Greatest I Confronted: Randall Bailey

The devastating energy of Randall Bailey helped him win world titles in two weight lessons, first as a whole unknown within the late Nineties after which once more as a seasoned veteran 13 years later, when, trailing on the scorecards, he proved that he nonetheless had dynamite in his gloves.

Bailey was born close to Miami, Florida, on September 13, 1974. His dad and mom weren’t collectively and he was introduced up by his mom and older sister.

“I began in Liberty Metropolis, and in 1981 we moved to Carol Metropolis (a neighborhood in Miami Gardens). Rising up, it was tough,” Bailey advised The Ring. “Loads of medicine, poverty. I see now what it was, however as a child you don’t concentrate. You assume that’s regular. My sister was like my bodyguard; she did all of the preventing. She didn’t play no video games.”

As a teenager, Bailey and his pal handed a boxing fitness center whereas on a bus, and he was intrigued. When he was 13, he was invited to attempt it out.

“On my first day on the fitness center, I discovered to throw a jab and a proper hand. On my second day on the fitness center, I used to be sparring with somebody who had 5 fights already,” he recalled. “All I used to be doing was utilizing my jab and proper hand, and I used to be just about dominating him with that after being within the fitness center two days.”

Bailey had simply 19 novice fights, going 15-4. 

“I actually didn’t practice quite a bit as an novice,” he stated. “I’d go practice, and cease, and my coach would name and me: ‘We obtained fights subsequent week.’ I’d be like, ‘OK, I’m coming to the fitness center.’ So, I’d practice for per week … (laughs) … to prepare for a battle on the finish of the week.”

Bailey didn’t initially end college, although he later went again and accomplished his high-school diploma. Within the meantime, he had some run-ins with the regulation in his late teenagers.

“I had little odd jobs, however I used to be on the streets – I used to be a road child,” he stated. “I used to be doing all sorts of nonsense, enjoying with weapons, that would have gotten me killed or in jail.”

Bailey spent a day in jail for being caught in possession of a gun in 1993. He was caught a second time in the summertime of 1995, which meant a two-month keep, and he knew he wanted to make some adjustments to his life.

“Once I obtained out of jail and I ended up discovering a job, I’m making freaking 200-some {dollars} each two weeks – that wasn’t what it was gonna be,” he stated. “I needed to get it collectively, actual fast.”

Years earlier, Bailey had change into associates with Freddie Pendleton, who was the IBF light-weight champion within the early Nineties. Pendleton acknowledged Bailey’s prowess.

“He took me below his wing and he all the time advised me each time I used to be able to be severe, let him know,” he defined. “Upon getting out of jail and discovering a job I didn’t like, I ended up quitting that job and calling him, and he introduced me proper in. I began coaching with him in camp when he was preparing for a battle with Felix Trinidad.”

Bailey weighs in alongside Rocky Martinez forward of their April 2000 battle in Paris. Bailey defended his WBO 140-pound title for the second time with a sixth-round stoppage. (Photograph by Olivier Morin/AFP through Getty Photographs)

Bailey, who made $250 for his skilled debut, scored a first-round knockout over Fernando Granda in April 1996. He reeled off 12 wins, all inside the gap, earlier than signing with Don King within the fall of 1997 and preventing on the undercard of Vince Phillips’ IBF title protection in opposition to Pendleton (Bailey scored a first-round TKO).

He continued to rack up the wins till an enormous alternative got here his approach in Could 1999.

“Vince Phillips was imagined to get that battle with [WBO 140-pound titleholder] Carlos Gonzalez, however one thing occurred with him they usually wanted a substitute, and I assume they wished to search out somebody native,” he recalled. “All people within the Don King workplace was like, ‘Give it to Randall.’ They beloved me within the workplace. When Don King used to do exhibits in Miami, I’d truly work. I’d drive the van and choose fighters up on the airport, take them to the lodge – I did that type of stuff and no one knew who I used to be. 

“On a unique event, Carlos Gonzalez’s individuals had come down and I drove for them. After they came upon I used to be a fighter, they had been like, ‘Allow us to battle the motive force.’ (laughs) However this wasn’t a type of Mexican cab drivers they thought it was gonna be! (laughs) Don was a little bit suspicious at first. He didn’t wish to do it. I used to be like, ‘Do it.’ My coach was like, ‘Do it.’ All people within the workplace was like, ‘Give Randall the shot.’ And he went forward and did it. I used to be 18-0 (18 knockouts). I used to be prepared. I used to be ranked within the prime 10. I took that battle with two weeks’ discover. 

“File-wise, he was the most effective man I had fought, however I fought opponents that basically got here to battle. I noticed tapes of this man and I already knew I used to be going to knock this man out. I believed it will go 4 or 5 [rounds].” 

It didn’t take that lengthy. Bailey landed an enormous left hook that almost decapitated the defending champion within the opening spherical. After hitting the canvas exhausting, Gonzalez tried to make it to his toes however was clearly in no place to proceed and was rescued by the referee after simply 41 seconds had elapsed. 

Bailey would make two defenses of his belt in opposition to former title challengers Hector Lopez (TKO 9) and Rocky Martinez (RTD 6). In hindsight, nonetheless, Bailey needs he’d taken extra day off and feels that contributed to him surprisingly dropping his title and unbeaten document in his third protection.

“I fought December in opposition to Lopez and April Martinez, and in July I’m preventing [Ener] Julio,” he defined. “You’ve obtained to recollect, within the Martinez battle, my hand was tousled. 

“I used to be knocking them out. I assume they felt I might maintain going. After the Ener Julio battle, the primary knuckle on my proper hand had swollen so huge I needed to go to the hospital they usually needed to drain it.”

He obtained again on the horse with 4 wins (all of his victories nonetheless inside the gap) earlier than dropping to Diosbelys Hurtado (TKO 7). Quickly after that, he did not regain his outdated WBO title in opposition to the tough DeMarcus Corley (UD 12).

“Life began to set in,” he admitted. “I used to be attempting to alter up my model a little bit bit, as a result of they’d figured me out.”

Bailey was outpointed up at welterweight by Ishe Smith (UD 12) earlier than dropping to WBO junior welterweight titlist Miguel Cotto (TKO 6), each in 2004. 

Bailey takes a swing at Mike Jones throughout their IBF welterweight title battle in June 2012. (Photograph by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Photographs)

“I actually didn’t begin to be taught boxing totally till after the Cotto battle,” he stated. “After the Cotto battle, I actually needed to have a mirror speak with myself, and I stated to myself, ‘If I don’t discover any person that may educate me what I must know, I in all probability ought to retire.’ 

“I discovered that any person was Norman Wilson. After the Cotto battle, I fought one time after which I took a complete yr off. I spent that point within the fitness center with Norman – coaching, drilling, studying – and he confirmed me and obtained me again to the place I understood what I used to be doing.”

The outcome was a extra well-rounded Bailey who went 11-1 in his subsequent dozen fights, together with an eight-round resolution victory over Corley. He then met Juan Urango for the IBF 140-pound title in August 2009. Bailey put up a gallant effort however was stopped within the penultimate spherical.

It prompted him to step as much as welterweight, the place he stayed lively and was offered with a battle in opposition to the youthful, greater Mike Jones for the vacant IBF title on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao-Tim Bradley in Las Vegas in June 2012.

Nevertheless, whereas he had loads of discover for the battle, Bailey’s coaching camp was removed from very best. His coach at that time was John David Jackson, who had a number of different fighters and wasn’t capable of give Bailey the eye he wanted.

“All I knew in my head was if he provides me one alternative to hit him, I’m going to knock him out.”

“I just about skilled myself. I had my agent, Chico Rivas, carry all my fitness center gear to my home and put it in my storage,” he revealed. “I mainly did most of my coaching at dwelling in my storage, simply getting my physique robust, and would simply go to the fitness center for sparring. I knew I’d be robust and there wasn’t going to be an excessive amount of he might do to harm me.”

At 37 years outdated, Bailey was a 4-to-1 underdog, however he remained centered on the duty in hand.

“All I knew in my head was if he provides me one alternative to hit him, I’m going to knock him out,” he stated. “I advised everyone I used to be going to knock him out, and he gave me the chance when he slowed down. I knew he was going to maneuver quite a bit after the primary spherical once I grazed him and he took off on me. I knew he was going to remain away and transfer quite a bit.”

Bailey was extensively behind and wanted a knockout because the klaxon signaled the ultimate 10 seconds of Spherical 10. He threw a jab adopted by a booming proper hand down the center that dropped Jones flat on his again. The youthful artificial it to his toes and the bell sounded to finish the spherical. 

“I knew his coach had an enormous ego and would ship him out to come back to me [in Round 11] like he was again in management. I type of baited him in a little bit bit and threw a wild proper hand as a result of I knew he was going to dam it. When he was coming again, he’s throwing his jab along with his chin tucked inside his jab. I let him do his pitty-pat factor, and when he threw the jab on the market, I used to be setting him as much as slip and hit him with the uppercut, as a result of I knew he’d be sitting there for it. And that was it.”

Jones walked into the power-punch and was dropped closely. He tried to make his technique to his toes however was rescued by referee Tony Weeks.

“Me, my supervisor, Si Stern, my lawyer, we went and obtained one thing to eat,” Bailey stated of the aftermath. “We sat round for a short time, after which I went upstairs and obtained on the telephone. (laughs) I believe I had over 100 textual content messages, over 100 voicemails. I believe I used to be attempting to answer to everyone.”

In the meantime, the battle to make 147 kilos was all too obvious.

“If I couldn’t get the Pacquiao battle, I’d transfer up,” he stated. “I had some associates of mine attain out to Bob Arum, and he mainly hung up the telephone. 

“My necessary was arising and would have been Kell Brook. No person was screaming to battle me. My intention was to maneuver as much as 154 and battle the IBF champion, which might have been [Cornelius] “K9″ Bundrage on the time, however they’d different plans for me.”

Bailey vs. Devon Alexander. (Photograph by Naoki Fukuda)

Finally, Bailey fought Devon Alexander for a career-high $500,000. Alexander used his youth and abilities to steer clear of the ability and claimed the title by lopsided 12-round unanimous resolution.

Bailey cast forward and received three fights earlier than heading to Australia to face future titlist Jeff Horn in April 2016 – once more at 147 kilos.

“I had simply come again from jogging, attempting to get the final pound-and-a-half off. I obtained within the bathe, obtained out of the bathe to get on the size to test my weight, and as I used to be getting on the size I fainted proper there,” he stated. “I might hear them within the background, however I used to be out. They laid me on the mattress. I couldn’t say something. Finally I got here again, I began sipping water so I might make the burden. I nonetheless fought regardless of all of that.

“That was my final battle. They weren’t going to present me any fights at 154 … I even had a battle signed in Russia. After I began coaching and because the weight began to come back off, I began to really feel actually sick. I stated, ‘I escaped one time, simply passing out, this time it might kill me.’ I stated, ‘I’m not going to kill myself to make this weight. I can not do it.’ And I ended up pulling out of the battle.”

He stayed true to his phrase and retired with a document of 46-9 (39 knockouts).

Bailey, now 49, is married, has 4 youngsters and three grandchildren and fortunately lives in Hampton, Georgia, the place he works a day job as a Biohazard truck driver.

He graciously took time to talk to The Ring about the most effective he fought in 10 key classes.

BEST JAB

Mike Jones: “I believe it was his measurement, as a result of he was so huge it took me some time to get to him like I wished to. I didn’t knock him out till the eleventh spherical, and the way I knocked him out, I needed to get by his jab. [The Jab] made getting nearer to him a little bit troublesome.”   

BEST DEFENSE

DeMarcus Corley: “Within the first battle, he was a little bit slick. I used to be having a number of issues adjusting to the southpaw stance. It was exhausting for me to hit him flush within the first battle.”

BEST FOOTWORK

Corley: “He was actual slippery and capable of get out the way in which. I couldn’t hit him like I wished.”

FASTEST HANDS 

Devon Alexander: “Devon didn’t actually throw for energy; he was throwing for velocity and moved out the way in which actual fast. He was throwing to the touch and escape.”

SMARTEST 

Miguel Cotto: “Once I did get him in hassle, he mainly retreated so he was capable of get himself collectively, and he didn’t attempt to be actual ballsy and present ego. He did what he needed to do. He used his head.”

STRONGEST 

Cotto: “Cotto had a big backside half, his legs and the whole lot. He was actual robust on the underside, and that’s what made his physique punches and inside assault so good.”

BEST CHIN

Ener Julio: “I’d say he had a great chin, as a result of once I hit him, I noticed his head hit the bottom earlier than his knees did. (laughs) Usually no one will get up from a shot like that, however he did, not as soon as however twice, and I couldn’t put him away.”

BIGGEST PUNCHER

Diosbelys Hurtado: “He had sneaky energy. He was quick and he had energy and would undoubtedly make you pay for errors.”

BEST BOXING SKILLS

Hector Lopez: “Hector was a wise, cagey veteran. He was doing issues within the ring I hadn’t seen earlier than, his motion and the way in which he threw his punches. He was hitting me with photographs and I used to be saying to myself, ‘How’s he even hitting me?’ Hector went the gap with Kostya Tszyu, Miguel Angel Gonzalez – he fought these guys tooth and nail, life and loss of life. Good abilities.”

BEST OVERALL

Cotto: “His entire profession. After we fought, you noticed how he went to the subsequent degree. Out of all the fellows I fought, I don’t assume no one has reached that pinnacle that Miguel reached. That’s why I’d undoubtedly have to present that accolade to him.”

Questions and/or feedback could be despatched to Anson at [email protected].

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