Making of Champions: Malik Hawkins

“The Making of Champions” is a podcast that airs every Thursday at 5 pm ET on the Joe Louis Bourbon Facebook Page with Tonya Cole and yours truly. This week’s guest on the program is undefeated super lightweight Malik “Iceman” Hawkins as he is in action against Subriel Matias October 10th live on Showtime Championship Boxing.

Hawkins heading into the fight with Matias, spoke to us about how he was going to approach it. One thing about his fight plan going in, he explained to us the following:

“I can do that but one thing I was told was always taught if I stand toe to toe with somebody and risk being hurt for a couple of weeks or months or anything like that,  I need to be going to the bank afterward,” Hawkins said on The Making of Champions podcast. “That is one thing, I can bang if I need to and I can box if I need to. Just in this fight, I need to be sharp, be precise, and be smart defensive-wise.

Hawkins was initially supposed to be back in action back on Showtime in February against Keith Hunter back in February but had to withdraw because of injury. He was replaced in that fight with Sanjarbek Rakhmanov, who went on to lose to Hunter. 

Asking about the prospects of that fight coming back up for Hawkins, he told us it’s going to be on hold for now.

“I can see the fight (with Hunter) happening, but it’s going to be on my own time and terms and everything like that. He’s not ranked higher than me. He doesn’t have a belt. He doesn’t have anything that I need. If anything, he’s begging to fight me.,” Hawkins stated.

Feel free to check out our conversation with Malik as he breaks down his preparation for Matias, his training with various camps across the country, and the amazing story of his mother, who is a frontline worker who unfortunately caught COVID during this pandemic. We also break the news of the name of his child along the way!