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Birmingham defends Lacy decision
By Ant Evans: Trainer Dan Birmingham has defended his decision not to have thrown in the towel on outclassed Jeff Lacy in that painfully one-sided battering at the southpaw fists of Joe Calzaghe two weeks ago. In the early hours of March 5, local time, what was expected to be a titanic struggle for the unified super-middleweight crown in Manchester, England, instead resembled a fight between the Titanic and the iceberg.
Defending the IBO/IBF titles, Lacy was battered from pillar to post from the opening bell. Offering nothing but heart, pride and a granite chin, Lacy was never ever in the fight and Birmingham has attracted fierce criticism for not pulling his bloodied and bruised champion out of what, astonishingly, was a mismatch.
By the last third of the 12 rounder, such was Calzaghe's dominance that the bout became painful to watch. Ringsider Jim Wilkes, Lacy's lawyer, wanted the fight stopped in the eighth round and even Lacy's bullish promoter, Gary Shaw, was screaming for Birmingham to signal their surrender after his fighter was dropped for the first time in his career in a brutal 12th round.
However, despite the previously unbeaten Lacy taking over 1000 punches from the hard-hitting Welshman, Birmingham defended his decision not to pull Lacy out of the fight.
Speaking from his Florida home, Birmingham told SecondsOut: "I thought about pulling Jeff out once or twice but every time I asked Jeff if he was OK he responded very well. He was cut, swollen up and was very frustrated but he wasn't actually hurt at any point. It was obvious to me in the corner that Joe was going to try and close the show in the final rounds but Jeff is very, very strong and I knew he would be able to deal with it."
Birmingham continued: "Jeff can end any fight with one shot and even though he was boxing his own fight and doing nothing we'd worked on in the gym, I had to give him his chance to land that big punch. And Calzaghe was there to be hit - he was standing right in front of Jeff - but Joe had such confidence in his jab and his speed that he was comfortable standing right in front of Jeff.
"In the last round or two when it was becoming clear Jeff wouldn't land that punch but I made the decision that, psychologically, it was important for Jeff to finish the worst night of his career on his feet. At least Jeff knows that on his worst night, fighting an outstanding champion in the form of his life, he can still be there for the final bell."
Some would argue, of course, that small psychological victory came at a terrible physical price. Birmingham vehemently disagrees: "I know my fighter and I know Jeff wasn't 'hurt' in terms of getting stopped. He was dropped in the last round but the bell went before Joe could follow up.
"These people (second guessing Birmingham's decision) haven't worked with Jeff Lacy since he was a teenager, and, without wishing to sound (dismissive) they haven't got the experience that I have (of working in a corner). They mean well and have Jeff's interests at heart, but I do, too, and I know I made the right decision."
Moving on, Birmingham was at a loss to explain why Lacy fought such a dismal fight on the night.
"He just didn't have the spark for this fight," the award-winning trainer said. "He didn't do anything which we'd worked on in the gym. Jeff went in there with his own agenda, to knock Joe out as soon as possible even though I'd told him (beforehand) 'If we
As for the heat he's taking at the moment, Birmingham is ambivalent. "It comes with the job. But I have over a 90% winning record and I haven't lost a title fight in five years. I
One day after arriving back in the US from the Manchester nightmare, Birmingham got a call from the American Boxing Writers Association, informing him that he'd won their annual Fighter of the Year Award.
"It was nice," Birmingham said. "And it was a little ironic to get the news when I. But while I am always grateful to be recognized by people in boxing I judge my success on winning fights and world titles. That is what I am in this for."
By Ant Evans: Trainer Dan Birmingham has defended his decision not to have thrown in the towel on outclassed Jeff Lacy in that painfully one-sided battering at the southpaw fists of Joe Calzaghe two weeks ago. In the early hours of March 5, local time, what was expected to be a titanic struggle for the unified super-middleweight crown in Manchester, England, instead resembled a fight between the Titanic and the iceberg.
Defending the IBO/IBF titles, Lacy was battered from pillar to post from the opening bell. Offering nothing but heart, pride and a granite chin, Lacy was never ever in the fight and Birmingham has attracted fierce criticism for not pulling his bloodied and bruised champion out of what, astonishingly, was a mismatch.
By the last third of the 12 rounder, such was Calzaghe's dominance that the bout became painful to watch. Ringsider Jim Wilkes, Lacy's lawyer, wanted the fight stopped in the eighth round and even Lacy's bullish promoter, Gary Shaw, was screaming for Birmingham to signal their surrender after his fighter was dropped for the first time in his career in a brutal 12th round.
However, despite the previously unbeaten Lacy taking over 1000 punches from the hard-hitting Welshman, Birmingham defended his decision not to pull Lacy out of the fight.
Speaking from his Florida home, Birmingham told SecondsOut: "I thought about pulling Jeff out once or twice but every time I asked Jeff if he was OK he responded very well. He was cut, swollen up and was very frustrated but he wasn't actually hurt at any point. It was obvious to me in the corner that Joe was going to try and close the show in the final rounds but Jeff is very, very strong and I knew he would be able to deal with it."
Birmingham continued: "Jeff can end any fight with one shot and even though he was boxing his own fight and doing nothing we'd worked on in the gym, I had to give him his chance to land that big punch. And Calzaghe was there to be hit - he was standing right in front of Jeff - but Joe had such confidence in his jab and his speed that he was comfortable standing right in front of Jeff.
"In the last round or two when it was becoming clear Jeff wouldn't land that punch but I made the decision that, psychologically, it was important for Jeff to finish the worst night of his career on his feet. At least Jeff knows that on his worst night, fighting an outstanding champion in the form of his life, he can still be there for the final bell."
Some would argue, of course, that small psychological victory came at a terrible physical price. Birmingham vehemently disagrees: "I know my fighter and I know Jeff wasn't 'hurt' in terms of getting stopped. He was dropped in the last round but the bell went before Joe could follow up.
"These people (second guessing Birmingham's decision) haven't worked with Jeff Lacy since he was a teenager, and, without wishing to sound (dismissive) they haven't got the experience that I have (of working in a corner). They mean well and have Jeff's interests at heart, but I do, too, and I know I made the right decision."
Moving on, Birmingham was at a loss to explain why Lacy fought such a dismal fight on the night.
"He just didn't have the spark for this fight," the award-winning trainer said. "He didn't do anything which we'd worked on in the gym. Jeff went in there with his own agenda, to knock Joe out as soon as possible even though I'd told him (beforehand) 'If we
As for the heat he's taking at the moment, Birmingham is ambivalent. "It comes with the job. But I have over a 90% winning record and I haven't lost a title fight in five years. I
One day after arriving back in the US from the Manchester nightmare, Birmingham got a call from the American Boxing Writers Association, informing him that he'd won their annual Fighter of the Year Award.
"It was nice," Birmingham said. "And it was a little ironic to get the news when I. But while I am always grateful to be recognized by people in boxing I judge my success on winning fights and world titles. That is what I am in this for."