WBO/NABO Lightweight Champion Henry Lundy Hammers RSR
Interview by Jeff Stoyanoff
“If you ain’t god, I ain’t scared of you.” – Henry “Hank” Lundy
This Friday should be an exciting night of boxing on Friday Night Fights on ESPN2. The card features a potentially scintillating main event pitting two promising fighters in what should be an all-action tilt. John Molina, JR., 20-1, 16 KO’s, will face off with Henry Lundy, 18-0-1, 10 KO’s, in Lincoln, Rhode Island this Friday. Lundy’s WBO NABO Lightweight Title will be on the line.
Molina is on the comeback trail after suffering his first loss at the hands of Martin Honorio last November. Since that loss, Molina has put together a pair of knockout wins, but he steps up his level of competition here as he travels to take on Hammerin’ Hank Lundy. Lundy is coming off of a pair of impressive wins against Richard Abril and Tyrese Hendrix in what has thus far been an outstanding 2010 for him. Lundy struggled somewhat with Abril in January gutting out a split decision win, but then was impressive securing an easy unanimous decision win against the previously unbeaten Tyrese Hendrix.
Beyond the storylines in the fight, is the match up itself. Lundy is an exciting, self described “TV friendly” fighter who should provide a stern test for the sturdy, power punching Molina. The fight has the potential of being an all out war as both men are obvious action fighters who have no problem mixing it up in the ring. In the meantime, a confident Lundy took some time to chat with Ringside Report about the biggest fight yet in his budding career.
JS: What have you seen from John Molina? And specifically, were you able to watch the tape of his loss to Martin Honorio and did you take anything away from that?
Actually I did, and John Molina is one dimensional. In that fight I saw that he can’t deal with a boxer. The key thing is he is real slow and my hand speed and my punching power are going to give him trouble.
JS: One of the things that jumps out is the height differential between the two of you. Molina is about 4 or 5 inches taller than you. But, in previous interviews, you have hardly seen that as a problem, why?
The key thing in this fight is that I have long arms for a lightweight and he will be surprised at how long my arms are. I guarantee that I will outbox him in this fight; I will be first on everything.
JS: One of the other striking differences between the two of you is that of experience. You have a stronger amateur background, but also as a professional, you have actually faced four undefeated fighters while he has only met one. Do you feel that you have an edge in not only experience, but experience against tougher competition? And, how might that play out in the fight?
A big difference because I know what it takes to get yourself ready to go in there and fight an undefeated fighter. It’s a certain place where you need to get yourself mentally and John Molina has not faced that kind of test yet. And I guarantee that he will be tested in this fight big time. And, I am not a fighter that he should talk down on or look over. He shouldn’t have taken this fight, basically.
JS: If he does have a calling card in the ring it appears to be punching power. His knockout percentage is over 70% so he has had some success stopping his opponents inside the distance. What do you make of his power? And how do you plan to deal with it in this fight?
I’m not worried about his power because of the sparring I have done here in Philadelphia. I am in there working with guys like Mike Jones who has to come down to fight at Welterweight. And, I have a number of other guys here that I work with that are much bigger so I’m not worried at all about the power of John Molina. And, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see. Molina has trouble with guys who can move and give him some angles and that is exactly what I am going to do.
JS: This fight is being billed as somewhat of a showcase for Molina as perhaps the more recognizable name. But, you have come from a different direction. Molina has already headlined on a few televised cards, while you are getting your first shot at a televised main event. Understanding how hard you have worked to get here; can you put into words what this kind of opportunity means to you?
Well, it’s a big opportunity. But, this is actually my third or fourth time on ESPN. Beyond that, I have been on TNA like three or four times. So, I’m TV friendly. John Molina is just in his father’s shadow. Hammerin’ Hank had to do everything on his own; had to fight these undefeated guys to let everyone know that I am a legitimate 135 to 140 pounder that’s willing to fight and to take on any and everybody. I’m not protected. I went in there as an opponent and upset a lot of guys. I know what it is like to come in there as an opponent and also what it’s like to be the headline guy. He doesn’t know that feeling yet.
JS: Molina is coming off a recent loss. He has won two straight since then but in fights that appeared to be very winnable for him. He is saying all the right things about how he has learned from the experience. But, do you feel that there is an opportunity here that if you can jump on him early that you might be able to rattle him and take him out of the fight?
Yes, and that’s the key thing. I know for sure that he said he has changed his game plan, but come on, you have had 21 professional fights. If you are used to just coming forward and brawling you are going to revert back to your old self once it gets hot in the kitchen; and it’s going to get hot in that kitchen. So the key thing for me is to take that first round in a big way from him and then after that just do what I have to do.
JS: For many fans, this will be their first good look at you as a fighter in this upcoming fight. What can you tell us about the kind of fighter you are and how you approach the game?
Hammerin’ Hank is a throwback fighter who ain’t scared of nobody. If you ain’t god, I ain’t scared of you. That’s the key thing, I am willing to take on the best that’s out there; anybody that steps in my way at 135 or 140. I am willing to take on any and everybody and that’s just how I am. I am a no nonsense fighter, if you claim you’re the best then I am coming at you.
JS: In your last two fights you have had two interesting and disparate performances. Against Richard Abril in January of this year, you faced some adversity. It was a tough fight that actually saw you down in the 6th round. Yet, you overcame that and managed to gut out a split decision win. What do you take away from a win like that?
I took a lot from that. In becoming a champ, you go through different processes and you have to know how to weather the storm in that ring. I give praise to god because without him I wouldn’t be nothing. But, he gives you that instinct when you are in that ring to overcome adversity. It isn’t just outside the ring, but in the ring you have to be smart and channel in on certain things. As a fighter, I don’t always like to watch tape because you never know when a fighter is going to change up his game plan and come at you with something different. So, I like to adjust in the ring and that’s what I did in that fight.
JS: Then in your most recent outing it was very much the opposite as you really dominated a previously unbeaten fighter in Tyrese Hendrix. You won that fight going away winning a wide unanimous decision. What do you take away from that kind of win as you move forward in your career?
I don’t want to take anything away from Tyrese Hendrix who is a very good fighter, but there was no way he could beat me. In that fight, a lot of people said that Hendrix could fight and that he could make it a fight. But, I wasn’t there to find out, I was there to be Hammerin’ Hank. I trained very hard and what I took from that fight was that anything I put my mind to, I can do. I didn’t care what everybody was saying. I knew what I trained for and I knew that I was not going to be denied.
JS: Jumping back then to the upcoming fight on July 9th against John Molina. He has said that he is a fighter, he is coming to fight, and that he plans on this being a “showcase” for him as a fighter. So, the question is, what are your plans for Friday?
You know, the world has already seen Hammerin’ Hank and the world has a big buzz about me right about now. John Molina is doing nothing but coming to get beat. That is how I look at it. He is just going to be another victim of Hammerin’ Hank and I guess when the years roll over maybe he’ll be one of those guys that they interview and ask him, what was it like fighting Hammerin’ Hank? Even though you got beat. He’s just going to be a stepping stone for me.
JS: What has you more upset right now; Molina trying to take your title? Or, that as John “The Hammer” Molina he is trying to steal your nickname?
(Laughs) Well, both really. I mean I have the title and there is no way that he is going to take that from me. But, really what has me most upset is that my beautiful daughter has her birthday on July 7th and I am going to miss it because I am here in camp. That has me real mad and I am going to have to take it out on John Molina on Friday.
Henry Lundy
Nickname: “Hank”
Division: Lightweight
Professional Record:18-0-1, 10 KO’s
Date Opponent W-L-D Location Result
2006-07-07 Steve Thomas 0-1-0 Hyannis, US W TKO 1
2006-08-09 Olade Thomas 0-0-0 Mashantucket, US W UD 4
2006-10-14 Michael Williams 3-2-0 Providence, US W TKO 1
2007-01-26 Jesse Francisco 1-3-0 Philadelphia, US W TKO 2
2007-05-11 Jose Velazquez 0-0-0 Lincoln, US W TKO 2
2007-06-01 Reggie Sanders 12-39-4 Philadelphia, US W UD 4
2007-06-20 Devarise Crayton 4-2-0 Mashantucket, US W TKO 2
2007-08-03 Andre Baker 7-26-2 Philadelphia, US W UD 4
2007-10-12 Starr Johnson 3-16-1 Philadelphia, US W TKO 1
2008-01-25 Damon Antoine 7-20-1 Philadelphia, US W UD 6
2008-03-28 Darnell Jiles Jr 8-0-0 Salamanca, US D PTS 4
2008-05-23 Esteban Almaraz 7-0-0 Lincoln, US W UD 4
2008-11-22 Ben Odamattey 12-10-2 New Town, US W UD 6
2009-04-24 Jason Cintron 10-0-0 Newark, US W KO 5
2009-07-17 Josh Beeman 4-3-3 Lincoln, US W TKO 5
2009-09-26 Justo Sanchez 17-23-1 Philadelphia, US W TKO 6
2009-10-31 Aldo Valtierra 25-11-0 Uncasville, US W TKO 1
2010-01-22 Richard Abril 12-1-1 Boston, US W SD 10
2010-04-16 Tyrese Hendrix 18-0-1 Memphis, US W UD 10
vacant WBO NABO Lightweight Title