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02/06/2007 Archived Entry: ""
Portland Boxer Refocuses Vision for Latest Bout
With repaired retina, Pernell focuses on balance, footwork
By jason vondersmith
The Portland Tribune, Feb. 6, 2007
Portland boxer Marcus Pernell chuckles at the analogy.
SUGAR Ray Leonard once suffered a detached retina and continued a boxing career. Why should Pernell let the same injury slow him down?
“When I first came back, I was gun-shy,” says Pernell, who is getting ready for his third fight since doctors reattached the retina in his right eye. “Now, I go out there and do what I do. I think about it, and hope nothing happens.”
Pernell will battle Fernando Zuniga on Friday in a light heavyweight (173 pounds) bout at the Quiet Cannon casino in Montebello, Calif.
Pernell is 12-2 with six knockouts; Zuniga is 24-8 with 18 knockouts. Pernell is set to make $3,000 in the scheduled eight-rounder.
The KO total definitely tells you something about Zuniga: He’s a hitter.
“But he’s coming up from middleweight,” Pernell says.
And Pernell will fight at a comfortable weight for him, as opposed to his last bout.
Pernell is the stepson of former lightweight great Ray Lampkin, who serves as his trainer/manager. He hurt his eye in training in June 2006. But he had returned to training by September of last year, with doctors repairing the retina and clearing him to fight.
Pernell beat James Brock by unanimous decision at 186 pounds in November. Then, for the opportunity to fight on ESPN “Friday Night Fights” and to earn some cash, the 5-9 Pernell took another fight in January with only two weeks’ notice – at 168 pounds, down nearly 20 pounds from his walking-around weight.
He lost a split decision to Roger Cantrell at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash., and learned his lesson.
“I didn’t let my body get used to that weight,” he says.
This time, he has slowly gotten down to the 173-pound range.
His stepfather has been training him at Grand Avenue Gym and Matt Dishman Community Center, mostly working on the boxer’s balance.
“He’s not doing what I’ve been expecting – he’s working too long (in sparring), waiting for somebody to make contact and then retaliating,” Lampkin says. “I want him to make the fight, be more aggressive.”
But, “Marcus is no ‘gym fighter,’ ” Lampkin adds. “He comes to fight. He has heart and determination, and he’ll get the conditioning down. And once he gets the balance down, I think he’ll be tough to deal with.”
Says Pernell: “Balance and footwork are my main issues. A lot of times I’ll throw myself off balance, throwing a punch without moving my feet.”
Another Portland pro, Reggie Davis, has been sparring with Pernell. Davis doesn’t see any outward sign that Pernell is favoring the right eye. Although, he adds, the injury could bother Pernell mentally.
Pernell, 26, turned pro in May 2004. His brother, Ray Lampkin Jr., was expected to be a solid pro boxer, too, but Lampkin Jr. has turned to socializing rather than committing himself to the gym, Pernell says.
Pernell, who won his first nine fights, has a wife and three kids, and he doesn’t hold down a regular job, preferring to train to try to make his career in boxing.
The 1999 Madison High grad says the retina injury slowed his career down, but only a bloodshot eye and slight blurriness have really come of it.
Pernell wants to eventually fight in some 10-round bouts for more money.
“I want to be smart about the opponents I pick,” he says. “And you’ve got to keep winning.”
jasonvondersmith@portlandtribune.com
