Issue #6
1/19/04
2:49 PM
Page 25
FM: Hard work and dedication. Running five miles a day. Working with my strength trainer. He’s my best friend also. Hard work pays off. I go play basketball; a lot of blessings from God and having a strong team around you. FELON: Who’s your strength trainer? FM: Leonard Ellerbeee. FELON:How is your relationship with your promoter Bob Aurm? I heard he only promotes Mexican fighters. FM:That’s true. Bob Aurm—he’s what he is. He’s no good and I don’t like him. He don’t like me at all and I want to get out this chokehold so I can promote myself. With my talent, my skill and me all around as a person I can be bigger than what I am. Oscar De La Hoya left him and I became his #1 fighter. I’ve been with him since ’96—it’s 2003 and I haven’t even fought on Pay-Per-View yet. That shows you how he feels about me. FELON: Why is he still your promoter? FM:Because I’m in a chokehold. I’m in a f***ed up contract with him. FELON: How much longer will you be under contract? FM:A few more fights. I just wanna get away from him. He caters to Hispanic fighters. I don’t like to call anyone a racist because that’s not my style. I got love for everybody. If you respect me and treat me good—I’m gonna do the same to you. He’s (Bob Aurm) the worst promoter in the world. I wouldn’t advise any fighters to go with him. The best thing to do is to have a good team and good people around you that’s gonna tell you the truth. FELON: What do you think about Don King? FM: I think Don King is unbelievable. FELON: In what sense? FM: He’s a black man who came from rags and went to riches FELON: What about the controversy about his ethics in boxing? FM: You gotta realize, Bob Aurm does it but he doesn’t get chewed out about it. Don King is a flamboyant black man and he gets chewed out about it. If you notice the WWF can talk s*** all day and be flashy and talk mean and that sport is loved! ‘He’s very exciting when he talks; that makes him bigger as a fighter or wrestler if a white guy
25