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kenyan_cheena · 01-17-2005, 08:48 AM

ELMER RAY: LIVE ON SPORTSCENTER

Tuesday 15 January 2002

16 year-old Florida firebrand Elmer Ray made an appearance on today's evening edition of ESPN's SportsCenter.

Ray was interviewed by Dan Patrick. A transcript of the interview follows:

PATRICK: Tonight ESPN welcomes to SportsCenter Elmer Ray, the 33rd seed in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament. Welcome, Elmer.

RAY: (nodding and smiling) Thanks, man.

PATRICK: Elmer, it's fair to say that you stirred up quite a lot of controversy during your stay in Japan as part of the HBF's Yokohama fight card. Do you think that your actions helped or hindered the HBF?

RAY: (laughing) You know, man ... in my opinion, there ain't no such thing as bad publicity so, sho nuff, y'know, I think it helped them.

PATRICK: Some people have said that there's no place for your brand of extroverted behaviour in boxing, that it's more at home in "sports entertainment" such as wrestling.

RAY: Nah, man. I disagree with that totally, man. This sport's gonna need more fellas like me, see. I give the people what they want. They wanna be entertained, and that's what I'm gonna give 'em. Entertainment. Can't see why you shouldn't take the best of both worlds, man, you know? The personalities and rivalries of wrestling and the hardcore, real boxin' action. I bragged about my skills before the fight, that's the truth, y'all. But I backed it up, man. I backed it up.

PATRICK: Yes, you did. But some people have said that a sixteen year-old shouldn't be fighting. They've said you should be back in school, finishing your education.

RAY: People sayin' that ain't got no idea 'bout Elmer Ray, man. Ain't no one know where I came from to get to here, see? They don't know what's behind Elmer Ray's will to succeed here in the HBF, man. They don't know what I be representin'. They don't know Hastings, Florida and they don't know me.

PATRICK: Okay. Now, after the main event in Japan, you returned to the ring and confronted Jimmy Young. What was that all about?

RAY: (shrugging) Tha's pretty obvious, man. The guy's a bum, okay? The HBF made a big mistake when they put him in there at number sixteen, see. That dude Tony Ross was damn unlucky not gettin' the decision. See, Jimmy Young ain't in the class of Elmer Ray, and that's what all o' y'all 'll see on May 31.

PATRICK: What about Floyd Patterson? He was very impressive against Rocky Jones.

RAY: (nodding) For sure, I got tremendous respect for Floyd, man. He's got some serious talent, there. He's a real shy brother, jus' the opposite of me. But he's cool.

PATRICK: So do you think that the winner of group sixteen will be decided when you clash with Floyd Patterson?

RAY: Definitely. Definitely. That's gonna be a great fight, no doubt.

PATRICK: Elmer, yesterday morning when you arrived at the airport, you were picked up by a limousine that reportedly took you and your entourage to the head office of the HBF in Manhattan. Is this true?

RAY: (nodding) Yeah, it's true.

PATRICK: There's been some speculation during the past 24 hours regarding what happened at the HBF head office. Can you enlighten us?

RAY: Well, first thing happened was I sat down with President Vincennes and a couple of the HBF Directors, in a private meeting room.

PATRICK: Can you tell us what happened in the meeting?

RAY: Nah, can't do that, man. But President Vincennes said he be makin' an announcement on it maybe tomorrow.

PATRICK: Okay, then. So what happened after that meeting?

RAY: After the meeting, President Vincennes treated my crew to lunch, y'all. Our President, he's a cool dude, man.

PATRICK: Your whole entourage had lunch with the President of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation?

RAY: (nodding) Had a big buffet laid out for us, man. I ain't never seen so much food before, y'all.

PATRICK: What about your cornermen and the ladies that accompanied you into the ring? They weren't with you when you got off the plane yesterday morning.

RAY: I knew that there'd be a lot of press and stuff waitin' for us, and those ladies, they my sisters and cousins, see?

PATRICK: (surprised) Really? Those four lovely ladies are all related to you?

RAY: Sho nuff, dawg. My cutman Marlon Ray, he's my uncle. When we arrived at JFK, I told the ladies and my training team to just wait a while, maybe a half hour 'fore they leave the airport. Didn't want all those cameras and reporters to get near them and mess with 'em see? HBF had another limo waitin' for 'em. All arranged before we left Japan.

PATRICK: That's really amazing.

(Second part of SportsCenter interview with Elmer Ray to follow)

01-17-2005, 08:48 AM	#42 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,178	ELMER RAY: LIVE ON SPORTSCENTER Tuesday 15 January 2002 16 year-old Florida firebrand Elmer Ray made an appearance on today's evening edition of ESPN's SportsCenter. Ray was interviewed by Dan Patrick. A transcript of the interview follows: PATRICK: Tonight ESPN welcomes to SportsCenter Elmer Ray, the 33rd seed in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament. Welcome, Elmer. RAY: (nodding and smiling) Thanks, man. PATRICK: Elmer, it's fair to say that you stirred up quite a lot of controversy during your stay in Japan as part of the HBF's Yokohama fight card. Do you think that your actions helped or hindered the HBF? RAY: (laughing) You know, man ... in my opinion, there ain't no such thing as bad publicity so, sho nuff, y'know, I think it helped them. PATRICK: Some people have said that there's no place for your brand of extroverted behaviour in boxing, that it's more at home in "sports entertainment" such as wrestling. RAY: Nah, man. I disagree with that totally, man. This sport's gonna need more fellas like me, see. I give the people what they want. They wanna be entertained, and that's what I'm gonna give 'em. Entertainment. Can't see why you shouldn't take the best of both worlds, man, you know? The personalities and rivalries of wrestling and the hardcore, real boxin' action. I bragged about my skills before the fight, that's the truth, y'all. But I backed it up, man. I backed it up. PATRICK: Yes, you did. But some people have said that a sixteen year-old shouldn't be fighting. They've said you should be back in school, finishing your education. RAY: People sayin' that ain't got no idea 'bout Elmer Ray, man. Ain't no one know where I came from to get to here, see? They don't know what's behind Elmer Ray's will to succeed here in the HBF, man. They don't know what I be representin'. They don't know Hastings, Florida and they don't know me. PATRICK: Okay. Now, after the main event in Japan, you returned to the ring and confronted Jimmy Young. What was that all about? RAY: (shrugging) Tha's pretty obvious, man. The guy's a bum, okay? The HBF made a big mistake when they put him in there at number sixteen, see. That dude Tony Ross was damn unlucky not gettin' the decision. See, Jimmy Young ain't in the class of Elmer Ray, and that's what all o' y'all 'll see on May 31. PATRICK: What about Floyd Patterson? He was very impressive against Rocky Jones. RAY: (nodding) For sure, I got tremendous respect for Floyd, man. He's got some serious talent, there. He's a real shy brother, jus' the opposite of me. But he's cool. PATRICK: So do you think that the winner of group sixteen will be decided when you clash with Floyd Patterson? RAY: Definitely. Definitely. That's gonna be a great fight, no doubt. PATRICK: Elmer, yesterday morning when you arrived at the airport, you were picked up by a limousine that reportedly took you and your entourage to the head office of the HBF in Manhattan. Is this true? RAY: (nodding) Yeah, it's true. PATRICK: There's been some speculation during the past 24 hours regarding what happened at the HBF head office. Can you enlighten us? RAY: Well, first thing happened was I sat down with President Vincennes and a couple of the HBF Directors, in a private meeting room. PATRICK: Can you tell us what happened in the meeting? RAY: Nah, can't do that, man. But President Vincennes said he be makin' an announcement on it maybe tomorrow. PATRICK: Okay, then. So what happened after that meeting? RAY: After the meeting, President Vincennes treated my crew to lunch, y'all. Our President, he's a cool dude, man. PATRICK: Your whole entourage had lunch with the President of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation? RAY: (nodding) Had a big buffet laid out for us, man. I ain't never seen so much food before, y'all. PATRICK: What about your cornermen and the ladies that accompanied you into the ring? They weren't with you when you got off the plane yesterday morning. RAY: I knew that there'd be a lot of press and stuff waitin' for us, and those ladies, they my sisters and cousins, see? PATRICK: (surprised) Really? Those four lovely ladies are all related to you? RAY: Sho nuff, dawg. My cutman Marlon Ray, he's my uncle. When we arrived at JFK, I told the ladies and my training team to just wait a while, maybe a half hour 'fore they leave the airport. Didn't want all those cameras and reporters to get near them and mess with 'em see? HBF had another limo waitin' for 'em. All arranged before we left Japan. PATRICK: That's really amazing. (Second part of SportsCenter interview with Elmer Ray to follow) Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 04-29-2005 at 02:25 AM.