Eugene “Mean Gene” Hill Moving Toward USBA Title Bout!
By: Ken Hissner
Eugene “Mean Gene” Hill, 34-1 (22), out of Dickinson, TX, is the No. 5 ranked USBA heavyweight. His manager is well known Bob Spagnola. The USBA title is vacant with No. 1 contender Gerald “El Gallo Negro” Washinton, 18-0-1 (12), scheduled to challenge Deontay “the Bronze Bomber” Wilder, 37-0 (36), for his WBC title February 25th.
No. 2 contender is Travis “My Time” Kauffman, 31-1 (23), scheduled March 17th against Amir “Hardcore” Mansour who has drawn with Washington. No. 3 is Trevor Bryan, 17-0 (11), who won the vacant NABF Junior title back in 2015. No. 4 is Chazz “The Gentleman” Witherspoon, 36-3 (28), whose on a six fight knockout streak.
Also out of TX is the No. 9 contender Justin Jones, 20-0-2 (11), out of Houston. Hill and Jones could make it an all TX bout for the title. Hill is a six-time consecutive Houston-area Golden Gloves Champion and a Ringside World boxing champion.
Hill debuted in 2006 and won his first sixteen bouts before losing to spoiler Zack Page by majority decision and reversing the loss in his next fight by split decision. He then ran off seven wins before a NC with Jonathan Felton ending in the first round with both DQ’d. In his next bout he stopped Felton for the second time starting an eleven bout winning streak. It included a win over Stacey Frazier for the vacant the World Boxing Foundation International title.
At 38 Hill is ready to take the USBA title to propel him into the IBF ranking’s that their No. 1 is vacant and hoping for a major bout leading him to a world title fight.
KEN HISSNER: You have been at it in the professional ranks for over 10 years and have won a couple minor titles. Are you looking forward to winning the USBA title to get you into the IBF rankings?
EUGENE HILL: Yes I am. It’s my plan to get that ranking so I can get the big guys to let the world know who I am.
KEN HISSNER: It’s been eight years since you lost your only fight which you reversed in your next fight. Do you think you should already be in the ratings of the IBF and other organizations?
EUGENE HILL: Yes sir I think I should have been. This year is my year. I would like to fight Anthony Joshua.
KEN HISSNER: Have you been to camp working with some of the top boxers as a sparring partner? If yes who?
EUGENE HILL: I have only been to camp with Travis Kauffman.
KEN HISSNER: WBC champion Deontay Wilder is fighting the USBA’s top contender Gerald Washington. How do you see that fight turning out?
EUGENE HILL: I think Wilder will stop him in two rounds.
KEN HISSNER: Travis Kauffman is No. 2 in the USBA and having possibly the toughest fight of his career against Amir Mansour next month. If Mansour was ranked it would probably be for the title. No. 9 is Justin Jones also from TX. What do you know about him?
EUGENE HILL: He is a good friend of mine. Good guy. Good fighter. We fought in the amateurs and have sparred quite a bit. He is a good fighter and a solid guy.
KEN HISSNER: 45 year-old Shannon Briggs is No. 5 in the WBA and there’s talk about him fighting for the vacant title with Fres Oquendo. What are your thoughts on that happening?
EUGENE HILL: I really don’t care about those guys. I’d like to fight Briggs. Anthony Joshua is who I’d really like to fight. I’d fight anyone to get to the world title.
KEN HISSNER: Who do you consider the real heavyweight champion between Anthony Joshua, Joe Parker and Deontay Wilder?
EUGENE HILL: I think Deontay Wilder since he holds the title the longest.
KEN HISSNER: Japan’s champ Kyotaro Fujimoto is 16-1 and in the WBC rankings. Don’t you wonder how you at 33-1 aren’t in there?
EUGENE HILL: If I’d have stayed with Bob (Spagnola) I probably would have had a title fight by now.
KEN HISSNER: Trevor Bryan No. 3 and Chazz Witherspoon No. 4 do not have a fight lined up. What are your thoughts if it comes down to you fighting one of them for the USBA title?
EUGENE HILL: Either one would be fine for me.
KEN HISSNER: I wish you luck in getting that shot at the USBA title. I know your manager Bob Spagnola is doing his best to get that fight for you. Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions.
EUGENE HILL: I want to thank two of my sponsors Tony Buzbee who is a lawyer and Kathleen James who runs a gun range.
