Round By Round Boxing’s Sarah Gruber recently caught up with fan favorite Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring (12-0, 7 KOs) to find out about his recent let downs, what is on the horizon and to get some exclusive information from this rising star .
Round By Round Boxing: Since we talked to you last time there were some changes to the situation with your last fight, your opponent came in well over weight and you had to fight a last minute replacement. Can you tell us about that situation with Oscar Cortes and the ShoBox card? (Jamel was previously scheduled to take on Oscar Cortes (25-2, 13 KOs) June 26, 2015 live on Showtime in a Lightweight showdown on the Dominic Wade vs. Sam Soliman card in Shelton, Washington.)
Jamel Herring: [Light Laughter] Umm… it was frustrating because I mean as you know, since we talked a little bit before the fight occurred, I worked hard to get to that point. I worked really hard to get down in weight and to stay disciplined, so I was more annoyed to see that from another fighter. I was scheduled to fight on ShoBox that night but they scrapped it because he came in overweight by like 15 or 16 lbs. Luckily, thank god, having a team with Al Haymon, I was able to get a last minute replacement, but overall I was more aggravated that I lost my chance of performing on Showtime. In the end I was still able to fight and perform and stay active, so I can’t complain too much.
RBRBoxing: You had to overcome a setback, you were ready to go on ShoBox and you were very excited when we talked to you last. So, now you are going into your next fight does this shift your momentum or focus? Have you overcome that setback?
JH: I would say I overcame it. It’s done and over with, I take it as a positive thing. I fought a veteran, I shut him out every round, I got the experience. So you know for the most part I took the positive with it and just left it there. I was originally supposed to go right back into a televised fight and return August 15 on NBC Sports but, I was cut in the last fight due to a headbutt, so they wanted to give it more time to heal. So that pushed me out to where I am headed on Friday instead for this fight. For the most part my team wanted me to stay positive and focused and ready and get me all the fights possible by the end of the year. In the end, I can’t be too upset, I am still getting what I want which is to stay active and stay busy and I’ve just got to be grateful for that.
RBRBoxing: Can you tell us about your next fight in Washington, DC this Friday, August 28? It is not nationally televised (it will be shown on GFL.tv), but it is a really good card, very good boxing talent being showcased, so tell us a little bit about it.
JH: It is sad that it is not televised, but you know I spoke to my team recently and we got things going in the future afterwards that will be televised. But this card, it is basically to keep me active and ready for what is next to come down the road. Just like any fight I don’t take it for granted or look at it like a tune up or anything like that. I take it like any other fight, I need to get past this obstacle in order to move forward so, I train hard. For the most part I trained out here in Cincinnati for this camp. The last couple of weeks I have been helping out Adrien Broner in terms of sparring, so I have been sparring with him and Brandon Bennett who is headlining this card Friday. I have been staying sharp and getting good work out here, so you know, I am just ready to go in there and get the job done. Then I can move forward to the next fight which is October 3, which will be broadcast on Showtime Extreme.
RBRBoxing: Do you know anything about your opponent for August 28?
JH: Not really, I watched a little bit of film that we found online. I don’t know much about him, but I still look at him as a dangerous opponent because it takes a lot for any man to lace up and put gloves on and get in the ring with anybody. You never know who you are going in there with, you can never underestimate anybody.
RBRBoxing: You have gotten to stay in Cincinnati for this training camp. So tell us a little bit about that, the gym is pretty busy right now, you have a lot of people that are getting ready for fights. How does that affect your training when you are all getting ready for fights at the same time and on the same path?
JH: It’s really good, especially like you said when you got guys who are also training for a fight themselves; you know they are bringing their A-game, because they are also preparing for their own fight. So you know everyone is basically working really hard, everybody is on the same page and everybody for the most part is pushing each other. I feel like in terms of me alone, just working with Adrien, he is fighting for his fourth world title, and he is fighting a guy who is a southpaw. I feel that, I take it upon myself, to bring my A-game in the gym every day, especially when I am sparring Adrien because I feel like I have to push him in order for him to succeed and I take a lot of pride in that.
I don’t want to just go in there and you know look at it like I just want to get some work. No, I want to make sure he is ready for his big test that is ahead of him and he does the same for me. He has to bring his A-game to get himself ready and to get me ready as well. Things of that nature; just pushing each other in this camp, it’s a great thing, especially when you got all these guys that have got fights coming up. Everyone is staying focused, everyone is pushing each other and everyone wants to see the next man succeed right beside them as well.
RBRBoxing: It is busy right now in the gym, being that there are so many of you in there right now, has your team brought in any outside trainers? Is it hard for your trainers to keep up with that many people?
JH: We actually just brought in one. He is a Cincinnati native, but right now he lives out in Vegas, and that is Gerald Tucker, who I actually worked with a lot in my previous training camp out in Vegas. At the time, Mike Stafford and Levi Smith, they were both in Colorado Springs with Rau’Shee Warren when he was preparing for his world title bout; so we had brought in Gerald to get me to start my training camp and get me going instead of just waiting for Mike and Levi to return. For the most part, we brought in just one guy and he has done a great job, so we will probably see him more in the future as well.
RBRBoxing: It seems like all of you guys are in really good hands, working together and working towards your individual goals but also helping each other, which is great to see. It is good to hear that you guys are having a great camp. I have to ask you, being that you guys are all in the gym together, I know Adrien Broner is kind of known for being a funny guy, but who is the funniest person in the gym?
JH: Ummm… [Laughs] I would have to say next to Adrien, it’s probably Robert Easter Jr.
RBRBoxing: And you guys call him “E-bunny” right?
JH: Yes.
RBRBoxing: So tell me a funny story about Robert Easter Jr.?
JH: [Laughs hard] He just likes to play like a lot of pranks along with Adrien, but you know Robert he is a real funny character. You just never know what to expect with him. He just has this whole demeanor where everything is just normal, everything is fine, and then he’ll just like do some prank out of nowhere or just start cracking jokes. So, you never know what you are going to get with Robert but at the same time he is a lot of fun to have. He pushes me hard, he motivates a lot of us and he just wants to see the next man succeed. Out of the gym E-Bunny and Adrien, even Rau’Shee, they are all fun to be around.
RBRBoxing: We will have to check in with you before your next fight as well. Is there anything you want people to know?
JH: I am just trying to focus on this fight coming up, but I am telling you first, after this, I was told yesterday to be ready for October 3, Showtime Extreme. Then again, probably a PBC card or Showtime in December to finish up the year, so every two months, I am staying active and staying busy. Al Haymon is doing his best to get me more and more experience and exposure, so I am happy. As you know, I am working hard, staying dedicated and I am just ready to go!
Jamel Herring’s Next Fight Info:
Friday night, August 28 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the nation’s capital of Washington, DC, King’s Promotions will present a spectacular night of boxing that will feature some of the best talent in the United States as 2012 U.S. Olympian Jamel Herring (12-0, 7 KOs) will fight Ariel Vasquez (12-8-2, 8 KOs) of Managua, Nicaragua in a 10-round Lightweight bout.
