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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
“I couldn't be more lucky to come out unscathed,” Jared Anderson told ESPN after police say he led a car chase for more than six miles at speeds exceeding 130 mph last month. , admitted that it was a mistake.
The heavyweight contender was charged with third-degree felony fleeing from a police officer in Huron Township, Michigan. His next court date is scheduled for April 15, two days after his ESPN Main Event fight against Riyad Mahi in Corpus Christi, Texas.
“It was a very impulsive decision,” Anderson said in a Zoom interview. “Whether I like it or not, a lot of people look at me and I'm not really like that, but…I have to be a better example….I learned this… It’s a lesson, so take it from there and keep moving forward.”
Anderson, 24, is widely considered a top contender for America's heavyweight championship. The Toledo, Ohio, native is having his best year to date, ranked No. 8 in ESPN's heavyweight rankings.
Anderson (16-0, 15 KOs) scored a third-round TKO win over George Arias in April, a decision win over former titleholder Charles Martin in July, and a fifth-round victory over Andriy Rudenko in August. He ended the year with a TKO victory. .
Since that fight, he has had two run-ins with the law.
Anderson was arrested in Ohio in November and charged with improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle while knowingly intoxicated and operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In December, he pleaded no contest to an amended charge of improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle while the OVI charge was dismissed. Anderson was sentenced to a $200 fine and a 180-day suspended sentence at the Northwest Ohio Correctional Center on condition that he not commit a similar crime within a year.
On February 29, Anderson allegedly led police officers on an intense car chase that ended with him crashing into a median.
“I'm human. I'm 24 years old. Everybody makes mistakes,” Anderson said. “This won't be my last mistake. I hope that getting arrested is my last mistake. … A lot of people are going to look at my picture as something that's not the real me. I feel like I'm painting it as if…that's what I would do.''
Anderson is a 6-foot-4, 240-pound heavyweight who displays tremendous power in the ring, but has yet to prove his skills against top-level opponents. That opportunity could come later this year, if not next year. Unsurprisingly, Anderson has had some trouble with the law, leading to criticism that he doesn't take the sport seriously.
“It's not really going to derail my career, but it's something that's going to push me to try harder,” Anderson said. “Look at my performance on April 13th and know that there's nothing to worry about, even if people tried to beat me up or say I wasn't focused. Well, I always train. After what happened, I was still training and was in the gym the day after I was released.
“I've always been a hard worker. Anyone who knows me, you know my work ethic is just insane, really. That's why I'm always in shape and always ready. Please know that… “I think we're just getting started. We've just scratched the surface. We're ready to take it to the next level.”
