Donovan George: “Lock the doors and run for cover, ‘Da Bomb’ is ready to explode!”
 INTERVIEW By Benny Henderson Jr - A.K.A "Big Dog" (Sep 29, 2006)
Exciting undefeated super middleweight sensation Donovan George 9-0-1 (7) burst on the boxing scene just a tad over two years ago, and in that time the Chicago native has devoured his competition in registering an unblemished record. This Friday night he is making his debut at the Mecca of boxing, Madison Square Garden in New York City, and the twenty-one year old prospect is once again ready to erupt on his foe when he faces the Lone Star State’s very own Gabriel Rivera 7-3 (4) in a scheduled six round bout.
George made his professional debut in ’04 knocking out the Indianan Nathan Wilkes in the second round and tallied up two KO victories before battling it out in a draw against the tough Texan Marcus Hicks. Just five months after his debut George vaporized the thirty-nine fight veteran Ed Humes in the opening round before gaining his first fifth round UD over Butch Hajicek. Donovan has kept his winning streak alive with his quick hands and unrelenting power and in his last outing Donovan finished off the Arizonian Joe Varela in the closing seconds of the first round with punishing body shots, and now the rising prospect is ready to maintain his steady ascension this Friday night in the Big Apple.
Donavan George as well as his management team Cestus Management has high hopes for this young gun and Team George believes that with time and the proper preparation this prospect will rise up to be a serious contender all the way to achieving championship status. Read on the see what George and Mike Michaels had to say on his progression and his upcoming fight this Friday night, enjoy.
Benny Henderson Jr.: Your thoughts on fighting in the Garden with all its rich boxing history?
Donovan George: Oh I mean I am honored that I got the call and that Mike got me there, I am so excited and so pumped up and ready to go, it’s like a mini dream come true right now, now I just have to go out there and take care of business and excel.
BH: Now give your thoughts on your opponent Johnny Hayes, what can you tell us about him?
Mike Michael: The opponent has changed now Benny, he will be fighting Gabriel Rivera from Texas, who is basically a tough guy and durable one. He goes the rounds so we aren’t going to sleep on this guy, Don is prepared and he is ready so it is going to be execution next week.
BH: Don what about your thoughts on your new opponent, any changes to your fight plan with the opponent change?
DG: Ah no, not at all because I expect that opponents will come and go at this stage in my career, it is hard to lock fighters down and I really didn’t have tapes on this other guy either, I just work my butt off training three times a day so I will be prepared for anybody, whomever they throw out there in front of me I will take care of business.
BH: Your thoughts on yourself and where you strand amongst today’s super middleweight prospects?
DG: I am not going to sit here and compare myself to a current champion or a current top rated guy because I do have potential and I am going to do my best to train hard so I can be the best fighter that I can possibly be, there will be no regrets.
BH: What have you learned about yourself and the boxing world with your two-year experience?
DG: It’s a dog eat dog world and it is definitely now the most trustworthy sport and I am thankful that I have good people like my Dad and Mike Michael and Cestus Management behind me and looking out for me with each and everyone of my moves, because without them who knows where I would be. I have great people behind me and that’s a huge advantage.
BH: How do you feel you have progressed as a fighter?
DG: Tremendously, I eat sleep breath boxing, I work out, I work out it is boxing, I watch TV it is boxing, in the last two years and I have been doing a lot of studying and finding myself, and I realize boxing is who I am I am a boxer, this is what I am here for this is why God put me hear to perform and I am going to fulfill it as much as I can.
BH: Without being biased Mike what grade would you give Donovan on his progression the past two years?
MM: I would say two years now with us I would say ten out of ten with the dedication, ten out of ten for perfecting his technique, ten out of ten for desire, and ten out of ten for believing in himself and for believing in us, without being biased I would say ten out of ten across the board, as a prospect I am not going to tell you that now this kid can go win a title but I have profound belief that we are going to win a world title in the future. Don is the best prospect at 160 pounds that you are going to get. That is not being a biased man Benny; I am just telling it like it is.
BH: Give your thoughts on your last victory over the sixteen-fight veteran Joe Varela?
DG: I went out there and turned out he was a southpaw, I stayed calm and in the first thirty seconds of the fight I hit him with a clean right hand and dropped him. I took my time picked my shots and put the pressure on him, I thought he could take a good head shot because I was cracking him hard, I mean real hard and I thought to myself this guy isn’t going anywhere so I hit him in the body with some good shots and that was it.
MM: This is why I say ten out of ten Benny, on that performance you have a kid that is going to be turning twenty-one shortly and he has shown tremendous maturity in his fights and in his last fight, he shows patience like a seasoned guy, that’s why I say ten out of ten because whenever we ask the kid to do something Mr. George has performed to the utmost to our expectations.
BH: Any closing comments Don?
DG: First off I would like to thank Doghouse Boxing, you guys have been there for me in giving me some great press. I
really take my hat off to you guys for taking time out of your day, with the progress of my career I couldn’t have done it without you guys I just want you to know that. And MSG here I come, I am coming out there and I am coming to fight, I am ready, I am 110% ready for this fight and I am going to go out there and entertain the fans. It is going to be a show, ‘Da Bomb’ is coming and he is definitely going to be throwing that’s for sure.
BH: Ok Mike your turn now have a go at it.
MM: Don has the opportunity now; we are very excited that he is going to be showcased at Madison Square Garden, the house where legendary champions have boxed there, and now Donovan George is going to fight at a legendary establishment of the home of champions and that’s where Don needs to be because he is going to be a future champion. We love Chicago and we love our fans and we have a whole army of fans who are flying into the Big Apple to come see the kind, we know the New York fans are going to love us because everybody loves Don, he is what he is a he is a true man and a true fighter. Lock the doors and run for cover because Don ‘Da Bomb’ George is going to explode all over Gabriel Rivera and he is going to give those fans what they are asking for. We are very honored that we can showcase Don at the Garden. Doghouse Boxing has always helped us Benny and we love our fans and we are going to go make new fans because there are going to be five thousand screaming Irishmen there.
I would like to thank Donovan George for his time and thoughts, as well as Mike Michaels of Cestus Management for setting up another interview. If you would like more information on George or Cestus Management’s fighters please visit: www.cestusmanagement.com
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