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FLORIDA ALLIANCE FIRES BACK
Saturday 14 September 2002
Florida Alliance member Elmer Ray has thrown down the gauntlet to Indianapolis native Mike Hanson, claiming today that he'd be prepared to step in the ring against the hard-hitting giant "jus' to shut 'im up".
"Man, 'nough is enough," an irritated Ray said today at LAX airport. Ray was accompanied by fellow Alliance members Romy Alvarez, Terone Haynes and Ariel Reyes, the quartet having flown into Los Angeles ahead of Alvarez's Qualifying League bout on Tuesday night. The other members of the group (Oliver McCall, Tommy Gomez and James Ray) had returned to Florida following Ray's bout against Ray Leonard on Thursday night.
"The dude is, what? 27? 28? 28 years old, y'all. 28 and he goin' on like this, dissin' us when he ain't achieve $h!t yet. Dissin' me, a 17 year-old who already won five fights, see? I ain't lyin', y'all. If there be a way fo' me to step up 'gainst him, I do it, man, jus' to shut 'im up."
Ray was responding to comments Hanson had made yesterday when he said that the Alliance were "a bunch of chokers" and that James Ray's draw against Ray Leonard was "just another Florida Alliance choke job." It's not the first time Hanson has been criticial of the entourage but it appears that, after shrugging off Hanson's previous statements, Elmer Ray has now had enough.
"I'm the one he pressin' the mos'," said Ray. "Yeah, maybe he set to fight Romdawg nex' year but it's me he be pressin'. I be the head of this thang so I be the one takin' this nonsense to heart the mos'. Y'all let 'im know if he wanna throw down, les' throw down."
Hanson himself flew into LA last night, also set to fight on Tuesday night's card. With the two camps now both in the city, it will be interesting to see what eventuates in the next couple of days...
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