On the evening of June 11, 2008, before a national television audience invited into a packed Hard Rock Times Square venue, local rising contender Deandre “Bull” Latimore appeared on the boxing world’s junior middleweight radar with a stoppage of Brooklyn’s Sechew Powell.
I was watching along with a small group of ardent fans, and although we jumped and exchanged high-fives as the referee stepped into a neutral corner to protect Powell from absorbing more punishment, the thing I remember most was a frozen image of Latimore leaping into the air with his right glove raised like Michael Jordan in posterizing mid-flight.
The victory put “Bull” in position to battle Cory Spinks for the vacant IBF title strap in a main event held at Scottrade Center, leading to a 12-round marathon the judges ultimately awarded to “The Next Generation” by split decision.
That loss served as a learning experience in Latimore’s young career, but with the IBF’s current No. 5 ranking in his possession, he’s looking to get back on track tomorrow when he makes his return to ESPN’s Friday Night Fights in a rematch with the sixth-ranked Powell.
A win would set him up to clash once again with Spinks, provided he defends his belt against Cornelius “K9” Bundrage next week.
I sat down in the lobby of a mid-town hotel with “Bull” and Steve Smith, president and CEO of Rumble Time Promotions to discuss the importance of tomorrow’s test.
Early in his career, “Bull” lived up to his nickname by bulldozing opponents and dispensing power punches early on route to racking up sixteen concussive knockouts. But three years ago, new surroundings (Las Vegas) and a new trainer (Kenny Adams) led to a more patient style that was a departure from his barnstorming beginnings.
With a team consisting of Jose Ponce (Cornerman), Matt Brown (Strength & Conditioning) and Jerry Leyshock (Cutman) now on board, I was curious what fans can expect when they tune in.
“I’d describe myself as a smart fighter, you know, picking and choosing. My defense will be better and I’ll be looking to put more pressure on him this time,” Latimore said.
“I’ve watched the first fight several times. I need to eliminate little mistakes that I’ve fixed to perfection. This is the best training camp I’ve had so far. I’m stronger, faster, relaxed, focused and in the best frame of mind in my career.”
On assessing his opponent, “Bull” said, “He’s laid back and sneaky. He likes to play possum and look for big counterpunches.”
As far as his place in the Rumble Time family, Latimore noted that Steve Smith and his associates “care about the fighter and not just the company.” He added of Smith, “He looks out for your best interests as well as his.”
With much success early on that has included managing boxers who have appeared on the reality series The Contender, as well as positioning his 154-pound charge for a world title without the help of promoters who have been in the business much longer, I asked the Rumble Time chief what he enjoys most about his role.
Smith said, “Starting something from nothing and seeing it progress. Watching young kids with potential like Deandre take the steps to become a champion. Also, getting to know local and national people involved with the sport.”
The pair wants to congratulate Devon Alexander and Kevin Cunningham on their marvelous HBO debut. When asked about a sense of competition with them, Latimore said, “It’s great for St. Louis. I just want to be one of the best fighters from here.”
Smith added, “We want to put St. Louis on the map together, and when ‘Bull’ beats Sechew, we’ll wait to see what happens with ‘K9’ and Cory. We’ll call Showtime and get a deal done. Don King and I have already discussed doing a show in St. Louis with Devon and Deandre.”
Once again the stage is set for Latimore and his crew to remind fans across the country that he is a player in boxing’s big picture.