My good friend Bomani Jones profiles heavyweight Calvin Brock(pictured at right) in the following story on the eve of his run at the IBF world heavyweight title against champion Wladimir Klitschko(pictured at left). Brock is a North Carolina native, UNC-Charlotte grad, and currently resides in the Triangle area. Good luck and God bless Calvin! Put him on the canvas!




ESPN.com: Page 2 : Number puncher: "
CALIFORNIA, Pa. -- While Calvin Brock prepared to fight IBF world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko by sparring with Brad Williams late on a Thursday night, David Cadieux, a 6-foot-6 Canadian heavyweight, whaled away at a heavy bag at Buzz Garnick Jr.'s Round 2 Gym.

When Cadieux finished, he asked me if I were a boxer.

The trepidation on my face was palpable. Having the waist of a teenage girl, the mere thought scared the dickens out of me.

'You don't want to go in there?' he asked jokingly. 'I was going to give you my gloves.'

Thanks, but that wasn't a Corleonean offer. My plan was to interview Brock, a good-natured, 235-pound former banker and Olympian from Charlotte, N.C., who tussles for the title Saturday night at Madison Square Garden on HBO, not to be his -- or anyone else's -- punching bag. All those years spent in school were to learn to get paid while seated.

And to avoid ever having to get hit in the face." (story continues here.)
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