First ever interview with one of the Top Heavyweight contenders of the 1980's

Renaldo "Mr. Snipes" is best known for his only Title Fight on November 6, 1981 against a great champion, Larry Holmes. Both fighters were undefeated and Holmes was in his prime against the younger Snipes. In the 7th round, Snipes knocked down Holmes with a tremendous straight right hand to the chin. Larry got up and tumbled into the ropes. Holmes recovered well and Snipes was not able to finish him. The fight was stopped in the 11th round when Holmes had Snipes hurt and the referee Rudy Ortega stopped the fight. It was a controversial premature stoppage that was booed by the packed Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. Renaldo never got another title shot and ended his career in 1993 with an excellent record of 39 wins(22 KO's) 8 losses. Here are excerpts from a very long conversation we had with "Mr. Snipes".

Selwyn: Hello Renaldo, how are you doing? What have you been up to in the last few years?

Snipes: I've been working with a lot of young adults and children. I've been trying to help them change their quality of life. Basically doing the same things I've been doing but now im not getting paid for it (laughs).

Selwyn: How did you get started into boxing?
Snipes: My father introduced me to boxing. He was an excellent boxer in the army. Boxing got instantly in my blood and it totally changed me. It made me a well disciplined young man and I learned to take care and respect my body.

Selwyn: When you started boxing, were there any boxers that you tried to emulate?. Was Ali a big influence?
Snipes: Ali was a big influence on everybody in the 1980's. I think Ali had a very good style to keep fighters from getting hit and hurt. I took a little from a few fighters in those days. Larry Holmes had a great jab. Ali had great combinations and great movement. Roberto Duran had great head movement So you take a little from each one of them and put it into your style. I watched their fights on videotape and tried to learn from them

Selwyn: How did you get the nickname "Mr. Snipes"?
Snipes: Oh that's easy. When I was coming up in the amateurs I did not have the respect that I wanted amongst the other boxers. I always went in as the underdog. When ever I had people to deal with boxing I had them address me as Mr. Snipes to gain their respect inside the ring and outside the ring.

Selwyn: Don't put them in order but who do you think are the top 3 Heavyweights in the history of boxing?
Snipes: Ali. I would have to say Larry Holmes and I would have to say Joe Louis.

Selwyn: What about Jack Johnson? That's my number 1.
Snipes: Oh yeah. Well you really have to say 5 heavyweights. You have to say Jack Johnson and Rocky Marciano. also.

Selwyn: Most people don't put Larry Holmes up there, but he was the champion for over seven years.
Snipes: That's because Larry would say things that the public did not like or the Sports writers did not like. He should be there based on his ability not his popularity. He was a great fighter.

Selwyn: While we are on the subject of Larry Holmes. In your title shot against him, you had him badly hurt and knocked down in the 7th round. In the 11th round, Holmes hit you with a few unanswered shots. You were not seriously hurt and the referee Rudy Ortega stopped the fight. How do you feel about that stoppage?

Snipes: Oh you know I thought it was a bad decision. The round right before that, the 10th round, I hurt Larry again. They did not let this fight go any further because they already had the Cooney/Holmes fight already set up.

Selwyn: Do you think someone said to Ortega before the fight? If you look hurt stop it quick.

Snipes: No I think he used common sense and said if I don't do anything they might not let me work another fight (laughs).

Selwyn: So it is Politics.

Snipes: Well I think it is the referee was using his own common sense saying to himself, if I do the boxing game a favor so they can see the Holmes/Cooney fight, I don't have to worry about getting another title fight to referee. It's like the judges. If you want to keep getting title fights to judge then you have to favor the popular fighter. The fighter that brings in the money. It is common sense. They have to do these things in order to get work again. I'm not upset about it now. Larry and I are good friends and I attended events with Gerry Cooney. I get a lot of respect when I'm out and the fans respect me because I fought the best. Most of my losses were controversial. Many fans thought I won those fights and this has brought even more respect for me. The controversial losses helped me become popular because the fans did not know what was going to happen in my fights.

Selwyn: You never got another title shot after the Holmes fight. Do you feel that champions would not fight you because you were too dangerous and risky for them to put their titles on the line?

Snipes: I think that was part of it. I think because of my style and power and my heart and most importantly because I was not signed exclusively with one promoter. That was the biggest reason.

Selwyn: You were never promoted by Don King?

Snipes: Don King promoted some of my fights but I never signed an exclusive contract with him. If I beat Holmes, he had options for only two or three more fights. Most of Don King's fighters he has are on exclusive contract.

Selwyn: And you don't get to fight his champions unless you sign an exclusive contract. The only exception is when an Arum money maker and a King money maker fight each other and they stay with their promoter.

Snipes: And that's when the two evils or two good guys (laughs) come together to promote that fight. These guys are not really enemies. King and Arum get along.

Selwyn: What advice would you give a young amateur boxer today?

Snipes: To be dedicated. To have discipline and listen to your trainers. Do not turn pro unless you are ready.

Selwyn: How do you feel the sport of boxing can improve today?

Snipes: Well boxing is the only sport that you don't have corporate sponsors. You need that. All the other sports like baseball and football have that. If boxing would become federally regulated I think corporations would be more willing to invest in the sport.

Selwyn: Renaldo anything you would like to say in closing ?

Snipes: I had a good career. I made good friends. I keep in contact with my friends and I'm healthy.

Selwyn: Thank you for your time Renaldo.

Snipes: Thank you Dave