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The Biofile - Edison Miranda

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: IBF Middleweight mandatory challenger.

Ht: 5-11 Wt: 160

DOB: January 7, 1981 In: Buenaventura, Colombia

Childhood Heroes: "First and foremost, God is my hero. Because I had a dream and during an epiphany, God spoke to me and so I became a boxer. I am God's warrior. I've always put my trust in him and he's always protected me. God is the reason I am here today. And he's the reason I fight. Because I know it's his plan that I be a champion."

Hobbies/Interests: "I like to relax by playing a lot of dominoes. I like animals down in Puerto Rico (his residence). I like to hang in Puerto Rico. And I take advantage of my down time so I can rest and grow more."

Favorite Movies: "I love Woody Woodpecker [laughs]."

Favorite TV Shows: "Just Woody Woodpecker."

Musical Tastes: "I don't have any special preference. Just anything with good rhythm."

Early Boxing Memory: "My first memory was my natural trainer saying, He's good. But with practice he'll be better than everybody else."

First Job: "Was in Barranquilla, Colombia - I sold freshly squeezed orange juice."

First Car: "My best preference is a black Ferrari. My first car was a Mazda C3 (white)."

Pre-Fight Feeling: "The same way you see me here, nice and relaxed. Because I'm the best. And the best don't worry."

Favorite Meal: "Fish."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "I never eat breakfast."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "And I don't eat sweets - they don't make you strong."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Right now. In this moment now from the last 12 months to now have been the best moments of my career. (Why?) I've fought name fighters before. But my win against Howard Eastman was special because he gave Bernard (Hopkins) some problems and I knocked him out in seven."

Most Painful Moment: "Was the beginning of my career, when I had epiphany from God to join boxing (age 15). It was a very low grade gym, they had a lot of bugs and mosquitos and when I joined the gym I was sleeping on the street. I had no other place to live. So I lived in that particular gym. That's my most painful moment ever."

Favorite Boxers To Watch: "Muhammad Ali. And from the last 10 years to today, Floyd Mayweather pound for pound is the best. I enjoy watching him."

Funny Boxing Memory: "My friend Freddie Mendoza one time was struggling to make weight and we both made weight (age 16). We were both very strong. And we got in the ring. In the first round we exchanged good jabs. My friend got the worst of it and he decided right then and there, he decided he wasn't going to fight anymore. And he left the ring [laughs]. Freddie Mendoza."

Favorite Vacation Spot: "First and foremost I always love to return home to Colombia. But I like Los Angeles also. And I have a lot of friends in Miami as well."

Favorite Non-Boxing Sport: "Futbol."

People Qualities Most Admired: "First and foremost I prefer that they have good faith. Because if you have a faith in God, you will treat everybody else good and equally."

Interesting Facts: Edison was abandoned by his family at one month old. He was living completely on his own by age 9 and sometimes was forced by necessity to eat road kill to survive. By 12 he was working a full-time man's job in construction. At 14 he was a cattle butcher in Barranquilla. Then he discovered boxing at age 15. Now he's one of the best middleweight boxers in the world.

The Biofile - Antonio Tarver

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: IBC Light Heavyweight champion.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 175
Born On: November 21, 1968 In: 1968

Childhood Heroes: "Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard."

Hobbies/Interests: "I love to eat, I love sushi. I'd say I'm a food connoisseur [smiles]. Playing golf. I'm pretty good actually, 13-14 handicap. I love the game. Winky Wright is one of my golf buddies. We play regularly in Florida. Three times a week sometimes. I try to play everywhere I go. My clubs are like American Express...I don't leave home without 'em. Being with my kids. I just saw my son (Antonio Jr.) play basketball tonight. He's a sophomore in Daytona Beach. He's the shooting guard. Had about 12 points. He's like me, a gunner. He ain't never seen a shot he didn't like [laughs]."

Nicknames: "Magic Man, Tony T., Tarver, Champ."

Favorite Movie: "Scarface...say Hello to my little friend [laughs]."

Favorite TV Shows: "I don't watch much TV if it ain't sports."

Musical Tastes: "I'm on that slow ground right now, soulful, slow music."

Early Boxing Memory: "A lot of great memories, winning a group of trophies, my mom was so proud of me. Traveling with $12.50 in my pocket to a tournament and going halfs on Happy Meals [laughs]."

First Job: "I was at Holiday Inn in Orlando, by International Airport (age 16). I was like a prep chef, making shrimp cocktails, salads."

First Car: "Blue Nova."

Pre-Fight Feeling: "I feel relaxed. Just get a lot of rest. Just being close with the people you love and who are close to you. I don't want to be locked up in the room...you die a thousand deaths, thinking about the fight, killing yourself about the fight mentally. I don't hibernate. I stay relaxed and do things like make sure my friends have tickets."

Funny Boxing Memory: "The craziest thing that ever happened to me...'95 Olympic Trials. Live on NBC in Oakland, CA. My opponent (Glenn Robinson) didn't ever show up. I'm sitting on NBC, bouncing in the ring. Won by walkover to the Olympic Box-Offs. It was bizarre because even if he lost to me, he'd still advance to the Box-Offs. I guess he bought into the hype. I was on a two-year winning streak."

Favorite Meal: "Turkey wings and rice."

Favorite Breakfast Cereal: "I'd have to say Cookie Crisp."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Vanilla."

Greatest Sports Moment: ""Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Do you have any excuses tonight Roy Jones? And seven punches later - seven is the number of completion - seven punches later is Roy Jones no more. So you have to look back, it's a powerful, powerful statement. I told Roy Jones when he was the heavyweight champion, You're not even the best fighter in Florida. And I got to prove it. So it's a spiritual thing when you think about it, man. And I'm just so thankful. Going through the transition from amateur to the pros - they can't deny me no more. I refuse to be denied. And I told the world that it will recognize, before it's all over, they will recognize. And now they do."

Most Painful Moment: "Oh my god, getting robbed in the Olympics. And when I had my jaw broken in 2000 against Eric Harding. That was excruciating right there. (By a) right hook. And I knew it was broken instantly. 9th round. We finished the fight, but I couldn't fight effectively. But I think it was a blessing. It took that loss for me to assess my career. I just wasn't putting in the 100% effort. When you beat everyone, you get complacent. That was the wake-up call. Now I train for three months before a fight, not one month. I have three physical conditioning/strength trainers, working plyometrics, running 800 meters. Now I give myself the very best opportunity to win. And we're going to continue to do it."

Favorite Vacation Spot: "It's a toss-up...Jamaica, Bahamas. I stayed at the Atlantis. I'd have to say Bahamas."

People Qualities Most Admired: "Just true people with pure hearts. It's very rare that you meet people that are genuinely true. Those are the kinds of people I like to be around. Just being a good person, genuine. When you find those people, you have to hold on to them. As an athlete, being approachable. I just try to be good people. And down-to-earth. Keep both feet planted."

Favorite Boxers To Watch: "I have to say Antonio Tarver. I'm a big fan of myself [laughs]. I'm carrying the torch for these guys to step up. I'm not afraid to take risks. I love this sport. I love the sport of boxing. I think more fighters should have that love for the game. And not just be in it for the money. I like Ricardo Mayorga. He's a character. We need guys like that to re-invent the sport for the fans. He's tremendously confident and he thinks he can beat anybody. We need guys like that."

Embarrassing Boxing Moment: "When I got jerked in the Olympics. When I went out to get that gold medal, I should have had that opportunity to fight for that gold medal. Jirov they say beat me, but look at our careers now. Look at the parallels. When God is with you can't nobody be against you. So I'm here."

Childhood Dream: "To be an Olympic champion. My Olympic dream was what I truly held on to."

The Biofile - Evander Holyfield

By Scoop Malinowski

Status: Four-time Heavyweight Champion tries for the fifth in October in Moscow against WBO champ Sultan Ibragimov.
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 220
Born On: November 19, 1962 In: Atmore, Alabama
Nicknames: The Warrior, The Real Deal, Commander Vander.
Hobbies/Interests: Bowling, helping people, listening to music, all sports, dancing.
Childhood Heroes: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Martin Luther King - he was a great man, a Christian man. Good for the people. He tried to take the people to the Promised Land.
Early Boxing Memory: Well, I started at the Boys Club, eight-years-old. My first fight, I became the Boys Club champion. I fought a guy by the name of Premium Raytcher. I hit him one punch (a right cross), he started crying and they stopped the fight [smiles].
Pre-Fight Feeling: I feel a strangeness. Kind of nervous. Always visualize a lot before you get there that night. (Once in the ring) I look at my opponent. The whole thing is it's not so much I'm looking for something in his eye. I'm hoping he would see something in my eye. It's not to try to find something in (his eyes). It's let them find what you want them to find...in your eye. It's not so much that I'm looking for anything in his eye, 'cause what I might find in his eye is something I don't want to see [laughs].
Favorite Movies: The Ten Commandments, Rocky III.
Musical Tastes: Gospel, love ballads, and a little rap.
First Job(s): Vendor at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. I was also a lifeguard. And I pumped gas at the airport.
First Car: 1973 Pontiac LeMans.
Little-Known Fact: Perfect attendance in high school.
Greatest Sports Moment: Making the 1984 U.S. Olympic boxing team. Being a representative of the United States. I was doing it for more than myself. So it added to just for myself. To do it for all the people in America. I got a chance to represent my country.
Most Painful Moment: Losing to Riddick Bowe, my first defeat as a pro.
Childhood Dream(s): To be a fireman, football player or boxer.
Amateur Boxing Memory: Ricky Womack. Came up in Detroit. A rugged guy. Before our fight (in the U.S. Olympic Trials), he tried to intimidate me by stepping on my feet. He felt boxing was more of a macho thing. That you always want to intimidate people. But the fact is I wouldn't allow that intimidation to be a factor and I beat it. He didn't say anything (after I won). Everybody gets quiet once you beat 'em.
Favorite Meal: Black-eyed peas, cornbread, collard greens, yams and banana pudding.
Favorite breakfast Cereal: Tony the Tiger [smiles].
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor(s): Neopolitan. I like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.
Favorite Boxers To Watch: Oscar De La Hoya. Trinidad. Floyd Mayweather. Pernell Whitaker. Ricardo Mayorga.
Toughest Opponent(s): My first fight with Bowe was the toughest. Mike Tyson is tough. I never ever pulled Mike down from where he was. The whole thing is Mike is tough. Mike is a student of the game. Mike wasn't everything that a lot of people say he was. But they didn't realize I don't have to pull Mike down to pull myself up. Mike and I have been through the same thing. Maybe I've been through a little more 'cause people challenged me each and every time I got in the ring. The whole thing is I can see Mike for what he is. More so than what people say he was. 'Cause he was that. And I was even more. Fighting Tyson, it's all about balance. The smaller guys, you can't push them around 'cause their balance is a lot better. Tyson don't have the perfect balance. He's always in a position to want to hit you with big shots. So he's concentrating on his hands. More so that you can push him back. These are the things you have to take advantage of.
Favorite Fight: Leonard-Hearns I.
People Qualities Most Admired: People who excel at what they do. Being good at something, you get a chance to energize people, touch people's lives. So that, if they find something that they can do real well, and they put the time in to develop it, it will bring them to success. Boxing is what I do best. I find myself surrounded by people who are good in other things too. They'll allow you not to be envious of somebody. Hey, I got something I do well, too. You spend all your time writing. I spend all my time training. So I can respect you and know why you're good. And not be envious of you because you write better than me and you put words together better. Everybody should have something to hang their hat on. And that allows you to have that joy and love for everybody. What you do best can bring you joy at any time.