Dontae's Boxing Nation- Bobby Hitz on Boxing Prodigy Joseph Awinongya Jr

Dontae: This is Dontae, the bronze bomber Wilder and you’re you watching Dontae's Boxing Nation baby.

Hey Yo, check this out. This Flavor Flav and if you want the whole truth and nothing but the whole truth, so help the whole truth, ah yo, and you better listen to Dontae baby. Dontae…

Dontae: What's going on? Another one, DBN air radio live, happy Sunday y'all. It's going down like a plane crash as it always does. Right over here on DBN radio man.

We've got another great show for you guys. As always, I've got a special guest on the horn, my man. I'm going to introduce him in a minute, but first, let me go ahead and introduce the panel. As you guys see, I'm rolling solo right now. My man Milt is out there in the Middle East right now. He's actually going to be gone for, I believe the whole year. The whole year, right Money? Is it the whole year?

Money: Yup, that’s right. The whole year.

Dontae: Yeah y'all so Milt, he's going to be holding it down in the Middle East man. He's working out there. He's going to be out there. He's in the military, so yeah, he'll be gone for a whole year. So, what we're going to have to do is we're going to have to get somebody else. We're going to get another co-host in the studio eventually, but we going still have Milt or we will still going to have him on the phone every once in a while and matter of fact we're going to start doing some face time and everything, you know, and getting them on whatever you call it, Google hangout type deal, you know, CNN, MSNBC style where we'll have them on the screen and everything.

 

But first things first, let me introduce the panel. Like I said, once again, we got my man Money pal, the third. You guys already know, Former fighter, broadcaster. His son, one of the best prospects in the world right now. Money Pal. What's going on Money?

Money: Hey, what's happening now, Dontae, how's everything? Just glad to be here

Dontae: All day, man, all day and I'm also my man, Blue Blood Sports TV. You guys can subscribe to his channel. What's going on? Blue?

Blue: Yeah what's going on, Bro? What's goody with you?

Dontae: All right man. All day man. Holding it down out there and BK man, we didn't get to go on that pizza splurge man, but we'll get it in next time I'm out there B. for sure man.

Blue: That’s facts. That’s facts. That’s a 100% facts.

Dontae: All day. All Day. Now let me go ahead and introduce my special guest. This man right here is a boxing promoter and he's going to be talking about all thefighters that he's working with and everything he's doing in the sport of boxing. My man, Bobby Hitz is on the phone. How are you doing Bobby?

Bobby: Good man, if you’re talking about pizza, you’re going to come to Chicago for pizza man. C’mon. Right.

[Cross Talk]

Blue: That’s the old New York vs Chicago

Dontae: Hey Bobby. Don't sell it now because I'll be out there for some pizza. Hey Bobby, I ate pizza every single day out there in New York man.

Go ahead Bobby. OK

Bobby: I’ll take you to some good joints for some pizza man. No problem.

Dontae: OK, OK. So Bobby Hitz, holding it down out there in Chicago. Now Bobby, before we talk about, you know all the fighters you work with, if you could just give me a little bit of your history and how long you've been working in the sport Bob.

 

Bobby: Well, I had 25 professional fights. I was 21-4 and then when I retired, I went to the business of boxing and that was just started promoting, oh, some 26, 27 years ago. Um, I was part of, I was actually the first lady of boxing, Jackie Kallen, and I was her first fighter. I discovered James Tony, in the gym, he was working with us and he came and talked to me and said "do you think your manager will sign me", so I was involved in that whole thing when James was just coming up until he became a world champion.I basically got my Harvard Education in Boxing. Emanuel Steward, the Great Emmanuel Stewart is the one that encouraged me to be a promoter when I was done fighting and so I got my Harvard education in boxing in Detroit. Man was great.

Dontae: Nice man nice and with you working out there in Chicago because we're going to be talking about this documentary movie that you're in and this fighter man. It's a fighter out there who's looked at as the future of boxing. His name is AwinongyaJr., African-American and when I say African American, I really mean African-American because his dad is African. He's African fighter. Matter of fact, he fought for Don King and he's one of the best trainers out there. If you could just, first before we talk about that, what happened to a lot of the great Ghanaian fighters, fighters from Ghana? Like Kofi Jantuah, Joshua Clottey. What's going on with the boxing scene out there in Ghana right now Bobby?

Bobby: You know I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of these kids. I got to tell you, each and every one of them are, first and foremost, they are gentlemen. Secondly, their work ethic is impeccable. They're hard workers and their hearts as a fighter is unprecedented. These guys really come with what they, what they might lack in skill they make up for in heart, which makes them always a tough customer. I think the problem over there, I don't know if it's a problem, but you have to come and get stageside because I don't think the boxing is, there's not a lot of competition there for them. So, they can't really become better being there and you know, I've had the pleasure of working with two fine young men of the Amado brothers, Yakibuand Abdullai Amidu who actually, Vince Vaughn, the movie actor brought them to me and we had a great run with Yakibu and Abdul has a, he was one of Manny Pacquiao sparring partners, the kids a great fighter. He has some medical issues that are preventing him from being in the ring right now but he's a welterweight, he's like 20, 22, 23 and all and so hopefully he'll get to return to the ring someday, I'm not certain, so.

Dontae: If everybody just tuning in live right now, you guys are listening to promoter based out there in Chicago, my man, Bobby Hitz. He's here to talk about the fighters he's promoting, he's going to be talking about the movie that he's in, “Fight in America, I Am Your Keeper” and since we talking about the movie right now, and I got the picture, I got the cover, I have the picture on the screen right now Bobby, as I'm talking to you, if you can talk about this movie and talk about this kid who's winning all these national tournament's. I'm hearing this kid Joseph Awinongya and his dad and his dad senior who wants to get off with Don King, former pro fighter. Those are the two guys you guys are looking at on this cover right now guys. Talk about this movie that you're in and if you could talk about junior and senior Bobby.

Bobby: Well, you know, it chronicles this young man's tale to greatness and thus far as a young boy, I think he's 11 or 12. He's already a multinational champion and the cool thing about is that this kid carries himself like he's on his game man, his business. Like, I'll mess around and say, "okay listen dude, we've got to get this contract worked out now man, we've got to get it worked out, I want to sign you for15 years."

[Laughs]

Dontae: Already.

Bobby: And he'll go," no, no, I'm going to give you a year". I go, "no listen dude, a year isn't good. I got to get at least 10 or 12 years out of you." He goes, "ok, I'll give you three years with some options." Like he already knows all the lingo. The kid is awesome. I have a lot of fun with him and he's a gentleman. He's a great student scholastically and as a fighter he just brings it. His Dad was a really good fighter too. Joseph was a really, really tough fighter and he's really honed his skills as a trainer and he's had some really good fighters that he has produced also and I think a young Joseph I think really could write his own ticket if he keeps this thing up. I mean he's having a lot of success now, you know, as a junior, but you know, we'll see how things fair once things get more serious but now you also have to remember too, it was only 12 or 11 or 12. Now he's going to get into high school, he is going to discover girls. He's going to discover cars. So he’ll hopefully remain focus. You lose a lot of cash sitting there.

Dontae: That's a rocky road ahead boy, rocky road ahead. I know how that works because that’s what happened with my son, my son, he's a two time national champion and you know, he took a break and once he got introduced to the girls and having that time off, it was a major distraction. So, he says, both my boys, they say they want to go back to the gym, but I'm saying to them, are you sure you want to go back to the gym? Don't just tell me that and waste my time now. So, you know, so we will see next week but I hear it, but I hear, you know, bobby, I hear you but yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead Bobby.

Bobby: This young man is really become the toast of the town, I mean where he lives in a suburban town called Joliet. Theygave him a proclamation, they gave him a key to the city. Secretary of State Jesse White gave him a nice accommodation. I mean this kid is really making some inroads media wise and you know, and he speaks very well and this kid I can see he's a future superstar. If he can keep up, he's a future superstar for sure.

Dontae: Nice. Nice and Bobby let people know where they can watch this documentary because you know, Boxing fans always craving for like boxing documentaries and stuff and this is a good one right here. Let them know where they can find this.

Bobby: I'll be honest with you. I really don't know. I'd be even more honest. I haven't even seen it yet myself.

Dontae: You haven't seen it yet? I got the information. It's on Amazon prime right now guys. So, you guys can catch it on Amazon prime. I just didn't know if you wanted to say that you wanted me to say it don't matter. I know where it is.

Bobby: When you work on these projects, when you get done with them it’s like, I mean I don't, like if I do a newspaper interview, like I don't read the paper interview, I know what I said. Like--

Dontae: I know, I know. Hey bro, I know how it goes, trust me. I know how it goes man. So once again, man, the cover that you guys are looking at right now, you guys can watch this documentary. My man, Bobby Hitz, a Chicago boxing promoter, a former fighter himself, he's in this documentary and this kid right here, the future of boxing. You guys are going to be hearing a lot about this kid. You guys are looking at on this cover, that’s in his documentary, Joseph Awinongya Jr., he's already a four time national champion and he's winning, I mean because I already know how hard it is to win like the Silver Gloves and all that, that's a big one right there. He's won the Silver Gloves, national, you know, that's a tough, tough tournament to win right there. So he's won that one and many other national tournament's. So, you guys going to be hearing a lot about him. Matter of fact, I was talking to his dad, he told me, matter of fact, we're going to be talking about a lot, coincidentally, Bobby, his dad told me his favorite fighter is Deontay Wilder, all the fighters in the world. What'd you think about him saying that?

Bobby: Wow. Everybody loves somebody sometime.

Dontae: I hear you. I hear you. This is unique. It's a unique thing.

Bobby: I can see why he like him because listen, you know, you can't argue with success and he brings it every time he fights and he had a heck of a fight with Ortiz. You just can't take that away from him. He earned that win because that won a round after 7 maybe, I don’t know, 6,7. That was anybody’s fight to win. Anybody’s fight to win.

Dontae: Absolutely.

Bobby: I can see how he can gain some fans, absolutely.

Dontae: I hear you. I hear you man. Hey Man. Well, once again Bobby Hitz man, I want to thank you for joining the show, talking about this documentary and talking about this prospect, this future champion. If he don't get distracted on his way up to the top. My man Joseph Awinongya Jr. and one of the best trainers up and come and trainers out there, Joseph Awinongya Sr. his Dad on. Let me go ahead and put the graphic up one more time. So that's who I'm talking about. You guys see it on the screen right there. But, um yeah Bobby, I want to say thank you for your time. Is there anything else on your mind? Anything else you want to say to the fans before I let you go Bobby?

Bobby: Keep on supporting. First of all your maintenance overseas, I want to thank him for his service first and foremost.

Dontae: My man Milton. Shout out to Milton.

Bobby: Yeah man. Right but for, but for everybody tuning in, you know, please continue to support the sport of boxing. It's a great sport. It's a sport of kings. It's not for everybody and you know, and more importantly it's good to be a fan, but be an educated fan. Don't sway with popular opinion, you know, really sit back and form your own opinions and don't jump on the bandwagon and that's what makes the sportgreat when everybody has their own ideas, opinions but just when you make an opinion, like here, I have a fighter right now FredrickKendall who was fighting for the WBA heavyweight championship. Everybody's belly aching saying well hasn’t fought in three years. How is he in line for this title? Well, if anybody understands how the sport, the sport and the business works, once we are in line to fight for the title, we can't fight anymore. We have to be available. So, now we went through three different opponents. We went thru Chagaevwho tested positive for steroids and we went through Lukas Brown, who tested positive, and then we went through Shannon Briggs who tested positive. Those are three fights. You know how long it takes to put three fights together of this magnitude. Three years right there. You know what I mean? That we're prepared. We're ready. Now everybody wants to wrap on his age, but you've got to look at it another way. This is history.

He's going to be the oldest heavyweight championship of the world. So, you got to look at it from a different tangible rather than jumping on the bandwagon and where everybody says, oh, he hasn't fought three years. Well, there's a reason why isn't fought three years because you have to be available. You're not allowed to fight. Those little things are that kind of bothered me as a promoter because when everybody starts wrapping on a guy, they never walked a mile in his moccasins.

They don't get what it's all about. They don't understand it, but yet they form their opinions.

Dontae: And you know what Bobby? I mean we got to be happy that he even is willing to fight for the title because you have some fighters that have been offered a title shot, like Errol Spence. He's offering a whole lot of fight as a title shot and they don't even want the title when it comes to Errol Spence.

Bobby: I have another heavyweight Andrey Fedesovwho won the Boxcino Tournament. He won the Boxcino Tournament.

Dontae: I remember that tournament.

Bobby: He was number three in the world. He got offered Ortiz three times. He didn't take them. Then these guys in California came in and commandeer to him and stole him from his manager and now they're harboring the kid from myself as a promoter and now the guy's going for number three in the world to number nowhere because he thinks they're smarter than everybody.

[Cross Talk]

So, it's like the only person they're hurting is the fighter, but here's the catthat he was offered Ortiz three times, shot to the world title three times and these guys told him not to take it. So, it’s like I mean there's no rhyme or reason to how things get done in this business is to me it's just about having some fortitude and in keeping your nose to the grindstone and just keep, you know, George Foreman told me a long time ago, “Plan your work and work your plan” and that's really true. Make your plan and work it man and all. It’s all I got for you. Now I'm going to go watch the shine off.

Dontae: Hey, no problem man. No problem and hold it down out there. Thanks again, Bobby Hitz man. Take care. OK Man.

Money: Thanks Bobby.

Bobby: Hey my man. Good luck to your son too. Wish him a lot of luck.

Dontae: Thank you. Thank you so much. I'll be out there for that pizza Bobby. I'll be out there for that pizza man. All right man.

Money: New York has the best pizza Bobby. New York has the best pizza. Here we go. All right Bobby. Take care. Take it easy.

Dontae: All right guys, let's get into the business at hand because when we start talking about pizza, we'd be here for three hours and we won't get nothing done.

Valerie Ayertey

815661-0247

Report this Page