ADAPT AND SURVIVE

If you thought dropping out of the Lennox Lewis scene would be the end of Frank Maloney, you don’t know what the manager’s made of. MICHAEL GILL reports on the latest developments in his career

As he approaches 50, the career of the ever industrious Frank Maloney, has turned full circle. The only Brit ever to manage an undisputed world heavyweight champion, the 5ft 3ins bag of surprises kicked up a storm back in September 2000 by surrendering his independence and joining the payroll of long-term verbal sparmate Frank Warren, the man who first introduced him to this bastard business, in a consultancy capacity.

Following his acrimonious split with Lennox Lewis in the spring of 2001, the man Don King christened ‘The Pugilistic Pigmy’ has returned to the sport’s shop floor, hustling his current stable of fighters towards championships and scouting Siberia and beyond in search of fresh fistic talent. But no way is Maloney in exile.

Now settled in Kent with his beautiful Welsh wife Tracey and daughters Sophie (7) and Libby (2), life has never been so dandy, he insists.

Last month Boxing Monthly hooked up with a favourite and consistently entertaining interviewee to investigate recent developments in his career. As ever, we discovered a little man with big ideas and an awful lot to say.

BM: You successfully steered one-time undisputed heavyweight king Lennox

Lewis from his June ‘89 debut to his upset knockout loss to Hasim Rahman (April 2001). When did you first sense a strain on your relationship?

FM: Shortly before the first Lewis-Holyfield fight, totally out of the blue,

Panos [Eliades, of Panix Promotions, Lewis’s then promoter] was quoted in one of the British Sunday newspapers as saying I was going to get the sack after the fight. When I confronted him, he claimed it was a bit of a joke and did the old “matey” act.

I don’t think Panos was happy about my involvement in making the Julius

Francis-Tyson fight [January 2000] because he believed it undermined the chances of him signing Tyson to make the Lennox fight.

By the time of the Lewis-Frans Botha fight in London [July 2000], three camps seemed to have emerged within the Panix stable. There was Lewis and [business manager] Adrian Ogun, me and all the other boxers, and then Panos. Whatever publicity seeking media work I did, it seemed to me as though “The Weatherman” [Ogun was a former Channel Four weather presenter] objected to, and I felt my access to Lewis, to discuss the issues, was restricted. If I’d been allowed a one-to-one with Lennox, I’m confident I’d still be managing him today.

After that promotion, I had meetings with Lennox and Adrian. As I understood it, they were going to do there own thing, form “Lion Promotions” [Lewis’s own company], but that they wanted me to stay on as Lennox’s boxing manager.

But, by the time of the David Tua fight [November 2000], Main Events, Adrian and Panos were all jostling for control and, from a tightly knit unit; Team Lewis had become a free-for-all.

Shortly after, I began to get the impression that my face didn’t fit. Not long after, I was out.

I don’t want to badmouth Lennox because he was crucial in allowing me to earn very well and make my reputation in this business. However, after all the great moments we’d shared, I can’t forgive him for not having the courtesy of making a phone call to me. After 12 years our association was terminated by a fax from “The Weatherman!”

We did agree to a financial settlement but its details are confidential.

BM: According to Frank Maloney, what does the future hold for Lennox Lewis?

FM: If I was still managing Lennox, I’d advise him to retire because he’s already achieved everything. The only fight even worth contemplating is a rematch with Tyson, purely for financial reasons.

But does Lennox need to go to camp again? I always admired the hard work he put his body through. He always prepared right, but it must get harder as he gets older.

What I will say is that his indecision over whether to continue leaves the division in a muddle and prevents any of the youngsters from developing into a star. And that’s bad for boxing.

BM: Do you wish Lennox well or ill for his future?

FM: To be honest I don’t wish him anything. At first, when I was annoyed, I said some stupid things like Tyson would knock him out, but then came to my senses and even predicted the round Lennox would win in.

That said, rightly or wrongly, I’m of the opinion that Tyson must have been sedated or something against Lewis. There seems no way that the beast who bit Holyfield and tore up Golota could turn into such a meek child against Lennox. Once Lennox has no fear, he just takes you apart.

But I was in boxing before Lennox Lewis and I’ll still be in boxing after he’s left. I’m just starting a new chapter in my life and I’m enjoying it very much.

BM: In September 2000, you shocked the British boxing community by joining old rival Frank Warren’s Sports Network franchise as a consultant. But you first worked together as early as 1979, when you served as a house trainer to his fledgling stable.

FM: Yeah, I spent two years working alongside Ernie Fossey training kids like Keith Wallace, Terry Marsh, Jimmy Duncan and my brother Eugene.

Frank and I drifted apart over a difference of opinion. We were both very ambitious. After that, I went out of boxing for seven years, managing pubs.

However, those two years with Ernie gave me an excellent grounding, not just for coaching, but, particularly, with regard to matchmaking and developing a fighter’s career.

BM: How did the re-union come about?

FM: Around that time [circa the Maloney-Panix split], I did a lot of business with Frank — Julius Francis vs Danny Williams, Pele Reid and Tyson, Starie-Calzaghe — and we’d always have a bit of banter and gamesmanship. He knew things were unsettled between myself, Panos and Lennox, and we just got talking.

I’ve always wanted to be associated with the very best. In my opinion, Frank and myself have got the two best boxing brains in Europe, if not the world. Fifty to 60 years of knowledge between us.

To understand this game, you have to serve an apprenticeship. I’ve gone from carrying buckets, to making matches for Mickey Duff, to managing four British heavyweight champions, to being involved in fights for the undisputed world heavyweight title at the Thomas and Mack in Las Vegas.

I’ve massive respect for Frank. Since joining Sports Network I now understand why, even with the undisputed world heavyweight champion, I was always a pace behind him. His work ethic is frightening and he’s not afraid to put his money where his mouth is to make the big fights happen.

He hasn’t just employed me to buy the sandwiches. Ernie, Frank and myself all voice our opinions and then, jointly, make the best decision for the company.

Unlike some, we won’t get complacent. We’re continuously studying the opposition but they’re not up to much. I think if you joined Matchroom, Lion, Hennessy Promotions and UK Presents together they’d still not match us. We’re so far ahead of the rest and I think we’re set to reign for a very long time.

BM: Down in Bermondsey, kid brother Eugene’s starting to cause a rumble with his own promotional activities.

FM: He’s definitely one to keep an eye on. He’s got the personality to make it and his enthusiasm’s unbelievable. I’d never let family get in the way of a good business decision, but I hope he does well. Hopefully I’ll be retired by the time he comes through.

One thing I will say about him is he clearly took a few too many right-handers in his career if he thinks I’m five years older than him [as stated in a feature in the November issue]. It’s only three, but I look seven years younger!

BM: Surely you miss the champagne, jetset, celebrity lifestyle that comes with managing the globe’s premier heavyweight boxer?

FM: Not at all. With Lennox, I’d started to lose touch with reality and I’m glad I always had my friends and family to keep my feet firmly on the floor. I do miss the excitement of running my own organisation, but today I work from home; spend a lot more time with my family. All of a sudden my hair’s returned to its original colour.

To be honest, I was getting really poxed off spending my days arguing over contracts with lawyers and TV executives. I’m really enjoying getting back to grass roots level, following the amateur scene taking my fighters sparring to gyms all over the country and going on scouting missions to the old Eastern bloc.

BM: After a dire decade for Scottish boxing in the ‘90s, you’ve even managed to orchestrate a renaissance north of the border. Former amateur standouts Scott Harrison and Alex Arthur seem to be really rocking the joint up in Glasgow.

FM: From the day I signed him, I truly believed Scott Harrison was destined to become one of the best fighters, pound for pound, that Britain has ever produced.

His temperament, dedication and desire are incredible. He’s just the complete package, doesn’t do anything bad. He’s got this wholesome boy image and comes from a very decent family. He learned his trade quietly and does his talking with his fists so he doesn’t alienate people, like Eubank or Hamed did.

While Scott is quiet, if ever I go to war, the two people I’m taking with me are him and Eugene ‘cos both are utterly fearless.

Alex is more vocal and brash but he’s also on the verge now and I’ve another teenager from Edinburgh, Gary Young, who I’ve got very high hopes for.

A massive amount of recognition for this “Scottish revival” should go to Peter Harrison [Scott’s father-trainer] and his assistant Billy Nelson. If they were based in London they’d have queues waiting to get in their gym.

BM: First a Union Jack suit, now a kilt — you do like to dress up, Frank!

FM: Boxing’s become more like “Theatre with Blood” as every day passes. Part of a manager’s responsibility is to get the crowd behind his fighter. The British “packs” [of fans] that travel to Vegas have a certain culture, very patriotic, so wearing that Union Jack suit was a masterstroke which did more to get the British public on Lennox’s side than anything else. And there were lots of American girls in the casinos trying to take it off me, let me tell you!

The Scots are different. I think they saw me wearing a kilt as the greatest mark of respect I could show them.

The hardest thing I’ve had to do is wear West Ham colours when I work Kevin Lear’s corner [Maloney has been a Millwall season ticket holder for many years].

BM: In your view, what state is British boxing in today?

FM: The sport lacks stars today and it’s down to the newspapers. There’s no hacks like Colin Hart [The Sun] or Ken Gorman [Daily Star] treading the beat anymore, writing about the talents coming through.

When Audley Harrison boxes in America they’re all out there on expenses but where are they at the British title fights in the small halls? Scott Harrison’s yet to make a newspaper south of Hadrian’s.

[Editor’s note: Suddenly I believe I can predict at least part of the content of Steve Bunce’s next column.]

Another trend that concerns me is the BBC signing fighters like Audley Harrison and David Haye direct. It’s fine at the early stage of their careers, but they’ll need someone with the expertise to manoeuvre them towards titles later. Decent managers are worth their weight in gold.

BM: If someone could hand you control of the sport, what changes would you make to improve it?

FM: I’d make it far more difficult for people to obtain a licence. Perhaps they should sit a written exam rather than just have an informal chat.

Also, I’d make it compulsory that every boxer had a manager licensed by the Boxing Board and that that manager had a bond lodged with the Board. That way, a fighter knows there’s some protection if he queries something.

I’d also insist on compulsory courses for trainers so that they can be kept up to date with new methods, safety initiatives and receive talks from dieticians, sports physiologists and psychologists.

I’m certainly not knocking the Board because they do a reasonable job with limited resources, but I do think moving to Cardiff was a bad move.

BM: Your controversial autobiography is scheduled to be published next September. Here’s your chance to sell it to us.

FM: Let’s just say a number of people would like to see it stopped. Any mention of it usually prompts a letter on my desk from certain factions. I can guarantee that it will be blunt and honest, as I live my life. It gives an insight into places and perspectives that Joe Public might otherwise never get to explore. It explains how I used my position to benefit myself and the politics in it are pretty spicy. Lennox Lewis has nothing to fear. I just write the truth as I saw it.

BM: On 21 December you get a chance to recoup part of the fragmented heavyweight jigsaw when your maligned Georgian star Georgie Kandelaki meets Alex Vasiliev for the vacant WBU belt in St Petersburg.

FM: Within three years I’ll have reclaimed the heavyweight division with Kandelaki. He’s never got the recognition he deserves because he comes from a poor country, but I’d put him in with Audley Harrison or Danny Williams tomorrow and if the Rhino [Clifford Etienne] gets cold feet, we’d walk across the Atlantic to fight Tyson.

I know he looks clumsy and awkward, and doesn’t do anything particularly spectacular, but there’s an old adage I believe strongly in, which says if you can’t jab, you can’t fight. Kandelaki’s got one of the heaviest jabs you’ll ever see. I’d rather he stayed away from Lennox just yet, until he’s got the experience of fighting a couple of guys like Frans Botha or Oliver McCall. But, with the right preparation, there’s no one in the world we’d avoid.

I don’t know exactly how good he is because of the [unremarkable] level of opposition he’s beaten so far, but I’ve been in this business long enough to know you don’t thrash the guys he trashed in the amateurs without having something.

BM: No point in wasting any tears on you just yet then?

FM: Listen, in addition to Harrison, Arthur and Kandelaki, I’ve got [WBU champions] Kevin Lear and Tony Oakey. Graham Earl will fight for the vacant British lightweight title early next year and I’ve massive plans for my middleweight, Wayne Elcock.

Throw in youngsters like Martin Powers, Henry Castle, Danny Hunt and two really top grade Russians — Ivan Kirpa and Alexander Vetoux, the WBC Youth welterweight champion — and it’s obvious I’m doing OK.

I realised long ago that it takes just as much time to look after a bad fighter as it does a good fighter so I won’t associate myself with any rubbish. I’m a winner.