Targeting Wladimir Klitschko: Larry “The Legend” Donald Speaks
Exclusive Interview by Mike “Rubber Warrior” Plunkett
“I would love to face Wladimir because most people look at him as being the real true heavyweight champion”. – Larry Donald
It’s amazing how boxing can become the focal point of one’s life. What starts out as an innocent act, the manly art of self defense as passed down from a father to a son, evolves into a pursuit over years that ultimately takes one to the highest honor; representation of a country on the world stage. But two decades, a highly successful amateur career and fifty professional bouts later that boy is a veteran prizefighter and former heavyweight contender bent on taking one last kick at the can. It was a pleasure to represent RSR and to sit down and chat with Larry Donald, 42-5-3, 24 KO’s, to look back at what started a notable and colorful journey through the various levels of prizefighting, a journey that as it stands today, is a story not yet completely written.
MP: How did you first get started with the sport of boxing? Were there any early influences that made you want to become a fighter?
My father used to box, back in his day in 1966. He fought in the regional Golden Gloves. When me and my brother were coming up, he used to teach us how to protect ourselves. I guess I was around ten or eleven. We used to box guys in the neighborhood, guys that were a lot older than us by about four or five years.
MP: Did you pattern yourself after anybody?
I really didn’t have any pattern. One day I just happened to be watching some fights with my father and Ali was fighting. When I saw Ali, I realized and said to my father, that’s my style of boxing right there. When he used to show me how to protect myself that’s what I used to do, bounce around like Ali. So Ali and my father, they were basically a great influence on my style of boxing.
MP: You had a highly successful amateur career; Golden Gloves super heavyweight champion in 1989, 1990, US National Amateur champion at super heavyweight for 1991. In 1992 you represented your country at the Olympic Games in Barcelona. What do you recall of that experience?
That experience really taught me a lot because I won the amateur world championship going into the Olympic Games. I was favored to win the Olympic Games but unfortunately it didn’t happen because of the way they set up the bracket with the two best guys fighting before the medal round. I went into the Olympic Games, I beat the Russians and I beat Germans and then I fought the Cubans right before the medal round and that stopped me from winning Olympic gold. I thought I won the fight but they had that new scoring system and things started to change. The Olympics were a great experience for me. Even right now today when I think about it because it was a big achievement for me right there; I was among the best athletes in the world. I was on the highest stage you could be on.
MP: You turned professional in January 1993 with a 2nd round TKO over one Craig Brinson. How did it feel to make a big impression in your pro debut and what do you recall of that moment?
That situation right there was very emotional for me. My sister was killed a year before that fight in ’92, she was murdered towards the end of ’92. Going into that fight was very emotional for me. She always told me I was her champion and I felt like a champion going into that fight
MP: Known for your mobility and slick boxing skills, you amassed a 12-0 record in a little over a year before facing the highly favored 15-0 Jeremy Williams on network television. You put it to him from the start, out-boxing him for the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title. You fought as if you had much more experience than you actually did at that point. Did your amateur experience on the world stage prepare you for such a big moment and what do you recall of Williams as an opponent?
I think that everything I did leading up to that fight really prepared me. Having a great amateur background and going into the pros really established me. Jeremy Williams, it’s funny, because we talked about that when he and I were amateurs. He always talked about fighting as a heavyweight but I never really took him seriously. I didn’t think he could move up and be a heavyweight
MP: Just a few fights later they put you in with former undisputed world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe who at that time had twice as many professional bouts as you did. In the days before the bout Bowe seemed to go off the deep end, sucker punching you at a press conference? Why do you think he did that?
He did that because us making the rounds talking up the match before the fight, he thought I was making him look silly in front of the people. It was basically all about promoting the fight. That fight right there, I really feel that I was ready for the fight but that press conference really took a lot out of me dealing with my whole situation of people around me and those in my camp. After that press conference, I really should have held off, but HBO thought it was best for me to move forward. They felt that my mindset was right for that particular fight at the time. Looking back, at the time I really didn’t understand because I was so upset. I went into that fight with anger and not with my sense of mind, so that took a lot out of me as far as me being able to think and execute my plan the way I really wanted to.
MP: You lost a unanimous decision to Bowe.
I thought Bowe was a good fighter, a great boxer at that time. I felt like he would have been my stepping stone right there and fulfilling my dream of becoming a heavyweight champion of the world.
MP: You handed former two-time heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon a convincing points loss in 1997, your mobility, hand speed and technique being key factors in your success. Was it difficult getting other top contenders to face you during this period?
Yes it was very difficult because of my style of boxing. Most heavyweights don’t want to go up against speed. They want somebody who is basically going to be right there in front of them. I was the type of fighter that moved in and out, side to side, and that type of style is very difficult for most heavyweights to deal with. Most heavyweights would rather deal with power than with speed, most don’t want to go up against speed or a fast pace.
MP: In November 2002, you were stopped by former WBO heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko over in Germany. What happened?
I wasn’t really prepared for that fight. I felt as though I was the better fighter but I wasn’t prepared because at that particular time I really didn’t have a trainer, so going into it I didn’t really have a game plan. Getting ready for the fight they’d bring in different guys trying to help me get ready but you know even though I was training good for it, I didn’t have a game plan because there was no trainer.
MP: You dominated Evander Holyfield in 2004, a win that propelled you to a title shot against 7’0 Nikolay Valuev for the WBA Inter-Continental heavyweight title in 2005. It looked as though you defeated Valuev only to lose a majority decision. What do you remember of that bout?
I remember I felt like I could have stopped Valuev if I had picked my pace up a little more in the earlier rounds. I realized it would be tough going over there and getting the decision but I really believed I could have gotten the decision in Germany.
MP: You came up short against Alexander Povetkin in June 2007, losing a wide decision. Was your desire fading by this point?
No it wasn’t fading. The thing was they caught me at a time when I wasn’t in training camp. I had difficulties with Don King; he and I weren’t on the best of terms. I wasn’t training because I wasn’t really fighting. He had me sitting on the shelf. I wasn’t really sharp or anything like that, and he caught me on two weeks or a week and a half notice. I told King I wasn’t prepared for that fight, but he would say that Povetkin was young and without much experience, telling me I could do this or do that. I realized that I wasn’t really ready for that fight but I went ahead and took the fight anyway.
MP: Of the fighters you faced, who had the most complicated style?
Believe it or not, Jeremy Williams. A fight that was very difficult was the Jeremy Williams fight. It may not have seemed like it but that was a tough fight. I was in there with somebody that had the speed and the power to hurt me if I wasn’t on top of my game at that time. Vitali Klitschko was difficult for me because I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t have a game plan. I didn’t have a trainer for that fight to get me right for the fight. My game plan was off for that fight.
MP: Is it true that you are training for a comeback?
Actually I’m in training right now. I’m looking for February but it may be pushed back a little later now. I’m working on getting some fights over in China and possibly Canada. I’m looking at those two places right now.
MP: If given the opportunity, between heavyweight champions Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko or David Haye, who would you like to face most?
Given the opportunity I would love to face Wladimir because most people look at him as being the real true heavyweight champion. Not taking anything away from his brother Vitali, Wladimir has been a good champion for the last four or five years.
MP: Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?
I’m still in the game and I feel I’m destined to be the heavyweight champion of the world. It’s not over with yet, I have a few more fights in me. Given the right fights I feel I can become the heavyweight champion of the world. Thank you.
(Interviewers note: I would like to thank Lonis Tuna for his faith and invaluable assistance in setting up this interview.)
Larry Donald
Nickname: ”The Legend”
Division: Heavyweight
Professional Record: 42-5-3, 24 KO’s
Date Opponent Location Result
1993-01-03 Craig Brinson Hollywood, US W TKO 2
1993-01-17 Bruce Johnson Las Vegas, US W TKO 2
1993-02-06 Louis Edward Jackson San Diego, US W KO 4
1993-03-14 Matthew Brooks Las Vegas, US W UD 6
1993-05-08 Will Hinton Stateline, US W TKO 4
1993-06-06 Daniel Dancuta Las Vegas, US W MD 6
1993-07-17 Al Shoffner Las Vegas, US W KO 5
1993-08-27 Mike Gans Beverly Hills, US W KO 3
1993-10-30 Kimmuel Odum Phoenix, US W TKO 1
1993-11-19 Eugene Adams Atlantic City, US W TKO 2
1993-12-16 Dwayne Hall Mashantucket, US W TKO 3
1994-02-13 Mike Dixon Atlantic City, US W TKO 6
1994-03-12 Jeremy Williams Las Vegas, US W MD 12
WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title
1994-04-14 Bert Cooper Bay Saint Louis, US W TKO 7
WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title
1994-06-04 Juan Antonio Diaz Reno, US W KO 6
WBA Fedelatin Heavyweight Title
1994-07-05 Dan Murphy Washington, US W UD 10
1994-12-03 Riddick Bowe Las Vegas, US L UD 12
WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title
1995-03-28 David Dixon Bay Saint Louis, US D TD 4
1995-09-16 Brian Sargent Las Vegas, US W TKO 2
1996-05-03 Will Hinton Moline, US W SD 10
1996-06-02 Jorge Valdes Shakopee, US W TKO 6
vacant WBO NABO Heavyweight Title
1996-08-08 Derrick Roddy Lake Charles, US W TKO 2
1996-11-08 Richard Mason Las Vegas, US W UD 10
1996-12-17 James Gaines Pikesville, US W UD 10
1997-01-24 Cleveland Woods Copenhagen, DK W PTS 8
1997-04-08 Ahmed Abdin Biloxi, US W UD 12
WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title
1997-06-05 Anthony Willis Atlantic City, US W TKO 9
1997-07-15 Jose Ribalta Rochester, US W TKO 6
1997-08-30 Jeff Lally Mar del Plata, AR W KO 3
1997-09-11 Tyrell Biggs Mashantucket, US W KO 2
1997-11-06 Ricardo Kennedy Biloxi, US W TKO 5
1997-12-13 Tim Witherspoon Mashantucket, US W UD 12
WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Title
1998-02-05 Levi Billups Worley, US W UD 10
1998-04-21 Ross Puritty Lake Charles, US W UD 10
1998-12-18 Mike Sedillo Fort Lauderdale, US W UD 10
1999-03-06 Artis Pendergrass Minneapolis, US W UD 10
1999-06-12 Marion Wilson Wilmington, US W TD 5
1999-12-11 Jeff Lally Tunica, US W TKO 2
2000-02-29 Mark Bradley Las Vegas, US W TKO 2
vacant WBO NABO Heavyweight Title
2000-05-25 Phil Jackson Tunica, US W KO 5
2000-11-28 Obed Sullivan Las Vegas, US D MD 12
WBO NABO Heavyweight Title
2001-07-07 Kirk Johnson Brooklyn, US L UD 12
2002-06-01 James Stanton Atlantic City, US W UD 10
2002-11-23 Vitali Klitschko Dortmund, DE L TKO 10
WBA Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title
2004-05-15 Sedreck Fields Las Vegas, US W UD 10
2004-08-07 Mario Cawley Kenner, US W TKO 3
2004-11-13 Evander Holyfield New York, US W UD 12
2005-04-30 Ray Austin New York, US D MD 12
2005-10-01 Nikolay Valuev Oldenburg, DE L MD 12
WBA Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title
2007-06-30 Alexander Povetkin Moscow, RU L UD 10