| Updated: 5/19/2007 7:27 pm |
Published: 5/19/2007 7:27 pm |
Jermain Taylor may be from Arkansas but his fan base stretches beyond the border. In Memphis, Fox 16 found some aspiring boxers and their mentor rooting for Taylor to win Saturday night.
As Joey Hadley watches students practice at Hadley's Boxing Fitness, he thinks back to the days when he was in the ring. One particular fight stands out in his mind. Hadley said, "I fought Leon back in December of '73 here in Memphis and I knocked him out in the first round. So I'm pulling for Jermain."
That's right. Hadley fought Cory Spinks' father, Leon Spinks. But beyond that, Hadley roots for Taylor because the middleweight champ possesses a lot of qualities he wants to develop in his students. "He's a champion," Hadley said. "I think he's a great example for the kids today and he's a great thing for boxing."
At Hadley's Boxing Fitness, they teach you life lessons that can apply both in and outside the ring, like once you get knocked down you have to get back up. And Hadley believes Jermain Taylor makes a great role model because he embodies that kind of endurance and heart. Hadley said, "I think all that was put to the test when he fought Winky Wright. A lot of fighters would have crumbled but he he didn't and I know he wants fight him again."
Hashim Alsaffar, one of Hadley's boxing students, said, "sometimes in boxing, skill plays a huge part, but a lot of times it's the character of the person."
Some of Hadley's students planned to attend the highly-publicized fight. They say Taylor has done a lot for the popularity of the sport. Student Justin Taylor said, "I think he promotes it, he makes it better because of the way he boxes. He's a good boxer."
And Hadley thinks it's good for them to see a champion in action. He just offered Taylor one piece of advice for a k.o.: don't try too hard. "He just needs to relax and box, and I think he's gonna' knock Spinks out."
Mr. Hadley says his boxing fitness center is the only place in Memphis that offers boxing classes to people of all ages. And his students range in age from 7 to 62.
