By Jeff Zimmerman
Derrick James, trainer of world champions Errol Spence Jr. and Jermell Charlo (who defends against Austin Trout tonight on Showtime), talks to Fightnews.com®.
How has it been with two world champions, Spence Jr. and Charlo, in camp at the same time and balancing the time?
It’s tough. I still work a full-time job. I workout with them, my legs are killing me, they are sore right now. Yes, it’s very tough, but it’s very pleasing at the same time. I enjoy it, I enjoy my job and I’m very happy. Jermell has been looking really good in sparring, really good in camp. And I’m very pleased, so I feel good about it.
How much has Jermell improved from the first day you started working with him to where he is today?
I think it’s just small things. Small things, but everything adds up. Everyone little thing adds up. He has so much focus and his defense is amazing, his counterpunching ability is great so it’s really good, I am really happy, very pleased that he has bought into what I am teaching him and what I am selling, so I am happy.
So he’s a good student?
No doubt. He’s a guy that wants to do everything right. He’s a guy that want to do everything good, here’s a guy with lots of experience, he can be who he wants to be. But he’s a guy who wants to be the best he can be and I like that.
What has Charlo brought to camp with Spence Jr as two very different personalities as Charlo is much more flamboyant?
His personality is what it is. There’s not a whole lot of it in here, but he’s a comedian, frankly, telling jokes. But other than that, that doesn’t affect what we do, that flamboyancy. In the fights he’s doing well and he’s the champ, we don’t try and dial that back, we just let him be himself, that’s the key element, be himself but at the same time just be thoughtful of your actions. He’s winning inside the ring and outside the ring so it’s good.
Is there anything you see in Trout that Charlo can expose even with all his experience compared to a guy a like Lubin?
I think Trout is a vey good fighter, he’s very sneaky, very intelligent. And you have to be on your P’s and Q’s, you can’t let Austin Trout be himself. We have to keep him from being himself. If you let him be himself, he’s going to be great, so you have to stop him from being that guy and do your best to be your best, that’s what we have been working on and everything is good.