Dominick Guinn: “Wait till October 1st!”
 INTERVIEW by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (September 13, 2005)  
Dominick Guinn
He’s back and he is all fired up for another go around, the ‘Southern Disaster’ is set to spark a heavy thunderstorm and bring the lightning to Showtime Saturday October 1st 9:15 PM ET/PT when Dominick Guinn 25-2-1 (18) goes toe to toe with the former three time world champion James “Lights Out’ Toney 68-4-2 (43) in a twelve round IBA heavyweight title bash. Although Guinn has been in a career drought his past few fights the thirty-year-old Hot Springs heavyweight wants to shower down some serious pain and reign the division.

Can Guinn dig deep and conjure up some seriously needed malicious mojo, or has the bag of tricks run dry for the last and final time?

One time the much heralded heavyweight was ripping through the division making his bid for the top spot pounding out a 24-0 (17) record, defeating the likes of Otis Tisdale (8 round UD), Michael Grant (7 round TKO) which got him some serious recognition and a 10 round UD victory over Duncan Dokiwari until he stepped in his hometown of Arkansas to face Monte Barrett in a fight that would start a serious decline for the top notch fighter.

Dropping his first bout to Barrett via 10 round split decision, Guinn would seemingly bounce back with a quick twenty-three second KO over veteran journeyman Phil Jackson, but the decline was just in the beginning stage for the former rising star. Guinn faced off against the limited Serguei Lyakhovich and in a lackadaisical bout earned another L, this time facing harsh criticism from the media dropping out of the heavyweight picture as a serious threat. This criticism was further compounded after his last performance against Friday Ahunanya on ESPN when he labored to a lackluster draw.

Once again, can Guinn dig deep and fan the flame that is just about down to smoldering ashes?

Call me crazy, call me stupid, call me what you will but I say yes, yes, Dominick can find that one little spark inside and beat Toney. How you say? Hell I don’t know, just a gut feeling that could be fart. But as Guinn told the Doghouse, we will see October 1st. The former all star amateur who earned a Bronze medal in the Goodwill games does have the ability to be the best, he has skill but lacks will, motivation, hunger, so has he been starved enough to finally break out and throw down? He certainly believes so and he wants to prove once more that he is a serious contender and a future champion. And when he steps in the ring with the multi-talented James Toney he will get his chance, and it won’t be easy. Dominick knows that, and with new trainer Joe Goossen he is preparing to prove that he is anything but a spent force.

Tune in Saturday October 1st at 9:15 PM Et/PT only on Showtime and find out is Guinn has refocused himself for a bright future or if my gut was just some bad gas.

For now read what Dominick Guinn had to say to the Doghouse about his upcoming bout against James Toney, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: First off Dominick I just want to say thank you for taking the time out of your training to speak your mind for the fans here at Doghouse, how has your training been for your upcoming bout?

Dominick Guinn: It has been going well, I have been in camp almost two months, I’m feeling good and I am in excellent shape.

BH: James Toney is a tactician in the ‘sweet science’, well schooled, well groomed and has years of experience in the square, looking at all his qualities and breaking down this match-up, what do you see being your keys to victory?

DG: Stepping around, punching off my counters and taking away the stuff that he is good at.

BH: Another great quality that surrounds Toney is his ability to break down his opponents mentally with his classic verbal assaults and tirades, to some fighters especially a younger fighter he can be quite intimidating. Here is a quote from Toney, “Guinn made a big mistake, I am going to knock that boy out!” Being honest, does his running off the mouth get to you in any kind of way or break any confidence or concentration that you may have coming in to this fight?

DG: And I think so; I think that is how he has won a lot of his fights, intimidating his last few opponents. I am coming in to the ring not intimidated at all, I am coming to fight, and he still has to step in the ring.

BH: You know Guinn at one time you were tearing through the division and were on your way to the top as one of the hottest heavyweights in your division, then you had the close loss to Barrett, and from there we all know the story, the question is…

DG: (cutting in) I am on my way back and that is what I am fixing to prove once again, that I am and I will be the future heavyweight champion of the world. I have to start with this fight here, I will have to show what I am good at and I think that my actions will show that I am on my way again.

BH: Do you see this bout with Toney as a do-or-die situation?

DG: No, you know what every fight I felt was a do or die situation. But I always have God on my side through the ups and downs and unfortunate events and now I think this is a very fortunate opportunity again, and I have to take advantage of it. Would none of this stuff be happening for me if it weren’t for God and the opportunities that He has provided for me.

BH: July of 2004 in our first interview I asked you who was your toughest opponent, you stated, ‘Myself’.

DG: Myself, yes.

BH: You went on to say that you had so much in your arsenal but yourself held the game plan. You will have to dig deep for this fight, I know that and you know that, have you overcome yourself, or shall I say ‘myself’, enough to break out and let your hands go and use all your weapons in your arsenal?

DG: Yes I think I have, that’s what we have been working on in camp, and like I said once again I will have to show it. After the fight is over with I think the question will be answered, yes he done it and he let his hands go and that is the champ that we know, that he said he had. You haven’t seen my best fight yet and I think ya’ll will see it soon.

BH: How are the new managerial team and trainer working out for you at this time?

DG: Ah man lovely, like I said I hate that I didn’t make the move sooner. I am feeling great, I am not going to say that I owe it a lot to the trainers it is just I think it is the mind set I am in, I am in a new mind set, I am away from the old promoter and old manager and I am just happy right now to have that weight of my legs and I feel like I am starting over. That’s what it is all about for me right now.

BH: What have you learned about the business of boxing and yourself these past five years?

DG: You know what the business of boxing I knew it was rough coming into it, I had the opportunity to train with Mike Tyson, a good friend of mine, back before I turned pro back in 1998 and 1999. And Mike kind of gave me some of the game in Las Vegas and let me know that this game is rough and I learnt that two years before I got into it, he always told me to keep my eyes open and be careful because we will have our ups and downs. And you are only as good as your last fight, I found that out after the Monte Barrett fight, that’s it.

BH: There was a lot of negativity towards you from the media after…

DG: (cutting in) Yeah, yeah, I know exactly, like I say I just have to get them off of me, I have to come out and fight and do what I know I can do and I will get the criticism off of me. I don’t sit there and take nothing away from it, they talked about Jesus Christ and I ain’t crap so I know they are going to talk about me.

BH: What can the ringside spectators, fans watching on Showtime and the boxing world expect from Dominick Guinn October 1st?

DG: Watching the future heavyweight champion of the world perform at his best.

BH: Is there anything you would like to add to or say in closing of this interview, you have open forum to speak your mind.

DG: Wait till October 1st and you will see the next generation.

I would like to thank Johnny Beyrooty and Lafayette Lawson for their help on the interview, and a big shout out goes out to Dominick Guinn, as always your time and thoughts are greatly appreciated.
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