Future Hall of Famer back in boxing
Greg Haugen has lived the kind of life that would be worthy of a country song.
A bitter divorce. A cocaine addiction. The making and subsequent loss of a fortune as a world champion boxer.
But Haugen has weathered the many storms that have followed him throughout his life. At age 48, he's back in boxing, working as a trainer, trying to teach young fighters how to be tough and win, including his 20-year-old son, Brady.
"It's always been in my blood," Haugen said of boxing. "I sat on my butt for a while, but I wanted to get back in it."
The one-time Henderson resident is back in his native Auburn, Wash., working with fighters from the Northwest, including promising heavyweight Jonte Willis. Tonight, two other protégés, Jason Davis and Ronald Hurley, will be on display at The Orleans as part of the Crown Boxing card.
Davis, a promising lightweight who is 10-1 with two knockouts, will face Victor Hugo Correa (8-1, four KOs) in the main event, scheduled for eight rounds.
"We've been together a few months now," Haugen said of Davis, who is from Vancouver, Wash. "He's a good boxer with good skills. But we need to develop his power."
Davis said he has benefited from Haugen's years of experience in the short time he has been working with him.
"I like being in the gym with people who've been there and done that," Davis said. "When he tells you something, you can believe it."
For Haugen, who fought as a lightweight and welterweight from 1982 to 1999 and was 40-10-1 with 19 knockouts, life these days is good. He will be inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in November with Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and Marvin Johnson. Haugen has a foundation that is dedicated to fighting autism. He had a fundraiser in August and has another planned for November.
"I'm alive," the former three-time world champion said. "I had a lot of fun. I did a lot of things nobody thought I could do. But I can't live in the past. Otherwise, I'll drive myself crazy."
The six-bout card will begin at 7 p.m.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
