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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
Jared Anderson told ESPN he’s “beyond blessed … to come away without any injuries” and acknowledged “it was a mistake,” after police said he led them on a 6-plus-mile car chase last month with speeds exceeding 130 mph.
The heavyweight contender was charged with third-degree felony fleeing a police officer in Huron Township, Michigan. His next court date is scheduled for April 15, two days after his ESPN main event against Ryad Merhy in Corpus Christi, Texas.
“Very much an impulse decision,” Anderson said during a Zoom interview. “I’m looked upon by many, whether I like it or not, which I really don’t, but … I have to be a better role model. … It’s a lesson learned, so just take away from it and keep pushing forward.”
Anderson, 24, is widely considered America’s top heavyweight champion hopeful. The boxer from Toledo, Ohio is ESPN’s No. 8 heavyweight and coming off his best year yet.
Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) scored a third-round TKO victory over George Arias in April, had a decision win over former titleholder Charles Martin in July and then capped his year with a fifth-round TKO victory over Andriy Rudenko in August.
He has had two run-ins with the law since that fight.
In November, Anderson was arrested in Ohio and charged with improperly handling firearms in a vehicle while knowingly under the influence and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In December, he pleaded no contest to an amended charge of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle while the OVI charge was dropped. Anderson was fined $200 and handed a 180-day suspended sentence at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio contingent on him not committing a similar offense within one year.
On Feb. 29, Anderson allegedly led officers on a wild car chase that ended when he crashed into a median.
“I’m human. I’m 24. Everybody makes mistakes,” Anderson said. “It’s not gonna be my last mistake. I hope it’s my last mistake that involves me being arrested. … I feel like a lot of people have painted pictures of me to be something I’m really not. … I wouldn’t say I regret it, you know, lesson learned. I try to live my life with no regrets. … Nothing we can really do about it at the moment other than face it head on, take it on the chin.”
Anderson is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound heavyweight who has displayed crushing power in the ring, but he hasn’t proven his skills against the top level yet. That opportunity could come later this year, if not the following year. Naturally, Anderson’s trouble with the law has led to criticism that he isn’t taking the sport seriously.
“It’s not really gonna derail my career. It is just an eye-opener to make me push harder,” Anderson said. “When you see my performance April 13, just know that you won’t have anything to worry about. I’m always training, even when people wanted to try and tear me down and say that I wasn’t focused. Even when I did have that incident, I was still training. I was in the gym the next day after I got released.
“I’m always a hard worker. If you know me, you know my work ethic is really insane, for real. So, just know that I’m always going to be in shape, I’m always coming ready. … I think I’m just getting started. I barely scratched the surface so far. I’m really ready to get to the next level.”