April 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Roy Jones Jr. is excited to present the professional debut of 18-year-old boxer Pryce Sparrow, a humble but lightning fast fighter eager to launch his career under the lights at The Gillespie, 421 West Market Street in Louisville.
It's a full fight card presented by the Louisville Sports Commission on April 19.
Pryce Sparrow, his dad/trainer Kelvin Sparrow, and sports commission leader Greg Fante joined Terry on 840WHAS.
It's a full fight card presented by the Louisville Sports Commission on April 19.
Pryce Sparrow, his dad/trainer Kelvin Sparrow, and sports commission leader Greg Fante joined Terry on 840WHAS.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
All right, a week from Saturday, we've got another fight
night in Louisville. This was going to be great because
it involves an up and coming star here in the
Louisville area named Price Sparrow Price. Good to meet you,
to meet you, Yes, sir, I know you work hard
at what you do. I'm impressed by you a few minutes.
I've known you already, it says on the sweatshirt, got
boxing got me is all in? How old were you
(00:23):
when boxing put a hook?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Can you?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I was nine years old?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
That's kind of a that's a that's a young age
to get to get going on that. But you're you're
enjoyed it. I've read a lot about you. Yeah, yes, sir,
mostly about that humility. Let me guess. Do you come
out of a military family? Is that possible to do? Yes,
that's a structure. Hello, Dad, Calvin, good to see you.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Great, great, Great for having us. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Well, it's good to have you guys here in the studio.
I know it's a big night. You am working hard
on this. Don't you have a gym in this area?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
In Radcliffe, Kentucky, five six nine Knocks Boulevard, m yep.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
And uh, there's so You've seen a lot of talent
over the years. But then I saw a name connected
with us, Roy Jones Junior. I'm like, wait a minute,
what he's kind of a big deal. How did Price,
your son, Price and Roy Jones Junior and you, mister
Sparrow connect.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Well, we connected off of a history that we had
with Price. First opponent his named Chris Young and Roy
Jones is actually that kid's current coach. Now, oh okay,
they invited us down to come sport in Pensacola, Florida,
which is Roy jim And then we went down there
and that's when Roy put his eyes on Price and
(01:41):
out from that point on that.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I got a lot of fighters there. But your kid's
pretty good.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
He's pretty good, and you know, he thought he was
pretty special, one of the most talented kids he saw
and quite sometimes outside of his own fighter Chris. And
from that we just made it a relationship and things
came to this point.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Now, Price, tell me about your workout regiment and what
do you do do you do? Do you spar three
days a week? Two days? What do you do to
stay proficient?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
So we will probably spar like two days a week,
cardio every day, you know, hitting a bag every day,
shadow boxing every day, jump rope every day, strength and
conditioning in the morning. So that would be like three
times a week. That'd be Monday, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
And yeah, that's about it.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Yeah, and then obviously you watch what you eat. You're
not out of having triple cheeseburgers. Sure, and I wish no,
but that's all part of it. I mean, I could
tell you don't have an ounce of fat on you.
You're all muscle, you're lightning fast, you got a lot
of skills. That's fantastic. Are there other boxers in your
family that have gone on for like generations?
Speaker 4 (02:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Serious, No, I'm the first. I'll be the first one.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah. Well, and this will be your first professional fight.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yes, our first professional fight.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
So I'm guessing that that when when you get in
the ring for this it's a week from Saturday. We
talked about April nineteenth. Yes, sir you it's a different mindset,
I guess, or was it the same thing before any
a spar or any amateur thing you've been in. You
have the same mindset, and that's just to go and
get the job. Done.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, it's the same mindset, but I just know I
got to be on my tools more because it ain't no
haygear protecting me from a punch that I don't see.
You know, if I get caught with a punch, I
don't see With no haggar on, ain't no telling them
what happened. So it's just I gotta be more sharp.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Forgot about that. Yeah, so you've taken a few pops
in the head before without headgear. I mean, it's happened before,
so that won't be a fresh feeling. Yeah. Yeah, But
but it's all about what you do, right, isn't that
the way? I mean, Dad, you're a trainer. You know
how this works, so you're teaching him. It's all about
(03:49):
the strategy that you have versus and opponents tendencies. Is
that how that works?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
So basically, when it come with price, he just like
you said, the humidity had. He the kind of guy
you got to proy open for a little bit of
words out of him. But when it comes to this,
we definitely do a lot of focus drills, things that
keep him mentally sharp, stronger IQ vision, things of that nature.
So when he stepped in the Ring coming the April
(04:16):
of nineteenth transfer him for being an amateur fighter to
a professional fighter. It's a huge jump. It's sort of
like a kid going from middle school jumping straight to college,
you know what I mean. So when we dealing with
these guys, even though they may not be on price level,
accolade wise, or what's the projection wise, you know, we still,
like he said, can't take anybody lightly, so we definitely
(04:36):
have to be you know, on everything absolutely.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But focus is such a key component for people in
all walks of life. People want to succeed in all
kinds of things. Sir, do you read? Do you listen
to people talk? I mean, where what's your learning curve
for focus?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Learning? Just watching?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm more like a visual learner, so if I watch something,
I'll get it downpack and like however long I need
to get it so really visually and make me focus better.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yes, sir, and well I'm looking forward to this. Greg
Fonti is also in the studio with us from Louisville
Sports Commission. Good to see you again, brother.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Always good to be here, Terry. What are we getting
a full fight card? With full full fight card at
the Gillespie The Gillespie. Yeah, so it's it's black tie events.
So it's gonna be a little swanky, a little little
bougie action happening at the Gillespie. So people are gonna
be dressed up and uh, it's they've got a nice
(05:33):
a nice card coming together and you know it's uh,
but having local talent is always the key to to
having a good crowd, good success.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And having this young man make his pro debut here
just you know, uh, right out of Radcliffe, Kentucky. Mom
retired from the military. Hats off. I've got a son
that was in the military, so obviously a lot of
respect from there. But I think I think you got
to talk about his amateur career and the fact that
this kid, he looks like a young a young white.
(06:09):
Don't mind us old men calling you kid. We know
you're a man. We just we mean that in a
loving way. That's right.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You are, you are, You have all the youth that
we wish we.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Us. He's still a kid.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You still an enormous offense. Yeah, it's an enormous amateur.
Uh number how many how many fights have you had?
It's an amateur more than they can count.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
A lost count but it's over one hundred and I
got over like seventy eight wins or something like that.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Yeah, it's well over that with six regional championships. And
we got the hot region in the United States. So
our region once you come out of our region when
dealing with Kentucky, Indiana, Philadelphia, Ohio, Michigan, when them guys
can fight, that's right. And I'm telling you when I
say Price, we struggled out first here coming from Georgia,
(07:01):
moving from Georgia to here, and we had to really
put our foot down. And after about a year two,
everybody started understanding what Price Sparrow was all about.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
And when you get the attentions why like Roy Jones
juniors seen everything, you're like, you realize that's cream at
the top. He knows, he knows that he's dealing with
the best of the best. That's terrific part of this event.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Yes, yes, he actually flying in today.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Okay, good, Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Roy, Roy definitely, I tell you this guy that shook
up the country as far as being from Kentucky, because
when we was here, it's not like Kentucky done got
good fighters. It's just those that's being pushed and Price
got the skills and everywhere we go. Man, you're from Kentucky.
Kentucky ain't got no Now, next time you know that
sparrow kid out of Kentucky, I promise you this guy's official. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It reminds me, Terry of James and Carlos Stixon and
the journey we took with the with that father son duo.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
I remember all.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
The way to a junior WBC World Championship, and had
COVID not happened at his when he was hitting prime,
who knows what would have happened with Carlos and his
dad James on it. And so here we have another
father son duo from a young young man to turning
(08:19):
pro right here in our hometown. And the sky's the
limit for this young young man.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So excited for you guys. And I see this kind
of an international event too. You got somebody from Dominican Republic, Hamburg, Germany.
Your opponent is from Turkey to even speak English? Do
we know someone from Mexico? And so this is an
interesting fight card one, two, three, four, five, six, looks
like seven. You guys are the main event, of course,
(08:46):
and we're really looking forward to this price next Saturday night.
April nineteenth at the Gillespie. That's four twenty one West
Market Street. I didn't know that there was that was
a boxing facility as it were, just it is. It
is a week from Saturday, and we're fitting it up
for this. I love this. It's a classic building. Yeah,
very for sure. Great place for you. Yeah, I can
(09:07):
see a picture of you standing in front of that building.
It's going to be the poster that everybody holds forever. Yes,
sir Well Price, I know you've been working since you
were very young, and here you are, at eighteen years
of age, ready to go and become a professional. And
then we're all going to say I know him. So
we're excited for what's ahead for you. And thanks for
all the hard work and looking forward to this fight
(09:29):
night coming to the Gillespie black tie event featuring the
pro debut of this young man Price Sparrow Saturday April nineteenth,
seven o'clock. And then obviously you're the main event, so
you're later in the evening. Greg. What do we do
for tickets for this event? Bright?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Right?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Event? Bright?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Event? Bright? Go set it up under Rudd Jones Junior Presents.
Strow Down and get your tickets you know what I mean,
suitable to you from seventy five dollars out of way
up to VIP four, four hundred dollars. Thing. And it's
gonna be a great event. Great sponsors, great people supporting it.
The great building at Gillespie. You know a lot of
(10:07):
history with that building right here, right around the corner
from you.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
So we look forward to fantastic, fantastic, really looking forward
to it. Thank your mom for her service to our
country too. We appreciate that. And price big things are coming, yes,
so appreciate it. Really happy to meet you. Thank you
so much.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay, event bright Roy Jones Junior fight nights at the Gillespie.
You can find that and Saturday April nineteenth, seven pm
at the Gillespie on West Market Street. Great to meet
all of you. Got great to see you too, Greg.
Thanks Terry. All right back in a minute on news radio.
Wait forty whs
All right, a week from Saturday, we've got another fight
night in Louisville. This was going to be great because
it involves an up and coming star here in the
Louisville area named Price Sparrow Price. Good to meet you,
to meet you, Yes, sir, I know you work hard
at what you do. I'm impressed by you a few minutes.
I've known you already, it says on the sweatshirt, got
boxing got me is all in? How old were you
(00:23):
when boxing put a hook?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Can you?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
I was nine years old?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
That's kind of a that's a that's a young age
to get to get going on that. But you're you're
enjoyed it. I've read a lot about you. Yeah, yes, sir,
mostly about that humility. Let me guess. Do you come
out of a military family? Is that possible to do? Yes,
that's a structure. Hello, Dad, Calvin, good to see you.
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Great, great, Great for having us. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Well, it's good to have you guys here in the studio.
I know it's a big night. You am working hard
on this. Don't you have a gym in this area?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
In Radcliffe, Kentucky, five six nine Knocks Boulevard, m yep.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
And uh, there's so You've seen a lot of talent
over the years. But then I saw a name connected
with us, Roy Jones Junior. I'm like, wait a minute,
what he's kind of a big deal. How did Price,
your son, Price and Roy Jones Junior and you, mister
Sparrow connect.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Well, we connected off of a history that we had
with Price. First opponent his named Chris Young and Roy
Jones is actually that kid's current coach. Now, oh okay,
they invited us down to come sport in Pensacola, Florida,
which is Roy jim And then we went down there
and that's when Roy put his eyes on Price and
(01:41):
out from that point on that.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I got a lot of fighters there. But your kid's
pretty good.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
He's pretty good, and you know, he thought he was
pretty special, one of the most talented kids he saw
and quite sometimes outside of his own fighter Chris. And
from that we just made it a relationship and things
came to this point.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Now, Price, tell me about your workout regiment and what
do you do do you do? Do you spar three
days a week? Two days? What do you do to
stay proficient?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
So we will probably spar like two days a week,
cardio every day, you know, hitting a bag every day,
shadow boxing every day, jump rope every day, strength and
conditioning in the morning. So that would be like three
times a week. That'd be Monday, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
And yeah, that's about it.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Yeah, and then obviously you watch what you eat. You're
not out of having triple cheeseburgers. Sure, and I wish no,
but that's all part of it. I mean, I could
tell you don't have an ounce of fat on you.
You're all muscle, you're lightning fast, you got a lot
of skills. That's fantastic. Are there other boxers in your
family that have gone on for like generations?
Speaker 4 (02:45):
No?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
Serious, No, I'm the first. I'll be the first one.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah. Well, and this will be your first professional fight.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yes, our first professional fight.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
So I'm guessing that that when when you get in
the ring for this it's a week from Saturday. We
talked about April nineteenth. Yes, sir you it's a different mindset,
I guess, or was it the same thing before any
a spar or any amateur thing you've been in. You
have the same mindset, and that's just to go and
get the job. Done.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, it's the same mindset, but I just know I
got to be on my tools more because it ain't no
haygear protecting me from a punch that I don't see.
You know, if I get caught with a punch, I
don't see With no haggar on, ain't no telling them
what happened. So it's just I gotta be more sharp.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Forgot about that. Yeah, so you've taken a few pops
in the head before without headgear. I mean, it's happened before,
so that won't be a fresh feeling. Yeah. Yeah, But
but it's all about what you do, right, isn't that
the way? I mean, Dad, you're a trainer. You know
how this works, so you're teaching him. It's all about
(03:49):
the strategy that you have versus and opponents tendencies. Is
that how that works?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
So basically, when it come with price, he just like
you said, the humidity had. He the kind of guy
you got to proy open for a little bit of
words out of him. But when it comes to this,
we definitely do a lot of focus drills, things that
keep him mentally sharp, stronger IQ vision, things of that nature.
So when he stepped in the Ring coming the April
(04:16):
of nineteenth transfer him for being an amateur fighter to
a professional fighter. It's a huge jump. It's sort of
like a kid going from middle school jumping straight to college,
you know what I mean. So when we dealing with
these guys, even though they may not be on price level,
accolade wise, or what's the projection wise, you know, we still,
like he said, can't take anybody lightly, so we definitely
(04:36):
have to be you know, on everything absolutely.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
But focus is such a key component for people in
all walks of life. People want to succeed in all
kinds of things. Sir, do you read? Do you listen
to people talk? I mean, where what's your learning curve
for focus?
Speaker 4 (04:54):
Learning? Just watching?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm more like a visual learner, so if I watch something,
I'll get it downpack and like however long I need
to get it so really visually and make me focus better.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Yes, sir, and well I'm looking forward to this. Greg
Fonti is also in the studio with us from Louisville
Sports Commission. Good to see you again, brother.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Always good to be here, Terry. What are we getting
a full fight card? With full full fight card at
the Gillespie The Gillespie. Yeah, so it's it's black tie events.
So it's gonna be a little swanky, a little little
bougie action happening at the Gillespie. So people are gonna
be dressed up and uh, it's they've got a nice
(05:33):
a nice card coming together and you know it's uh,
but having local talent is always the key to to
having a good crowd, good success.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And having this young man make his pro debut here
just you know, uh, right out of Radcliffe, Kentucky. Mom
retired from the military. Hats off. I've got a son
that was in the military, so obviously a lot of
respect from there. But I think I think you got
to talk about his amateur career and the fact that
this kid, he looks like a young a young white.
(06:09):
Don't mind us old men calling you kid. We know
you're a man. We just we mean that in a
loving way. That's right.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
You are, you are, You have all the youth that
we wish we.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Us. He's still a kid.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You still an enormous offense. Yeah, it's an enormous amateur.
Uh number how many how many fights have you had?
It's an amateur more than they can count.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
A lost count but it's over one hundred and I
got over like seventy eight wins or something like that.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
Yeah, it's well over that with six regional championships. And
we got the hot region in the United States. So
our region once you come out of our region when
dealing with Kentucky, Indiana, Philadelphia, Ohio, Michigan, when them guys
can fight, that's right. And I'm telling you when I
say Price, we struggled out first here coming from Georgia,
(07:01):
moving from Georgia to here, and we had to really
put our foot down. And after about a year two,
everybody started understanding what Price Sparrow was all about.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
And when you get the attentions why like Roy Jones
juniors seen everything, you're like, you realize that's cream at
the top. He knows, he knows that he's dealing with
the best of the best. That's terrific part of this event.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Yes, yes, he actually flying in today.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
Okay, good, Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Roy, Roy definitely, I tell you this guy that shook
up the country as far as being from Kentucky, because
when we was here, it's not like Kentucky done got
good fighters. It's just those that's being pushed and Price
got the skills and everywhere we go. Man, you're from Kentucky.
Kentucky ain't got no Now, next time you know that
sparrow kid out of Kentucky, I promise you this guy's official. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
It reminds me, Terry of James and Carlos Stixon and
the journey we took with the with that father son duo.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
I remember all.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
The way to a junior WBC World Championship, and had
COVID not happened at his when he was hitting prime,
who knows what would have happened with Carlos and his
dad James on it. And so here we have another
father son duo from a young young man to turning
(08:19):
pro right here in our hometown. And the sky's the
limit for this young young man.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
So excited for you guys. And I see this kind
of an international event too. You got somebody from Dominican Republic, Hamburg, Germany.
Your opponent is from Turkey to even speak English? Do
we know someone from Mexico? And so this is an
interesting fight card one, two, three, four, five, six, looks
like seven. You guys are the main event, of course,
(08:46):
and we're really looking forward to this price next Saturday night.
April nineteenth at the Gillespie. That's four twenty one West
Market Street. I didn't know that there was that was
a boxing facility as it were, just it is. It
is a week from Saturday, and we're fitting it up
for this. I love this. It's a classic building. Yeah,
very for sure. Great place for you. Yeah, I can
(09:07):
see a picture of you standing in front of that building.
It's going to be the poster that everybody holds forever. Yes,
sir Well Price, I know you've been working since you
were very young, and here you are, at eighteen years
of age, ready to go and become a professional. And
then we're all going to say I know him. So
we're excited for what's ahead for you. And thanks for
all the hard work and looking forward to this fight
(09:29):
night coming to the Gillespie black tie event featuring the
pro debut of this young man Price Sparrow Saturday April nineteenth,
seven o'clock. And then obviously you're the main event, so
you're later in the evening. Greg. What do we do
for tickets for this event? Bright?
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Right?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Event? Bright?
Speaker 2 (09:46):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
Event? Bright? Go set it up under Rudd Jones Junior Presents.
Strow Down and get your tickets you know what I mean,
suitable to you from seventy five dollars out of way
up to VIP four, four hundred dollars. Thing. And it's
gonna be a great event. Great sponsors, great people supporting it.
The great building at Gillespie. You know a lot of
(10:07):
history with that building right here, right around the corner
from you.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
So we look forward to fantastic, fantastic, really looking forward
to it. Thank your mom for her service to our
country too. We appreciate that. And price big things are coming, yes,
so appreciate it. Really happy to meet you. Thank you
so much.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay, event bright Roy Jones Junior fight nights at the Gillespie.
You can find that and Saturday April nineteenth, seven pm
at the Gillespie on West Market Street. Great to meet
all of you. Got great to see you too, Greg.
Thanks Terry. All right back in a minute on news radio.
Wait forty whs
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