A talk with Jameel McCline's manager

Boxingtalk sat down with professional boxing manager Scott Hirsch and got his thoughts on the performance put forth by Jameel McCline against Sam Peter.  Hirsch manages McCline, who had Sam Peter down three times in his effort to become the heavyweight champion.  Hirsch makes a few things clear in this interview, one being, McCline wants a rematch, two being, they feel that byPeter's co-promoter Dino Duva allegedly looking at the scorecards, it may have influenced the scoring of the fight.

BT – Scott, Jameel McCline came oh-so-close to beating Sam Peter. It was a close fight.

SH – I agree with you, it was a very close fight.  Jameel caught Sam with a vicious uppercut, he put him down in the third round.  He had him down twice, and for what ever reason, the referee Mike Ortega gave Sam a very extended period of time to recover, I believe it was us up to 14 seconds.  It gave Sam enough time to clear out the cobwebs.  I just don't understand.  I feel that Jameel did enough to win the fight, the scoring by two of the judges made no sense at all to me though.

BT – What are your thoughts on the report that Peter's co-promoter Dino Duva looked over the shoulder of the judge, and looked at the scorecards?

SH – Well before I comment, let me say that I don't believe that Dino in anyway would do anything intentionally, or in a corrupt manner.  What I do believe, is  that during the heat of the moment with Sam being down three times, his nerves got the better of him and he approached the official scorers three times after being told not to.  Without any attempt, and without any malice, I believe that it can absolutely have an impact on how the judges score the fight.  With the rounds being as close as they were, it could have had an impact on how they scored the round.  Obviously the New York Athletic Commission felt it was serious enough, with the fine and suspension that they handed down.

BT – The WBC just mandated the fight between Peter and Maskaev, what are your thoughts on that?

SH – As you know, they mandated that fight to happen on three different occasions, so I don't know if Oleg Maskaev is inclined to fight Sam Peter.  I think it's a real possibility that Maskaev and Klitschko will never fight.  We had a contract to fight Klitshko to fight on September 22nd, and at the last minute he pulled out.  Maskaev avoided fighting Peter sighting injuries.  Jameel went in there like a warrior coming off major knee surgery, and I would hope that the World Boxing Council would recognize that.  I don't think that they should jump the gun without looking at the facts here.  I don't think Sam Peter will ever fight Maskaev, the fans want the fight that makes sense, and that's a rematch with Peter vs McCline.  In any case, Jameel's effort, along with the Duva controversy, and the judges, there is no alternative but to have a rematch Peter vs McCline.  If they are going to run from a rematch, that doesn't sit right with me.

BT – Recently, Jameel McCline was alleged to have had something to do with steroids [receiving shipments].  With that said, he just tested negative, and he's tested negative for years.  What are your thoughts on that?

SH – I haven't spoken to him about that in any length, or detail.  Jameel is a clean living guy who has proven again, and again, that he's clean.  I wasn't going to bring this up right before his fight, and since the tests came back negative, there really isn't much to say.

BT – Do you feel that by Jameel training for Vitali, and then ultimately having to fight Sam Peter, it had an impact on his performance?

SH – No, I don't believe it was the training for a taller opponent, Jameel has years of experience.  I do believe that he peeked for September 22nd, and then had to fight two weeks later that may have had an impact.  I believe he handled it as well as anyone could have handled it.  We are very proud of Jameel's performance.   The fight had very poor officiating, but I give Sam Peter credit for fighting on.  At no point did he hurt Jameel, at no point did he dominate, and at no point did he show that he's the better fighter.  Jameel showed the world that Sam Peter is not the monster that everybody said he is, and even if he is, he's not when Jameel McCline is in the ring with him.

BT – I talked to Sam Peter the other day, and he admitted to me that he was surprised by how fast Jameel's hand speed was.

SH – His hand speed for a guy his size is very underrated.  For a man 265 pounds, he has extremely fast hands, and he also showed that he can punch.  To see him in the last three world title fights, to lose by a split decision to Byrd, which I thought he won.  Then he was beating Valuev until he blew out his knee, and now with the controversy with this fight, he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that deserves a rematch.

BT – Talk about the rest of your stable.

SH – Well I also have J.D. Chapman, a heavyweight   He will fight November 3rd in Arkansas.  He's fighting Marcus Rhode, a veteran that has been in there with some big names.  The guy has been in there with Shannon Briggs, McCline, Brewster, Klitschko.  This fight is a measuring stick for JD, and maybe by next year we'll step him up against one of the contenders.  Shannon Briggs is busy with acting, and other outside business opportunities, but he's about to start training next week.  I think you'll see big things from Briggs in the ring in 2008.   I am bringing on some new prospects that I can't talk about yet. 

BT – Do you have any closing thoughts for the fans?

SH – Always like talking to you guys at Boxingtalk.  Jameel did what he needed to do to get a rematch, and me and my attorney will do everything in our power to see that it happens.

A

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