Trey Lippe Morrison: Training With Freddie Roach, Adjusting to Life in LA and Becoming His Own Person

Exclusive interview by Jesse “New School” Wright

“It was a little intimidating in the beginning. I took it as encouragement because I’m the smallest person on the totem pole now. All these guys started at that point before they got to where they are. So I take that as a challenge that I’m at the bottom now, and I need to work my way up to become something.” — Trey Lippe Morrison

Throughout my conversation with Trey, I kept getting the urge to double check that I was talking to the right person. Was this the same ring maverick I saw tearing through opponents like they owed him money that I saw in all the fights I watched when scouting him? The guy on the other line was way too nice. It was hard to get my head around the fact that this 26 year old stud heavyweight could be so polite and soft spoken. That’s just Trey though. His obsession with testing himself comes from deep within, and he doesn’t need or want to talk a big game. With Freddie Roach in his corner now, the best is certainly yet to come.

JW: In your interview with “Bad” Brad, one thing you talked about that stood out to me is that you didn’t know how hard boxing would be. You also said that once you learned how to slip punches and move around, the process became fun. What got you over that initial hump when it wasn’t fun?

You know, I wanted it, I really wanted to become a good boxer. I wanted that more than I wanted to fail. That’s just helped me stick with it. I wanted to be successful at sports and I knew if I couldn’t overcome this, then I’d fail.

JW: You were playing college ball (football) before this. Is there a fear of failure that if you don’t succeed with boxing then it’s the end of the line for sports?

Yeah… I mean that’s what it is for me at that point yeah.

JW: So on that subject, you played college ball, and had a pretty successful career and then started boxing. With boxing, was that something you always knew you would end up doing?

No, I had no clue I was gonna end up boxing. I dreamed of boxing when I was playing football just because I saw my Dad doing it and I always thinking “I wonder if I could do it?” At that time, I had no clue how to start in boxing. So once football ended and I found my start in it… Thank God for Tony Holden because he started everything and he’s the reason I am where I’m at right now.

JW: Did your dad ever push you to box?

Yeah, he wanted me to do it, but at the time, football was still my main concern and I was still doing good at football. I didn’t have time to get into it when he was pushing me to get in to boxing because I was so busy with football.

JW: Comparing football to boxing, which one do you feel like you’ve gotten more out of, and what is the reason for that?

I don’t know if I can fully answer that because boxing is not over yet. I haven’t fully gotten everything out of boxing yet. Off the start, football had more to offer for me from the get go. I feel like I went better with it. I don’t know until I finish boxing.

JW: I spoke to Randy Rouse and he is a great, humble guy. One thing Randy told me is that he pounds humility in to his fighters and almost shames guys for having a big ego. Did that attitude help you to grow as a fighter and to not get ahead of yourself when you trained with him?

Yeah, I think it helped tremendously. Being arrogant can get you in trouble at any point.

JW: Your dad had a big reputation. You have a ton of potential yourself as well. With your dad being such a successful fighter, is there any pressure to meet expectations to be as good as him?

At the beginning I felt it, but now I learned to turn it off because I’m going to be my own person. No matter how I am, people are going to compare me to my dad regardless. I just learned to tune that out and be my own person. At first it was added pressure, but now, not really.

JW: Does it get a lot easier once you become your own person and make your own reputation?

I’m trying to become my own man, I don’t know if I’ve built my own reputation yet. Becoming your own person really helps. You’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do for you. Whatever comes with it comes with it.

JW: You’re over at Wild Card now. What have you learned since starting with Freddie Roach?

You know, I’ve learned a lot of things, a lot of little things. He looks at my style and tells me things that can go along good with my style or things I need to take out. It’s all just little things. He hits all the little things on the head and it makes a big difference.

JW: When you leave the small town to train in LA and it’s one of the biggest gyms in boxing, is it intimidating seeing so many big name fighters?

Yeah, it was a little intimidating in the beginning. I took it as encouragement because I’m the smallest person on the totem pole now. All these guys started at that point before they got to where they are. So I take that as a challenge that I’m at the bottom now, and I need to work my way up to become something.

JW: Has anyone ever given you a hard time being the new guy, whether it’s in sparring or just busting your chops?

No, not too bad. They’re all pretty good and work with me. They’ve all been able to teach me something.

JW: What was the adjustment like moving from Oklahoma to Los Angeles?

It’s a big adjustment. I still haven’t fully adjusted to it. Training-wise everything is good, but living wise it’s a big change. I mean, it’s a lot faster, a lot bigger, everything’s busier.

JW: What have you learned about yourself since moving out to Los Angeles?

Umm, I don’t know (laughs). I guess I learned I can overcome things I don’t like or that I’m not comfortable with. I wasn’t comfortable with moving out as far as California, but I learned I can make myself comfortable with it.

JW: I’m going to give you some fun questions. When you spoke to “Bad” Brad, you told him that you were listening to a lot of Drake. If we pulled out the IPod, what would be on it right now?

I’m still listening to a lot of him!

JW: Really?

Yeah! I like him. I’m one of them guys where I kinda listen to something and I stick with it for a while.

JW: Before you get in there to spar with these big name guys, are you listening to “Hotline Bling?” (both laugh)

You know, I’ll be listening to whatever comes on. That’s definitely on the IPod.

JW: In a lot of gyms, it’s usually the music they put on anyways. You can’t really wear headphones when you’re at the gym because they’ll chew you out.

Usually, when I go training I never put the headphones on, it’s always just what they have playing.

JW: Out in LA, is it 100% boxing or do you have other activities going on? What’s the life for you in a regular week in LA?

I work out three times a day, so I’m either working out or if I’m not doing that, I’m resting. It’s all about boxing.

JW: No videogames? No Fight Night or anything like that?

Oh yeah! In my rest time I watch TV and play a lot of videogames.

JW: Nice. Are you a Fight Night guy?

Yeah. I’m a nerd so I play all types of stuff.

JW: What system do you use and what’s your favorite game?

PS4 is the system. I play Call of Duty, Elder Scrolls online, lots of stuff.

JW: If you weren’t fighting, what would you be doing?

If I wasn’t fighting, I’d probably be in another sport. Just trying to find a way in to that sport, whatever it is. It’d be doing it, or helping somebody else do it. It would have to be a test.

JW: I know it’s early to ask a question like this, but what do you want out of your boxing career?

I’d like to win a belt honestly. That’s the goal is to see if I can win that belt and become that guy. Any other goal would come after working up from there.

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