Interview Dated May 2005 Darryl Nolan Welterweight Darryl Nolan is one of the hottest youngest prospects to emerge this year on the Houston Boxing Scene. He has devastated his first two opponents. Although explosive inside the ring, the Houston native is soft-spoken outside, and speaks openly about his allegiance to God. At just 20 years old, he almost certainly has a long and productive career ahead of him. His third fight is scheduled for June 3rd in Tampa, Florida. HBS - How did you first get involved in boxing? DN - I started when I was about four years old. My grandfather was a Silver Gloves champion in the Army. He turned me over to the Boys and Girls club when I was about eight and I started fighting around then and ever since it's been a passion. I love it. HBS - You've then had a pretty extensive amateur career I would imagine. DN - Well actually believe it or not I only had maybe 20 or 30 some fights but it was due to I had a hard time matching up because I had been training so long my skill level's a lot higher than the kids that was supposedly on the same level I was so it was hard to get matched up so most of the time I got matched up was only a tournament. HBS - How did you do? DN - I did very well. My record I believe was maybe 26 and 2 and one was by walkover and the other one I lost when I was maybe like 12 years old. HBS - How would you describe your style? DN - Not to toot my own horn but I believe I'm three-dimensional because I can box with you, I can punch with you, I can brawl with you. Anything you can do I can mix it up but you know I prefer to box and stay on the outside because I'm a long fighter. HBS - Anybody in particular that you used to look up to and like as a role model or a hero as a boxer? DN - Yes, Roy Jones, Sugar Ray Leonard I was very very fans of, Meldrick Taylor, the real students of boxing you know. I learned a lot. I watched a lot of films on these guys to better my game. I learned from each of them but I have to credit every one of these guys and actually learned new things after I different scenes and stuff and actually "Third Ward" Billy is now one of my role models because he always inspired me, pushed me, works with me in the ring and I really appreciate it. HBS - You know it's a tough demanding sport of course and what is it that you enjoy about it that's kept you in it all these years? DN - First of all it's just anger management you know and second of all I just love the sport. Next to God it was my first love. I love boxing more than I love nearly everything. HBS - I understand you're also a musician. DN - Yes sir. I play the drums, I can play the keyboard a little bit and I can play the guitar. But I'm generally a drummer you know and I sing a little bit as well. HBS - How'd you get started doing that and what kind of music do you play? DN - Mostly Gospel you know I'm a church family and I started it was just a natural talent. One day my uncle who was a drummer for my church he didn't show up and they knew I was playing in a band at the time. I never played a full set by myself and they just asked me to come up and try and I did well and ever since then that's when it started. HBS - You've had a couple of fights and they both went pretty well. Tell us for example about your first fight and how that went. DN - The first fight I really didn't get to do as much as I really wanted to because it ended in one blow so I really didn't get to show off my boxing skills. I've got tremendous boxing skills. I felt a little upset with myself because I wasn't able to show Houston, my home that I can box very well. HBS - Then you had a fight over there in New Braunfels and you beat thsi guy up pretty bad I understand. Describe what happened in that fight. DN - Oh yeah man, after losing seven pounds the day prior to the fight I went into the fight tired but that's when the mental and the heart part of the game came in. You know I was very mentally strong and my heart never lets me give up. So what I did I went in there with my game face on and came in the first round, very dominant the first round. I knocked him down three times the first time. He got back up. He's a very, very strong warrior. He had much heart. Kept coming, kept coming. But I guess he was overwhelmed I guess by my speed and by my power as well because I shook him up the entire fight and swelled him up pretty bad. They had to stop the fight in the first round due to the damage done to him. HBS - Yeah you cut him didn't you? DN - Yes sir and had his right eye completely closed. HBS - What are you working on now in the gym? Anything in particular? DN - Basically fight now we're working on our technique, trying to tighten up everything, all our weaknesses and all our holes. You can never be perfect. There's always room for betterment of your craft. So I try to improve as much as I can, listen. It's about listening because God gave us one mouth and two ears. Two ears to listen, one mouth to speak his list as much as we do hear it. HBS - So what's next for you? DN - We're getting ready to go down and fight in Tampa Florida on June 3rd. I guess we're going to fight I guess this kid named Lonnie Jones. I har he's supposed to be pretty good but as long as I stay in the gym I know I can come out victorious.