Griffin ready for Left Hook Lacy
Mark E. Ortega
Ultimateboxingresults.com
April 9, 2009
Tomorrow
night Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy returns to the ring on the comeback
trail against Sacramento, California native Otis Griffin, the winner
of the Oscar De La Hoya boxing reality show “The Next Great Champ”.
The fight is widely being considered a tune-up fight for Lacy, but
Griffin and trainer/manager John Tandy welcome the challenge.
“I feel Lacy is overlooking me, and I am glad,” said Griffin . “I read in one of his interviews not long ago that he thought he was fighting Otis Grant, I love it.”
“Lacy has been preparing for Grant who is a southpaw,” said Tandy, who is training Griffin for the first time after taking control of his career following his knockout loss to Enad Licina on the Abraham-Marquez undercard in Germany . Griffin has lost three of his last four fights, all to fighters who are recognized in many organizations’ rankings. Tandy is best known for resurrecting the career of light heavyweight prospect Yusaf Mack, who was coming off of knockout losses before Tandy trained him four straight victories including a split-decision victory over previously once-beaten Chris Henry.
“Thanks to John and his high-elevation training camp, this is going to be my best performance,” said Griffin . “I had the opportunity to be isolated and think about boxing 24/7. We were doing lots of drills rather than just hitting the bag for eight hours.”
This fight was contracted at 173 pounds, just under the light heavyweight limit. Griffin assumes this is to his advantage, as in previous losses, weight had a lot to do with the issue.
“In the Licina fight, I was outweighed by 25 pounds. Against Jesse Brinkley, I was severely weight drained coming in at 168 and was in dangerous condition,” Griffin noted when asked about the weight. “If you see what I weigh in for at light heavyweight, I always weigh around 173. The physical advantage will be to me, and in Lacy’s career that was what he was always able to do was be the bigger physical fighter.”
When Tandy originally took over Griffin ’s career, his plan was to get him back on the winning track by stringing together a few wins against lesser opposition. When the Lacy fight came about both Griffin and Tandy felt they could put together a fight plan to defeat Lacy.
“I think it shows the confidence John has in me,” said Griffin . “Working with me, he had the ability of seeing me up close. My losses came on account of I was just putting myself in bad situations. I think John saw that it wasn’t due to my talent or my ability why I lost those fights.”
When asked why Griffin was putting himself in those situations time after time, he responded like a man who has learned from those mistakes.
“A real fighter wants to fight,” exclaimed Griffin . “That’s why a fighter’s career should never be in their own hands. They are just looking to fight, and when an opportunity comes and it brings some money with it, it’s hard to turn it down.”
Griffin has made it clear that he is ready for Lacy, and plans on delivering his best performance. The question is whether or not Lacy has fully prepared for Griffin or if he is just looking past him to a bigger fight down the road. All signs point to the latter, which could provide trouble for Lacy when they step into the ring tomorrow night.
“You’re gonna see the old Otis Griffin. I can actually fight like myself without handicapping myself in any way. This is my coming out party. I have had some opportunities; some have gone by me and some I have captured, and this is one I am going to capture. The Bible says ‘A righteous man will fall down seven times and get up seven times’. I’m getting off the deck and I am going to beat Lacy, and hopefully go towards a world championship.”
The Lacy-Griffin fight is the headlining bout of a card promoted by Left Hook Promotions in association with One Punch Productions Friday night at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida . Doors open at 7PM and the fights begin at 8PM. Tickets are available at the USF Sun Dome. VIP packages are available by calling 813-503-8109.
“I feel Lacy is overlooking me, and I am glad,” said Griffin . “I read in one of his interviews not long ago that he thought he was fighting Otis Grant, I love it.”
“Lacy has been preparing for Grant who is a southpaw,” said Tandy, who is training Griffin for the first time after taking control of his career following his knockout loss to Enad Licina on the Abraham-Marquez undercard in Germany . Griffin has lost three of his last four fights, all to fighters who are recognized in many organizations’ rankings. Tandy is best known for resurrecting the career of light heavyweight prospect Yusaf Mack, who was coming off of knockout losses before Tandy trained him four straight victories including a split-decision victory over previously once-beaten Chris Henry.
“Thanks to John and his high-elevation training camp, this is going to be my best performance,” said Griffin . “I had the opportunity to be isolated and think about boxing 24/7. We were doing lots of drills rather than just hitting the bag for eight hours.”
This fight was contracted at 173 pounds, just under the light heavyweight limit. Griffin assumes this is to his advantage, as in previous losses, weight had a lot to do with the issue.
“In the Licina fight, I was outweighed by 25 pounds. Against Jesse Brinkley, I was severely weight drained coming in at 168 and was in dangerous condition,” Griffin noted when asked about the weight. “If you see what I weigh in for at light heavyweight, I always weigh around 173. The physical advantage will be to me, and in Lacy’s career that was what he was always able to do was be the bigger physical fighter.”
When Tandy originally took over Griffin ’s career, his plan was to get him back on the winning track by stringing together a few wins against lesser opposition. When the Lacy fight came about both Griffin and Tandy felt they could put together a fight plan to defeat Lacy.
“I think it shows the confidence John has in me,” said Griffin . “Working with me, he had the ability of seeing me up close. My losses came on account of I was just putting myself in bad situations. I think John saw that it wasn’t due to my talent or my ability why I lost those fights.”
When asked why Griffin was putting himself in those situations time after time, he responded like a man who has learned from those mistakes.
“A real fighter wants to fight,” exclaimed Griffin . “That’s why a fighter’s career should never be in their own hands. They are just looking to fight, and when an opportunity comes and it brings some money with it, it’s hard to turn it down.”
Griffin has made it clear that he is ready for Lacy, and plans on delivering his best performance. The question is whether or not Lacy has fully prepared for Griffin or if he is just looking past him to a bigger fight down the road. All signs point to the latter, which could provide trouble for Lacy when they step into the ring tomorrow night.
“You’re gonna see the old Otis Griffin. I can actually fight like myself without handicapping myself in any way. This is my coming out party. I have had some opportunities; some have gone by me and some I have captured, and this is one I am going to capture. The Bible says ‘A righteous man will fall down seven times and get up seven times’. I’m getting off the deck and I am going to beat Lacy, and hopefully go towards a world championship.”
The Lacy-Griffin fight is the headlining bout of a card promoted by Left Hook Promotions in association with One Punch Productions Friday night at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida . Doors open at 7PM and the fights begin at 8PM. Tickets are available at the USF Sun Dome. VIP packages are available by calling 813-503-8109.
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