Full Transcript: Ted Palac on His Boxing Career
Ted: My name is Ted Palac. I born in Poland and I live so many years in Poland and during communist country, you know, we have lots, lots of pressure from Russia and in 1966, I have a match between Poland— South Poland and South Sweden, because I boxing in Polish National Team. I— we go to Sweden and never come back. I stay Sweden 2 years. 1968 I move to United States, I live Hamtramck. Since 1968, I move Hamtramck.
I boxing in Hamtramck and last year recreation and after so many years after I marriage a Polish woman what I know her from Poland you know from south of Poland. We married, we have three kids. My kids grow up, I start working like their coach, you know, and then I have two son and one daughter. I start coaching to my son since he-- one son was six years old, other one was eight years old. I coaching him and I develop program for him and both was olympic team USA Colorado Springs you know. They was-- one was for 1996 Olympic trial, other one was for 2000 Sydney Australia. I working with USA team so many years, I still working, I still have gym in Hamtramck. I traveling with USA team 26 time different country with USA team, women and men. I been in six times head coach for women and men. China two times, Azerbaijan, Moscow, Russia I been five times. I been South America, Argentina, Canada, many country, you know. Mostly in European country and mostly you know I try to do best for USA team always if I come with USA team always I bring in a medal. I am a level four higher level four USA coach. Also I am AIBA star three this is higher coach in AIBA boxing. I certification, recertification my level star three last year March, Assisi, Italy. I have to pay from my own pocket [laughs] or program. I boxing, I with boxing I am in since I was 14 years old in Poland, and I boxing in Sweden, I boxing United States. I coaching kids since 1971, 71, yeah.
I boxing in Poland if I was 16 years old, I boxing in junior I boxing in, if I grow up, men’s senior in I Polish. I used to play soccer but I changed sport to boxing. I love boxing. I still love boxing. I still have open my gym. I still coaching kids. Boxing Poland was very popular sport, yeah. Right now, it’s soccer, a long time ago they boxing.
I have good coach in Poland you know, very good experience, he used to be in Polish National Team coach. Very tough guy, believe me, very tough guy, very old style man, you know. I have discipline, you know, and I learn boxing. Anything if you discipline— I’m sorry— if you discipline, you have any place if you discipline a job you go very high, yeah. We have like a state champion, we have region champion. You go to national like my son, two son was Olympian, they win everything and they hook him up with USA team. They have scholarship, they pay him, you know they traveling with USA team to other country. You have to be great.
I am traveling with USA team lots of country, yeah. I see lots of country. Lots of nice women, too. [Laughs]
My parents, first they don’t like it if I go to boxing but second, you know, boxing make you discipline. You don’t have time fool around in a street, you know, and bad some habit, alcohol, you know, prostitution, you know, that’s— I go boxing and I grow up good man. Same thing here, my kids, I explain all the time, my kids from the gym, you know, I say to parents very good you bringing kids to my gym because they get after session they was very tired, they don’t have running in the street, in the ally, get bad habit, you know, and they really is. After gym the kids go to do homework and go sleep, yeah.
Its in the rules, you have to be eight years old. Eight years old, parents have to sign paper. I have not only kids I have grown up men like 20, over 20, over 20 yeah. They training same session from eight to even I have guy 45 years old, you know, because right now boxing you can be 65, 70 but for Olympic you can be 44 years old. You can fight, they used to be 30, now they extend it.
I start coaching my son you know, six years old and he was 11 years old he become already USA champion national junior, you know. And then Colorado Springs, if he been in California, Sacramento, he went, he went, he was 11 years old, he beat everybody, he say oh he have good coach, we gonna hook up with USA team but I don’t have time, you know. I have to training, working, you know. And then 14 years old he beat two guys from Ireland, you know, make it junior European champion and then the USA team hook up me with USA team and I go to camp, I training, yeah.
Lot of politics right now in boxing, any sport this country, lots of politics. USA team right now, USA Boxing Federation lost sponsor, you know, they don’t have money, you know. And there is, you know, very politics, you know. If you good, you know, the people, rich people say okay USA boxing make Olympic gold metal, three or two Olympic gold metal we give him money. But if you not make it world champion metal, Olympic metal, why I should spend money for you? Like, like you bad wife, you fool around, why I should buy gold for you, you know? See whats happened USA boxing right now, most take parents to trip because parents— like I used to training my kids they still parents, father training kids. They have money, they want to be with kids, you know. But used to the USA boxing pay everything, now they parents pay, you know. Parents pay all money, USA boxing adding some money, you know, but not like used to, you know. Used to they pay whole trip back and forth, food, everything, sponsor pay, you know. Now we have problem.
I teach my children from the beginning, they have to listen. Sometimes I screaming, screaming you have to be listen, you know, and they make it discipline, you know, and they all discipline make it my kids champion, believe me. They beat everybody. They beat good champion, yeah.
She was older, if they was two son young, she beat you know my son, but after my son learned technique, you know, they sometimes knock my daughter and the daughter say, “Daddy I quit boxing.” [Laughs]
I training him in the basement, and we go to famous Kronk, you know, you don’t know, you don’t know who is Kronk? Kronk was a gym who was famous boxing in the— in Detroit. Manny Steward have the head coach. He training lots of good fighters like Holyfield, Tyson, even Ali was in Kronk, Muhammed Ali, everybody was in Kronk, they was famous gym. They, people from all over in the world come in and a spotting, used spotting session because we have good fights. I worked with Manny 12 years. I have lot of experience over there plus I have experience from Poland, you know, I become good coach, yeah.
I have some, I am hiding some technique. I just, I want to tell you something, if I go to camp, you know, my son boxing, I no put the hundred percent everything what I know, I just put 75 percent, 25 percent I leave to my son, my fighters. Thats why they, they say something happen with you, with you fighters, must be using doping, you know? And then we been Olympic Center they catch Arthur in the road and they say, “Come on we check you blood or check you pee, you have to pee.” “Why?” I say. “Because he special like he used dope.” They all the time check, they think because they have good technique, you know, good technique, they know how to move leg, everything. You know, one time we go in a church before Olympic, somebody knock a door in my house here Hamtramck. I say, “What do you want?” I see ambulance, you know? “We want to test Arthur before Olympic.” They come from Cincinnati, Ohio, you know? And they test, nothing find out, you know. Finally they believe I training good. 25 percent I no show USA boxing, you know, what, how I training. Like the— you sold army equipment to other country, you not sold everything, best you hide in this country, worst you send. [Laughs] They can’t believe that my son white kids beat Mexican, Spanish, black, you know. They say, “How he beat black?” You know, mostly black is good fighters, you know. I been four times head coach for world champion for USA team. My favorite world champion I been China, China, two times, it was nice, and Moscow and Azerbaijan, yeah. I been, I been two times or, I don’t remember, two or three times with women and two times with men.
I walk with all flag everything, yeah. I liked Buenos Aires, we walk there was, under 19, you know? My son win silver metal, you know. Conversation decision he lost with Cuban, you know, it was nice, yeah. I walk with China, everything. It’s very, emotion, you know? Walk with all flag, so many country. Like Bangkok, Thailand, there was 360 people, different nation, you know, 360 different nation, you know, 1994. That was emotion, you know, you almost cry, yeah.
I coaching professional boxer from Ukraine, make him 21 professional fights. He was very good. He never make it big money. After his fight, make big bucks in Las Vegas, there was Las Vegas fight, he say, “Ted, I make money, I don’t want to box anymore. I know how investment money.” But he was old already. Other kid I have with good potential, good talent, I make him eight professional fights, he go to Maryland, we fight a title, and then they find out, take blood, he got Hepatitis B and C. And they automatics— they was in the right in the ring, we was already in the ring. They stop and they call me and they say “Ted, he can’t fight this time because blood say he have Hepatitis B and C. You can’t fight.”
You know, I like training. I have one guy, I training him three years, he’s already 12 years old I start him 9 years old, he’s already national silver metal and state champion Golden Gloves, yeah.
I training by the you know, technique, you know. I have— my technique is together with Cuban and Russian and Poland. Same school, you know? I put together and I training kids. Same as my son, yeah.
All the time I boxing I was enjoy Poland because we have like every two, three weeks competition with other state, you know, government pay everything. I working in a factory, you know. Really I was sign up by the factory but I no work, I just come and pick up my check every two weeks, you know. My name was like that— I work, but I no work because government take care good athletic. They pretend I work but I never work, you know, I just pick up check, I training, you know? I go to competition, you know. Communist country used to have good result, Olympic lot of metal, you know, because like United States, no, you have to work, you have to training, its very hard get put together job, training and competition, yeah.
I boxing in Hamtramck and last year recreation and after so many years after I marriage a Polish woman what I know her from Poland you know from south of Poland. We married, we have three kids. My kids grow up, I start working like their coach, you know, and then I have two son and one daughter. I start coaching to my son since he-- one son was six years old, other one was eight years old. I coaching him and I develop program for him and both was olympic team USA Colorado Springs you know. They was-- one was for 1996 Olympic trial, other one was for 2000 Sydney Australia. I working with USA team so many years, I still working, I still have gym in Hamtramck. I traveling with USA team 26 time different country with USA team, women and men. I been in six times head coach for women and men. China two times, Azerbaijan, Moscow, Russia I been five times. I been South America, Argentina, Canada, many country, you know. Mostly in European country and mostly you know I try to do best for USA team always if I come with USA team always I bring in a medal. I am a level four higher level four USA coach. Also I am AIBA star three this is higher coach in AIBA boxing. I certification, recertification my level star three last year March, Assisi, Italy. I have to pay from my own pocket [laughs] or program. I boxing, I with boxing I am in since I was 14 years old in Poland, and I boxing in Sweden, I boxing United States. I coaching kids since 1971, 71, yeah.
I boxing in Poland if I was 16 years old, I boxing in junior I boxing in, if I grow up, men’s senior in I Polish. I used to play soccer but I changed sport to boxing. I love boxing. I still love boxing. I still have open my gym. I still coaching kids. Boxing Poland was very popular sport, yeah. Right now, it’s soccer, a long time ago they boxing.
I have good coach in Poland you know, very good experience, he used to be in Polish National Team coach. Very tough guy, believe me, very tough guy, very old style man, you know. I have discipline, you know, and I learn boxing. Anything if you discipline— I’m sorry— if you discipline, you have any place if you discipline a job you go very high, yeah. We have like a state champion, we have region champion. You go to national like my son, two son was Olympian, they win everything and they hook him up with USA team. They have scholarship, they pay him, you know they traveling with USA team to other country. You have to be great.
I am traveling with USA team lots of country, yeah. I see lots of country. Lots of nice women, too. [Laughs]
My parents, first they don’t like it if I go to boxing but second, you know, boxing make you discipline. You don’t have time fool around in a street, you know, and bad some habit, alcohol, you know, prostitution, you know, that’s— I go boxing and I grow up good man. Same thing here, my kids, I explain all the time, my kids from the gym, you know, I say to parents very good you bringing kids to my gym because they get after session they was very tired, they don’t have running in the street, in the ally, get bad habit, you know, and they really is. After gym the kids go to do homework and go sleep, yeah.
Its in the rules, you have to be eight years old. Eight years old, parents have to sign paper. I have not only kids I have grown up men like 20, over 20, over 20 yeah. They training same session from eight to even I have guy 45 years old, you know, because right now boxing you can be 65, 70 but for Olympic you can be 44 years old. You can fight, they used to be 30, now they extend it.
I start coaching my son you know, six years old and he was 11 years old he become already USA champion national junior, you know. And then Colorado Springs, if he been in California, Sacramento, he went, he went, he was 11 years old, he beat everybody, he say oh he have good coach, we gonna hook up with USA team but I don’t have time, you know. I have to training, working, you know. And then 14 years old he beat two guys from Ireland, you know, make it junior European champion and then the USA team hook up me with USA team and I go to camp, I training, yeah.
Lot of politics right now in boxing, any sport this country, lots of politics. USA team right now, USA Boxing Federation lost sponsor, you know, they don’t have money, you know. And there is, you know, very politics, you know. If you good, you know, the people, rich people say okay USA boxing make Olympic gold metal, three or two Olympic gold metal we give him money. But if you not make it world champion metal, Olympic metal, why I should spend money for you? Like, like you bad wife, you fool around, why I should buy gold for you, you know? See whats happened USA boxing right now, most take parents to trip because parents— like I used to training my kids they still parents, father training kids. They have money, they want to be with kids, you know. But used to the USA boxing pay everything, now they parents pay, you know. Parents pay all money, USA boxing adding some money, you know, but not like used to, you know. Used to they pay whole trip back and forth, food, everything, sponsor pay, you know. Now we have problem.
I teach my children from the beginning, they have to listen. Sometimes I screaming, screaming you have to be listen, you know, and they make it discipline, you know, and they all discipline make it my kids champion, believe me. They beat everybody. They beat good champion, yeah.
She was older, if they was two son young, she beat you know my son, but after my son learned technique, you know, they sometimes knock my daughter and the daughter say, “Daddy I quit boxing.” [Laughs]
I training him in the basement, and we go to famous Kronk, you know, you don’t know, you don’t know who is Kronk? Kronk was a gym who was famous boxing in the— in Detroit. Manny Steward have the head coach. He training lots of good fighters like Holyfield, Tyson, even Ali was in Kronk, Muhammed Ali, everybody was in Kronk, they was famous gym. They, people from all over in the world come in and a spotting, used spotting session because we have good fights. I worked with Manny 12 years. I have lot of experience over there plus I have experience from Poland, you know, I become good coach, yeah.
I have some, I am hiding some technique. I just, I want to tell you something, if I go to camp, you know, my son boxing, I no put the hundred percent everything what I know, I just put 75 percent, 25 percent I leave to my son, my fighters. Thats why they, they say something happen with you, with you fighters, must be using doping, you know? And then we been Olympic Center they catch Arthur in the road and they say, “Come on we check you blood or check you pee, you have to pee.” “Why?” I say. “Because he special like he used dope.” They all the time check, they think because they have good technique, you know, good technique, they know how to move leg, everything. You know, one time we go in a church before Olympic, somebody knock a door in my house here Hamtramck. I say, “What do you want?” I see ambulance, you know? “We want to test Arthur before Olympic.” They come from Cincinnati, Ohio, you know? And they test, nothing find out, you know. Finally they believe I training good. 25 percent I no show USA boxing, you know, what, how I training. Like the— you sold army equipment to other country, you not sold everything, best you hide in this country, worst you send. [Laughs] They can’t believe that my son white kids beat Mexican, Spanish, black, you know. They say, “How he beat black?” You know, mostly black is good fighters, you know. I been four times head coach for world champion for USA team. My favorite world champion I been China, China, two times, it was nice, and Moscow and Azerbaijan, yeah. I been, I been two times or, I don’t remember, two or three times with women and two times with men.
I walk with all flag everything, yeah. I liked Buenos Aires, we walk there was, under 19, you know? My son win silver metal, you know. Conversation decision he lost with Cuban, you know, it was nice, yeah. I walk with China, everything. It’s very, emotion, you know? Walk with all flag, so many country. Like Bangkok, Thailand, there was 360 people, different nation, you know, 360 different nation, you know, 1994. That was emotion, you know, you almost cry, yeah.
I coaching professional boxer from Ukraine, make him 21 professional fights. He was very good. He never make it big money. After his fight, make big bucks in Las Vegas, there was Las Vegas fight, he say, “Ted, I make money, I don’t want to box anymore. I know how investment money.” But he was old already. Other kid I have with good potential, good talent, I make him eight professional fights, he go to Maryland, we fight a title, and then they find out, take blood, he got Hepatitis B and C. And they automatics— they was in the right in the ring, we was already in the ring. They stop and they call me and they say “Ted, he can’t fight this time because blood say he have Hepatitis B and C. You can’t fight.”
You know, I like training. I have one guy, I training him three years, he’s already 12 years old I start him 9 years old, he’s already national silver metal and state champion Golden Gloves, yeah.
I training by the you know, technique, you know. I have— my technique is together with Cuban and Russian and Poland. Same school, you know? I put together and I training kids. Same as my son, yeah.
All the time I boxing I was enjoy Poland because we have like every two, three weeks competition with other state, you know, government pay everything. I working in a factory, you know. Really I was sign up by the factory but I no work, I just come and pick up my check every two weeks, you know. My name was like that— I work, but I no work because government take care good athletic. They pretend I work but I never work, you know, I just pick up check, I training, you know? I go to competition, you know. Communist country used to have good result, Olympic lot of metal, you know, because like United States, no, you have to work, you have to training, its very hard get put together job, training and competition, yeah.