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Photo © Everlast
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I have been knowing Jeff Lacy for 8 or 9 years. I first met him in Atlanta when I was fighting in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) Regionals. I liked Jeff from the first time I met him and we developed a friendship after that. He’s a genuine person, one of the rare good guys in this sport.
I remember I was teammates with Jeff for the Nationals up in Colorado Springs around 1997. We were roommates and stayed at the Roadway Inn. We had a beautiful view and it was actually the first time in my life that I had ever seen snow. I was 25 years old at the time and being a Florida boy, I had never had the chance to see something like that.
While we were in Colorado, Jeff and I went to Dick Woods’ Gym and saw Cory Spinks spar some of the nation’s top amateurs. This was my first time meeting Cory and he was, I believe, 2-0 as a professional at the time. Cory put on a show against some of the nation’s best and from that moment on I became a fan of Cory Spinks. His balance, rhythm, and timing were amazing and I knew he was destined towards great things in his career.
I always noticed that Jeff was very calm during the Nationals. He was very poised and extremely wise beyond his years. I remember Jeff was set to face Jerson Ravelo and Jerson was talking a little bit, saying how he was going to outbox Jeff and that he would easily beat him. Jeff isn’t a trash talker so I stepped in and did the talking for him. Jerson is my boy but I got into him and said ‘You’re talking big now but what about when my man is digging into your ass? Are you going to be talking then?’
Jeff would go on to beat Jerson in the semis along the way towards winning the Nationals that year. He knocked out three of his five opponents, with Jerson being one of two men to last the distance. That was a great trip for me as I got the chance to meet guys like Ricardo Williams, Clarence Vinson, DaVarryl Williamson, Rocky Juarez, Dominick Guinn, and Dante Craig; but I was always rooting hardest for Jeff, because he was my teammate and friend.
Whenever Jeff fights I am rooting for him from deep down in my heart. Along with Winky Wright, whenever Jeff fights I get genuinely excited as a fan and as a friend. From my time with Jeff in the Nationals I had no doubt that he would go on to make the Olympic team and to eventually become a world champion. There just wasn’t any doubt in my mind. I knew he was special from the first time I saw him fight.
Jeff Lacy 20-0 (16 KO’s) defends his IBF Super Middleweight belt this Saturday, November 5th against hard punching Scott Pemberton 29-3-1 (24 KO’s) at Caesars Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada. The Showtime televised card kicks off at 9 PM/ET.
*This Article is Sponsored by http://www.healthycoco.com/
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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By Nate Campbell (as told to Chris Robinson) (November 2, 2005)
