One Round with Carmelo Anthony
He’s beating teams on the court – and could probably beat us up off of it.
We chat with Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony about being part of Degree Men’s DO: MORE campaign, his love of boxing, and if there’s anyone in particular he’d like to take into the ring.
Sometimes athletes get attached to some pretty random campaigns and products, but the Degree Men’s DO: MORE campaign seems like a good fit for you.
Yeah, it was really the motto that resonated with me. Growing up in Baltimore I saw a lot of rough stuff happening around me, and saw people losing their way, so my personal motto was always “be more.” Be more than a father, be more than an athlete, be more than a doctor; whatever you are always strive to be more than just that label. I think this campaign correlates to that. I do more than just play basketball.
You box, which seems like a great stress reliever but also incredibly tiring to do on your off days.
It is intense, but it gets me going. When I have a couple of days off between games I’ll go to the boxing gym and throw some punches.
How long have you been doing it?
I started boxing about seven years ago. I was always intrigued by what great shape boxers are able to get into and how much work training for the sport actually is. They go out and fight for 48 minutes. I started out going into the boxing gym thinking I was superman and I could only do three or four three-minute rounds.
What NBA player would you want to face-off against in the ring?
Oh man, I have a long list. I won’t give you that list, but I definitely have one, and it is long.
We’re guessing you’ll be seeing some of those guys in the weeks ahead. How are you preparing for this tough schedule?
Sticking to the motto – I’m gonna do more training! I’m trying to get healthier, taking it day by day.
Got it. And last but not least, who’s going all the way in your NCAA bracket?
Syracuse! That’s a no-brainer.
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