Pierson's Perspective Golden Gloves Recap

By Ricahrd Pierson

It was a great night of amateur boxing this evening in Paterson as Kennedy High School held yet another exciting Golden Gloves show. There were 15 bouts loaded with raw talent and game competitors. But tonight, I realized local gyms going up against each other seems more competitive and equally matched than professional bouts, even though fighters come from across the world in the paid ranks.

Its so amazing to see the towns of the Garden State battle and put such a performance on. There was over ten different towns, and over twenty different boxing clubs congested inside of the high school, shared with mixed fans and supporters. The aroma of the food from the concession stand was pleasant throughout the evening, but what really caught the spectators' attention was the blood, sweat, tears and flying leather.

The gyms fought each other all night, there wasn't a beef between Paterson, Garfield, Newark, Morristown, and Plainfeild. The beef was between (I.S.O.B) and (Goss/Goss) with (Goss/Goss) Shaheed Brown stealing the show with the first T.K.O. of the night. There was a clash of the giants when (Global Boxing) went head up against (Asbury Park), in the end both giants was still standing but Asbury Park's Darryl Bunting walked off with the bean stalk. There was a friendly sparring session between (Elite Heat) and (Elite Heat) with (Elite Heat) walking off winning.

The fight I waited for all night was the battle between (Elizabeth rec.) and (Ike&Randy's Gym). This was a fight most Patersonians was really hoping to win but then again how can Ikes lose, the fight is in Paterson, Ike&Randy's backyard. From the opening bell Ikes Gym came out with shots being being fired, this was the only gym that wasn't using a pro style tonight. (Ikes&Randy's Gym) controlled the second round better the the first round, and I can see Ikes Gym walking away with the bout easy, by the end the third round (Elizabeth Rec) was tired not working as hard as (Ike&Randy's) Ashley Orr let his hands go with shoe shines blended with beautiful up and overs, until the ending and final bell.

That's when one of boxing best moments came, ( AND THE WINNER IS!??) Yes we all had this moment, when you did your job like never before but you feel the lay off coming. All you can do is look at your trainer and wonder whats taking so long its obvious that I won, just then they say it (OUT OF THE RED CORNER!!!), You stand there hoping your color blind because your corner is blue but you know your eyes isn't playing tricks on you because your challenger is jumping up and down happy and surprised.

But hey, this is part of boxing and without the politics and controversy, where would we get any drama?

Editor's Note: Pierson, a Paterson native, is 9-2 with 6 knockouts as a professional prizefighter.

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Richard Pierson: Learning the boxing business the hard way

By Richard Pierson

Currently, too many fighters are being protected and built. I believe its part of the reason boxing is fading away from the public eye, and isn't attracting many new fans.

I got into the sport when I was 20 years of age, I never took it seriously, it was just a way to relieve stress. Never did I dream about becoming a world champ or even competing. From 2001 through 2003 I had 7 amateur fights, winning the New Jersey Golden Gloves in 2002 then falling short in 2003. After the lost I walked away from boxing and continued working in the medical field, never stepping foot in the gym again until August 2005 when George Khalid Jones pulled up on my neighborhood block and asked me to help him get ready for Glen "The Road Warrior" Johnson.

I agreed with no hesitation and sparring started the next day, during the last sparring session I injured Jones with a right uppercut. Two months later I won my pro debut against my now close friend, Ronald Lewis by 1st rd KO. Then, beating Curtis Jones Nov 24, 2005, after winning the fight, I heard that I was not supposed to win. I didn't understand what that meant at the time but then I heard it again and again until, 2009 when I asked Ronald Lewis (who moved to Paterson hoping to learn to fight like me), "What does I'm not supposed to be winning mean?."

Ronald showed me that I am always the opponent going into the ring even when fighting in the Garden State, when I fought "James Singleton" on Feb 24, 2006, a non-televised ESPN Friday-night fight under card I was the opponent but I scored a 4th round TKO over the hometown favorite.

I didn't fight again until Dec.22,2006 when I faced Guadalupe Diaz in Cicero, Illinois his backyard the Windy City. At this fight, I was told I had to come in at 158lbs so I got down to 156lbs, I shared a pizza pie with trainer Aroz "Terrific" Gist that night and drunk only water because there was no where to eat and we had no transportation but I still pulled off a unanimous decision after dropping him twice in the 1st round.

Five months later, I fought, Derrick "Superman" Findley in Metropolis, Illinois (laughs). Not only his backyard but, the home of Clark Kent. This fight was a day before Fathers Day, I know I won the fight, even Derrick came in my locker room and then, my hotel after the fight, telling me and Terrific that he feels bad because they robbed us.

Three months later, I squared off against, Ray Smith of Little Rock, Arkansas in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Even though the fight was in New Jersey, I was the opponent. Ray was the primary sparring partner for the champion, Jermain Taylor and I was the primary sparring partner for the challenger Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlic. This was also a fight at super middleweight, a weight class that I walk around at, so I was also the smaller guy. That night I scored a 5th round TKO against Ray with no problem.

Three months later, with a record of 5-1 , I stepped in the ring against, Jimmy Campbell. His record at the time was 10-1 with 7 wins by way of KO's. Campbell had more KO's then I had fights, he was also part of Ricky Hatton's crew. That night Shane Mosley and Andre Berto sat ringside, as I stopped Campbell in the 1st round with a Hitman Hearns right hand. The next morning my friend Dwyke Flemmings head trainer of the I.S.O.B boxing club in Garfield New Jersey called me and said "Rich you know your not supposed to be winning right?"

I just laughed it off but even though I won, it seemed as if I took the lost, I didn't fight again until, April 12, 2008 when I faced Angel David Gonzalez a game fighter from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.This Fight was on the Cotto vs Gomez undercard I stepped in the ring with two hairline fractured ribs so I was forced to box him the whole night winning by unanimous decision but it was announced as a split decision until, Keith Idec of the Herald News for North Jersey approached all judges scoring the fight.

After the fight I didn't want to box anymore I rested for one week and started working for a Temp Agency but when you have bills and rent with extra responsibilities, as a man you risk your life to put food on the table, so I took a fight on four days notice to face off against Jamaal Davis. This was an ESPN Wednesday-night fight under card. Jamaal fights out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and fights on most of DiBella Entertainment cards. I was told this would be an easy fight But just hearing him hit the pads, I knew I was going to have to dig deep on this night.

For the first three rounds Jamaal was killing me with vicious body and head shots. I was not in shape to box. I shouldn't have even been in the ring so I had to make a choice, and that was to continue letting this animal eat on me or fight him off. So, I went into "Warmachine" mode not caring what I hit just letting my hands go, stopping him in the six round on cuts.

I took tremendous damage in the fight, I was urinating blood for days and, I couldn't turn my head for weeks. I was still recovering when I got the call to fight Don Mouton at 156lbs in Las Vegas, Nevada. Honestly I didn't want the fight. I barely made money off the Gonzalez or the Davis fights but I needed the money so I agreed, I went out to the fight as usual, on short notice without sparring or proper training I walked around the hotel for three days chewing and spitting to keep my weight under 157lb until, I got a call saying the contracts are going to be rewritten and the weight is now 160lb.

That night, I just gave up and wanted to go home because I realized its true about my team I was being used as an opponent and they was allowing it to happen. I went into the fight unfocused, drained, weak, and just did enough to get through the rounds. I had no fire or desire to win on top of it all, and that caused me to get knocked out, something I will never forgive myself for. Everyday I have to thank myself for it happening because now I'm in a zone.

I have a point to prove, I want the RING BELT and the ability to prove that there is a GOD, that's why I will still get in the ring as an opponent and under dog because I know that none of these fighters can beat me as long as I'm in shape. None of them from 160 lb. to 168 lb. I will face them.

I proved that last year when I came off a two year lay off and faced the undefeated fighter Reynaldo Rodriguez in his home town stopping him in the first round. Representing the Garden State as always and taking another 0 from someone giving them their first taste of being KO'ed. Sadly that fight has caused me to become avoided and now instead of the one week short notice now I only get two day notice to fight the promoters boy.

My point is this, I see a lot of investment going into fighters with amateur backgrounds but if I fought you and beat you, didn't I just take all your accomplishments away? I see fighters losing to fighters with double digit loses on their record but some how they are signed and loved. I'm not mad at the signed fighter, I'm just jealous of the fighter with the double digit loses because he is getting more action then I am. I believe fighters such as myself and Ossie Duran of Accra, Ghana has been and still is being screwed in the boxing world when the fighters like us are the fighters that come to perform and don't cry about who we will face.

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