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Gerald "The Jedi" Nobles Stops by the Doghouse
(May 25, 2004) 
Gerald "The Jedi" Nobles
Photo © HoganPhotos.com
Fresh off his TKO victory over former heavyweight champion of the world Bruce Seldon, heavyweight prospect Gerald Nobles took time to discuss the fight and his future plans with Doghouse Boxing. The fight with Seldon was featured on the televised portion of the Roy Jones-Antonio Tarver II undercard, and although Nobles was floored early, he stormed back to win when Seldon was counted out in round nine. Here is what Nobles had to say:

DB: How is everything, Gerald?

Good, everything’s going good.

DB: Please tell our readers how you got started in boxing.

I got beat up, so I went to the gym one day, and I’ve been boxing ever since. Mike Tyson was probably one of my favorite fighters.

DB: And how did you become involved with Don King?

I was with other promoters and they weren’t getting me fights. They would give me five days notice and ask me to fight a guy who had been in camp for six weeks. How can I prepare for something like that? I’m an undefeated fighter, and they treated me like I had 18 wins and 92 losses. By the will of God I was able to get out of the contract I was in, they released me. I surfed the net trying to find a promoter who could get me good fights and take me to a championship, and I found Don King.

DB: How big a step forward do you feel that your recent win over Bruce Seldon, a former heavyweight titlist, was for your career?

I look at the fight with Bruce Seldon, and everybody else, as one fight closer to where I need to be. As far as his ability and credibility, Bruce Seldon is a good fighter. He beat a lot of good people, he was a former heavyweight champion of the world and he had a good record. He’s a good puncher. As far as experience, I’ve been in with guys like Lennox Lewis, Tim Witherspoon, and all kinds of guys. So as far as confidence, I’m cool with that. I just have to get there like everybody else, I have to beat somebody to be somebody. Bruce Seldon was just another stepping stone towards the heavyweight championship of the world.

DB: What happened in the second round when you were knocked down, and how quickly did you recover?

It was a punch that I felt, but it was also me running in with both of my feet side by side. I felt the punch, but my balance was off. He caught me with a good punch but I got up and still outfought and outgutted him in that round.

DB: You stopped him in the ninth round when he took a knee and was counted out. Do you think that he quit? Before the fight, did you think that because he has caved in fights before that he might do it again?

I’m not Mike Tyson, and Tyson is a fear factor for a lot of fighters. When fighters get in the ring with Mike Tyson, they get intimidated just because of who Mike Tyson is. Me, I’m an unknown, therefore a fighter would fight me harder than they would fight Mike Tyson. Especially with him being a former champion and looking at my record thinking ‘well who has he really fought? I’m a former champion, I’ve got twice as many fights as him, I’ve fought Riddick Bowe, Tyson, Oliver McCall’ and so on. I just have to get inside the ring and do whatever I need to do to get the win.

DB: How did it feel to be featured on the televised undercard to the Tarver-Jones rematch?

It was definitely a blessing because now everybody can see that I can fight, I can take a good punch, and that I can get up from a knockdown and still fight hard. When some guys go down, they get up and run, tie up, or they quit. You could see that my tenacity and determination got me up and to continue the quest to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

DB: What was your reaction to Tarver’s one-punch demolition of Jones?

I thought Tarver won the first fight with Roy Jones. Everybody has their heyday, and I think Jones had his heyday and he got caught with a good punch. That’s how things happen. You can be in the best shape and somebody can catch you with one punch and end your career. I thought Tarver won the first fight, but they gave it to Roy Jones because of who Roy Jones was. Tarver had something to prove, and Roy Jones was trying to keep his title. Tarver went in there with a game plan, caught Roy Jones and now he’s the undisputed light heavyweight champion of the world.

DB: What is it that sets you apart from other heavyweight prospects like Samuel Peter and Calvin Brock?

Half of those guys haven’t really been tested. I’ve fought guys like Maurice Harris in my fifth or sixth fight, I fought Mike Robinson, Sedrick Fields, and not just fought them, I beat them in dramatic fashion. A lot of those guys get cakewalks. Calvin Brock, Samuel Peter, you name ‘em, I’ll fight ‘em. Some of those guys don’t have the will to win, they are winning, but what would they do in a dogfight? What happens when they get hit by a good shot and their legs are wobbly and they’re looking over at their corner and the guy’s coming at them and trying to take them out? A lot of fighters don’t know what to do when that happens to them. I can dish it out, but I can also take it. I do it all, like Henry Armstrong.

DB: Would you ever consider fighting another of the heavyweight prospects with both undefeated records on the line BEFORE a title fight?

I’ll fight anybody. Like I said, in order to be somebody you gotta beat somebody, and I want to be the heavyweight champion of the world. If I have to fight another prospect to become heavyweight champion, then come on, let’s do it. I’m ready and willing, and we can match up with whomever Don King says we can fight.

DB: Who is an ideal next opponent for you?

Oh man, I could take guys like John Ruiz and Lamon Brewster, champions that I can dissect. We have seen that Brewster has heart to get up off the canvas, but I can do the same thing.

DB: How would you like to see your career advance over the next couple of years, and do you have a timetable as far as challenging for a heavyweight title?

The way the champions look now, I could challenge for a title this year. I’m ready now. I’ve been inactive for awhile, but I have the punch, I have the chin, I have the heart, and I have the will to win. My skill level is just as good if not better than some of them. I’m ready to fight the best in the heavyweight division.

DB: Is there anything you would like to add in closing?

I’m calling out all the heavyweights. Anybody who wants to get it on, let’s do it.

Gerald NOBLES
(The Jedi)
(237 lbs)
(Heavyweight)
Professional Record: 22 fights; 22+ (17 KO’s)
- 1995 -
+ (Oct-6-1995, Philadelphia) Juan Carlos ANTONIO kot 1
+ (Oct-25-1995, Boston) Ben Feliciano kot 1
- 1996 -
+ (Jan-19-1996, Philadelphia) Keith KIBLIN kot 1
+ (Mar-1-1996, Philadelphia) Antoine MC MILLAN ko 1
+ (Apr-19-1996, Philadelphia) Mike ROBINSON kot 2
+ (Jul-30-1996, Philadelphia) Maurice HARRIS ko 3
+ (Sep-6-1996, Philadelphia) Dennis CAIN kot 3
+ (Dec-6-1996, Philadelphia) Earl CLARK kot 3
- 1997 -
+ (Jan-7-1997, Philadelphia) Lou TURCHIARELLI kot 1
+ (Feb-22-1997, Philadelphia) Ron MC CARTHY 6
+ (Apr-12-1997, Philadelphia) Exum SPEIGHT kot 3
+ (Sep-12-1997, Philadelphia) Rick SULLIVAN ko 3
+ (Oct-17-1997, Philadelphia) Samson COHEN kot 1
+ (Dec-4-1997, Albany) Greg PICKROM injury 5
- 1998 -
+ (Dec-12-1998, Atlantic City) Mitchell ROSE retiring 4
- 1999 -
+ (Jan-30-1999, Atlantic City) John KISER 8
- 2000 -
+ (Oct-7-2000, Uncasville) Agustin CORPUS 8
+ (Dec-14-2000, Philadelphia) K.C. Caseny TRUESDALE ko 1
- 2001 -
+ (Jan-24-2001, Las Vegas) Sedreck FIELDS 10
- 2002 -
+ (Sep-26-2002, Charleston) Dennis MC KINNEY kot 2
- (Nov-30-2002, Atlantic City) Maurice HARRIS 3
- 2003 -
+ (Jun-20-2003, Philadelphia) Ron GUERRERO 8
- 2004 -
+ (Apr-17-2004, New York) Willie WILLIAMS ko 1.
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