MightyGloves.com

Iran Barkley Uncensored Interview Part II

posted by Kathleen Holland on February 19, 2008, in Features

By David Selwyn

D.S.: No sex before a boxing match was a custom for many years with most fighters. Did you have sex while training for a fight?

I.B.: There is a myth to the sex thing. If you do have sex weeks or months before a fight it’s no good to have it. You know what I’m saying. All that does is take more out of you when you get into a tough fight. You don’t think about the fight, you think about the sex that you had and it drains you more. My advice is not to have sex if you are serious about boxing.

D.S.: When did you stop having sex before a scheduled fight?

I.B.: I did not have sex for months and months before a fight.

D.S.: Did the abstaining of sex make you meaner and tougher for a fight?

I.B.: It made you meaner and tougher but even at the age I am now that’s what I train on. I’m from the “old school”. I go to the gym, I train and I still have no sex. I train like I’m a youngster and I’m still young.

D.S.: So you are ready to fight today?

I.B.: The only thing that gets me in the ring is money. That’s what is going to pay my bills. That is what is going to straighten my life out. All these guys out there are just fighting for money, no glory.

D.S.: What was your motivation in your amateur career?

I.B.: I fought for the glory in my amateur days, but when you became a pro it became a business and you have to separate that from amateur to business.

D.S.: Did you ever walk into the ring saying to yourself “I’m not ready for this”?

I.B.: I was always ready. I never walked into the ring thinking I was never ready, even when I wasn’t ready.

D.S.: Who do you feel was your toughest opponent?

I.B.: All of them.

D.S.: You never had an easy opponent?

I.B.: No

D.S.: Who were or still are your good friends that are/were involved in boxing?

I.B.: Guys that I thought were cool,Carl “The Truth” Williams, Dennis Milton, Mark Breland, Pernel Whittaker. Michael Moorer was a good guy, Duran is good, Ray Leonard was O.K., Hagler is great, super you know what I’m saying. The ref Frank Cappucino. He was always good. He worked a couple of my fights. Jose and Maurico Sulaiman have been very kind to me And of course you Dave,you are # 1. You are doing a hell of a job managing those women fighters of yours.

D.S.: Who in boxing that you know of gave a false image? Who was a two faced person?

I.B.: Bob Arum. He said one thing then it was another.

D.S.: Is there one specific example when Bob Arum displeased you?

I.B.: One example is when I fought this kid Nigel Benn. He did not go to bat for me on that decision. They talk about Don King, they don’t talk about Arum. When I call him up about fights, now he don’t know me.

D.S.: Do you mean you can’t get on the phone with him?

I.B.: I can’t get on the phone with him. I can’t do nothing. When I was fighting for him he knew me well. Now he don’t even know me. I’m not mad, Fuck Him.

D.S.: What do you feel was your greatest accomplishment in the boxing ring?

I.B.: My greatest accomplishment was when I beat Thomas Hearns. The first time everyone thought it was luck. The second time I just punished him because I wanted to show everyone it wasn’t luck, especially Bob Arum.

D.S.: Thank you Iran. Thank you for your time.

I.B.: You are welcome Dave.

« Previous article: VIDEO - Jermain Taylor Sparring Session

Next article: Photos From Today's Hopkins vs. Calzaghe Press Conference in NY! »