Q&A by Pattee Mak | June 7, 2014
Who doesn’t love a win in the first round? Talent and only 22 years old, heavyweight, Danny “Smooth” Kelly (6-0-1) from Washington, D.C. showed everyone on Fox Sports 1 on Thursday, June 5, 2014 live at the House of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts promoted by Golden Boy what he is capable of. And that was a TKO victory at 2 minutes and 45 seconds into round 1. He had agreed to a 4 round fight against Eric Newell (7-3-2) of Pennsylvania but only need one round to finish off Newellat the House of Blues.
Pattee Mak: First off congrats on your successful stoppage against Newell. Tell me what happened right before the ref, Stephen Clark, called a halt to the fight?
1 Kelly: It was the same comb we were doing during training in the gym. Jab to the body, hook off the jab and a straight right hand. Then it was over and the ref called a halt to the fight.
Pattee Mak: After the referee stopped the bout, what was going thru your head?
2 Kelly: I was just excited because of the knockdown.
Pattee Mak: Was that your game plan going into the fight?
3 Kelly: To focus on the body and then knock him out and bring him down. It just happened earlier than expected.
Pattee Mak: We all know swing bouts and the waiting can be tiresome. What kept you focused in the back room?
4 Kelly: Actually I was in the back sleeping. By the time they woke me up it was already the TV taping. My hands were wrapped and I got warmed up and then they were bringing me out to the ring. So I really didn’t have no wait.
Pattee Mak: Was this the first time you were on TV and did you have any jitters going into the ring?
5 Kelly: I didn’t really have any jitters cause I wanted to make a statement.
Pattee Mak: Tell me more about this statement:
6 Kelly: That I’m the heavyweight and I’m coming and I’m a force to be reckoned with.
Pattee Mak: Is there anyone in particular that you’d want to fight?
7 Kelly: No I don’t have anyone in particular.
Pattee Mak: What’s next for you?
8 Kelly: Right now I’m keep my options opened and hopefully get signed by a promoter soon and I’m looking to shake up the heavyweight scene.
Pattee Mak: Thank you for taking the time to speak to me about your fight.
9 Kelly: Thank you for speaking with me.
Pattee Mak: A special thanks goes to Ricky Womack for making this interview possible.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
