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By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Super middleweight prospect is now a force to be reckoned with after his KO of Anthony Hanshaw last Friday night.

Ht: 6-0 Wt: 168

DOB: September 7, 1982 In: Flint, Michigan

Childhood Heroes: “Was…how far you talkin’ back? How old? (Your whole childhood.) My grandfather Leon Lawson. That was my childhood hero. My family. (In boxing?) He followed Muhammad Ali, I followed Muhammad Ali, definitely. I only saw Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler a few times.”

Nicknames: “Sugar Ray Leonard, The Matrix, Dre is what they call me.”

Hobbies/Interests: “Play video games is my number one hobby. Tossing the football around is number two. Number one things in my life. Number one people in my life is my daughter. My grandfather. Basically my family, man. I’m just in love with my family.”

Favorite Movies: “I like cartoons. I’m into Shrek [laughs]. Sounds a little weird but I’m into Shrek, scary movies and cartoons.”

Favorite TV Shows: “Martin definitely number one. Fresh Prince.”

Musical Tastes: “R&B is my number one. Rap is second. R. Kelly. Genuwine, Usher, rap, Tupac - I listen to him a whole lot. I got most of his albums.”

Last Book Read: “It was a book by Zane - Skyscrapers.”

First Job: “Boxing. I never had a job in my life.”

First Car: “PT Cruiser (smoke gray).”

Current Car: “I got a Trailblazer now (tan).”

First Boxing Memory: “Going to the gym with my brothers, and uncles, going to the gym and actually having fun. Just doing what I wanted to do in the gym before I started boxing. Watching them workout and I was actually able to do what I wanted to do. Until it got serious (age 10). That’s when I started having fun. I was a kid, just going when I wanted to go.”

Favorite Meal: “Salisbury steak. I take the whole six. My fiancee cooks the whole thing - 6-8 - and I have six of ‘em [laughs].”

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I used to like Fruity Pebbles but I down those because they started getting soggy as I got older. But I’m into Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I like those a lot.”

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Butter pecan.”

Pre-Fight Meal: “I drink a lot of water, salad and spaghetti.”

Pre-Fight Feeling: “Listen to slow R&B music, relax.”

Greatest Sports Moment: “Professional or amateur? (Your whole career.) Just whole career in general - bronze medal (2004 Olympics).”

Most Painful Moment: “Losing in the Olympics (to) Gennady Golovkin from Kazakstan.”

Worst Injury: “Oh, I fought a guy in Ireland and he took my elbow and twisted it some kind of way and it messed my shoulder up for probably like three years, man. (When?) My third meet. That’s when I went to Ireland, I was probably around 18. (Remember his name?) J.P. Campbell. I lost to him too. He was a real short guy. I don’t know how I remember his name but it was J.P. Campbell.”

Funny Boxing Memory: “My brother did a back-flip in the ring as a junior, and when he did the second back-flip, he kicked the ref [smiles].”

Embarrassing Boxing Memory: “Getting dropped in the first annual Ringside tournament. That was it. That was the first time I’d ever been dropped. I turned right into a left hook. (Who?) Mike Alvarez. He won. Shouldn’t have won but he won.”

Favorite Boxers To Watch: “I like to watch Floyd. I like to watch Oscar. Muhammad still, I like to watch him. I like to watch prospects coming up. I love to watch the guys I knew in amateurs coming up and fight.”

Favorite Fight: “Diego Corrales-Castillo, second.”

Favorite Vacation Spot: “I love Venice Beach. That was the last place I’ve been. Venice Beach is it.”

Childhood Dream: “Football players.”

People Qualities Most Admired: “Sense of humor. Definitely sense of humor. You don’t have to be a nice looking guy or girl, none of that. I hang out with anybody that has a nice sense of humor. And that they carry themselves the right way. A good all-around person. It doesn’t have to be anyone in particular, man or woman, I just like to be around positive people.”

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