Interview: Tommy "The Razor" Rainone Is Coming To MSG For Blood By Danny Serratelli (Oct 25, 2010) Doghouse Boxing - Tweet
Danny Serratelli:How are you Tommy? First tell me where you are
training and who you have been working with?
Tommy “The Razor”
Rainone: I train at the Westbury boxing gym
on Long Island, in New York. I go to other gyms here and there for
sparring but Westbury is home and I get good work there as well.
Besides myself we have some good up and coming pros training out of
the gym like Michael Brooks, Cletus Seldin, Rich Neves, Marcus
Bianconi, and Jacques Louis. Guys like Paulie Malignaggi, Chris
Algieri and Mike Ruiz come by often and some solid amateurs as well
so I really enjoy training there and have my entire career, it’s a
second home to me.
DS: Who
is training you and what's your situation with management?
TR: . I have the same trainer I've had since I turned pro Jorge Gallardo
who trained former IBF junior welterweight champion Jake Rodriguez
and also trained Willy Wise who beat Julio Cesar Chavez, I trust
Jorge, he was a solid fighter and is a solid trainer, Jake actually
started working with us two fights back in April so it's great to
have a second pair of eyes and being that he is a southpaw like me an
was trained by Jorge our styles are very similar so I’ve been able
to absorb some of the things he has showed me rather quickly. I’ve
self- managed myself my entire career with the exception of a 3 fight
sting in 2008, where I went with a manager and things did not work
out so I went back to handling my own business, but I may be looking
for a new manager in 2012. I've taken myself about as far as I can so
in order to get better fights and move forward I’m going to need a
little help and will find the right person.
DS: How
does it feel to be fighting on a big card at Madison Square Garden?
TR:.
It feels great to be fighting at Madison square garden again on a big
card, Nonito Donaire is a top 5 pound for pound fighter in boxing and
one of the most exciting fighters in the world so it is an honor to
open up for a great champion like him and I’ll have a ton of crowd
support on the 22nd.
DS: How do you feel about your opponent Brad
Jackson?
TR: My opponent Brad Jackson is from Denver Colorado, he has 20 fights 13
wins 6 loses a draw and 7 KO’s. I have the toughest fight on the
under card in paper. I could have tried to go with a softer touch and
was offered a couple of guys I feel I would have handled easy, one of
which I already handled easy but that would be treading water and
that’s something I am not interested in doing. Jackson is going to
be a good solid test for me and I feel like he is a step in the right
direction, I would have loved to fight a guy like this a year or 2
ago but a lot goes on behind the scenes from a business perspective
which sometimes makes it impossible for the fighter when you don't
have the backing of a promoter.
DS: You have been around a while, is there anyone you want to fight if
all goes well on the 22nd?
TR: I’ve got my eye on a few guys that I would love to fight after this
but I can’t worry about anything besides Brad Jackson right now.
After the 22nd it’s a different story and I look forward to 2012
being a break out year for me because I have a lot to show, but all
that matters right now is Oct 22 because I won’t over look this
guy, he isn't traveling to NYC to give me anything, I have to take
it.
DS: Tommyboy,
in your last 8 fights you’re at .500, what happened lately and what
have you changed moving forward that is getting you back on track
heading into 2012?
TR: I went through a patch of inactivity were I wasn't able to stay busy
after my 10th pro fight, as you can see by my record I was extremely
busy in the beginning of my career and the busier a fighter is the
better, more so for a guy like myself who relies heavily on timing,
rhythm and reflexes. Ii had 10 fights in the 1st 13 months of my
career so I was always in top shape, full of confidence and firing on
all cylinders, from there I only fought 9 times in 3 plus years with
a couple of 6 to 8 month layoffs. I fought just once in 2009 and
twice in 2010. I was having trouble getting fights and it was just a
rough couple of years boxing wise. I lost a couple of close
questionable decisions during that time. When I fought at Yankee
stadium I was a shell of myself that night, no excuses, I had a lot
of trouble making weight for that fight and was done before I stepped
in the ring I just didn't know it until the bell rang but who's fault
is that? Mine and I take 100 percent responsibility, I shot myself in
the foot and its only me to blame for that fight, I take nothing away
from my opponent who came to fight hard and win. I learned from my
mistakes, these dudes like Shane Mosley, David Haye, Andre Berto and
Victor Ortiz make me sick. They lose a fight and right away come with
excuses from blisters, to broken toes, to steroid allegations to
cheap shots, I keep it a bit more humble, if I lose I take the blame
and go back to the gym to work harder and improve instead of looking
for excuses and reasoning. The most important thing for me is stay
active and this is as active as I've been since 2008, that's a fact
and my performances the last couple of fights have shown what I can
do when I'm right and MSG on the 22nd will be no different; I'm not
coming off a long layoff and I'm feeling good.
DS: Tommy, what has been your toughest fight to date?
TR: My toughest fight believe it or not came against a guy who was 3-5
which shows you just how deceiving records can be, it was my 8th pro
fight in Saratoga against a guy named Jorge Delgado who didn’t do
much before we fought and hasn't done much since but on that night he
was a sharp counter puncher and gave me hell. I was winning that
fight but tiring in the 3rd round and he was coming on big. I hurt
him with a big right hook and had him out on his feet and stopped
momentum otherwise there was a good chance of me taking my 1st pro
loss or a draw that night. My inexperience at the time was getting
the better of me as I usually don't get hit much but got hit more
then I would have liked to in that fight which made me panic a bit
and lead to me tiring but my power bailed me out. I'm a lot calmer
and more experienced now but that was a night I really had to gut it
out and show some serious heart.
DS: What’s the plan moving forward and do you have anyone you would
like to thank?
TR: I'm
working hard, training smarter and fighting very relaxed, I sparred 8
rounds Sat and wasn't even breathing heavy, from here on out it’s
all about staying busy and staying active, keeping myself in shape,
after the inactivity of 2009 and 2010 this year has been great and
after this one I'm hoping to have one more fight before the end of
the year.
I want to thank all my
fans, family and friends for there support. There is going to be a
huge crowd supporting me and the cheers always lift me up, and I want
to thank my sponsors, VITAMINSANDPROTEIN.COM , www.NEWDYNAMX.COM and TWIN COUNTY HVAC for their support. I also want to thank BRICKCITYBOXING.COM!!
