweight champion, Chris Byrd. The Iceman ran into the other iceman, Al “Ice” Cole: “Al and I almost fought each other a few times when we both fought at 165.
At the fight, Scully saw old buddy Michael Moorer.
“I first saw him when he was only 156. We almost fought twice in 87' at 165. Once at a show in RI and once at the Ohio Fair. Mike ended up coming in way over the 165 limit.
“I fought 3 other guys and won the title and Mike decided to turn go soon after on the way to becoming a deadly light heavy in the late 80's. Ice provides intrigue insight into Jones’ superlative performance against Ruiz, to take the heavyweight title.
“Ruiz came out good but once RJ started letting go with the hook it was all but over. The check hook is what they call the Left Hook that Big Roy taught all the guys that he worked with over the years.
Scully capped his adventure with a trip to Mexico.
“Let me tell you now. Tijuana is real cool if you go either during the day or on a weekend night. But if you go and aren't running deep then I get the feeling you want to be on your way out by night fall.
“Either way, Keep your eyes on your wallet and be advised that everybody down there is hustling something. It was cool, though.
“At the restaurant some guy with a tequila bottle tried to pull my head back and pour Tequila down my throat ! I do not ever drink alcohol though so I had to cut old boy off.
Like a lot of boxers, Scully says he got into the sport via his main influence, “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali.
“When I was a kid I used to read books on Ali that my Father had including" The Greatest". I was mesmerized by what I read and the images that the words put in my head. Even as a kid I knew Ali was a special person.
“At that point I was 14 years old and my previous boxing experience consisted of 50 bed fights with Jimmy Young and 12 bouts in my own boxing league. This consisted of my Friend and I recruiting kids to box me for the
'League Championship'
Scully’s stories about the Olympic trials and his own fighting style which he categorizes laughingly as “running” are page-turners.
“I remember seeing World Champ Darin Allen on TV more than once. I used to imagine what it was like being at his level. 1988, I would find out.
“When I was first really becoming aware of all the top level guys in my weight class, Darin was the one guy that stood out to me.
In the 1984 US Olympic Trials, he defeated the then top ranked American 156 pounder Dennis Milton of the Bronx , NY. Milton and eventual Gold Medallist Frank Tate were the consensus # 1 and # 2 U.S. light middleweights.
“Darin beating Dennis at that time was considered a big upset. Politics were at work then, too and Darin was not chosen to go the training camp for the Box-Off.
“Based on his past history and the fact that he was such an accomplished amateur gave Milton the nod and Darin was forced to wait another four years for his next shot.
“That city was the site of the 1988 U.S. Eastern Trials. For many amateurs, this was the last chance to qualify for the actual Trials a month later in California.
“Guys like me had 3 chances.. the USA Nationals , the National Golden Gloves and this tournament.
“One thing I will never forget to this day was the two thoughts I had when I saw Darin Allen that day working out, hitting the pads with his trainer out by the pool.
“First I thought "Wow, there's Darin Allen." I had heard and seen so much about him that finally seeing him in person was just like the equivalent of a pro boxer today in the Middleweight class seeing Bernard Hopkins for the first time or a light heavyweight seeing Roy for the first time.
“The second thing I thought was this, just like when I saw Kertis Mingo in Jacksonville in 87: ‘Me and this guy are going to meet in the Finals.’
“It is funny and interesting how emotions can effect your state of mind and your confidence level. When I first saw Darin by the pool, it was a thing where I was like "Oh, wow, there's Darin Allen." I respected him a great deal but that lasted a short time.
“Since I first started boxing as an amateur I wanted to be in a position where I was accepted as a good boxer and as a recognizable face in amateur boxing. I had come a long, long way...especially for a guy that didn't have a long JO career. “Winning this tournament would put me unquestionably on the level I had been seeking for so long. If they wrote this script in Hollywood they would have it play out just as it was unfolding : Myself and the World Champion, a guy I had read about and watched for years , on a collision course to determine who gets to go to the Final Trials.
Darin had scored early decisions over several guys too. He boxed good and now..the stage was set for the fight I had pictured almost since I first started Boxing : Iceman John Scully vs World Champion Darin Allen for the Eastern Olympic Trials Gold Medal and the right to compete for a berth on the 1988 Olympic team.
“I won a decision over him and qualified for the US Olympic Trials. Allen and I both went on to challenge for World title as professionals.”
For details on how to obtain a copy of The John Scully Story, contact the Iceman himself at icemanjohnscully.com
John “Ice” Scully, the colorful former 4th ranked light heavyweight contender has the reputation for telling it like it is.
Scully fought for the IBF title in 96, losing a decision to Henry Maske.
The active Ice now trains heavyweight Lawrence Cley-Bey and up and coming amateur fighters too.
Now fans will get to experience his love for the sweet science and his gift for the gab in his new tell-all boxing memoir.
For readers, Scully provides a sneak peek into his action packed tome which is written in a style designed to make the reader feel like they’re right with The Iceman on his wild ride.
His story begins with the Olympic trials and has classic insights into boxing’s biggest names.
He once sparred with Mike McCallum. McCallum said he would pay Scully $40. “When it came time to pay me, he only had a 50 and wanted change” Ice recalls.
I had spent time in MD. before the Olympic Trials at a camp that Ray Leonard ran for a selected group of us that were heading to the Olympic Trials, including Roy.
“A week later I was in the 88 Trials Quarters boxing against Joe Hill of Nebraska, # 3 rated in the USA. In the 3rd I gave him an 8-count and I was waiting for the ref to finish.
“I hear someone below me on the ring floor yelling my name and giving me instructions on what to do when the fight resumed.
“I didn't look down right away but when I did I saw Ray Leonard there waving his arms at me. I saw him and I got excited that he was actually cheering for me and I started waving at him and yelling: "Hey! Ray! What's up, man?" I didn't even pay attention to what he was telling me to do. I was just so caught off guard that he was watching my fight. He just looked at me like I was a nut.” Scully tells a memorable tale of traveling to Mike Tyson’s home during a visit to Las Vegas last year for the Jones vs Ruiz bout.
“The 1st thing we did was go to Laila Ali's Gym where I reunited once again with my amateur teammate Kevin 'The Flushing Flash' Kelley.
“Kevin and I were on the eastern team at the 88 Olympic trials. Kev was obviously very excited , as usual about anything that you care to discuss.
“He gladly took pictures with all my guys. The thing I always liked about Kevin is that when he meets someone for the first time, if they want to talk to him about boxing, he will talk to them and if you didn’t know better you would think they were great friends.”
Scully tried catching up with old buddy Tyson who wasn’t home. “Mike lives in more than a house Its a complex. I had a couple pieces of literature from when Mike was an amateur in the early 80's that I had been waiting to give him.
“I first met Mike VERY briefly at the press Conference for the Chavez - Fuentas fight in Las Vegas in 89. We walked up to him and asked to take a picture.
“The thing I remember about that 60 second interaction was that when Mike went to put his around me to take the photo he kid of brushed his arm against the side of my head. Not really hard but not really soft either. I remember he got concerned, thinking he had had brushed me too hard. He was saying "Oh Man, I'm sorry, sorry. I didn't mean that! "
“Anyway, In 96 I’d given a him a bunch of other articles and his boy told me that Mike really loved reading them.
“I gave them to his guy at the front gate."
Undaunted, Scully went off to the Jones weigh in.
"Alton Merkerson caught Ruiz' man Norman “Stoney” Stone with a right hand right up there on the dais.
“If you know Stoney, you know that he can be confrontational. Coach Merk wasn’t there to only talk though, either, so the Jones camp went up by a 1-0 score before the fight even started.”
The real excitement came when Ice and his pals rented some of the ubiquitous Go Karts they rent on the strip.
“We had a race from the area of the Bellagio down to the end of the strip (in heavy Vegas traffic) down to Tocco’s Gym on Charleston.
After soaking up the atmosphere of the place where Sonny Liston often trained, it was fight time.
“We rolled up four-deep in these little Golf Carts to the Entrance to Caesar’s Palace Valet. Some ride in Range Rovers and BMW's. We have style. We came in brightly painted GoCarts. Actually, they are pretty smooth riding and as long as you pay attention to the brakes and don't tip the whole thing over when you’re hitting corners.”
Being at a world championship fight meant running into old friends:
"I ran across my old Amateur buddy and present heavyweight champion, Chris Byrd. The Iceman ran into the other iceman, Al “Ice” Cole: “Al and I almost fought each other a few times when we both fought at 165.
At the fight, Scully saw old buddy Michael Moorer.
“I first saw him when he was only 156. We almost fought twice in 87' at 165. Once at a show in RI and once at the Ohio Fair. Mike ended up coming in way over the 165 limit.
“I fought 3 other guys and won the title and Mike decided to turn go soon after on the way to becoming a deadly light heavy in the late 80's. Ice provides intrigue insight into Jones’ superlative performance against Ruiz, to take the heavyweight title.
“Ruiz came out good but once RJ started letting go with the hook it was all but over. The check hook is what they call the Left Hook that Big Roy taught all the guys that he worked with over the years.
Scully capped his adventure with a trip to Mexico.
“Let me tell you now. Tijuana is real cool if you go either during the day or on a weekend night. But if you go and aren't running deep then I get the feeling you want to be on your way out by night fall.
“Either way, Keep your eyes on your wallet and be advised that everybody down there is hustling something. It was cool, though.
“At the restaurant some guy with a tequila bottle tried to pull my head back and pour Tequila down my throat ! I do not ever drink alcohol though so I had to cut old boy off.
Like a lot of boxers, Scully says he got into the sport via his main influence, “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali.
“When I was a kid I used to read books on Ali that my Father had including" The Greatest". I was mesmerized by what I read and the images that the words put in my head. Even as a kid I knew Ali was a special person.
“At that point I was 14 years old and my previous boxing experience consisted of 50 bed fights with Jimmy Young and 12 bouts in my own boxing league. This consisted of my Friend and I recruiting kids to box me for the
'League Championship'
Scully’s stories about the Olympic trials and his own fighting style which he categorizes laughingly as “running” are page-turners.
“I remember seeing World Champ Darin Allen on TV more than once. I used to imagine what it was like being at his level. 1988, I would find out.
“When I was first really becoming aware of all the top level guys in my weight class, Darin was the one guy that stood out to me.
In the 1984 US Olympic Trials, he defeated the then top ranked American 156 pounder Dennis Milton of the Bronx , NY. Milton and eventual Gold Medallist Frank Tate were the consensus # 1 and # 2 U.S. light middleweights.
“Darin beating Dennis at that time was considered a big upset. Politics were at work then, too and Darin was not chosen to go the training camp for the Box-Off.
“Based on his past history and the fact that he was such an accomplished amateur gave Milton the nod and Darin was forced to wait another four years for his next shot.
“That city was the site of the 1988 U.S. Eastern Trials. For many amateurs, this was the last chance to qualify for the actual Trials a month later in California.
“Guys like me had 3 chances.. the USA Nationals , the National Golden Gloves and this tournament.
“One thing I will never forget to this day was the two thoughts I had when I saw Darin Allen that day working out, hitting the pads with his trainer out by the pool.
“First I thought "Wow, there's Darin Allen." I had heard and seen so much about him that finally seeing him in person was just like the equivalent of a pro boxer today in the Middleweight class seeing Bernard Hopkins for the first time or a light heavyweight seeing Roy for the first time.
“The second thing I thought was this, just like when I saw Kertis Mingo in Jacksonville in 87: ‘Me and this guy are going to meet in the Finals.’
“It is funny and interesting how emotions can effect your state of mind and your confidence level. When I first saw Darin by the pool, it was a thing where I was like "Oh, wow, there's Darin Allen." I respected him a great deal but that lasted a short time.
“Since I first started boxing as an amateur I wanted to be in a position where I was accepted as a good boxer and as a recognizable face in amateur boxing. I had come a long, long way...especially for a guy that didn't have a long JO career. “Winning this tournament would put me unquestionably on the level I had been seeking for so long. If they wrote this script in Hollywood they would have it play out just as it was unfolding : Myself and the World Champion, a guy I had read about and watched for years , on a collision course to determine who gets to go to the Final Trials.
Darin had scored early decisions over several guys too. He boxed good and now..the stage was set for the fight I had pictured almost since I first started Boxing : Iceman John Scully vs World Champion Darin Allen for the Eastern Olympic Trials Gold Medal and the right to compete for a berth on the 1988 Olympic team.
“I won a decision over him and qualified for the US Olympic Trials. Allen and I both went on to challenge for World title as professionals.”
For details on how to obtain a copy of The John Scully Story, contact the Iceman himself at icemanjohnscully.com
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