Chambers: “Swimming Without Getting Wet”

Posted by Igor Frank on 03.22.2009

Heavyweight contender Fast Eddie Chambers is focused on his upcoming bout with Sam Peter next Friday, March 27th at the Nokia Theatre in downtown, Los Angeles.

Photo by Brady Dillsworth

Swimming without getting wet is an expression in literature usually reserved for Jesus Christ as walking on water, however in this case heavyweight Fast Eddie Chambers quoted famed trainer Nazim Richardson to outline the strategy in his upcoming contest with an ex heavyweight champion Samuel Peter. The first boxing event ever to take place at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California is scheduled for March 27th, 2009 and will be televised on ESPN Friday night fights.

" I heard Nazim Richardson telling it to Shane Mosley when he fought Margarito last January. What does it mean?" I asked a very personable and polite Eddie during our interview last week in Woodland Hills, California.

"It means," said smiling Chambers: Box and hit without getting hit, which is basically my strategy against Peter."

Being relatively small among super heavyweight giants of today's era, weighing between 215 and 220 pounds with a height of 6'1", Chambers, who trains in Philadelphia, has made quite a name for himself using smarts , technique and defensive savvy in the ring.

He compares his style to such ring greats as James Toney and Bernard Hopkins. Well versed defensive fighter, Eddie has mastered technique of rolling his shoulders with the punches and avoiding getting hit without moving and running too much. Twenty six year old Chambers first caught my eye two years ago in Las Vegas at the Palms hotel when he fought Dominic Guinn: he does not waste a lot of energy, stays in the pocket, rolls with the punches and counters with sharp accurate blows. Aside from easily out boxing Guinn that night, Fast Eddie displayed poise and a comfort level inside the squared circle worthy of a true veteran fighter. I wasn't the only one who noticed how sharp Eddie was boxing, because after that victory Chambers was included in heavy weight title elimination tournament that featured four top fighters: Chris Byrd, Calvin Brock, Alexander Povetkin and Eddie Chambers.

In the first leg of the tournament Eddie handled ex title challenger Calvin Brock with relative ease; the split decision victory which Chambers earned that knight did not fully illustrate that Eddie was in control of the bout the whole night. The only blemish on the record of Chambers came at the hands of Russian Olympic Gold medalist Alexander Povetkin in Germany. Seemingly beating the Russian to the punch and out boxing him in the first half of the fight, Eddie wilted in the second and allowed Povetkin to take over and ultimately win the contest. I asked Chambers about it.

"I wasn't tired," replied Eddie: "it was mental. I just let it get away from me." It was a very big disappointment to Eddie and his promotional team, especially in lieu of the fact that he could have won the fight.

2008 was a rebuilding year for a young contender. In June he went to Cayman Islands and knocked out a very big man Raphael Butler with ease. He then knocked out Livin Castillo in October and the outpointed 268 pound big man Cisse Salif in December.

A chip off the old block Chambers, who lives with his lady in New Jersey, trains year around: he runs a lot, eats right, keeps his weight down and is always in shape to step into the ring. The only vice Fast Eddie has is video games. I told Eddie that I would have to send my son in my place when I was challenged to grab a joy stick.

All kidding aside, ex world champion, a huge man with power, Sam Peter represents a significant challenge for Fast Eddie Chambers. He is going to have to be on his A game physically, mentally and emotionally come this Friday. Is he ready for it? Has he learned from his past mistakes?

"Are you going to mix it up?" I asked Eddie at the end of our interview.

"It all depends on what kind of shape he is in." replied confident contender.

Remember; "Swim without getting wet."

-------------------------------------------------

Igor Frank is a boxing writer for the Burbank Times and a regular contributor to 411mania.com.