Interview: Dominick Guinn: "Keep Watching Because I Am The Next World Champion!"
 (March 17, 2004)
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Dominick Guinn
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Heavyweight contender Dominick Guinn is knocking at the door of the top heavyweights in the world. The 28 year-old fighter from Hot Springs, Arkansas is undefeated as a professional, with a gleaming record of 24-0 with 17 knockouts to his credit, and is searching for bigger game. On June 7, 2003 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Guinn rocketed to the forefront of the collective fight game’s consciousness with an explosive and dominating performance over former heavyweight title challenger Michael Grant. In that fight, Guinn was near flawless and with a short left hook had Grant bouncing up and down off of the canvas like his own personal human basketball on several occasions. Although it has taken a little while for Guinn to become as well known as he is today in boxing circles, he has come a very long way in a relatively short period of time in terms of his professional career, having begun only a little over three and a half years ago.
Guinn has been working at this trade for much longer than that, however, picking up boxing at the age of nine. From there he would go on to have an outstanding career as an amateur, compiling a record of 290-26 and winning the Junior World Olympics in 1993, National Golden Gloves titles in 1997 and 1999, a 1998 U.S. National Championship, as well as a Bronze Medal at the Goodwill Games. On June 16, 2000 Guinn made his professional debut in Las Vegas and scored a first round knockout over Leroy Hollis by flooring his man twice and having the referee stop the contest.
The Arkansas native continued to roll along following that fight with wins over the usual suspects like Tony LaRosa, Garing Lane, Terry McGroom and Otis Tisdale, which led up to the Grant fight and his first exposure on HBO, supporting the rubber match between Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward. Following the Grant fight, Guinn was rightfully tabbed as a fighter to watch. He followed that performance by outgutting and outfighting the Adonis-like Duncan Dokiwari on September 27, 2003 in Buffalo, New York. Dokiwari, although relatively unknown at the time, proved that he was a formidable opponent and was not without skills of his own. Guinn was better, impressing those who watched from the arena as well as those at home viewing on HBO, and, in the minds of many, stole the show from the hometown attraction and main event fighter, “Baby” Joe Mesi. This was quite an accomplishment when one considers that Mesi took care of his man, DaVarryl “Touch of Sleep” Williamson, with a single punch in the opening frame.
Guinn closed out 2003 with a unanimous decision win over Derrick Banks, and is currently planning a “Southern Disaster” for his opponent, Monte Barrett, when they meet in an HBO televised bout from Little Rock, Arkansas on March 27. Guinn feels that he is ready for a title shot at anytime, but is not looking past Barrett. Along with Mesi, Guinn is generally regarded as one of the two best among the “next generation” of heavyweights. He has been calling out Mesi for sometime now, and if he has his way, they will meet sooner rather than later. Speak to Guinn and one realizes how seriously he takes his job, his desire to ascend to the top being evident in the passion and conviction with which he speaks. Although seemingly uninfluenced by anything but the task at hand while in the ring, Guinn the person possesses a relaxed and engaging personality, a great sense of humor, and might be just what the doctor ordered to generate interest in the heavyweight division. Guinn took time out of his busy training schedule to speak with Doghouse Boxing about his upcoming fight against Barrett and his history with Joe Mesi. Here is what he had to say.
DB: Dominick, how is training going?
Training is going excellently. The last three or four camps I’ve been in have been great. I haven’t had any hangups, and everything is going well, so I can’t complain. I’m sparring with Tim Knight and some other big heavyweights, and I’m going to be ready to perform in front of my hometown crowd and the HBO audience.
DB: What does it mean to you to be fighting in your home state of Arkansas on such a large stage as an HBO broadcast?
It’s incredible. I know it’s going to be a great night of fighting. Jermain Taylor and myself are going to put on a show. I’m the co-feature again, so I guess they want me to start it off, and I’m going to steal the show.
DB: What are your thoughts about your opponent Monte Barrett, and how do you see the fight going?
I think it’s going to be a good, tough fight. Barrett’s a tough guy, and I know he’s going to come ready. I know he trains hard, because we trained in the same gym in Newark, New Jersey a few times. He’s a good, credible opponent for me, and I know it’s going to be a hard fight. I’m at home, though, and I’m stepping up and I want to win the fight. I come to fight and I want to be the world champion, so I have a lot to gain and a whole lot more to lose than him. I’m really training hard and taking this fight seriously, as I do every fight.
DB: By taking this fight with Barrett, who was Joe Mesi’s last opponent, are you making an indirect statement or challenge to Mesi?
Yeah, I would say that, but I just want to get the fight over with and then make my statement. I’m going to look past it with Mesi, though, because I understand why Joe Mesi probably won’t fight me anytime soon. That’s because I beat his butt in the amateurs, and I was the last person to beat his butt.
DB: Have there ever been any offers from your camp to the Mesi camp for a fight between you two?
Yes, almost two years ago Carl Moretti of Main Events called Mesi’s manager and said we would come to Buffalo to fight him, and they passed it up. It’s been mentioned on two or three occasions and Joe Mesi knows that. They offered Mesi the Grant fight and he turned it down, then they offered it to us and we took it. So I know he doesn’t want to get in the ring with me any time soon. He’ll talk mess about me, like on the Night of the Young Heavyweights when he said he thought I didn’t look that good, but he don’t want to get in there with me.
DB: Providing that you get past Barrett, who would like to fight next?
I really don’t call any names, I’ll just wait and whoever HBO sends to the Main Events matchmaker and to my coaches, that’s who I’ll fight because I want to be world champion. It really doesn’t matter, just get me a fight and an HBO date and I’m ready to fight.
DB: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?
I would like to thank Doghouse Boxing for doing this interview and for staying in touch. I would also like to thank all the fans who are with me and even those who are against me, because if you are against me you’re making me stronger. I need criticism to make myself better. Finally, I want to tell everyone to keep watching because I am the next world champion!
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