Da’Velle Smith Honored by Tommy Hearns Comparisons ‘If I Work Hard, Big Things Are Coming’ (Interview)

DAVID A. INFANTE/PURE SAL FILMS

Rising boxing star Da’Velle Smithis, 24, wants to earn all the all-time great comparisons he’s getting.

On Friday, Oct. 18, Smith, the 9-0 boxer who trains at the legendary Kronk Gym who has been compared to Detroit boxing legend Tommy Hearns, will face Abel Nicolas Adriel at the Coca- Cola Music Hall. in San Juan, P.R

Brobible spoke to Smith ahead of their fight, and he tells us he’s humbled by all the Hearns comparisons that have come his way early in his career.

“It’s definitely an honor to be compared to the great Tommy Hearns. Sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve it because he does so much for the sport and I’ve done so little at this point. One day I will get to where he is or where he was, at some point.

“I’m glad the fans could see me and put that, you know, I wouldn’t call it a ceiling, but that potential that they think I could have to be that big.”

While the Hearns comparisons have drawn eyes to him, Smith feels no pressure to live up to everyone’s expectations.

“No, I don’t feel any pressure. I never feel pressure when things go like this. Like I said, I always focus on myself and what I’m doing. And at the end of the day, if I work hard, there are big things for come.”

A 24-year-old out of Michigan, Smith grew up watching Floyd Mayweather before becoming other legends in the sport.

“When I was 12-13, it was all Floyd Mayweatherr Muhammad Ali Roy Jones.”

“As I got older and once I got into Kronk after 18, I was training with SugarHill (Steward)”

“He modeled this Tommy Hearns thing on me unconsciously because that’s Kronk’s style at the end of the day, you know, and the right hand came, the footwork came, the head movement is what we were working at the time.”

Training at Kronk’s gym, Smith hopes to one day have his picture on the wall with the other boxing greats.

“There are a lot of great champions that come from Kronk’s gym and look on the walls and see the pictures.”

“It’s a lot of motivation, and it makes you feel like, you know, one day you’re going to be on that wall if you work hard for it.”

On Friday night, Smith hopes to put on a show for fans to remember his name.

“I want to give the fans something to look at, something to tune into. So that’s what you should expect from Dave Smith every time you see me stand up.”