Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Former WBA Heavyweight Champion. Professional boxer from 1976-1997. Final record is 53-6-2 (33 KOs).
Ht: 6-3 Wt: 238
DOB: August 10, 1958 (Died August 11, 2012) In: Akron, Ohio
Childhood Heroes: Muhammad Ali – a favorite of mine, of course. Martin Luther King – he was also a very strong role-model. He showed no fear.
Early Boxing Memory: I had one win and two losses when I first started to box (age 11). My friend Randy McGrady started with me. He used to tease me about that. He used to call me One-Two. He made me work harder, train harder. Then I went like 50 fights without a loss. I owe a lot to him.
First Jobs: Picking up and delivering lunch for workers at a construction site during summer (age 8. Hauling bricks. Busboy at Holiday Inn (age 13).
First Car: 1974 yellow Ford Pinto.
Favorite Movies. The Great Gatsby. That’s one that sticks out in my mind. I felt it was such a great movie. The whole thing, the suffering he went though. It’s similar to my life, the highs and lows.
Favorite TV Shows: Game shows. I’m a game show fanatic. Cosby. Wild, Wild West – as a kid. Rat Patrol.
Pre-Fight Meal: Fish, pasta, some type of vegetable, water, maybe hot tea.
Nicknames: Thor. Baromus – my cousins used to call me that as a kid. I had no idea what they were talking about. Dynamite.
Favorite Book: Eastern Star. Muhammad Ali gave it to me when I was seventeen. That is probably one of the most knowledgeable books that I’ve read. It gave me insight on life. Ali took me under his wing. He taught me more about life than boxing.
Greatest Sports Moment: When I won the Heavyweight Championship (KO 1 vs. Mike Weaver in Las Vegas on December 10, 1982). My greatest sports moment ever. The second fastest KO in heavyweight (title) history, 63 seconds. I’m still in the record books for that.
Favorite Fights: Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Tony Zale, Jake Lamotta – all of his fights were so great. Each fight was a different plateau for him. He was so versatile. He could adapt to so many different styles. The best boxer I ever saw.
Greatest Heavyweight Champion Ever: Jack Johnson.
Favorite Sport Outside Of Boxing: Basketball. So fast, so many dimensions to it. You need a great center, a great guard, forward, depth, a great rebounder. And you need to have great offense and defense.
Musical Tastes: Jazz, George Howard, James Ingram, Ronnie Laws, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles… so many that I like. I could go on for days.
Favorite Vacation Spot: Australia. No doubt about it. The beaches, the wine country, the reefs, I’m just so enchanted by Australia. Almost the same land mass as America but only 12 million people. Lots of undeveloped land. I love the place.
People Qualities Most Admired: Jesus Christ. Martin Luther King. Don King. Cricket Miller. She’s a little girl that I know that’s paraplegic. Here’s a person that is confined to a wheelchair for life and she has so much energy and vibrance and vigor. Every now and then when I talk to her, she’s depressed. But she always wants to do things. I just admire her for her strength so much. My mom.
Future Ambition: To get the most coveted prize in sports, the the Heavyweight Championship Of the World. Say a prayer for me and I’ll do the rest.
(Note: This Biofile interview was done in 1993 before Dokes challenged Riddick Bowe for the World Heavyweight title on Feb. 6, 1993 in Madison Square Garden. Dokes lost by TKO in the first round at 2:19.)
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