Elie Seckbach could possibly be the best pound for pound boxing reporter on the scene at the moment, with his unique interviewing style and the special nak of being in the right place at the right time, he is now the reporter that boxers want be interviewed by.

British Boxers caught up with Elie to interview him for our ‘in the ring with’ feature and to find out about the man behind the famous catchphrase “Elie Sechbach Reporting” and we also discover his love and knowledge of British boxing and the fans.

“I grew up playing sports and many times reporters ask such boring questions. Not all but some. So I just try to bring something different, a cross between Borat and SkyNews.

 

Elie has the reputation of asking the questions maybe other boxing journalists wouldn’t, but with his enthusiasm for the game and his cheeky chappy rapport with the fighters, the boxers are as happy to be interviewed by him, as much as he is to be doing it.

“I know some people don’t get me and don’t get what I do and that’s okay. But I do know this, once people star watching they get it.” Elie said. 

Starting out as a NBA sports writer in 1997 for the Los Angeles Daily News, he has also worked in news outlets in Israel, and in 2008 began reporting for AOL Sports FanHouse website.

As well as boxing, Elie has covered many major news events – he also reports for NBC-TV’s website covering the Los Angeles Lakers. Elie was awarded a Golden Mike and an Emmy Award for his outstanding work in bringing back in-depth correspondence. In 2009 Elie was nominated by the Associated Press and won the Mark Twain Award.

Elie who counts Amir Khan has a friend, is also a fan of British boxing and proved his knowledge, claiming Jimmy Wilde to be his favorite ever British boxer, and also named UK amateur boxers Tom Stalker, Andrew Selby, Khalid Yafai and Tommy Stubbs as future British stars for us to look out for.

Elie is impressed with the talent of British Boxers and the passion and knowledge of the fan’s, many of who he meets at the fights in the States.

“The fans over there are amazing! that is where boxing was invented! British boxers are cool talented and killers.

The British fight fans are great, I am so impressed every time I run into fans who fly from the UK to Vegas for a fight. They have such a passion for boxing an are very knowledgeable.”

So in true Elie Sechbach style ‘British Boxers went to find out, just who is the real Elie Seckbach? In our ‘In the ring with interview feature.

Do you ever find it hard to get interviews with the boxers?I have been very lucky. I never had any problem getting interviews, but I think boxers in general understand the need for media and exposure and they go with the flow. It does make it easier when fighters are familiar with your work and reach out to you to come to their fights, gyms and homes. As to a privilege, I am not sure, I am just trying to present the best story I can. I’ll be the first to tell you not every interview of mine is a knockout, but then again which fighter has a 100% knockout rate? (Marcos Maidana is closest with 28 fights 27 KO’s) .
 

Do any boxers ever make it difficult for you?

Not from my experience. Sometime as you can see in my videos I catch people on the fly, and we always work something out, weather we walk and talk and set something up for a later date. That’s why boxing is the best sports to cover. I have for example covered Chelsea when they were in Los Angeles a few years back and even though I knew Manager Avram Grant the players were still acting like they were too good.

Same goes for FC Barcelona players who visited LA. So I really appreciate the time I get from the fighters. It’s not easy having a camera in your face when you just lost, finished working out, rushing to an event but everyone has been great to this point.

Who is the best person in boxing to interview?

 

 

I never ran into a bad interview. Every person has a story. Especially in boxing. Walk into any gym, go to any fight, you’ll always come out with great stuff. As to the best? I would say young fighters that no one wants to talks to, I get a kick seeing them two years later when they become stars, and everyone is on their jock, where were everyone when they needed the exposure at 1-and-0? lol.

 

 

What is your favorite boxing interview?

Playing basketball with Manny Pacquiao has to be up there. Hanging out with Floyd Sr. dude is so funny – he has a chain with a boxing glove covered with diamonds i asked him what is that all about — he said he’s into boxing so he wears that. so then I asked what should i get a camera covered in diamonds? and he looks at me as says – Elie you need to take an asshole cover it with diamonds put it on your neck because you’re a asshole. hahaha!! He needs his own TV show.

Also one time being at a restaurant with Edison Miranda when his trainer punked him and put hot  sauce in his drink.

Even getting robbed at gun-point with 7 boxers was a moment I’ll never forget. I was doing a story on a group of young fighters (all pro) and in the end of a long day at the gym we went to get something to eat as we got to the restaurant in Pico Rivera we got jacked by gang members armed with semi-auto guns. Crazy!

American boxer John Lawrence Sullivan
John L Sullivan had 450 fights

Who do you wish you could or could have interviewed in boxing, past or present?

I wish I could have interviewed Barny Ross, war hero boxing star. I wish I could meet Ali in his prime and interview him, I’d even like to interview the last bare-knuckle fighter John L Sullivan (right) he died in 1918 (Sullivan had won over 450 fights in his career) fighters today have like 40. The guy was such a stud they named ‘Long Johns’ underwear after him – because he fought in them.

How did you get into boxing?

As a kid I always liked boxing. The Rocky movies were popping up, it was the sport to follow back then. I was about 10 years old, saved up money and bought my first leather gloves. I still have them to this day. Back them then made gloves to last…
 
But lets jump to 2007, right before Manny Pacquiao went big (before his De La Hoya fight), a friend of mine set me up with an interview and that video blew up – like 400k hits overnight.

I train whenever I can, I always have my gloves with me but need more hours in the day. For the most part I work 20 hour days. You see my videos go up around the clock.

I will say this as a person who played College basketball, there’s no sport like boxing. How can you not want to work out? I have done some sparring and hope to have at least one amateur fight at some point.

 
 
Who do you train with?
 
I grew up training in Israel, but these days I as go to some of the best gyms in California I train with everyone, from Pepper Roach (Freddie’s Brother) to Ricky Funez (Goossen’s Gym), To Mit Master Macka Foley (Fortune Gym) to Jorge Diaz (Goossen’s Gym).
 
How would you describe your fight style?
 
I am a southpaw, and I like to move a lot. But as you know boxing is a non stop learning process, so I’d say as student of the game I try to pick something up from every trainer.
 
Which boxers influenced you?
I grew up watching Tyson (still waiting for the next Iron Mike) Hearing about Ali.
 
Who do you want to fight?
Man I wish I could get in their with Floyd and Manny just so I could compare and know first hand who is better. Even if I got KO’d as least I’d have an answer to the question everyone is asking!
 
Best fight you have seen?
Oh man, I watch so much boxing and 90% of the fights are great no joke. Fights that stand out, Corrales vs Castillo, Trinidad vs Mayorga, Vazquez-Marquez, Pacquiao-Hatton (sorry British fans), but just last month at club Nokia I saw Ramon Valdez (1-1 1KO) go four amazing rounds with Oscar Andrade (2-0, 1 KO). The fight was non stop action. 

Who is the King of our era? this fight has to happen!
Dream Fight? Who v Who?
 
We all know Pacquiao vs. Money Mayweather
 

Childhood Hero?

Iron Mike Tyson. 

 

Favorite all time boxer, World and British?

There’s no correct single answer – from Ali to Sugar Ray Leonard, to Julio Cesar Chavez, to Manny Pacquiao, to Naseem Hamed to Lennox Lewis.
 
 
Favourite British fighter at the moment?
World champion Amir Khan
 
 
What do you do when you are not around Boxing?
When I am not in gyms and talking to fighters (which is about 8 hours a day) I cover basketball and other sports.
 
 
What would you do if you wasn’t covering boxing?
I am not sure. Maybe cover more MMA.
 
Look out for Stubbs

Which British Boxers should we look out for?

Tom Stalker, Andrew Selby, Khalid Yafai and Tommy Stubbs (right) just to name a few. 
 

Your Motivation?

To get more people into the sport of boxing.
 
 
What would you change in Boxing?
I would talk to all the promoters to make their videos available to fans, so more people can see them. Kind of like the NBA is doing with YouTube where fans take clips and mix them and enjoy them. Also here in the US, so many people are NOT exposed to boxing, which is a shame, it’s such an amazing sport. You have to have cable, or order pay per view, and folks miss out they don’t get to see the fights, don’t know the fighters. That’s one thing I’d change.
 
 
What music do you listen too?
Anything from hip hop to Israeli music.
 
 
Favorite films?
 
The Hangover, Goodfellas, Scarface.
 
 
Who would play you in a movie of your life?
John Leguizamo, (right) I’ve been mistaken for him a few times and he is big into boxing. He did a boxing film for HBO called Undefeated.
 
 
Favorite Meal?
Grilled chicken, salad and vegetable soup.
 
 
Best Holiday destination?
For me Jerusalem Israel. No place like it, the history, the people, the food.
 
Kobe Bryant, Lakers shooting guard, stands rea...
Basketball my other love

 

What other sports do you watch?
Mostly Basketball in general I watch all sports.
 
 
Best friends in Boxing?
I got many good friends, I hope I don’t leave names out and if I did I apologize. I am friends with Craig McEwan, Dean Byrne, Jamie Kavanagh, Amir Khan, Chris Arreola, Shawn Porter, Jose Benavidez Jr., Dmitriy Salita, John Molina Jr., Yuri Foreman, Victor Ortiz, David Rodela, Charles Huerta, Carlos Molina, Luis Ramos, Ronny Rios, Frankie Gomez, Jonathan Santiago, Ola Afolabi, Kevin Hoskins, Tyrell Hendrix and many others. There’s no sport like boxing.
 
 
Which 3 people would you be stranded on a Desert Island with?
My Girlfriend, A Doctor and a Carpenter.
 
 
Tell us something we don’t know about you?
I once lost a bet to Kobe Bryant where I had to do 400 push ups! (video below)
 
 
Who is the greatest British Boxer of all time in your opinion?
You can argue back and forth on this one but the numbers show it’s Jimmy Wilde (right) – 137 wins 100 Knockouts.
 
 
Your Quick Fire Questions:
 
Red or Blue?
Blue
 
Marvin Hagler or Sugar Ray Leonard?
Sugar Ray Leonard
 
Benn or Eubank?
Chris Eubank
 
Pacquiao beats Mayweather

Haye or Lennox?

For now Lennox, he beat Klitschko. If Haye does the same I’m going with David. 
Pacquiao or Mayweather?
Great question. Based on what I have seen Manny do at the gym to so many people, I am going with Pacquiao.

Jab or Hook?

 
Hook all the way.
 
Head or Body?
Body hurts way more and you can KO like that as well so body.

WBC or WBA?

WBA but they are both cool.
 
European or British Title?
British.
 
Country?
United States
 
City?
Van Nuys the barrio in L.A.
 
Drink?
Water. I don’t drink. 
Animal?
Dogs.
 
Website?
Check out my website at www.youtube.com/esnewswe had over 39 million views in 3 years.
 
One thing you cant live without?
My Blackberry
 
Favourite Quote?
Don’t let what you CAN’T do – get in the way of what you CAN do.
 
Interviewing Oscar De La Hoya

What does the future hold for you?

Taking it one day at a time – hope to become the best pound for pound boxing reporter.

And finally Elie your key phrase and what everybody knows and remembers you by “Elie Seckbach Reporting” how did this come about?
Years ago when I just stared being on camera, I began using it. It was just a way to end the report. And EVERYONE I know told me to stop using it, from my girlfriend (who is a news anchor) to my friends in the news biz, like cameramen, reporters, writers – they said it looks goofy, looks like I am not finishing the sentence that the smile has to go…. I am glad I didn’t listen to them.

Hey the Beatles were turned down when they first approached record labels – they were told their style of music was outdated and look where they are in the history of music. So I stuck with the – ‘Elie Seckbach reporting’ – and it just caught on….. It is now my calling card!

It has been great getting to know you Elie all the very best with your channel and keep doing your thing.

No problem, thank you.

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