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Donovan George
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Undefeated super middleweight Donovan George 6-0-1 (5) has his sights set on the top, and ‘Don Da Bomb’ has exploded on the fight scene terrorizing the opposition with his hands of dynamite and speedy style. The Chicago native began his quest in the fight world as a youngster banging out three Golden Glove Championships in Chicago, ending his amateur career with an overall record of 28-4 and just over a year ago stepped in the pro ranks preparing his way to the top.
In September of ’04 George rolled over Nathan Wilkes in two rounds in his pro debut and just sixteen days later smacked down Robert Smart in four rounds to gain his second professional victory by knockout. The next month Donovan battled to a draw with the tough Texan Marcus Hicks but started this year with a bang by rocking, dropping and stopping forty-two fight veteran Ed Humes at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago in the opening round. Continuing his run Donovan out-boxed, out-classed and out-pointed Butch Hijick in five and since that point he has put to sleep journeyman Mack Willis in two rounds and last month thumped Coloradoan Allen Medina to end it in round five, giving the hot prospect a perfect record of six wins no losses, ending five by knockout as he bombed out the competition.
The twenty-year-old pugilist just recently signed with Cestus Management and under the tutelage of Don’s father Pete George, a former amateur standout in the seventies the Bomb Squad, he plans on torching the division and blowing up all in his path to the top. Standing at six foot with a seventy-five inch reach and possessing fire in both hands, the knockout artist is set to seek and destroy, so to all the super middleweights out there, beware of ‘Don Da Bomb’!
The hard-hitting prospect took the time out to give his thoughts on his career and bright future along with the thoughts from Cestus Management’s very own Mike Michael, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.: First off I just want to say thanks for taking the time out to speak to the Doghouse, tell the readers how you came about being a boxing fan and your inspiration in lacing up the gloves to be a fighter yourself.
Donovan George: I was basically brought up in boxing through my father who was an amateur fighter back in the seventies, everywhere I looked I seen boxing whether I was in the gym or at home so basically I had no choice I was born to box.
BH: Where did you get the nickname ‘Don Da Bomb’?
DG: In Chicago we’ve got Da Bears, Da Socks, Da Bulls, so I figured I would be the next franchise in Chicago and be Da Bomb. My Dad came up with the name and since I throw bombs I might as well use it.
BH: For the ones who haven’t seen you fighting the ring, describe your style and what do you see as your best qualities and greatest strengths?
DG: I am a boxer/puncher but I definitely like to go in there and mix it up and put on a good show. I think my best strengths is my ability to be calm and be relaxed in the ring and see the openings, and once I see them I take advantage of them.
BH: How hard was it making the change from the amateurs to the professionals?
DG: It was one of the easiest things I have ever done; I never had an amateur style so that was why I lost a couple of decisions. The amateurs definitely weren’t my kind of style; I was brought up with a pro style. I love the pros it is awesome.
BH: How is it having your Dad working your corner, has it been difficult to separate the business from your personal life?
DG: No, we definitely don’t, I consider my dad my best friend, he’s my trainer my father and my best friend. I have my personal life and he lets me live it.
BH: What separates your from the other Super Middleweight prospects?
DG: Well probably first off it would be my good looks but other than that it would be my determination, my will to win. Everyday I just want to keep learning and get better and better and I put on a great show, that’s guaranteed. No matter whom I fight it is going to be a war and it is going to be very entertaining for the fans.
BH: This question is for Mike Michael, what did you see in this kid to make you want to sign him?
Mike Michael: I got this media guy in the Greek community out of Chicago and he has been calling me about this kid down there in the beginning I was concerned with Arnaoutis and his career but I finally made the decision to check this kid out after talking to his Dad on the phone so I flew out to Chicago to take a look at him myself. I watched this kid in the ring not put a show on for me, but basically walking thorugh four sparring partners who were pretty respectable guys. And the attitude he had after talking to him and seeing the motivation and the desire he had he showed me he was a measure of a man, he knows what he wants and what he has to do to get it. If you have that in a fighter than you know Benny we are almost already there. Our company only signs guys who we feel has distinction of some kind as being as professional as they possibly can in this business. Talking to him and seeing his attitude made up my mind, to have a young kid with that kind of mentality we had to sing him. I honestly believe this kid has got it, once we move certain degrees and certain levels and iron out a few things that need to be fixed at these levels I think he is going to be a man to be reckoned with, I think he is going to put fear in the 168 and the 175 division. He is going to be a feared fighter; our problem after him fighting a few fights is finding people to fight him.
BH: How often do you plan on fighting George and moving him up?
MM: He had a fight on the 23rd of September and we are going again the 28th of October, we will be back in December and January and then we will give him a bit of a break because don’t forget he has a life and we don’t want to burn him out. We will go for a junior title defend it and then move to the top fifteen of the world. He will be a superstar.
BH: Ok back to Donovan, is there anybody in the fight world today that you look up to or try to emulate as a fighter?
DG: Well it was Diego Corrales before he got knocked out in his last fight, but I love his heart and courage, but other than that I am not a fan of a lot of the modern day fighters that are out there right now. I was a Hopkins fan when he was in his prime but my all time favorite is Sugar Ray Robinson.
BH: Donovan what is your take on the Super Middleweight division, four men hold titles but in your opinion regardless of title status who do you see as the elite?
DG: Probably Joe Calzaghe, I see him as the champ and I think he is going to beat Lacy soon.
BH: Ah Lacy is going to knock him out but it is cool brother. (Both Laugh)
BH: Besides boxing what are your hobbies and interests outside of the ring?
DG: I love all sports, anytime I get to go to an event or go to a game I go. My whole life is sports and boxing.
BH: In closing is there any message you would like to send out to the fight world and if so what would it be Donovan?
DG: That with the Bomb Squad and Cestus Management we are for real and we are going to come to fight. I am twenty years old so I am not going to call anybody out that would be disrespectful for me to call the big names out but when the time is right I want to fight everybody and anybody to make a statement, basically I want to be champion of the world and that’s it and nothing is going to stop me.
BH: Ok Mike, is there anything you want to add to this interview or say in closing regarding your fighter?
MM: We look at the boxing industry and we see young kids like Don either rushed or over matched or exploited or whatever, but we can a sure the whole boxing world that this isn’t going to happen. We are going to build George and get him a fan base; he is a fighter that all people can relate too. We are going to launch this kid into the scene the right way, and we believe that he has the talent the tools to get to the top and he is going to do that the right way. We will show how boxing really should be. We want to build a loyal fan base because we believe at Cestus that without the fans we don’t have anything. We want to turn Don into the new poster boy of boxing and we are going to do that.
I would like to thank Mike Michael of Cestus Management and Donovan George for their time and thoughts, it was greatly appreciated.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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Interview By "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (October 20, 2005)
