Lanardo Tyner Interview: Returning To Fight The Welterweight Best
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In a Real Combat media interview exclusive, former welterweight contender Lanardo Tyner, now training out of his hometown of Detroit, Michigan, who has not fought officially since August 2014, spoke about his planned ring comeback which will take place soon, his boxing goals, past wars, his 12 round exhibition bout this past March 2016 with Shawn Porter in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather Jr., and the boxing scene today. Tyner has a professional record of 30 wins, 10 losses, and two draws with 19 knockouts. He has fought boxing’s best, including Lamont Peterson, Adrian Granados, Antwone Smith, Antonio DeMarco and Saul Alvarez, has served as a sparring partner of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Robert Brizel: “Lanardo, Where are you training now?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I am training in Detroit at the World’s Best Boxing Gym.”
Robert Brizel: “Are you the world’s best in the 147 pound welterweight division?”
Lanardo Tyner: “Yes. I’m trying to prove it!”
Robert Brizel: “We last met face to face in Floyd’s gym when I interviewed Mickey Bey.”
Lanardo Tyner: “Yeah. We was in Mayweather’s Gym (in) Las Vegas.”
Robert Brizel: Lanardo, what have you been up to since then?”
Lanardo Tyner: “You know working, training
Robert Brizel: Tell me about your exhibition fight with Shawn Porter. How did that come about?”
Lanardo Tyner: “One of his people knew me and gave me a call, and I said I would do it.”
Reader’s Note: Keith Thurman versus Shawn Porter was postponed after Thurman got injured in a car accident. The rescheduled fight will take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, as the main event on Saturday, June 25, 2016.
Robert Brizel: “Where was it held?”
Lanardo Tyner: “It was held on March 12, 2016, in Las Vegas at Shawn Porter’s gym, the Porter Hy-Performance Center.”
Robert Brizel: “How many rounds?”
Lanardo Tyner: “12 rounds, three minutes each, with head gear and 16 ounce gloves, (but it was) like a regular fight, with a referee and everything.”
Robert Brizel: “How much did you weigh at that point?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I weighed 155 pounds for my exhibition bout with Porter, and Porter weighed 154 or 155 pounds.”
Robert Brizel: “What did you learn as a welterweight fighter by fighting a 12 rounder with a world champion caliber boxer like Shawn Porter?”
Lanardo Tyner: “There is another good guy (high quality fighter) I could match my superior boxing skills up with, and I boxed him.”
Robert Brizel: “Do you have a promoter right now? Are you still in touch with (your Chicago ex-promoters) Wasfi and Cynthia Tolaymat?”
Lanardo Tyner: “No, but I’m still cool with them we get along.”
Robert Brizel: “In your last bout in August 2014, you had former world lightweight champion Antonio DeMarco down in the first round. Did you feel you beat him?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I had three days of notice. He is a southpaw. He is Antonio DeMarco. My not being in top shape, I couldn’t whup him up enough to finish him off liked I used to once I dropped him.”
Reader’s Note: After defeating Tyner, DeMarco lost three consecutive decisions to fighters with a combined record of 72-0-1. DeMarco’s last four losses, all decisions, were to fighter with a combined record of 97-0-1 at the time he fought them.
Robert Brizel: “Is there anybody out there you would like to fight?”
Lanardo Tyner: “All the top guys. Whoever I can get a title shot with or a number one (ratings slot for fighting them and winning.”
Robert Brizel: “Do you think Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight again?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I hope so.”
Robert Brizel: “Do you think his next opponent will be Danny Garcia?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I don’t know. That matchup would be good.”
Robert Brizel: “What about Floyd fighting the winner of Keith Thurman versus Thurman Porter this weekend?”
Lanardo Tyner: “If Thurman (the World Boxing Association World Welterweight champion at 26-0) wins, he should get a shot at Floyd.”
Robert Brizel: “Should Shawn Porter get a shot at Floyd if Porter wins?”
Lanardo Tyner: “I don’t think so. Porter needs one more fight. Porter needs to win two big fights before Floyd will fight him. If either of them (Thurman or Porter, the one who wins) then beat Danny Garcia (the 32-0 World Boxing Council World Welterweight champion), they should get Floyd.”
Robert Brizel: “If Danny Garcia beats either Keith Thurman or Shawn Porter, should Garcia then be given a fight with Floyd?”
Lanardo Tyner: “Yes. If he (Garcia) beats either one of them, he should get to fight Floyd.”
Robert Brizel: “Can you explain to me the modern day definition of a super fighter?”
Lanardo Tyner: “A super fighter is Floyd right now. Floyd cannot knock out the competition (at this point) but he can beat the competition.”
Robert Brizel: “Let’s look at today’s top heavyweights, world champions Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. They are actually fighting to reach super fighter status, correct?”
Lanardo Tyner: “Yes. Yep. They haven’t got enough people (top quality opponents) to make them a super fighter. There aren’t enough fighters (in the heavyweight division) to make them into super fighters. Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitchko never fought a super fighter.”
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