Training Camp Notes: Dargan Lessons from Legends

Philadelphia, PA:When current USBA Atlantic Coast Region Champion Karl “Dynamite” Dargan (16-0, 8 KOs) was growing up in Philadelphia he spent most of his time in the gym with his cousin, world renowned boxing trainer Brother Naazim Richardson. Now, as the undefeated Dargan prepares to add the Junior NABF Lightweight Title to his mantle, he utilizes the lessons he learned from a childhood growing up in boxing.

Dargan grew up surrounded by boxing legends like Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins and “Sugar” Shane Mosley in the gym every day and he was able to get a first-hand boxing education from the best. Karl learned at a young age that with success comes media scrutiny, “Every time I fight on television I get more media coverage but I have been around it my whole life and have experienced this kind of pressure being around Bernard and Shane since I was nine years old.”

Cunningham, Dargan & Richardson Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

Naazim would normally have to teach his young fighters how to handle this additional pressure but not with Dargan, “There are some things we got to skip over because he has been around this his whole life. When I was sitting here wrapping these other guys’ hands they were telling him, ‘Hey man don’t let the television fool you.’ So he got a higher education in this sport at a very young age.”

The lessons he learned from Hopkins still stick with him today. “Knowledge and discipline are two things I learned from Bernard,” explained Dargan. “He lets you know that this is a lifestyle. It is not something you just do when you want to; you have to live it every day.”

Richardson Wraps Dargan’s Hands While They Field Questions from the Media Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

“Dynamite” knows the value of his boxing education thus far, “There are a lot of fighters who would kill to be in the position that I am in with Naazim. I don’t take it for granted. It is definitely a blessing.”

For Naazim, training his young cousin is a pleasure, “He is very mature. He carries himself like that. The last fight we had, we didn’t have a good camp and a lot of things went wrong. Enough things went wrong for any other guy to make an excuse but he never made an excuse. When I was complaining, he never complained. He just went on and did the job. That’s the maturity I was talking about.”

Dargan Takes Timeout to Tie a Shoe for Cruz Cunningham Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

The 29-year old manages to stay grounded with the company he keeps. He had his girlfriend, R&B Divas star and recording artist Lil’ Mo, with him at the gym for his open media workout. Steve “USS” Cunningham, Dargan’s good friend and Main Events’ stable mate, scheduled his own workout around Karl’s media workout at James Shuler Memorial Gym in Philadelphia, PA so he could be there to show his support. And, reminiscent of a young Dargan tagging along with Richardson when he was a kid, Steve’s three-year old son, Cruz Cunningham, was toddling around the gym.