IBO Boxing Honesty and Integrity
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: IBF Middleweight Champion.
Ht: 5-9 1/2 Wt: 160
DOB: December 22, 1988 In: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Ring Record: 32-2 (30 KO’s)
First Memory of Boxing: “I went to the gym and I got punches in the face [smiles]. I was a young kid. I used to love fighting and then when I was introduced to the gym I wanted to challenge everybody there – young kid, fighting in the streets. And then I realized what it is to fight against a fighter. I got beaten up. And then I fell in love with the sport. And I just kept coming back to the gym. That was the initial memory that I have of boxing.”
Boxing Inspirations: “Like fighters and stuff? I don’t watch a lot of boxing. I’ve never watched a lot of different fighters. For sure the greats – I always had a big eye on Sugar Ray Robinson. He’s a guy I watched a lot of growing up as a young fighter. A guy that’s done an extremely great job in the world of boxing.”
Last Book Read: “The last book I read – that’s a good question — good question [smiles].”
Current Car: “BMW.”
First Famous Boxer You Met Or Encountered: “Sugar Ray Leonard – he was in Montreal.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “When I won the IBF Championship (W 12 June 2015).”
Most Painful Moment: “When I had my first loss against (Marco Antonio) Rubio (TKO 7 in 2011).”
Funny Boxing Memory: “The gym’s always a laugh. There’s always something funny in the gym, you know, training, you see a lot of things with athletes when they’re in an extreme amount of fatigue. Their body responds differently. And I like to pick on them sometimes [smiles].”
Strangest Fight Or Opponent: “No, not that I can recall of right now.”
Why Do You Love Boxing: “I love boxing because I love fighting. But over the years things have changed. The respect that comes with it. The doors that it opens for my life. The eyes and the people that pay attention to you. The respect it brings. And the legacy it brings. And I’m good at it. So I love it.”
Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: “I like hockey, hockey is pretty good.”
Three Athletes You Like To Watch & Follow: “I like to watch hockey. Some of the great boxers, big fighters, Floyd Mayweather.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “Good humans. Great human behavior. Kindness. People that take care of each other. Great human behavior is most important.”
Scoop’s new book “Muhammad Ali: Portrait of a Champion” is available at amazon for $9.99.
