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May 27, 2006: I read an article today that talks about how Jermain Taylor is training at the KRONK Gym in Detroit and how awesome it is and how the guys there have such a commitment to boxing. You wake up thinking boxing. You eat sleep and drink boxing, etc. He talks about the guys he works with in the gym and how they don't ask him for his autograph, they are hardened tough guys who aren't impressed that he is the reigning and defending world champion. "Nobody even asked to take a picture with me" he says. Emmanuel Steward, who is now training Jermain at the famous gym, even talks about the spirited sparring sessions that Jermain has been having there with a young pro named Andy Lee. "They had a real rough, spirted workout," Steward said. "It was nip and tuck. Jermain said, `I'm not used to that.' They boxed again and there was electricity in the air. Jermain said, `I've been here two weeks training. Never once has anyone asked for my autograph. Nobody's even asked to take a picture."
Then Emmanuel says "I told him, `You've got to realize that you were taking on the middleweight champion of this gym in Andy Lee. This is his turf right here. And you being the middleweight champion of the world, you've got to earn that respect here.' "
OK, Good enough. This is 2006 and if Andy Lee is the current middleweight champion of the Kronk then so be it. I mean, when you put it that way, it sounds almost like Jermain is the character played by Ving Rhames walking into prison in "Undisputed" and going up against the little known killer that was Wesley Snipes. But, man, it kind of throws you a little when you look up Andy Lee's record and you find out he is a 22 year old kid from Ireland that has a professional record now of 2-0. That's right. Two fights total. Jermain just came off of twice defeating Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world and now we are supposed to believe that he is in this famous gym in Detroit going against the Kronk champion like it is a life and death situation? No disrespect to Andy Lee, OK, but... come on!!!
Based on what I am reading... I can only wonder. Can you even imagine what Jermaine would be thinking if he had to train at the Kronk back in the early to mid-80's?? What kind of electricty would he feel if every single day he had guys like Tommy Hearns, Leeonzer Barber, Milton McCrory, Steve McCrory, Hilmer Kenty, Lindell Holmes, Mark Breland, Mike McCallum, Oba Carr, Kady King, Ricky Womack, Duane Thomas, Dujuan Johnson, Alvin Hayes, Mickey Goodwin, Stanley Longstreet, Arthel Lawhorn, Frank Tate, Jimmy Paul, Danny Paul, Caveman Lee, David Braxton, Joe Manley, Roderick Moore,and Darnell Knox, all gloving up right next to him while not asking for his autograph or not asking to take photographs with him?? Or later on when Gerald McClellan, Fabian Wiliams, Frankie Liles and Michael Moorer all joined Kronk? Andy Lee might not even be allowed to use the ring back in those days
Then Emmanuel says "I told him, `You've got to realize that you were taking on the middleweight champion of this gym in Andy Lee. This is his turf right here. And you being the middleweight champion of the world, you've got to earn that respect here.' "
OK, Good enough. This is 2006 and if Andy Lee is the current middleweight champion of the Kronk then so be it. I mean, when you put it that way, it sounds almost like Jermain is the character played by Ving Rhames walking into prison in "Undisputed" and going up against the little known killer that was Wesley Snipes. But, man, it kind of throws you a little when you look up Andy Lee's record and you find out he is a 22 year old kid from Ireland that has a professional record now of 2-0. That's right. Two fights total. Jermain just came off of twice defeating Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins for the undisputed middleweight championship of the world and now we are supposed to believe that he is in this famous gym in Detroit going against the Kronk champion like it is a life and death situation? No disrespect to Andy Lee, OK, but... come on!!!
Based on what I am reading... I can only wonder. Can you even imagine what Jermaine would be thinking if he had to train at the Kronk back in the early to mid-80's?? What kind of electricty would he feel if every single day he had guys like Tommy Hearns, Leeonzer Barber, Milton McCrory, Steve McCrory, Hilmer Kenty, Lindell Holmes, Mark Breland, Mike McCallum, Oba Carr, Kady King, Ricky Womack, Duane Thomas, Dujuan Johnson, Alvin Hayes, Mickey Goodwin, Stanley Longstreet, Arthel Lawhorn, Frank Tate, Jimmy Paul, Danny Paul, Caveman Lee, David Braxton, Joe Manley, Roderick Moore,and Darnell Knox, all gloving up right next to him while not asking for his autograph or not asking to take photographs with him?? Or later on when Gerald McClellan, Fabian Wiliams, Frankie Liles and Michael Moorer all joined Kronk? Andy Lee might not even be allowed to use the ring back in those days
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