After quitting boxing
following his first loss as
a professional, Scotty Buck has returned to the ring
more determined than ever to become a champion.
STEVE STEIN STAFF WRITER
PHOTOS BY GLENN TRIEST
t's not easy for parents to watch
someone try to beat up their son
while they're helpless to stop it. Just
ask Leon and. Linda Buchzeiger of
Farmington Hills
They are the parents of up-and-
coming professional featherweight
boxer Scotty Buck, and both admit
watching their son's matches makes
them squeamish.
Leon goes to the back of the arena. Lin-
da is much closer to the ring, but she often
videotapes the action "so I can keep my eyes
focused on two little black-and-white im-
ages and not what's going on right in front
of me. I'm still shaking because I'm so ner-
vous, though."
Scotty, a solidly-built 5-foot-7, 128-
pounder, has won seven of his first eight
professional matches (five by knockouts) af-
ter an undistinguished amateur career
which saw him lose three of five bouts.
His latest match was a four-round unan-
imous decision victory over Levi Gray of Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla., last month at the Palace
of Auburn Hills.
The bout was televised nationally on the
Prime network and seen in the Detroit area
on PASS the following night.
While 7-1 is an impressive record, Scot-
ty's parents and his 19-year-old brother Greg
are more proud of the fact that Scotty has
used boxing to get his life in order after an
adolescence filled with problems — includ-
ing a propensity for getting into fights.
A 1989 graduate of North Farmington
High School who admits he hated going to
school, Scotty has returned to the classroom,
at Oakland Community College.
"Right now, boxing is a very positive part
of Scotty's life. As long as it stays that way,
we'll encourage him in every way we can.
There are a lot worse things he could be do-
ing," said Leon Buchzeiger, the owner of the
Buck & Associates marketing company in
Farmington Hills.
"You know, not every son turns out to be
a doctor or a lawyer," said Linda Buchzeiger,
a sales associate at the Hudson's store at
Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi.
"Scotty wasn't a very good student but he
was athletic, so I was hoping he might get
into sports. I just never dreamed he would
be a boxer," Linda said. "Even though I don't
like violence, I'm glad Scotty has gotten into
boxing. It has kept him away from the
wrong crowd and given him a regimen in
his life."
Scotty, 23, shortened his last name when
he turned professional because it was mis-
pronounced so often. He has been a mem-
ber of Jackie Kallen's Galaxy Boxing team
for about four years and a professional for
almost a year and a half.
But he quit boxing for several months last
year after he suffered his first professional
loss, a third-round technical knockout at the
hands of Pete Cantu at the Palace.
"I was devastated," Scotty said. "But I
also really missed boxing, and a lot of peo-
ple told me I would be stupid to give it up."
Scotty continued to work out (but not box)
during his time away from the sport and he
was employed by his father.
Leon Buchzeiger said his son returned to
boxing with a better focus and sense of re-
ality.
"Scotty realized that very few people in
Scotty Buck gets some advice from
trainer Jessie Paul.