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Lacy says fall fight will prove he's not done
By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
Published March 10, 2006
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TAMPA - Former super-middleweight champion Jeff Lacy promised Thursday he'll be back, dismissing those who think his career is finished after Saturday's loss to Joe Calzaghe and saying an October fight at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa is all but finalized.
Lacy, 28, said he will step away from boxing the next few months to enjoy life, then will answer the question about whether the 12-round beating he took from Calzaghe was severe enough to drown his once promising career.
"I really don't think that's the case," said Lacy, who was unsure who his next opponent will be. "If it is, we'll find out in October."
It was an upbeat Lacy who described his loss to Calzaghe as a learning experience, if still unable to fully explain why he was thoroughly dominated. Put simply, he said he just didn't have it Saturday night.
For seven minutes Wednesday night, the St. Petersburg native watched the Showtime replay of a fighter getting hit at will, who wouldn't fight back, dazed and confused on his stool between rounds, well on his way to a lopsided loss - a unanimous decision - that surprised many in its completeness.
Then he changed the channel.
"I couldn't watch any more," Lacy said, over a lunch of cajun talapia and shrimp he barely touched. "I looked like I was lost. It looks like I'm drugged. That wasn't me. I was a punching bag out there."
Lacy (21-1) said he felt stronger than he ever had before a fight, convinced in the locker room that he was going to win Calzaghe's WBO title by knockout.
As they stood face to face during the referee's instructions, that belief grew stronger, he said. "I went back to the corner thinking I'm going to kill this guy," Lacy said.
But after throwing one punch, a left jab that missed, everything went wrong for the former Olympian. Calzaghe handled him on the inside, peppered him with stinging combinations and dominated every minute of every round.
In response to the Welsh fighter, Lacy could only answer with one or two wild haymakers a round, none landing.
"I could hear what (trainer Dan Birmingham) was telling me, but as far as me throwing punches, I had no control," he said. "I'm thinking it in the ring, but it's not coming out. It's so hard to explain. It was like having no arms but you think you do. It's crazy. I sit back and hear myself talk, if the person doesn't really believe me they might think I'm crazy."
It wasn't long before Lacy figured he was in for a long night.
"At first, I figured I was just starting slow like I always do," he said. "The second round was a blur. The third round I was thinking, don't worry, you're going to get stronger. The sixth, seven, eighth round ... that's when I was like, man, what the hell is going on?"
So Lacy prayed.
"I said, "Lord, please, put me in this fight. Please, put me in this fight for just one round, and I swear I'll knock him out.' I could hear (my corner) talking to me, but I was asking the Lord to put me in the fight."
There was no divine intervention, and Lacy finished the fight on his feet ... barely.
There were warning signs before the fight, Lacy said, that a bad performance was forthcoming. He said he "lost that spark" about three weeks into training, but kept it from Birmingham.
Coming off five fights in 13 months, the former IBF champ said he went into training every day thinking, "I need a vacation.
"It's not an excuse, but I should have taken one," he said.
And for the first time before a fight, Lacy dreamt he lost.
"That's never happened," he said. "I mean, I woke up like what the (heck). I was so mad at myself."
Lacy, 28, said he would like a rematch, though that appears unlikely. But he remains confident his career will get back on track.
He had his stitches removed Thursday, four from above his left eye and two from above his right. Both eyes still have shiners, and his nose and mouth remain swollen. But he said his MRI exam and brain scan came back positive, and physically there is no lingering damage from the loss.
Mentally, he's confident he will heal as well.
"I've been looking for answers the last three days," Lacy said. "But why beat myself up. Everything happens for a reason. We're going to rebuild from here, and come October, I'm going to show people that that wasn't me."
AREA AMATEUR LOSES: Clearwater's Keith Thurman of the St. Pete Boxing Club lost to Boyd Melson 46-44 in the semifinals of the 152-pound division of the U.S. amateur championships in Colorado Springs. Also, Luis Ramos upset two-time national champion Michael Evans 32-30 to reach the 132-pound final. Only one other defending champion has lost, 178-pounder William Rosinski to Alfonso Lopez in Thursday's semifinals.
Seven defending champions reached finals: RauShee
Lacy says fall fight will prove he's not done
By JOHN C. COTEY, Times Staff Writer
Published March 10, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TAMPA - Former super-middleweight champion Jeff Lacy promised Thursday he'll be back, dismissing those who think his career is finished after Saturday's loss to Joe Calzaghe and saying an October fight at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa is all but finalized.
Lacy, 28, said he will step away from boxing the next few months to enjoy life, then will answer the question about whether the 12-round beating he took from Calzaghe was severe enough to drown his once promising career.
"I really don't think that's the case," said Lacy, who was unsure who his next opponent will be. "If it is, we'll find out in October."
It was an upbeat Lacy who described his loss to Calzaghe as a learning experience, if still unable to fully explain why he was thoroughly dominated. Put simply, he said he just didn't have it Saturday night.
For seven minutes Wednesday night, the St. Petersburg native watched the Showtime replay of a fighter getting hit at will, who wouldn't fight back, dazed and confused on his stool between rounds, well on his way to a lopsided loss - a unanimous decision - that surprised many in its completeness.
Then he changed the channel.
"I couldn't watch any more," Lacy said, over a lunch of cajun talapia and shrimp he barely touched. "I looked like I was lost. It looks like I'm drugged. That wasn't me. I was a punching bag out there."
Lacy (21-1) said he felt stronger than he ever had before a fight, convinced in the locker room that he was going to win Calzaghe's WBO title by knockout.
As they stood face to face during the referee's instructions, that belief grew stronger, he said. "I went back to the corner thinking I'm going to kill this guy," Lacy said.
But after throwing one punch, a left jab that missed, everything went wrong for the former Olympian. Calzaghe handled him on the inside, peppered him with stinging combinations and dominated every minute of every round.
In response to the Welsh fighter, Lacy could only answer with one or two wild haymakers a round, none landing.
"I could hear what (trainer Dan Birmingham) was telling me, but as far as me throwing punches, I had no control," he said. "I'm thinking it in the ring, but it's not coming out. It's so hard to explain. It was like having no arms but you think you do. It's crazy. I sit back and hear myself talk, if the person doesn't really believe me they might think I'm crazy."
It wasn't long before Lacy figured he was in for a long night.
"At first, I figured I was just starting slow like I always do," he said. "The second round was a blur. The third round I was thinking, don't worry, you're going to get stronger. The sixth, seven, eighth round ... that's when I was like, man, what the hell is going on?"
So Lacy prayed.
"I said, "Lord, please, put me in this fight. Please, put me in this fight for just one round, and I swear I'll knock him out.' I could hear (my corner) talking to me, but I was asking the Lord to put me in the fight."
There was no divine intervention, and Lacy finished the fight on his feet ... barely.
There were warning signs before the fight, Lacy said, that a bad performance was forthcoming. He said he "lost that spark" about three weeks into training, but kept it from Birmingham.
Coming off five fights in 13 months, the former IBF champ said he went into training every day thinking, "I need a vacation.
"It's not an excuse, but I should have taken one," he said.
And for the first time before a fight, Lacy dreamt he lost.
"That's never happened," he said. "I mean, I woke up like what the (heck). I was so mad at myself."
Lacy, 28, said he would like a rematch, though that appears unlikely. But he remains confident his career will get back on track.
He had his stitches removed Thursday, four from above his left eye and two from above his right. Both eyes still have shiners, and his nose and mouth remain swollen. But he said his MRI exam and brain scan came back positive, and physically there is no lingering damage from the loss.
Mentally, he's confident he will heal as well.
"I've been looking for answers the last three days," Lacy said. "But why beat myself up. Everything happens for a reason. We're going to rebuild from here, and come October, I'm going to show people that that wasn't me."
AREA AMATEUR LOSES: Clearwater's Keith Thurman of the St. Pete Boxing Club lost to Boyd Melson 46-44 in the semifinals of the 152-pound division of the U.S. amateur championships in Colorado Springs. Also, Luis Ramos upset two-time national champion Michael Evans 32-30 to reach the 132-pound final. Only one other defending champion has lost, 178-pounder William Rosinski to Alfonso Lopez in Thursday's semifinals.
Seven defending champions reached finals: RauShee
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