Damon McCreary
Paul Dalrymple
By Steve Crowe
Detroit Free Press
May 4, 2001
On a few Sundays since his most recent boxing triumph, Damon McCreary has
been verbally nudged at church about handling the attention.
"Let's just say some fellow churchgoers suggested that the next time I speak
to a reporter, I might want to slip 'Wayside Missionary Baptist Church' into
the conversation," said Detroit-born McCreary, a 27-year-old budding
super-middleweight star.
Consider east-side Wayside slipped. Of course, nobody is begrudging God, who
gets most of the credit from McCreary after his fights. He has won all nine,
with seven knockouts. His most recent victory was April 13 at Cobo Hall's
Riverview Ballroom, leading a sold-out card backed by Greektown Casino and
staged by budding local promoter Andrea Darnell.
At 1:56 of the first round, after McCreary landed a stunning array of at
least 10 straight booming shots on rugged Detroiter Rashid Lee, the planned
eight-rounder was wisely stopped by referee Monte Oswald. It was all
Detroit-based promoter Bill Kozerski needed to see.
After months of urging from McCreary associates, Kozerski has signed him to
a promotional deal that likely will start with a June fight. McCreary, who
considers himself a managerial free agent, is trained by Rick Griffith and
vaunted Detroiter Pops Miller.
"People had been talking a lot to me about Damon, not only in terms of
skill, but work ethic," Kozerski said. "I left his last fight convinced he's
just the kind of fighter Detroit wants to see. He's a dynamic boxer; he
overwhelmed his quality opponent. He basically was the show that evening.
"It was a combination of skill, determination and that will to win. Those
boxing intangibles are so difficult to teach, but Damon seems to have such a
great grasp on them right now. I think he can become a star. He certainly
caught my eye."
Personally, McCreary is the nicely mannered product of proud parents Dwight
and Cynthia McCreary, and Wayside. Like his training mate, devoutly
religious heavyweight Rickey Womack, McCreary is emphatic about his faith.
"I've been a believer from the beginning," McCreary said. "I mean, I was
raised in the church."
Professionally, he has survived a rather nasty split with trainer-manager
James Lester, an associate of Kronk Gym founder Emanuel Steward. Most seem
to agree that although money was involved in the McCreary-Lester split last
spring, a personality clash was more to blame.
"That's exactly true," McCreary said. "But basically, I'm a grown man. And
when you're working with people who are grown, there's a certain way you
talk to them. This is not the Army. I box because I enjoy boxing. This is
something that I chose to do, that I want to do, that I love doing.
"I don't need anyone to tell me when to go to the bathroom. When to eat.
When to do so many things. I'm a grown man. When I get in that ring, I know
exactly what to do."
Griffith, 36, recently named head trainer at the Detroit Boxing Club, had
been working with McCreary as Lester's assistant since McCreary's late
amateur days in 1998. Griffith forged a mentor/partner deal with Miller
about a month after leaving Lester.
"James and Damon just didn't get along as people, and that was going to
become a bigger problem in the pro game," Griffith said.
Kozerski is confident enough in his new client to say: "I absolutely see him
fighting for a world title within the next 18 months." And Griffith seems to
have picked out an opponent to pick on: WBO super-middleweight champion Joe
Calzaghe of Wales.
Last Saturday on Showtime, Calzaghe (31-0, 26 KOs) creamed previously
unbeaten top WBO contender Mario Veit (30-1) at Cardiff, Wales, via
first-round TKO.
"I watched the fight, and no disrespect to the champion, but I also saw a
lot of bad habits in that guy," Griffith said of Calzaghe. "And the only
reason it should take a year or so to get at him is because Calzaghe has the
spotlight, and Damon is just now making his presence felt.
"After that year, when our guy rises to 14-0 or 15-0, then me, Mr. Miller
and Mr. Kozerski will be very comfortable rolling the dice with Damon."
McCreary, who attended Detroit Kettering High, agrees that 12-18 months
seems a reasonable wait for his first title shot.
"By then, I'll be more than ready," said McCreary, who has registered six of
his seven knockouts no later than the third round. "But Rick and Mr. Miller
will still probably have the opinions that matter most."
And at least for the moment, much of McCreary's mind is on his June 16
marriage to Tracy Wilson in Detroit.
"If not for her, I don't think I could enjoy any of this," McCreary said.
"She's a truly beautiful woman who supports me in every way."
McCreary finds support other places, too. When each day's training session
ends, he is part of a group prayer led by Womack.
"Right now, I'm feeling nothing but blessed," McCreary said. "All I can
focus on is training hard, looking at a bright future for me and my family,
and knowing my biggest career opportunities lie ahead. I'll make sure to be
ready for them."
And the folks at Wayside Missionary Baptist Church.