Ring Observer Boxing by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: World Champion boxer in four weight divisions – lightweight, junior welterweight, welterweight and junior middleweight. Holds record for longest reign as unified lightweight champion (six defenses). Passed away in 2019. Ring record was 40-4-1 with 17 KOs.
Ht: 5-6 Wt: 147
DOB: January 2, 1964 In: Norfolk, VA
Childhood Hero: My dad Raymond.
Hobby: Playing basketball.
Nickname: Sweat Peal.
First Job: Boxing.
First Car: 1984 Dodge LeBaron (gray).
Musical Tastes: Oldies, Peabo Bryson.
Favorite Movies: A Few Good Men, Rocky.
Pre-Fight Feeling: I feel great. Not thinking about anything. I’m just ready to fight. Not thinking. Just ready to go out and do it.
Favorite Meal: Pasta.
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: Rice Crispies.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate.
Greatest Sports Moment: Every moment has been a great moment for me. I can’t select one out of my career. Every moment’s been great. Down from winning amateur world championships to Olympic gold medal (1984). I take pride in my amateur career because I wouldn’t have got to this point without a gold medal in an amateur career. I showed off in the Olympics, I won gold medal, won ‘Outstanding Boxer.’ Those things led to this point. I just love what I do. You can’t like what you do. You can’t like this sport. You have to have the love for it. So I have the love for it. I do. And do it well. I take everything very serious. I take training camps very serious. There’s no such things as just jumping in the ring and then boxing. The legs… if you don’t have any legs, these (points to his arms) do no good without these (points to legs) [laughs]. If those don’t work, these are definitely not going to work. You have to have the legs. Four to six rounds…then by eighth-ninth rounds, they have nothing. The second six rounds is when the game begins.
Most Painful Moment: No painful moments.
Favorite Boxers To Watch: I like to watch everybody. I don’t watch no boxing on TV though.
Favorite Fight: Ali-Frazier I.
Funniest Boxer Encountered: Muhammad Ali.
Last Halloween Costume: Never wore one.
Favorite TV Show: Cosby.
People I Most Admire: My family.
Future Ambitions: To be a boxing trainer.
