In The Ring Entertainment: Exclusive Interview With Sylvester Jones
By Robert Brizel, In The Ring Entertainment Correspondent
Recently at ringside in Queens, New York, I got to sit with my usual pal Sylvester ‘Sly’ Jones, also a boxing and Mixed Martial Arts reporter. When the boxing card was over, we left ringside with our boxing reporter buddies to watch the Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Robert Guerrero bout on Pay-Per-View from Las Vegas, Nevada, on the third floor big screens at Resorts World Casino Aqueduct Raceway.
It isn’t often that two boxing reporters get to watch some boxing when they are not reporting, talk about what they see, the general goings on in the boxing universe, their view of the fights in progress, and the overall fight game out there. So Sly and I had a great night, watching Floyd make Plaster of Paris out of poor Robert ‘Ghost’ Guerrero (who probably wishes now he was a ghost since if a ghost can’t be seen, it can’t be hit).
Sly (as friends call him) founded a new internet website In The Ring Entertainment found online at http://www.intheringentertainment.net/ everyone………..check it out.
It proved interesting for this boxing reporter to interview the other boxing reporter! Sly is the founder, creator and visionary of the newest online boxing and Mixed Martial Arts site, In The Ring Entertainment. In an exclusive interview, Sly Jones gave his views on boxing, including Floyd Mayweather Jr. thoughts.
Robert: “Sly, tell about the hood rap music on your In The Ring home page.”
Sylvester Jones: “I’m originally from Brooklyn (New York), so the rap song you hear when you come onto the In The Ring Entertainment site is called ‘In Brooklyn We Go Hard’ by Jay-Z. It’s a Brooklyn rap. That’s my theme song. When I wake up in the morning, that song makes me get up and work hard, bringing people to my site. That record makes me do it, because I’m from Brooklyn, Brownsville Brooklyn actually.”
‘In Brooklyn We Go Hard’ sing on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2UneYEaY-s
Robert: “Who are the great fighters out of Brownsville Brooklyn?”
Sylvester Jones: “You have Iron Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Zab Judah and Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. I used to see Mustafa Muhammad in front of building, and we used to talk. He gave me inspiration.”
Robert: “What did you do with yourself before you created your boxing and MMA site?”
Sylvester Jones: “I was an Asbestos removal supervisor, with a lot of Asbestos handling. It’s dangerous work, but it’s good pay. You just have to make sure you are covered up (protected) and wrapped up. I made sure I came out well-protected. Asbestos work is dangerous. I left my work in the Asbestos field because the firms I worked for were subcontracted out, and in the end, I was not getting paid on time. I didn’t want to get involved in chasing people down to get paid.”
Robert: “Sly, there are a lot of boxing and MMA sites out there, Real Combat Media, Boxing Scene, Boxing News, Doghouse, just to name a few. What made you believe you could create and promote a new concept, social boxing and MMA on an internet site which people would want to find?”
Sylvester Jones: “Because I put my heart into it. I made this site to reach out to the youth. This is a social boxing and Mixed Martial Arts network where the youth, fans, everyone can get on here and talk with each other, even right after the fight, get online and talk with the fighters. It takes the athletes to inspire youth to better themselves. A lot of youth get caught up in unnecessary stuff. If you are talking to a lot of athletes, and athletes tell you how to better yourself. A rapper gets caught up in too much stuff in his rapping. An athlete is talking about keeping his body healthy.”
Robert: “When did your social boxing and MMA site open up online?”
Sylvester Jones: “My site was founded in the Spring of 2011. I started reporting by covering (my first boxing card) at Joe DeGuardia’s fight card in Albany, New York. Heavyweight Tor Hamer beat Rafael Pedro on that card.”
Robert: ” Tor Hamer has a fight on July 27, 2013, in Macao, China, against Andy Ruiz, the former five time Mexican National Amateur champion. I think Tor Hamer really needs some step up fights. Do you agree?”
Sylvester Jones: “I do agree. I don’t really think Tor is ready for a lot of hard hitters. I believe this (the Andy Ruiz fight) will be a tough fight for Tor, the toughest fight he’s ever fought. We’re going to see what Tor’s made of.”
Reader Notes: Heavyweight Tor Hamer, 30 years old, is 21-0. Ruiz, 23, a fie time Mexican amateur champion with an amateur record of 105-5, is 18-0.
Robert: “Many critics said Robert Guerrero would pick Floyd Mayweather Jr. apart, but it didn’t happen. Your take on the Mayweather versus Guerrero fight you watched in the casino with me.”
Sylvester Jones: “I believe Floyd Mayweather Jr. is just an exceptional fighter. Floyd knows that ring. He’s like Michael Jackson on stage. The ring is his. It’s Floyd’s show all the way. I think FLoyd could have knocked Guerrero out way earlier. I think Floyd just played with him to put on a good show. I think Floyd does that with everybody.”
Robert: “What about Canelo Alvarez? What about Adrien Broner? What about Paul Spadafora? What about Danny Garcia? Can Floyd beat them, or will he get taken as he gets older?”
Sylvester Jones: “I don’t see anybody who can beat Floyd now, based on (his performance in) his last six fights. Is Floyd getting better? It looks that way.”
Real Combat Media: “Could Edwin Valero have beaten Floyd?”
Sylvester Jones: “I don’t see anybody out there capable of beating Floyd. There are trained fighters and professionals (out there), they can go the distance with him, but I don’t see anyone beating Floyd. Right now, he’s too good, I don’t see anybody going up against him that will beat him.”
Real Combat Media: “Floyd signed a Showtime deal for six fights, and five are left. Can the current version of Floyd Mayweather Jr. today still beat five more of the best fighters out there? Even including Sergio Gabriel Martinez at middleweight?”
Sylvester Jones: “Whoever they put in front of Floyd right now, Floyd’s gonna pick them apart.”
Robert: “Was the Manny Pacquiao potential fight with Floyd overhyped?”
Sylvester Jones: “Yes. I look at both of them. Look at where Manny Pacquiao is now (after the knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez). I don’t think the (widely discussed) proposed Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Manny Pacquiao super fight should been as hyped up as it was. But I wish I could have seen both of them fight, and watch Mayweather pick Pacman apart.”
Robert: “Tell me about the prospects coming up and the promoters in New York City? Can Joe DeGuardia, Lou DiBella, and Felipe Gomez move their fighters?”
Sylvester Jones: “Yes. They can move their fighters. I would say they are the best promoters in the New York City area right now. I give Felipe Gomez a thumbs up. For him (Felipe) to grow from a matchmaker into a promoter, I definitely give Felipe a thumbs up.”
Robert: “We’ve talked about the dilemma of female fighters in New York City. Why do you think promoters do not have much of an interest in female boxers today?”
Sylvester Jones: “I think promoters think they aren’t going to make as much money off of the females. I don’t think promoters feel they can sell enough tickets with female bouts. Females have to be promoted a little bit more.”
Robert: “what’s next for Sly Jones and In The Ring Entertainment?”
Sylvester Jones: “Hopefully a couple big fights for reporting coming up, (including) getting down to Las Vegas. I would like to cover a couple of fights down there in Vegas, especially boxing shows by Lou DiBella, Don King, Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy. These are the people I was looking at from the other side on the television when I was younger. Now I am working with them, and I am looking forward to that.”
Robert: “Thank you Sly, and best wishes for your continued success with your new boxing and MMA social network internet site In The Ring Entertainment.”
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