Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski isn't taking the NFL Lockout without a fight. Several fights, actually.
With football on the back burner for now, Zbikowski's boxing career is in full swing.
"I want to be taken serious," the 193-pound Zbikowski said by phone from his home in Arlington Heights, Ill. "The caliber of opponents that I'm facing, people who don't know boxing will think that it's not serious."
Though Zbikowski is a fourth-year safety in the NFL, he is a raw prospect as a boxer. He made his pro debut five years ago on the undercard of the Cotto-Paulie Malignaggi fight at Madison Square Garden. Because of his NFL career, he hasn't been able to devote any time to advancing his boxing career.
While some of his fellow NFL players may like to try their hand (and fists) at boxing, Carl Moretti, the chief of boxing operations for Top Rank, Zbikowski's promoter, says it's not as easy as it looks.
"This guy is light years ahead of everybody in the league," Moretti said. "He had an extensive and solid amateur background. He had 90 fights in the Chicago Golden Gloves. That's pretty good stuff whether you're a football player or a kid looking to turn pro. He knows what he's looking at in the ring. He's followed the sport and he's passionate about it."
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