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Former IBF world junior middleweight champion Paul Vaden, 29-3-(16), knows what it takes to be a successful fighter. To perform well you have to be physically and mentally sound; with strengthening the body, mind and spirit you build confidence, mix skill into this equation and you have success. These attributes bring success in the ring as well as everyday life, and that is what Paul Vaden is spreading these days, good cheer by promoting a healthy lifestyle through ‘The Ultimate Workout’.
After pounding out a successful amateur career with 327 wins and 10 losses the Olympian made his pro debut in 1991, and from there his journey began. Paul went 24-0 before dropping his first bout and in that time frame won the IBF Intercontinental title as well as the IBF world title and had wins over John Montes and Vincent Pettway. After slugging out a handful of more victories Vaden found himself in a life-ending bout. Vaden faced Stephen Johnson in ’99 for the vacant USBA light-middleweight title and after gaining the W with a ten round knock out over Johnson the thirty-one year old pugilist passed away fifteen days later from injuries sustained from that bout. Vaden was never same. One bout later in 2000 and Vaden called a halt to his career, but his calling had just begun.
Now taking his experiences from the ring Vaden has developed an all out work out called the ‘The Ultimate Workout’. It elevates your inner strength and inspires you to achieve your fitness goals and achieve a healthy lifestyle. Vaden helps his clients by strengthening their body and mind by motivating them with his fitness workout, and he comes to you. The former champ/motivational speaker stopped by the Doghouse to give his thoughts on his career as well as his workout, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.: First off I just want to say thanks for taking the time out for the Doghouse it is greatly appreciated. What have you been up to lately?
Paul Vaden: First I want to say thank you for having me I am really honored, basically I have the Ultimate Workout that I spend most of my days doing which is my workout program. It is an in home boxing workout program that I created actually for a hobby in 1998 but eventually became a business when I retired in 2000. It is a residential workout so it is in home and to be honest with you I have been very blessed, God has his hand in it. I also do a lot of motivational speaking and talk to major corporations and you know it is funny because I never really practice what I preach, I never go in with a guide line with what I am going to talk about because that is something that comes naturally to me because I am a people person and I am confident of my interpersonal skills. I always allow people to understand my recipe of what I consider my success, and if we can be real I can do nothing without Christ. So with that understanding I am not on my own it is easy for me to register that to people and you would be amazed, we have a lot of what you call closet believers, they just need someone to basically minister to them and that’s ok because they come out of that closet. But I have a lot going on; I am about to open up a Sports Bar/Grill in the San Diego area in about twelve to eighteen months and I am excited about that, so I have been up to a lot.
BH: You had a very successful boxing career in the amateurs and as a pro, looking back on some of your accomplishments what are the ones you are most proud of?
PV: Ah, obviously as an amateur representing the US in the Goodwill Games and as a professional winning the championship of the world. As a little boy my ambition has always been to be champion of the world, a lot of people want to be Superman or be a football player or an astronaut but my goal every since I was little was to be a world champion. So to fulfill that prophecy was unbelievable and it cannot be taken away from me.
BH: You’ve also had some pretty unforgettable bouts in your nine years as a pro. Looking back on your career which fights are most memorable and which performance are you most proud of?
PV: The Pettway fight, winning the title against him when I was an underdog. People really didn’t know, well they knew of me but the one thing I always had in boxing was I was too nice, I’m always smiling and I wasn’t tenacious enough, well that’s what they said. I was always talented but there was always this but behind stuff. To see how I just broke Pettway down, the way stuck to the script and just broke him down and did the job was just a great feeling to answer the naysayers, so that would be the match I was most proud of.
BH: Give the Doghouse readers a little more insight on ‘The Ultimate Workout’ and how could somebody get you to work with them using the ultimate workout?
PV: Basically I come to you and teach you the basic fundamentals of boxing but it is authentic, it’s not like Tae Bo or on a tape or anything, I am right there beside you. Just general exercise ideas that I performed as a boxer, so I am teaching them a small version of what a boxer may do in training minus the sparring. What I really like about my business is people appreciate boxing even more because they are thinking ‘gosh, I am gasping doing thirty-second increments, how do you guys go twelve rounds keeping your hands up and keep coming back?’ I see that my clients take note of the science of boxing; like you send a message with your writing I send a message through my teaching to people to basically appreciate the gift of the art of boxing. Go to my website and call me or shoot me an email, I do go out of town, I go all over.
BH: How important do you think health is not only to the body but also to the mind and spirit?
PV: The mind and spirit is more important to the body, because you can be the most physical person in the world and die unhappy and miserable. You can be physically ready for a fight but if you’re mentally tired it will go against the physical aspect of what you are trying to do.
BH: What inspired you to want to lace up the gloves?
PV: I loved Muhammad Ali; to me he was like a boxing prophet. I tried to copy him as a kind, as children some had Superman, Batman and all these other characters but to me it was Ali, Ali was my Superman. I was a wimp though as a youngster, and I was a Mama’s boy and that I still am. Well my late father didn’t like that and wanted me to get into some recreational activities as far as the YMCA. I always liked boxing. I told my Dad that I wanted to box and my Dad looked at me like out of all the sports my wimpy little boy wants to box. So he gave me a two week trial thinking that I would quit and each two week trial led to another two week trial. I was pretty good then I became really good and comfortable, because of the confidence and discipline it took to be a boxer I became a pretty good athlete. Boxing has given me unforgettable friendships; it’s been a blessed journey.
BH: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
PV: I’m very aware of my blessings and I am grateful for my blessings, I believe in sharing my blessings with people in whichever way God wants me to render it. I feel as I am doing Gods work right now and joyfully I am doing it, I am being led right now. Thanks to everybody.
Paul Vaden’s Accomplishments:
Amateur:
(327-10)
1988 Western Olympics Trials Champion
1989& 1990 U.S. Amateur Champion
1989 Olympic Festival Gold Medallist
1989 U.S. World team member
1989 & 1990 First Team All-American
1990 U.S. Team Captain
1990 Goodwill Games Bronze Medallist
Professional:
29-3 (16KO’s)
1994 International Boxing Federation Champion
1995 IBF World Jr. Middleweight Champion
1999 USBA Champion
I would like to thank Paul Vaden for his time and his thoughts, it is greatly appreciated. Paul is a Fighter of Faith and he would like to welcome all to his website: http://www.paulvaden.com/.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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Interview by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (July 7, 2005)
