Pulling No Punches: Tough Guys Tussle Tonight On Wild Bill’s Fight Night MMA Card

BYLINE: Darryl Maxie
DATE: December 14, 2008
PUBLICATION: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)

He’s putting on a free show Friday at Wild Bill’s in Duluth: 13 fights, headlined by an active Marine named Darrell Parodi, who is about to deploy to Iraq for a one-year tour of duty. You can’t buy a ticket to this event. The entry fee is a toy for the Marines-sponsored Toys for Tots charity. While putting the finishing on those arrangements, David Oblas took time out to speak to the AJC’s Darryl Maxie.

Q. How does somebody do what it is you do?

A. I’m still trying to figure that out myself. It’s a whole lot of work, a lot of hours. Not only days, but nights, weekends, and it all goes on my cellphone, which rings non-stop. I’ve been doing this for seven years, working afternoons, nights, weekends, and my family hates it. My girlfriend hates it, and I don’t think I’ve had more than a three-day vacation in all that time. But I wouldn’t complain a bit.

Q. How did this take off for you?

A. I did my first fight on June 28, 2002, and I was as nervous as heck. I was waiting tables part time and I had no idea what I was doing. I had to beg people to fight for me. I had to beg people to buy tickets. I had to beg people to buy VIP. And after it was over, people were asking me, “When’s the next one?” I’d say, “I don’t know. I’m a waiter at a seafood restaurant.” But they kept asking when the next one was, and I had another one in October and then December. And I just kept going, six or seven shows a year since then.

Q. The perception of the fight business is that it’s corrupt, sleazy. What’s your response to that?

A. I definitely agree, 100 percent. But can anybody look me in the eye and tell me any other business that’s not corrupt? I’m a huge football fan, but can you tell me college football isn’t corrupt? A few years ago, Auburn – my team – was shut out of the national championship game even though they were undefeated. Every sport has a bit of corruptness in it. Anybody who knows me knows I have a good name. I’ve treated the sport of boxing and mixed martial arts with the highest amount of integrity and utmost respect, just like anybody running a small business.

Q. What’s your dream matchup?

A. I’ve always said Holyfield and Tyson. Those were the two guys I idolized coming up. I don’t care. They could fight me, my mother, my grandmother. I know De La Hoya is where the money’s at, and Ricky Hatton’s the hottest thing since sliced bread. I think I’m close to a Holyfield fight, whether it’s at the Georgia Dome or Wild Bill’s.

Q. If somebody compared you to Don King, how would you respond?

A. People compare me to Don King all the time. It doesn’t stroke my ego. Don King has done more for boxing than just about anybody, but his name is tarnished because of some of the other things he’s done. Don’t compare me to Don King. Compare me to Clark Howard. He’s run small businesses. He’s honest, knows how to treat people and, in most people’s eyes, he’s a good citizen.