The pre-tournament news conference for the USA Boxing Eastern Elite Qualifier and Regional Open Championships had a heavyweight late addition to the lineup.
Ray Mercer just happened to show up Monday morning at the Chattanooga Convention Center, and officials persuaded the Army veteran, 1988 Olympic champion and subsequent WBO heavyweight world champion to speak about what boxing meant in his life.
"I'm here by accident," he began. "My old trainer had a kid fighting here, and I decided to come and watch him. I thought it was just a smoker until I walked in here, but this is the biggest boxing event I've been to since the Olympic trials."
Mercer reminded his audience that he got a late start in the sport but was a gold medalist within five years. More important than how long you put in is how much you put in, he emphasized.
"Listen to your coaches and get on your knees and thank the Lord," he said for the benefit of the attending boxers. "... What you put in you will get out."
After going 64-6 as an amateur fighter, Mercer went pro in 1989, won the WBO title in 1991 and wound up 36-7-1. He later went into kickboxing and added a nine-second mixed martial arts knockout over former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia in June 2009.
Raul Marquez, a 1992 Olympian who has gone on to success as a coach and now a Showtime announcer fresh off a television gig this past weekend in New York City, also spoke and said "I wouldn't be where I'm at if not for USA Boxing."
The news conference also featured three participants in this week's massive tournament, two past youth world champions in Marc Castro and Delante "Tiger" Johnson and Chattanooga's own Keyvon Long, a 119-pounder in the junior (ages 15-16) division from the YCAP team.
Reading from a statement he prepared, Long said his goal was to win and to go on to great things in boxing.
"I'm excited and honored to represenet Chattanooga and my gym as well as my family," Long said.
Johnson, 19, from Cleveland, Ohio, was in Germany in late August as part of the U.S. men's elite team. His goal this week is to get back to the nationals - this year in December in Salt Lake City - for a shot at winning another USA Boxing title and making the elite team again.
Castro has won junior and youth nationals and at 18 could be going for a repeat of the latter but has stepped up into the elite ranks. He's from Fresno, Calif., and is now a "full-time student (at Fresno State) and a full-time boxer."
"Boxing has changed my life," Castro said.
"It's changed mine, too," Johnson echoed.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.