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Thomas sees Brown fight as 'my time'

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By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: August 14, 2009

St. PETERSBURG - It's rare to see Lenroy Thomas minus a smile.

Even when talking about what he plans to do to Saturday night's opponent, Gabe Brown, Thomas said it all with a grin.

"This fight here, I'm bringing a lot into it. A lot of emotions, a lot of excitement," Thomas said. "That's why I say, Gabe, he's a big dude, but I'm going to break his jaw. When I hit him, he's going to be like, what the heck am I doing here?

"Yes he's flashy, he has the same trainer as Roy [Jones Jr.]. That's doesn't mean anything. Gabe hasn't fought Lenroy yet. When he sees that aggression, that physical strength coming at him. He's going to have to submit."

Thomas (12-1, 8 KOs) will face Brown (18-10-4, 12 KOs) on the undercard of the Jeff Lacy-Roy Jones Jr. title inside the Mississippi Coast Coliseum. The fight will air live on pay-per-view.

According to Thomas, this is his chance to elevate his status in the heavyweight division. Since opening his career with a four-round unanimous decision loss to Ruben Rivera, Thomas has reeled off 12 consecutive victories.

"This is my breakout. Opportunities like this, you wait for and when they come, you have to take advantage of it," Thomas said. "Just like they gave me the opportunity to co-main here at Tampa. It was at home and people got to see me. Now they've given me the opportunity for the nation to see me again, so I'm taking it and running with it. I don't want to look back and say, 'Man I coulda, shoulda did this.' This is my time. It's going to happen."

All this takes place with a weight on Thomas' heart. When he was 13-years-old, he left his homeland of Jamaica for St. Petersburg to live with his father. He left behind his brothers, sister and mother.

That's the last time he's seen any of them.

For about the last three weeks, his younger brother, Delroy, has been missing. He's heard nothing of his whereabouts and it likely is the only topic that washes the smile from his face.

"That's my little brother. God's going to take care of it," Thomas said as his emotions began to take over. "It's all going to workout."

Before stepping into the ring for a training session at Dan Birmingham's St. Pete Boxing Club, Birmingham, Thomas' trainer, made sure to point the Brown and Thomas share a common opponent in Wallace McDaniel.

Why?

Back in 2006, Brown fought McDaniel to an eight-round draw, while Thomas knocked McDaniel out in the first round.

Making this fight interesting is the fact Brown will likely enter the ring well over 300-pounds, while Thomas is a chiseled 240-pounds. The difference in girth isn't intimidating. Instead, it has motivated Thomas.

"I'm boxing him. I'm bringing it to him. Bigness doesn't put fear in me because I know I'm in shape," Thomas said. "You go to school, do you homework, you're going to pass the test. This is my school. This is where I'm at. Whatever he throws at me, I'm going to throw it back 10-times harder. No ands or ifs about that."

There goes that smile again.

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 259-7066.

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